Ioan Petean

Biogenic Syntheses of Gold Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts

A biogenic approach for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) by reducing chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) with three different plant extracts (from Angelica, Hypericum, and Hamamelis) is described. The content of reducing compounds (polyphenols) in each plant extract was determined by photometric dosing. The formation of GNPs was tracked by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and their characterization was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and FTIR spectra. GNPs, with diameters ranging from about 4 nm to 8 nm, were obtained at room temperature and pH value about 8. They present various shapes from spherical, to ovals, heart or polyhedral forms. Generally, the GNPs colloidal dispersions are rather stable in time, and the self assembly of GNPs is sparsely observed. However, at lower concentration of the plant extract the tendency to self aggregation of the GNPs increased. The plant extracts contain reducing agents, compounds with stabilizing effect on the GNPs, but also components which mediate their self assembly. The GNPs obtained by these biogenic syntheses have potential biological and medical applications, taking into account at least two characteristics, their size and aqueous stability.

Atmospheric induced nanoparticles due to the urban street dust

ABSTRACT Urban street dust (SD) represents a natural source of mineral floating particles (FP) in the atmosphere. The FP particles have usually a wide range of sizes. These particles were monitored and collected by automatic stations in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The SD and FP samples were investigated by XRD and SEM-EDX analysis. The obtained results prove that both, SD and FP, have a similar composition, namely quartz, clay particles (e.g., muscovite, and kaolinite), calcite, and trace of lepidocrocite. Nanostructural features and fine micro-scaled particles are observed. Quartz and clay nanoparticles were found in SD samples as well as in FP samples. The AFM investigation reveals a nano-size range for quartz particles between 80–90 nm, and 40–60 nm diameter for clay particles. Similar values were obtained by TEM microscopy. The high resolution microscopy results were confirmed by the values obtained by Scherrer formula applied to the XRD patterns. Composition and dimensional similarities found for the nanoparticles in SD and FP samples prove that mineral nanofractions in atmosphere were induced by the urban environmental interactions with the SD. Results provide valuable information on the size, shape, and composition of nanoparticles induced in atmosphere by winds and by environmental interactions with the SD. This work contributes to the evaluation of the air pollution and simultaneously it offers a basis for an improved life quality for Cluj-Napoca population.

Thermal analysis of pure and multisubstituted hydroxyapatite pastes

The thermal stability over time of the pure and multisubstituted hydroxyapatite (HAP) pastes, doped with magnesium, silicon, strontium and zinc, synthesized using aqueous precipitation method were investigated by thermal analyses (TG-DTA). Results show high thermal stability of pure and multidoped hydroxyapatite pastes, up to 1000 oC and even after ageing for 1 year, making these pastes promising nano materials for medical applications.

Synthesis and structural characterization of novel porous zinc substituted nanohydroxyapatite powders

ABSTRACT This study reports the synthesis of new porous nanohydroxyapatites (HAPs) substituted with different Zn contents (HAP_Zn) employing calcium and zinc nitrates and diammonium hydrogen phosphate as precursors. The synthesis was conducted in the presence of a surfactant, L-asparagine, for controlling the pore size distribution and morphology of obtained nanopowders, using a co-precipitation route. Thus a new approach leading to HAP_Zn nanopowders with improved nucleation and crystallization ability was developed. After maturation treatment of dispersions and filtration, the precipitate was lyophilized and ground. Part of the samples was calcined at 300°C for 1 h. The zinc content in the nanoHAPs varies from 0.2 to 10 wt% (substitution degree of Ca by Zn from 0.3 to 15.8 mole %). XRD investigations indicated HAP as the unique phase present and the nanostructured nature of the obtained HAPs. FTIR spectra also confirmed the presence of HAP structure. TEM, SEM, and AFM images showed the morphology of the HAP_Zn samples. BET analysis led to the characterization of specific surface area and porosity for the samples. The new nanopowders are designed to be used in orthopedic surgery, particularly for the treatment of osteoporosis and as bone substitutes, and in dentistry for remineralization of enamel.

Characterisation of surface organisation and morphology of some new experimental dental resin-based composites

The aim of this work was to investigate the morphology and to determine the roughness of a series of three new experimental resin-based composite materials containing different inorganic fillers using the AFM technique. Dental composites with photochemical initiation of polymerisation were prepared using the same resin consisting of synthesised aromatic dimethacrylic oligomers mixture containing Bis-GMA monomer – 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy) phenyl]-propane and the corresponding Bis-GMA dimer and triethyleneglicol dimethacrylate. The inorganic fillers used in the composites were: n nFrom the point of view of the surface uniformity, we can conclude that the smoothest surface results from the composite based on synthesised hydroxyapatite, followed by the composite based on commercial hydroxyapatite, the highest roughness being observed for the composite based on glass filler particles. All three composite materials present compact structures of undermicronic particles uniformly assembled.