Jorge Castiglioni

Crystallization as a way for inducing thermoluminescence in a lead borate glass

A great improvement in thermoluminescence response was found, for the first time, for crystallized samples of lead borate glass of composition 33% PbO and 67% B2O3 (% in mol); this response clearly increases with crystallization time. Glass–crystal transformation was characterized by thermal analysis and by scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate the studied lead borate glass–ceramic as a promising material for thermoluminescence dosimetric applications.

Synthesis, characterization, microbiological evaluation, genotoxicity and synergism tests of new nano silver complexes with sulfamoxole: X-ray diffraction of [Ag2(SMX)2]·DMSO

The synthesis and microbiological evaluation of two new Ag(I) complexes with sulfamoxole (SMX), [Ag2(SMX)2]·H2O and [Ag4(SCN)3(SMX)]·H2O are described. Both were characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR, Raman and experimental and theoretical IR spectroscopies. Their antibacterial and antifungal properties were evaluated by agar and broth dilution assays, respectively. In addition, synergism tests for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were performed, and genotoxicity studies were carried out employing the Allium cepa test. Both complexes displayed good activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, P. aeruginosa, and 10 fungi strains, with lower minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) than that of free SMX in all cases. The nanometrical crystallite particle size determined from XRPD, DLS and TEM might explain the good microbiological activity in spite of the low solubility of both complexes. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) calculated from the P. aeruginosa test data indicated that the activity of the complexes is not due to synergism of the free components in the concentration ratios studied. Moreover, none of the complexes displayed cytotoxic effects on onions in the concentration range tested, and chromosome aberrations were not observed.

Synthesis and characterization of heteroleptic copper and zinc complexes with saccharinate and aminoacids. Evaluation of SOD-like activity of the copper complexes.

Five new copper and zinc heteroleptic complexes with saccharin and aminoacids with general stoichiometry Na2[M(sac)2(aa)2]⋅nH2O (M denotes Cu or Zn, sac the saccharinate ion, and aa the aminoacids) were synthesized and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analysis, conductimetric measurements and IR, Raman and UV–vis spectroscopies. In all the complexes, copper and zinc ions coordinated with the aminoacids through the terminal amine and carboxylate residues and with saccharin through the heterocyclic nitrogen atom. Besides, the superoxide dismutase-like activity of the heteroleptic copper complexes was evaluated and compared with the homoleptic copper amino acid complexes with the aim to observe the influence of the saccharin coordination.

Polymorphism and luminescence properties of heteropolynuclear metal–organic frameworks containing oxydiacetate as linker

Using the flexible ligand oxydiacetic acid (H2oda), ten new heteropolynuclear compounds with general formula [Ln2Zn3(oda)6]·xH2O (Ln = lanthanide ion, oda = oxydiacetate) were synthesized and structurally characterized. They were prepared by the direct reaction of oda in aqueous solution with stoichiometric amounts of Zn and Ln salts, followed by slow organic solvent diffusion. Two different structures were obtained: the larger lanthanides Pr, Nd, Eu and Tb gave compounds belonging to the hexagonal system, space group P6/mcc; whereas, the smaller ones, Ho, Er, Yb and Y formed cubic systems, space group Fdc. In the case of Dy, the two polymorphs were obtained by slight variations in the synthetic conditions. The phase change observed is discussed in comparison with previously reported [Ln2M3(oda)6]·xH2O compounds (M = bivalent metal ion). Luminescence studies were also carried out. Compounds containing Eu and Tb showed the most intense luminescence, also bearing relatively long lifetimes for the excited state deactivation. The luminescence profiles of both Dy systems are independent of the hexagonal or cubic arrangements, due to the similar environment of the Ln having the same point symmetry.