Nadica D. Abazović

Synthesis and Characterization of Rutile TiO 2 Nanopowders Doped with Iron Ions

Titanium dioxide nanopowders doped with different amounts of Fe ions were prepared by coprecipitation method. Obtained materials were characterized by structural (XRD), morphological (TEM and SEM), optical (UV/vis reflection and photoluminescence, and Raman), and analytical techniques (XPS and ICP-OES). XRD analysis revealed rutile crystalline phase for doped and undoped titanium dioxide obtained in the same manner. Diameter of the particles was 5–7 nm. The presence of iron ions was confirmed by XPS and ICP-OES. Doping process moved absorption threshold of TiO2into visible spectrum range. Photocatalytic activity was also checked. Doped nanopowders showed normal and up-converted photoluminescence.

Direct detection of unamplified DNA from pathogenic mycobacteria using DNA-derivatized gold nanoparticles.

Mycobacterial infections have a high economic, human and animal health impact. Herein, we present the development of a colorimetric method that relies on the use of gold nanoparticles for fast and specific detection of Mycobacterium spp. dispensing with the need for DNA amplification. The result can be recorded by visual and/or spectrophotometric comparison of solutions before and after acid induced AuNP-probe aggregation. The presence of a complementary target prevents aggregation and the solution remains pink, whereas in the opposite event it turns to purple. The application of the proposed method on isolated bacteria produced positive results with the mycobacterial isolates and negative with the controls. The minimum detection limit of the assay was defined at 18.75 ng of mycobacterial DNA diluted in a sample-volume of 10 microl. In order to obtain an indication of the methods performance on clinical samples we applied the optimized assay to the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA in faeces, in comparison with real-time PCR. The concordance of the two methods with connection to real-time PCR positive and negative sample was defined respectively as 87.5% and 100%. The proposed method could be used as a highly specific and sensitive screening tool for the detection of mycobacteria directly from clinical samples in a very simple manner, without the need of high-cost dedicated equipment. The technology described here, may develop into a platform that could accommodate detection of many bacterial species and could be easily adapted for high throughput and expedite screening of samples.

Photocatalytic degradation of selected herbicides in aqueous suspensions of doped titania under visible light irradiation

The aim of this work was to study the efficiency of Fe- and N-doped titania suspensions in the photocatalytic degradation of the herbicides RS-2-(4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)propionic acid (mecoprop, MCPP), (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid (MCPA), and 3,6-dichloropyridine-2-carboxylic acid (clopyralid, CP) under the visible light (lambda > or = 400 nm) irradiation. The obtained results were compared with those of the corresponding undoped TiO(2) (rutile/anatase) and of the most frequently used TiO(2) Degussa P25. Computational modeling procedures were used to optimize geometry and molecular electrostatic potentials of MCPP, MCPA and CP and discuss the obtained results. The results indicate that the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation is greatly influenced by the molecular structure of the compound. Lowering of the band gap of titanium dioxide by doping is not always favorable for increasing photocatalytic efficiency of degradation.

Structural analysis, electronic and optical properties of the synthesized Sb2S3 nanowires with small band gap

We report a simple colloidal synthesis of two types of Sb2S3 nanowires with small band gap and high aspect ratio. Field-emission scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies confirmed formation of high aspect ratio Sb2S3 nanowires, separated in the form of bundles and coalesced with each other in long bars. Diffuse reflectance and absorption spectroscopies revealed that the optical band-gap energies of the synthesized nanowires separated in the form of bundles are 1.56 and 1.59 eV, and coalesced with each other in long bars are 1.36 and 1.28 eV, respectively. The structure refinement showed that Sb2S3 powders belong to the orthorhombic structure with space group Pnma (no. 62). It was found that Sb2S3 nanowires separated in the form of bundles predominantly grow along the [0 1 0] direction being in the needle-like shape. The nanowires coalesced with each other in long bars rise in the form of long bars, are ribbon-like in shape and have expressed {1 0 1} facets which grow along the [0 1 0] direction. No peaks in photoluminescence spectra were observed in the spectral range from 250 to 600 nm. In order to shed more light on the experimental results concerning the band-gap energies and, in the literature generally poorly investigated electronic properties of the synthesized material, we performed theoretical calculations of the electronic structure and optical properties of the Sb2S3 samples synthesized here. This was done on the basis of density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation, and also with an improved version of the exchange potential suggested recently by Tran and Blaha. The main characteristic is the significant improvement of the band gap value.

Optical, structural and thermal characterization of gold nanoparticles – poly(vinylalcohol) composite films

We report synthesis and characterization of gold NPs/PVA composite films. Gold colloidal NPs were introduced into a PVA matrix by simple solution-casting method to obtain homogenous, transparent, and colored films. NPs and NC films with different contents of inorganic phase (0.7, 1.4, and 2.1 wt %) were characterized by UV/Vis and FTIR spectrophotometry. Dimensions of the colloidal NPs were obtained by TEM (d ∼ 15±3 nm) and compared with results obtained by AFM of NC films. Comparison of thermal properties of the pure PVA and NC films showed that thermal stability is slightly reduced. DSC measurements revealed that Tg and melting temperatures of NCs are higher compared to pure PVA films.

Growth of Sb2S3 nanowires synthesized by colloidal process and self-assembly of amorphous spherical Sb2S3 nanoparticles in wires formation

We report the organic synthesis and growth of antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) amorphous nanospheres to nanowires via a simple, colloidal synthetic method. Amorphous Sb2S3 nanospheres self-assembly in wires formation was dispersed in isopropyl alcohol. With increased heating time, Sb2S3 nanospheres grew into Sb2S3 nanowires, probably involving both mechanisms of Ostwald-ripening and spherical nanoparticle self-organization through oriented-attachment of individual nanoparticles. Also, the as-synthesized Sb2S3 nanowires with different heating times (0, 5 and 10 min.) from the moment of appearance of the Sb2S3 precipitate were analyzed. The observed nanowires become longer with increased heating time and are around 100 nm in diameter and 10–20 μm in length. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy reveals that the optical band-gap energy of the Sb2S3 nanowires is independent of the heating times and is found to be ∼1.5–1.6 eV. The optical band-gap energy found for amorphous Sb2S3 nanospheres was also ∼1.5 eV. The structure of Sb2S3 samples was refined down to R-factors of 10.82, 11.76 and 12.08%. The refinement showed that Sb2S3 powder belongs to the orthorhombic type with space group Pbnm (no. 62) and that Sb2S3 nanowires grow along the [010] direction.

The influence of reaction media on CdIn2S4 and ZnIn2S4 nanocrystallite formation and growth of mesocrystal structures

A hot-injection method for the synthesis of CdIn2S4 in three different compositions of organic media/solvents was studied. Nanosized CdIn2S4 is successfully synthesized in an oleic acid/oleylamine mixture of complexing/capping agents. The obtained mesocrystals of 20–30 nm in diameter are self-organized in marigold-like structures. The estimated band-gap of synthesized semiconductor is in the visible spectral region and has a value of about 2.1 eV. The potential of the band edges is calculated using an empirical equation. The as-prepared material was successfully transferred from organic to aqueous media by using 2-mercaptoethanol in a surface ligand exchange process. Using a similar synthetic procedure, ZnIn2S4 synthesis was performed. The obtained materials were characterized using UV/vis spectroscopy, XRD and TEM. Formation and growth mechanisms of the synthesized materials are proposed.

Polystyrene/hematite composites: thermal degradation kinetics

The kinetics of thermal degradation of polystyrene/Fe2O3 composites was studied by dynamic thermogravimetry. The samples were heated in nitrogen atmosphere, applying three different heating rates 5, 20, and 40°C/min. We calculated kinetic parameters using modified KAS isoconversional method. Results showed that polystyrene in all composites has higher thermal degradation activation energies compared to pure polystyrene. Maximal activation energy of thermal degradation is achieved for PS/Fe2O3 composite with about 10% of filler. Vyazovkin model-free method was used to predict thermal degradation parameters.