Rafaela C. Sanfelice

Electronic tongue based on nanostructured hybrid films of gold nanoparticles and phthalocyanines for milk analysis

The use of gold nanoparticles combined with other organic and inorganic materials for designing nanostructured films has demonstrated their versatility for various applications, including optoelectronic devices and chemical sensors. In this study, we reported the synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles stabilized with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (Au@PAH NPs), as well as the capability of this material to form multilayer Layer-by-Layer (LbL) nanostructured films with metal tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines (MTsPc). Film growth was monitored by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Once LbL films have been applied as active layers in chemical sensors, Au@PAH/MTsPc and PAH/MTsPc LbL films were used in an electronic tongue system for milk analysis regarding fat content. The capacitance data were treated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), revealing the role played by the gold nanoparticles on the LbL films electrical properties, enabling this kind of system to be used for analyzing complex matrices such as milk without any prior pretreatment.

Optical storage in azobenzene-containing epoxy polymers processed as Langmuir Blodgett films.

In this study, azocopolymers containing different main-chain segments have been synthesized with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA, DER 332, n=0.03) and the azochromophore Disperse Orange 3 (DO3) cured with two monoamines, viz. benzylamine (BA) and m-toluidine (MT). The photoinduced birefringence was investigated in films produced with these azopolymers using the spin coating (SC) and Langmuir Blodgett (LB) techniques. In the LB films, birefringence increased with the content of azochromophore and the film thickness, as expected. The nanostructured nature of the LB films led to an enhanced birefringence and faster dynamics in the writing process, compared to the SC films. In summary, the combination of azocopolymers and the LB method may allow materials with tuned properties for various optical applications, including in biological systems were photoisomerization may be used to trigger actions such as drug delivery.

Solution blow spun PMMA nanofibers wrapped with reduced graphene oxide as an efficient dye adsorbent

Nanotechnology has provided innovative solutions to guarantee sustainable energy and maintain a clean environment for the future. In this regard, 1D nanostructured materials, such as nanofibers, are very attractive, especially for the development of economic and environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater treatment. Recently, Solution Blow Spinning (SBS) has appeared as a powerful fiber forming technique with several advantages compared to the traditional electrospinning method. Herein, we present the fabrication of composite membranes using solution blow spun poly(methylmethacrylate) nanofibers wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (PMMA-rGO) to adsorb methylene blue (MB), which is a typical dye used in the printing and dyeing industry. The dye adsorption kinetics and isotherm follow the pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir models, respectively. The π–π stacking interactions were considered to be the major driving force for the spontaneous adsorption of MB and the maximum adsorption capacity was 698.51 mg g−1 according to Langmuir fitting. The developed nanocomposite shows great potential for decolorizing dyeing wastewater aimed at industrial and environmental remediation applications.

Cellulose Whiskers Influence the Morphology and Antibacterial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Composites

Cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls, is a biopolymer widely used for industrial applications, including, food, paper and textile fabrication. More recently, hybrid materials composed of cellulose nanostructures and metal nanoparticles have been applied in diverse areas such as medical and pharmaceutical applications. In this work, cellulose-silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) hybrid material was synthesized and the influence of cellulose, employed as a stabilizer agent, was investigated. Specifically, cellulose whiskers (CCW) were extracted from commercial cotton fibers by acid hydrolysis route, while the AgNPs were synthesized by reducing silver salt using sodium citrate and/or sodium borohydride in the presence of CCW. The synthesized AgNPs/CCW nanocomposites were characterized in terms of morphology, chemical composition, surface charge and antibacterial properties. The varied synthetic routes generated AgNPs with different morphological characteristics in terms of size, shape and coalescence. The particularity of each sample resulted in distinct behaviors for the tested bacteria. Syntheses employing CCW resulted in AgNPs/CCW nanocomposites with controlled morphology and improved antibacterial effects against E. coli (Gram-negative) and S. aureus (Gram-positive), indicating CCW as a promising compound to be used in the syntheses of silver and other metal nanoparticles with controlled morphology and antibacterial properties.