Sergey V. Prikhodko

Electron Microscopic Demonstration and Evaluation of Irreversible Electroporation-Induced Nanopores on Hepatocyte Membranes

PURPOSE To demonstrate, evaluate, and verify the existence of irreversible electroporation (IRE)-ablation induced nanopores on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS On animal research committee approval, four New Zealand rabbits and two Yorkshire swine underwent IRE ablation of the liver (90 pulses, 100 μs per pulse at 2,500 V), and selected ablated liver tissues were harvested, fixed, and air-dried according to the electron microscopy (EM) protocol. A scanning electron microscope (SEM; Nova 230 NanoSEM [FEI, Hillsboro, Oregon] with 80 picoamperes and 10-kV acceleration) was used to visualize and verify IRE-created nanopores. Using NIH image (Bethesda, Maryland) and ImageScope (Aperio Inc., Vista, California), 21 ablated tissues (16 rabbit, 5 swine) were evaluated. Corresponding hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) evaluation was performed to verify IRE-induced cell death. RESULTS In all 21 IRE-ablated tissues, the SEM was able to show numerous, well-circumscribed, round, and concave-shaped pore defects disturbing the hepatocyte plasma membranes. These pores were not seen in normal liver. The size of the nanopores ranged from 80-490 nm with the greatest frequency of pores in bimodal distribution. The highest frequency of pore size was noted at the size range 340-360 nm. CONCLUSIONS IRE induces nanopores on hepatocyte membranes, as shown by SEM. The pore diameters are larger than nanopores created by reversible electroporation (RE), which may have implications for irreversibility or permanency.

Self-Catalyzed Epitaxial Growth of Vertical Indium Phosphide Nanowires on Silicon

Vertical indium phosphide nanowires have been grown epitaxially on silicon (111) by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. Liquid indium droplets were formed in situ and used to catalyze deposition. For growth at 350 degrees C, about 70% of the wires were vertical, while the remaining ones were distributed in the 3 other <111> directions. The vertical fraction, growth rate, and tapering of the wires increased with temperature and V/III ratio. At 370 degrees C and V/III equal to 200, 100% of the wires were vertical with a density of approximately 1.0 x 10(9) cm(-2) and average dimensions of 3.9 mum in length, 45 nm in base width, and 15 nm in tip width. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the wires were single-crystal zinc blende, although they contained a high density of rotational twins perpendicular to the <111> growth direction. The room temperature photoluminescence spectrum exhibited one peak centered at 912 +/- 10 nm with a FWHM of approximately 60 nm.

Synthesis and surface activity of single-crystalline Co3O4 (111) holey nanosheets

Single crystalline, thermally stable, Co(3)O(4) (111) holey nano-sheets were prepared by an efficient, template-free, wet chemical synthetic approach. The high energy (111) surfaces formed can be used as highly active heterogeneous catalysts for methanol decomposition.

Three-Dimensional Core–Shell Hybrid Solar Cells via Controlled in Situ Materials Engineering

Three-dimensional core-shell organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells with tunable properties are demonstrated via electropolymerization. Air-stable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) shells with controlled thicknesses are rapidly coated onto periodic GaAs nanopillar arrays conformally, preserving the vertical 3D structure. The properties of the organic layer can be readily tuned in situ, allowing for (1) the lowering of the highest occupied molecular orbital level (|ΔE| ∼ 0.28 eV), leading to the increase of open-circuit voltage (V(OC)), and (2) an improvement in PEDOT conductivity that results in enhanced short-circuit current densities (J(SC)). The incorporation of various anionic dopants in the polymer during the coating process also enables the tailoring of the polymer/semiconductor interface transport properties. Systematic tuning of the device properties results in a J(SC) of 13.6 mA cm(-2), V(OC) of 0.63 V, peak external quantum efficiency of 58.5%, leading to a power conversion efficiencies of 4.11%.

Direct observation of localized conduction pathways in photocross-linkable polymer memory

Resistive switching in photocross-linkable polymer memory devices was found to occur in localized areas of the device. In order to elucidate the reason behind the switching, we used focused ion-beam to prepare a cross-section of the device. It was found that after the device was switched to the high conductive state, in certain parts of the device, the electrodes were only about 5 nm apart. This was probably caused by a combination of high electric field and metal injection into the polymer film. Gold injection into the polymer film by locally enhanced electric field was confirmed by transmission electron microscope-energy dispersive x-ray analysis. This model was in agreement with both the temperature dependent and transient behavior of our device. We conclude that the non-uniformities at the nanoscale interface of the electrode dominated the device characteristics while the polymer played only a secondary role.

High-Quality InAsSb Nanowires Grown by Catalyst-Free Selective-Area Metal–Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

We report on the first demonstration of InAs1-xSbx nanowires grown by catalyst-free selective-area metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (SA-MOCVD). Antimony composition as high as 15 % is achieved, with strong photoluminescence at all compositions. The quality of the material is assessed by comparing the photoluminescence (PL) peak full-width at half-max (fwhm) of the nanowires to that of epitaxially grown InAsSb thin films on InAs. We find that the fwhm of the nanowires is only a few meV broader than epitaxial films, and a similar trend of relatively constant fwhm for increasing antimony composition is observed. Furthermore, the PL peak energy shows a strong dependence on temperature, suggesting wave-vector conserving transitions are responsible for the observed PL in spite of lattice mismatched growth on InAs substrate. This study shows that high-quality InAsSb nanowires can be grown by SA-MOCVD on lattice mismatched substrate, resulting in material suitable for infrared detectors and high-performance nanoelectronic devices.

Distribution and Chemical Speciation of Arsenic in Ancient Human Hair Using Synchrotron Radiation

Pre-Columbian populations that inhabited the Tarapacá mid river valley in the Atacama Desert in Chile during the Middle Horizon and Late Intermediate Period (AD 500-1450) show patterns of chronic poisoning due to exposure to geogenic arsenic. Exposure of these people to arsenic was assessed using synchrotron-based elemental X-ray fluorescence mapping, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectromicroscopy measurements on ancient human hair. These combined techniques of high sensitivity and specificity enabled the discrimination between endogenous and exogenous processes that has been an analytical challenge for archeological studies and criminal investigations in which hair is used as a proxy of premortem metabolism. The high concentration of arsenic mainly in the form of inorganic As(III) and As(V) detected in the hair suggests chronic arsenicism through ingestion of As-polluted water rather than external contamination by the deposition of heavy metals due to metallophilic soil microbes or diffusion of arsenic from the soil. A decrease in arsenic concentration from the proximal to the distal end of the hair shaft analyzed may indicate a change in the diet due to mobility, though chemical or microbiologically induced processes during burial cannot be entirely ruled out.

Design, demonstration and performance of a versatile electrospray aerosol generator for nanomaterial research and applications

Carbon nanotubes are difficult to aerosolize in a controlled manner. We present a method for generating aerosols not only of carbon nanotubes, but also of many reference and proprietary materials including quantum dots, diesel particulate matter, urban dust, and their mixtures, using electrospraying. This method can be used as a teaching tool, or as the starting point for advanced research, or to deliver nanomaterials in animal exposure studies. This electrospray system generates 180 microg of nanotubes per m(3) of carrier gas, and thus aerosolizes an occupationally relevant mass concentration of nanotubes. The efficiency achievable for single-walled carbon nanotubes is 9.4%. This system is simple and quick to construct using ordinary lab techniques and affordable materials. Since it is easy to replace soiled parts with clean ones, experiments on different types of nanomaterial can be performed back to back without contamination from previous experiments. In this paper, the design, fabrication, operation and characterization of our versatile electrospray method are presented. Also, the morphological changes that carbon nanotubes undergo as they make the transition from dry powders to aerosol particles are presented.

Magnetic anisotropy in nanostructured gadolinium

This experimental work evaluates the magnetic response of 25-nm-thick Gd thin film and 1400 × 70 × 50 nm3 Gd nanobar structures. Neither the thin film nor the nanobars exhibited single domain behavior at temperatures down to 53 K. The Gd thin film exhibited a magnetocrystalline anisotropy induced spin-reorientation due to a hexagonal close-packed (002) texture, something different from that previously reported on epitaxial Gd thin film. The discrepancy is due to grain boundary induced spin-disorder in the nanosacle. The Gd nanobars had a saturation magnetization 75% smaller than the thin film or bulk and is attributed to oxidation as well as the crystallinity changes from hexagonal close-packed to face-centered cubic caused by stress induced stacking faults. These experimental results for both thin film and nanobar show that the crystallinity has a substantial impact to the magnetic anisotropy of Gd nanostructures as well as the formation of single domain structures.

Controlled Synthesis of Nanoscale Icosahedral Gold Particles at Room Temperature

The shape of nanocrystals determines surface atomic arrangement and coordination, influencing their chemical and physical properties. We present a novel and facile approach to synthesize gold icosahedra by employing glucose as reducing reagent and sodium dodecyl sulfate as directing agent in the environmentally benign medium of water at room temperature. The size of the icosahedra can be controlled in the range of 30–250 nm by altering reaction conditions. High‐resolution microscopy and diffraction studies indicate the icosahedra are composed of rotational twins that owe likely to assemblage of tetrahedral units. The gold icosahedra particles catalytic properties are probed in the borohydride reduction of p‐nitrophenols and exhibit a size‐dependence reaction property. Comparison studies with spherical particles prepared by the Turkevich method, coupled with poisoning experiments, infer that the shape has a strong influence in the abundance of active surface sites as well as their activities. The properties of nanoscale icosahedra particles has promising applications for further catalytic processes, surface enhancement spectroscopic methods, chemical or biological sensing, and the fabrication of nanoscale devices.