Search results for "nanostructure"
showing 10 items of 792 documents
Nanostructured electrodes for hydrogen production in alkaline electrolyzer
2018
Abstract Ever-widespread employment of renewable energy sources, such as wind and sun, request the simultaneous use of effective energy storage systems owing to the intermittent and unpredictable energy generation by these sources. The most reliable storage systems currently under investigation are batteries and electrochemical cells for hydrogen production from water splitting. Both systems store chemical energy which can be converted on demand. The low power density is the weakness of the batteries while the high production cost limits currently the wide use of hydrogen from electrochemical water splitting. In this work, attention was focused on the use of nanostructured Ni as a cathode f…
Novel TiO2-WO3 self-ordered nanotubes used as photoanodes: Influence of Na2WO4 and H2O2 concentration during electrodeposition
2021
[EN] Hybrid TiO2-WO3 nanostructures has been synthesized by electrochemical anodization under controlled hydrodynamic conditions followed by electrodeposition in the presence of different contents of Na2WO4 (5, 15 and 25 mM) and H2O2 (20, 30 and 40 mM). The influence of the electrolyte used for electrodeposition on the morphology, crystalline structure and photoelectrochemical response for water splitting has been evaluated through Field Emission Electronic Microscopy, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, Grazing Incidence X Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Atomic Force microscopy and photocurrent versus potential measurements. Add…
Not always what closes best opens better: mesoporous nanoparticles capped with organic gates
2019
ABSTRACT Four types of calcined MCM-41 silica nanoparticles, loaded with dyes and capped with different gating ensembles are prepared and characterized. N1 and N2 nanoparticles are loaded with rhodamine 6G and capped with bulky poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives bearing ester groups (1 and 2). N3-N4 nanoparticles are loaded with sulforhodamine B and capped with self-immolative derivatives bearing ester moieties. In the absence of esterase enzyme negligible cargo release from N1, N3 and N4 nanoparticles is observed whereas a remarkable release for N2 is obtained most likely due to the formation of an irregular coating on the outer surface of the nanoparticles. In contrast, a marked delivery i…
Ultrasonic cavitation induced water in vegetable oil emulsion droplets--a simple and easy technique to synthesize manganese zinc ferrite nanocrystals…
2012
In the present investigation, synthesis of manganese zinc ferrite (Mn(0.5)Zn(0.5)Fe(2)O(4)) nanoparticles with narrow size distribution have been prepared using ultrasound assisted emulsion (consisting of rapeseed oil as an oil phase and aqueous solution of Mn(2+), Zn(2+) and Fe(2+) acetates) and evaporation processes. The as-prepared ferrite was nanocrystalline. In order to remove the small amount of oil present on the surface of the ferrite, it was subjected to heat treatment at 300 °C for 3h. Both the as-prepared and heat treated ferrites have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), TGA/DTA, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersion X…
Synthesis and characterisation of ordered arrays of mesoporous carbon nanofibres
2009
A facile and reproducible one-step pathway has been developed for preparing ordered arrays of mesoporous carbon nanostructures within the pores of anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) membranes, through the confined self-assembly of phenol/formaldehyde resol and amphiphilic copolymer templates. The morphology of the mesoporous carbon nanostructures can be controlled by varying the copolymer surfactant, the quantity of the resol–surfactant precursor sol used and the amount of phenol–formaldehyde resol introduced into the resol–surfactant sol. One-dimensional (1-D) carbon nanostructures, such as carbon fibres with a core–shell structure and carbon ribbons with circular mesopores running parallel to…
Influence of nanoporous structure on mechanical strength of aluminium and aluminium alloy adhesive structural joints
2006
The influence of surface treatments on the mechanical strength of adhesive joints was investigated. The attention was focused on AA2024 alloy because it is extensively used in both the automotive and aerospace industries. Adhesive joints fabricated with pure aluminium were also investigated in order to evidence possible differences in the surface features after identical treatments. Before joining with a commercial epoxy adhesive, metal substrates were subjected to different kinds of treatment and the surfaces were characterized by SEM analysis. The formation of a microporous surface in the AA2024 alloy, upon etching and anodizing, is discussed on the basis of the role of the intermetallic …
An insight into the functionalisation of carbon nanotubes by diazonium chemistry: Towards a controlled decoration
2014
The derivatisation of materials including iron, gold, and carbon by addition of diazonium salts is a reliable process to tune their interfacial interaction with the surrounding media. In this regard, the functionalisation of carbon nanostructures by diazonium chemistry is a versatile strategy to obtain soluble nanomaterials with degrees of functionalisation among the highest ever reported. Starting from these premises we have studied the functionalisation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by addition of the aryl diazonium salts generated in situ by treatment of 4-methoxyaniline with isopentylnitrite. Following a thorough purification and characterisation protocol (UV-vis, TGA, ATR-IR, cyclic…
Enhancement of the sub-band-gap photoconductivity in ZnO nanowires through surface functionalization with carbon nanodots
2018
We report on the surface functionalization of ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays by attachment of carbon nanodots (C-dots) stabilized by polyethylenimine. The photoconductive properties of the ZnO NWs/C-dots devices were investigated under photoexcitation with photon energies below and above the ZnO band gap. The results indicate an increased photoresponse of the functionalized devices in the visible spectral range, as well as enhanced UV photoconductivity. This is attributed to the fast injection of photoexcited electrons from the C-dots into the conduction band of the ZnO NWs, and the subsequent slower desorption of molecular species from the NW surface, which reduces the surface depletion region i…
Folic acid-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets via plasma etching as a platform to combine NIR anticancer phototherapy and targeted drug deliver…
2020
PEGylated graphene oxide (GO) has shown potential as NIR converting agent to produce local heat useful in breast cancer therapy, since its suitable photothermal conversion, high stability in physiological fluids, biocompatibility and huge specific surface. GO is an appealing nanomaterial for potential clinical applications combining drug delivery and photothermal therapy in a single nano-device capable of specifically targeting breast cancer cells. However, native GO sheets have large dimensions (0.5-5 mu m) such that tumor accumulation after a systemic administration is usually precluded. Herein, we report a step-by-step synthesis of folic acid-functionalized PEGylated GO, henceforth named…
Brookite, the Least Known TiO2 Photocatalyst
2013
Brookite is the least studied TiO2 photocatalyst due to the difficulties usually encountered in order to obtain it as a pure phase. In this review, a comprehensive survey of the different methods available for preparing brookite powders and films is reported. Attention has been paid both to the most traditional methods, such as hydrothermal processes at high temperatures and pressures, and to environmentally benign syntheses using water soluble compounds and water as the solvent. Papers reporting the photocatalytic activity of pure and brookite-based samples have been reviewed.