X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of silver nanoparticles in phosphate glass

Phosphate glasses doped with silver nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A study on the relation of Ag binding energies with the optical properties of the nanocomposites has revealed binding energies for 3d doublets higher than those reported for bulk silver with a tendency towards the bulk value with increasing wavelength of surface plasmon resonance peak position. The data is interpreted in terms of quantum confinement effects in small silver clusters and an increase in particle size with plasmon absorption redshift.     

Optical properties of Cu and Ag nanoparticles synthesized in glass by ion implantation

Metal nanoparticles synthesized by sequentially ion-implanted Ag and Cu into silica glasses have been studied. The implantation doses (×10¹⁶ ions/cm²) were 5Ag, 5Cu and 5Ag/5Cu, respectively. The optical and microstructural properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by optical absorption spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Fast nonlinear optical refraction and nonlinear optical absorption coefficients were measured at 1064 nm of wavelength using Z-scan technique. Results in this paper indicate that the nonlinear refractive index for the Ag/Cu implanted system has a higher value compared to single Ag or Cu implantation nanoparticles.     

Preparation of silver iodide nanoparticles using laser ablation in liquid for antibacterial applications

In this study, the authors reported the first synthesis process of silver iodide (AgI) nanoparticles (NPs) by pulsed laser ablation of the AgI target in deionised distilled water. The optical and structural properties of AgI NPs were investigated by using UV–vis absorption, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The optical data showed the presence of plasmon peak at 434 nm and the optical bandgap was found to be 2.6 eV at room temperature. SEM results confirm the agglomeration and aggregation of synthesised AgI NPs. TEM investigation showed that AgI NPs have a spherical shape and the average particle size was around 20 nm. The particle size distribution was the Gaussian type. The results showed that the synthesised AgI NPs have antibacterial activities against both bacterial strains and the activities were more potent against gram‐negative bacteria.Inspec keywords: antibacterial activity, nanoparticles, X‐ray chemical analysis, particle size, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, nanofabrication, scanning electron microscopy, visible spectra, ultraviolet spectra, silver compounds, pulsed laser deposition, Fourier transform infrared spectra, optical constants, energy gap, aggregationOther keywords: synthesis process, pulsed laser ablation, AgI target, deionised distilled water, optical properties, structural properties, UV–vis absorption, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, optical data, optical bandgap, antibacterial activities, silver iodide nanoparticles, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, SEM, wavelength 434.0 nm, temperature 293 K to 298 K, AgI     

Electrical conductivity and optical properties of ZnO films annealed in hydrogen atmosphere after chemical vapor deposition

The d.c. electrical conductivity and optical properties of polycrystalline zinc oxide films (220–450 nm thick) annealed in hydrogen after chemical vapor deposition are investigated. A minimum film resistivity after the annealing gives 0.31 cm for the film as-deposited at a substrate temperature of 823 K. From the temperature dependence of conductivity, band conduction is confirmed for the films at temperatures above 250 K. The effect of grain-boundary scattering is due to thermionic emission of electrons over grain boundary barriers. At temperatures below 250 K, variable-range hopping transport is found to be dominant. The films are transparent in the wavelength range 400 to 1000 nm and have sharp ultraviolet absorption edges at 380 nm. The absorption edge analysis reveals the optical band gap energy for the films to be 3.18–3.23 eV. The Urbach tail analysis gives the width of localized states E_e=0.06-0.14eV.     

Preparation and characterization of dendritic silver nanoparticles

Dendritic silver nanoparticles have been prepared by a soft solution technique from the aqueous solution of silver nitrate and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) in the presence of ethanol used as a reducing agent. The resultant silver nanoparticles were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive analyses of X-ray (EDX), and UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. It was found that the well-defined dendritic silver nanoparticles which had the length 0.5–1 m and the width of 100–200 nm.     

Electrical conductivity of ion-exchanged oxide glasses containing aluminium dispersoids

The effect of sodium silver exchange on the electrical properties of glasses in the systems Na₂O-B₂O₃-SiO₂-Al and Na₂O-B₂O₃-Al have been investigated. In general, the ion-exchange step lowers the resistivity as well as the activation energy for conduction. The glasses have a highly inhomogeneous structure. The ion-exchanged glasses are characterized by a semi continuous silver-rich phase. These glasses can be switched to a highly conducting state by subjecting them to a critical electric field which varies from 0.2 to 5 vcm^–1 depending on temperature and the virgin glass composition. The resistivities in the highly conducting state have values in the range 3 to 10 cm with activation energies varying from 0.002 to 0.008 eV. Wagner's asymmetric polarization cell measurements show that such high conductivity is electronic in nature.     

Green synthesis,characterisation and biological studies of AgNPs prepared using Shivlingi (Bryonia laciniosa) seed extract

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Shivlingi (Bryonia laciniosa) seed extract was carried out. Characterisation of synthesised nanoparticles was accomplished through the optical absorption and photoluminescence spectrum, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD analysis further confirmed the size of nanoparticles ∼15 nm. TEM images revealed homogeneous spherical ∼10 nm Bryonia extract capped AgNPs. The biological studies indicated that both Bryonia seed extract and the nanoparticles lack anti‐microbial activity; however, the nanoparticles had better cytotoxicity and total antioxidant activity. The Lethal concentration (LC)₅₀ value of water extract and the nanoparticles were found to be 1091 and 592 μg/ml, respectively. The lower LC₅₀ of nanoparticles indicates that it is more cytotoxic than the crude extract. The results indicate that the Bryonia seed is safe to be used as a medicine and the formation of their nanoparticle has further enriched the chemical reactivity, energy absorption and biological mobility.Inspec keywords: silver, nanoparticles, nanomedicine, particle size, microorganisms, cellular biophysics, nanofabrication, photoluminescence, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, Raman spectra, antibacterial activity, biochemistryOther keywords: green synthesis, biological studies, Shivlingi seed extraction, Bryonia laciniosa, silver nanoparticles, optical absorption, photoluminescence spectrum, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRD analysis, nanoparticle size, TEM images, homogeneous spherical images, antioxidant activity, water extraction, chemical reactivity, energy absorption, biological mobility, Ag     

Microbeam analysis studies of the copper-silver interface

Copper-silver bimetallic samples have been examined by microbeam analytical techniques. Composition studies have concentrated on the interface region between the two metals. In this region two distinct phases characteristic of a eutectic structure were observed by backscatter electron imaging in the SEM. X-ray microanalysis has shown that the eutectic is composed of a copper-rich and a silver-rich phase. The crystal structure and composition of the constituent phases of the eutectic material have been confirmed by electron diffraction studies of a thinned foil of the eutectic composition. The surface structure of ion-beam etched eutectic material has been examined at high resolution. The silver-rich constituent of the eutectic is found to etch preferentially. The surface composition of the eutectic has been explained in terms of this ion-beam-induced surface structure.     

Specific absorption coefficient of chromium in (TeO<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.80</Subscript>(MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.20</Subscript> glass

We have prepared (TeO₂)_0.80(MoO₃)_0.20 glass samples containing 0.01 to 0.11 wt % chromium and determined their optical transmission in the range from 450 to 2800 nm. The glasses have been shown to have a strong absorption band centered at 660 nm. From the attenuation coefficient as a function of Cr³⁺ concentration in the glasses, we have evaluated their specific absorption coefficient, which has been shown to be 190 ± 2 cm^–1/wt % at the maximum of the absorption band.     

Synthesis and enhanced light absorption of alumina matrix nanocomposites containing multilayer oxide nanorods and silver nanoparticles

In this paper, multilayer oxide nanorods were deposited in the nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) via solution infiltration followed by heat treatment. The nanorods have a core–shell structure. First, the shell (nanotube) with the thickness of about 40 nm was made of TiO₂ through the hydrolysis of (NH₄)₂TiF₆. Second, silver nanoparticles with the diameter of about 3 nm were added into the TiO₂ layer through thermal decomposition of AgNO₃ at elevated temperatures. Then, cylindrical cores (nanorods) of CoO and ZnO with 200 nm diameter were prepared, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and composition of the nanorods. UV–vis light absorption measurements in the wavelength range from 350 to 1000 nm were performed to study the effect of nanorod and nanoparticle addition on the light absorption property of the alumina nanocomposites. It is found that CoO nanorods increase the light absorption of the alumina matrix composite in the wavelength range from 500 nm to 800 nm, but the TiO₂ shell does not increase the light absorption much. The ZnO nanorods do not change the light absorption either. However, the addition of silver nanoparticles significantly enhances light absorption of both AAO/TiO₂/Ag/CoO and AAO/TiO₂/Ag/ZnO nanocomposites. This increase in the visible light absorption reveals that there exists surface plasmon around the fine silver nanoparticles in the nanorods.     

Electron spin resonance in phosphate glasses containing mixed transition metal ions

Phosphate glasses containing mixed Cu²⁺/Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺/Co²⁺ oxides have been examined. A pronounced decrease in the optical absorption at 830 nm due to the Cu²⁺ ions is observed as the CuO in the glasses is gradually replaced by NiO or CoO and the decrease is accompanied by a pronounced decrease in the strength of the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal at 9.52 GHz. By combining the ESR and optical absorption data it is concluded that the decrease in concentration of Cu²⁺ ions in phosphate glasses may be due to an oxidation-reduction mechanism between two valency states of the two different transition metals, of the form Cu²⁺+Ni⁺Cu⁺+Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺+Co⁺Cu⁺+Co²⁺.     

Alternative Method to Characterize Corn Grain by Means of Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

The application of photothermal (PT) techniques to obtain the optical and thermal properties of different materials has been widely reported in the literature. Among the PT techniques, photoacoustic spectroscopy stands out because this technique has been used to characterize different types of materials in solid, liquid, and gaseous phases, as well as homogeneous and inhomogeneous samples as biological materials which present great complexity in their structure. In particular, the seeds and corn kernels comprise different structural components such as endosperm, pericarp, embryo, and pedicel. The color attribute is very important in the grains because it gives information about the chemical composition and nutritional quality attributes which are important in consumer acceptance. In this investigation optical absorption spectra of corn grains were obtained by using photoacoustic spectroscopy in a wavelength range from 325 nm to 800 nm. Two varieties of corn grains were studied, establishing a complete block design at random for the measurements. From the obtained optical absorption spectra, the optical absorption coefficient ( $\beta $ ) was calculated as a function of the wavelength for each sample. A complementary study of the percentage of reflectance for these samples was carried out by using ultraviolet/visible spectrometry with an integrating sphere. The data were subjected to an analysis of the variance using software of the statistical analysis system. The results revealed significant differences ( $P\le 0.05$ ) between corn varieties in the range of 325 nm to 670 nm. The application of the photoacoustic spectroscopy technique as an alternative to conventional methods for the characterization of maize grain through an analysis of $\beta $ could be important for characterizing non-homogeneous materials like grains of corn, whose characterization is relevant in the food industry.     

X-ray diffraction studies of phase transformations in heavy-metal fluoride glasses

The crystallization of five ZrF₄-based glasses has been investigated using powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The crystalline phase in Zr-Ba-La-Pb fluoride glass was found to be-BaZrF₆. In other glasses the crystal phases could not be identified. Reversible polymorphic phase transformations occur in Zr-Ba-La-Li and Zr-Ba-La-Na fluoride glasses when heated to higher temperatures.     

Microstructure and optical properties of Si–Ag nanocomposite films prepared by co-sputtering

Novel composite thin films consisting of nanosized Ag particles embedded in an amorphous Si matrix were made with Ag contents from 0 at% to 61 at% by radio frequency co-sputtering of Si and Ag. The microstructure and optical properties of the films were characterized by conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy and spectrometry in the wavelength range from 200 to 1500 nm. It was found that the films consist of nanosized Ag particles (2.8–6.0 nm) particle and their clusters embedded in an amorphous Si matrix. The optical absorption spectra of the films up to 40 at% Ag exhibit characteristics similar to the amorphous semiconductor Si. At higher Ag contents two absorption maxima at 350 nm and 700 nm appear. Effective medium theories were examined to predict the optical properties of the films and it was found that the predictions from the Sheng Ping theory with a modified dielectric function of bulk Ag (taking into account the mean free path limitation of Ag particle boundaries) qualitatively agree with the measured absorption spectra. The two absorption maxima are accounted for as interfacial plasma resonance absorption associated with the silver particle/silicon matrix interfaces.     

Dielectric properties of silver borophosphate glasses

Dynamic behaviour of electrical conduction and polarization in silver borophosphate glasses has been studied over wide range of frequencies and temperatures. The dielectric spectrum showed a strong dispersion in C() with rise in temperature which distinguishes the conduction process from a pure steady state. The observed behaviour was found to be temperature activated with an activation energy of 0.39 eV. The data have been analysed in terms of admittance plots and a model has been proposed on the basis of this analysis.     

Optical absorption of vanadium in sodium diborate glasses

The optical absorption in blown films and bulk specimens of sodium diborate glasses containing vanadium oxide based on the system [Na₂O-2B₂O₃]_1?x [V₂O₅] _x , wherex = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20, has been studied in the wavelength range 200 to 900 nm. The fundamental absorption edge has been analysed in the light of the existing models. It is found that glasses containing a higher content of vanadium have fewer defects when compared with those containing a low vanadium content. The absorption spectra are interpreted as due solely to pentavalent vanadium.     

Changes in the fundamental absorption edge of cellulose nitrate and its possible use for radiation dosimetry

The induced changes in the absorption edge and optical density by -irradiation was measured for cellulose nitrate (CN). The optical absorption edge of CN is accurately determined as a function of absorbed dose up to 67.5 kGy. The results obtained show that the absorption edge and the optical density at a 520 nm wavelength were changed to a lower value by -irradiation. The post-irradiation stability of the films under different conditions were studied. The results suggest the possible use of a cellulose nitrate film as a dosimeter for absorbed doses up to 67.5 kGy.     

Effects of annealing temperatures on optical and electrical properties of vacuum evaporated Ga15Se77In8 chalcogenide thin films

The optical constants (absorption coefficient, optical band gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, real and imaginary parts of dielectric constants) of amorphous and thermally annealed thin films of Ga₁₅Se₇₇In₈ chalcogenide glasses with thickness 4000 Å have been investigated from absorption and reflection spectra as a function of photon energy in the wave length region 400-800 nm. Thin films of Ga₁₅Se₇₇In₈ chalcogenide glasses were thermally annealed for 2 h at three different annealing temperatures 333 K, 348 K and 363 K, which are in between the glass transition and crystallization temperature of Ga₁₅Se₇₇In₈ glasses. Analysis of the optical absorption data shows that the rule of non-direct transitions predominates. It was found that the optical band gap decreases with increasing annealing temperature. It has been observed that the value of absorption coefficient and extinction coefficient increases while the values of refractive index decrease with increasing annealing temperature. The decrease in optical band gap is explained on the basis of the change in nature of films, from amorphous to crystalline state. The dc conductivity of amorphous and thermally annealed thin films of Ga₁₅Se₇₇In₈ chalcogenide glasses is also reported for the temperature range 298-393 K. It has been observed that the conduction is due to thermally assisted tunneling of the carriers in the localized states near the band edges. The dc conductivity was observed to increase with the corresponding decrease in activation energy on increasing annealing temperature in the present system. These results were analyzed in terms of the Davis-Mott model.     

Structural and optical properties of In doped Se–Te phase-change thin films: A material for optical data storage

Se_75−xTe₂₅In_x (x = 0, 3, 6, & 9) bulk glasses were obtained by melt quench technique. Thin films of thickness 400 nm were prepared by thermal evaporation technique at a base pressure of 10⁻⁶ Torr onto well cleaned glass substrate. a-Se_75−xTe₂₅In_x thin films were annealed at different temperatures for 2 h. As prepared and annealed films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction results show that the as-prepared films are of amorphous nature while it shows some poly-crystalline structure in amorphous phases after annealing. The optical absorption spectra of these films were measured in the wavelength range 400–1100 nm in order to derive the extinction and absorption coefficient of these films. It was found that the mechanism of optical absorption follows the rule of allowed non-direct transition. The optical band gap of as prepared and annealed films as a function of photon energy has been studied. The optical band gap is found to decrease with increase in annealing temperature in the present glassy system. It happens due to crystallization of amorphous films. The decrease in optical band gap due to annealing is an interesting behavior for a material to be used in optical storage. The optical band gap has been observed to decrease with the increase of In content in Se–Te glassy system.     

ESR and optical absorption spectra of Ni(II) ions in lithium fluoroborate glasses

The results of the investigation of the structure of Ni(II) ions in x LiF-(100–x) B₂O₃ glasses with 5x30 mol% using ESR and optical absorption techniques are reported. Electron spin resonance spectra of Ni(II) ions doped glasses exhibit a symmetric line shape centred at g=2.36±0.01 at room temperature. Remarkable changes have been observed in the intensity and line shape with changes in concentration of LiF and when the spectra were recorded in the temperature range 123–453 K. The optical absorption spectra were recorded at room temperature. The observed bands have been interpreted in terms of ligand field theory. From the spectral analysis, the crystal field parameter, Dq, and the Racah interelectronic repulsion parameters, B and C, have been evaluated. By correlating the ESR and optical absorption data, the covalency parameter has been evaluated.