Enrichment of anodic MgO layers with Ag nanoparticles for biomedical applications

The growing fight against infections caused by bacteria poses new challenges for development of materials and medical devices with antimicrobial properties. Silver is a well known antimicrobial agent and has recently started to be used in nanoparticulate form, with the advantage of a high specific surface area and a continuous release of enough concentration of silver ions/radicals. The synthesis of MgO-Ag nanocomposite coatings by in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles during plasma electrolytic oxidation of a magnesium substrate is presented in this study. The process was performed in an electrolyte containing Ag nanoparticles under different oxidation conditions (i.e., current density, oxidizing time, silver nanoparticles concentration in the electrolyte). Surface morphology, phase composition and elemental composition (on the surface and across the thickness of MgO-Ag nanocomposite coatings) were assessed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy X-ray dispersive spectrometry and radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, respectively. The coatings were found to be porous, around 7 mum thick, consisting of a crystalline oxide matrix embedded with silver nanoparticles. The findings suggest that plasma electrolytic oxidation process has potential for the synthesis of MgO-Ag nanocomposite coatings.     

Magnetic properties of permalloy/permalloy-oxide multilayer thin films

Magnetic properties of permalloy/permalloy-oxide multilayer thin films are investigated. These thin films are prepared by a repeat of sputter deposition of permalloy thin film, followed by oxidation of the film surface. The total thickness of the permalloy thin films before oxidation is about 100 nm. The number of layers is one to twenty. The oxide layers are formed by oxidation in dry air. The estimated oxide layer thickness is about 2 nm. The oxide NiFe₂O₄ is identified by RHEED. The film coercivity decreases linearly with increasing layer numbers. The saturation magnetization and magnetoresistivity decrease as the number of layers increase. The coercivity decrease is due to grain growth suppression and magnetic separation by oxide film of permalloy layer, and magnetoresistivity decrease is due to electrical resistivity increase originating into electron scattering by the oxide layer.     

Ar ion milling-induced suppression of surface oxidation in Fe70Co30 thin films

We show from the depth-resolved X-ray absorption analysis that the degree of surface oxidation of Fe₇₀Co₃₀ thin films is reduced by Ar⁺ ion milling even if the film is exposed to air after ion milling. The milled film has thinner surface oxide layer and smaller ratio of Fe oxide component in the surface layer than those of the as-deposited film. It is also indicated that selective oxidation of Fe proceeds accompanied by the movement of Fe atoms toward the surface. The suppression of oxidation is explained by the obstruction of Fe movement toward the surface by the milling-induced disorder.     

Vertical and tilted Ag-NPs@ZnO nanorods by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

Supported ZnO nanorods have been prepared at 405 K by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) using diethylzinc as precursor, oxygen plasma and silver as the promotion layer. The nanorods are characterized by a hollow and porous microstructure where partially percolated silver nanoparticles are located. By changing different deposition parameters like the thickness of the silver layer, the type of oxidation pretreatment or the geometry of the deposition set-up, the length, the width and the tilting angle of the nanorods with respect to the substrate can be modified. Other nanostructures like nanobushes, zigzag linear structures and stacked bilayers with nanocolumns of TiO(2) can also be prepared by adjusting the deposition conditions. A phenomenological model relying on the assessment of the diverse nanostructure morphologies and the evidence provided by an in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiment has been proposed to describe their formation mechanism. From this analysis it is deduced that the effect of the electrical field of the plasma sheath, the high mobility of silver and silver oxide, and the diffusion of the precursor molecules are some of the critical factors that must converge by the formation of the nanorods.     

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.     

Fabrication of surface silvered polyimide/iron oxide composite films with both superparamagnetism and electrical conductivity

Surface silvered polyimide (PI)/Fe₂O₃ composite films with both superparamagnetic and surface electrically conductive properties have been fabricated by an in situ technique. Iron (III) 2,4-pentanedionate was incorporated into a PI precursor poly(amic acid) solution and thermally decomposed to form iron oxide nanoparticles in the process of thermal imidization, preparing PI/Fe₂O₃ nanocomposite films. The establishment of a silver layer on the PI/Fe₂O₃ film surface involved the steps of chemical etching by the alkaline aqueous solution, ion exchange with silver ions and chemical reduction by glucose. The formed Fe₂O₃ particles of the nano scale endow the film with typical superparamagnetic response. By employing the etching time of only 10 min and a reduction time of no more than 15 min, the well-established silver layers have formed on the upside surface. The corresponding reflectivity and resistivity reached to the value of 76.15% and 0.7 Ω/square respectively.     

Single particle model of SnO2 deposition on silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles coated with almost uniform, thin shell of tin oxide are synthesized via a simple colloid chemistry technique, where the reduction of Ag⁴⁺ to Ag⁰ followed by the encapsulation of oxide takes place. The as prepared dispersions of tin oxide coated silver nanocomposite particles display a surface plasmon band, which is significantly red shifted with respect to that of bare Ag. Morphology of the composite nanoparticles was investigated by TEM. Presence of SnO₂ shell on the silver nanoparticles was also supported by XPS results. A theoretical single particle model has been proposed for the formation of tin oxide shell on the silver nanoparticles.     

Effect of Ti content and Y additions on oxidation behavior of SnAgTi solder and its application on dissimilar metals soldering

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) technology was utilized to investigate the oxidation behavior of SnAgTi solder by means of characterizing the chemical composition and the thickness of the oxide layer. The effect of Ti and Y elements on oxidation behavior was discussed. Cu and 1Cr18Ni9Ti was soldered with Sn4Ag2Ti0.5Y solder. The shear strength, the microstructure, and the composition of intermetallic compound phase of the soldered joint were measured. The result indicated that the oxide layer of SnAgTi solder mainly consisted of titanium oxide. A small amount of Y additions would further improve oxidation resistance because it could inhibit the oxidation of Ti in the molten solder and reduce the oxygen atoms entered into the solder. The composition of the oxide layer of Sn4Ag2Ti0.5Y solder was mainly Y₂O₃ and very little titanium oxide. The thickness of oxide layer and the depth of O containing layer became less with decreasing Ti content and adding Y element. The mechanical property and the microstructure of the Cu/1Cr18Ni9Ti soldered joint showed the good bonding between the parent metals and the solder. The study provides a fundamental understanding for the oxidation behavior of SnAgTi solder.     

XPS Studies on the Oxidation Behavior of SiC Particles

An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study has been carried out on both oxidized and as-received SiC specimens. Oxidation of SiC was performed in the temperature range 900-1100°C. It has been observed that a native oxide layer of silicon (SiO₂) exists on the surface of as-received SiC particles and that static oxidation of SiC increases the thickness of this oxide layer. It has also been observed that at a given temperature SiC particle surfaces are oxidized to a greater extent as the time of oxidation is increased. Chemical states are identified from the measured values of Auger parameters. Specimens studied were found to contain extraneous carbon in addition to carbide carbon.     

The use of silver(I)-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetate as precursor in the deposition of thin silver layers on float glass by the atmospheric pressure combustion chemical vapor deposition process

The innovative use of silver(I)-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetate ([AgO₂C(CH₂OCH₂)₃H], 3) as precursor for the deposition of silver on float glass by applying the atmospheric pressure combustion chemical vapor deposition process is described. As nucleation layer tungsten oxide was utilized, conformal, closed and dense silver layers of ca. 70 nm thickness were obtained. They are adhesive and high reflective with a resistivity of 5 ? 10⁻⁸ Ωm.     

Fabrication of nanoscaled silica layer on the surfaces of submicron SiO2-Ag core-shell spheres

A two-step silica deposition process, including prefunctionalization with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and the following silica deposition, has been used to fabricate silica layer on the surface of nanoscaled silver shell. The influencing parameters of silica coating process were optimized to prevent the precoated silver nanoparticles from desquamating from silica spheres, finally to obtain mono-dispersed silica spheres with silver and silica multilayer films. The resulted silica layer was dense and uniform, its thickness was controllable in the range of 20–50 nm. Such coated silica layer can provide improved thermal stability of the SiO₂-Ag core-shell structural spheres.     

Nanofence Stabilized Platinum Nanoparticles Catalyst via Facet‐Selective Atomic Layer Deposition

A facet‐selective atomic layer deposition method is developed to fabricate oxide nanofence structure to stabilize Pt nanoparticles. CeO_x is selectively deposited on Pt nanoparticles' (111) facets and naturally exposes Pt (100) facets. The facet selectivity is realized through different binding energies of Ce precursor fragments chemisorbed on Pt (111) and Pt (100), which is supported by in situ mass gain experiment and corroborated by density functional theory simulations. Such nanofence structure not only has exposed Pt active facets for carbon monoxide oxidation but also forms ceria–metal interfaces that are beneficial for activity enhancement. The composite catalysts show excellent sintering resistance up to 700 °C calcination. CeO_x anchors Pt nanoparticles with a strong metal oxide interaction, and nanofence structure around Pt nanoparticles provides physical blocking that suppresses particles migration. The study reveals that forming oxide nanofence structure to encapsulate precious metal nanoparticles is an effective way to simultaneously enhance catalytic activity and thermal stability.     

Green synthesis of nanosilver‐decorated graphene oxide sheets

A green facile method has been successfully used for the synthesis of graphene oxide sheets decorated with silver nanoparticles (rGO/AgNPs), employing graphite oxide as a precursor of graphene oxide (GO), AgNO₃ as a precursor of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), and geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) extract as reducing agent. Synthesis was accomplished using the weight ratios 1:1 and 1:3 GO/Ag, respectively. The synthesised nanocomposites were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, UV‐visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The results show a more uniform and homogeneous distribution of AgNPs on the surface of the GO sheets with the weight ratio 1:1 in comparison with the ratio 1:3. This eco‐friendly method provides a rGO/AgNPs nanocomposite with promising applications, such as surface enhanced Raman scattering, catalysis, biomedical material and antibacterial agent.Inspec keywords: silver, nanoparticles, graphene, nanocomposites, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, ultraviolet spectra, visible spectra, X‐ray chemical analysis, surface enhanced Raman scattering, catalysis, nanofabricationOther keywords: antibacterial agent, biomedical material, catalysis, surface enhanced Raman scattering, rGO‐AgNP nanocomposite, eco‐friendly method, homogeneous distribution, thermogravimetric analysis, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV‐visible spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nanocomposites, reducing agent, geranium, graphene oxide sheets, graphite oxide, silver nanoparticles, green facile method     

The corrosion resistance of Nitinol alloy in simulated physiological solutions Part 2: The effect of surface treatment

The effect of surface treatment – boiling in water and thermal oxidation at temperatures up to 600 °C – on the corrosion behavior of Nitinol was investigated in simulated Hanks physiological solution using electrochemical polarization methods. Morphological and compositional properties of the modified surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling. Surface preparation – grinding or polishing – is shown to have a decisive role in the degree of improvement of corrosion properties by surface treatments. Low temperature treatments like boiling in water and thermal oxidation at 100 °C resulted in the formation of oxide layers only a few nanometers thick, and composed mainly of TiO₂ and a small amount of NiO. These layers are well able to protect the underlying Nitinol substrate. Up to 500 °C, surface preparation directly determines the thickness of the oxide scale, as a 20-fold difference in thickness is observed between ground and polished samples. At higher temperatures, the oxide thickness was similar for the two samples. A multilayer structure is observed at all temperatures investigated. The outermost layer at the oxide/air interface is composed of TiO₂ and NiO, while the interior of the oxide scale is composed exclusively of TiO₂. Oxide layers formed by thermal oxidation at elevated temperatures also improve the corrosion characteristics of Nitinol, especially for polished substrates.     

Mechanism of immersion deposition of Ni-P films on Si(100) in an aqueous alkaline solution containing sodium hypophosphite

The immersion deposition of Ni-P films on Si(100) surface without prior activation by metallic catalytic was carried out in an aqueous alkaline solution containing sodium hypophosphite. The deposition mechanism was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two stages of deposition were observed when the Si substrate was immersed in the deposition solution at an appropriate pH value. In the first stage, crystalline Ni nanoparticles were formed through a galvanic displacement reaction, which accompanied the oxidation of Si substrate without involving the reducing agent, NaH₂PO₂. Experimental results indicate that the oxidation states of Si⁴⁺ and Si³⁺ exist in the oxide layer. The amount of suboxide, Si³⁺, increased with deposition time, and the oxide layer became activated. In the second stage, amorphous Ni-P was deposited on this activation oxide layer in a process involving the reducing agent. The microscopic structure of the deposition film, observed by TEM cross-sectional analysis, verifies the mechanism of deposition suggested in this study.     

Dielectric and optical properties of CaCu3Ti4O12 thin films containing Ag nanoparticles

Simple sol-gel techniques are used to prepare thin films of a high dielectric constant perovskite CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂, containing different amounts of metallic silver nanoparticles. The formations of the silver nanoparticles are verified by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and optical absorption studies. The dielectric properties are found to be significantly affected by the presence of the silver nanoparticles. A maximum in the dielectric constant is observed at an intermediate metal particle concentration. This is explained in terms of the polarization at the particle-dielectric interface and the internal barrier layer capacitor effect. The optical absorption spectrum is compared with Mie theory in electrodynamics for the optical absorption of small particles to extract the particle size of the silver particle. Non-uniform distributions of Ag particles through the thickness of the thin films are reported.     

Silver nanoparticles dispersed in polyaniline matrixes coated on titanium substrate as a novel electrode for electro-oxidation of hydrazine

Silver nanoparticles dispersed in polyaniline matrixes coated on titanium substrate, as a novel electrode, was easily synthesized by electro-polymerization of aniline on titanium and then electrodeposited silver nanoparticles on PAni electrode. The electrochemical behavior and electro-catalytic activity of silver nanoparticles/PAni/Ti electrodes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry. The morphology of silver nanoparticles on PAni/Ti electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray techniques, respectively. Results indicated that silver nanoparticles with a diameter of about 40–70 nm were homogeneously dispersed on the surface of polyaniline film. The silver nanoparticles/PAni/Ti electrodes were examined for electro-catalytic activity toward oxidation of hydrazine. The results show that these modified electrodes are highly active for electro-catalytic oxidation of hydrazine.     

Chemical stabilization of gold coated by silver core-shell nanoparticles via electron transfer

Silver nanoparticles are notoriously susceptible to oxidation, yet gold nanoparticles coated in silver exhibit a unique electronic interaction that occurs at the interface of the two metals, leading to enhanced stability properties for the silver shell. In order to probe the phenomenon, the stability of gold nanoparticles coated by silver was studied in the presence of various chloride-containing electrolytes. It was found that a critical silver shell thickness of approximately 1 nm exists that cannot be oxidatively etched from the particle surface: this is in contrast to the observation of complete oxidative etching for monometallic silver nanoparticles. The results are discussed in terms of particle composition, structure and morphology before and after exposing the particles to the electrolytes. Raman analysis of the reporter molecule 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol adsorbed on the particle surface illustrates the feasibility of using gold coated by silver nanoparticle probes in sensing applications that require the presence of high levels of salt. The results provide insight into the manipulation of the electronic and stability properties for gold- and silver-based nanoparticles.     

Influence of Cr content on high-temperature oxidation behaviour of arc sprayed Ni–Cr coatings

In this study, the high-temperature oxidation behaviour of arc-sprayed Ni–Cr coatings with high Cr contents of 30, 45 and 50 at.% was investigated in comparison with reference AISI 1020 steel. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were utilised to characterise the oxide scales. The oxidation resistance of the steel substrates was found to be enhanced after the application of the Ni–Cr coatings since the oxidation kinetics followed the parabolic law. In addition, the oxidation rate of Ni–50Cr coating was 56.5% lower than that of Ni–30Cr coating, indicating that the oxidation performance of coatings was improved with increasing Cr content. The oxide layers of Ni–Cr coating were found to be a double layer structure protecting the substrate from severely oxidation, which composed of a top layer of NiO and a basal layer of Cr₂O₃ and NiCr₂O₄. The surface of Ni–30Cr coating contained lots of multi-angle NiO crystals, while the surface of Ni–50Cr coating contained a dense Cr₂O₃ structure, suggesting that the growth of NiO crystals was limited due to the large amount of Cr-rich oxides.     

Native oxide consumption during the atomic layer deposition of TiO2 films on GaAs (100) surfaces

The consumption of the surface native oxides is studied during the atomic layer deposition of TiO₂ films on GaAs (100) surfaces. Films are deposited at 200 °C from tetrakis dimethyl amido titanium and H₂O. Transmission electron microscopy data show that the starting surface consists of ~2.6 nm of native oxide and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates a gradual reduction in the thickness of the oxide layer as the thickness of the TiO₂ film increases. Approximately 0.1-0.2 nm of arsenic and gallium suboxide is detected at the interface after 250 process cycles. For depositions on etched GaAs surfaces no interfacial oxidation is observed.