Preparation and characterization of PS‐PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite films with novel properties of high transparency and UV‐shielding capacity

High transparent and UV‐shielding poly (styrene)‐co‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS‐PMMA)/zinc oxide (ZnO) optical nanocomposite films were prepared by solution mixing using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as a cosolvent. The films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM). Cross‐section HR‐TEM and AFM images showed that the ZnO nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix at the nanoscale level. The XRD and FTIR studies indicate that there is no chemical bond or interaction between PS‐PMMA and ZnO nanoparticles in the nanocomposite films. The UV–vis spectra in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm showed that nanocomposite films with ZnO particle contents from 1 to 20 wt % had strong absorption in UV spectrum region and the same transparency as pure PMMA‐PS film in the visible region. The optical properties of polymer are greatly improved by the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Structural,electrical, thermal,and gas sensing properties of new conductive blend nanocomposites based on polypyrrole/phenothiazine/silver‐doped zinc oxide

The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of silver‐doped zinc oxide (Ag‐ZnO) loading on the structural, morphological, thermal and electrical properties, and gas sensing behavior of polypyrrole (PPy)/phenothiazine (PTZ)‐blend nanocomposites. The composites are characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, DSC, TGA, and impedance studies. FTIR spectra exhibit the presence of Ag‐ZnO in the PPy/PTZ blend. XRD analysis shows that the semicrystalline behavior of the polymer blend is greatly enhanced by the addition of Ag‐doped ZnO particles. Uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in the polymer is obtained from SEM analysis. The TEM images confirm the presence of spherically shaped nanoparticles in PPy/PTZ blend with a size of 10–25 nm. The DSC measurement indicates that the glass transition temperature of PPy/PTZ blend was significantly improved in the presence of Ag‐doped ZnO nanoparticles. The thermal decomposition temperature of nanocomposite obtained from TGA shows an increase with increase in the content of Ag‐ZnO particles. The incorporation of Ag‐doped ZnO nanoparticles to PPy/PTZ blend exhibit increase in the AC conductivity and dielectric properties of the nanocomposite, due to the pilling of charges at the extended interface of the composite system. The DC conductivity of the nanocomposite increases with the loading of nanoparticles. The ammonia gas sensing performance of PPy/PTZ/Ag‐ZnO nanocomposite is analyzed, and the result shows that the fabricated blend composite can be used as a promising candidate for the easy access of gas molecules. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 26:187–195, 2020. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Highly Efficient Room Temperature Synthesis of Silver‐Doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Ag) Nanoparticles: Structural,Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties

Synthesis of silver‐doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Ag) nanoparticles through precipitation method has been reported. The synthesis was conducted at room temperature and no subsequent thermal treatment was applied. ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and ultraviolet‐visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. Detailed crystallographic investigation was accomplished through Rietveld refinement. The effect of silver content on structural and optical properties of resultant ZnO nanoparticles has been reported. It was found that silver doping results in positional shifts for the XRD peaks and the absorption band edge of ZnO. These were attributed to the substitutional incorporation of Ag⁺ ions into Zn²⁺ sites within the ZnO crystal. In addition, higher silver incorporation resulted in smaller size for ZnO nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO:Ag nanoparticles was also determined by methylene orange (MO) degradation studies and compared to that of undoped ZnO. Improved photocatalytic activity was obtained for ZnO:Ag nanoparticles. It has been shown that an optimum amount of silver dopant is required to obtain maximum photocatalytic activity.     

Fumed SiO2 nanoparticle reinforced biopolymer blend nanocomposites with high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss for flexible organic electronics

In the present study, fumed silica (SiO₂) nanoparticle reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) blend nanocomposite films were prepared via a simple solution‐blending technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to elucidate the successful incorporation of SiO₂ nanoparticles in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to evaluate the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. The dielectric properties such as dielectric constant (?) and dielectric loss (tan δ) of the PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposite films were evaluated in the broadband frequency range of 10^?2 Hz to 20 MHz and for temperatures in the range 40–150 °C. The FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopy results implied the presence of hydrogen bonding interaction between SiO₂ and the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The XRD and SEM results revealed that SiO₂ nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The dielectric property analysis revealed that the dielectric constant values of the nanocomposites are higher than those of PVA/PVP blends. The maximum dielectric constant and the dielectric loss were 125 (10^?2 Hz, 150 °C) and 1.1 (10^?2 Hz, 70 °C), respectively, for PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposites with 25 wt % SiO₂ content. These results enable the preparation of dielectric nanocomposites using a facile solution‐casting method that exhibit the desirable dielectric performance for flexible organic electronics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44427.     

XPS and UV–vis studies of Ga-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by gelatin based sol-gel approach

Undoped and gallium-doped ZnO nanoparticles, (ZnO NPs) (Zn_1−xGa_xO, x=0.0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, 0.12, 0.15), were synthesized by a gelatin-based, sol–gel method. Structural and morphological studies of the resulting products were carried out via X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD results revealed that the sample products were crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase. Furthermore, the TEM images indicated ZnO NPs having approximately spherical shapes, with their particle size distributed over the nanometer range. The XRD and TEM results also showed a decrease in crystallite and particle sizes of NPs from x=0.0 to 0.15. The size-strain plot (SSP) method was employed to study the individual contributions of crystallite sizes and lattice strain to the peak broadening of the undoped and doped ZnO NPs. The effect of doping on the optical band-gap and crystalline quality was also investigated, using ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis), X-ray photoluminescence (XPS), and spectroscopies of the pure and doped ZnO NPs. It was observed that the band-gap and O-vacancies of the doped ZnO NPs were red-shifted in comparison with those of the undoped ZnO NPs in UV–vis and XPS results.     

Effect of Biopolymer Blend Matrix on Structural,Optical and Biological Properties of Chitosan–Agar Blend ZnO Nanocomposites

The present research is focused on the development of ecofriendly biopolymer blend based nanocomposites to enhance the effect of cytotoxic activity. Novel eco-friendly synthesis of pure Chitosan–Agar blend and Chitosan–Agar/ZnO nanocomposites was successfully synthesized by in-situ chemical synthesis method. The influence of Chitosan–Agar (1:1 wt/wt%) concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 3 g) was studied. The presence of ZnO nanoparticles in Chitosan–Agar polymer matrix was confirmed by UV, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDAX and TEM. The crystallite size of the nanocomposites in the range of 12–17 nm is observed from XRD analysis. PL and UV reveal that Nanocomposites shows an blue shift by increase in the blend concentrations. TEM analysis shows that 0.1 and 3 g of Chitosan–Agar/ZnO Nanocomposites are in spindle and spherical shape with polycrystalline nature. The prepared Nanocomposites shows the respectable Antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aureginosa and Klebsilla pneumonia) bacteria. The potential toxicity of Chitosan–Agar/ZnO nanocomposites was studied for normal (L929) and breast cancer cell line (MB231). The result of this investigation shows that the Chitosan–Agar/ZnO nanocomposites deliver a dose dependent toxicity in normal and cancer cell line.     

Polymer-assisted freeze-drying synthesis of Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles with high and stable photocatalytic activity were prepared by polymer-assisted freeze-drying method with simple process and without organic solvents used. The structural morphology and optical properties of Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductive Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM (HRTEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Ultraviolet-visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Moreover, the thermoanalytical measurements (TGA–DTG) analysis is carried out for proper calcination temperature. XRD results show that Ag nanoparticles were successfully doped into ZnO lattice, and UV–vis DRS results indicate that the doped Ag nanoparticles result in ZnO exhibiting enhanced light trapping capability in the 400?nm and 600?nm range. The photocatalytic activity of Ag-doped ZnO was examined by analyzing the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) dyes under UV light and solar light irradiation, and the results show that all Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibit better photocatalytic activity than those of pure ZnO nanoparticles at the same degradation conditions; especially the synthesized Ag-ZnO nanoparticles are easy to be recycled and have high photocatalytic stability. Based on the experimental results, the photocatalytic electron transfer path and the photocatalytic mechanism of Ag-ZnO nanoparticles under UV and solar irradiation conditions are explained and clarified.     

Development of alginate-gum acacia-Ag0 nanocomposites via green process for inactivation of foodborne bacteria and impact on shelf life of black grapes (Vitis vinifera)

The main objective of this investigation is to develop sodium alginate-gum acacia-silver nanocomposite films (AGA-Ag⁰ NC) to inhibit the growth of foodborne and to extend the shelf life of food. The Ag nanoparticles were generated in sodium alginate-gum acacia (AGA) blend matrix through reduction by basil leaves (Tulasi). The formation of Ag⁰ was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The absorption band at 420 nm in UV–vis spectrum and change in the band positions in FTIR spectrum of AGA-Ag⁰ NC compared to that of AGA corresponds to the formation of Ag nanoparticles. The XRD profile of AGA-Ag⁰ NC exhibits characteristic d-lines of Ag nanoparticles. The spherical shape of Ag nanoparticles uniformly formed throughout the films was recognized in SEM image with a size of ~ 4 ± 1 nm as observed by TEM. The water uptake and mechanical properties of the films were also studied. The AGA-Ag⁰NC films offered excellent antimicrobial activity against various foodborne bacteria and shelf life of food enhanced efficiency of the AGA-Ag⁰NC films is also tested on grape fruit (Vitus vinifera). © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47331.     

The Change of Structural,Optical and Thermal Properties of a PVDF/PVC Blend Containing ZnO Nanoparticles

Nanocomposites consisting of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blend containing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were prepared. The changes of the structural, optical and thermal properties of the PVDF/PVC blend before and after addition of ZnO were studied. The shift of intensity in IR bands suggested an interaction and compatibility between the blend and ZnO. The structural properties, crystallinity and grain size of the samples were studied using X-ray diffraction. The average grain size was approximately 16 nm confirmed by TEM observations. The X-ray peak positions of ZnO in doped samples were located in the same positions as those of pure ZnO indicating the crystal structure of ZnO was not altered by its incorporation into PVDF/PVC. The estimated values of the optical energy gap from UV/Vis spectra for indirect transition decrease with increasing ZnO due to charge transfer between PVDF/PVC and ZnO nanoparticles. The thermogravimetric analysis curves showed nearly identical behaviors for all samples. Samples that contained ZnO exhibited less weight loss compared to the pure blend attributed to crosslinking formation between the blend and ZnO. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that ZnO was uniformly distributed inside PVDF/PVC polymeric matrices and was superimposed on an amorphous background.     

Structural,optical, morphological and electrochemical properties of ZnO and graphene oxide blended ZnO nanocomposites

A simple cost-effective co-precipitation method was adopted to prepare ZnO nanoparticles from a metal organic framework. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were blended with graphene oxide (GO) to prepare the ZnO-GO nanocomposite. The physicochemical properties of ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO-GO nanocomposite were analyzed via various techniques. The structural behavior of ZnO and ZnO-GO nanocomposite was studied by XRD and FT-IR analysis. The XRD profile confirms the hexagonal structure with an average crystallite size of 19.4 nm for ZnO and 16.2 nm for ZnO-GO nanocomposites. The functional groups and the vibration modes of the samples were examined through FT-IR. It confirms the metallic presence in the ZnO and ZnO-GO samples in the wavenumber range of 400–600 cm^?1. The optical properties of ZnO and ZnO-GO were studied via UV–vis spectra. The surface morphology of the samples was recorded through FESEM, and the elemental presence in the samples was examined by EDX. It confirms that the prepared samples are spherical in shape with uniform size distributions. Cyclic voltammetry has been used to study the redox behavior of electroactive ZnO and ZnO-GO composites.     

Development of photo-anodes based on strontium doped zinc oxide-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for improving performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

The goal of this study was to create highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using strontium doped zinc oxide-reduced graphene oxide (Sr-doped ZnO/rGO) nanocomposites. As photo-anodes of DSSCs, ZnO, ZnO/rGO (with weight percent rGO in composites: 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt%) and Sr-doped ZnO/rGO (with Zn_1-xSr_xO nanoparticle stoichiometry: x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) nanocomposites were designed and characterized. AFM, FESEM, XRD, EDS, XPS, PL, and FTIR analyses were used to investigate the morphology and structure properties of prepared nanocomposites. UV–vis spectroscopy and photo-electrochemical measurements were used to investigate the efficiency of prepared photo-anodes. The efficiency (η) and short-circuit photocurrent density (JSC) of DSSCs based on Zn_0.92Sr_0.08O/rGO nanocomposite were 7.98 % and 18.4 mA cm⁻², respectively. The results showed that doping Sr on ZnO/rGO nanocomposites resulted in a wide bandgap energy and increased the values of η, J_SC, IPCE, and photo-anode electron transportability. These findings suggest that Sr-doped ZnO/rGO nanocomposites can provide a novel approach for increasing photo-electrochemical activity in ZnO-based DSSCs.     

In situ fabrication of polyaniline‐silver nanocomposites using soft template of sodium alginate

Polyaniline (PANI)‐Ag nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ chemical polymerization approach using ammonium persulfate and silver nitrate as oxidant. Characterizations of nanocomposites were done by ultraviolet–visible ( UV–vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV–vis, XRD and FTIR analysis established the formation of PANI/Ag nanocomposites and face‐centered‐cubic phase of silver. PANInanofibers were of average diameter ～ 30 nm and several micrometers in length. Morphological analysis showed that the spherical‐shaped silver nanoparticles decorate the surface of PANI nanofibers. Silver nanoparticles of average diameter ～ 5–10 nm were observed on the TEM images for the PANI‐Ag nanocomposites. Such type of PANI‐Ag nanocomposites can be used as bistable switches as well as memory devices. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Effects of europium (III) acetylacetonate doping on the miscibility and photoluminescent properties of polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Blends stand out as simple and cheap materials with unique properties. The miscibility of blends formed by bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped with europium (III) acetylacetonate have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescent (PL) spectroscopy. DSC studies demonstrated that undoped PC/PMMA blends obtained by precipitation method present one glass transition temperature, evidencing their apparent miscibility. FTIR spectra revealed synergic effects in the PC/PMMA system as well as the incorporation of the Eu³⁺ complex. TGA analysis suggested that the Eu³⁺ complex remains preferably in the PC micro-phase. SEM analysis showed that europium (III) acetylacetonate is homogeneously distributed within the blend and PL spectra evidenced the photoluminescence of Eu³⁺ incorporated into the blend.     

Synthesis,characterization, and properties of new conducting polyaniline/copper sulfide nanocomposites

This article reports the facile synthesis of copper sulfide (CuS)/polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites by in situ polymerization. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM analysis showed that the metal sulfide nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix. The characteristic peaks in FTIR and UV–vis spectra of PANI were found to be shifted to higher wave numbers in PANI/CuS composite, which is attributed to the interaction of CuS nanoparticles with PANI chain. XRD pattern revealed the structurally ordered arrangement of polymer composite and this regularity increases with increase in concentration of nanoparticles. Glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite increased with increase in the concentration of nanoparticles and it indicated the ordered arrangement of the polymer composite than PANI. TGA studies indicated excellent thermal stability of polymer nanocomposite. The electrical properties of nanocomposites were studied from direct current and alternating current resistivity measurement. Conductivity, dielectric constant, and dissipation factor of the nanocomposite were significantly increased with the increase in CuS content in the nanocomposite. The enhancement of these properties suggests that the proposed PANI/CuS nanocomposites can be used as multifunctional materials for nanoelectronic devices. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:438–445, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Electrical properties and thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)/polyvinylidene fluoride/ZnO polymer nanocomposites

In this work, polymer nanocomposites consisting of a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer network with ZnO nanoparticles as a dopant were prepared by solution casting. An XRD study of the PVC/PVDF/ZnO polymer nanocomposites shows predominantly sharp and high intensity peaks. However, the intensity and sharpness of the XRD peaks decreases with further increment in loading of ZnO (wt%), which reveals a proper intercalation of ZnO nanoparticles within the PVC/PVDF polymer system. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been used to verify the chemical compositional change as a function of ZnO nanoparticle loading. TGA analysis clearly describes the thermal degradation of the pure polymer and polymer nanocomposites. The complex dielectric function, AC electrical conductivity and impedance spectra of these nanocomposites were investigated over the frequency range from 10 Hz to 35 MHz. These spectra were studied with respect to the Wagner ? Maxwell ? Sillars phenomenon in the low frequency region. Nyquist plots of the PVC/PVDF/ZnO nanocomposites were established from impedance measurements. The temperature‐dependent DC ionic conductivity obtained from the Nyquist plots follows Arrhenius behaviour. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

High acetic acid sensing performance of Mg-doped ZnO/rGO nanocomposites

Mg-doped ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites were synthesized using a facile and cost-effective sol-gel procedure to detect acetic acid vapor. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) analysis were utilized to characterize morphologies, compositions of the nanocomposites, and optical properties of the synthesized nanostructures. The gas sensing measurements of spin-coated Mg-doped ZnO/rGO thin films were carried out for a temperature range of 150–350?°C at various acetic acid vapor concentrations. It was found that the Mg-doped sample with 20?wt%/v of GO solution concentration exhibited the response/recovery time of 60?s/35?s with the best response of ~?200% for 100?ppm of acetic acid at 250?°C.     

Crystallization behavior and UV‐protection property of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization

The aim of this study was to investigate the crystallization behavior and UV‐protection property of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐ZnO nanocomposits. PET‐ZnO nanocomposites containing 0.5–3.0 wt % of ZnO were successfully synthesized by in situ polymerization. The Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the silane coupling agent was anchored onto the surface of ZnO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed ZnO particles were dispersed homogeneously in PET matrix with amount of 0.5–1.0 wt %. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results exhibited that the incorporation of ZnO into PET resulted in increase of the melting transition temperature (T_m) and crystallization temperature (T_c) of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites. The crystallization behavior of PET and PET‐ZnO nanocomposites was strongly affected by cooling rate. ZnO nanoparticles can act as an efficient nucleating agent to facilitate PET crystallization. UV–vis spectrophotometry showed that UV‐ray transmittance of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites decreased remarkably and reached the minimum value of 14.3% with 1.5 wt % of ZnO, compared with pure PET whose UV‐ray transmittance was 84.5%. PET‐ZnO nanocomposites exhibited better UV‐protection property than pure PET, especially in the range of UVA. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Synthesis,characterization and photocatalytic activity study of aluminium doped BiSbO4 microflakes

Metal oxides have an extraordinary ability to generate charge carriers with significant importance in environmental remediation. For the degradation of different dyes, a one-step hydrothermal method was adopted to synthesize Al-doped BiSbO_4. While bismuth antimonate composite with reduced graphene oxide was synthesized by the simple ultra-sonication method. To investigate the structural confirmation, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used. For studying morphology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted. UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to observe the optical properties and vibrational modes of the as-synthesized BiSbO₄ nanoparticles and doped Al–BiSbO₄. The above-mentioned studies verify the formation of nanoparticles of Al-doped BiSbO₄. The synthesized composite was used to degrade the organic dyes such as methylene blue and crystal violet. The degradation efficiency of doped, undoped and composite is studied and compared. The results indicate the extraordinary efficiency of BiSbO₄/rGO composite to doped and bare samples for the degradation of dyes. It is confirmed by the degradation of different dyes that the BiSbO₄/rGO composite shows the best catalytic efficiency.     

The effect of group-I elements on the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles

Undoped and group-I elements doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) (Zn_1?yX_2yO, X=Li, Na, K, and y=0.05) were synthesized by a sol–gel method. Structural and morphological studies of the resulting products were carried out by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD results revealed that the sample products were crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase. The TEM images showed ZnO NPs with nearly spherical shapes with particle size distributed over the nanometer range. In addition, the XRD and TEM results showed a decrease in crystallite and particle sizes of NPs from Li-doped to K-doped ZnO NPs. Crystalline development in the ZnO NPs was investigated by X-ray peak broadening. The size-strain plot (SSP) method was used to study the individual contributions of crystallite sizes and lattice strain on the peak broadening of the undoped and doped ZnO NPs. The effect of doping on the optical band-gap and crystalline quality was also investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectrometers. The Raman spectra of the all ZnO NPs showed a strong E₂(high) peak. The PL spectra exhibited a strong peak in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum for the all ZnO NPs. The UV peak of the doped ZnO NPs was red-shifted with respect to that of the undoped ZnO NPs.     

Barrier,rheological, and antimicrobial properties of sustainable nanocomposites based on gellan gum/polyacrylamide/zinc oxide

In this study, we used a solution casting method to prepare gellan gum (G)-based ternary nanocomposite films containing polyacrylamide (P) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. All composites were prepared using the chemical cross-linker N,N-methylenebisacrylamide. The nanocomposites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Attenuated total reflectance FTIR revealed strong hydrogen bonding interactions among gellan gum, polyacrylamide, and ZnO, which enhanced the physiochemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the GPZnO nanocomposites. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles increased the glass transition temperature (T_g: 181.8–196.3°C), thermal stability (T_5%: 87.8–96.5°C), and char yield (23.9–29.1%) of the GP composite films, as well as their the tensile strength (from 33.5 to 43.8 MPa) and ultraviolet (UV) blocking properties (~99.2% protection against UVB [280–320 nm]). ZnO significantly influenced the rheological properties of the GP composite. The prepared GP and GPZnO nanocomposites exhibited shear thinning behavior and their viscosities decreased when there is an increase in shear rate. Storage and loss modulus increased with frequency with the addition of ZnO nanoparticles. The GPZnO films exhibited reduced hydrophilicity, moisture content, and water barrier properties compared with the GP film. The GPZnO nanocomposites exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against six different pathogens. The prepared GPZnO films could be useful in biodegradable packaging applications.