Antimicrobial coatings — obtaining and characterization

In this paper, we present inorganic–organic hybrid coatings with polymer matrix (water soluble) that contain silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The structure and morphology of coating materials were determined by infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Therefore, the antimicrobial activities and mechanisms of coatings for several pathogenic bacteria (Bacilius cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) were investigated. It was demonstrated that the obtained material with silver nanoparticles keep their antimicrobial effect even if they are subjected to several cycles of washing with water and detergent.     

Structural, energetic and electronic properties of intercalated boron–nitride nanotubes

The effects of chirality and the intercalation of transitional metal atoms inside single walled BN nanotubes on structural, energetic and electronic properties have been considered in this paper. The thermodynamic stability of BN nanotubes can be improved by the intercalation of cobalt or nickel. BN nanotubes can behave like an ideal non-interacting hosts for these one-dimensional chains of metal atoms. Their electronic properties are insignificantly modified.     

A nanostructured look of collagen apatite porosity into human mineralized collagen fibril

Bone tissue is a hierarchical material characterized at nanoscale by the mineralized collagen fibril, a recurring structure mainly composed of apatite minerals, collagen and water. Bone nanostructure has a fundamental role in determining the mechanical behavior of the tissue and its mass transport properties. Diffusion phenomenon allows to maintain an adequate supply of metabolites in the mechanisms of bone remodeling, adaptation and repair. Several analytical and computational models have been developed to analyze and predict bone tissue behavior. However, the fine replication of the natural tissue still represents a challenge. Insights on the structural organization at nanoscale and on the influence of apatite mineral crystals on the diffusion coefficient lead to outline the functional conditions for the development of biomimetic strategies for bone tissue engineering. Thorough understanding of bone nanostructure is essential to improve longevity of bioscaffolds and to decrease the risk of failure by controlling their mechanical and biological performance.