Scientific Papers in SCI

Abstract

In this comprehensive review, the main aspects of using Au/CeO2 catalysts in oxidation reactions are considered. The influence of the preparation methods and synthetic parameters, as well as the characteristics of the ceria support (presence of doping cations, oxygen vacancies concentration, surface area, redox properties, etc.) in the dispersion and chemical state of gold are revised. The proposed review provides a detailed analysis of the literature data concerning the state of the art and the applications of gold–ceria systems in oxidation reactions.

Abstract

This paper reports the luminescent behavior of Eu:ZnO thin films prepared by an one-step procedure that combines reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of ZnO with the plasma activated decomposition of a non-volatile acetylacetonate precursor of Eu sublimated in an effusion cell. Chemical composition and microstructure of the Eu:ZnO thin films have been characterized by several methods and their photo-, cathode- and ion-luminescent properties studied as a function of Eu concentration. The high transparency and well controlled optical properties of the films have demonstrated to be ideal for the development of cathode- and ion- luminescence sensors.

Abstract

BiVO4 samples doped with different contents of Er3+ and Y3+ were prepared by a simple surfactant free hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction reveals that the doped materials consist of a heterogeneous structure formed by a mixture of tetragonal and monoclinic phases, being found Er3+ and Y3+ co-doping clearly stabilize the tetragonal structure of BiVO4. The monoclinic BiVO4 samples shows a strong absorption in the visible light region leading to band-gap values of around 2.4eV while the tetragonal BiVO4 displays higher band-gap values of 2.9 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the catalysts was investigated for the oxidation of methanol and inactivation of Escherichia coli showing that all the BiVO4 catalysts are photocatalytically active in the oxidation of methanol and are able to inactivate more than 99.99% of bacteria not only under UV light but also under visible light irradiation. The results revealed that the co-doping of Er3+ and Y3+ into BiVO4 exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation under simulated solar light irradiation. The inactivation of E.coli show similar results for the doped systems although in relative terms of activity the Er3+,Y3+-BiVO4 sample show a better use of the visible light, leading to a higher activity than P25-TiO2.

Abstract

The study investigates the influence of nickel and magnesium additions to AA 1050 aluminum alloy on the electrochemical behavior of the alloy in nitric acid solution under conditions relevant to the lithographic and electronic industries. Magnesium and nickel additions are of interest, since they can improve the alloy properties for the printing process by improving reverse bending fatigue strength and thermal softening resistance, while nickel may provide uniform pitting during electrograining. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the resulting surface morphologies. The addition of nickel led to an increase in the pitting and corrosion potentials; additionally, it reduced the rate of dissolution of intermetallic particles during anodic polarization and increased the rate of aluminum dissolution during cathodic polarization. In contrast, the addition of magnesium had negligible influence on the open circuit and pitting behaviors, since the magnesium is retained in solid solution and has negligible influence on the cathodic behavior of intermetallic particles, which dominate the corrosion behavior.

Abstract

The multicycle CO2 capture performance of CaO derived from natural limestone and dolomite has been investigated by means of thermogravimetry under realistic Calcium-Looping conditions, which necessarily involve high CO2 concentration and high temperatures in the calcination stage and fast transitions between the carbonation and calcination stages. Natural dolomite allows reducing the calcination temperature as compared to limestone while high calcination efficiency is maintained. This could help reducing the energy penalty of the CaL process thus further enhancing the industrial competitiveness for the integration of this technology into fossil fuel power plants. Importantly, the CO2 capture capacity of the sorbents is critically affected by the solids residence time in the carbonation and calcination stages within the feasible range in practice. Thus, carbonation/calcination residence times play a critical role on the multicycle CO2 capture performance, which has been generally dismissed in previous studies. A main observation is the enhancement of carbonation in the solid-state diffusion controlled phase, which is against the commonly accepted conception that the only relevant phase in the carbonation stage is the fast reaction-controlled stage on the surface of the solids. Thus, the CO2 capture efficiency may be significantly enhanced by increasing the solids residence time in the carbonator.

Abstract

The assembly of a novel layer-by-layer biosensor architecture using hybrid nanomaterials is explored for the construction of an amperometric enzyme biosensors. The nanostructured sensing interface was prepared with poly(dopamine)-modified magnetic nanoparticles which were covalently coated with four-generation ethylenediamine core polyamidoamine G-4 dendrimers and further decorated with platinum nanoparticles. This nanohybrid was fully characterized and further layered on glassy carbon electrodes coated with a graphene oxide-carboxymethylcellulose hybrid nanomaterial through electrostatic interactions. The nanostructured surface was then employed as scaffold for the covalent immobilization of the enzyme xanthine oxidase through a glutaraldehyde-mediated cross-linking. The enzyme electrode allowed the amperometric detection of xanthine in the 50 nM-12 mu M range, with a high sensitivity of 140 mA/M cm(2) and low detection limit of 13 nM. The biosensor exhibited high reproducibility and repeatability, and was successfully tested for the quantification of xanthine in fish samples. 

Abstract

Bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGN) are promising materials for a number of biomedical applications. Many parameters related to the synthesis of BGN using sol–gel methods can affect their characteristics. In this study, the influence of timing of calcium nitrate (calcium precursor) addition during processing on BGN characteristics was investigated. The results showed that the addition timing could affect the morphology, dispersity and composition of BGN. With delayed addition of calcium nitrate, larger, more regular and better dispersed BGN could be synthesized while the gap between nominal and actual compositions of BGN was widened. However, the addition timing had no significant influence on structural characteristics, as BGN with different addition-timing of calcium nitrate exhibited similar infrared spectra and amorphous nature. The results also suggested that monodispersed BGN could be synthesized by carefully controlling the addition of calcium nitrate. The synthesized monodispersed BGN could release Si and Ca ions continuously for up to at least 14 days. They also showed in vitro bioactivity and non-cytotoxicity towards rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). In conclusion, the timing of calcium precursor addition is an essential parameter to be considered when producing BGN which should exhibit monodisperse characteristics for biomedical applications.

Abstract

Iridium nanoparticles deposited on a variety of surfaces exhibited thermal sintering characteristics that were very strongly correlated with the lability of lattice oxygen in the supporting oxide materials. Specifically, the higher the lability of oxygen ions in the support, the greater the resistance of the nanoparticles to sintering in an oxidative environment. Thus with gamma-Al2O3 as the support, rapid and extensive sintering occurred. In striking contrast, when supported on gadolinia-ceria and alumina-ceria-zirconia composite, the Ir nanoparticles underwent negligible sintering. In keeping with this trend, the behavior found with yttria-stabilized zirconia was an intermediate between the two extremes. This resistance, or lack of resistance, to sintering is considered in terms of oxygen spillover from support to nanoparticles and discussed with respect to the alternative mechanisms of Ostwald ripening versus nanoparticle diffusion. Activity towards the decomposition of N2O, a reaction that displays pronounced sensitivity to catalyst particle size (large particles more active than small particles), was used to confirm that catalytic behavior was consistent with the independently measured sintering characteristics. It was found that the nanoparticle active phase was Ir oxide, which is metallic, possibly present as a capping layer. Moreover, observed turnover frequencies indicated that catalyst-support interactions were important in the cases of the sinter-resistant systems, an effect that may itself be linked to the phenomena that gave rise to materials with a strong resistance to nanoparticle sintering. 

Abstract

This paper presents a new method for the fabrication of metal-like decorative layers on glazed ceramic tiles. It consists of the laser treatment of Cu thin films prepared by electron-beam evaporation at glancing angles. A thin film of discontinuous Cu nanoparticles was electron-beam-evaporated in an oblique angle configuration onto ceramic tiles and an ample palette of colors obtained by laser treatment both in air and in vacuum. Scanning electron microscopy along with UV–vis–near-IR spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis were used to characterize the differently colored layers. On the basis of these analyses, color development has been accounted for by a simple model considering surface melting phenomena and different microstructural and chemical transformations of the outmost surface layers of the samples.

Abstract

Some of the problems that occur during the operation of chemical reactors based of structured catalytic substrates, as monoliths, foams, membranes, cloths, fibres and other systems, are related to the preparation of long term stable coatings. Frequently, the deposition of the catalytic layer is carried out by washcoating, requiring this step a cautious attention, especially in the case of complex geometries, like of that of foams or cloths. In the case of the deposition of layers of carbonaceous materials (CNMs), an alternative route, avoiding the washcoating, it is their direct growth by catalytic decomposition light hydrocarbons (also called CCVD), over the surface of the metallic substrate. In this case, if the metallic substrate is of stainless steel, it already contains the catalytic active phases like Fe and Ni. 

In order to optimize the process of CNMs growth over structured metallic substrates, we are studying the effect of the main operational variables of the ethane decomposition reaction on stainless steel foams. In this contribution we present a study of the influence of the temperature of the activation (oxidation and reduction) stage on the type and morphology of the carbonaceous materials formed. The results obtained allow us to determine the optimal operating conditions to maximize the amount and the selectivity of the process to obtain a given type of CNM.

Abstract

Rare-earth-based nanoparticles are currently attracting wide research interest in material science, physics, chemistry, medicine, and biology due to their optical properties, their stability, and novel applications. We present in this review a summarized overview of the general and recent developments in their synthesis and functionalization. Their luminescent properties are also discussed, including the latest advances in the enhancement of their emission luminescence. Some of their more relevant and novel biomedical, analytical, and optoelectronic applications are also commented on.

Abstract

We present a comparative study of the accuracy of different DFT approaches vs. MP2 for evaluating ionic liquids (ILs) + cosolvent. Namely, we are interested in [XBmim] + cosolvent (X being Cl-, BF4-, PF6-, and CH3SO3- anions and cosolvent being water or ethanol) and [XBmim] + (H2O)(3) clusters. In this study the B3LYP, B3LYP-D3, M06, M06-2X and M06-HF functionals with Pople and Dunning basis sets are considered. We find that the influence of the basis sets is a factor to take into consideration. As already seen for weakly bonded systems when the basis set quality is low the uncorrected counterpoise (unCP) or averaging counterpoise (averCP) energies must be used due to cancellation errors. Besides, the inclusion of extra diffuse functions and polarization is also required specially in the case of ILs interacting with water clusters. The B3LYP functional does not reproduce either the structure or the interaction energies for ILs + H2O and ILs + EtOH aggregates, the energetic discrepancies being more significant than the structural ones. Among the dispersive corrected functionals, M06-2X results resemble to a great extent the reference data when the unCP interaction energies are considered for both water and ethanol. In turn, M06 and B3LYP-D3 functionals are the best option for ILs containing polar and non-polar anions, respectively, whether the averCP interactions energies are taking into consideration. From the structural point of view, B3LYP and M06 functionals describe more open structures whereas B3LYP-D3, M06-2X and M06-HF structures resemble quite well MP2 results. When the number of water molecules increases the H bonding motif gains importance and the effect depends on the underlying functional. Only M06-2X and M06-HF behaviour is similar to that observed for one water molecule. This is important because to describe ILs-cosolvent solutions is not only necessary to take into account the ILs-cosolvent interactions but also the cosolvent-cosolvent ones in the ensemble of the system.

Abstract

Phyllite clays are applied as a layer on a surface to be waterproofed and subsequently compacted. For this purpose, phyllite clays deposits can be grouped by their chemical and mineralogical characteristics, and these characteristics can be connected with their properties, mainly permeability, in order to select those deposits with the lowest permeability values. Several deposits of phyllite clays in the provinces of Almeria and Granada (SE Spain) have been studied. The results of applying a multivariate statistical analysis (MVA) to the chemical data analysed from 52 samples determined by XRF, mineralogical analysis by XRD and permeability are reported. Permeability, a characteristic physical property of phyllite clays, was calculated using the results for experimental nitrogen gas adsorption and nitrogen adsorption-desorption permeability dependence. According to the results, permeability values differentiated two groups, i.e. group 1 and group 2, with two subgroups in the latter. The influence of chemical as well as mineralogical characteristics on the permeability values of this set of phyllite clays was demonstrated using a multiple linear regression model. Two regression equations were deduced to describe the relationship between adsorption and desorption permeability values, which support this correlation. This was an indication of the statistical significance of each chemical and mineralogical variable, as it was added to the model. The statistical tests of the residuals suggested that there was no serious autocorrelation in the residuals. 

Abstract

We demonstrate that the coupling between light emitters in extended polymer layers and modes supported by arrays of plasmonic particles can be selectively enhanced by accurate positioning of the emitters in regions where the electric field intensity of a given mode is maximized. The enhancement, which we measure to reach up to 70%, is due to the improved spatial overlap and coupling between the optical mode and emitters. This improvement of the coupling leads to a modification of the emission spectrum and the luminous efficacy of the sample.

Abstract

Cheap, efficient, and non-toxic energy storage technologies are urgently needed to handle the rapidly increasing penetration of intermittent renewable energies into the grid. This work explores the use of limestone and dolomite for energy storage in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants by means of the calcium looping (CaL) process based on the multicycle carbonation/calcination of CaO. An efficient integration of the CaL process into CSP plants involves high temperature carbonation and calcination at moderate temperatures in a close CO2 cycle for power generation. These conditions differ from those of the CaL process for CO2 capture, which lead to CaO deactivation as extensively reported in recent years. In contrast, we show that limestone- and dolomite-derived CaO give rise to a high residual conversion at CaL-CSP conditions and in short residence times, which would facilitate the development of a competitive and clean CSP technology with permanent energy storage.

Abstract

The effects of silver and palladium metals on the photocatalytic degradation of diclofenac sodium salt (DCF), isoproturon (IP) and phenol (PHL) in water over lab-made TiO2 synthesized following a sol-gel method were investigated. Silver and palladium catalysts were prepared by photodeposition at 1 wt.% of loading metal. The resulting materials were characterized through BET, XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS and DRS-UV-Vis. The photodeposition test conditions of both metals determined their final oxidation state, with reduced particles of palladium and silver as well as silver oxides found on the catalysts. The results showed that the type of metal had different effects on the photodegradation mechanism depending on the nature of the pollutants. Accordingly, the highest degradation rate for IP and DCF was obtained when using the catalyst photodeposited with palladium and for PHL the catalyst photodeposited with silver. The photodegradation intermediates of PHL, DCF and IP were also identified.

Abstract

In this work it was studied the efficiency of a photocatalytic process for the removal of patent blue V. This dye is very difficult to remove by conventional treatments such as adsorption or coagulation therefore the photocatalytic process is a very interesting alternative for the removal this dye mainly because it does not require expensive oxidants and it can be carried out at mild temperatures and pressures. In this work it was tested the efficiency of Au-TiO2 and Pt-TiO2 photocatalysts in the Patent blue V removal. The Au-TiO2 catalysts were prepared by two different methods: chemical reduction and photochemical deposition; Pt-TiO2 catalysts were obtained only by photochemical deposition. In the synthesis of the catalysts prepared by photochemical deposition, it was evaluated the influence of some parameters, such as deposition time and the intensity of the light source over the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic activity of the materials obtained. An analysis of the effect of the catalyst dosage and initial patent blue V concentration over the dye degradation efficiency was also attempted. 
In general, it was observed that the presence of Au or Pt on TiO2 enhances the patent blue V photodegradation; it was found that noble metal particle size and distribution on TiO2 surface are important factors influencing the dye removal. The highest dye degradation was obtained over the Au-TiO2 catalyst prepared by photochemical deposition, using high light intensity and 15 min of deposition time during the synthesis. A discoloration and a total organic carbon (TOC) removal of 93 and 67% respectively, were obtained over this material after 180 min of UV irradiation. These values are higher than that the obtained on S-TiO2 (discoloration and TOC removal of about 25% and 3%, respectively).

Abstract

A hierarchical scaffold, SP1_h_HA, consisting of a biomimetic nano-hydroxyapatite surface coating growth onto a reticulated structure having a nano-organized porous texture was fabricated and functionally studied in vitro using osteoprogenitor cells. Three scaffold materials (designated as SP0_l, SP0_h and SP1_h) were also prepared through modifications of the processing variables as control materials. The scaffolds were characterized showing well-interconnected micron-sized voids and a nano (4–6 nm)-organized porosity. In order to evaluate potential local risks and performance over mammalian cells the scaffolds were studied in comparison with a commercial clinical grade scaffold material, ProOsteon® 500R. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast viability was evaluated using the resazurin assay and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), showing in all cases good proliferative response. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production and analysis of the differentiation marker osteocalcin (OC), both in non-osteoinductive and osteoinductive media, were assessed using colorimetric and RT-PCR methods. The implementation of the new scaffold processing variables enhanced ALP activity with respect to the SP0_l control material. The cell proliferation, ALP activity, and mRNA OC expression response to SP1_h_HA scaffold were higher than those observed after the use of ProOsteon® 500R. In addition, SP1_h_HA scaffold showed a two stage sustained release of gentamicin sulfate (GS) instead of the quick release shown by ProOsteon® 500R. These results suggest that our synthesized scaffold could be effective for antibiotic delivery and bone regeneration and a better option than ProOsteon® 500R.

Abstract

The Constant Rate Thermal Analysis (CRTA) procedure has been employed for the first time to study the kinetics of MgH₂ dehydrogenation by thermogravimetry under high vacuum. CRTA implies controlling the temperature in such a way that the decomposition rate is maintained constant all over the process, employing the mass change as the experimental signal proportional to the reaction rate. The CRTA curves present a higher resolution power to discriminate the kinetic model obeyed by the reaction in comparison with conventional heating rate curves. The combined kinetic analysis has been applied to obtain the kinetic parameters, which show that MgH₂ decomposition under high vacuum obeys first-order kinetics (F1). It has been proposed that the dehydrogenation of MgH₂ under high vacuum takes place by instantaneous nucleation in the border line of the bidimensional crystallites followed by the growth of the nuclei.

Abstract

The WGS reaction over multicomponent Au/Ce1-xCuxO2/Al2O3 catalysts is studied in this work. The systems are carefully designed aiming to take advantage of every active phase included in the formulation: gold, ceria and copper. Special emphasis is given to the CeO2-CuO synergy and its influence on the displayed catalytic performance with and without gold. To this aim a meaningful correlation between the physicochemical properties of the mixed materials and their activity/stability is proposed. In general terms the developed catalysts present high activity under realistic WGS reaction conditions, with fairly good long term stability. In addition, the systems successfully withstand start-up/shut-downs situations, indispensable requisite for real applications in the field of pure hydrogen production for fuel cell goals. 

Abstract

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are driving a shift toward energy-efficient illumination. Nonetheless, modifying the emission intensities, colors and directionalities of LEDs in specific ways remains a challenge often tackled by incorporating secondary optical components. Metallic nanostructures supporting plasmonic resonances are an interesting alternative to this approach due to their strong light-matter interaction, which facilitates control over light emission without requiring external secondary optical components. This review discusses new methods that enhance the efficiencies of LEDs using nanostructured metals. This is an emerging field that incorporates physics, materials science, device technology and industry. First, we provide a general overview of state-of-the-art LED lighting, discussing the main characteristics required of both quantum wells and color converters to efficiently generate white light. Then, we discuss the main challenges in this field as well as the potential of metallic nanostructures to circumvent them. We review several of the most relevant demonstrations of LEDs in combination with metallic nanostructures, which have resulted in light-emitting devices with improved performance. We also highlight a few recent studies in applied plasmonics that, although exploratory and eminently fundamental, may lead to new solutions in illumination.

Abstract

Near-ultraviolet and visible excitable Eu- and Bi-doped NPs based on rare earth vanadates (REVO4, RE = Y, Gd) have been synthesized by a facile route from appropriate RE precursors, europium and bismuth nitrate, and sodium orthovanadate, by homogeneous precipitation in an ethylene glycol/water mixture at 120 °C. The NPs can be functionalized either by a one-pot synthesis with polyacrylic acid (PAA) or by a Layer-by-Layer approach with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and PAA. In the first case, the particle size can also be tuned by adjusting the amount of PAA. The Eu- Bi-doped REVO4 based nanophosphors show the typical red luminescence of Eu(III), which can be excited through an energy transfer process from the vanadate anions, resulting in a much higher luminescence intensity in comparison to the direct excitation of the europium cations. The incorporation of Bi into the REVO4 structure shifts the original absorption band of the vanadate anions towards longer wavelengths, giving rise to nanophosphors with an excitation maximum at 342 nm, which can also be excited in the visible range. The suitability of such nanophosphors for bioimaging and biosensing applications, as well as their colloidal stability in different buffer media of biological interest, their cytotoxicity, their degradability at low pH, and their uptake by HeLa cells have been evaluated. Their suitability for bioimaging and biosensing applications is also demonstrated.

Abstract

A novel approach describing the in-situ regeneration of NiAl hydroalcite derived catalyst between two cycle reaction systems of CO2 reforming of methane, also known as dry reforming of methane (DRM) is described herein. The catalyst was initially prepared by co-precipitation method at pH = 11 and calcined at 450 degrees C for 6 h. The obtained material was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry (TG/ATD) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR-H-2) techniques. Following treatment of our catalyst under DRM conditions, the catalyst was subjected to in-situ hydrogasification conditions to promote regeneration followed by a second DRM cycle. An increase of 15.7% in the conversion of CH4 and 17.3% in the conversion of CO2 was attained, while the ratio of resulting H-2/CO augmented by 14%. The ratio of H-2 consumed over the course of two hours hydrogasification, to that generated over ten hours of DRM, was 9.6%. The small particle sizes of resulting Ni degrees species as well as their high stability were both key factors contributing to the increase in the amount of H-2/CO produced prior to and after regeneration. 

Abstract

In this work a cheap detector of organic molecules is developed. It comprises a cellulose fiber doped with a mixture of magnetite and reduced silver nanoparticles, the latter ones synthesized anew. The nanoparticles and the fiber were characterized with well-established spectroscopic, microscopic and magnetic techniques, namely infrared, UV–vis spectroscopies, vibrating sample magnetometry and electronic microscopies. The so-obtained doped-fibers were tested as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy detector in aqueous samples with a diluted mixture of two pollutant models (rhodamine 6G and picric acid), being able to differentiate between both organic compounds. Hence, the nanoparticle-impregnated fiber is proposed as a reliable preliminary qualitative and semiquantitative test of the presence of specific organic molecules in solutions. Moreover, the magnetite nanoparticles provide the detector with a saturation magnetization value that enables the separation of the fiber from the solution with the aid of a commercial magnet.

Abstract

We report on dye-based photonic sensing systems which are fabricated and packaged at wafer scale. For the first time luminescent organic nanocomposite thin-films deposited by plasma technology are integrated in photonic sensing systems as active sensing elements. The realized dye-based photonic sensors include an environmental NO2 sensor and a sunlight ultraviolet light (UV) A+B sensor. The luminescent signal from the nanocomposite thin-films responds to changes in the environment and is selectively filtered by a photonic structure consisting of a Fabry-Perot cavity. The sensors are fabricated and packaged at wafer-scale, which makes the technology viable for volume manufacturing. Prototype photonic sensor systems have been tested in real-world scenarios. 

Abstract

In this study, CaO derived from steel slag pretreated with diluted acetic acid has been tested as a dry sorbent for CO2 capture under realistic Ca-Looping (CaL) conditions, which necessarily implies calcination under high CO2 partial pressure and fast transitions between carbonation and calcination stages. The multicycle capture performance of the sorbent has been investigated by varying the precalcination time, carbonation/calcination residence times and with the introduction of a recarbonation stage. Results show that the sorbent can be regenerated in very short residence times at 900 °C under high CO2 partial pressure, thus reducing the calciner temperature by about 30–50 °C when compared to limestone. Although the introduction of a recarbonation stage to reactivate the sorbent, as suggested in previous studies for limestone, results in a slightly enhanced capture capacity, the sorbent performance can be significantly improved if the main role of the solid-state diffusion-controlled carbonation is not dismissed. Thus, a notable enhancement of the capture capacity is achieved when the carbonation residence time is prolonged beyond just a few minutes, which suggests a critical effect of solids residence time in the carbonator on the CO2 capture efficiency of the CaL process when integrated into a power plant.

Abstract

In this Perspective we discuss the implications of employing metal particles of different shape, size, and composition as absorption enhancers in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite solar cells, with the aim of establishing some guidelines for the future development of plasmonic resonance-based photovoltaic devices. Hybrid perovskites present an extraordinarily high absorption coefficient which, as we show here, makes it difficult to extrapolate concepts and designs that are applied to other solution-processed photovoltaic materials. In addition, the variability of the optical constants attained from perovskite films of seemingly similar composition further complicates the analysis. We demonstrate that, by means of rigorous design, it is possible to provide a realistic prediction of the magnitude of the absorption enhancement that can be reached for perovskite films embedding metal particles. On the basis of this, we foresee that localized surface plasmon effects will provide a means to attain highly efficient perovskite solar cells using films that are thinner than those usually employed, hence facilitating collection of photocarriers and significantly reducing the amount of potentially toxic lead present in the device.

Abstract

Tannic acid (TA) has multiple effects against cancer, being especially promising in those types that overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as TA modulates its activation and downstream signaling pathways, triggering apoptosis. Nonetheless, despite the important role of this receptor in the pathogenesis and progression of a wide variety of tumors, no TA systems targeted to this receptor have been described yet. In this work, we synthesize, characterize by physico-chemical techniques and study the cytotoxic effect and cell uptake of TA nanoparticles targeted to EGFR in both tumoral and normal human skin cells. Our nanoparticles exhibited an extremely high entrapment efficiency, and were only toxic for the tumoral cells. The uptake assay demonstrated that nanoparticles are able to enter the cells through a receptor-mediated mechanism. Furthermore, we have included fluorescent markers in these nanoparticles to combine imaging and therapeutic applications, thus building effectively a multifunctional tool for biomedicine.

Abstract

A flexible and robust piezoelectric nanogenerator (NG) based on a polymer-ceramic nanocomposite structure has been successfully fabricated via a cost-effective and scalable template assisted hydrothermal synthesis method. Vertically aligned arrays of dense and uniform zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) with high aspect ratio (diameter similar to 250 nm, length similar to 12 mu m) were grown within nanoporous polycarbonate (PC) templates. The energy conversion efficiency was found to be similar to 4.2%, which is comparable to previously reported values for ZnO NWs. The resulting NG is found to have excellent fatigue performance, being relatively immune to detrimental environmental factors and mechanical failure, as the constituent ZnO NWs remain embedded and protected inside the polymer matrix.