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Metal-oxides hold promise as superior plasmonic materials in the mid-infrared compared to metals, although their integration over established material technologies still remains challenging. We demonstrate localized surface plasmons in self-assembled, hemispherical CdZnO metal-oxide nanoparticles on GaAs, as a route to enhance the absorption in mid-infrared photodetectors. In this system, two localized surface plasmon modes are identified at 5.3 and 2.7 μm, which yield an enhancement of the light intensity in the underlying GaAs. In the case of the long-wavelength mode the enhancement is as large as 100 near the interface, and persists at depths down to 50 nm. We show numerically that both modes can be coupled to infrared intersubband transitions in GaAs-based multiple quantum wells, yielding an absorbed power gain as high as 5.5, and allowing light absorption at normal incidence. Experimentally, we demonstrate this coupling in a nanoparticle/multiple quantum well structure, where under p-polarization the intersubband absorption is enhanced by a factor of 2.5 and is still observed under s-polarization, forbidden by the usual absorption selection rules. Thus, the integration of CdZnO on GaAs can help improve the figures of merit of quantum well infrared photodetectors, concept that can be extended to other midinfrared detector technologies.

This article deals with the initial stage of a comprehensive multifactor study of the wear resistance of thermal-barrier sealing coatings in the turbine of a gas turbine engine (GTE) under critical loads without taking into account the effect of structural phase transformations that can occur in coating materials during engine start-up and the subsequent long exposure of the GTE parts to high temperatures of about 1150°C. In compliance with the requirements of the GOST 30 480–97 state standard, the process of wear intrinsic to the full-scale tribological conjugation was simulated to obtain frictional-wear characteristics such as the friction coefficient, wear rate, and friction work under preset conditions that were used for further analysis of the wear process and acquisition of the initial data for field trials. The results of the above tribotechnical tests allow us to draw some tentative conclusions on the effect of alloying the nickel-based sealing coatings by yttrium-containing alloying compositions on their behavior during the tribological interaction and propose coating compositions that can be recommended for the subsequent stages of the study of the durability of sealing coatings under high-temperature conditions accompanied by volumetric changes in products and coatings as a result of structural phase transformations in multicomponent coating compositions.

An analysis of improving efficiency of aircraft engine turbines by means of improvement of composition of sealing coatings used in labyrinth seals was made. It was established that a number of contradictory requirements to properties of such coatings are imposed at the initial stage of engine running-in and during further operation. Main types of damage of above coatings used in the design of labyrinth seals during operation of gas turbine engines were shown. In connection with the necessity of raising temperature of gases in turbines of aircraft engines, it was proposed to additionally dope the serial nickel-based coatings with yttrium-containing master alloys. The results of study of influence of doping of the wearing-in sealing coatings on operating properties in conditions of action of a high-temperature gas flow were presented. It was found that doping of the KNA-82 serial coating with a multicomponent Co-Ni-Cr-Al-Y master alloy is the most rational solution. It was established that the use of the developed coating in a temperature range of 1,100...1,200 °C makes it possible to reduce specific consumption of fuel by aircraft engines by improving turbine efficiency and prevent wear of the end faces of ridges of the rotor labyrinth seal. Based on simulation of flow in the labyrinth seal clearance by numerical method, it was shown that the use of the developed coating materials in seals of the compressor turbine and the free turbine makes it possible to reduce amount of cooling air leakage into the turbine air-gas channel by reducing wear of tops of the labyrinth rotor seal ridge

Examined in this paper have been optical properties of polycrystalline films Zn2SnO4 deposited using the spray pyrolysis method within the range of substrate temperatures 250 °C to 450 °C in increments of 50 °C. The spectral dependences have been found for the following physical quantities: k(), n(), ε1(), ε2() and defined as they change under the influence of substrate temperature Тs. Moreover, using the model by Wemple–DiDomenico it was calculated the dispersion energy Ео and Ed for this oxide. Two independent methods defined band gaps Zn2SnO4, which decreases from 4.21…4.22 eV down to 4.04…4.05 eV with increasing Тs from 250 °C up to 450 °C.

In this paper the growth of CdO by the MOCVD technique at atmospheric pressure has been studied in order to achieve very thin films of this material on r-sapphire substrates. The growth evolution of these films was discussed and the existence of a threshold thickness, below which island-shaped structures appear, was demonstrated. Some alternatives to reduce this threshold thickness have been proposed in the frame of the analysis of the crystal growth process. The morphology and structural properties of the films were analyzed by means of SEM and HRXRD. High-quality flat CdO samples were achieved with thicknesses up to 20 nm, which is five times thinner than the values previously reported in the literature.

The formation of a self-limited metallic bilayer is reported during the growth of GaN by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on graphene on (0001) SiC. Depending on growth conditions, this layer may consist of either Ga or In, which gets intercalated between graphene and the SiC surface. Diffusion of metal atoms is eased by steps at SiC surface and N plasma induced defects in the graphene layer. Energetically favorable wetting of the (0001) SiC surface by Ga or In is tentatively assigned to the breaking of covalent bonds between (0001) SiC surface and carbon buffer layer. As a consequence, graphene doping and local strain/doping fluctuations decrease. Furthermore, the presence of a metallic layer below GaN opens the way to the development of devices with a spontaneously formed metallic electrode on their back side.

Lattice deformation and extended defects such as grain boundaries and dislocations affect the crystalline quality of films and can dramatically change material’s properties. In particular, magnetic and optoelectronic properties depend strongly on these structural and substructural characteristics. In this paper, a combined methodology based on SEM, HRTEM, XRD, and HRXRD measurements is used to determine and assess the structural and substructural characteristics of films. This combined methodology has been applied to Zn1−x Mn x Te films grown on glass substrates by close-spaced vacuum sublimation. Nevertheless the methodology can be applied to a wide variety of materials and could become a useful characterization method which would be particularly valuable in semiconductor growth field. The knowledge of the structural and substructural characteristics can allow not only the optimization of growth parameters, but also the selection of specific samples having the desired characteristics (crystallite size, minimum dislocation content, etc.) for high-quality technological devices.

Micro- and nanotextured biomaterial surfaces have been widely studied for their capacity to drive the regeneration of organized tissues. Nanotopographical features in the shape of grooveâ ridge patterns aim at mimicking the extracellular matrix organization. However, to date, a wide array of groove and ridge sizes has been described. In this work, we therefore tested a device composed of a multipatterned array consisting of six patterns of radially arranged parallel nanogrooves, with a pitch ranging from 0 to 1000nm and a depth ranging from 0 to 170 nm, to be used as a tool for the expeditious and simultaneous screening of surface topographies aiming the regeneration of anisotropically organized tissues such as ligament. The topographies were reproduced in (1) epoxy resin or (2) membranes produced by the crosslinking of platelet lysate (PL) with genipin (gPL). Both materials were seeded with periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) and the proliferation, migration, as well as cell alignment were assessed. The effect of topography in PDLCs was only evident in terms of cell organization, resulting in a highly anisotropic organization of the cells for the 1000 and 600nm patterns, and in an increased isotropic organization for shallower topographies. Overall, our results suggest that this multipatterned system can be a valuable diagnostic tool for biomaterials aiming at the regeneration of anisotropically organized tissues, such as periodontal ligament., P.S.B. acknowledges Fundac¸a˜o para a Cieˆncia e Tecnologia (FCT) for the PhD Grant SFRH/BD/73403/2010. We thank the RIMLS Microscopic Imaging Center for the use of their facilities. J.t.R. is supported by a Dutch NWO Veni grant (680-47-421). This research received funding from an NWO Medium Sized Investment (NOW-ZonMV 91110007).

Item does not contain fulltext The current work evaluated the influence of nanoscale surface-topographies in combination with a calcium phosphate (CaP) coating on acellular and cellular surface mineralization. Four groups of substrates were produced, including smooth, grooved (940nm pitch, 430nm groove width, 185nm depth), smooth coated, and grooved coated. The substrates were characterized by scanning/transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Osteoblast-like MC3T3 cells were cultured on the substrates for a period up to 35days under osteogenic conditions. Differentiation was observed by alkaline phosphatase assay and PCR of collagen I (COLI), osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OC), bone-morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2), and bone sialoprotein (BSP). Mineralization was quantified by a calcium assay and Alizarin Red staining. In addition, acellular mineralization was determined after incubation of substrates in just cell culture medium without cells. Results showed that a reproducible nano-metric ( approximately 50nm) CaP-layer could be applied on the substrates, without losing the integrity of the topographical features. While no relevant differences were found for cell viability, cells on smooth surfaces proliferated for a longer period than cells on grooved substrates. In addition, differentiation was affected by topographies, as indicated by an increased expression of OC, OPN and ALP activity. Deposition of a CaP coating significantly increased the acellular mineralization of smooth as well grooved substrate-surfaces. However, this mineralizing effect was strongly reduced in the presence of cells. In the cell seeded situation, mineralization was significantly increased by the substrate topography, while only a minor additive effect of the coating was observed. In conclusion, the model presented herein can be exploited for experimental evaluation of cell-surface interaction processes and optimization of bone-anchoring capability of implants. The model showed that substrates modified with CaP-coated coated nanogrooves display enhanced in vitro mineralization as compared to unmodified controls or substrates modified with either nanogrooves or CaP coatings. However, our results also indicated that acellular mineralization assays are not necessarily predictive for biological performance. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The manuscript describes the possibility to combine the mechanical properties of nanosized topographies with the biochemical properties of a calcium phosphate based coating for improvement of surface mineralization. Interestingly, our results demonstrate that further incubation of our surfaces in SBF type media allowed all surfaces to mineralize rapidly to a high extent. Moreover we prove that nanotexture be used to can stimulate and organize mineralization and that the combination surface of a CaP coating and a nanotexture has the potential to be effective as a bone-implant surface. Such experiments will be of considerable interest to those in the research community and industry, who are focusing on bio-mineralization processes and optimization of modern bone-implants. 01 februari 2016

Xiaolin Zhang,1,2,* Jiankang Song,3,* Alexey Klymov,3,* Yang Zhang,3 Leonie de Boer,1 John A Jansen,3 Jeroen JJP van den Beucken,3 Fang Yang,3 Sebastian AJ Zaat,1,* Sander CG Leeuwenburgh3,* 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 2Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; 3Department of Biomaterials, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Infections such as biomaterial-associated infection and osteomyelitis are often associated with intracellular survival of bacteria (eg, Staphylococcus aureus). Treatment of these infections remains a major challenge due to the low intracellular efficacy of many antibiotics. Therefore, local delivery systems are urgently required to improve the therapeutic efficacy of antibiotics by enabling their intracellular delivery. Purpose: To assess the potential of gelatin nanospheres as carriers for local delivery of vancomycin into macrophages of zebrafish larvae in vivo and into THP-1-derived macrophages in vitro using fluorescence microscopy. Materials and methods: Fluorescently labeled gelatin nanospheres were prepared and injected into transgenic zebrafish larvae with fluorescent macrophages. Both the biodistribution of gelatin nanospheres in zebrafish larvae and the co-localization of vancomycin-loaded gelatin nanospheres with zebrafish macrophages in vivo and uptake by THP-1-derived macrophages in vitro were studied. In addition, the effect of treatment with vancomycin-loaded gelatin nanospheres on survival of S. aureus-infected zebrafish larvae was investigated. Results: Internalization of vancomycin-loaded gelatin nanospheres by macrophages was observed qualitatively both in vivo and in vitro. Systemically delivered vancomycin, on the other hand, was hardly internalized by macrophages without the use of gelatin nanospheres. Treatment with a single dose of vancomycin-loaded gelatin nanospheres delayed the mortality of S. aureus-infected zebrafish larvae, indicating the improved therapeutic efficacy of vancomycin against (intracellular) S. aureus infection in vivo. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that gelatin nanospheres can be used to facilitate local and intracellular delivery of vancomycin. Keywords: in vivo real-time monitoring, fluorescence microscopy, biodistribution, cell-material interaction, Staphylococcus aureus, intracellular infection

Injectable composite colloidal gels are developed for regeneration of osteoporotic bone defects through a bottom-up assembly from bisphosphonate-functionalized gelatin and bioactive glass particles. Upon bisphosphonate functionalization, gelatin nanoparticles show superior adhesion toward bioactive glass particles, resulting in elastic composite gels. By tuning their composition, these composite colloidal gels combine mechanical robustness with self-healing ability. The composite colloidal gels support cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro without requiring any osteogenic supplement. In vivo evaluation of the composite colloidal gels reveals their capacity to support the regeneration of osteoporotic bone defects. Furthermore, the bisphosphonate modification of gelatin induces a therapeutic effect on the peri-implantation region by enhancing the bone density of the osteoporotic bone tissue. Consequently, these composite colloidal gels offer new therapeutic opportunities for treatment of osteoporotic bone defects.

Item does not contain fulltext Development of novel and effective drug delivery systems for controlled release of bioactive molecules is of critical importance in the field of regenerative medicine. Here, oppositely charged gelatin nanospheres are incorporated into silk fibroin nanofibers through a colloidal electrospinning technique. A novel fibrous nano-in-nano drug delivery system is fabricated without the use of any organic solvent. The distribution of fluorescently labeled gelatin A and B nanospheres inside the nanofibers can be fine-tuned by simple adjustment of the weight ratio between the nanospheres and the relative feeding rate of core and shell solutions containing nanospheres by using single and coaxial nozzle electrospinning, respectively. Incorporation of vancomycin-loaded gelatin B nanospheres into the silk fibroin nanofibrous membranes results in a more sustained release of vancomycin, compared to the gelatin nanospheres free membranes. In addition, these membranes exhibit excellent and prolonged antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, these membranes support the attachment, spreading, and proliferation of periodontal ligament cells. These results suggest that the beneficial properties of gelatin nanospheres can be exploited to improve the biological functionality of electrospun nanofibrous silk fibroin membranes.

Contains fulltext : 177168.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Multicompartment particles, which are particles composed of smaller building units, have gained considerable interest during the past decade to facilitate simultaneous and differential delivery of several biomolecules in various applications. Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) processing is an industrial technology widely used for large-scale synthesis and processing of materials. However, the application of this technology for production of multicompartment particles from colloidal particles has not yet been explored. Here, we report the formation of raspberry-like gelatin (RLG) microparticles composed of gelatin nanoparticles as colloidal building blocks through supercritical CO2 processing. We show that these RLG microparticles exhibit a high stability upon dispersion in aqueous media without requiring chemical cross-linking. We further demonstrate that these microparticles are cytocompatible and facilitate differential release of two different model compounds. The strategy presented here can be utilized as a cost-effective route for production of various types of multicompartment particles using colloidal particles with suitable interparticle interactions. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Multicompartment particles have gained considerable interest during the past decade to facilitate simultaneous and differential delivery of multiple biomolecules in various biomedical applications. Nevertheless, common methods employed for the production of such particles are often complex and only offer small-scale production. Here, we report the formation of raspberry-like gelatin (RLG) microparticles composed of gelatin nanoparticles as colloidal building blocks through supercritical CO2 processing. We show that these microparticles are cytocompatible and facilitate differential release of two model compounds with different molecular sizes, promising successful applications in various biomedical areas. Summarizing, this paper presents a novel strategy that can be utilized as a cost-effective route for production of various types of multicompartment particles using a wide range of colloidal building blocks.

Contains fulltext : 167419.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) In the present study, a method was developed to reproduce two nanogrooved patterns (groove width/ridge width/depth: 150/150/50 nm and 200/800/70 nm) into cylindrical epoxy resin implants, which were subsequently coated with 20 nm of titanium. Also, implants with a conventional surface roughness (Rq=1.6 mum) were produced. After cytocompatibility analysis of the produced surfaces, implants were installed into the femoral condyle of rats for 4 and 8 weeks. The histomorphometrical analysis of bone volume in a 100 mum wide zone close to the implant surface showed that only for the 200/800 grooves the amount of bone increased significantly between 4 and 8 weeks of implantation. In addition, at the late time point only implants with the 200/800 pattern revealed a significantly higher bone volume compared to the rough controls. In conclusion, the 200/800 grooved pattern can positively influence bone volume adjacent to the implant surface, and should be evaluated and optimized in further (pre-)clinical studies.