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The primary goal of our research is to develop a photocatalyst capable of degrading organic molecules in water, achieved through the rare earth Yb3+ doping of Zn-Mg spinel ferrites. A key element of our approach is the use of the conventional sol-gel auto-combustion process, which has proven to be an effective method for synthesizing a high-performing, visible light-driven Zn 0.9 Mg 0.1 Fe 2- x Yb x O 4 (x = 0.000, 0.015, 0.030, 0.045, 0.060 and 0.075) nano-ferrites. Many analytical techniques were employed to evaluate the material's physicochemical characteristics, including P-XRD, EDX, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, FTIR, UV–vis, BET, VSM, EIS, and photocatalysis was carried out against the RhB. The impact of Yb3+ ion doping on the material's crystallite size and lattice parameter has been evaluated. It was found that all the samples' crystallite sizes increased between 33 and 41 nm. These magnetite nanoparticles have spherical forms and nanometric particle sizes, as revealed through field scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The FTIR spectra bands at ʋ 1 (518–535) and (401–411) ʋ 2 subsequently revealed the spinel structure of the synthesized nano-ferrites. The band gap in zinc manganese ferrite increases from 2.51 eV to 2.92 eV after adding ytterbium. The surface area of the Yb3+-doped Zn-Mg ferries ranges from 23.6 m2/g to 27.8 m2/g, making them an excellent choice for data storage. The investigation of magnetic behavior shows the superparamagnetic behavior of all the samples. The produced sample's determined squareness value indicates the magnetostatic interaction between the particles. Because of the low produced coercive field value, these materials can be used in ferrofluids and hyperthermia therapy applications. Furthermore, with a higher RhB removal of 93.80 %, the Yb3+-doped sample photocatalyst successfully separated carriers generated by sunlight. The Yb3+-doped sample (ZMY-5) photocatalyst showed outstanding stability after one cycle of the stability test, obtaining an outstanding RhB elimination of 93.80 %. Zn 0.9 Mg 0.1 Yb 0.075 Fe 1.925 O 4 photocatalyst has substantial promise for large-scale pollutant treatment due to its simple synthesis method, superior magnetic characteristics, exceptional photocatalytic activity for RhB, and excellent stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized the citrate sol-gel auto-combustion method to synthesize pure copper-magnesium ferrite (Cu0.7Mg0.3Fe2O4) and Gadolinium-doped Cu0.7Mg0.3Fe2−xGdxO4 (x = 0.004, 0.008, 0.012, 0.016 and 0.020) nanoparticles. The study examined the effects on the structural, microstructure, characteristics, electrical, and magnetic properties of the resulting Mg0.3Cu0.7Fe2O4 nanoparticles of substituting trivalent rare earth gadolinium ions for trivalent iron (Fe3+) ions. FTIR reveals the uniformity of a single phase-cubic along with P-XRD. The prepared nanomaterials have specific surface areas ranging from 28.222 to 29.645 (m2/g), indicating the possibility of using soft ferrites in supercapacitors. The average ferrite grain size increases from 59.96 to 62.88 nm using FESEM images. The semiconducting nature of soft ferrites is confirmed by the DC resistivity range of 2.039 106 to 6.307 106 Ω-cm at curie temperature. The M-H curve's saturation magnetization (Ms) reduces from 26.826 to 22.913 emu/g as Gd3+ content increases. Highlights: • The citrate sol-gel auto-combustion method was utilized to successfully synthesize Gd3+ substituted Cu0.7Mg0.3Fe2-xGdxO4 (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.020) soft ferrites. • Cu0.7Mg0.3Gd0.012Fe1.988O4 showed the highest resistivity at 6.307 106 Ω cm at Curie temperature. • These samples (CMGF-0 to CMGF-5) may be helpful for soft magnetic applications based on their saturation magnetizations and coercivities, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field emission finds a vital space in numerous scientific and technological applications, including high‐resolution imaging at micro‐ and nano‐scales, conducting high‐energy physics experiments, molecule ionization in spectroscopy, and electronic uses. A continuous effort exists to develop new materials for enhanced field emission applications. In the present work, two‐dimensional (2D) well‐aligned CdSSe flake flowers (CdSSe‐FFs) were successfully grown on gold‐coated silicon substrate utilizing a simple and affordable chemical bath deposition approach at ambient temperature. The time‐dependent growth mechanism from nanoparticles to FFs was observed at optimized parameters such as concentration of precursors, pH (~11), deposition time, and solution temperature. The crystalline nature of CdSSe‐FFs is confirmed by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results, and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) observations reveal a hexagonal crystal structure. Additionally, the CdSSe‐FFs thickness was confirmed by TEM analysis and found to be ~20–30 nm. The optical, photoelectric, and field emission (FE) characteristics are thoroughly explored which shows significant enhancement due to the formation of heterojunction between the gold‐coated silicon substrate and CdSSe‐FFs. The UV–visible absorption spectra of CdSSe‐FFs show enhanced absorption at 700 nm, corresponding to the energy band gap (Eg) of 1.77 eV. The CdSSe‐FFs exhibited field emission and photosensitive field emission (PSFE) characteristics. In FE study CdSSe‐FFs shows an increase in current density of 387.2 μ A cm−2 in an applied field of 4.1 V m−1 which is 4.08 fold as compared to without light illumination (95.1 μ A cm−2). Furthermore, it shows excellent emission current stability at the preset value of 1.5 μA over 3 h with a deviation of the current density of less than 5% respectively. Research Highlights: Novel CdSSe flake flowers were grown on Au‐coated Si substrate by a cost‐effective chemical bath deposition route.The growth mechanism of CdSSe flake flowers is studied in detail.Field emission and Photoluminescence study of CdSSe flake flowers is characterized.CdSSe flake flowers with nanoflakes sharp edges exhibited enhanced field emission properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state reaction synthesis produced VO2+ -doped Li2Ba3(P2O7)2 pyrophosphate nanopowder at ambient temperature. The produced sample was characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. Powder XRD confirmed the preservation of an orthorhombic crystal structure of the sample with an average crystallite size of 34.2 nm. In addition, lattice cell parameters and internal lattice strain were evaluated. SEM and HR-TEM images revealed that a tiny agglomeration of stone-like particles appeared in the sample and also evaluated particle size distributions. FT-IR and Raman spectra exhibited characteristic vibrational modes of phosphate (PO43−) ions along with other bands. Optical absorption spectrum of the VO2+ -doped sample exhibited three characteristic peaks at 831, 635, and 416 nm. Furthermore, crystal and tetragonal field parameters were determined as Dq = 1574, Ds = − 2903, and Dt = 664 cm−1. From the EPR spectrum, calculated spin Hamiltonian parameters were g ‖ = 1.954, g ⊥ = 1.977, A ‖ = 284 × 10−4 cm−1 and A ⊥ = 53 × 10−4 cm−1. Optical and EPR spectra revealed that VO2+ ions have tetragonal distortion octahedral site symmetry and have a moderate covalent nature with ligands. Using the PL spectrum, the CIE chromaticity coordinates were determined to be in the yellowish-green region appropriate for LEDs and lighting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work was aimed at quantifying the effects of Ni addition in the range of 0–4% together with 0.3%Zr on the hardness and the tensile properties, volume fraction of intermetallics, and changes in size and distribution of phase precipitation in Sr-modified Al-9%Si-2%Cu-0.6%Mg cast alloys. The study was mainly carried out using high-resolution FESEM and TEM microscopes equipped with EDS facilities. Samples were solidified at the rate of ~3 °C/s and examined at different aging conditions. The investigations are supported by thermal analysis carried out at a solidification rate of ~0.8 °C/s. The results revealed that the main compositions of the Ni-based phases are close to Al3(Ni,Cu), Al3CuNi, and Al3Ni. An Al3Ni2Cu2 phase was also detected in the 4%Ni alloy. The Cu–Ni phases were observed to precipitate, covering the surfaces of pre-existing primary Al3Zr particles. The TEM analysis indicated the magnitude of the reduction in both size and density of the precipitated Al2Cu phase particles as the Ni content reached 4%, coupled with a delay in the transition from coherent to incoherency of the Al2Cu precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material scientists are becoming less and less optimistic about the use of renewable resources in novel applications. In turn, there is significant promise for carbon dots (CDs), carbon dot-silver nanocomposite (CD-AgNC), and other zero-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials to be used as anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, and mosquitocidal agents in the fight against new infectious illnesses. Further, it possesses acceptable properties such as a high level of stability, straightforward synthesis protocol (green technology), and non-toxicity to the environment. In our present study, we aimed to investigate the potential of CD-AgNC on mosquitocidal, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer using the marine algae–mediated synthesis of CD-AgNC as a novel approach. The c-dot precursor in this experiment was the marine red algae Chondrococcus hornemanni. The CD-AgNC was produced without the use of a reducing agent using a straightforward thermal processing approach. UV, FTIR, XRD, TEM, EDX, and Zeta potential were used to characterize the synthesized CD-AgNC. For mosquitocidal activity, we adopted the WHO method to determine the anti-larvicidal. The antibacterial study was performed using the disk diffusion method and anticancer studies were demonstrated with breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and the fluorescence staining analysis (AO/EtBr, DCFH-DA, Rho-123 (ΔΨm), and Hoechst-33342) was used to prove the cell apoptosis. The CD-Ag showed high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti, in particular, the LC50 of CD-AgNC against 3rd instar larvae at 27.59 µg/mL and 4th instar larvae at 39.18 µg/mL. The CD-AgNC decreased the longevity and fecundity of Ae. aegypti. Moreover, CD-AgNC showed significant anti-bacterial effects against several pathogenic. Mainly, CD-AgNC induces the IC50 value at 12 µg/mL with produced dead cells in MDA-MB-231. More on, it creates hyper ROS with altered MMP (ΔΨm) in the cell cytoplasm. The overall findings illustrated that the C. hornemanni–mediated synthesized CD-AgNC actively works against the dengue vector and shows a good anti-bacterial effect along with anti-cancer properties characterized by cytotoxicity effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present study, pure Co3O4 and Cu-substituted Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a simple co-precipitation method and their structural, morphological, optical, and electrochemical properties were assessed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the synthesized samples had a cubic structure with the formation of a secondary phase (CuO) was detected at a higher Cu concentration. The average crystallite was decreased with increasing Cu content. Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) analysis revealed that the presence of vibrational bands in Cu-substituted Co3O4 NPs. The morphological study of the pure Co3O4 and Cu-substituted Co3O4 NPs revealed that the hexagonal structure with porous morphology confirmed by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). High resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) analysis with spotty diffraction rings showed that pure Co3O4 and Cu-substituted Co3O4 NPs were polycrystalline in nature. The optical properties of synthesized samples exhibited strong absorption edges, and bandgap values were found to be increased from 3.60 to 3.75 eV. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was employed to investigate the electrochemical properties of the synthesized materials. The CV curves exhibited pseudocapacitive behavior, and 2 % Cu substituted Co3O4 electrode had a high higher specific capacitance value than pure Co3O4 electrode.

In this study, pure cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal approach. The effect of the reducing agent and reaction temperatures of the prepared products were examined. Co3O4 is formed in the as-synthesized sample, at reaction temperature 190 °C was observed in the XRD pattern. The XPS survey scan spectrum showed the distinctive peaks of the Co and O elements and their valence states. FESEM and HRTEM revealed the particles as cubical in nature. Peak associated with the elements Co and O on the EDAX spectrum demonstrated the purity of the nanoparticles. Three electrode setups were used to measure the electrochemical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles. DTA curve corresponding exothermic peak at 225 °C and the crystallization of the final product was attributed for the third weight loss of 1.5 % in the temperature range of 280 °C to 450 °C. Formation of Co3O4 was confirmed by the observed XRD diffraction peaks at 2θ = 36.83°, 59.82°, and 65.30°, which correspond to h k l planes (311), (511) and (440), respectively. The high-resolution Co2p spectra showed two prominent spin-orbital peaks, 2p1/2 and 2p3/2, at 796.37 eV and 781.81 eV, respectively. The increase in temperature causes the particle size to grow ranges between 20 and 70 nm and the average particle size distribution in the TEM image is 42 nm. The integral area of the CV curve was measured during the CV measurement and as the as-prepared Co3O4 electrode displays specific capacitance values of 154, 126, 81, 65, and 49 Fg−1 at various scan rates of 10, 20, 50, 70, and 100 mVs−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, gold (Au), nanoclusters (NC) and heterogeneous titanium dioxide (TiO2) were successfully synthesized by low-temperature photoelectron spectroscopy. The chemical structure of Au-TiO2 was characterized by XRD, EDX, XPS and HR-TEM. Optical properties were evaluated using PL and UV–Vis, and electrical properties were evaluated using CV, CP, UPS and EIS parameters. The results showed that Au nanocluster (NCs) were converted into Au nanoparticles (NPs) during high sunlight, and the transfer mechanism was examined. In addition, the produced nanoparticles can form a Schottky barrier with TiO2, which affects the band structure. Moreover, the simultaneous synthesis of nanoparticles and nanoclusters adds an extra dimension to the understanding of the photoelectronic behavior of structured photoelectrodes. Moreover, this research shows that good control of the photography process can result in more photos. This improvement is related to several factors, including the plasmonic field and coupling line bending.

The present work was aimed at quantifying the effects of Ni addition in the range of 0–4% together with 0.3%Zr on the hardness and the tensile properties, volume fraction of intermetallics, and changes in size and distribution of phase precipitation in Sr-modified Al-9%Si-2%Cu-0.6%Mg cast alloys. The study was mainly carried out using high-resolution FESEM and TEM microscopes equipped with EDS facilities. Samples were solidified at the rate of ~3 °C/s and examined at different aging conditions. The investigations are supported by thermal analysis carried out at a solidification rate of ~0.8 °C/s. The results revealed that the main compositions of the Ni-based phases are close to Al3(Ni,Cu), Al3CuNi, and Al3Ni. An Al3Ni2Cu2 phase was also detected in the 4%Ni alloy. The Cu–Ni phases were observed to precipitate, covering the surfaces of pre-existing primary Al3Zr particles. The TEM analysis indicated the magnitude of the reduction in both size and density of the precipitated Al2Cu phase particles as the Ni content reached 4%, coupled with a delay in the transition from coherent to incoherency of the Al2Cu precipitates.

[Display omitted] Nickel-substituted copper ferrite nanoparticles (NP) (Cu 1-x Ni x Fe 2 O 4) were prepared using a cost-effective hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed a single-phase cubic spinel structure. The increase in lattice parameters and decrease in crystallite size are associated with the replacement of Cu ions by Ni ions in the host lattice of copper ferrite. The optimized Cu 0.95 Ni 0.05 Fe 2 O 4 composition was subsequently annealed at 750 °C and 850 °C for further studies. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis shows the existence of two promising fundamental adsorption peaks at 465 and 582 cm−1, related to the metal ion stretching vibrations at the tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites, respectively. The local disorder at both the A and B sublattices upon the incorporation of Ni was observed from the Raman analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images shows the formation of agglomerates composed of nano-sized spherical particles. A high Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) surface area was achieved 17.25 m2/g with a particle stability of −11.1 mV obtained by the zeta potential. Both the dielectric loss and dielectric constant are decreased, whereas the AC conductivity gets increased with increasing frequency. The magnetization-field hysteresis curves exhibited ferromagnetic behavior with a pseudo-single domain, and the cyclic voltammetry study revealed a pseudocapacitive trend. This study highlights the importance of Ni substitution to control the physicochemical properties of spinel-phase CuFe 2 O 4 for diverse applications, such as energy storage and lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the biogenic preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles (MION) by employing the Musa acuminata pseudostem extract. The morphological aspects of MION were investigated using SEM and HR-TEM, revealing its spherical shape and size of 20 - 60 nm. The MION's XRD spectra further supported their size to be 20 nm. The FTIR spectrum depicted the presence of phytochemicals in Musa acuminata pseudo stem extract. Antibacterial studies were performed to assess MION's biocompatibility. The MION was subjected to remove sunset yellow FCF dye solution and batch adsorption parameters like pH (3.0), contact time (180 min), MION dosage (4 mg/100 mL) and initial dye concentration (15 mg/L) were optimized. It was also ascertained that the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetics were found to be best fit with a maximum adsorption capacity of 8.93 mg/mg, respectively. The thermodynamic findings indicated that MION's adsorption process exhibited spontaneity and endothermicity. The effect of ionic strength and humic acid resulted in a corresponding enhancement and reduction in the removal efficacy for sunset yellow adsorption. The recyclability of MION exhibited consistent performance over five successive cycles with a 75.4% sunset yellow recovery rate. Therefore, MION is cost-effective and efficient in removing toxic dye pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution polymerization of Ani was carried out in the presence of peroxydisulfate as a free radical initiator under N2 atmosphere at 0–5 °C for 2 h both in the presence and absence of Cr2O3(bulk) material under vigorous stirring condition. During the polymerization reaction, the Rose Bengal dye was added as an end capping agent. The above synthesized polymers were characterized by FTIR, UV–visible, fluorescence emission, XPS, XRD, DSC, TGA, SEM, HR-TEM, viscosity and conductivity measurements. The added Cr2O3(bulk) controlled the structure of poly(aniline) (PANI) and the same can be confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The Tg of Cr2O3 mediated PANI showed somewhat higher value than the pristine PANI. The XPS showed the presence of Cr3d2p3/2 and Cr3d2p1/2 peaks and this confirmed the nano-sized crystalline Cr2O3. Further, its thermal degradation was studied by non-isothermal degradation kinetics and their thermodynamic parameters were determined. The experimental data were compared with the available literature data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work was performed on Al-8.5%Si-1.75%Cu-0.55%Mg-0.2%Ti-0.32%Zr-0.015%Sr alloy (coded as 354 alloy) following T6 (at 160 °C) and T7 (at 240 °C) artificial aging conditions using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The main results inferred from the present study are the precipitation of GP zones in samples aged for 20 h at 160 °C along with S-Al2CuMg phase particles. Aging at 240 °C was carried out for different times, ranging between 30 min and 200 h. The quenched structures revealed a series of precipitations mainly GP zones at low aging times to Θ’-Al2Cu after 200 h together with the S-phase. No coherency was observed between the S-phase and the aluminum (Al) matrix. The growth of the S- phase takes place by precipitation of S2 type phase on the advancing S1-type phase. Mismatching was clearly observed at particle/matrix interfaces. High magnification images indicated the dissolution of some of the Θ” and Θ’ particles to enrich the nearby particles (coarsening). The start of incoherency is observed when the alloy is aged at 240 °C for 200 h.

We present the chemical precipitation technique for producing several quantities of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) capped zinc sulphide nanoparticles doped with Ni2+ in an ambient environment. The average grain size of the nanoparticles generated was tuned by using SHMP concentration. SEM with EDAX, HRTEM, and SAED patterns was used to confirm the particle size, crystallinity, and composition. Compared to bulk ZnS, UV–Vis spectra of both capped and uncapped samples reveal a blue shift in the absorption edge. FTIR studies confirmed the capping of SHMP on the surface of Ni-doped ZnS. PL spectra of ZnS:Ni2+ nanoparticles exhibit intense and sustained visible-light emissions. The intensity of the blue emission centered at 468 nm increased with increasing SHMP concentration up to 0.75 wt percent but decreased with higher concentrations of SHMP. TG – DTA results show that SHMP – ZnS (Ni-doped) nanoparticles have excellent thermal stability due to improved shape and compactness.

A raspberry-like SiO2@TiO2 new material supported on functionalized graphene oxide was prepared to reduce titania's band gap value. The material was characterized through different analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The band gap value was studied via UV-Vis absorption spectra and determined through the Kubelka–Munk equation. A theoretical study was also carried out to analyze the interaction between the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant optical nonlinearities in amorphous nanocomposites are essential for developing advanced communications and photonic devices. In this regard, the borate glasses are considered substantial and readily available commercial hosts. The present work demonstrates the white light emission and decay properties in lithium bismuth boro-phosphate glasses reinforced with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) prepared via melting and quenching technique. Also, their non-linear optical properties are evaluated in the present study. Numerous characterization methods were used to extensively examine the produced glasses, including XRD, HR-TEM, FTIR, XPS, MAS-NMR, DSC, UV–Visible, Photoluminescence, and Z-scan techniques. Following the addition of AuNPs into the glass matrix, an increase in the refractive index and density of the glasses was observed. The amorphous features of the glass sample are disclosed by XRD examination, and DSC research demonstrates the thermal stability of the glasses after the addition of AuNPs, as shown by the rise in T g values from 459 °C to 486 °C. HR-TEM results reveal the presence of Au metal nanoparticles having a cubic crystal structure with an average size of 14 nm, while XPS analysis shows that the valence of Au is 0, i.e. Au0 or, in other words, the metallic nature of gold in glasses. FTIR, MAS-NMR, and UV–Visible spectral studies demonstrate the substantial modifications in the physical, structural, and optical properties brought about by incorporating AuNPs into the glass matrix. The PL spectra of glasses containing AuNPs show three distinct, sharp emissions at 494, 611, and 738 nm, out of which the blue emission (494 nm) is found to be predominant and has an overall emission in the region of yellow on the CIE diagram with an average lifetime of 12.23 μs. Glasses containing AuNPs have a white light correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 5129 K and CIE chromaticity (x, y) coordinates of (0.346, 0.413). Additionally, we utilized a Z-scan technique to measure the nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index. Our experimental data show that the values obtained are consistent with the theoretical closed and open aperture values. Based on our findings, it appears that the glasses we prepared have the potential to be utilized in optical switching applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The characteristics of soot in oil samples extracted from lubricating oil and exhaust system of a modern common rail compression ignition engine were studied. The morphological parameters of the soot agglomerates were calculated from micrographs obtained by a High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). The morphological analysis indicated that the soot in oil agglomerates have a larger average primary particle size and overall larger agglomerate size (determined by the radius of gyration) compared to the agglomerates sampled in the exhaust system. This can be a consequence of the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbon (HC) chains from the oil around the soot agglomerates. The shape of the agglomerates is quantified by fractal dimension. The soot in oil agglomerates presented a slightly larger fractal dimension than those studied in the exhaust system. Therefore, it seems that soot in oil agglomerates were more compact than those found in the exhaust system. The impact on lubricating oil properties should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, we illustrate the effect of adding a small amount of carbon to very common Co2MnSi Heusler alloy-based glass-coated microwires. A significant change in the magnetic and structure structural properties was observed for the new alloy Co2MnSiC compared to the Co2MnSi alloy. Magneto-structural investigations were performed to clarify the main physical parameters, i.e., structural and magnetic parameters, at a wide range of measuring temperatures. The XRD analysis illustrated the well-defined crystalline structure with average grain size (Dg = 29.16 nm) and a uniform cubic structure with A2 type compared to the mixed L21 and B2 cubic structures for Co2MnSi-based glass-coated microwires. The magnetic behavior was investigated at a temperature range of 5 to 300 K and under an applied external magnetic field (50 Oe to 20 kOe). The thermomagnetic behavior of Co2MnSiC glass-coated microwires shows a perfectly stable behavior for a temperature range from 300 K to 5 K. By studying the field cooling (FC) and field heating (FH) magnetization curves at a wide range of applied external magnetic fields, we detected a critical magnetic field (H = 1 kOe) where FC and FH curves have a stable magnetic behavior for the Co2MnSiC sample; such stability was not found in the Co2MnSi sample. We proposed a phenomenal expression to estimate the magnetization thermal stability, ΔM (%), of FC and FH magnetization curves, and the maximum value was detected at the critical magnetic field where ΔM (%) ≈ 98%. The promising magnetic stability of Co2MnSiC glass-coated microwires with temperature is due to the changing of the microstructure induced by the addition of carbon, as the A2-type structure shows a unique stability in response to variation in the temperature and the external magnetic field. In addition, a unique internal mechanical stress was induced during the fabrication process and played a role in controlling magnetic behavior with the temperature and external magnetic field. The obtained results make Co2MnSiC a promising candidate for magnetic sensing devices based on Heusler glass-coated microwires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report a sunlight-driven, instant, one-step, green route for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous fruit extract of Terminalia paniculata Roth and in vitro assessment of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. 5 mL of aqueous fruit extract of T. paniculata was added to 95 mL of 1 mM AgNO3 and exposed to direct sunlight. The T. paniculata fruit extract mediated AgNPs (TpF-AgNPs) were characterized for their morphological, physical, and chemical properties using UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) with Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). The antioxidant activity of TpF-AgNPs was evaluated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay and the antiinflammatory activity by Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) anti-denaturation assay at different doses. The formation of TpF-AgNPs was observed as a colour change from pale-yellow to reddish-brown within 3 mins under direct sunlight. UV-Vis spectra revealed an absorption peak at 411 nm, which is the characteristic for silver nanoparticles. FTIR spectra revealed the possible functional groups of phytochemicals such as -OH and -NH involved in the reduction and capping of TpF-AgNPs. HR-TEM analysis confirmed the spherical shape of nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 5-50 nm with an average particle size of 26 nm. AFM shows surface topography of TpF-AgNPs. The crystalline nature with Face Centered Cubic structure was confirmed through XRD and SAED. The negative value of zeta potential (-53.9 mV) indicated the excellent stability of nanoparticles. The TpF-AgNPs exhibited maximum % scavenging of 71.72 ± 0.51 at 100 µg/mL for antioxidant activity and maximum % inhibition of 85.88 ± 1.09 at 500 µg/mL for anti-inflammatory activity. The sunlightdriven green synthesis of TpF-AgNPs proved to be an instant method in the formation of small-sized nanoparticles exhibiting good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of pure and doped SnO2 nanoparticles (SF0, SF5, and SF10 NPs) are successfully synthesized by the sol-gel method. The structural, optical, functional, morphological, and magnetic behaviors were distinguished by the XRD, UV, PL, FTIR, SEM with EDAX and HR-TEM techniques respectively. From the XRD analysis, the tetragonal SnO2 nanostructures were identified with an observed crystallite size from 7.4 to 15.2 nm. The UV-visible absorption spectra of SF0, SF5, and SF10 nanoparticles were observed around 331, 339, and 343 nm and their energy gap values were calculated to be 3.74, 3.65, and 3.61 eV. The PL emission peaks that appeared at 366 and 485 nm were attributed to the free of charge exciton electron-hole recombination and the surface defects of O2 vacancy in these SnO2 nanoparticles, respectively. The vibration properties of SF0, SF5 and SF10 nanoparticles were recognized using FTIR spectra. The strong Sn = O vibration modes observed at 1083 cm−1 was characterized to the external surface cation- oxygen (Sn and O) bonds. SEM images revealed that the indefinite and spongy cluster for both SF0 and SF5 and the agglomerated spherical-like morphologies of SF10 EDAX analyses confirmed the Sn, O, and Fe contents in all doped samples. The HR-TEM image of the SnO2 NPs contains with a d-spacing which corresponds to the interplaner distance of planes of SnO2. The photocatalytic performance of SF0, SF5, and SF10 nanoparticles were tested through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in UV light irradiation, and the results reveal 85% degradation effectiveness of MB by SF10 over a period of 180 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (sulphone) (PSu) was chemically grafted with PVC via Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction at 85°C for 2 h under N 2 atmosphere. Further, it was treated with 2-Methylimidazole (2MI) in the presence of Cu2O nanoparticle catalyst in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) medium for 2 h under nitrogen atmosphere with stirring. Thus synthesized PSu-g-PVC-g-2MI/Cu2O nanocomposite was characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR spectroscopy, DSC, TGA, XPS, SEM, EDX, HR-TEM, WCA and mechanical testing. The FT-IR spectrum showed a peak at 534 cm−1 corresponding to the metal-oxide stretching. The methyl proton signal of 2MI from the resultant polymer appeared at 2.40 ppm in the 1H-NMR spectrum. The glass transition (Tg) temperature and degradation temperature (Td) of the PSu-g-PVC-g-2MI/Cu2O nanocomposite system was determined as 169.2°C and 628°C respectively. The surface water contact angle of the resultant polymer nanocomposite system was found to be 48.1° and confirmed the hydrophilic nature of the membrane. The XPS showed the presence of Cu2p at 930.2 eV derived from Cu2O nanocatalyst. The experimental results were deeply analyzed and compared with the results of the other research teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable interest in numerous fields, including agriculture, medicine, the environment, and engineering. The use of green synthesis techniques that employ natural reducing agents to reduce metal ions and form NPs is of particular interest. This study investigates the use of green tea (GT) extract as a reducing agent for the synthesis of silver NPs (Ag NPs) with crystalline structure. Several analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), were used to characterize the synthesized Ag NPs. The results of UV-vis revealed that the biosynthesized Ag NPs exhibited an absorbance plasmonic resonance peak at 470 nm. According to FTIR analyses, the attachment of Ag NPs to polyphenolic compounds resulted in a decrease in intensity and band shifting. In addition, the XRD analysis confirmed the presence of sharp crystalline peaks associated with face-centered cubic Ag NPs. Moreover, HR-TEM revealed that the synthesized particles were spherical and 50 nm in size on average. The Ag NPs demonstrated promising antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive (GP) bacteria, Brevibacterium luteolum and Staphylococcus aureus, and Gram-negative (GN) bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 6.4 mg/mL for GN and 12.8 mg/mL for GP. Overall, these findings suggest that Ag NPs can be utilized as effective antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the present research work is to assess the biological properties of the aqueous plant extract (ACAE) synthesised silver nanoparticles from the herbal plant Ageratum conyzoides, and their biological applications. The silver nanoparticle syntheses from Ageratum conyzoides (Ac-AgNPs) were optimised with different parameters, such as pH (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) and varied silver nitrate concentration (1 mM and 5 mM). Based on the UV–vis spectroscopy analysis of the synthesised silver nanoparticles, the concentration of 5 mM with the pH at 8 was recorded as the peak reduction at 400 nm; and these conditions were optimized were used for further studies. The results of the FE-SEM analysis recorded the size ranges (~30–90 nm), and irregular spherical and triangular shapes of the AC-AgNPs were captured. The characterization reports of the HR-TEM investigation of AC-AgNPs were also in line with the FE-SEM studies. The antibacterial efficacies of AC-AgNPs have revealed the maximum zone of inhibition against S. typhi to be within 20 mm. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity of AC-AgNPs is shown to have an effective antiplasmodial property (IC50:17.65 μg/mL), whereas AgNO3 has shown a minimum level of IC50: value 68.03 μg/mL, and the Ac-AE showed >100 μg/mL at 24 h of parasitaemia suppression. The α-amylase inhibitory properties of AC-AgNPs have revealed a maximum inhibition similar to the control Acarbose (IC50: 10.87 μg/mL). The antioxidant activity of the AC-AgNPs have revealed a better property (87.86% ± 0.56, 85.95% ± 1.02 and 90.11 ± 0.29%) when compared with the Ac-AE and standard in all the three different tests, such as DPPH, FRAP and H2O2 scavenging assay, respectively. The current research work might be a baseline for the future drug expansion process in the area of nano-drug design, and its applications also has a lot of economic viability and is a safer method in synthesising or producing silver nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as acid catalysts provide active sites with particularly appropriate for glycerol conversion. In this study, Mil-118-SnO2 was synthesized by doping SnO2 quantum dots with Mil-118. The SnO2 quantum dots were formed through the epoxide-assisted precipitation route as a proton scavenger and following ring-opening that drives hydrolysis and, ultimately, condensation of the hydrated metal. The Mil-118-SnO2 was used as a catalyst for the production of five-member (2, 2-dimethyl-1, 3-dioxolane-4-methanol) and six-member (2,2-dimethyl-dioxane-5-ol, (II)) cycles. The results revealed a higher conversion rate and selectivity for Mil-118-SnO2 than for Mil-118. An increase was observed in conversion and selectivity, which was related to the improvement of the acidic properties of Mil-118 after doping SnO2 quantum dots. The experiments were conducted under mild conditions, producing a 40% increase in conversion and selectivity. This catalyst could be reused up to five times with 97% selectivity during a cycle. Glycerol is produced as the key byproduct in the transesterification process. The as-synthesized Mil-118-SnO2 then was used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the glycerol conversion to solketal. The experiments were carried out under mild conditions, which produced a 40% increase in conversion and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, after solid solution treatment, four different artificial aging treatments (100, 120, 140 and 160 °C) were performed on Al-5.98Zn-2.86Mg-1.61Cu (wt.%) alloy, denoted as 7075-LCu, and Al-5.91Zn-2.83Mg-1.98Cu (wt.%) alloy, denoted as 7075-HCu. Peak aging conditions were determined for each aging temperature at various hold time intervals of up to 24 h. It was found that both alloys possessed the optimal strengths after artificial aging at 120 °C for 24 h. Under this condition, the ultimate tensile strengths (UTSs) were 618 MPa (7075-LCu) and 623 MPa (7075-HCu), respectively. Moreover, a method was used to calculate the average sizes and number density of the major strengthening precipitates, η′, under peak aging conditions in these two alloys from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The above results indicated that for the 7075-LCu and 7075-HCu samples with the optimal UTS strengths, the former possessed an average thickness of 2.15 nm, and a number density of 3.27 × 1017 cm−3; the latter, 2.04 nm and 3.52 × 1017 cm−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to synthesize effective and economical MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO photocatalysts and investigate their performance in the degradation of organic pollutants in synthetic effluent. The objective was to assess the characterization results of the synthesized photocatalysts using XRD, SEM/EDS, TEM/HR-TEM, Raman spectrum, and BET isotherm analysis tools. These analyses revealed the good adhesion of MoS 2 with rGO and provided insights into the structure and properties of the materials. The results showed that the MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO photocatalysts exhibited remarkable degradation efficiency for organic pollutants such as Rhodamine-B, erichrome black, and malachite green. The outcomes of the study demonstrated that the MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO catalyst had the greatest rate constant for Rhodamine-B (RhB) decomposition. which would have been approximately 33 times higher than that of pure RGO (0.0121 min−1). The MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO photocatalysts also showed excellent recyclability and persistence across five recycle assays, indicating their potential for practical applications in wastewater treatment. The photocatalyst was moderately active, stable up to its fifth usage and stability of the photocatalyst before and after the photocatalytic reaction was also been studied using XRD and SEM. Further research in this area could lead to the development of advanced photocatalytic technologies for environmental remediation. • Hydrothermally Construction of MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO Photocatalysts by tri-stage approach. • Constructed MoS 2 /CdNi@rGO photocatalyst for treating synthetic organic contaminants degradation by photocatalysis approach • Catalyst showed 33 times higher activity than that pure rGO. • Class II interlayer produced reactive intermediates, making it feasible for efficient photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A raspberry-like SiO2@TiO2 new material supported on functionalized graphene oxide was prepared to reduce titania’s band gap value. The material was characterized through different analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The band gap value was studied via UV-Vis absorption spectra and determined through the Kubelka–Munk equation. A theoretical study was also carried out to analyze the interaction between the species.

Chandrashekar Srinivasa,1,* SR Santosh Kumar,2 Sushma Pradeep,3 Shashanka K Prasad,3 Ravindra Veerapur,4 Mohammad Azam Ansari,5 Mohammad N Alomary,6 Saad Alghamdi,7 Mazen Almehmadi,8 Kavitha GC,1 Azharuddin B Daphedar,9 Siddappa B Kakkalameli,10 Chandan Shivamallu,3,* Shiva Prasad Kollur11,12,* 1Department of Studies in Biotechnology, Davangere University, Davangere, 577 007, Karnataka, India; 2Department of Studies in Food Technology, Davangere University, Davangere, 577 007, Karnataka, India; 3Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, 570 015, India; 4Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Malawi Institute of Technology, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Limbe, Malawi; 5Department of Epidemic Disease Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia; 6National Centre for Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh, 11442, Saudi Arabia; 7Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 24231, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Studies in Botany, Anjuman Arts, Science and Commerce College, Vijayapura, Karnataka, 586 101, India; 10Department of Studies in Botany, Davangere University, Davangere, 577 007, Karnataka, India; 11Department of Sciences, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru Campus, Mysuru, Karnataka, 570 026, India; 12School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS), The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shiva Prasad Kollur; Siddappa B Kakkalameli, Email shivachemist@gmail.com; dubotsiddu@gmail.comIntroduction: Cancer disease is known due to its unregulated proliferation of cells that have evolved from the body’s regular cells. The disease develops as a result of epigenetic and genetic modifications, tumor suppressor gene inactivation, and oncogene activation. The present work describes an environmentally benign approach for the synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) using Gmelina arborea fruit extract (GAE) in an aqueous medium.Methods: The study evaluated the formation of MnO2 NPs and their anticancer efficacy against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.Results: The formation of MnO2 NPs was confirmed through powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The crystalline nature of as-prepared MnO2 NPs was evident from XRD pattern. The morphology of the material was studied using SEM analysis, which suggested a rod-like nature with an average diameter of 50 nm. Further, the TEM and HR-TEM images confirmed the rod shape of the as-prepared MnO2 NPs with an interplanar distance of 0.271 nm. In addition, the concentric rings from selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis show the crystalline nature of the as-prepared material, which further supports the obtained XRD pattern. The anticancer efficacy of MnO2 NPs was evaluated against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, which showed up to 96% inhibition of the cells at 400 μg/mL concentration.Conclusion: Bio-conjugation of MnO2 NPs can provide enough scope for the therapeutic use of Gmelina arborea, assuming appropriate mechanistic evaluations are conducted.Keywords: Gmelina arborea, MnO2 NPs, HR-TEM, MCF-7

MoO3-ZnO Nanocompositematerial were prepared by co-precipitation method. The characterization and application of HR-SEM pictures revealed the nanospherical structure, while EDX analysis revealed that Mo, Zn, and O were conformed in this material. The HR-TEM pictures revealed a spherical chain structure with a particle size of 200 nm on average. The prepared MoO3-ZnO is PL low emission presents high photocatacatalytic activity that of ZnO. DRS analysis of ZnO and MoO3-ZnO nanocomposite material are 3.35 eV and 3.0 eV respectively, MoO3-ZnO nanocomposite material degrease band gab energy high photocatalytic and high electrochemical activity. The high photocatalytic application of MoO3-ZnO nanocomposite material on RhB dye 85% of that of ZnO nano powder ZnO (39 %) and Prepared ZnO (50 %).dye. The results show that the MoO3-ZnO nanocomposite material has a greater electrical conductivity that of ZnO by DSSCs and photoconductivity study. The MoO3-ZnO nanocomposite material is employed as a catalyst in the synthesis of Schiff base derivatives. The results demonstrated that the nanocatalyst is extremely stable and can be reused for more than five cycles of reaction.

Abstract Background Nourishment plants during the field time is a must; to have healthy, high productive and self-propagating plants. The trendy nano-fertilizers came to the front in modernized agriculture seeking for minimizing the soil suffocation with other chemical fertilizers in the bulk size. Nano-fertilizers may represent a way out of shot as they are completely absorbed by plant due to their small size, also it magnifies the benefit to the plant due to its high surface area. Nano-fertilizers are introduced via different way of synthesis methods. In this work, three of new nanocomposites are prepared in nano form via Gamma irradiation from Cobalt 60 source at irradiation dose 5 KGy. These composites which can supply plants with P, Zn elements needs to be revised for their safety usage in agriculture. Methodology Three compounds; Zinc oxide, phosphorous and the mixed Zinc–phosphorous elements were prepared in nano-composite forms coated with PVP as a shell and then characterized by HR-TEM, UV and FT-IR to emphasize their new sizes and shapes, then, they were examined for their cytotoxicity in three concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2%) on Vicia faba plants; after 3 h of direct roots treatment. Cytotoxicity test concerned the mitotic index, phase index, abnormal mitosis and the type of the aberrations at each phase. Results The three tested NPs exerted mito-accelerating effect on root meristematic cells. However, concentration‐dependent genotoxicity was also an evident. Conclusion The three examined nano-composites may recommend to be used in the lowest examined concentrations to minimize its harm effect on the plant cell and keep their benefits to the environment. It also recommended to count the Zn/P mix NPs over ZN or P separately as it induces an intermediating cytogenetic effect on mitosis apparatus of Vicia faba plant. Graphical Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles with the size ∼ 20 nm to 40 nm were prepared by dual doping of Ag+ and Al3+ ions using a microwave-assisted chemical synthesis technique. The composition of Ag is fixed as 2 at.% and Al is varied from 0 to 6 at.%. The prepared ZnO nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, HRTEM, FESEM, EDS, XPS, FT-IR, Raman spectra, UV- visible spectra and photocatalytic studies. XRD results confirmed the crystallinity and hexagonal wurtzite structure of Ag+ and Al3+-doped ZnO nanoparticles. It is observed that the increase of the Al dopant ratio reduced the crystallite size. EDS and FT-IR data supported the purity of samples. The optical band gap values showed a blue shift (3.54 eV to 3.89 eV) as the Al doping ratio increased. The blue shift is discussed in terms of the doping process and induced some transitions on inter bands. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized samples was monitored using Methylene Blue dye. The low absorbance and high degradation efficiency were obtained for the high-doping concentration of Al on all irradiation times. The leaching study shows no catalyst leaching into the reaction medium.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could be a common autoimmune disease that involves severe joint deformation. The main off-target medicines unable to cure RA, that permits associate in nursing infection with the unwellness. The nanomaterials-based RA medical aid is an excellent strategy to enhance the treatment efficaciousness within the inflammatory region. Specifically, metal-based nanomaterials are a wonderful choice for a delivery vehicle for inflammatory disease agents, because of their novel properties. We have got developed a small-sized Polyethylenimine (PEI) coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with an average diameter of 80 nm, that area unit used for top loading of carboxylic acid (MA). Various microscopic and qualitative analysis tools like high-resolution transmission microscopy (HR-TEM), Field-emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis studies were accustomed to make sure as-made PEI-AuNPs. The invented PEI-coated AuNPs (PEI-AuNPs) exhibited higher contrast with an extended expanse that's promising to store giant amounts of MA medicine. MA is attributed to reducing the inflammatory response by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cytokines and averting undesirable ancient drug aspect effects in Collagen-induced inflammatory disease (CIA). Many organic chemistry parameters like weight, hind paw volume, protein estimation, anti-serum protein analysis, and microscopic anatomy examination were conducted in Collagen-induced arthritis mice treated at a dose (10 µg) of MA packed PEI-AuNPs. The obtained results showed the MA-PEI-AuNPs were used with success within the treatment of Collagen-induced arthritis, relative to PEI-AuNPs and MA. Therefore, MA loaded PEI-AuNPs as a stimulating candidate in future RA applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the catalytic degradation of selected toxic dyes (methylene blue, 4-nitrophenol, 4-nitroaniline, and congo red) using biosynthesized green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of Cestrum nocturnum L. was successfully performed. These AgNPs are efficiently synthesized when a reaction mixture containing 5 mL of aqueous extract (3%) and 100 mL of silver nitrate (1 mM) is exposed under sunlight for 5 min. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed based on the change in the color of the reaction mixture from pale yellow to dark brown, with maximum absorbance at 455 nm. Obtained NPs were characterized by different techniques, i.e., FTIR, XRD, HR-TEM, HR-SEM, SAED, XRD, EDX, AFM, and DLS. Green synthesized AgNPs were nearly mono-dispersed, smooth, spherical, and crystalline in nature. The average size of the maximum number of AgNPs was 77.28 ± 2.801 nm. The reduction of dyes using a good reducing agent (NaBH4) was tested. A fast catalytic degradation of dyes took place within a short period of time when AgNPs were added in the reaction mixture in the presence of NaBH4. As a final recommendation, Cestrum nocturnum aqueous leaf extract-mediated AgNPs could be effectively implemented for environmental rehabilitation because of their exceptional performance. This can be utilized in the treatment of industrial wastewater through the breakdown of hazardous dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water treatment applications are in high demand recently. In this work, the titania nanotube (TNT) was successfully grown onto the outer surface of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via the hydrothermal method. The resultant prepared composite was doped with different ratios of nitrogen. The structural and morphological merits of the composites displayed the successful composition of the matrices, as well as the particle size of the composite within the nanoscale. The optical specifications of the composites demonstrate successful direct and indirect transitions with a high energy gap (> 3 eV). The testing of different oils in the water/oil separation exhibited a high rate of success to split oil and water (> 95%). In this regard, CNT-TNT 1.0 sample reflects the highest efficiency. Compared to other researchers that demonstrate the highest efficiency of their proposed structure, our membrane offers a decent separation efficiency. The proposed composite might provide a feasible and cost-effective method for water/oil separation application in the nanotechnological fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites of barium hexaferrite (BaFe 12 O 19) and nickel zinc ferrite (Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4) have been prepared by the high-energy planetary ball mill method. The magnetic composites are characterized by employing X-ray Diffraction and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. The percentage of barium hexaferrite (BaFe 12 O 19) and nickel zinc ferrite (Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4) in the composite has been obtained from the Rietveld analysis of XRD patterns. The average crystallite sizes of BHF and NZFO are found to be comparable in the composites. The magnetic properties of (1-x) BHF-(x) NZFO with x = 0 to 1 have been studied by measuring the magnetic hysteresis loop (M-H loop) for all the samples. The M-H loops are analyzed by plotting the loop width (ΔH) versus magnetization (M). The magnetic hysteresis loops for the BHF and NZFO are found to be symmetric in all the quadrants. However, symmetry breaks in M-H loops for composites. The symmetry breaking in magnetic hysteresis loops of the bi-magnetic composite suggests a new approach to analyzing the magnetic interaction between magnetic phases in the magnetic composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple sol-gel method was employed to synthesize Fe doped TiO 2 nanoparticles with a controlled mole percentage of Fe. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by several standard analytical techniques. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) of pure and Fe doped TiO 2 nanoparticles confirm the anatase phase, which is further confirmed by Raman analysis. The change in the morphology and structural modification of the material by doping concentration of Fe in TiO 2 is confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) images and FTIR study respectively. The size and shape of nanoparticles were determined by High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The energy bandgap and recombination rate of charge carriers were studied by Optical absorption and Photoluminescence (PL) measurements respectively. Photocatalytic activity of the prepared nanoparticles was investigated through degradation of Indigo Carmine (IC) dye under visible light illumination. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurement was done to determine the degree of mineralization of IC-dye on photodegradation. In addition, the Photocatalytic performance of FeT_2 photocatalyst for nitrogen dioxide gas (NO 2) removal was evaluated under visible light irradiation and found to be very effective for NO 2 removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of nanometer-sized metallic nanoparticles utilizing bio-sources is one of the most cost-effective and ecologically friendly approaches. Nano-zinc oxide particles (N-ZnO Ps) were made using a simple green synthesis method using an aqueous zinc nitrate salt and Perilla frutescens crude protein as a protecting and reducing agent in the current work. UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), (energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy) EDX and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) were used to characterize the synthesized N-ZnO Ps. A distinctive UV-vis absorption peak was observed at 370 nm due to N-ZnO Ps. The SEM and HR-TEM pictures revealed N-ZnO Ps with a triangular form. The XRD pattern indicated the wurtzite structure of N-ZnO Ps. Nanoparticles exhibited a zeta potential of −11.3 mV. The antibacterial activity of N-ZnO Ps was tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumonia) microorganisms. The N-ZnO Ps were non-toxic to HMC-3 human normal brain microglia cells; however, they exhibited a potential cytotoxic effect on the LN-18 human brain glioblastoma cell line. These results indicate that N-ZnOPs can act as promising antibacterial and anticancer treatments in the prevention of Glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles have been biosynthesized via Sesbania grandiflora leaf extract and characterized using different analytical techniques. XRD analysis indicated FCC structure with average crystallite size being 45.77 nm. Morphological analyses involving SEM and HR-TEM confirmed the cubic crystalline nature of the prepared samples. The presence of Cd-O bond was ascertained using FTIR technique while the presence of the elements Cd and O was ensured using SEM-EDS. The synthesized CdO nanoparticles have exhibited good Antibacterial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. In the case of Antifungal studies, Aspergillus niger showed maimum sensitivity as compared to Aspergillus flavus. The bioinspired CdO nanoparticles have shown better Anticancer activity against MCF-7 and HeLa Human cell lines. Therefore, it is concluded that the Sesbania grandiflora leaf extract mediated CdO nanoparticles may serve as a potential candidate for a wide range of biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple emulsions are thermodynamically stable systems that mark applications in various fields including drug delivery systems. They allow enhanced availability of drugs, greater absorption, and present reduced toxicity, among other desirable properties. In this work, we aimed to formulate a unique double emulsion (O1/W + W1/O2/W/W) with three bioactive components viz. Ocimum tenuiflorum oil, Cocos nucifera oil and crystalline Cinnamomum camphora. Three surfactants with different HLB values viz. Tween-20, Tween-80 and Triton X-100 were used for the emulsification process. The method followed was simple as compared to current methods employed for formulating multiple emulsions. Formulation was characterized using techniques of bright field microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Image processing tools were also used to characterize the formulation, which reliably cross-verified the observations from conventional characterization techniques. The potency of individual components of emulsion was compared with the prepared double emulsion model by testing the activity on two pathologically relevant bacterial strains: Fusobacterium nucleatum (FN) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG).

In the current work, we illustrate the effect of adding a small amount of carbon to very common Co2MnSi Heusler alloy-based glass-coated microwires. A significant change in the magnetic and structure structural properties was observed for the new alloy Co2MnSiC compared to the Co2MnSi alloy. Magneto-structural investigations were performed to clarify the main physical parameters, i.e., structural and magnetic parameters, at a wide range of measuring temperatures. The XRD analysis illustrated the well-defined crystalline structure with average grain size (Dg = 29.16 nm) and a uniform cubic structure with A2 type compared to the mixed L21 and B2 cubic structures for Co2MnSi-based glass-coated microwires. The magnetic behavior was investigated at a temperature range of 5 to 300 K and under an applied external magnetic field (50 Oe to 20 kOe). The thermomagnetic behavior of Co2MnSiC glass-coated microwires shows a perfectly stable behavior for a temperature range from 300 K to 5 K. By studying the field cooling (FC) and field heating (FH) magnetization curves at a wide range of applied external magnetic fields, we detected a critical magnetic field (H = 1 kOe) where FC and FH curves have a stable magnetic behavior for the Co2MnSiC sample; such stability was not found in the Co2MnSi sample. We proposed a phenomenal expression to estimate the magnetization thermal stability, ΔM (%), of FC and FH magnetization curves, and the maximum value was detected at the critical magnetic field where ΔM (%) ≈ 98%. The promising magnetic stability of Co2MnSiC glass-coated microwires with temperature is due to the changing of the microstructure induced by the addition of carbon, as the A2-type structure shows a unique stability in response to variation in the temperature and the external magnetic field. In addition, a unique internal mechanical stress was induced during the fabrication process and played a role in controlling magnetic behavior with the temperature and external magnetic field. The obtained results make Co2MnSiC a promising candidate for magnetic sensing devices based on Heusler glass-coated microwires.