Microstructural tuning and band gap engineering of calcium hydroxides: a novel approach by pH variation.

Here we report a simple, inexpensive, energy benign, yet novel pH-driven chemical precipitation technique to achieve microstructural and band gap engineering of calcium hydroxide nanoparticles (CHNPs). The chemical precipitation route involved the use of 0.4-1.

Optical band gap enhancements of chemically synthesized α-Ni(OH) nanoparticles by a novel technique: Precipitator molarity variation.

Nickel hydroxide nanoparticles (NHNPs) are extremely important semiconducting materials for applications in energy storage and energy harvesting devices. This study uses a novel variation in molarity of the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) precipitator solution to enhance the direct optical band gap in the NHNPs chemically synthesized by using nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO ) ·6H O) as the precursor. The simple, energy benign chemical precipitation route involved the usage of 1 M (Ni(NO ) ·6H O) solutions as the precursor and 0.

Au nanoparticle-decorated aragonite microdumbbells for enhanced antibacterial and anticancer activities.

The present work reports the very first hydrothermal synthesis of 100% triclinic phase pure aragonite (A1) with microdumbbell microstructural architecture and Au Nanoparticle-decorated (AuNP-decorated) aragonites (A2, A3 and A4) with spherical, pentagonal/hexagonal and agglomerated AuNP-decorated microdumbbells having triclinic aragonite phase as the major and cubic AuNPs as the minor phase. Even in dark the AuNP-decorated aragonites (especially A2) show efficacies as high 90% against gram-negative e.g.

Effect of Morphology and Concentration on Crossover between Antioxidant and Pro-oxidant Activity of MgO Nanostructures.

The toxicity of nanomaterials can sometimes be attributed to photogenerated reactive oxygen species (ROS), but these ROS can also be scavenged by nanomaterials, yielding opportunities for crossover between the properties. The morphology of nanomaterials also influences such features due to defect-induced properties. Here we report morphology-induced crossover between pro-oxidant activity (ROS generation) and antioxidant activity (ROS scavenging) of MgO.

Reversible and repeatable phase transition at a negative temperature regime for doped and co-doped spin coated mixed valence vanadium oxide thin films.

Smooth, uniform mixed valance vanadium oxide (VO) thin films are grown on flexible, transparent Kapton and opaque Al6061 substrates by the spin coating technique at a constant rpm of 3000. Various elements , F, Ti, Mo and W are utilized for doping and co-doping of VO. All the spin coated films are heat treated in a vacuum.

Phase pure, high hardness, biocompatible calcium silicates with excellent anti-bacterial and biofilm inhibition efficacies for endodontic and orthopaedic applications.

Here we report for the very first time the synthesis of 100% phase pure calcium silicate nanoparticles (CSNPs) of the α-wollastonite phase without using any surfactant or peptizer at the lowest ever reported calcination temperature of 850 °C. Further, the phase purity is confirmed by quantitative phase analysis. The nano-network like microstructure of the CSNPs is characterized by FTIR, Raman, XRD, FESEM, TEM, TGA, DSC etc.

ROS mediated high anti-bacterial efficacy of strain tolerant layered phase pure nano-calcium hydroxide.

The present work provides the first ever report on extraordinarily high antibacterial efficacy of phase pure micro-layered calcium hydroxide nanoparticles (LCHNPs) even under dark condition. The LCHNPs synthesized especially in aqueous medium by a simple, inexpensive method show adequate mechanical properties along with the presence of a unique strain tolerant behaviour. The LCHNPs are characterized by FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, Rietveld analysis, FE-SEM, TEM, TG-DTA, surface area, particle size distribution, zeta potential analysis and nanoindentation techniques.

Nanocolumnar Crystalline Vanadium Oxide-Molybdenum Oxide Antireflective Smart Thin Films with Superior Nanomechanical Properties.

Vanadium oxide-molybdenum oxide (VO-MO) thin (21-475 nm) films were grown on quartz and silicon substrates by pulsed RF magnetron sputtering technique by altering the RF power from 100 to 600 W. Crystalline VO-MO thin films showed the mixed phases of vanadium oxides e.g.

Nanomechanical responses of human hair.

Here we report the first ever studies on nanomechanical properties e.g., nanohardness and Young׳s modulus for human hair of Indian origin.

Nanoindentation Study of Phase-pure Highly Crystalline Hydroxyapatite Coatings Deposited by Microplasma Spraying.

The present contribution has originated from a critical biomedical engineering issue e.g., loosening of metallic prostheses fixed with poly(methyl methylacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement especially in the case of hip joint replacement which ultimately forces the patient to undergo a revision surgery.