Solvent selective gelation of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide: structure, phase evolution and thermal characteristics.

We report herein the gelation behaviour of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant, in a variety of solvent compositions. A turbid gel of CTAB in a binary solvent mixture at a critical composition was observed to be 1 : 3 v/v toluene : water. The molecular structure of the as-formed gel was investigated by X-ray diffraction and microscopic techniques, namely, optical and polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).

Agronomic Investigation of Spray Dispersion of Metal-Based Nanoparticles on Sunflowers in Real-World Environments.

In environmental and agronomic settings, even minor imbalances can trigger a range of unpredicted responses. Despite the widespread use of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) and new bio-nanofertilizers, their impact on crop production is absent in the literature. Therefore, our research is focused on the agronomic effect of spray application of gold nanoparticles anchored to SiO mesoporous silica (AuSi-NPs), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO-NPs) on sunflowers under real-world environments.

Effects of Foliar Application of ZnO Nanoparticles on Lentil Production, Stress Level and Nutritional Seed Quality under Field Conditions.

Nanotechnology offers new opportunities for the development of novel materials and strategies that improve technology and industry. This applies especially to agriculture, and our previous field studies have indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles provide promising nano-fertilizer dispersion in sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the precise ZnO-NP effects on legumes.

Decreases Bioavailability of Arsenic(V) via Biotransformation of Manganese Oxide into Biogenic Oxalate Minerals.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the transformation of manganese oxide (hausmannite) by microscopic filamentous fungus and the effects of the transformation on mobility and bioavailability of arsenic. Our results showed that the strain CBS 140837 greatly affected the stability of hausmannite and induced its transformation into biogenic crystals of manganese oxalates-falottaite and lindbergite. The transformation was enabled by fungal acidolysis of hausmannite and subsequent release of manganese ions into the culture medium.

Foliar Application of Low Concentrations of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles to the Common Sunflower under Field Conditions.

Nano-fertilisers have only recently been introduced to intensify plant production, and there still remains inadequate scientific knowledge on their plant-related effects. This paper therefore compares the effects of two nano-fertilisers on common sunflower production under field conditions. The benefits arising from the foliar application of micronutrient-based zinc oxide fertiliser were compared with those from the titanium dioxide plant-growth enhancer.

Effect of Foliar Spray Application of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Quantitative, Nutritional, and Physiological Parameters of Foxtail Millet ( L.) under Field Conditions.

It has been shown that the foliar application of inorganic nano-materials on cereal plants during their growth cycle enhances the rate of plant productivity by providing a micro-nutrient source. We therefore studied the effects of foliarly applied ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on L. foxtail millet's quantitative, nutritional, and physiological parameters.

Nanogold Biosynthesis Mediated by Mixed Flower Pollen Grains.

Physical and chemical methods for nanoparticle synthesis are disadvantageous to less energy demanding and more efficient and environmentally friendly biological approaches. Thus, in this paper, we designed simple, bottom-up, , static experiment under laboratory conditions using suspension of mixed flower pollen grains for nanoparticle synthesis. Pollen grains provided template substrates for gold nanoparticles synthesis from dissolved Au(III).

Novel two-component gels of cetylpyridinium chloride and the bola-amphiphile 6-amino caproic acid: phase evolution and mechanism of gel formation.

A two-component gel resulting from the amphiphilic cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in the presence of a structure-forming bola-amphiphilic additive 6-aminocaproic acid (6-ACA) was realized and investigated. At a critical 6 wt % of 1:1 CPC:6-ACA, the yellow colored gel resulted from a 3:1 v/v CHCl(3):H(2)O critical binary solvent composition. The mixed amphiphilic system formed a 1:1 complex with a binding constant ~0.

Unilamellar composite vesicles and Y-junctions from pristine fullerene C(60).

We report here the first structurally defined aqueous phase nanovesicles and Y-junctions from a pristine C(60) dispersion at a strictly defined [C(60)]/[TX-100] concentration ratio, bearing a temporal dependence.