Effect of Mg doping on morphology,photocatalytic activity and related biological properties of Zn1−xMgxO nanoparticles

The objective of this study is to synthesize ZnO and Mg doped ZnO (Zn_1−xMg_xO) nanoparticles via the sol-gel method, and characterize their structures and to investigate their biological properties such as antibacterial activity and hemolytic potential.Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the sol-gel method using zinc acetate dihydrate (Zn(CH₃COO)₂.2H₂O) and magnesium acetate tetrahydrate (Mg(CH₃COO)₂.4H₂O) as precursors. Methanol and monoethanolamine were used as solvent and sol stabilizer, respectively. Structural and morphological characterizations of Zn_1−xMg_xO nanoparticles were studied by using XRD and SEM-EDX, respectively. Photocatalytic activities of ZnO and selected Mg-doped ZnO (Zn_1−xMg_xO) nanoparticles were investigated by degradation of methylene blue (MeB). Results indicated that Mg doping (both 10% and 30%) to the ZnO nanoparticles enhanced the photocatalytic activity and a little amount of Zn0.90 Mg0.10 O photocatalyst (1.0 mg/mL) degraded MeB with 99% efficiency after 24 h of irradiation under ambient visible light. Antibacterial activity of nanoparticles versus Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) was determined by the standard plate count method. Hemolytic activities of the NPs were studied by hemolysis tests using human erythrocytes. XRD data proved that the average particle size of nanoparticles was around 30 nm. Moreover, the XRD results indicatedthat the patterns of Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles related to ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure had no secondary phase for x ≤ 0.2 concentration. For 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.02, NPs showed a concentration dependent antibacterial activity against E. coli . While Zn_0.90Mg_0.10 O totally inhibited the growth of E. coli , upper and lower dopant concentrations did not show antibacterial activity.     

Oxidant-free oxidation: ruthenium catalysed dehydrogenation of alcohols

The oxidation of alcohols has been achieved using Grubbs’ catalyst or a ruthenium p-cymene complex without the presence of an added oxidant.     

Detection of weak electric fields by sharks,rays, and skates

The elasmobranchs-sharks, rays, and skates-can detect very weak electric fields in their aqueous environment through a complex sensory system, the ampullae of Lorenzini. The ampullae are conducting tubes that connect the surface of the animal to its interior. In the presence of an electric field, the potential of the surface of the animal will differ from that of the interior and that potential is applied across the apical membrane of the special sensory cells that line the ampullae. The firing rate of the afferent neurons that transmit signals from the ampullae has been shown to vary with that potential. We show that those firing rates can be described quantitatively in terms of synchronous firing of the sensory cells that feed the neurons. We demonstrate that such synchronism follows naturally from a hypothetical weak cell-to-cell interaction that results in a self-organization of the sensory cells. Moreover, the pulse rates of those cells-and the neurons that service the cells-can be expected to vary with the imposed electric fields in accord with measured values through actions of voltage gated transmembrane proteins in the apical sector of the cell membranes that admit Ca(++) ions. We also present a more conjectural model of signal processing at the neuron level that could exploit small differences in firing rates of nerve fibers servicing different ampullae to send an unambiguous signal to the central nervous system of the animal. (c) 1998 American Institute of Physics.     

Zur Bestimmung der Alkalicyanide in Handelscyaniden

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Dispersion of SiO2-based nanocomposites with high performance liquid chromatography

Core-shell structured Ag/SiO2 nanocomposite has been synthesized by a cyclohexane/Igepal/water reverse micelle system. The spherical nanocomposite particles were washed and concentrated with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to remove the surfactant added during synthesis. Spherical SiO2 micrometer-scale particles were packed in the HPLC column as a stationary phase for the washing and dispersing of Ag/SiO2 nanocomposite particles. Surface modification of Ag/SiO2 nanocomposite particles and SiO2 microspheres with silane coupling agent enhanced the surface charge of the particles and improved the efficiency of washing with HPLC. Well-dispersed Ag/SiO2 stable suspensions were successfully attained in ethanol/water mixed solvents after HPLC washing. The state of dispersion for the Ag/SiO2 nanocomposite suspension was systematically assessed using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) and spin coat/atomic force microscope (AFM) analyses. The mechanism of the enabling HPLC washing protocol for SiO2-based nanoparticles is discussed.