Journal of Nano Structures
Volume:13 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

Titanium (Ti) implants are materials that are widely used in dentistry and orthopedics. They have important properties such as corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties, which are suitable for these applications and have given them increasing interest in medical and practical applications. In this research, the sputtered thin films coated medical titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) is an enhancement for the replacement of biological bones and teeth to become more corrosion-resistant and enhance antibacterial properties. The enhancement process was achieved by coating the alloy with materials with good medical application properties. Using a DC reactive sputtering with (300) watts of power sputtered to deposit one layer of TiO2, one layer of TiN, and multilayer film (TiO2/TiN) on Ti6Al4V alloy substrates. The structural properties, surface morphology, and antibacterial tests of the prepared samples were studied. The particles' structural characteristics, arrangement, and distribution were obtained by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope examinations. The results demonstrated particles of coating layers deposited at a sputtering power of 300 watts having a uniform, homogenous distribution. The results obtained by examining the antibacterial properties of (Ti6Al4V) samples before and after deposition with different types of thin films showed that the highest value of antibacterial properties was multilayer (TiN\TiO2) on Ti6Al4V alloy substrates.

In recent years, bimetallic nanoparticles have gained prominence in medical science due to their biomedical properties. This research aimed to develop an eco-friendly, simple and facile process to synthesizing green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Trachyspermum ammi fruit extract. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, DLS, and TEM. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the synthesized AgNPs and T. ammi extract for five standard bacteria strains were determined by the broth microdilution method. The obtained AgNPs exhibited Surface Plasmon Resonance centered at approximately 415 nm, with an average particle size calculated to be 50 nm. The mean particle size and surface charge of biosynthesized AgNPs using T. ammi extract investigated by DLS and zeta potential were 26.78±1.24 nm and -13.96 mV, respectively. Furthermore, green synthesized AgNPs showed high and efficient antibacterial activity against E. coli ATCC 25922, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, K. pneumonia ATCC 9997, S. aureus ATCC 25923, and E. faecalis ATCC 29212 with MIC values of 19, 19.5, 75, 150, and 39 µg/ml, respectively. Notably, the antibacterial results illustrated that green synthesized AgNPs possess significantly higher antibacterial potency than chemically produced silver nanoparticles. Our findings highlight the effective and efficient synthesis of silver nanoparticles by T. ammi fruit extract and its significant antibacterial activities.

The enhancement of solar cell efficiency, is required to use materials of a good electrical properties. In this work, the graphene quantum dots (GQD) created from starch as precursor has been performed in single pot using a hydrothermal process. The TiO2/GQD nano-composite was prepared using an in-depth ultrasonic technique to use as a semiconductor in a solar cell. The investigated using techniques such as: FT-IR, FE-SEM, XRD, Raman spectrum. Additionally, the synthesis and the characterization of novel porphyrin derivatives with amide, were designed as sensitizers in dye-synthesized solar cells (DSSCs). Five derivatives were synthesized via a one-pot reaction of porphyrin with amines, and their optimal yield was obtained under various conditions. The synthesized dyes were characterized using techniques such as melting point analysis, mass spectroscopy, FT-IR, 1H,13C-NMR and ESI-Mass. The obtained results demonstrated that the 6b dye exhibited with the high efficiency of 1.86 % at AM 1.5, followed by 6a with 1.82 %, 8a with 1.34 %, and 8b with 1.14 %, as compared to the control cell (N719) with an efficiency of 5.4 %.

Everyday growth of the application of Graphene, Graphene oxide, and other materials based on graphene causes a huge demand for finding commercial and straightforward methods for synthesizing this valuable compound. Today, there are several laboratory methods for synthesizing graphene oxide nanosheets that researchers around the world use. The ability to produce on a large scale and industrially with many of these methods is a significant challenge due to the use of expensive raw materials or the production of toxic substances in the production process. The presence of these poisonous substances in the production cycle creates environmental issues. This study aimed to find an easy and inexpensive way to produce graphene oxide on an industrial scale that does not produce toxic substances, or the amount of their occurrence is minimal during the production process. In this study, graphene oxide nanosheets have been synthesized successfully by a straightforward and nontoxic method that produces no hazardous materials during the synthesizing process. The samples were analyzed using several techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Comparing the results with the other researchers’ works confirmed synthesizing high-quality graphene oxide nanosheets. Due to the simple and environment-friendly method, which produces no hazardous materials during the production process, the method may quickly develop for the commercial production of graphene oxide. In other words, the research proposes a new and ideal method for large-scale synthesizing graphene oxide nanosheets for commercial purposes with the lowest environmental issues.

This study aimed to investigate the potential hepatotoxic effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) on neonatal NMRI mice through maternal milk exposure. A total of 20 postpartum dams were divided into two groups: the experimental group received 30 mg/kg of TiO2 NPs, while the control group received deionized water for 14 days. The offspring were analyzed for oxidative stress markers, bioaccumulation, and histopathological changes in hepatic tissues. The results showed no significant difference in body weight or liver-to-body weight ratio between the treatment and control groups. However, oxidative stress was evident in the treatment group, with a significant reduction in glutathione (GSH) levels (0.8 µmol/g tissue, p<0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity (3.68 u/g tissue, p<0.05), compared to the control group. Additionally, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicative of lipid peroxidation, were significantly higher in the treatment group (96 nmol/g tissue, p<0.001). TiO2 content was markedly increased in the treatment group’s liver (22.4 ng/g tissue, p<0.001) and stomach milk (41.6 ng/g tissue, p<0.001), suggesting bioaccumulation. Histological analysis revealed pronounced tissue degeneration and vascular changes in the treatment group’s hepatic tissues, contrasting with the normal histology observed in the control group. These findings indicate that maternal ingestion of TiO2 NPs can lead to oxidative stress and potential hepatotoxicity in neonatal mice, with significant implications for environmental and consumer product safety regulations.

This study investigates the comparative effects of maple syrup and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on blood biochemical indicators in female albino rats with induced kidney stone disease. Maple syrup, rich in antioxidants, and AuNPs, known for their biomedical applications, were evaluated for their potential therapeutic benefits or risks in renal health. Twenty sexually mature female albino rats were divided into five groups, including two control groups and three treatment groups. The treatment groups received varying concentrations of ethylene glycol to induce kidney stones, with or without maple syrup or AuNPs. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and albumin levels were measured, along with urinary oxalate and calcium concentrations. The group treated with maple syrup plus 100 mg/kg ethylene glycol showed a significant decrease in blood urea nitrogen levels compared to the negative control group (p<0.05), and a marked reduction in urinary oxalate and calcium levels (p<0.001). Conversely, the group treated with maple syrup plus 200 mg/kg ethylene glycol and AuNPs did not exhibit significant differences from the negative control. These findings suggest that maple syrup, particularly at lower concentrations of ethylene glycol, may have protective effects against kidney stone pathology, potentially due to its antioxidant properties. However, further research is needed to understand the implications of AuNPs and higher concentrations of ethylene glycol in such treatments.

In this research two methods were used for the co-precipitation synthesis of tin oxide NPs, the first was by the chemical synthesis using the CTAB surfactant and the second was the green synthesis employing Teucrium polium plant as the surfactant. The structure of the NPs was identified by the X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD). Also, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to recognition of morphology of the NPs. And for determining the functional groups of the particles, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was applied and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) was used for the analysis of the optical properties of the NPs. Debye Scherer formula was used to estimate the average size of the crystallites which was evaluated about 10nm and 17nm for the green and chemical synthesis respectively. The SEM images revealed that the size of the NPs for the green synthesis was 15-20nm and for the chemical synthesis the NPs, the size was approximately 20-30nm. The FTIR spectra confirmed the existence of the functional groups expected for the both methods. The maximum intensity in Pl profile appeared at wavelength around 398nm both for the green and chemical syntheses. Antibacterial analysis showed that they had a huge impact on pathogenic bacterial species. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of tin oxide NPs (MIC) for standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 are 13.16±0.28µg/ml and 6.41±0.38 C, respectively.