• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.151-159
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• 2016

Nanoparticles have wide-scale applications in various areas, including medicine, chemistry, electronics, and energy generation. Several physical, biological, and chemical methods have been used for synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using plants provide advantages over other methods as it is easy, efficient, and eco-friendly. Nanoparticles have been extensively studied as potential antimicrobials to target pathogenic and multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Their applications recently extended to development of antivirals to inhibit viral infections. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles using Cinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon) and evaluated their activity against highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H7N3. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UVVis absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Cinnamon bark extract and its nanoparticles were tested against H7N3 influenza A virus in Vero cells and the viability of cells was determined by tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay. The silver nanoparticles derived from Cinnamon extract enhanced the antiviral activity and were found to be effective in both treatments, when incubated with the virus prior to infection and introduced to cells after infection. In order to establish the safety profile, Cinnamon and its corresponding nanoparticles were tested for their cytotoxic effects in Vero cells. The tested concentrations of extract and nanoparticles (up to 500 μg/ml) were found non-toxic to Vero cells. The biosynthesized nanoparticles may, hence, be a promising approach to provide treatment against influenza virus infections.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.221-221
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• 2012

Small-molecule organic photovoltaic cells have recently attracted growing attention due to their potential for the low-cost fabrication of flexible and lightweight solar modules. The PVP/Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by the reaction of poly vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and silver nitrate at $150^{\circ}C$. In the reaction, the size of the nanoparticles was controlled by relative mole fractions between PVP and Ag. The PVP/Ag nanoparticles with various sizes were then spin coated on the patterned ITO glass prior to the deposition of the PEDOT:PSS hole transport layer. The scattering of the incident light caused by these incorporated nanoparticles resulted in an increase in the path length of the light through the active layer and hence the enhancement of the light absorption. This scattering effect increased as the size of the nanoparticles increased, but it was offset by the decrease in total transmittance caused by the non-transparent nanoparticles. As a result, the maximum power conversion efficiency, 0.96% which was the value enhanced by 14% compared to the cell without incorporation of nanoparticles, was obtained when the mole fraction of PVP:Ag was 24:1 and the size of the nanoparticles was 20~40 nm.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2016

Biologically stabilized gold nanoparticles were synthesized from the flower aqueous extract of T. divaricata. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Zeta sizer, FTIR and TEM analysis. T. divaricata reduced gold nanoparticles having particle size and potential of 106.532 nm and -10.2 mV, respectively, with a characteristic peak of 550 nm in UV-visible spectrophotometer. FTIR graph after comparison between the crude flower extract and gold nanoparticles showed three major shifts in the functional groups. The morphology and size of the gold nanoparticles were examined by HRTEM analysis, which showed that most of the nanoparticles were nearly spherical with size of 100 nm. The gold nanoparticles synthesized demonstrated potent anticancer activity against MCF-7 cell line. The findings conclude that the antioxidant molecule present in T. divaricata may be responsible for both reduction and capping of gold nanoparticles which possess potential applications in medicine and pharmaceutical fields.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2013

The synthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles is a growing research area due to the prospective applications for the development of novel technologies. In this paper we have reported the biosynthesis of Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (CdSNPs) by reduction of cadmium sulphate solution, using the bacteria of Serratia nematodiphila. The process for the synthesis of CdS nanoparticles is fast, novel and ecofriently. Formation of the CdS nanoparticles was confirmed by surface Plasmon spectra using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and absorbance strong peak at 420 nm. The morphology of crystalline phase of nanoparticles was determined from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra. The average size of CdS nanoparticles was in the range of 12 nm and the observed morphology was spherical. The results indicated that the proteins, which contain amine groups, played a reducing and controlling responsibility during the formation of CdS nanoparticles in the colloidal solution. Antibacterial activity against some bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella planticola. CdS nanoparticles exhibiting good bactericidal activity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2560-2566
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• 2012

The present study investigates how the thermal stability of retinol (vitamin A) encapsulated in polyester nanoparticles is influenced by the types of polyester used for the nanoparticles. A variety of polyester-retinol nanoparticles were prepared with various polyesters like: poly(ethylene adipate), PEA; poly(butylene adipate), PBA; poly(hexamethylene adipate), PHMA; and three polycaprolactones, PCL, of different molecular weights ($M_n$ ~10, 40, and 80K). The chemical stability of retinol in these nanoparticles, monitored in an aqueous solution at $25^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks, was high in the following order of the nanoparticles prepared with PHMA > PCL 40K > PCL 10K > PCL 80K > PBA~PEA at $25^{\circ}C$ and PCL 10K > PCL 40K > PHMA > PCL 80K > PEA > PBA at $40^{\circ}C$. More importantly, this study has also found that the thermal stability of the retinol in the nanoparticles was closely connected with the melting temperatures of polyesters and polyester nanoparticles. The results were further discussed with possible factors - such as sample preparation condition (or history) and miscibility between the polyesters and retinol - affecting $T_m$ of the polyesters and the nanoparticles.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2012

It is desirable that a wound healing membrane acts as a barrier for coverage of a damaged skin and has the biological activities such as anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we prepared the hydrogel film containing the propolis nanoparticles as a wound healing membrane. The propolis nanoparticles were prepared by incorporation of propolis into the hydrophobic core of ${\gamma}$-cyclodextrin. The incorporation efficiency of propolis in the nanoparticles was $50{\pm}2.3%$. Propolis nanoparticles observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were spherical with the size of 30~40 nm. The swelling behaviors of the hydrogel film containing propolis nanoparticles showed a similar pattern with the hydrogel film without propolis nanoparticles. The cumulative amount of propolis released from the hydrogel film containing propolis nanoparticles in the buffer of pH 7.4 and 5.5 was $86.0{\pm}2.0%$ and $64.6{\pm}1.0%$ of total propolis loaded in the hydrogel film within 9 h, respectively. These results provide a rationale for studying wound healing application of the hydrogel film containing propolis nanoparticles in a clinical setting.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.79-79
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• 2013

Quantum-structures with nanoparticles have been attractive for various electronic and photonic devices [1,2]. In recent, nonvolatile memories such as nano-floating gate memory (NFGM) and resistance random access memory (ReRAM) have been studied using silicides, metals, and metal oxides nanoparticles [3,4]. In this study, we fabricated nonvolatile memories with silicides (WSi2, Ti2Si, V2Si) and metal-oxide (Cu2O, Fe2O3, ZnO, SnO2, In2O3 and etc.) nanoparticles embedded in polyimide matrix, and photovoltaic device also with SiC nanoparticles. The capacitance-voltageand current-voltage data showed a threshold voltage shift as a function of write/erase voltage, which implies the carrier charging and discharging into the metal-oxide nanoparticles. We have investigated also the electrical properties of ReRAM consisted with the nanoparticles embedded in ZnO, SiO2, polyimide layer on the monolayered graphene. We will discuss what the current bistability of the nanoparticle ReRAM with monolayered graphene, which occurred as a result of fully functional operation of the nonvolatile memory device. A photovoltaic device structure with nanoparticles was fabricated and its optical properties were also studied by photoluminescence and UV-Vis absorption measurements. We will discuss a feasibility of nanoparticles to application of nonvolatile memories and photovoltaic devices.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.484-490
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• 2012

The tin (IV) oxide nanoparticles are prepared by controlled precipitation method and calcined at temperatures of $200-600^{\circ}C$. The prepared $SnO_2$ nanoparticles characterized by XRD patterns, TEM image, IR and UV-Vis spectra. The XRD patterns and TEM image show the tetragonal structure and spherical morphology for $SnO_2$ nanoparticles, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared $SnO_2$ nanoparticles studied in degradation reaction of methylene blue (MB). The results show the size of nanoparticles, band-gap energy and photocatalytic activity of $SnO_2$ depends on the calcinations temperature. The $SnO_2$ nanoparticles calcined at $500^{\circ}C$ indicated the highest photoreactivity. Also, the zero-valent tin (ZVT) nanoparticles with tetragonal structure are prepared by a reducing agent and used as a catalyst in degradation of MB. In basic pH of 11, the degradation >95% of MB at time 150 min obtained at presence of ZVT nanoparticles.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.164-168
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• 2011

Magnetic nanoparticles can potentially be used in drug delivery systems and for hyperthermia therapy. The applicability of $Fe_3O_4$, $CoFe_2O_4$, $MgFe_2O_4$, and $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles for the same was studied by evaluating their magnetization, thermal efficiency, and biocompatibility. $Fe_3O_4$ and $CoFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited large magnetization. $Fe_3O_4$ and $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited large induction heating. $MgFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited low magnetization compared to the other nanoparticles. $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles were found to be cytotoxic, whereas the other nanoparticles were not cytotoxic. This study indicates that $Fe_3O_4$ nanoparticles could be the most suitable ones for hyperthermia therapy.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2008

In this article, $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were synthesized by using $O_2$-enriched coflow, hydrogen, diffusion flames. We investigated the thermal stability of the flame-synthesized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles by examining the crystalline structures of the nanoparticles. Also, the results were compared with those of commercial P-25 nanoparticles. $TiO_2$ nanoparticles, which were spherical with diameters approximately ranging from 30 to 60nm, were synthesized. From the XRD analyses, about 96wt% of the synthesized nanoparticles were anatase-phase. After the heat-treatment at $800^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes, the synthesized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles showed no significant changes of their shapes and crystalline phases. On the other hand, most of the commercial particles sintered with each other and changed to the rutile-phase. Based on the result of XRD analysis it is believed that the flame-synthesized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles have higher thermal stability at $800^{\circ}C$ than the commercial particles.