• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.275-279
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• 2012

(3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) was used as a silylation agent, and modified silica nanoparticles were prepared by solution polymerization. 2.0 g of silica nanoparticles, 150 ml of toluene, and 20 ml of MPTMS were put into a 300 ml flask, and these mixtures were dispersed with ultrasonic vibration for 60 min. 0.2 g of hydroquinone as an inhibitor and 1 to 2 drops of 2,6-dimethylpyridine as a catalyst were added into the mixture. The mixture was then stirred with a magnetic stirrer for 8 hrs. at room temperature. After the reaction, the mixture was centrifuged for 1 hr. at 6000rpm. After precipitation, 150 ml of ethanol was added, and ultrasonic vibration was applied for 30 min. After the ultrasonic vibration, centrifugation was carried out again for 1 hr. at 6000rpm. Organo-modification of silica nanoparticles with a ${\gamma}$-methacryloxypropyl functional group was successfully achieved by solution polymerization in the ethanol solution. The characteristics of the ${\gamma}$-mercaptopropyl modified silica nanoparticles (MPSN) were examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, THERMO VG SCIENTIFIC, MultiLab 2000), a laser scattering system (LSS, TOPCON Co., GLS-1000), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, JASCO INTERNATIONL CO., FT/IR-4200), scanning electron microscopy (SEM, HITACHI, S-2400), an elemental analysis (EA, Elementar, Vario macro/micro) and a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, Perkin Elmer, TGA 7, Pyris 1). From the analysis results, the content of the methacryloxypropyl group was 0.98 mmol/g and the conversion rate of acrylamide monomer was 93%. SEM analysis results showed that the organo-modification of ultra-fine particles effectively prevented their agglomeration and improved their dispensability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.245-245
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• 2012

Syntheses of oxide supported metal catalysts by wet-chemical routes have been well known for their use in heterogeneous catalysis. However, uniform deposition of metal nanoparticles with controlled size and shape on the support with high reproducibility is still a challenge for catalyst preparation. Among various synthesis methods, arc plasma deposition (APD) of metal nanoparticles or thin films on oxide supports has received great interest recently, due to its high reproducibility and large-scale production, and used for their application in catalysis. In this work, Au and Pt nanoparticles with size of 1-2 nm have been deposited on titania powder by APD. The size of metal nanoparticles was controlled by number of shots of metal deposition and APD conditions. These catalytic materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES), CO-chemisorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Catalytic activity of the materials was measured by CO oxidation using oxygen, as a model reaction, in a micro-flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. We found that Au/$TiO_2$ is reactive, showing 100% conversion at $110^{\circ}C$, while Pt/$TiO_2$ shows 100% conversion at $200^{\circ}C$. High activity of metal nanoparticles suggests that APD can be used for large scale synthesis of active nanocatalysts. We will discuss the effect of the structure and metal-oxide interactions of the catalysts on catalytic activity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.457-463
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• 2011

This study was carried out to compare the toxicity of nano and micrometer particles with Cu and Zn on soil microbial community and metal uptake of buck wheat. In microcosm system, soil was incubated for 14 days after soil aliquots were artificially contaminated with 1,000 mg/kg Cu, Zn nano and micro particles, respectively. After then, buck wheat was planted in incubating soils and non incubating soils. After 14 days, we compared bioaccumulation of metal, and microbial carbon substrate utilization patterns between incubating soils and non-incubating soils. The enrichment factor (EF) values of incubating samples were greater than non-incubating soils. Dehydrogenase activity had been inhibited by Cu and Zn nanoparticles in non-incubating soil, as well as it had been inhibited by Zn micro particles in incubating soils. Results of biolog test, it was not significant different between nano particles and micro particles. It cannot be generalized that nanoparticles of metal are always more toxic to soil microbial activity and diversity than micrometer-sized particles and the toxicity needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.429-434
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• 2017

Failure of basic structures material is usually accompanied by expansion of interior cracks due to stress concentration at the cracks tip. This phenomenon shows the importance of examination of the failure behavior of concrete structures. To this end, 4 types of mortar samples with different amounts of nano-silica (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) were made to prepare twelve $50{\times}50{\times}50mm$ cubic samples. The goal of this study was to describe the failure and micro-crack growth behavior of the cement mortars in presence of nano-silica particles and control mortars during different curing days. Failure of mortar samples under compressive strength were sensed with acoustic emission technique (AET) at different curing days. It was concluded that the addition of nano-silica particles could modify failure and micro-crack growth behavior of mortar samples. Also, monitoring of acoustic emission parameters exposed differences in failure behavior due to the addition of the nanoparticles. Mortar samples of nano-silica particles revealed stronger shear mode characteristics than those without nanoparticles, which revealed high acoustic activity due to heterogeneous matrix. It is worth mentioning that the highest compressive strength for 3 and 7 test ages obtained from samples with the addition of 1.5% nano-silica particles. On the other hand maximum compressive strength of 28 curing days obtained from samples with 1% combination of nano-silica particles.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3051-3057
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• 2021

The concrete is considered as an important radiation shielding material employed widely in nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, laboratory hot cells and other different radiation sources. The present research is dedicated to the shielding properties study of the ordinary concrete reinforced with different weight fractions of lead oxide micro/nano particles. Lead oxide particles were fabricated by chemical synthesis method and their properties including the average size, morphological structure, functional groups and thermal properties were characterized by XRD, FESEM-EDS, FTIR and TGA analysis. The gamma ray mass attenuation coefficient of concrete composites has been calculated and measured by means of the Monte Carlo simulation and experimental methods. The simulation process was based on the use of MCNP Monte Carlo code where the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) has been calculated as a function of different particle sizes and filler weight fractions. The simulation results showed that the employment of the lead oxide filler particles enhances the mass attenuation coefficient of the ordinary concrete, drastically. On the other hand, there are approximately no differences between micro and nano sized particles. The mass attenuation coefficient was increased by increasing the weight fraction of nanoparticles. However, a semi-saturation effect was observed at concentrations more than 10 wt%. The experimental process was based on the fabrication of concrete slabs filled by different weight fractions of nano lead oxide particles. The mass attenuation coefficients of these slabs were determined at different gamma ray energies using ²²Na, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co sources and NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. The experimental results showed that the HVL parameter of the ordinary concrete reinforced with 5 wt% of nano PbO particles was reduced by 64% at 511 keV and 48% at 1332 keV. Reasonable agreement was obtained between simulation and experimental results and showed that the employment of nano PbO particles is more efficient at low gamma energies up to 1Mev. The proposed concrete is less toxic and could be prepared in block form instead of toxic lead blocks.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.632-637
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• 2015

Mesoporous $TiO_2$ granules were prepared by spray pyrolysis using nano-sized titania particles which were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and they were evaluated as the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells. To enhance the cell efficiency, nanoparticles within granules were chemically interconnected by adding titanium ethoxide (TEOT) to colloidal spray solution. The resulting titania particles had anatase phase without forming rutile. $TiO_2$ granules obtained showed about 400 nm in size, the specific surface area of $74-77m^2/g$, and average pore size of 13-17 nm. The chemical modification of $TiO_2$ granules by adding TEOT initially to the colloidal spray solution was proved to be an effective way in terms of increasing both the light scattering within photoanode and the lifetimes of photo-excited electrons. Consequently, the light-harvesting efficiency of TEOT-modified granules (${\eta}=6.72%$) was enhanced about 14% higher than primitive nanoparticles.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.636-647
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• 2016

Magnetite nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$ NPs) were synthesized by co-precipitating method under optimized condition. The $Fe_3O_4$ NPs coated with sodium dodecyl sulfate-thenoyltrifluoroacetone ($Fe_3O_4$ NPs-SDS-TTFA) were then exerted as the magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the extraction process prior to introducing to a flame atomic adsorption spectrometry (FAAS). The synthesized $Fe_3O_4$ NPs-SDS-TTFA were applied for the extraction of Pb(II) ions from different water samples. The characterization studies of nanoparticles were performed via scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive micro-analysis (SEM-EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. The substantial parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were surveyed and optimized. A dynamic linear range (DLR) of $10-400{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ was obtained and the limit of detection (LOD, n=7) and relative standard deviation (RSD%, n= 6, $C=20{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) were found to be $2.3{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and 1.9%, respectively. According to the results, the proposed method successfully applied for the extraction of Pb(II) ions from different environmental water samples and satisfactory results achieved.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.208-213
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• 2017

The microstructural changes in Co nanoparticles and an Au-10at.%Pd thin film have been investigated using an in situ heating holder with a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). In Co nanoparticles, two phases (face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed crystal structures) were found to coexist at room temperature and microstructures at temperatures, higher than $1,000^{\circ}C$, were observed with a quick response time and significant stability. The actual temperature of each specimen was directly estimated from the changes in the lattice spacing (Bragg-peak separation). For the Au-10at.%Pd thin film, at a set temperature of $680^{\circ}C$, the actual temperature of the sample was estimated to be $1,020^{\circ}C{\pm}123^{\circ}C$. Note that the specimen temperature should be carefully evaluated because of the undesired effects, i.e., the temperature non-uniformity due to the sample design of the MEMS chip, and distortion due to thermal expansion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4739-4743
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• 2014

Nanotechnology is an emerging field with many promising applications in drug delivery systems. Because of outstanding developments in this field, rapidly increasing research is directed to the development of nanocarriers that may enhance the availability of drugs to the target sites. Substantial fraction of information has been added into the existing scientific literature focusing on the fact that nanoparticles usually generate reactive oxygen species to a greater extent than micro-sized particles. It is worth mentioning that oxidative stress regulates an array of cell signaling cascades that resulted in cancer cell damage. Accumulating experimental evidence over the years has shown that wide-ranging biological mechanisms are triggered by these NPs in cultured cells due to the unique properties of engineered nanoparticles. In this review, we have attempted to provide an overview of the signaling cascades that are activated by oxidative stress in cancer cells in response to different kinds of nanomaterials, including quantum dots, metallic and polymeric nanoparticles.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.675-680
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• 2014

Pulverization of two different sized micro-$B_4C$ particles (${\sim}10{\mu}m$ and ${\sim}150{\mu}m$) was investigated using a STS based high energy ball milling system. Shapes, generation of the impurities, and reduction of the particle size dependent on milling time and initial particle size were investigated using various analytic tools including SEM-EDX, XRD, and ICP-MS. Most of impurity was produced during the early stage of milling, and impurity content became independent on the milling time after the saturation. The degree of particle size reduction was also dependent on the initial $B_4C$ size. It was found that the STS nanoparticles produced from milling is strongly bounded with the $B_4C$ particles forming the $B_4C$/STS composite particles that can be used as a neutron absorbing nanocomposite. Based on the morphological evolution of the milled particles, a schematic pulverization model for the $B_4C$ particles was constructed.