Ionic copper- or silver-doped dense silica rods have been prepared by sintering sol-gel porous silica xerogels doped with ionic precursors. The precipitation of Cu or Ag nanoparticles was achieved by heat treatment under hydrogen followed by annealing under air atmosphere. The surface plasmon resonance bands of copper and silver nanoparticles have been clearly observed in the absorption spectra...

A new modified silica gel doped with 5-(4-dimethylaminobenzylidene)-rhodanine was prepared for separation, preconcentration and determination of silver ion by atomic absorption spectrometry. This new modified silica gel was used as an effective adsorbent for the solid phase extraction of Ag(+) from aqueous solutions. The variables that influence the adsorption/desorption of trace levels of Ag(+...

A novel nanoarchitecture-reinforced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanocomposite was prepared using multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-grafted silica nanohybrids as reinforcements. MWCNT-grafted silica nanohybrids were synthesized by the generation of silica nanoparticles on the MWCNT surface through the sol-gel technique. This synthetic method involves organo-modified MWCNTs that are dispersed in t...

Inspired by the self-cleaning lotus leaf and silver ragwort leaf, here we demonstrate the fabrication of biomimetic superhydrophobic fibrous mats via electrospinning polystyrene (PS) solution in the presence of silica nanoparticles. The resultant electrospun fiber surfaces exhibited a fascinating structure with the combination of nano-protrusions and numerous grooves due to the rapid phase sepa...

Combination of chlorhexidine (CHX) and silver ions could engender synergistic bactericidal effect and improve the bactericidal efficacy. It is highly desired to develop an efficient carrier for the antiseptics codelivery targeting infection foci with acidic microenvironment. In this work, monodisperse mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) nanospheres were successfully developed as an ideal carri...

From aerial parts of the fern Pteris multifida Poir. (Polypodiaceae) two diterpenes, entkaurane-2 beta, 16 alpha-diol and ent-kaur-16-ene-2 beta, 15 alpha-diol, were isolated by repeated column chromatography using silica gel and silica gel impregnated with silver nitrate. The structures were confirmed by spectroscopic methods. Both compounds showed a moderate cytotoxicity to Ehrlich ascites tu...

Today nanopackaging has been applied in order to increase the quality and safety of foods. In this study the possibility of using silver nanocomposite as food packaging is investigated. Silver nanoparticles were prepared by chemical reduction and to approve the presence of silver nanoparticles, UV-VS spectroscopy was used. The mentioned test showed the formation of silver nanoparticles by exhib...

Hydroxyapatite/silver nanocomposites have been designed and synthesized as an engineering material for biomedical applications. The hydroxyapatite matrix was synthesized by a sol-gel method and, subsequently, the Ag nanoparticles were deposited by heterogeneous precipitation followed by two different reduction routes: thermal or chemical. Both sets were studied and compared and, in all cases, t...

Distance dependent singlet and triplet metal-enhanced emission of eosin from silica coated silver island films (SiFs) has been studied by steady-state and time resolved fluorescence techniques, along with theoretical finite difference time domain (FDTD) numerical simulations, to understand how the thickness of the dielectric coating surrounding silver nanoparticles fundamentally affects lumines...

Here we report that silver nanoparticle necklaces can be readily formed by treatment of colloidal silica with ammoniacal silver complex solution followed by washing, deposition and ageing. We investigate the morphology of the produced materials and elucidate the key variables that influence this promising new approach to one-dimensional nanostructuring.