Academic literature on the topic 'Rough nanorods'

Entangled Zn-ZnO nanorods and urchin-like microstructures were synthesized by the hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique at 825 and 1015°C, respectively. X-ray diffraction results showed a mixture of ZnO and Zn phases in both nanorods and urchin-like structures. The presence of Zn confirms the chemical dissociation of the ZnO solid source. The Z-ZnO nanorods with diameter of about 100 nm showed dispersed-like morphology. The urchin-like structures with micrometer diameters exhibited porous and rough morphology with epitaxial formation of nanorods.

ZnO semiconductor has a wide band gap of 3.37 eV and a large exciton binding energy of 60 meV, and displays excellent sensing and optical properties. In particular, ZnO based 1D nanowires and nanorods have received intensive attention because of their potential applications in various fields. We grew ZnO buffer layers prior to the growth of ZnO nanorods for the fabrication of the vertically well-aligned ZnO nanorods without any catalysts. The ZnO nanorods were grown on Si (111) substrates by vertical MOCVD. The ZnO buffer layers were grown with various thicknesses at 400 °C and their effect on the formation of ZnO nanorods at 300 °C was evaluated by FESEM, XRD, and PL. The synthesized ZnO nanorods on the ZnO film show a high quality, a large-scale uniformity, and a vertical alignment along the [0001]ZnO compared to those on the Si substrates showing the randomly inclined ZnO nanorods. For sample using ZnO buffer layer, 1D ZnO nanorods with diameters of 150-200 nm were successively fabricated at very low growth temperature, while for sample without ZnO buffer the ZnO films with rough surface were grown.

In this work, a reaction coupling self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (RC-SHS) method was developed for the in situ controlled synthesis of novel, high activity TiB2/(TiB2–TiN) hierarchical/heterostructured nanocomposites using TiO2, Mg, B2O3, KBH4 and NH4NO3 as raw materials. The as-synthesized samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), transition electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). The obtained TiB2/TiN hierarchical/heterostructured nanocomposites demonstrated an average particle size of 100–500 nm, and every particle surface was covered by many multibranched, tapered nanorods with diameters in the range of 10–40 nm and lengths of 50–200 nm. In addition, the tapered nanorod presents a rough surface with abundant exposed atoms. The internal and external components of the nanorods were TiB2 and TiN, respectively. Additionally, a thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analyzer (TG-DSC) comparison analysis indicated that the as-synthesized samples presented better chemical activity than that of commercial TiB2 powders. Finally, the possible chemical reactions as well as the proposed growth mechanism of the TiB2/(TiB2–TiN) hierarchical/heterostructured nanocomposites were further discussed.

TiO₂ hierarchical heterostructure photocatalyst was successfully fabricated through the in situ growth of Bi₂MoO₆ nanosheets on rough N–TiO₂ nanorods with a bark-like surface. The structure–property relationship of this composite material were researched.

ZnO–SnO2 composite nanorods with rough surfaces were synthesized via a coaxially nested needle electrospinning method. The morphology and nanostructure were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, EDS mapping, nitrogen physical adsorption, and X-ray diffraction. The synthesis mechanisms of ZnO–SnO2 nanorods were discussed, which combined the gas sensitivity advantages of different materials. ZnO–SnO2 nanorods sensor with good ethanol gas sensitivity achieved accurate measurement of continuous ethanol concentration. The sensor exhibited good selectivity to ethanol in the presence of formaldehyde, methanol, acetone, acetic acid, benzene, and xylene at 290[Formula: see text]C. The response and recovery time to 100 ppm ethanol were about 13 and 35 s, respectively. The energy band, barrier, charge transfer of ZnO–SnO2 composite material was discussed, and its optimization of gas sensitivity was analyzed in detail.

A facile process for controllable fabrication of wetting surfaces with variable hierarchical structures on metallic substrates is proposed in this study. This process, which combines the through-mask electrochemical micromachining with hydrothermal growth method, could be applied on all kinds of type and size of conductive metal. First, the anodic dissolution process is predicted using numerical simulation and experiments. The formulation of electrolyte and the etching conditions in through-mask electrochemical micromachining are optimized. Ordered microstructures and smooth etched surface in large scale are obtained using the optimized parameters. Moreover, a technology has been explored to obtain various styles of multi-level structures through an alignment system or combining with a hydrothermal method of growing ZnO nanorods. The wetting effects of the rough three-dimensional surfaces are evaluated using a contact angle system. Furthermore, the wetting and the preliminary friction reduction effects of the rough three-dimensional surfaces are evaluated using contact angle system.

The wide application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is based on adaptable substrates, which are primarily limited to rough precious metals and colloidal nanoparticle materials. A novel method to enhance surface Raman scattering is present. This technique is reliant on the local surface plasmon resonance phenomena, in which incident light can be coupled to the plasma at the interface, resulting in a strong electric field. The field can propagate from the surface of the metal–dielectric interface, so adjacent molecules will experience more intense Raman scattering. The physical enhancement method was adopted; silver is deposited on the surface of different pH rough zinc oxide thin film, deposited by hydrothermal methods using the above principle, considerably improving the surface Raman scattering signal. Comparing the enhancement effects of zinc oxide substrates prepared in different pH environments on the Raman effect, the optimal acid–base environment was found, and the corresponding enhancement factors were calculated.

**English** Plasmonic particles such as gold nanorods (GNRs) are showing themselves as powerful contrast agents for important applications such as photoacoustic imaging and photothermal ablation of cancer. However, their unique photothermal conversion efficiency can turn into a practical disadvantage, and expose them to the risk of overheating and irreversible photodamage. The processes of prefusion and remodeling of GNRs under illumination with optical pulses of typical duration of the order of a few ns will be studied in depth. A retrospective classification of these approaches will be undertaken according to often implicit principles, such as: constraining the initial shape, speeding up their thermal coupling with the environment by lowering their thermal resistance at the interface, or redistributing the incoming energy among several particles. Advantages and disadvantages and contexts of practical interest in which one solution may be more appropriate than the other will be discussed. Stabilization of the optical properties of anisotropic plasmonic particles by thermal heating and laser irradiation is an important issue in many biomedical applications. The effect that small thiols have on the thermal photostability of gold nanorods will be addressed. The nanoparticles were treated with mixtures of poly-ethylene-glycol thiolate (PEG-SH) and methyl-benzene-thiol (MBT) with molar ratios ranging from 0 (for the case of pure PEG) to 20, and then incubated in an oven. under sub-boiling conditions. Small thiols have been found to greatly improve the thermal stability of GNRs. For example, after 1 hour at 90 °C the samples with pure PEG lost more than 70% of the optical absorbance in their initial peak position, while the particles covered with a dense layer of MBT remained almost unchanged. It is possible to attribute this effect to a modulation of the activation barrier for the superficial diffusion of the gold atoms. Furthermore, we addressed the translation of this effect on the photostability of irradiated gold nanorods under conditions of interest for photoacoustic imaging and it was found that small thiols delay the damage thresholds by up to a factor of 2. In this work of thesis also describes the effect of the thermal resistance at the gold-water interface (Kapitza resistance) on the photoacoustic conversion performance of gold nanorods. The results indicate possible strategies for optimizing plasmonic particles as contrast agents for imaging, or even as transducers for biosensors. An effective approach is also suggested to modulate the Kapitza resistance by including features not yet well studied such as roughness or the presence of adsorbates. Following this idea, a rough variant of gold nanorods was synthesized by galvanic deposition and replacement of a silver shell, where roughness provides photoacoustic signals approximately 70% higher and damage thresholds of 120%. Furthermore, the particles were coated with a protein crown, which brings about a decrease in photoacoustic signals as the thickness of the shell increases; this could inspire new solutions for biosensors based on a photoacoustic transduction mechanism. Both of these results are consistent with effective modulation of Kapitza resistance, which can decrease with roughening, due to an increase in specific surface area, and can increase with the introduction of a protein coating (which can act as insulation thermal). Hybrid materials consisting of core/shell Au/Ag nanorods have also been developed, included in porous biomimetic phantoms (scaffolds) of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (chitosan/PVA) for applications in tissue engineering and wound healing. The combination of Au and Ag in a single construct provides synergistic opportunities for optical activation of functions such as near-infrared laser tissue welding and remote interrogation for the acquisition of prognostically relevant parameters in monitoring wound healing. In particular, the bimetallic component ensures improved optical tunability, shelf life and photothermal stability, acts as a reservoir for germicidal silver cations. At the same time, the polymer blend is ideal for bonding to connective tissue following photothermal activation and for supporting manufacturing processes that provide high porosity, such as electro-spinning, thus setting all the conditions for cell repopulation and antimicrobial protection. In summary, in this work, the optimization of an important system such as GNRs for complementary applications in different biomedical fields has been addressed; their stability and photoacoustic conversion efficiency have been optimized for use as contrast agents optical, developing functional coatings with small organic molecules or with metal porous layers. Finally, the integration of Au/Ag bimetallic nanorods into hybrid scaffolds for tissue engineering was evaluated, exploiting both the photothermal conversion efficiency and the optical sensitivity to oxidative stress conditions, in order to activate processes and monitor parameters of interest in scope of wound healing. **Italiano** Le particelle plasmoniche come i nanorods d'oro (GNRs) si stanno mostrando potenti agenti di contrasto per applicazioni importanti come l'imaging fotoacustico e l'ablazione fototermica del cancro. Però, la loro efficienza unica di conversione fototermica può trasformarsi in uno svantaggio pratico, e esporli al rischio di surriscaldamento e fotodanneggiamento irreversibile. Verranno approfonditi i processi di prefusione e rimodellazione dei GNRs sotto illuminazione con impulsi ottici di durata tipica dell'ordine di pochi ns. Verrà intrapresa una classificazione retrospettiva di tali approcci secondo principi spesso impliciti, come: vincolare la forma iniziale, velocizzare il loro accoppiamento termico con l'ambiente abbassando la loro resistenza termica all'interfaccia, oppure ridistribuire l'energia in ingresso tra più particelle. Saranno discussi vantaggi e svantaggi e contesti di interesse pratico in cui una soluzione può essere più appropriata dell'altra. La stabilizzazione delle proprietà ottiche delle particelle plasmoniche anisotrope tramite riscaldamento termico e irradiazione laser è una questione importante in molte applicazioni biomediche. Verrà affrontato l'effetto che piccoli tioli hanno sulla fotostabilità termica dei nanorods d'oro. Le nanoparticelle sono state trattate con miscele di poli-etilen-glicole tiolato (PEG-SH) e metil-benzen-tiolo (MBT) con rapporti molari compresi tra 0 (per il caso del PEG puro) e 20, e poi incubati in stufa in condizioni di sub-ebollizione. È stato scoperto che i piccoli tioli migliorano notevolmente la stabilità termica dei GNRs. Ad esempio, dopo 1 ora a 90 °C i campioni con PEG puro hanno perso più del 70% dell'assorbanza ottica nella loro posizione di picco iniziale, mentre le particelle ricoperte di un denso strato di MBT sono rimaste pressoché invariate. È possibile attribuire questo effetto ad una modulazione della barriera di attivazione per la diffusione superficiale degli atomi d'oro. Inoltre, abbiamo affrontato la traduzione di questo effetto sulla fotostabilità dei nanorods d'oro irradiati in condizioni di interesse per l'imaging fotoacustico ed è stato scoperto che i piccoli tioli ritardano le soglie di danneggiamento fino a un fattore di 2. In questo lavoro di tesi viene descritto inoltre l'effetto della resistenza termica all'interfaccia oro-acqua (resistenza di Kapitza) sulle prestazioni di conversione fotoacustica dei nanorods d'oro. I risultati indicano possibili strategie per l'ottimizzazione delle particelle plasmoniche come agenti di contrasto per l'imaging, o anche come trasduttori per i biosensori. Viene inoltre suggerito un approccio efficace per modulare la resistenza di Kapitza includendo caratteristiche ancora non ben studiate come rugosità o presenza di adsorbati. Seguendo questa idea è stata sintetizzata una variante rugosa di nanorods d'oro per deposizione e sostituzione galvanica di un guscio d'argento, dove la rugosità fornisce segnali fotoacustici più elevati di circa il 70% e soglie di danneggiamento del 120%. Inoltre, le particelle sono state rivestite con una corona proteica, la quale apporta una diminuzione dei segnali fotoacustici con l'aumentare dello spessore del guscio; questo potrebbe ispirare nuove soluzioni per biosensori basate su un meccanismo di trasduzione fotoacustica. Entrambi questi risultati sono coerenti con un'efficace modulazione della resistenza di Kapitza, che può diminuire con l'irruvidimento, a causa di un aumento della superficie specifica, e può aumentare con l'introduzione di un rivestimento proteico (il quale può fungere da isolamento termico). Sono stati anche sviluppati materiali ibridi costituiti da nanorods core/shell Au/Ag, inclusi in fantocci biomimetici (scaffold) porosi di chitosano/polivinilil alcol (chitosano/PVA) per applicazioni nell'ingegneria tissutale e nella guarigione delle ferite (wound healing). La combinazione di Au e Ag in un unico costrutto fornisce opportunità sinergiche per l'attivazione ottica di funzioni come la saldatura dei tessuti con laser nel vicino infrarosso e l’interrogazione remota per l’acquisizione di parametri di rilevanza prognostica nel monitoraggio della guarigione delle ferite. In particolare, la componente bimetallica assicura sintonizzabilità ottica, durata di conservazione e stabilità fototermica migliori, funge da serbatoio di cationi d'argento germicidi. Allo stesso tempo, la miscela polimerica è ideale per essere legata al tessuto connettivo a seguito di attivazione fototermica e per supportare i processi di fabbricazione che forniscono un’elevata porosità, come l'elettrofilatura, ponendo così tutte le premesse per il ripopolamento cellulare e la protezione antimicrobica. In sintesi, in questo lavoro, è stata affrontata l'ottimizzazione di un sistema importante come i GNRs per applicazioni complementari in diversi ambiti biomedici; ne è stata ottimizzata la stabilità e l'efficienza di conversione fotoacustica per essere utilizzati come agenti di contrasto ottico, sviluppandone rivestimenti funzionali con piccole molecole organiche oppure con strati porosi metallici. Infine è stata valutata l'integrazione di nanorods bimetallici di Au/Ag in scaffold ibridi per ingegneria tissutale, sfruttandone sia l'efficienza di conversione fototermica sia la sensibilità ottica alle condizioni di stress ossidativo, allo scopo di attivare processi e monitorare parametri di interesse nell'ambito del wound healing.