The evolution of the optical absorptive effects exhibited by plasmonic nanoparticles was systematically analyzed by electronic signals modulated by a Rössler attractor system. A sol-gel approach was employed for the preparation of the studied Au nanoparticles embedded in a TiO2 thin solid film. The inclusion of the nanoparticles in an inhomogeneous biological sample integrated by human cells deposited in an ITO glass substrate was evaluated with a high level of sensitivity using an opto-electronic chaotic circuit. The optical response of the nanoparticles was determined using nanosecond laser pulses in order to guarantee the sensing performance of the system. It was shown that high-intensity irradiances at a wavelength of 532 nm could promote a change in the absorption band of the localized surface plasmon resonance associated with an increase in the nanoparticle density of the film. Moreover, it was revealed that interferometrically-controlled energy transfer mechanisms can be useful for thermo-plasmonic functions and sharp selective optical damage induced by the vectorial nature of light. Immediate applications of two-wave mixing techniques, together with chaotic effects, can be contemplated in the development of nanostructured sensors and laser-induced controlled explosions, with potential applications for biomedical photo-thermal processes.
22 July 2021 in Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
Hyaluronan (HA) is a natural biodegradable biopolymer; its biological functions include cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and differentiation as well as decreasing inflammation, angiogenesis, and regeneration of damaged tissue. This makes it a suitable candidate for fabricating nanomaterials with potential use in tissue engineering. However, HA nanofiber production is restricted due to the high viscosity, low evaporation rate, and high surface tension of HA solutions. Here, hybrids in the form of continuous and randomly aligned polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–(HA)–siloxane nanofibers were obtained using an electrospinning process. PVA–HA fibers were crosslinked by a 3D siloxane organic–inorganic matrix via sol-gel that restricts natural hydrophilicity and stiffens the structure. The hybrid nanofiber mats were characterized by FT-IR, micro-Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and biological properties. The PVA/HA ratio influenced the morphology of the hybrid nanofibers. Nanofibers with high PVA content (10PVA-8 and 10PVA-10) form mats with few beaded nanofibers, while those with high HA content (5PVA-8 and 5PVA-10) exhibit mats with mound patterns formed by “ribbon-like” nanofibers. The hybrid nanofibers were used as mats to support osteoblast growth, and they showed outstanding biological properties supporting cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation. Importantly, the 5PVA-8 mats show 3D spherical osteoblast morphology; this suggests the formation of tissue growth. These novel HA-based nanomaterials represent a relevant advance in designing nanofibers with unique properties for potential tissue regeneration.
A fractional description for the optically induced mechanisms responsible for conductivity and multiphotonic effects in ZnO nanomaterials is studied here. Photoconductive, electrical, and nonlinear optical phenomena exhibited by pure micro and nanostructured ZnO samples were analyzed. A hydrothermal approach was used to synthetize ZnO micro-sized crystals, while a spray pyrolysis technique was employed to prepare ZnO nanostructures. A contrast in the fractional electrical behavior and photoconductivity was identified for the samples studied. A positive nonlinear refractive index was measured on the nanoscale sample using the z-scan technique, which endows it with a dominant real part for the third-order optical nonlinearity. The absence of nonlinear optical absorption, along with a strong optical Kerr effect in the ZnO nanostructures, shows favorable perspectives for their potential use in the development of all-optical switching devices. Fractional models for predicting electronic and nonlinear interactions in nanosystems could pave the way for the development of optoelectronic circuits and ultrafast functions controlled by ZnO photo technology.
Transition metal oxides have been applied to degrade organic dyes found in water bodies via photocatalysis. To do it, however, is essential that the dye molecules adsorb onto the metal oxide surface. Thus, optimizing the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent increases the probability of reaction between oxidation radicals and organic dye molecules and maximizes the effectiveness per gram of photocatalyst. With this in mind, we studied the adsorption behavior of Methylene Blue (MB) and Acid Orange 7 (AO7), two commonly found pollutants, as a function of dilution’s pH, WO3 load, and initial dye concentration. We found out that WO3 adsorbs up to 80% of MB at pH = 6, and 13% of AO7 at pH = 2, although it is unable to adsorb AO7 at the natural pH of the dye dilution. Assuming a pseudo-second order kinetics model for the analysis of the MB adsorption amount, we determined a rate constant k2 = 6 × 10−2(g · mg−1)/min for the adsorption process. We put forward a molecular model for adsorption, driven by concentration gradients and electrostatic interactions. Finally, from a statistical analysis, we determined that pH is the most significant factor for the adsorption of MB and AO7 on WO3, reinforcing the notion that electrostatic interactions are the main mechanism driving the adsorption process. The Box–Behnken design optimization also evinces the key playing role of WO3 load in the adsorption percentage of AO7 and let us establish the optimal load required to maximize adsorption. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
A laser ablation process assisted by the feedback of a sensor with chaotic electronic modulation is reported. A synchronous bistable logic circuit was analyzed for switching optical signals in a laser-processing technique. The output of a T-type flip-flop configuration was employed in the photodamage of NiO films. Multiphotonic effects involved in the ablation threshold were evaluated by a vectorial two-wave mixing method. A photoinduced thermal phenomenon was identified as the main physical mechanism responsible for the nonlinearity of index under nanosecond irradiation at 532 nm wavelength. Comparative experiments for destroying highly transparent human cells were carried out. Potential applications for developing hierarchical functions yielding laser-induced controlled explosions with immediate applications for biomedical photothermal processes can be contemplated.