Enhanced ultrafast optomagnetic effects in room-temperature ferromagnetic Pt nanoclusters embedded in silica by ion implantation.

Ferromagnetic-like behavior at room temperature (300 K) was observed in Pt particles embedded in ion-implanted silica matrices. Results in samples integrated by ultra-small photoluminescent Pt clusters (<2 nm) were compared with samples containing exclusively larger plasmonic Pt nanoparticles (>3 nm). The ferromagnetic behavior coexists simultaneously with a diamagnetic response. Enhanced diamagnetic response of one order of magnitude was observed compared to typical diamagnetism in pure silica, and it is increased with the mean diameter of the Pt particles. Besides, a larger sensitivity to an external field was observed in the ferromagnetic response of the nanostructures with a characteristic saturation at 20 kOe. This ferromagnetic behavior was only observed in the samples with nucleated Pt particles. The magnitude of the saturation magnetization shows up to a fivefold increase in the samples with smaller particle size and larger particle density. Saturation magnetization was observed between 3-15 × 10-4 emu g-1, with remanent magnetization of 0.2-0.6 × 10-4emu g-1, measured at 300 K. Coercitive fields also decrease in samples with smaller size and particles density, with values of 114 and 300 Oe. At lower temperatures (5 K) the saturation magnetization increases, as it would be expected from a ferromagnetic state. Optomagnetic response was studied by inverse Faraday effects and induced photomagnetization with circular polarized picosecond pulsed light at 1064 nm wavelength. Results showed that samples with a stronger ferromagnetic response exhibit larger Faraday rotation up to 5.3 × 103deg cm-1 by light excitations with irradiances between 50 and 180 GW cm-2. These findings have immediate applications in multifunctional solid-state magneto-optical devices such as optical isolators, high-data storage devices and ultrafast all-optical switching of magnetization.

Photocatalytic activity of Ag/Al2O3-Gd2O3 photocatalysts prepared by the sol-gel method in the degradation of 4-chlorophenol.

The photocatalytic activity in the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-ClPh) in aqueous medium (80 ppm) using 2.0 wt% Ag/Al2O3-Gd2O3 (Ag/Al-Gd-x; where x = 2.0, 5.0, 15.0, 25.0 and 50.0 wt% of Gd2O3) photocatalysts prepared by the sol-gel method was studied under UV light irradiation. The photocatalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction, SEM, HRTEM, UV-Vis, XPS, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. About 67.0% of 4-ClPh was photoconverted after 4 h of UV light irradiation using Ag/γ--Al2O3. When Ag/Al-Gd-x photocatalysts were tested, the 4-ClPh photoconversion was improved and more than 90.0% of 4-ClPh was photoconverted after 3 h of UV light irradiation in the materials containing 15.0 and 25.0 wt% of Gd2O3. Ag/Al-Gd-25 was the material with the highest efficacy to mineralize dissolved organic carbon, mineralizing more than 85.0% after 4 h of UV light irradiation. Silver nanoparticles and micro-particles of irregular pentagonal shape intersected by plane nanobelts of Al2O3-Gd2O3 composite oxide were detected in the Ag/Al-Gd-25 photocatalyst. This material is characterized by a lowest recombination rate of electron-hole pairs. The low recombination rate of photo-induced electron-hole pairs in the Ag/Al-Gd-x photocatalysts with high Gd2O3 contents (≥15.0 wt%) confirmes that the presence of silver nanoparticles and microparticles interacting with Al2O3-Gd2O3 composite oxide entities favors the separation of photo-induced charges (e- and h+). These materials could be appropriate to be used as highly efficient photocatalysts to eliminate high concentrations of 4-ClPh in aqueous medium.

Bioactive materials improve some physical properties of a MTA-like cement.

One of the main disadvantages of MTA is its long setting time which could result in higher solubility and microleakage, producing a failed treatment. Studies have shown that the addition of bioactive glass may decrease the setting time. The aim of this study is to evaluate the compressive strength, setting time, solubility and radiopacity of a MTAlike experimental cement to which different percentage of wollastonite and bioactive glass are added. White MTA Angelus® was used as control; an experimental MTA-like cement (ExpC) was prepared using white Portland cement with 20wt% of Bi2O3; three wollastonite cement composites were prepared adding 10, 20 and 30wt% of wollastonite to ExpC, and three more adding the same proportions of bioactive glass. Compressive strength was tested according to ADA 30; radiopacity, setting time and solubility were tested according to ISO 6876. SEM observations of the surface were made after the solubility test. Compressive strength, setting time, solubility and radiopacity were reduced as the wollastonite increased; solubility increased with the addition of bioactive glass. The surfaces of MTA Angelus® and ExpC were smoother than Wollastonite and Bioactive glass groups. Addition of wollastonite and bioactive glass improved the physical properties of a MTA-like experimental cement, reducing the setting time with good solubility percentages, which would be an advantage in its clinical use.

Coalescence phenomena in 1D silver nanostructures.

Different coalescence processes on 1D silver nanostructures synthesized by a PVP assisted reaction in ethylene glycol at 160 °C were studied experimentally and theoretically. Analysis by TEM and HRTEM shows different defects found on the body of these materials, suggesting that they were induced by previous coalescence processes in the synthesis stage. TEM observations showed that irradiation with the electron beam eliminates the boundaries formed near the edges of the structures, suggesting that this process can be carried out by the application of other means of energy (i.e. thermal). These results were also confirmed by theoretical calculations by Monte Carlo simulations using a Sutton-Chen potential. A theoretical study by molecular dynamics simulation of the different coalescence processes on 1D silver nanostructures is presented, showing a surface energy driven sequence followed to form the final coalesced structure. Calculations were made at 1000-1300 K, which is near the melting temperature of silver (1234 K). Based on these results, it is proposed that 1D nanostructures can grow through a secondary mechanism based on coalescence, without losing their dimensionality.