Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons^™

The Fabrication And Characterization Of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Employed In Environmental Toxicity And Polymeric Nanocomposite Applications, Matthew Logan Hancock

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Ceria (cerium oxide) nanomaterials, or nanoceria, have commercial catalysis and energy storage applications. The cerium atoms on the surface of nanoceria can store or release oxygen, cycling between Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺, and can therefore act as a therapeutic to relieve oxidative stress within living systems. Nanoceria dissolution is present in acidic environments in vivo. In order to accurately define the fate of nanoceria in vivo, nanoceria dissolution or stabilization is observed in vitro using acidic aqueous environments.

Nanoceria stabilization is a known problem even during its synthesis; in fact, a carboxylic acid, citric acid, is …

Au@Tio2 Nanocomposites Synthesized By X-Ray Radiolysis As Potential Radiosensitizers, Maria C. Molina Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

Radiosensitization is a novel targeted therapy strategy where chemical compounds are being explored to enhance the sensitivity of the tissue to the effects of ionizing radiation. Among the different radiosensitizers alternatives, nanomaterials have shown promising results by enhancing tumor injury through the production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this work, Gold-supported titania (Au@TiO₂) nanocomposites were synthesized through an innovative strategy using X-ray irradiation, and their potential as radiosensitizers was investigated. Radiosensitization of Au@TiO₂ nanocomposites was assessed by monitoring the decomposition of Methylene Blue (MB) under X-ray irradiation in the presence of the nanomaterial. …

Engineering Magnetic Properties Of Nanoparticles For Biomedical Applications And Magnetic Thin Film Composite Heterostructures For Device Applications., Shivakumar Hunagund

Theses and Dissertations

The motivation of this study is to investigate the size dependent properties of Gadolinium silicide nanoparticles and their potential applications in Biomedicine. We use two approaches in our investigation - size dependence and possible exchange interaction in a core-shell structure. Past results showed Gd₅Si₄ NPs exhibit significantly reduced echo time compared to superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) when measured in a 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. This indicates potential use of Gd₅Si₄ ferromagnetic nanoparticles as T2 contrast agents for MRI.

Until recently most contrast agents (CA) that are used in Magnetic Resonance …