Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Fabrication Of Metal-Silicon Nanostructures By Reactive Laser Ablation In Liquid, Eric J. Broadhead

Theses and Dissertations

Metal-silicon nanostructures are a growing area of research due to their applications in multiple fields such as biosensing and catalysis. In addition, silicon can provide strong support effects to metal nanoparticles while being more cost effective than traditionally used supports, like titania. Traditional wet-chemical methods are capable of synthesizing metal-silicon nanostructures with a variety of composition and nanoparticle shapes, but they often require high temperatures, toxic solvents, strong reducing agents, or need capping agents added to stabilize the nanoparticles. Laser processing is an emerging technique capable of synthesizing metal-silicon composite surfaces that offers a faster, simpler, and greener synthesis route …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Metallic Nanoparticles For Catalytic Applications, Sarah Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, research has focused on reducing the cost of catalysts in a variety of ways including using less expensive materials, improving the synthetic method, and increasing the catalytic activity, recovery, and recyclability. Typically with nanoparticles, the size, shape, composition, and surface coating have an effect on catalytic activity.^1-2 In this work, we focused on reducing the cost of precious metal based catalysts by altering the synthetic methods.

One way to lower the cost of synthesizing precious metal nanoparticles is by debasing the precious metal with a second cheaper more abundant metal. CuPd nanoparticles were synthesized in oleylamine …

Synthesis, Surface Functionalization, And Biological Testing Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles For Development As A Cancer Therapeutic, Stanley E. Gilliland Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Iron oxide nanoparticles are highly researched for their use in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, diagnosis, and therapy. The inherent biodegradable and biocompatible nanoparticle properties make them highly advantageous in nanomedicine. The magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles make them promising candidates for magnetic fluid hyperthermia applications. Designing an efficient iron oxide nanoparticle for hyperthermia requires synthetic, surface functionalization, stability, and biological investigations. This research focused on the following three areas: optimizing synthesis conditions for maximum radiofrequency induced magnetic hyperthermia, designing a simple and modifiable surface functionalization method for specific or broad biological stability, and in vitro and in …

Modified Seed Growth Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles In Benzyl Alcohol: Magnetic Nanoparticles For Radio Frequency Hyperthermia Treatment Of Cancer, Stanley E. Gilliland Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Iron oxide nanoparticles have received sustained interest for biomedical applications as synthetic approaches are continually developed for precise control of nanoparticle properties. This thesis presents an investigation of parameters in the benzyl alcohol synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles. A modified seed growth method was designed for obtaining optimal nanoparticle properties for magnetic fluid hyperthermia. With a one or two addition process, iron oxide nanoparticles were produced with crystallite sizes ranging from 5-20 nm using only benzyl alcohol and iron precursor. The effects of reaction environment, temperature, concentration, and modified seed growth parameters were investigated to obtain precise control over properties …

Characterization Of Stabilized Palladium Nanocatalysts, Meghann Broderick

Theses and Dissertations

Metal nanoparticles have received much interest for their application in catalysis due to high surface-to-volume ratios resulting in more available active sites. Ideally these catalysts are heterogeneous and allow for facile separation from the catalytic reaction mixture making them ideal for industrial application. Dispersed metal nanoparticles are explored due to their high reactivity in solution and are stabilized by surfactants and polymers. However, it is difficult to determine whether or not a catalyst is truly heterogeneous as a certain degree of leaching from the metal nanoparticle is inevitable. Determining the mechanisms involved in nanocatalysis is also a challenge. In this …

Synthesis Of Novel Antimycobacterials And A Fluorescent Sensor For Simple Carbohydrates, Brian Thomas Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Cell surface carbohydrates play an important role in a wide variety of biological processes such as inflammation, tumor metastasis, and viral and bacterial infection. The goal of our research has been two-fold. The first objective was the synthesis of antimycobacterial compounds. A mannose containing tetrasaccharide from the mannan core of lipoarabinomannan (LAM) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been synthesized using α-D-methylmannopyranoside as starting material and Koeings-Knorr reactions to couple saccharides. The synthesis was completed in nine steps and in 14% total yield. This compound should be useful in competitive inhibition studies with macrophages or as an immunological marker. We have successfully …