நானோ அறிவியல் இதழ்: தற்போதைய ஆராய்ச்சி

The significant step in CaCO3 fabrication is to obtain homogenous population. There is a wide application in biomedical and industry market, since many reports have been investigated possible control of its diameter and shape during fabrication. Nowadays, CaCO3 template can be synthesised in diameter near or less than 120 nm. Control factors affected CaCO3 nucleation with integration of polymer inside were the main purpose in CaCO3 modification. In spite of great work that was done, designing of CaCO3 matrix as a way to be more attractive for hydrophobic cargo molecules could need a second eye for other investigation. The modification of CaCO3 matrix not only can provide mechanical support of all of CaCO3 architecture, or as a vehicle for hydrophobic molecules but also can be used as a smart vector for integration other drug delivery system such as liposome, micelles or even lipid nanoparticles.

Carbon nanotubes, made of graphene, one of the world’s strongest material, has shown properties that are used in applications such as energy storage devices, electron emission devices, and environmental engineering application. Recently, researchers have focused on determining the effects of carbon nanotubes on soil microorganisms and plants.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if the multi-walled carbon nanotubes will affect the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris as well as inhibit the growth of select soil microbes.
Methods: The effects of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes were determined on bean plants grown under hydroponic conditions and on select soil microbes. Two weeks after germination, the plants were exposed to different concentrations of dispersed multi-walled carbon. The different concentrations were 0 ug (control), 50 μg, 250 μg, 500 μg, 750 μg and 1000 μg mLˉˡ. The growth was reported weekly by measuring the plants themselves, the diameter of the leaf, length and width, the roots, and the fruits. Cultures of Mesorhizobium sp. and Nitrosomonas stercoris were exposed to the 0 μg (control), 50 μg, 250 μg, 500 μg, 750 μg and 1000 μg mLˉˡ of dispersed MWCNTs then incubated in the BioScreen reader. The optical density was reported every 30 minutes for 24 hours.
Results: Our results showed that at 50 μg/mL, bean plants exhibited tolerance to the multi-walled carbon nanotubes whereas at 250 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL of MWCNTs plants showed reduced growth and development and even plant death. Aliquots of 750 μg/mL and above of MWCNTs lowered the microbial biomass. The presence of high concentrations of carbon nanotubes is likely to cause stress to microbes and the direct contact of CNTs with microbes could damage their cell membrane leading to cell death.
Conclusion: As results of this study, the concentration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes should be set at a maximum of 500 μg mLˉˡ when being released to the soil or environment.

Tin (Sn) and Strontium (Sr) doped Zinc Sulphide and pure Zinc Sulphide photocatalyst have been prepared by Sol-Gel method. The prepared photocatalyst have been characterised by Thermo gravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray, X-Ray Diffraction, ultra-violet visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Characterization Techniques have provided information of wurtzite hexagonal structure of Zinc Sulphide. The PL spectra have shown the blue shift of Zinc Sulphide after doping it with Tin and Strontium. Photocatalytic degradation study was done by the complete degradation of an organic pollutant Resorcinol in Sun light as well as in UV-light. The factors affecting the photocatalytic activity of photocatalyst viz. pH, catalyst loading and reuse of photocatalyst have been studied along with the photocatalytic degradation of Resorcinol. These external parameters have considerable influenced on the phtocatalytic activity of Zinc Sulphide.

Nanoengineering is a mushrooming branch with which humans wish to create self-free capitulating creatures that walk around and even dream from mere inanimate ingredients. It has engulfed almost every field be it Nanomedicine, Nano dentistry, Nano on the move, technology or rather Nano is in the air. It may sound fictitious now, but in the future, we dentists will be replaced by microscopic machines called Nano assemblers. The state of nanotechnology today represents something of a PARADOX. On one hand, the marketplace is flooded with products endorsing nanotechnology. While on the other hand, understanding of the underlying properties of Nanoscale materials and structures is still at a rudimentary level with dawning fear of singularity where Nanomachines will rule the human mind. Thus, it is rightly compared with a toy box of nature having the ability to create limitless things. It's on how we use this toy box will determine humanity's tomorrow-Good or bad.