Introduction Of ZnO Nanoparticles Research Articles

ZnO nanoparticles in composted sewage sludge enhance soil fertility and rice nutrition but elevate As and Pb accumulation

The widespread use of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) in a variety of industries results in their release into sewage systems. This presents a risk when composted sewage sludge (CSS) is used as fertilizer. This study examined the effects of ZnO NPs in CSS on rice-soil systems and assessed the health risks associated with consuming rice grown under these circumstances. ZnO NPs were added to CSS at concentrations lower than the regulatory safety limit of 2800 mg Zn kg⁻¹. The results show that higher levels of ZnO NPs in CSS improved the mineral composition of rice grains and increased soil fertility, as evidenced by significant increases in N (1.6–2.3-fold) and K levels. The levels of tyrosine-like fraction, C4, and the biological index (BIX) in soil dissolved organic matter increased upon the introduction of ZnO NPs into CSS, indicating that microbial activity and nutrient cycling have been enhanced. However, the concentrations of As and Pb in rice grains were significantly increased by the elevated levels of ZnO NPs in CSS, reaching up to 1.5 and 2.3 times the control levels, respectively. This increased hazard quotients and pushed hazard indexes beyond acceptable levels, suggesting that rice consumers are at significant health risk. This study underscores the critical need for more stringent and comprehensive regulatory frameworks to ensure the safety of CSS application in crop production and to manage the intricacies of NP use in agriculture.

Simulation of thermal storage system integrated with U-shaped evacuated tube solar unit involving nanoparticle enhanced paraffin

This paper presents a novel approach to boost the productivity of U-pipe solar evacuated-tube system. The integration of a paraffin-nanoparticle mixture enhances the system's heat storage capacity significantly. Additionally, the incorporation of fins expedites the critical melting process. The study utilizes advanced numerical simulations conducted through the finite volume method. This integrated approach represents a notable progression in solar collector technology, offering potential for increased energy efficiency. To expedite the melting process, four fin configurations were taken into account. Six cases, integrating both loading nanoparticles and fin installation, were analyzed numerically using an implicit technique to demonstrate their impact. The required boundary conditions were determined through reference to previous experimental work. The numerical approach was validated using methods outlined in prior publications, resulting in satisfactory agreement. In the absence of fins, the dispersion of nano-powders leads to a 4.5 % increase in the liquid fraction (LF) after approximately 100 s, and a 2.9 % increase after about 400 s. On the other hand, when the optimal configuration of fins is incorporated, the LF experiences significant enhancements of approximately 138.71 % and 54.91 % at time intervals of 100 and 400 s, respectively. At 400 s, the introduction of ZnO nanoparticles and the incorporation of fins lead to temperature increases in the paraffin by approximately 0.5 % and 12.09 %, respectively. Meanwhile, at 250 s, the thermal performance, indicated by the LF value, exhibits a twofold improvement in the finned case compared to the finless case without nanoparticles.

Comparative Study of Impact of Zinc Oxide and Copper (II) Oxide Nanoparticles on Viscosity of Water Based Drilling Fluid

Drilling fluids play very important roles in the oil and gas industry hence the need to get method of improving their rheological properties cannot be over emphasized. In this study how drilling fluid rheological property can be improved using zinc oxide and copper (II) oxide nanoparticles were investigated. To achieve these objectives, water based drilling fluids (WBDF) were prepared using the standard laboratory barrel (350 ml) method from bentonite, xanthan gum and water. The Zinc oxide and Copper (II) nanoparticles were introduced into the formulation in different proportions. Brookfield rotational viscometer was used to determine the rheological properties of the samples while Fourier Transformation Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the structural analysis of the interaction between the nanoparticles and the Xanthan gum. The results showed that Zinc oxide and CuO nanoparticle improved the rheological properties of the water based drilling fluid. The zinc oxide at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased the viscosity from 834.7 to 1597.3 mPa.s while the copper (II) oxide nanoparticles at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased from 834.7 to 1452.3 mPa.s at low temperature of 31.5oC. The FTIR analysis of the nanoparticles and xanthan gum revealed that the interactions of the bonds between the nanoparticles and xanthan gum contributed to the improvement in the rheological properties of the drilling fluids. It is concluded that introduction of ZnO nanoparticles and CuO nanoparticles improved the rheological performance of water based drilling fluids with xanthan gum. The ZnO nanoparticles, however, exhibited better improvement than the CuO.

Comparative Study of Impact of Zinc Oxide and Copper (II) Oxide Nanoparticles on Viscosity of Water Based Drilling Fluid

Drilling fluids play very important roles in the oil and gas industry hence the need to get method of improving their rheological properties cannot be over emphasized. In this study how drilling fluid rheological property can be improved using zinc oxide and copper (II) oxide nanoparticles were investigated. To achieve these objectives, water based drilling fluids (WBDF) were prepared using the standard laboratory barrel (350 ml) method from bentonite, xanthan gum and water. The Zinc oxide and Copper (II) nanoparticles were introduced into the formulation in different proportions. Brookfield rotational viscometer was used to determine the rheological properties of the samples while Fourier Transformation Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the structural analysis of the interaction between the nanoparticles and the Xanthan gum. The results showed that Zinc oxide and CuO nanoparticle improved the rheological properties of the water based drilling fluid. The zinc oxide at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased the viscosity from 834.7 to 1597.3 mPa.s while the copper (II) oxide nanoparticles at equal proportion with xanthan gum at 60 rpm shear rate increased from 834.7 to 1452.3 mPa.s at low temperature of 31.5oC. The FTIR analysis of the nanoparticles and xanthan gum revealed that the interactions of the bonds between the nanoparticles and xanthan gum contributed to the improvement in the rheological properties of the drilling fluids. It is concluded that introduction of ZnO nanoparticles and CuO nanoparticles improved the rheological performance of water based drilling fluids with xanthan gum. The ZnO nanoparticles, however, exhibited better improvement than the CuO.

Improvements in Sensing Responses to Ammonia Gas for the In-Ga-Zn-O Thin-Film Transistor Using Atomic-Layer-Deposited ZnO Nanoparticles as Gas Sensitizers

Bottom-gate sensor thin-film transistors (TFT) using In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin films as active channel and sensing layers were fabricated and characterized, which is featured to employ ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as sensitizers for gas sensing. ZnO-NPs with island structures were deposited by controlling the ALD cycles and temperatures. The introduction of ZnO-NPs on the top of the IGZO channel for the sensor TFT improved the device characteristics including the stability. The response to NH3 gas was clearly confirmed for the device employing ZnO-NPs. The Vth was shifted in a negative direction under an NH3 ambient and was almost recovered to initial value. The reproducibility in sensing response was also demonstrated at repeatedly examined measurements. Controlled preparation of ZnO-NPs was effective for enhancing both stability and sensitivity of the proposed IGZO gas sensor TFTs.

ZnO Nanoparticles Concentration Dependent Optical Properties of Erbium Doped Phosphate Glass

Precise manipulation of nanoparticles (NPs) in rare earth doped inorganic glasses for achieving tuneable physical and optical properties is challenging. Series of erbium doped phosphate glasses containing ZnO NPs with composition (78.5-x)P2O510Li2O10ZnO1.5Er2O3(x)ZnO, where 0x1.2 are prepared using melt quenching method. The local structures analyzed using FTIR spectra reveal an increase in depolymerisation of the glass at Q3 tetrahedral sites due to the introduction of ZnO NPs. The optical band gap energy obtained from UV-Vis absorption spectra varies within 3.533.59 eV and the Urbach energy increase as much as 0.260 eV. The role of ZnO NPs within the lithium (II) oxide-zinc oxide-phosphate glass matrix in influencing the optical and structural responses are analyzed and discussed. The observed optical improvements suggest that these glasses are potential for photonic devices.

Enhancing NO2 gas sensing performances at room temperature based on reduced graphene oxide-ZnO nanoparticles hybrids

NO2 gas sensor has been constructed using reduced graphene oxide-ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-rGO) hybrids as sensing materials. Most importantly, the sensor exhibits higher sensitivity, shorter response time and recovery time than those of the sensor based on rGO, indicating that the sensing performances for NO2 sensing operating at room temperature have been enhanced by introduction of ZnO nanoparticles into rGO matrix.

Synthesis of porous chitosan–polyaniline/ZnO hybrid composite and application for removal of reactive orange 16 dye

For the first time, chitosan–polyaniline/ZnO hybrids were prepared through a polymerization of aniline hydrochloride in the presence of ZnCl2 and chitosan. The hybrid materials were characterized by FT-IR, BET, SEM, UV–vis spectra and XRD analysis. From the BET and SEM micrographs, the introduction of ZnO nanoparticles into chitosan–polyaniline hybrid could obviously increase the porosity due to good possibility for dye adsorption. Adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of contact time, concentration of dye, adsorbent dosage and pH using reactive orange 16 as a model pollutant. The adsorption equilibrium data were fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm equation, with maximum adsorption capacity value was found to be 476.2mgg−1. Adsorption kinetics was best described by the pseudo-second-order model agreed well with the experimental data and good correlation (R2>0.999). Photocatalytic degradation of dye under UV irradiation at pH 5.8 has also been examined. FT-IR spectrum clearly indicates that before adsorption of hybrid showed the functional groups of chitosan and polyaniline, whereas the dye adsorbed hybrid only present the dye molecules and ZnO. Based on the results of present investigation, the introduction of ZnCl2 into chitosan–polyaniline hybrid will enhance the adsorption of reactive dyes and photocatalytic degradation.

Transparent and thermally stable improved poly (vinyl alcohol)/Cloisite Na+/ZnO hybrid nanocomposite films: Fabrication, morphology and surface properties

A series of poly(vinyl alcohol)/Cloisite Na+-Tyrosine/Zinc oxide (PVA/Cloisite Na+-Tyr/ZnO) bionanocomposites were prepared by dispersing ZnO nanoparticles in solution containing mixture of the PVA and modified Cloisite Na+. Structure of nanocomposite coatings was investigated by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal stability and optical properties of bionanocomposite were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and UV–vis spectroscopy, respectively. The introduction of ZnO nanoparticles into PVA/Cloisite Na+-Tyr mixed solutions significantly increased the thermal stability of the obtained films. The results revealed that the high UV-shielding efficiency of the composites: for a film containing 6.0wt% of ZnO nanocrystals, over 92% of UV light at wavelengths of 368nm was absorbed while the optical transparency in the visible region was slightly below that of a PVA/Cloisite Na+-Tyr film.

Preparation and photovoltaic property of a new polyfluorene derivative/ZnO nanoparticles hybrid composites

A new kind of polyfluorene copolymers, poly(2,7-(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene)- alt-5,5 -(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′,-benzothiadiazole) (PFDTBT), was prepared. The introduction of ZnO nanoparticles with perfect wurtzite crystal character into PFDTBT makes the resulted single-layer photovoltaic device to perform a significant photovoltaic response. Among the tested devices, the best performance is observed for that containing 60 wt% of ZnO nanoparticles, which has a photocurrent density of 1.17 μA/cm 2, an open circuit voltage of 0.81 V, a fill factor of 0.09 and a power conversion efficiency of 0.009%. The results show that the polyfluorene derivatives/ZnO nanoparticles hybrid composites are excellent fluorescence and photovoltaic materials.