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Gao S, Fleisch M, Rupp RA, Cmok L, Medle-Rupnik P, Mertelj A, Lisjak D, Zhang X, Drevenšek-Olenik I. Magnetically tunable optical diffraction gratings based on a ferromagnetic liquid crystal. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:8900-8911. [PMID: 31052701 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.008900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Transmission optical diffraction gratings composed of periodic slices of a ferromagnetic liquid crystal and a conventional photoresist polymer are demonstrated. Dependence of diffraction efficiencies of various diffraction orders on an in-plane external magnetic field is investigated. It is shown that diffraction properties can be effectively tuned by magnetic fields as low as a few mT. The tuning mechanism is explained in the framework of a simple empirical model and also by numerical simulations based on the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA). The obtained results provide a proof of principle of operation of magnetically tunable liquid crystalline diffractive optical elements applicable in contactless schemes for control of optical signals.
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Oliveira H, Bednarkiewicz A, Falk A, Fröhlich E, Lisjak D, Prina‐Mello A, Resch S, Schimpel C, Vrček IV, Wysokińska E, Gorris HH. Critical Considerations on the Clinical Translation of Upconversion Nanoparticles (UCNPs): Recommendations from the European Upconversion Network (COST Action CM1403). Adv Healthc Mater 2019; 8:e1801233. [PMID: 30536962 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The unique photoluminescent properties of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have attracted worldwide research interest and inspired many bioanalytical applications. The anti-Stokes emission with long luminescence lifetimes, narrow and multiple absorption and emission bands, and excellent photostability enable background-free and multiplexed detection in deep tissues. So far, however, in vitro and in vivo applications of UCNPs are restricted to the laboratory use due to safety concerns. Possible harmful effects may originate from the chemical composition but also from the small size of UCNPs. Potential end users must rely on well-founded safety data. Thus, a risk to benefit assessment of the envisioned combined therapeutic and diagnostic ("theranostic") applications is fundamentally important to bridge the translational gap between laboratory and clinics. The COST Action CM1403 "The European Upconversion Network-From the Design of Photon-Upconverting Nanomaterials to Biomedical Applications" integrates research on UCNPs ranging from fundamental materials synthesis and research, detection instrumentation, biofunctionalization, and bioassay development to toxicity testing. Such an interdisciplinary approach is necessary for a better and safer theranostic use of UCNPs. Here, the status of nanotoxicity research on UCNPs is compared to other nanomaterials, and routes for the translation of UCNPs into clinical applications are delineated.
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Sebastian N, Lisjak D, Čopič M, Buchnev O, Mertelj A. Comparison of dynamic behavior of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic nematic suspensions. J Mol Liq 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2017.11.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Sebastián N, Osterman N, Lisjak D, Čopič M, Mertelj A. Director reorientation dynamics of ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystals. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:7180-7189. [PMID: 30141811 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm01377b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Successful realization of ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystals has opened up the possibility to experimentally study a completely new set of fundamental physical phenomena. In this contribution we present a detailed investigation of some aspects of the static response and the complex dynamics of ferromagnetic liquid crystals under the application of an external magnetic field. Experimental results are then compared with a macroscopic model. Dynamics of the director were measured by optical methods and analyzed in terms of a theoretical macroscopic model. A dissipative cross-coupling coefficient describing the dynamic coupling between the two system order parameters, the magnetization and the nematic director, is needed to explain the results. In this contribution we examine the dependency of this coefficient on material parameters and the saturation magnetization and the liquid crystal host. Despite the complexity of the system, the theoretical description allows for a proper interpretation of the results and is connected to several microscopic aspects of the colloidal suspension.
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Makovec D, Belec B, Goršak T, Lisjak D, Komelj M, DraŽić G, Gyergyek S. Discrete evolution of the crystal structure during the growth of Ba-hexaferrite nanoplatelets. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:14480-14491. [PMID: 30022216 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr03815e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of the adaptation of the crystal structure of materials confined at the nanoscale, the influences of their specific structures on the evolution of their morphologies and, finally, their functional properties is essential not only for expanding fundamental knowledge, but also for facilitating the designs of novel nanostructures for diverse technological and medical applications. Here we describe how the distinct structure of barium-hexaferrite nanoplatelets evolves in a stepwise manner in parallel with the development of their size and morphology during hydrothermal synthesis. The nanoplatelets are formed by reactions between Ba- and Fe-hydroxides in an aqueous suspension at temperatures below 80 °C. Scanning-transmission electron microscopy showed that the structure of the as-synthesized, discoid nanoplatelets (∼2.3 nm thick, ∼10 nm wide) terminates at the basal surfaces with Ba-containing planes. However, after subsequent washing of the nanoplatelets with water the top two atomic layers dissolve from the surfaces. The final structure can be represented by a SRS* sequence of the barium-hexaferrite SRS*R* unit cell, where S and R represent a hexagonal (BaFe6O11)2- and a cubic (Fe6O8)2+ structural block, respectively. Due to the stable SRS* structure, the thickness of the primary nanoplatelets remains unchanged up to approximately 150 °C, when some of the primary nanoplatelets start to grow exaggeratedly and their thicknesses increase discretely with the addition of the RS segments to their structure. The SRS* structure of the primary nanoplatelets is too thin for the complete development of magnetic ordering. However, the addition of just one RS segment (SRS*R*S structure) gives the nanoplatelets hard magnetic properties.
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Potisk T, Mertelj A, Sebastián N, Osterman N, Lisjak D, Brand HR, Pleiner H, Svenšek D. Magneto-optic dynamics in a ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystal. Phys Rev E 2018; 97:012701. [PMID: 29448417 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.97.012701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigate dynamic magneto-optic effects in a ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystal experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally we measure the magnetization and the phase difference of the transmitted light when an external magnetic field is applied. As a model we study the coupled dynamics of the magnetization, M, and the director field, n, associated with the liquid crystalline orientational order. We demonstrate that the experimentally studied macroscopic dynamic behavior reveals the importance of a dynamic cross-coupling between M and n. The experimental data are used to extract the value of the dissipative cross-coupling coefficient. We also make concrete predictions about how reversible cross-coupling terms between the magnetization and the director could be detected experimentally by measurements of the transmitted light intensity as well as by analyzing the azimuthal angle of the magnetization and the director out of the plane spanned by the anchoring axis and the external magnetic field. We derive the eigenmodes of the coupled system and study their relaxation rates. We show that in the usual experimental setup used for measuring the relaxation rates of the splay-bend or twist-bend eigenmodes of a nematic liquid crystal one expects for a ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystal a mixture of at least two eigenmodes.
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Medle Rupnik P, Lisjak D, Čopič M, Čopar S, Mertelj A. Field-controlled structures in ferromagnetic cholesteric liquid crystals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1701336. [PMID: 28989965 PMCID: PMC5630240 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
One of the advantages of anisotropic soft materials is that their structures and, consequently, their properties can be controlled by moderate external fields. Whereas the control of materials with uniform orientational order is straightforward, manipulation of systems with complex orientational order is challenging. We show that a variety of structures of an interesting liquid material, which combine chiral orientational order with ferromagnetic one, can be controlled by a combination of small magnetic and electric fields. In the suspensions of magnetic nanoplatelets in chiral nematic liquid crystals, the platelet's magnetic moments orient along the orientation of the liquid crystal and, consequently, the material exhibits linear response to small magnetic fields. In the absence of external fields, orientations of the liquid crystal and magnetization have wound structure, which can be either homogeneously helical, disordered, or ordered in complex patterns, depending on the boundary condition at the surfaces and the history of the sample. We demonstrate that by using different combinations of small magnetic and electric fields, it is possible to control reversibly the formation of the structures in a layer of the material. In such a way, different periodic structures can be explored and some of them may be suitable for photonic applications. The material is also a convenient model system to study chiral magnetic structures, because it is a unique liquid analog of a solid helimagnet.
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Potisk T, Svenšek D, Brand HR, Pleiner H, Lisjak D, Osterman N, Mertelj A. Dynamic Magneto-optic Coupling in a Ferromagnetic Nematic Liquid Crystal. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2017; 119:097802. [PMID: 28949588 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.119.097802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hydrodynamics of complex fluids with multiple order parameters is governed by a set of dynamic equations with many material constants, of which only some are easily measurable. We present a unique example of a dynamic magneto-optic coupling in a ferromagnetic nematic liquid, in which long-range orientational order of liquid crystalline molecules is accompanied by long-range magnetic order of magnetic nanoplatelets. We investigate the dynamics of the magneto-optic response experimentally and theoretically and find out that it is significantly affected by the dissipative dynamic cross-coupling between the nematic and magnetic order parameters. The cross-coupling coefficient determined by fitting the experimental results with a macroscopic theory is of the same order of magnitude as the dissipative coefficient (rotational viscosity) that governs the reorientation of pure liquid crystals.
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Mur M, Sofi JA, Kvasić I, Mertelj A, Lisjak D, Niranjan V, Muševič I, Dhara S. Magnetic-field tuning of whispering gallery mode lasing from ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystal microdroplets. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:1073-1083. [PMID: 28157988 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.001073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We report magnetic field tuning of the structure and Whispering Gallery Mode lasing from ferromagnetic nematic liquid crystal micro-droplets. Microlasers were prepared by dispersing a nematic liquid crystal, containing magnetic nanoparticles and fluorescent dye, in a glycerol-lecithin matrix. The droplets exhibit radial director structure, which shows elastic distortion at a very low external magnetic field. The fluorescent dye doped ferromagnetic nematic droplets show Whispering Gallery Mode lasing, which is tunable by the external magnetic field. The tuning of the WGM lasing modes is linear in magnetic field with a wavelength-shift of the order of 1 nm/100 mT. Depending on the lasing geometry, the WGMs are red- or blue-shifted.
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Plohl O, Kraft M, Kovač J, Belec B, Ponikvar-Svet M, Würth C, Lisjak D, Resch-Genger U. Optically Detected Degradation of NaYF 4:Yb,Tm-Based Upconversion Nanoparticles in Phosphate Buffered Saline Solution. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:553-560. [PMID: 27992232 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b03907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In a proof-of-concept study, we assessed different analytical and spectroscopic parameters for stability screening of differently sized β-NaYF4:20 mol % Yb3+, 2 mol % Tm3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exemplarily in the bioanalytically relevant buffer phosphate buffered saline (PBS; pH 7.4) at 37 and 50 °C. This included the potentiometric determination of the amount of released fluoride ions, surface analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. Based on these results, the luminescence lifetime of the 800 nm upconversion emission was identified as an optimum parameter for stability screening of UCNPs and changes in particle surface chemistry.
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Plohl O, Kralj S, Majaron B, Fröhlich E, Ponikvar-Svet M, Makovec D, Lisjak D. Amphiphilic coatings for the protection of upconverting nanoparticles against dissolution in aqueous media. Dalton Trans 2017; 46:6975-6984. [DOI: 10.1039/c7dt00529f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dissolution of upconverting nanoparticles (β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Tm3+) in PBS was efficiently suppressed by a polymer coating, PMAO cross-linked with BHMT.
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Lisjak D, Plohl O, Vidmar J, Majaron B, Ponikvar-Svet M. Dissolution Mechanism of Upconverting AYF4:Yb,Tm (A = Na or K) Nanoparticles in Aqueous Media. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:8222-9. [PMID: 27459496 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The dissolution of upconverting AYF4:Yb,Tm (A = Na or K) nanoparticles (UCNPs) in aqueous media was systematically studied. UCNPs with a cubic structure and sizes of between 10 and 33 nm were synthesized solvothermally in ethylene glycol at 200 °C. The UCNPs of both compositions showed an upconversion fluorescence emission characteristic of Tm(3+). The effects of the A cation, the particle size, the temperature, the pH, and the composition of the aqueous medium on the dissolution of the UCNPs were evaluated. The degree of dissolution was determined from the fraction of dissolved fluoride (F(-)) using potentiometry. Unexpectedly, the composition of aqueous media had the most significant effect on the dissolution of the UCNPs. The highest degree of dissolution and rate were measured for the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), which can be explained by the formation of stable lanthanide compounds with phosphates. The degree of dissolution was much lower in water and in the phthalate buffer, which was attributed to the release of F(-) as a result of the hydrolysis of the UCNPs' surfaces.
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Shuai M, Klittnick A, Shen Y, Smith GP, Tuchband MR, Zhu C, Petschek RG, Mertelj A, Lisjak D, Čopič M, Maclennan JE, Glaser MA, Clark NA. Spontaneous liquid crystal and ferromagnetic ordering of colloidal magnetic nanoplates. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10394. [PMID: 26817823 PMCID: PMC4738347 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferrofluids are familiar as colloidal suspensions of ferromagnetic nanoparticles in aqueous or organic solvents. The dispersed particles are randomly oriented but their moments become aligned if a magnetic field is applied, producing a variety of exotic and useful magnetomechanical effects. A longstanding interest and challenge has been to make such suspensions macroscopically ferromagnetic, that is having uniform magnetic alignment in the absence of a field. Here we report a fluid suspension of magnetic nanoplates that spontaneously aligns into an equilibrium nematic liquid crystal phase that is also macroscopically ferromagnetic. Its zero-field magnetization produces distinctive magnetic self-interaction effects, including liquid crystal textures of fluid block domains arranged in closed flux loops, and makes this phase highly sensitive, with it dramatically changing shape even in the Earth's magnetic field. Ferromagnetism has been known as a material property of solids since the time of the ancient Greeks. Here, Shuai et al. report that magnetic nanoplates suspended in a simple solvent can spontaneously align to form a ferromagnetic liquid, capable of both producing and sensing magnetic fields.
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Plohl O, Majaron B, Ponikvar-Svet M, Makovec D, Lisjak D. Influence of the Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of NaYF4:Yb3+,Tm3+ Nanoparticles. Acta Chim Slov 2015; 62:789-95. [PMID: 26680706 DOI: 10.17344/acsi.2015.1508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent nanoparticles, especially fluorides, have received a great deal of interest due to their optical properties, making them suitable for applications in bio-imaging. For this reason they need to exhibit a superior chemical stability in aqueous media. We have studied the influence of the synthesis parameters on the chemical stability of NaYF(4) nanoparticles co-doped with Yb(3+) and Tm(3+). These nanoparticles have different crystal structures, and were synthesized hydrothermally or with thermal decomposition. The samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The up-conversion fluorescence of nanoparticles dispersed in water was measured at 400-900 nm. The partial dissolution of the fluorine in water was detected with an ion-selective electrode for all the samples. The dissolution of the other constituent ions was analysed with an optical emission spectrometer using inductively coupled plasma. The nanoparticles with a hexagonal crystal structure and sizes of around 20 nm that were synthesized with thermal decomposition showed a superior chemical stability in water together with a superior up-conversion fluorescence yield.
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Ferk G, Krajnc P, Hamler A, Mertelj A, Cebollada F, Drofenik M, Lisjak D. Monolithic Magneto-Optical Nanocomposites of Barium Hexaferrite Platelets in PMMA. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11395. [PMID: 26066069 PMCID: PMC4464329 DOI: 10.1038/srep11395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The incorporation of magnetic barium hexaferrite nanoparticles in a transparent polymer matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is reported for the first time. The barium hexaferrite nanoplatelets doped with Sc3+, i.e., BaSc0.5Fe11.5O12 (BaHF), having diameters in the range 20 to 130 nm and thicknesses of approximately 5 nm, are synthesized hydrothermally and stabilized in 1-butanol with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. This method enables the preparation of monolithic nanocomposites by admixing the BaHF suspension into a liquid monomer, followed by in-situ, bulk free-radical polymerization. The PMMA retains its transparency for loadings of BaHF nanoparticles up to 0.27 wt.%, meaning that magnetically and optically anisotropic, monolithic nanocomposites can be synthesized when the polymerization is carried out in a magnetic field. The excellent dispersion of the magnetic nanoparticles, coupled with a reasonable control over the magnetic properties achieved in this investigation, is encouraging for the magneto-optical applications of these materials.
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Lisjak D, Plohl O, Ponikvar-Svet M, Majaron B. Dissolution of upconverting fluoride nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra00902b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The partial dissolution of selected nanoparticles (NaYF4, LaF3 and GdF3) co-doped with Yb3+ and Tm3+ was detected and compared with respect to their size, chemical composition and structure.
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Mertelj A, Osterman N, Lisjak D, Copič M. Magneto-optic and converse magnetoelectric effects in a ferromagnetic liquid crystal. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:9065-9072. [PMID: 25244107 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm01625d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We have studied the response of ferromagnetic liquid crystals to external magnetic and electric fields, and compared it to the usual response of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs). We have observed effects, which are not present in a pure NLC and are a consequence of the coupling between the nematic director and the magnetization. The electro-optic effect, which is in the ferromagnetic phase the same as in the pure NLC, is accompanied by a converse magnetoelectric effect. The magneto-optic effect differs completely from the one observed in the pure NLC, where it is a quadratic effect and it only appears when a magnetic field larger than a critical field is applied perpendicular to the director. In the ferromagnetic NLC in addition to the response to the perpendicular field, there is also a qualitatively different response to the parallel field. Contrary to the pure NLC no critical field needs to be exceeded for the system to respond to a perpendicular field, but a critical field needs to be exceeded to observe a response to the field parallel to the director and antiparallel to the magnetization. The critical field is in this case two orders of magnitude smaller than the critical field of the magnetic Frederiks transition in the pure NLC. The experimental observations are well described by a simple macroscopic theory.
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Lisjak D, Jenuš P, Mertelj A. Influence of the morphology of ferrite nanoparticles on the directed assembly into magnetically anisotropic hierarchical structures. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:6588-6595. [PMID: 24841592 DOI: 10.1021/la5012633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The effect of the morphology of ferrite nanoparticles on their assembly in a magnetic field was studied. Thin BaFe12O19 nanoplatelets were compared with isotropic, spherical or octahedral, CoFe2O4 nanoparticles, all of which were synthesized hydrothermally. The nanoplatelets and nanoparticles assembled into a variety of hierarchical structures from stable suspensions during the "drop deposition" and drying in a magnetic field. The alignment of the nanoparticles in the magnetic field was observed in situ with an optical microscope. The morphologies of the nanoparticles and the subsequent assemblies were observed with transmission and scanning electron microscopes, respectively. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles and the assemblies were measured with a vibrating-sample magnetometer. The BaFe12O19 nanoplatelets aligned in the plane of the substrate and formed several-micrometers-thick, ordered films with a magnetic alignment of approximately 90%. The CoFe2O4 nanoparticles assembled into thick, dense columns with a height of several hundreds of micrometers and showed a magnetic alignment of up to 60%. The differences in the morphologies and the magnetic alignments between the BaFe12O19 and CoFe2O4 hierarchical structures could be explained in terms of the differences in the shape and magnetocrystalline structure of the specific nanoparticles.
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Mertelj A, Lisjak D, Drofenik M, Čopič M. Ferromagnetism in suspensions of magnetic platelets in liquid crystal. Nature 2013; 504:237-41. [DOI: 10.1038/nature12863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Emin S, Fanetti M, Abdi FF, Lisjak D, Valant M, van de Krol R, Dam B. Photoelectrochemical properties of cadmium chalcogenide-sensitized textured porous zinc oxide plate electrodes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2013; 5:1113-1121. [PMID: 23323515 DOI: 10.1021/am3027986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We report the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of textured porous ZnO and CdX-coated ZnO films (X = S, Se). Porous ZnO films were grown with a platelike morphology on F-doped SnO(2) (FTO) substrates. The growth of ZnO films involves a two-step procedure. In the first step, we electrochemically grew simonkolleite (Zn(5)(OH)(8)Cl(2)·H(2)O) plate films. Annealing of the simonkolleite at 450 °C results in textured porous ZnO films. The as-obtained porous ZnO electrodes were then used in PEC studies. To increase the light-harvesting efficiency, we sensitized these ZnO electrodes with CdS and CdSe quantum dots, using the so-called "successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method". As expected, the photocurrent density systematically increases when going from ZnO to ZnO/CdS to ZnO/CdSe. The highest photocurrent, ∼3.1 mA/cm(2) at 1.2 V vs RHE, was obtained in the CdSe-sensitized ZnO electrodes, because of their enhanced absorption in the visible range. Additionally, quantum efficiency values as high as 90% were achieved with the textured porous ZnO films. These results demonstrate that both CdS and CdSe-sensitized textured porous ZnO electrodes could be potentially useful materials in light-harvesting applications.
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Lisjak D, Ovtar S. The Alignment of Barium Ferrite Nanoparticles from Their Suspensions in Electric and Magnetic Fields. J Phys Chem B 2012; 117:1644-50. [DOI: 10.1021/jp305256t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lisjak D, Ovtar S. Directed assembly of BaFe12O19 particles and the formation of magnetically oriented films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2011; 27:14014-14024. [PMID: 22017631 DOI: 10.1021/la2032863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We have studied the preparation of oriented BaFe(12)O(19) films produced using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Highly anisotropic, platelike BaFe(12)O(19) particles were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, and from these particles, stable suspensions were prepared in 1-butanol by the addition of dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid as a surfactant. The interplay of the interaction forces between the suspended particles and the forces acting on the particles during the EPD directed the particles' assembly in the plane of the substrate. The most significant effect on the orientation of the films was the diameter-to-thickness ratio of the particles, which was experimentally confirmed with X-ray analyses, electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements. The abnormal grain growth that accompanied the sintering at 1150 °C further improved the overall orientation of the films, which showed highly anisotropic magnetic behavior with a remanent-to-saturation magnetization ratio exceeding 0.8.
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Ovtar S, Lisjak D, Drofenik M. Surface analyses of barium hexaferrite particles for magnetic suspensions. SURF INTERFACE ANAL 2010. [DOI: 10.1002/sia.3557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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49
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Ovtar S, Lisjak D, Drofenik M. Barium hexaferrite suspensions for electrophoretic deposition. J Colloid Interface Sci 2009; 337:456-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2009] [Revised: 05/15/2009] [Accepted: 05/18/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Primc D, Makovec D, Lisjak D, Drofenik M. Hydrothermal synthesis of ultrafine barium hexaferrite nanoparticles and the preparation of their stable suspensions. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2009; 20:315605. [PMID: 19597254 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/20/31/315605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The hydrothermal treatment of an appropriate suspension of Ba and Fe hydroxides in the presence of a large excess of OH(-) results in the formation of Ba hexaferrite at temperatures as low as 150 degrees C. This low formation temperature enables the synthesis of uniform, ultrafine Ba hexaferrite nanoparticles. These nanoparticles have a disc-like shape, approximately 10 nm wide, but only approximately 3 nm thick. When the temperature of the hydrothermal treatment is increased, large platelet Ba hexaferrite crystals appear as a consequence of secondary re-crystallization (Ostwald ripening). In this work, this undesired process of secondary re-crystallization has been evaluated. We show that the secondary re-crystallization can be totally suppressed with the use of an oleic acid surfactant. The addition of oleic acid enabled the synthesis of uniform, ultrafine nanoparticles at temperatures up to 240 degrees C. The nanoparticles were hydrophobic and could be suspended in nonpolar liquids to form relatively concentrated ferrofluids. Such stable suspensions of hexaferrite nanoparticles will be technologically important, especially as precursors for the preparation of new nanostructured materials, for example nanocomposites or nanostructured ceramic films.
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