Effects of coupled-/soluble- Copper generating from Copper-doped Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes on Cell Response

Background: Endothelialization in vitro is a very common method for surface modification of cardiovascular materials. However, mature endothelial cells are not suitable because of the difficulty in obtaining and immunogenicity. Methods: In this work, we determined the appropriate amount of copper by constructing a copper-loaded titanium dioxide nanotube array that can catalyze the release of nitric oxide, compared the effects of coupled-/soluble- copper on stem cells, and then induced stem cells to differentiate into endothelial cells. Results: The results showed that it had a strong promotion effect on the differentiation of stem cells into endothelial cells which might be used for endothelialization in vitro Conclusions: SEM and EDS results prove that a high content of copper ions are indeed doped onto the surface of nanotubes with small amounts of Cu release. The release of NO confirms that the release of several samples within a period of time is within the physiological concentration

Preparation and Properties of Nano ZnO Dye Sensitized Solar Cells on (Titanium) Substrates

Nowadays, the development of science and technology has been increasing demand for energy. Energy problem has become a bottleneck to restrict the development of international social economy. People pay more and more attention to the development and research of renewable resources. Solar energy is a kind of renewable resource with great potential and no pollution. The commercialized solar cells are mainly silicon solar cells, among which the conversion efficiency of single silicon solar cells is the highest, but the cost of silicon solar cells is high. Therefore, people have been exploring new materials, among which titanium based nano ZnO dye sensitized solar cells have been paid more and more attention by scientists at home and abroad. Based on this, the preparation and performance of nano ZnO dye sensitized solar cells based on titanium are studied. In this paper, the optical anode materials of DSSC are used as the research objects. Three-dimensional ZnO nanoband, one-dimensional graded ZnO nanotube array and one-dimensional sub grade ZnO nanowire array are prepared by anodizing and hydrothermal synthesis. The photovoltaic properties of the three materials are studied. One dimensional graded ZnO, nanotube array films were prepared by two-step hydrothermal synthesis. One dimensional hierarchical ZnO nanowire array is obtained by two-step hydrothermal synthesis. The results show that DSSC is assembled by one-dimensional graded ZnO nanotube array film, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is 5.1%. Compared with one-dimensional ZnO nanowire array, the efficiency is improved by nearly 90%. The ZnO nanowire of the sub grade is used instead of DSSC The efficiency of photoelectric conversion is only 4% in the photoanode, which is higher than that of the smooth ZnO nanowire photocell.

Preparation of TiO2 Nanotube Array on the Pure Titanium Surface by Anodization Method and Its Hydrophilicity

In this work, a highly ordered TiO2 nanotube array on pure titanium (Ti) was prepared by anodization. The effects of the applied voltage and anodization time on the microstructure of the TiO2 nanotube arrays were investigated, and their hydrophilicity was evaluated by the water contact angle measurement. It was found that a highly ordered array of TiO2 nanotubes can be formed on the surface of pure Ti by anodized under the applied voltage of 20 V and the anodization time in the range of 6-12 h, and the nanotube diameter and length can be regulated by anodization time. The as-prepared TiO2 nanotubes were in an amorphous structure. After annealing at 550°C for 3 h, the amorphous TiO2 can be transformed to the anatase TiO2 through crystallization. The anatase TiO2 array exhibited a greatly improved hydrophilicity, depending on the order degree of the array and the diameter of the nanotubes. The sample anodized at 20 V for 12 h and then annealed at 550°C for 3 h exhibited a superhydrophilicity due to its highly ordered anatase TiO2 nanotube array with a tube diameter of 103.5 nm.

Enhanced Catalytic Activities of TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Co-Sensitized with Pt/CdS/ZnS via Electrodeposition and Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) Method Approach

In this work, we have synthesized a nanocomposite ZnS/CdS/Pt/TiO2 nanotube arrays (denoted ZCP-NTAs). Firstly, TiO2 nanotube array (NTAs) material was fabricated by the anodic method of a titanium plate in an electrolyte solution containing 0.35 M NaHSO4 and 0.24 M NaF and incubated in the air at 500 ºC for 2 hours. After that, pulsed electrodeposition technology was used to decorate platinum nanoparticles (denoted as Pt NPs) onto the surface of TiO2 nanotubes to form P-NTAs photoelectrodes. Then, the SILAR method is used to deposition CdS quantum dots (symbolized as CdS QDs) on the surface of P-NTAs to form CP-NTAs material. Finally, by the SILAR method, a ZnS passive layer that protects against optical corrosion and inhibits recombination of e−/h+ pairs was coated onto the CP-NTAs to form ZCP-NTAs material. As-prepared ZCP-NTAs photocatalytic material has good absorbability of light in the visible region with light absorption wavelength up to 608 nm, photon conversion efficiency up to 5.32% under light intensity AM1.5G, and decomposition efficiency of 10 mg L−1 methyl orange (MO) in 120 minutes reached 91.50%. This material promises to bring high application ability in the photocatalytic field applied for environmental treatment and other applications.

Supercapacitor electrodes based on modified titania nanotube arrays on flexible substrates

Highly ordered titania nanotube arrays were synthesised on titanium metal foil through electrochemical anodisation. The annealed samples were characterised through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The electrochemical characterisations of the arrays were done through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. The titania nanotube arrays exhibited a specific capacitance of 6.8 mF cm–2 at 5 mV s–1 scan rate, which is very much higher than that reported earlier. Pseudocapacitive metal oxides were deposited on these arrays forming composite supercapacitor electrodes and their supercapacitor properties were compared with same deposited on bare titanium foil substrates. Pseudocapacitive metal oxides deposited on these titania nanotube array substrates exhibited improved supercapacitor performance and stability over the same deposited on titanium foil substrates.