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Title: Monodispersed biocompatible Ag2S nanoparticles: Facile extracellular bio-fabrication using the gamma-proteobacterium, S. oneidensis

Journal Article · · Small
OSTI ID:1024262

Interest in engineered metal and semiconductor nanocrystallites continues to grow due to their unique size and or shape dependent optoelectronic, physicochemical and biological properties. Therefore identifying novel non-hazardous nanoparticle synthesis routes that address hydrophilicity, size and shape control and production costs have become a priority. In the present illustration we report for the first time the efficient generation of extracellular Ag2S nanoparticles by the metal reducing bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis. The particles are nearly monodispersed with homogeneous shape distributions and are produced under ambient temperatures and pressures at high yield, 85 % theoretical maximum. UV-vis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements confirmed the formation, optical properties, purity, and crystallinity of the as-synthesized particles. Further characterization revealed that the particles consist of spheres in the size range of 1-22 nm, with an average size of 9 3 nm and are capped by a detachable protein/peptide surface coat. Toxicity assessments of these silver sulfide nanoparticles on Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Shewanella oneidensis and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis bacterial systems as well as eukaryotic; mouse lung epithelial (C 10) and macrophage (RAW-264.7) cells showed that the particles were non-inhibitory or non-cytotoxic to both these systems. Our results provide a facile, eco-friendly and economical route for the fabrication of technologically important semiconducting Ag2S nanoparticles which are dispersible and biocompatible; thus providing excellent potential for their uses in optical imaging and electronic devices, and solar cell applications.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Temperature Materials Lab. (HTML)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1024262
Journal Information:
Small, Vol. in press, Issue in press
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English