Alessandra S. Silva

By Anielle C.A. Silva, Eliete A. Alvin, Francisco R.A. dos Santos, Samanta L.M. de Matos, Jerusa M. de Oliveira, Alessandra S. Silva, Éder V. Guimarães, Mirella S. Vieira, Eurípedes A. da Silva Filho, Ricardo S. Silva, Lucas Anhezini, Nilvanira D. Tebaldi and Noelio O. Dantas

This chapter aims to show significant progress that our group has been developing and the applications of several doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), as nanopowders or embedded in glass systems. Depending on the type of dopant incorporated in the nanocrystals, the physical, chemical, and biological properties can be intensified. However, it can also generate undesired toxic effects that can potentially compromise its use. Here we present the potential of zinc oxide NCs doped with silver (Ag), gold (Au), and magnesium (Mg) ions to control bacterial diseases in agriculture. We have also performed biocompatibility analysis of the pure and Ag-doped sodium titanate (Na2Ti3O7) NCs in Drosophila. The doped nanocrystals embedded in glassy systems are chrome (Cr) or copper (Cu) in ZnTe and Bi2Te3 NCs for spintronic development nanodevices. Therefore, we will show several advantages that doped nanocrystals may present in the technological and biotechnological areas.

Part of the book: Materials at the Nanoscale

By Anielle C.A. Silva, Jerusa M. de Oliveira, Luciana R.S. Floresta, Matheus V. da Silva, José L. da S. Duarte, Karolina B. da Silva, Eurípedes A. da Silva Filho, Vinícius P. Bittar, Ana L.S. Borges, Guilherme L. Fernandes, Alessandra S. Silva, Éder V. Guimarães, Ricardo S. Silva, Carmem L.P.S. Zanta, Lucas Anhezini and Noelio O. Dantas

Doping is a technique that makes it possible to incorporate substitutional ions into the crystalline structure of materials, generating exciting properties. This book chapter will comment on the transition metals (TM) doped nanocrystals (NCs) and how doping and concentration influence applications and biocompatibility. In the NCs doped with TM, there is a strong interaction of sp-d exchange between the NCs’ charge carriers and the unpaired electrons of the MT, generating new and exciting properties. These doped NCs can be nanopowders or be embedded in glass matrices, depending on the application of interest. Therefore, we show the group results of synthesis, characterization, and applications of iron or copper-doped ZnO nanopowders and chromium-doped Bi2S3, nickel-doped ZnTe, and manganese-doped CdTe quantum dots in the glass matrices.

Part of the book: Transition Metal Compounds

By Anielle C.A. Silva, Amanda I.S. Barbosa, Alessandra S. Silva, Elisson A. Batista, Thaís K. de Lima Rezende, Éder V. Guimarães, Ricardo S. Silva and Noelio O. Dantas

Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor (DMS) nanocrystals are a new class of materials formed by doping the semiconductor with transition metals (TM), which gives interesting magneto-optical properties. These properties are attributed to the exchange interaction between the pure semiconductor’s sp-electrons and the localized TM d-electrons. This book chapter shows exciting results of new DMS developed by the group, both in powder form and embedded in glassy systems. Depending on the concentration of doping ions, saturation of the incorporation of substitutional and interstitial sites in the nanocrystal structure may occur, forming other nanocrystals. In this context, we investigated the doping saturation limit in nanopowders of DMS Zn1-xMnxO NCs and Zn1-xMnxTe, Zn0.99-xMn0.01CoxTe, and Bi2-xCoxS NCs synthesized in glassy matrices. Thus, the sites’ saturation into the crystalline lattice of nanocrystals is a topic little reported in the literature, and we will comment on this work. Therefore, we will show results from the group about the modulation and saturation in diluted magnetic semiconductors nanocrystals in this work.

Part of the book: Materials at the Nanoscale