Characterization of ZnO nanoparticles grown in presence of folic acid template.
BACKGROUND
ZnO nanoparticles (grown in the template of folic acid) are biologically useful, luminescent material. It can be used for multifunctional purposes, e.g., as biosensor, bioimaging, targeted drug delivery and as growth promoting medicine.


METHODS
Sol-gel chemical method was used to develop the uniform ZnO nanoparticles, in a folic acid template at room temperature and pH ~ 7.5. Agglomeration of the particles was prevented due to surface charge density of folic acid in the medium. ZnO nanoparticle was further characterized by different physical methods.


RESULTS
Nanocrystalline, wurtzite ZnO particles thus prepared show interesting structural as well as band gap properties due to capping with folic acid.


CONCLUSIONS
A rapid, easy and chemical preparative method for the growth of ZnO nanoparticles with important surface physical properties is discussed. Emphatically, after capping with folic acid, its photoluminescence properties are in the visible region. Therefore, the same can be used for monitoring local environmental properties of biosystems.
Applied Nuclear Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, 700064, India.
Sreetama
S
Dutta
Bichitra N
BN
Ganguly
D000042:Absorption; D003460:Crystallization; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017785:Photons; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
D005492:Folic Acid; D015034:Zinc Oxide