title: Fabrication of boron nitride nanotube-gold nanoparticle hybrids using pulsed plasma in liquid.
abstract: Plasma, generated in liquid at atmospheric pressure by a nanosecond pulsed voltage, was used to fabricate hybrid structures from boron nitride nanotubes and gold nanoparticles in deionized water. The pH was greatly reduced, conductivity was significantly increased, and concentrations of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in the water were increased by the plasma treatment. The treatment reduced the length of the nanotubes, giving more individual cuplike structures, and introduced functional groups onto the surface. Gold nanoparticles were successively assembled onto the functionalized surfaces. The reactive species from the liquid plasma along with the nanosecond pulsed electric field seem to play a role in the shortening and functionalization of the nanotubes and the assembly of gold nanoparticles. The potential for targeted drug delivery was tested in a preliminary investigation using doxorubicin-loaded plasma-treated nanotubes which were effective at killing ∼99% of prostate cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Frontier Materials and ‡School of Medicine, Deakin University , Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia.
authors.forename: Sri balaji
authors.initials: Sb
authors.lastname: Ponraj
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lu Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jayanth Suryanarayanan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shankaranarayanan
authors.forename: Gayathri Devi
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Rajmohan
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: du Plessis
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xungai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jagat R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: Xiujuan J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D001896:Boron Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001896:Boron Compounds; C017282:boron nitride; D006046:Gold