The diffusion of divalent nickel (Ni²⁺) from wet silica gels was investigated.
Silica gel is gaining interest as an encapsulation matrix for biological components.
The transport of biologically relevant species within the gel is determined by the
structural characteristics of the gel, which are in turn governed by synthesis
parameters....
Cyanobacteria inhabit nearly every ecosystem on earth, play a vital role in nutrient cycling, and are
useful as model organisms for fundamental research in photosynthesis and carbon and nitrogen fixation.
In addition, they are important for several established biotechnologies for producing food additives,
nutritional and pharmaceutical compounds, and pigments, as...
Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic devices, are a class of renewable energy systems that can convert photons into electrons without the carbon dioxide emission. Short-wavelength, high-energy photons in the ultraviolet (UV) range can't be efficiently utilized by most solar cells because of the spectral mismatch. Luminescent downshifting is a...
Photobiological hydrogen production from live cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 encapsulated in silica gel was investigated. Hydrogen is a dense energy carrier with potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, provided a renewable and sustainable means of production can be achieved. Under certain conditions, Synechocystis sp. PCC...
The literature available on the silica content of herbaceous biomass, and its relative mobility in leaching/extraction systems, includes studies that have employed several different methods for silica quantification. This makes comparison of the data difficult. The objective of this thesis research was to determine the quantitative relationships between the measured...
In a search for designed materials that mimic those found in biological systems, combining polymers with inorganic materials in sol-gel chemistry processes has gained momentum in the research world since the 1990's. This work methodically investigated the properties of several related polymer-SiO₂ hybrids prepared by a simple methodology that could...
There is significant interest in the fabrication of nano- and micro-structured silica with spatially ordered features, which exhibit enhanced optoelectronic properties with application to the next generation of display devices, semiconductors, and sensors. Currents methods of fabrication employ top down processes which use extremes of temperature, pressure, and power. There...