Synthesis characterisation and application of silica iron and molybdenum nanopowders

Abstract

One of the important challenges being faced in material science is the development of newer materials with enhanced properties, performance and extended lifetime for different applications. The development of nanomaterials has been attracted both scientifically and technically due to their potential applications in various fields. The nanomaterials find immense applications in the field of medicine, nuclear, electronic, automobile, painting, food, storage and biological industries due to their excellent physico chemical properties. The scope of the present thesis is mainly divided into two parts. The first part of the thesis deals with the preparation of different nanomaterials namely nano silica, nano iron and nano molybdenum particles. In the second part of the thesis, the applications of nano silica on maize crop improvement, and the influence of nano iron and nano molybdenum as nano nutrients on the growth of heterocyst forming cyanobacterium Anabaena ambigua Rao [A100] are discussed. In first part, the pure nano silica powder has been synthesized employing alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation method. In second part, characterised nano silica powders have been applied newlineto the maize crop to improve the crop growth under in vitro and in vivo conditions. A significant increase in the heterocyst frequency of test organisms has been achieved in BG11 (N-Mo- + nano Mo) media.. In contrast, the growing culture loses their pigmentation with increase in the concentration of nano iron from 1% when compared to control. It has been found that, the cultures inoculated in BG11 (N- Fe- + nano Fe) media are not able to grow after 10 days of incubation. Further, the cultures grown in less concentration (lt1%) of nano iron media BG11 (N-Fe- + nano Fe) has been regenerated when inoculated in BG 11 media. It is concluded that, the applications of nano nutrients play a significant role on heterocyst forming cyanobacterium Anabaena ambigua Rao (A 100). newline newline newline