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Silica nanotubes were prepared using the gelatin nanofibers as novel sacrificed template via a sol-gel route with a subsequent calcination process. FT-IR spectrum showed that the siloxane bonds (Si-O-Si) were involved in the silica nanotubes. SEM observations showed that the silica nanotubes had an average diameter of 742 ± 82 nm with a hollow cavity of 513 ± 68 nm. The formation of the tubular hollow structure was attributed to the removal of gelatin template. After soaked in the solution of tetracycline hydrochloride (TH, one of the representative antibiotics) as model drug, the silica nanotubes favored the adsorption of TH with the loading efficiency of 38%. A sustained release behavior of TH was observed as the TH-loaded silica nanotubes were soaked in the phosphate buffer saline. The released TH was biologically active to strongly inhibit the growth of bacterial E. coli . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ag-decorated apatite nanosheet-coated silica nanofibers (Ag-Ap-Si NFs) with enhanced anti-bacterial and photo-catalytic properties were synthesized through incubation of apatite nanosheet-coated silica nanofibers (Ap-Si NFs) in the suspension of chitosan-stabilized Ag nanoparticles (NPs). SEM observations showed that Ag-Ap-Si NFs had the diameter of 840–2340 nm and possessed a hierarchical structure. TEM observations showed the surface of Ag-Ap-Si NFs was constructed by the composites of apatite nanosheets with the thickness around 10 nm and Ag NPs with the size of 5–20 nm. It was found that Ag-Ap-Si NFs showed enhanced anti-bacterial property to inhibit the growth of both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and superior photo-catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH 4 . The present Ag-Ap-Si NFs would be applicable as multi-functional materials with both photo-catalytic and anti-bacterial properties for wastewater treatment at weak acidic and basic pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, novel flower-like apatite@Au composite nanosheet spheres were synthesized through in situ immobilization of Au nanoparticles on the bone-like apatite nanosheets. SEM observations indicated that the as-synthesized spheres had a diameter of 0.8–3 µm and was constructed by numerous primary apatite nanosheets with the thickness around 10 nm. TEM images showed that ∼10 nm Au nanoparticles were immobilized on the apatite nanosheets. When incubated with the mixture of 4-nitrophenol and NaBH 4 , the resultant apatite@Au composite nanosheet spheres exhibited the superior photo-catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]