ABOUT THE BOOK

The present volume “Nanomaterials, nanoparticles, nanodevices” belongs to the “Micro and nano engineering” series, coordinated by acad. Dan Dascalu and edited by the Publishing House of the Romanian Academy. This volume consists of the extended versions of one of the most relevant papers selected from the 14th edition of the Annual National Seminar for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Bucharest, March
26th,  2015). 

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FOREWORD

The new volume “Nanomaterials, nanoparticles, nanodevices” belongs to the “Micro and nano engineering” series, edited by the Publishing House of the Romanian Academy. This volume consists of the extended versions of one of the most relevant papers selected from the 14th edition of the Annual National Seminar for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Bucharest, March 26th, 2015).
This foreword briefly reviews the eleven chapters of the volume (see the table of contents).
Magnetic Fe3O4 micro- and nanoparticles coated with polymers have medical and industrial importance. Their preparation and careful investigation is a veritable challenge. The investigation was leaded by S. Peretz from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Romanian Academy in a team of scientists from various research organizations.
The same institute reported (Speranta Tanasescu et al.) an extensive investigation on the key parameters controlling reactivity of Micro and Nanostructured materials. This study opens the way in tailoring the properties related to a specific application. Nanocrystalline perovskites, metastable alloys systems and even proteins in the presence of nanoparticles are studied. All is about thermodynamics of nanomaterials.
Mariana Teodorescu, from the same institute is again using the thermodynamic principles in order to explain the behavior of homogenous solutions of solid nanostructures with liquid solvents. This paper displays thorough comparison of theory and experiment.
The electromagnetic theory developed by Titus Sandu (National Institute for R&D in Microtechnologies, IMT Bucharest) is presenting a spectral approach to the boundary integral equation method. With moderate computational effort, it can be applied to various frequency ranges and applied to various micro-and nanostructures. Various phenomena can be analyzed, indicating their dependence upon electric and geometrical factors. The investigation covers systems of very different nature, such as biological cells and metallic nanoparticles, respectively.
The next chapter is including a numerical study of magnetic nanoparticles handled by an electric field (Oana Tatiana Nedelcu et al., IMT-Bucharest). The object of study is a micro-electro-fluidic system for all separation and electroporation. Oxide nanoparticles are attached to specific cells for detection. The behavior of magnetic nanoparticles in the electric field is simulated using ANSYS Multiphysics and also Consol Multiphysics. The results are used to design devices for electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis.
The nanoelectronics domain is illustrated by a paper related to transistors fabricated in atomically thin materials such as grapheme and MoS2 (M. Dragoman, IMT Bucharest et al.). A review of unusual properties of these devices is illustrated with same transistors experimented by the authors, such as the ballistic graphene transistor with on oblique gate, exhibiting a negative differential resistance.
The following chapter, by Florinela Sîrbu (“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bucharest) et al. is exploring the physical and chemical behaviors of exfoliated nanoplatelets in mixtures with different solvents.
Graphene oxide was used in developing biosensors, as shown by Alina Vasilescu et. al. (International Centre of Biodinamics, Bucharest). More specifically, this chapter investigates the use of grapheme oxide as a detector of lysozyme (biological substance), by using either surface planar resonance or electrochemical methods.
In the next chapter Liana Amicai et al. (Center for Surface Science and Nanotechnology, University “Politehnica” of Bucharest) are investigating the synthetisation of TiO2 and ZnO nanopowders. TiO2 is a semiconductor photocatalyst, whereas ZnO is a wide gap semiconductor with catalytic, electrical, optoelectronic and photochemical properties. This research is using the novel approach of preparation these nanostructured metal-oxide materials involving electrochemical procedures and using ionic liquids.
Development of ZnO films is also the subject of the work reported by Rodica Plugaru et al. (IMT Bucharest and National Institute for Materials Physics). This chapter is devoted to the effect of radiation on ZnO thin films used in construction with, field effect transistors used for photodetection. The experimental study is completed with numerical simulation of electro-thermal and electrical simulation of the FET devices. The effect of radiation is simulated by considering a non-uniform resistivity of the film. It was found that the concentration of defects strongly affects the current density and the temperature in the transistor channel.
Finally, the use of power metallurgy technology in fabricating of the nanostructured materials is extensively elaborated by Oana Gingu et al. (Faculty of Mechanics University of Craiova).
The above review illustrates the extremely diverse research carried out in various laboratories. We are underlying the use of a competitive experimental infrastructure and sometimes, of numerical simulation of processes.
The volume “Nanomaterials, nanoparticles, nanodevices” with its eleven papers (240 pages) and it might help the experienced researchers in this field to find new motivations to continue and the newcomers to gain the enthusiasm to make the first steps in the magic of the “nano world”.

The Editors
April 2016