Exploring Red/Ox Activity of Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical and Catalytic Applications

Metal oxides (e.g., ceria, CeO₂) have been shown to act as antioxidants by scavenging radical oxygen species (ROS). The capacity of metal oxides is hypothesized to be limited by the concentration of oxygen defects (vacancies) at the surface of the nanoparticle. In this study, a series of perovskite-type oxides were synthesized, characterized, and compared to ceria for their ability to scavenge ROS. Structural characterization involved x-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm crystal structure, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM) were used to confirm particle size. Radical decolorization assays were used to determine the scavenging capacity of the metal oxide particles. Some of the particles tested proved better than ceria when taking into account the significantly smaller size of ceria. Reduction of the metal oxide particles resulted in increased scavenging potential.

Research Supported by the National Science Foundation REU Program # EEC - 1460486