Dual Soft‐Template System Based on Colloidal Chemistry for the Synthesis of Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

A new dual soft‐template system comprising the asymmetric triblock copolymer poly(styrene‐b‐2‐vinyl pyridine‐b‐ethylene oxide) (PS‐b‐P2VP‐b‐PEO) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is used to synthesize hollow mesoporous silica (HMS) nanoparticles with a center void of around 17 nm. The stable PS‐b‐P2VP‐b‐PEO polymeric micelle serves as a template to form the hollow interior, while the CTAB surfactant serves as a template to form mesopores in the shells. The P2VP blocks on the polymeric micelles can interact with positively charged CTA⁺ ions via negatively charged hydrolyzed silica species. Thus, dual soft‐templates clearly have different roles for the preparation of the HMS nanoparticles. Interestingly, the thicknesses of the mesoporous shell are tunable by varying the amounts of TEOS and CTAB. This study provides new insight on the preparation of mesoporous materials based on colloidal chemistry.     

Formation of polymeric micelles with amino surfaces from amphiphilic AB‐type diblock copolymers composed of poly(glycolic acid lysine) segments and polylactide segments

Amphiphilic AB‐type diblock copolymers composed of hydrophobic poly(L ‐lactide) (PLA) segments and hydrophilic poly(glycolic acid lysine) [poly(Glc‐Lys)] segments with amino side‐chain groups self‐associated to form PLA‐based polymeric micelles with amino surfaces in an aqueous solution. The average diameter of the loose core–shell polymeric micelles for poly(Glc‐Lys) [number‐average molecular weight (M_n) = 1240]‐b‐PLA (M_n = 7000) obtained by a dimethyl sulfoxide/water dialysis method was estimated to be about 50 nm in water by dynamic light scattering measurements. The size and shape of the obtained polymeric micelles were further observed with transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. To investigate the possibility of applying the obtained PLA‐based polymeric micelles as bioabsorbable vehicles for hydrophobic drugs, we tested the entrapment of drugs in poly(Glc‐Lys) (M_n = 1240)‐b‐PLA (M_n = 7000) micelles and their release with doxorubicin as a hydrophobic drug. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1426–1432, 2002     

Polymeric Micelle Assembly for the Smart Synthesis of Mesoporous Platinum Nanospheres with Tunable Pore Sizes

A facile method for the fabrication of well‐dispersed mesoporous Pt nanospheres involves the use of a polymeric micelle assembly. A core–shell–corona type triblock copolymer [poly(styrene‐b‐2‐vinylpyridine‐b‐ethylene oxide), PS‐b‐P2VP‐b‐PEO] is employed as the pore‐directing agent. Negatively charged PtCl₄^2? ions preferably interact with the protonated P2VP⁺ blocks while the free PEO chains prevent the aggregation of the Pt nanospheres. The size of the mesopores can be finely tuned by varying the length of the PS chain. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the metallic mesoporous nanospheres thus obtained are promising candidates for applications in electrochemistry.     

Self‐assembly in solutions of block and random copolymers during metal nanoparticle formation

The self‐assembly behavior of poly(isoprene‐b‐acrylic acid) and poly(styrene‐b‐2‐vinylpyridine) amphiphilic block copolymers, as well as a poly(styrene‐r‐2‐vinylpyridine) amphiphilic random copolymer was investigated in slightly selective organic solvents (tetrahydrofuran and toluene) in the presence of Ag and Au ions and subsequently Ag, Au metal nanoparticles, by means of dynamic light scattering. In the range of concentrations studied the copolymers exist in the form of micelles with cores composed of acrylic acid and 2‐vinylpyridine segments in equilibrium with unimers. The addition of metal ions and their subsequent transformation to metal nanoparticles shifts the equilibrium in favor of the micelles. The concentration of the inorganic components has also a considerable effect on the size of the polymeric aggregates. A similar behavior is observed for the random copolymer. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), UV‐visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) give valuable additional information on the nature of the interactions between the polymeric and inorganic components, as well as on the characteristics of the metal nanoparticles and the hybrid micelles formed in each case. The presented results have a direct relation to the synthesis of metal nanoparticles under confinement by utilization of copolymer nanoreactors and appropriate solution conditions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1515–1524, 2008     

Hybrid micelle formation from poly(ethylene oxide-b-sodium 2-acrylamido-1-propanesulfonate-b-styrene) and Fe3+ ion in aqueous solution

Organic–inorganic nanohybrid particles are prepared in aqueous solution from poly(ethylene oxide-b-sodium 2-acrylamido-1-propanesulfonate-b-styrene) (PEO-b-PAMPS-b-PS) triblock copolymer and ferric ions. The hybrid micelles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta-potential measurements. The hydrodynamic diameter of the hybrid micelles ranges from 68 to 118 nm depending on the concentration of the polymer and the amount of ferric ions loaded on the polymer. Zeta-potential measurements revealed that the micelles are assembled mainly by electrostatic interaction between the ferric ions and the negatively charged PAMPS block in the PEO-b-PAMPS-b-PS.     

Reversible Topochemical Exsolution of Iron in BaFe2+2(PO4)2

BaFe²⁺₂(PO₄)₂ was recently prepared and identified as the first 2D‐Ising ferromagnetic oxide with an original reentrant structural transition driven by high‐spin Fe²⁺ ions arranged in honeycomb layers. Both long‐term air exposure and moderate temperature (T>375 °C) leads to topochemical oxidation into iron‐depleted compounds with mixed Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ valence. This process is unique, as the exsolution is effective even from single crystal with preservation of the initial crystallinity, and the structure of the deficient BaFe_2?x(PO₄)₂ (xx=2/7 and 1/3 with creation of novel original depleted triangular lattices. Under flowing H₂/Ar, Fe is reincorporated in the structure above 480 °C, as reproduced under the electron beam in a transmission microscope. After Fe exsolution, the insulating ferromagnetic compound turns into an antiferromagnetic semiconductor.     

A Fluorescent Chemosensor for Dihydrogen Phosphate Ion Based on 2‐[2‐Hydroxy‐4‐(diethylamino) phenyl]‐1H‐imidazo[4,5‐b]phenazine‐Fe3+ Ensemble

A long wavelength emission fluorescent (612 nm) chemosensor with high selectivity for H₂PO₄^? ions was designed and synthesized according to the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The sensor can exist in two tautomeric forms ('keto' and 'enol') in the presence of Fe³⁺ ion, Fe³⁺ may bind with the 'keto' form of the sensor. Furthermore, the in situ generated GY‐Fe³⁺ ensemble could recover the quenched fluorescence upon the addition of H₂PO₄^? anion resulting in an off‐on‐type sensing with a detection limit of micromolar range in the same medium, and other anions, including F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, I^?, AcO^?, HSO₄^?, ClO₄^? and CN^? had nearly no influence on the probing behavior. The test strips based on 2‐[2‐hydroxy‐4‐(diethylamino) phenyl]‐1H‐imidazo[4,5‐b]phenazine and Fe³⁺ metal complex ( GY‐Fe³⁺ ) were fabricated, which could act as convenient and efficient H₂PO₄^? test kits.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Thermo-responsive Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Micelles

A novel thermo-responsive diblock copolymer of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNVP-b-PNIPAM) was synthesized. FT-IR, ¹H-NMR and SEC results confirmed the successful synthesis of PNVP-b-PNIPAM diblock copolymer via anionic polymerization. The polymeric micelles formed from PNVP-b-PNIPAM copolymer in aqueous solution were developed and characterized as a potential thermo-responsive and biocompatible drug delivery system. Micellization of the diblock copolymer in aqueous solution was characterized by dynamic laser scattering (DLS), turbidity measurement, tension measurement and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The thermo-responsive polymeric micelles with the size ranges of 200 to 260 nm and thickness of 30 nm are localized, selected and targeted for drug release, having a great potential in response to external-stimulus such as temperatures from 35 to 39°C. The critical micellization concentration (cmc) of PNVP-b-PNIPAM in aqueous solution is 0.0026 wt% determined by turbidity measurement. The size of micelles determined by DLS increased from 163 to 329 nm with increasing concentration of PNVP-b-PNIPAM from 0.25 to 0.5 wt% in aqueous solution at 40°C, which is determined by DLS.     

K3[Fe3.26V0.74(OH)O(PO4)4(H2O)2]·2H2O: a synthetic leucophosphite

A new iron(III)/vanadium(III) phosphate, K₃[Fe_3.26V_0.74(OH)O(PO₄)₄(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O (1), has been obtained by hydrothermal synthesis and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP), thermogravimetric analysis, and FTIR spectroscopy. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals a 3D open framework (monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a?=?9.6391(7)?Å, b?=?9.8063(7)?Å, c?=?9.7268(7)?Å, β?=?100.71(1)°, and V?=?903.38(11)?ų). This structure presents Fe^III and V^III in a 4.4?:?1?M ratio with the metal ions in two different crystallographic sites. Both metallic centers have distorted octahedral environments, linked by PO₄ tetrahedra, forming channels along the a-axis. The asymmetric unit of K₃[Fe_3.26V_0.74(OH)O(PO₄)₄(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O presents a {M₄(OH)O(PO₄)₄(H₂O)₂}^3? anionic entity, charge balanced by three K⁺, which are located within the channels. It is also possible to distinguish M₄O₂ units whose M^III polyhedra are linked by vertex and edges.     

Synthesis and Self‐Assembly of Thermoresponsive Amphiphilic Biodegradable Polypeptide/Poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate) Block Copolymers

We report the design and synthesis of new fully biodegradable thermoresponsive amphiphilic poly(γ‐benzyl L ‐glutamate)/poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate) (PBLG‐b‐PEEP) block copolymers by ring‐opening polymerization of N‐carboxy‐γ‐benzyl L ‐glutamate anhydride (BLG? NCA) with amine‐terminated poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate) (H₂N? PEEP) as a macroinitiator. The fluorescence technique demonstrated that the block copolymers could form micelles composed of a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell in aqueous solution. The morphology of the micelles as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was spherical. The size and critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of the micelles showed a decreasing trend as the PBLG segment increased. However, UV/Vis measurements showed that these block copolymers exhibited a reproducible temperature‐responsive behavior with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) that could be tuned by the block composition and the concentration.     

Incorporation of titanium dioxide particles into polymer matrix using block copolymer micelles for fabrication of high refractive and transparent organic–inorganic hybrid materials

We report a novel strategy for incorporation of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to exploit high refractive and transparent organic–inorganic hybrid materials. Formation of TiO₂ particles of around 20 nm was conducted within hydrophilic core of block copolymer micelles of poly(methyl methacrylate‐block‐acrylic acid) (PMMA‐b‐PAA) in toluene via sol–gel process from titanium isopropoxide and hydrochloric acid. Subsequently, incorporation of TiO₂ particles into PMMA matrix was carried out by casting toluene solution of TiO₂ precursor‐loaded copolymer micelles, prepared from PMMA₃₅₀‐b‐PAA₉₃ and the precursor of mole ratio Ti⁴⁺/carboxyl 4.0, and PMMA. Hybrid films of TiO₂/PMMA exhibited high transparency to achieve transmission over 87% at 500 nm at 30 wt % of TiO₂ content. The refractive index of resulting hybrid films at 633 nm linearly increased with TiO₂ content to attain 1.579 at 30 wt % TiO₂, which was 0.1 higher than that of PMMA. Cross‐sectional transmission electron microscope images of TiO₂/PMMA hybrid films showed existence of TiO₂ clusters less than 100 nm, which were probably formed by aggregation or agglutination of TiO₂ particles during a drying process. It was also observed that decomposition temperature of the hybrid films elevated with increasing TiO₂ content. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

The Effect of the Spacer of Bis(biurea) Ligands on the Structure of A2L3‐type (A=anion) Phosphate Complexes

By tuning the length and rigidity of the spacer of bis(biurea) ligands L, three structural motifs of the A₂L₃ complexes (A represents anion, here orthophosphate PO₄^3?), namely helicate, mesocate, and mono‐bridged motif, have been assembled by coordination of the ligand to phosphate anion. Crystal structure analysis indicated that in the three complexes, each of the phosphate ions is coordinated by twelve hydrogen bonds from six surrounding urea groups. The anion coordination properties in solution have also been studied. The results further demonstrate the coordination behavior of phosphate ion, which shows strong tendency for coordination saturation and geometrical preference, thus allowing for the assembly of novel anion coordination‐based structures as in transition‐metal complexes.     

Copper(II) manganese(II) orthophosphate,Cu0.5Mn2.5(PO4)2

The title compound, Cu_0.5Mn_2.5(PO₄)₂, is a copper–manganese phosphate solid solution with the graftonite‐type structure, viz. (Mn,Fe,Ca,Mg)₃(PO₄)₂. The structure has three distinct metal cation sites, two of which are occupied by Mn^II and one of which accommodates Cu^II. Incorporation of Cu^II into the structure distorts the coordination geometry of the metal cation site from five‐coordinate square‐pyramidal towards four‐coordinate flattened tetrahedral, and serves to contract the structure principally along the c axis.     

Bis(ammonium) fluorophosphate at room temperature

The title room‐temperature phase of (NH₄)₂(PO₃F) is orthorhombic (Pna2₁) and is related to the β‐K₂SO₄ structure family. The title structure consists of ammonium cations, NH₄⁺, and fluoro­phosphate anions, (PO₃F)^2?. These ions are connected by N—H?O hydrogen bonds. Two‐centre N—­H?F hydrogen bonds are not present in the structure. Phase transitions were detected at 251±2 and 274±2 K during cooling and heating, respectively.     

Anion Coordination of Bis‐bisurea Ligands: Aggregation of Dihydrogen Phosphate Anion into Oligomers and Infinite Chains

A series of alkanediyl‐spaced bis‐bisurea ligands ( L² – L⁴ ) were synthesized and their anion coordination behavior studied. These ligands form interesting complexes with polymeric and oligomeric dihydrogen phosphate aggregates in the solid state. The ligands L² and L³ coordinate with H₂PO₄^– anions to form a unique molecular “necklace” with an infinite (H₂PO₄^–)_n chain and surrounding ligand molecules. Meanwhile, two different dihydrogen phosphate‐water oligomers, (H₂PO₄)₆ · (H₂O)₄ and (H₂PO₄)₄ · (H₂O)₂, were observed in the complexes with the ligands L³ and L⁴ . In addition, solution anion binding properties of the ligands were studied by ¹H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy.     

Evaluation of phosphate removal capacity of Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>–ZVINPs from aqueous solution: optimization using response surface analysis

The present research aims to optimize the removal of phosphate (PO₄ ^3?) from aqueous solution by Fe₃O₄ stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄–ZVINPs). A three-factor, three-level, Box–Behnken design combined with response surface methodology was applied to design the experiments, to develop a mathematical model, and for evaluating the individual and also the interactive effects of the operating variables like pH, temperature, and PO₄ ^3? concentration on removal efficiency. The analysis of variance has been used to evaluate the adequacy of the developed mathematical model in order to predict the optimal conditions of independent process variables, and to get maximum removal efficiency. Three-dimensional response surface plots were constructed to visualize the simultaneous interactive effects between two process variables. All three factors had a significant impact on removal of PO₄ ^3?. The predicted value of the model (166.0 mg g^?1PO₄ ^3?) was in good agreement with the experimental value (164.92 mg g^?1 PO₄ ^3?) under the optimum conditions of temperature 49.2 °C; pH 3.5; and PO₄ ^3? concentration 79.8 mg L^?1. The removal of PO₄ ^3? in the presence of environmental matrix (other ions) was also investigated at optimum conditions as predicted by the model. The results suggest that the presence of these ions had no significant effect on PO₄ ^3? removal. In addition, the adsorbed PO₄ ^3? can be effectively desorbed at higher pH of the solution. The findings suggest that removal of PO₄ ^3? from aqueous solution using Fe₃O₄–ZVINPs can be an effective method.     

Synthesis,Single Crystal Structure Determination and Rietveld Refinement of Cadmium Tetrametaphosphimate Octahydrate Cd2(PO2NH)4·8H2O

Cd₂(PO₂NH)₄ · 8H₂O crystallizes in space group P2₁/c (no. 14), Z = 2, with a = 648.5(2), b = 1070.5(2), c = 1328.7(3) pm and β = 103.11(3) °. The structure, isotypic with M₂(PO₂NH)₄ · 8H₂O (M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn), is composed of Cd²⁺ and (PO₂NH)₄^4? ions as well as crystal water molecules. The P₄N₄ rings of the (PO₂NH)₄^4? ions exhibit a slightly distorted chair‐2 conformation, which has been described by torsion angles, displacement asymmetry parameters and puckering parameters. The tetrametaphosphimate anions are connected forming layers. These layers are linked solely by hydrogen bonds, forming a three‐dimensional network.     

Polymethylene‐b‐polystyrene diblock copolymer: Synthesis,property, and application

The design and synthesis of well‐defined polymethylene‐b‐polystyrene (PM‐b‐PS, M_n = 1.3 × 10⁴–3.0 × 10⁴ g/mol; M_w/M_n (GPC) = 1.08–1.18) diblock copolymers by the combination of living polymerization of ylides and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was successfully achieved. The ¹H NMR spectrum and GPC traces of PM‐b‐PS indicated the successful extension of PS segment on the PM macroinitiator. The micellization behavior of such diblock copolymers in tetrahydrofuran were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The average aggregate sizes of PM‐b‐PS diblock copolymers with the same length of PM segment in tetrahydrofuran solution (1.0 mg mL^?1) increases from 104.2 nm to 167.7 nm when the molecular weight of PS segment increases. The spherical precipitated aggregates of PM‐b‐PS diblock copolymers with an average diameter of 600 nm were observed by AFM. Honeycomb porous films with the average diameter of 3.0 μm and 6.0 μm, respectively, were successfully fabricated using the solution of PM‐b‐PS diblock copolymers in carbon disulfide via the breath‐figure (BF) method under a static humid condition. The cross‐sections of low density polyethylene (LDPE)/polystyrene (PS)/PM‐b‐PS and LDPE/polycarbonate (PC)/PM‐b‐PS blends were observed by scanning electron microscope and reveal that the PM‐b‐PS diblock copolymers are effective compatilizers for LDPE/PS and LDPE/PC blends. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1894–1900, 2010     

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Properties of Open-Framework Mixed-valence Iron Phosphates Fe2^111Fe1.5^11（PO4）3 with Three-dimensional Structure

The open‐framework iron phosphate Fe₂^lllFe_1.5^ll,(PO₄)₃ was hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, EPR, XPS and single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The title compound crystallized in the triclinic, space group P1 with a=0.64724(4) nm, b=0.79651(6) nm, c=0.94229(5) nm, a= 104.447(2)°. β= 108.919(4)°. y= 101.741(4)°, V=0.42302(5) nm³, Z= 1 and R_I (wR₂)=0.0307 (0.0793). Crystal data were collected on a Rigaku R‐AXIS RAPID IP diffractometer with Mo Ka (γ=0.071073 nm) at 293(2) K in the range of 2.43°<Õ <27.46°. The structure of 1 consists of 19 non‐hydrogen atoms including three and a half crystallographically independent Fe and three P atoms. Fe(1) connects its symmetrical Fe(1A) through bridging oxygen forming a dimer and the dimers are connected by Fe(4) forming an infinite staircase‐like chain. Fe(2) and Fe(3) connect the infinite chains into a layer with bridging oxygen. Layers are interconnected via Fe(4) forming the six‐membered and eight‐membered channel systems.     

Li0.97FeII0.79FeIII0.15(PO4), a new oxidized triphylite‐type phosphate

This paper reports a new partially oxidized triphylite‐type phosphate (lithium iron phosphate), which has been synthesized hydrothermally at 973 K and 0.1 GPa. The structure is similar to that of natural triphylite, LiFe(PO₄), and is characterized by two chains of edge‐sharing octahedra parallel to the b axis. The weakly distorted M1 octahedra contain Li atoms, whereas the more strongly distorted M2 octahedra contain Fe^II and Fe^III atoms. Refined site occupancies and bond‐valence analysis show the presence of Fe^III and vacancies on the M2 site, mainly explained by the substitution mechanism 3 Fe^II = 2 Fe^III + vacancies.