A novel route to synthesize diphenylene by the catalytic effect of GaP nanocrystals

Diphenylene was synthesized directly from benzene under the catalytic effect of GaP nanocrystals, and the effect of GaP nanocrystals content was studied. The experimental results showed that no reactions took place without GaP nanocrystals. The more the GaP nanocrystals added, the more the reaction complete. Furthermore, at high temperatures (450-480℃), when the content of GaP nanocrystals was high enough, almost all benzene polymerized and the yield of diphenylene was rather high. On the contrast, even if there are enough GaP nanocrystals in the reaction mixture, almost no polymerization reaction took place at low temperature (for example, 250-300℃), and the yield of diphenylene was very poor. The analytical results of XRD, IR, elemental analysis and NMR proved that the sample was truly diphenylene.     

Symmetry-controlled colloidal nanocrystals: nonhydrolytic chemical synthesis and shape determining parameters

Since inorganic nanocrystals exhibit unique shape-dependent nanoscale properties and can be utilized as basic building blocks for futuristic nanodevices, a systematic study on the shape control of these nanocrystals remains an important subject in materials and physical chemistry. In this feature article, we overview the recent progress on the synthetic development of symmetry-controlled colloidal nanocrystals of semiconductor and metal oxide, which are prepared through nonhydrolytic chemical routes. We describe their shape-guiding processes and illustrate the detailed key factors controlling their growth by examining various case studies of zero-dimensional spheres and cubes, one-dimensional rods, and quasi multidimensional structures such as disks, multipods, and stars. Specifically, the crystalline phase of nucleating seeds, surface energy, kinetic vs thermodynamic growth, and selective adhesion processes of capping ligands are found to be most crucial for the determination of the nanocrystal shape.     

苯热条件下GaP纳米晶的稳定性

用高温高压苯热合成方法制备了GaP纳米晶,用X射线衍射、光吸收谱及透射电子显微镜对所得样品进行了分析测试．结果表明,GaP纳米晶在苯热条件下是亚稳定态的,反应时间过长及反应温度过高均不利于它的生成和生长．文中还讨论了晶粒度分布与合成条件间的关系,并进行了理论上的定性分析．     

一氧化碳辅助钯、铂纳米晶的形貌控制

形貌控制对调控贵金属纳米晶的催化和光学性能至关重要．近年来,在发展铂、钯纳米晶的形貌控制的方法过程中,一氧化碳（CO）不仅作为合成铂、钯纳米晶的优良还原剂,还可通过在特定晶面的选择性吸附辅助铂、钯纳米晶的形貌控制．CO辅助铂、钯纳米晶形貌控制的方法正逐步展现出独特的优越性,甚至帮助我们制备了一些目前其他方法所无法制备的纳米晶．该综述文章首先从表面科学的角度分析讨论CO分子在铂、钯单晶面上的不同吸附行为,然后总结分析了CO调控铂、钯纳米晶形貌的几个典型例子（超薄钯纳米片、介晶钯纳米花、钯四角叉／四面体以及铂纳米立方体、铂钴削角八面体）,讨论了CO在控制铂、钯纳米晶的形貌控制作用及其化学本质,最后提出CO在辅助贵金属纳米晶的形貌控制中的挑战和展望．     

Faceting of nanocrystals during chemical transformation: from solid silver spheres to hollow gold octahedra

We demonstrate that performing a replacement reaction on single crystalline Ag nanospheres of approximately 10 nm in diameter in an organic solvent produces hollow Au nanocrystals with an octahedral shape. Different from those Au shells made by starting with Ag particles about 1 order of magnitude larger, which largely reproduce that of the sacrificial Ag counterparts, the hollow nanocrystals obtained in this work show significant changes in the external morphology from the spherical Ag precursors. This evolution of a faceted external morphology during chemical transformation is made possible by the enhanced role of surface effects in our smaller nanocrystals. The competition between the Au atom deposition and Ag atom dissolution on various nanocrystal surfaces is believed to determine the final octahedral shape of the hollow Au nanocrystals. Simultaneous achievement of surface-mediated shape control and a hollow morphology in a one-pot, single-step synthetic procedure in this study promises an avenue to finer tuning of particle morphology, and thus physical properties such as surface plasmon resonance.     

Formation of PbSe nanocrystals: A growth toward nanocubes

In this paper we report an electron microscopic observation of crystal shape development when PbSe nanocrystals were synthesized using a dynamic injection technique at different temperatures in the presence of oleic acid. A two-step evolution mechanism was proposed, indicating that the shape evolution of PbSe nanocrystals is dependent on the growth time, whereas the crystalline size can be tuned by varying the growth temperature under the studied conditions. It also implies that a higher growth rate in the 111 direction compared to that in the 100 direction results in the formation of nanocubes.     

Shape-Controlled Nanocrystals for Catalytic Applications

The activity, selectivity, and long-term stability of catalyst nanoparticles can be enhanced by shape modulation. Such shaped catalytic nanocrystals have well-defined surface crystalline structures on which the cleavage and recombination of chemical bonds can be rationally controlled. Metal and metal oxide nanocrystals have been synthesized in various shapes using wet chemistry techniques such as reducing metal precursors in the presence of the surface-capping agents. The surface-capping agents should be removed prior to the catalytic chemical reaction, which necessitates clean catalytically active surface. The removal process should be performed very carefully because this removal often causes shape deformation. A few examples in which the surface-capping agents contribute positively to the chemical reactions have been reported. The examples described in this review include shaped metal, metal composite, and metal oxide nanocrystals that show enhanced catalytic activity, selectivity, and long-term stability for various gas-phase, liquid-phase, or electrocatalytic reactions. Although most of the studies using these shaped nanocrystals for catalytic applications have focused on low-index surfaces, nanocrystals with high-index facets and their catalytic applications have recently been reported. By bridging surface studies with nanoparticle catalysts using shape modulation, catalysts with improved properties can be rationally designed.     

Controlling synthesis of BiIn dendritic nanocrystals by solution dispersion

In this study, we report a novel and simple solution-phase route for one-dimensional metal nanocrystals. BiIn nanocrystals were prepared by directly dispersing melting BiIn alloy at an appropriate solvent. The as-obtained BiIn nanocrystals with a dendritic shape possess a good crystalline phase. The morphology of the nanocrystals can be greatly modified by changing the reaction parameters. This strong UV emission might arise from the quantum-confined In2O3 particles.     

The thermostability and reactivity of GaP nanocrystals in oxygen: from GaP nanocrystals to Ga2O3 nanocrystals

The thermostability and reactivity of GaP nanocrystals in O(2) were investigated using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis techniques. alpha-Ga(2)O(3) nanoparticles, nano-hollow-particles, or nanorods and nanotubes can be separately obtained from the oxidation of nanocrystalline GaP at 400 degrees C for 30 min in dry O(2) atmosphere via manipulating different heating rates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) analysis showed that the products were all alpha-Ga(2)O(3) but with different morphologies when different heating rates were applied. The formation mechanisms of the different morphological alpha-Ga(2)O(3) nanocrystals were discussed.     

Thermic conversion of benzene into 6-phenylfulvene with high yield mediated by GaP nanocrystals

With GaP nanocrystals being used in a close reaction system, 6-phenylfulvene is successfully obtained via a high yield thermic conversion from benzene, which provides the possibility of applying nanocrystals to mediate organic reactions.     

Separating Growth from Nucleation for Facile Control over the Size and Shape of Palladium Nanocrystals

In order to maximize the performance of nanocrystals in a specific application, it is necessary to control both their size and shape. Here we report a one-pot protocol that allows us to separate growth from nucleation for achieving better control over the size and shape of Pd nanocrystals. The two processes are temporally separated from each other, although the synthesis is carried out in the same reaction container. Size control is achieved by simply varying the ratio between the amounts of precursor allocated to the growth and nucleation processes. With the involvement of seeds at a fixed number, increasing the amount of precursor for growth leads to increasingly larger nanocrystals. Shape control is made possible by varying the capping agent, with bromide leading to a cubic shape and citrate inducing the formation of an octahedral shape. The synthesis can also be scaled up by at least tenfold without compromising the quality.     

Large-scale cubic InN nanocrystals by a combined solution- and vapor-phase method under silica confinement

Large-scale cubic InN nanocrystals were synthesized by a combined solution- and vapor-phase method under silica confinement. Nearly monodisperse cubic InN nanocrystals with uniform spherical shape were dispersed stably in various organic solvents after removal of the silica shells. The average size of InN nanocrystals is 5.7 ± 0.6 nm. Powder X-ray diffraction results indicate that the InN nanocrystals are of high crystallinity with a cubic phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy confirm that the nanocrystals are composed of In and N elements. The InN nanocrystals exhibit infrared photoluminescence at room temperature, with a peak energy of ~0.62 eV, which is smaller than that of high-quality wurtzite InN (~0.65-0.7 eV) and is in agreement with theoretical calculations. The small emission peak energy of InN nanocrystals, as compared to other low-cost solution or vapor methods, reveals the superior crystalline quality of our samples, with low or negligible defect density. This work will significantly promote InN-based applications in IR optoelectronic device and biology.     

Solvothermal synthesis of well-dispersed NaMgF3 nanocrystals and their optical properties

Complex metal fluoride NaMgF(3) nanocrystals were successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method at a relatively low temperature with the presence of oleic acid, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, respectively. In the synthetic process, oleic acid as a surfactant played a crucial role in confining the growth and solubility of the NaMgF(3) nanocrystals. The as-prepared NaMgF(3) nanocrystals have quasi-spherical shape with a narrow distribution. A possible formation mechanism of the nanocrystals was proposed based on the effect of oleic acid. The as-prepared NaMgF(3) nanocrystals are highly crystalline and well-dispersed in cyclohexane to form stable and clear colloidal solutions, which demonstrate a strong emission band centered at 400 nm in photoluminescence (PL) spectra compared with the cyclohexane solvent. The PL properties of the colloidal solutions of the as-prepared nanocrystals can be ascribed to the trap states of surface defects.     

反应时间对GaP纳米材料粒度的影响

以GaCl3和Na3P为原料,利用苯热合成方法,在相同的温度、不同的反应时间下制备GaP纳米粒子。由分散在苯中的GaP纳米粒子的吸收光谱和透射电子显微镜测试结果可知,反应时间延长时GaP苯溶液的光吸收谱发生明显的蓝移。本文分析了出现这一现象的原因,并从实验上进行了验证。     

Template-assisted synthesis of shape-controlled Rh2P nanocrystals

When reacted with trioctylphosphine at approximately 360 degrees C, rhodium nanocrystals convert to rhodium phosphide Rh(2)P nanocrystals. Careful control over synthetic variables, such as temperature, stabilizing ligands, and cosolvents, can result in Rh(2)P nanocrystals with shapes that reflect the Rh nanocrystal templates. Accordingly, Rh nanocrystals with multipod, cube- and triangle-derived shapes convert to Rh(2)P nanocrystals that maintain the shape of their Rh precursors. Both dense and hollow Rh(2)P nanocrystals can be generated using a single unified chemical conversion strategy. These empirical guidelines for generating a morphologically diverse library of Rh(2)P nanocrystals provide important insights into shape conservation using nanocrystal templates and will likely be portable to other multielement systems for which rigorous shape-controlled synthesis remains challenging.     

溶胶-凝胶法设计与制备金属及合金纳米材料的研究进展

溶胶-凝胶法是常见的制备金属氧化物的方法之一。在溶胶-凝胶法中,各种反应物能达到分子级的均匀混合,因此能制备成份复杂的氧化物材料。目前,溶胶-凝胶法也应用于设计与制备金属纳米材料,特别是合金纳米颗粒。例如,溶胶-凝胶法能应用于制备CoPt、FePt等磁性纳米合金材料以及CoCrCuNiAl高熵合金纳米材料,以及物相结构为有序相的Cu3Pt合金纳米材料。本文综述溶胶-凝胶法设计制备金属纳米材料的研究进展,包括溶胶-凝胶法实施的基本步骤、该方法在制备金属纳米材料方面的具体应用,并着重论述采用热力学计算设计金属及化合物的基本原理。该基本原理包括计算金属氧化物与还原性气体如氢气的还原反应的吉布斯自由能的变化量、金属氧化物的标准电极电位(不同于金属离子的标准电极电位)。最后探讨溶胶-凝胶法设计制备金属纳米材料存在的问题以及后续可能的发展方向。     

Shape control and associated magnetic properties of spinel cobalt ferrite nanocrystals

By combining nonhydrolytic reaction with seed-mediated growth, high-quality and monodisperse spinel cobalt ferrite, CoFe(2)O(4), nanocrystals can be synthesized with a highly controllable shape of nearly spherical or almost perfectly cubic. The shape of the nanocrystals can also be reversibly interchanged between spherical and cubic morphology through controlling nanocrystal growth rate. Furthermore, the magnetic studies show that the blocking temperature, saturation, and remanent magnetization of nanocrystals are solely determined by the size regardless the spherical or cubic shape. However, the shape of the nanocrystals is a dominating factor for the coercivity of nanocrystals due to the effect of surface anisotropy. Such magnetic nanocrystals with distinct shapes possess tremendous potentials in fundamental understanding of magnetism and in technological applications of magnetic nanocrystals for high-density information storage.     

Shape-controlled conversion of beta-Sn nanocrystals into intermetallic M-Sn (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Pd) nanocrystals

The ability to control the shape of metal nanocrystals is critical to applications such as catalysis, magnetism, and plasmonics. Despite significant advances in controlling the shapes of single-metal nanocrystals, rigorous shape control of multimetal nanocrystals remains challenging, and has been limited largely to alloy systems of similar metals. Here we describe a robust strategy that produces shape-controlled intermetallic nanocrystals involving elements of notably different reduction potentials, reduction kinetics, and reactivity. The approach utilizes shape- and size-controlled beta-Sn nanocrystals as reactive templates that can be converted into binary M-Sn (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Pd) intermetallic compounds by reaction with appropriate metal salt solutions under reducing conditions. The result, demonstrated in detail for the FeSn2 system, is a variety of nanostructures with morphologies that include spheres, cubes, hollow squares, U-shaped structures, nanorods, and nanorod dimers. Our experiments demonstrate a size- and shape-dependent reactivity toward the formation of hollow FeSn2 nanostructures and provide empirical guidelines for the formation of other intermetallic nanocrystals. In addition to those of FeSn2, nanocrystals of intermetallic PdSn, CoSn3, and NiSn3 can be formed using this same chemical conversion strategy.     

Aqueous synthesis of III-V semiconductor GaP and InP exhibiting pronounced quantum confinement

A mild aqueous synthesis route was successfully established to synthesize well crystallized and monodisperse GaP and InP nanocrystals, which were proved to exhibit pronounced quantum confinement by room-temperature UV/Vis adsorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra.     

Polyhedral gold nanocrystals with O h symmetry: from octahedra to cubes

We report the shape and size control of polyhedral gold nanocrystals by a modified polyol process. The rapid reduction of gold precursors in refluxing 1,5-pentanediol has successfully provided a series of gold nanocrystals in the shape of octahedra, truncated octahedra, cuboctahedra, cubes, and higher polygons by incremental changes of silver nitrate concentration. All nanocrystals were obtained quantitatively and were uniform in shape and size in the range of approximately 100 nm. Smaller octahedra and cubes were also prepared by using large amounts of PVP. Silver species generated from AgNO3 seemed to determine the final nanocrystal morphology by the selective growth of {111} and/or the restriction of {100}. The shape evolution of the particles was addressed by quenching the reactions at different time intervals. The approximately 60 nm seeds were generated rapidly and grown slowly with simultaneous edge sharpening. Aging the reaction mixture focused the size and shape of the nanocrystals by Ostwald ripening. We believe that our selective growth conditions can be applied to other shapes and compositions of face-centered cubic metals.