Novel synthesis of Fe2O3–Pt ellipsoids coated by double‐shelled La2O3 as a catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

A facile strategy is reported for the fabrication of Pt‐loaded core–shell nanocomposite ellipsoids (Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL) consisting of ellipsoidal Fe₂O₃ cores, double‐layered La₂O₃ shells and deposited Pt nanoparticles (NPs). The formation of the doubled‐shelled structure uses Fe₂O₃‐Pt@mSiO₂ as template sacrificial agent and it involves the re‐deposition of silica and self‐assembly of metal oxide units. The preparation methods of double‐shelled metal oxides avoid repeated coating and etching and could be utilized to fabricate other shaped double‐shelled composites. Characterization results indicated that the Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL nanocomposites possessed mesoporous structure and tunable shell thickness. Moreover, due to the formation of Fe₂O₃ and La₂O₃ composites, Pt NPs can also be stabilized via deposition on chemically active oxides with a synergistic effect. Therefore, as a catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol, Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL showed superior catalytic activity and reusability due to structural superiority and enhanced composite synergy. Finally, well‐dispersed Pt NPs were encapsulated into the void between the shell layers to construct the Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL‐Pt catalyst.     

Synthesis,characterization and catalytic performance of core‐shell structure magnetic Fe3O4/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH2/HPG‐COOH‐Pd catalyst

A strategy has been developed for the synthesis, characterization and catalysis of magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH₂/HPG‐COOH‐Pd core‐shell structure supported catalyst. The P(GMA‐EGDMA) polymer layer was coated on the surface of hollow magnetic Fe₃O₄ microspheres through the effect of KH570. The core‐shell magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA) modified by ‐NH₂ could be grafted with HPG. Then, the hyperbranched glycidyl (HPG) with terminal ‐OH were modified by ‐COOH and adsorbed Pd nanoparticles. The hyperbranched polymer layer not only protected the Fe₃O₄ magnetic core from acid–base substrate corrosion, but also provided a number of functional groups as binding sites for Pd nanoparticles. The prepared catalyst was characterized by UV–vis, TEM, SEM, FTIR, TGA, ICP‐OES, BET, XRD, DLS and VSM. The catalytic tests showed that the magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH₂/HPG‐COOH‐Pd catalyst had excellent catalytic performance and retained 86% catalytic efficiency after 8 consecutive cycles.     

Continuous Dehydrogenation of n‐Pentanol over a Cr Modified Cu/γ‐Al2O3‐La2O3 Catalyst

The oxidant‐free dehydrogenation of n‐pentanol over copper based catalysts was investigated in this paper. The effect of metal modification on the activity and stability of the copper catalyst supported on γ‐Al₂O₃ and La₂O₃ (Cu/γ‐Al₂O₃‐La₂O₃) was clarified and a Cr modified Cu/Al₂O₃‐La₂O₃ (Cu‐Cr/γ‐Al₂O₃‐La₂O₃) showed the best catalytic performance. The conversion of n‐pentanol was 70.0% and the selectivity for n‐pentanal increased to 97.1% over Cu‐Cr/γ‐Al₂O₃‐La₂O₃. X‐ray diffraction and temperature programmed reduction of H₂ indicated that the addition of Cr favors the formation and reduction of the copper oxide, and the dispersion of the active Cu⁰ species, accounting for the good activity and stability of this catalyst. Furthermore, the lower amount of acidic sites in Cu‐Cr/γ‐Al₂O₃‐La₂O₃ is suggested to suppress the dehydration in oxidant‐free dehydrogenation of n‐pentanol, accounting for the higher selectivity for n‐pentanal.     

Perylene diimide‐modified magnetic γ‐Fe2O3/CeO2 nanoparticles as peroxidase mimics for highly sensitive colorimetric detection of Vitamin C

Perylene diimide‐modified magnetic γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂ nanoparticles (γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI) were prepared and exhibited excellent peroxidase‐like activity. The samples were characterized by HR‐TEM, XRD, Raman, N₂ adsorption, magnetic strength and XPS. The obtained γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI had size of 10~20 nm with high specific surface area of 77 m²/g, and could be easily separated from the aqueous solution by using a magnet, which are in favor of its practical application. Due to the decoration of PDI, the γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI possessed more surface defects (Ce³⁺) and active oxygen species than that of γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂, resulting in the outstanding catalytic performance. And the composite catalyst also showed highly sensitive and selectivity toward VC with a limit of detection of 0.45 μM. Based on the fluorescent results, a possible hydroxyl radical (?OH) catalytic mechanism was proposed. It is believed that the as‐prepared γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI nanoparticles are promising biosensors applied for biomedical and food analysis.     

Ordered mesoporous Pt/Fe3O4–CeO2 heterostructure gel particles with enhanced catalytic performance for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

The unique physicochemical properties of ordered mesoporous transition metal oxides have attracted more and more attention. The hydrolysis process of metal oxide precursors is difficult to control, and it is difficult to synthesize an ordered mesoporous transition metal oxide material using the conventional template method. Ordered mesoporous Pt/Fe₃O₄–CeO₂ heterostructure gel materials with excellent catalytic properties were successfully prepared using aerogel technology and the chemical deposition method. The Pt/Fe₃O₄–CeO₂ material was an n–n combined heterostructured semiconductor material which consisted of a magnetic Fe₃O₄ layer, a CeO₂ core and Pt noble metal doped nanoparticles. A layer of Fe₃O₄ thin film was formed on the surface of ordered mesoporous Pt/CeO₂ gel matrix material using the chemical deposition method. The intriguing heterostructural features could facilitate reactant diffusion and exposure of active sites which could enhance synergistic catalytic effects between the Pt nanoparticles and CeO₂ nanoparticles. Compared with Pt/CeO₂, the prepared Pt/Fe₃O₄–CeO₂ showed enhanced catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol at room temperature. The catalytic activity of the heterostructure catalysts was systematically investigated using 4-nitrophenol reduction as a model reaction. The results showed that the Pt (0.1%)/Fe₃O₄–CeO₂ sample exhibited the optimal catalytic performance toward catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The study provided a method for the preparation of heterostructure nanocatalysts with high efficiency, which would be effective for application in various catalytic reactions.     

Highly active catalysts: Double‐shelled hollow nanospheres with tiny Pt NPs

A facile strategy was reported to fabricate a novel Pt‐based metal oxide double‐shelled hollow nanospheres (MDSHs), which avoided the traditional tedious procedures. It was attractive that the formation mechanism of DSHs involved redeposition of etch‐released silica species and self‐assembly of metal oxide units. To verify the successful synthesis and structure features of Pt‐LCDSHs catalyst, the as‐prepared samples were characterized by several techniques, such as SEM, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis, TEM, EDX, XRD and XPS. Results indicated that all of MDSHs possessed double‐shelled structures with both the inner and outer shells composing of metal oxide units. Interestingly, the metal oxide of the DHSs could offer abundant active points for Pt NPs and the space between the double shells also could be filled with Pt NPs. What's more, compared with the pure samples, the Pt‐embedded La₂O₃‐CeO₂‐DSHs exhibited the highest catalytic performance (6.58 × 10^?3 min^?1) and good reusability with a conversion of 94% even after eight cycles, which were evaluated by means of the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol monitored by UV–vis spectra. Finally, a possible reaction mechanism for the reduction reaction on Pt‐based La₂O₃‐CeO₂‐DSHs was also proposed.     

Constructing magnetic Fe3O4‐Au@CeO2 hybrid nanofibers for selective catalytic degradation of organic dyes

Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) play a vital role in heterogeneous catalytic reactions. However, pristine Au NPs usually suffer from poor selectivity and difficult recyclability. In this work, Fe₃O₄‐Au@CeO₂ hybrid nanofibers were prepared via a simple one‐pot redox reaction between HAuCl₄ and Ce (NO₃)₃ in the presence of Fe₃O₄ nanofibers. CeO₂ shell was uniformly coated on the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanofibers to form a unique core‐shell structure, while Au NPs were encapsulated inside the CeO₂ shell. The as‐prepared Fe₃O₄‐Au@CeO₂ hybrid nanofibers have been proved to be positively surface charged due to the formation of CeO₂ shell, enabling them to be good candidates for predominant selective catalytic activity towards the degradation of negatively charged organic dyes. In addition, the Fe₃O₄‐Au@CeO₂ hybrid nanofibers showed magnetic properties, offering them excellent recyclable usability. This work presents a facile and effective solution to prepare magnetic noble metal/metal oxide hybrid nanomaterials with unique chemical structure and surface characteristic for promising applications in heterogeneous catalysis.     

Fe3O4@SiO2‐PANI‐Au Nanocomposite Prepared for Electrochemical Determination of Quercetin in Food Samples and Biological Fluids

A new electrochemical sensor based on Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au nanocomposite was fabricated for modification of glassy carbon electrode (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au GCE). The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au nanocomposite was characterized by TEM, FESEM‐EDS‐Mapping, XRD, and TGA methods. The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au GC electrode exhibited an acceptable sensitivity, fast electrochemical response, and good selectivity for determination of quercetin. Under optimal conditions, the linear range for quercetin concentrations using this sensor was 1.0×10^?8 to 1.5×10^?5 mol L^?1, and the limit of detection was 3.8×10^?9 mol L^?1. The results illustrated that the offered sensor could be a possible alternative for the measurement of quercetin in food samples and biological fluids.     

Synergistic Ternary Composite (Carbon/Fe3O4@Graphene) with Hollow Microspherical and Robust Structure for Li‐Ion Storage

The electrode materials with hollow structure and/or graphene coating are expected to exhibit outstanding electrochemical performances in energy‐storage systems. 2D graphene‐wrapped hollow C/Fe₃O₄ microspheres are rationally designed and fabricated by a novel facile and scalable strategy. The core@double‐shell structure SPS@FeOOH@GO (SPS: sulfonated polystyrene, GO: graphene oxide) microspheres are first prepared through a simple one‐pot approach and then transformed into C/Fe₃O₄@G (G: graphene) after calcination at 500 °C in Ar. During calcination, the Kirkendall effect resulting from the diffusion/reaction of SPS‐derived carbon and FeOOH leads to the formation of hollow structure carbon with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles embedded in it. In the rationally constructed architecture of C/Fe₃O₄@G, the strongly coupled C/Fe₃O₄ hollow microspheres are further anchored onto 2D graphene networks, achieving a strong synergetic effect between carbon, Fe₃O₄, and graphene. As an anode material of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs), C/Fe₃O₄@G manifests a high reversible capacity, excellent rate behavior, and outstanding long‐term cycling performance (1208 mAh g^?1 after 200 cycles at 100 mA g^?1).     

Research on WPU‐RGO/ATP‐Fe3O4/chitosan composites with excellent electrical and magnetic properties

First, attapulgite‐Fe₃O₄ magnetic filler (ATP‐Fe₃O₄) was prepared by using a chemical precipitation method. Subsequently, graphite oxide (GO) was prepared through Hummer method, and then reduced GO (RGO) was prepared through GO reduced by chitosan (CS). Finally, a series of WPU‐RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS composites were prepared by introduced RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS to waterborne polyurethane. The structure and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), thermogravimetric analysis TGA, conductivity test, and tensile test. The experimental results indicated that thermal stability and tensile strength of nanocomposites were improved with the increase of the content of RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS. Meanwhile, with the increase of the RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS content, the electrical and magnetic properties of WPU‐RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS composites were improved. When the content of RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS was 8 wt%, the electrical conductivity and the saturation magnetic strength of WPU‐RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS composites were 3.1 × 10^?7 S·cm^?1 and 1.38 emu/g, respectively. WPU‐RGO/ATP‐Fe₃O₄/CS composites have excellent electrical and magnetic properties.     

Time‐Resolved High and Low Temperature Phase Transitions of the Nanocrystalline Cubic Phase in the Y2O3‐ZrO2 and Fe2O3‐ZrO2 System

The nanocrystalline cubic Phase of zirconia was found to be thermally stabilized by the addition of 2.56 to 17.65 mol % Y₂O₃ (5.0 to 30.0 mol % Y, 95.0 to 70.0 mol % Zr cation content). The cubic phase of yttria stabilized zirconia was prepared by thermal decomposition of the hydroxides at 400°C for 1 hr. 2.56 mol % Y₂O₃‐ZrO₂ was stable up to 800°C in an argon atmosphere. The samples with 4.17 to 17.65 mol % Y₂O₃ were stable to 1200°C and higher. All samples at temperatures between 1450°C to 1700°C were cubic except the sample with 2.56 mol % Y₂O₃ which was tetragonal. The crystallite sizes observed for the cubic phase ranged from 50 to 150 Å at temperatures below 900°C and varied from 600 to 800 nm between 1450°C and 1700°C. Control of furnace atmosphere is the main factor for obtaining the cubic phase of Y‐SZ at higher temperature. Nanocrystalline cubic Fe‐SZ (Iron Stabilized Zirconia) with crystallite sizes from 70 to 137 Å was also prepared at 400°C. It transformed isothermally at temperatures above 800°C to the tetragonal Fe‐SZ and ultimately to the monoclinic phase at 900°C. The addition of up to 30 mol % Fe(III) thermally stabilized the cubic phase above 800°C in argon. Higher mol % resulted in a separation of Fe₂O₃. The nanocrystalline cubic Fe‐SZ containing a minimum 20 mol % Fe (III) was found to have the greatest thermal stability. The particle size was a primary factor in determining cubic or tetragonal formation. The oxidation state of Fe in zirconia remained Fe³⁺. Fe‐SZ lattice parameters and rate of particle growth were observed to decrease with higher iron content. The thermal stability of Fe‐SZ is comparable with that of Ca‐SZ, Mg‐SZ and Mn‐SZ prepared by this method.     

Dual Amplified Electrochemical Immunosensor for Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Detection Using Hemin/G‐Quadruplex Immobilized onto Fe3O4‐AuNPs or (Hemin‐Amino‐rGO‐Au) Nanohybrid

A sensitive electrochemical immunosensor for Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) detection was fabricated based on hemin/G‐quadruplex interlaced onto Fe₃O₄‐AuNPs or hemin ‐amino‐reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (H‐amino‐rGO‐Au). G‐quadruplex DNAzyme, which is composed of hemin and guanine‐rich nucleic acid, is an effective signal amplified tool for its outstanding peroxidase activity and Fe₃O₄‐AuNPs or (H‐amino‐rGO‐Au) nanocomposites with quasi‐enzyme activity provide appropriate support for the immobilization of hemin/G‐quadruplex. The target protein was sandwiched between the primary antibody immobilized on the GO and secondary antibody immobilized on the Fe₃O₄‐AuNPs or (H‐amino‐rGO‐Au) nanocomposites and glutaraldehyde was used as linking agent for the immobilization of primary antibody on the surface of GO. Both Fe₃O₄‐AuNPs and H‐amino‐rGO‐Au nanocomposite and also hemin/G‐quadruplex can cooperate the electrocatalytic reduction of H₂O₂ in the presence of methylene blue as mediator. The proposed immunosensor has a wide linear dynamic range of 0.1 pg/ml to 300 pg/ml with a detection limit of 60 fg/ml when Fe₃O₄‐AuNPs was used for immobilization of hemin/G‐quadruplex, while the dynamic range and DL were 0. 1–1000 pg/mL and 10 fg/mL, respectively in the presence of H‐amino‐rGO‐ Au nanocomposite as platform for immobilizing of hemin/G‐quadruplex. The proposed immunosensor was also used for analysis of HBsAg in spiked human serum samples with satisfactory results.     

Evaluating the efficiency of the GO‐Fe3O4/TiO2 mesoporous photocatalyst for degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide under visible light irradiation

In this work, the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized graphene oxide (GO)‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous photocatalysts was evaluated using chlorpyrifos (CP) as a contaminant. The nano‐photocatalyst was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and specific surface area by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. Using visible light, the GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous photocatalyst was investigated on the degradation of CP pesticide. The GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ photocatalyst displayed a good photocatalytic activity, which was achieving 97% of CP degradation after 60 min. Finally, experiments were performed to evaluate GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous nanocatalyst activity on repeated applications; after several uses, its photocatalytic activity was retained, which indicated stability.     

Synthesis of a highly active amino‐functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2/APTS/Ru magnetic nanocomposite catalyst for hydrogenation reactions

An amino‐functionalized silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS) was synthesized. The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ microspheres possessed a well‐defined core–shell structure, uniform sizes and high magnetization. An immobilized ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS/Ru) was obtained after coordination and reduction of Ru³⁺ on the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS nanocomposite. The Ru nanoparticles were not only ultra‐small with nearly monodisperse sizes but also had strong affinity with the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS. The obtained catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of a variety of aromatic nitro compounds, even at room temperature. Moreover, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS/Ru was easily recovered using a magnetic field and directly reused for at least five cycles without significant loss of its activity.     

CeO2‐Based Pd(Pt) Nanoparticles Grafted onto Fe3O4/Graphene: A General Self‐Assembly Approach To Fabricate Highly Efficient Catalysts with Magnetic Recyclable Capability

New Pd(Pt) catalysts have been fabricated by assembling multicomponents of Fe₃O₄ and CeO₂/Pd(Pt) on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets in layers. The as‐obtained Pd(Pt) catalysts exhibit extremely high catalytic activity in the selective hydrogenation reaction of nitrobenzene. Owing to the presence of Fe₃O₄, the catalysts can be easily recycled from the catalytic system through magnetic separation. Their high activity, stability, and magnetic recyclability make the as‐obtained hybrids very promising as catalysts in catalytic applications. Compared to other traditional multishell magnetic catalysts that were prepared by means of layer‐by‐layer technology, our process is much more facile and more easily controlled.     

3D Porous Carbon Framework Stabilized Ultra‐Uniform Nano γ‐Fe2O3: A Useful Catalyst System

We present a novel strategy for the scalable fabrication of γ‐Fe₂O₃@3DPCF, a three‐dimensional porous carbon framework (PCF) anchored ultra‐uniform and ultra‐stable γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanocatalyst. The γ‐Fe₂O₃@3DPCF nanocomposites were facilely prepared with the following route: condensation of iron(III) acetylacetonate with acetylacetonate at room temperature to form the polymer precursor (PPr), which was carbonized subsequently at 800 °C. The homogeneous aldol condensation offered an ultra‐uniform distribution of iron, so that the γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) were uniformly distributed in the 3D carbon architecture with the average size of approximate 20 nm. The Fe₂O₃ NPs were capped with carbon, so that the iron oxide maintained its γ‐phase instead of the more stable α‐phase. The nanocomposite was an excellent catalyst for the reduction of nitroarene; it gave >99 % conversion and 100 % selectivity for the reduction of nitroarenes to the corresponding anilines at 100 °C. The fabrication of the γ‐Fe₂O₃@3DPCF nanocatalyst represents a green and scalable method for the synthesis of novel carbon‐based metal oxide nanostructures.     

Improvement on physical properties of polyethersulfone membranes modified by poly(1‐vinylpyrrolidone) grafted magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles

Polyethersulfone (PES) and poly(1‐vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) were used to prepare ultrafiltration membranes with grafted Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂). The structure of synthesized PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was confirmed by FT‐IR and SEM analysis. Physical properties of blend membranes such as thermal resistance, Tensile strength, water uptake, and hydrophilicity were also investigated. Blended membranes of PES/PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ have exhibited higher thermal resistance due to increasing the modified nanoparticle content. The hydrophilicity of the synthesized PES/PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ membranes also improved by increasing the PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ content. As expected, increasing the hydrophilicity of blended membrane, caused enhancement of fouling resistance in membranes. Results showed that the content of PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ has different effects on the properties of synthesized composite membranes. Despite increasing the content of PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ has a negative effect on elongation, positive effects on maximum stress was observed. Moreover, the water uptake of synthesized membranes was significantly enhanced in comparison to other similar studies.     

A Novel Biomimetic Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Based on Pt Flowers‐decorated Fe3O4/Graphene Nanocomposite

A sensitive and selective amperometric H₂O₂ biosensor was obtained by utilizing the electrodeposition of Pt flowers on iron oxide‐reduced graphene oxide (Fe₃O₄/rGO) nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The morphology of Fe₃O₄/rGO and Pt/Fe₃O₄/rGO was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The step‐wise modification and the electrochemical characteristics of the resulting biosensor were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry methods. Thanks to the fast electron transfer at the Pt/Fe₃O₄/rGO electrode interface, the developed biosensor exhibits a fast and linear amperometric response upon H₂O₂. The linear range of Pt/Fe₃O₄/rGO is 0.1∼2.4 mM (R²=0.998), with a sensitivity of 6.875 μA/mM and a detection limit of 1.58 μM (S/N=3). In addition, the prepared biosensor also provides good anti‐interferent ability and long‐term stability due to the favorable biocompatibility of the electrode interface. The proposed sensor will become a reliable and effective tool for monitoring and sensing the H₂O₂ in complicate environment.     

Superparamagnetic pH‐sensitive multilayer hybrid hollow microspheres for targeted controlled release

The superparamagnetic multilayer hybrid hollow microspheres have been fabricated using the layer‐by‐layer assembly technique by the electrostatic interaction between the polyelectrolyte cation chitosan (CS) and the hybrid anion citrate modified ferroferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄‐CA) onto the sacrificial polystyrene sulfonate microspheres templates after etching the templates by dialysis. The saturation magnetization and magnetite contents of the superparamagnetic multilayer hybrid hollow microspheres were 32.46 emu/g and 51.3%, respectively. The hybrid hollow microspheres showed pH‐sensitive characteristics. The adsorption and release of the basic dye (methylene blue) were applied to investigate the interaction between the amino groups of CS and the carboxyl groups of the Fe₃O₄‐CA nanoparticles in different pH media. The superparamagnetic pH‐sensitive multilayer hybrid hollow microspheres are expected to be used for the targeted controlled release of drugs or in diagnostics. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3135–3144, 2010     

Synthesis,characterization, and catalytic application of Fe3O4‐Si‐[CH2]3‐N=CH‐aryl for the efficient synthesis of novel poly‐substituted pyridines

Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were functionalized by aminopropylsilane and reacted with aromatic aldehyde, and Fe₃O₄‐Si‐[CH₂]₃‐N=CH‐Aryl and Fe₃O₄‐Si‐(CH₂)₃‐NH‐CH₂‐Aryl MNPs were prepared as novel magnetic nanocatalysts. Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were used to identify the MNPs. The catalytic activity of the MNPs was evaluated in the one‐pot synthesis of some novel poly‐substituted pyridine derivatives.