General equation for size nanocharacterization of the core-shell nanoparticles by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Nanocharacterization is essential for nanoengineering of new types of core-shell (c-s) nanoparticles, which can be used to design new devices for photonics, electronics, catalysis, medicine, etc. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been widely used to study the elemental composition of the c-s nanoparticles. However, the physical and chemical properties of a c-s nanoparticle dramatically depend on the sizes of its core and shell. We therefore propose a general equation for the XPS intensity of a c-s nanoparticle, which is based on an analytical model. With this equation, XPS can now also be used for nanocharacterization of the core and shell sizes of the c-s nanoparticles (with a diameter smaller than or equal to the XPS probing depth of approximately 10 nm). To validate the new equation with experimental XPS data, we first determine the average shell thickness of a group of c-s nanoparticles by comparing the XPS intensity of reference bare cores to that of the c-s nanoparticles. Then we study the growth kinetics of the cores and shells of another group of c-s nanoparticles where the shells are obtained by oxidation.     

Au@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles for laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry

In matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), the analysis capability, especially for small molecules, is often compromised by the addition of organic matrices due to the existence of background signals. Herein we report a new detection method on the utility of core-shell nanoparticles (CSNPs) as energy transfer structure in LDI-TOF-MS. The LDI-TOF-MS based on gold-silica core-shell nanoparticles with ultrathin silica shell of 2-4 nm (Au@utSiO(2) CSNPs) was effectively applied to the analysis of many compounds, especially for small functional molecules and polymers, which was more promising than MALDI-TOF-MS.     

Surface plasmon spectroscopy of gold-poly-N-isopropylacrylamide core-shell particles

Highly uniform, core-shell microgels consisting of single gold nanoparticle cores and cross-linked poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) shells were prepared by a novel, versatile protocol. The synthetic pathway allows control over the polymer shell thickness and its swelling behavior. The core-shell structure was investigated by electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, whereas the swelling behavior of the shell was studied by means of dynamic light scattering and UV-vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, the latter method was used to investigate the optical properties of the hybrid particles. By modeling the scattering contribution from the PNIPAM shells, the absorption spectra of the gold nanoparticle cores could be recovered. This allows the particle concentration to be determined, and this in turn permits the calculation of the molar mass of the hybrid particles as well as the refractive index of the shells.     

Determination of the oxide layer thickness in core-shell zerovalent iron nanoparticles

Zerovalent iron (nZVI) nanoparticles have long been used in the electronic and chemical industries due to their magnetic and catalytic properties. Increasingly, applications of nZVI have also been reported in environmental engineering because of their ability to degrade a wide variety of toxic pollutants in soil and water. It is generally assumed that nZVI has a core-shell morphology with zerovalent iron as the core and iron oxide/hydroxide in the shell. This study presents a detailed characterization of the nZVI shell thickness using three independent methods. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis provides direct evidence of the core-shell structure and indicates that the shell thickness of fresh nZVI was predominantly in the range of 2-4 nm. The shell thickness was also determined from high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) analysis through comparison of the relative integrated intensities of metallic and oxidized iron with a geometric correction applied to account for the curved overlayer. The XPS analysis yielded an average shell thickness in the range of 2.3-2.8 nm. Finally, complete oxidation reaction of the nZVI particles by Cu(II) was used as an indication of the zerovalent iron content of the particles, and these observations further correlate the chemical reactivity of the particles and their shell thicknesses. The three methods yielded remarkably similar results, providing a reliable determination of the shell thickness, which fills an essential gap in our knowledge about the nZVI structure. The methods presented in this work can also be applied to the study of the aging process of nZVI and may also prove useful for the measurement and characterization of other metallic nanoparticles.     

Fluorescent Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles with controlled shell thickness and Hg(II) sensing

Au-Ag core-shell nanoparticles have been synthesized using synthetic fluorescent dipeptide β-Ala-Trp (β-Ala is β-alanine; Trp is l-tryptophan) in water at pH 6.94 and at room temperature. The synthesis of the Au-Ag core-shell nanomaterial does not involve any external reducing and stabilizing agents, and the constituents of dipeptide β-alanine and l-tryptophan are naturally occurring. Therefore, the synthesis procedure is ecofriendly. Moreover, the shell thickness has also been controlled, and the optical property of the core-shell nanomaterial varies with the shell thickness. The core-shell nanomaterial exhibits a fascinating fluorescence property. This fluorescent Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticle can detect toxic Hg(II) ions ultrasensitively (with a lower limit of detection of 9 nM) even in presence of Zn(II), Cd(II), and other bivalent metal ions (Ca(II), Mg(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), Ba(II), Sr(II), Pb(II), and Fe(II)). Au-Ag core-shell nanomaterials can also be reused for sensing Hg(II) ions.     

Controlled synthesis of Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires with smooth and bristled surfaces via a one-step solution route

Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires were synthesized via a one-step solution method without using a template. Interestingly, the shell morphologies can be controlled to be smooth or bristled by altering the reaction temperature. Moreover, the TiO2 shell thickness and bristle length can be tuned by changing the AgNO3 concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the resultant Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires. Moreover, the absorption peaks of our samples are significantly red-shifted compared with those of the uncoated pure silver nanowires, indicating that interaction between the core and shell occurred. On the basis of the experimental results, we proposed a template-induced Oswald ripening mechanism to explain the formation of the Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires.     

Catalytic activity and regeneration property of a Pd nanoparticle encapsulated in a hollow porous carbon sphere for aerobic alcohol oxidation

A core-shell composite consisting of a palladium (Pd) nanoparticle and a hollow carbon shell (Pd@hmC) was employed as a catalyst for aerobic oxidation of various alcohols. The core-shell structure was synthesized by consecutive coatings of Pd nanoparticles with siliceous and carbon layers followed by removal of the intermediate siliceous layer. Structural characterizations using TEM and N(2) adsorption-desorption measurements revealed that Pd@hmC thus-obtained was composed of a Pd nanoparticle core of 3-6 nm in diameter and a hollow carbon shell with well-developed mesopore (ca. 2.5 nm in diameter) and micropore (ca. 0.4-0.8 nm in diameter) systems. When compared to some Pd-supported carbons, Pd@hmC showed a high level of catalytic activity for oxidation of benzyl alcohol into benzaldehyde using atmospheric pressure of O(2) as an oxidant. The Pd@hmC composite also exhibited a high level of catalytic activity for aerobic oxidations of other primary benzylic and allylic alcohols into corresponding aldehydes. The presence of a well-developed pore system in the lateral carbon shell enabled efficient diffusion of both substrates and products to reach the central Pd nanoparticles, leading to such high catalytic activities. This core-shell structure also provided high thermal stability of Pd nanoparticles toward coalescence and/or aggregation due to the physical isolation of each Pd nanoparticle from neighboring particles by the carbon shell: this specific property of Pd@hmC resulted in possible regeneration of catalytic activity for these aerobic oxidations by a high-temperature heat treatment of the sample recovered after catalytic reactions.     

Spectroscopic characterizations of molecularly linked gold nanoparticle assemblies upon thermal treatment

The understanding of surface properties of core-shell type nanoparticles is important for exploiting the unique nanostructured catalytic properties. We report herein findings of a spectroscopic investigation of the thermal treatment of such nanoparticle assemblies. We have studied assemblies of gold nanocrystals of approximately 2 nm core sizes that are capped by alkanethiolate shells and are assembled by covalent or hydrogen-bonding linkages on a substrate as a model system. The structural evolution of the nanoparticle assemblies treated at different temperatures was probed by several spectroscopic techniques, including UV-visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the capping/linking shell molecules can be effectively removed to produce controllable surface and optical properties. The data further revealed that the thermally induced evolution of the surface plasmon resonance property of gold nanoparticles is dependent on the chemical nature of the linker molecule. The spectral evolution is discussed in terms of changes in particle size, interparticle distance, and dielectric medium properties, which has important implications for controlled preparation and thermal processing of core-shell nanostructured metal catalysts.     

Facile synthesis of anisotropic Au@SiO2 core-shell nanostructures

Anisotropic Au@SiO(2) core-shell nanostructures have been fabricated from CTABr-stabilized Au nanoparticles with a facile synthesis involving a single growth solution. This procedure circumvents tedious surface modification steps and allows for the SiO(2) shell thickness to be tuned from 5 to 20 nm by modulating the nanoparticle number density and concentration of silica precursor.     

碳纤维表面羰基铁的原位生长及吸波性能

以Fe(CO)5为前驱体,通过金属有机化学气相沉积(MOCVD),在碳纤维(CF)表面构筑厚度为纳米级的羰基铁(CI)壳层,通过改变沉积温度,调控核壳粉体的形貌结构和吸波性能。用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜和矢量网络分析仪对粉末的结构及电磁性能进行表征并对其吸波性能进行研究。结果表明:随着沉积温度升高(210~240℃),沉积到CF表面的羰基铁颗粒互相“吞并-融合”,此时CF-CI形成了完整的薄膜包覆型核壳结构;沉积温度太高时(270℃)会造成CF表面羰基铁壳层形貌的恶化。通过调节沉积温度,在纳米尺度上可以有效调控CI壳层的形貌,从而调节CF-CI核壳粒子的电磁性能。以核壳形貌及吸波性能为考察指标,最终确定最佳的沉积温度为240℃。以沉积温度为240℃时所获样品的电磁参数,模拟计算出涂层厚度为0.9 mm时,小于-10 dB的吸波带宽最大为4.6 GHz(13.4~18 GHz);涂层厚度为2.0 mm时,反射率达到最小值为-21.5 dB;厚度为0.9~3.9 mm时,在2~18 GHz均能实现吸波强度低于-10 dB。     

Decreasing the shell ratio of core-shell type nanoparticles with a ceria core and polymer shell by acid treatment

Core-shell type nanoparticles with a ceria core and polymer shell have good dispersibility. Some applications, such as fillers for increasing the refractive index and/or protecting resin films from ultraviolet (UV) light, i.e., UV cutting, require a smaller shell. Previous studies have decreased the shell weight by heat treatment in gas; however, the dispersibility of the treated nanoparticles was poor in water or alcohol. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of acid treatment for decreasing the shell weight and also evaluated the dispersibility of acid-treated nanoparticles. The thus-formed nanoparticles treated by acetic acid and formic acid show not only good dispersibility but also a well decreased shell thickness. The structure of the shell after acetic acid treatment was found to be the same as that of the untreated core-shell nanoparticles; moreover, acetic acid was present in the shell. Furthermore, by using the acetic-acid-treated nanoparticles, a transparent resin film without nanoparticle aggregation could be obtained.     

应用于局域表面等离激元共振扫描显微探针的球形Au@Ag纳米粒子的合成及介电敏感性检测

局域表面等离激元共振(LSPR)显微探针的检测灵敏性主要取决于针尖上修饰的纳米粒子的LSPR性质.本文采用阴离子辅助法,在水溶液中通过调节Au核与Ag⁺的物质的量之比,实现Au核上不同厚度的Ag壳层包覆,可控地一步合成均一性好、银壳层较厚(≥10 nm)的核壳比不同的球形Au@Ag纳米粒子.通过扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)及扫描透射电子显微镜X射线能谱(STM-EDS)线扫描分析对不同核壳比的Au@Ag纳米粒子进行形貌组成表征,证实了所合成核壳结构的可控性.将不同核壳比的Au@Ag纳米粒子置于不同折射率溶液中进行纳米粒子介电敏感性的研究,表明7.5 nm Au@28 nm Ag的纳米结构具有最高的品质因子.同时将不同核壳比的Au@Ag纳米粒子置于不同折射率的非导电性基底上进行单颗纳米粒子散射性质的研究,结果表明7.5 nm Au@28 nm Ag纳米粒子适合作为LSPR显微探针的高检测灵敏性纳米结构之一.     

核壳结构CdS/ZnS纳米微粒的制备与光学特性

CdS and CdS/ZnS core-shell structure nano particles were synthesized in micro emulsion, and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV absorption spectra and PL. The average diameter of CdS was about 3.3 nm, and CdS/ZnS core-shell structure was confirmed by XRD and UV. Considering the optical properties of CdS/ZnS core-shell structure nanoparticles which have different ZnS shell thickness, the UV absorption edge of CdS/ZnS becomes as lightred-shift with the thickness of ZnS layer increasing, and the absorption of shortwave band is strongly enhanced at the same time. The PL spectra indicate that ZnS shell layer can greatly eliminate surface defects of CdS nanoparticles and make its band-edge directed recombination increased, and the luminous efficiency of CdS is improved greatly when it has appropriate shell thickness.     

光化学合成Au核@Pd壳复合纳米粒子及其表征

在PEG-丙酮溶液体系中, 采用紫外光辐射还原Au(Ⅲ), Pd(Ⅱ)离子混合物和以Au晶种为核、紫外光辐射还原Pd(Ⅱ)使其沉积在Au晶种表面上这两种方法, 合成了Au核@Pd壳复合纳米粒子. 通过改变Au(Ⅲ)离子或Au晶种对Pd(Ⅱ)离子的摩尔比调节复合粒子的尺寸和Pd壳厚度, 分别获得了直径范围为5.6~4.6 nm和4.6~6.2 nm的复合粒子. 利用UV-Vis吸收光谱、TEM、HR-TEM和XPS等表征手段, 证明了合成的纳米粒子为核-壳复合结构. 研究了Au@Pd纳米粒子的直径随溶液中Au(Ⅲ)/Pd(Ⅱ)摩尔比的改变而变化的规律; 对Au核向Pd壳的供电子作用以及复合粒子的光化学形成机理进行了讨论.     

Monodisperse cobalt ferrite nanomagnets with uniform silica coatings

Ferro- and ferrimagnetic nanoparticles are difficult to manipulate in solution as a consequence of the formation of magnetically induced nanoparticle aggregates, which hamper the utility of these particles for applications ranging from data storage to bionanotechnology. Nonmagnetic shells that encapsulate these magnetic particles can reduce the interparticle magnetic interactions and improve the dispersibility of the nanoparticles in solution. A route to create uniform silica shells around individual cobalt ferrite nanoparticles--which uses poly(acrylic acid) to bind to the nanoparticle surface and inhibit nanoparticle aggregation prior to the addition of a silica precursor--was developed. In the absence of the poly(acrylic acid) the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles irreversibly aggregated during the silica shell formation. The thickness of the silica shell around the core-shell nanoparticles could be controlled in order to tune the interparticle magnetic coupling as well as inhibit magnetically induced nanoparticle aggregation. These ferrimagnetic core-silica shell structures form stable dispersion in polar solvents such as EtOH and water, which is critical for enabling technologies that require the assembly or derivatization of ferrimagnetic particles in solution.     

Sensoric potential of gold�Csilver core�Cshell nanoparticles

The sensitivities of five different core-shell nanostructures were investigated towards changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium. The shift of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) maximum served as a measure of the (respective) sensitivity. Thus, gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared with different shell thicknesses in a two-step chemical process without the use of any (possibly disturbing) surfactants. The measurements were supported by ultramicroscopic images in order to size the resulting core-shell structures. When compared to sensitivities of nanostructures reported in the literature with those of the (roughly spherical) gold-silver core-shell NPs, the latter showed comparable (or even higher) sensitivities than gold nanorods. The experimental finding is supported by theoretical calculation of optical properties of such core-shell NP. Extinction spectra of ideal spherical and deformed core-shell NPs with various core/shell sizes were calculated, and the presence of an optimal silver shell thickness with increased sensitivity was confirmed. This effect is explained by the existence of two overlapping plasmon bands in the NP, which change their relative intensity upon change of refractive index. Results of this research show a possibility of improving LSPR sensor by adding an extra metallic layer of certain thickness.     

聚苯胺包裹的金纳米粒子的合成和表征及初步应用

用苯胺作还原剂还原氯金酸合成了金纳米结构. TEM实验表明, 苯胺还原氯金酸能生成苯胺齐聚物或其聚合物包裹的金球形纳米粒子. XPS分析表明, 金纳米粒子包覆的聚合物层带正电荷. 该纳米粒子能用于电极表面纳米结构组装及氧化还原性的生物大分子的电化学研究, 实现了超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)在这种带正电荷的金纳米粒子表面的直接电子转移.     

原子级壳层厚度Ru@Pt核壳结构纳米粒子的制备与表征

采用连续多元醇法,以RuCl₃·xH₂O和PtCl₂为前驱体,乙二醇为还原剂,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为稳定剂的反应体系,并通过调节PtCl₂用量和还原温度成功制备了壳层厚度约为1.5个Pt原子层的单分散Ru@Pt核壳结构纳米粒子,利用透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)等分析方法对其微观结构、粒径分布、晶型结构、物相组成进行了表征。 结果表明,该纳米粒子分布均匀且基本为球形,平均粒径约为3.57 nm,其中内核直径约为2.49 nm,外壳厚度约为0.55 nm,壳层金属Pt具有很好的晶型,Pt原子主要为{111}晶面,内核金属Ru与外壳金属Pt互相产生了电子效应使Pt的衍射峰和Ru、Pt的电子结合能产生了一定偏移,并初步研究了有效控制该核壳结构纳米粒子壳层厚度和增强核与壳两种金属之间电子效应的因素,使其有望在催化等领域发挥潜在的应用价值。     

AucoreCoshell纳米粒子的制备、表征及其表面增强拉曼光谱研究

在乙醇体系中和在制备好的Au纳米粒子表面, 用水合肼还原钴盐制备Co壳, 首次通过化学还原法制得核壳结构的Au-Co纳米粒子, 并通过控制钴盐的投料, 得到不同包裹层厚度的AucoreCoshell纳米粒子. 用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和电化学循环伏安法(CV)等测试方法对其进行表征, 并用吡啶(Py)作为探针分子研究了其SERS效应.     

聚苯胺改性氮掺杂碳纳米管制备及其超级电容器性能

利用苯胺原位化学聚合合成聚苯胺包覆碳纳米管(CNTs), 再炭化处理制备氮掺杂碳纳米管(NCNTs).激光拉曼(Raman)光谱和X射线光电子谱(XPS)分析及透射电镜(TEM)观察表明, 苯胺包覆碳纳米管经炭化处理后, 得到以碳纳米管为核、氮掺杂碳层为壳, 具有核-壳结构的氮掺杂碳纳米管, 而碳纳米管本征结构未遭破坏. 研究表明, 随着苯胺用量的增大, 氮掺杂碳纳米管的氮掺杂碳层变厚, 氮含量从7.06%(质量分数)增加到8.64%, 而作为超级电容器电极材料, 随着氮掺杂碳层厚度降低, 氮掺杂碳纳米管在6 mol·L^-1氢氧化钾电解液中的比容量从107 F·g^-1增大到205 F·g^-1, 远高于原始碳纳米管10 F·g^-1的比容量, 且聚苯胺改性氮掺杂碳纳米管表现出较好的充放电循环性, 经1000次充放电循环后仍保持初始容量的92.8%~97.1%, 表明氮掺杂碳纳米管不仅通过表面氮杂原子引入大的法拉第电容和改善亲水性使电容量显著增大, 其具有的核壳结构特征也使循环稳定性增强。