Investigation of Size-Selective Zr(2)@Si(n) (n = 16-24) Caged Clusters

The size-selective Zr(2)Si(n) (n = 16-24) caged clusters have been investigated by density functional approach in detail. Their geometries, relative stabilities, electronic properties and ionization potentials have been discussed. The dominant structures of bimetallic Zr(2) doped silicon caged clusters gradually transform to Zr(2) totally encapsulated structures with increase of the clustered size from 16 to 24, which is good agreement with the recent experimental result (J. Phys. Chem. A. 2007, 111, 42). Two novel isomers, i.e., naphthalene-like and dodecahedral Zr(2)Si(20) clusters, are found as low-lying conformers. Furthermore, the novel quasi-1D naphthalene-like Zr(n)Si(m) nanotubes are first reported. The second-order energy differences reveal that magic numbers of the different sized neutral Zr(2)Si(n) clusters appear at n = 18, 20 and 22, which are attributed to the fullerene-like, dodecahedral and polyhedral structures, respectively. The HOMO-LUMO gaps (>1 eV) of all the size-selective Zr(2)Si(n) clusters suggest that encapsulation of the bimetallic zirconium atoms is favorable for increasing the stabilities of silicon cages.     

Parts per billion-level detection of benzene using SnO2/graphene nanocomposite composed of sub-6 nm SnO2 nanoparticles

In the present work, the SnO₂/graphene nanocomposite composed of 4–5 nm SnO₂ nanoparticles was synthesized using a simple wet chemical method for ppb-level detection of benzene. The formation mechanism of the nanocomposite was investigated systematically by means of simultaneous thermogravimetry analysis, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy cooperated with transmission electron microscopy observations. The SnO₂/graphene nanocomposite showed a very attractive improved sensitivity to toxic volatile organic compounds, especially to benzene, compared to a traditional SnO₂. The responses of the nanocomposite to benzene were a little higher than those to ethanol and the detection limit reached 5 ppb to benzene which is, to our best knowledge, far lower than those reported previously.     

A simple and highly efficient route to the synthesis of NaLnF(4)-Ag hybrid nanorice with excellent SERS performances

This paper reports the synthesis of a new class of NaLnF(4)-Ag (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Ho) hybrid nanorice and its application as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate in chemical analyses. Rice-shaped NaLnF(4) nanoparticles as templates are prepared by a modified hydrothermal method. Then, the NaLnF(4) nanorice particles are decorated with Ag nanoparticles by magnetron sputtering method to form NaLnF(4)-Ag hybrid nanostructures. The high-density Ag nanogaps on NaLnF(4) can be obtained by the prolonging sputtering times or increasing the sputtering powers. These nanogaps can serve as Raman 'hot spots', leading to dramatic enhancement of the Raman signal. The NaLnF(4)-Ag hybrid nanorice is found to be robust and is an efficient SERS substrate for the vibrational spectroscopic characterization of molecular adsorbates; the Raman enhancement factor of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) absorbed on NaLnF(4)-Ag nanorice is estimated to be about 10(13). Since the produced NaLnF(4)-Ag hybrid nanorice particles are firmly fastened on a silicon wafer, they can serve as universal SERS substrates to detect target analytes. We also evaluate their SERS performances using 4-mercaptopyridine (Mpy), and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) molecules, and the detection limit for Mpy and MBA is as low as 10(-12) M and 10(-10) M, respectively, which meets the requirements of the ultratrace detection of analytes. This simple and highly efficient approach to the large-scale synthesis of NaLnF(4)-Ag nanorice with high SERS activity and sensitivity makes it a perfect choice for practical SERS detection applications.     

LP-DOAS测量乙二醛时大气中干扰吸收的去除

针对利用长光程差分吸收光谱技术在实现对大气中乙二醛实时监测中,一些干扰结构（Xe灯结构,H2O、NO2和O4干扰吸收）对长光程差分吸收光谱技术的影响,讨论了乙二醛的光谱反演方法对干扰吸收的准确去除.针对Xe灯结构由于压力和多普勒展宽程度等的变化而引起的Xe灯结构的非线性变化,采用不同时刻的参考灯谱通过光谱插值的方式准确去除,其去除误差引起的剩余结构可降低到比乙二醛的最低理论检测限低3倍|针对H2O的非线性吸收以及特征吸收结构随柱浓度的不同而变化的特点,采用较高和较低浓度H2O吸收光谱插值的方法准确去除了严重干扰乙二醛准确反演的H2O的吸收结构,其去除误差引起的剩余结构可降低到比乙二醛的最低理论检测限低10倍|另外,对于在此波段存在干扰的NO2和O4的吸收结构也实现了准确地去除.干扰结构的准确去除使DOAS对乙二醛的监测实现了较低的实际检测限 (0.15 ppbv)和较低的测量误差 (~10 %).最后,在广州郊区对实际大气进行了实际监测,其浓度范围在低于检测限到1.66 ppbv之间,与文献报道的浓度范围和变化趋势十分吻合.     

Novel bi-transition metallic encapsulated naphthalene-like Si20 prismatic cage: a DFT investigation

A theoretical investigation of stabilities and electronic properties of novel transition bimetallic atoms (BTMAs) encapsulated naphthalene-like Si(20) prismatic cage is being reported for the first time. The symmetry and electronic state of naphthalene-like TMA(2)@Si(20) is significantly affected by the type of encapsulated TMA from 3d, 4d to 5d series. Because of high binding energies, relative high HOMO-LUMO gaps, large charge-reverse transferring from naphthalene-like Si(20) cage to BTMAs at the centre of the 5d series, the most stable species of TMA(2)@Si(20) cage is favorable to form new 1D-TMA(n)@Si(m) nanotube, which is based on array of the novel naphthalene-like structure.     

Tuning of the vinyl groups’ spacing at surface of modified silica in preparation of high density imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles: A dispersive solid-phase extraction materials for chlorpyrifos

This paper reports the preparation of high density imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles toward selective recognition and fast enrichment of chlorpyrifos (CP) from complicated matrices. The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were successfully coated at the surface of modified silica through using the chemical immovable vinyl groups at the nanoparticles’ surface, followed by the graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in the presence of templates CP. It has been demonstrated that the space of end vinyl groups at the surface of silica can be controlled by changing the condition of chemical modification, regulating the thickness of imprinted shells and the density of efficient imprinted sites. After removal of templates by solvent extraction, the recognition sites of CP were created in the polymer coating layer. The CP-imprinted nanoparticles exhibited high recognition selectivity and binding affinity to CP analyte. When the CP-imprinted nanoparticles were used as dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) materials, the high recovery yields of 76.1-93.5% from various spiked samples with only 1 μg/mL analyte were achieved by one-step extraction. These results reported herein provide the possibility for the separation and enrichment of CP from complicated matrices by the molecular imprinting modification at the surface of common silica nanoparticles.     

Chain structure of liquid Se at high temperature and pressure investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

Using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the local atomic structural, dynamic and electronic properties of liquid selenium were studied under different temperatures and pressures. Compared with experimental data, the calculated structure factors and viscosities are acceptable on the whole. Our results indicate that the chain structure of crystalline selenium still exists in liquid state even at high temperature and pressure. The fraction of twofold-coordinated atoms decreases obviously under high pressure while it remains nearly invariable with the increase of temperature. The Peierls-type distorted structures in trigonal Se still reserve in liquid state even under high temperature and pressure. The calculated DOS displays an obvious dip at E_F, and the dip becomes shallower with rising temperature.     

Selective adsorption toward toxic metal ions results in selective response: electrochemical studies on a polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

Highly selective adsorption of a polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite toward Hg(2+) results in electrochemically selective detection of Hg(2+). This interesting finding is of practical utility compared to the biotechniques and surface functionalization-based methods.