Synthesis and photoluminescence of single crystals europium ion-doped BaF2 cubic nanorods

In this work, we used the hydrothermal method to synthesize Eu³⁺ ion-doped cubic BaF₂ nanorods, which is a luminescent material. The clubbed structures were well crystallized and exhibited face-centred cubic structures, as indicated by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The luminescent properties were studied, and local symmetry surrounding Eu³⁺ ions and electronic transition processes included. The results indicated that Eu³⁺ occupied only one C_4ν site in nanorods.     

One-dimensional α-MnO2: Trapping chemistry of tunnel structures, structural stability, and magnetic transitions

Highly crystalline one-dimensional (1D) α-MnO₂ nanostructures were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. All samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimeter, and infrared spectroscopy. During the formation reactions, the tunnel structure of 1D α-MnO₂ was simultaneously modified by NH₄⁺ species and water molecules. The amount of NH₄⁺ species that were trapped in the tunnels is almost independent on the reaction temperature, while the total water content increased with the reaction temperature. The average diameter of α-MnO₂ nanorods increased from 9.2 to 16.5 nm when the reaction temperature increased from 140 to 220 °C. 1D α-MnO₂ was destabilized by a subsequent high-temperature treatment in air, which is accompanied by a structural transformation to 1D Mn₂O₃ of a cubic structure. At low temperatures, all 1D α-MnO₂ nanorods showed two magnetic transitions that were characterized by a decreased Néel temperature with rod diameter reduction. According to the effective magnetic moments experimentally measured, Mn ions presented in the nanorods were determined to be in a mixed valency of high spin state Mn⁴⁺/Mn³⁺.     

Solid support flame synthesis of 1-D and 3-D tungsten-oxide nanostructures

In this paper we report the growth of 1-D and 3-D tungsten-oxide nanostructures on tungsten wire probes inserted in an opposed-flow oxy-fuel flame. The probe diameter and oxygen content in the oxidizer were varied to study their influence on the growth of tungsten-oxide nanostructures. The introduction of a 1-mm diameter W probe into the flame environment with an oxidizer composition of 50%O₂ + 50%N₂, resulted in the formation of 1-D nanorods on the upper surface of the probe. The formation of triangular, rectangular, square, and cylindrical 3-D channels with completely hollow or semi-hollow morphology was achieved by reducing the probe diameter to 0.5 mm. Whereas, the increase of the O₂ content to 100% and the employment of a 1-mm probe resulted in the growth of ribbon-like micron-sized structures. The lattice spacing of ∼0.38 nm measured for the 1-D W-oxides closely matches a monoclinic WO₃ structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that the larger 3-D structures also consist of WO₃ confirming that the chemical composition of the structures remains the same while varying the probe and flame parameters. The proposed growth mechanism states that the 3-D WO₃ structures are formed through the lateral coalescence of 1-D W-oxide nanorods.     

On the potentiality of a cluster-beam source to produce free-standing one-dimensional and two-dimensional FeAg nanostructures: mechanisms underlying their shape genesis

Controlling the morphology and composition of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) assemblies of matter is essential to design and create nanostructures with exceptional material properties, for applications ranging from nanoelectronics to nanomedicine. Within this latter, a great interest is placed on assembling magnetoplasmonic nanostructures to enable multimodal biosensing and bioimaging for early diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. To date, the synthesis of such complex nanostructures is mostly relying on wet chemistry and templates. Herein, we employed a templateless physical method to generate FeAg-based anisotropic nanostructures, using a modified cluster source. Under tuned experimental conditions, we demonstrated the successful magnetic-assisted assembly of Fe nanoclusters (Fe NCs), to form stable and permanent branched Fe nanorods (Fe NRs), core@shell Fe@Ag-NRs, Fe nanosheets (Fe NSs), and Fe/Ag-NSs. This assembly is driven by the need to reduce their magnetic interaction energy on one hand and their overall surface energy on the other hand. When NCs and NRs are magnetically brought into intimate contact, they undergo a coalescence process, through the interfacial diffusion of the surface atoms, resulting in the formation of 1D and 2D nanostructures. For Fe@Ag NRs, the advantage conferred by the Ag shell is to protect Fe NRs from oxidation and prevent them from aggregation at the same time. The observed contrast reversal in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of Fe NRs and Fe NSs is discussed.     

Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Gold Nanorod Decorated Biosensor for Detection of microRNA-126

In this article, we introduced a novel electrochemical biosensor for the detection of microRNA-126. The biosensor utilizes a hybridization assay combined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and gold nanorod-decorated screen-printed carbon electrodes. For electrode preparation, gold nanorods were first immobilized onto the surface of bare and multi-walled carbon nanotube-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes, and the thiol tagged-capture probe was immobilized on the electrode surface through gold and thiol group interaction. After the immobilization, thiol tagged-capture probe hybridized with the target sequence. Under optimum conditions, we determined limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) as high as 11 nM and 36 nM, respectively.     

Structural,electrical and magnetic properties of (Fe,Co) co-doped SnO2 diluted magnetic semiconductor nanostructures

Nanostructures (NSs) of basic composition Sn_1−xFe_x/2Co_x/2O₂ with x=0.00, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1 were synthesized by citrate-gel route and characterized to understand their structural, electrical and magnetic properties. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to confirm the formation of single phase rutile type tetragonal structure. The crystallite sizes calculated by using Williamson Hall were found to decrease with increasing doping level. In addition to the fundamental Raman peaks of rutile SnO₂, the other three weak Raman peaks at about 505, 537 and 688 cm⁻¹ were also observed. Field emission scanning electron microscopy studies showed the emergence of structural transformation. Electric properties such as dc electrical resistivity as a function of temperature and ac conductivity as a function of frequency were also studied. The variation of dielectric properties with frequency reveals that the dispersion is due to Maxwell–Wagner type of interfacial polarization in general. Hysteresis loops were clearly observed in M–H curves of Fe and Co co-doped SnO₂ NSs. However, pure SnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) showed paramagnetic behaviour which vanished at higher values of magnetic field. The grain and grain boundary contribution in the conduction process is estimated through complex impedance plot fitted with non-linear least square (NLLS) approach which shows that the role of grain boundaries increases rapidly as compared to the grain volume with the increase of Fe and Co ions in to system.     

Synthesis of SnO_2 nanorods from aqueous solution:The effect of preparation conditions on the formed patterns

<正>SnO_2 nanorods were deposited on the Si substrates in an aqueous solution containing both SnCl_4 and CO(NH_2)_2.It is found that different self-assembled patterns of SnO_2 nanorods can be obtained by changing the deposition conditions such as the molar ratio of CO(NH_2)_2 to SnCl_4 and the pretreatment of the substrate.Scattered SnO_2 nanorods,for example,can be changed into flower-like patterns when the molar ratio of CO(NH_2)_2 to SnCl_4 is raised,and well-aligned nanorod arrays can be formed when the pretreatment of the substrate is changed.In addition,some interesting patterns,e.g.tree-like patterns,can also be observed.     

Growth of InN films and nanorods by H-MOVPE

InN films and nanorods were grown by hydride metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (H-MOVPE) and the effects of growth temperature, and NH₃/TMIn and HCl/TMIn ratios on morphological dependences were studied. The growth habit of InN varied from thin film to microrod to nanorod to no deposition as the growth conditions were changed about transition from growth to etching conditions. The growth and etch regimes were also predicted by chemical equilibrium calculations of In–C–H–Cl–N-inert system. The optical properties of InN nanorods and columnar structured films were measured by room temperature PL and a maximum intensity was observed at 1.08 eV for both structures.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of Er-doped yttria nanorods with enhanced red emission via upconversion

(Y_0.95Er_0.05)₂O₃ single-crystalline nanorods with intense red emission via up-conversion are synthesized by a hydrothermal method under modest reaction conditions. Green and red emissions are observed for both as-synthesized sample and post-treated sample after excitation at 488 nm and with upconversion pumping (810 nm). The experimental results indicate that the stokes and up-conversion luminescence of the post-treated (500 °C for 2 h) Y₂O₃:Er nanorods is more efficient than those of as-prepared materials. The increase of the Stokes luminescence may result from the improved crystallization, smooth surface and uniform diameter distribution. The enhanced red emission via upconversion is due to removal of part of surface contaminants, such as CO₃²⁻ and OH⁻. It is believed that a new mechanism is responsible for populating the ⁴S_3/2 and ⁴F_9/2 levels.