Fabricating Dual-Atom Iron Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Heteroatom Modulator Approach

Understanding the thermal aggregation behavior of metal atoms is important for the synthesis of supported metal clusters. Here, derived from a metal–organic framework encapsulating a trinuclear Fe^III₂Fe^II complex (denoted as Fe₃) within the channels, a well-defined nitrogen-doped carbon layer is fabricated as an ideal support for stabilizing the generated iron nanoclusters. Atomic replacement of Fe^II by other metal(II) ions (e.g., Zn^II/Co^II) via synthesizing isostructural trinuclear-complex precursors (Fe₂Zn/Fe₂Co), namely the “heteroatom modulator approach”, is inhibiting the aggregation of Fe atoms toward nanoclusters with formation of a stable iron dimer in an optimal metal–nitrogen moiety, clearly identified by direct transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The supported iron dimer, serving as cooperative metal–metal site, acts as efficient oxygen evolution catalyst. Our findings offer an atomic insight to guide the future design of ultrasmall metal clusters bearing outstanding catalytic capabilities.     

Ratiometric Detection of microRNA Using Hybridization Chain Reaction and Fluorogenic Silver Nanoclusters

miRNA (miR)-155 is a potential biomarker for breast cancers. We aimed at developing a nanosensor for miR-155 detection by integrating hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). HCR serves as an enzyme-free and isothermal amplification method, whereas AgNCs provide a built-in fluorogenic detection probe that could simplify the downstream analysis. The two components were integrated by adding a nucleation sequence of AgNCs to the hairpin of HCR. The working principle was based on the influence of microenvironment towards the hosted AgNCs, whereby unfolding of hairpin upon HCR has manipulated the distance between the hosted AgNCs and cytosine-rich toehold region of hairpin. As such, the dominant emission of AgNCs changed from red to yellow in the absence and presence of miR-155, enabling a ratiometric measurement of miR with high sensitivity. The limit of detection (LOD) of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor is 1.13 fM in buffered solution. We have also tested the assay in diluted serum samples, with comparable LOD of 1.58 fM obtained. This shows the great promise of our HCR-AgNCs nanosensor for clinical application.     

Highly dispersed palladium nanoclusters incorporated in amino‐functionalized silica spheres for the selective hydrogenation of succinic acid to γ‐butyrolactone

Highly dispersed palladium nanoclusters incorporated on amino‐functionalized silica sphere surfaces (Pd/SiO₂‐NH₂) were fabricated by a simple one‐pot synthesis utilizing 3‐(2‐aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane (AAPTS) as coordinating agent. Uniform palladium nanoclusters with an average size of 1.1 nm can be obtained during the co‐condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and AAPTS owing to the strong interaction between palladium species and amino groups in AAPTS. The palladium particle size can be controlled by addition of AAPTS and plays a significant role in the catalytic performance. The Pd/SiO₂‐NH₂ catalyst exhibits high catalytic activity for succinic acid hydrogenation with 100% conversion and 94% selectivity towards γ‐butyrolactone using 1,4‐dioxane as solvent at 240°C and 60 bar for 4 h. Moreover, the Pd/SiO₂‐NH₂ catalyst is robust and readily reusable without loss of its catalytic activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetic phase transitions in nanostructures induced by shear stress under high pressure

Magnetic phase transitions of the first and second order were revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy in nanosystems of - and -ferric oxides and metallic europium subjected to shear stress (240°) under high pressure (20 kbar). For - and -ferric oxide nanoclusters, the Curie (Neel) points decreased to 300 K, whereas for nanostructured europium the Neel point increased from 90 to 100 K. The thermodynamic model of magnetic phase transitions predicting a change in the character of magnetic phase transitions and a decrease (increase) in the critical Neel (Curie) points in nanoclusters was developed. The type of magnetic phase transitions and the change in the critical points were caused by defects in nanoclusters, whose maximum concentration was observed for the clusters with the 20—50 nm size range.     

New palladium nanoclusters. Synthesis,structure, and catalytic properties

The reduction of palladium(ii) carboxylates Pd₃(OCOR)₆ (R = Me, Et, CHMe₂, CMe₃) with hydrogen in alcohol solutions containing 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and subsequent oxidation with oxygen gave new palladium nanoclusters, mainly particles with a nearly spherical metal core and an average size of 18 . Based on elemental analysis, NMR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and EXAFS, nanoclusters were described by the idealized formula Pd₁₄₇phen₃₂O₆₀(OCOR)₃₀. The specimens contained up to 25% smaller 55-atomic Pd clusters with a 10 metal core. New nanoclusters catalyze hydrogenation of alkynes and alkenes, reduction of nitriles with formic acid, oxidation of aliphatic and benzylic alcohols, oxidative esterification of ethylene and propylene, and disproportionation of benzyl alcohol into toluene and benzaldehyde.     

Ab initio and DFT studies on tautomerism of indazole in gaseous and aqueous phases

Electronic structure of optimized Ge₅, Ge₁₇, Ge₅–O and Ge₅ embedded in SiO₂ nanoparticles have been studied by density functional theory to find out the effect of cluster size and Ge–O bond(s) on the optical energy gap between LUMO and HOMO. It was found that the optical energy gap depends on both cluster size and the number of Ge–O bonds nonlinearly. The optical energy gap was found to be in visible light range when the Ge₅ nanoparticle has been embedded in SiO₂ matrix.     

氧化锰团簇粒子在有序多孔氧化锆孔道中的组装及其特殊性能研究

利用醇溶液浸渍法及后续的热处理工艺成功实现了氧化锰团簇粒子在有序多孔氧化锆孔道中的组装，借助XRD，TEM，UV-vis，EPR以及O~2-TPD等分析手段进行样品结构表征及性能分析。研究表明，氧化锰团簇粒子能比较均匀地分散于规则的孔道中；团簇粒子的生长随着热处理温度的提高受到孔道大小的限制；孔道中的氧化锰团簇粒子能显示出与较大尺寸氧化锰粒子完全不同的强顺磁信号，并且还具有优异的表面氧吸附特性。     

2-巯基苯并咪唑保护的铜纳米团簇的制备及银离子检测

以2-巯基苯并咪唑为保护剂,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为稳定剂,水合肼为还原剂,“一锅法”合成2-巯基苯并咪唑保护的,高稳定性、强荧光、大斯托克斯位移的铜纳米团簇(Cu NCs),并用于检测水样中的银离子含量。采用透射电子显微镜(TEM)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对铜纳米团簇的结构进行表征,通过荧光光谱和紫外可见光谱对其光学性能进行研究。研究表明:该铜纳米团簇的最大激发和发射波长分别为340和558 nm,在日光灯和紫外灯下分别为无色和橙色。Cu NCs具有较高的分散性,尺寸大小为2~3 nm。在最佳反应条件下,铜纳米团簇可以选择性地被银离子猝灭,且灵敏度高,线性范围为1~40μmol/L,检测限为0.5μmol/L。该方法用于检测实际水样(自来水、湖水)中银离子的浓度,结果令人满意,表明在环境监测中有非常高的应用价值。     

DNA为模板的铂纳米团簇沉积

Platinum nanoclusters were deposited along the supercoiled DNA strands after incubation of cis-(trans-1R，2R-diaminocyclohexane)(dl-camphorato)platinum(Ⅱ) (Cdp)， an analogue of the anti-tumor drug-carboplatin， with DNA and K₂PtCl₄ for 600 min and then through reduction of dimethylaminoborane (DMAB). The decrease of absorption of DNA at 260 nm indicates the coordination of Cdp and DNA. TEM and AFM were employed to characterize the morphologies and structures of platinum nanoclusters.     

On the Structure and Formation of Self-Assembled Lattices of Gold Nanoparticles

The structure and ordering of nanoparticles of gold functionalized with n-alkyl thiol molecules are studied both experimentally and theoretically. Samples where produced using n=6 to n=16 alkyl thiol molecules. High Resolution Electron Microscopy coupled with image processing was used to study the gold particle structure. The details of the particle structure are discussed. We found that when the gold surface is saturated with thiol molecules there is some tendency to produce molecules with a disulphide structure. We also show that ordered arrays of particles can be produced using Langmuir-Blodgett techniques. The crystal structure of the films produced is studied and found to be 3D hcp. We also report that thiol covered gold particles with a size of 5 nm present a rounded shape suggesting that thiol molecules might induce an isotropic surface energy. It is found in the theoretical calculations that a strong bond between gold and sulphur is required to stabilize the complex metal-n-alkyl thiol. It is predicted that otherwise a heavily distorted nanocore will be formed. This is contrary to the observed structure of the particles.