One step synthesis of ultra-high quantum yield fluorescent carbon dots for “on-off-on” detection of Hg2+ and biothiols

In this paper, the carbon dots (CDs) with strong blue fluorescence were synthesized through hydrothermal method, which using folic acid, ammonium citrate and ethylenediamine as precursors. The prepared CDs with a high absolute quantum yield of 81.94% and showed excellent stability in high concentration salt solution and different pH conditions. With the addition of Hg²⁺, the signal of CDs was selectively quenched. At the same time, the CDs-Hg²⁺ system could be recovered after the introduction of biothiols. Moreover, the fluorescence of CDs showed a good linear relationship with Hg²⁺ (1–15 µM), and the detection limit as low as 0.08 µM. In addition, the prepared CDs with low toxicity could be used to detect Hg²⁺ in living cells and actual water samples.

     

The influence of PEO on the synthesis and electrochemical properties of VO2 and V3O7·nH2O nanobelts as a cathode for lithium battery

In this paper, we report the hydrothermal synthesis of VO₂, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/VO₂,V₃O₇·nH₂O and PEO/V₃O₇·nH₂O nanobelts by using 1,2-propylene carbonate (1,2-PC (C₄H₆O₃)) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as templates, respectively. Structure and morphology of the samples were investigated by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. The vanadium oxide (VO₂) nanobeltcomposite show the initial specific capacity 152?mA?h?g^?1, whereas PEO/VO₂ shows 182?mA?h?g^?1. The pure V₃O₇·nH₂O nanobelts shows the initial specific capacity 192?mA?h?g^?1, while PEO/V₃O₇·nH₂O nanobelts show 297?mA?h?g^?1. It was found that PEO/VO₂ and PEO/V₃O₇·nH₂O nanocomposites show better cyclic performance and high discharge stability compared to pure vanadium oxide nanomaterials. The role of the polymeric PEO component of the hybrid material seems to be the stabilization and improvement of the specific capacity due to probable homogeneous distribution between the nanobelts. The TEM images indicate that PEO works as a surfactant to decrease the dimensions of nanobelts.     

Comments on the “Method for observation of neutrinos and antineutrinos”

It is shown that a mechanism of coherent enhancement of the cross section of the neutrino scattering in a periodic structure, suggested by Weber could be excluded by the present neutron scattering experiments.     

Preparation and characterization of a novel spherical cellulose–copper(II) oxide composite particles: as a heterogeneous catalyst for the click reaction

Molecular Diversity - In this research, the cellulose–copper(II) oxide composite particles were provided by a novel and simple approach using Schweizer’s reagent via dialysis method at...     

Rhodamine B-based “turn-on” fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors for highly sensitive and selective detection of mercury (II) ions

Two novel macromolecules based on 2-[3-(2-aminoethylsulfanyl)propylsulfanyl]ethanamine covalently bound to one and two units of rhodamine-B moieties, 1 and 2, were prepared and utilized as fluoroionophores and chromophores for the optical detection of Hg²⁺ ions. The sensors were readily prepared by a conventional two-step synthesis. Especially, sensor 1 exhibits high sensitivity and selective OFF–ON fluorescence enhancement and chromogenic change upon binding to Hg²⁺, which served as a “naked-eye” indicator by a noticeable color change of the solution (from colorless to pink–red color). 1 is shown to discriminate various competing metal ions, particularly Ag⁺ and Cu²⁺, as well as Cd²⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺, K⁺, Ba²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Al³⁺, with a detection limit of 10 ppb.     

Reactionaries and Einstein’s Fame: “German Scientists for the Preservation of Pure Science,” Relativity,and the Bad Nauheim Meeting

Two important and unpleasant events occurred in Albert Einstein’s life in 1920: That August an antirelativity rally was held in the large auditorium of the Berlin Philharmonic, and a few weeks later Einstein was drawn into a tense and highly publicized debate with Philipp Lenard on the merits of relativity at a meeting in Bad Nauheim, Germany. I review these events and discuss how they affected Einstein in light of new documentary evidence that has become available through the publication of Volume 10 of the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. Jeroen van Dongen is Associate Editor with the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology and Veni Research Fellow of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) at Utrecht University.     

Possibility of loading the chamber of the “central” pelletized cold moderator for IBR-2 reactor beams 1, 4–6, and 9

This paper presents the results of experiments performed at the cold moderator test stand with beams 1, 4–6, and 9 for studying the possibility of loading the moderator chamber with frozen balls (pellets) 3.5 to 3.8 mm in diameter through the cryogenic pipeline of complex configuration with a 4-m-long section ascending at an angle of 50°. The optimum parameters for the successful loading of the moderator chamber are found to be the following: mass flow rate of the carrier gas (helium), 2 g/s; temperature of the pipeline walls and helium, 79–85 K; angular velocity of the disc in the ball dispenser, 3.6°/0.5 s; ball ejection rate from the dispenser to the pipeline, 8 balls/s; and maximum chamber loading time, 6 h. During the construction of the test stand, the cryostat is replaced with a new one with two gas blowers, which is necessary for maintaining a low temperature in two independent cooling circuits (for two cold moderators or for a cold moderator and the test stand) and the software for the control of the operation parameters is modified.     

Comment on “A comparison of the von Mises and Hencky equivalent strains for use in simple shear experiments”

Onaka has shown (2010) that the Hencky equivalent strain is the appropriate quantity to represent the degree of severe plastic deformation based on simple-shear deformation. In a recent paper, Shrivastava et al. have criticized (2011) the Onaka paper and stated that the Hencky formulation does not apply to large simple-shear deformation. In this response, it is shown that this claim of Shrivastava et al. is not consistent with recent accepted knowledge on the Hencky strain.     

Polythiophene‐functionalized magnetic carbon nanotube-supported copper(I) complex: a novel and retrievable heterogeneous catalyst for the “Phosphine- and Palladium-Free” Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction

Molecular Diversity - A simple preparation of catalysts with high catalytic activity and superior cycling stability is very desirable. In this contribution, magnetic carbon nanotube functionalized...