Microwave-assisted polyol synthesis of CuInTe2 and CuInSe2 nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of the CuInTe(2) (CIT) and CuInSe(2) (CIS) alloys have been prepared using the microwave-assisted polyol method. In this simple and quick reaction the polyol is both the solvent and the reducing agent. XRD studies show that nanoparticles of CIT and CIS are formed in the body-centered tetragonal structure and their average diameters are approximately 94 and approximately 83 nm, respectively. Electron microscopy studies show that these formed particles are poorly aggregated with a mean diameter of 100 and 85 nm, respectively. The products have been characterized by different analytical techniques, and the electronic properties have been measured using photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS).     

Preparation of nano-sized YAG:Eu3+ particles by a microwave-assisted polyol process and their luminescence properties

Phases of yttrium-aluminum binary oxide have been selectively prepared by selecting a polyol solvent in a microwave-assisted polyol process. Using 1,4-butanediol as a polyol solvent, nano-sized particles of a pure phase of YAG have been prepared. Furthermore, Eu³⁺-doped YAG has been synthesized by applying this method. We have demonstrated that 8 at% Eu³⁺-doped YAG (replacement of Y³⁺) gave the strongest emission when the content of Eu³⁺ was varied.     

Preparation of nano-sized YAG:Eu3+ particles by a microwave-assisted polyol process and their luminescence properties

Phases of yttrium-aluminum binary oxide have been selectively prepared by selecting a polyol solvent in a microwave-assisted polyol process. Using 1,4-butanediol as a polyol solvent, nano-sized particles of a pure phase of YAG have been prepared. Furthermore, Eu³⁺-doped YAG has been synthesized by applying this method. We have demonstrated that 8 at% Eu³⁺-doped YAG (replacement of Y³⁺) gave the strongest emission when the content of Eu³⁺ was varied.     

ZnS nanosheets: Egg albumin and microwave-assisted synthesis and optical properties

ZnS nanosheets were prepared via egg albumin and microwave-assisted method. The phases, crystalline lattice structures, morphologies, chemical and optical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), field-emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy and fluorescence(FL) spectrometer and growth mechanism of ZnS nanosheets was investigated. The results showed that all samples were pure cubic zinc blende with polycrystalline structure. The width of ZnS nanosheets with a rectangular nanostructure was in the range of 450–750 nm. The chemical interaction existed between egg albumin molecules and ZnS nanoparticles via the amide/carboxylate group. The band gap value calculated was 3.72 eV. The band at around 440 nm was attributed to the sulfur vacancies of the ZnS nanosheets. With increasing volumes of egg albumin, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of ZnS samples firstly increased and then decreased, attributed to concentration quenching.     

Cobalt-doped chalcopyrites CuInSe2: the synthesis and magnetic properties

Two series of samples of the composition CuIn_1?XCo_XSe₂ (m-series) and Cu_1?X/2In_1?X/2Co_XSe₂ (d-series) were prepared by solid-state synthesis and their magnetic properties were investigated. It was shown that cobalt is much better incorporated into the chalcopyrite matrix of the d-series samples, thus providing the onset of paramagnetic properties. Quenching allows the concentration of the incorporated cobalt to increase, which leads to the onset of weak ferromagnetism.

     

Synthesis of Au/SnO2 core-shell structure nanoparticles by a microwave-assisted method and their optical properties

Au/SnO₂ core-shell structure nanoparticles were synthesized using the microwave hydrothermal method. The optical and morphological properties of these particles were examined and compared with those obtained by the conventional hydrothermal method. In microwave preparation, the peak position of the UV-visible plasmon absorption band of Au nanoparticles was red-shifted from 520 to 543 nm, due to the formation of an SnO₂ shell. An SnO₂ shell formation was complete within 5 min. The thickness of the SnO₂ shell was 10-12 nm, and the primary particle size of SnO₂ crystallites was 3-5 nm. For the core-shell particles prepared by a conventional hydrothermal method, the shell formed over the entire synthesis period and was not as crystalline as those produced, using the microwave method. The relationship between the morphological and spectroscopic properties and the crystallinity of the SnO₂ shell are discussed.     

From nano to micro: synthesis and optical properties of homogeneous spheroidal gold particles and their superlattices

Iodide ions have been used as an additive to fabricate homogeneous gold spheres with a la carte dimensions, ranging from the nano- (50 nm) to the microscale (ca. 1 μm). Due to the high uniformity and surface functionalization of the produced materials, they undergo spontaneous assembly into organized superlattices upon solvent drying. Thus, optical properties of the particles including localized surface plasmon resonances and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) response, both in solution and organized into superlattices, are also reported.     

The microwave-assisted synthesis of a 2-carboxyphosphole

Using a one-pot four-step reaction a readily available phospholide was converted efficiently to a 2-carboxyphosphole. This compound can be used as a building block for the synthesis of phosphole-containing peptides, where the phosphole can serve as a coordination site for late transition metals and may affect the secondary structure of the peptide.     

Factors that may influence the micro-emulsion synthesis of nanosize magnetite particles

The influence of experimental conditions on the formation of nanosize magnetite by micro-emulsion method was investigated using Mössbauer and FT-IR spectroscopies, FE SEM/EDS and TEM. It was found that the concentration of starting chemicals (FeCl₃/FeSO₄), aeration/de-aeration, high alkalinity and γ-irradiation influenced this precipitation process. Rod-like goethite particles ～200–300 nm long and up to 10 nm wide were obtained by destabilization of the micro-emulsions aged 5 to 45 days at RT. Si-containing ferrihydrite was also formed and it retarded the formation of goethite by the dissolution/re-precipitation mechanism. A small amount of Si from a glass flask was dissolved. A very strong influence of γ-irradiation on the formation of nanosize magnetite by micro-emulsion method was observed. γ-irradiation created strong reductive conditions in the micro-emulsions. At an ～460 kGy dose, nanosize magnetite particles sized ～5 to 20 nm and very small amounts of goethite particles were obtained. The EDS measurements on the particles suggested the formation of sub-stoichiometric magnetite (Fe_3?x O₄) and not of maghemite. This finding is in line with the strong reductive conditions induced with γ-irradiation.     

Novel synthesis of organic nanowires and their optical properties

Aligned nanowires of organic luminescent material were prepared by introducing the organic luminants into nanochannels of variable size in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane, and the emission spectra from these nanowire arrays exhibited novel size-dependent luminescent properties.     

Synthesis of nanosize Co-Rh systems and study of their properties

Precursor compounds [Co(NH₃)₆][Rh(NO₂)₆] and [Co(NH₃)₆][Co(NO₂)₆], solid solutions [Co(NH₃)₆] [Rh(NO₂)₆]_1−x [Co(NO₂)₆] _x , and solid solutions Na₃[Rh_1−x Co _x (NO₂)₆] were synthesized and studied by IR spectroscopy and elemental, X-ray phase, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses. X-ray phase analysis was employed to examine products of thermal decomposition of precursors in the atmospheres of hydrogen and helium. Catalysts with a Co-Rh active system, supported by ZrO₂, were prepared and tested in the reaction of steam conversion of ethanol.     

One-pot synthesis of pyranocoumarins via microwave-assisted pseudo multicomponent reactions and their molecular switching properties

Two new pyranocoumarins were synthesized via one-pot, microwave-assisted pseudo multicomponent condensations of coumarin and 4-methylquinoline to investigate their molecular switching properties. Both are light-sensitive and have a distinct change of color upon UV irradiation. The reaction can be reverted by treating the photogenerated products with imidazoline-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, which can be swiftly recycled with an external permanent magnet.     

The synthesis of temperature-sensitive PMMA-coating PNIPAM particles via a rapid microwave-assisted polymerization

PMMA-coating PNIPAM particles were prepared via a rapid microwave-assisted polymerization. The PMMA shell was found to have a limitation on the movement of PNIPAM chains, which resulted in a reversible swelling and shrinking. The swelling-shrinking processes of particles were traced by laser light scattering, and the swelling factor of particles was found to be 1.63 with an average radius of 83.4 nm in the swelling state and of 70.8 nm in the shrinking state.     

Soft template synthesis of ZnO nanorods and their optical properties

A simple solution route was developed to fabricate monodisperse wurtzite ZnO nanorods. The as-prepared samples were 5 ??m in length and 70?C100 nm in diameter. The crystallinity, morphology, and structure of the rod-like ZnO microcrystals were examined. The crystal phases and the microstructure of the nanorods were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Room- and low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra were employed to investigate the surface states of the samples. The deep-level emission band was barely observable at both room and cryogenic temperatures.     

Solvothermal synthesis of well-dispersed NaMgF3 nanocrystals and their optical properties

Complex metal fluoride NaMgF(3) nanocrystals were successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method at a relatively low temperature with the presence of oleic acid, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, respectively. In the synthetic process, oleic acid as a surfactant played a crucial role in confining the growth and solubility of the NaMgF(3) nanocrystals. The as-prepared NaMgF(3) nanocrystals have quasi-spherical shape with a narrow distribution. A possible formation mechanism of the nanocrystals was proposed based on the effect of oleic acid. The as-prepared NaMgF(3) nanocrystals are highly crystalline and well-dispersed in cyclohexane to form stable and clear colloidal solutions, which demonstrate a strong emission band centered at 400 nm in photoluminescence (PL) spectra compared with the cyclohexane solvent. The PL properties of the colloidal solutions of the as-prepared nanocrystals can be ascribed to the trap states of surface defects.     

Shape-controlled synthesis of polyhedral CdS flowerlike architectures and their optical properties

Fabrication of polyhedral CdS flower-like architectures have been achieved on a large scale through a mixed solvothermal method. The obtained CdS are characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the results indicate that the CdS flower-like architectures with diameters of 1.5–2.0 µm are hexagonal wurtzite phase and are assembled by some pyramids with the bottom side length of about 440 nm, which have some crystallographic faces. A series of relevant experiments through altering experimental parameters, indicate that the temperature, starting materials and solvent play key roles for the shape evolution of CdS flower-like architectures. The studies of optical properties for polyhedral CdS flower-like architectures indicate that the UV-vis spectroscopy shows a blue-shift absorption peak at 500 nm compared to that of bulk CdS, the photoluminescence spectroscopy shows an emission peak at 640 nm and another strong emission peak at 695 nm, which are believed to be attributed to excitonic emission and deep levels.      

Microwave-assisted synthesis of phthalocyanine-porphyrin complex and its photoelectric conversion properties

A soluble phthalocyanine-porphyrin complex (Lu(TBPor)Pc) has been rapidly synthesized from a lutetium porphyrin (Lu(TBPor)OAc) and a metal-free phthalocyanine (H₂(TBPc)) under microwave irradiation. Its photoelectric conversion properties have also been investigated. The experimental results reveal that Lu(TBPor)Pc exhibits better photoelectric conversion effect than Lu(TBPor)OAc, H₂(TBPc), and Lu(TBPor)OAc/H₂(TBPc) blend. Furthermore, we have also introduced a n-type photoconductor (N,N′-bis(1,5-dimethylhexyl)-3,4:9,10-perylenebis(dicarboximide)(PDHEP)) and TiO₂ into Lu(TBPor)Pc photoelectric cell to fabricate a SnO₂/Lu(TBPor)Pc + PDHEP + TiO₂/Al photoelectric cell, exhibiting the largest short-circuit photocurrent (691.3μA/cm²) among all of lab-made cells under illumination of white light (1.2 mW/cm²).     

Physical and electrochemical characterizations of microwave-assisted polyol preparation of carbon-supported PtRu nanoparticles

PtRu nanoparticles supported on Vulcan XC-72 carbon and carbon nanotubes were prepared by a microwave-assisted polyol process. The catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The PtRu nanoparticles, which were uniformly dispersed on carbon, were 2-6 nm in diameter. All PtRu/C catalysts prepared as such displayed the characteristic diffraction peaks of a Pt face-centered cubic structure, excepting that the 2theta values were shifted to slightly higher values. XPS analysis revealed that the catalysts contained mostly Pt(0) and Ru(0), with traces of Pt(II), Pt(IV), and Ru(IV). The electro-oxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. It was found that both PtRu/C catalysts had high and more durable electrocatalytic activities for methanol oxidation than a comparative Pt/C catalyst. Preliminary data from a direct methanol fuel cell single stack test cell using the Vulcan-carbon-supported PtRu alloy as the anode catalyst showed high power density.