Self-electrochemiluminescent CdTe quantum dots: one-pot synthesis,characterization, and electrochemical properties

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A novel self-electrochemiluminescent (self-ECL) nanomaterial, CdTe quantum dots, was prepared by the one-pot method using 2-diethylaminoethanethiol...     

Sb2S3 with various nanostructures: controllable synthesis, formation mechanism, and electrochemical performance toward lithium storage

The size- and shape-controlled synthesis of Sb(2)S(3) nanostructures has been successfully realized by a facile hydrothermal route. A range of dimensional nanostructures, such as one-dimensional nanorods, two-dimensional nanowire bundles, three dimensional sheaf-like superstructures, dumbbell-shaped superstructures, and urchin-like microspheres, could be obtained through introducing different organic complex reagents or ionic liquids to the reaction system. The formation mechanisms of various Sb(2)S(3) nanostructures have been rationally proposed based on the crystal structure and the nature of the complex reagents and the ionic liquid. The effects of experimental parameters on the final product are also discussed in detail. In addition, electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the as-synthesized Sb(2)S(3) nanostructures have higher initial Li intercalation capacity and excellent cyclic performances, which indicates that the as-synthesized Sb(2)S(3) nanostructures could have potential applications in commercial batteries.     

Synthesis, electrochemical properties and self-assembly of a proton-conducting core-shell macromolecule

Let the protons flow: The synthesis of a core-shell macromolecule bearing phosphonic acids is presented. The rigid central core serves as a scaffold to stabilize the flexible polymer shells. Pronounced proton conductivity is obtained under humidified conditions. The self-assembly of such dendritic macromolecules by electrostatic interactions on a modified gold substrate is investigated and characterized.     

Dendritic cavitands: preparation and electrochemical properties

A new series of dendrimers containing a central cavitand core with four appended Fréchet-type dendrons, linked to the core through 4,4'-bipyridinium (viologen) subunits, have been synthesized, characterized and their electrochemical properties investigated using cyclic voltammetric measurements.     

Monoclinic structured BiVO4 nanosheets: hydrothermal preparation, formation mechanism, and coloristic and photocatalytic properties

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO(4)) nanosheets have been hydrothermally synthesized in the presence of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as a morphology-directing template. The nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM). The BiVO(4) nanosheets had a monoclinic structure, were ca. 10-40 nm thick, and showed a preferred (010) surface orientation. The formation mechanism and the effects of reaction temperature and time on the products were investigated. UV-visible diffuse reflection spectra indicated that the BiVO(4) nanosheets had outstanding spectral selectivity and improved color properties compared with the corresponding bulk materials. Furthermore, the nanosheets showed good visible photocatalytic activities as determined by degradation of N,N,N',N'-tetraethylated rhodamine (RB) under solar irradiation.     

Ribbon- and boardlike nanostructures of nickel hydroxide: synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical properties

We report the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemistry properties of ribbon- and boardlike nanostructures of nickel hydroxide, which crystallize in different phases. The ribbonlike nanostructures (nanoribbons) of nickel hydroxide were synthesized by treating amorphous alpha-Ni(OH)2 with high concentrations of nickel sulfate. These nanoribbons crystallized in a new phase had typical widths of 5-25 nm, thicknesses of 3-9 nm, and lengths of up to a few micrometers. After further treatment in alkali at 60 degrees C, the nanoribbons converted to boardlike nanostructures (nanoboards), which crystallized in the beta-phase with the average length-width-thickness ratio of 20:6:1. The crystal structures, Raman spectra, and electrochemical properties of these nanostructures of nickel hydroxide are described in this paper. For comparison, the amorphous alpha-Ni(OH)2 has also been investigated. Moreover, the intermediate product between the nanoribbons and the nanoboards displays a unique structure, which implied an interesting transformation process. The nanoribbons with the new phase show some unique features in Raman spectra, two new peaks located at 3534 and 3592 cm(-1) in the OH stretching region, indicating the new chemical environment of the hydroxyl groups. The nanoboards exhibit the highest specific capacity, which is close to the theoretical capacity of beta-Ni(OH)2. It suggests that the boardlike nanostructure is helpful in improving the electrochemical performance of nickel hydroxide. Because of their unique structures and properties, the nanoribbons and nanoboards of nickel hydroxide may give a new perspective for applications in the areas of catalysts and rechargeable batteries.     

Synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical properties of self-assembled leaf-like CuO nanostructures

A simple hydrothermal process was used to synthesize the assembled leaf-like copper oxide (CuO) from copper hydroxide and urea in aqueous solution. The field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that the individual CuO leaf-like nanostructure has a dimension of about 0.5–1.5 μm in length, 50–70 nm in thickness, and 80–110 nm in width, respectively. These CuO nanostructures were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, which showed that the CuO nanostructures prepared from the hydrothermal process have high crystalline properties with a monoclinic structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed that the as-prepared sample is composed of CuO, which is consistent with X-ray diffraction patterns. The CuO nanostructures were used as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries, demonstrating electrochemical properties of a high initial discharge capacity of approximately 1,028 mAh/g along with good cycle stability.     

2D laminated cylinder-like BiFeO3 composites: Hydrothermal preparation,formation mechanism,and photocatalytic properties

BiFeO₃ perovskite with 2D laminated cylinder-like structure was prepared via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method, whose morphologies and optical properties was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), and UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). The photocatalytic properties of the as-prepared BiFeO₃ composites were evaluated according to degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) and desulfurization under visible light irradiation, with excellent photocatalytic degradation and desulfurization activity found. Moreover, the mechanism study of active free radicals in photocatalytic activity indicates that the h⁺ radical in holes was mainly responsible for synergistic catalytic efficacy in photocatalytic degradation.     

Oligothiophene-functionalized CdSe nanocrystals: preparation and electrochemical properties

The preparation of new molecular hybrids consisting of CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals, surface-functionalized with conductive and electrochemically active oligothiophene ligands, is described. Specially synthesized aniline-terminated oligoalkylthiophenes containing one, two, or four thiophene units were used for the grafting on CdSe nanocrystals, previously surface-functionalized with 4-formyldithiobenzoate. The electrochemical activity of both the inorganic and the organic parts of the hybrid was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The oxidative doping of the organic part of the hybrid is irreversible, contrary to the case of the “free” non-grafted ligand which shows reversible doping. Furthermore, the electrochemical doping of the surface ligands, occurring at lower potentials than the oxidation of the nanocrystals, perturbs the latter process via charging of the ligands followed by slow relaxation processes. The first two authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence: Peter Reiss, Adam Pron, DSM/DRFMC/SPrAM (UMR 5819 CEA-CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier 1)/LEMOH CEA Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, F-38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France     

Fe3O4 nanostructures: synthesis, growth mechanism, properties and applications

Recent progress in research on Fe(3)O(4) nanocrystals has attracted much attention both for investigating fundamental nanomagnetism and their potential applications in nanocatalysis, biosensing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents and drug delivery. In this feature article, we provide an overview of synthetic strategies and growth mechanisms of various Fe(3)O(4) nanostructures, discuss the uniqueness of associated properties, and illustrate their potential applications.     

Polyaniline micro-/nanostructures: morphology control and formation mechanism exploration

This article provides a brief overview of recent work by the authors’ group as well as related researches reported by others on controlling the morphology and exploring the formation mechanism of typical micro-/nanostructures of polyaniline (PANI) and aniline oligomers through template-free aniline chemical oxidation process. The contents are organised as follows: (i) tuning the morphology of aniline polymerisation products by employing ultrasonic irradiation, mass transfer, and pH profiles; (ii) exploring the formation mechanism of micro-/nanostructures during aniline chemical oxidation through examining the precipitation behaviours of aniline oligomers and polymers in a post-synthetic system; (iii) tailoring PANI micro-/nanostuctures into pre-designed morphology by introducing certain heterogeneous nucleation centres; (iv) application potential of PANI nanofibres in the areas of transparent conductive film, electromagnetic interference-shielding coating and graphene-based electrode materials. This short review concludes with our perspectives on the challenges faced in gaining the exact formation mechanism of PANI micro-/nanostructures and the future research possibility for morphologically precisely controlled PANI micro-/nanostructures.     

Preparation and optical properties of silica@Ag-Cu alloy core-shell composite colloids

The silica@Ag-Cu alloy core-shell composite colloids have been successfully synthesized by an electroless plating approach to explore the possibility of modifying the plasmon resonance at the nanoshell surface by varying the metal nanoshell composition for the first time. The surface plasmon resonance of the composite colloids increases in intensity and shifts towards longer, then shorter wavelengths as the Cu/Ag ratio in the alloy shell is increased. The variations in intensity of the surface plasmon resonance with the Cu/Ag ratio obviously affect the Raman bands of the silica colloid core. The report here may supply a new technique to effectively modify the surface plasmon resonance.     

PbTe nanostructures: Microwave-assisted synthesis by using lead Schiff-base precursor,characterization and formation mechanism

Pure cubic phase lead telluride (PbTe) nanostructures have been produced by using a Schiff-base complex as a precursor in the presence of microwave irradiation. The Schiff base used as ligand was derived from salicylaldehyde and ethylenediamine. The Schiff-base complex was marked as [Pb(salen)]. In addition, the effect of the irradiation time and the type of reducing agent on the morphology and purity of the final products was investigated. The as-synthesized PbTe nanostructures were characterized extensively by techniques like X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microwave formation mechanism of the PbTe nanostructures was studied by XRD patterns of the products. Although it was found that both ionic and atomic mechanisms could take place for the preparation of PbTe, the main steps were according to the atomic reaction process, which could occur between elemental Pb and Te.     

Layer-by-layer processing and optical properties of core/alloy nanostructures

A novel hydrothermal layer-by-layer processing method for the fabrication of core/alloy nanoparticles with highly tunable surface plasmon resonance is described. For a model system of Au/Au(x)Ag(1-x), the processing temperature, alloy composition, and alloy thickness resulted in unique and tailorable plasmonic signatures. The discrete dipole approximation and selective alloy etching were used to correlate this optical response with the particle morphology and alloy phase ultrastructure.     

Hierarchical magnetic core-shell nanostructures for microwave absorption: Synthesis, microstructure and property studies

Core-shell nanostructures have attracted considerable attention in the past decades because of their fundamental scientific significance and many technological applications.Recently,it has been reported that the core-shell nanostructures with advanced compositions and complicated morphologies show great potential as high-performance microwave absorbers due to their unique properties,such as large surface areas,multi-functionalities and synergistic effects between the interior core and outer shell.This review article focuses on the recent progress in synthesis and characterization of hierarchical magnetic core-shell nanostructures for microwave absorption applications based on our own work.In addition,several future trends in this field for next-generation microwave absorbers are discussed.     

Hierarchical nanostructures of fluorinated and naked Ta2O5 single crystalline nanorods: hydrothermal preparation, formation mechanism and photocatalytic activity for H2 production

The hydrolysis of H(2)TaF(7) when it slowly forms via etching Ta powders with HF and H(2)O(2) under hydrothermal conditions produces hierarchical nanostructures of fluorinated and naked Ta(2)O(5) single-crystalline nanorods, which exhibit a far greater photocatalytic activity for H(2) production than commercial Ta(2)O(5) particles.     

Thermodynamic considerations and computer simulations on the formation of core-shell nanoparticles under electrochemical conditions

We report on thermodynamic modeling and computer simulations on the electrochemical generation of metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) by means of quenched molecular dynamics (QMD). The present results suggest that the spontaneous formation of core-shell NPs depends on several factors, i.e. size and shape of the core, chemical composition of the system, and under-/oversaturation conditions. Homo- and heteroatomic prototypical systems were considered. The former systems were Au and Pt. The latter were Ag(core)/Au(shell), Pt(core)/Au(shell), Au(core)/Ag(shell) and Au(core)/Pt(shell).     

Layer-by-layer synthesis of multilayer core-shell latex and the film formation properties

Polymer latex particles were synthesized with multilayer core-shell structure via surface cross-linking emulsion polymerization. The latex core is coated with a five-layer shell. The polymerization was done in a semicontinuous fashion monitored by a dynamic laser scattering (DLS). The copolymer in each layer is designed with alternating high and low glass transition temperature (T(g)). Divinylbenzene (DVB) was added as the cross-linking agent in the synthesis of the "hard" layers to prevent the molecular diffusion from the adjacent "soft" layers. The layer-by-layer increment on the latex core is proved by the alternating changes on the film-formation capabilities of different latex emulsions at room temperature in correspondence with the variance in the T(g) of the outermost polymer layer. The detailed morphologies of the films formed by the latex with different number of layers were characterized by atom force microscopy (AFM). The deformation of the latex particles is largely depended on the nature of the polymer in the outermost layer of the latex particles. Further characterization carried out by multifrequency temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TOPEM-DSC) confirmed the layer-by-layer structure of the particles, although the molecular redistribution and the interlayer structures were observed. The work provides a routine toward the synthesis of multilayer polymer latexes.     

Fluorescent magnetic nanocrystals by sequential addition of reagents in a one-pot reaction: a simple preparation for multifunctional nanostructures

Core-shell nanostructures consisting of FePt magnetic nanoparticles as the core and semiconducting chalcogenides as the shell were synthesized by a series of reactions in a one-pot procedure. Adding Cd(acac)2 as the cadmium precursor to a reaction mixture containing FePt nanoparticles afforded FePt@CdO core-shell intermediates. The subsequent addition of chalcogens yielded FePt@CdX core-shell nanocrystals (where X was S or Se). The reverse sequence of addition, i.e., adding X before Cd, resulted in spongelike nanostructures because the chalcogens readily formed nanowires in the solution. Transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, selected area electron diffraction, fluorescence spectroscopy, and SQUID were used to characterize the nanostructures. These core-shell nanostructures displayed superparamagnetism at room temperature and exhibited fluorescence with quantum yields of 2.3-9.7%. The flexibility in the sequence of addition of reagents, combined with the compatibility of the lattices of the different materials, provides a powerful yet convenient strategy for generating sophisticated, multifunctional nanostructures.