Synthesis and characterization of CdSe nanorods using a novel microemulsion method at moderate temperature

CdSe nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using a novel microemulsion method at moderate temperature. It is found that with a combination of the surfactant AOT and hydrazine hydrate, it is possible to control the morphology of the nanoparticles. The hydrazine hydrate acts as both a reducing agent and a templating agent that favors the formation of a rodlike structure. The composition, morphology and optical properties of the CdSe nanoparticles were investigated using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The nucleation and growth mechanism for this system is also proposed based on a time-dependent study. This synthesis route provides a moderate temperature (100 degrees C) method for synthesizing rodlike CdSe, hence reducing the possibility of oxidation of this chalcogenide compound.     

Size dependent optical spectroscopy of II–VI semiconductor nanocrystallites (quantum dots)

We use low temperature (10K) optical hole-burning and fluorescence line narrowing spectroscopy to investigate the electronic properties of CdSe nanocrystallites (quantum dots) as a function of crystallite diameter (20–80Å). We discuss how the homogeneous linewidth of the HOMO-LUMO transition, the energy shift between the absorbing and emitting state, and the LO phonon frequency vary with nanocrystallite size.     

Influence of microwave radiation on the growth of gold nanoparticles and microporous zincophosphates in a reverse micellar system

The water core of reverse micelles has been extensively used as the site for synthesis of a variety of materials. However, water-in-oil reverse micelles have a limited range of temperatures over which they are stable as a single phase. Directing heat to the water cores, the usual site of synthesis without heating the bulk provides added opportunities for synthesis. Microwave radiation is a method for superheating the water cores. In this study, we use an H2O-sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)-heptane reverse micelle system for the synthesis of Au particles by hydrazine reduction of HAuCl4 in the presence and absence of microwave radiation. The duration of the microwave radiation was limited to a 2-min duration at a power of 300 W, thereby ensuring that the reverse micelle phase is maintained during the synthesis. At all hydrazine concentrations studied (0.5-2 M), the presence of microwave radiation led to an increase in the particle size of Au. The second system examined was the growth of microporous zincophosphate-X (ZnPO-X, an analogue of the faujasite structure) synthesized from H2O-dioctyldimethylammonium chloride (DODMAC)-heptane reverse micelle system. Microwave radiation was applied for 1 min at 150 W at various stages of the nucleation and growth process, and did not disrupt the reverse micelle system. Product analysis after 48 h of reaction showed that the 1-min microwave pulse, if applied during the nucleation stage (the first 4 h), promoted the formation of NaZnPO4.H2O over ZnPO-X. The effect of the microwave pulse at the growth stage was to promote the formation of ZnPO-X. Absorption of the microwave radiation by the water core and surrounding polar surfactant molecules leads to a rapid rise in local temperature (predicted to be approximately 150 degrees C/min for the AOT system), increasing the rates of intramicellar reactions.     

憎水性三金属纳米粒子的合成、表征及磁性

以磺基琥珀酸二辛酯钠盐(AOT)为表面活性剂,采用反胶束法合成了憎水性CoFe/Au纳米粒子, 利用配体交换、水洗等去除AOT并使纳米粒子分级.采用紫外-可见光谱(UV-Vis)、透射电镜(TEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、X射线电子能量散射(EDX)及等离子发射光谱 (ICP)等对产物进行了表征,通过超导量子干涉仪(SQIUD)研究了纳米粒子的磁性质.结果表明,反胶束法合成的CoFe/Au三金属纳米粒子具有较好的单分散性和稳定性,平均粒径约为4 nm.当外磁场强度为1.5×10⁴ A/m时,阻塞温度T_b为65 K,温度高于T_b时纳米粒子显示出超顺磁性,低于T_b时呈铁磁性,在5 K时其矫顽力(Hc)达4.67×10⁴ A/m.     

Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble CdSe nanoparticles capped by AOT

Water-soluble CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized using AOT (sodium bis(2-ethylehexyl)-sulfosuccinate) as stabilizer, cadmium acetate and Na2SeSO3 as precursors in aqueous phase. The influence of some key factors, such as reaction time, temperature, concentration and molar ratio of precursors on the optical properties of CdSe nanoparticles was systematically investigated through UV-Vis and PL spectra. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the crystalline structure of synthesized CdSe nanoparticles. As-prepared CdSe nanoparticles exhibit an apparent quantum confinement effect and typical hexagonal wurtzite structures. Finally, the optimal experimental conditions were obtained.     

Chloride ion effects on synthesis and directed assembly of copper nanoparticles in liquid and compressed alkane microemulsions

Microemulsions are effective media for solution-based synthesis of metallic nanoparticles where surfactants and other ionic species influence the directed assembly of the nanomaterials with specific sizes, geometries, and compositions. This study demonstrates the effects of chloride ion on the synthesis of copper nanoparticles within the sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelle system utilizing both liquid isooctane and compressed propane as the bulk solvent. Copper nanoparticle synthesis can be achieved in the presence of HCl in the micelle core, taking advantage of the buffering action of the AOT surfactant. The concentration of chloride ions influence the particle growth rate and dispersion in liquid isooctane. The presence of chloride ions during particle synthesis in compressed propane has a significant effect on the geometry and structure of the copper nanomaterials produced. Chloride ion addition to the compressed propane/Cu(AOT)(2)-AOT/water reverse micelle system at 20 degrees C and 310 bar results in the formation of diamond-shaped copper nanoparticle assemblies. The copper nanoparticle assemblies exhibit unique structure and retain this structure through repeated solvent processing steps, allowing separation and recovery of the assembled diamond-shaped copper nanoparticle structures.     

Formation mechanism of conducting polypyrrole nanotubes in reverse micelle systems

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes were readily fabricated through chemical oxidation polymerization in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse (water-in-oil) emulsions. The reverse cylindrical micelle phase was characterized, and the key factors affecting the formation of PPy nanotubes were systematically inspected. AOT reverse cylindrical micelles were prepared via a cooperative interaction between an aqueous FeCl3 solution and AOT in an apolar solvent. In the H2O/FeCl3/AOT/apolar solvent system, the aqueous FeCl3 solution played a role in increasing the ionic strength and decreasing the second critical micelle concentration of AOT. As a result, AOT reverse cylindrical micelles could be spontaneously formed in an apolar solvent. In addition, iron cations were adsorbed to the anionic AOT headgroups that were capable of extracting metal cations from the aqueous core. Under these conditions, the addition of pyrrole monomer resulted in the chemical oxidation polymerization of the corresponding monomer at the surface of AOT reverse cylindrical micelles, followed by the formation of tubular PPy nanostructures. In a typical composition (74.0 wt % hexane, 22.4 wt % AOT, and 3.6 wt % aqueous FeCl3 solution at 15 degrees C), the average diameter of PPy nanotubes was approximately 94 nm and their length was more than 2 mum. The PPy nanotube dimensions were affected by synthetic variables such as the weight ratio of aqueous FeCl3 solution/AOT, type of apolar solvent, and reaction temperature. Moreover, the relationship between the diameter and the conductivity of the nanotubes was investigated.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering and polarized photoluminescence from catalytically grown CdSe nanobelts and sheets

We have successfully fabricated single-crystalline CdSe nanowires, nanobelts, and sheets by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method assisted with laser ablation. The synthesized CdSe nanostructures have hexagonal wurtzite phase as characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). CdSe nanobelts can range in length from several tens to a hundred micrometers, in thickness from 40 to 70 nm, and a tapered width which is approximately 3 microm at one end and tapers off to approximately 100 nm at a catalytic gold particle. Both selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) measurements show that the single-crystalline hexagonal belts and sheets grew along the [0.1-1.0] direction with side surface of +/-(0 0 0 1) and top surface of +/-(2 -1 -1 0). While the growth mechanism of nanobelts complies with a combination of vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and vapor-solid (VS) processes, the formation of sheets is primarily based on the VS mechanism. For comparison, the phonon modes of CdSe nanobelts and bulk powder have been measured by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and normal Raman scattering (NRS) spectroscopies with off- and near-resonant excitations. A blue-shift of 2.4 cm(-1) for the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon of CdSe nanobelts, relative to bulk CdSe, is attributed to a lattice contraction in the belt structure, which is confirmed by the XRD measurement. Room-temperature microphotoluminescence (PL) at approximately 1.74 eV from single CdSe nanobelts shows a 3-fold enhancement compared to that from bulk CdSe powder and displays a partial polarization dependence of emission angles.     

Growth kinetics for AgI nanoparticles in AOT reverse micelles: effect of molecular length of hydrocarbon solvents

The growth kinetics for AgI nanoparticles formed in the solutions of water/AOT reverse micelles in n-hexane, n-octane, n-decane, and n-dodecane were investigated. In small micelles, the rate of nanoparticles growth was found to be independent of the type of solvent, while in large micelles the growth rate grew with increasing length of solvent molecules. The effect was explained by a different amount of free water in the micelle pools of the same size.     

Solvent effects on AOT reverse micelles in liquid and compressed alkanes investigated by neutron spin-echo spectroscopy

Neutron Spin-Echo (NSE) spectroscopy has been employed to study the interfacial properties of reverse micelles formed with the common surfactant sodium bis-2-ethylhexyl-sulfosuccinate (AOT) in liquid alkane solvents and compressed propane. NSE spectroscopy provides a means to measure small energy transfers for incident neutrons that correspond to thermal fluctuations on the nanosecond time scale and has been applied to the study of colloidal systems. NSE offers the unique ability to perform dynamic measurements of thermally induced shape fluctuation in the AOT surfactant monolayer. This study investigates the effects of the bulk solvent properties, water content, and the addition of octanol cosurfactant on the bending elasticity of AOT reverse micelles and the reverse micelle dynamics. By altering these solvent properties, specific trends in the bending elasticity constant, k, are observed where increasing k corresponds to an increase in micelle rigidity and a decrease in intermicellar exchange rate, k(ex). The observed corresponding trends in k and k(ex) are significant in relating the dynamics of microemulsions and their application as a reaction media. Compressed propane was also examined for the first time with a high-pressure, compressible bulk solvent where variations in temperature and pressure are used to tune the properties of the bulk phase. A decrease in the bending elasticity is observed for the d-propane/AOT/W = 8 reverse micelle system by simultaneously increasing the temperature and pressure, maintaining constant density. With isopycnic conditions, a constant translational diffusion of the reverse micelles through the bulk phase is observed, conforming to the Stokes-Einstein relationship.     

Sonoemulsion Synthesis of Long CuO Nanorods with Enhanced Catalytic Thermal Decomposition of Potassium Perchlorate

A facile sonoemulsion route using suitable non-ionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol with molecular weight of 8000 (PEG8000) was developed to synthesize long CuO nanorods with average diameter of 15–20 nm and lengths up to 1.5 μm. The as-developed CuO nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, SAED and Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectrum of as-synthesized nanorods was found to be red-shifted and broadened due to possible consequence of phonon confinement, electron–LO–phonon-coupling and internal compressive stresses. The dynamics of nanorod growth was elaborated in context of size aggregation effect fueled by ultra-sonication and steric hindrance effect imposed by PEG8000. The catalytic activity of CuO nanorods in thermal decomposition of potassium perchlorate was examined by thermogravimetric analysis technique. The CuO nanorods prepared by sonoemulsion route was found to be very effective in thermal decomposition of potassium perchlorate with significant reduction in thermal decomposition temperature.     

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Copper and Silver, Nanocrystalline Chalcogenides in Mixed Solvents

Copper and silver nanocrystalline chalcogenides, Cu_2−xSe, Cu₂Te, Ag₂Se, and Ag₂Te, have been successfully synthesized in a mixture of ethylenediamine and hydrazine hydrate as a solvent at room temperature. Products showed different morphologies, such as nanotubes, nanorods, and nanoparticles. The results indicated that the coordination and chelation abilities of ethylenediamine play an important role in the formation of one-dimensional nanocrystalline binary chalcogenides, and hydrazine hydrate is crucial to the electron transfer in the room temperature reactions. These transition-metal nanocrystalline chalcogenides as prepared were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The UV-Vis absorption properties of these nanocrystals were also measured.     

An example of how to use AOT reverse micelle interfaces to control a photoinduced intramolecular charge-transfer process

6-Propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminonaphtahalene, PRODAN, is widely used as a fluorescent molecular probe due to its significant Stokes shift in polar solvents. It is an aromatic compound with intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) states which can be particularly useful as sensors. In this work, we performed absorption, steady-state, time-resolved fluorescence (TRES), and time-resolved area normalized emission (TRANES) spectroscopies on PRODAN dissolved in nonaqueous reverse micelles. The reverse micelles are composed of polar solvents/sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-heptane. Sequestered polar solvents included ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (GY), formamide (FA), dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethylacetamide (DMA). The experiments were performed with varying surfactant concentrations at a fixed molar ratio W(S) = [polar solvent]/[AOT]. In every reverse micelle studied, the results show that PRODAN undergoes a partition process between the external solvent and the reverse micelle interface. The partition constants, K(p), are quantified from the changes in the PRODAN emission and/or absorption spectra with the surfactant concentration. The K(p) values depend strongly on the encapsulated polar solvent and correlate quite well with the AOT reverse micelle interface's zones where PRODAN can exist and emits. Thus, the partition toward the reverse micelle interface is strongly favored in DMF and DMA containing micelles where the PRODAN emission comes only from an ICT state. For GY/AOT reverse micelles, the K(p) value is the lowest and only emission from the local excited (LE) state is observed. On the other hand, for EG/AOT, PG/AOT, and water/AOT reverse micelles, the K(p) values are practically the same and emission from both states (LE and ICT) is simultaneously detected. We show here that it is possible to control the PRODAN state emission by simply changing the properties of the AOT reverse micelle interfaces by choosing the appropriate polar solvent to make the reverse micelle media. Indeed, we present experimental evidence with the answer to the long time question about from which state does PRODAN emit, a process that can be controlled using the unique reverse micelle interfaces properties.     

琥珀酸二异辛酯磺酸钠微乳体系中纳米银的制备及其连续相的影响

在琥珀酸二异辛酯磺酸钠(AOT)为表面活性剂、环己烷为连续相形成的微乳体系中, 利用水合肼还原AgNO₃制备了分散性良好的纳米银. 利用紫外-可见(UV-Vis)光谱和透射电镜(TEM)对所得产物进行了表征, TEM显微图像表明形成粒子为球形结构, 平均粒径为5.10 nm, 标准偏差为2.84 nm. 分别利用正己烷、正庚烷、正辛烷、环己烷和十二烷等作连续介质, 研究了微乳液中连续相对纳米银形成的影响. 随着正烷烃碳链长度的增加, 微乳液中胶束之间的交换速率增大, 形成粒子的平均粒径逐渐减小. 十二烷形成的微乳体系制备的纳米银溶胶具有最宽的共振吸收峰, 所得的纳米银粒子平均粒径最小. 环己烷形成的微乳液中反胶束具有特殊的界面强度, 导致纳米银晶核的形成速率过低, 纳米银晶粒的生长不完全.     

Size-dependent carrier dynamics in CdS nanoparticles by femtosecond visible-pump/IR-probe measurements

Ultrafast photoexcited carrier dynamics in CdS nanoparticles prepared by an AOT/n-heptane reversed micelle system were investigated by a femtosecond visible-pump/mid-IR probe technique. A mid-IR probe beam was found to mainly probe the ultrafast dynamics of photoexcited electrons in the conduction band. Dispersions of CdS nanoparticles with 8 different mean diameters from 2.9 to 4.1 nm were prepared by tuning the mole ratio between water and AOT (W = [H(2)O]/[AOT]) in the reversed micelle systems. The excited state lifetime strongly depended on the mean size of CdS nanoparticles with a maximum around a mean diameter of 3.5 nm. This result was explained by considering the balance between the carrier recombination rates via surface states and those via interior states. The relationship between the excited state lifetime and the size of CdS nanoparticles was drastically changed when the surface was terminated by thiol molecules.     

Facile Low‐Temperature Synthesis of Ultralong Monodisperse ZnSe Quantum Wires with the Assistance of Ag2S

A facile method for the low‐cost and large‐scale production of ultralong Ag₂S (or Ag₂Se)? ZnSe quantum wires has been developed. ZnSe quantum wires (diameter≈4 nm) with high uniformity in their crystal structure and diameter can be synthesized by using a catalyst‐assisted growth approach with Ag₂S nanoparticles as a catalyst. The influence of the growth temperature, time, and type of catalytic particle on the morphology of the ZnSe quantum wires was systematically explored. Besides Ag₂S, Ag₂Se nanoparticles can also be adopted as the catalyst for the growth of ZnSe wires. This method can also be applied to the fabrication of uniform CdSe nanorods. This method is convenient for the controllable fabrication of metal selenides and is of importance for exploring fundamental nanoscale semiconductor physics, as well as for affording technological devices with optimized characteristics.     

Synthesis and Stabilization of Gold Nanoparticles in Reverse Micelles of Aerosol OT and Triton X-100

Mechanisms of the formation and stabilization of gold nanoparticles in reverse micelles of micro-emulsions based on Triton X-100 (TX-100) and Aerosol OT (AOT) are studied. The instability of AOT-based microemulsions is shown to be caused by the oxidative degradation of gold nanoparticles in micelle water pools. Methods are proposed for the stabilization of these microemulsions. It is revealed that the mean size of gold nanoparticles synthesized in TX-100 reverse micelles in the presence of sodium sulfite is markedly smaller than that of particles prepared in AOT reverse micelles. This is explained by the fact that gold clusters are formed in the micelle shell rather than in the water pool. In the shell, the clusters are stabilized by oxyethylene groups of TX-100 molecules.__________Translated from Kolloidnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 67, No. 4, 2005, pp. 534–540.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Spirin, Brichkin, Razumov.     

The Synthesis of Superparamagnetic Pt/Ni Nanohybrids in Direct Micelles of Cationic Surfactants

Pt/Ni nanohybrids were synthesized by the reduction of the corresponding salts with hydrazine hydrate in aqueous micellar 0.005, 0.02, and 0.15 M solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The size, shape, particle size distributions, and superparamagnetic properties of the nanohybrids were studied. The spherical and rod-like shapes of the nanoparticles obtained were discussed in terms of the dualistic model of surfactant micelle formation, according to which Ni²⁺ and hydrazine hydrate were solubilized inside hydrated micelles in water, in which molecules were linked by weak H-bonds with each other. Hydrated spherical and rod-like micelles played the role of templates in the synthesis of spherical and rod-like nanohybrids.     

A controllable synthetic route to Cu,Cu2O,and CuO nanotubes and nanorods

Reducing Cu(OH)4(2-) with hydrazine hydrate and glucose in the presence of a structure-directing surfactant at room temperature gave Cu and Cu2O nanotubes/nanorods, respectively, whereas facile hydrothermal treatment of Cu(OH)4(2-) precursor resulted in CuO nanotubes/nanorods.     

Synthesis, optical properties, and growth mechanism of blue-emitting CdSe nanorods

Blue-emitting, cubic phase CdSe nanorods with an approximate diameter of 2.5 nm and lengths up to 12 nm have been synthesized at low temperature (100 degrees C) in a single surfactant using a single-source molecular precursor. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements indicate that the nanorods are formed from self-assembly of isotropic nanoclusters. Anisotropic growth in a single surfactant appears to be favored when growth occurs below the thermal decomposition temperature of the single-source precursor.