Sono and electrochemical synthesis and characterization of copper core–silver shell nanoparticles

Cu–Ag core–shell nanopowders have been prepared by ultrasound-assisted electrochemistry followed by a displacement reaction. The composition of the particles has been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The XRD patterns versus time displacement show that higher are the silver peaks intensities, weaker are the copper ones. That exhibits the progressive recovering of copper by silver. EDX results and quartz crystal microbalance results indicate that various reaction mechanisms are implied in this process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) points out variable nanometric diameter grain and some small agglomerates. Elemental mapping obtained by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) underlines the core–shell structure.     

Tunable near-infrared optical properties of three-layered gold–silica–gold nanoparticles

The absorption spectra of gold–silica–gold nanoshells have been investigated by using Mie theory with variation of the geometry. With an increase in core radius the plasmon resonance for the lower energy mode ω ₋⁻ shows a distinct redshift while for the high-energy mode ω ₋⁺ shows a blueshift. It is surprising that with increasing middle layer thickness the resonance of ω ₋⁻ mode blueshifts first and then redshifts. In addition, an increase of the dielectric constant of the middle layer is found to reduce the resonance energies of the particle. The tunable near-infrared optical properties are discussed in terms of plasmon hybridization theory.     

Synthesis and characterization of binaphthalene-2,2′-diamine-functionalized gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles 1.7 and 54 nm in diameters have been synthesized and functionalized successfully with their surfaces engineered using two atropisomeric capping ligands, 2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthalene (BINAP) and 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diamine (DABN), respectively. A systematic study to compare the two different gold nanoparticles is presented using multiple material characterization techniques. It was found that the two systems show different capping mechanism and hence differ in their intrinsic core and surface properties. The compound BINAP plays only surface capping agent and stabilizes the gold nanoparticles, resulting in small particle size and suppressed surface plasmon resonance absorption at 520 nm. The DABN capping ligand is different from BINAP and acts as both reducing and capping agent, causing the reduction of Au (III) to Au (0). The nucleation growth of the gold core occurs in accordance with the polymerization-passivation process by DABN, resulting in a big particle size of 20 nm. A strong surface plasmon resonance band shows a maximum peak at 564 nm, consistent with the Au core size. The simultaneous oxidative polymerization of DABN and the induced metal reduction process lead to the formation of gold nanoparticles encapsulated by a mixture of DABN oligomers or polymers.

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Synthesis and characterization of Co@Ag core–shell nanoparticles

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - A micellar method has been used to prepare silver-coated cobalt (Co@Ag) nanoparticles. The synthesized particles have been deeply characterized by several...     

Preparation of copper–silicon dioxide nanoparticles with chemical vapor synthesis

Atmospheric pressure chemical vapor synthesis was used to produce copper nanoparticle composites in an amorphous silicon dioxide, i.e., either copper nanoparticles coated with amorphous silicon dioxide or copper nanoparticles embedded in amorphous silicon dioxide matrix. Synthesized metal–organic copper(I) complex was used as a precursor that provided well-defined ratio (1:2) of copper and silicon. The thermal decomposition of the Cu(I) complex molecule leads to homogenous nucleation and formation of copper nanoparticles which are subsequently coated with Si/SiO₂ in the gas phase. The decomposition was greatly enhanced when reductive atmosphere, i.e., H₂/N₂ 10 v% were used instead of pure nitrogen. A narrow size distribution with the geometric mean diameter of the particle agglomerates around 30 nm was observed while the primary size of the copper core particles was around 5 nm.     

Structural and magnetic characterization of Bi1–xLaxFeO3 and BiFe1–yMnyO3 nanoparticles synthesized via a sol–gel method

Here, La-doped Bi_1–xLa_xFeO₃ and Mn-doped BiFe_1–yMn_yO₃ (x, y?=?0.1, 0.2, 0.3) nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol–gel process. For Bi_1–xLa_xFeO₃, structural analysis suggested that its structure changed from rhombohedral to tetragonal phase without secondary phase when x increased from 0 to 0.3. In addition, with the increasing doping concentration of La, transmission electron microscopy exhibited the doped nanoparticle size reduced, while the magnetic properties were correspondingly enhanced. However, for synthesis of BiFe_1–yMn_yO₃, phase analysis showed that there easily existed secondary phase for nanoparticles with 10% and 30% Mn-doped, while 20% Mn-doped nanoparticles indicated high crystallinity without any impure phases. Similarly, we observed the enhanced magnetic properties with the increase of Mn concentration.     

Adsorption kinetics of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane–water interface

The pendant drop technique was used to characterize the adsorption behavior of n-dodecane-1-thiol and n-hexane-1-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane–water interface. The adsorption process was studied by analyzing the dynamic interfacial tension versus nanoparticle concentration, both at early times and at later stages (i.e., immediately after the interface between the fluids is made and once equilibrium has been established). A series of gold colloids were made using nanoparticles ranging in size from 1.60 to 2.85 nm dissolved in hexane for the interfacial tension analysis. Following free diffusion of nanoparticles from the bulk hexane phase, adsorption leads to ordering and rearrangement of the nanoparticles at the interface and formation of a dense monolayer. With increasing interfacial coverage, the diffusion-controlled adsorption for the nanoparticles at the interface was found to change to an interaction-controlled assembly and the presence of an adsorption barrier was experimentally verified. At the same bulk concentration, different sizes of n-dodecane-1-thiol nanoparticles showed different absorption behavior at the interface, in agreement with the findings of Kutuzov et al. (Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:6351–6358, 2007). The experiments additionally demonstrated the important role played by the capping agent. At the same concentration, gold nanoparticles stabilized by n-hexane-1-thiol exhibited greater surface activity than gold nanoparticles of the same size stabilized by n-dodecane-1-thiol. These findings contribute to the design of useful supra-colloidal structures by the self-assembly of alkane-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at liquid–liquid interfaces.     

Behavior of gold nanoparticles in an experimental algal–zooplankton food chain

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - The first-order semiconductor–metal Mott transition in single nano-crystal of VO2 has been observed using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The variation of...     

II–VI semiconductor nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation

Nanoparticles of the II–VI semiconductors CdTe, CdSe and ZnTe were synthesized by laser ablation (387 nm, 180 fs, 1 kHz, pulse energy of 7 μJ (fluence of 2 J/cm²)) of the target materials in methanol, de-ionized water and acetone. The nanoparticles size distributions follow log-normal functions with median diameters between about 6 and 11 nm for the several materials. The nanoparticles have the same crystalline structure as that of the corresponding bulk material and under the present conditions of ablation are rich in the higher volatility element of the two in the binary alloy and oxidized. Photoluminescence emission in the green-yellow (∼570 nm) was detected from CdSe nanoparticles.     

Carbon–metal interfaces analyzed by aberration-corrected TEM: How copper and nickel nanoparticles interact with MWCNTs

Experimental confirmation for the stronger interaction of Ni with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) compared to Cu with MWCNTs is presented. The interfaces between Cu (Ni) nanoparticles side-on oriented onto MWCNTs are analyzed with high spatial resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) of the carbon K-edge. The EEL spectra reveal a rehybridization from sp² to sp³ hybridized carbon of the outermost MWCNT layer at the Ni interface, but no such rehybridization can be observed at the Cu interface. The EELS results are supported by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, which show a better wetting behavior of Ni and a smaller gap at the Ni–MWCNT interface, as compared to the corresponding Cu interfaces. The different behavior of Cu and Ni can be explained in terms of differing valence d-orbital occupancy. For the successful experimental demonstration of this effect the use of a soft chemical metal deposition technique is crucial.     

TEM characterization of organic nanocrystals grown in sol–gel thin films

The tetracene molecule (2,3-benzanthracene, C₈H₁₂) was used to synthesize nanocrystals grown in sol–gel thin films, ranging from 10 to 100 nm of diameter. This confined nucleation and growth was compared to microcrystallizations of the same molecule in free solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize these two kinds of tetracene crystals. The observation was performed under low-dose illumination to avoid amorphization of the samples during electron irradiation. Spatial confinement and size distribution of micro- and nanocrystals were compared. Using electron microdiffraction and diffraction patterns simulations, we showed that free microcrystals and nanocrystals confined in gel glasses exhibit the same triclinic structure. In addition, time-resolved spectroscopy was used to record fluorescence decays, showing a monoexponential fluorescence decay for nanocrystals while microcrystals exhibit a multiexponential decay. The simple signature of nanocrystals luminescence is promising for the future development of chemical or biological sensors.     

Regenerative synthesis of copper nanoparticles by?photoirradiation

Copper nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their low cost, and because their use can contribute toward the sustainability of metal resources. In this study, copper nanoparticles were synthesized by the photoirradiation of copper acetate solution at room temperature. The diameter and chemical composition of the obtained copper nanoparticles were analyzed using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) spectrophotometer and an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. Well-dispersed copper nanoparticles with  ~5 nm in diameter were observed in the solution. On the other hand, when the nanoparticle solution was exposed to fresh air, nanoparticles were not observed in the solution. Furthermore, the copper nanoparticles were recovered from a solution of decomposed nanoparticles by re-photoirradiation.     

Detection of biotin–avidin affinity binding by exploiting a self-referenced system composed of upconverting luminescent nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles

We demonstrate an affinity system based on the interaction of two types of nanoparticles. The first consists of upconverting luminescent NaYF₄:Yb,Er nanoparticles (UCNPs) with a size of 40–100 nm, absorbing light in the infrared and showing luminescence at 521, 543 and at 657 nm. The second consists of (red) gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with a size of about 50 nm and capable of absorbing the green luminescence of the UCNPs. By labeling the UCNPs with avidin and the AuNPs with biotin we have established a model system for a self referenced affinity system applicable to sensing in biological samples. In the presence of avidin-modified UCNPs, the biotinylated Au-NPs can be detected in the range from 12 to 250 μg mL⁻¹ by ratioing the intensity of the red (analyte-independent) emission to that of the green (analyte-dependent) emission band. The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size and composition using transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and FTIR spectroscopy.     

One-pot synthesis and characterization of rhodamine derivative-loaded magnetic core–shell nanoparticles

A new method to produce elaborate nanostructure with magnetic and fluorescent properties in one entity is reported in this article. Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) coated with fluorescent silica (SiO₂) shell was produced through the one-pot reaction, in which one reactor was utilized to realize the synthesis of superparamagnetic core of Fe₃O₄, the formation of SiO₂ coating through the condensation and polymerization of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), and the encapsulation of tetramethyl rhodamine isothiocyanate-dextran (TRITC-dextran) within silica shell. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were carried out to investigate the core–shell structure. The magnetic core of the core–shell nanoparticles is 60 ± 10 nm in diameter. The thickness of the fluorescent SiO₂ shell is estimated at 15 ± 5 nm. In addition, the fluorescent signal of the SiO₂ shell has been detected by the laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM) with emission wavelength (λ_em) at 566 nm. In addition, the magnetic properties of TRITC-dextran loaded silica-coating iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ NPs) were studied. The hysteresis loop of the core–shell NPs measured at room temperature shows that the saturation magnetization (M _s) is not reached even at the field of 70 kOe (7T). Meanwhile, the very low coercivity (H _c) and remanent magnetization (M _r) are 0.375 kOe and 6.6 emu/g, respectively, at room temperature. It indicates that the core–shell particles have the superparamagnetic properties. The measured blocking temperature (T _B) of the TRITC-dextran loaded Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ NPs is about 122.5 K. It is expected that the multifunctional core–shell nanoparticles can be used in bio-imaging.     

Indium doping effect on properties of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol–gel method

Pure ZnO and indium-doped ZnO(In–ZO) nanoparticles with concentrations of In ranging from 0 to 5% are synthesized by a sol–gel processing technique. The structural and optical properties of ZnO and In–ZO nanoparticles are characterized by different techniques. The structural study confirms the presence of hexagonal wurtzite phase and indicates the incorporation of In~(3+) ions at the Zn~(2+) sites. However, the optical study shows a high absorption in the UV range and an important reflectance in the visible range. The optical band gap of In–ZnO sample varies between 3.16 e V and 3.22 e V. The photoluminescence(PL) analysis reveals that two emission peaks appear: one is located at 381 nm corresponding to the near-band-edge(NBE) and the other is observed in the green region. The aim of this work is to study the effect of indium doping on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles.     

Two-photon imaging of lymphoma cells targeted by gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles(NPs)have highly efficient multi-photon-induced luminescence.In this paper,we record the two-photon images of gold NPs,lymphoma cell line Karpas 299,and Karpas 299 incubated with 30-nm-diameter gold NPs and ACT-1 antibody conjugates(Au30-ACT-1 conjugates)by using a multi-photon microscopy system.Due to the specific conjugation of ACT-1 antibody and cell membrane receptor CD25,gold NPs are only bound to the surface of cell membrane of Karpas 299.The luminescence intensity of gold NPs is higher than that of cells at 750-nm laser excitation.By comparing the images of Karpas 299 cells incubated with and without gold NPs,it is found that by means of gold NPs,we can get clear cell images with lower excitation power.Their excellent optical and chemical properties make gold NPs an attractive contrast agent for cellular imaging.     

Negative differential resistance of a metal–insulator–metal device with gold nanoparticles embedded in polydimethylsiloxane

Metal–insulator–metal (MIM) devices play an important role in information storage cells. In this research, a MIM with an insulator made from polydimethylsiloxane blended with gold nanoparticles has been investigated. The current–voltage characteristic demonstrates a negative differential resistance (NDR) and memory effect. This article attempts to explain the NDR and memory effect, using the charge trapping and releasing mechanisms of the gold nanoparticles and also electron tunneling mechanisms.     

The effects of Cr-doping on the room temperature ferromagnetism of chemically synthesized CeO2−δ nanoparticles

We report an investigation of the nature of room-temperature ferromagnetism enhancement in Ce_1−xCr_xO_2−δ nanoparticles (0.00≤x≤0.05), synthesized by a sol–gel-based method. Energy-dispersed X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analysis was used to estimate the dopant concentrations. The average crystallite sizes and particle size were estimated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Both studies showed a gradual decrease in the size of the crystallites and particles for x>0.01. Cr can substitute for Ce in the crystal lattice, and the Raman measurements indicated that structural defects in the samples increased as a function of the Cr content in the CeO₂ crystal lattice. The surface topography, examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showed that the undoped sample has a porous and loosely organized structure, whereas the Cr-doped samples exhibited a dense and compact structure. Magnetic measurements of the Ce_1−xCr_xO_2−δ samples at 27 ^oC showed a maximum remanent magnetization value of 0.01 emu/g for x=0.05. The nature and enhancement of room-temperature ferromagnetism was interpreted by taking into account the exchange interaction between Cr³⁺ ions and oxygen vacancies in CeO₂.     

Effect of surface groups on the luminescence property of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol–gel route

Structural and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles of diameter ~ 5 nm synthesized by a sol–gel route, have been studied using a variety of experimental techniques. The photoluminescence (PL) study carried out on these particles in the atmospheric and vacuum conditions shows a suppression of the defect related green luminescence (GL) band and a simultaneous enhancement of the near-band-edge ultra violet luminescence (UVL) when the surroundings of the nanoparticles are evacuated. This observation clearly suggests that GL is originating from certain groups that are physisorbed on the surface of the nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) that has also been conducted at the vacuum and atmospheric conditions reveals the presence of the hydroxyl and the acetate groups in these nanoparticle samples. These groups are also found to be removed upon evacuation, suggesting that there is physical adsorption on the surface of the nanoparticles. When the PL spectrum is recorded again at the atmospheric condition, the GL intensity recovers almost up to its original value. Since there are substantial amount of water molecules present in air, which can source the hydroxyl groups, while the acetate groups are not expected to be abundant in air, this finding further suggests that the hydroxyl groups rather than the acetate groups are the likely cause for the GL emission observed in this system.