Transmetalation reaction between hydrophobic silver nanoparticles and aqueous chloroaurate ions at the air-water interface

The transmetalation reaction between a sacrificial nanoparticle and more noble metal ions in solution has emerged as a novel method for creating unique hollow and bimetallic nanostructures. In this report, we investigate the possibility of carrying out the transmetalation reaction between hydrophobic silver nanoparticles assembled and constrained at the air-water interface and subphase gold ions. We observe that facile reduction of the subphase gold ions by the sacrificial silver nanoparticles occurs resulting in the formation of elongated gold nanostructures that appear to cross-link the sacrificial silver particles. This transmetalation reaction may be modulated by the insertion of an electrostatic barrier in the form of an ionizable lipid monolayer between the silver nanoparticles and the aqueous gold ions that impacts the gold nanoparticle assembly. Transmetalation reactions between nanoparticles constrained into a close-packed structure and appropriate metal ions could lead to a new strategy for metallic cross-linking of nanoparticles and generation of coatings with promising optoelectonic behavior.     

Water-dispersible tryptophan-protected gold nanoparticles prepared by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by the amino acid

The synthesis of water-dispersible amino-acid-protected gold nanoparticles by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by tryptophan is described. Water-dispersible gold nanoparticles may also be obtained by the sequential synthesis of the gold nanoparticles by borohydride reduction of chloroauric acid followed by capping with tryptophan. Comparison of the proton NMR spectroscopic signatures from the tryptophan-protected gold nanoparticles obtained by the two processes indicated that the indole group in tryptophan is responsible for reduction of the aqueous chloroaurate ions. The reduction of the metal ions is accompanied by oxidative polymerization of the indole group of the tryptophan molecules and, consequently, some degree of cross-linking of the gold nanoparticles.     

Biomimetic oxygen reduction by cofacial porphyrins at a liquid-liquid interface

Oxygen reduction catalyzed by cofacial metalloporphyrins at the 1,2-dichlorobenzene-water interface was studied with two lipophilic electron donors of similar driving force, 1,1'-dimethylferrocene (DMFc) and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). The reaction produces mainly water and some hydrogen peroxide, but the mediator has a significant effect on the selectivity, as DMFc and the porphyrins themselves catalyze the decomposition and the further reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the biscobaltporphyrin, 4,5-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]-9,9-dimethylxanthene, Co(2)(DPX), actually catalyzes oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide when oxygen is bound on the "exo" side ("dock-on") of the catalyst, while four-electron reduction takes place with oxygen bound on the "endo" side ("dock-in") of the molecule. These results can be explained by a "dock-on/dock-in" mechanism. The next step for improving bioinspired oxygen reduction catalysts would be blocking the "dock-on" path to achieve selective four-electron reduction of molecular oxygen.     

Hydrophobic, organically dispersible gold nanoparticles of variable shape produced by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by hexadecylaniline molecules

In addition to control over the size and monodispersity of nanoparticle, nanomaterial synthesis procedures are increasingly required to control their shape and assembly as well. We demonstrate in this paper synthesis of organically dispersible, hydrophobic gold nanoparticles of spherical shape and encased in triangular thin polyaniline shells by doing reaction under static conditions and assembly of these particles onto polymer nanorod/nanowire-like templates by varying the molar ratio of chloroaurate ions to hexadecylaniline and varying the solvent by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by hexadecylaniline molecules in a biphasic reaction setup. Under stationary conditions (no stirring), a biphasic mixture of hexadecylaniline in toluene and chloroaurate ions in water leads to the electrostatic complexation of chloroaurate ions with hexadecylaniline at the liquid-liquid interface and their phase transfer into the organic phase, followed by their reduction by the hexadecylaniline molecules. By varying the conditions, the templating action of gold nanoparticles or the polyaniline nanodispersions can be tuned in the organic medium and resulting assembly.     

Synthesis of a stable gold hydrosol by the reduction of chloroaurate ions by the amino acid, aspartic acid

Development of reliable protocols for the synthesis of nanoparticles of well-defined sizes and good monodispersity is an important aspect of nanotechnology. In this paper, we present details of the synthesis of gold nanoparticles of good monodispersity by the reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by the amino acid, aspartic acid. The colloidal gold solution thus formed is extremely stable in time, indicating electrostatic stabilization via nanoparticle surface-bound amino acid molecules. This observation has been used to modulate the size of the gold nanoparticles in solution by varying the molar ratio of chloroaurate ions to aspartic acid in the reaction medium. Characterization of the aspartic acid-reduced gold nanoparticles was carried out by UV-visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The use of amino acids in the synthesis and stabilization of gold nanoparticle in water has important implications in the development of new protocols for generation of bioconjugate materials.     

Raman microscopic studies of the liquid-liquid interface between an organic layer and an aqueous solution containing metal ions

Raman microscopic studies of liquid-liquid interfaces between an organic layer and aqueous solutions of metal ions containing extractants are described for the first time. Using a specially constructed cell, the observation of third-phase formation which hinders the mass transfer of metals from the aqueous to the organic layers has been monitored and the spectra discussed in terms of the processes involved and the molecular interactions. The system selected for study was tri-n-butylphosphate-odourless kerosene with zirconium(IV) in aqueous nitric acid solution, a model of an industrial process for nuclear fuels reprocessing. Particulate matter at the interface between the organic and aqueous layers was identified spectroscopically as a carbonate from wash solutions used in neutralisation of the aqueous acid component.     

The kinetics of the homogeneous reduction of organobromo and organochloro compounds by anthracene radical anions in the presence of NiII and CoII ions

The effect of Ni^II and Co^II on the kinetics of the homogeneous reduction of some aromatic, aliphatic, and cyclic organobromo and organochloro compounds by anthracene radical anions has been studied by the polarographic method. It has been shown that the catalytic action of the metal ions increases as the reducibility of the organohalide compounds decreases.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1022–1024, June, 1994.     

Molecular-dynamics simulation of the effect of ions on a liquid-liquid interface for a partially miscible mixture

Molecular-dynamics simulations were performed to model the effect of added salt ions on the liquid-liquid interface in a partially miscible system. Simulations of the interface between saturated phases of a model 1-hexanol+water system show a bilayer structure of 1-hexanol molecules at the interface with -OH heads of the first layer directed into the water phase and the opposite orientation for the second layer. The alignment of the polar -OH groups at the interface stabilizes a charge separation of sodium and chloride ions when salt is introduced into the aqueous phase, producing an electrical double layer. Chloride ions aggregate nearer the interface and sodium ions move toward the bulk water phase, consistent with the explanation that the -OH alignment presents a region of partial positive charges to which the hydrated chloride atoms are attracted. Ions near the interface were found to be less solvated than those in the bulk phase. An electric field was also applied to drive ions through the interface. Ions crossing the interface tended to shed water molecules as they entered the hexanol bilayer, leaving a trail of water molecules. Stabilization and facilitated transport of the ion by interactions with the second layer of hexanol molecules appeared to be an important step in the mechanism of sodium ion transport.     

Synergistic effect of dicarbollide anions in liquid-liquid extraction: a molecular dynamics study at the octanol-water interface

We report a molecular dynamics study of chlorinated cobalt bis(dicarbollide) anions [(B(9)C(2)H(8)Cl(3))(2)Co](-)"CCD(-)" in octanol and at the octanol-water interface, with the main aim to understand why these hydrophobic species act as strong synergists in assisted liquid-liquid cation extraction. Neat octanol is quite heterogeneous and is found to display dual solvation properties, allowing to well solubilize CCD(-), Cs(+) salts in the form of diluted pairs or oligomers, without displaying aggregation. At the aqueous interface, octanol behaves as an amphiphile, forming either monolayers or bilayers, depending on the initial state and confinement conditions. In biphasic octanol-water systems, CCD(-) anions are found to mainly partition to the organic phase, thus attracting Cs(+) or even more hydrophilic counterions like Eu(3+) into that phase. The remaining CCD(-) anions adsorb at the interface, but are less surface active than at the chloroform interface. Finally, we compare the interfacial behavior of the Eu(BTP)(3)(3+) complex in the absence and in the presence of CCD(-) anions and extractant molecules. It is found that when the CCD(-)'s are concentrated enough, the complex is extracted to the octanol phase. Otherwise, it is trapped at the interface, attracted by water. These results are compared to those obtained with chloroform as organic phase and discussed in the context of synergistic effect of CCD(-) in liquid-liquid extraction, pointing to the importance of dual solvation properties of octanol and of the hydrophobic character of CCD(-) for synergistic extraction of cations.     

Electrochemical dediazoniation of arenediazonium ions and subsequent radical polymerization at the liquid-liquid interface

Arenediazonium ions are dediazoniated through reduction by decamethylferrocene in the 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) after the electrochemical transfer of the arenediazonium ions from the aqueous side of the interface between the DCE and the aqueous phase (W). Cyclic voltammetry of the ion transfer clearly shows that this process is described as an E _r C _i process, that is, the diffusion-limited transfer of the ions across the interface followed by the irreversible dediazoniation in the DCE phase. Arene radicals formed in DCE can initiate the radical polymerization of styrene at the interface. The polystyrene formed in the interfacial region significantly impedes the transfer of tetraethylammonium ions across the DCEIW interface. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 80–84. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Electrochemical reduction of actinide ions in aqueous solution

Electrochemical reduction of heavy elements from aqueous solution to amalgams was studied by radiopolarography and radiocoulometry. Mechanism of actinide reduction on a mercury pool is discussed through simulation techniques. Special emphasis is placed on redox reactions and potentials, kinetics of the process and effect of acetate and citrate ions as complexing agents. Three groups of actinides have been found. The first group represents actinium and from uranium to berkelium. Reduction occurs in the experimental conditions via an irreversible 3–0 process. The second group consists of the elements from fermium to nobelium, which are reduced in non-complexing solutions, or with acetate ions, similarly as barium and radium, via a reversible 2–0 reaction. Finally, californium and einsteinium behave as intermediate elements. It is noticeable that such groups are also observed in the actinide series by studying the structure of the trivalent aqua ions. On the basis of the above mentioned investigations of actinides and lanthanides several examples of electrochemical application are presented. Californium has been separated from preceding transuranium and lanthanide elements (except europium) by electrochemical reduction to amalgams in acetic solution. Separation factors from 25–90 are achieved with appropriate cathodic potentials. Similarly, this element could be separated from several heavier actinides with citric media. The electrochemical preparation of mixed uranium-nickel and uranium-tin amalgams from aqueous acetate solutions is investigated. The dependence of redox potentials of mixed amalgams on different atomic ratio UNi and USn in amalgams is measured. The large shift of redox potentials of mixed amalgams to the positive direction is detected when the atomic ratio UNi or USn in amalgams reaches 15. The thermal distillation of mercury from mixed amalgams with different UNi and USn atomic ratios was carried out and the products were identified by chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction. The intermetallics UNi₅ and USn₃ were prepared from mixed amalgams with the atomic ratios UNi=15 and USn=13. The uranium and neptunium amalgams are prepared by electrolysis of aqueous acetate solutions and are processes into metals or nitrides U₂N₃, NpN by thermal distillation of mercury in vacuum or in nitrogen atmosphere.     

Molecular vibrations at a liquid-liquid interface observed by fourth-order Raman spectroscopy

Interface-selective, Raman-based observation of molecular vibrations is demonstrated at a liquid-liquid interface. An aqueous solution of oxazine 170 dye interfaced with hexadecane is irradiated with pump and probe light pulses of 630-nm wavelengths in 17-fs width. The ultrashort pulses are broadened due to group velocity dispersion when traveling through the hexadecane layer. The dispersion is optically corrected to give an optimized instrumental response. The pump pulse induces a vibrational coherence of the dye via impulsive stimulated Raman scattering. The probe pulse generates second-harmonic light at the interface. The efficiency of the generation is modulated as a function of the pump-probe delay by the coherently excited molecules. Fourier transformation of the modulated efficiency presents the frequency spectrum of the vibrations. Five bands are recognized at 534, 557, 593, 619, and 683 cm(-1). The pump-and-probe process induces a fourth-order optical response that is forbidden in a centrosymmetric media. The contribution of an undesired, cascaded optical process is quantitatively considered and excluded.     

Self-assembled structure of nanoparticles at a liquid-liquid interface

Pickering emulsions are used as a template to investigate the multiphase interactions and self-assembled structure of nanoparticles at a trichloroethylene-water interface. The dodecanethiol-capped silver nanoparticles of 1-5 nm form randomly distributed multilayers at the liquid/liquid interface, with an interparticle distance varying from close contact to approximately 25 nm. This report offers the first direct observation of nanoparticles in a liquid medium using the environmental transmission electron microscope, as well as the first work revealing the detailed self-assembled structure of nanoparticles at a liquid/liquid interface when the size of the nanoparticles is comparable to the molecular dimension of the liquids.     

Water-dispersible nanoparticles via interdigitation of sodium dodecylsulphate molecules in octadecylamine-capped gold nanoparticles at a liquid-liquid interface

This paper describes the formation of water-dispersible gold nano-particles capped with a bilayer of sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and octadecylamine (ODA) molecules. Vigorous shaking of abiphasic mixture consisting of ODA-capped gold nanoparticles in chloroform and SDS in water results in the rapid phase transfer of ODA-capped gold nanoparticles from the organic to the aqueous phase, the latter acquiring a pink, foam-like appearance in the process. Drying of the coloured aqueous phase results in the formation of a highly stable, reddish powder of gold nanoparticles that may be readily redispersed in water. The water-dispersible gold nanoparticles have been investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These studies indicate the presence of interdigitated bilayers consisting of an ODA primary monolayer directly coordinated to the gold nanoparticle surface and a secondary monolayer of SDS, this secondary monolayer providing sufficient hydrophilicity to facilitate gold nanoparticle transfer into water and rendering them water-dispersible. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday     

Triton X-100推动碱金属离子在液/液界面上转移的机制和伏安行为

本文用四电极循环伏安法研究了非离子型表面活性剂Triton X-100推动碱金属离子K^+, Na^+等在水/硝基苯, 水/1,2-二氯乙烷界面上的转移过程, 根据实验结果提出Triton X-100推动金属离子转移的一种机制, 推导了转移半波电位方程式, 并用实验进行了验证。     

Analysis by partial reflection spectrometry of protonated tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbed at a liquid-liquid interface

Visible reflection spectra of diprotonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbates spontaneously formed at a dodecane-aqueous sulfuric acid interface have been measured using a home-made device comprising a prism-cell and variable-angle optics. The tilt angle of the pyrrole ring plane was estimated to be 47 degrees from the interface normal by use of an experimentally evaluated molecular density (1.20x10(-10) mol cm(-2)) of the diprotonated molecule in a monolayer form at the liquid-liquid interface. Positive and negative bands have been observed in the p-polarized partial internal reflection (p-PIR) spectra, whose band locations correspond to those in p-polarized external reflection (p-ER) spectra. Nevertheless, the bands in the p-PIR exhibited reversed sign to those of p-ER spectra. These suggest that the surface selection rule of the p-PIR spectrometry has a reversal rule of p-ER and p-PIR can also be used for the analysis of molecular orientation.     

Preconcentration of U(VI) ions on few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets from aqueous solutions

Graphene oxide nanosheets have attracted multidisciplinary attention due to their unique physicochemical properties. Herein, few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets were synthesized from graphite using a modified Hummers method and were characterized by TEM, AFM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, FTIR spectroscopy, TG-DTA and acid-base titrations. The prepared few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets were used as adsorbents for the preconcentration of U(VI) ions from large volumes of aqueous solutions as a function of pH, ionic strength and temperature. The sorption of U(VI) ions on the graphene oxide nanosheets was strongly dependent on pH and independent of the ionic strength, indicating that the sorption was mainly dominated by inner-sphere surface complexation rather than by outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange. The abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on the surfaces of the graphene oxide nanosheets played an important role in U(VI) sorption. The sorption of U(VI) on graphene oxide nanosheets increased with an increase in temperature and the thermodynamic parameters calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms suggested that the sorption of U(vi) on graphene oxide nanosheets was an endothermic and spontaneous process. The maximum sorption capacities (Q(max)) of U(VI) at pH 5.0 ± 0.1 and T = 20 °C was 97.5 mg g(-1), which was much higher than any of the currently reported nanomaterials. The graphene oxide nanosheets may be suitable materials for the removal and preconcentration of U(VI) ions from large volumes of aqueous solutions, for example, U(VI) polluted wastewater, if they can be synthesized in a cost-effective manner on a large scale in the future.     

Calculations on partition equilibria in liquid-liquid extraction systems,applied to the separation of metal ions from aqueous solutions

A program has been developed for the calculation of partition equilibria in the case when metal ions are extracted from an aqueous phase into an immiscible organic solvent containing a chelating reagent. Given the extraction constants and the initial concentrations, titration curves are constructed which show the extraction percentage of each ion in the presence of the others. The program is applied to hypothetical situations both in activation analysis and isotope dilution analysis.     

Removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions on few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets

Few-layered graphene oxide (FGO) was synthesized from graphite by using the modified Hummers method, and was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The prepared FGO was used to adsorb Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The abundant oxygen-containing groups on the surfaces of FGO played an important role in Pb(II) ion adsorption on FGO. The adsorption of Pb(II) ions on FGO was dependent on pH values and independent of ionic strength. The adsorption of Pb(II) ions on FGO was mainly dominated by strong surface complexation. From the adsorption isotherms, the maximum adsorption capacities (C(smax)) of Pb(II) ions on FGO calculated from the Langmuir model were about 842, 1150, and 1850 mg g(-1) at 293, 313, and 333 K, respectively, higher than any currently reported. The FGO had the highest adsorption capacities of today's nanomaterials. The thermodynamic parameters calculated from the temperature dependent adsorption isotherms indicated that the adsorption of Pb(II) ions on FGO was a spontaneous and endothermic process.     

Evaluation of weak ion association between tetraalkylammonium ions and inorganic anions in aqueous solutions by capillary zone electrophoresis

The evaluation of weak ion association between eleven (11) inorganic anions (charge -1 to -3) and five n-tetraalkylammonium ions, R4N+ (R: methyl, Me; ethyl, Et; propyl, Pr; butyl, Bu; pentyl, Am) in aqueous media at 25 degrees C was studied. The analysis of ion association equilibria was carried out under acidic condition (formate buffer, pH 3.5) at low separating potential (-10 kV) using a coated capillary with suppressed electroosmotic flow (micro = 4 x 10(-5) cm2 V(-1) s(-1)). Direct UV detection was done at anode (lambda = 220 nm). The combination of the aforementioned conditions ensured that ion association constants, Kass, between n-tetraalkylammonium ion and the small inorganic anions were reliably determined after a non-linear least squares (NLLS) treatment of the measured anion's mobility. Like their larger counterparts, small anions showed increased interaction with an increase in size of pairing ions. Moreover, for a specific cation, the interaction of small anions increased with an increase in size of the hydrated anions as reflected by the relationship between the Kass and the Stokes' radius. A favourable comparison exists between the results presented in this work and those previously documented from other analytical techniques like conductometry. Qualitatively, the mobility of the anions appeared to obey the Hückel's model more closely than the more elaborate Zwanzig and Hubbard-Onsager models.