Electrochemical DNA nano-biosensor for the detection of genotoxins in water samples简

In the present study, a disposable electrochemical DNA nano-biosensor is proposed for the rapid detection of genotoxic compounds and bio-analysis of water pollution. The DNA nano-biosensor is prepared by immobilizing DNA on Au nanoparticles and a self-assembled monolayer of cysteamine modified Au electrode. The assembly processes of cysteamine, Au nanoparticles and DNA were characterized by cyclic voltammetry （CV）. The Au nanoparticles enhanced DNA immobilization resulting in an increased guanine signal. The interaction of the analyte with the immobilized DNA was measured through the variation of the electrochemical signal of guanine by square wave voltammetry （SWV）. The biosensor was able to detect the known genotoxic compounds： 2-anthramine, acridine orange and 2- naphthylamine with detection limits of 2, 3 and 50 nmol/L, respectively. The biosensor was also used to test actual water samples to evaluate the contamination level. Additionally, the comparison of results from the classical genotoxiciw bioassay has confirmed the applicability of the method for real samoles.     

Study on the Structure and Properties of Ordered Conductive Polymer Ultrathin Film

A Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) inducing method was firstly used to prepare single layer and multilayer conducting composite PEDOT-PSS film. The film-forming ability of ionization ODA and ODA-SA monolayer spread on PEDOT-PSS nanoparticle sub-phase and the behavior of ODA/PEDOT-PSS assembly particles on pure water were firstly investigated. The results indicated that nanoparticles in the suphase are packed in the ionization monolayer and stable complex Langmuir film is formed at the air/water interface. It has been found that the best film-forming conditions for composite film are as follows:distinct interface was formed between ODA and PEDOT-PSS layer and single layer thickness of PEDOT-PSS was about 23 nm,well accordant to the size of PEDOT-PSS nanoparticles. Different structures were designed to test the conductive ability of these composite films and a variable range hopping (VRH) model was used to explain the film conductive mechanism. The results indicated that a 3D-VRH model explained well the transferring of charge carrier in the multilayer film.     

三维有序大孔SiO2中的纳米银

A multi-step process was used for preparation of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) SiO2, in which fully accessible Ag nanoparticles are incorporated. The method involves the processes of assembly of polystyrene colloidal crystal, preparation of 3DOM SiO2, and incorporation of Ag nanoparticles within 3DOM SiO2 through in situ Tollens‘ reaction. XRD, SEM and EDXS determination show that the Ag particles deposited on the macroporous walls in nano dimension. The results indicate that lower concentration of silver ammoniate and for-maldehyde in the solution is favorable for forming a very narrow size distribution and uniform shape of nanoparticles. However, the higher the concentration of the solution and the more the loading times, the larger the possibility to form un-uniform particles. Ag nanoparticles can be sintered into larger and spheral particles by calcination at 600℃, but can resist sintering owing to their high dispersivity when loading amount is small. The study provided a simple approach to tailor Ag/3DOM SiO2 composite materials with desired morphology and size of Ag particles within the macropores.     

Facile Fabrication and Optical Properties of Nanostructural PbSe Films

PbSe films with different nanostructures, such as nanoparticles, nanohollows and hierarchical structures, can be synthesized by adjusting the current density and the reaction temperature via a convenient and efficient electrochemical route in the absence of hard template and surfactant. The calculated band gaps of the prepared PbSe nanoparticles and nanohollows were about 0.32 and 0.43 eV, respectively. This suggests that quantum size effect in nanohollows greatly influences their band gap. This preparation method possesses remarkable advantages, such as low cost, high efficiency and easy preparation, which are very suitable for preparing nanomaterials.     

Controlled cross-linking strategy for formation of hydrogels,microgels and nanogels

Hydrogels are a kind of unique cross-linking polymeric materials with three-dimensional networks.Various efforts have been devoted to manipulate the formation of functional hydrogels in situ and enrich the production of hydrogels,microgels and nanogels with improved modulation capacity.However,these methods always fail to tune the gel properties because of the difficulty in achieving the precise control of cross-linking extents once the gel formation is initiated.Therefore,the preparation of tailor-made hydrogels remains a great challenge.Herein,we summarize a controlled cross-linking strategy towards not only fabrication of hydrogels at nano-,micro-and macro-scales,but also achievement of controlled assembly of nanoparticles into multifunctional materials in macroscopic and microscopic scales.The strategy is conducted by controllably activating and terminating the disulfide reshuffling reactions of disulfide-linked core/shell materials with selective core/shell separation using system pH or UV triggers.So it provides a facile approach to producing hydrogels,hydrogel particles and nanoparticle aggregates with tunable structures and properties,opening up the design possibility,flexibility and complexity of hydrogels,microgels/nanogels and nanoparticle aggregates from nanoscopic components to macroscopic objects.     

Organic-inorganic hybrid fluorescent sensor thin films of rhodamine B embedded Ag-SBA 15 for selective recognition of Hg (Ⅱ) ions in water

Nowadays, the rapid and effective detection of low doses of heavy metal pollutants in contaminated water is a timely challenge in environmental pollution research. In this study, a rapid and highly sensitive assay for the detection of Hg~(2+)based on quenching of metal-enhanced fluorescence of rhodamine B(RB)has been fabricated. RB and silver nanoparticle were incorporated into the mesoporous siliceous framework spin cast on a quartz glass through post-synthetic incorporation method. The morphology and crystallinity of mesoporous structure and Ag nanoparticle were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. Photoluminescence assays on the hybrid thin film of RB-Ag-SBA15 showed a high enhancement when compared to the intensity of silver free SBA15-RB in the wavelength of 575 nm. The fluorescence of RB-Ag-SBA15 thin film decreased gradually with the increase in the concentration of Hg~(2+)and the detection limits were 10.54 nmol/L. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity increased linearly with the concentration of Hg~(2+)in the range from 1.0 ? 10à8mol/L to10 ? 10à8mol/L, with a response time of a few seconds. In addition, this system offers a high selectivity over interfering cations such as Cd~(2+) and Pb~(2+). Overall, we have developed an optical assay having a wellordered mesoporous SBA15 containing Ag-RBfor selective detection of Hg~(2+)in aqueous solution. The scheme combines the advantages of specific binding interactions between Hg~(2+)and RB molecule and optical emission properties of RB. The method is suitable for a single-shot and irreversible analytical assay in a quartz glass/microtiter plate.     

The preparation and fluorescence properties of europium nanoparticles

A new structured metallic nanomaterial of europium nanoparticle was prepared using tannic acid as the reductive agent,and nanoeuropium protein conjugates were synthesized by the method of lipoic acid modification on the surface of nanoparticle,which opens a new field of application of lanthanides in nanotechniques.Their properties were also characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy,transmission electron microscopy (TEM),and fluorescence spectroscopy.The europium nanoparticle and its protein conjugates solution were stable and water-soluble.The fluorescence intensity of the composite europium nanoparticles was significantly increased in the presence of trace protein,and was linear proportional to the concentration of proteins under optimum conditions.According to this,a fluorimetric method for the determination of protein was developed in this paper.     

Site-specific Deposition of Colloidal Pd Nanoparticles on Self-assembled Microtubules from Biolipid

Lipid microtubules with wound ribbon features were fabricated by self-assembling method, and the deposition patterns of colloidal Pd particles on tubular template were investigated. The result indicates that colloidal Pd nanoparticles are preferentially decorated on the helical markings in the interior and on the exterior of preformed tubule and to the edge of loosely helical ribbons to obtain helical deposition features. The multi-bilayer microstructure of tubules can be marked by fine Pd nanoparticles deposited at the edge of helical ribbon. There are the site-specific interactions between lipid tubular template and colloidal Pd particles at the helical edge. A new route was illustrated that colloidal Pd particles firstly attach at the edge of thin flat membranes, and then thin membranes roll up and reassemble into tubule together with particles to form helical deposition patterns. The site-specific deposition of Pd is unbeneficial to obtain the homogeneous metal film on tubules, but it can be utilized to reveal the different chemical nature of lipid molecular assembly.     

Tunable morphologies of polymer capsules templated from cuprous oxide particles for control over cell association

Over the past two decades,layer-by-layer(LbL) assembly of micro/nanocapsules has been of interest for the investigation of bio-nano interactions to explore bio-applications,such as drug delivery.The choice of an appropriate template that can be easily dissolved under mild conditions is one of the challenges for the assembly of LbL capsules.Herein,we report the engineering of LbL capsules with tunable morphologies using cuprous oxide(Cu_2O) particles as templates.Cu_2O particles with cubic,tetradecahedral or spherical morphologies were synthesized via hydrothermal processes,which can be dissolved under mild condition(e.g.,sodium thiosulfate solution).The influence of capsule morphologies on cell association was investigated,which indicates that LbL capsules with cubic geometry promoted cell association up to 4 and 9-fold than tetradecahedral and spherical capsules,respectively.The reported method provides a new avenue for the assembly of LbL capsules with different morphologies,which has the potential for better understanding of biological interactions of LbL capsules.     

Synthesis–structure correlations of manganese–cobalt mixed metal oxide nanoparticles

Mixed metal oxides in the nanoscale are of great interest for many aspects of energy related research topics as water splitting, fuel cells and battery technology. The development of scalable, cost-efficient and robust synthetic routes toward well-defined solid state structures is a major objective in this field.While monometallic oxides have been studied in much detail, reliable synthetic recipes targeting specific crystal structures of mixed metal oxide nanoparticles are largely missing. Yet, in order to meet the requirements for a broad range of technical implementation it is necessary to tailor the properties of mixed metal oxides to the particular purpose. Here, we present a study on the impact of the nature of the gas environment on the resulting crystal structure during a post-synthesis thermal heat treatment of manganese–cobalt oxide nanoparticles. We monitor the evolution of the crystal phase structure as the gas atmosphere is altered from pure nitrogen to synthetic air and pure oxygen. The particle size and homogeneity of the resulting nanoparticles increase with oxygen content, while the crystal structure gradually changes from rocksalt-like to pure spinel. We find the composition of the particles to be independent of the gas atmosphere. The manganese–cobalt oxide nanoparticles exhibited promising electrocatalytic activity regarding oxygen evolution in alkaline electrolyte. These findings offer new synthesis pathways for the direct preparation of versatile utilizable mixed metal oxides.     

Preparation and application of novel polymer nanoparticles in the detection of copper ion and cysteineEI北大核心CSCD

A novel amphiphilic copolymer,dipropenoxystyrene anthracene and acrylic acid copolymer（BASA-AA） was designed and synthesized based on divinyl anthracene. The polymer self-assembled rapidly in water to create polymer nanoparticles（BASA-AA NPs）with a uniform size of 45 nm,no dye leakage,and great brightness（Φ= 36%）. Because of the enormous number of carboxyl groups on the surface of the particles,it can disperse extremely well in water,and can be used for the rapid detection of copper ion and cysteine（Cys）in pure water, with the limit of detection of 45 nmol/L. The fluorescent intensity of the nanoparticles will be greatly reduced after the introduction of copper ion,realizing the detection of copper ion with high selectivity and sensitivity. A composite probe made of BASA-AA NPs and copper ion can detect Cys in the range of 0.1-10 µμmol/L,with the detection limit of 84 nmol/L,due to the high binding capacity of the sulfhydryl group and copper ion. The method is simple and rapid in material synthesis and preparation,and shows high selectivity and sensitivity in pure water. © 2023, Youke Publishing Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Template-free synthesis of three-dimensional NiFe-LDH hollow microsphere with enhanced OER performance in alkaline media

Flower-like hierarchical three-dimensional Ni Fe layered double hydroxides hollow microspheres(3D NiFe-LDH HMS),as one kind of novel non-noble metal electrocatalysts,have been fabricated in a templatefree route for water oxidation.Both of the concentration of ammonium fluoride and the reaction time are adjusted to obtain a series of Ni Fe-LDH microspheres,with different internal structures from massive to hollow generated during the hydrothermal treatment,which improve the electrocatalytic activity of the Ni Fe-LDH catalysts towards the evolution reaction of oxygen.The optimized Ni Fe-LDH-0.4M HMS show the excellent OER performance in alkaline electrolyte withη=290 mV@10 mA cm~(-2),and a Tafel slope of 51 mV dec~(-1),which outperforms the benchmark RuO_2 catalyst.The possible reason is attributed to the more exposure of active sites,and fast ion transport resulting from the hierarchical hollow structure.     

Synthesis of Ruthenium-Graphene Quantum Dots Artificial Oxidase and Its Application in Colorimetric Detection of Phoxim in Carrots北大核心CSCD

The histidine functionalized graphene quantum dots（His-GQDs）react with ruthenium trichloride to form a stable ruthenium complex. This complex is treated in a N2 atmosphere at 600 ℃ for 1 h to obtain a ruthenium-graphene quantum dot composite （Ru-His-GQD）. The results of scanning electron microscopy （SEM）and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）analysis demonstrate that Ru-His-GOD has one three-dimensional structure. The diameter of ruthenium nanoparticles is between 40 and 60 nm. Ru-His-GQD is rich in functional groups and has high oxidase-like activity. Based on Ru-His-GQD catalyzed oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine（TMB）to produce blue compounds,a photometric method for the determination of phoxim in carrots is established. Phoxim can inhibit the activity of Ru-His-GQD oxidase,resulting in a decrease in the absorbance of the blue compound. When the concentration of phoxim is between 30～240 μg/ L,the absorbance of the oxidation product of TMB at 652 nm decreases linearly with the increase of phoxim concentration. The detection limit of the method reaches 7. 33 μg/L（S/N=3）,and the sensitivity is higher than those in literature. It has been successfully applied to the detection of phoxim in carrots. © 2022, Science Press (China). All rights reserved.     

DDQ/TFA： an Efficient Nonmetallic Reagent System for the Oxidative Coupling to Construct Phenanthrene Rings

A mild synthetic method of a series of phenanthrenes with different substituents on the phenanthrene ring is described.The method involves intramolecular oxidative coupling with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone （DDQ）/trifluoroacetic acid（TFA） as oxidant to produce phenanthrenes in high yields and is fit for large-scale preparation.Furthermore,DDQ can be regenerated by a simple oxidation.The present approach solves a key step for the synthesis of polycyclic structures related to an alkaloid tylophorine.     

Facile Fabrication of Large Area Polystyrene Colloidal Crystal Monolayer via Surfactant-free Langmuir-Blodgett Technique

A facile and novel method for the production of a large area of well-ordered polystyrene(PS)colloidal crystal monolayer was established using the surfactant-free Langmuir-Blodgett(LB)technique.The hydrophobic property(film-forming ability)of PS spheres was improved by a thermo-rheology treatment before LB assembly,and a large film was obtained.In contrast to the traditional LB technique,no surfactant was needed in this method,which could eliminate the additional contamination of surfactants in the preparation process and provided the products with versatile applications in nanosphere lithography(NSL)for biosensor,surface plasmon resonance,and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.     

Microwaves spark emission spectroscopy for the analysis of cations:A simple form of atomic emission spectroscopy

A novel method for the cation analysis was investigated.The analysis is based on the sparking of the salts of metals in a microwave oven after placing in a graphite cell.The graphite cell absorbs microwaves and produces high temperature which converts the salt into light emitting species.The colour of light was found to dependent on the nature of cation,however,the intensity of the emitted light was found to be depending upon the form and shape of the graphite assembly in addition to the concentration of the salt.This communication presents explanation for all these observations and for the systematic and quantitative analysis using microwave spark emission technique.     

Programmable Assembly of DNA-protein Hybrid Structures

DNA is the genetic information carrier for most known living organisms on Earth,while proteins are the functional component that carry out most biological processes.Many natural machineries are DNA-protein hybrid complexes to cooperatively and efficiently conduct sophisticated biological tasks.It has drawn increasing interest to the research field to construct artificial DNA-protein hybrid structures towards a variety of applications including biological studies,nanofabrication,biomedical research,etc.In this regard,here in this report we reviewed the up-to-date progress on making DNA-protein hybrid structures,with a particular focus on DNA nanotechnology-enabled programmable assembly of DNA-protein hybrid structures.     

Hierarchical Self-organization of Complex Systems

Researches on organization and structure in complex systems are academic and industrial fronts in mod-ern sciences. Though many theories are tentatively proposed to analyze complex systems, we still lack a rig-orous theory on them. Complex systems possess various degrees of freedom, which means that they should exhibit all kinds of structures. However, complex systems often show similar patterns and structures. Then the question arises why such similar structures appear in all kinds of complex systems. The paper outlines a theory on freedom degree compression and the existence of hierarchical self-organization for all complex sys-tems is found. It is freedom degree compression and hierarchical self-organization that are responsible for the existence of these similar patterns or structures observed in the complex systems.     

Construction of hierarchical photocatalysts by growing ZnIn2S4 nanosheets on Prussian blue analogue-derived bimetallic sulfides for solar co-production of H2 and organic chemicals

Exploring highly efficient bifunctional photocatalysts for simultaneous H2 evolution and organic chemical production in pure water represents a green route for sustainable solar energy storage and conversion.Herein,a facile strategy was explored for preparing a hierarchical porous heterostructure of Fe₄Ni₅S₈@ZnIn₂S₄(FNS@ZIS)by the in situ growth of ZIS nanosheets on Prussian blue analogue(PBA)-derived bimetallic FNS sulfides.A series of FNS@ZIS hierarchical structures were facilely prepared by adjusting the loading amount(n%)of FNS(n=19,26,and 32 for FNS@ZIS-1-3).These structures can efficiently drive the solar co-production of H₂ and organic chemicals.The optimal co-production was achieved with FNS@ZIS-2,affording a H₂ evolution rate of 10465μmol·g^-1·h^-1,along with high selectivity for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde(>99.9%).The performance was 22 and 31 times higher than that of FNS and ZIS,respectively,and even superior to the state-of-the-art results achieved using various sacrificial agents.Further mechanistic study indicated that the unique hierarchical core/shell architecture can facilitate interfacial charge separation,afford bimetallic synergy,abundant active sites and excellent photostability.This work highlights a simple and efficient method for preparing porous multimetallic hierarchical structures for the solar co-production of organic chemicals and H₂ fuel.     

A MALDI-MS sensing chip prepared by non-covalent assembly for quantitation of acid phosphatase

A novel sensing chip was designed for MALDI-MS quantitation of acid phosphatase(ACP).The ACP sensing chip was constructed through non-covalent interaction of streptavidin and biotin for the assembly of biotinylated peptide substrate on biotinylated polyethylene-glycol(PEG)modified indium-tin oxide(ITO)slide.In the presence of ACP,the peptide substrate was dephosphorylated under acidic condition to generate a new mass signal.The quantitative assay of ACP was achieved with the mass signal ratio of product to the sum of product and left peptide substrate.Under optimal detection conditions,the ratio was linearly correlated with the concentration of ACP in the range of 0.05–12 g/L with a detection limit(LOD)of 0.04 g/L.The designed ACP sensing chip has been used to analyze ACP in complex clinical samples,which exhibited high selectivity,good repeatability,and admirably anti-interference ability.This work further demonstrates the concept of MS sensing and the application of MALDI-MS in quantitative analysis,and provides a convenient method for the quantitation of proteases in clinical diagnosis.