Physical basis for the formation and stability of silica nanoparticles in basic solutions of monovalent cations

The colloidal stability, phase behavior, and solubility of silica nanoparticles (3-10 nm) that are formed in basic solutions of monovalent cations (primarily tetrapropylammonium) are investigated using a combination of chemical equilibria and electrostatic models. The free-energy gain associated with the formation of an electric double layer surrounding the nanoparticle was obtained by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. This free energy is an important contribution to the total free energy of the particle and is second only to the formation of Si-O-Si bonds. The free energy of formation of the nanoparticles becomes increasingly negative with an increase in particle size and density, which explains the lower solubility of nanoparticles compared to that of amorphous silica. There is a minimum in the free energy of condensation as a function of size that qualitatively explains why the formation of small particles with a uniform size (<5 nm) is energetically favorable. The electrostatic models provide an estimate for the nanoparticle surface potential, which is significantly higher (-120 to -170 mV) than that of zeolite silicalite-1 (-60 to -80 mV) prepared in similar solutions. This result explains the stability of such small particles in solution. It is also shown that a condensation model that is based on silica solubility can describe the phase diagram for nanoparticle formation reported by Fedeyko et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 12271) over a wide range of pH and, in conjunction with a complexation model, provides an approximate equilibrium constant (pKa = 8.4) for the dissociation of nanoparticle silanol groups.     

Aggregative growth of silicalite-1

Precursor silica nanoparticles can evolve to silicalite-1 crystals under hydrothermal conditions in the presence of tetrapropylammonium (TPA) cations. It has been proposed that in relatively dilute sols of silica, TPA, water, and ethanol, silicalite-1 growth is preceded by precursor nanoparticle evolution and then occurs by oriented aggregation. Here, we present a study of silicalite-1 crystallization in more concentrated mixtures and propose that growth follows a path similar to that taken in the dilute system. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to measure nanoparticle size and to monitor zeolite nucleation and early-stage crystal development. The precursor silica nanoparticles, present in the clear sols prior to crystal formation, were characterized using two SAXS instruments, and the influence of interparticle interactions is discussed. In addition, SAXS was used to detect the onset of secondary particle formation, and HRTEM was used to characterize their structure and morphology. Cryo-TEM allowed for in situ visual observation of the nanoparticle population. Combined results are consistent with growth by aggregation of silica nanoparticles and of the larger secondary crystallites. Finally, a unique intergrowth structure that was formed during the more advanced growth stages is reported, lending additional support for the proposal of aggregative growth.     

Biochemically functionalized silica nanoparticles

In this report, we demonstrate the biochemical modification of silica based nanoparticles. Both pure and dye-doped silica nanoparticles were prepared, and their surfaces were modified with enzymes and biocompatible chemical reagents that allow them to function as biosensors and biomarkers. The nanoparticles produced in this work are uniform in size with a 1.6% relative standard deviation. They have a pure silica surface and can thus be modified easily with many biomolecules for added biochemical functionality. Specifically, we have modified the nanoparticle surfaces with enzyme molecules (glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and a biocompatible reagent for cell membrane staining. Experimental results show that the silica nanoparticles are a good biocompatible solid support for enzyme immobilization. The immobilized enzyme molecules on the nanoparticle surface have shown excellent enzymatic activity in their respective enzymatic reactions. The nanoparticle surface biochemical functionalization demonstrates the feasibility of using nanoparticles for biosensing and biomarking applications.     

Comparison of the migration behavior of nanoparticles based on polyethylene glycol and silica using micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Nanoparticles, spherical particles with diameters less than 100 nm, are promising theranostic devices for noninvasive diagnosis and therapy. In this study, nanoparticles composed of polyethylene glycol and silica were prepared, and their migration behavior was examined using capillary electrophoresis. The effects of the sodium dodecyl sulfate concentration in the electrolyte, the nanoparticle size, and the encapsulated molecule on the migration were examined. The addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate into the electrolyte had a significant effect on the electrophoretic mobility of polyethylene glycol nanoparticles, but a small effect on that of silica nanoparticles. As for the size effect, the mobility became a little faster for smaller nanoparticle sizes for both polyethylene glycol and silica nanoparticles. The encapsulated molecule affected the mobility of the nanoparticles through interactions between the encapsulated molecules and sodium dodecyl sulfate. We propose that the large effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on the migration of the polyethylene glycol nanoparticles was due to the large spaces within the nanoparticles. These results indicate that nanoparticle migration is mainly determined by the nanoparticle components.     

Multilayers of oppositely charged SiO2 nanoparticles: effect of surface charge on multilayer assembly

The growth behavior of all-silica nanoparticle multilayer thin films assembled via layer-by-layer deposition of oppositely charged SiO2 nanoparticles was studied as a function of assembly conditions. Amine-functionalized SiO2 nanoparticles were assembled into multilayers through the use of three different sizes of negatively charged SiO2 nanoparticles. The assembly pH of the nanoparticle suspensions needed to achieve maximum growth for each system was found to be different. However, the surface charge /z/ of the negatively charged silica nanoparticles at the optimal assembly pH was approximately the same, indicating the importance of this parameter in determining the growth behavior of all-nanoparticle multilayers. When /z/ of the negatively charged nanoparticles lies between 0.6z(0) and 1.2z(0) (where z(0) is the pH-independent value of the zeta-potential of the positively charged nanoparticles used in this study), the multilayers show maximum growth for each system. The effect of particle size on the film structure was also investigated. Although nanoparticle size significantly influenced the average bilayer thickness of the multilayers, the porosity and refractive index of multilayers made from nanoparticles of different sizes varied by a small amount. For example, the porosity of the different multilayer systems ranged from 42 to 49%. This study further demonstrates that one-component all-nanoparticle multilayers can be assembled successfully by depositing nanoparticles of the same material but with opposite surface charge.     

Silica/Silicone Nanofilament Hybrid Coatings with Almost Perfect Superhydrophobicity

A facile method for the preparation of silica/silicone nanofilament hybrid coatings with almost perfect superhydrophobicity (contact angle=179.8° and sliding angle=1.3°) is presented. The coatings are obtained by dip‐coating of silica nanoparticles, followed by chemical vapor deposition of silicone nanofilaments. Predominant growth of silicone nanofilaments onto aggregated silica nanoparticles generates a two‐tier structure. The effect of silica nanoparticle size on the growth of silicone nanofilaments, along with their anti‐wetting properties and transparency are investigated in detail. Surface roughness and anti‐wetting properties can be simply regulated by controlling the size of silica nanoparticles.     

Controlling the Formation of Silver Nanoparticles on Silica by Photochemical Deposition and Other Means†

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) on silica were produced in aqueous solution by deposition of silver on colloidal silica in a small cuvette using radiation from a xenon-mercury lamp. Ag-NP were also synthesized on a much larger scale with low-level, long-term visible light irradiation for several months. In both cases, the nanoparticle production was monitored by the appearance of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at around 410 nm. The growth of the nanoparticles was directly related to the time exposed to radiation, which could be tracked spectrophotometrically over time. We also investigated the possibilities of rapid nanoparticle production without the assistance of radiation though silver oxide by adding alkali hydroxide, which is a relatively unexplored approach for syntheses of Ag-NP on silica. The SPR absorption of Ag-NP was used as a tool in evaluating the size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles along with dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy data. In order to better utilize and understand Ag-NP, we present various ways to control their production through initial concentration adjustments, irradiation effects, gravitational fractionation, sonication and silver oxide formation.     

Silica nanoparticle size influences the structure and enzymatic activity of adsorbed lysozyme

Adsorption of chicken egg lysozyme on silica nanoparticles of various diameters has been studied. Special attention has been paid to the effect of nanoparticle size on the structure and function of the adsorbed protein molecules. Both adsorption patterns and protein structure and function are strongly dependent on the size of the nanoparticles. Formation of molecular complexes is observed for adsorption onto 4-nm silica. True adsorptive behavior is evident on 20- and 100-nm particles, with the former resulting in monolayer adsorption and the latter yielding multilayer adsorption. A decrease in the solution pH results in a decrease in lysozyme adsorption. A change of protein structure upon adsorption is observed, as characterized by a loss in alpha-helix content, and this is strongly dependent on the size of the nanoparticle and the solution pH. Generally, greater loss of alpha helicity was observed for the lysozyme adsorbed onto larger nanoparticles under otherwise similar conditions. The activity of lysozyme adsorbed onto silica nanoparticles is lower than that of the free protein, and the fraction of activity lost correlates well with the decrease in alpha-helix content. These results indicate that the size of the nanoparticle, perhaps because of the contributions of surface curvature, influences adsorbed protein structure and function.     

Photochemistry of coumarin-functionalized SiO2 nanoparticles

We describe the synthesis and photochemistry of coumarin-functionalized silica nanoparticles, which were prepared utilizing 7-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propanyloxy]coumarin (TPC) to attach coumarin as a photoactive group to the silica nanoparticle surface. The nanoparticle size and morphology were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The diameter of the spherical nanoparticles was determined by all three methods to be about 40 nm. The surface functionalization was characterized in the bulk by ζ-potential measurements and on the single-nanoparticle level by electrostatic force microscopy, where the difference in surface potential between TPC-modified and unmodified silica nanoparticles is measured. The degree of surface functionalization was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and a theoretical limit of about 23,000 coumarin entities per nanoparticle was calculated. The photochemistry, and its reversibility, of the nanoparticle-attached coumarin entities was found to be quite different from the coumarin photochemistry in solution or on flat surfaces. Photodimerization with light of 355 nm and photocleavage with light of 254, 266, and 280 nm were analyzed by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Following several cycles of photodimerization and photocleavage showed that the absorption change at 320 nm decreases from cycle to cycle. The coumarin layer on the nanoparticles was proven to be unchanged by TGA. The apparent loss of absorption change is due to the formation of interlinked nanoparticles during the dimerization-cleavage cycles. Because the coumarin groups on the inside of the obtained nanoparticle clusters are inaccessible to light, the amount of "uncleavable" dicoumarins increases, thus lowering the obtainable absorption change from cycle to cycle.     

喷涂法构筑二氧化硅纳米粒子涂层及其光学和润湿性质

采用Stöber方法,通过调节反应温度及乙醇和水的体积,合成了不同粒径的二氧化硅纳米粒子.以合成的粒径为20 nm的二氧化硅纳米粒子为原料,采用简单、方便的喷涂方法在玻璃片上构筑了纳米粒子涂层.在550 ℃煅烧二氧化硅纳米粒子涂层,增强了二氧化硅纳米粒子在玻璃片上的附着力.用1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-全氟辛基三乙氧基硅烷修饰之后,二氧化硅纳米粒子涂层的表面润湿性由亲水性转变为疏水性.通过喷涂法制备的二氧化硅纳米粒子涂层具有减反增透效果,当二氧化硅纳米粒子质量分数为0.48%、循环喷涂沉积数为3时,涂层在可见光范围内的最大透光率可达95.5%.用扫描电子显微镜观测涂层表面形貌发现,喷涂法制备的涂层是均匀的、可控的.喷涂技术构筑纳米粒子涂层具有简单快速、可大面积应用等优点.     

Synthesis of highly ordered AgNPs-coated silica photonic crystal beads for sensitive and reproducible 3D SERS substrates

3 D highly ordered silver nanoparticles(AgNPs) coated silica photonic crystal beads(Ag/SPCBs) were prepared and exploited as a novel surface enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) substrate.The monodisperse and size-controlled SPCBs were prepared via self-assembly of silica nanoparticles process using a simple microfluidic device.Then the Ag/SPCBs were easily obtained by in situ growth of AgNPs onto the NH₂-modified SPCBs.Field emitting scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry(EDX) were used to characterize the Ag/SPCBs.The effect of silica nanoparticle size and AgNO₃ concentration on the SERS performance of the resultant Ag/SPCBs substrate were discussed in detail.The results indicate that the Ag/SPCBs have highest SERS signals when silica nanoparticle size is250 nm and AgNO₃ concentration is 0.8 mg/mL.Using malachite green(MG) as model analyte,the Ag/SPCBs substrate displayed a high sensitivity and a wide linear range for MG.The well-designed Ag/SPCBs show high uniformity and excellent reproducibility,and can be used as an effective SERS substrate for sensitive assay application.     

Investigation of the effect of dual-size coatings on the hydrophobicity of cotton surface

A series of silica nanoparticles with two different length scales were introduced onto the cotton substrates to study the correlation between the surface structure and observed hydrophobicity. SiO₂ nanoparticles of 7, 12, 20, and 40 nm in size were individually functionalized using 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane or 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. Amino functionalized silica nanoparticles were durably attached to the cotton surface that was previously treated with epichlorohydrin. By depositing an additional layer of epoxy modified silica nanoparticles, a dual-size hierarchical coating was obtained. It was found that the order of deposition of particles to develop dual-size coatings determines the surface roughness, hydrophobicity and the amount of silica loaded on the cotton substrate. Deposition of the bigger nanoparticles on top of smaller ones resulted in rougher surfaces, higher hydrophobicity and higher amount of silica loading onto the cotton surface. A strong correlation between the size ratio of deposited nanoparticle combinations and the amount of silica loading was observed. It was found that there is also a direct relationship between the surface roughness and the hydrophobicity of the samples generated. Based upon these correlations, it is now possible to tune surface roughness and subsequent wettability by controlling the sizes of the dual-type nanoparticle layers.     

Silica nanoparticle formation in the TPAOH-TEOS-H2O system: a population balance model

A model describing the kinetics of silica nanoparticle formation in the TPAOH-TEOS-H(2)O system is presented. These nanoparticles are an important intermediate in the clear-solution synthesis of silicalite-1, so understanding the mechanisms by which they are formed and stabilized is a key step in determining the crystallization behavior of pure-silica zeolites. The model presented here is based on the mass-conserving form of the Becker-D?ring population balance equations, describing growth and fragmentation by addition or removal of monomeric units, and modified to account for rapid equilibration of small silicate species and electrostatic and/or template stabilization of nanoparticles. The model predictions compare favorably with the experimental results. It is found that nanoparticle evolution exhibits distinct time regimes consisting of TEOS hydrolysis, condensation, nanoparticle formation, Ostwald ripening, and a self-sharpening mechanism in particle size distribution toward equilibrium due to stabilization during which no apparent changes in average particle size and pH are observed. Finally, the model provides an alternative, to a recent hypothesis, kinetics point of view to explain the enhanced stability of nanoparticles over extended periods of time.     

Biomimetic growth of silica tubes in confined media

Polymer membranes were used as biomimetic environments to study the effect of confinement on silica formation. Within membrane pores, silica tubes were formed, consisting of a dense silica shell incorporating nanoparticle aggregates. The shell structure does not depend on the membrane pore size, suggesting that its formation proceeds via interfacial interactions with the pore surface. In contrast, the size of primary nanoparticles within core aggregates is influenced by pore dimensions, indicating an effect of confinement on the diffusion-limited growth of silica. A parallel can be drawn with reported roles of confinement in biomineralization processes, providing a basis for future developments in biosilicification mimetic approaches and biofunctional nanomaterials design.     

Attachment of nanoparticles to the AFM tips for direct measurements of interaction between a single nanoparticle and surfaces

Here we report a universal method of attachment/functionalization of tips for atomic force microscope (AFM) with nanoparticles. The particles of interest are glued to the AFM tip with epoxy. While the gluing of micron size particles with epoxy has been known, attachment of nanoparticles was a problem. The suggested method can be used for attachment of virtually any solid nanoparticles. Approximately every other tip prepared with this method has a single nanoparticle terminated apex. We demonstrate the force measurements between a single approximately 50 nm ceria nanoparticle and flat silica surface in aqueous media of different acidity (pH 4-9). Comparing forces measured with larger ceria particles ( approximately 500 nm), we show that the interaction with nanoparticles is qualitatively different from the interaction with larger particles.     

Colloidosomes from the controlled interaction of submicrometer triglyceride droplets and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles

The self-assembly of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles at the surface of charged submicrometer triglyceride droplets has been investigated with the aim to optimize the preparation of stable colloidosomes. The droplet charge, oil phase volume fraction, droplet/nanoparticle ratio, and salt concentration play important roles in controlling nanoparticle interactions and are reflected in the colloidosome zeta potential, size, stability, and interfacial structure (visualized by freeze-fracture SEM). Silica nanoparticle interactions with negatively charged droplets are weak, and partially covered droplets are identified. Positively charged droplets are strongly coated by silica nanoparticles and undergo charge reversal at specific droplet to nanoparticle ratios and electrolyte concentrations. Droplets at volume fractions (varphi) <10 (-4) undergo time-dependent limited coalescence until nanoparticle coverage is complete. For varphi in the range 10 (-4) to 2.5 x 10 (-4) and at certain critical droplet to nanoparticle ratios, droplets undergo neutralization or charge reversal coupled with aggregation and precipitation; this occurs in a time-independent manner. Specific conditions have been identified where stable 1-3 mum colloidosomes can be phase separated from heterocoagulates of droplets and nanoparticles.     

Templated Synthesis and Assembly of Two-, Three- and Six-Patch Silica Nanoparticles with a Controlled Patch-to-Particle Size Ratio

We report a fabrication route of silica nanoparticles with two, three or six patches with an easily tunable patch-to-particle size ratio. The synthetic pathway includes two main stages: the synthesis of silica/polystyrene multipod-like templates and the selective growth of their silica core through an iterative approach. Electron microscopy of the dimpled nanoparticles obtained after dissolution of the polystyrene nodules of the multipod-like nanoparticles provides evidence of the conformational growth of the silica core. Thanks to the presence of some polymer chains, which remained grafted at the bottom of the dimples after the dissolution of the PS nodules, the solvent-induced assembly of the patchy nanoparticles is performed. Chains, hexagonal suprastructures and cubic lattices are obtained from the assembly of two-, three- and six-patch silica nanoparticles, respectively. Our study can guide future work in both patchy nanoparticle synthesis and self-assembly. It also opens new routes towards the fabrication of specific classes of one-, two- and three-dimensional colloidal lattices, including complex tilings.     

理性设计核-壳Rh@沸石催化材料用于二烯烃选择加氢反应

Selective hydrogenation of dienes and alkynes to monoenes is an important topic of research in the fields of pharmacology and organic synthesis. Catalyst design plays a key role in this process, where a general principle involves controlling the steric diene adsorption by modifying the surface of the metal nanoparticles. For example, upon introducing Bi species into Rh nanoparticles, the resulting RhBi/SiO₂ showed 90% selectivity to 2-hexene, with 95% conversion of 1, 4-hexadiene under ambient conditions, because of the suppressed adsorption of the internal C＝C bond. However, the catalyst activity decreased remarkably; that is, the activity of the unmodified Rh/SiO₂ was about 27 times higher than that of RhBi/SiO₂. Controlled steric adsorption of the diene molecules could also be achieved by the constructing porous channels around the metal nanoparticles. For example, metal-organic framework (ZIF-8) or mesoporous silica (MCM-41) encapsulated noble metals showed high selectivity for the hydrogenation of terminal C＝C bonds. However, these catalysts had poor durability under the thermal/hydrothermal reaction/regeneration conditions. In contrast, zeolites have superior durability under harsh reaction conditions, but they are rarely used in semi-hydrogenation reactions. We recently found that metal nanoparticles fixed within zeolite crystals (e.g., ZSM-5 and Beta) efficiently catalyze the selective hydrogenation of molecules bearing multiple reducible groups. Thus inspired, we developed a catalyst by fixing Rh nanoparticles within zeolite crystals via an inter-zeolite transformation method. The Rh@CHA catalyst was synthesized by introducing Rh species into the parent Y zeolite (Rh@Y) and transformation of the Y zeolite to chabazite (CHA zeolite) under hydrothermal conditions. X-ray diffraction patterns, N₂ sorption isotherms, scanning/transmission electron microscopy images, and model reactions (hydrogenation of probe molecules) confirmed the successful fixation of the Rh nanoparticles inside the CHA zeolite crystals. As expected, the Rh@CHA catalyst was highly selective for the hydrogenation of dienes. For example, Rh@CHA showed a 2-hexene selectivity of 86.7%, with 91.2% conversion of 1, 4-hexadiene. In contrast, the generally supported Rh nanoparticle catalyst (Rh/CHA) showed a low 2-hexene selectivity of 37.2% under identical reaction conditions. Considering that Rh@CHA and Rh/CHA comprise the same CHA zeolite crystals and have similar Rh nanoparticle sizes, the remarkably high selectivity of Rh@CHA is assigned to the steric adsorption of dienes on the Rh surface controlled by the micropores of the CHA zeolite. This work demonstrates that a zeolite-fixed metal core-shell structure is a powerful tool for developing efficient catalysts to be used in diene hydrogenation.     

Surface modification of silica nanoparticles to reduce aggregation and nonspecific binding

In this article, a systematic study of the design and development of surface-modification schemes for silica nanoparticles is presented. The nanoparticle surface design involves an optimum balance of the use of inert and active surface functional groups to achieve minimal nanoparticle aggregation and reduce nanoparticle nonspecific binding. Silica nanoparticles were prepared in a water-in-oil microemulsion and subsequently surface modified via cohydrolysis with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and various organosilane reagents. Nanoparticles with different functional groups, including carboxylate, amine, amine/phosphonate, poly(ethylene glycol), octadecyl, and carboxylate/octadecyl groups, were produced. Aggregation studies using SEM, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential analysis indicate that severe aggregation among amine-modified silica nanoparticles can be reduced by adding inert functional groups, such as methyl phosphonate, to the surface. To determine the effect of various surface-modification schemes on nanoparticle nonspecific binding, the interaction between functionalized silica nanoparticles and a DNA chip was also studied using confocal imaging/fluorescence microscopy. Dye-doped silica nanoparticles functionalized with octadecyl and carboxylate groups showed minimal nonspecific binding. Using these surface-modification schemes, fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles can be more readily conjugated with biomolecules and used as highly fluorescent, sensitive, and reproducible labels in bioanalytical applications.