Nanodispersed Suspensions of Zeolite Catalysts for Converting Dimethyl Ether into Olefins

Nanodispersed suspensions that are effective in DME conversion and stable in the reaction zone in a three-phase system (slurry reactor) are obtained from MFI zeolite commercial samples (TsVM, IK-17-1, and CBV) in liquid media via ultrasonic treatment (UST). It is found that the dispersion medium, in which ultrasound affects zeolite commercial sample, has a large influence on particle size in the suspension. UST in the aqueous medium produces zeolite nanoparticles smaller than 50 nm, while larger particles of MFI zeolite samples form in silicone or hydrocarbon oils. Spectral and adsorption data show that when zeolites undergo UST in an aqueous medium, the acid sites are redistributed on the zeolite surface and the specific surface area of the mesopores increases. Preliminary UST in aqueous media of zeolite commercial samples (TsVM, IK-17-1, and CBV) affects the catalytic properties of MFI zeolite nanodispersed suspensions. The selectivity of samples when paraffins and olefins form is largely due to superacid sites consisting of OH groups of hydroxonium ion H₃O⁺.     

High-pressure liquid dispersion and fragmentation of flame-made silica agglomerates

The influence of primary particle diameter and the degree of agglomeration of flame-made silica agglomerate suspensions in aqueous solutions is studied by high-pressure dispersion (up to 1500 bar) through a nozzle with a 125 microm inner diameter. These particles were produced (4-15 g/h) by oxidation of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) in a coflow diffusion flame reactor. Their average primary particle size (10-50 nm) and degree of agglomeration were controlled by varying the oxygen and precursor flow rates. The particles were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Hydrodynamic stresses break up soft agglomerates and yield hard agglomerate sizes in the range of 100-180 nm, as characterized by dynamic light scattering. Soft agglomerates exhibited decreasing light scattering diameters with increasing dispersion pressure, while hard agglomerates were insensitive.     

Simulations of the PDF functions for dilute colloidal suspensions of molecular particles flowing in mesopores with rough surface boundaries

Simulations have been carried out to analyze the dynamics of dilute colloidal suspensions of macromolecular particles in solutions flowing in pores, subject to hydrodynamic forces, Brownian motion and stochastic collisions at rough pore boundaries in a two-dimensional spatial frame. A theoretical model is developed and intensively analyzed for the treatment of the mechanical restitution of the particles due to dynamic collisions at these boundaries. In particular we are able to calculate the Probability distribution functions for the spatial positions and the orientations of rod-like particles inside the pores. The results are presented for different widths of pore channels referenced to the size of a rod-like particle. These simulations are general in the sense that they are developed for confining and open pore channels, rough at the nano scale. The simulations also permit calculating the nematic order parameters for colloidal suspensions; the model calculation is applied for dilute colloidal suspensions of carbon nano-tubes in an aqueous single-stranded DNA solution flowing inside pores. Our calculated nematic order results for dilute suspensions of particles of known lengths flowing inside porous systems should indicate, when coupled to birefringence and dichroism experimental results, the possibility to estimate the pore widths for these systems.     

Microstructured layers of spherical biofunctional core-shell nanoparticles provide enlarged reactive surfaces for protein microarrays

Nanostructured core-shell particles with tailor-made affinity surfaces were used to generate microstructured affinity surfaces by microspotting the particles to form densely packed amorphous nanoparticle layers. These layers provided a large reactive surface for the specific binding of protein ligands from aqueous solution. Biofunctional core-shell particles were synthesized for this purpose that consisted of a silica core with a diameter of 100 nm and an organic shell a few nm thick. The nanoparticle core was prepared by sol-gel chemistry and the shell formed in suspension by organosilane chemistry. The shell provided amino groups or carbonyl groups at its outer surface for subsequent covalent immobilization of streptavidin, rabbit IgG antibodies or goat IgG antibodies. AlexaFluor 647-conjugated and biotinylated cytochrome C and CyDye-labeled anti-rabbit IgG and anti-goat IgG were probed as model analytes. The core-shell nanoparticles were spotted using a pin-ring micro-arrayer onto microscope glass slides that were coated with a polycation monolayer by dip-coating prior to nanoparticle deposition. Amorphous particle layers of well-defined thicknesses in the range of 100 nm to 2 microm were obtained by printing aqueous particle suspensions containing 5-500 mg/mL (0.5-50 wt%) of silica particles. The specific affinity of the plotted nanoparticulate capture surface was demonstrated by binding Cy3-labeled donkey anti-rabbit IgG and Cy5-labeled mouse anti-goat IgG to immobilized rabbit IgG and goat IgG particles. The signal intensity per spot increased for any given analyte concentration when the amount of particles per spot was augmented. This was attributed to the increasing integration of receptor molecules per surface footprint, which shifted the binding equilibrium towards the formation of the receptor-ligand complex. Additionally, the locally-increased supply of receptor molecules at the nanoparticulate microchip surface resulted in a wide dynamic range of 4 fM-20 nM (covering six orders of magnitude).     

Electrically driven alignment and crystallization of unique anisotropic polymer particles

Micrometer-sized monodisperse anisotropic polymer particles, with disk, rod, fenestrated hexagon (hexnut), and boomerang shapes, were synthesized using the particle replication in nonwetting templates (PRINT) process, and investigations were conducted on aqueous suspensions of these particles when subjected to alternating electric fields. A coplanar electrode configuration, with 1 to 2 mm electrode gaps (20-50 V ac, 0.5-5.0 kHz) was used, and the experiments were monitored with fluorescence microscopy. For all particle suspensions, the field brought about significant changes in the packing and orientation. Extensive particle chaining and packing were observed for the disk, rod, and hexnut suspensions. Because of the size and geometry of the boomerang particles, limited chaining was observed; however, the field triggered a change from random to a more ordered packing arrangement.     

Synthesis of highly crystalline and monodisperse maghemite nanocrystallites without a size-selection process.

The synthesis of highly crystalline and monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites is reported. High-temperature (300 degrees C) aging of iron-oleic acid metal complex, which was prepared by the thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of oleic acid at 100 degrees C, was found to generate monodisperse iron nanoparticles. The resulting iron nanoparticles were transformed to monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites by controlled oxidation by using trimethylamine oxide as a mild oxidant. Particle size can be varied from 4 to 16 nm by controlling the experimental parameters. Transmission electron microscopic images of the particles showed 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional assembly of particles, demonstrating the uniformity of these nanoparticles. Electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images of the nanoparticles showed the highly crystalline nature of the gamma-Fe(2)O(3) structures. Monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites with a particle size of 13 nm also can be generated from the direct oxidation of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of oleic acid with trimethylamine oxide as an oxidant.     

Shear-thickening flow of nanoparticle suspensions flocculated by polymer bridging

The steady-shear viscosity, dynamic viscoelasticity, and stress relaxation behavior were measured for suspensions of silica nanoparticles dispersed in aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The suspensions of silica with diameters of 8-25 nm show striking shear-thickening profiles in steady shear and highly elastic responses under large strains in oscillatory shear. Since the silica particles are much smaller than the polymer coils, one molecule can extend through several particles by intrachain bridging. Each polymer coil may remain isolated as a floc unit and the silica particles hardly connect two flocs. Therefore, the flow of suspensions is Newtonian with low viscosity at low shear rates. When the polymer coils containing several nanoparticles are subjected to high shear fields, three-dimensional network is developed over the system. The shear-thickening flow may arise from the elastic forces of extended bridges. But, the polymer chain is easily detached from particle surface by thermal energy because of large curvature of particles. As a result, the network structures are reversibly broken down in a quiescent state and the suspensions behaves as viscoelastic fluids with the zero-shear viscosity.     

Adsorption of organic acids on TiO2 nanoparticles: effects of pH, nanoparticle size, and nanoparticle aggregation

In this study, the adsorption of two organic acids, oxalic acid and adipic acid, on TiO2 nanoparticles was investigated at room temperature, 298 K. Solution-phase measurements were used to quantify the extent and reversibility of oxalic acid and adipic acid adsorption on anatase nanoparticles with primary particle sizes of 5 and 32 nm. At all pH values considered, there were minimal differences in measured Langmuir adsorption constants, K ads, or surface-area-normalized maximum adsorbate-surface coverages, Gamma max, between 5 and 32 nm particles. Although macroscopic differences in the reactivity of these organic acids as a function of nanoparticle size were not observed, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy showed some distinct differences in the absorption bands present for oxalic acid adsorbed on 5 nm particles compared to 32 nm particles, suggesting different adsorption sites or a different distribution of adsorption sites for oxalic acid on the 5 nm particles. These results illustrate that molecular-level differences in nanoparticle reactivity can still exist even when macroscopic differences are not observed from solution phase measurements. Our results also allowed the impact of nanoparticle aggregation on acid uptake to be assessed. It is clear that particle aggregation occurs at all pH values and that organic acids can destabilize nanoparticle suspensions. Furthermore, 5 nm particles can form larger aggregates compared to 32 nm particles under the same conditions of pH and solid concentrations. The relative reactivity of 5 and 32 nm particles as determined from Langmuir adsorption parameters did not appear to vary greatly despite differences that occur in nanoparticle aggregation for these two different size nanoparticles. Although this potentially suggests that aggregation does not impact organic acid uptake on anatase particles, these data clearly show that challenges remain in assessing the available surface area for adsorption in nanoparticle aqueous suspensions because of aggregation.     

Nanosizing drug particles in supercritical fluid processing

The supercritical fluid-processing technique, rapid expansion of a supercritical solution into a liquid solvent (RESOLV), was applied to the nanosizing of water-insoluble drug particles. Selected for demonstration were antiinflammatory drugs Ibuprofen and Naproxen, for which CO2 and CO2-cosolvent systems were used. The RESOLV process produces exclusively nanoscale (less than 100 nm) Ibuprofen and Naproxen particles suspended in aqueous solutions, and the aqueous suspensions of the drug nanoparticles are protected from particle agglomeration and precipitation by using common polymeric and oligomeric stabilization agents.     

Cryo-SEM studies of latex/ceramic nanoparticle coating microstructure development

Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was used to investigate microstructure development of composite coatings prepared from dispersions of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles (approximately 30 nm) or indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles (approximately 40 nm) and latex particles (polydisperse, D(v): approximately 300 nm). Cryo-SEM images of ATO/latex dispersions as-frozen show small clusters of ATO and individual latex particles homogeneously distribute in a frozen water matrix. In contrast, cryo-SEM images of ITO/latex dispersions as-frozen show ITO particles adsorb onto latex particle surfaces. Electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged ATO and negatively charged latex particles stabilizes the ATO/latex dispersion, whereas in ITO/latex dispersion, positively charged ITO particles are attracted onto surfaces of negatively charged latex particles. These results are consistent with calculations of interaction potentials from past research. Cryo-SEM images of frozen and fractured coatings reveal that both ceramic nanoparticles and latex become more concentrated as drying proceeds; larger latex particles consolidate with ceramic nanoparticles in the interstitial spaces. With more drying, compaction flattens the latex-latex particle contacts and shrinks the voids between them. Thus, ceramic nanoparticles are forced to pack closely in the interstitial spaces, forming an interconnected network. Finally, latex particles partially coalesce at their flattened contacts, thereby yielding a coherent coating. The research reveals how nanoparticles segregate and interconnect among latex particles during drying.     

Uniform nanosized goethite particles obtained by aerial oxidation in the FeSO4-Na2CO3 system

Pure goethite particles in the nanometer size range (from approximately 200 to approximately 80 nm) with an elongated shape (axial ratio from approximately 5 to approximately 8) useful as iron precursors for magnetic recording have been prepared by oxidation of the suspensions resulting from the addition of sodium carbonate to Fe(II) sulfate aqueous solutions under a restrictive set of experimental conditions (Fe(II) concentration, carbonate/Fe(II) mole ratio, temperature, and air flow rate). In all cases, the goethite particles were formed by a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism through an intermediate green-rust phase. The particle size was determined by the carbonate/Fe(II) ratio (which controls the formation pH), the FeSO(4) concentration, and the air flow rate. The smallest particles (length 80 nm) were obtained for a high carbonate/Fe(II) mole ratio (>/=3), a low Fe(II) concentration (0.075 mol dm(-3)), and an air flow rate of 2 dm(3) min(-1). The goethite particles were also characterized by the electron diffraction and high-resolution TEM finding that they were monocrystalline, having the crystalline c axis parallel to the longest particle dimension.     

Physical characteristics of freeze-dried griseofulvin-lipids nanoparticles

We have attempted to prepare micronized drug particles and to maintain the micronized state long-term in order to improve the solubility of a practically insoluble drug, griseofulvin (GF). GF nanoparticles (GFNPs) prepared by high-pressure homogenization were micronized to about 45 nm (mean particle size). GFNPs were subjected to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The mean particle size remained at about 50 nm for 3 months at 25 degrees C. However, increased to about 300 nm in 6 months. After 5% (w/v) sugar was added, GFNP was freeze-dried and rehydrated. The mean particle size of the rehydrated GFNPs was about 160 nm when the sugar was a monosaccharide. In contrast, it was about 55-65 nm when the sugar was a disaccharide. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the monosaccharide-containing freeze-dried GFNPs revealed a crystal state of sugar. On the other hand, that of the disaccharide-containing freeze-dried GFNPs indicated an amorphous state of sugar. From this result, it is considered that the high viscosity of an amorphous sugar prevents GFNPs from aggregating through retardation of molecular movement. Freeze-dried GFNPs stored for six months at 25 degrees C showed a good re-dispersibility. After the rehydration the mean particle size of GFNPs was 55-65 nm. It was found that freeze-dried GFNPs containing sucrose, maltose or trehalose were stable for longer periods than GFNP suspensions.     

Characterization of synthetic hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles using a multi-technique approach

The aim of this work was to investigate the surface structure of aqueous hematite dispersions characterized by a large variability of morphology and particle size combining structural investigations obtained from Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) techniques with in vitro particle size distributions and zeta potential measurements from Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique, and we achieved a self-consistent and detailed characterization of hematite particles whose sizes and morphologies could be correlated to the synthesis conditions (type of added anion, Al substitution and pH). Surface AFM characterization provided an accurate analysis of particle microstructure and also indicated that the growth of microcrystals followed different surface roughness. DLS, AFM, and TEM techniques furnished complementary information on the average particle dimensions, whose variation could be attributed to the morphological difference of hematites, ranging from platy to regular or irregular hexagonal or ellipsoidal shape. Finally, a correlation between the average particle dimensions and the measured zeta potential was also been found in aqueous dilute suspensions characterized by neither pH nor-ionic-strength-control, for which a drop of zeta potential from positive to negative values was detected for hematite particle dimensions larger than a threshold size of ~150 nm.     

Optimized solvent-exchange synthesis method for C60 colloidal dispersions

An existing solvent exchange method used to produce aqueous suspensions of fullerene C(60) aggregates (nC(60)) using the solvents toluene, tetrahydrofuran, acetone, and water, has been optimized for producing 75 nm diameter particles. Numerous synthesis parameters were evaluated for their effects on colloid yield and particle size distribution. Varying the relative volumes used of the intermediate solvents relative to the initial toluene volume allowed the controlled tuning of the resulting particle size up to a diameter of 210 nm. The resulting suspensions produced 10-20 ppm concentrations and reduced the residual organic solvents to less than the detection limit of 1 ppm.     

Electro-optic characteristics of aqueous beta-FeOOH particles

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the electro-optic behavior of suspensions of noninteracting monodisperse beta-FeOOH particles. The electro-optic parameters are determined for aqueous suspensions of the oxide particles and the influences of surface charge and Debye layer thickness are verified. Since the conventional method of frequency analysis is inconsistent in the low-frequency range, new electro-optic parameters are introduced to define the frequency variation of the effects. Electric polarizability is determined with precision to a constant, and its relative variations are followed. As reported for other oxides, electric polarizability correlates with charge variations in the diffuse part of the particle surface electric layer, and its relaxation frequency increases with surface charge density, indicating a Maxwell-Wagner type of surface polarization. The alternating component of the responses yields particle relaxation frequency and the phase shift of the responses at this frequency. For all studied samples the phase shift at particle relaxation frequency is 45 degrees. The relative changes in the steady component of the responses in the low-frequency range are followed by field intensity curves at characteristic frequencies of the samples. Electrophoretic rotation is the process consistent with our data for the low-frequency effect. The results show that it is enhanced by the combined actions of low or slowly relaxing polarizability and significant electrophoretic mobility.     

Effect of oil soluble surfactant in emulsions stabilised by clay particles

Although surfactants and particles are often mixed together in emulsions, the contribution of each species to the stabilisation of the oil-water interface is poorly understood. We report the results of investigations into the formation of emulsions from solutions of surfactant in oil and aqueous suspensions of laponite. Depending on the salt concentration in the aqueous suspensions, the laponite dispersed as individual disc-shaped particles, 30 nm in diameter, or flocculated into aggregates tens of micrometres in diameter. At the concentrations studied, the flocculated particles alone stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. Synergistic interactions between the particles and octadecylamine at the oil-water interface reduced the average emulsion drop size, while antagonistic interactions with octadecanoic acid enhanced coalescence processes in the emulsions. The state of particle dispersion had dramatic effects on the emulsions formed. Measurements of the oil-water interfacial tension revealed the origins of the interactions between the surfactants and particles.     

Adsorption and order formation of colloidal nanoparticles on a substrate: a Brownian dynamics study

Adsorption process and order formation of electrostatically stabilized colloidal particles with a radius of 50 nm onto a planar surface with countercharge are examined. We perform Brownian dynamics simulations with a new three-dimensional cell model, in which the particle-particle and particle-substrate interactions are modeled based on the DLVO theory. The simulations yield the following results: (1) a larger bulk concentration would be required for larger kappaa to reach order formation to compensate for the decrease in the bulk potential; (2) the phase transition from a disordered to an ordered structure of the adsorbed particles on the substrate is considered to be of the Kirkwood-Alder type of transition through the examination of the two-dimensional pressure of the adsorbed particles; (3) the adsorbed particles are found to form a hexagonally ordered array, only if what we call "one-directional average force" acting on an adsorbed particle exceeds a critical value, which is independent of the ionic strength, or the interaction potentials. The critical value of the one-directional average force is interpreted as the force needed to keep an ordered structure by localizing adsorbed particles at fixed positions. In addition, the critical force is used to develop a new model to estimate the surface coverage at the order-disorder transition and it is demonstrated that the new model gives better estimation than other models previously reported.     

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline, Redispersable Antimony-Doped SnO2 Particles for the Preparation of Conductive, Transparent Coatings

Nanocrystalline, redispersable Sb-doped SnO2 with Sb contents from 0.1–10 mol% (with respect to Sn) and a primary particle size of about 5 nm was prepared from SnCl4 and SbCl3 in solution by a growth reaction. The aggregation of the particles was avoided by in situ surface modification with amino carbonic acids. The stabilizing effect of the surface modification could be maintained during the following hydrothermal crystallization step (150°C, 10 bar). The resulting nanocrystalline particles are fully redispersable in aqueous suspensions at pH 11; solid contents up to 40 wt% can be achieved.Such aqueous dispersions were used to prepare transparent, conductive coatings on glass by spin coating. After thermal densification (1 hour at 550°C) transparent coatings of 220 nm thickness were obtained. A minimum specific electrical resistance of 2.5 · 10–2 cm for Sb contents between 4 and 5 mol% was measured, the transparency in the visible range against air was 90%.     

Colloidal stabilization of nanoparticles in concentrated suspensions

The stabilization of nanoparticles in concentrated aqueous suspensions is required in many manufacturing technologies and industrial products. Nanoparticles are commonly stabilized through the adsorption of a dispersant layer around the particle surface. The formation of a dispersant layer (adlayer) of appropriate thickness is crucial for the stabilization of suspensions containing high nanoparticle concentrations. Thick adlayers result in an excessive excluded volume around the particles, whereas thin adlayers lead to particle agglomeration. Both effects reduce the maximum concentration of nanoparticles in the suspension. However, conventional dispersants do not allow for a systematic control of the adlayer thickness on the particle surface. In this study, we synthesized dispersants with a molecular architecture that enables better control over the particle adlayer thickness. By tailoring the chemistry and length of these novel dispersants, we were able to prepare fluid suspensions (viscosity < 1 Pa.s at 100 s-1) with more than 40 vol % of 65-nm alumina particles in water, as opposed to the 30 vol % achieved with a state-of-the-art dispersing agent. This remarkably high concentration facilitates the fabrication of a wide range of products and intermediates in materials technology, cosmetics, pharmacy, and in all other areas where concentrated nanoparticle suspensions are required. On the basis of the proposed molecular architecture, one can also envisage other similar molecules that could be successfully applied for the functionalization of surfaces for biosensing, chromatography, medical imaging, drug delivery, and aqueous lubrication, among others.