Thermal treatment effects in the self-assembly of FePt nanoparticle arrays

This work concentrates on the influence of synthetic mechanisms of FePt nanoparticles on their self-arrangement and some structural and magnetic properties as studied by means of different electron microscopy techniques and SQUID magnetometry. High-reflux points associated with long boiling durations seem adequate to increase the iron precursor's decomposition yield and facilitate the simultaneous cubic to tetragonal FePt transformation, in single-phase FePt nanoparticles. Nevertheless, such conditions also result in the loss of long-range arrangement and in the appearance of coalescence effects. A core–shell structure comprising of FePt and Fe₃O₄ is favored under mild thermal conditions during synthesis, which seems to confront the undesirable atomic diffusion. Additionally, particle isolation due to the surfactant coating leads in an hcp-symmetry self-assembly. Moreover, working at lower temperatures allows a homogeneous mixture between different phases producing binary composite arrays.     

Processing, properties and some novel applications of magnetic nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles have been prepared by various soft chemical methods including self-assembly. The bare or surface-modified particles find applications in areas such as hyperthermia treatment of cancer and magnetic field-assisted radioactive chemical separation. We present here some of the salient features of processing of nanostructured magnetic materials of different sizes and shapes, their properties and some possible applications. The materials studied included metals, metal-ceramic composites, and ferrites.     

Injection of synthesized FePt nanoparticles in hole-patterns for bit patterned media

FePt nanoparticles of uniform sizes, compositions, and crystal structures can be obtained by chemical synthesis. Additionally, the nanoparticles can be well dispersed by the adsorption of a surfactant on the nanoparticle surface. Previously, the immobilization of FePt nanoparticles on a thermal oxide Si substrate was carried out by chemical synthesis, utilizing the Pt-S bonding between the -SH functional group in (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane, MPTMS and Pt in FePt nanoparticles. However, controlling FePt nanoparticle arrays by this synthesis method was very difficult. In the present study, we attempted to control the distortion of the arrangement of FePt nanoparticles using an MPTMS layer modified with a silane coupling reaction and a geometrical structure prepared by ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). In this study, the hole-patterns used for the geometrical structure on Si(1 0 0) were 200 nm wide, 40 nm deep, and had a 500 nm pitch. The 5.6 nm FePt nanoparticles were used to coat the hole-patterns by using a picoliter pipette. An XHR-SEM image clearly revealed that the FePt nanoparticles were successfully arranged as a single layer with an average pitch of 10.0 nm by Pt-S bonding in the hole-patterns on Si(1 0 0).     

Coercivity Ageing Effect on FePt Nanoparticles in Mesoporous Silica via Stepwise Synthesis Strategy

FePt nanoparticles in mesoporous silica are fabricated by a simple stepwise synthesis strategy.A pre-annealing temperature-dependent coercivity-ageing effect in FePt nanoparticles is observed at room temperature.For facecentered cubic(fcc)structured FePt nanoparticles,the ageing effect is sensitive to the pre-annealing temperature,especially when the temperature is close to the phase-transition.The special magnetic behavior of FePt nanoparticles reveals that the physical properties gradually change between fee and face-centered tetragonal structures,and will deepen our understanding of the mechanism of such magnetism in FePt nanoparticles.     

Size,crystal structure and morphology changes of IATO nanoparticles effect on its optical property

Controlling and changing size, crystal structure and morphology of antimony and tin-doped indium oxide (IATO) nanoparticles can effectively influence their specific optical properties. Nanocube-like, nanorod-like and nanosphere-like IATO nanoparticles have been fabricated from 20 to 200 nm in diameter by sintering as-prepared precursors with distinct crystallographic structures and morphologies. These nano-sized precursors are either cubic In(OH)₃ or orthorhombic InOOH with different crystallographic sizes and shapes due to the use of different solvents (deionized water, absolute ethyl alcohol and ethylene glycol) in hydrothermal synthesis process. Characterization and comparison of experimental samples have detailedly demonstrated that desired optical properties of IATO nanoparticles should be attained by appropriate change of size, crystal structure and morphology of IATO nanoparticles.     

Composition-Controlled Laser-Induced Alloying of Colloidal Au–Cu Hetero Nanoparticles

Due to their optical properties (localized surface plasmon resonance, LSPR), colloidally dispersed metal nanoparticles are well suited for selective heating by high-energy laser radiation above their melting point without being limited by the boiling point of the solvent, which represents an excellent complement to wet-chemical nanoparticle synthesis. By combining wet-chemical synthesis and postsynthesis laser treatment, the advantages of both methods can be used to specifically control the properties of nanoparticles. Especially in the colloidal synthesis of nanoalloys consisting of two or more metals with different redox potentials, wet-chemical synthesis quickly reaches its limits in terms of composition control and homogeneity. For this reason, the direct synthesis path is divided into two parts to take the strengths of both methods. After preparing Au–Cu hetero nanoparticles by wet-chemical synthesis, nanoalloys with previous adjusted composition can be formed by postsynthesis laser treatment. The formation of these nanoalloys can be followed by different characterization methods, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where the fusion of both metal domains and the formation of spherical and homogeneous Au–Cu nanoparticles can be observed. Moreover, the alloy formation can be followed by different shifts of X-ray diffraction (XRD) reflections and LSPR maxima depending on the composition.     

Silica Nanoparticles as Adhesives for Biological Tissues? Re‐Examining the Effect of Particles Size,Particle Shape,and the Unexpected Role of Base

Development of new, effective, and patient‐friendly adhesives for biological tissues is important for medical and surgical practices such as bleeding control and organ repairing. While some commercially available silica nanoparticles such as LUDOX SM‐30 have shown adhesive properties for biological tissues, the role of inorganic base present in the adhesive properties of the silica nanoparticles has not been examined. Moreover, it remained unclear how the size and the shape of silica nanoparticles affect the adhesion properties. To address these questions, synthesis and characterization of a series of uniform silica nanostructures with different sizes and shapes is carried out. Unexpectedly, none of the synthesized silica nanostructures without additional inorganic base shows adhesion properties against liver tissues. Such surprising phenomena motivate to examine other factors in the commercial silica nanoparticles as tissue adhesives, and reach a conclusion that the inorganic base plays a key role in the adhesion properties. It is believed that this study answers the important question whether silica nanoparticles can act as biological adhesives or not. The conclusion also gives a lesson to other scientists and engineers in design and exploration of new biological adhesives.     

飞秒激光直写生物凝胶模板原位合成纳米粒子

为了制备具有可控复杂形状和特定化学性质的聚合物微结构,提出了一种飞秒激光直写生物凝胶模板原位合成纳米粒子的方法。首先,采用飞秒激光直写技术加工带有COOH基团的复杂三维结构的生物凝胶模板,用氢氧化钠处理使COOH基团离子化为COO^-基团;然后,用金属盐溶液处理,使金属离子与COO^-基团螯合,形成纳米粒子结晶核。通过多次循环盐溶液处理步骤,控制模板中纳米粒子的粒径与含量。实验结果表明：所制备的生物凝胶模板具有亚100 nm分辨率和10 μm量级尺寸,纳米粒子含量高达9%。该法简单高效,具有很好的应用前景。     

Solvent effect in sonochemical synthesis of metal-alloy nanoparticles for use as electrocatalysts

Nanomaterials are now widely used in the fabrication of electrodes and electrocatalysts. Herein, we report a sonochemical study of the synthesis of molybdenum and palladium alloy nanomaterials supported on functionalized carbon material in various solvents: hexadecane, ethanol, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) and Ionic liquids (ILs). The objective was to identify simple and more environmentally friendly design and fabrication methods for nanomaterial synthesis that are suitable as electrocatalysts in electrochemical applications. The particles size and distribution of nanomaterials were compared on two different carbons as supports: activated carbon and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The results show that carbon materials functionalized with ILs in ethanol/deionized water mixture solvent produced smaller particles sizes (3.00 ± 0.05 nm) with uniform distribution while in PEG 400, functionalized materials produced 4.00 ± 1 nm sized particles with uneven distribution (range). In hexadecane solvents with Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as capping ligands, large particle sizes (14.00 ± 1 nm) were produced with wide particle size distribution. The metal alloy nanoparticles produced in ILs without any external reducing agent have potential to exhibit a higher catalytic activity due to smaller particle size and uniform distribution.     

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Capsicum annuum var. grossum pulp extract and its catalytic activity

Biological synthesis approach has been regarded as a green, eco-friendly and cost effective method for nanoparticles preparation without any toxic solvents and hazardous bi-products during the process. This present study reported a facile and rapid biosynthesis method for gold nanoparticles (GNPs) from Capsicum annuum var. grossum pulp extract in a single-pot process. The aqueous pulp extract was used as biotic reducing agent for gold nanoparticle growing. Various shapes (triangle, hexagonal, and quasi-spherical shapes) were observed within range of 6–37 nm. The UV–Vis spectra showed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak for the formed GNPs at 560 nm after 10 min incubation at room temperature. The possible influences of extract amount, gold ion concentration, incubation time, reaction temperature and solution pH were evaluated to obtain the optimized synthesis conditions. The effects of the experimental factors on NPs synthesis process were also discussed. The produced gold nanoparticles were characterized by transform electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results demonstrated that the as-obtained GNPs were well dispersed and stable with good catalytic activity. Biomolecules in the aqueous extract were responsible for the capping and stabilization of GNPs.     

Langmuir-Blodgett self-assembly and electrochemical catalytic property of FePt magnetic nano-monolayer

Dispersed-well FePt nanoparticles with particle size ~5 nm have been prepared by hydrazine hydrate reduction of H₂PtCl₆·6H₂O and FeCl₂·4H₂O in ethanol–water system. By employing as-synthesized FePt nanoparticles, the monolayer can be formed by LB Technique. The structural, magnetic properties and electrochemical properties of FePt monolayer were respectively studied by XRD, TEM, VSM and CHI 820 electrochemical workstation. The as-synthesized particle has a chemically disordered fcc structure and can be transformed into chemically ordered fct structure after annealing treatment above 400°C. The coercivity of ordered fct FePt phase can be up to 2515Oe. CVs of 0.5 M H₂SO₄/0.5M CH₃OH on GCE modified with FePt nanoparticles monolayer films illustrate that the as-synthesized FePt is a kind of active electrochemical catalyst.     

有机溶剂热生长技术制备纳米CdS及其与聚苯胺复合膜的光学性能

以溶剂热生长技术(solvothermal technique)制备了半导体CdS的纳米微粒,并采用XRD、TEM、ED对其结构进行表征。在ITO导电玻璃上,采用电化学方法合成聚苯胺薄膜,以提拉的方法将CdS的纳米颗粒涂布其上,自组装得纳米CdS／PANI膜,并以荧光光谱(PL)及非线性Z-扫描法研究其光学特性。实验结果显示：经CdS修饰后,CdS／PANI膜的荧光发射峰强度增强,位置较单一PANI膜移至420nm处,同时经修饰后的复合物膜的非线性光学特性也有显著的提高。     

High-density attachment of FePt nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes by a facile microwave-assisted polyol method

High-density attachment and one-dimensional (1D) array of FePt nanoparticles (NPs) along carbon nanotubes (CNTs) surface to generate FePt/CNT nanocomposites were successfully obtained via a facile CNT-mediated microwave polyol method. The as-prepared 1D FePt/CNTs is about 10–20 nm in diameter and up to μm scale in length. By adjusting the solvents, the ratio of Fe/Pt and the attached density of FePt NPs on the surface of CNTs could be well controlled. The structures, composition, and magnetic properties of the FePt/CNTs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and magnetic measurements. The possible growth mechanism has also been proposed.     

Nitrogenation of FePt nanoparticles

We present in-situ nitrogenation of FePt nanoparticles produced by DC sputtering. The addition of nitrogen to the sputtering gas leads to the incorporation of nitrogen atoms into the FePt lattice of the particles during their nucleation. This is verified by electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy filtered transmission electron microscopy.     

Solution-combustion: the versatile route to synthesize silver nanoparticles

The solution-combustion synthesis (SCS) method was used to prepare silver nanoparticles using glycine and citric acid as fuels. The different combination of fuel to oxidant ratio was used to prepare Ag nanoparticles and its effect on optical spectra, structure and the morphology explored. The purposed method is rapid, effective, cheap and convenient. Silver nanoparticles with different sizes and shapes were synthesized depending upon the different oxidant/fuel ratios. The nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy. Histograms were drawn to compare the mean particle size of synthesized nanoparticles. It was found that citric acid was better fuel as compared to glycine as it results in the more spherical symmetrical nanoparticles, which are supported by various characteristic studies.     

L10相FePt纳米颗粒及其纳米结构研究进展

面心四方结构（L10相）的FePt复合纳米磁性颗粒具有极高的磁晶各向异性能、高饱和磁化强度、极小的超顺磁极限颗粒尺寸和优异的化学稳定性，是下一代超高密度垂直磁记录介质最有希望的候选材料，在药物定向载体、纳米检测和敏感器件、功能化细胞研究等方面也有广泛的应用前景，文章概述了基于化学热溶剂分解方法制备FePt纳米颗粒、结构、性质，总结并评述了其在纳米结构自组装和应用等方面研究的最新进展．     

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles at Room Temperature Using Kiwifruit Juice

Comparing with physical and chemical methods, green synthesis techniques are emerging as facile and eco-friendly methods for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. In this work, we demonstrated the biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles by the reduction of silver ions using kiwifruit juice as the reducing and stabilizing reagent. From the evidence of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, different sizes of silver nanoparticles were formed when the juice volume, reaction temperature, and reaction time were altered with respect to 0.01% silver acetate solution. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were stable for more than 1 month. Transmission electron microscopy studies showed the silver nanoparticles synthesized in room temperature have the diameters in the range of 5–25 nm. The proposed synthesis method is green and low cost, and the synthesized silver nanoparticles have potential bioanalytical applications.     

Quasi-Hexagonal Ordered Arrays of FePt Nanoparticles Prepared by a Micellar Method

Hexagonally ordered arrays of magnetic FePt nanoparticles on Si substrates are prepared by a self assembly of diblock copolymer PS-b-P2VP in toluene, a dip coating process and finally plasma treatment. The as-treated FePt nanoparticles are covered by an oxide layer that can be removed by a 40 s Ar＋ sputtering. The effects of the sequence of adding salts on the composition distribution are revealed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. No particle agglomeration is observed after 600℃annealing for the present ordered array of FePt nanoparticles, which exhibits advantages in patterning FePt nanoparticles by a micellar method. Moreover, magnetic properties of the annealed FePt nanoparticles at room temperature are investigated by a vibrating sample magnetometer.     

Anisotropically DNA-functionalized nanoparticle dimers

Self-assembly of complex, non-periodic nanostructures can only be achieved by using anisotropic building-blocks. The building blocks need to have at least four bonds pointing in separate directions [J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci. 3, 391 (2006)]. We have previously presented a method for the synthesis of such building-blocks using DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles. Here, we report on the progress in the experimental realization of this scheme. The first goal, in a process to make programmable self-assembly building-blocks using nanoparticles, is the production of dimers with different DNA-functions on the two component particles. We report on the fabrication of anisotropically functionalized dimers of nanoparticles of two different sizes. As a result of their anisotropy, these demonstrator building blocks can be made to assemble into spherical structures.     

Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using surfactant free in-air and microwave method

Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been successfully prepared by a facile route involving the reaction of zinc sulphate heptahydrate and sodium hydroxide through drop-by-drop mixing synthesis-IA, instant mixing synthesis-IA and under the influence of microwave radiations. The synthesis under different reaction conditions played an important role and led to the formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles of different size and shapes. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The concentration dependent antimicrobial activity of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was carried out. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated using the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV irradiation. Further, the optical properties of as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles were investigated by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The absence of surfactant led to a simple, cheap and fast method of synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles.