Switchable assembly of ultra narrow CdS nanowires and nanorods

We report on a simple route for the production of uniform and ultra narrow wurtzite CdS nanowires and nanorods. The nanorods are medium friendly (can exist in organic and aqueous phase) thus making them flexibly suitable for various applications. The centimeter range switchable ordering of the nanowires/rods into 3D microstrings by application of low magnitude DC electric field simply via two graphite electrodes is demonstrated. More sophisticated electrodes can be used for the same system to achieve more complex and fine patterns that can find potential use in nanoelectronics. The aligned microstrings (also wires/rods) show strong polarization dependence along their long axes. The polarized emission with respect to the unique c-axis makes the system suitable for orientation sensitive devices.     

Synthesis and characterization of PbS nanorods in W/O microemulsion system

PbS nanorods have been successfully synthesized in water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion containing non-ionic surfactant OP, n-pentanol, cyclohexane, and aqueous solution. The effects of the molar ratio of water to surfactant (ω₀), the concentration of reactants and the ageing time on the morphologies of PbS nanoparticles were investigated. The microstructures, morphologies and properties of the synthesized products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) absorption spectroscopy, respectively. The results showed that the synthesized rod-like products are composed of cubic phase PbS. These nanorods have an average diameter of about 100 nm, and an average length of about 500 nm. In the UV-VIS absorption spectrum, the absorption edge of PbS nanorods exhibit a blue shift compared with that of bulk PbS, indicating the quantum confinement effect of PbS nano-particles     

Ultrabright AIEdots with tunable narrow emission for multiplexed fluorescence imaging

AIEgen doped fluorescent nanodots (AIEdots) have attracted lots of attention, due to their superior characteristics as fluorescent probes, such as excellent photostability, large Stokes shift, high brightness and tunable emission. Unfortunately, most of the currently available AIEdots exhibit broad emission bandwidth, which limits their applications in multiplexed fluorescence imaging and detection. In this work, the strategy of designing and fabricating narrow emissive AIEdots (NE-AIEdots) with tunable wavelengths was presented by constructing a light-harvesting system with high energy transfer efficiency. Efficient intra-particle energy transfer from highly doped AIEgens, serving as the light-harvesting antenna, to the lightly doped narrow emissive fluorophore, resulted in high brightness and narrow emission. The emission band of NE-AIEdots with the full-width-at-half-maximum varied from 18 to 36 nm was 3–6.3 times narrower than that of traditional AIEdots. The single-particle brightness of NE-AIEdots was over 5-times that of commercial quantum dots under the same excitation and collection conditions. Taking advantage of the superior performance of these NE-AIEdots, multiplexed fluorescence imaging of lymph nodes in living mice was realized, which supported the future applications of NE-AIEdots for in vivo multiplexed labeling and clinical surgery.

AIEdots with high brightness and narrow emission bandwidth were developed for multiplexed in vitro and in vivo fluorescence imaging.     

Surfactant-assisted fabrication PbS nanorods, nanobelts, nanovelvet-flowers and dendritic nanostructures at lower temperature in aqueous solution

PbS nanostructures with different morphologies, such as rod-like, belt-like, downy-velvet-flower-like and dendrite-like, were fabricated successfully under varied reaction conditions in aqueous solution at lower temperature by the assistance of surfactant CTAB. Especially, among all the synthesis methods for PbS nanocrystals, this is the first report using basic acetate of lead, which was formed at initial reaction stage, as a precursor to control the crystal nucleation rate. This synthesis method is a promising one to metal sulfide for its easy control, low-cost and large-scale production. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV-visible spectrophotometer (UV-vis) were used to characterize the products. A rational mechanism is proposed and three control factors to the crystal directional growth are also concluded.     

Difluoroboron β-diketonate dye with intense red/near-infrared fluorescence in solutions and solid states

We reported a difluoroboron β-diketonate dye that displays bright red/NIR fluorescence in both solutions and solid states.     

Fabrication of polystyrene–PbS core-shell and hollow PbS microspheres with sulfonated polystyrene templates

Uniform inorganic- (PbS) coated polymer core-shell and hollow PbS microspheres were prepared by an easy and economical approach. Monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres were used as templates, as well as the core of the composite spheres; lead sulfide shells were obtained through the reaction of lead acetate (Pb(CH₃COO)₂) and thioacetamide (TAA) at room temperature. The morphologies and structures of the as-synthesized products were systematically characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). The fluorescence property of the as-synthesized product was also investigated. A reasonable mechanism for the formation of PS–PbS core-shell and hollow PbS microspheres was discussed. According to a series of parallel experiments, effects of related experimental parameters were also carefully investigated, such as the molar ratio of Pb(CH₃COO)₂ to TAA, reaction temperature, etc.     

Highly sensitive fluorescence determination of silver ions based on functionalized cadmium telluride nanorods

Microchimica Acta - Water-soluble fluorescent CdTe nanorods (NRs) capped with L-cysteine (Cys) and thioglycolic acid (TGA) were prepared for optical determination of silver ions. These NRs are...     

High-order multiphoton fluorescence of organic molecules in solution by intense femtosecond laser pulses

The five and possibly seven-photon fluorescence was observed for organic molecules in solution for the first time. A high-intensity laser enabled us to measure the properties of the high and any-order processes, and the emission could be directly visualized by the eye. These results showed that the common two-photon microscope could be upgraded to the higher order multiphoton microscope by choosing suitable excitation wavelengths. The multiphoton absorption cross sections differed by a factor of 10(33) as the order of the multiphoton process increased.     

Growth of PbS nanoparticles and nanorods through a simple synthetic route: A mechanistic study of the thioglycerol-catalyzed hydrolysis of thiosulfate

Water-soluble PbS nanoparticles (NPs) and nanorods were grown using Pb(NO₃)₂ and Na₂S₂O₃ as the precursors. Thioglycerol (TG) was shown to exhibit a catalytic role in the reaction and also acted as a capping agent. The solution pH plays an important role in nanocrystal growth, as higher pH leads to a higher release rate of S²⁻. This provides a way to control the nucleation growth processes. It was also demonstrated that dispersity of the obtained PbS NPs is related to the solution pH. PbS NPs with better water-solubility and narrower size distribution were produced by increasing the solution pH. The kinetics of hydrolysis of sodium thiosulfate has been examined.     

Liquid crystals alignment with PbS nanosculptured thin films

Lead sulphide (PbS) nano-sculptured thin films (nSTFs) are prepared for the first time using glancing angle deposition technique by physical vapour deposition process. An anisotropic morphology is obtained, which provides an orientational effect. Due to this anisotropic nature of PbS nSTF an attempt has been made to check its effect on the alignment of nematic liquid crystals (LCs). Two different LC devices were fabricated, that is, anti-parallel aligned or electrically-controlled birefringence and hybrid twisted nematic. It is noticed that in both types of devices, good alignment is obtained with high extinction and contrast. A significant effect of these alignments on the electro-optic properties of the LC is reported such as the threshold voltage, response time and contrast ratio.     

Synthesis of CdTe nanocrystals using Te nanorods as the Te source and the formation of microtubes with red fluorescence

Here, we report an alternative route to the preparation of highly luminescent CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) using Te nanorods instead of freshly prepared NaHTe as the Te source via a one-pot route under hydrothermal conditions. Furthermore, microtubes with red fluorescence were generated via simply aging the above CdTe NC suspension under ambient conditions.     

Synthesis of a quinone-functionalized macrocyclic ligand and the intense fluorescence of its zinc complex

The redox-active quinone-functionalized macrocyclic ligand 1,4,14,17-tetrahydroxyhemiporphyrazine, H2hp(OH)4, has been synthesized and its zinc complex, [Zn(hp(OH)4)(py)], found to exhibit intense fluorescence.     

不同形貌PbS 纳米粒子形成机理的探讨

采用聚乙二醇辛基苯基醚(OP)/正戊醇/环己烷/水溶液所形成的W/O型微乳液中的水核作软模板,合成了不同形貌如球形、立方体形、纺锤形、梭形和棒形的PbS纳米粒子。运用透射电子显微镜(TEM)对产物的形貌进行了表征。考察了W/O型微乳液中水与表面活性剂的物质的量的比(ω0)、反应物浓度和陈化时间等条件对产物形貌的影响。对不同形貌PbS纳米粒子的形成机理进行了探讨。     

CVD growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with narrow diameter distribution over Fe/MgO catalyst and their fluorescence spectroscopy

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a narrow diameter distribution are synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of methane over Fe/MgO catalyst on the basis of parametric study considering Fe loading, reaction temperature and time, methane concentration, and structure of a support material. We found that the porous MgO support gives the SWNTs with a narrow diameter distribution with the mean diameter and standard deviation of 0.93 and 0.06 nm, respectively, only when the Fe loading and reaction temperature are relatively low. The higher Fe loading and/or the higher reaction temperature enlarged the nanotube diameter, forming double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) in addition to SWNTs. This result indicates that only the diameter of Fe nanoparticles determines the growth of either SWNTs or DWNTs on the MgO support. The fluorescence and absorption spectra of the nanotube dispersion in D(2)O solution with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were studied to identify their chirality distribution. The fluorescence of the uniform-diameter SWNTs indicates the formation of the near armchair structures. On the other hand, the SWNTs synthesized over the catalyst with a high Fe loading, 3 wt %, showed a wide chirality distribution including the near zigzag structure. The synthesis of the SWNTs with a narrow diameter distribution could be applied to the selection of SWNTs with a specific chirality based on postsynthesis separation.     

Fast and slow deposition of silver nanorods on planar surfaces: application to metal-enhanced fluorescence

Two methods have been considered for the deposition of silver nanorods onto conventional glass substrates. In the first method, silver nanorods were deposited onto 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane-coated glass substrates simply by immersing the substrates into the silver nanorod solution. In the second method, spherical silver seeds that were chemically attached to the surface were subsequently converted and grown into silver nanorods in the presence of a cationic surfactant and silver ions. The size of the silver nanorods was controlled by sequential immersion of silver seed-coated glass substrates into a growth solution and by the duration of immersion, ranging from tens of nanometers to a few micrometers. Atomic force microscopy and optical density measurements were used to characterize the silver nanorods deposited onto the surface of the glass substrates. The application of these new surfaces is for metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), whereby the close proximity of silver nanostructures can alter the radiative decay rate of fluorophores, producing enhanced signal intensities and an increased fluorophore photostability. In this paper, it is indeed shown that irregularly shaped silver nanorod-coated surfaces are much better MEF surfaces as compared to traditional silver island or colloid films. Subsequently, these new silver nanorod preparation procedures are likely to find a common place in MEF, as they are a quicker and much cheaper alternative as compared to surfaces fabricated by traditional nanolithographic techniques.     

Label-free biosensing with lipid-functionalized gold nanorods

The fabrication of a label-free mass spectrometry and optical detection-based biosensor platform for the detection of low-abundance lipophilic analytes in complex mixtures is described. The biosensor consists of a lipid layer partially tethered to the surface of a gold nanorod. The effectiveness of the biosensor is demonstrated for the label-free detection of a lipophilic drug in aqueous solution and a lipopeptide in serum.     

A simple preparation technique for shape-controlled zinc oxide nanoparticles: Formation of narrow size-distributed nanorods using seeds in aqueous solutions

Various shapes of wurtzite-type ZnO nanoparticles were selectively produced in a simple aqueous system prepared by mixing ZnSO₄ and NaOH solutions. Ellipsoidal nanoparticles were obtained by the addition of an alkaline agent into an acidic zinc solution (acidic route), while nanorods were grown by mixing a zinc precursor into an alkaline solution (basic route). The aspect ratio and size distribution of the nanorods grown through the basic routes were controlled by the addition of nanoparticles prepared by the acidic route as seeds. On the other hand, micrometric branching rods were obtained by dilution of the reaction solution in the basic routes. The morphological variation of ZnO particles is ascribed to the balance of the nucleation and crystal growth depending on the degree of the supersaturation. We successfully prepared narrow size-distributed rods with a nanometric width and a submicrometric length using the seed particles, because the presence of the seeds suppressed additional nucleation and then controlled the degree of the supersaturation for steady growth of the crystalline particles.     

Aspect ratio dependence of the enhanced fluorescence intensity of gold nanorods: experimental and simulation study

Experimental observations and theoretical treatments are carried out for the band shape and relative intensity of the emission from gold nanorods of various aspect ratios in the range between 2.25 (1.5 theory) and 6.0 (9 theory). The calculation of the fluorescence spectra requires knowledge of the nanorod size distribution, the enhancement factors, and the shape of the unenhanced fluorescence spectrum. The size distribution is determined from the fit of the observed absorption spectrum for each value of aspect ratio studied to the theoretical model of Gans. The theory by Boyd and Shen is used for calculating the enhancement of the fluorescence spectrum of the previously observed weak emission of bulk gold, which originates from the interband transition. This is carried out for nanorods of different aspect ratios. To compare theory to the observed nanorod fluorescence spectra, which suffer from self-absorption, the calculated nanorod fluorescence spectra are corrected for this effect using the observed absorption spectra. The comparison between the observed and the calculated fluorescence band shapes is found to be good. The calculated changes in the relative intensities upon changing the aspect ratios are found to be much greater than that observed. This is due to the fact that for the observed emission of all the nanorods studied nonradiative processes dominate the relaxation mechanism of the excited state, a fact that was not included in the theoretical treatments.     

Chemical sensing and imaging with metallic nanorods

In this Feature Article, we examine recent advances in chemical analyte detection and optical imaging applications using gold and silver nanoparticles, with a primary focus on our own work. Noble metal nanoparticles have exciting physical and chemical properties that are entirely different from the bulk. For chemical sensing and imaging, the optical properties of metallic nanoparticles provide a wide range of opportunities, all of which ultimately arise from the collective oscillations of conduction band electrons ("plasmons") in response to external electromagnetic radiation. Nanorods have multiple plasmon bands compared to nanospheres. We identify four optical sensing and imaging modalities for metallic nanoparticles: (1) aggregation-dependent shifts in plasmon frequency; (2) local refractive index-dependent shifts in plasmon frequency; (3) inelastic (surface-enhanced Raman) light scattering; and (4) elastic (Rayleigh) light scattering. The surface chemistry of the nanoparticles must be tunable to create chemical specificity, and is a key requirement for successful sensing and imaging platforms.