Composition-controlled synthesis of bimetallic gold-silver nanoparticles

This paper reports findings of an investigation of the synthesis of monolayer-capped binary gold-silver (AuAg) bimetallic nanoparticles that is aimed at understanding the control factors governing the formation of the bimetallic compositions. The synthesis of alkanethiolate-capped AuAg nanoparticles was carried out using two related synthetic protocols using aqueous sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. One involves a two-phase reduction of AuCl(4)(-), which is dissolved in organic solution, and Ag(+), which is dissolved in aqueous solution. The other protocol involves a two-phase reduction of AuCl(4)(-) and AgBr(2)(-), both of which are dissolved in the same organic solution. AuAg nanoparticles of 2-3 nm core sizes with different compositions in the range of 0-100% Au have been synthesized. The two synthetic routes were compared in terms of bimetallic composition and size properties. Our new findings have allowed us to establish the correlation between synthetic feeding of metals and metal compositions in the bimetallic nanoparticles, which have important implications to the exploration of gold-based bimetallic nanoparticles for constructing sensing and catalytic nanomaterials.     

Spectrophotometric determination of ziram (dithiocarbamate fungicide) by thiocyanate and rhodamine 6G method

A sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of ziram in water, vegetables and grains. The method is based on the dissociation of dithiocarbamate complex of zinc with thiocyanate and rhodamine 6G at pH 4 to form a pink coloured complex that is stabilized by gelatin. The method is simple and Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration range of 0.05-1 ppm of ziram. The method is free from interference of similar dithiocarbamate fungicides containing Mn(2+) and Fe(3+) ions.     

Self-avoiding walks and trees in spread-out lattices

LetG _R be the graph obtained by joining all sites ofZ ^d which are separated by a distance of at mostR. Let (G _R ) denote the connective constant for counting the self-avoiding walks in this graph. Let (G _R ) denote the coprresponding constant for counting the trees embedded inG _R . Then asR, (G _R ) is asymptotic to the coordination numberk _R ofG _R , while (G _R ) is asymptotic toek _R. However, ifd is 1 or 2, then (G _R )-k _R diverges to –.Dedicated to Oliver Penrose on this occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Helical water chains in aquapores of organic hexahost: remarkable halogen-substitution effect on the handedness of water helix

Water helices surrounding the nano-channels of trichlorophloroglucinol and tribromophloroglucinol have different handedness, PMPMPM and PPPMMM (P = right-handed, M = left-handed), depending on halogenhalogen interactions between the host molecules.     

Rapid separation of microgram amounts of metal ions on stannic antimonate ion-exchange paper

Summary Microgram amounts of metal ions have been separated using stannic antimonate paper. Most of the separations can be accomplished within 15 minutes.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Verwendung von Zinn(IV)antimonat-Papier lassen sich Mikromengen zahlreicher Metallionen trennen. Die meisten Trennungen lassen sich innerhalb 15 min durchführen.

     

Determination of aluminium in bulk coal samples by neutron activation analysis

The determination of Al₂O₃, in bulk coal samples to an accuracy of about 0.2% Al₂O₃ has been achieved by means of a thermal-neutron activation technique based on the reaction ²⁷Al(n,γ)²⁸Al. In the analysed samples, which had widely different compositions, the Al₂O₃ concentrations ranged from 1 to 11% and the ash contents from 7 to 40%. Al₂O₃ concentrations measured by x-ray fluorescence showed a linear relationship with both the 1.78-MeV γ-ray count following the decay of ²⁸Al and the thermal-neutron count near the samples during irradiation. The linear relationship, which was obtained by regression analysis of the experimental data, determined the Al₂O₃concentrations with a standard deviation of 0.24% Al₂O₃. The particle sizes in the samples ranged from —0.5 to —40 mm, the moisture contents ranged from 1 to 6%, and the sample weights ranged from 8 to 11 kg. However, inclusion of these parameters in the regression analysis did not significantly improve the results for Al₂O₃.     

Nanosecond and picosecond laser flash photolysis studies of 2,2′-dinitrodiphenylmethanes

The transient absorption spectra of the 2,2′-dinitrodiphenylmethanes 1a–1c in solution were examined in the picosecond and nanosecond time ranges. The absorption bands, observed at 420–450 nm on 355 nm (18 ps) excitation of these compounds, were attributed to the nitronic acids 2a–2c, formed through the singlet-state- mediated intramolecular hydrogen abstraction and the triplet states of 1a–1c. Biradical intermediates, formed through the intramolecular abstraction of the benzylic hydrogen by the triplet excited state, were detected for 1a and 1b. Transient species produced following 355 nm (approximately 6 ns) pulse excitation of 1a–1c result in the formation of the corresponding nitronic acids 2a–2c, with absorption maxima around 415–430 nm. These nitronic acids are the precursors of the various products formed in the steady state irradiation of 1a–1c     

Simple methods for the direct assembly, functionalization, and patterning of acid-terminated monolayers on Si111

This article describes mild methods to directly assemble, functionalize, and pattern monolayers of undecylenic acid on hydrogen-terminated Si(111). These monolayers were assembled under very mild conditions from a neat solution of undecylenic acid containing 0.1 mol % 4-(decanoate)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinooxy at room temperature without the need for UV light. Because of these mild conditions, monolayers exposing carboxylic acids could be assembled in one step without the need to protect the acid prior to its assembly. The monolayers were extensively characterized by horizontal attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle goniometry. The monolayers bonded to the silicon surface preferentially through the olefin with no detectable bonds between the carboxylic acids and silicon. The crystallinity of the monolayer was studied by infrared spectroscopy through the antisymmetric--v(a)(CH(2))--and symmetric--v(s)(CH(2))--stretches for methylene. Because it is important for future applications to assemble functional surfaces, methods to react the acid-terminated monolayers with trifluoroacetic anhydride and triethylamine to yield a symmetric anhydride on the monolayer were studied. These anhydrides were reacted with a variety of milligram-quantity amines to yield amide-terminated surfaces. This method was general, and a variety of amines could be bonded to the monolayer. The stabilities of these monolayers upon exposure to ambient conditions and under a variety of solvents were described. Because patterned monolayers have found wide applications, we have developed methods to pattern 1-octadecylamine and poly(ethylenimine) on the micrometer scale using soft lithography. In addition, polymer brushes of polynorbornene with thicknesses from 32 to 150 nm were grown from monolayers patterned with the Grubbs' catalyst. The patterned surfaces were imaged by scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and ellipsometry to determine the thicknesses of the patterns and the fidelity of the method.     

Redox polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). I. Influence of surfactants on polymerization kinetics

Oxidation of ferrous orthophenanthroline (FeP) by peroxydiphosphate (PP) in aqueous medium at pH 1 was followed spectrophotometrically. Kinetic analysis has shown that oxidation occurs via the formation of an intermediate complex between FeP and PP. Equi-librium and rate constants were calculated. Influence of surfactants on the oxidation of FeP by PP was also Investigated. The equilibrium constant for complex formation was found to be higher in the presence of surfactants. The enhanced complex formation has been attributed to the ionic interactions between the charged surfactant and the ionic species in the reaction medium. Polymerization of HEMA initiated by the redox system,FeP/PP, was carried out in aqueous medium, under the conditions of excess reductant over oxidant and excess oxidant over reductant. The polymerization followed different mech-anisms under these conditions; with excess oxidant, the growing polymer radicals underwent oxidative termination, while with excess reductant, primary radical termination was pre-ferred. The effect of surfactants on the aqueous polymerization of HEMA using the redox system FeP/PP was also investigated. In addition to the decrease in rate, the polymerization followed a different mechanism in the presence of surfactants, the growing radicals ter-minated by mutual interaction. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.