Switchable surface properties through the electrochemical or biocatalytic generation of Ag0 nanoclusters on monolayer-functionalized electrodes

The electroswitchable and the biocatalytic/electrochemical switchable interfacial properties of a Ag(+)-biphenyldithiol (BPDT) monolayer associated with a Au surface are described. Upon the application of a potential corresponding to -0.2 V the Ag(+)-BPDT is reduced to the Ag(0)-BPDT interface, and silver nanoclusters are generated on the interface. The application of a potential that corresponds to 0.2 V reoxidizes the monolayer to the Ag(+)-BPDT monolayer. The reversible electrochemical transformation of the Ag(+)-BPDT monolayer and of the Ag(0)-BPDT surface was followed by electrochemical means and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR). The SPR experiments enabled us to follow the kinetics of nanoclustering of Ag(0) on the surface. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of the surface are controlled by the electrochemically induced transformation of the interface between the Ag(+)-BPDT and Ag(0)-BPDT states. The Ag(0)-BPDT monolayer reveals enhanced hydrophilicity. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of the interface were probed by contact angle measurements and force interactions with a hydrophobically-functionalized AFM tip. The Ag(0)-BPDT interface was also biocatalytically generated using alkaline phosphatase, AlkPh, and p-aminophenyl phosphate as substrate. The biocatalytically generated p-aminophenol reduces Ag(+) ions associated with the surface to Ag(0) nanoclusters. This enables the cyclic biocatalytic/electrochemical control of the surface properties of the modified electrode.     

Structural characteristics of different types of nanoparticles synthesised in mesomorphic metal alkanoates

The class of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals (LCs) of the metal alkanoates possesses a number of unique properties, such as intrinsic ionic conductivity, high dissolving ability and ability to form time-stable mesomorphic glasses. These ionic LCs can be used as nanoreactors for the synthesis and stabilisation of different types of nanoparticles (NPs). Thus, some semiconductors, metals and core/shell NPs were chemically synthesised in the thermotropic ionic liquid crystalline phase (smectic A) of the cadmium octanoate (CdC₈) and of the cobalt octanoate (CoC₈). By applying the scanning electron microscopy, the cadmium and cobalt octanoate composites containing CdS, Au, Ag and core/shell Au/CdS NPs have been studied. NPs’ sizes and dispersion distribution of the NPs’ size in the nanocomposites have been obtained.     

Effect of the shape of an approximate potential on the calculation of vibrational levels of diatomic molecules

The effect of the potential shape on the calculation of vibrational levels of diatomic molecules is investigated in terms of the molecular parameters, obtained from its Dunham, Ogilvie-Tipping, Simons-Parr-Finlan, and Takkar approximate expansions. It is established that the last two representations provide the best reconstruction of vibrational levels from an adjustable potential.     

Heat capacity,electrical and thermal conductivity of silicene

We investigate the electronic heat capacity, electrical and thermal conductivity ofmonolayer planar and buckled silicon sheets (silicene) through tight binding approximationand Kubo-Greenwood formula. Applying and increasing dopant atoms to the system leads toopening a gap in the band structures and density of states that causes to decrease(increase) the heat capacity before (after) the Schottky anomaly. The electrical andelectronic thermal conductivity of doped silicene reduces with increasing impuritystrength.     

Periodic Orbits and Bifurcations of the Vibrational Modes of the Ozone Molecule at High Energies

Russian Physics Journal - The study of quantum states near the dissociation threshold is necessary both to understand the formation of molecules and to explore accurately chemical reactions....