Uptake of Europium(III) from Water using Magnetite Nanoparticles

It is demonstrated that colloidal magnetite nanoparticles can be used as nanosorbents for lanthanide ions dissolved in water. In particular, a series of experiments are performed for the removal of Eu(III) in distinct analytical conditions and by applying an external magnet to collect the sorbents previously dispersed in water samples. Furthermore, strategies for surface chemistry functionalization are also investigated, aiming to investigate the effect of this parameter on the removal capacity of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The supernatant solutions are monitored for the remaining amount of Eu(III) by fluorescence emission measurements in the presence of 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid as a sensitizer. The results demonstrate that neat Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles are capable of capturing lanthanide ions (III) from aqueous solutions (pH 7), without need of surface modification, and for subsequent removal by magnetic separation. During the removal, efficiency is increased after modifying the particles' surfaces with silica and 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane; in alkaline medium (pH 10), there is complete removal regardless the type of nanosorbent used. This has been explained by the formation of insoluble Eu(III) species that adsorb strongly to the nanosorbents surfaces allowing their subsequent magnetic separation.     

Improved growth of solution‐deposited thin films on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2

CdS and Zn(O,S) grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) are well established buffer materials for Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) solar cells. As recently reported, a non‐contiguous coverage of CBD buffers on CIGS grains with {112} surfaces can be detected, which was explained in terms of low surface energies of the {112} facets, leading to deteriorated wetting of the chemical solution on the CIGS surface. In the present contribution, we report on the effect of air annealing of CIGS thin films prior to the CBD of CdS and Zn(O,S) layers. In contrast to the growth on the as‐grown CIGS layers, these buffer lay‐ ers grow densely on the annealed CIGS layer, even on grains with {112} surfaces. We explain the different growth behavior by increased surface energies of CIGS grains due to the annealing step, i.e., due to oxidation of the CIGS surface. Reference solar cells were processed and completed by i‐ZnO/ZnO:Al layers for CdS and by (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al for Zn(O,S) buffers. For solar cells with both, CdS and Zn(O,S) buffers, air‐annealed CIGS films with improved buffer coverage resulted in higher power‐conversion efficiencies, as compared with the devices containing as‐grown CIGS layers. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

P‐type tin‐oxide thin film transistors for blue‐light detection application

We reported the characteristics of p‐type tin‐oxide (SnO) thin film transistors (TFTs) upon illumination with visible light. Our p‐type TFT device using the SnO film as the active channel layer exhibits high sensitivity toward the blue‐light with a high light/dark read current ratio (I_light/I_dark) of 8.2 × 10³ at a very low driven voltage of <3 V. Since sensing of blue‐light radiation is very critical to our eyes, the proposed p‐type SnO TFTs with high sensitivity toward the blue‐light show great potential for future blue‐light detection applications.

     

A facile method for the synthesis of large‐size Ag nanoparticles as efficient SERS substrates

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) enjoy a reputation as an ultrasensitive substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). However, large‐scale synthesis of Ag NPs in a controlled manner is a challenging task for a long period of time. Here, we reported a simple seed‐mediated method to synthesize Ag NPs with controllable sizes from 50 to 300 nm, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. SERS spectra of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) from the as‐prepared Ag NPs substrates indicate that the enhancement capability of Ag NPs varies with different excitation wavelengths. The Ag NPs with average sizes of ~150, ~175, and ~225 nm show the highest SERS activities for 532, 633, and 785‐nm excitation, respectively. Significantly, 150‐nm Ag NPs exhibit an enhancement factor exceeding 10⁸ for pyridine (Py) molecules in electrochemical SERS (EC‐SERS) measurements. Furthermore, finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) calculation is employed to explain the size‐dependent SERS activity. Finally, the potential of the as‐prepared SERS substrates is demonstrated with the detection of malachite green. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

第一性原理研究[112]硅锗异质结纳米线的电子结构与光学性质

基于密度泛函理论体系下的广义梯度近似,本文利用第一性原理方法着重研究了[112]晶向硅锗异质结纳米线的电子结构与光学性质.能带结构计算表明:随着锗原子数的增加,[112]晶向硅锗纳米线的带隙逐渐减小;对Si_(36)Ge_(24)H_(32)纳米线施加单轴应变,其能量带隙随拉应变的增加而单调减小.光学性质计算则表明:随着锗原子数的增加,[112]硅锗纳米线介电函数的峰位和吸收谱的吸收边均向低能量区移动;而随着拉应变的增大,吸收系数峰值呈现出逐渐减小的趋势,且峰位不断向低能量区移动,上述结果说明锗原子数的增加与施加拉应变均导致[112]硅锗纳米线的吸收谱产生红移.本文的研究为硅锗异质结纳米线光电器件研究与设计提供一定的理论参考.     

Generalized effective-potential Landau theory for the two-dimensional extended Bose-Hubbard model

We analytically study the quantum phase diagrams of ultracold dipolar Bose gases in an optical square lattice at zero temperature by using the generalized effective-potential Landau theory (GEPLT). For a weak nearest-neighbor repulsion, our analytical results are better than the third-order strong-coupling expansion theory calculation. In contrast to a previous quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulation, we analytically calculate phase transition boundaries up to the third-order hopping, which are in excellent agreement with QMC simulations for second-order phase transition.     

空气耦合电容式微超声换能器设计

建立了空气耦合电容式微超声换能器(CMUT)的理论方法,分析CMUT各个结构参数对其性能参数的影响。根据理论分析结果结合无损检测应用背景设计了一个由16个阵元构成的CMUT阵列,并采用SOI晶圆键合工艺制作。该阵列每个阵元包含16个圆形CMUT敏感单元,敏感单元的半径400μm,中心频率230 kHz。建立CMUT发射和接收瞬态仿真模型分别得到CMUT发射声压和接收灵敏度与激励电压的关系,并通过实验测试验证该仿真模型的准确性。最后通过实验对CMUT与商用压电空耦超声换能器的性能进行对比,实验结果表明CMUT的发射声压和接收灵敏度与商用换能器达到相同数量级,并且能够成功激发和接收铝合金板中A_0模态Lamb波。     

Symmetry Reductions,Group‐Invariant Solutions,and Conservation Laws of a (2+1)‐Dimensional Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation in a Heisenberg Ferromagnetic Spin Chain

Nonlinear spin excitations in ferromagnetic spin chains are studied for spintronic and magnetic devices including magnetic‐field sensors and for high‐density data storage. Here, (2+1)‐dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation is investigated, which describes the nonlinear spin dynamics for a Heisenberg ferromagnetic spin chain. Lie point symmetry generators and Lie symmetry groups of that equation are derived. Lie symmetry groups are related to the time, space, scale, rotation transformations, and Galilean boosts of that equation. Certain solutions, which are associated with the known solutions, are constructed. Based on the Lie symmetry generators, the reduced systems of such an equation are obtained. Based on the polynomial expansion and through one of the reduced systems, group‐invariant solutions are constructed. Soliton‐type group‐invariant solutions are graphically investigated and effects of the magnetic coupling coefficients, that is, α₁, α₂, α₃, and α₄, on the soliton's amplitude, width, and velocity are discussed. It is seen that α₁, α₂, α₃, and α₄ have no influence on the soliton's amplitude, but can affect the soliton's velocity and width. Lax pair and conservation laws of such an equation are derived.     

Theranostic Iron@Gold Core–Shell Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Hyperthermia‐Chemotherapy upon Photo‐Stimulation

The challenges of nanoparticles, such as size‐dependent toxicity, nonbiocompatibility, or inability to undergo functionalization for drug conjugation, limit their biomedical application in more than one domain. Oval‐shaped iron@gold core–shell (oFe@Au) magnetic nanoparticles are engineered and their applications in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and controlled drug release, are explored via photo stimulation‐generated hyperthermia. The oFe@Au nanoparticles have a size of 42.57 ± 5.99 nm and consist of 10.76 and 89.24 atomic % of Fe and Au, respectively. Upon photo‐stimulation for 10 and 15 minutes, the levels of cancer cell death induced by methotrexate‐conjugated oFe@Au nanoparticles are sixfold and fourfold higher, respectively, than oFe@Au nanoparticles alone. MRI and OCT confirm the application of these nanoparticles as a contrast agent. Finally, results of in vivo experiments reveal that the temperature is elevated by 13.2 °C, when oFe@Au nanoparticles are irradiated with a 167 mW cm^?2 808 nm laser, which results in a significant reduction in tumor volume and scab formation after 7 days, followed by complete disappearance after 14 days. The ability of these nanoparticles to generate heat upon photo‐stimulation also opens new doors for studying hyperthermia‐mediated controlled drug release for cancer therapy. Applications include biomedical engineering, cancer therapy, and theranostics fields.     

CaTiO3:Pr3+长余辉玻璃的制备与发光性能

用二次熔融法制备了CaTiO3：Pr^3＋红色长余辉玻璃。测量了样品的发射光谱,其发射光谱峰值为611．7,614．5nm,对应于Pr^3＋的4f-4f（^1D2→^3H4）跃迁,与CaTiO3：Pr^3＋晶态长余辉发光粉的发射光谱峰值相一致。玻璃粉与发光粉的质量配比在95：5～80：20时,都可以形成玻璃态并得到红色长余辉发光。研究了气氛和熔融温度对发光性能的影响,在空气环境下,800℃即可得到性能良好的样品。