Synthesis of gold nanoparticles by microemulsion assisted photoreduction method

A new, clean, cost-effective and rapid method for the synthesis of stable spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is developed. This novel technique combines microemulsion as one of soft-nanotechnology techniques of wet chemistry, with photo-physics of UV-radiation in a unique versatile method to design and obtain controlled nanostructures for multifunctional materials. Based on a phase diagram in ternary water/Brij 30/n-heptane system pristine, and thiol functionalized, gold nanoparticles were obtained by a microemulsion assisted photoreduction technique, allowing increased flexibility during the synthesis and selection of materials. The spherical nanoparticles obtained by this route show a homogeneous size distribution, with an average diameter of 11 nm, for pristine gold nanoparticles and of 12 nm, for functionalized species. The evolution of the system at the nanoscale has been studied using, in tandem, UV-VIS and DLS measurements. The structure, size and shape of the final nanoparticles obtained have been evaluated by adequate instrumental techniques: FTIR, XRD and TEM image analysis. Kinetic studies have also been performed in order to follow the evolution of nanospecies during irradiation procedure.     

Removal of uranyl ions from UO2(NO3)2 solution by means of Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina algae

This paper deals with a study of the biosorption of UO₂ ²⁺ ions on two green algae: Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina. By investigating the retention degree versus contact time from Langmuir and Freundlich biosorption isotherms, kinetic investigations and FTIR spectra it was found that the biosorption process was greater for Chlorella vulgaris than for Dunaliella salina. A new kinetics method is proposed to establish the reaction order concerning the biosorption process of uranyl ions on these biomasses.      

The conformational preferences of acylphloroglucinols—a promising class of biologically active compounds

Acylphloroglucinols are a broad class of phloroglucinol derivatives characterized by the presence of a COR group, where R is more often an alkyl chain. They are largely present in natural sources and exhibit a variety of biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antitumor, antioxidant, and antimalarial. This work reports the results of a systematic conformational study (in vacuo, chloroform, acetonitrile, and water) of a representative number (118) of actual and model acylphloroglucinol structures, considering the most common R chains and investigating conformational preferences and relative energies as well as the influence of specific structural features characterizing significant subsets of compounds. The study aimed at identifying patterns for conformational preferences and at singling out the conformational aspects more closely related to the individuality of different structures, as these are expected to be more closely linked to the differences in the biological activities of different compounds. The results highlight patterns enabling reliable predictions of the conformational preferences of acylphloroglucinol molecules. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Thermal degradation and fire resistance of unsaturated polyester, modified acrylic resins and their composites with natural fibres

The thermal degradation and fire resistance of different natural fibre composites were studied. Unsaturated polyester (UP) and modified acrylic resins (Modar) were used as matrix composites. The smoke emission of the materials was also analysed, as well as, the performance against the fire of the biocomposites and glass reinforced composites was compared. Thermal degradation indicated that the Modar matrix composites were more resistant to temperature than the composites with UP matrix. Flax fibre, due to their low lignin content, exhibit the best thermal resistance among the natural fibres studied.From the results obtained about the thermal and fire resistance of the composites it is possible to conclude that the flax fibre seems to be the most adequate to be used, due to the long time to ignition and the long period prior to reach the flashover. On the other hand, the jute fibre composites showed a short duration but a quick growing fire with the lowest smoke emission. The low smoke is an important advantage, which reduces one of the main hazards of fire.     

Effects of DNA on the growth and optical properties of luminescent organic microcrystals

The reprecipitation method, which is a solvent-exchange process, was used to prepare free-standing microcrystals from an organic fluorescent dye, 4-n-octylamino-7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. Calf thymus DNA was introduced as an additive into the reprecipitation medium, strongly accelerating the process. The reprecipitation kinetics was monitored by UV/vis absorption spectroscopy, and the analysis of the rate constants allowed the role played by the additive to be clarified. DNA was also found to affect the shape and size of the dye microcrystals obtained. In particular, its presence induced the formation of a new type of microcrystal that displays original two-color fluorescence. The emission properties were first analyzed on the suspensions, using a traditional fluorimeter, and then on individual microcrystals by means of a space- and time-correlated photon-counting photomutiplier installed on a microscope. The study on single microcrystals suggests that the dual coloration observed originates from the reabsorption of the blue component of the emitted light, whereas the remaining red component propagates through the microcrystal body and is scattered by the edges. However, the color of the other types of microcrystals can be explained only by specific arrangements of molecules at the surface of the crystal.     

A comparison of the electron ionization and electrospray behaviour of some N,N'-disubstituted hexahydropyrimidines

The behaviour of some N,N'-disubstituted hexahydropyrimidines, a class of naturally occurring compounds of biological and biomedical interest, has been studied in both electron ionization (EI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) modes coupled with collisional experiments (ESI-MSn). In both techniques, the [M-H]+ ions are highly abundant, even if their formation is generated by two different mechanisms, i.e. H. loss from the M+. species in the case of EI and hydride (H-) abstraction from the molecules in the case of ESI. Furthermore, due to the low, step-by-step internal energy deposition typical of collisional experiments performed in an ion trap mass spectrometer, different fragment ions were observed in EI and ESI-MSn collisions. In both cases, the ions can be related to the original structure and allow us to identify the positions in which the different substituents are present.     

The design and investigation of room temperature thermotropic nematic gold nanoparticles

Nematic gold nanoparticles, covered with a monolayer of calamitic mesogens and short hydrocarbon chains, have been synthesized and investigated. The materials are chemically stable and exhibit nematic phase behavior at room temperature.     

Morphological and electrical characteristics of amino acid–AuNP nanostructured two-dimensional ensembles

The interaction between amino acids (l-cysteine, l-lysine) and gold nanoparticle layers deposited on ITO glasses was investigated. The citrate capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were first deposited as a thin layer onto silanized ITO and subsequently linked with an amino acid, due to strong affinity of thiol and amine groups to gold. The gold nanoparticles had an elliptical shape, with size varying between 7 and 14 nm, as indicated by TEM analysis. After deposition on ITO substrate, the nanoparticles self-assembled into large aggregates with poor contact between, as revealed by AFM. After linking l-cysteine or l-lysine to the surface of nanoparticles layer, a change in morphology occured. A better contact between the gold aggregates boundary developed, which improved the conducting properties of the nanostructured layer. The electrical resistance of the AuNPs layer, obtained from I–V measurements, was very high (2.8 × 10¹³ Ω) and slightly decreased after linking the NPs with amino acids.     

Conductance oscillations in a mesoscopic ring threaded by a harmonically time-dependent magnetic flux

We consider a microscopic model for a one-dimensional ring of non-interacting electrons threaded by a magnetic flux of the form Φ(t)=Φ₀+Φ₁cos(Ω₀t)$\Phi (t)={\Phi }_0+{\Phi }_1\cos ({\Omega }_{0}t)$. The ring is attached to two reservoirs at which a bias voltage is applied. We focus on small amplitudes of Φ₁${\Phi }_1$, and we analyze the behavior of the conductance as a function of Φ₀${\Phi }_0$. We solve the problem by means of non-equilibrium Green function techniques.