Studies on the interaction of colloidal gold and serum albumins by spectral methods

The interactions of colloidal gold and serum albumins, including bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA), were studied by fluorescence and absorption spectrometry. Fluorescence quenching spectrometry was applied to study the interactions between colloidal gold and serum albumins. At pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), the intensity of fluorescence emission spectrum of serum albumins decreased in the presence of colloidal gold, which indicated that colloidal gold quenched the fluorescence of serum albumins. Experimental results indicated that the combination reactions of colloidal gold and serum albumins were static quenching processes. Based on the effect of colloidal gold on fluorescence intensity, the binding constants, the numbers of binding sites and the acting forces between colloidal gold and serum albumins were found.     

Two-fluid electroosmotic flow in microchannels

This paper presents a mathematical model to describe a two-fluid electroosmotic pumping technique, in which an electrically non-conducting fluid is delivered by the interfacial viscous force of a conducting fluid; the latter is driven by electroosmosis. The electrical potential in the conducting fluid and the analytical solution of the steady two-fluid electroosmotic stratified flow in a rectangular microchannel was presented by assuming a planar interface between the two immiscible fluids. The effects of viscosity ratio, hold-up, concentration, and interfacial zeta potential are analyzed to show the potential feasibility of this technique.     

Syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of mixed-valent diruthenium(II,III) diphosphonates with discrete and one-dimensional structures

Four mixed-valent ruthenium diphosphonates, namely, Na(4)[Ru(2)(hedp)(2)X]x16H(2)O [X = Cl (1), Br (2)], K(3)[Ru(2)(hedp)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]x6H(2)O (3), and Na(7)[Ru(2)(hedp)(2)Fe(CN)(6)]x24H(2)O (4), where hedp represents 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonate [CH(3)C(OH)(PO(3))(2)](4-), were synthesized and structurally characterized. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 show linear chain structures in which the mixed-valent [Ru(2)(hedp)(2)](3-) dimers are linked by X(-) or [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) bridges. Compound 3 contains discrete species of [Ru(2)(hedp)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](3-) where the axial positions of [Ru(2)(hedp)(2)](3-) paddlewheel are terminated by water molecules. Magnetic studies show that significant antiferromagnetic exchanges are mediated between the [Ru(2)(hedp)(2)](3-) (S = 3/2) units through halide bridges in compounds 1 and 2.     

Anisotropic metal nanoparticles: Synthesis, assembly, and optical applications

This feature article highlights work from the authors' laboratories on the synthesis, assembly, reactivity, and optical applications of metallic nanoparticles of nonspherical shape, especially nanorods. The synthesis is a seed-mediated growth procedure, in which metal salts are reduced initially with a strong reducing agent, in water, to produce approximately 4 nm seed particles. Subsequent reduction of more metal salt with a weak reducing agent, in the presence of structure-directing additives, leads to the controlled formation of nanorods of specified aspect ratio and can also yield other shapes of nanoparticles (stars, tetrapods, blocks, cubes, etc.). Variations in reaction conditions and crystallographic analysis of gold nanorods have led to insight into the growth mechanism of these materials. Assembly of nanorods can be driven by simple evaporation from solution or by rational design with molecular-scale connectors. Short nanorods appear to be more chemically reactive than long nanorods. Finally, optical applications in sensing and imaging, which take advantage of the visible light absorption and scattering properties of the nanorods, are discussed.     

A mesoporous template route to the low-temperature preparation of efficient green light emitting Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphors

Green light emitting Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphors have been prepared via a low-temperature solid-state reaction using mesoporous silica SBA-15 template. This mesoporous silica template method features low-temperature formation of phosphors and easy doping. The structure and morphology of the phosphors were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption/desorption techniques, which confirmed the single crystallinity, ordered mesostructure, closed pore channels, and elongated ropelike morphology. The luminescent properties were examined by photoluminescence spectroscopy at room temperature, and the results of fluorescence decay time measurements show non-single-exponential decay behavior and a decrease of the decay time with an increase of the Mn concentration.     

Large-scale synthesis and microstructure of SnO2 nanowires coated with quantum-sized ZnO nanocrystals on a mesh substrate

Large-quantity single-crystal SnO(2) nanowires coated with quantum-sized ZnO nanocrystals (nc-ZnO/SnO(2) nanowires) were directly synthesized by thermal evaporation of SnO powder and a mixture of basic ZnCO(3) and graphite powders. A common stainless steel mesh was used to collect the products. The microstructure and possible growth mechanism of the nc-ZnO/SnO(2) nanowires were investigated. Results showed that tetragonal structured SnO(2) nanowires were obtained, whose surfaces were coated with single-layer ZnO nanocrystals with an average diameter of less than 5 nm. The nanowires had cross-rectangle section with width-to-thickness aspect ratio ranging from 2:1 to 5:1. The lengths of the nanowires were several tens of micrometers. ZnO nanocrystals were single crystalline wurtzite structures, which coated the whole nanowires and distributed uniformly. The possible growth mechanism of the composite nanowires may be enucleated that Zn atoms in the source vapor will replace the Sn atoms on the surface of the formed SnO(2) nanowires due to the higher reducibility of Zn than Sn. Two strong Raman scattering peaks at 626 and 656 cm(-1) appeared in the micro-Raman spectrum of nc-ZnO/SnO(2) nanowires. The origins of the peaks were discussed. Most importantly, the method can be extended to other composite oxide nanowires that are synthesized by oxidizing two kinds of metals, such as high reducibility elements Mg, Al, Zn, and Ti, and low reducibility elements In, Ge, Ga, etc.     

Preparation and characterization of C16 monolithic columns for capillary electrochromatography

A series of methacrylamide-based C16 monolithic columns were prepared and characterized to determine how their porous structural properties and chromatographic behavior are affected by the percentages of functional monomer, base monomer, and cross-linker in the polymerization solution. Baseline separation of 6 neutral compounds can be readily obtained in an optimized column. Furthermore, the effects of organic additive in the mobile phase, operating voltages, and temperature on retention behaviors and separation efficiencies were also studied. The separation mechanism is also discussed. High column efficiency and good reproducibility indicate that the monolithic columns hold considerable promise.     

Electrical potential oscillation in an anionic surfactant system with barbitone in octanol as an oil phase

Studies were made on oscillations across a liquid membrane consisting of an oil layer, octanol containing barbitone, between two aqueous layers: one containing 8 mM SDS with alcohol and the other containing 0.1 M NaCl. The effects of various concentrations of chemical components in this system on the patterns of electrical oscillation were examined. The oscillations may be explained by the mechanism of repetitive formation and destruction of monolayer structures of the dodecyl sulfate anion at the interface between the organic and the aqueous phases, with the effect of proton penetration. This study of potential oscillation across a membrane containing a drug provides the possibility of further investigations in pharmacological activity.     

Thermokinetics on the reaction of formation of Dy[(C<Subscript>5</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>NS<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>(C<Subscript>12</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>)]

The enthalpy change of formation of the reaction of hydrous dysprosium chloride with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) and 1,10-phenanthroline (o-phen?H₂O) in absolute ethanol at 298.15 K has been determined as (-16.12 ± 0.05) kJ?mol^-1 by a microcalormeter. Thermodynamic parameters (the activation enthalpy, the activation entropy and the activation free energy), rate constant and kinetics parameters (the apparent activation energy, the pre-exponential constant and the reaction order) of the reaction have also been calculated. The enthalpy change of the solid-phase reaction at 298.15 K has been obtained as (53.59 ± 0.29) kJ?mol^t-1 by a thermochemistry cycle. The values of the enthalpy change of formation both in liquid-phase and solid-phase reaction indicated that the complex could only be synthesized in liquid-phase reaction.     

The Unusual Spectrum of the Mixture of Tin-octabutoxy Naphthalocyanine and SnCl2 in CH2Cl2

The Q-band position of tin-centered 5, 9, 14, 18, 23, 27, 32, 36-octabutoxy 2, 3-phthalocyanine(SnNc(OBu)8) exhibits dramatic red-shift as mixed with SnCl2 in CH2Cl2.