Photogeneration of Silver Particles in PVA Fibers and Films

Fibers and films prepared from blends of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid) were found to be suitable matrices for the solid-state photoreduction of silver ions in the presence of air. Fast generation of nanometer-sized silver crystallites was observed when fibers of polymer blends crosslinked with dimethyl sulfoxide were irradiated with 350nm light. Optical determinations of the formation kinetics were carried out using thin films of noncrosslinked as well as lightly and heavily crosslinked polymer blends. Small Ag clusters were detected initially, which were stable in the dark but transformed into larger metal particles upon further illumination. Both formation processes occurred only under high light intensity illumination and the kinetic data were inconsistent with monophotonic mechanisms.     

双功能型嵌入镍纳米颗粒的碳棱柱状微米棒电极用于电化学甲醇氧化助力的节能产氢

With the rapid development of human society, clean energy forms are imperative to sustain the normal operations of various mechanical and electrical facilities under a cozy environment. Hydrogen is considered among the most promising clean energy sources for the future. Recently, electrochemical water splitting has been considered as one of the most efficient approaches to harvest hydrogen energy, which generates only non-pollutant water on combustion. However, the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction significantly restricts the efficiency of water splitting and requires a relatively high cell voltage to drive the electrolysis. Therefore, seeking a thermodynamically favorable anodic reaction to replace the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction by utilizing highly active bifunctional electrocatalysts for the anodic reaction and hydrogen evolution are crucial for achieving energy-efficient hydrogen production for industrial applications. Nevertheless, it is known that the oxygen evolution reaction can be replaced with other useful and thermodynamically favorable reactions to reduce the electrolysis voltage for realizing energy-efficient hydrogen production. Therefore, in this study, we present a bifunctional nickel nanoparticle-embedded carbon (Ni@C) prism-like microrod electrocatalyst synthesized via a two-step method involving the synthesis of a precursor metal-organic framework-74 and subsequent carbonization treatment for methanol oxidation and hydrogen evolution. The interfacial structure consisting of a nickel and carbon skeleton was realized via in situ carbonization. However, the dispersed nickel nanoparticles do not easily aggregate owing to the partition by the surrounding carbon as it would sufficiently expose the active Ni sites to the electrolytes, ensuring fast charge transfer between the catalyst and electrolytes by accelerating the electrochemical kinetics. In the anodic methanol oxidation, the products were detected as carbon dioxide and formate with faradaic efficiencies of 36.2% and 62.5%, respectively, at an applied potential of 1.55 V. Meanwhile, the Ni@C microrod catalyst demonstrated high activity and durability (2.7% current decay after 12 h of continuous operation) toward methanol oxidation, which demonstrates that methanol oxidation precedes oxidation under voltage forces. Notably, the bifunctional catalyst not only exhibits excellent performance toward methanol oxidation but also yields a low overpotential of 155 mV to drive 10 mA∙cm⁻² toward hydrogen evolution in 1.0 mol∙L⁻¹ KOH aqueous solution with 0.5 mol∙L⁻¹ methanol at room temperature, which guarantees the hydrogen production efficiency. More importantly, the constructed two-electrode electrolyzer produced a current density of 10 mA∙cm⁻² at a low cell voltage of 1.6 V, which decreased by 240 mV after replacing the oxygen evolution reaction with methanol oxidation.     

Characterization of Nested Hollow Inorganic Fullerene-like Tungsten Disulfide Nanoparticles Prepared by Solid-Gas Reaction

Non-carbon inorganic fullerene-like(IF) nanoscale materials have recently attracted intense interest due to their nested hollow and nanotube structures,In this letter,IF-WS2 nanoparticles prepared by solid-gas reaction were characterized by X-ray diffraction,Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The results show that the IF-WS2 nanoparticles have a nested hollow closed spherical structure with diameter of 100-150mm.     

直接甲醇燃料电池阳极电催化剂

直接甲醇燃料电池作为未来清洁的动力能源，由于具有下列优点：操作温度低(<100℃)、燃料易储存和运输、能量效率高、污染低和燃料启动快而受到人们广泛的关注。阳极电催化剂是直接甲醇燃料电池最重要的组成部分。本文综述了近三年来直接甲醇燃料电池阳极电催化剂最新的研究进展，主要对催化剂制备方法、新型碳载体材料、催化剂类型作了详细的评述，展望了未来甲醇电催化氧化催化剂的发展，指出了电催化剂面临的问题。     

Estimating reaction parameters in mechanism-enabled population balance models of nanoparticle size distributions: A Bayesian inverse problem approach

In order to quantitatively predict nano- as well as other particle-size distributions, one needs to have both a mathematical model and estimates of the parameters that appear in these models. Here, we show how one can use Bayesian inversion to obtain statistical estimates for the parameters that appear in recently derived mechanism-enabled population balance models (ME-PBM) of nanoparticle growth. The Bayesian approach addresses the question of “how well do we know our parameters, along with their uncertainties?.” The results reveal that Bayesian inversion statistical analysis on an example, prototype nanoparticle formation system allows one to estimate not just the most likely rate constants and other parameter values, but also their SDs, confidence intervals, and other statistical information. Moreover, knowing the reliability of the mechanistic model's parameters in turn helps inform one about the reliability of the proposed mechanism, as well as the reliability of its predictions. The paper can also be seen as a tutorial with the additional goal of achieving a “Gold Standard” Bayesian inversion ME-PBM benchmark that others can use as a control to check their own use of this methodology for other systems of interest throughout nature. Overall, the results provide strong support for the hypothesis that there is substantial value in using a Bayesian inversion methodology for parameter estimation in particle formation systems.     

Catalytic conversions of chloroolefins over iron oxide nanoparticles 2. Isomerization of dichlorobutenes over iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized on the surface of ultradispersed poly(tetrafluoroethylene)

Nanosized iron oxides stabilized on the surface of ultradispersed poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (UPTFE) granules were synthesized by the thermal destruction of iron formate in boiling bed of UPTFE on the surface of heated mineral oil. The particle size of nanoparticles (∼6 nm) containing 5, 10, and 16 wt.% Fe depends weakly on the temperature of synthesis and iron to polymer ratio. The metal state is determined by the synthesis conditions. The nanoparticles synthesized at 280 °C consist mainly of the Fe₃O₄ and Fe₂O₃ phases. The samples obtained at 320 °C also contain iron(II) oxide. The catalytic properties of the obtained samples were tested in dichlorobutene isomerization. Unlike isomerization on the iron oxide nanoparticles supported on silica gel, reaction over the UPTFE supports proceeds without an induction period. The sample with 10 wt.% Fe containing magnetically ordered γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles possesses the highest catalytic activity. Fast electron exchange between the iron ions in different oxidation states and high defectiveness of the nanoparticles contribute, most likely, to the catalytic activity. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1383–1390, June, 2005.     

Sensitive Flow-Injection Electrochemical Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide at a Palladium Nanoparticle-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode

A novel flow-injection amperometric method was proposed for the sensitive and enzymeless determination of hydrogen peroxide based on its electrocatalytic reduction at a palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode in a laboratory-constructed electrochemical flow cell. Cyclic voltammograms of the unmodified and modified electrodes were recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer containing 0.10 M KCl at a scan rate of 50?mV s^?1 for the investigation of electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide at the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode. Cyclic voltammograms of the pretreated pencil graphite electrode revealed an irreversible oxidation peak and a weak reduction peak of hydrogen peroxide at +1100?mV and –450?mV vs. an Ag/AgCl/KCl saturated reference electrode. However, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide was observed at –100?mV with an increase in current in the cyclic voltammograms of the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode compared to the unmodified electrode. These results indicate that the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. A linear concentration range was obtained between .01 and 10.0?mM hydrogen peroxide with a detection limit of 3.0 µM from flow injection amperometric current–time curves recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer at –100?mV and a 2.0?mL min^?1 flow rate. The novelty of this work relies on its use of a laboratory-constructed flow cell constructed for the pencil graphite electrode using these inexpensive, disposable, and electrochemically reactive modified electrodes for the amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide in a flow injection analysis system.     

自组装单层保护金纳米团簇的量子化电容充电

本文研究自组装单层保护金纳米团簇(C12Au MPC)在常温下二氯甲烷溶液中的量子化电容充电效应.示差脉冲伏安曲线显示金核平均直径为2.0 nm的C12Au MPC在-0.6~0.6 V电位区间内有9个明显的量子化电容充电峰,其双电层电容总的变化趋势为在零电荷电位附近最小,随着电位正移或负移电容变大.而且随着该金核尺寸的增大,MPC双电层电容值也变大.     

Carnosic Acid Encapsulated in Albumin Nanoparticles Induces Apoptosis in Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cells

Carnosic acid (CA) is a natural phenolic compound with several biomedical actions. This work was performed to study the use of CA-loaded polymeric nanoparticles to improve the antitumor activity of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and colon cancer cells (Caco-2). CA was encapsulated in bovine serum albumin (BSA), chitosan (CH), and cellulose (CL) nanoparticles. The CA-loaded BSA nanoparticles (CA-BSA-NPs) revealed the most promising formula as it showed good loading capacity and the best release rate profile as the drug reached 80% after 10 h. The physicochemical characterization of the CA-BSA-NPs and empty carrier (BSA-NPs) was performed by the particle size distribution analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential. The antitumor activity of the CA-BSA-NPs was evaluated by measuring cell viability, apoptosis rate, and gene expression of GCLC, COX-2, and BCL-2 in MCF-7 and Caco-2. The cytotoxicity assay (MTT) showed elevated antitumor activity of CA-BSA-NPs against MCF-7 and Caco-2 compared to free CA and BSA-NPs. Moreover, apoptosis test data showed an arrest of the Caco-2 cells at G₂/M (10.84%) and the MCF-7 cells at G2/M (4.73%) in the CA-BSA-NPs treatment. RT-PCR-based gene expression analysis showed an upregulation of the GCLC gene and downregulation of the BCL-2 and COX-2 genes in cells treated with CA-BSA-NPs compared to untreated cells. In conclusion, CA-BSA-NPs has been introduced as a promising formula for treating breast and colorectal cancer.     

SiO2包覆铕(Ⅲ)配合物的荧光纳米粒子合成与性质

以前驱物pAB-DTPAA-APTEOS、正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)和三氯化铕(EuCl3)等为原料,采用油包水(W/O)的反相微乳液法,在正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)和3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(APTEOS)的共同水解下,制备出新型的SiO2包覆铕配合物荧光纳米粒子Eu-pAB-DTPAA-AP-SiO2。运用TEM、IR、UV-Vis、荧光光谱等技术对荧光纳米粒子进行了表征。TEM结果表明:包覆体呈球形,分散均匀,平均粒径为40nm。纳米粒子与配体、前驱物的紫外吸收谱相比较,峰位发生了一定的红移,表明通过反相微乳液法得到的固体粉末与EuCl3反应后,已经生成配合物Eu-pAB-DTPAA-AP-SiO2。红外光谱研究表明,在801cm-1出现νSi—C的伸缩振动峰,471cm-1处出现νEu—O的伸缩振动峰。由此证实Eu-pAB-DTPAA-AP-SiO2配合物的存在。荧光光谱分析表明,纳米粒子Eu-pAB-DTPAA-AP-SiO2表现出较好的荧光性能,位于592,615,689nm的发射峰分别归属于Eu3 离子的5D0→7F1、5D0→7F2和5D0→7F4跃迁,其中最强峰615nm属于Eu3 的特征跃迁发射。作为一种新型的荧光试剂,该纳米粒子具有粒径小,亲水性强,荧光强度大,且表面的氨基能方便地与生物分子偶联,故可作为优良的时间分辨荧光标记物用于各种高灵敏生物检测技术中。