Graphene Oxide Protected Nucleic Acid Probes for Bioanalysis and Biomedicine

Recently, the binding ability of DNA on GO and resulting nuclease resistance have attracted increasing attention, leading to new applications both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, nucleic acids absorbed on GO can be effectively protected from enzymatic degradation and biological interference in complicated samples, making it useful for targeted delivery, gene regulation, intracellular detection and imaging with high uptake efficiencies, high intracellular stability, and very low toxicity. In vitro, the adsorption of ssDNA on GO surface and desorption of dsDNA or well‐folded ssDNA from GO surface result in the protection and deprotection of DNA from nucleic digestion, respectively, which has led to target‐triggered cyclic enzymatic amplification methods (CEAM) for amplified detection of analytes with sensitivity 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than that of 1:1 binding strategies. This Concept article explores some of the latest developments in this field.     

Unusual Inherent Electrochemistry of Graphene Oxides Prepared Using Permanganate Oxidants

Graphene and graphene oxides are materials of significant interest in electrochemical devices such as supercapacitors, batteries, fuel cells, and sensors. Graphene oxides and reduced graphenes are typically prepared by oxidizing graphite in strong mineral acid mixtures with chlorate (Staudenmaier, Hofmann) or permanganate (Hummers, Tour) oxidants. Herein, we reveal that graphene oxides pose inherent electrochemistry, that is, they can be oxidized or reduced at relatively mild potentials (within the range ±1 V) that are lower than typical battery potentials. This inherent electrochemistry of graphene differs dramatically from that of the used oxidants. Graphene oxides prepared using chlorate exhibit chemically irreversible reductions, whereas graphene oxides prepared through permanganate‐based methods exhibit very unusual inherent chemically reversible electrochemistry of oxygen‐containing groups. Insight into the electrochemical behaviour was obtained through cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments. Our findings are of extreme importance for the electrochemistry community as they reveal that electrode materials undergo cyclic changes in charge/discharge cycles, which has strong implications for energy‐storage and sensing devices.     

Transition Metal Complexes of a Salen–Fullerene Diad: Redox and Catalytically Active Nanostructures for Delivery of Metals in Nanotubes

A covalently‐linked salen–C₆₀ (H₂L) assembly binds a range of transition metal cations in close proximity to the fullerene cage to give complexes [M(L)] (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd), [MCl(L)] (M=Cr, Fe) and [V(O)L]. Attaching salen covalently to the C₆₀ cage only marginally slows down metal binding at the salen functionality compared to metal binding to free salen. Coordination of metal cations to salen–C₆₀ introduces to these fullerene derivatives strong absorption bands across the visible spectrum from 400 to 630 nm, the optical features of which are controlled by the nature of the transition metal. The redox properties of the metal–salen–C₆₀ complexes are determined both by the fullerene and by the nature of the transition metal, enabling the generation of a wide range of fullerene‐containing charged species, some of which possess two or more unpaired electrons. The presence of the fullerene cage enhances the affinity of these complexes for carbon nanostructures, such as single‐, double‐ and multiwalled carbon nanotubes and graphitised carbon nanofibres, without detrimental effects on the catalytic activity of the metal centre, as demonstrated in styrene oxidation catalysed by [Cu(L)]. This approach shows promise for applications of salen–C₆₀ complexes in heterogeneous catalysis.     

Surfactant Hydrogels for the Dispersion of Carbon‐Nanotube‐Based Catalysts

Novel hydrogel phases based on positively charged and zwitterionic surfactants, namely, N‐[p‐(n‐dodecyloxybenzyl)]‐N,N,N‐trimethylammonium bromide (pDOTABr) and p‐dodecyloxybenzyldimethylamine oxide (pDOAO), which combine pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs), were obtained, thus leading to stable dispersions and enhanced cross‐linked networks. The composite hydrogel featuring a well‐defined nanostructured morphology and an overall positively charged surface was shown to efficiently immobilise a polyanionic and redox‐active tetraruthenium‐substituted polyoxometalate (Ru₄POM) by complementary charge interactions. The resulting hybrid gel has been characterised by electron microscopy techniques, whereas the electrostatic‐directed assembly has been monitored by means of fluorescence spectroscopy and ζ‐potential tests. This protocol offers a straightforward supramolecular strategy for the design of novel aqueous‐based electrocatalytic soft materials, thereby improving the processability of CNTs while tuning their interfacial decoration with multiple catalytic domains. Electrochemical evidence confirms that the activity of the catalyst is preserved within the gel media.     

Facile Self‐Assembly Synthesis of PdPt Bimetallic Nanotubes with Good Performance for Ethanol Oxidation in an Alkaline Medium

PdPt bimetallic nanotubes were prepared by the self‐assembly of Pt and Pd on Te nanowires at room temperature. The morphologies of the as‐prepared PdPt nanotubes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the results display a large amount of PdPt bimetallic nanotubes with a diameter of 10–20 nm and a length of several micrometers. The composition and structure of the nanotubes were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and energy spectrum analysis, and the results display uniform compositional distributions of both elements (Pd and Pt). The mechanism of the formation of the nanotube structure was supposed. The electrocatalytic performance of PdPt nanotubes were studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Electrochemical results show that the as‐prepared PdPt nanotube catalysts have not only high activity but also good stability for ethanol oxidation in alkaline medium.     

新型磁性荧光Fe3O4-CdSe纳米复合材料的制备

以1-十八烯作为高沸点溶剂, 在磁性粒子表面沉积量子点获得新型的磁性荧光Fe₃O₄-CdSe 纳米异质结构. 首先以乙酰丙酮铁(Fe(acac)₃)为前驱体, 二苯醚为溶剂, 油酸为表面活性剂和油胺(OAm)为表面活性剂兼还原剂, 通过溶剂热法制备单分散性的Fe₃O₄ 纳米粒子. 然后以1-十八烯为高沸点溶剂, CdO 为镉源,TOP-Se为硒源, 十六胺为表面活性剂以及硬脂酸为生长促进剂和成核剂制备得到新型的Fe₃O₄-CdSe纳米异质结构. 通过透射电镜(TEM), 傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱, X射线衍射(XRD)谱, X射线光电子能谱(XPS)分析仪, 振动样品磁强计(VSM), 紫外-可见(UV-Vis)光谱和光致发光(PL)等手段对Fe₃O₄-CdSe 纳米复合材料的结构和性能进行表征. 结果表明, CdSe纳米粒子成功地吸附在Fe₃O₄纳米粒子表面, 并沿着c轴生长, 形成了宽3.6 nm, 长分别为14.5 和32.5 nm的新型枣核状和钉子状的异质结构体. 这种新型的Fe₃O₄-CdSe纳米复合材料是由磁铁矿Fe₃O₄和六方形的CdSe棒状结构组成, 具有较好的荧光性能和超顺磁性. 随着CdSe棒长度的增加, 荧光吸收峰向长波方向移动. Fe₃O₄纳米粒子, 枣核状和钉子状的Fe₃O₄-CdSe纳米复合材料的饱和磁化强度分别是57.80, 40.76和31.10 emu·g^-1.     

Zr/Ti摩尔比对锶锆钛复合氧化物在可见光下光催化性能的影响

通过分步沉积法制备了不同Zr/Ti 摩尔比的锶锆钛(SZT)复合氧化物催化剂, 以X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)、紫外-可见(UV-Vis)漫反射光谱等表征手段考察不同Zr/Ti 摩尔比下SZT催化剂的结构形态, 以可见光下光催化降解亚甲基蓝为模型反应考察样品的光催化活性. 结果表明: Zr/Ti 摩尔比<1 时SZT催化剂发生Zr⁴⁺与Ti⁴⁺同质替换, 引起晶格缺陷, 光催化活性小幅提高; Zr/Ti 摩尔比≥1 时SZT催化剂产生SrZrO₃/Ti_nO_2n-1 (n=4, 9)的新晶相, Ti_nO_2n-1 (n=4, 9)的存在有利于光生电子-空穴的传导与分离, 可大幅提高催化剂光催化活性. 其中, SZT-5/5 表现出最高的光催化活性, 其一级反应速率常数达到0.2133 min^-1, 是同等光照条件下纯SrTiO₃样品(0.0158 min^-1)的13.5倍.     

CNTs表面改性与TiO2-CNTs异质结光催化性能

碳纳米管(CNTs)混酸(H₂SO₄/HNO₃, 体积比为3:1)超声辅助纯化及氧化植入活性基团－COOH, 进一步借助其转化为酰氯基团, 分别于CNTs 表面共价嫁接亲水性赖氨酸及亲脂性正十八胺基团, 赋予赖氨酸表面改性CNTs 显著水溶(6.85 mg·mL-1)和十八胺表面改性CNTs 显著醇溶(10.15 mg·mL^-1)性能. 运用低温水热法以亲水性CNTs 复合TiO₂, 溶胶-凝胶法以亲脂性CNTs 复合TiO₂, 观察到复合催化剂光催化性能随CNTs 溶剂分散性能增加而明显提升. 运用傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)、激光拉曼、X射线衍射(XRD)、Brunauer-Emmett-Teller 低温氮气吸附、透射电镜(TEM)及X光电子能谱(XPS)等手段表征, 系统探讨CNTs 的表面改性机制及CNTs 溶解分散性能与复合催化剂的光活性的关联. 认为表面改性CNTs 借助Ti－O－C键合促进其与纳米TiO₂的异质结合, 从而充分利用CNTs的大比表面积及电荷传输性能促进催化剂的污染物光催化降解.     

纳米材料修饰电极上吸附态葡萄糖氧化酶的酶活性和电活性的比较

采用石英晶体微天平(QCM)技术, 监测了裸金(Au)电极、电沉积纳米金的金电极(Au_ed/Au)、多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)修饰的金电极(MWCNTs/Au)以及MWCNTs 修饰后再电沉积纳米金的金电极(Au_ed/MWCNTs/Au)上葡萄糖氧化酶(GOx)的吸附过程, 测算了吸附固定的GOx质量. 通过阳极恒电位检测吸附酶与葡萄糖发生酶反应所产生的过氧化氢, 考察了这些酶电极的安培响应, 并测算了各吸附态GOx的质量比生物活性(MSBAi).也通过循环伏安法研究酶的直接电化学, 测算了各吸附态GOx的电活性百分数(EAP_i). 实验结果表明, 酶吸附量和酶电极的安培响应满足MWCNTs/Au > Au_ed/MWCNTs/Au > Au_ed/Au > Au 的顺序; MSBA_i满足Au > Au_ed/MWCNTs/Au > Au_ed/Au > MWCNTs/Au的顺序; 而EAP_i则满足MWCNTs/Au > Au_ed/MWCNTs/Au > Au_ed /Au > Au的顺序. 根据酶和纳米材料的亲疏水作用以及酶的吸附量对实验结果进行了合理解释, 也定量验证了电极上吸附酶分子的总生物活性与酶电极的安培响应呈正相关关系, 所得数据和结论有助于纳米材料固定酶及其安培酶电极的研究.