Preparation of Cyclodextrin–Iron Species in Water by Laser Ablation: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Supramolecular complexes between cyclodextrin and iron species are studied by using secondary ion mass spectrometry. The iron species are prepared by pulsed‐laser ablation of bulk iron in water; this gives Fe⁺ (56 m/z) and Fe_xO_y⁺ (x, y=1–7) species. Cyclodextrin is added to the water either before or after the laser ablation. When it is added before laser ablation, molecular fragments of cyclodextrin are detected as dehydrated glucopyranose units (C₆H₈O₄⁺) associated with Fe⁺, FeO⁺, and Fe₂O⁺ species. The focus is to observe supramolecular host–guest complexes or adducts between intact molecules of cyclodextrin and iron species. When cyclodextrin is added after laser ablation, the relevant peak at 1210 m/z is observed and assigned as C₄₂H₆₇O₃₅FeNa⁺, which corresponds to a cyclodextrin molecule minus three H atoms. Two possible explanations of this finding are the presence of the host–guest C₄₂H₆₇O₃₅Na–Fe complex, in which Fe is in the cavity, or the presence of the adduct C₄₂H₆₇O₃₄Na–FeO with FeO on the outer surface; the formation of these complexes are supported by the hydrophobicity of Fe and hydrophilicity of FeO, respectively. Due to the presence of 12 % of intact C₄₂H₇₀O₃₅Na–Fe complex and an estimated Fe/FeO ratio of approximately 10², host–guest formation is assumed to be more significant.     

Temporally resolved laser induced plasma diagnostics of single crystal silicon — Effects of ambient pressure

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of silicon was performed using a nanosecond pulsed frequency doubled Nd:YAG (532 nm) laser. The temporal evolution of the laser ablation plumes in air at atmospheric pressure and at an ambient pressure of ∼ 10^− 5 mbar is presented. Electron densities were determined from the Stark broadening of the Si (I) 288.16 nm emission line. Electron densities in the range of 6.91 × 10¹⁷ to 1.29 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3 at atmospheric pressure and 1.68 × 10¹⁷ to 3.02 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3 under vacuum were observed. Electron excitation temperatures were obtained from the line to continuum ratios and yielded temperatures in the range 7600–18,200 K at atmospheric pressure, and 8020–18,200 K under vacuum. The plasma morphology is also characterized with respect to time in both pressure regimes.     

Visualization and In Situ Ablation of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens through Metabolic Labeling

Protected by the host cells, the hidden intracellular bacteria are typically difficult to kill by common antibiotics and cannot be visualized without complex cellular pretreatments. Herein, we successfully developed a bacteria‐metabolizable dual‐functional probe TPEPy‐d ‐Ala, which is based on d ‐alanine and a photosensitizer with aggregation‐induced emission for fluorescence turn‐on imaging of intracellular bacteria in living host cells and photodynamic ablation in situ. Once metabolically incorporated into bacterial peptidoglycan, the intramolecular motions of TPEPy‐d ‐Ala are inhibited, leading to an enhanced fluorescent signal, which allows the clear visualization of the intracellular bacteria. Moreover, TPEPy‐d ‐Ala can effectively ablate the labeled intracellular bacteria in situ owing to covalent ligation to peptidoglycan, yielding a low intracellular minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 20±0.5 μg mL^?1, much more efficient than that of a commonly used antibiotic, vancomycin.     

A Hydrogen-Deficient Nickel–Cobalt Double Hydroxide for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting

Developing highly efficient and low-cost photocatalysts for overall water splitting has long been a pursuit for converting solar power into clean hydrogen energy. Herein, we demonstrate that a nonstoichiometric nickel–cobalt double hydroxide can achieve overall water splitting by itself upon solar light irradiation, avoiding the consumption of noble-metal co-catalysts. We employed an intensive laser to ablate a NiCo alloy target immersed in alkaline solution, and produced so-called L-NiCo nanosheets with a nonstoichiometric composition and O²⁻/Co³⁺ ions exposed on the surface. The nonstoichiometric composition broadens the band gap, while O²⁻ and Co³⁺ ions boost hydrogen and oxygen evolution, respectively. As such, the photocatalyst achieves a H₂ evolution rate of 1.7 μmol h⁻¹ under AM 1.5G sunlight irradiation and an apparent quantum yield (AQE) of 1.38 % at 380 nm.     

IR laser ablative decomposition of poly(vinyl acetate) loaded with Fe and Cu particles

Pulsed IR laser-induced decomposition of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) loaded with nanometer-sized Cu and micrometer-sized Fe particles results in the formation of gaseous products and deposition of polar crosslinked polymer films which contain metal (Cu and Fe) particles. The main volatile products are hydrocarbons, carbon oxides (CO and CO₂), molecular hydrogen and acetic acid. The deposited polymer films were characterized by FTIR, UV and XP spectra and by electron microscopy and thermogravimetry. They contain reactive conjugated CC bonds and ca. 50% of the initially present acetate groups. Residual reactivity of the CC bonds results in polymer crosslinking and decrease in solubility. The deposited, crosslinked PVAC-based films containing metal particles are less thermally stable than similar films not containing these particles. The reported process reveals feasible ablation of metal particles when embedded in a polymer and makes it possible to fabricate films of metal/polymer composites in which metal particles are completely protected by the polymer.     

UV laser-induced desorption mechanism analyzed through two-layer alkali halide samples

Time of flight-mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) is used to analyze positive and negative desorbed ions generated by UV laser ablation of several alkali (X) halide (Y) salts. Most of the observed desorbed cluster ions have the structure (XY)(n)X(+) or (XY)(n)Y(-). Their desorption yields decrease as exp(-kn), where k approximately 2 for both series, suggesting that the neutral component (XY)(n) plays the dominant role in the desorption process. Mass spectrum measurements were performed for compound samples in which two salts (out of CsI, RbI, KBr, KCl and KI) are homogeneously mixed or disposed in two superposed layers. The detection of small new ion species and large cluster ions of the original salts supports the scenario that the uppermost layers are completely atomized while deep layers are emitted colder and fragmented: It is proposed that ns-pulsed laser induced desorption of ionic salts occurs via two sequential mechanisms: (1) ejection of cations and anions in the hot plume, followed by recombination into new cluster ions and (2) ejection of relatively cold preformed species originated from deep layers or from periphery of the irradiated region.     

脉冲激光法制备修饰纳米Eu_2O_3/聚苯胺导电杂化薄膜

采用聚焦脉冲激光法(PLA-IT/SFL)制备修饰纳米Eu2O3/聚苯胺有机溶胶及其杂化薄膜材料。考察了制备条件对修饰纳米Eu2O3/聚苯胺有机溶胶荧光性能的影响。TEM显示Eu2O3粒子粒径约为15 nm且其在聚苯胺中有较高的稳定性。荧光光谱表明该杂化薄膜材料在紫外光照射下发出强烈的红光,且荧光强度达2.53×105a.u。杂化薄膜材料的电导率为1.13×10-2S.cm-1。热分析表明该杂化薄膜比导电性聚苯胺(PAN-HCSA)薄膜具有更好的热稳定性。该杂化薄膜材料可望用于电致发光领域。     

激光烧蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定塑料中的Pb、Cd、Cr和Hg

采用激光烧蚀固体进样技术的电感耦合等离子体质谱法(LA-ICP-MS)测定了塑料中的Pb、Cd、Cr和Hg。选择了线扫描激光烧蚀方式,并从灵敏度和稳定性角度优化了工作参数。根据计算分馏因子考察了分馏效应,结果表明,所测元素分馏效应小。塑料中Hg的记忆效应严重,认为主要来自样品表面吸附,减小样品的表面积可减小Hg的记忆效应。以聚丙烯标准物质及其空白片作校准曲线,应用于ABS、PPS、PA66+30%GF、PVC、PTFE等实际塑料样品的测定,测定结果与ICP-OES(XRF)法测定值基本吻合。Pb、Cd、Cr和Hg的检测下限分别为0.002、0.001、0.08和1.5 mg/kg。     

PLA制备Tb-Si纳米颗粒及室温光致发光性能研究

采用脉冲激光烧蚀技术(PLA)在n型Si(100)单晶衬底上制备Tb-Si纳米颗粒。原子力显微镜(AFM)观察样品的表面形貌,发现样品表面是均匀分布的纳米颗粒,颗粒尺寸在10~20 nm之间,分布密度大约为6×1010/cm2。光电子能谱(XPS)及高分辨透射电镜(HRTEM)分析表明,纳米尺度的单晶硅化物颗粒的主要成分为Tb-Si及少量Tb-Si-O结构。室温下以荧光为激发光对样品的光致发光(photoluminescence)性能进行测试,结果表明样品在可见光区具有较强的发光现象,主要有4个发光峰,分别位于485,545,585和620 nm附近,这些发光峰主要由Tb3+中电子在不同能级之间的跃迁造成。