Synthesis and characterization of fluorine functionalized graphene oxide dispersed quinoline-based polyimide composites having low-k and UV shielding properties

Polyimide nanocomposites having low-k and UV shielding properties have been developed using fluorine functionalized graphene oxide and bis(quinoline amine) based polyimide. The polyimide was synthesized using bis(quinoline amine) and pyromellitic dianhydride at appropriate experimental conditions, and its molecular structure was confirmed through various spectral analysis such as FTIR and NMR. The polyimide (PI) composites were prepared using bis(quinoline amine), pyromellitic dianhydride, and separately filled with 1, 5, 10 wt% of fluorinated graphene oxide (FGO) through in situ polymerization. The polymer composites were characterized using thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the water contact angle, dielectric behavior, and UV–Vis shielding behavior of FGO/PI composites were evaluated. The value of the water contact angle of the polyimide was increased with increment of FGO in the polyimide matrix. The highest water contact angle of polyimide composites observed 108° was obtained for 15 wt% FGO reinforced polyimide composite. The value of the dielectric constant for neat, 1, 5, and 15 wt% FGO reinforced polyimide composites was obtained as 4.5, 3.7, 2.6, and 2.0, respectively. It is also observed from by UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis that the FGO reinforced polyimide composites have good UV shielding behavior.     

Facile synthesis of mercaptosuccinic acid-capped CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/double shell quantum dots with improved cell viability on different cancer cells and normal cells

Water-soluble, mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA)-capped CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/double shell quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by successive growth of CdS and ZnS shells on the as-synthesized CdTe/CdS_thin core/shell quantum dots. The formation of core/double shell structured QDs was investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, PL decay studies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The core/double shell QDs exhibited good photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) which is 70% higher than that of the parent core/shell QDs, and they are stable for months. The average particle size of the core/double shell QDs was ～3 nm as calculated from the transmission electron microscope (TEM) images. The cytotoxicity of the QDs was evaluated on a variety of cancer cells such as HeLa, MCF-7, A549, and normal Vero cells by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay. The results showed that core/double shell QDs were less toxic to the cells when compared to the parent core/shell QDs. MCF-7 cells showed proliferation on incubation with QDs, and this is attributed to the metalloestrogenic activity of cadmium ions released from QDs. The core/double shell CdTe/CdS/ZnS (CSS) QDs were conjugated with transferrin and successfully employed for the biolabeling and fluorescent imaging of HeLa cells. These core/double shell QDs are highly promising fluorescent probe for cancer cell labeling and imaging applications.     

Preparation and characterization of graphene nanosheets dispersed pyrrole-chorobenzaldehyde-heptaldehyde conjugated terpolymer nanocomposites for DNA detection

A new conductive terpolymer/graphene nanosheet hybrid composite has been synthesized by polymerizing pyrrole, chlorobenzaldehyde, and heptaldehyde (PPyCB&;H), in the presence of graphene nanosheets (GNS), using p-toluene sulfonic acid as a catalyst. Fourier transform infrared spectra, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the formation of PPyCB&;H/GNS hybrid nanocomposites. Further, the resultant nanocomposite material is coated on ITO to construct an electrochemical sensor for the reliable detection of single-strand DNA (tDNA) which is cleaved from the genomic DNA of Escherichia coli. Under optimized conditions, linear detection of genomic DNA (tDNA) with concentration ranging from 1.3 × 10⁻¹² to 1.3 × 10⁻²³ M is observed and it is repeatable with a 1.3 × 10⁻²³ M lowest level detection limit. The present modified electrode of PPyCB&;H/GNS may show utility for constructing highly sensitive electrochemical sensors for the detection of E. coli.

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Characterization,Analysis, and Application of Fabricated Fe3O4-Chitosan-Pectinase Nanobiocatalyst

The investigation on fabrication of Fe₃O₄-chitosan-pectinase nanobiocatalyst was performed by covalently binding the pectinase onto carboxyl group activated chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles (CMNPs). The morphological and size distribution analysis of the different magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the average diameter was 11.07?±?3.04, 11.55?±?3.16, and 11.59?±?3.16 nm for MNPs, CMNPs, and fabricated nanobiocatalyst, respectively, suggesting that there was no significant change in the size of MNPs after coating and binding. The characteristic peaks occurred at 2θ of 30.39, 35.43, 43.37, 57.22, and 62.9, and their corresponding indices 220, 311, 400, 520, and 441 for different MNPs from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the presence of Fe₃O₄ with the spinel structure, and there was no phase change even after coating and binding. The various required characteristic absorption peaks (575, 585, 1,563, 1,614, 1,651, and 1,653 cm^?1) from Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the surface modifications and binding of pectinase onto the MNPs. At the weight ratio of about 19.8?×?10^?3 mg bound pectinase/mg activated CMNPs, the activity of fabricated nanobiocatalyst was found to be maximum. In order to monitor their improved activity, the pH, temperature, reusability, storage ability, and kinetic studies were established.     

Organic-inorganic hybrid fluorescent sensor thin films of rhodamine B embedded Ag-SBA 15 for selective recognition of Hg (Ⅱ) ions in water

Nowadays, the rapid and effective detection of low doses of heavy metal pollutants in contaminated water is a timely challenge in environmental pollution research. In this study, a rapid and highly sensitive assay for the detection of Hg~(2+)based on quenching of metal-enhanced fluorescence of rhodamine B(RB)has been fabricated. RB and silver nanoparticle were incorporated into the mesoporous siliceous framework spin cast on a quartz glass through post-synthetic incorporation method. The morphology and crystallinity of mesoporous structure and Ag nanoparticle were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. Photoluminescence assays on the hybrid thin film of RB-Ag-SBA15 showed a high enhancement when compared to the intensity of silver free SBA15-RB in the wavelength of 575 nm. The fluorescence of RB-Ag-SBA15 thin film decreased gradually with the increase in the concentration of Hg~(2+)and the detection limits were 10.54 nmol/L. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity increased linearly with the concentration of Hg~(2+)in the range from 1.0 ? 10à8mol/L to10 ? 10à8mol/L, with a response time of a few seconds. In addition, this system offers a high selectivity over interfering cations such as Cd~(2+) and Pb~(2+). Overall, we have developed an optical assay having a wellordered mesoporous SBA15 containing Ag-RBfor selective detection of Hg~(2+)in aqueous solution. The scheme combines the advantages of specific binding interactions between Hg~(2+)and RB molecule and optical emission properties of RB. The method is suitable for a single-shot and irreversible analytical assay in a quartz glass/microtiter plate.     

Investigation of 2D-photonic crystal resonant cavity based WDM demultiplexer

In this attempt, Two Dimensional Photonic Crystal (2DPC) Quasi Square Ring Resonator (QSRR) based four channel demultiplexer is proposed and designed for Wavelength Division Multiplexing systems. The performance parameters of the demultiplexer such as transmission efficiency, passband width, line spacing, Q factor and crosstalk are investigated. The proposed demultiplexer is composed of bus waveguide, drop waveguide and QSRR. In the proposed demultiplexer, the output ports are arranged separately in odd and even number, where an odd number of ports are located on the right side and even number of ports are located on the left side of the bus waveguide that are used to reduce the channel interference or crosstalk. Further, the refractive index of rods around the center rod is increased linearly one to another in order to improve the signal quality. The resonant wavelengths of the proposed demultiplexer are of 1521.1?nm, 1522.0?nm, 1523.2?nm and 1524.3?nm, respectively. The footprint of the device is of 180.96?μm². Then, a four channel point to point network is designed and the proposed four channel demultiplexer is implemented by replacing a conventional demultiplexer. Finally, functional parameters of the network, namely, BER, receiver sensitivity and Q factor are estimated by varying the link distance. This attempt could create new dimensions of research in the domain of photonic networks.     

Amperometric determination of nitrite using natural fibers as template for titanium dioxide nanotubes with immobilized hemin as electron transfer mediator

A sensing device was constructed for the amperometric determination of nitrite. It is based on the use of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanotubes template with natural fibers and carrying hemin acting as the electron mediator. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with the hemin/TNT nanocomposite. The electrochemical response to nitrite was characterized by impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. An amperometric study, performed at a working potential of + 0.75 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), showed the sensor to enable determination of nitrite with a linear response in the 0.6 to 130 μM concentration range and with a 59 nM limit of detection. Corresponding studies by differential study voltammetry (E_p?=?0.75 V) exhibited a linear range from 0.6?×?10^?6 to 7.3?×?10^?5 M with a limit of detection of 84 nM. The sensing device was applied to the determination of nitrite in spiked tap and lake water samples.

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Graphical abstract Natural fibers templated synthesis of TNT immobilized hemin as electron transfer mediator for quantitative detection of nitrite with detection limit of 59 nM and good electrochemical sensitivity and the method can be used for quantitative determination of nitrite in water samples.

     

Aptamer-based impedimetric determination of the human blood clotting factor IX in serum using an interdigitated electrode modified with a ZnO nanolayer

This article describes a sensitive impedimetric method for the determination of human blood coagulation factor IX protein (FIX) which is present in extremely low concentration in serum. An interdigitated electrode (IDE) whose surface was layered with zinc oxide was modified with two kinds of probes. One is an antibody, the other an aptamer against FIX. A comparative study between anti-FIX aptamer and anti-FIX antibody showed the aptamer to possess higher affinity for FIX. A sandwich aptamer assay was worked out by using the FIX-binding aptamer on the surface of the IDE. It has a detection limit as low as 10 pM which makes it 4 to 30-fold more sensitive than any other method reported for FIX. Moreover, to practice detection in clinical samples, FIX was detected from the human blood serum by spiking. In our perception, the sensitivity of the ZnO-modified IDE presented here makes it a promising tool for sensing clinically relevant analytes that are present in very low (sub-pM) concentrations.

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A Proficient approach to enhance heat transfer using cupric oxide/silica hybrid nanoliquids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - High performance cooling anticipated in smaller size heat transfer equipment is the most significant challenge in many industries including CPU...