Photothermal Oxidation of Cinnamyl Alcohol with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Gold Nanoparticle/Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Nanocrystals

Gold nanoparticles with different mean sizes were formed on antimony-doped tin oxide nanocrystals by the temperature-varied deposition-precipitation method (Au/ATO NCs). Au/ATO NCs possess strong absorption in the near-infrared region due to Drude excitation in addition to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNPs around 530 nm. Au/ATO NCs show thermally activated catalytic activity for the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to cinnamaldehyde by hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic activity increases with a decrease in the mean Au particle size (d_Au) at 5.3 nm≤d_Au≤8.2 nm. Light irradiation (λ_ex >660 nm, ∼0.5 sun) of Au/ATO NCs increases the rate of reaction by more than twice with ∼95 % selectivity. Kinetic analyses indicated that the striking enhancement of the reaction stems from the rise in the temperature near the catalyst surface of ∼30 K due to the photothermal effect of the ATO NCs.     

Caesium carbonate supported on hydroxyapatite‐encapsulated Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanocrystallites as a novel magnetically basic catalyst for the one‐pot synthesis of pyrazolo[1,2‐b]phthalazine‐5,10‐diones

A novel nanomagnetic basic catalyst of caesium carbonate supported on hydroxyapatite‐coated Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄@HAP‐Cs₂CO₃) was prepared. This new catalyst was fully characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry techniques, and then the catalytic activity of this catalyst was investigated in the synthesis of 1H‐pyrazolo[1,2‐b]phthalazine‐5,10‐dione derivatives. Also, Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄@HAP‐Cs₂CO₃ could be reused at least five times without significant loss of activity and could be recovered easily by applying an external magnet. Thus, the developed nanomagnetic catalyst is potentially useful for the green and economic production of organic compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cobalt Based Nanoparticles Embedded Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogel for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalyst

Efficient water electrolysis catalyst is highly demanded for the production of hydrogen as a sustainable energy fuel. It is reported that cobalt derived nanoparticle (CoS₂, CoP, CoS|P) decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite aerogel catalysts for highly active and reliable hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalysts. 7 nm level cobalt derived nanoparticles are synthesized over graphene aerogel surfaces with excellent surface coverage and maximal expose of active sites. CoS|P/rGO hybrid aerogel composites show an excellent catalytic activity with overpotential of ≈169 mV at a current density of ≈10 mA cm^?2. Accordingly, efficient charge transfer is attained with Tafel slope of ≈52 mV dec^?1 and a charge transfer resistance (R_ct) of ≈12 Ω. This work suggests a viable route toward ultrasmall, uniform nanoparticles decorated graphene surfaces with well‐controlled chemical compositions, which can be generally useful for various applications commonly requiring large exposure of active surface area as well as robust interparticle charger transfer.     

Activity of microemulsion-based nanoparticles at the human bio-nano interface: concentration-dependent effects on thrombosis and hemolysis in whole blood

Background: Although microemulsion-based nanoparticles (MEs) may be useful for drug delivery or scavenging, these benefits must be balanced against potential nanotoxicological effects in biological tissue (bio-nano interface). We investigated the actions of assembled MEs and their individual components at the bio-nano interface of thrombosis and hemolysis in human blood. Methods: Oil-in-water MEs were synthesized using ethylbutyrate, sodium caprylate, and pluronic F-68 (ME4) or F-127 (ME6) in 0.9% NaCl_w/v. The effects of MEs or components on thrombosis were determined using thrombo-elastography, platelet contractile force, clot elastic modulus, and platelet counting. For hemolysis, ME or components were incubated with erythrocytes, centrifuged, and washed for measurement of free hemoglobin by spectroscopy. Results and conclusions: The mean particle diameters (polydispersity index) for ME6 and ME4 were 23.6 ± 2.5 nm (0.362) and 14.0 ± 1.0 nm (0.008), respectively. MEs (0, 0.03, 0.3, 3 mM) markedly reduced the thromboelastograph maximal amplitude in a concentration-dependent manner (49.0 ± 4.2, 39.0 ± 5.6, 15.0 ± 8.7, 3.8 ± 1.3 mm, respectively), an effect highly correlated (r2 = 0.94) with similar changes caused by pluronic surfactants (48.7 ± 10.9, 30.7 ± 15.8, 20.0 ± 11.3, 2.0 ± 0.5) alone. Neither oil nor sodium caprylate alone affected the thromboelastograph. The clot contractile force was reduced by ME (27.3 ± 11.1–6.7 ± 3.4 kdynes/cm², P = 0.02, n = 5) whereas the platelet population not affected (175 ± 28–182 ± 23 10⁶/ml, P = 0.12, n = 6). This data suggests that MEs reduced platelet activity due to associated pluronic surfactants, but caused minimal changes in protein function necessary for coagulation. Although pharmacological concentrations of sodium caprylate caused hemolysis (EC₅₀ = 213 mM), MEs and pluronic surfactants did not disrupt erythrocytes. Knowledge of nanoparticle activity and potential associated nanotoxicity at this bio-nano interface enables rational ME design for in vivo applications.     

孤立分散在SiO2基质中的半导体InSb纳米颗粒界面效应的MS-XANES研究

利用MS-XANES计算研究了嵌入在SiO₂介质中的InSb纳米颗粒的界面效应, 结果显示Sb K-XANES实验谱在白线峰强度增大和白线峰向高能一侧展宽这两个特点的起因是: 1. SiO₂介质透过界面处强的Sb-O共价键间接地影响和改变了InSb团簇中Sb原子内部的势分布; 2. 通过InSb纳米颗粒界面处存在着强的Sb-O共价键使得Sb原子的5p电子被耗尽来提高InSb纳米颗粒Sb原子的5p的空穴数. 这两方面共同决定了InSb纳米颗粒的Sb K-XANES实验谱在白线峰 强度的增大. 此外, 由于纳米颗粒的界面效应, 仅仅把白线峰的强度增大归因于吸收原子电荷转移带来的空穴数增加, 并依此通过白线峰的强度计算吸收原子的空穴数是不合理的.     

Synthesis and antibody conjugation of magnetic nanoparticles with improved specific power absorption rates for alternating magnetic field cancer therapy

Bionized nanoferrite (BNF) particles with high specific power absorption rates were synthesized in the size range of 20–100 nm by high-pressure homogenization for targeted cancer therapy with alternating magnetic fields. Several strategies were used to conjugate antibodies to the BNF particles. These strategies were compared using an immunoassay to find optimal conditions to reach a high immunoreactivity of the final antibody–particle conjugate.     

Co@SiO2核壳式纳米磁性粒子的合成、性质表征及在细胞分离和细胞芯片上的应用

合成了Co@SiO2核壳式纳米粒子,并采用透射电镜(TEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)和振动样品磁强计(VSM)对其形状、尺寸、荧光及磁特性进行了表征,探讨了其在细胞分离和细胞芯片上的应用和原理.     

超导氧化物La1.85Sr0.15CuO4/超高分子量聚乙烯复合材料的输运性质

采用热压法获得了具有不同混合比例的超导氧化物La1.85Sr0.15CuO4/超高分子量聚乙烯导电复合材料,并利用x射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜和标准四引线方法对复合材料的结构和低温电输运性质进行测量.实验结果显示,超导氧化物La1.85Sr0.15CuO4颗粒随机分布在聚合物本体中,相互间没有连接构成网络结构.在正常态下,复合材料的电阻-温度变化曲线给出类半导体行为.但对应于超导氧化物La1.85Sr0.15CuO4的超导转变温度Tc处,复合材料的电阻-温度变化曲线出现了极小值.室温下电阻率ρ随外加电场强度E的变化曲线测量结果表明,ρ-E曲线为一线形关系,随着电场强度E增加,电阻率ρ下降.文中对可能存在的导电机制进行分析,结果表明隧道贯穿模型可以很好地解释复合材料的导电机制.另外,外加电场强度E对复合材料的电输运特性有明显的影响.     

Formation of long range ordered arrangement of quantum dots with the help of lateral centripetal flow

A simple “chimney” method was used to eliminate the voids in an arrangement of quantum dots sized 2 nm on a solid substrate, which resulted in a large well ordered superlattice of area in the order more than 1 μm². Based on the principle of speeding up the interparticle interaction of nanoparticles to overcome the particle-substrate one, a lateral centripetal force originated from a glass tube acting as a chimney in a simple evaporation device is imposed. This method allows the packing process to be controlled in a mechanical force field, that is, with the same nanogold dispersion different patterns on a substrate—from separate dots to an ordered compact monolayer or even a multilayer structure—could be easily obtained.     

Novel Properties of Photochromic Spirooxazine Nanoparticles

The nanoparticles of a spirooxazine （SPO） and its photomerocyanine （PMC） were prepared through the reprecipitation method. Two distinct features were observed. One is that the decaying lifetime for PMC nanoparticles was 600 times of that for the dispersed molecules, and the other is that the fluorescence intensity of SPO nanoparticles was enhanced by 240 times of that of the dispersed monomer.