Tween 20-stabilized gold nanoparticles combined with adenosine triphosphate-BODIPY conjugates for the fluorescence detection of adenosine with more than 1000-fold selectivity

This study describes the development of a simple, enzyme-free, label-free, sensitive, and selective system for detecting adenosine based on the use of Tween 20-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Tween 20-AuNPs) as an efficient fluorescence quencher for boron dipyrromethene-conjugated adenosine 5′-triphosphate (BODIPY-ATP) and as a recognition element for adenosine. BODIPY-ATP can interact with Tween 20-AuNPs through the coordination between the adenine group of BODIPY-ATP and Au atoms on the NP surface, thereby causing the fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP through the nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) effect. When adenosine attaches to the NP surface, the attached adenosine exhibits additional electrostatic attraction to BODIPY-ATP. As a result, the presence of adenosine enhances the efficiency of AuNPs in fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP. The AuNP-induced fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP progressively increased with an increase in the concentration of adenosine; the detection limit at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 for adenosine was determined to be 60 nM. The selectivity of the proposed system was more than 1000-fold for adenosine over any adenosine analogs and other nucleotides. The proposed system combined with a phenylboronic acid-containing column was successfully applied to the determination of adenosine in urine.     

Colloidal ZnO nanostructures and functional coatings: A survey

The past research work devoted to ZnO nanocolloidal sol-gel route is reviewed. It highlights the cluster chemistry of alcoholic ZnAc₂ solutions and the results of ZnO colloid growth investigations performed worldwide. Moreover, the role of doping and co-doping in the processing of functional ZnO coatings is discussed. The possibilities of tuning the optical properties are also reported with a particular attention to luminescence. The last part of this paper deals with electrical and photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO nanocrystals and their aggregates. This contribution is dedicated to the 80th birthday of Prof. Arnim Henglein from the Hahn-Meitner-Institut in Berlin and to the memory of Prof. Jacques Mugnier from the Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1 in France.     

Electromagnetic energy flow near nanoparticles—I: single spheres

The electromagnetic (EM) energy flow near single spheres is investigated by applying Mie theory. From the patterns of the energy flow, the absorption and the scattering of light can be understood in the microscopic point of view. In the absorption profiles of metallic particles, most absorbed energy is consumed on the surface of the particles, which indicates that the resonance of surface plasmon is different from that of the bulk plasmon. Two mechanisms to enhanced local EM field are also distinguished. One is the surface plasmon resonance, and another one is the intensified energy flow.     

Dextran-modified iron oxide nanoparticles

Dextran-modified iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by precipitation of Fe（Ⅱ） and Fe（Ⅲ） salts with ammonium hydroxide by two methods. Iron oxide was precipitated either in the presence of dextran solution, or the dextran solution was added after precipitation. In the second method, the iron oxide particle size and size distribution could be controlled depending on the concentration of dextran in the solution. The nanoparticles were characterized by size-exclusion chromatography, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Optimal conditions for preparation of stable iron oxide colloid particles were determined, The dextran/iron oxide ratio 0-0,16 used in precipitation of iron salts can be recommended for synthesis of nanoparticles suitable for biomedical applications, as the colloid does not contain excess dextran and does not coagulate.     

Transport of surface-modified iron nanoparticle in porous media and application to arsenic(III) remediation

The surface-modified iron nanoparticles (S-INP) were synthesized, characterized and tested for the remediation of arsenite (As(III)), a well known toxic groundwater contaminant of concern. The S-INP material was fully dispersed in the aqueous phase with a particle size distribution of 2–10 nm estimated from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that an Fe(III) oxide surface film was present on S-INP in addition to the bulk zero-valent Fe⁰ oxidation state. Transport of S-INP through porous media packed in 10 cm length column showed particle breakthroughs of 22.1, 47.4 and 60 pore volumes in glass beads, unbaked sand, and baked sand, respectively. Un-modified INP was immobile and aggregated on porous media surfaces in the column inlet area. Results using S-INP pretreated 10 cm sand-packed columns containing ∼2 g of S-INP showed that 100 % of As(III) was removed from influent solutions (flow rate 1.8 mL min⁻¹) containing 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mg L⁻¹ As(III) for 9, 7 and 4 days providing 23.3, 20.7 and 10.4 L of arsenic free water, respectively. In addition, it was found that 100% of As(III) in 0.5 mg/L solution (flow rate 1.8 mL min⁻¹) was removed by S-INP pretreated 50 cm sand packed column containing 12 g of S-INP for more than 2.5 months providing 194.4 L of arsenic free water. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed S-INP had transformed to elongated, rod-like shaped corrosion product particles after reaction with As(III) in the presence of sand. These results suggest that S-INP has great potential to be used as a mobile, injectable reactive material for in-situ sandy groundwater aquifer treatment of As(III).     

Ionic nanocomposites based on XNBR-OMg filled with layered nanoclays

Ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR) crosslinked with magnesium oxide (OMg) and filled with layered nanoclays have been prepared. Two types of nanofillers were employed: a commercial one (Cloisite 15 A) and the other prepared in our laboratory (BCA-ODA). The properties of raw and vulcanized compounds have been studied in order to elucidate the effect of layered nanoclays. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that during compounding and crosslinking the macromolecular chains of rubber were intercalated in a commercial nanofiller, whilst our nanoclay was exfoliated. However, this fact does not affect the properties of compounds homogeneously. Vulcanization parameters, Mooney viscosity and decay and rheological properties were affected depending on the filler type. Mechanical properties were not significantly varied, but glass transition temperature and ionic transition temperature were shifted in comparison with those of the unfilled compound.     

ZnS and ZnSe Nanoparticles via Solid-State and Solution Thermolysis of Zinc Silylchalcogenolate Complexes

The thermolysis of the zinc trimethylsilylchalcogenolate complexes (N,N′-tmeda)Zn(ESiMe₃)₂ (E = S, 1; E = Se, 2) and (3,5-Me₂-C₅H₃N)₂Zn(ESiMe₃)₂ (E = S, 3; E = Se, 4) has been investigated. Solid-state thermal decomposition of complexes 1–4 above 250°C results in the formation of hexagonal ZnS and cubic ZnSe, respectively, via the liberation of TMEDA (1–2) or 3,5-lutidine (3–4) and E(SiMe₃)₂. Solid-state or solution thermolysis of these complexes up to 200°C produces nanocrystalline ZnS and ZnSe materials whose surface is protected by either coordinated TMEDA or 3,5-lutidine ligands. The progress of the step-wise solid-state decomposition of these complexes was monitored by thermogravimetric and single differential thermal analysis and volatile decomposition products in both solution and solid-state experiments were identified by GC/MS.Dedicated to Professor Brian F. G. Johnson on the occasion of his retirement.     

Preparation of flame retardant polyamide 6 composite with melamine cyanurate nanoparticles in situ formed in extrusion process

This paper is focused on in situ preparation of melamine cyanurate (MCA) nanoparticles from reaction of melamine (MEL) and cyanuric acid (CA) and their flame retardant polyamide 6 (PA6) composite in the extrusion process through a novel reactive processing method. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to characterize the in situ formed MCA nanoparticles and their blends with PA6. Introduction of pentaerythritol (LTP) and water-bound plasticizer dioctyl phthalate (DPT) into the extrusion reaction system greatly inhibits the evaporation of water required for melamine and cyanuric acid reaction at high temperature (higher than 180 °C), laying a foundation for successful in situ preparation of MCA through reactive processing. XRD and FT-IR measurements indicate that under the effect of pentaerythritol, dioctyl phthalate and water, melamine really reacts with cyanuric acid to in situ form MCA in extrusion process. The reaction degree is close to 100%. A very important finding through SEM is that the in situ formed MCA particles, which were found to have aspect ratio of about 7.5, radial size in the range of 70-300 nm (mostly 70-90 nm) and crystallite size of less than 22 nm, are uniformly dispersed in the matrix PA6 at nanoscale. The in situ formed MCA nanoparticles greatly improve the flame retardancy and the mechanical properties of flame-retarded PA6 materials, and the introduced plasticizer dioctyl phthalate also ameliorates the related impact property. The obtained flame-retarded PA6 materials have good comprehensive performance with flame retardancy UL-94 V-0 rating at 1.6 and 3.2 mm thickness, tensile strength 48.0 MPa, elongation at break 106.3% and Izod notched impact strength 8.92 kJ/m². Compared with flame-retarded PA6 material with in situ formed MCA, the one prepared through conventional blending of PA6 with commercial MCA product has improved tensile strength but deteriorated impact strength and flame retardancy.     

Electrochemical synthesis of Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles in alkaline aqueous solutions containing complexing agents

Ultrafine magnetite particles are prepared through an electrochemical process, at room temperature, from an iron-based electrode immersed in an alkaline aqueous medium containing complexing compounds. XRD and chemical analysis indicate that the product is pure magnetite, Fe₃O₄. The size and morphology of the particles are studied by SEM. The magnetite nanoparticles present a magnetoresistance of almost 3%, at 300 K, under a magnetic field of 1 T. A reactive mechanism for the electrochemical process is proposed.