Two-dimensional functional molecular nanoarchitectures – Complementary investigations with scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy

Functional molecular nanoarchitectures (FMNs) are highly relevant for the development of future nanotechnology devices. Profound knowledge about the atomically controlled construction of such nanoscale assemblies is an indispensable requirement to render the implementation of such components into a real product successful. For exploiting their full potential the architectures’ functionalities have to be characterized in detail including the ways to tailor them. In recent years a plethora of sophisticated constructs were fabricated touching a wide range of research topics.     

聚吡咯纳米线凝胶的模板制备及储能与电化学传感性能

以配位聚合物凝胶为模板, 构筑均一的聚吡咯纳米线网络, 聚合后经简单处理除去模板, 得到性能优异的聚吡咯凝胶. 结果表明, 模板法合成的聚吡咯凝胶为由均一纳米线组成的三维网络结构, 具有良好的力学性能、 较大的比表面积及优异的电化学特性, 在0.28 A/g电流密度下, 比电容可达450 F/g, 在2.8 A/g电流密度下充放电1000次, 比电容仍可保持88.6%. 聚吡咯纳米线网络凝胶经葡萄糖氧化酶负载后得到柔性传感电极, 对低浓度(0.2 mmol/L)的葡萄糖具有快速响应性能, 有望用于超级电容器及生物电化学传感器等领域.     

Fat crystallisation at oil–water interfaces

This review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of lipid crystallisation at or in the vicinity of an interface in emulsified systems and the consequences regarding stability, structure and thermal behaviour. Amphiphilic molecules such as emulsifiers are preferably adsorbed at the interface. Such molecules are known for their ability to interact with triglycerides under certain conditions. In the same manner that inorganic crystals grown on an organic matrix see their nucleation, morphology and structure controlled by the underlying matrix, recent studies report a templating effect linked to the presence of emulsifiers at the oil/water interface. Emulsifiers affect fat crystallisation and fat crystal behaviour in numerous ways, acting as impurities seeding nucleation and, in some cases, retarding or enhancing polymorphic transitions towards more stable forms. This understanding is of crucial importance for the design of stable structures within emulsions, regardless of whether the system is oil or water continuous. In this paper, crystallisation mechanisms are briefly described, as well as recent technical advances that allow the study of crystallisation and crystal forms. Indeed, the study of the interface and of its effect on lipid crystallisation in emulsions has been limited for a long time by the lack of in-situ investigative techniques. This review also highlights reported interfacial effects in food and pharmaceutical emulsion systems. These effects are strongly linked to the presence of emulsifiers at the interface and their effects on crystallisation kinetics, and crystal morphology and stability.     

Quantitative Study on the Templating Effect in the Formation of ZSM-5 Molecular Sieve

Since the discovery of ZSM-5 molecular sieves as a promising catalyst material, the synthesis of ZSM-5 has been investigated in great detail. In the first synthesis of ZSM-5,tetrapropylammonium(TPA) was used as the templating agent. However, the industrial manufacture and application of ZSM-5 molecular sieves arc limited because TPA, the templating agent, is expensive. In the attempt to search for a suitable substitute for TPA,     

Photocatalytic properties of porous C-doped TiO2 and Ag/C-doped TiO2 nanomaterials by eggshell membrane templating

Porous organic carbon-doped titania (C-TiO₂) nanomaterials and their composites with Ag nanoparticles (Ag/C-TiO₂) were synthesized by an eggshell membrane templating method, and their structural and photocatalytic properties were systematically characterized. These nanomaterials, exhibiting a macroscopic morphology of a thin film, are composed of interwoven tubes, and the tube wall consists of nanocrystals. The doped organic carbon was composed of the active carbon and carbonate species, which could form a layer around the surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles, while the silver was incorporated into Ag/C-TiO₂ composites as separated Ag nanoparticles. The degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation was employed to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of these as-prepared TiO₂-based materials. Both C-TiO₂ and Ag/C-TiO₂ nanomaterials showed higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO₂ material–commercial Degussa P25. These results can be accounted for the coupling effect of the incorporation of carbon species and Ag nanoparticles.     

模板法制备无机氧化物中空微球的研究进展

总结了模板法在制备无机氧化物中空微球方面的应用,主要从模板的种类和壳层增长机理两方面进行阐述,并对无机氧化物中空微球的应用及发展前景作了简要介绍。     

Porous texture of silica aerogels made with ionic liquids as gelation catalysts

The effect of four ionic liquids on the porous texture of silica aerogels synthesized from mixed tetramethoxysilane and methyltrimethoxysilane and dried by the CO₂ supercritical method, was studied. Two of these ionic liquids were composed of BF₄ ⁻ anions while the other two included Cl⁻ anions. The synthesis of gels from ionic liquids did not require another acidic catalyst for silica hydrolysis, nor a basic catalyst for silica condensation. These aerogels were compared with traditional aerogels made according to a double step catalysis, which first involved hydrolysis with HCl followed by condensation with pH 9 Tris HCl buffer. Gel mass analysis and thermogravimetric data showed that, when the initial molar of ionic liquid to Si was 1.58, only ~2% (by mass) of the initial ionic liquids consisting of BF₄ ⁻ anions and ~10% (by mass) of ionic liquids containing Cl⁻ anions, remained in the aerogels after supercritical drying. Moreover, X-ray diffraction confirmed that in ionic liquids based on BF₄ ⁻ anions, evaporation of the volatile components before supercritical CO₂ drying led to the formation of regularly ordered mesopores.     

Preparation of Single-handed Helical and C-Shaped 3-Aminophenol-formaldehyde Resin Nanotubes and Single-handed Helical Carbonaceous Nanotubes

Single-handed helical and C-shaped 3-aminophenol-formaldehyde resin nanotubes were prepared via a supramolecular templating approach. The chiral templates and 3-aminophenol were initially organized into helical nanoribbons, followed by the adsorption of formaldehyde onto the surfaces of the helical nanoribbons. Subsequent to polymerization and further thermosetting of the resin oligomers, 3-aminophenol-formaldehyde resin nanotubes were obtained after removing the templates. When low amounts of 3-aminophenol were added, straight C-shaped 3-aminophenol-formaldehyde resin nanotubes were obtained. Increasing the amount of added 3-aminophenol led to the formation of single-handed helical nanotubes instead. When the single-handed helical resin nanotubes were carbonized at 900℃ under Ar, single-handed helical carbonaceous nanotubes were obtained. Raman spectrum indicates that this carbon is predominantly amorphous. Circular dichroism spectra illustrate that both the helical resin nanotubes and the carbonaceous nanotubes exhibit optical activity. This work indicates that the added amount and the edge-adsorption mode of the precursors on the templates determine the final morphology and chirality of the products.     

液晶模板法制备Au纳米线

利用非离子表面活性剂C₁₂E₄的层状液晶作为模板,以氯金酸(HAuCl₄)水溶液作为体系的水相和反应物,并利用C₁₂E₄中EO基团的还原性制备了Au的纳米线.研究表明,反应物的浓度、液晶体系的组成和反应时间都将影响产物的形貌.在适当条件下,可以得到直径约为20nm,长度达到几微米的均匀金纳米线,并探讨了纳米线形成过程中层状液晶的模板作用.     

胶粒晶体模板法制备三维有序大孔材料

使用胶粒模板法制备三维有序大孔材料（three-dimensional ordered macroporous material,3DOM）是一个快速发展的领域。本文综述了3DOM的合成技术,包括各种填充模板的方法、模板的去除方法以及它们在光子晶体、催化材料、生物传感器以及医学等方面的应用前景。