Self-assembled silver nanoparticle monolayer on glassy carbon: an approach to SERS substrate

In this paper, the fabrication of an active surf ace-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate by self-assembled silver nanoparticles on a monolayer of 4-aminophenyl-group-modified glassy carbon (GC) is reported. Silver nanoparticles are attached to the substrate through the electrostatic force between the negatively charged silver nanoparticles and the positively charged 4-aminophenyl groups on GC. The active SERS substrate has been characterized by means of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), indicating that large quantities of silver nanoparticles are uniformly coated on the substrate. Rhodamine 6G (R6G) and p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) are used as the probe molecules for SERS, resulting in high sensitivity to the SERS response, with the detection limit reaching as low as 10(-9) m. This approach is easily controlled and reproducible, and more importantly, can extend the range of usable substrates to carbon-based materials for SERS with high sensitivity.

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-8Zn-8Al-4RE magnesium alloy

The Mg-8Zn-8Al-4RE (RE = mischmetal, mass%) magnesium alloy was prepared by using casting method. The microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast alloy, solid solution alloy and aged alloy samples have been investigated. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffractometery and scanning electron microscope attached energy spectrometer were used to characterize the microstructure and phase composition for the alloy. Net shaped tau-Mg-32(Al,Zn)(49) phase was obtained at the grain boundary, and needle-like or blocky Al11RE3 phase disperses in grain boundary and alpha-Mg matrix. The tau-Mg-32(Al,Zn)(49) phase disappeared during solution treatment and a new phase of Al(2)CeZn2 formed during subsequent age treatment. The mechanical properties were performed by universal testing machine at room temperature, 150 degrees C and 200 degrees C, separately. The ultimate tensile strength of as-cast alloy is lower compared to an age treatment alloy at 200 degrees C for 12h. The strengths decreased with enhancing test temperature, but elongation has not been effect by age treatment.

Label-free electrochemical detection of DNA in blood serum via target-induced resolution of an electrode-bound DNA pseudoknot

We have demonstrated a fully covalent, signal-on E-DNA architecture based on the target-induced resolution of a DNA pseudokont. In the absence of target, the electrode-bound DNA probe adopts a pseudoknot conformation that segregates an attached methylene blue (MB) from the electrode. Upon target binding, the pseudoknot is resolved, leading to the formation of a single-stranded DNA element that supports electron transfer from the methylene blue to the electrode.

Synthesis and applications of 3-[6-(hydroxymethyl)pyridin-2-yl]-1,1 '-bi-2-naphthols or 3,3 '-bis[6-(hydroxymethyl)pyridin-2-yl]-1,1 '-bi-2-naphthols

A series of new 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) derived ligands, 3-[6-(hydroxymethyl)pyridin-2-yl]-BINOLs or 3,3'-bis[6(hydroxymethyl)pyridin-2-yl]-BINOLs, bearing one or two chiral pyridinylmetlianols attached to a binaphthyl skeleton, have been synthesized using the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. The resulting compounds have been used as ligands in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes; the products were obtained with up to 96% ee.

Grafting of maleic anhydride onto linear polyethylene: A Monte Carlo study

Monte Carlo simulation was used to study the graft of maleic anhydride (MAH) onto linear polyethylene (PE-g-MAH) initiated by dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Simulation results revealed that major MAH monomers attached onto PE chains as branched graft at higher MAH content. However, at extremely low MAH content, the fraction of bridged graft was very close to that of branched graft. This conclusion was somewhat different from the conventional viewpoint, namely, the fraction of bridged graft was always much lower than that of branched graft under any condition. Moreover, the results indicated that the grafting degree increased almost linearly to MAH and DCP concentrations. On the other hand, it was found that the amount of grafted MAH dropped sharply with increasing the length of grafted MAH, indicating that MAH monomers were mainly attached onto the PE chain as single MAH groups or very short oligomers. With respect to the crosslink of PE, the results showed that the fraction of PE-(MAH)(n)-PE crosslink structure increased continuously, and hence the fraction of PE-PE crosslink decreased with increasing MAH concentration.

Characterization of non-covalent complexes of rutin with cyclodextrins by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) and the phase solubility method were used to characterize the gas-phase and solution-phase non-covalent complexes between rutin (R) and alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins (CDs). The direct correlation between mass spectrometric results and solution-phase behavior is thus revealed. The order of the 1:1 association constants (K-c) of the complexes between R and the three CDs in solution calculated from solubility diagrams is in good agreement with the order of their relative peak intensities and relative collision-induced dissociation (CID) energies of the complexes under the same ESI-MSn condition in both the positive and negative ion modes. Not only the binding stoichiometry but also the relative stabilities and even binding sites of the CD-R complexes can be elucidated by ESI-MSn. The diagnostic fragmentation of CD-R complexes, with a significant contribution of covalent fragmentation of rutin leaving the quercetin (Q) moiety attached to the CDs, provides convincing evidence for the formation of inclusion complexes between R and CDs. The diagnostic fragment ions can be partly confirmed by the complexes between Q and CDs. The gas-phase stability order of the deprotonated CD-R complexes is beta-CD-R > alpha-CD-R > gamma-CD/R; beta-CD seems to bind R more strongly than the other CDs.

The antioxidative effect of icariin in human erythrocytes against free-radical-induced haemolysis

Icariin (2-(4'-methoxyl phenyl)-3-rhamnosido-5-hydroxyl-7-glucosido-8-(3'-methyl-2-butyleny"chromanone) is the major component in Herba Epimedii used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of atherosclerosis. This work focuses on the antioxidative effect of icariin on freeradical-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes, in which the initial free radical derives from the decomposition of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH) at physiological temperature. To reveal the structure-activity relationship of icariin, the antioxidant effects of two structural analogues of icariin, acacetin (2-(4'-methoxylphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxylchromone) and norwogonin (2-phenyl-5,7,8-trihydroxylchromone), on the same experimental system were examined as well. It was found that all these chromone derivatives (Chm-OHs) dose-dependently protected human erythrocytes against free-radical-induced haemolysis. The order of antioxidative activity was nonvogoni-n > acacetin > icariin by the analysis of the relationship between the concentration of Chm-OHs and the prolongation percentage of the lag time of haemolysis (PP%). It was also proved that the phenyl hydroxyl group attached to the chromone ring at 7-position cannot trap the free radical- On the contrary, phenyl hydroxyl groups at the 5- and 8-position in nonvogonin made it a significant antioxidant in AAPH-induced haemolysis.

Electrical conductivity of a single Au/polyaniline microfiber

We report the measurements of conductivity, I-V curve, and magnetoresistance of a single Au/polyaniline microfiber with a core-shell structure, on which a pair of platinum microleads was attached by focused ion beam. The Au/polyaniline microfiber shows a much higher conductivity (similar to 110 S/cm at 300 K) and a much weaker temperature dependence of resistance [R(4 K)/R(300 K)=5.1] as compared with those of a single polyaniline microtube [sigma(RT)=30-40 S/cm and R(4 K)/R(300 K)=16.2]. The power-law dependence of R(T)proportional to T-beta, with beta=0.38, indicates that the measured Au/polyaniline microfiber is lying in the critical regime of the metal-insulator transition. In addition, the microfiber shows a H-2 dependent positive magnetoresistance at 2, 4, and 6 K.

Precursor induced synthesis of hierarchical nanostructured ZnO

As-synthesized ZnO nanostructures with a bladed bundle-like architecture have been fabricated from a flower-like precursor ZnO (.) 0.33ZnBr(2) (.) 1.74H(2)O via a mechanism of dissolution - recrystallization. Experimental conditions, such as initial reactants and reaction time, are examined. The results show that no bladed bundle-like ZnO hierarchical nanostructures can be obtained by using the same molar amount of other zinc salts, such as ZnBr2, instead of the flower-like ZnO (.) 0.33ZnBr(2) (.) 1.74H(2)O precursor, and keeping other conditions unchanged. The products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ZnO nanostructures are mainly composed of nanowires with a diameter around 40 - 50 nm and length up to 1.5 - 2.5 mu m. Meanwhile, ZnO nanoflakes with a thickness of about 4 - 5 nm attached to the surface of ZnO nanowires with a preferred radially aligned orientation. Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) measurements exhibited the unique white-light-emitting characteristic of hierarchical ZnO nanostructures. The emission spectra cover the whole visible region from 380 to 700 nm.

Characterization of triterpenoidic saponin mixture in crude extracts from leaves of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms by saponin structural correlation and mass spectrometry

Eighteen triterpenoidic saponins in crude extracts from leaves of Acanthopanax senticous Harms have been investigated by electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry. In ESI-MS spectra, predominant [M + Na](+) ions in the positive ion mode have been observed for molecular mass information. Meanwhile, specific structural correlations between these ions are firstly found. The 18 peaks (ions) can be classified into three groups (group D, E, and F with mass increase) with each group including six peaks. There is a mass difference of 132 Da between group D and E for each corresponding peak in turn (for example peak 1 to peak 7), indicating one more pentose residue was attached to saponins in group E than those corresponding in group D. The mass difference of 146 Da between group E and F implies one more deoxy-hexose attached to saponins in group F than those corresponding in group E. The structural correlations of the corresponding ions are confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry and high-re solution mass spectrometry. These structural features can not only facilitate the rapid characterization of the native known saponins in crude plant extracts, thus avoiding tedious derivation and separation of saponins, but also help find novel compounds of the same type in a specific medicinal plant.

Catalytic properties of silica/silver nanocomposites

The catalytic properties of silver nanoparticles supported on silica and the relation between catalytic activity of silver particles and the support (silica) size are investigated in the present article. The silver nanoparticles with 4 nm diameters were synthesized and were attached to silica spheres with sizes of 40, 78, 105 nm, respectively. The reduction of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) by NaBH4 was designed by using the SiO2/Ag core-shell nanocomposites as catalysts. The experimental results demonstrated that the catalytic activity of silica/silver nanoparticles depends on not only the concentration of catalysts (silver) but also the support silica size. Silver particles supported on small SiO2 spheres (similar to 40 nm) show high catalytic activity. Moreover, by making a comparison between the UV-vis spectra of the catalyst before and after the catalytic reaction, we found that the position of surface plasma resonance (SPR) peak of Ag nanoparticles changes little. The above results suggested that the size and morphology of silver particles were probably kept unchanged after the reduction of R6G and also implied that the catalytic activity of silver particles was hardly lost during the catalytic reaction.

Monte Carlo simulation of the grafting of maleic anhydride onto polypropylene at higher temperature

The graft of maleic anhydride (MAH) onto isotactic polypropylene (iPP) initiated by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) at 190 degreesC was studied by means of the Monte Carlo method. The ceiling temperature theory, i.e., no possibility for the homopolymerization of MA-H to occur at higher temperatures, was used in this study. The simulation results show that most MAH monomers were grafted onto the radical chain ends arising from beta scission at a lower MAH concentration, whereas the amount of MAH monomers attached to the tertiary carbons was much larger than that grafted onto the radical chain ends at a higher MAH concentration for various DCP concentrations. This conclusion gives a good interpretation for the disagreement on the grafting sites along a PP chain. Moreover, it was found that the grafting degree increased considerably up to a peak value; thereafter, it decreased continuously with increasing MA-H concentration. The peak shifted in the lower MAH concentration direction and became lower and lower with increasing DCP concentration. When the DCP concentration was below 0.1 wt %, the peak was hardly observed. Those results are in good agreement with the experiments.

Hydrothermal syntheses and crystal structures of bimetallic cluster complexes [{Cd(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12]center dot 5H(2)O and [Ni(phen)(3)](2)[V4O12]center dot 17.5H(2)O

The hydrothermal reactions of vanadium oxide starting materials with divalent transition metal cations in the presence of nitrogen donor chelating ligands yield the bimetallic cluster complexes with the formulae [{Cd(phen(2))(2)V4O12].5H(2)O (1) and [Ni(phen)(3)](2)[V4O12] . 17.5H(2)O (2). Crystal data: C48H52Cd2N8O22V4 (1), triclinic. P (1) over bar, a = 10.3366(10), b = 11.320(3), c = 13.268(3) Angstrom, alpha = 103.888(17)degrees, beta = 92.256(15)degrees, gamma = 107.444(14)degrees, Z = 1; C72H131N12Ni2O29.5V4 (2), triclinic. P (1) over bar, a = 12.305(3), b = 13.172(6), c = 15.133(4), alpha = 79.05(3)degrees, beta = 76.09(2)degrees, gamma = 74.66(3)degrees, Z = 1. Data were collected on a Siemens P4 four-circle diffractometer at 293 K in the range 1.59degrees < theta < 26.02degrees and 2.01degrees < 0 < 25.01degrees using the omega-scan technique, respectively. The structure of 1 consists of a [V4O12](4-) cluster covalently attached to two {Cd(phen)(2)}(2+) fragments, in which the [V4O12](4-) cluster adopts a chair-like configuration. In the structure of 2, the [V4O12](4-) cluster is isolated. And the complex formed a layer structure via hydrogen bonds between the V4O12](4-) unit and crystallization water molecules.

Study on a carbosilane liquid crystalline (LC) dendrimer of the first generation - Containing twelve 4-butoxyazobenzene mesogenic groups in periphery

The divergent synthesis of a new carbosilane liquid-crystalline (LC) dendrimer of the first generation (D1) is described. Twelve 4-butoxyazobenzene groups are used as mesogenic fragments and attached in the periphery of the molecule. Structure and properties of D1 were characterized by element analysis, H-1 NMR, MALDI-TOF-MS, IR, UV-Vis, polarizing optical micrograph, DSC and WAXD. It is argued that mesophase of nematic type is realized. It is shown that the mesophase type of the dendrimer essentially depends on the chemical nature of the mesogenic groups. Phase behavior of D1 is K82N1331132N67K. The melting point of D1 is 30similar to43 degreesC lower than that of M5, its clearing temperature is 9 similar to 11 degreesC higher than that of M5 and its mesophase region is enlarged by 39 similar to 54 degreesC compared to that of M5. Eight extinguished brushes emanating from a stationary point are observed, corresponding to the high-strength disclination of S = + 2 of dendrimer. The clearing enthalpy of D1 is smaller than the value that is commonly found for phase transition n-i in LC and LC polymers. This may be due to the presence of branched dendrimer cores which cannot be easily deformed to fit into the anisotropic LC phase structure.

Synthesis and structural characterization of organolanthanide complexes with 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1,2-dichalcogenolate ligands

Reactions of anhydrous LnCl(3) (Ln = Nd, Gd, Dy, Er, Yb) with 2 equiv of LiCp' in THF afford the lanthanocene complexes Of CP'(2)Ln(mu-Cl)(2)Li(THF)(2) (CP' = eta(5)-t-BuC5H4, Ln = Nd (1), Gd (2), Dy (3), Er (4), Yb (5); Cp'= 1,3-eta(5)-t-Bu2C5H3, Ln = Nd (6), Gd (7), Dy (8), Er (9), Yb (10)). The molecular structures of 7 and 8 were characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis. In these complexes, two Cp' ring centroids and two it-bridging chloride atoms around the lanthanide atoms form a distorted tetrahedron. The insertion of elemental chalcogen E (E = S, Se) into Li-C bonds of dilithium o-carborane in THF solution afforded dimers of dilithium. dichalcogenolate carboranes, [(THF)(3)LiE2C2B10H10Li(THF)](2) (E = S (12a), Se (12b)), which were confirmed by a crystal structure analysis. Reactions Of Cp'(2)Ln(mu-Cl)(2)Li(THF)(2) (1-10) with 12a or 12b gave dinuclear complexes of the formula [Li(THF)(4)](2)[Cp'(2)LnE(2)C(2)B(10)H(10)](2) (Cp'= eta(5)-t-BuC5H4, E = S, Ln = Nd (13a), Gd (14a), Dy (15a), Er (16a), Yb (17a); E = Se, Ln = Nd (13b), Gd (14b), Dy (15b), Er (16b), Yb (17b); Cp'= 1,3-eta(5)-t-Bu2C5H3 E = S, Ln = Nd (18a), Gd (19a), Dy (20a), Er (21a), Yb (22a); E = Se, Ln = Nd (18b), Gd (19b), Dy (20b), Er (21b), Yb (22b)). According to the X-ray structure analyses, the dianions of 13a and 13b contain two o-carborane dichalcogenolate bridges, and each CP'2Ln fragment is attached to one terminal and two bridging chalcogen ligands. The central Ln(2)E(2) four-membered ring is not planar, and the direct metal-metal interaction is absent.