Electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence of SiO2 nanoparticles/tris(2,2 '-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) multilayer films on indium tin oxide electrodes

In this paper, a simple method of preparing {SiO2/Ru-(bPY)(3)(2+)}(n) multilayer films was described. Positively charged tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) and negatively charged SiO2 nanoparticles were assembled on ITO electrodes by a layer-by-layer method. Electrochemical and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) behaviors of the {SiO2/Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)}(n) multilayer film-modified electrodes were studied. Cyclic voltammetry, UV-visible spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, and ECL were adopted to monitor the regular growth of the multilayer films. The multilayer films containing Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) was used for ECL determination of TPA, and the sensitivity was more than 1 order of magnitude higher than that observed for previous reported immobilization methods for the determination of TPA. The multilayer films also showed better stability for one month at least. The high sensitivity and stability mainly resulted from the high surface area and special structure of the silica nanoparticles.

Preparation of Ni0.65Zn0.35Cu0.1Fe1.9O4/SiO2 nanocomposites by sol-gel method

(Ni0.65Zn035Cu0.1Fe1.904)-Cu-./SiO2 natiocomposites were fabricated by the sol-gel method using tetraethylorthosilicate as a precursor of silica, and metal nitrates as precursors of NiZnCu ferrite. With infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Raman spectra, Mossbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements, the formation of single phase nanocrystalline NiZnCu ferrites dispersed in silica matrix is confirmed when the sample is annealed at 550degreesC. The transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic state is observed as the annealing temperature increases from 750degreesC to 1150degreesC. The magnetic properties of these nanocomposites are clearly size dependent. The saturation magnetization increases with the annealing temperature.

Preparation of nanocrystalline NiZnCu ferrite particles by sol-gel method and their magnetic properties

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was first used as chelating agent and metal nitrates as precursor of ferrite in the fabrication of nanocrystalline Ni0.65Zn0.35Cu0.1Fe1.9O4 particles by the sol-gel method. The thermal decomposition process of dried gel was studied by thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and infrared spectra (IR). The structural and magnetic properties of resultant particles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The dependence of the decomposition of dried gel, the formation of spinel structured NiZnCu ferrite, the sizes of annealed particles, the saturation magnetization and coercivity of annealed particles on annealing temperature is presented.

A study of NiZnCu-ferrite/SiO2 nanocomposites with different ferrite contents synthesized by sol-gel method

Ni0.65Zn0.35Cu0.1Fe1.9O4/SiO2 nanocomposites with different weight percentages of NiZnCu-ferrite dispersed in silica matrix were successfully fabricated by the sol-gel method using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor of silica, and metal nitrates as precursors of NiZnCu ferrite. The thermal decomposition process of the dried gel was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The obtained Ni0.65Zn0.35Cu0.1Fe1.9O4/SiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Mossbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The formation of stoichiometric NiZnCu-ferrite dispersed in silica matrix is confirmed when the weight percentage of ferrite is not more than 30%. Samples with higher ferrite content have small amount of alpha-Fe2O3. The transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic state is observed as the ferrite content increases from 20 to 90wt%.

Synthesis of a novel structural triblock copolymer of poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone)

A novel structural triblock copolymer of poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PBLG-PEO-PCL) was synthesized by a new approach in the following three steps: (1) sequential anionic ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ethylene oxide and epsilon-caprolactone with an acetonitrile/potassium naphthalene initiator system to obtain a diblock copolymer CN-PEO-PCL with a cyano end-group; (2) conversion of the CN end-group into NH2 end-group by hydrogenation to obtain NH2-PEO-PCL; (3) ROP of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydrides (Bz-L-GluNCA) with NH2-PEO-PCL as macroinitiator to obtain the target triblock copolymer. The structures from CN-PEO precursor to the triblock copolymers were confirmed by FT-IR and H-1 NMR spectroscopy, and their molecular weights were measured by gel permeation chromatography. The monomer of Bz-L-GluNCA can react almost quantitatively with the amino end-groups of NH2-PEO-PCL macroinitiator by ROP.

Synthesis of four-armed poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) by diethylzinc catalyst

Biodegradable, amphiphilic, four-armed poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PCL-b-PEO) copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide in the presence of four-armed poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) with terminal OH groups with diethylzinc (ZnEt2) as a catalyst. The chemical structure of PCL-b-PEO copolymer was confirmed by H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR. The hydroxyl end groups of the four-armed PC L were successfully substituted by PEO blocks in the copolymer. The monomodal profile of molecular weight distribution by gel permeation chromatography provided further evidence for the four-armed architecture of the copolymer. Physicochemical properties of the four-armed block copolymers differed from their starting four-armed PCL precursor. The melting points were between those of PCL precursor and linear poly(ethylene glycol). The length of the outer PEO blocks exhibited an obvious effect on the crystallizability of the block copolymer. The degree of swelling of the four-armed block copolymer increased with PEO length and PEO content.

Studies on microstructure bilayer film of ultrasonic dipped cadmium sulfide and d.c. sputtered indium tin oxide

A bilayer CdS/ITO film was obtained. The dipped CdS was grown by an ultrasonic colloid deposition (USCD) method. Microstructure of the CdS film made by USCD has a wider transmission range and a higher transmittance. Amorphous indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film was deposited using d.c. magnetron-sputtering at room temperature. The ITO films exhibited good conductivity and maximum transmittance of 94%. The CdS/ITO bilayer was investigated by means of GIXD (grazing incidence X-ray diffraction) at different incidence angles (alpha = 0.20-5.00degrees) and XRD. We discuss a model for the thin bilayer film. SEM and AFM show that homogeneous CdS films with a bar-shaped ultrafine particles and ITO film with nanometer structure. The mechanism of the bilayer CdS/ITO film is discussed.

Synthesis of polysaccharide-stabilized gold and silver nanoparticles: a green method

A simple, green method was developed for the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by using polysaccharides as reducing/stabilizing agents. The obtained positively charged chitosan-stabilized gold nanoparticles and negatively charged heparin-stabilized silver nanoparticles were characterized with UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results illustrated the formation of gold and silver nanoparticles inside the nanoscopic polysaccharide templates. Moreover, the morphology and size distribution of prepared gold and silver nanoparticles varied with the concentration of both the polysaccharides and the precursor metal salts.

Synthesis of nanowires, nanorods and nanoparticles of ZnO through modulating the ratio of water to methanol by using a mild and simple solution method

ZnO nanowires, nanorods and nanoparticles through modulating the ratio of water to methanol have been synthesized by using a mild and simple solution method. The as-prepared ZnO nanostructures have been characterized by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. With the increase of the ratio of water to methanol, the morphology of ZnO nanostructures varied form denser nanowires, to sparse nanowires, to nanorods, and then to nanoparticles. The ratio of water to methanol is supposed to play an important role in the formation of ZnO nanostructures. The mechanism of formation is related to the chemical potential, which is simply proportional to their surface ratio.

Engineering white light-emitting Eu-doped ZnO urchins by biopolymer-assisted hydrothermal method

With the presence of biopolymer-sodium alginate as additive, Eu-doped ZnO (zinc oxide) urchins consisting of nanorods were synthesized through a hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction pattern makes evident the absence of phase other than wurtzite ZnO. Upon excited by 325 nm xenon laser, such nanostructured Eu-doped ZnO urchins emit white light, which originates from the luminescence of ZnO and the intra-4f transitions of Eu3+ ions. Besides acting as stabilizing agent, sodium alginate may also sensitize the Eu3+ ions in the nanostructures and facilitate the energy transfer from the host to Eu3+ ions. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Hexagonal nanodisks of cadmium hydroxide and oxide with nanoporous structure

In this work we demonstrate that hexagonal nanodisks of cadmium hydroxide with nanoporous structures could be fabricated by a facile hydrothermal treatment without using any templates or organic additives. With this method, the length of the hexagonal edge and thickness of the nanodisks can be adjusted through controlling the experimental conditions such as the pH value of the mother liquor and the initial concentration of the cadmium ion. On the basis of our experimental observations and understandings of the nanocrystal growth, the formation of the nanodisks is believed to mainly originate from the oriented attachment of small particles. Furthermore, the hexagonal Cd(OH)(2) nanodisks can be converted to CdO semiconductors with similar morphology by calcinations.

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.

Study on structure and oxide ionic conductivity for new compound Ce(6-x)Ln(x)MoO(15-delta)

A new compound Ce(6-x)Ln(x)MoO(15-delta) has been synthesized by wet-chemistry method. Their crystal structure and oxide ionic conductivity were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Raman, IR spectrum and A.C. impedance technique. The XRD results showed that Ce6MO15-delta, Ce(5)LnMoO(15-delta) have cubic symmetry with Fm3m space group. The refined lattice parameters showed that their lattice constants decrease with the decrease of the ionic radius of Ln(3+). The electrochemical measurements showed that the ionic conductivity of resulting oxides Ce(6-x)Ln(x)MoO(15-delta) have an enhance, which may be a kind of promising material for SOFCs.

Coating nano-hemalite on (Y,Gd)BO3 : Eu3+ phosphors by a facile method

(Y, Gd) BO3:Eu3+ particles coated with nano-hematite were prepared by a facile method I for example (humid) solid phase reaction at room temperature. The resulted hematite-coated (Y, Gd)BO3:Eu3+ particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and photoluminescence spectra (PL). The SEM and EDS analyses indicate that the particles are coated with a very thin layer of iron oxide. XPS results further confirmed that the coating was hematite, and the coating thickness was in nanometer range. XRD patterns showed that either the hematite coating was too thin or the content of hematite was too small, so that the XRD cannot detect it. The emission spectra illustrate that the peak near 580 nm disappears due to the coating of iron oxide, and when the coating is very thin, the ratio of D-5(0)-> F-7(2) to D-5(2)-> F-7(1) of coated particles is higher than that of uncoated ones, which indicates that the color purity of the phosphor is increased by coating nano-hematite.

Liquid-liquid phase behavior of toluene/polyethylene oxide/poly(ethyleneoxide-b-dimethylsiloxane) polymer-containing ternary mixtures

The experimental data of phase diagrams for both polyethylene oxide/poly(ethylene oxide-b-dimethylsiloxane) binary and toluene/polyethylene oxide/poly(ethylene oxide-b-dimethylsiloxane) ternary polymer-containing systems was obtained at atmosphere pressure by light scattering method. The critical points for some pre-selected compositions and the pressure effect on the phase transition behavior of ternary system were investigated by turbidity measurements. The chosen system is a mixture of ternary which is one of the very few abnormal polymer-containing systems exhibiting pressure-induced both miscibility and immiscibility. This unusual behavior is related to the toluene concentration in the mixtures. The effect of toluene on the phase transition behavior of the ternary polymer-containing mixture was traced. Such behavior can make it possible to process composite materials from incompatible polymers.