Preparation and Electrical Properties of New Oxide Ion Conductors Ce6-xGdxMoO15-delta (0.0 <= x <= 1.8)

A series of oxide ion conductors Ce6-xGdxMoO15-delta (0.0 <= x <= 1.8) have been prepared by the sol-gel method. Their properties were characterized by differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry (DTA/TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and AC impedance spectroscopy. The XRD patterns showed that the materials were single phase with a cubic fluorite structure. The conductivity of Ce6-xGdxMoO15-delta increases as x increases and reaches the maximum at x = 0.15. The conductivity of Ce4.5Gd1.5MoO15-delta is sigma(t) = 3.6 x 10(-3) S/cm at 700 degrees C, which is higher than that of Ce4.5/6Gd1.5/6O2-delta (sigma(t) = 2.6 x 10(-3) S/cm), and the corresponding activation energy of Ce4.5Gd1.5MoO15-delta (0.92 eV) is lower than that of Ce4.5/6Gd1.5/6O2-delta (1.18 eV).

Preparation of DNA - Silver nanohybrids in multilayer nanoreactors by in situ electrochemical reduction, characterization, and application

Novel nanocomposite films containing DNA-silver nanohybrids have been successfully fabricated by combined use of the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique and an in situ electrochemical reduction method with the DNA-Ag+ complex as one of the building blocks. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy was employed to monitor the buildup of the multilayer films, which suggested a progressive deposition with almost an equal amount of the DNA-Ag+ complex in each cycle. The following electrochemical reduction of silver resulted in the formation of metal nanoparticles in the film, which was evidenced by the evolution of the intense plasmon absorption band originating from silver. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the particles formed in the multilayer films possessed good monodispersity and stability, thanks to the surrounding polymers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of the main components (such as DNA and metallic silver) of the nanocomposite films. In addition, we show that the size of the metal nanoparticles and the optical property of the film could be readily tuned by manipulating the assembly conditions.

Rapid synthesis of hexagon-shaped gold nanoplates by microwave assistant method

The microwave (MW)-based thermal process was applied to the preparation of hexagon-shaped gold nanoplates. The fort-nation of gold nanoplates occurs rapidly in a single step, carried out by directly heating a reaction mixture of HAuCl4 with sodium citrate in an MW reactor. And the gold nanoplates were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results indicated that the sizes and morphologies of the gold nanomaterials strongly depend both on the heating methods and molar ratio of HAuCl4 to sodium citrate in the initial reaction mixture. At the molar ratio 5 : 4 (HAuCl4 to sodium citrate), hexagonal nanoplates with large Au (111) crystallographic facet were preferentially synthesized by the MW assistant method.

The preparation of sol-gel materials doped with ionic liquids and trialkyl phosphine oxides for Yttrium(III) uptake

A new material (IL923SGs) composed of ionic liquids and trialkyl phosphine oxides (Cyanex 923) for Y(III) uptake was prepared via a sol-gel method. The hydrophobic ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C(8)mim(+)PF(6)-) was used as solvent medium and pore templating material. The extraction of Y(III) by IL923SGs was mainly due to the complexation of metal ions with Cyanex 923 doped in the solid silica. Ionic liquid was stably doped into the silica gel matrix providing a diffusion medium for Cyanex 923, and this will result in higher removal efficiencies and excellent stability for metal ions separation. IL923SGs were also easily regenerated and reused in the subsequent removal of Y(III) in four cycles.

Preparation and luminescent properties of rare earth ions in M2B5O9Cl : Re(M = Ca, Sr, Ba; Re=Eu, Tb)

M2B5O9X: Re(M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = Cl, Br; Re = Eu, Th) phosphors were synthesized via solid state method. The products were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction and luminescence spectrometer. The luminescent properties as well. as the influences of the matrix composition and other doping ions on the luminescence of the rare earth ions of the co-doped phosphors were investigated. The coexistence of Eu3+, Eu2+ and Th3+ were observed in these matrices. The phenomenon may be explained by the electron transfer theory. The sensitization of Ce3+ ion improves the intensity of emission of Eu2+, and Tb3+. The competition between electron transfer among conjugate rare earth ions and energy migration might be the reasons for the observation. We predict a novel trichromatic phosphor co-doped with Eu3+ Tb3+ in M2B5O9X.

Preparation and luminescent properties of cubic Eu3+ : Y2O3 nanocrystals and comparison to bulk Eu3+ : Y2O3

Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystals were prepared by combustion synthesis. The particle size estimated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was about 10 nm. A blue-shift of the charge-transfer (CT) band in excitation spectra was observed in Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystals compared with bulk Y2O3:Eu3+. The electronic structure Of Y2O3 is calculated by density functional method and exchange and correlation have been treated by the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) within the scheme due to Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE). The calculated results show that the energy centroid of 5d orbital in nanocrystal has increasing trend compared with that in the bulk material. The bond length and bond covalency are calculated by chemical bond theory. The bond lengths of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystal are shorter than those of the bulk counterpart and the bond covalency of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystal also has an increasing trend. By combining centroid shift and crystal-field splitting, the blue-shift of the CT band is interpreted.

Deposition of GdVO4 : Eu3+ nanoparticles on silica nanospheres by a simple sol-gel method

The deposition and coating of GdVO4: Eu3+ nanoparticles on spherical silica was carried out using a simple sol - gel method at low temperature. The GdVO4: Eu3+-coated silica composites obtained were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectra, and kinetic decay. It is found that the similar to 5 nm GdVO4: Eu3+ nanoparticles coating the silica spheres are crystal in the as-prepared samples and the crystallinity increases with increasing annealing temperature. The composites obtained are spherical in shape with an average size of 100 nm. The GdVO4: Eu3+ nanoparticles are linked with silica cores by a chemical bond. The photoluminescence spectra of the obtained GdVO4: Eu3+-coated silica composites are similar to those of the bulk GdVO4: Eu3+ phosphors. The strongest peak is near 617 nm, which indicates that Eu3+ is located in the low symmetry site with non-inversion centre.

Preparation and chracaterization of novel graft copolymers of LLDPE

A series of novel fluorine surfactants, a, b, c, d, e and their acrylates, A, 13, C, D and E, were synthesized via poly( ethylene oxide) ( PEG) ( 200, 600, 1000, 2000, 5000) and perfluorooctane poly (ethylene oxide) ether as the main starting materials. Their chemical structures were characterized by means of FTIR and H-1 NMR. The surface activity and surface tension( y) of surfactants a, b, c, d and e were evaluated by maximum bubble pressure method. Surfactants A, 13, C, D and E were adopted as the grafting monomers of linear low density polyethere( LLDPE), and grafting reaction was carried out by melt reactive extrusion procedure. Their surface properties were characterized with measuring contact angle and XPS. It was found that the hydrophilic property of the graft copolymers was better than the palin LLDPE. Thermal properties of graft copolymers were studied by DSC. It was found that their crystalline temperatures of graft copolymers were faster than that of the plain LLDPE.

Preparation and characterization of W-Type hexaferrite doped with La3+

A series of W-type ferrites with the composition of Ba1-xLaxCo2Fe16O27 (where, x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 020 and 0.25) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. The structure transformations of the ferrites were examined by XRD, DTA-TG and XPS, and the microwave-absorbing properties were investigated by evaluating the permeability and permittivity of materials (mu(r), epsilon(r)). The results showed that the phase-transition temperature increased with the addition of La2+ content, and a single-phase was formed at 1250 degrees C at last. Microwave properties were obviously improved as a result of the substitution of La3+ for Ba2+ at the frequency range of 0.5 similar to 18.0 GHz.

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(L-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2-3 mu m were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Fast and facile preparation of superhigh aspect-ratio Cu-thiourea nanowires in large quantity

Superhigh aspect-ratio Cu-thiourea (Cu(tu)) nanowires have been synthesized in large quantity via a fast and facile method. Nanowires of Cu (tu)Cl center dot 0.5H(2)O and Cu(tu)Br center dot 0.5H(2)O were found to be 60-100 nm and 100-200 nm, in diameter, and could extend to several millimeters in length. It is found to be the most convenient and facile approach to the fabrication of one-dimensional superhigh aspect-ratio nanomaterials in large scale so far.

Carbon nanotubes and glucose oxidase bionanocomposite bridged by ionic liquid-like unit: Preparation and electrochemical properties

For their biocompatibility and potential bionanoelectronic applications, integration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with biomolecules such as redox enzyme is highly anticipated. Therein, CNTs are expected to act not only as an electron transfer promoter, but also as immobilizing substrate for biomolecules. In this report, a novel method for immobilization of biomolecules on CNTs was proposed based on ionic interaction, which is of universality and widespread use in biological system. As illustrated, glucose oxidase (GOD) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were integrated into a unitary bionanocomposite by means of ionic liquid-like unit on functionalized SWNTs. The resulted bionanocomposite illustrated better redox response of immobilized GOD in comparison of that prepared by weak physical absorption without ionic interaction. As a potential application of concept, the electrochemical detection of glucose was exemplified based on this novel bionanocomposite.

Synthesis of AgCl/PAN composite nanofibres using an electrospinning method

A new route based on electrospinning is designed for the preparation of silver chloride/polyacrylonitrile (AgCl/PAN) composite nanofibres. The AgCl nanoparticles uniform in size, were dispersed on the surfaces of the composite nanofibres. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images gave direct evidence of the structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the presence of AgCl crystals.

Preparation of a phosphopolyoxomolybdate P2Mo18O626- doped polypyrrole modified electrode and its catalytic properties

A phosphopolyoxomolybdate (P2Mo18) doped polypyrrole (PPy) modified electrode was prepared in aqueous solution by a one-step method. During the polymerization of PPy, P2Mo18 acted as both catalyst and dopant. The electrochemical behavior of the PPy/P2Mo18 modified electrode before and after the overoxidation of PPy was investigated. Both of these showed a catalytic effect toward bromate. The PPy/P2Mo18 composite film was characterized by chronoamperometry, cyclic voltammetry, the rotating disk electrode technique, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.

Investigation on preparation and fluorescence properties of oxy-fluoride glass co-doped with Er3+ and Yb3+

The glass sample based on the composition of 45PbF(2)-45GeO(2)-10WO(3) co-doped with Yb3+/Er3+ was prepared by the fusion method in two steps: melted at 950 degreesC for 20 similar to 25 min then annealed at 380 degreesC for 4 h. Through the V-prism it is found that the refractive index of host glass and the sample are 1.517 and 1.65 respectively. The transmittance was observed by using the ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectrometer in the wavelength range from 0.35 to 2.5mum. The transmittaitce of the host glass is beyond 73%. That of the sample is beyond 50% and there are characteristic absorption peaks of rare-earth ions. The emission spectrum was measured by using the Hitachi F-4500 fluorescent spectrometer pumped by 980 nm semiconductor laser. There are a strong emission peak at 530 nm and a weak peak at 650 nm.