High fluorescence quantum efficiency of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots embedded in GPTS/TEOS-derived organic/silica hybrid colloids

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Up-converter nanophosphor Y2O2S:Er,Yb aminofunctionalized containing or not spherical silica conjugated with BSA

This work reports on the study of the nanophosphor. Y2O2S:Er(2%),Yb(1%) obtained from polymeric resin to be evaluated as fluorescent label with Suitable features to conjugate with bio-molecules for bioassay up-converting phosphor technology (UPT) application A conjugation protocol between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the aminofunctionalized nanophosphor containing or not spherical silica was established UV-vis results indicated an effective conjugation between nanophosphor particles and the protein up-conversion measurements under 980 nm excitation performed for samples before and after aminofunctionalization showed that nanophosphor particles luminescence features keep unchanged in all cases All results suggest that the adapted protocol is feasible to provide a nanoparticle-protein effective conjugation preserving nanophosphor optical features The presence of spherical silica can be considered advantageous to increase conjugation efficiency Therefore. the developed procedure is applicable for future conjugations between the chosen nanophosphor and the streptavidin protein chat takes part in the well known self-recognition system avidin-biotin. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Study of copper complexes adsorbed on a silica gel surface chemically modified with 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole

The isotherms of adsorption of CuX2 (X=Cl-, Br-, ClO4-) by silica gel chemically modified with 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole were studied in acetone and ethanol solutions: at 298 K. The following equilibria constants (in 1 mol(-1)) were determined: (a) CuCl2: 3.5 x 10(3) (ac), 2.0 x 10(3) (eth); (b) CuBr2: 2.8 x 10(3) (ac), 2.0 x 10(3) (eth); (c) Cu(ClO4)(2): 1.8 x 10(3) (ac), 1.0 x 10(3) (eth); ac = acetone, eth = ethanol. The electron spin resonance spectra of the surface complexes indicated a tetragonal distorted structure in the case of lower degrees of metal loading on the chemically modified surface. The d-d electronic transition spectra showed that for the ClO4-, complex, the peak of absorption did not change for any degree of metal loading, and for Cl- and Br- complexes, the peak maxima shifted to a higher energy region with a lower metal loading. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of copper(II) and cobalt(II) complexes on a silica gel surface chemically modified with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole

The isotherms of adsorption of MX2 (M = Cu2+, Co2+; X = Cl-, Br-, ClO4) by silica gel chemically modified with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (SiATR) were studied in acetone and ethanol solutions, at 25 degrees C. The 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole molecule, covalently bound to the silica gel surface, adsorbs MX2 from solvent by forming a surface complex. At low loading, the electronic and electron spin resonance spectral parameters indicated that the Cu2+ complexes have distorted tetragonal symmetry. The CoX2 (X = Cl-, Br-) analogues exhibit a distorted-tetrahedral geometry, whilstthe (SiATR)mCo)ClO4)(2) complex has a tetragonally distorted octahedral geometry, with four equatorial nitrogen atoms around the cobalt. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and optimization of colloidal silica nanoparticles and their functionalization with methacrylic acid

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Preparation and characterization of spherical silica-porphyrin catalysts obtained by the sol-gel methodology

This work describes the synthesis of a first-generation iron porphyrin catalyst entrapped in a silica matrix by the sol-gel route, leading to spherical particles. The catalyst was synthesized by the method of Stober, through hydrolysis and condensation of the alkoxysilane TEOS in a mixture of alcohol, water and ammonia, in the presence of the iron porphyrin Fe(TPP)Cl. The relation between particle morphology and catalytic activity of the different Fe(TPP)-SiO2, obtained using different H2O/silane molar ratios and ammonia concentrations in the xerogel syntheses, was studied.The obtained catalysts were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, NMR Si-29. thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Their ability to catalyze (Z)-cyclooctene epoxidation and cyclohexane oxidation was tested using iodosylbenzene as oxygen donor; the oxidation products were analyzed by gas chromatography and the catalysts obtained in a form of particles spherical and monodispersed showed to be a promising catalytic system for selective oxidation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TI(IV) OXIDE GRAFTED ONTO SILICA ON A SILICA-GEL SURFACE

Silica gel with a surface area of 500 m2g-1 and an average pore diameter of 60 angstrom was chemically modified with Ti(IV) oxide using the grafting method. The amount of metal oxide attached to the surface was 1.8.10(-3) mol g-1. The X-ray photoelectron spectra showed that the metal ion species on the surface are Ti(IV) in TiO2 and MTiO3 (M = Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+ and Pb2+), i.e. they have the binding energy of Ti2p3/2 = 458.7 eV. The dehydration of the solid at higher temperature increased the O(II)/Ti (O(II) = oxygen bound to titanium atom) ratio, presumably due to a reticulation of the hydrous Ti(IV) oxide on the silica surface at higher temperatures. Migration of Ti(IV) into the silica gel matrix was observed but the specific surface area was not significantly changed.

Small angle X-ray scattering study of structural changes in silica gel modified with organofunctional groups

Silica gel surfaces, organofunctionalized with 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, iminosalicylaldehyde and imidazole groups were examined using the small angle X-ray scattering technique (SAXS). From the scattering intensity data it was concluded that particles have a uniform size after the coupling reaction. The chemical treatment of the silica gel leads to an attachment of the organofunctional groups on the solid-pore interface of the silica with an increase of the mean size of the solid phase and some coalescence of the pores. © 1989.

Evaluation of modified silica nanoparticles in carboxylated nitrile rubber nanocomposites

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Surface engineering of silica nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery: characterization and cell toxicity studies

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

An electroanalytical application of 2-aminothiazole-modified silica gel after adsorption and separation of Hg(II) from heavy metals in aqueous solution

2-Aminothiazole covalently attached to a silica gel surface was prepared in order to obtain an adsorbent for Hg(II) ions having the following characteristics: good sorption capacity, chemical stability under conditions of use, and, especially, high selectivity. The accumulation voltammetry of mercury(II) was investigated at a carbon paste electrode chemically modified with silica gel functionalized with 2-aminothiazole (SIAMT-CPE). The repetitive cyclic voltammogram of mercury(II) solution in the potential range -0.2 to + 0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl (0.02 mol L-1 KNO3; V = 20 mV s(-1)) show two peaks one at about 0.1 V and other at 0.205 V. The anodic wave peak at 0.205 V is well defined and does not change during the cycles and it was therefore further investigated for analytical purposes using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry in differents supporting electrolytes. The mercury response was evaluated with respect to pH, electrode composition, preconcentration time, mercury concentration, cleaning solution, possible interferences and other variables. The precision for six determinations (n = 6) of 0.02 and 0.20 mg L-1 Hg(II) was 4.1 and 3.5% (relative standard deviation), respectively. The detection limit was estimated as 0.10 mu g L-1 mercury(II) by means of 3:1 current-to-noise ratio in connection with the optimization of the various parameters involved and using the highest-possible analyser sensitivity. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism genotyping of human and animal Staphylococcus aureus isolates from dairy farms with manual milking

Fluorescence amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) was used to assess the genetic relatedness of 40 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from human and animal skin samples in seven dairy farms with manual milking. S. aureus was isolated from 11 out of 30 (36%) human skin samples and from 29 out of 100 (29%) teat skin samples from apparently healthy cows. Genomic DNA from each isolate was double-digested with EcoRI and MseI and complementary oligonucleotide adaptors were ligated to the restriction fragments. Pre-selective and selective, amplification reactions were performed, the amplified fragments were separated by electrophoresis in an ABI377 sequencer and analysed using GeneScan 3.1 and Genotyper 2.5. Three single isolates (a-c), a predominant cluster with 35 isolates (d) and another cluster with two isolates (e) were identified. Both clusters d and e included human and animal isolates genetically related, because the profiles had 90-100% homology. Since no cluster was comprised uniquely of human or animal isolates and given the close genetic relatedness among human and animal samples in the farms, the present findings support the. hypothesis that dairy workers can spread S. aureus through manual milking. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation on the quality of bovine spermatozoa evaluated with computer-assisted semen analysis and fluorescent probes association

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of bovine frozen-thawed sperm cells after Percoll gradient centrifugation. Frozen semen doses were obtained from six bulls of different breeds, including three taurine and three Zebu animals. Four ejaculates per bull were evaluated before and after discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation. Sperm motility was assessed by computer-assisted semen analysis and the integrity of the plasma and acrosomal membranes, as well as mitochondrial function, were evaluated using a combination of fluorescent probes propidium iodide, fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin and 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine iodide. The procedure of Percoll gradient centrifugation increased the percentage of total and progressive sperm motility, beat frequency, rectilinear motility, linearity and rapidly moving cells. In addition, the percentage of cells with intact plasma membrane and mitochondrial membrane potential was increased in post-centrifugation samples. However, the percentage of sperm cells with intact acrosomal membrane was markedly reduced. The method used selected the motile cells with intact plasma membrane and higher mitochondrial functionality in frozen-thawed bull semen, but processing, centrifugation and/or the Percoll medium caused damage to the acrosomal membrane.

Crystallization of SiO2-CaO-Na2O Glass Using Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as Silica Source

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)