Electrospinning Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of One-Dimensional Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ Microtibers and Microbelts

One-dimensional Mn2+-doped Zn2SiO4 rnicrobelts and microfibers were prepared by a simple and cost-effective electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. The XRD and DTA results show that the Zn2SiO4 phase begins to crystallize at 800 degrees C and crystallizes completely around 1000 degrees C. SEM results indicate that the as-prepared microbelts/fibers are smooth, whose diameters decrease with increasing the annealing temperature. The average diameter of the Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ microfibers annealed at 1000 degrees C is 0.32 mu m, and their lengths reach up to several millimeters. The average width and thickness of the Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ microbelts fired at 1000 degrees C are around 0.48 and 0.24 mu m, respectively.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of monodisperse spherical Y2O3 : Eu3+@SiO2 particles with core-shell structure

Y2O3: Eu3+ phosphor layers were deposited on monodisperse SiO2 particles with different sizes ( 300, 500, 900, and 1200 nm) via a sol-gel process, resulting in the formation of Y2O3: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell particles. X-ray diffraction ( XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy ( TEM), time-resolved photoluminescence ( PL) spectra, and lifetimes were employed to characterize the Y2O3: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell samples. The results of XRD indicated that the Y2O3: Eu3+ layers began to crystallize on the silica surfaces at 600 degrees C and the crystallinity increased with the elevation of annealing temperature until 900 degrees C. The obtained core-shell particles have perfect spherical shape with narrow size distribution and non-agglomeration. The thickness of the shells could be easily controlled by changing the number of deposition cycles ( 60 nm for three deposition cycles). Under the excitation of ultraviolet ( 250 nm), the Eu3+ ion mainly shows its characteristic red ( 611 nm, D-5(0)-F-7(2)) emissions in the core-shell particles from Y2O3: Eu3+ shells.

A DNA nanomachine induced by single-walled carbon nanotubes on gold surface

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can selectively induce human telomeric i-motif DNA formation at pH 7.0. Based on this property, we design a DNA nanomachine induced by SWNTs on gold surface. The motor DNA is human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA. The reversible hybridization between the motor DNA and its complementary human telomeric i-motif DNA can be modulated by SWNTs without changing solution pH. Up to now, to our knowledge, there is no report to show that a DNA nanomachine is induced by SWNTs or a DNA nanomachine can detect i-motif formation at pH 7.0. Our work may provide a new concept for designing an SWNT-induced DNA nanomachine and for the detection of i-motif DNA structure at pH 7.0. DNA hybridization, conformational transition and i-motif formation have been characterized on surface or in solution by fluorescence confocal microscopy, circular dichroism, DNA melting and gel electrophoresis. The folding and unfolding kinetics of the DNA nanomachine on gold surface were studied by Fourier transform-surface plasmon resonance (FT-SPR). All these results indicate that SWNTs can induce the DNA nanomachine to work efficiently and reversibly.

Growth of highly crystalline CaMoO4 : Tb3+ phosphor layers on spherical SiO2 particles via sol-gel process: Structural characterization and luminescent properties

Highly crystalline CaMoO4:Tb3+ phosphor layers were grown on monodisperse SiO2 particles through a simple sol-gel method, resulting in formation of core-shell structured SiO2@CaMoO4:Tb3+ submicrospheres. The resulting SiO2@CaMoO4: Tb3+ core-shell particles were fully characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), and kinetic decays. The XRD results demonstrate that the CaMoO4:Tb3+ layers begin to crystallize on the SiO2 spheres after annealing at 400 degrees C and the crystallinity increases with raising the annealing temperature. SEM and TEM analysis indicates that the obtained submicrospheres have a uniform size distribution and obvious core-shell structure. SiO2@CaMoO4:Tb3+ submicrospheres show strong green emission under short ultraviolet (260 nm) and low-voltage electron beam (1-3 kV) excitation, and the emission spectra are dominated by a D-5(4) -F-7(5) transition of Tb3+(544 nm, green) from the CaMoO4:Tb3+ shells.

Biofunctionalization of CeF3 : Tb3+ nanoparticles

CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles (short pillar-like morphology with an average length and width of 11 and 5 nm, respectively) were successfully prepared by a polyol process using diethyleneglycol (DEG) as solvent. After being functionalized with a SiO2-NH2 layer, these CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles can be conjugated with biotin molecules (activated by thionyl chloride) and further with avidin. The as-formed CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles, CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles functionalized with amino groups, biotin conjugated amino-functionalized CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles and biotinylated CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles bonded with avidin were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV/vis absorption spectra and luminescence spectra, respectively. The biofunctionalization of the CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles has less effect on their luminescence properties, i.e. they still show strong green emission (from Tb3+, with D-5(4) - F-7(5) at 543 nm as the most prominent group), indicative of the great potential for these CeF3: Tb3+ nanoparticles to be used as biological fluorescence probes.

"Green synthesis" of monodisperse Pt nanoparticles and their catalytic properties

A green synthetic strategy to prepare monodisperse Pt nanoparticles was reported. Aminodextran acted as the reductive and protective agents, and Pt nanoparticles were characterized by UV/vis spectroscopy (UV-vis), Pt nanoparticles were conveniently obtained at one step. transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By changing the initial molar ratio of arninodextran to platinum precursor, Pt nanoparticles with different size were obtained. Amino groups of aminodextran could absorb on Pt nanoparticles surfaces and serve as a very good stabilizer. However, dextran without amino groups could not effectively stabilize Pt nanoparticles and aggregation of Pt nanoparticles were obtained. Catalytic activity of these Pt nanoparticles for the electron-transfer reaction between hexacyanoferrate (III) ions and thiosulfate ions was also studied, and they showed good catalytic efficiency.

Spherical SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ core-shell phosphors: Sol-gel synthesis and characterization

Nanocrystalline GdPO4 : Eu3+ phosphor layers were coated on non-aggregated, monodisperse and spherical SiO2 particles by Pechini sol-gel method, resulting in the formation of core-shell structured SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes were used to characterize the core-shell structured materials. Both XRD and FT IR results indicate that GdPO4 layers have been successfully coated on the SiO2 particles, which can be further verified by the images of FESEM and TEM. Under UV light excitation, the SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors show orange-red luminescence with Eu(3+)sD(0)-F-7(1) (593 nm) as the most prominent group. The PL excitation and emission spectra suggest that an energy transfer occurs from Gd3+ to Eu3+ in SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors. The obtained core-shell phosphors have potential applications in FED and PDP devices.

Nanostructured CaWO4, CaWO4 : Pb2+ and CaWO4 : Tb3+ particles: Polyol-mediated synthesis and luminescent properties

Nano-submicrostructured CaWO4, CaWO4 : Pb2+ and CaWO4 : Tb3+ particles were prepared by polyol method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), photoluminescence (PL), cathodo-luminescence (CL) spectra and PL lifetimes. The results of XRD indicate that the as-prepared samples are well crystallized with the scheelite structure of CaWO4. The FE-SEM images illustrate that CaWO4 and CaWO4 : Pb2+ and CaWO4 : Tb3+ powders are composed of spherical particles with sizes around 260, 290, and 190 nm respectively, which are the aggregates of smaller nanoparticles around 10-20 nm. Under the UV light or electron beam excitation, the CaWO4 powders exhibits a blue emission band with a maximum at about 440 nm. When the CaWO4 particles are doped with Pb2+, the intensity of luminescence is enhanced to some extent and the luminescence band maximum is red shifted to 460 nm. Tb3+-doped CaWO4 particles show the characteristic emission of Tb3+ D-5(4)-F-7(J) (J=6-3) transitions due to an energy transfer from WO42- groups to Tb3+.

Synthesis and luminescent properties of europium (III) schiff base complexes covalently bonded to silica xerogels

A new kind of luminescent organic-inorganic hydrid material consisting of Eu(III)-schiff base complex covalently bonded to silica xerogel was synthesized via the sol-gel method using a Eu (N-propylene salicylimine ligand) complex modified with pendant triethoxysilane groups (Eu(III)(salenHSi)). The Eu(III)(salenHSi) complex is characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Luminescent properties of the complex and the resulted hybrid silica xerogels have been investigated at room temperature.

Pechini sol-gel deposition and luminescent properties of SrLa1-xRExGa3O7 (RE = Eu, Tb) phosphor films

SrLa1-xRExGa3O7 (RE = EU3+, Tb3+) phosphor films were deposited on quartz glass substrates by a simple Pechim sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), atomic force microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectra, and lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting films. The results of XRD indicated that the films began to crystallize at 700 degrees C and crystallized fully at 900 degrees C. The results of FNR spectra were in agreement with those of XRD. Uniform and crack-free films annealed at 900 degrees C were obtained with average grain size of 80 nm, root mean square roughness of 46 nm and thickness of 130 nm The RE ions showed their characteristic emission in crystalline SrLa1-xRExGa3O7 films, i.e., Eu3+ D-0-F-7(J) (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4), Tb3+5D4 -(7) F-J (J = 6, 5, 4, 3) emissions, respectively. The optimum concentrations (x) of Eu3+ and Tb3+ were determined to be 50, and 80 mol% in SrLa(1-x)RE(x)GGa(3)O(7) films, respectively.

Studies on lignan constituents from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. fruits using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC-DAD-ESl-MSn) method has been developed for the detection and analysis of lignan constituents in the methanol extract from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-FT-TCR-MSn) have been applied to investigate the characteristic product ions of four lignan reference compounds. Then, the logical fragmentation pathways of the lignans have been proposed. By comparing the retention time (t(R)) of HPLC, the ESI-MSn data and the structures of analyzed compounds with the data of reference compounds and in the literature, 11 peaks in HPLC have been unambiguously identified and another 5 peaks have been tentatively identified or deduced. Also, in the present paper, the extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) have been used to analyze the lignan isomers. The experimental results demonstrate that RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn is a specific and useful method for the identification of the lignan constituents and their isomers.

Synthesis, structure and photochromic properties of a novel 1,6-hexanediamine trimolybdate supramolecular compound

A novel supramolecular compound 1,6-hexanediamine trimolybdate ((C6H18N2[Mo3O10], denoted as HDAMo) has been synthesized by a hydrothermal method and its structure has been characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. This single crystal compound consists of protonated 1,6-hexanediamine (HDA) cations and polyoxometalate [Mo3O10](2-) anions. Its crystal structure belongs to monoclinic system (space group P2(1)/n) with a = 7.7508(14), b = 11.467(2), c = 16.167(3) angstrom, beta = 92.689(3)degrees, V = 143 5.3(5) angstrom(3), Z = 4 and D-ealc = 2.619 g cm(-3). The final statistics based on F-2 are GOF = 0.980, R-1 = 0.0261 and wR(2) = 0.0506 for I > 2 sigma(I). XRD analysis revealed that in the crystal structure of HDAMo, novel infinite [Mo3O10](2-) chains parallel to a axis are made up of distorted MoO6 octahedra connected by corners and edges. The protonated HDA cations occupy channels formed by [Mo(3)O3(10)](2-) Chains and exhibit strong hydrogen bond interactions to terminal and bridging oxo groups of the chains. The [Mo3O10](2-) chains linked through protonated HAD cations formed a one-dimensional network. The HDAMo compound shows novel photochromic properties, i.e., its color changes from white to reddish brown gradually under UV irradiation. XRD, FT-IR, ESR spectra and XPS are used to investigate the photochromic behavior of the compound.

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.

Poly(L-lysine)-graft-chitosan copolymers: Synthesis, characterization, and gene transfection effect

Polypeptide/polysaccharide graft copolymers poly(L-lysine)-graft-chitosan (PLL-g-Chi) were prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of epsilon-benzoxycarbonyl L-lysine N-carboxyanhydrides (Z-L-lysine NCA) in the presence of 6-O-triphenylmethyl chitosan. The PLL-g-Chi copolymers were thoroughly characterized by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The number-average degree of polymerization of PLL grafted onto the chitosan backbone could be adjusted by controlling the feed ratio of NCA to 6-O-triphenylmethyl chitosan. The particle size of the complexes formed from the copolymer and calf thymus DNA was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found in the range of 120 similar to 340 nm. The gel retardation electrophoresis showed that the PLL-g-Chi copolymers possessed better plasmid DNA-binding ability than chitosan. The gene transfection effect in HEK 293T cells of the copolymers was evaluated, and the results showed that the gene transfection ability of the copolymer was better than that of chitosan and was dependent on the PLL grafting ratio. The PLL-g-Chi copolymers could be used as effective gene delivery vectors.

Sol-ogel deposition and luminescence properties of lanthanide ion-doped Y2(1-x)Gd2xSiWO8 (0 <= x <= 1) phosphor films

Y2(1-x) Gd2xSiWO8 : A ( 0 <= x <= 1; A= Eu3+, Dy3+, Sm3+, Er3+) phosphor films have been prepared on silica glass substrates through the sol - gel dip-coating process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting films. The results of the XRD indicated that the films began to crystallize at 800 degrees C and crystallized completely at 1000 degrees C. The AFM and SEM study revealed that the phosphor films, which mainly consisted of closely packed grains with an average size of 90 - 120 nm with a thickness of 660 nm, were uniform and crack free. Owing to an efficient energy transfer from the WO42- groups to the activators, the doped lanthanide ion ( A) showed its characteristic f - f transition emissions in crystalline Y2(1-x) Gd2xSiWO8 (0 <= x <= 1) films. The optimum concentrations for Eu3+, Dy3+, Sm3+, Er3+ were determined to be 21, 5, 3 and 7 mol% of Y3+ in Y2SiWO8 films, respectively.