A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Fabrication of Ultramicroelectrode Array and Its Application for the Detection of Dissolved Oxygen

Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive way for fabrication of ultra microelectrode arrays (UMEAs) and the relative characterization methods. The fabrication of UMEAs involves only a few steps of handwork. Since only metal wires and epoxy are used through the fabrication process, it is supposed to be a quite straightforward method for preparing UMEAs. A dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor based on UMEAs was constructed.

Properties of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-ionic liquid composite film and its application in the determination of trace metals combined with bismuth film electrode

A new kind of bismuth film modified electrode to sensitively detect trace metal ions based on incorporating highly conductive ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) in solid matrices at glassy carbon (GC) was investigated. Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), silica, and Nafion were selected as the solid matrices. The electrochemical properties of the mixed films modified GC were evaluated. The electron transfer rate of Fe(CN)(6)(4-)/Fe(CN)(6)(3-) can be effectively improved at the PSS-BMIMPF6 modified GC.

[Ru(bpy)(3)](2+)-doped silica nanoparticles within layer-by-layer biomolecular coatings and their application as a biocompatible electrochemiluminescent tag material

[Ru(bpy)(3)](2+)-doped silica (RuSi) nanoparticles were synthesized by using a water/oil microemulsion method. Stable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) was obtained when the RuSi nanoparticles were immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode by using tripropylamine (TPA) as a coreactant. Furthermore, the ECL of the RuSi nanoparticles with layer-by-layer biomolecular coatings was investigated. Squential self-assembly of the polyelectrolytes and biomolecules on the RuSi nanoparticles gave nanocomposite suspensions, the ECL of which decreased on increasing the number of bilayers.

Characterization and electrocatalytic application of a fullerene/ionic-liquid composite

A fullerene/ionic-liquid composite was explored. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) study showed that in the composite, C-60 mainly exists as nano-clusters, Raman spectrum proved that the composite formed only by physical Mix of C-60 and 1-Butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIPF6), the combination did not change the chemical naturation of C-60. The electrochemical properties of the composite modified electrode, including the electrode reaction control function and the interfacial potential effect were studied.

Epitaxy-Assisted Creation of PCBM Nanocrystals and Its Application in Constructing Optimized Morphology for Bulk-Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

PCBM (a C-60 derivative) is so far the most successful electron acceptor for bulk-heterojunction polymer photovoltaic (PV) cells. Here we present a novel method epitaxy-assisted creation of PCBM nanocrystals and their homogeneous distribution in the matrix using freshly cleaved mica sheet as the substrate. The highly matched epitaxy relationship between the unit cell of PCBM crystal and crystallographic (001) surface of mica induces abundant PCBM nuclei, which subsequently develop into nanoscale crystals with homogeneous dispersion in the composite film.

Refinement of edge-to-edge matching model and its application in the Mg17Al12/alpha-Mg and alpha-Y/alpha-Mg systems

A refined version of the edge-to-edge matching model is described here. In the original model, the matching directions were obtained from the planes with all the atomic centers that were exactly in the plane, or the distance from the atomic center to the plane which was less than the atomic radius. The direction-matching pairs were the match of straight rows-straight rows and zigzag rows-zigzag rows. In the refined model, the matching directions were obtained from the planes with all the atomic centers that were exactly in the plane.

Type I collagen-templated assembly of silver nanoparticles and their application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are one of the active substrates that are employed extensively in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and aggregations of Ag NPs play an important role in enhancing the Raman signals. In this paper, we fabricated two kinds of SERS-active substrates utilizing the electrostatic adsorption and superior assembly properties of type I collagen. These were collagen-Ag NP aggregation films and nanoporous Ag films.

Phase Diagram of [Amim]Cl plus Salt Aqueous Biphasic Systems and Its Application for [Amim]Cl Recovery

In this study, binodal curves and tie line data of [Amim]Cl + salt (K3PO4, K2HPO4, K2CO3) + water aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) were measured and correlated satisfactorily with the Merchuk equation and Othmer-Tobias and Bancroft equations, respectively. [Amim]Cl could be recovered from aqueous solutions using the ABS, and the recovery efficiency could reach 96.80%. The recovery efficiency was influenced by the concentrations of the salts and their Homeister series: K3PO4 > K2HPO4 > K2CO3. Our method provides a new and effective route for the recovery of hydrophilic IL using [Amim]Cl + salt + water ABS from aqueous solutions.

One-step synthesis of graphene/SnO2 nanocomposites and its application in electrochemical supercapacitors

A one-step method was developed to fabricate conductive graphene/SnO2 (GS) nanocomposites in acidic solution. Graphite oxides were reduced by SnCl2 to graphene sheets in the presence of HCl and urea. The reducing process was accompanied by generation of SnO2 nanoparticles. The structure and composition of GS nanocomposites were confirmed by means of transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, the ultracapacitor characteristics of GS nanocomposites were studied by cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The CVs of GS nanocomposites are nearly rectangular in shape and the specific capacitance degrades slightly as the voltage scan rate is increased. The EIS of GS nanocomposites presents a phase angle close to p/2 at low frequency, indicating a good capacitive behavior.

Chiral Salan Aluminium Ethyl Complexes and Their Application in Lactide Polymerization

Synthetic routes to aluminium ethyl complexes supported by chiral tetradentate phenoxyamine (salan-type) ligands [Al(OC6H2(R-6-R-4)CH2)(2){CH3N(C6H10)NCH3}-C2H5] 7: R = H ; 5, 8: R = Cl; 6, 9: R = CH3) are reported. Enantiornerically pure salan ligands 1-3 with (R,R) configurations at their cyclohexane rings afforded the complexes 4, 5, and 6 as mixtures of two diastereoisomers (a and b). Each diastereoisomer a was, as determined by X-ray analysis, monomeric with a five-coordinated aluminium central core in the solid state, adopting a cis-(O,O) and cis-(Me,Me) ligand geometry. From the results of variable-temperature (VT) H-1 NMR in the temperature range of 220-335 K, H-1-H-1 NOESY at 220 K, and diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), it is concluded that each diastereoisomer b is also monomeric with a five-coordinated aluminium central core.

Multifunctional G-Quadruplex Aptamers and Their Application to Protein Detection

Two significant G-quadruplex aptamers named AGRO100 and T30695 are identified as multi functional aptamers that can bind the protein ligands nucleolin or HIV-1 integrase and hemin. Besides their strong binding to target proteins, both AGRO100 and T30695 exhibit high hemin-binding affinities comparable to that of the known aptamer (termed PS2M) selected by the in vitro evolution process. Most importantly, their corresponding hemin-DNA complexes reveal excellent peroxidase-like activities. higher than that of the reported hemin-PS2M DNAzyme. This enables these multifunctional aptamers to be applied to the sensitive detection of proteins. which is demonstrated by applying AGRO100 to the chemiluminescence detection of nucleolin expressed at the surface of HeLa cells. Based on the specific AGRO100-nucleolin interaction, the surface-expressed nucleolin of HeLa cells is labeled in situ with the hemin-AGRO100 DNAzyme, and then determined in the luminol-H2O2 system.

Ordered magnetic core-manganese oxide shell nanostructures and their application in water treatment

In this paper, we have reported a facile method for the synthesis of ordered magnetic core-manganese oxide shell nanostructures. The process included two steps. First, manganese ferrite nanoparticles were obtained through a solvothermal method. Then, the manganese ferrite nanoparticles were mixed directly with KMnO4 solution without any additional modified procedures of the magnetic cores. It has been found that Mn element in the core can react with KMnO4 to form manganese oxide which acts as a seed for the in-situ growth of manganese oxide shells. This is significant for the controllable fabrication of symmetrical ordered manganese oxide shell structures. The shell thickness can be easily controlled through the reaction time. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the products at different reaction time.

Formation of low surface energy separators with undercut structures via a full-solution process and its application in inkjet printed matrix of polymer light-emitting diodes

In this paper, low surface energy separators With undercut structures were fabricated through a full solution process, These low Surface energy separators are more suitable for application in inkjet printed passive-matrix displays of polymer light-emitting diodes. A patterned PS film was formed on the P4VP/photoresist film by microtransfer printing firstly. Patterned Au-coated Ni film was formed on the uncovered P4VP/photoresist film by electroless deposition. This metal film was used as mask to pattern the photoresist layer and form undercut structures with the patterned photoresist layer. The surface energy of the metal film also decreased dramatically from 84.6 mj/m(2) to 21.1 mJ/m(2) by modification of fluorinated mercaptan self-assemble monolayer on Au surface. The low surface energy separators were used to confine the flow of inkjet printed PFO solution and improve the patterning resolution of inkjet printing successfully. Separated PFO stripes, complement with the pattern of the separators, formed through inkjet printing.