The effect of surface structure on the photoluminescence of SnO2 nanoparticles in hydrosols and organosols

In this paper, we report the optical properties of SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles in hydrosols and those of SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles in organosols in which the surfaces of the particles are coated by a layer of organic surfactant molecules. The photoluminescence spectra of SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles in the hydrosols and organosols in different conditions were measured and discussed. We conclude that the surface structure of the SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles affects their optical properties strongly. The oxygen deficiencies on the surface of SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles play an important role in the optical properties. The surface modification of the particles effectively removes the surface defects of the particles and enhances the intensity of luminescence.

Particulate multilayers prepared from surfactant-stabilized SnO2 nanoparticles

Surfactant-stabilized SnO2 nanoparticulate organosol was prepared. The organosol mixed with arachidic acid was spread on water surfaces in a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) balance. Surface pressure versus surface area isotherms were determined. The surfactant-stabilized SnO2 nanoparticulate monolayers were transferred, layer-by-layer by the LB technique, to solid substrates. Then the multilayers were characterized by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the multilayer is composed of SnO2 nanoparticles and arachidic acid. It forms a Z-type periodic structure with a long spacing of 7.48 nm, i.e. a kind of three-dimensional superlattice. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

A novel laser light-scattering study of enzymatic biodegradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanoparticles

A successful micronization of water-insoluble poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) into narrowly distributed nanoparticles stable in water has not only enabled us to study the enzymatic biodegradation of PCL in water at 25 degrees C by a combination of static and dynamic laser light scattering (LLS), but also to shorten the biodegradation time by a factor of more than 10(3) compared with using a thin PCL film, i.e. a 1 week conventional experiment becomes a 4 min one. The time-average scattering intensity decreased linearly. It was interesting to find that the decrease of the scattering intensity was not accompanied by a decrease of the average size of the PCL nanoparticles, indicating that the enzyme, Lipase Pseudomonas (PS), ''eats'' the PCL nanoparticles one-by-one, so that the biodegradation rate is determined mainly by the: enzyme concentration. Moreover, we found that using anionic sodium lauryl sulphate instead of cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as surfactant in the micronization can prevent the biodegradation, suggesting that the biodegradation involves two essential steps: the adsorption of slightly negatively charged Lipase PS onto the PCL nanoparticles and the interaction between Lipase PS and PCL. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on the self-packing of SnO2 nanoparticles at the air-hydrosol interface and its composite LB films with arachidic acid

SnO2 nanoparticles were found to self-pack at the air-hydrosol interface and form a nanoparticulate film. The self-packed films were observed under a Brewster angle microscope, and investigated by recording the time evolution of surface pressure and pi-A isotherms. The results show that SnO2 nanoparticles take 3 h to form a complete film at the air-hydrosol interface. Composite monolayers of SnO2 and arachidic acid were obtained by spreading arachidic acid onto a fresh hydrosol surface. Composite Y-type LB films were transferred from the air-hydrosol interface onto substrates, and characterized by FTIR, UV-vis, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and TEM techniques. The results show that the composite films have good structure, with SnO2 nanoparticles uniformly and compactly distributed in the arachidate matrix. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Studies on the organometallic palladium coordinated carbosillane liquid crystalline dendrimer

A novel complex - palladium-coordinated ate-type liquid crystalline dendrimer was synthesized by a divergent approach, The product showed liquid crystalline properties from 115 degrees C to 187 degrees C, and it belonged to dinuclear species, containing two palladium centers linked by two bridging Cl, each palladium atom completes its coordinations with N atom and a sigma bond to an ortho-carbon in the phenyl ring. The microanalytical values obtained for the product are in agreement with those of compound containing ligand, palladium:and chlorine in a molar ratio of 1 : 1 : 1 and 12 palladium atoms for every scaffold.

Electrocatalytic oxidation and flow amperometric detection of hydrazine at an electropolymerized 4-vinylpyridine/palladium film electrode

A poly(4-vinyl)pyridine (PVP)/Pd film electrode was constructed for the electrocatalytic detection of hydrazine. The preparation of the PVP/GC electrode was performed by electropolymerization of the monomer 4-vinylpyridine onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. Subsequently, palladium is electrodeposited onto the polymer modified electrode surface. The ion-exchange function of PVP polymer is helpful to this process in view of the tetrachlorapalladate anion. Compared with the Pd/GC electrode, the modified electrode displays a better mechanical stability in a flowing stream. The PVP/Pd film electrode exhibits higher sensitivity when detecting hydrazine with a detection limit of 0.026 ng (S/N=3).

A novel method of electrodepositing highly dispersed nano palladium particles on glassy carbon electrode

The volumetric behavior of a chloride complex of palladium was studied at a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The Pd-IV complex existing on the GCE surface was found, which was proposed to form an octahedral surface complex through coordination to the oxygen atom of an oxygen functional group on the pretreated GCE surface. The ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple was used as a probe to examine the activity of the GCE. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided the evidence of the surface complex existing on the GCE. Highly dispersed Pd particles can be obtained when the surface complexes were reduced electrochemically to Pd atoms. The Pd particles obtained in this way were in nanometer scale and exhibit high catalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrazine. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy studies of nanometer size palladium particles on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

A special electrodeposition process of palladium was studied by cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A kind of palladium(IV) complex was attached to the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) electrode surface by electro-oxidation of palladium(II) complex first, and was then reduced to palladium particles. The surface complexes and particles of palladium were both characterized by in situ STM and XPS. The Pd particles are in the nanometer range of size and exhibit electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrazine and hydroxylamine.

Determination of hydroxylamine by capillary electrophoresis electrochemical detection with a palladium-particle modified carbon fiber microdisk array electrode

A highly dispersed ultramicro palladium-particle modified carbon fiber microdisk array electrode (Pd-CFE) was employed for capillary electrophoresis-electrochemical (CEEC) detection of hydroxylamine (HA). The Pd particles obtained were in the nanometer scale, had a high electrocatalytic activity towards HA and exhibited good reproducibility and stability. A linear relationship between the current and the analyte concentration was found between 5 x 10(-6) and 1 x 10(-3) mol/l of HA with a correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The detection limit was 5 x 10(-8) mol/l. The applicability of the method for the determination of HA in river water and waste water was investigated.

Detection of hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and isoniazid by capillary electrophoresis with a palladium modified microdisk array electrode

A palladium particle-modified carbon fiber microdisk array electrode was designed and employed in capillary electrophoresis for the simultaneous detection of hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and isoniazid. The Pd-modified microdisk electrode had high catalytic ability for hydrazines and exhibited good reproducibility and stability. The response for hydrazine was linear over 3 orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient of 0.993. The detection limits far hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and isoniazid were 1.2, 2.1, and 6.2 pg, respectively.

CHOLESTEROL SENSOR-BASED ON ELECTRODEPOSITION OF CATALYTIC PALLADIUM PARTICLES

A layer of palladium particles was electrodeposited on a glassy carbon electrode. The dispersed Pd particles resulted in a large decrease in overvoltage for the electrochemical oxidation of H2O2 down to +0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl, based on which a new kind of cholesterol sensor was fabricated. Cholesterol oxidase was immobilized on the Pd-dispersed electrode by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde and a layer of poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PPD) film was electropolymerized on the enzyme layer. The sensor shows a linear response in the concentration range 0.05-4.50 mmol l-1 with a rapid response of less than 20 s. The polymer film can prevent interference from uric acid and ascorbic acid and also increases the thermal stability of the sensor. The sensor can be used for 200 assays without an obvious decrease in activity.

FLOW-INJECTION ANALYSIS OF GLUCOSE AT AN AMPEROMETRIC GLUCOSE SENSOR-BASED ON ELECTROCHEMICAL CODEPOSITION OF PALLADIUM AND GLUCOSE-OXIDASE ON A GLASSY-CARBON ELECTRODE

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with palladium provides excellent electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. When the electrolyte contains palladium chloride and glucose oxidase, the GCE can be modified by electrochemical codeposition at a given potential. The resulting modified surface was coated with a thin film of Nation to form a glucose sensor. Such a glucose sensor was successfully used in the flow-injection analysis of glucose with high stability and anti-poisoning ability. It gave a detection limit of 1 X 10(-7) M injected glucose, with a linear concentration range of 0.001-8 mM. There is no obvious interference from substances such as ascorbate and saccharides.

Oxidative carbonylation of aniline over a polymer-supported palladium-copper catalyst

The polymer-supported bimetallic catalyst FVP-PdCl2-2CuCl(2) (PVP, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), obtained in situ by the addition of CuCl2 to an alcoholic solution of PVP-PdCl2, exhibits high selectivity and activity for the oxidative carbonylation of aniline with carbon monoxide and oxygen to ethyl N-phenylcarbamate in the presence of a base (NaOAc) under atmospheric pressure. The strong synergic effect of Pd-Cu gives rise to a clear increase in the selectivity and activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.