Timely resolved measurements on CdSe nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, B.E. von

2006-01-01

By means of infrared spectroscopy the influence of the organic cover on structure and dynamics of CdSe nanoparticles was studied. First a procedure was developed, which allows to get from the static infrared spectrum informations on the quality of the organic cover and the binding behaviour of the ligands. On qualitatively high-grade and well characterized samples thereafter the dynamics of the lowest-energy electron level 1S e was time-resolvedly meausred in thew visible range. As reference served CdSe TOPO, which was supplemented by samples with the ligands octanthiole, octanic acid, octylamine, naphthoquinone, benzoquinone, and pyridine. The studied nanoparticles had a diameter of 4.86 nm. By means of the excitation-scanning or pump=probe procedure first measurements in the picosecond range were performed. The excitation wavelengths were thereby spectrally confined and so chosen that selectively the transitions 1S 3/2 -1S-e and 1P 3/2 -1P e but not the intermediately lyingt transition 2S 3/2 -1S e were excited. The excitation energies were kept so low that the excitation of several excitons in one crystal could be avoided. The scanning wavelength in the infrared corresponded to the energy difference between the electron levels 1S e and 1P e . The transients in the picosecond range are marked by a steep increasement of the signal, on which a multi-exponential decay follows. The increasement, which reproduces the popiulation of the excited state, isa inependent on the choice of the ligands. The influence of the organic cover is first visible in the different decay times of the excited electron levels. the decay of the measurement signal of CdSe TOPO can be approximatively described by three time constants: a decay constant in the early picosecond region, a time constant around hundert picoseconds, and a time constant of some nanoseconds. At increasing scanning wavelength the decay constants become longer. By directed excitation of the 1S 3/2 -1S e and the 1P 3

Programmable Self-assembly of Hydrocarbon-capped Nanoparticles: Role of Chain Conformations

Science.gov (United States)

Waltmann, Curt; Horst, Nathan; Travesset, Alex

Nanoparticle superlattices (NPS), i.e. crystalline arrangements of nanoparticles, are materials with fascinating structures, which in many cases are not possible to attain from simple atoms or molecules. They also span a wide range of possible applications such as metamaterials, new energy sources, catalysis, and many others. In this talk, we present a theoretical and computational description of the self-assembly of nanoparticles with hydrocarbons as capping ligands. Usually, these systems have been described with hard sphere packing models. In this talk, we show that the conformations of the hydrocarbon chains play a fundamental role in determining the equilibrium phases, including and especially in binary systems. The work of CW was supported by a DOE-SULI internship from May-December 2016, and by NSF, DMR-CMMT 1606336 CDS&E: Design Principles for Ordering Nanoparticles into Super-crystals after January 1st.

Layer-by-layer assembled porous CdSe films incorporated with plasmonic gold and improved photoelectrochemical behaviors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Aiping; Ren, Qinghua; Yuan, Ming; Xu, Tao; Tan, Manlin; Zhao, Tingyu; Dong, Wenjun; Tang, Weihua

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A 3D porous CdSe film with plasmonic gold was fabricated by electrodeposition. • A prominent light absorption enhancement of CdSe films was attained by gold plasmon. • The photoelectrochemical response of CdSe was tunable by Au–CdSe bilayer number. • The porous Au–CdSe films had a potential application in energy conversion devices. -- Abstract: A simple method for creating three-dimensional porous wurtzite CdSe films incorporated with plasmonic gold by the electrochemical layer-by-layer assembly was proposed. A prominent enhancement in light absorption of CdSe films was attained by the efficient light scattering of gold plasmons as sub-wavelength antennas and concentrators and the near-field coupling of gold plasmons with the neighboring porous CdSe films. The broadband photocurrent enhancement of Au–CdSe composite systems in the visible light range and the local current maximum between 600 and 700 nm suggested the cooperative action of antenna effects and electromagnetic field enhancement resulting from localized surface plasmon excitation of gold. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical response of porous Au–CdSe composite films was highly tunable with respect to the number of Au–CdSe bilayer. The optimal short-circuit current and open-circuit potential were obtained in a four-layer Au–CdSe system because the thicker absorber layer with less porous structure might limit the electrolyte diffusion into the hybrid electrode and impose a barrier for electron tunneling and transferring. The highly versatile and tunable properties of assembled porous Au–CdSe composite films demonstrated their potential application in energy conversion devices

A simple and facile synthesis of MPA capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sukanya, D.; Sagayaraj, P.

2015-06-01

II-VI semiconductor nanostructures, in particular, CdSe quantum dots have drawn a lot of attention because of their promising potential applications in biological tagging, photovoltaic, display devices etc. due to their excellent optical properties, high emission quantum yield, size dependent emission wavelength and high photostability. In this paper, we describe the synthesis and properties of mercaptopropionic acid capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS nanoparticles through a simple and efficient co-precipitation method followed by hydrothermal treatment. The growth process, characterization and the optical absorption as a function of wavelength for the synthesized MPA capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS nanoparticles have been determined using X-ray diffraction study (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM).

A simple and facile synthesis of MPA capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sukanya, D.; Sagayaraj, P.

2015-01-01

II-VI semiconductor nanostructures, in particular, CdSe quantum dots have drawn a lot of attention because of their promising potential applications in biological tagging, photovoltaic, display devices etc. due to their excellent optical properties, high emission quantum yield, size dependent emission wavelength and high photostability. In this paper, we describe the synthesis and properties of mercaptopropionic acid capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS nanoparticles through a simple and efficient co-precipitation method followed by hydrothermal treatment. The growth process, characterization and the optical absorption as a function of wavelength for the synthesized MPA capped CdSe and CdSe/CdS nanoparticles have been determined using X-ray diffraction study (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM)

Structural and optical characterization of electrodeposited CdSe in mesoporous anatase TiO2 for regenerative quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauvage, Frédéric; Davoisne, Carine; Philippe, Laetitia; Elias, Jamil

2012-01-01

We investigated CdSe-sensitized TiO 2 solar cells by means of electrodeposition under galvanostatic control. The electrodeposition of CdSe within the mesoporous film of TiO 2 gives rise to a uniform, thickness controlled, conformal layer of nanostructured CdSe particles intimately wrapping the anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles. This technique has the advantage of providing not only a fast method for sensitization ( 2 –CdSe core–shell structure followed by the growth of an assembly of CdSe nanoparticles resembling cauliflowers. This assembly exhibits at its core a mosaic texture with crystallites of about 3 nm in size, in contrast to a shell composed of well-crystallized single crystals between 5 and 10 nm in size. Preliminary results on the photovoltaic performance of such a nanostructured composite of TiO 2 and CdSe show 0.8% power conversion efficiency under A.M.1.5 G conditions—100 mW cm −2 in association with a new regenerative redox couple based on cobalt(+III/+II) polypyridil complex (V oc = 485 mV, J sc = 4.26 mA cm −2 , ff=0.37). (paper)

Seed-mediated direct growth of CdSe nanoclusters on substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Shangke; Ebrahim, Shaker; Soliman, Moataz; Qiao Qiquan

2013-01-01

Different shapes of CdSe nanostructures were obtained by hydrothermal method with varied Se sources and buffer layers. Hexagonal nanoparticles of CdSe with Wurtzite structure were synthesized from Se powder resource, while CdSe nanoclusters with Wurtzite structure were grown from Na 2 SeO 3 aqueous solution resources at 165 °C using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as surfactant. Using ZnO nanoparticles as a seed layer, CdSe nanostructures only partially covered the indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. With ZnO/CdSe quantum dots composite seed layer, CdSe nanostructures fully covered the ITO substrates.

Timely resolved measurements on CdSe nanoparticles; Zeitaufgeloeste Messungen an CdSe Nanopartikeln

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holt, B.E. von

2006-06-06

By means of infrared spectroscopy the influence of the organic cover on structure and dynamics of CdSe nanoparticles was studied. First a procedure was developed, which allows to get from the static infrared spectrum informations on the quality of the organic cover and the binding behaviour of the ligands. On qualitatively high-grade and well characterized samples thereafter the dynamics of the lowest-energy electron level 1S{sub e} was time-resolvedly meausred in thew visible range. As reference served CdSe TOPO, which was supplemented by samples with the ligands octanthiole, octanic acid, octylamine, naphthoquinone, benzoquinone, and pyridine. The studied nanoparticles had a diameter of 4.86 nm. By means of the excitation-scanning or pump=probe procedure first measurements in the picosecond range were performed. The excitation wavelengths were thereby spectrally confined and so chosen that selectively the transitions 1S{sub 3/2}-1S-e and 1P{sub 3/2}-1P{sub e} but not the intermediately lyingt transition 2S{sub 3/2}-1S{sub e} were excited. The excitation energies were kept so low that the excitation of several excitons in one crystal could be avoided. The scanning wavelength in the infrared corresponded to the energy difference between the electron levels 1S{sub e} and 1P{sub e}. The transients in the picosecond range are marked by a steep increasement of the signal, on which a multi-exponential decay follows. The increasement, which reproduces the popiulation of the excited state, isa inependent on the choice of the ligands. The influence of the organic cover is first visible in the different decay times of the excited electron levels. the decay of the measurement signal of CdSe TOPO can be approximatively described by three time constants: a decay constant in the early picosecond region, a time constant around hundert picoseconds, and a time constant of some nanoseconds. At increasing scanning wavelength the decay constants become longer. By directed excitation

Study on growth kinetics of hexadecylamine capped CdSe nanoparticles using its electronic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oluwafemi, S.O., E-mail: tobi_55@yahoo.co [Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwadlangezwa 3886 (South Africa); Revaprasadu, N. [Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwadlangezwa 3886 (South Africa)

2009-05-01

The growth kinetics of hexadecylamine (HDA) capped CdSe synthesised via a novel, mild, effective, and facile non-organometallic route was studied using its electronic properties. The emission and optical maxima of all the nanoparticles synthesised are blue-shifted as the reaction time increases indicating decrease in particle size. The UV spectra show distinct excitonic features which can be attributed to the first electronic transition [1S{sub 3/2}(h)-1S(e)] occurring in CdSe nanoparticles with band-edge luminescence in their emission spectra. The extinction coefficient was determined for convenient and accurate measurements of the concentration of the nanocrystals. Nucleation is very fast and well separated from particle growth under this reaction condition. Two distinguishable stages of growth were observed: an early stage 0-10 min characterised by fast growth, with narrow size distribution and the late stage characterised by slow growth with slight defocusing of size distribution and large particle sizes. The diameter of the size ranges from 2.2 to 3.0 nm. About 94% of the available monomer concentration was consumed during the growth and the solubility of 3.0 nm CdSe in hexadecylamine is measured to be 9.216x10{sup -7} M{sup 2} at 433 deg. K.

Enhancing Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Blue Using PVP-Capped and Uncapped CdSe Nanoparticles

OpenAIRE

Chepape, Kgobudi Frans; Mofokeng, Thapelo Prince; Nyamukamba, Pardon; Mubiayi, Kalenga Pierre; Moloto, Makwena Justice

2017-01-01

Quantum confinement of semiconductor nanoparticles is a potential feature which can be interesting for photocatalysis, and cadmium selenide is one simple type of quantum dot to use in the following photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. CdSe nanoparticles capped with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in various concentration ratios were synthesized by the chemical reduction method and characterized. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the samples showed that 50% PVP-capped Cd...

CdSe nanorod/TiO2 nanoparticle heterojunctions with enhanced solar- and visible-light photocatalytic activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fakher Laatar

2017-12-01

Full Text Available CdSe nanorods (NRs with an average length of ≈120 nm were prepared by a solvothermal process and associated to TiO2 nanoparticles (Aeroxide® P25 by annealing at 300 °C for 1 h. The content of CdSe NRs in CdSe/TiO2 composites was varied from 0.5 to 5 wt %. The CdSe/TiO2 heterostructured materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, UV–visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. TEM images and XRD patterns show that CdSe NRs with wurtzite structure are associated to TiO2 particles. The UV–visible spectra demonstrate that the narrow bandgap of CdSe NRs serves to increase the photoresponse of CdSe/TiO2 composites until ≈725 nm. The CdSe (2 wt %/TiO2 composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution under simulated sunlight or visible light irradiation. The enhancement in photocatalytic activity likely originates from CdSe sensitization of TiO2 and the heterojunction between these materials which facilitates electron transfer from CdSe to TiO2. Due to its high stability (up to ten reuses without any significant loss in activity, the CdSe/TiO2 heterostructured catalysts show high potential for real water decontamination.

Vectorial electron transfer for improved hydrogen evolution by mercaptopropionic-acid-regulated CdSe quantum-dots-TiO2 -Ni(OH)2 assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Shan; Li, Zhi-Jun; Fan, Xiang-Bing; Li, Jia-Xin; Zhan, Fei; Li, Xu-Bing; Tao, Ye; Tung, Chen-Ho; Wu, Li-Zhu

2015-02-01

A visible-light-induced hydrogen evolution system based on a CdSe quantum dots (QDs)-TiO2 -Ni(OH)2 ternary assembly has been constructed under an ambient environment, and a bifunctional molecular linker, mercaptopropionic acid, is used to facilitate the interaction between CdSe QDs and TiO2 . This hydrogen evolution system works effectively in a basic aqueous solution (pH 11.0) to achieve a hydrogen evolution rate of 10.1 mmol g(-1)  h(-1) for the assembly and a turnover frequency of 5140 h(-1) with respect to CdSe QDs (10 h); the latter is comparable with the highest value reported for QD systems in an acidic environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and control experiments demonstrate that Ni(OH)2 is an efficient hydrogen evolution catalyst. In addition, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and the emission decay of the assembly combined with the hydrogen evolution experiments show that TiO2 functions mainly as the electron mediator; the vectorial electron transfer from CdSe QDs to TiO2 and then from TiO2 to Ni(OH)2 enhances the efficiency for hydrogen evolution. The assembly comprises light antenna CdSe QDs, electron mediator TiO2 , and catalytic Ni(OH)2 , which mimics the strategy of photosynthesis exploited in nature and takes us a step further towards artificial photosynthesis. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Magnetic study of Fe-doped CdSe nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Sayantani; Banerjee, Sourish; Sinha, T. P.

2016-01-01

Nanoparticles of pure and iron (50 %) doped cadmium selenide (CdSe) have been synthesized by soft chemical route. EDAX analysis supports the inclusion of Fe into CdSe nanoparticles. The average particle size of pure and doped CdSe is found to be ∼50 nm from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Magnetization of the samples are measured under the field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) modes in the temperature range from 5K to 300K applying a magnetic field of 500Oe. Field dependent magnetization (M-H) measurement indicates presence of room temperature (RT) paramagnetism and low temperature (5K) ferromagnetism of the sample.

Effect of ligand self-assembly on nanostructure and carrier transport behaviour in CdSe quantum dots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Kuiying, E-mail: kuiyingli@ysu.edu.cn; Xue, Zhenjie

2014-11-14

Adjustment of the nanostructure and carrier behaviour of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by varying the ligands used during QD synthesis enables the design of specific quantum devices via a self-assembly process of the QD core–shell structure without additional technologies. Surface photovoltaic (SPV) technology supplemented by X-ray diffractometry and infrared absorption spectroscopy were used to probe the characteristics of these QDs. Our study reveals that while CdSe QDs synthesized in the presence of and capped by thioglycolic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptoethanol or α-thioglycerol ligands display zinc blende nanocrystalline structures, CdSe QDs modified by L-cysteine possess wurtzite nanocrystalline structures, because different end groups in these ligands induce distinctive nucleation and growth mechanisms. Carboxyl end groups in the ligand served to increase the SPV response of the QDs, when illuminated by hν ≥ E{sub g,nano-CdSe}. Increased length of the alkyl chains and side-chain radicals in the ligands partially inhibit photo-generated free charge carrier (FCC) transfer transitions of CdSe QDs illuminated by photon energy of 4.13 to 2.14 eV. The terminal hydroxyl group might better accommodate energy released in the non-radiative de-excitation process of photo-generated FCCs in the ligand's lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in the 300–580 nm wavelength region, when compared with other ligand end groups. - Highlights: • CdSe QDs modified by L-cysteine possess wurtzite nanocrystalline structures. • Carboxyl end groups in the ligand serve to increase the SPV response of CdSe QDs. • Terminal hydroxyl group in the ligand might accommodate non-radiative de-excitation process in CdSe QDs. • Increased length of the alkyl chains and side-chain radicals in the ligands partially inhibit carriers transport of CdSe QDs.

Magnetic and dielectric study of Fe-doped CdSe nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Sayantani; Banerjee, Sourish; Bandyopadhyay, Sudipta; Sinha, Tripurari Prasad

2018-01-01

Nanoparticles of cadmium selenide (CdSe) and Fe (5% and 10%) doped CdSe have been synthesized by soft chemical route and found to have cubic structure. The magnetic field dependent magnetization measurement of the doped samples indicates the presence of anti-ferromagnetic order. The temperature dependent magnetization (M-T) measurement under zero field cooled and field cooled conditions has also ruled out the presence of ferromagnetic component in the samples at room temperature as well as low temperature. In order to estimate the anti-ferromagnetic coupling among the doped Fe atoms, an M-T measurement at 500 Oe has been carried out, and the Curie-Weiss temperature θ of the samples has been estimated from the inverse of susceptibility versus temperature plots. The dielectric relaxation peaks are observed in the spectra of imaginary part of dielectric constant. The temperature dependent relaxation time is found to obey the Arrhenius law having activation energy 0.4 eV for Fe doped samples. The frequency dependent conductivity spectra are found to obey the power law. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

SILAR controlled CdSe nanoparticles sensitized ZnO nanorods photoanode for solar cell application: Electrolyte effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikam, Pratibha R; Baviskar, Prashant K; Majumder, Sutripto; Sali, Jaydeep V; Sankapal, Babasaheb R

2018-08-15

Controlled growth of different sizes of cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles over well aligned ZnO nanorods have been performed using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique at room temperature (27 °C) in order to form nano heterostructure solar cells. Deposition of compact layer of zinc oxide (ZnO) by SILAR technique on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate followed by growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods array using chemical bath deposition (CBD) at low temperature (SILAR cycles for CdSe and with use of different electrolytes have been recorded as J-V characteristics and the maximum conversion efficiency of 0.63% have been attained with ferro/ferri cyanide electrolyte for 12 cycles CdSe coating over 1-D ZnO nanorods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fingerprint detection and using intercalated CdSe nanoparticles on non-porous surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Algarra, Manuel, E-mail: malgarra67@gmail.com [Centro de Geología da Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Geociências, Ambiente e Ordenamemto do Territorio do Porto, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Radotić, Ksenija; Kalauzi, Aleksandar; Mutavdžić, Dragosav; Savić, Aleksandar [Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11000 Beograd (Serbia); Jiménez-Jiménez, José; Rodríguez-Castellón, Enrique [Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071Málaga (Spain); Silva, Joaquim C.G. Esteves da [Centro de Investigação em Química (CIQ-UP). Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Guerrero-González, Juan José [Policía Científica, Cuerpo Nacional de Policía, Málaga (Spain)

2014-02-17

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Fluorescent nanocomposite based on the inclusion of CdSe quantum dots in porous phosphate heterostructures. •Characterized by FTIR, XRD and fluorescence spectroscopies. •Deconvolution of the emission spectra was confirmed by using multivariate curve resolution (MCR) method. •Application for fingerprint detection and analysis on different non-porous surfaces. -- Abstract: A fluorescent nanocomposite based on the inclusion of CdSe quantum dots in porous phosphate heterostructures, functionalized with amino groups (PPH-NH{sub 2}@CdSe), was synthesized, characterized and used for fingerprint detection. The main scopes of this work were first to develop a friendly chemical powder for detecting latent fingerprints, especially in non-porous surfaces; their further intercalation in PPH structure enables not to spread the fluorescent nanoparticles, for that reason very good fluorescent images can be obtained. The fingerprints, obtained on different non-porous surfaces such as iron tweezers, mobile telephone screen and magnetic band of a credit card, treated with this powder emit a pale orange luminescence under ultraviolet excitation. A further image processing consists of contrast enhancement that allows obtaining positive matches according to the information supplied from a police database, and showed to be more effective than that obtained with the non-processed images. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of proposed methods.

Fingerprint detection and using intercalated CdSe nanoparticles on non-porous surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Algarra, Manuel; Radotić, Ksenija; Kalauzi, Aleksandar; Mutavdžić, Dragosav; Savić, Aleksandar; Jiménez-Jiménez, José; Rodríguez-Castellón, Enrique; Silva, Joaquim C.G. Esteves da; Guerrero-González, Juan José

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Fluorescent nanocomposite based on the inclusion of CdSe quantum dots in porous phosphate heterostructures. •Characterized by FTIR, XRD and fluorescence spectroscopies. •Deconvolution of the emission spectra was confirmed by using multivariate curve resolution (MCR) method. •Application for fingerprint detection and analysis on different non-porous surfaces. -- Abstract: A fluorescent nanocomposite based on the inclusion of CdSe quantum dots in porous phosphate heterostructures, functionalized with amino groups (PPH-NH 2 @CdSe), was synthesized, characterized and used for fingerprint detection. The main scopes of this work were first to develop a friendly chemical powder for detecting latent fingerprints, especially in non-porous surfaces; their further intercalation in PPH structure enables not to spread the fluorescent nanoparticles, for that reason very good fluorescent images can be obtained. The fingerprints, obtained on different non-porous surfaces such as iron tweezers, mobile telephone screen and magnetic band of a credit card, treated with this powder emit a pale orange luminescence under ultraviolet excitation. A further image processing consists of contrast enhancement that allows obtaining positive matches according to the information supplied from a police database, and showed to be more effective than that obtained with the non-processed images. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of proposed methods

Glutamate decarboxylase-derived IDDM autoantigens displayed on self-assembled protein nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hyoung; Ahn, Ji-Young; Sim, Sang Jun; Lee, Jeewon

2005-01-01

The recombinant ferritin heavy chain (FTN-H) formed self-assembled spherical nanoparticles with the size comparable to native one. We tried to express the GAD65 COOH-terminal fragments, i.e., 448-585 (GAD65 448-585 ), 487-585 (GAD65 487-585 ), and 512-585 (GAD65 512-585 ) amino acid fragments, using FTN-H as N-terminus fusion expression partner in Escherichia coli. All of recombinant fusion proteins (FTN-H::GAD65 448-585 , FTN-H::GAD65 487-585 , and FTN-H::GAD65 512-585 ) also formed spherical nanoparticles due probably to the self-assembly function of the fused ferritin heavy chain. The antigenic epitopes within GAD65 448-585 , GAD65 487-585 , and GAD65 512-585 against insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) marker (autoantibodies against GAD65) were localized at the surface of the spherical protein nanoparticles so that anti-GAD65 Ab could recognize them. Protein nanoparticles like FTN-H seem to provide distinct advantages over other inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., Au, Ag, CdSe, etc.) in that through the bacterial synthesis, the active capture probes can be located at the nanoparticle surface with constant orientation/conformation via covalent cross-linking without complex chemistry. Also it is possible for the protein nanoparticles to have uniform particle size, which is rarely achieved in the chemical synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles. Thus, the recombinant ferritin particles can be used as a three-dimensional (spherical) and nanometer-scale probe structure that is a key component in ultra-sensitive protein chip for detecting protein-small molecule interactions and protein-protein interactions

Direct assembly of in situ templated CdSe quantum dots via crystalline lamellae structure of polyamide 66

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheval, Nicolas; Brooks, Richard [University of Nottingham, Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, Faculty of Engineering (United Kingdom); Fahmi, Amir, E-mail: Amir.Fahmi@hochschule-Rhein-waal.de [Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Technology and Bionics (Germany)

2012-03-15

A simple concept is proposed for templating in situ synthesised CdSe quantum dots (QDs) into an organised nano-pattern using the crystalline lamellae structure of polyamide 66 (PA66). The morphology obtained for PA66 and the hybrid material on Si/SiO{sub x} solid substrate was characterised by means of atomic force microscope. Controlling the PA66 concentration in solution and the organic-inorganic interactions are found to be the keys factors to direct the assembly of CdSe QDs along the PA66 linear crystalline structure. This simple approach could be opened a new avenue for a large spectrum of innovative high-tech applications.

Charge separation in contact systems with CdSe quantum dot layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zillner, Elisabeth Franziska

2013-03-06

(recombination). The values of QD-ITO distance and trap density, determined with the simulation were consistent with transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. The separation and diffusion of charge carriers was limited due to trapping of charge carriers. Smaller interparticle distances led to faster decays in CdSe QD monolayers. However the increase of traps, which resulted in a slower decay dominated and led to longer decay times of SPV transients of modified CdSe QD layers. By deposition of CdSe QDs on CdS a heterojunction was created. The CdS layer served as acceptor for electrons excited in CdSe QDs. Furthermore a CdSe QD/CdTe nanoparticle heterojunction was realized by successive electrophoretic deposition. CdSe QDs acted as electron acceptors, whereas CdTe nanoparticles acted as electron donors. Charge separation was dominated by the CdSe QD/CdTe nanoparticle interphase, as inverted layer stacking of CdSe QDs and CdTe nanoparticles gave an inverted SPV signal.

Charge separation in contact systems with CdSe quantum dot layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zillner, Elisabeth Franziska

2013-01-01

(recombination). The values of QD-ITO distance and trap density, determined with the simulation were consistent with transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. The separation and diffusion of charge carriers was limited due to trapping of charge carriers. Smaller interparticle distances led to faster decays in CdSe QD monolayers. However the increase of traps, which resulted in a slower decay dominated and led to longer decay times of SPV transients of modified CdSe QD layers. By deposition of CdSe QDs on CdS a heterojunction was created. The CdS layer served as acceptor for electrons excited in CdSe QDs. Furthermore a CdSe QD/CdTe nanoparticle heterojunction was realized by successive electrophoretic deposition. CdSe QDs acted as electron acceptors, whereas CdTe nanoparticles acted as electron donors. Charge separation was dominated by the CdSe QD/CdTe nanoparticle interphase, as inverted layer stacking of CdSe QDs and CdTe nanoparticles gave an inverted SPV signal.

Synthesis of CdSe Quantum Dots Using Fusarium oxysporum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takaaki Yamaguchi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available CdSe quantum dots are often used in industry as fluorescent materials. In this study, CdSe quantum dots were synthesized using Fusarium oxysporum. The cadmium and selenium concentration, pH, and temperature for the culture of F. oxysporum (Fusarium oxysporum were optimized for the synthesis, and the CdSe quantum dots obtained from the mycelial cells of F. oxysporum were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Ultra-thin sections of F. oxysporum showed that the CdSe quantum dots were precipitated in the intracellular space, indicating that cadmium and selenium ions were incorporated into the cell and that the quantum dots were synthesized with intracellular metabolites. To reveal differences in F. oxysporum metabolism, cell extracts of F. oxysporum, before and after CdSe synthesis, were compared using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE. The results suggested that the amount of superoxide dismutase (SOD decreased after CdSe synthesis. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that cytoplasmic superoxide increased significantly after CdSe synthesis. The accumulation of superoxide may increase the expression of various metabolites that play a role in reducing Se4+ to Se2− and inhibit the aggregation of CdSe to make nanoparticles.

Structural, optical and magnetic properties of cobalt-doped CdSe ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Abstract. Pure and Co-doped CdSe nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal technique. The ... Keywords. Nanoparticles; dilute magnetic semiconductor; ferromagnetism. ... dium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a surfactant in.

Charge separation and transfer in hybrid type II tunneling structures of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gross, Dieter Konrad Michael

2013-11-08

Closely packed nanocrystal systems have been investigated in this thesis with respect to charge separation by charge carrier tunneling. Clustered and layered samples have been analyzed using PL-measurements and SPV-methods. The most important findings are reviewed in the following. A short outlook is also provided for potential further aspects and application of the presented results. The main purpose of this thesis was to find and quantify electronic tunneling transfer in closely packed self-assembled nanocrystal structures presenting quantum mechanical barriers of about 1 nm width. We successfully used hybrid assemblies of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals where the expected type II alignment between CdTe and CdSe typically leads to a concentration of electrons in CdSe and holes in CdTe nanocrystals. We were able to prove the charge selectivity of the CdTe-CdSe nanocrystal interface which induces charge separation. We mainly investigated the effects related to the electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. Closely packing was achieved by two independent methods: the disordered colloidal clustering in solution and the layered assembly on dry glass substrates. Both methods lead to an inter-particle distance of about 1 nm of mainly organic material which acts as a tunneling barrier. PL-spectroscopy was applied. The PL-quenching of the CdTe nanocrystals in hybrid assemblies indicates charge separation by electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. A maximum quenching rate of up to 1/100 ps was measured leading to a significant global PL-quenching of up to about 70 % for the CdTe nanocrystals. It was shown that charge separation dynamics compete with energy transfer dynamics and that charge separation typically dominates. The quantum confinement effect was used to tune the energetic offset between the CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals. We thus observe a correlation of PL-quenching and offset of the energy states for the electron transfer. The investigated PL

Charge separation and transfer in hybrid type II tunneling structures of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, Dieter Konrad Michael

2013-01-01

Closely packed nanocrystal systems have been investigated in this thesis with respect to charge separation by charge carrier tunneling. Clustered and layered samples have been analyzed using PL-measurements and SPV-methods. The most important findings are reviewed in the following. A short outlook is also provided for potential further aspects and application of the presented results. The main purpose of this thesis was to find and quantify electronic tunneling transfer in closely packed self-assembled nanocrystal structures presenting quantum mechanical barriers of about 1 nm width. We successfully used hybrid assemblies of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals where the expected type II alignment between CdTe and CdSe typically leads to a concentration of electrons in CdSe and holes in CdTe nanocrystals. We were able to prove the charge selectivity of the CdTe-CdSe nanocrystal interface which induces charge separation. We mainly investigated the effects related to the electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. Closely packing was achieved by two independent methods: the disordered colloidal clustering in solution and the layered assembly on dry glass substrates. Both methods lead to an inter-particle distance of about 1 nm of mainly organic material which acts as a tunneling barrier. PL-spectroscopy was applied. The PL-quenching of the CdTe nanocrystals in hybrid assemblies indicates charge separation by electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. A maximum quenching rate of up to 1/100 ps was measured leading to a significant global PL-quenching of up to about 70 % for the CdTe nanocrystals. It was shown that charge separation dynamics compete with energy transfer dynamics and that charge separation typically dominates. The quantum confinement effect was used to tune the energetic offset between the CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals. We thus observe a correlation of PL-quenching and offset of the energy states for the electron transfer. The investigated PL

Assembling RNA Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Shou-Jun

2017-01-01

RNA nanoparticles are designed and self-assembled according to noncanonical interactions of naturally conserved RNA motifs and/or canonical Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions, which have potential applications in gene therapy and nanomedicine. These artificially engineered nanoparticles are mainly synthesized from in vitro transcribed RNAs, purified by denaturing and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), and characterized with native PAGE, AFM, and TEM technologies. The protocols of in vitro transcription, denaturing and native PAGE, and RNA nanoparticle self-assembly are described in detail.

Magnetic nanoparticle assemblies

CERN Document Server

Trohidou, Kalliopi N

2014-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles with diameters in the range of a few nanometers are today at the cutting edge of modern technology and innovation because of their use in numerous applications ranging from engineering to biomedicine. A great deal of scientific interest has been focused on the functionalization of magnetic nanoparticle assemblies. The understanding of interparticle interactions is necessary to clarify the physics of these assemblies and their use in the development of high-performance magnetic materials. This book reviews prominent research studies on the static and dynamic magnetic properties of nanoparticle assemblies, gathering together experimental and computational techniques in an effort to reveal their optimized magnetic properties for biomedical use and as ultra-high magnetic recording media.

Synthesis of CdSe nanoparticles and their effect on the antioxidant activity of Spirulina platensis and Porphyridium cruentum cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudic, V.; Cepoi, L.; Rudi, L.; Chiriac, T.; Nicorici, A.; Todosiciuc, A.; Gutsul, T.

2011-01-01

Single-crystalline cadmium selenide nanoparticles were obtained using high-temperature solution phase synthesis (HTSPS) synthesis. X-Ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the crystallinity and morphology of the resulting nanoparticles. To study the action of CdSe on antioxidant activity, we selected two biotechnological important strains of microalgae: cyanobacteria Spirulina platensis and red microalgae Porphyridium cruentum. In the case of Porphyridium cruentum, the obtained results demonstrated an increase in the productivity. For Spirulina platensis, the presence of the compound in the cultivating medium decreased the productivity of cyanobacteria.

Annealing Effect on Photovoltaic Performance of CdSe Quantum-Dots-Sensitized TiO2 Nanorod Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yitan Li

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Large area rutile TiO2 nanorod arrays were grown on F:SnO2 (FTO conductive glass using a hydrothermal method at low temperature. CdSe quantum dots (QDs were deposited onto single-crystalline TiO2 nanorod arrays by a chemical bath deposition (CBD method to make a photoelectrode. The solar cell was assembled using a CdSe-TiO2 nanostructure as the photoanode and polysulfide solution as the electrolyte. The annealing effect on optical and photovoltaic properties of CdSe quantum-dots-sensitized TiO2 nanorod solar cells was studied systematically. A significant change of the morphology and a regular red shift of band gap of CdSe nanoparticles were observed after annealing treatment. At the same time, an improved photovoltaic performance was obtained for quantum-dots-sensitized solar cell using the annealed CdSe-TiO2 nanostructure electrode. The power conversion efficiency improved from 0.59% to 1.45% as a consequence of the annealing effect. This improvement can be explained by considering the changes in the morphology, the crystalline quality, and the optical properties caused by annealing treatment.

Designing Selectivity in Metal-Semiconductor Nanocrystals: Synthesis, Characterization, and Self-Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlopoulos, Nicholas George

This dissertation contains six chapters detailing recent advances that have been made in the synthesis and characterization of metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals (HNCs), and the applications of these materials. Primarily focused on the synthesis of well-defined II-VI semiconductor nanorod (NR) and tetrapod (TP) based constructs of interest for photocatalytic and solar energy applications, the research described herein discusses progress towards the realization of key design rules for the synthesis of functional semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs). As such, a blend of novel synthesis, advanced characterization, and direct application of heterostructured nanoparticles are presented. The first chapter is a review summarizing the design, synthesis, properties, and applications of multicomponent nanomaterials composed of disparate semiconductor and metal domains. By coupling two compositionally distinct materials onto a single nanocrystal, synergistic properties can arise that are not present in the isolated components, ranging from self-assembly to photocatalysis. For semiconductor nanomaterials, this was first realized in the ability to tune nanomaterial dimensions from 0-D quantum dot (QD) structures to cylindrical (NR) and branched (TP) structures by exploitation of advanced colloidal synthesis techniques and understandings of NC facet reactivities. The second chapter is focused on the synthesis and characterization of well-defined CdSe-seeded-CdS (CdSe CdS) NR systems synthesized by overcoating of wurtzite (W) CdSe quantum dots with W-CdS shells. 1-dimensional NRs have been interesting constructs for applications such as solar concentrators, optical gains, and photocatalysis. Through synthetic control over CdSe CdS NR systems, materials with small and large CdSe seeds were prepared, and for each seed size, multiple NR lengths were prepared. Through transient absorption studies, it was found that band alignment did not affect the efficiency of charge localization

Deterministic nanoparticle assemblies: from substrate to solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barcelo, Steven J; Gibson, Gary A; Yamakawa, Mineo; Li, Zhiyong; Kim, Ansoon; Norris, Kate J

2014-01-01

The deterministic assembly of metallic nanoparticles is an exciting field with many potential benefits. Many promising techniques have been developed, but challenges remain, particularly for the assembly of larger nanoparticles which often have more interesting plasmonic properties. Here we present a scalable process combining the strengths of top down and bottom up fabrication to generate deterministic 2D assemblies of metallic nanoparticles and demonstrate their stable transfer to solution. Scanning electron and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of these assemblies suggested the formation of nanobridges between touching nanoparticles that hold them together so as to maintain the integrity of the assembly throughout the transfer process. The application of these nanoparticle assemblies as solution-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) materials is demonstrated by trapping analyte molecules in the nanoparticle gaps during assembly, yielding uniformly high enhancement factors at all stages of the fabrication process. (paper)

Encapsulation of gold nanoparticles into self-assembling protein nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Yongkun

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gold nanoparticles are useful tools for biological applications due to their attractive physical and chemical properties. Their applications can be further expanded when they are functionalized with biological molecules. The biological molecules not only provide the interfaces for interactions between nanoparticles and biological environment, but also contribute their biological functions to the nanoparticles. Therefore, we used self-assembling protein nanoparticles (SAPNs to encapsulate gold nanoparticles. The protein nanoparticles are formed upon self-assembly of a protein chain that is composed of a pentameric coiled-coil domain at the N-terminus and trimeric coiled-coil domain at the C-terminus. The self-assembling protein nanoparticles form a central cavity of about 10 nm in size, which is ideal for the encapsulation of gold nanoparticles with similar sizes. Results We have used SAPNs to encapsulate several commercially available gold nanoparticles. The hydrodynamic size and the surface coating of gold nanoparticles are two important factors influencing successful encapsulation by the SAPNs. Gold nanoparticles with a hydrodynamic size of less than 15 nm can successfully be encapsulated. Gold nanoparticles with citrate coating appear to have stronger interactions with the proteins, which can interfere with the formation of regular protein nanoparticles. Upon encapsulation gold nanoparticles with polymer coating interfere less strongly with the ability of the SAPNs to assemble into nanoparticles. Although the central cavity of the SAPNs carries an overall charge, the electrostatic interaction appears to be less critical for the efficient encapsulation of gold nanoparticles into the protein nanoparticles. Conclusions The SAPNs can be used to encapsulate gold nanoparticles. The SAPNs can be further functionalized by engineering functional peptides or proteins to either their N- or C-termini. Therefore encapsulation of gold

Directed Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westerlund, Axel Rune Fredrik; Bjørnholm, Thomas

2009-01-01

As a complement to common "top-down" lithography techniques, "bottom-up" assembly techniques are emerging as promising tools to build nanoscale structures in a predictable way. Gold nanoparticles that are stable and relatively easy to synthesize are important building blocks in many such structures...... due to their useful optical and electronic properties. Programmed assembly of gold nanoparticles in one, two, and three dimensions is therefore of large interest. This review focuses on the progress from the last three years in the field of directed gold nanoparticle and nanorod assembly using...

Magnetic behavior of iron oxide nanoparticle-biomolecule assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Taegyun; Reis, Lynn; Rajan, Krishna; Shima, Mutsuhiro

2005-01-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles of 8-20 nm in size were investigated as an assembly with biomolecules synthesized in an aqueous solution. The magnetic behavior of the biomolecule-nanoparticles assembly depends sensitively on the morphology and hence the distribution of the nanoparticles, where the dipole coupling between the nanoparticles governs the overall magnetic behavior. In assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles with trypsin, we observe a formation of unusual self-alignment of nanoparticles within trypsin molecules. In such an assembly structure, the magnetic particles tend to exhibit a lower spin-glass transition temperature than as-synthesized bare iron oxide nanoparticles probably due to reduced interparticle couplings within the molecular matrix. The observed self-alignment of nanoparticles in biomolecules may be a useful approach for directed nanoparticles assembly

Properties of electrospun CdS and CdSe filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mthethwa, T.P. [University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028 (South Africa); Moloto, M.J., E-mail: mmoloto@uj.ac.za [University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028 (South Africa); De Vries, A.; Matabola, K.P. [CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, 4 Gomery avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000 (South Africa)

2011-04-15

Graphical abstract: SEM images of CdS/PMMA showing coiling as loading of CdS nanoparticles is increased. Thermal stability is increased with increase in %loading of both CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Research highlights: {yields} TOPO-capped CdS and HDA-capped CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized. {yields} The nanoparticles were mixed with the polymer, PMMA using electrospinning technique using 2, 5 and 10% weight loadings. {yields} The mixture was spun to produce fibres with optical and thermal properties showing significant change and also the increase in loading causing bending or spiraling. {yields} Both TEM images for nanoparticles and SEM for fibres shows the morphology and sizes of the particles. -- Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibres incorporating CdS and CdSe quantum dots (nanoparticles). Different nanoparticle loadings (2, 5 and 10 wt% with respect to PMMA) were used and the effect of the quantum dots on the properties of the fibres was studied. The optical properties of the hybrid composite fibres were investigated by photoluminescence and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometry were also used to investigate the morphology and structure of the fibres. The optical studies showed that the size-tunable optical properties can be achieved in the polymer fibres by addition of quantum dots. SEM images showed that the morphologies of the fibres were dependent on the added amounts of quantum dots. A spiral type of morphology was observed with an increase in the concentration of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Less beaded structures and bigger diameter fibres were obtained at higher quantum dot concentrations. X-ray diffractometry detected the amorphous peaks of the polymer and even after the quantum dots were added and the FTIR analysis shows that there was no considerable interaction between the quantum dots and the

Properties of electrospun CdS and CdSe filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mthethwa, T.P.; Moloto, M.J.; De Vries, A.; Matabola, K.P.

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: SEM images of CdS/PMMA showing coiling as loading of CdS nanoparticles is increased. Thermal stability is increased with increase in %loading of both CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Research highlights: → TOPO-capped CdS and HDA-capped CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized. → The nanoparticles were mixed with the polymer, PMMA using electrospinning technique using 2, 5 and 10% weight loadings. → The mixture was spun to produce fibres with optical and thermal properties showing significant change and also the increase in loading causing bending or spiraling. → Both TEM images for nanoparticles and SEM for fibres shows the morphology and sizes of the particles. -- Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibres incorporating CdS and CdSe quantum dots (nanoparticles). Different nanoparticle loadings (2, 5 and 10 wt% with respect to PMMA) were used and the effect of the quantum dots on the properties of the fibres was studied. The optical properties of the hybrid composite fibres were investigated by photoluminescence and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometry were also used to investigate the morphology and structure of the fibres. The optical studies showed that the size-tunable optical properties can be achieved in the polymer fibres by addition of quantum dots. SEM images showed that the morphologies of the fibres were dependent on the added amounts of quantum dots. A spiral type of morphology was observed with an increase in the concentration of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Less beaded structures and bigger diameter fibres were obtained at higher quantum dot concentrations. X-ray diffractometry detected the amorphous peaks of the polymer and even after the quantum dots were added and the FTIR analysis shows that there was no considerable interaction between the quantum dots and the polymer fibres at low

Size-selective precipitation in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals of CdTe and CdSe: a study by UV-VIS spectroscopy; Precipitacao seletiva de tamanhos em nanoparticulas semicondutoras coloidais de CdTe e CdSe: um estudo por espectroscopia UV-VIS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viol, Livia Cristina de Souza; Silva, Fernanda Oliveira; Ferreira, Diego Lourenconi; Alves, Jose Luiz Aarestrup; Schiavon, Marco Antonio, E-mail: schiavon@ufsj.edu.b [Universidade Federal de Sao Joao del Rei, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias Naturais

2011-07-01

The post-preparative size-selective precipitation technique was applied in CdTe and CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals prepared via colloidal route in water. The synthesis of CdTe and CdSe nanoparticles and the effect of the post-preparative size-selective precipitation have been characterized mainly by mean of ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis). It was demonstrated that the size-selective precipitation are able to isolate particles of different sizes and purify the nanoparticles as well. (author)

Green wet chemical route to synthesize capped CdSe quantum dots

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present work, we report green synthesis of tartaric acid (TA) and triethanolamine (TEA) capped ... CdSe quantum dots; chemical bath deposition; capping; green chemistry; nanomaterials. 1. .... at high concentration of nanoparticles.

Self-assembling nanoparticles at surfaces and interfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kinge, S.S.; Crego Calama, Mercedes; Reinhoudt, David

2008-01-01

Nanoparticles are the focus of much attention due to their astonishing properties and numerous possibilities for applications in nanotechnology. For realising versatile functions, assembly of nanoparticles in regular patterns on surfaces and at interfaces is required. Assembling nanoparticles

Linear-chain assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhak, Prasanta; Kim, Min-Kwan; Lee, Jae Hyeok; Kim, Miyoung; Kim, Sang-Koog, E-mail: sangkoog@snu.ac.kr

2017-07-01

Highlights: • Hydrothermal synthesis of pure phase 200 nm Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. • Studies of linear-chain assemblies of iron oxide nanosphere by FESEM. • Micromagnetic simulations showed the presence of 3D vortex states. • The B.E. for different numbers of particles in linear chain assemblies were calculated. - Abstract: We synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles using a simple hydrothermal approach and found several types of segments of their linear-chain self-assemblies as observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements confirm a well-defined single-phase FCC structure. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurements exhibit a ferromagnetic behavior. Micromagnetic numerical simulations show magnetic vortex states in the nanosphere model. Also, calculations of binding energies for different numbers of particles in the linear-chain assemblies explain a possible mechanism responsible for the self-assemblies of segments of the linear chains of nanoparticles. This work offers a step towards linear-chain self-assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles and the effect of magnetic vortex states in individual nanoparticles on their binding energy.

Photorefractive performance of polymer composite sensitized by CdSe nanoparticles passivated by 1-hexadecylamine

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Farzana; Binks, David J.; Rahn, Mark D.; West, David P.; O'Brien, Paul; Pickett, Nigel

2005-07-01

The performance of a photorefractive polymer composite sensitized by 1-hexadecylamine capped CdSe nanoparticles is reported. The polymer composite also comprises the charge transporting matrix poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and the electro-optic chromophore 1-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenylazo) benzene. At an applied field of 70?V?µ m-1 two beam coupling gain of 13.2?cm-1 was observed, confirming the photorefractive nature of the induced grating. At the same field, a holographic contrast of 9.12×10-4±6×10-6, a photorefractive sensitivity of 5.1×10-4 ±0.2×10-4?cm3?J-1 and a space-charge field rise time of 13±1?s were obtained.

Investigation on the influence of pH on structure and photoelectrochemical properties of CdSe electrolytically deposited into TiO2 nanotube arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue, Jinbo; Shen, Qianqian; Yang, Fei; Liang, Wei; Liu, Xuguang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • There-dimensional CdSe-TiO 2 multijunction was fabricated by electrochemical method. • CdSe nanoparticles had a good bonding with the walls of TiO 2 nanotube. • pH value played an important role in the quality of CdSe-TiO 2 interfaces. - Abstract: In this work, we fabricated CdSe/TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) by electrochemical method. In electrodeposition, the pH value of the electrolyte played an important role in formation of CdSe nanoparticles. As the pH value decreased, more CdSe deposited on TiO 2 NTAs. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy characterization shows that the CdSe nanoparticles were uniformly deposited on and into TiO 2 nanotubes when the pH value was 3, and this structure fully utilized the three-dimensional (3D) space of TiO 2 nanotubes to form 3D multijunction heterostructures. According to the photoelectrochemical test, the CdSe/TiO 2 NTAs sample prepared at pH = 3 exhibited maximum photocurrent and open circuit potential. This is because that the deposited CdSe nanoparticles had better bond with the walls of TiO 2 nanotube than the samples deposited at other pH values, which facilitated the propagation and kinetic separation of photogenerated charges

Au-assisted growth of anisotropic and epitaxial cdse colloidal nanocrystals via in situ dismantling of quantum dots

KAUST Repository

Fernà ndez-Altable, Ví ctor; Dalmases, Mariona; Falqui, Andrea; Casu, Alberto; Torruella, Pau; Estradé , Sò nia; Peiró , Francesca; Figuerola, Albert

2015-01-01

Metallic nanocrystals have been revealed in the past years as valuable materials for the catalytic growth of semiconductor nanowires. Yet, only low melting point metals like Bi have been reported to successfully assist the growth of elongated CdX (X = S, Se, Te) systems in solution, and the possibility to use plasmonic noble metals has become a challenging task. In this work we show that the growth of anisotropic CdSe nanostructures in solution can also be efficiently catalyzed by colloidal Au nanoparticles, following a preferential crystallographic alignment between the metallic and semiconductor domains. Noteworthy, we report the heterodox use of semiconductor quantum dots as a homogeneous and tunable source of reactive monomer species to the solution. The mechanistic studies reveal that the in situ delivery of these cadmium and chalcogen monomer species and the formation of AuxCdy alloy seeds are both key factors for the epitaxial growth of elongated CdSe domains. The implementation of this method suggests an alternative synthetic approach for the assembly of different semiconductor domains into more complex heterostructures.

Au-assisted growth of anisotropic and epitaxial cdse colloidal nanocrystals via in situ dismantling of quantum dots

KAUST Repository

Fernàndez-Altable, Víctor

2015-03-10

Metallic nanocrystals have been revealed in the past years as valuable materials for the catalytic growth of semiconductor nanowires. Yet, only low melting point metals like Bi have been reported to successfully assist the growth of elongated CdX (X = S, Se, Te) systems in solution, and the possibility to use plasmonic noble metals has become a challenging task. In this work we show that the growth of anisotropic CdSe nanostructures in solution can also be efficiently catalyzed by colloidal Au nanoparticles, following a preferential crystallographic alignment between the metallic and semiconductor domains. Noteworthy, we report the heterodox use of semiconductor quantum dots as a homogeneous and tunable source of reactive monomer species to the solution. The mechanistic studies reveal that the in situ delivery of these cadmium and chalcogen monomer species and the formation of AuxCdy alloy seeds are both key factors for the epitaxial growth of elongated CdSe domains. The implementation of this method suggests an alternative synthetic approach for the assembly of different semiconductor domains into more complex heterostructures.

Direct hierarchical assembly of nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ting; Zhao, Yue; Thorkelsson, Kari

2014-07-22

The present invention provides hierarchical assemblies of a block copolymer, a bifunctional linking compound and a nanoparticle. The block copolymers form one micro-domain and the nanoparticles another micro-domain.

Ultrafine luminescent structures through nanoparticle self-assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prabhakaran, K; Goetzinger, S; Shafi, K V P M; Mazzei, A; Schietinger, S; Benson, O

2006-01-01

We report the fabrication of ultrafine structures consisting of regular arrays of nanoemitters through the self-assembly of luminescent nanoparticles on a silicon wafer. Nanoparticles of yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) doped with Eu 3+ ions were synthesized by a sonochemical technique. These particles, suspended in ethanol, are introduced onto a pre-patterned silicon wafer, covered with a thin oxide layer. On annealing the sample in an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber, the nanoparticles self-assemble along the pattern. We demonstrate this 'chemical lithography' by assembling the nanoparticles along a variety of patterns. We believe that such self-organized nanopatterning of functional structures is important for the realization of nanodevices

MnFe2O4/CdSe magneto-fluorescent nanocomposite for possible biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chandunika, R. K.; Vijayaraghavan, R.; Sahu, Niroj Kumar

2018-04-01

Acombined superparamagnetic and fluorescent MnFe2O4/CdSe multifunctional nanocompositehas been prepared by suitable surface functionalizationswith citric acid, polyethyleneimine(PEI) and thioglycolic acid (ThA).and the samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, Zeta Potential, VSM, UV-Vis and PL spectroscopy. MnFe2O4 crystalizes with average size of 38.6 nm whereas CdSe with average size of 2.03 nm. In composite, the CdSe quantum dots (QD) are homogeneously distributed in the matrix of porous MnFe2O4 nanoparticles. Thenanocomposites are well dispersed in aqueous solvent and possess significant magnetic and luminescence properties which may be utilised for magnetic resonance imaging and luminescence tagging of biomolecules.

Encapsulation of gold nanoparticles into self-assembling protein nanoparticles

OpenAIRE

Yang Yongkun; Burkhard Peter

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Gold nanoparticles are useful tools for biological applications due to their attractive physical and chemical properties. Their applications can be further expanded when they are functionalized with biological molecules. The biological molecules not only provide the interfaces for interactions between nanoparticles and biological environment, but also contribute their biological functions to the nanoparticles. Therefore, we used self-assembling protein nanoparticles (SAPNs...

Formation of a Colloidal CdSe and ZnSe Quantum Dots via a Gamma Radiolytic Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aeshah Salem

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Colloidal cadmium selenide (CdSe and zinc selenide (ZnSe quantum dots with a hexagonal structure were synthesized by irradiating an aqueous solution containing metal precursors, poly (vinyl pyrrolidone, isopropyl alcohol, and organic solvents with 1.25-MeV gamma rays at a dose of 120 kGy. The radiolytic processes occurring in water result in the nucleation of particles, which leads to the growth of the quantum dots. The physical properties of the CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles were measured by various characterization techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD was used to confirm the nanocrystalline structure, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX was used to estimate the material composition of the samples, transmission electron microscopy (TEM was used to determine the morphologies and average particle size distribution, and UV-visible spectroscopy was used to measure the optical absorption spectra, from which the band gap of the CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles could be deduced.

Anisotropy in CdSe quantum rods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Liang-shi [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2003-01-01

The size-dependent optical and electronic properties of semiconductor nanocrystals have drawn much attention in the past decade, and have been very well understood for spherical ones. The advent of the synthetic methods to make rod-like CdSe nanocrystals with wurtzite structure has offered us a new opportunity to study their properties as functions of their shape. This dissertation includes three main parts: synthesis of CdSe nanorods with tightly controlled widths and lengths, their optical and dielectric properties, and their large-scale assembly, all of which are either directly or indirectly caused by the uniaxial crystallographic structure of wurtzite CdSe. The hexagonal wurtzite structure is believed to be the primary reason for the growth of CdSe nanorods. It represents itself in the kinetic stabilization of the rod-like particles over the spherical ones in the presence of phosphonic acids. By varying the composition of the surfactant mixture used for synthesis we have achieved tight control of the widths and lengths of the nanorods. The synthesis of monodisperse CdSe nanorods enables us to systematically study their size-dependent properties. For example, room temperature single particle fluorescence spectroscopy has shown that nanorods emit linearly polarized photoluminescence. Theoretical calculations have shown that it is due to the crossing between the two highest occupied electronic levels with increasing aspect ratio. We also measured the permanent electric dipole moment of the nanorods with transient electric birefringence technique. Experimental results on nanorods with different sizes show that the dipole moment is linear to the particle volume, indicating that it originates from the non-centrosymmetric hexagonal lattice. The elongation of the nanocrystals also results in the anisotropic inter-particle interaction. One of the consequences is the formation of liquid crystalline phases when the nanorods are dispersed in solvent to a high enough

DNA-guided nanoparticle assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Gang, Oleg; Nykypanchuk, Dmytro; Maye, Mathew; van der Lelie, Daniel

2013-07-16

In some embodiments, DNA-capped nanoparticles are used to define a degree of crystalline order in assemblies thereof. In some embodiments, thermodynamically reversible and stable body-centered cubic (bcc) structures, with particles occupying <.about.10% of the unit cell, are formed. Designs and pathways amenable to the crystallization of particle assemblies are identified. In some embodiments, a plasmonic crystal is provided. In some aspects, a method for controlling the properties of particle assemblages is provided. In some embodiments a catalyst is formed from nanoparticles linked by nucleic acid sequences and forming an open crystal structure with catalytically active agents attached to the crystal on its surface or in interstices.

Charge separation and transfer in hybrid type II tunneling structures of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gross, Dieter Konrad Michael

2013-11-08

Closely packed nanocrystal systems have been investigated in this thesis with respect to charge separation by charge carrier tunneling. Clustered and layered samples have been analyzed using PL-measurements and SPV-methods. The most important findings are reviewed in the following. A short outlook is also provided for potential further aspects and application of the presented results. The main purpose of this thesis was to find and quantify electronic tunneling transfer in closely packed self-assembled nanocrystal structures presenting quantum mechanical barriers of about 1 nm width. We successfully used hybrid assemblies of CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals where the expected type II alignment between CdTe and CdSe typically leads to a concentration of electrons in CdSe and holes in CdTe nanocrystals. We were able to prove the charge selectivity of the CdTe-CdSe nanocrystal interface which induces charge separation. We mainly investigated the effects related to the electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. Closely packing was achieved by two independent methods: the disordered colloidal clustering in solution and the layered assembly on dry glass substrates. Both methods lead to an inter-particle distance of about 1 nm of mainly organic material which acts as a tunneling barrier. PL-spectroscopy was applied. The PL-quenching of the CdTe nanocrystals in hybrid assemblies indicates charge separation by electron transfer from CdTe to CdSe nanocrystals. A maximum quenching rate of up to 1/100 ps was measured leading to a significant global PL-quenching of up to about 70 % for the CdTe nanocrystals. It was shown that charge separation dynamics compete with energy transfer dynamics and that charge separation typically dominates. The quantum confinement effect was used to tune the energetic offset between the CdTe and CdSe nanocrystals. We thus observe a correlation of PL-quenching and offset of the energy states for the electron transfer. The investigated PL

AgCl-doped CdSe quantum dots with near-IR photoluminescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotin, Pavel Aleksandrovich; Bubenov, Sergey Sergeevich; Mordvinova, Natalia Evgenievna; Dorofeev, Sergey Gennadievich

2017-01-01

We report the synthesis of colloidal CdSe quantum dots doped with a novel Ag precursor: AgCl. The addition of AgCl causes dramatic changes in the morphology of synthesized nanocrystals from spherical nanoparticles to tetrapods and finally to large ellipsoidal nanoparticles. Ellipsoidal nanoparticles possess an intensive near-IR photoluminescence ranging up to 0.9 eV (ca. 1400 nm). In this article, we explain the reasons for the formation of the ellipsoidal nanoparticles as well as the peculiarities of the process. The structure, Ag content, and optical properties of quantum dots are also investigated. The optimal conditions for maximizing both the reaction yield and IR photoluminescence quantum yield are found.

A Novel Strategy for Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticle Self Assemblies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verma, Jyoti; Lal, Sumit; van Veen, Henk A.; van Noorden, Cornelis J. F.

2014-01-01

Gold nanoparticle self assemblies are one-dimensional structures of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticle self assemblies exhibit unique physical properties and find applications in the development of biosensors. Methodologies currently available for lab-scale and commercial synthesis of gold

Precipitação seletiva de tamanhos em nanopartículas semicondutoras coloidais de CdTe e CdSe: um estudo por espectroscopia UV-VIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lívia Cristina de Souza Viol

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The post-preparative size-selective precipitation technique was applied in CdTe and CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals prepared via colloidal route in water. The synthesis of CdTe and CdSe nanoparticles and the effect of the post-preparative size-selective precipitation have been characterized mainly by mean of ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis. It was demonstrated that the size-selective precipitation are able to isolate particles of different sizes and purify the nanoparticles as well.

Fabrication of CdSe nanocrystals using porous anodic alumina and their optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laatar, Fakher, E-mail: fakher8laatar@gmail.com [Laboratory of Semiconductors, Nanostructures and Advanced Technology (LSNTA), Center for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Science faculty of Bizerte–Carthage University (Tunisia); Hassen, Mohamed [Laboratory of Semiconductors, Nanostructures and Advanced Technology (LSNTA), Center for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Higher Institute of Applied Science and Technology of Sousse, City Taffala (Ibn Khaldun), 4003 Sousse (Tunisia); Amri, Chohdi [Laboratory of Semiconductors, Nanostructures and Advanced Technology (LSNTA), Center for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Laatar, Fekri [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Minerals and Materials Applications, National Research Center for Materials Science, Technopole Borj Cedria (Tunisia); Smida, Alia; Ezzaouia, Hatem [Laboratory of Semiconductors, Nanostructures and Advanced Technology (LSNTA), Center for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia)

2016-10-15

estimated from the optical absorbance spectra. Investigations have shown that optical properties of CdSe/PAA nanostructure were influenced by the pores sizes of PAA. It was observed an increase in CdSe NCs size from 2.22 to 2.56 nm when the average pores diameter of PAA increases from 30 to 180 nm. This finding indicates an enhancement in PL intensity and a red-shift in PL emission peaks from 2.35 to 2.14 eV. By applying the quantum confinement model, we demonstrated that the redshift of PL peak is attributed to the change of CdSe NCs size with the pores diameter and that their spectral behaviors are related to the shape and the size distribution of the nanoparticles.

Fabrication of CdSe nanocrystals using porous anodic alumina and their optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laatar, Fakher; Hassen, Mohamed; Amri, Chohdi; Laatar, Fekri; Smida, Alia; Ezzaouia, Hatem

2016-01-01

estimated from the optical absorbance spectra. Investigations have shown that optical properties of CdSe/PAA nanostructure were influenced by the pores sizes of PAA. It was observed an increase in CdSe NCs size from 2.22 to 2.56 nm when the average pores diameter of PAA increases from 30 to 180 nm. This finding indicates an enhancement in PL intensity and a red-shift in PL emission peaks from 2.35 to 2.14 eV. By applying the quantum confinement model, we demonstrated that the redshift of PL peak is attributed to the change of CdSe NCs size with the pores diameter and that their spectral behaviors are related to the shape and the size distribution of the nanoparticles.

Assembly of nanoparticles on patterned surfaces by noncovalent interachtions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maury, P.A.; Reinhoudt, David; Huskens, Jurriaan

2008-01-01

This article reviews the recent developments in the assembly of nanoparticles into patterned arrays. An introduction is given on nanoparticles assembly and its applications. This is followed by a discussion on recent papers, seen from the perspective of the interaction between particle and

Dipolar magnetism in ordered and disordered low-dimensional nanoparticle assemblies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Varón, M.; Beleggia, M; Kasama, T

2013-01-01

order at ambient temperature in assemblies of closely-spaced nanoparticles with magnetic moments of ≥ 100 μ(B). Here we use electron holography with sub-particle resolution to reveal the correlation between particle arrangement and magnetic order in self-assembled 1D and quasi-2D arrangements of 15 nm...... cobalt nanoparticles. In the initial states, we observe dipolar ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism and local flux closure, depending on the particle arrangement. Surprisingly, after magnetic saturation, measurements and numerical simulations show that overall ferromagnetic order exists in the present...... nanoparticle assemblies even when their arrangement is completely disordered. Such direct quantification of the correlation between topological and magnetic order is essential for the technological exploitation of magnetic quasi-2D nanoparticle assemblies....

Polarized neutron reflectivity from monolayers of self-assembled magnetic nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, D; Petracic, O; Devishvili, A; Theis-Bröhl, K; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H

2015-04-10

We prepared monolayers of iron oxide nanoparticles via self-assembly on a bare silicon wafer and on a vanadium film sputter deposited onto a plane sapphire substrate. The magnetic configuration of nanoparticles in such a dense assembly was investigated by polarized neutron reflectivity. A theoretical model fit shows that the magnetic moments of nanoparticles form quasi domain-like configurations at remanence. This is attributed to the dipolar coupling amongst the nanoparticles.

DNA-directed self-assembly of gold nanoparticles into binary and ternary nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Hui; Yi Changqing; Tzang Chihung; Zhu Junjie; Yang Mengsu

2007-01-01

The assembly and characterization of gold nanoparticle-based binary and ternary structures are reported. Two strategies were used to assemble gold nanoparticles into ordered nanoscale architectures: in strategy 1, gold nanoparticles were functionalized with single-strand DNA (ssDNA) first, and then hybridized with complementary ssDNA-labelled nanoparticles to assemble designed architectures. In strategy 2, the designed architectures were constructed through hybridization between complementary ssDNA first, then by assembling gold nanoparticles to the scaffolding through gold-sulfur bonds. Both TEM measurements and agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed that the latter strategy is more efficient in generating the designed nanostructures

AgNPs-3D nanostructure enhanced electrochemiluminescence of CdSe quantum dot coupled with strand displacement amplification for sensitive biosensing of DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao, Meng; Jie, Guifen; Tan, Lu; Niu, Shuyan

2017-01-01

A novel strategy using Ag nanoparticles-3D (AgNPs-3D) nanostructure enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) coupled with strand displacement amplification (SDA) for sensitive biosensing of DNA was successfully designed. The prepared CdSe QDs with intense ECL were assembled on the poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites modified electrode, then gold nanoparticles (NPs) as the quenching probe was conjugated to the QDs, ECL signal was efficiently quenched. The target DNA induced cycling SDA and generated a large number of DNA s1. The released DNA s1 could open the hairpin DNA with quenching probe. So the presence of low levels of target DNA can potentially result in a significant enhancement of ECL signal. Furthermore, large number of AgNPs were then in situ reduced in the 3D DNA skeleton on the electrode, which dramaticlly enhanced ECL signal of QDs owing to the excellent electrical conductivity, and the much amplified ECL signal change has a quantitative relation with the target DNA. So by combining the AgNPs-3D nanostructure and cycling SDA to achieve greatly amplified detection of DNA, the promising ECL strategy could provide a highly sensitive platform for various biomolecules and has a good prospect for clinical diagnosis in the future. - Graphical abstract: A novel strategy using AgNPs-3D nanostructure enhanced electrochemiluminescence of CdSe quantum dot coupled with DNA strand displacement amplification for sensitive biosensing of DNA was successfully designed, the proposed biosensor can be expected to be an emerging alternative for straightforward nucleic acid detection in complex samples with an easy and rapid way. - Highlights: • AgNPs-3D nanostructure for enhancing ECL signal of CdSe QDs was successfully designed. • A new dual amplification strategy for detection of DNA by using AgNPs-3D nanostructure coupled with SDA was developed. • It is for the first time AgNPs-3D nanostructure

Synthesis of self-assembly plasmonic silver nanoparticles with tunable luminescence color

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ghamdi, Haifa S.; Mahmoud, Waleed E.

2014-01-01

Assembly is an elegant and effective bottom-up approach to prepare arrays of nanoparticles from nobel metals. Noble metal nanoparticles are perfect building blocks because they can be prepared with an adequate functionalization to allow their assembly and with controlled sizes. Herein, we report a novel recipe for the synthesis of self-assembled silver nanoparticles with tunable optical properties and sizes. The synthetic route followed here based on the covalent binding among silver nanoparticles by means of poly vinyl alcohol for the first time. The size of silver nanoparticle is governed by varying the amount of sodium borohydride. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction and UV–vis spectroscopy. Results depicted that self-assembly of mono-dispersed silver nanoparticles with different sizes have been achieved. The silver nanostructure has a single crystalline faced centered cubic structure with growth orientation along (1 1 1) facet. These nanoparticles exhibited localized surface plasmon resonance at 403 nm. The luminescence peaks were red-sifted from violet to green due to the increase of the particle sizes. -- Highlights: • Self-assembled silver nanoparticles based PVA were synthesized. • NaBH 4 amount was found particle size dependent. • Silver nanoparticles strongly affected the surface plasmon resonance. • Highly symmetric luminescence emission band narrow width is obtained. • Dark field image showed a tunable color change from violet to green

Synthesis of nanocrystals and nanocrystal self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhuoying

compared with other less polar solvents) in order to determine optimized conditions for self-assembly, for which relatively large (> 1 mum2) areas of superlattices could be routinely formed. Depending on appropriate selection of the radius ratio, AuCu or CaCu 5 binary superlattices of CdSe-Au nanoparticles were generated. Chapter 4. The preparation of binary nanoparticle superlattices obtained by self-assembly of two different semiconductor quantum dots is presented. Such a system is a means to include two discretized, quantum-confined, and complimentary semiconductor units in close proximity, which might exhibit interesting charge transport properties for applications such as solar cells. From a range of possible structures predicted, we observe an exclusive preference for the formation of Cuboctahedral AB13 (Cuboctahedral modification of NaZn13) and AB5 (isostructural with CaCu5) structures in the system of 8.1 nm CdTe and 4.4 nm CdSe nanoparticles. To understand further the principles of superlattice formation, space-filling curves for binary component hard spheres over the full range of radius ratio are constructed. In addition, the pair interaction energies due to core-core and ligand-ligand van der Waals forces are estimated. The real structures are believed to form under a major influence of entropic driving forces (following the hard-sphere space filling principle) and combined with other influence from the surface (as nanoparticle deviates from hard spheres). Chapter 5. A nanoparticle radius ratio dependent study of the formation of binary nanoparticle superlattices (BNSLs) of CdTe and CdSe quantum dots is reported. While keeping all other parameters identical in the system, the effective nanoparticle radius ratio, gammaeff, was tuned to allow the formation of five different BNSL structures, AlB 2, cub-NaZn13, ico-NaZn 13, CaCu5, and MgZn2. For each structure, gamma eff is located close to a local maximum of its space-filling factor, based on a model following the

Design parameters for voltage-controllable directed assembly of single nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, Benjamin F; Bhaskaran, Harish; Abelmann, Leon

2013-01-01

Techniques to reliably pick-and-place single nanoparticles into functional assemblies are required to incorporate exotic nanoparticles into standard electronic circuits. In this paper we explore the use of electric fields to drive and direct the assembly process, which has the advantage of being able to control the nano-assembly process at the single nanoparticle level. To achieve this, we design an electrostatic gating system, thus enabling a voltage-controllable nanoparticle picking technique. Simulating this system with the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation, we can successfully characterize the parameters required for single particle placement, the key being single particle selectivity, in effect designing a system that can achieve this controllably. We then present the optimum design parameters required for successful single nanoparticle placement at ambient temperature, an important requirement for nanomanufacturing processes. (paper)

Composition-controlled optical properties of colloidal CdSe quantum dots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayele, Delele Worku [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemistry, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar (Ethiopia); Su, Wei-Nien, E-mail: wsu@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Chou, Hung-Lung [Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Pan, Chun-Jern [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Hwang, Bing-Joe, E-mail: bjh@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China)

2014-12-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The surface of CdSe QDs are modified with cadmium followed by selenium. • The optical properties of CdSe QDs can be controlled by manipulating the composition. • Surface compositional change affects the surface defects or traps and recombination. • The surface trapping state can be controlled by tuning the surface composition. • A change in composition shows a change in the carrier life time. - Abstract: A strategy with respect to band gap engineering by controlling the composition of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) is reported. After the CdSe QDs are prepared, their compositions can be effectively manipulated from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to Cd-rich and then to Se-rich QDs. To obtain Cd-rich CdSe QDs, Cd was deposited on equimolar CdSe QDs. Further deposition of Se on Cd-rich CdSe QDs produced Se-rich CdSe QDs. The compositions (Cd:Se) of the as-prepared CdSe quantum dots were acquired by Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). By changing the composition, the overall optical properties of the CdSe QDs can be manipulated. It was found that as the composition of the QDs changes from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe to Cd-rich and then Se-rich CdSe, the band gap decreases along with a red shift of UV–vis absorption edges and photoluminescence (PL) peaks. The quantum yield also decreases with surface composition from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to Cd-rich and then to Se-rich, largely due to the changes in the surface state. Because of the involvement of the surface defect or trapping state, the carrier life time increased from the 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to the Cd-rich to the Se-rich CdSe QDs. We have shown that the optical properties of CdSe QDs can be controlled by manipulating the composition of the surface atoms. This strategy can potentially be extended to other semiconductor nanocrystals to modify their properties.

Composition-controlled optical properties of colloidal CdSe quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayele, Delele Worku; Su, Wei-Nien; Chou, Hung-Lung; Pan, Chun-Jern; Hwang, Bing-Joe

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The surface of CdSe QDs are modified with cadmium followed by selenium. • The optical properties of CdSe QDs can be controlled by manipulating the composition. • Surface compositional change affects the surface defects or traps and recombination. • The surface trapping state can be controlled by tuning the surface composition. • A change in composition shows a change in the carrier life time. - Abstract: A strategy with respect to band gap engineering by controlling the composition of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) is reported. After the CdSe QDs are prepared, their compositions can be effectively manipulated from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to Cd-rich and then to Se-rich QDs. To obtain Cd-rich CdSe QDs, Cd was deposited on equimolar CdSe QDs. Further deposition of Se on Cd-rich CdSe QDs produced Se-rich CdSe QDs. The compositions (Cd:Se) of the as-prepared CdSe quantum dots were acquired by Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). By changing the composition, the overall optical properties of the CdSe QDs can be manipulated. It was found that as the composition of the QDs changes from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe to Cd-rich and then Se-rich CdSe, the band gap decreases along with a red shift of UV–vis absorption edges and photoluminescence (PL) peaks. The quantum yield also decreases with surface composition from 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to Cd-rich and then to Se-rich, largely due to the changes in the surface state. Because of the involvement of the surface defect or trapping state, the carrier life time increased from the 1:1 (Cd:Se) CdSe QDs to the Cd-rich to the Se-rich CdSe QDs. We have shown that the optical properties of CdSe QDs can be controlled by manipulating the composition of the surface atoms. This strategy can potentially be extended to other semiconductor nanocrystals to modify their properties

Self-assembly of silver nanoparticles and bacteriophage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santi Scibilia

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Biohybrid nanostructured materials, composed of both inorganic nanoparticles and biomolecules, offer prospects for many new applications in extremely diverse fields such as chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine and nanobiotechnology. In the recent years, Phage display technique has been extensively used to generate phage clones displaying surface peptides with functionality towards organic materials. Screening and selection of phage displayed material binding peptides has attracted great interest because of their use for development of hybrid materials with multiple functionalities. Here, we present a self-assembly approach for the construction of hybrid nanostructured networks consisting of M13 P9b phage clone, specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, selected by Phage display technology, directly assembled with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, previously prepared by pulsed laser ablation. These networks are characterized by UV–vis optical spectroscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopies and Raman spectroscopy. We investigated the influence of different ions and medium pH on self-assembly by evaluating different phage suspension buffers. The assembly of these networks is controlled by electrostatic interactions between the phage pVIII major capsid proteins and the AgNPs. The formation of the AgNPs-phage networks was obtained only in two types of tested buffers at a pH value near the isoelectric point of each pVIII proteins displayed on the surface of the clone. This systematic study allowed to optimize the synthesis procedure to assembly AgNPs and bacteriophage. Such networks find application in the biomedical field of advanced biosensing and targeted gene and drug delivery. Keywords: Phage display, Silver nanoparticles, Self-assembly, Hybrid architecture, Raman spectroscopy

Design parameters for voltage-controllable directed assembly of single nanoparticles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Porter, Benjamin F.; Abelmann, Leon; Bhaskaran, Harish

2013-01-01

Techniques to reliably pick-and-place single nanoparticles into functional assemblies are required to incorporate exotic nanoparticles into standard electronic circuits. In this paper we explore the use of electric fields to drive and direct the assembly process, which has the advantage of being

Silver sulfide nanoparticle assembly obtained by reacting an assembled silver nanoparticle template with hydrogen sulfide gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rui; Nuhfer, Noel T; Moussa, Laura; Morris, Hannah R; Whitmore, Paul M

2008-11-12

A fast, simple procedure is described for obtaining an assembly of silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag(2)S NPs) on a glass substrate through reaction of a template of an assembled layer of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) gas. The Ag NP template was prepared by assembling a monolayer of spherical Ag NPs (mean diameter of 7.4 nm) on a polyethylenimine-treated glass substrate. Exposure to pure H(2)S for 10 min converted the Ag NPs of the template to Ag(2)S NPs. The resulting Ag(2)S NP assembly, which retains the template nanostructure and particle distribution, was characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning high resolution TEM, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Ag(2)S NPs have a crystal structure of monoclinic acanthite, and while they retained the spherical shape of the original Ag NPs, their mean particle size increased to 8.4 nm due to changes to the crystal structure when the Ag NPs are converted into Ag(2)S NPs. The measured optical absorption edge of the Ag(2)S NP assembly indicated an indirect interband transition with a band gap energy of 1.71 eV. The Ag(2)S NP assembly absorbed light with wavelengths below 725 nm, and the absorbance increased monotonically toward the UV region.

Effects of High Pressure on Internally Self-Assembled Lipid Nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kulkarni, Chandrashekhar V; Yaghmur, Anan; Steinhart, Milos

2016-01-01

We present the first report on the effects of hydrostatic pressure on colloidally stabilized lipid nanoparticles enveloping inverse nonlamellar self-assemblies in their interiors. These internal self-assemblies were systematically tuned into bicontinuous cubic (Pn3m and Im3m), micellar cubic (Fd3...... the tolerance of lipid nanoparticles [cubosomes, hexosomes, micellar cubosomes, and emulsified microemulsions (EMEs)] for high pressures, confirming their robustness for various technological applications.......We present the first report on the effects of hydrostatic pressure on colloidally stabilized lipid nanoparticles enveloping inverse nonlamellar self-assemblies in their interiors. These internal self-assemblies were systematically tuned into bicontinuous cubic (Pn3m and Im3m), micellar cubic (Fd3m......), hexagonal (H2), and inverse micellar (L2) phases by regulating the lipid/oil ratio as the hydrostatic pressure was varied from atmospheric pressure to 1200 bar and back to atmospheric pressure. The effects of pressure on these lipid nanoparticles were compared with those on their equilibrium bulk...

A Suitable Polysulfide Electrolyte for CdSe Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. K. Jun

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A polysulfide liquid electrolyte is developed for the application in CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs. A solvent consisting of ethanol and water in the ratio of 8 : 2 by volume has been found as the optimum solvent for preparing the liquid electrolytes. This solvent ratio appears to give higher cell efficiency compared to pure ethanol or water as a solvent. Na2S and S give rise to a good redox couple in the electrolyte for QDSSC operation, and the optimum concentrations required are 0.5 M and 0.1 M, respectively. Addition of guanidine thiocyanate (GuSCN to the electrolyte further enhances the performance. The QDSSC with CdSe sensitized electrode prepared using 7 cycles of successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR produces an efficiency of 1.41% with a fill factor of 44% on using a polysulfide electrolyte of 0.5 M Na2S, 0.1 M S, and 0.05 M GuSCN in ethanol/water (8 : 2 by volume under the illumination of 100 mW/cm2 white light. Inclusion of small amount of TiO2 nanoparticles into the electrolyte helps to stabilize the polysulfide electrolyte and thereby improve the stability of the CdSe QDSSC. The CdSe QDs are also found to be stable in the optimized polysulfide liquid electrolyte.

Stabilization of 2D assemblies of silver nanoparticles by spin-coating polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Longyu; Pfirman, Aubrie; Chumanov, George, E-mail: gchumak@clemson.edu

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Spin-coating of polymers onto 2D assemblies of Ag NPs was used to stabilize the assemblies against aggregation. • The polymer filled the space between the particles leaving the metal surface uncoated and accessible to various chemical reactions. • Etching nanoparticles produced crater-like structures. - Abstract: Silver nanoparticles self-assembled on poly(4-vinylpyridine) modified surfaces were spin-coated with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate) and polystyrene from anisole and toluene solutions. The polymers filled the space between the particles thereby providing stabilization of the assemblies against particle aggregation when dried or chemically modified. The polymers did not coat the top surface of the nanoparticles offering the chemical accessibility to the metal surface. This was confirmed by converting the stabilized nanoparticles into silver sulfide and gold clusters. Etching the nanoparticles resulted in crater-like polymeric structures with the cavities extending down to the underlying substrate. Electrochemical reduction of silver inside the craters was performed. The approach can be extended to other nanoparticle assemblies and polymers.

Self-Assembled Polyelectrolyte Nanoparticles as Fluorophore-Free Contrast Agents for Multicolor Optical Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Da Hye Shin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this work, we describe the fabrication of self-assembled polyelectrolyte nanoparticles that provide a multicolor optical imaging modality. Poly(γ-glutamic acid(γ-PGA formed self-assembled nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions with two different cationic polymers: poly(L-lysine(PLL and chitosan. The self-assembled γ-PGA/PLL and γ-PGA/chitosan nanoparticles were crosslinked by glutaraldehyde. Crosslinking of the ionic self-assembled nanoparticles with glutaraldehyde not only stabilized the nanoparticles but also generated a strong autofluorescence signal. Fluorescent Schiff base bonds (C=N and double bonds (C=C were generated simultaneously by crosslinking of the amine moiety of the cationic polyelectrolytes with monomeric glutaraldehyde or with polymeric glutaraldehyde. The unique optical properties of the nanoparticles that resulted from the crosslinking by glutaraldehyde were analyzed using UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. We observed that the fluorescence intensity of the nanoparticles could be regulated by adjusting the crosslinker concentration and the reaction time. The nanoparticles also exhibited high performance in the labeling and monitoring of therapeutic immune cells (macrophages and dendritic cells. These self-assembled nanoparticles are expected to be a promising multicolor optical imaging contrast agent for the labeling, detection, and monitoring of cells.

Dewetting-mediated pattern formation in nanoparticle assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stannard, Andrew

2011-01-01

The deposition of nanoparticles from solution onto solid substrates is a diverse subfield of current nanoscience research. Complex physical and chemical processes underpin the self-assembly and self-organization of colloidal nanoparticles at two-phase (solid-liquid, liquid-air) interfaces and three-phase (solid-liquid-air) contact lines. This review discusses key recent advances made in the understanding of nonequilibrium dewetting processes of nanoparticle-containing solutions, detailing how such an apparently simple experimental system can give rise to such a strikingly varied palette of two-dimensional self-organized nanoparticle array morphologies. Patterns discussed include worm-like domains, cellular networks, microscale rings, and fractal-like fingering structures. There remain many unresolved issues regarding the role of the solvent dewetting dynamics in assembly processes of this type, with a significant focus on how dewetting can be coerced to produce nanoparticle arrays with desirable characteristics such as long-range order. In addition to these topics, methods developed to control nanofluid dewetting through routes such as confining the geometries of drying solutions, depositing onto pre-patterned heterogeneous substrates, and post-dewetting pattern evolution via local or global manipulation are covered. (topical review)

Dewetting-mediated pattern formation in nanoparticle assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Stannard, Andrew

2011-03-02

The deposition of nanoparticles from solution onto solid substrates is a diverse subfield of current nanoscience research. Complex physical and chemical processes underpin the self-assembly and self-organization of colloidal nanoparticles at two-phase (solid-liquid, liquid-air) interfaces and three-phase (solid-liquid-air) contact lines. This review discusses key recent advances made in the understanding of nonequilibrium dewetting processes of nanoparticle-containing solutions, detailing how such an apparently simple experimental system can give rise to such a strikingly varied palette of two-dimensional self-organized nanoparticle array morphologies. Patterns discussed include worm-like domains, cellular networks, microscale rings, and fractal-like fingering structures. There remain many unresolved issues regarding the role of the solvent dewetting dynamics in assembly processes of this type, with a significant focus on how dewetting can be coerced to produce nanoparticle arrays with desirable characteristics such as long-range order. In addition to these topics, methods developed to control nanofluid dewetting through routes such as confining the geometries of drying solutions, depositing onto pre-patterned heterogeneous substrates, and post-dewetting pattern evolution via local or global manipulation are covered.

Chitosan Based Self-Assembled Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Pérez Quiñones

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide that is usually obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin poly(N-acetylglucosamine. It is biocompatible, biodegradable, mucoadhesive, and non-toxic. These excellent biological properties make chitosan a good candidate for a platform in developing drug delivery systems having improved biodistribution, increased specificity and sensitivity, and reduced pharmacological toxicity. In particular, chitosan nanoparticles are found to be appropriate for non-invasive routes of drug administration: oral, nasal, pulmonary and ocular routes. These applications are facilitated by the absorption-enhancing effect of chitosan. Many procedures for obtaining chitosan nanoparticles have been proposed. Particularly, the introduction of hydrophobic moieties into chitosan molecules by grafting to generate a hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance promoting self-assembly is a current and appealing approach. The grafting agent can be a hydrophobic moiety forming micelles that can entrap lipophilic drugs or it can be the drug itself. Another suitable way to generate self-assembled chitosan nanoparticles is through the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes with polyanions. This paper reviews the main approaches for preparing chitosan nanoparticles by self-assembly through both procedures, and illustrates the state of the art of their application in drug delivery.

Real time monitoring of superparamagnetic nanoparticle self-assembly on surfaces of magnetic recording media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, L.; Pearson, T.; Crawford, T. M.; Qi, B.; Cordeau, Y.; Mefford, O. T.

2014-01-01

Nanoparticle self-assembly dynamics are monitored in real-time by detecting optical diffraction from an all-nanoparticle grating as it self-assembles on a grating pattern recorded on a magnetic medium. The diffraction efficiency strongly depends on concentration, pH, and colloidal stability of nanoparticle suspensions, demonstrating the nanoparticle self-assembly process is highly tunable. This metrology could provide an alternative for detecting nanoparticle properties such as colloidal stability

Simulations of super-structure domain walls in two dimensional assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jordanovic, Jelena; Beleggia, Marco; Schiøtz, Jakob

2015-01-01

We simulate the formation of domain walls in two-dimensional assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles. Particle parameters are chosen to match recent electron holography and Lorentz microscopy studies of almost monodisperse cobalt nanoparticles assembled into regular, elongated lattices. As the parti......We simulate the formation of domain walls in two-dimensional assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles. Particle parameters are chosen to match recent electron holography and Lorentz microscopy studies of almost monodisperse cobalt nanoparticles assembled into regular, elongated lattices...... taking the role of the atomic spins. The coupling is, however, different. The superspins interact only by dipolar interactions as exchange coupling between individual nanoparticles may be neglected due to interparticle spacing. We observe that it is energetically favorable to introduce domain walls...... oriented along the long dimension of nanoparticle assemblies rather than along the short dimension. This is unlike what is typically observed in continuous magnetic materials, where the exchange interaction introduces an energetic cost proportional to the area of the domain walls. Structural disorder...

Controllable size reduction of CdSe nanowires through the intermediate formation of Se-coated CdSe nanowires using acid and thermal treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lam, N S [Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Wong, K W [Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Li, Q [Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Zheng, Z [Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Lau, W M [Surface Science Western, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7 (Canada)

2007-10-17

Thinning of CdSe nanowires (NWs) with controllable size was achieved by a simple acid treatment and subsequent annealing on thick CdSe NWs synthesized from vapour phase growth. During acid treatment, not only the undesired impurities such as native oxides of Cd and Se could be etched, but surface reactions of CdSe NWs were also observed, resulting in the formation of a layer of elemental Se around a thinner CdSe core. As a result, a heterostructure of Se - CdSe nanostructure formed after acid treatment of CdSe NWs. Upon thermal annealing, the Se shell was effectively removed and thinned stoichiometric single-crystalline CdSe NWs could be obtained. It was observed that NWs could be thinned by up to {approx}60% in diameter by acid treatment and subsequent Se thermal desorption. The degree of thinning was controllable by adjusting the duration of acid treatment. The success of the thinning of CdSe NWs by simple acid treatment and the annealing process reported here opens a new processing route for obtaining stoichiometric CdSe NWs with controllable size reduction and improved aspect ratio. This can undoubtedly broadly improve the range of applications of 1D CdSe nanostructures and allow more exploration of their uni-directional properties. A correction was made to the last paragraph of section 3 on 18 September 2007. The corrected electronic version is identical to the print version.

Controllable size reduction of CdSe nanowires through the intermediate formation of Se-coated CdSe nanowires using acid and thermal treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, N S; Wong, K W; Li, Q; Zheng, Z; Lau, W M

2007-01-01

Thinning of CdSe nanowires (NWs) with controllable size was achieved by a simple acid treatment and subsequent annealing on thick CdSe NWs synthesized from vapour phase growth. During acid treatment, not only the undesired impurities such as native oxides of Cd and Se could be etched, but surface reactions of CdSe NWs were also observed, resulting in the formation of a layer of elemental Se around a thinner CdSe core. As a result, a heterostructure of Se - CdSe nanostructure formed after acid treatment of CdSe NWs. Upon thermal annealing, the Se shell was effectively removed and thinned stoichiometric single-crystalline CdSe NWs could be obtained. It was observed that NWs could be thinned by up to ∼60% in diameter by acid treatment and subsequent Se thermal desorption. The degree of thinning was controllable by adjusting the duration of acid treatment. The success of the thinning of CdSe NWs by simple acid treatment and the annealing process reported here opens a new processing route for obtaining stoichiometric CdSe NWs with controllable size reduction and improved aspect ratio. This can undoubtedly broadly improve the range of applications of 1D CdSe nanostructures and allow more exploration of their uni-directional properties. A correction was made to the last paragraph of section 3 on 18 September 2007. The corrected electronic version is identical to the print version

Two-dimensional nanoparticle self-assembly using plasma-induced Ostwald ripening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, J; Photopoulos, P; Tsoukalas, D; Tserepi, A

2011-01-01

In this work, a novel Ag nanoparticle self-assembly process based on plasma-induced two-dimensional Ostwald ripening is demonstrated. Ag nanoparticles are deposited on p-doped Si substrates using a DC magnetron sputtering process. With the assistance of O 2 /Ar plasma treatment, different sizes and patterns of Ag nanoparticles are formed, due to the Ostwald ripening. The evolution of plasma-induced nanoparticle ripening is studied and a clear increase in particle size and a decrease in particle density are observed with increasing plasma treatment. From the experiments, it is concluded that the initial nanoparticle density and the plasma gas mixture (Ar/O 2 ratio) are important factors that affect the ripening process. The proposed plasma-directed Ag nanoparticle self-assembly provides a rapid method of tailoring the nanoparticle distribution on substrates, with potential applications in the fields of solar cells, biosensors, and catalysis.

Nanocomposite Membrane via Magnetite Nanoparticle Assembly

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui

2012-07-01

Membrane technology is one of the most promising technologies for addressing the global water crisis as well as in many other applications. One of the drawbacks of current ultra- and nanofiltration membranes is the relatively broad pore size distribution. Block copolymer membranes with ultrahigh permeability and very regular pore sizes have been recently demonstrated with pores being formed by the supramolecular assembly of core/shell micelles. Our study aimed at developing an innovative and economically efficient alternative method to fabricate isoporous membrane by self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticle with a polystyrene shell, mimicking the behavior of block copolymer micelle. Fe3O4 nanoparticles of ~13 nm diameter were prepared by co-precipitation as cores. The initiator for ATRP was covalently bonded onto the surface of magnetic nanoparticles with two strategies. Then the surface initiated ATRP of styrene was carried out to functionalize nanoparticles with polystyrene through a “grafting from” method. Finally, the nanocomposite membrane was cast from 50 wt % Fe3O4@PS brush polymer solution in DMF via non solvent phase inversion. Microscopies reveal an asymmetric membrane with a dense thin layer on top of a porous sponge-like layer. This novel class of asymmetric membrane, based on the pure assembly of functionalized nanoparticles was prepared for the first time. The nanoparticles are well distributed however with no preferential order yet in the as-cast film.I would like to thank my committee chair and advisor, Prof. Suzana Nunes, and other committee members, Prof. Klaus-Viktor Peinemann and Prof. Gary Amy, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research. My appreciation also goes to my colleagues in our group for useful discussions and suggestions. I also want to extend my gratitude to the staff from the KAUST Core Lab for Advanced Nanofabrication, Imaging and Characterization, especially Dr. Ali Reza Behzad, Dr. Rachid Sougrat, and

Self-Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles at the Liquid/Liquid Interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kang Yeol; Han, Sang Woo

2005-01-01

We have shown that the crown ether derivative can mediate the transfer of gold nanoparticles in water solution to water/oil interface, results in directing the self-assembly of nanoparticles in the form of a novel nanocomposite film. The interfacial film of nanoparticles could be transferred to various solid substrates. The experimental results indicate the formation of nanoparticles monolayers at water/oil interfaces. Our work is an important step towards interfacial entrapment and self-assembly of nanoparticles for efficient creation of 2D nanostructures. These types of materials may be used in developing catalysts, sensors, and nanoelectronic devices. Currently, we are attempting to synthesize other composite films by using specific interactions between suitable organic or inorganic ligands and various nanoparticles. The intense research activity in the field of nanoparticles is motivated by the search for new materials in order to further miniaturize electronic devices, as well as by the fundamental question of how molecular electronic properties evolve with increasing size in this intermediate region between molecular and solid-state physics. In this respect, molecularly bridged nanoparticle aggregates have been attracting growing interest. The properties of two-dimensional assemblies of metal nanoparticles are controlled by the composition, geometry, and spatial arrangement of the nanoparticle building blocks. Such structures have been used for a variety of important applications in catalysis, photonics, electronics, and biological sensing. The 2D/3D control over the spatial arrangement of nanoparticles is primarily based on the thiolamphilic nature of metal nanoparticles, hydrogenbonding interactions, the highly specific recognition interaction of antigens/antibodies, and specific base-pairing interactions between DNA and its complementary strand

RT Self-assembly of Silica Nanoparticles on Optical Fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canning, John; Lindoy, Lachlan; Huyang, George

2013-01-01

The room temperature deposition of self-assembling silica nanoparticles onto D-shaped optical fibres x201c;D-fibrex201d;), drawn from milled preforms fabricated by modified chemical vapor deposition, is studied and preliminary results reported here.......The room temperature deposition of self-assembling silica nanoparticles onto D-shaped optical fibres x201c;D-fibrex201d;), drawn from milled preforms fabricated by modified chemical vapor deposition, is studied and preliminary results reported here....

Monolayer assembly and striped architecture of Co nanoparticles on organic functionalized Si surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, S.-S.; Lim, D.K.; Park, J.-I.; Kim, S. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry and School of Molecular Science (BK 21), Daejeon (Korea); Cheon, J. [Yonsei University, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Seoul (Korea); Jeon, I.C. [Chonbuk National University, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chonbuk (Korea)

2005-03-01

We present a new strategy to fabricate a monolayer assembly of Br-terminated Co nanoparticles on functionalized Si surfaces by using chemical covalent bonding and microcontact printing method. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the Co nanoparticles formed on the hydroxyl-terminated Si surface exhibit two-dimensional island networks with locally ordered arrays via covalent linkage between nanoparticles and surface. On the other hand, SAMs of the nanoparticles on the aminopropyl-terminated Si surface show an individual and random distribution over an entire surface. Furthermore, we have fabricated striped architectures of Co nanoparticles using a combination of microcontact printing and covalent linkage. Microcontact printing of octadecyltrichlorosilane and selective covalent linkage between nanoparticles and functionalized Si surfaces lead to a hybrid nanostructure with selectively assembled nanoparticles stripes on the patterned functionalized Si surfaces. (orig.)

Stabilization of Pt nanoparticles by single stranded DNA and the binary assembly of Au and Pt nanoparticles without hybridization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, J.; Lee, Jim Yang; Too, Heng-Phon; Chow, Gan-Moog; Gan, Leong M.

2006-01-01

The non-specific interaction between single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and 12 nm Pt nanoparticles is investigated in this work. The data show a strong and non-specific interaction between the two which can be exploited for the stabilization of Pt nanoparticles in aqueous solutions. Based on the experimental findings, a non-hybridization based protocol to assemble 17 nm Au and Pt nanoparticles (12 nm cubic and 3.6 nm spherical) by single-stranded DNA was developed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed that Au and Pt nanoparticles could be assembled by the non-specific interaction in an orderly manner. The experimental results also caution against the potential pitfalls in using DNA melting point analysis to infer metal nanoparticle assembly by DNA hybridization

The influence of CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles on the optical properties of Sm"3"+ ions in lead borate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mallur, Saisudha B.; Heidorn, William D.; Fatokun, Stephen O.; Joshi, Krishna D.; Bista, Sandip S.; Babu, Panakkattu K.

2017-01-01

The effect of glass composition and the presence of CdSe/ZnSe nanoparticles (NPs) on the optical absorption and fluorescence of Sm-doped lead borate glasses are studied. Three sets of glass samples xPbO:(99.5-x) B_2O_3:0.5Sm_2O_3, x = 29.5–69.5 mol%, xPbO:(96.5-x) B_2O_3:0.5Sm_2O_3: 3CdSe/ZnSe, x = 36.5, and 56.5 mol% are prepared. NPs are grown by annealing these glasses just below the glass transition temperature. Average size of both types of NPs increases with annealing time; however, CdSe NPs grew to a larger size range (2 to 20 nm) compared to ZnSe NPs (1 to 16 nm). We analyzed the hypersensitive transition, intensity parameters, radiative transition probability, stimulated emission cross section (σ_p), and the area ratio of the electric dipole/magnetic dipole transitions of Sm"3"+. The intensity parameters show a minimum at 11 h annealing for 36.5 mol% and a maximum for the same annealing duration in 56.5 mol% PbO containing CdSe NPs. The σ_p for 56.5 mol% of PbO with CdSe NPs is found to be a maximum when the average NP size is around 14 nm. ZnSe NPs containing glasses also show significant changes in σ_p when the average particle size is ~16 nm, for 36.5 mol% PbO. Our results suggest that the optical properties of Sm"3"+ in lead borate glasses are sensitive to its electronic environment which can be modified by varying the base glass composition and/or incorporating large NPs of CdSe/ZnSe. The large σ_p values that we observe for some of the glass compositions make them attractive materials for photonic devices and photovoltaic applications.

Human serum albumin mediated self-assembly of gold nanoparticles into hollow spheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nayak, Nimai C [Singapore-MIT Alliance, Manufacturing Systems and Technology Programme, Nanyang Technological University, 65 Nanyang Drive, 637460 (Singapore); Shin, Kwanwoo [Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University, Shinsoo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-742 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: ncnayak@gmail.com

2008-07-02

The assembly of nanoparticles in topologically predefined superstructures is an important area in nanoscale architecture. In this paper, we report an unusual aggregation phenomenon involving L-lysine capped gold nanoparticles and human serum albumin into hollow nanospheres. The electrostatic interaction between positively charged L-lysine capped gold nanoparticles and negatively charged human serum albumin at physiological pH led to the assembly of the gold nanoparticles into hollow spheres. The phenomenon can be explained by the dry hole opening mechanism.

Human serum albumin mediated self-assembly of gold nanoparticles into hollow spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nayak, Nimai C; Shin, Kwanwoo

2008-01-01

The assembly of nanoparticles in topologically predefined superstructures is an important area in nanoscale architecture. In this paper, we report an unusual aggregation phenomenon involving L-lysine capped gold nanoparticles and human serum albumin into hollow nanospheres. The electrostatic interaction between positively charged L-lysine capped gold nanoparticles and negatively charged human serum albumin at physiological pH led to the assembly of the gold nanoparticles into hollow spheres. The phenomenon can be explained by the dry hole opening mechanism

Structural and optical properties of CdSe nanosheets

Science.gov (United States)

Solanki, Rekha Garg; Rajaram, P.; Arora, Aman

2018-04-01

Nanosheets of CdSe have been synthesized using a solvothermal route using citric acid as an additive. It is found that the citric acid effectively controls the structural and optical properties of CdSe nanostructures. XRD studies confirm the formation of hexagonal wurtzite phase of CdSe. The FESEM micrographs show that the obtained CdSe nanocrystals are in the form of very thin sheets (nanosheets). Optical absorption studies as well as Photoluminescence spectra show that the optical gap is around 1.76 eV which is close to the reported bulk value of 1.74 eV. The prepared CdSe nanosheets because of large surface area may be useful for catalytic activities in medicine, biotechnology and environmental chemistry and in biomedical imaging for in vitro detection of a breast cancer cells.

Optical sensing of triethylamine using CdSe aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Qinghong; Brock, Stephanie L

2010-01-01

The photoluminescence (PL) response of highly porous CdSe aerogels to triethylamine (TEA) is investigated and compared to results from prior studies on single crystals and nanoparticle-polymer composites. As-prepared CdSe aerogels show significant and reversible enhancement of luminescence intensity upon exposure to TEA relative to the intensity in pure argon carrier gas. The enhancement in the PL response is dependent on the concentration and linear over the range of TEA concentration studied (4.7 x 10 3 -75 x 10 3 ppm). The sensing response of previously tested samples exhibits saturation behavior that is modeled using Langmuir adsorption isotherms, yielding adsorption equilibrium constants in the range 300-380 atm -1 . The response is sensitively affected by the surface characteristics of the aerogel; when the wet gels are treated with pyridine prior to aerogel formation, the response to TEA is diminished, and when as-prepared aerogels are heated in a vacuum, no subsequent response is observed. Deactivation is attributed to an increase in surface oxide (SeO 2 ) and decrease in surface Cd 2+ Lewis acid sites. Sensing runs of approximately one hour have little impact on the morphology or crystallinity of the aerogels, but do result in partial removal of residual thiolate ligands left over from the gelation process.

Self-assembled fluorescent organic nanoparticles for live cell imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, I.; Petkau, K.; Dorland, Y.L.; Schenning, A.P.H.J.; Brunsveld, L.

2013-01-01

Fluorescent, cell-permeable, organic nanoparticles based on self-assembled p-conjugated oligomers with high absorption cross-sections and high quantum yields have been developed. The nanoparticles are generated with a tuneable density of amino groups for charge-mediated cellular uptake by a

In Situ Generation of Two-Dimensional Au–Pt Core–Shell Nanoparticle Assemblies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalid Madiha

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Two-dimensional assemblies of Au–Pt bimetallic nanoparticles are generated in situ on polyethyleneimmine (PEI silane functionalized silicon and indium tin oxide (ITO coated glass surfaces. Atomic force microscopy (AFM, UV–Visible spectroscopy, and electrochemical measurements reveal the formation of core–shell structure with Au as core and Pt as shell. The core–shell structure is further supported by comparing with the corresponding data of Au nanoparticle assemblies. Static contact angle measurements with water show an increase in hydrophilic character due to bimetallic nanoparticle generation on different surfaces. It is further observed that these Au–Pt core–shell bimetallic nanoparticle assemblies are catalytically active towards methanol electro-oxidation, which is the key reaction for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs.

Amphiphilic invertible polymers: Self-assembly into functional materials driven by environment polarity

Science.gov (United States)

Hevus, Ivan

Stimuli-responsive polymers adapt to environmental changes by adjusting their chain conformation in a fast and reversible way. Responsive polymeric materials have already found use in electronics, coatings industry, personal care, and bio-related areas. The current work aims at the development of novel responsive functional polymeric materials by manipulating environment-dependent self-assembly of a new class of responsive macromolecules strategically designed in this study,—amphiphilic invertible polymers (AIPs). Environment-dependent micellization and self-assembly of three different synthesized AIP types based on poly(ethylene glycol) as a hydrophilic fragment and varying hydrophobic constituents was demonstrated in polar and nonpolar solvents, as well as on the surfaces and interfaces. With increasing concentration, AIP micelles self-assemble into invertible micellar assemblies composed of hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. Polarity-responsive properties of AIPs make invertible micellar assemblies functional in polar and nonpolar media including at interfaces. Thus, invertible micellar assemblies solubilize poorly soluble substances in their interior in polar and nonpolar solvents. In a polar aqueous medium, a novel stimuli-responsive mechanism of drug release based on response of AIP-based drug delivery system to polarity change upon contact with the target cell has been established using invertible micellar assemblies loaded with curcumin, a phytochemical drug. In a nonpolar medium, invertible micellar assemblies were applied simultaneously as nanoreactors and stabilizers for size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles stable in both polar and nonpolar media. The developed amphiphilic nanosilver was subsequently used as seeds to promote anisotropic growth of CdSe semiconductor nanoparticles that have potential in different applications ranging from physics to medicine. Amphiphilic invertible polymers were shown to adsorb on the surface of silica

Measuring magnetic correlations in nanoparticle assemblies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beleggia, Marco; Frandsen, Cathrine

2014-01-01

We illustrate how to extract correlations between magnetic moments in assemblies of nanoparticles from, e.g., electron holography data providing the combined knowledge of particle size distribution, inter-particle distances, and magnitude and orientation of each magnetic moment within...... a nanoparticle superstructure, We show, based on simulated data, how to build a radial/angular pair distribution function f(r,θ) encoding the spatial and angular difference between every pair of magnetic moments. A scatter-plot of f(r,θ) reveals the degree of structural and magnetic order present, and hence...

Novel mechanical behaviors of wurtzite CdSe nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Bing [Shanghai Normal University, Department of Physics (China); Chen, Li [MCPHS University, School of Arts and Sciences (United States); Xie, Yiqun; Feng, Jie; Ye, Xiang, E-mail: yexiang@shnu.edu.cn [Shanghai Normal University, Department of Physics (China)

2015-09-15

As an important semiconducting nanomaterial, CdSe nanowires have attracted much attention. Although many studies have been conducted in the electronic and optical properties of CdSe NWs, the mechanical properties of Wurtzite (WZ) CdSe nanowires remain unclear. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we have studied the tensile mechanical properties and behaviors of [0001]-oriented Wurtzite CdSe nanowires. By monitoring the stretching processes of CdSe nanowires, three distinct structures are found: the WZ wire, a body-centered tetragonal structure with four-atom rings (denoted as BCT-4), and a structure that consists of ten-atom rings with two four-atom rings (denoted as TAR-4) which is observed for the first time. Not only the elastic tensile characteristics are highly reversible under unloading, but a reverse transition between TAR-4 and BCT-4 is also observed. The stretching processes also have a strong dependence on temperature. A tubular structure similar to carbon nanotubes is observed at 150 K, a single-atom chain is formed at 300, 350 and 450 K, and a double-atom chain is found at 600 K. Our findings on tensile mechanical properties of WZ CdSe nanowires does not only provide inspiration to future study on other properties of CdSe nanomaterials but also help design and build efficient nanoscale devices.

Supramolecular domains in mixed peptide self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Duchesne, Laurence; Wells, Geoff; Fernig, David G; Harris, Sarah A; Lévy, Raphaël

2008-09-01

Self-organization in mixed self-assembled monolayers of small molecules provides a route towards nanoparticles with complex molecular structures. Inspired by structural biology, a strategy based on chemical cross-linking is introduced to probe proximity between functional peptides embedded in a mixed self-assembled monolayer at the surface of a nanoparticle. The physical basis of the proximity measurement is a transition from intramolecular to intermolecular cross-linking as the functional peptides get closer. Experimental investigations of a binary peptide self-assembled monolayer show that this transition happens at an extremely low molar ratio of the functional versus matrix peptide. Molecular dynamics simulations of the peptide self-assembled monolayer are used to calculate the volume explored by the reactive groups. Comparison of the experimental results with a probabilistic model demonstrates that the peptides are not randomly distributed at the surface of the nanoparticle, but rather self-organize into supramolecular domains.

Thermomechanical Response of Self-Assembled Nanoparticle Membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yifan [Department; James; Chan, Henry [Center; Narayanan, Badri [Center; McBride, Sean P. [Department; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S. [Center; Lin, Xiao-Min [Center; Jaeger, Heinrich M. [Department; James

2017-07-21

Monolayers composed of colloidal nanoparticles, with a thickness of less than 10 nm, have remarkable mechanical moduli and can suspend over micrometer-sized holes to form free-standing membranes. In this paper, we discuss experiment's and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations characterizing the thermomechanical properties of these self-assembled nanoparticle membranes. These membranes remain strong and resilient up to temperatures much higher than previous simulation predictions and exhibit an unexpected hysteretic behavior during the first heating cooling cycle. We show this hysteretic behavior can be explained by an asymmetric ligand configuration from the self assembly process and can be controlled by changing the ligand coverage or cross-linking the ligand molecules. Finally, we show the screening effect of water molecules on the ligand interactions can strongly affect the moduli and thermomechanical behavior.

Building superlattices from individual nanoparticles via template-confined DNA-mediated assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Qing-Yuan; Mason, Jarad A.; Li, Zhongyang; Zhou, Wenjie; O’Brien, Matthew N.; Brown, Keith A.; Jones, Matthew R.; Butun, Serkan; Lee, Byeongdu; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Aydin, Koray; Mirkin, Chad A.

2018-01-18

DNA programmable assembly has been combined with top-down lithography to construct superlattices of discrete, reconfigurable nanoparticle architectures on a gold surface over large areas. Specifically, individual colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes are assembled with ‘locked” nucleic acids in polymer pores into oriented architectures that feature tunable arrangements and independently controllable distances at both nanometer and micrometer length scales. These structures, which would be difficult to construct via other common assembly methods, provide a platform to systematically study and control light-matter interactions in nanoparticle-based optical materials. The generality and potential of this approach is explored by identifying a broadband absorber with a solvent polarity response that allows dynamic tuning of the wavelength response and amplitude of visible light absorption.

Influence of CdTe sub-monolayer stressor on CdSe quantum dot self-assembling in ZnSe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedova, I.V.; Lyublinskaya, O.G.; Sorokin, S.V.; Sitnikova, A.A.; Solnyshkov, D.D.; Rykhova, O.V.; Toropov, A.A.; Ivanov, S.V.

2006-01-01

This paper reports on the attempt to apply the stressor-controlled quantum dot (QD) fabrication technique to the conventional CdSe/ZnSe nanostructures. Super-strained CdTe fractional monolayer (Δa/a∝14% for CdTe/ZnSe) grown on top of the Te-stabilized ZnSe surface prior to deposition of the QD material (CdSe) has been used as a stressor which is expected to affect size, composition and density of CdSe QDs. The grown structures are studied by X-ray diffraction, transmission-electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation in comparison with conventional CdSe/ZnSe QDs obtained by a modified migration enhanced epitaxy technique. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

DNA nanostructure-directed assembly of metal nanoparticle superlattices

Science.gov (United States)

Julin, Sofia; Nummelin, Sami; Kostiainen, Mauri A.; Linko, Veikko

2018-05-01

Structural DNA nanotechnology provides unique, well-controlled, versatile, and highly addressable motifs and templates for assembling materials at the nanoscale. These methods to build from the bottom-up using DNA as a construction material are based on programmable and fully predictable Watson-Crick base pairing. Researchers have adopted these techniques to an increasing extent for creating numerous DNA nanostructures for a variety of uses ranging from nanoelectronics to drug-delivery applications. Recently, an increasing effort has been put into attaching nanoparticles (the size range of 1-20 nm) to the accurate DNA motifs and into creating metallic nanostructures (typically 20-100 nm) using designer DNA nanoshapes as molds or stencils. By combining nanoparticles with the superior addressability of DNA-based scaffolds, it is possible to form well-ordered materials with intriguing and completely new optical, plasmonic, electronic, and magnetic properties. This focused review discusses the DNA structure-directed nanoparticle assemblies covering the wide range of different one-, two-, and three-dimensional systems.

The influence of capping thioalkyl acid on the growth and photoluminescence efficiency of CdTe and CdSe quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldeek, Fadi; Lambert, Jacques; Balan, Lavinia; Schneider, Raphael

2008-01-01

The influence of thioalkyl acid ligand was evaluated during aqueous synthesis at 100 deg. C and under hydrothermal conditions (150 deg. C) of CdTe and CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Experiments performed with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), 6-mercaptohexanoic acid (MHA) and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) demonstrated that the use of MHA and MUA allowed for the preparation of very small nanoparticles (0.6-2.5 nm) in carrying out the reaction under atmospheric pressure or in an autoclave and that the photophysical properties of QDs were dependent on the ligand and on the synthesis conditions. The influence of various experimental conditions, including the Te-to-Cd ratio, temperature, and precursor concentration, on the growth rate of CdTe or CdSe QDs has been systematically investigated. The fluorescence intensities of CdTe QDs capped with MPA, MHA, or MUA versus pH were also found to be related to the surface coverage of the nanoparticles.

Building superlattices from individual nanoparticles via template-confined DNA-mediated assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Qing-Yuan; Mason, Jarad A.; Li, Zhongyang; Zhou, Wenjie; O’Brien, Matthew N.; Brown, Keith A.; Jones, Matthew R.; Butun, Serkan; Lee, Byeongdu; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Aydin, Koray; Mirkin, Chad A.

2018-02-01

DNA programmable assembly has been combined with top-down lithography to construct superlattices of discrete, reconfigurable nanoparticle architectures on a gold surface over large areas. Specifically, the assembly of individual colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes is controlled by oligonucleotides containing “locked” nucleic acids and confined environments provided by polymer pores to yield oriented architectures that feature tunable arrangements and independently controllable distances at both nanometer- and micrometer-length scales. These structures, which would be difficult to construct by other common assembly methods, provide a platform to systematically study and control light-matter interactions in nanoparticle-based optical materials. The generality and potential of this approach are explored by identifying a broadband absorber with a solvent polarity response that allows dynamic tuning of visible light absorption.

Nanoparticles in Polymers: Assembly, Rheology and Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Yuanqiao

Inorganic nanoparticles have the potential of providing functionalities that are difficult to realize using organic materials; and nanocomposites is an effective mean to impart processibility and construct bulk materials with breakthrough properties. The dispersion and assembly of nanoparticles are critical to both processibility and properties of the resulting product. In this talk, we will discuss several methods to control the hierarchical structure of nanoparticles in polymers and resulting rheological, mechanical and optical properties. In one example, polymer-particle interaction and secondary microstructure were designed to provide a low viscosity composition comprising exfoliated high aspect ratio clay nanoparticles; in another example, the microstructure control through templates was shown to enable unique thermal mechanical and optical properties. Jeff Munro, Stephanie Potisek, Phillip Hustad; all of the Dow Chemical Company are co-authors.

Facile phase transfer of hydrophobic nanoparticles with poly(ethylene glycol) grafted hyperbranched poly(amido amine)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Minglei; Yang Wuli; Ren Qingguang; Lu Daru

2009-01-01

In order to enhance the dispersion ability of hydrophobic nanoparticles in water while maintaining their unique properties, we utilized poly(ethylene glycol) grafted hyperbranched poly(amido amine) (h-PAMAM-g-PEG) to modify three types of hydrophobic nanoparticle, CdSe, Au, and Fe 3 O 4 , and transferred them into water to extend their applications in biology. Considering the large amounts of amino groups in hyperbranched poly(amido amine) (h-PAMAM) polymer, complexation interaction between h-PAMAM-g-PEG copolymer and nanoparticles was achieved and ligand exchange between the copolymers and original small molecules ligands occurred. The transferred nanoparticles could be easily dispersed in water with better stability, and their unique properties, such as fluorescence, surface plasmon resonance, and superparamagnetism, were well maintained in the ligand exchange process. In addition, increasing the number of grafted PEG showed a negative effect on the ligand exchange process. Due to the existence of h-PAMAM-g-PEG ligands, the stabilized nanoparticles have improved stability in aqueous and ionic solutions. In the case of CdSe nanoparticles, the h-PAMAM-g-PEG layer leads to a lower cytotoxicity when compared with bare CdSe particles, and they could be directly used in bioimaging.

Characterization of self-assembled electrodes based on Au-Pt nanoparticles for PEMFC application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valenzuela, E. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Sebastian, P.J. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Gamboa, S.A. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Pal, U. [Inst. de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla Univ., Puebla (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Gonzalez, I. [Autonoma Metropolitana Univ. (Mexico). Dept. de Quimica

2008-07-01

This paper reported on a study in which membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) were fabricated by depositing Au, Pt and AuPt nanoparticles on Nafion 115 membrane for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) was used to measure the nanoparticle catalyst activity. After deposition of the nanoparticles on the membrane, the surface was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The membrane proton conduction process was studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) with the 4 probe technique. The MEAs fabricated with Nafion/Metal membranes were evaluated in a PEMFC under standard conditions. Colloidal solutions were used to prepare self-assembled electrodes with nanoparticles deposited on Nafion membrane. The particles deposited on Nafion showed good stability and had homogeneous distribution along the membrane surface. The impedance results revealed an increase in the membrane proton resistance of the self-assembled electrodes compared to unmodified Nafion. The Au-Pt nanoparticles were obtained by chemical reduction. The nanoparticle size in the three systems was about 2 nm. The self-assembled electrodes performed well in standard conditions. The optimum colloidal concentration and immersion time must be determined in order to obtain good catalytic activity and high membrane conductance. The self-assembled Nafion/AuPt had the best open circuit potential (887 mV). The Au and Pt self-assemblies showed a similar performance in terms of maximum power and maximum current density. The performance of the Nafion/Au self-assembly was influenced more by ohmic losses, particularly in the membrane. The maximum power generation was obtained at 0.35 V. The mass transport losses increased after this value, thereby affecting the efficiency of the PEMFC. 2 figs.

Reversible ultrafast melting in bulk CdSe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Wenzhi; He, Feng; Wang, Yaguo

2016-01-01

In this work, transient reflectivity changes in bulk CdSe have been measured with two-color femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy under a wide range of pump fluences. Three regions of reflectivity change with pump fluences have been consistently revealed for excited carrier density, coherent phonon amplitude, and lattice temperature. For laser fluences from 13 to 19.3 mJ/cm 2 , ultrafast melting happens in first several picoseconds. This melting process is purely thermal and reversible. A complete phase transformation in bulk CdSe may be reached when the absorbed laser energy is localized long enough, as observed in nanocrystalline CdSe

The effect of Au amount on size uniformity of self-assembled Au nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, S-H; Wang, D-C; Chen, G-Y; Chen, K-Y [Graduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan (China)

2008-03-15

The self-assembled fabrication of nanostructure, a dreaming approach in the area of fabrication engineering, is the ultimate goal of this research. A finding was proved through previous research that the size of the self-assembled gold nanoparticles could be controlled with the mole ratio between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol. In this study, the moles of Au were fixed, only the moles of thiol were adjusted. Five different mole ratios of Au/S with their effect on size uniformity were investigated. The mole ratios were 1:1/16, 1:1/8, 1:1, 1:8, 1:16, respectively. The size distributions of the gold nanoparticles were analyzed by Mac-View analysis software. HR-TEM was used to derive images of self-assembled gold nanoparticles. The result reached was also the higher the mole ratio between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol the bigger the self-assembled gold nanoparticles. Under the condition of moles of Au fixed, the most homogeneous nanoparticles in size distribution derived with the mole ratio of 1:1/8 between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol. The obtained nanoparticles could be used, for example, in uniform surface nanofabrication, leading to the fabrication of ordered array of quantum dots.

Multigeometry Nanoparticle Engineering via Kinetic Control through Multistep assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yingchao; Wang, Xiaojun; Zhang, Ke; Zhang, Fuwu; Mays, Jimmy; Wooley, Karen; Pochan, Darrin

2014-03-01

Organization of block copolymers into complicated multicompartment (MCM) and multigeometry (MGM) nanostructures is of increasing interest. Multistep, co-assembly methods resulting in kinetic control processing was used to produce complex nanoparticles that are not obtained via other assembly methods. Vesicle-cylinder, separate vesicle and cylinder, disk-cylinder, and mixed vesicle nanoparticles were constructed by binary blends of distinct diblock copolymers. Initially, the vesicle former polyacrylic acid-polyisoprene and cylinder former polyacrylic acid-polystyrene which share the same hydrophilic domain but immiscible hydrophobic domain were blended in THF. Secondly, dimaine molecules are added to associate with the common hydrophilic PAA. Importantly, and lastly, by tuning the kinetic addition rate of selective, miscible solvent water, the unlike hydrophobic blocks are kinetically trapped into one particle and eventually nanophase separate to form multiple compartments and multigeometries. The effective bottom-up multistep assembly strategies can be applied in other binary/ternary blends, in which new vesicle-sphere, disk-disk and cylinder-cylinder MCM/MGM nanoparticles were programed. We are grateful for the financial support from the National Science Funding DMR-0906815 (D.J.P. and K.L.W.) and NIST METROLOGY POCHAN 2012.

Assembly of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on SiO2 monodisperse spheres

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Assembly of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on SiO2 monodisperse spheres. K C BARICK and D BAHADUR*. Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,. Mumbai 400 076, India. Abstract. The assembly of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles on submicroscopic SiO2 ...

Self-assembly of gibberellic amide assemblies and their applications in the growth and fabrication of ordered gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smoak, Evan M; Carlo, Andrew D; Fowles, Catherine C; Banerjee, Ipsita A

2010-01-01

Gibberellins are a group of naturally occurring diterpenoid based phytohormones that play a vital role in plant growth and development. In this work, we have studied the self-assembly of gibberellic acid, a phytohormone, which belongs to the family of gibberellins, and designed amide derivatives of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) for the facile, green synthesis of gold nanoparticles. It was found that the derivatives self-assembled into nanofibers and nanoribbons in aqueous solutions at varying pH. Further, upon incubation with tetrachloroaurate, the self-assembled GA 3 -amide derivatives efficiently nucleated and formed gold nanoparticles when heated to 60 deg. C. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed that uniform coatings of gold nanoparticles in the 10-20 nm range were obtained at low pH on the nanowire surfaces without the assistance of additional reducing agents. This simple method for the development of morphology controlled gold nanoparticles using a plant hormone derivative opens doors for a new class of plant biomaterials which can efficiently yield gold nanoparticles in an environmentally friendly manner. The gold encrusted nanowires formed using biomimetic methods may lead on to the formation of conductive nanowires, which may be useful for a wide range of applications such as in optoelectronics and sensors. Further, the spontaneous formation of highly organized nanostructures obtained from plant phytohormone derivatives such as gibberellic acid is of particular interest as it might help in further understanding the supramolecular assembly mechanism of more highly organized biological structures.

Coulomb force directed single and binary assembly of nanoparticles from aqueous dispersions by AFM nanoxerography.

Science.gov (United States)

Palleau, Etienne; Sangeetha, Neralagatta M; Viau, Guillaume; Marty, Jean-Daniel; Ressier, Laurence

2011-05-24

We present a simple protocol to obtain versatile assemblies of nanoparticles from aqueous dispersions onto charge patterns written by atomic force microscopy, on a 100 nm thin film of polymethylmethacrylate spin-coated on silicon wafers. This protocol of nanoxerography uses a two-stage development involving incubation of the desired aqueous colloidal dispersion on charge patterns and subsequent immersion in an adequate water-soluble alcohol. The whole process takes only a few minutes. Numerical simulations of the evolution of the electric field generated by charge patterns in various solvents are done to resolve the mechanism by which nanoparticle assembly occurs. The generic nature of this protocol is demonstrated by constructing various assemblies of charged organic/inorganic/metallic (latex, silica, gold) nanoparticles of different sizes (3 to 100 nm) and surface functionalities from aqueous dispersions onto charge patterns of complex geometries. We also demonstrate that it is possible to construct a binary assembly of nanoparticles on a pattern made of positive and negative charges generated in a single charge writing step, by sequential developments in two aqueous dispersions of oppositely charged particles. This protocol literally extends the spectra of eligible colloids that can be assembled by nanoxerography and paves the way for building complex assemblies of nanoparticles on predefined areas of surfaces, which could be useful for the elaboration of nanoparticle-based functional devices.

Improved polymer thin-film wetting behavior through nanoparticle segregation to interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, R S; Mackay, M E; Duxbury, P M; Hawker, C J; Asokan, Suba; Wong, Michael S; Goyette, Rick; Thiyagarajan, P

2007-01-01

We report a systematic study of improved wetting behavior for thin polymer films containing nanoparticles, as a function of nanoparticle size and concentration, the energy of the substrate and the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles. An enthalpy matched system consisting of polystyrene nanoparticles in linear polystyrene is used to show that nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the film after spin coating and drying. However, on annealing the film above its bulk glass transition temperature these nanoparticles segregate strongly to the solid substrate. We find that for a wide range of film thicknesses and nanoparticle sizes, a substrate coverage of nanoparticles of approximately a monolayer is required for dewetting inhibition. Cadmium selenide quantum dots also inhibit dewetting of polystyrene thin films, again when a monolayer is present. Moreover, TEM microscopy images indicate that CdSe quantum dots segregate primarily to the air interface. Theoretical interpretation of these phenomena suggests that gain of linear chain configurational entropy promotes segregation of nanoparticles to the solid substrate, as occurs for polystyrene nanoparticles; however, for CdSe nanoparticles this is offset by surface energy or enthalpic terms which promote segregation of the nanoparticles to the air interface

Self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles: Ab ovo

Science.gov (United States)

Kotov, Nicholas A.

2017-09-01

There are numerous remarkable studies related to the self-organization of polymers, coordination compounds, microscale particles, biomolecules, macroscale particles, surfactants, and reactive molecules on surfaces. The focus of this paper is on the self-organization of nanoscale inorganic particles or simply nanoparticles (NPs). Although there are fascinating and profound discoveries made with other self-assembling structures, the ones involving NPs deserve particular attention because they (a) are omnipresent in Nature; (b) have relevance to numerous disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, Earth sciences, and others); (c) embrace most of the features, geometries, and intricacies observed for the self-organization of other chemical species; (d) offer new tools for studies of self-organization phenomena; and (e) have a large economic impact, extending from energy and construction industries, to optoelectronics, biomedical technologies, and food safety. Despite the overall success of the field it is necessary to step back from its multiple ongoing research venues and consider two questions: What is self-assembly of nanoparticles? and Why do we need to study it? The reason to bring them up is to achieve greater scientific depth in the understanding of these omnipresent phenomena and, perhaps, deepen their multifaceted impact. Contribution to the Focus Issue Self-assemblies of Inorganic and Organic Nanomaterials edited by Marie-Paule Pileni.

Synthesis, characterization and self-assembly with gold nanoparticles

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

characterization and self-assembly with gold nanoparticles. JUN-BO LI. 1, ... gold surface lead to the enhancement of device prop- erties. 36,37 ... Reactions were monitored by thin-layer ..... plasmon (SP) absorption band (figure 5) of TOAB-.

Iron nanoparticle assemblies: structures and magnetic behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrell, D; Cheng, Y; Kan, S; Sachan, M; Ding, Y; Majetich, S A; Yang, L

2005-01-01

Self-assembly of spherical, surfactant-coated nanoparticles is discussed, an examples are presented to demonstrate the variety of structures that can be formed, and the conditions that lead to them. The effect of the concentration on the magnetic properties is then examined for 8.5 nm Fe nanoparticles. Dilute dispersions, arrays formed by evaporation of the dispersions, and nanoparticle crystals grown by slow diffusion of a poorly coordinating solvent were characterized by zero field-cooled magnetization, remanent hysteresis loop, and magnetic relaxation measurements. The average spacing between the particles was determined from a combination of transmission electron microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering. In the arrays the spacing was 2.5 nm between the edges of the particle cores, while in the nanoparticle crystals the particles were more tightly packed, with a separation of 1.1 nm. The reduced separation increased the magnetostatic interaction strength in the nanoparticle crystals, which showed distinctly different behavior in the rate of approach to saturation in the remanent hysteresis loops, and in the faster rate of time-dependent magnetic relaxation

Simulations of super-structure domain walls in two dimensional assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordanovic, J.; Frandsen, C.; Beleggia, M.; Schiøtz, J.

2015-01-01

We simulate the formation of domain walls in two-dimensional assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles. Particle parameters are chosen to match recent electron holography and Lorentz microscopy studies of almost monodisperse cobalt nanoparticles assembled into regular, elongated lattices. As the particles are small enough to consist of a single magnetic domain each, their magnetic interactions can be described by a spin model in which each particle is assigned a macroscopic “superspin.” Thus, the magnetic behaviour of these lattices may be compared to magnetic crystals with nanoparticle superspins taking the role of the atomic spins. The coupling is, however, different. The superspins interact only by dipolar interactions as exchange coupling between individual nanoparticles may be neglected due to interparticle spacing. We observe that it is energetically favorable to introduce domain walls oriented along the long dimension of nanoparticle assemblies rather than along the short dimension. This is unlike what is typically observed in continuous magnetic materials, where the exchange interaction introduces an energetic cost proportional to the area of the domain walls. Structural disorder, which will always be present in realistic assemblies, pins longitudinal domain walls when the external field is reversed, and makes a gradual reversal of the magnetization by migration of longitudinal domain walls possible, in agreement with previous experimental results

Electrodeposition of epitaxial CdSe on (111) gallium arsenide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cachet, H.; Cortes, R.; Froment, M. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France). Phys. des Liquides et Electrochimie; Etcheberry, A. [Institut Lavoisier (IREM) UMR CNRS C0173, Universite de Versailles- St Quentin en Yvelynes, 45 Avenue des Etats Unis, 78035, Versailles (France)

2000-02-21

Epitaxial growth of CdSe has been achieved on GaAs(111) by electrodeposition from an aqueous electrolyte. The structure of the film corresponds to the cubic modification of CdSe. The quality of epitaxy has been investigated by reflection high energy electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. By XPS measurements the chemistry of the CdSe/GaAs interface and the composition of CdSe are determined. (orig.)

The influence of CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles on the optical properties of Sm{sup 3+} ions in lead borate glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallur, Saisudha B.; Heidorn, William D.; Fatokun, Stephen O.; Joshi, Krishna D.; Bista, Sandip S.; Babu, Panakkattu K., E-mail: PK-Babu@wiu.edu [Western Illinois University, Department of Physics (United States)

2017-03-15

The effect of glass composition and the presence of CdSe/ZnSe nanoparticles (NPs) on the optical absorption and fluorescence of Sm-doped lead borate glasses are studied. Three sets of glass samples xPbO:(99.5-x) B{sub 2}O{sub 3}:0.5Sm{sub 2}O{sub 3}, x = 29.5–69.5 mol%, xPbO:(96.5-x) B{sub 2}O{sub 3}:0.5Sm{sub 2}O{sub 3}: 3CdSe/ZnSe, x = 36.5, and 56.5 mol% are prepared. NPs are grown by annealing these glasses just below the glass transition temperature. Average size of both types of NPs increases with annealing time; however, CdSe NPs grew to a larger size range (2 to 20 nm) compared to ZnSe NPs (1 to 16 nm). We analyzed the hypersensitive transition, intensity parameters, radiative transition probability, stimulated emission cross section (σ{sub p}), and the area ratio of the electric dipole/magnetic dipole transitions of Sm{sup 3+}. The intensity parameters show a minimum at 11 h annealing for 36.5 mol% and a maximum for the same annealing duration in 56.5 mol% PbO containing CdSe NPs. The σ{sub p} for 56.5 mol% of PbO with CdSe NPs is found to be a maximum when the average NP size is around 14 nm. ZnSe NPs containing glasses also show significant changes in σ{sub p} when the average particle size is ~16 nm, for 36.5 mol% PbO. Our results suggest that the optical properties of Sm{sup 3+} in lead borate glasses are sensitive to its electronic environment which can be modified by varying the base glass composition and/or incorporating large NPs of CdSe/ZnSe. The large σ{sub p} values that we observe for some of the glass compositions make them attractive materials for photonic devices and photovoltaic applications.

Tunable porous nanoallotropes prepared by post-assembly etching of binary nanoparticle superlattices

Science.gov (United States)

Udayabhaskararao, Thumu; Altantzis, Thomas; Houben, Lothar; Coronado-Puchau, Marc; Langer, Judith; Popovitz-Biro, Ronit; Liz-Marzán, Luis M.; Vuković, Lela; Král, Petr; Bals, Sara; Klajn, Rafal

2017-10-01

Self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles has been used to prepare hundreds of different colloidal crystals, but almost invariably with the restriction that the particles must be densely packed. Here, we show that non-close-packed nanoparticle arrays can be fabricated through the selective removal of one of two components comprising binary nanoparticle superlattices. First, a variety of binary nanoparticle superlattices were prepared at the liquid-air interface, including several arrangements that were previously unknown. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the particular role of the liquid in templating the formation of superlattices not achievable through self-assembly in bulk solution. Second, upon stabilization, all of these binary superlattices could be transformed into distinct “nanoallotropes”—nanoporous materials having the same chemical composition but differing in their nanoscale architectures.

Quantification of the electrostatic forces involved in the directed assembly of colloidal nanoparticles by AFM nanoxerography.

Science.gov (United States)

Palleau, E; Sangeetha, N M; Ressier, L

2011-08-12

Directed assembly of 10 nm dodecanethiol stabilized silver nanoparticles in hexane and 14 nm citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles in ethanol was performed by AFM nanoxerography onto charge patterns of both polarities written into poly(methylmethacrylate) thin films. The quasi-neutral silver nanoparticles were grafted on both positive and negative charge patterns while the negatively charged gold nanoparticles were selectively deposited on positive charge patterns only. Numerical simulations were conducted to quantify the magnitude, direction and spatial range of the electrophoretic and dielectrophoretic forces exerted by the charge patterns on these two types of nanoparticles in suspension taken as models. The simulations indicate that the directed assembly of silver nanoparticles on both charge patterns is due to the predominant dielectrophoretic forces, while the selective assembly of gold nanoparticles only on positive charge patterns is due to the predominant electrophoretic forces. The study also suggests that the minimum surface potential of charge patterns required for obtaining effective nanoparticle assembly depends strongly on the charge and polarizability of the nanoparticles and also on the nature of the dispersing solvent. Attractive electrostatic forces of about 2 × 10( - 2) pN in magnitude just above the charged surface appear to be sufficient to trap silver nanoparticles in hexane onto charge patterns and the value is about 2 pN for gold nanoparticles in ethanol, under the present experimental conditions. The numerical simulations used in this work to quantify the electrostatic forces operating in the directed assembly of nanoparticles from suspensions onto charge patterns can easily be extended to any kind of colloid and serve as an effective tool for a better comprehension and prediction of liquid-phase nanoxerography processes.

Quantification of the electrostatic forces involved in the directed assembly of colloidal nanoparticles by AFM nanoxerography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palleau, E; Sangeetha, N M; Ressier, L

2011-01-01

Directed assembly of 10 nm dodecanethiol stabilized silver nanoparticles in hexane and 14 nm citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles in ethanol was performed by AFM nanoxerography onto charge patterns of both polarities written into poly(methylmethacrylate) thin films. The quasi-neutral silver nanoparticles were grafted on both positive and negative charge patterns while the negatively charged gold nanoparticles were selectively deposited on positive charge patterns only. Numerical simulations were conducted to quantify the magnitude, direction and spatial range of the electrophoretic and dielectrophoretic forces exerted by the charge patterns on these two types of nanoparticles in suspension taken as models. The simulations indicate that the directed assembly of silver nanoparticles on both charge patterns is due to the predominant dielectrophoretic forces, while the selective assembly of gold nanoparticles only on positive charge patterns is due to the predominant electrophoretic forces. The study also suggests that the minimum surface potential of charge patterns required for obtaining effective nanoparticle assembly depends strongly on the charge and polarizability of the nanoparticles and also on the nature of the dispersing solvent. Attractive electrostatic forces of about 2 x 10 -2 pN in magnitude just above the charged surface appear to be sufficient to trap silver nanoparticles in hexane onto charge patterns and the value is about 2 pN for gold nanoparticles in ethanol, under the present experimental conditions. The numerical simulations used in this work to quantify the electrostatic forces operating in the directed assembly of nanoparticles from suspensions onto charge patterns can easily be extended to any kind of colloid and serve as an effective tool for a better comprehension and prediction of liquid-phase nanoxerography processes.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CdSe COLLOIDAL QUANTUM DOTS IN ORGANIC SOLVENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion Geru

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present experimental results on preparation and characterization of colloidal CdSe quantum dots in organic solvent. CdSe QDs were synthesized following a modified literature method. CdSe QDs were isolated by adding acetone to the cooled solution followed by centrifugation. CdSe QDs have been characterized by UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescent (PL spectroscopy. The average CdSe particles size estimated from the UV-Vis absorption spectra was found to be in the range 2.28-2.92 nm which is in good agreement with PL measurements.

Supramolecular nanoparticles generated by the self-assembly of polyrotaxanes for antitumor drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu R

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Rong Liu,1,2,* Yusi Lai,1,* Bin He,1 Yuan Li,1 Gang Wang,1 Shuang Chang,1 Zhongwei Gu1 1National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; 2Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China*These authors contributed equally to this paperAbstract: A new approach of fabricating supramolecular nanoparticles generated by self-assembly polyrotaxanes for antitumor drug delivery has been reported. Cinnamic-acid-modified poly(ethylene glycol chains were threaded in a-cyclodextrins to form polyrotaxanes. The polyrotaxanes self-assembled supramolecular nanoparticles. The morphology of the nanoparticles was changed from nanovesicle to micelle after the antitumor drug, doxorubicin, was loaded. The release profile of the drug-loaded nanoparticles was investigated, and it was found that the sustaining release time could last for 32 hours. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were co-cultured with mouse 4T1 breast cancer cells with a drug concentration of 10 µg/mL; the cell survival rate was 3.3% after a 72-hour incubation. In an in vivo study of breast cancer in a mouse model, the drug-loaded nanoparticles were injected in the tail veins of mice with a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. The tumor inhibition rate of drug-loaded nanoparticles was 53%, which was better than that of doxorubicin hydrochloride. The cardiac toxicity of doxorubicin was decreased greatly after the encapsulation into supramolecular polyrotaxane nanoparticles.Keywords: polyrotaxane, self-assembly, nanoparticle, doxorubicin, supermolecular

Annealing effects on the photoresponse properties of CdSe nanocrystal thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lou Shiyun; Zhou Changhua; Wang Hongzhe; Shen Huaibin; Cheng Gang; Du Zuliang; Zhou, Shaomin; Li Linsong

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The as-prepared CdSe nanocrystal films were treated at 500 deg. C for 3 h under continuous N 2 . → Annealing process removed the organic capping completely and eliminated oxide on the CdSe surface. → Thermal annealing resulted the increase of the crystallite sizes and necking the NCs. → The photoresponse speed of the CdSe nanocrystal films was improved. - Abstract: The photoresponse properties of the as-prepared and annealed close-packed CdSe nanocrystal (NC) films were investigated under laser illumination by Kelvin probe force microscopy. The annealing process improved the photoresponse speed of the CdSe NC films. The work function of the annealed CdSe NC films changed more rapidly than that of the non-annealed film in air at room temperature. Combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and thermogravimetric analysis, the observed phenomena can be interpreted that annealing process removed the organic capping agents completely and eliminated oxide on the CdSe surface, which formed the tunnel barrier between NCs in the CdSe NC films. Consequently, it improved the separation rate of photoelectric charges and thus provided high speed photoresponse.

Hysteresis losses in a dense superparamagnetic nanoparticle assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Gudoshnikov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The hysteresis losses of a dense assembly of magnetite nanoparticles with an average diameter D = 25 nm are measured in the frequency range f = 10 – 200 kHz for magnetic field amplitudes up to H0 = 400 Oe. The low frequency hysteresis loops of the assembly are obtained by means of integration of the electro-motive force signal arising in a small pick-up coil wrapped around a sample which contains 1 – 5 mg of a magnetite powder. It is proved experimentally that the specific absorption rate diminishes approximately 4.5 times when the sample aspect ratio decreases from 11.4 to 1. Theoretical estimate shows that experimentally measured hysteresis loops can be approximately described only by taking into account appreciable contributions of magnetic nanoparticles of both very small, D 30 nm, diameters. Thus the wide particle size distribution has to be assumed.

Spatial Manipulation and Assembly of Nanoparticles by Atomic Force Microscopy Tip-Induced Dielectrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Peilin; Yu, Haibo; Yang, Wenguang; Wen, Yangdong; Wang, Zhidong; Li, Wen Jung; Liu, Lianqing

2017-05-17

In this article, we present a novel method of spatial manipulation and assembly of nanoparticles via atomic force microscopy tip-induced dielectrophoresis (AFM-DEP). This method combines the high-accuracy positioning of AFM with the parallel manipulation of DEP. A spatially nonuniform electric field is induced by applying an alternating current (AC) voltage between the conductive AFM probe and an indium tin oxide glass substrate. The AFM probe acted as a movable DEP tweezer for nanomanipulation and assembly of nanoparticles. The mechanism of AFM-DEP was analyzed by numerical simulation. The effects of solution depth, gap distance, AC voltage, solution concentration, and duration time were experimentally studied and optimized. Arrays of 200 nm polystyrene nanoparticles were assembled into various nanostructures, including lines, ellipsoids, and arrays of dots. The sizes and shapes of the assembled structures were controllable. It was thus demonstrated that AFM-DEP is a flexible and powerful tool for nanomanipulation.

Pico-ampere current sensitivity and CdSe quantum dots assembly assisted charge transport in ferroelectric liquid crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Pratap Singh, Dharmendra; Boussoualem, Yahia; Duponchel, Benoit; Sahraoui, Abdelhak Hadj; Kumar, Sandeep; Manohar, Rajiv; Daoudi, Abdelylah

2017-08-01

Octadecylamine capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) dispersed 4-(1-methyl-heptyloxy)-benzoic acid 4‧-octyloxy-biphenyl-4-yl ester ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) were deposited over gold coated quartz substrate using dip-coating. The topographical investigation discloses that the homogeneously dispersed QDs adopt face-on to edge-on assembly in FLC matrix owing to their concentration. Current-voltage (I-V) measurement was performed using conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) which yields ohmic to critical diode like I-V curves depending upon the concentration of QDs in FLC. The recorded pico-ampere (pA) current sensitivity in FLC-QDs composites is attributed to micro-second drift time of electron due to weak electronic coupling between the π-electrons on the FLC and s-electrons on the metal surface. The observed pico-ampere sensitivity is the least current sensitivity recorded so far. For FLC-QDs composites, almost 24% faster electro-optic response was observed in comparison to pure FLC. The pico-ampere current sensitivity can be utilized in touch screen displays whereas the change in polarization for low applied electric field ameliorates the increased electrical susceptibility counteracting the internal electric field and its use in electronic data storage and faster electro-optical devices.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) studies on CdSe thin films ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

TECS

Thin films of CdSe were deposited by potentiostatic mode on different substrates such as ... trodeposited from aqueous acidic baths, but very few ... washed with liquid detergent (labolene) followed by ul- .... increases the ionic mobilities and hence the conductivity ... A PEC cell of configuration, CdSe/1 M polysulphide/.

Lipid nanoparticle interactions and assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Preiss, Matthew Ryan

Novel liposome-nanoparticle assemblies (LNAs) provide a biologically inspired route for designing multifunctional bionanotheranostics. LNAs combine the benefits of lipids and liposomes to encapsulate, transport, and protect hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutics with functional nanoparticles. Functional nanoparticles endow LNAs with additional capabilities, including the ability to target diseases, triggered drug release, controlled therapeutic output, and diagnostic capabilities to produce a drug delivery system that can effectively and efficiently deliver therapeutics while reducing side effects. Not only could LNAs make existing drugs better, they could also provide an avenue to allow once promising non-approved drugs (rejected due to harmful side effects, inadequate pharmacokinetics, and poor efficacy) to be safely used through targeted and controlled delivery directly to the diseased site. LNAs have the potential to be stimuli responsive, delivering drugs on command by external (ultrasound, RF heating, etc.) or internal (pH, blood sugar, heart rate, etc.) stimuli. Individually, lipids and nanoparticles have been clinically approved for therapy, such as Doxil (a liposomal doxorubicin for cancer treatment), and diagnosis, such as Feridex (an iron oxide nanoparticle an MRI contrast enhancement agent for liver tumors). In order to engineer these multifunctional LNAs for theranostic applications, the interactions between nanoparticles and lipids must be better understood. This research sought to explore the formation, design, structures, characteristics, and functions of LNAs. To achieve this goal, different types of LNAs were formed, specifically magnetoliposomes, bilayer decorated LNAs (DLNAs), and lipid-coated magnetic nanoparticles (LMNPs). A fluorescent probe was embedded in the lipid bilayer of magnetoliposomes allowing the local temperature and membrane fluidity to be observed. When subjected to an electromagnetic field that heated the encapsulated iron

Interferometric investigation and simulation of refractive index in glass matrixes containing nanoparticles of varying sizes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feeney, Michael Gerard; Ince, Rabia; Yukselici, Mehmet Hikmet; Allahverdi, Cagdas

2011-07-01

The relationship between refractive index and nanoparticle radii of cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles embedded within glass matrixes was investigated experimentally and by simulations. A homemade automated Michelson interferometer arrangement employing a rotating table and a He-Ne laser source at a wavelength of 632.8 nm determined the refractive index versus nanoparticle radii of embedded cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles. The refractive index was found to decrease linearly with nanoparticle radius increase. However, one sample showed a step increase in refractive index; on spectroscopic analysis, it was found that its resonant wavelength matched that of the He-Ne source wavelength. The simulations showed that two conditions caused the step increase in refractive index: low plasma frequency and matched sample and source resonances. This simple interferometer setup defines a new method of determining the radii of nanoparticles embedded in substrates and enables refractive index tailoring by modification of exact annealing conditions.

Sulforaphane Protects the Liver against CdSe Quantum Dot-Induced Cytotoxicity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wang

Full Text Available The potential cytotoxicity of cadmium selenide (CdSe quantum dots (QDs presents a barrier to their use in biomedical imaging or as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Sulforaphane (SFN is a chemoprotective compound derived from cruciferous vegetables which can up-regulate antioxidant enzymes and induce apoptosis and autophagy. This study reports the effects of SFN on CdSe QD-induced cytotoxicity in immortalised human hepatocytes and in the livers of mice. CdSe QDs induced dose-dependent cell death in hepatocytes with an IC50 = 20.4 μM. Pre-treatment with SFN (5 μM increased cell viability in response to CdSe QDs (20 μM from 49.5 to 89.3%. SFN induced a pro-oxidant effect characterized by depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione during short term exposure (3-6 h, followed by up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione levels at 24 h. SFN also caused Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus, up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes and autophagy. siRNA knockdown of Nrf2 suggests that the Nrf2 pathway plays a role in the protection against CdSe QD-induced cell death. Wortmannin inhibition of SFN-induced autophagy significantly suppressed the protective effect of SFN on CdSe QD-induced cell death. Moreover, the role of autophagy in SFN protection against CdSe QD-induced cell death was confirmed using mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking ATG5. CdSe QDs caused significant liver damage in mice, and this was decreased by SFN treatment. In conclusion, SFN attenuated the cytotoxicity of CdSe QDs in both human hepatocytes and in the mouse liver, and this protection was associated with the induction of Nrf2 pathway and autophagy.

Room temperature Coulomb blockade mediated field emission via self-assembled gold nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Fei [College of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China); College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China); Fang, Jingyue, E-mail: fjynudt@aliyun.com [College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China); Chang, Shengli; Qin, Shiqiao; Zhang, Xueao [College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China); Xu, Hui, E-mail: cmpxhg@csu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China)

2017-02-05

Coulomb blockade mediated field-emission current was observed in single-electron tunneling devices based on self-assembled gold nanoparticles at 300 K. According to Raichev's theoretical model, by fixing a proper geometric distribution of source, island and drain, the transfer characteristics can be well explained through a combination of Coulomb blockade and field emission. Coulomb blockade and field emission alternately happen in our self-assembled devices. The Coulomb island size derived from the experimental data is in good agreement with the average size of the gold nanoparticles used in the device. The integrated tunneling can be adjusted via a gate electrode. - Highlights: • The phenomenon of single-electron field emission in a transistor setting using self-assembled gold nanoparticles was investigated. • The transfer characteristics can be well explained by the model that is a combination of Coulomb blockage and field emission. • This transport mechanism is novel and may be used in many applications in field emission devices.

Protein-like Nanoparticles Based on Orthogonal Self-Assembly of Chimeric Peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Linhai; Xu, Dawei; Namitz, Kevin E; Cosgrove, Michael S; Lund, Reidar; Dong, He

2016-10-01

A novel two-component self-assembling chimeric peptide is designed where two orthogonal protein folding motifs are linked side by side with precisely defined position relative to one another. The self-assembly is driven by a combination of symmetry controlled molecular packing, intermolecular interactions, and geometric constraint to limit the assembly into compact dodecameric protein nanoparticles. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrostatic assembly of CTAB-capped silver nanoparticles along predefined λ-DNA template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Gang; Wang Li; Zhou Hualan; Liu Zhiguo; Song Yonghai; Li Zhuang

2005-01-01

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped positively-charged silver nanoparticles synthesized in water-ethanol system was electrostatic assembled on predefined aligned λ-DNA template. Silver nanowire can be obtained by changing the reaction time and the particles concentration. In our work, the length of the silver nanowire obtained is about 10 μm, and the dimension of the wires is about 20 nm. AFM data reveal that the assembly of CTAB-capped silver nanoparticles on DNA is ordered, but there is space between two particles absorbed on the DNA template. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was applied to characterize the linear silver clusters, which provides an additional proof that the silver particles were assembled onto DNA template with fine order

"Cloud" assemblies: quantum dots form electrostatically bound dynamic nebulae around large gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lilly, G Daniel; Lee, Jaebeom; Kotov, Nicholas A

2010-10-14

Dynamic self-assembled structures of nanoparticles can be produced using predominantly electrostatic interactions. Such assemblies were made from large, positively charged Au metal nanoparticles surrounded by an electrostatically bound cloud of smaller, negatively charged CdSe/ZnS or CdTe quantum dots. At low concentrations they are topologically similar to double electric layers of ions and corona-like assemblies linked by polymer chains. They can also be compared to the topological arrangement of some planetary systems in space. The great advantages of the cloud assemblies are (1) their highly dynamic nature compared to more rigid covalently bound assemblies, (2) simplicity of preparation, and (3) exceptional versatility in components and resulting optical properties. Photoluminescence intensity enhancement originating from quantum resonance between excitons and plasmons was observed for CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, although CdTe dots displayed emission quenching. To evaluate more attentively their dynamic behavior, emission data were collected for the cloud-assemblies with different ratios of the components and ionic strengths of the media. The emission of the system passes through a maximum for 80 QDs ∶ 1 Au NP as determined by the structure of the assemblies and light absorption conditions. Ionic strength dependence of luminescence intensity contradicts the predictions based on the Gouy-Chapman theory and osmotic pressure at high ionic strengths due to formation of larger chaotic colloidally stable assemblies. "Cloud" assemblies made from different nanoscale components can be used both for elucidation of most fundamental aspects of nanoparticle interactions, as well as for practical purposes in sensing and biology.

Bioinspired heterostructured bead-on-string fibers via controlling the wet-assembly of nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lin; Song, Cheng; Zhang, Miaoxin; Zheng, Yongmei

2014-09-21

A kind of bioinspired heterostructured bead-on-string fiber (BHBF), composed of poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) hydrolyzed nanoparticles, was prepared via integrating a wet-assembly system, including PMMA electrospinning, fog of nanoparticles and water coalescence at multi-stages. The wet-assembly of BHBF was regulated by the difference in surface energy and Laplace pressure. Especially, BHBF is characteristic of a hydrophilic rough bead for excellent water collection ability.

Opto-electronic devices with nanoparticles and their assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Chieu Van

Nanotechnology is a fast growing field; engineering matters at the nano-meter scale. A key nanomaterial is nanoparticles (NPs). These sub-wavelength (background noise. The second device is based on a one-dimensional (1-D) self-directed self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by dielectric materials. Depending on the coverage density of the Au NPs assembly deposited on the device, electronic emission was observed at ultra-low bias of 40V, leading to low-power plasma generation in air at atmospheric pressure. Light emitted from the plasma is apparent to the naked eyes. Similarly, 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by iron oxide was fabricated and exhibits ferro-magnetic behavior. The multi-functional 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs has great potential in modern electronics such as solid state lighting, plasma-based nanoelectronics, and memory devices.

Spermine induced reversible collapse of deoxyribonucleic acid-bridged nanoparticle-based assemblies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Göeken, Kristian L.; Schasfoort, Richardus B.M.; Subramaniam, Vinod; Gill, Ron

DNA-linked 2D and 3D nano-assemblies find use in a diverse set of applications, ranging from DNA-origami in drug delivery and medical imaging, to DNA-linked nanoparticle structures for use in plasmonics and (bio)sensing. However, once these structures have been fully assembled, few options are

Recovery and redispersion of gold nanoparticles using the self-assembly of a pH sensitive zwitterionic amphiphile.

Science.gov (United States)

Morita-Imura, Clara; Imura, Yoshiro; Kawai, Takeshi; Shindo, Hitoshi

2014-11-04

The pH-responsive self-assembly of zwitterionic amphiphile C16CA was expanded to the recovery of gold (Au) nanoparticles for environmentally friendly chemistry applications. Multilayered lamellae at pH ∼ 4 were successfully incorporated into nanoparticles by dispersion. Redispersion of nanoparticles was achieved under basic conditions by the transition of self-assembly.

Nanoparticle Assemblies at Fluid Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russell, Thomas P. [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States). Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering

2015-03-10

A systematic study of the structure and dynamics of nanoparticles (NP) and NP-surfactants was performed. The ligands attached to both the NPs and NP-surfactants dictate the manner in which the nanoscopic materials assemble at fluid interfaces. Studies have shown that a single layer of the nanoscpic materials form at the interface to reduce the interactions between the two immiscible fluids. The shape of the NP is, also, important, where for spherical particles, a disordered, liquid-like monolayer forms, and, for nanorods, ordered domains at the interface is found and, if the monolayers are compressed, the orientation of the nanorods with respect to the interface can change. By associating end-functionalized polymers to the NPs assembled at the interface, NP-surfactants are formed that increase the energetic gain in segregating each NP at the interface which allows the NP-surfactants to jam at the interface when compressed. This has opened the possibility of structuring the two liquids by freezing in shape changes of the liquids.

Nanoparticle assembled microcapsules for application as pH and ammonia sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amali, Arlin Jose; Awwad, Nour H.; Rana, Rohit Kumar; Patra, Digambara

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: HPTS encapsulated nanoparticle assembled microcapsule is exploited as dual excitations ratiometic pH sensor. This nanoparticle assembled microcapsule based fluorescence sensor can determine ammonia and offers a robust, simple and fast sensing material. Highlights: ► A novel HPTS encapsulated nanoparticle assembled microcapsule is developed. ► Its dual excitation facilitates a ratiometic pH sensor. ► It is successfully applied for the determination of ammonia. ► It provides a robust, simple and fast sensing material. - Abstract: The encapsulation of molecular probes in a suitable nanostructured matrix can be exploited to alter their optical properties and robustness for fabricating efficient chemical sensors. Despite high sensitivity, simplicity, selectivity and cost effectiveness, the photo-destruction and photo-bleaching are the serious concerns while utilizing molecular probes. Herein we demonstrate that hydroxy pyrene trisulfonate (HPTS), a pH sensitive molecular probe, when encapsulated in a microcapsule structure prepared via the assembly of silica nanoparticles mediated by poly-L-lysine and trisodium citrate, provides a robust sensing material for pH sensing under the physiological conditions. The temporal evolution under continuous irradiation indicates that the fluorophore inside the silica microcapsule is extraordinarily photostable. The fluorescence intensity alternation at dual excitation facilitates for a ratiometic sensing of the pH, however, the fluorescence lifetime is insensitive to hydrogen ion concentration. The sensing scheme is found to be robust, fast and simple for the measurement of pH in the range 5.8–8.0, and can be successfully applied for the determination of ammonia in the concentration range 0–1.2 mM, which is important for aquatic life and the environment.

L-Cysteine Capped CdSe Quantum Dots Synthesized by Photochemical Route.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Avinash; Kunwar, Amit; Rath, M C

2018-05-01

L-cysteine capped CdSe quantum dots were synthesized via photochemical route in aqueous solution under UV photo-irradiation. The as grown CdSe quantum dots exhibit broad fluorescence at room temperature. The CdSe quantum dots were found to be formed only through the reactions of the precursors, i.e., Cd(NH3)2+4 and SeSO2-3 with the photochemically generated 1-hydroxy-2-propyl radicals, (CH3)2COH radicals, which are formed through the process of H atom abstraction by the photoexcited acetone from 2-propanol. L-Cysteine was found to act as a suitable capping agent for the CdSe quantum dots and increases their biocompatability. Cytotoxicty effects of these quantum dots were evaluated in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) epithelial cells, indicated a significant lower level for the L-cysteine capped CdSe quantum dots as compare to the bare ones.

Self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle multilayer: x-ray and polarized neutron reflectivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, D; Benitez, M J; Petracic, O; Badini Confalonieri, G A; Szary, P; Brüssing, F; Devishvili, A; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H; Theis-Bröhl, K; Vorobiev, A; Konovalov, O; Paulus, M; Sternemann, C

2012-01-01

We have investigated the structure and magnetism of self-assembled, 20 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles covered by an oleic acid shell for scrutinizing their structural and magnetic correlations. The nanoparticles were spin-coated on an Si substrate as a single monolayer and as a stack of 5 ML forming a multilayer. X-ray scattering (reflectivity and grazing incidence small-angle scattering) confirms high in-plane hexagonal correlation and a good layering property of the nanoparticles. Using polarized neutron reflectivity we have also determined the long range magnetic correlations parallel and perpendicular to the layers in addition to the structural ones. In a field of 5 kOe we determine a magnetization value of about 80% of the saturation value. At remanence the global magnetization is close to zero. However, polarized neutron reflectivity reveals the existence of regions in which magnetic moments of nanoparticles are well aligned, while losing order over longer distances. These findings confirm that in the nanoparticle assembly the magnetic dipole–dipole interaction is rather strong, dominating the collective magnetic properties at room temperature. (paper)

Self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle multilayer: x-ray and polarized neutron reflectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, D; Benitez, M J; Petracic, O; Badini Confalonieri, G A; Szary, P; Brüssing, F; Theis-Bröhl, K; Devishvili, A; Vorobiev, A; Konovalov, O; Paulus, M; Sternemann, C; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H

2012-02-10

We have investigated the structure and magnetism of self-assembled, 20 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles covered by an oleic acid shell for scrutinizing their structural and magnetic correlations. The nanoparticles were spin-coated on an Si substrate as a single monolayer and as a stack of 5 ML forming a multilayer. X-ray scattering (reflectivity and grazing incidence small-angle scattering) confirms high in-plane hexagonal correlation and a good layering property of the nanoparticles. Using polarized neutron reflectivity we have also determined the long range magnetic correlations parallel and perpendicular to the layers in addition to the structural ones. In a field of 5 kOe we determine a magnetization value of about 80% of the saturation value. At remanence the global magnetization is close to zero. However, polarized neutron reflectivity reveals the existence of regions in which magnetic moments of nanoparticles are well aligned, while losing order over longer distances. These findings confirm that in the nanoparticle assembly the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction is rather strong, dominating the collective magnetic properties at room temperature.

Electrochromic properties of self-assembled nanoparticle multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Bo; Li Hong; Zhang Lanlan; Peng Jun

2010-01-01

Hexagonal tungsten bronze (HTB) nanocrystal and TiO 2 nanoparticles were assembled into thin films by layer-by-layer self-assembly method. HTB nanocrystals were synthesized by hydrothermal route at 155 o C. UV-Vis spectra showed that the HTB/TiO 2 films exhibit a linear increase in film thickness with assembly exposure steps. The electrochromic property of the film was carefully investigated. Cyclic voltammetry indicated that the redox peak was around -0.5 V. The electrochromic contrast, coloration efficiency, switching speed, stability and optical memory were carefully investigated. The films vary from white to blue and finally dark brown. The electrochromic contrast is 63.9% at 633 nm. The coloration efficiency of the films is relatively high. The response time is less than 3 s.

Electrical and optical properties of spray - deposited CdSe thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedir, M.; Oeztas, M.; Bakkaloglu, O. F.

2002-01-01

The CdSe thin films were developed by using spray-deposition technique at different substrate temperatures of 380C, 400C and, 420C on the glass substrate. All spraying processes involved CdCI 2 (0.05 moles/liter) and SeO 2 (0.05 moles/liter ) and were carried out in atmospheric condition. The CdSe thin film samples were characterized using x-ray diffractometer and optical absorption measurements. The electrical properties of the thin film samples were investigated via Wander Pauw method. XRD patterns indicated that the CdSe thin film samples have a hexagonal structure. The direct band gap of the CdSe thin film samples were determined from optical absorption and spectral response measurements of 1.76 eV. The resistivity of the CdSe thin film samples were found to vary in the range from 5.8x10''5 to 7.32x10''5 Ωcm depending to the substrate temperature

Effect of island shape on dielectrophoretic assembly of metal nanoparticle chains in a conductive-island-based microelectrode system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Haitao; Shao, Jinyou; Ding, Yucheng; Liu, Weiyu; Li, Xiangming; Tian, Hongmiao; Zhou, Yaopei

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Conductive island shape influences the dynamic process occurring in DEP assembly of 10 nm gold nanoparticles in a conductive-island-based microelectrode system. • The DEP-assembled nanoparticle wires form a straighter conduction path with the increase in the geometric angle of conductive island tip. • The different island shapes distort the DEP force distribution and increase the local electrothermally induced fluid flow to different extents, which is important for the morphology and electrical conductance quality of the DEP-assembled metal nanoparticle chains. - Abstract: The electrical conduction quality of an electric circuit connection formed by dielectrophoretic (DEP)-assembled metal nanoparticle wires between small conductive elements plays a significant role in electronic devices. One of the major challenges for improving the electrical conductance of nanowires is optimizing their geometric morphology. So far, the electrical conduction quality has been enhanced by optimizing the AC frequency and conductivity of nanoparticle suspensions. Herein, the effect of the conductive island shapes on the dynamic process occurring in a DEP assembly of 10 nm gold nanoparticles was investigated in a conductive-island-based microelectrode system. The nanoparticle wires between the microelectrodes were assembled in situ from colloidal suspensions. The wires were grown in a much straighter route by increasing the geometric angle of the conductive-island tip. To validate the experiments, the effects of mutual DEP interactions and electrothermally induced fluid flow on the dynamic behavior of particle motion for different island geometric configurations in the conductive-island-based microelectrode system were determined by numerical simulations. The simulation results are consistent with those of experiments. This indicates that different conductive island shapes change the distribution of DEP force and increase the electrothermally induced fluid flow to

Guided assembly of nanoparticles on electrostatically charged nanocrystalline diamond thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verveniotis Elisseos

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We apply atomic force microscope for local electrostatic charging of oxygen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD thin films deposited on silicon, to induce electrostatically driven self-assembly of colloidal alumina nanoparticles into micro-patterns. Considering possible capacitive, sp2 phase and spatial uniformity factors to charging, we employ films with sub-100 nm thickness and about 60% relative sp2 phase content, probe the spatial material uniformity by Raman and electron microscopy, and repeat experiments at various positions. We demonstrate that electrostatic potential contrast on the NCD films varies between 0.1 and 1.2 V and that the contrast of more than ±1 V (as detected by Kelvin force microscopy is able to induce self-assembly of the nanoparticles via coulombic and polarization forces. This opens prospects for applications of diamond and its unique set of properties in self-assembly of nano-devices and nano-systems.

Carrier transport dynamics in Mn-doped CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Poudyal, Uma; Maloney, Francis S.; Sapkota, Keshab; Wang, Wenyong

2017-10-01

In this work quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) were fabricated with CdSe and Mn-doped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) using the SILAR method. QDSSCs based on Mn-doped CdSe QDs exhibited improved incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. Carrier transport dynamics in the QDSSCs were studied using the intensity modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy technique, from which transport and recombination time constants could be derived. Compared to CdSe QDSSCs, Mn-CdSe QDSSCs exhibited shorter transport time constant, longer recombination time constant, longer diffusion length, and higher charge collection efficiency. These observations suggested that Mn doping in CdSe QDs could benefit the performance of solar cells based on such nanostructures.

Synthesis of Monodisperse CdSe QDs using Controlled Growth Temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noor Razinah Rahmat; Akrajas Ali Umar; Muhammad Yahya; Muhamad Mat Salleh; Mohammad Hafizuddin Jumali

2011-01-01

The effect of growth temperatures on size of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) has been investigated. CdSe QDs were synthesized using thermolysis of organometallics precursor route using wet chemical method. The growth temperature was varied from 260-310 degree Celsius with growth period fixed at 60 s. As the growth temperature increased, the monodispersed CdSe QDs with diameter in the range 3-7 nm were obtained. Both absorption and PL spectra of the QDs revealed a strong red-shift supporting the increment size of QDs with the rise of growth temperature. (author)

NETWORKS OF NANOPARTICLES IN ORGANIC – INORGANIC COMPOSITES: ALGORITHMIC EXTRACTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf Thiedmann

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The rising global demand in energy and the limited resources in fossil fuels require new technologies in renewable energies like solar cells. Silicon solar cells offer a good efficiency but suffer from high production costs. A promising alternative are polymer solar cells, due to potentially low production costs and high flexibility of the panels. In this paper, the nanostructure of organic–inorganic composites is investigated, which can be used as photoactive layers in hybrid–polymer solar cells. These materials consist of a polymeric (OC1C10-PPV phase with CdSe nanoparticles embedded therein. On the basis of 3D image data with high spatial resolution, gained by electron tomography, an algorithm is developed to automatically extract the CdSe nanoparticles from grayscale images, where we assume them as spheres. The algorithm is based on a modified version of the Hough transform, where a watershed algorithm is used to separate the image data into basins such that each basin contains exactly one nanoparticle. After their extraction, neighboring nanoparticles are connected to form a 3D network that is related to the transport of electrons in polymer solar cells. A detailed statistical analysis of the CdSe network morphology is accomplished, which allows deeper insight into the hopping percolation pathways of electrons.

Optics of colloidal quantum-confined CdSe nanoscrolls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, R B; Sokolikova, M S [M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow (Russian Federation); Vitukhnovskii, A G; Ambrozevich, S A; Selyukov, A S; Lebedev, V S [P N Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-09-30

Nanostructures in the form of 1.2-nm-thick colloidal CdSe nanoplatelets rolled into scrolls are investigated. The morphology of these scrolls is analysed and their basic geometric parameters are determined (diameter 29 nm, longitudinal size 100 – 150 nm) by TEM microscopy. Absorption and photoluminescence spectra of these objects are recorded, and the luminescence decay kinetics is studied. It is shown that the optical properties of CdSe nanoscrolls differ significantly from the properties of CdSe quantum dots and that these nanoscrolls are attractive for nanophotonic devices due to large oscillator strengths of the transition, small widths of excitonic peaks and short luminescence decay times. Nanoscrolls can be used to design hybrid organic–inorganic pure-color LEDs with a high luminescence quantum yield and low operating voltages. (optics and technology of nanostructures)

Redox-Active Carbohydrate-Coated Nanoparticles: Self-Assembly of a Cyclodextrin-Polystyrene Glycopolymer with Tetrazine-Naphthalimide.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Andrew J; Haddad, Raoudha; Travelet, Christophe; Reynaud, Eric; Audebert, Pierre; Borsali, Redouane; Cosnier, Serge

2016-11-15

The controlled self-assembly of precise and well-defined photochemically and electrochemically active carbohydrate-coated nanoparticles offers the exciting prospect of biocompatible catalysts for energy storage/conversion and biolabeling applications. Here an aqueous nanoparticle system has been developed with a versatile outer layer for host-guest molecule encapsulation via β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. A β-cyclodextrin-modified polystyrene polymer was first obtained by copper nanopowder click chemistry. The glycopolymer enables self-assembly and controlled encapsulation of tetrazine-naphthalimide, as a model redox-active agent, into nanoparticles via nanoprecipitation. Cyclodextrin host-guest interactions permit encapsulation and internanoparticle cross-linking for the formation of fluorescent compound and clustered self-assemblies with chemically reversible electroactivity in aqueous solution. Light scattering experiments revealed stable particles with hydrodynamic diameters of 138 and 654 nm for nanoparticles prepared with tetrazine, of which 95% of the nanoparticles represent the smaller objects by number. Dynamic light scattering revealed differences as a function of preparation method in terms of size, 3-month stability, polydispersity, radius of gyration, and shape factor. Individual self-assemblies were visualized by atomic force microscopy and fluorescence microscopy and monitored in real-time by nanoparticle tracking analysis. UV-vis and fluorescence spectra provided insight into the optical properties and critical evidence for host-guest encapsulation as evidenced by solvachromatism and enhanced tetrazine uptake. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical properties and provided further support for encapsulation and an estimate of the tetrazine loading capacity in tandem with light scattering data.

Fabrication of molecular hybrid films of gold nanoparticle and polythiophene by covalent assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundaramurthy, Jayaraman, E-mail: jsu2@np.edu.sg [Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E5, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576 (Singapore); Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 599489 (Singapore); Dharmarajan, Rajarathnam [CERAR, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia); Srinivasan, M.P., E-mail: chesmp@nus.edu.sg [Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E5, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576 (Singapore)

2015-08-31

This work demonstrates the fabrication of molecular hybrid films comprising gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) incorporated in covalently assembled, substituted polythiophene (poly(3-(2-bromoethoxy)ethoxymethylthiophene-2,5-diyl (PBrEEMT))) films by different surface chemistry routes. AuNPs are incorporated in the immobilized polythiophene matrix due to its affinity for amine and sulfur. The amount of AuNPs present depends on the nature of the incorporation, the extent of film coverage and interaction of thiophene and amine groups. PBrEEMT films functionalized with amine rich polyallylamine immobilize greater numbers of AuNPs due to more extensive gold–amine interactions. Covalent binding between AuNP and PBrEEMT films was accomplished by using pre-functionalised AuNPs (4-aminothiophenol functionalized AuNPs). Atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the morphology and chemical constituents of assembled films. These approaches will pave the way for developing facile methods for nanoparticle incorporation and will also facilitate direct interaction of nanoparticles with the conducting polymer matrix and enhance the electrical properties of the films. - Highlights: • Covalent molecular assembly enabled the fabrication of molecular hybrid films. • Monomeric and polymeric species were employed as intermediate linkers. • Adopted approaches facilitated the direct interaction of gold nanoparticle in films. • The amount of nanoparticle incorporation depended on the extent of film coverage.

Self-assembled gemcitabine-gadolinium nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging and cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lele; Tong, Rong; Li, Mengyuan; Kohane, Daniel S

2016-03-01

Nanoparticles with combined diagnostic and therapeutic functions are promising tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we demonstrate a theranostic nanoparticle that integrates an active gemcitabine metabolite and a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging agent via a facile supramolecular self-assembly synthesis, where the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine-5'-monophosphate (a phosphorylated active metabolite of the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine) was used to coordinate with Gd(III) to self-assemble into theranostic nanoparticles. The formulation exhibits a strong T1 contrast signal for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors in vivo, with enhanced retention time. Furthermore, the nanoparticles did not require other inert nanocarriers or excipients and thus had an exceptionally high drug loading (55 wt%), resulting in the inhibition of MDA-MB-231 tumor growth in mice. Recent advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have spurred the development of "theranostic" multifunctional nanoparticles, which combine therapeutic and diagnostic functionalities in a single formulation. Developing simple and efficient synthetic strategies for the construction of nanotheranostics with high drug loading remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a theranostic nanoparticle that integrates high loadings of an active gemcitabine metabolite and a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging agent via a facile synthesis. The nanoparticles were better T1 contrast agents than currently used Gd-DTPA and had prolonged retention in tumor. Moreover they exhibited enhanced in vivo antitumor activity compared to free drug in a breast cancer xenograft mouse model. The strategy provides a scalable way to fabricate nanoparticles that enables enhancement of both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chip-based magnetic solid phase microextraction coupled with ICP-MS for the determination of Cd and Se in HepG2 cells incubated with CdSe quantum dots.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaoxiao; Chen, Beibei; He, Man; Wang, Han; Hu, Bin

2018-03-01

The quantification of trace Cd and Se in cells incubated with CdSe quantum dots (QDs) is critical to investigate the cytotoxicity of CdSe QDs. In this work, a miniaturized platform, namely chip-based magnetic solid phase microextraction (MSPME) packing with sulfhydryl group functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, was fabricated and combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of trace Cd and Se in cells. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) of the developed chip-based MSPME-ICP-MS system are 2.2 and 21ngL -1 for Cd and Se, respectively. The proposed method is applied successfully to the analysis of total and released small molecular fraction of Cd and Se in Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2 cells) incubated with CdSe QDs, and the recoveries for the spiked samples are in the range of 86.0-109%. This method shows great promise to analyze cell samples and the obtained results are instructive to explore the cytotoxicity mechanism of CdSe QDs in cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved insulin loading in poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles upon self-assembly with lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Díaz, María; Foged, Camilla; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck

2015-03-30

Polymeric nanoparticles are widely investigated as drug delivery systems for oral administration. However, the hydrophobic nature of many polymers hampers effective loading of the particles with hydrophilic macromolecules such as insulin. Thus, the aim of this work was to improve the loading of insulin into poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles by pre-assembly with amphiphilic lipids. Insulin was complexed with soybean phosphatidylcholine or sodium caprate by self-assembly and subsequently loaded into PLGA nanoparticles by using the double emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size, zeta potential, insulin encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity. Upon pre-assembly with lipids, there was an increased distribution of insulin into the organic phase of the emulsion, eventually resulting in significantly enhanced encapsulation efficiencies (90% as compared to 24% in the absence of lipids). Importantly, the insulin loading capacity was increased up to 20% by using the lipid-insulin complexes. The results further showed that a main fraction of the lipid was incorporated into the nanoparticles and remained associated to the polymer during release studies in buffers, whereas insulin was released in a non-complexed form as a burst of approximately 80% of the loaded insulin. In conclusion, the protein load in PLGA nanoparticles can be significantly increased by employing self-assembled protein-lipid complexes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monolayer-directed Assembly and Magnetic Properties of FePt Nanoparticles on Patterned Aluminum Oxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yildirim, O.; Gang, T.; Kinge, S.S.; Reinhoudt, David; Blank, David H.A.; van der Wiel, Wilfred Gerard; Rijnders, Augustinus J.H.M.; Huskens, Jurriaan

2010-01-01

FePt nanoparticles (NPs) were assembled on aluminum oxide substrates, and their ferromagnetic properties were studied before and after thermal annealing. For the first time, phosph(on)ates were used as an adsorbate to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on alumina to direct the assembly of NPs

Tuning and synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures by mechanical compression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Hongyou; Li, Binsong

2015-11-17

A mechanical compression method can be used to tune semiconductor nanoparticle lattice structure and synthesize new semiconductor nanostructures including nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, and other three-dimensional interconnected structures. II-VI or IV-VI compound semiconductor nanoparticle assemblies can be used as starting materials, including CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnS, PbSe, and PbS.

Stability studies of CdSe nanocrystals in an aqueous environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xi, Lifei; Lek, Jun Yan; Liang, Yen Nan

2011-01-01

In this paper, CdSe nanocrystal dissolution in an aqueous solution was studied. It was found that light is a key factor affecting the dissolution of nanocrystals. In the presence of light, the electrons generated from CdSe nanocrystals reduce water to hydrogen and hydroxide ions (OH − ) while photo......-generated holes oxidize CdSe to Cd2 + and elemental Se. The dissolution was accelerated in an acidic medium while moderate alkalinity (pH = 10.3) can slow down the dissolution possibly due to precipitation of nanocrystals. This study has strong implications for the use of these crystals in aqueous environments...

Self-assembling chimeric polypeptide-doxorubicin conjugate nanoparticles that abolish tumours after a single injection

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew Mackay, J.; Chen, Mingnan; McDaniel, Jonathan R.; Liu, Wenge; Simnick, Andrew J.; Chilkoti, Ashutosh

2009-12-01

New strategies to self-assemble biocompatible materials into nanoscale, drug-loaded packages with improved therapeutic efficacy are needed for nanomedicine. To address this need, we developed artificial recombinant chimeric polypeptides (CPs) that spontaneously self-assemble into sub-100-nm-sized, near-monodisperse nanoparticles on conjugation of diverse hydrophobic molecules, including chemotherapeutics. These CPs consist of a biodegradable polypeptide that is attached to a short Cys-rich segment. Covalent modification of the Cys residues with a structurally diverse set of hydrophobic small molecules, including chemotherapeutics, leads to spontaneous formation of nanoparticles over a range of CP compositions and molecular weights. When used to deliver chemotherapeutics to a murine cancer model, CP nanoparticles have a fourfold higher maximum tolerated dose than free drug, and induce nearly complete tumour regression after a single dose. This simple strategy can promote co-assembly of drugs, imaging agents and targeting moieties into multifunctional nanomedicines.

Self-assembly and flux closure studies of magnetic nanoparticle rings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wei, Alexander; Kasama, Takeshi; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.

2011-01-01

Thermoremanent magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can self-assemble into rings through dipolar interactions, when dispersed under appropriate conditions. Analysis of individual MNP rings and clusters by off-axis electron holography reveals bistable flux closure (FC) states at ambient temperatures...

Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor Based on Thioglycolic Acid-Capped CdSe QDs for Sensing Glucose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun-Young Jung

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to detect low level glucose concentration, an electrochemiluminescence (ECL biosensor based on TGA-capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs was fabricated by the immobilization of CdSe QDs after modifying the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE with 4-aminothiophenol diazonium salts by the electrochemical method. For the detection of glucose concentration, glucose oxidase (GOD was immobilized onto the fabricated CdSe QDs-modified electrode. The fabricated ECL biosensor based on TGA-capped CdSe QDs was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM, UV-vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, a fluorescence spectrometer (PL, and cyclic voltammetry (CV. The fabricated ECL biosensor based on TGA-capped CdSe QDs is suitable for the detection of glucose concentrations in real human blood samples.

Dynamics of magnetic nano-particle assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondratyev, V N

2010-01-01

Ferromagnetically coupled nano-particle assembly is analyzed accounting for inter- and intra- particle electronic structures within the randomly jumping interacting moments model including quantum fluctuations due to the discrete levels and disorder. At the magnetic jump anomalies caused by quantization the magnetic state equation and phase diagram are found to indicate an existence of spinodal regions and critical points. Arrays of magnetized nano-particles with multiple magnetic response anomalies are predicted to display some specific features. In a case of weak coupling such arrays exhibit the well-separated instability regions surrounding the anomaly positions. With increasing coupling we observe further structure modification, plausibly, of bifurcation type. At strong coupling the dynamical instability region become wide while the stable regime arises as a narrow islands at small disorders. It is shown that exploring correlations of magnetic noise amplitudes represents convenient analytical tool for quantitative definition, description and study of supermagnetism, as well as self-organized criticality.

Laser-induced atomic assembling of periodic layered nanostructures of silver nanoparticles in fluoro-polymer film matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagratashvili, V N; Minaev, N V; Timashev, P S; Yusupov, V I; Rybaltovsky, A O; Firsov, V V

2010-01-01

Fluorinated acrylic polymer (FAP) films have been impregnated with silver precursor (Ag(hfac)COD) by supercritical fluid technique and next irradiated with laser (λ = 532 nm). Laser-chemically reduced Ag atoms have been assembled into massifs of Ag nanoparticles (3 – 8 nm) in FAP/Ag(hfac)COD films matrix in the form of periodic layered nanostructures (horizontal to film surface) with unexpectedly short period (90 – 180 nm). The wavelet analysis of TEM images reveals the existence of even shorter-period structures in such films. Photolysis with non-coherent light or pyrolysis of FAP/Ag(hfac)COD film results in formation of Ag nanoparticles massifs but free of any periodic nanoparticle assemblies. Our interpretation of the observed effect of laser formation of short-period nano-sized Ag nanoparticle assemblies is based on self-enhanced interference process in the course of modification of optical properties of film

Influences of CdSe NCs on the photovoltaic parameters of BHJ organic solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ongul, Fatih; Yuksel, Sureyya Aydin; Allahverdi, Cagdas; Bozar, Sinem; Kazici, Mehmet; Gunes, Serap

2018-04-01

In this study, the high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) capped with stearic acid were synthesized in a solvent and then purified four times by using the precipitation and redissolution process. The average size of the synthesized CdSe NCs was determined 3.0 nm via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement and their corresponding optical band edge energy was also calculated as 2.1 eV using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy. The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) hybrid solar cells based on a ternary system including P3HT, PCBM and CdSe NCs at different weight concentrations (0 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt% and 2 wt%) were fabricated by spin-casting process. The effect of the concentration of CdSe NCs on the photovoltaic parameters of these BHJ organic solar cells was investigated. The surface morphology of the photoactive layer modified by the incorporation of CdSe NCs into P3HT:PCBM matrix was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that when the concentration of CdSe NCs increases above 0.1 wt% in this ternary system, the photovoltaic performance of the devices significantly decreases. The power conversion efficiency of the organic photovoltaic (OPV) device was enhanced 20% by incorporating CdSe NCs with 0.1 wt% with respect to those without CdSe NCs.

Controlling the magic and normal sizes of white CdSe quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yu-Sheng; Chung, Shu-Ru

2017-08-01

In this study, we have demonstrated a facile chemical route to prepare CdSe QDs with white light emission, and the performance of white CdSe-based white light emitting diode (WLED) is also exploded. An organic oleic acid (OA) is used to form Cd-OA complex first and hexadecylamine (HDA) and 1-octadecene (ODE) is used as surfactants. Meanwhile, by varying the reaction time from 1 s to 60 min, CdSe QDs with white light can be obtained. The result shows that the luminescence spectra compose two obvious emission peaks and entire visible light from 400 to 700 nm, when the reaction time less than 10 min. The wide emission wavelength combine two particle sizes of CdSe, magic and normal, and the magic-CdSe has band-edge and surface-state emission, while normal size only possess band-edge emission. The TEM characterization shows that the two different sizes with diameter of 1.5 nm and 2.7 nm for magic and normal size CdSe QDs can be obtained when the reaction time is 4 min. We can find that the magic size of CdSe is produced when the reaction time is less than 3 min. In the time ranges from 3 to 10 min, two sizes of CdSe QDs are formed, and with QY from 20 to 60 %. Prolong the reaction time to 60 min, only normal size of CdSe QD can be observed due to the Ostwald repining, and its QYs is 8 %. Based on the results we can conclude that the two emission peaks are generated from the coexistence of magic size and normal size CdSe to form the white light QDs, and the QY and emission wavelength of CdSe QDs can be increased with prolonging reaction time. The sample reacts for 2 (QY 30 %), 4 (QY 32 %) and 60 min (QY 8 %) are choosing to mixes with transparent acrylic-based UV curable resin for WLED fabrication. The Commission International d'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity, color rendering index (CRI), and luminous efficacy for magic, mix, and normal size CdSe are (0.49, 0.44), 81, 1.5 lm/W, (0.35, 0.30), 86, 1.9 lm/W, and (0.39, 0.25), 40, 0.3 lm/W, respectively.

Niobium-Doped Titania Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Assembly into Mesoporous Films and Electrical Conductivity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Liu, Y.; Szeifert, J. M.; Feckl, J. M.; Mandlmeier, B.; Rathouský, Jiří; Heyden, O.; Fattakhova-Rohlfing, D.; Bein, T.

2010-01-01

Roč. 4, č. 9 (2010), s. 5373-5381 ISSN 1936-0851 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/08/0435 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : nanoparticle synthesis * nanoparticle self-assembly * conducting Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 9.855, year: 2010

Stability studies of CdSe nanocrystals in an aqueous environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xi Lifei; Lek, Jun Yan; Liang, Yen Nan; Zhou Wenwen; Yan Qingyu; Hu Xiao; Chiang, Freddy Boey Yin; Lam, Yeng Ming [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Boothroyd, Chris, E-mail: ymlam@ntu.edu.sg [Center for Electron Nanoscopy, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby (Denmark)

2011-07-08

In this paper, CdSe nanocrystal dissolution in an aqueous solution was studied. It was found that light is a key factor affecting the dissolution of nanocrystals. In the presence of light, the electrons generated from CdSe nanocrystals reduce water to hydrogen and hydroxide ions (OH{sup -}) while photo-generated holes oxidize CdSe to Cd{sup 2+} and elemental Se. The dissolution was accelerated in an acidic medium while moderate alkalinity (pH = 10.3) can slow down the dissolution possibly due to precipitation of nanocrystals. This study has strong implications for the use of these crystals in aqueous environments (bioimaging and dye-sensitized solar cells).

A Method for Promoting Assembly of Metallic and Nonmetallic Nanoparticles into Interfacial Monolayer Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yikai; Konrad, Magdalena P; Lee, Wendy W Y; Ye, Ziwei; Bell, Steven E J

2016-08-10

Two-dimensional metal nanoparticle arrays are normally constructed at liquid-oil interfaces by modifying the surfaces of the constituent nanoparticles so that they self-assemble. Here we present a general and facile new approach for promoting such interfacial assembly without any surface modification. The method use salts that have hydrophobic ions of opposite charge to the nanoparticles, which sit in the oil layer and thus reduce the Coulombic repulsion between the particles in the organic phase, allowing the particles to sit in close proximity to each other at the interface. The advantage of this method is that because it does not require the surface of the particles to be modified it allows nonmetallic particles including TiO2 and SiO2 to be assembled into dense interfacial layers using the same procedure as is used for metallic particles. This opens up a route to a new family of nanostructured functional materials.

Directing self-assembly of gold nanoparticles in diblock copolymer scaffold

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qifang; He, Jinbo; Glogowski, Elizabeth; Emrick, Todd; Russell, Thomas

2007-03-01

A versatile hierarchical approach for directing self -assembly of gold nanostructures with size 2-3nm in diblock copolymer scaffolds is found. Diblock copolymer polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) is used to form a regular scaffold of highly anisotropic, stripe-like domains, and controlled differential wetting by dichloromethane and thermal annealing guides gold nanoparticles with half hydrophilic ligand to aggregate selectively along the scaffold, producing highly organized metal nanostructures. In as-cast block-copolymer and gold nanoparticles thin films, micelle structure and gold nanoparticles random distribution on scaffold are typically observed. However, samples annealed in dichloromethane exhibit well-defined short-range ordered nanostructure with gold nanoparticles located at the interface of PS and P2VP nanoscale domain. After annealing at 170 C, the gold nanoparticles at interface migrated into the middle of P2VP phase and exhibited long-range ordered hierarchical structures. Synergistic interactions between the gold nanoparticles and the PS-b-P2VP caused an orientation of the microdomains normal to the film surface.

Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene coated iron oxide nanoparticles and asymmetric assemblies by phase inversion

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui; Sougrat, Rachid; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2014-01-01

nanoparticle assemblies were then prepared by solution casting and immersion in water. The nanocomposite film production with functionalized nanoparticles is fast and technically scalable. The morphologies of films were characterized by scanning electron

Chemical bath deposition of Hg doped CdSe thin films and their characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuse, V.M.

2005-01-01

The deliberate addition of Hg in CdSe thin film have been carried out using a simple, modified, chemical bath deposition technique with the objective to study the effect of Hg doping on properties of CdSe thin films. Synthesis was initiated at 278 K temperature using complexed cadmium sulphate, mercuric nitrate and sodium selenosulphate in an aqueous ammonical medium at pH 10. Films were characterized by XRD, SEM, optical absorption, electrical and thermoelectric techniques. The 'as deposited' films were uniform, well adherent, nearly stoichiometric and polycrystalline in a single cubic phase (zinc blende). Crystallite size determined from XRD and SEM was found to increase slightly with addition of Hg. The optical band gap of CdSe remains constant upto 0.05 mol% Hg doping, while it decreases monotonically with further increase in mercury content. Dark dc electrical resistivity and conduction activation energy of CdSe were found to decrease initially upto 0.05 mol% of Hg, thereafter increased for higher values of Hg but remains less than those of CdSe. All the films showed n-type of conductivity. A CdSe film containing 0.05 mol% of Hg showed higher absorption coefficient, and conductivity

Influences of CdSe NCs on the photovoltaic parameters of BHJ organic solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ongul, Fatih; Yuksel, Sureyya Aydin; Allahverdi, Cagdas; Bozar, Sinem; Kazici, Mehmet; Gunes, Serap

2018-04-05

In this study, the high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) capped with stearic acid were synthesized in a solvent and then purified four times by using the precipitation and redissolution process. The average size of the synthesized CdSe NCs was determined ~3.0nm via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement and their corresponding optical band edge energy was also calculated as ~2.1eV using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy. The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) hybrid solar cells based on a ternary system including P3HT, PCBM and CdSe NCs at different weight concentrations (0wt%, 0.1wt%, 0.5wt%, 1wt% and 2wt%) were fabricated by spin-casting process. The effect of the concentration of CdSe NCs on the photovoltaic parameters of these BHJ organic solar cells was investigated. The surface morphology of the photoactive layer modified by the incorporation of CdSe NCs into P3HT:PCBM matrix was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that when the concentration of CdSe NCs increases above 0.1wt% in this ternary system, the photovoltaic performance of the devices significantly decreases. The power conversion efficiency of the organic photovoltaic (OPV) device was enhanced ~20% by incorporating CdSe NCs with 0.1wt% with respect to those without CdSe NCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of engineered nanoparticles on the assembly of exopolymeric substances from phytoplankton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Shuo Chen

Full Text Available The unique properties of engineered nanoparticles (ENs that make their industrial applications so attractive simultaneously raise questions regarding their environmental safety. ENs exhibit behaviors different from bulk materials with identical chemical compositions. Though the nanotoxicity of ENs has been studied intensively, their unintended environmental impacts remain largely unknown. Herein we report experimental results of EN interactions with exopolymeric substances (EPS from three marine phytoplankton species: Amphora sp., Ankistrodesmus angustus and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. EPS are polysaccharide-rich anionic colloid polymers released by various microorganisms that can assemble into microgels, possibly by means of hydrophobic and ionic mechanisms. Polystyrene nanoparticles (23 nm were used in our study as model ENs. The effects of ENs on EPS assembly were monitored with dynamic laser scattering (DLS. We found that ENs can induce significant acceleration in Amphora sp. EPS assembly; after 72 hours EN-EPS aggregation reached equilibrium, forming microscopic gels of ∼4-6 µm in size. In contrast, ENs only cause moderate assembly kinetic acceleration for A. angustus and P. tricornutum EPS samples. Our results indicate that the effects of ENs on EPS assembly kinetics mainly depend on the hydrophobic interactions of ENs with EPS polymers. The cycling mechanism of EPS is complex. Nonetheless, the change of EPS assembly kinetics induced by ENs can be considered as one potential disturbance to the marine carbon cycle.

Loading of atorvastatin and linezolid in β-cyclodextrin–conjugated cadmium selenide/silica nanoparticles: A spectroscopic study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antony, Eva Janet; Shibu, Abhishek [Department of Nanosciences & Technology, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, Tamil Nadu (India); Ramasamy, Sivaraj; Paulraj, Mosae Selvakumar [Department of Chemistry, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, Tamil Nadu (India); Enoch, Israel V.M.V., E-mail: drisraelenoch@gmail.com [Department of Nanosciences & Technology, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, Tamil Nadu (India); Department of Chemistry, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, Tamil Nadu (India)

2016-08-01

The preparation of β–cyclodextrin–conjugated cadmium selenide–silica nanoparticles, the loading of two drugs viz., Atorvastatin and linezolid in the cyclodextrin cavity, and the fluorescence energy transfer between CdSe/SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and the drugs encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity are reported in this paper. IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, and particle size analysis by light–scattering experiment were used as the tools of characterizing the size and the crystal system of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles fall under hexagonal system. The silica–shell containing CdSe nanoparticles were functionalized by reaction with aminoethylamino–β–cyclodextrin. Fluorescence spectra of the nanoparticles in their free and drug–encapsulated forms were studied. The FÖrster distances between the encapsulated drugs and the CdSe nanoparticles are below 3 nm. The change in the FÖrster resonance energy parameters under physiological conditions may aid in tracking the release of drugs from the cavity of the cyclodextrin. - Highlights: • CdSe/SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles of crystallite size 15 nm are prepared. • β-Cyclodextrin is attached to the surface of the nanoparticles. • Atorvastatin and linezolid get encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity. • FRET efficiency between the nanoparticles and the loaded drugs are determined.

Loading of atorvastatin and linezolid in β-cyclodextrin–conjugated cadmium selenide/silica nanoparticles: A spectroscopic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antony, Eva Janet; Shibu, Abhishek; Ramasamy, Sivaraj; Paulraj, Mosae Selvakumar; Enoch, Israel V.M.V.

2016-01-01

The preparation of β–cyclodextrin–conjugated cadmium selenide–silica nanoparticles, the loading of two drugs viz., Atorvastatin and linezolid in the cyclodextrin cavity, and the fluorescence energy transfer between CdSe/SiO_2 nanoparticles and the drugs encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity are reported in this paper. IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, and particle size analysis by light–scattering experiment were used as the tools of characterizing the size and the crystal system of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles fall under hexagonal system. The silica–shell containing CdSe nanoparticles were functionalized by reaction with aminoethylamino–β–cyclodextrin. Fluorescence spectra of the nanoparticles in their free and drug–encapsulated forms were studied. The FÖrster distances between the encapsulated drugs and the CdSe nanoparticles are below 3 nm. The change in the FÖrster resonance energy parameters under physiological conditions may aid in tracking the release of drugs from the cavity of the cyclodextrin. - Highlights: • CdSe/SiO_2 nanoparticles of crystallite size 15 nm are prepared. • β-Cyclodextrin is attached to the surface of the nanoparticles. • Atorvastatin and linezolid get encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity. • FRET efficiency between the nanoparticles and the loaded drugs are determined.

Review and outlook: from single nanoparticles to self-assembled monolayers and granular GMR sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Weddemann

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This paper highlights recent advances in synthesis, self-assembly and sensing applications of monodisperse magnetic Co and Co-alloyed nanoparticles. A brief introduction to solution phase synthesis techniques as well as the magnetic properties and aspects of the self-assembly process of nanoparticles will be given with the emphasis placed on selected applications, before recent developments of particles in sensor devices are outlined. Here, the paper focuses on the fabrication of granular magnetoresistive sensors by the employment of particles themselves as sensing layers. The role of interparticle interactions is discussed.

Composition and performance of thin film CdSe electrodeposited from selenosulfite solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabo, J.P.; Simms, D.; Cocivera, M.

1985-01-01

Cathodic electrodeposition of thin film CdSe from aqueous selenosulfite solution has been studied as function of solution composition and electrode potential. The Cd/Se ratio has been analyzed using polarography and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Polarography gives a compostion averaged over the whole film (2cm 2 ) while RBS gives local surface composition (1 mm 2 ). The average Cd/Se ratio is 1.1, but some variation was found to occur across the surface of film (0.82 to 1.2)

Photoinduced interaction of CdSe quantum dot with coumarins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Kemary, Maged, E-mail: elkemary@sci.kfs.edu.eg [Nanotechnology Center, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516 Kafrelsheikh (Egypt); Gaber, Mohamed; El-Sayed, Y.S. [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt); Gheat, Youssef [Nanotechnology Center, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516 Kafrelsheikh (Egypt); Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt)

2015-03-15

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized with a cubic shape having a diameter of ∼5.24 nm. The prepared CdSe QDs were characterized by using UV–visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements. The UV–visible absorption spectra indicate that the optical band gap of CdSe QDs is ∼622 nm and the peak shift can mainly be due to the quantum size effects. The fluorescence decay kinetics for the synthesized QDs was followed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and the spectra were analyzed in regard to a bi-exponential model to identify two lifetime values, that is, shorter-lifetime 1.37 ns (55%) and longer-lifetime 6.58 ns (45%). The interaction of coumarin 152 (C152) and coumarin 153 (C153) with QDs surface brings about further considerable changes in the absorption and fluorescence patterns. The calculated binding constant from fluorescence quenching method matches well with that determined from the absorption spectral changes. The static quenching mechanism was confirmed by large magnitude of K{sub SV} and unaltered fluorescence lifetime. - Highlights: • CdSe QDs were synthesized with a cubic shape having a diameter of ∼5.24 nm. • The UV–visible absorption spectra indicate that the optical band gap of CdSe QDs is ∼622 nm. • Picosecond fluorescence measurements of the QDs suggest bi-exponential function. • The calculated binding constant from fluorescence quenching method matches well with that determined from the absorption spectral changes. • The static quenching mechanism was confirmed by large magnitude of K{sub SV} and unaltered fluorescence lifetime.

High-coercivity FePt nanoparticle assemblies embedded in silica thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Q; Purkayastha, A; Singh, A P; Li, H; Ramanath, G; Li, A; Ramanujan, R V

2009-01-01

The ability to process assemblies using thin film techniques in a scalable fashion would be a key to transmuting the assemblies into manufacturable devices. Here, we embed FePt nanoparticle assemblies into a silica thin film by sol-gel processing. Annealing the thin film composite at 650 deg. C transforms the chemically disordered fcc FePt phase into the fct phase, yielding magnetic coercivity values H c >630 mT. The positional order of the particles is retained due to the protection offered by the silica host. Such films with assemblies of high-coercivity magnetic particles are attractive for realizing new types of ultra-high-density data storage devices and magneto-composites.

Study on the optical properties of CdSe QDs with different ligands in specific matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Wei; Zou Wei; Du Zhongjie; Li Hangquan; Zhang Chen

2013-01-01

Different ligand structures of CdSe quantum dots were designed and synthesized for the specific matrix and the effect of the ligands on the photoluminescence and optical properties were further investigated. Ligand exchange reaction was used to synthesize thioglycolic acid-capped CdSe QDs and the process was characterized by FT-IR and titration. The influence of environmental pH value and storing time on the properties of thioglycolic acid-capped CdSe QDs in aqueous solution were studied by absorption and photoluminescence spectra. It was found that alkaline environment was more beneficial for the application of CdSe QDs. Therefore, the amino ligands with different molecular weight were grafted onto CdSe QDs for improving the compatibility with epoxy matrix and then amino-capped CdSe QDs/epoxy nanocomposites were fabricated. The morphologies and properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by DLS, HR-TEM, UV–Vis spectra, and photoluminescence spectra. As a result, amino ligands with short-molecular chain-capped CdSe QDs/epoxy nanocomposites exhibited good dispersion, high transparency and photoluminescence, and would be suitable for potential application in light-emitting diode device.

Effect of CdS/Mg-Doped CdSe Cosensitized Photoanode on Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingxiang Guan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Quantum dots have emerged as a material platform for low-cost high-performance sensitized solar cells. And doping is an effective method to improve the performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs. Since Kwak et al. from South Korea proved the incorporation of Mg in the CdSe quantum dots (QDs in 2007, the Mg-doped CdSe QDs have been thoroughly studied. Here we report a new attempt on CdS/Mg-doped CdSe quantum dot cosensitized solar cells (QDCSSC. We analyzed the performance of CdS/Mg-doped CdSe quantum dot cosensitized solar cells via discussing the different doping concentration of Mg and the different SILAR cycles of CdS. And we studied the mechanism of CdS/Mg-doped CdSe QDs in detail for the reason why the energy conversion efficiency had been promoted. It is a significant instruction on the development of Mg-doped CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs.

Electronic structure and self-assembly of cross-linked semiconductor nanocrystal arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, Dov; Azulay, Doron; Aharoni, Assaf; Salant, Assaf; Banin, Uri; Millo, Oded

2008-01-01

We studied the electronic level structure of assemblies of InAs quantum dots and CdSe nanorods cross-linked by 1,4-phenylenediamine molecules using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. We found that the bandgap in these arrays is reduced with respect to the corresponding ligand-capped nanocrystal arrays. In addition, a pronounced sub-gap spectral structure commonly appeared which can be attributed to unpassivated nanocrystal surface states or associated with linker-molecule-related levels. The exchange of the ligands by the linker molecules also affected the structural array properties. Most significantly, clusters of close-packed standing CdSe nanorods were formed

Self-assembled silk sericin/poloxamer nanoparticles as nanocarriers of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for targeted delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandal, Biman B; Kundu, S C

2009-01-01

In recent times self-assembled micellar nanoparticles have been successfully employed in tissue engineering for targeted drug delivery applications. In this review, silk sericin protein from non-mulberry Antheraea mylitta tropical tasar silk cocoons was blended with pluronic F-127 and F-87 in the presence of solvents to achieve self-assembled micellar nanostructures capable of carrying both hydrophilic (FITC-inulin) and hydrophobic (anticancer drug paclitaxel) drugs. The fabricated nanoparticles were subsequently characterized for their size distribution, drug loading capability, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. Nanoparticle sizes ranged between 100 and 110 nm in diameter as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. Rapid uptake of these particles into cells was observed in in vitro cellular uptake studies using breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assay using paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles against breast cancer cells showed promising results comparable to free paclitaxel drugs. Drug-encapsulated nanoparticle-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was confirmed by FACS and confocal microscopic studies using Annexin V staining. Up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cleavage of regulatory protein PARP through Western blot analysis suggested further drug-induced apoptosis in cells. This study projects silk sericin protein as an alternative natural biomaterial for fabrication of self-assembled nanoparticles in the presence of poloxamer for successful delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs to target sites.

Self-assembled silk sericin/poloxamer nanoparticles as nanocarriers of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for targeted delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandal, Biman B; Kundu, S C, E-mail: kundu@hijli.iitkgp.ernet.i [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 (India)

2009-09-02

In recent times self-assembled micellar nanoparticles have been successfully employed in tissue engineering for targeted drug delivery applications. In this review, silk sericin protein from non-mulberry Antheraea mylitta tropical tasar silk cocoons was blended with pluronic F-127 and F-87 in the presence of solvents to achieve self-assembled micellar nanostructures capable of carrying both hydrophilic (FITC-inulin) and hydrophobic (anticancer drug paclitaxel) drugs. The fabricated nanoparticles were subsequently characterized for their size distribution, drug loading capability, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. Nanoparticle sizes ranged between 100 and 110 nm in diameter as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. Rapid uptake of these particles into cells was observed in in vitro cellular uptake studies using breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assay using paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles against breast cancer cells showed promising results comparable to free paclitaxel drugs. Drug-encapsulated nanoparticle-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was confirmed by FACS and confocal microscopic studies using Annexin V staining. Up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cleavage of regulatory protein PARP through Western blot analysis suggested further drug-induced apoptosis in cells. This study projects silk sericin protein as an alternative natural biomaterial for fabrication of self-assembled nanoparticles in the presence of poloxamer for successful delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs to target sites.

Predicting Chiral Nanostructures, Lattices and Superlattices in Complex Multicomponent Nanoparticle Self-Assembly

KAUST Repository

Hur, Kahyun; Hennig, Richard G.; Escobedo, Fernando A.; Wiesner, Ulrich

2012-01-01

"Bottom up" type nanoparticle (NP) self-assembly is expected to provide facile routes to nanostructured materials for various, for example, energy related, applications. Despite progress in simulations and theories, structure prediction of self

A novel fluorescent assay for edaravone with aqueous functional CdSe quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Ping; Yan, Zheng-Yu; Xu, Zhi-Ji; Sun, Xiao

2009-06-01

Aqueous thiol-capped CdSe QDs with a narrow, symmetric emission were prepared under a low temperature. Based on the fluorescence enhancement of thiol-stabilized CdSe quantum dots (QDs) caused by edaravone, a simple, rapid and specific quantitative method was proposed to the edaravone determination. The concentration dependence of fluorescence intensity followed the binding of edaravone to surface of the thiol-capped CdSe QDs was effectively described by a modified Langmuir-type binding isotherm. Factors affecting the fluorescence detection for edaravone with thiol-stabilized CdSe QDs were studied, such as the effect of pH, reaction time, the concentration of CdSe QDs and so on. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration plot of C/( I - I0) with concentration of edaravone was linear in the range of (1.45-17.42) μg/mL (0.008-0.1 μmol/L) with correlation coefficient of 0.998. The limit of detection (LOD) (3 σ/ κ) was 0.15 μg/mL (0.0009 μmol/mL). Possible interaction mechanism was discussed.

Improved insulin loading in poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles upon self-assembly with lipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garcia Diaz, Maria; Foged, Camilla; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck

2015-01-01

Polymeric nanoparticles are widely investigated as drug delivery systems for oral administration. However, the hydrophobic nature of many polymers hampers effective loading of the particles with hydrophilic macromolecules such as insulin. Thus, the aim of this work was to improve the loading...... of insulin into poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles by pre-assembly with amphiphilic lipids. Insulin was complexed with soybean phosphatidylcholine or sodium caprate by self-assembly and subsequently loaded into PLGA nanoparticles by using the double emulsion-solvent evaporation technique...... efficiencies (90% as compared to 24% in the absence of lipids). Importantly, the insulin loading capacity was increased up to 20% by using the lipid–insulin complexes. The results further showed that a main fraction of the lipid was incorporated into the nanoparticles and remained associated to the polymer...

Design of a versatile chemical assembly method for patterning colloidal nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, J H; Adams, S M; Ragan, R

2009-01-01

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) domains in phase-separated polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymer thin films were chemically modified for controlled placement of solution synthesized Au nanoparticles having a mean diameter of 24 nm. Colloidal Au nanoparticles functionalized with thioctic acid were immobilized on amine functionalized PMMA domains on the PS-b-PMMA template using 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride linking chemistry and N-hydroxy sulfosuccinimide stabilizer. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated immobilization of Au nanoparticles commensurate with PMMA domains. Nanoparticles form into clusters of single particles, dimers, and linear chains as directed by the PMMA domain size and shape. Capillary forces influence the spacing between Au nanoparticles on PMMA domains. Inter-particle spacings below 3 nm were achieved and these assemblies of closely spaced nanoparticle clusters are expected to exhibit strong localized electromagnetic fields. Thus, these processes and material systems provide an experimental platform for studying resonantly enhanced excitations of surface plasmons as a function of material and geometric structure as well as utilization in catalytic applications.

Layer-by-layer assembled composite films of side-functionalized poly(3-hexylthiophene) and CdSe nanocrystals: electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical and photovoltaic properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Girolamo, Julia; Reiss, Peter; Zagorska, Malgorzata; de Bettignies, Remi; Bailly, Severine; Mevellec, Jean-Yves; Lefrant, Serge; Travers, Jean-Pierre; Pron, Adam

2008-01-01

Regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) containing one diaminopyrimidine side group per ten repeat units (P3HT-co-P3(ODAP)HT) can form molecular composites with 1-(6-mercaptohexyl)thymine capped CdSe nanocrystals (CdSe(MHT)) via hydrogen bonds directed molecular recognition. Here we report complementary

Air annealing induced transformation of cubic CdSe microspheres into hexagonal nanorods and micro-pyramids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kale, Rohidas B., E-mail: rb_kale@yahoo.co.in [Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Mumbai 400032, M.S. (India); Lu, Shih-Yuan, E-mail: sylu@mx.nthu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013, Taiwan (China)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Nanocrystalline CdSe thin films were deposited using inexpensive CBD method. • Air annealing induced structural and interesting morphological transformation. • The as-deposited CdSe thin films showed a blue shift in its optical spectra. • The films showed a red shift in their optical spectra after annealing. - Abstract: CdSe thin films have been deposited onto glass substrates using a chemical bath deposition method at relatively low temperatures (40 °C). The precursors used for the deposition of the thin films are cadmium nitrate hexahydrate, freshly prepared sodium selenosulfate solution and aqueous ammonia solution as a complex as well as pH adjusting reagent. In order to study the influence of air annealing on their physicochemical properties, the as-deposited CdSe thin films were further annealed at 200 °C and 400 °C for 3 h in air atmosphere. Significant changes in the morphology and photonic properties were clearly observed after the thermal annealing of the CdSe thin films. The as-deposited CdSe films grow with the cubic phase that transforms into mixed cubic and hexagonal wurtzite phase with improved crystalline quality of the films after the air annealing. Morphological observation reveals that the as-deposited thin films grow with multilayer that consists of network or mesh like structure, uniformly deposited on the glass substrate over which microspheres are uniformly distributed. After air annealing, CdSe nanorods emerged from the microspheres along with conversion of few microspheres into micro-pyramids. The UV–visible study illustrates that the as-deposited thin film shows blue shifts in its optical spectrum and the spectrum was red-shifted after annealing the CdSe thin films. The band gap of the CdSe thin films were found to be decreased after the thermal treatment.

Investigation of the structural, optical and electrical transport properties of n-doped CdSe thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, H. M.; Abd El-Ghanny, H. A.

2008-04-01

Thin films of (CdSe)90(In2O3)10, (CdSe)90(SnO2)10 and (CdSe)90(ZnO)10 have been grown on glass substrates by the electron beam evaporation technique. It has been found that undoped and Sn or In doped CdSe films have two direct transitions corresponding to the energy gaps Eg and Eg+Δ due to spin-orbit splitting of the valence band. The electrical resistivity for n-doped CdSe thin films as a function of light exposure time has been studied. The influence of doping on the structural, optical and electrical characteristics of In doped CdSe films has been investigated in detail. The lattice parameters, grain size and dislocation were determined from x-ray diffraction patterns. The optical transmittance and band gap of these films were determined using a double beam spectrophotometer. The DC conductivity of the films was measured in vacuum using a two-probe technique.

Chemical substitution of Cd ions by Hg in CdSe nanorods and nanodots: Spectroscopic and structural examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prudnikau, Anatol; Artemyev, Mikhail; Molinari, Michael; Troyon, Michel; Sukhanova, Alyona; Nabiev, Igor; Baranov, Alexandr V.; Cherevkov, Sergey A.; Fedorov, Anatoly V.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We studied cadmium-by-mercury chemical substitution in CdSe nanocrystals. ► Zinc blende CdSe quantum dots can be easily converted to isostructural Cd x Hg 1−x Se. ► Wurtzite CdSe QDs require longer time to convert to a zinc blende Cd x Hg 1−x Se. ► Wurtzite CdSe nanorods transform to nanoheterogeneous luminescent Cd x Hg 1−x Se rods. - Abstract: The chemical substitution of cadmium by mercury in colloidal CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and nanorods has been examined by absorption, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. The crystalline structure of original CdSe QDs used for Cd/Hg substitution (zinc blende versus wurtzite) shows a strong impact on the optical and structural properties of resultant Cd x Hg 1−x Se nanocrystals. Substitution of Cd by Hg in isostructural zinc blende CdSe QDs converts them to ternary Cd x Hg 1−x Se zinc blende nanocrystals with significant NIR emission. Whereas, the wurtzite CdSe QDs transformed first to ternary nanocrystals with almost no emission followed by slow structural reorganization to a NIR-emitting zinc blende Cd x Hg 1−x Se QDs. CdSe nanorods with intrinsic wurtzite structure show unexpectedly intense NIR emission even at early Cd/Hg substitution stage with PL active zinc blende Cd x Hg 1−x Se regions.

Synthesis of Photocrosslinkable and Amine Containing Multifunctional Nanoparticles via Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jianbing; Li, Decai; Liang, Hui; Lu, Jiang

2017-08-01

Photo-crosslinkable and amine-containing block copolymer nanoparticles are synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization-induced self-assembly of a multifunctional core-forming monomer, 2-((3-(4-(diethylamino)phenyl)acryloyl)oxy)ethyl methacrylate (DEMA), using poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) macromolecular chain transfer agent as a steric stabilizer in methanol at 65 °C. By tuning the chain length of PDEMA, a range of nanoparticle morphologies (sphere, worm, and vesicle) can be obtained. Since cinnamate groups can easily undergo a [2 + 2] cycloaddition of the carbon-carbon double bonds upon UV irradiation, the as-prepared block copolymer nanoparticles are readily stabilized by photo-crosslinking to produce anisotropic nanoparticles. The crosslinked block copolymer nanoparticles can be used as templates for in situ formation polymer/gold hybrid nanoparticles. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermo-responsive human α-elastin self-assembled nanoparticles for protein delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jae Dong; Jung, Youn Jae; Woo, Chang Hee; Choi, Young Chan; Choi, Ji Suk; Cho, Yong Woo

2017-01-01

Self-assembled nanoparticles based on PEGylated human α-elastin were prepared as a potential vehicle for sustained protein delivery. The α-elastin was extracted from human adipose tissue and modified with methoxypolyethyleneglycol (mPEG) to control particle size and enhance the colloidal stability. The PEGylated human α-elastin showed sol-to-particle transition with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 25°C-40°C in aqueous media. The PEGylated human α-elastin nanoparticles (PhENPs) showed a narrow size distribution with an average diameter of 330±33nm and were able to encapsulate significant amounts of insulin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) upon simple mixing at low temperature in water and subsequent heating to physiological temperature. The release profiles of insulin and BSA showed sustained release for 72h. Overall, the thermo-responsive self-assembled PhENPs provide a useful tool for a range of protein delivery and tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of Cu{sub 2}S nanoneedles by self-assembly of nanoparticles via simple wet chemical route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumarakuru, Haridas, E-mail: haridas.kumarakuru@nmmu.ac.za; Coombes, Matthew J.; Neethling, Johannes H.; Westraadt, Johan E.

2014-03-15

Highlights: • An inexpensive wet chemical method was used at room temperature to grow Cu{sub 2}S. • Growth of Cu{sub 2}S nanostructures influences by the Cl{sup −} ion concentration. • Thioglycerol and Cl{sup −} ions are used as a blend capping agents. • Cu{sub 2}S nanoneedles were formed via self-assembly of nanoparticles. • We can propose a growth model for Cu{sub 2}S nanoneedles based on our observations. -- Abstract: Cu{sub 2}S nanoneedles, fabricated by self-assembly of Cu{sub 2}S nanoparticles via wet chemical method are investigated. Crystallinity and surface morphologies of the as-grown needles are examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It is observed that the nanoparticle formation is controlled by the blend concentration of capping agents, thioglycerol, added during the synthesis and the Cl{sup −} ions delivered by the CuCl source. The likely reasons for the elongated structure of the nanoparticle self-assembly are also discussed.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of cholesterol-conjugated carboxymethyl curdlan as a novel carrier of epirubicin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lei; Gao Fuping; Tang Hongbo; Ba, Yonggang; Li Ruifeng; Li Xuemin; Liu Lingrong; Wang Yinsong; Zhang Qiqing

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop nanoparticles made of cholesterol-conjugated carboxymethyl curdlan (CCMC) entrapping epirubicin (EPB) and establish their in vitro and in vivo potential. CCMC was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra ( 1 H NMR). The degrees of substitution (DS) of the cholesterol moiety were 2.3, 3.5 and 6.4, respectively. EPB-loaded CCMC-3.5 nanoparticles were prepared by the remote loading method. The physicochemical characteristics, drug loading efficiency and drug release kinetics of EPB-loaded CCMC-3.5 nanoparticles were characterized. The in vitro release profiles revealed that EPB release was sensitive to the pH as well as the drug loading contents. The cellular cytotoxicity and cellular uptake were accessed by using human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The EPB-loaded CCMC-3.5 nanoparticles were found to be more cytotoxic and have a broader distribution within the cells than the free EPB. The in vivo pharmacokinetics and biodistribution were investigated after intravenous injection in rats. Promisingly, a 4.0-fold increase in the mean residence time (MRT), a 4.31-fold increase in the half-life time and a 6.69-fold increase in the area under the curve (AUC 0→∞ ) of EPB were achieved for the EPB-loaded CCMC-3.5 self-assembled nanoparticles compared with the free EPB. The drug level was significantly increased in liver at 24 and 72 h; however, it decreased in heart at 8 and 24 h compared with the free EPB. The in vivo anti-tumor study indicated that the EPB-loaded CCMC-3.5 self-assembled nanoparticles showed greater anti-tumor efficacy than the free EPB. Taken together, the novel CCMC self-assembled nanoparticles might have potential application as anti-cancer drug carriers in a drug delivery system due to good results in vitro and in vivo.

Optical absorption of CdSe quantum dots on electrodes with different morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Witoon Yindeesuk

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We have studied the optical absorption of CdSe quantum dots (QDs adsorbed on inverse opal TiO2 (IO-TiO2 and nanoparticulate TiO2 (NP-TiO2 electrodes using photoacoustic (PA measurements. The CdSe QDs were grown directly on IO-TiO2 and NP-TiO2 electrodes by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR method with different numbers of cycles. The average diameter of the QDs was estimated by applying an effective mass approximation to the PA spectra. The increasing size of the QDs with increasing number of cycles was confirmed by a redshift in the optical absorption spectrum. The average diameter of the CdSe QDs on the IO-TiO2 electrodes was similar to that on the NP-TiO2 ones, indicating that growth is independent of morphology. However, there were more CdSe QDs on the NP-TiO2 electrodes than on the IO-TiO2 ones, indicating that there were different amounts of active sites on each type of electrode. In addition, the Urbach parameter of the exponential optical absorption tail was also estimated from the PA spectrum. The Urbach parameter of CdSe QDs on IO-TiO2 electrodes was higher than that on NP-TiO2 ones, indicating that CdSe QDs on IO-TiO2 electrodes are more disordered states than those on NP-TiO2 electrodes. The Urbach parameter decreases in both cases with the increase of SILAR cycles, and it tended to move toward a constant value.

Efficient intranuclear gene delivery by CdSe aqueous quantum dots electrostatically-coated with polyethyleneimine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Au, Giang H T; Shih, Wan Y; Shih, Wei-Heng

2015-01-01

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconducting nanoparticles with photoluminescence properties that do not photobleach. Due to these advantages, using QDs for non-viral gene delivery has the additional benefit of being able to track the delivery of the genes in real time as it happens. We investigate the efficacy of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped CdSe aqueous quantum dots (AQDs) electrostatically complexed with branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) both as a non-viral gene delivery vector and as a fluorescent probe for tracking the delivery of genes into nuclei. The MPA-capped CdSe AQDs that were completely synthesized in water were the model AQDs. A nominal MPA:Cd:Se = 4:3:1 was chosen for optimal photoluminescence and zeta potential. The gene delivery study was carried out in vitro using a human colon cancer cell line, HT29 (ATCC). The model gene was a plasmid DNA (pDNA) that can express red fluorescent protein (RFP). Positively charged branched PEI was employed to provide a proton buffer to the AQDs to allow for endosomal escape. It is shown that by using a PEI-AQD complex with a PEI/AQD molar ratio of 300 and a nominal pDNA/PEI-AQD ratio of 6, we can achieve 75 ± 2.6% RFP expression efficiency with cell vitality remaining at 78 ± 4% of the control. (paper)

Electronic structures and magnetism for carbon doped CdSe: Modified Becke–Johnson density functional calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, S.W., E-mail: fansw1129@126.com; Song, T.; Huang, X.N.; Yang, L.; Ding, L.J.; Pan, L.Q.

2016-09-15

Utilizing the full potential linearized augment plane wave method, the electronic structures and magnetism for carbon doped CdSe are investigated. Calculations show carbon substituting selenium could induce CdSe to be a diluted magnetic semiconductor. Single carbon dopant could induce 2.00 μ{sub B} magnetic moment. Electronic structures show the long-range ferromagnetic coupling mainly originates from the p–d exchange-like p–p coupling interaction. Positive chemical pair interactions indicate carbon dopants would form homogeneous distribution in CdSe host. The formation energy implies the non-equilibrium fabricated technology is necessary during the samples fabricated. - Highlights: • The C{sub Se} defects could induce the CdSe to be typical diluted magnetic semiconductor. • Electronic structures show ferromagnetism come from p-d exchange-like p-p coupling. • Chemical pair interactions indicate C{sub Se} prefer homogenous distribution in CdSe host.

Microscopic theory of cation exchange in CdSe nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Florian D; Spiegel, Leo L; Norris, David J; Erwin, Steven C

2014-10-10

Although poorly understood, cation-exchange reactions are increasingly used to dope or transform colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots). We use density-functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to develop a microscopic theory that explains structural, optical, and electronic changes observed experimentally in Ag-cation-exchanged CdSe nanocrystals. We find that Coulomb interactions, both between ionized impurities and with the polarized nanocrystal surface, play a key role in cation exchange. Our theory also resolves several experimental puzzles related to photoluminescence and electrical behavior in CdSe nanocrystals doped with Ag.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Gobind; Chakraborty, Ritun; Gopalakrishnan, Anisha [Italian Institute of Technology, Nanostructure Division (Italy); Baranov, Dmitry [University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Di Fabrizio, Enzo [King Abdullah University Science and Technology (KAUST), PSE and BESE Divisions (Saudi Arabia); Krahne, Roman, E-mail: roman.krahne@iit.it [Italian Institute of Technology, Nanostructure Division (Italy)

2013-05-15

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 10{sup 5} with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl{sub 3} concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers.

Polymer/surfactant assisted self-assembly of nanoparticles into Langmuir–Blodgett films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alejo, T.; Merchán, M.D.; Velázquez, M.M.; Pérez-Hernández, J.A.

2013-01-01

We studied the ability of poly(octadecene-co-maleic anhydride) (PMAO) and a Gemini surfactant [C 18 H 37 (CH 3 ) 2 N + Br − –(CH 2 ) 2 –N + Br − (CH 3 ) 2 C 18 H 37 ] (18-2-18) to assist in the self-assembly process of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) at the air–water interface. Results show that, while QD agglomeration is generally inhibited by the addition of these components to the Langmuir monolayer of QDs, structure of the film transferred onto mica by the Langmuir–Blodgett method is strongly affected by the dewetting process. Nucleation-and-growth of holes and spinodal-like dewetting were respectively observed in the presence of either PMAO or 18-2-18. When PMAO/18-2-18 mixtures were used, both mechanisms were allowed; nevertheless, even in films prepared with mixtures of low polymer contents, characteristic morphology from the polymer dewetting route prevailed. Highlights: ► Effect of the composition on the LB films of QDs/polymer. ► Effect of the composition on the LB films of QDs/Gemini surfactant. ► Dewetting mechanisms

Resonance Raman spectra of wurtzite and zincblende CdSe nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelley, Anne Myers, E-mail: amkelley@ucmerced.edu [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 (United States); Dai, Quanqin; Jiang, Zhong-jie; Baker, Joshua A.; Kelley, David F. [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 (United States)

2013-08-30

Highlights: ► Very similar resonance Raman spectra of wurtzite and zincblende CdSe nanocrystals. ► First absolute resonance Raman cross-sections reported for CdSe nanocrystals. ► LO overtones suggest slightly stronger electron–phonon coupling in wurtzite form. - Abstract: Resonance Raman spectra and absolute differential Raman cross-sections have been measured for CdSe nanocrystals in both the wurtzite and zincblende crystal forms at four excitation wavelengths from 457.9 to 514.5 nm. The frequency and bandshape of the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon fundamental is essentially identical for both crystal forms at each excitation wavelength. The LO phonon overtone to fundamental intensity ratio appears to be slightly higher for the wurtzite form, which may suggest slightly stronger exciton–phonon coupling from the Fröhlich mechanism in the wurtzite form. The LO fundamental Raman cross-sections are very similar for both crystal forms at each excitation wavelength.

Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) 2013 Year End Report

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Humphrey Deputy Director, CDSE CDSE STATEMENT Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc bibendum dapibus dui, at porta nunc. In eget...accumsan odio. Donec rutrum varius purus, vitae venenatis urna porttitor eget. Mauris lorem dolor , facilisis eget purus quis, adipiscing tincidunt...ac quam at gravida. Cras a ligula suscipit, lobortis dolor vel, feugiat diam. Proin mattis lectus sit amet pellentesque interdum. Cras porttitor

CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized TiO2 photoelectrodes: particle size dependent properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prabakar, K; Minkyu, S; Inyoung, S; Heeje, K

2010-01-01

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) with different particle sizes have been used as an inorganic co-sensitizer in addition to organic dye for large band gap mesoporous TiO 2 dye sensitized solar cells. The QDs co-sensitized solar cells exhibited overall highest conversion efficiency of 3.65% at 1 sun irradiation for 3.3 nm particle size corresponding to a visible light absorption wavelength of 528 nm. The photovoltaic characteristics of CdSe QDs co-sensitized cells depend on the particle sizes rather than broad spectral light absorption as compared with CdSe QDs alone sensitized and standard dye-sensitized solar cells. Correlation between CdSe QDs adsorption on mesoporous TiO 2 surfaces and photoelectron injection into TiO 2 has been demonstrated. (fast track communication)

Study of the photodissociation of a CdSe nanocrystal beam by means of photoluminescence and Raman scattering

CERN Document Server

Orii, T; Onari, S; Kaito, S I; Arai, T

1997-01-01

We developed an apparatus that enables us to perform optical measurements of nanocrystals suspended in vacuum. CdSe nanocrystals were produced by a gas evaporation method, and nanocrystal beams were then formed using an inert-gas flow with differential pumping. We measured photoluminescence spectra of the nanocrystal beams with excitations of various photon energies and powers. For a low excitation power, edge emission of the CdSe nanocrystal beam was observed. With increase of the laser power, Raman lines of Se dimers emitted due to the photodissociation of CdSe nanocrystals were observed. It was found that the thresholds of the excitation laser fluence for the photodissociation of CdSe nanocrystals were much smaller than the thresholds of laser fluence for the laser-induced emission of Se atoms from bulk CdSe. The electronic process is dominant in the photodissociation of CdSe nanocrystals whose surfaces are completely free. We suggest that the effective supply of carriers confined in nanocrystals to the su...

Nanoparticle decoration with surfactants: Molecular interactions, assembly, and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Hendrik; Pramanik, Chandrani; Heinz, Ozge; Ding, Yifu; Mishra, Ratan K.; Marchon, Delphine; Flatt, Robert J.; Estrela-Lopis, Irina; Llop, Jordi; Moya, Sergio; Ziolo, Ronald F.

2017-02-01

Nanostructures of diverse chemical nature are used as biomarkers, therapeutics, catalysts, and structural reinforcements. The decoration with surfactants has a long history and is essential to introduce specific functions. The definition of surfactants in this review is very broad, following its lexical meaning ;surface active agents;, and therefore includes traditional alkyl modifiers, biological ligands, polymers, and other surface active molecules. The review systematically covers covalent and non-covalent interactions of such surfactants with various types of nanomaterials, including metals, oxides, layered materials, and polymers as well as their applications. The major themes are (i) molecular recognition and noncovalent assembly mechanisms of surfactants on the nanoparticle and nanocrystal surfaces, (ii) covalent grafting techniques and multi-step surface modification, (iii) dispersion properties and surface reactions, (iv) the use of surfactants to influence crystal growth, as well as (v) the incorporation of biorecognition and other material-targeting functionality. For the diverse materials classes, similarities and differences in surfactant assembly, function, as well as materials performance in specific applications are described in a comparative way. Major factors that lead to differentiation are the surface energy, surface chemistry and pH sensitivity, as well as the degree of surface regularity and defects in the nanoparticle cores and in the surfactant shell. The review covers a broad range of surface modifications and applications in biological recognition and therapeutics, sensors, nanomaterials for catalysis, energy conversion and storage, the dispersion properties of nanoparticles in structural composites and cement, as well as purification systems and classical detergents. Design principles for surfactants to optimize the performance of specific nanostructures are discussed. The review concludes with challenges and opportunities.

Low Temperature Synthesis of CdSe Quantum Dots with Amine Derivative and Their Chemical Kinetics

Science.gov (United States)

Seongmi Hwang,; Youngmin Choi,; Sunho Jeong,; Hakyun Jung,; Chang Gyoun Kim,; Teak-Mo Chung,; Beyong-Hwan Ryu,

2010-05-01

The chemical kinetics of growing CdSe nanocrystals was studied in order to investigate the effects of amine capping agents on the size of resulting quantum dots (QDs). CdSe QDs were prepared in phenyl ether, and the amine ligand dependence of QD size was determined. The results show that the size of CdSe nanocrystals can be regulated by controlling reaction rate, with smaller QDs being formed in slower processes. The results of photoluminescence (PL) studies show that the emission wavelengths of the QDs well correlate with particle size. This simple process for forming different-sized QDs, which uses a cheap solvent and various capping agents, has the potential for preparing CdSe nanocrystals more economically.

Duplex-imprinted nano well arrays for promising nanoparticle assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiangping; Manz, Andreas

2018-02-01

A large area nano-duplex-imprint technique is presented in this contribution using natural cicada wings as stamps. The glassy wings of the cicada, which are abundant in nature, exhibit strikingly interesting nanopillar structures over their membrane. This technique, with excellent performance despite the nonplanar surface of the wings, combines both top-down and bottom-up nanofabrication techniques. It transitions micro-nanofabrication from a cleanroom environment to the bench. Two different materials, dicing tape with an acrylic layer and a UV optical adhesive, are used to make replications at the same time, thus achieving duplex imprinting. The promise of a large volume of commercial manufacturing of these nanostructure elements can be envisaged through this contribution to speeding up the fabrication process and achieving a higher throughput. The contact angle of the replicated nanowell arrays before and after oxygen plasma was measured. Gold nanoparticles (50 nm) were used to test how the nanoparticles behaved on the untreated and plasma-treated replica surface. The experiments show that promising nanoparticle self-assembly can be obtained.

Controllable assembly of silver nanoparticles induced by femtosecond laser direct writing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Huan; Liu, Sen; Zhang, Yong-Lai; Wang, Jian-Nan; Wang, Lei; Xia, Hong; Chen, Qi-Dai; Sun, Hong-Bo; Ding, Hong

2015-01-01

We report controllable assembly of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for patterning of silver microstructures. The assembly is induced by femtosecond laser direct writing (FsLDW). A tightly focused femtosecond laser beam is capable of trapping and driving Ag NPs to form desired micropatterns with a high resolution of ∼190 nm. Taking advantage of the ‘direct writing’ feature, three microelectrodes have been integrated with a microfluidic chip; two silver-based microdevices including a microheater and a catalytic reactor have been fabricated inside a microfluidic channel for chip functionalization. The FsLDW-induced programmable assembly of Ag NPs may open up a new way to the designable patterning of silver microstructures toward flexible fabrication and integration of functional devices. (focus issue paper)

Self-Assembled Complexes of Horseradish Peroxidase with Magnetic Nanoparticles Showing Enhanced Peroxidase Activity

KAUST Repository

Corgié , Sté phane C.; Kahawong, Patarawan; Duan, Xiaonan; Bowser, Daniel; Edward, Joseph B.; Walker, Larry P.; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

2012-01-01

Bio-nanocatalysts (BNCs) consisting of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) self-assembled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) enhance enzymatic activity due to the faster turnover and lower inhibition of the enzyme. The size and magnetization of the MNPs

Characterization of self-assembled electrodes based on Au-Pt nanoparticles for PEMFC application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valenzuela, E. [Univ. Politecnica de Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Sebastian, P.J.; Gamboa, S.A.; Joseph, S. [Univ. Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Morelos (Mexico). Centrode Investigacion en Energia; Pal, U. [Univ. Autonoma de Puebla, Pue (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Gonzalez, I. [Univ. Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico City (Mexico). Dept. de Quimica

2010-07-01

This paper described the synthesis and characterization of gold (Au), platinum (Pt) and Au-Pt nanoparticles impregnated on a Nafion membrane in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The aim of the study was to fabricate the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by depositing the nanoparticles on the membrane using an immersion technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to study the deposition process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study the membrane proton conduction process. An elemental mapping analysis was performed in order to study the location of the Au and Pt in the self-assemblies. Results of the study showed that the particles deposited on the Nafion had good stability and a homogenous distribution along the membrane surface. The particles showed a direct relation in size and location with the hydrophilic and hydrophobic distribution phases of the membrane. The main membrane resistance was located between the membrane and the electrolyte. The self-assembled electrodes demonstrated a good performance at standard conditions. 33 refs., 4 tabs., 11 figs.

Block copolymer assisted self-assembly of nanoparticles into Langmuir–Blodgett films: Effect of polymer concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martín-García, Beatriz; Velázquez, M. Mercedes

2013-01-01

We propose to use the self-assembly ability of a block copolymer to obtain CdSe quantum dots (QDs) structures of different morphology. The methodology proposed consist in transferring mixed Langmuir monolayers of QDs and the polymer poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) partial 2 buthoxy ethyl ester cumene terminated, PS-MA-BEE onto mica by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) methodology. The morphology of the LB films was analyzed by AFM and TEM measurements. Our results show that it is possible to modulate the self-assembly process by modifying the composition of the mixed Langmuir monolayer precursor of the LB film. The different morphologies are interpreted according to two different dewetting mechanisms, growth of holes and spinodal-like dewetting. The growth of holes dewetting process is driven by gravitatory effects and was observed for LB films obtained by transferring Langmuir monolayer of the smallest elasticity values in which the polymer is in brush conformation. The spinodal dewetting mechanism prevailed when the Langmuir monolayer presents the highest elasticity values. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Effect of the surface composition on the LB films architecture. • QDs/polymer LB films morphology interpreted in terms of dewetting mechanism. • The dewetting mechanism depends on the Langmuir monolayer state

Block copolymer assisted self-assembly of nanoparticles into Langmuir–Blodgett films: Effect of polymer concentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martín-García, Beatriz; Velázquez, M. Mercedes, E-mail: mvsal@usal.es

2013-08-15

We propose to use the self-assembly ability of a block copolymer to obtain CdSe quantum dots (QDs) structures of different morphology. The methodology proposed consist in transferring mixed Langmuir monolayers of QDs and the polymer poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) partial 2 buthoxy ethyl ester cumene terminated, PS-MA-BEE onto mica by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) methodology. The morphology of the LB films was analyzed by AFM and TEM measurements. Our results show that it is possible to modulate the self-assembly process by modifying the composition of the mixed Langmuir monolayer precursor of the LB film. The different morphologies are interpreted according to two different dewetting mechanisms, growth of holes and spinodal-like dewetting. The growth of holes dewetting process is driven by gravitatory effects and was observed for LB films obtained by transferring Langmuir monolayer of the smallest elasticity values in which the polymer is in brush conformation. The spinodal dewetting mechanism prevailed when the Langmuir monolayer presents the highest elasticity values. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Effect of the surface composition on the LB films architecture. • QDs/polymer LB films morphology interpreted in terms of dewetting mechanism. • The dewetting mechanism depends on the Langmuir monolayer state.

Nanostructured nanoparticles of self-assembled lipid pro-drugs as a route to improved chemotherapeutic agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sagnella, Sharon M.; Gong, Xiaojuan; Moghaddam, Minoo J.; Conn, Charlotte E.; Kimpton, Kathleen; Waddington, Lynne J.; Krodkiewska, Irena; Drummond, Calum J. (CSIRO/MSE); (CSIRO/LW)

2014-09-24

We demonstrate that oral delivery of self-assembled nanostructured nanoparticles consisting of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) lipid prodrugs results in a highly effective, target-activated, chemotherapeutic agent, and offers significantly enhanced efficacy over a commercially available alternative that does not self-assemble. The lipid prodrug nanoparticles have been found to significantly slow the growth of a highly aggressive mouse 4T1 breast tumour, and essentially halt the growth of a human MDA-MB-231 breast tumour in mouse xenografts. Systemic toxicity is avoided as prodrug activation requires a three-step, enzymatic conversion to 5-FU, with the third step occurring preferentially at the tumour site. Additionally, differences in the lipid prodrug chemical structure and internal nanostructure of the nanoparticle dictate the enzymatic conversion rate and can be used to control sustained release profiles. Thus, we have developed novel oral nanomedicines that combine sustained release properties with target-selective activation.

Probing the interaction of flower-like CdSe nanostructure particles targeted to bovine serum albumin using spectroscopic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ju Peng; Fan Hai; Liu Tao; Cui Lin; Ai Shiyun

2011-01-01

The interaction between flower-like CdSe nanostructure particles (CdSe NP) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated from a spectroscopic angle under simulative physiological conditions. Under pH 7.4, CdSe NP could effectively quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA via static quenching. The binding constant (K A ) was 6.38, 3.27, and 1.90x10 4 M -1 at 298, 304, and 310 K, respectively and the number of binding sites was 1.20. According to the Van't Hoff equation, the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH o =-77.48 kJ mol -1 , ΔS o =-168.17 J mol -1 K -1 ) indicated that hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces played a major role in stabilizing the BSA-CdSe complex. Besides, UV-vis and circular dichroism (CD) results showed that the addition of CdSe NP changed the secondary structure of BSA and led to a decrease in α-helix. These results suggested that BSA underwent substantial conformational changes induced by flower-like CdSe nanostructure particles. - Highlights: → Estimate the binding of flower-like CdSe NP to BSA by spectroscopic methods. → Hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces were the major forces. →Addition of CdSe changed the micro-environmentl of BSA. → Decrease in α-helix of BSA secondary structure induced by CdSe.

Light-assisted, templated self-assembly of gold nanoparticle chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaquay, Eric; Martínez, Luis Javier; Huang, Ningfeng; Mejia, Camilo A; Sarkar, Debarghya; Povinelli, Michelle L

2014-09-10

We experimentally demonstrate the technique of light-assisted, templated self-assembly (LATS) to trap and assemble 200 nm diameter gold nanoparticles. We excite a guided-resonance mode of a photonic-crystal slab with 1.55 μm laser light to create an array of optical traps. Unlike our previous demonstration of LATS with polystyrene particles, we find that the interparticle interactions play a significant role in the resulting particle patterns. Despite a two-dimensionally periodic intensity profile in the slab, the particles form one-dimensional chains whose orientations can be controlled by the incident polarization of the light. The formation of chains can be understood in terms of a competition between the gradient force due to the excitation of the mode in the slab and optical binding between particles.

Self-assembly of bacitracin-gold nanoparticles and their toxicity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaoling; Wang, Zi; Li, Yanji; Bian, Kexin; Yin, Tian; Gao, Dawei

2018-01-01

As the widely use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in drug delivery, the precise control on the size and morphology of the AuNPs is urgently required. In this scenario, traditional synthesis methods cannot meet current requirement because of their inherent defects. We have depicted here a novel method for fabricating monodispersed large size gold nanoparticles, based on the self-assembly of bacitracin. The AuNPs could be facilely, low-cost, and green synthesized with repeatability and controllability in this method. The Bac gold nanoparticles (Bac-AuNPs), composed by bacitracin core and gold shell, exhibited a spherical morphology in TEM and a face-centered cubic crystal structure in X-Ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction. The mean diameter of the Bac-AuNPs was 89nm. The nanoparticles were mono-dispersed and the zeta potential of the nanoparticles was 4.1±0.64mV. Notably, in cell viability assay, the Bac-AuNPs showed less toxicity to HepG2 cells and HEK293 cells compared to small size AuNPs. Collectively, the size, rheological characteristic and the biocompatibility supported the use of the gold nanoparticles as intracellular delivery vehicles for drug delivery, especially for tumor therapy. And this study could provide a maneuverable, controllable and green strategy for the synthesis of AuNPs, which would be applied in disease diagnosis and therapy with biosafety. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Temperature and anion responsive self-assembly of ionic liquid block copolymers coating gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Junbo; Zhao, Jianlong; Wu, Wenlan; Liang, Ju; Guo, Jinwu; Zhou, Huiyun; Liang, Lijuan

2016-06-01

In this paper, double hydrophilic ionic liquid block copolymers (ILBCs), poly poly[1-methyl-3-(2-methacryloyloxy propylimidazolium bromine)]- block-(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PMMPImB- b-PNIPAAm) was first synthesized by reversible additionfragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and then attached on the surface of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) via a strong gold-sulfur bonding for preparing hybrid nanoparticles (PMMPImB- b-PNIPAAm-@-Au NPs). The hybrid NPs had a three layers micelle-like structure, including a gold core, thermo-responsive inner shell and anion responsive outer corona. The self-assembling behavior of thermal- and anion-response from shell and corona were respectively investigated by change of temperature and addition of (CF3SO2)2N-. The results showed the hybrid NPs retained a stable dispersion beyond the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) because of the space or electrostatic protecting by outer PMMPImB. However, with increasing concentration of (CF3SO2)2N-, the micellization of self-assembling PMMPImB- b-PNIPAAm-@-Au NPs was induced to form micellar structure containing the core with hydrophobic PMMPImB-(CF3SO2)2N- surrounded by composite shell of Au NPs-PNIPAAm via the anionresponsive properties of ILBCs. These results indicated that the block copolymers protected plasmonic nanoparticles remain self-assembling properties of block copolymers when phase transition from outer corona polymer.

Electrodeposition of CdSe coatings on ZnO nanowire arrays for extremely thin absorber solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Majidi, Hasti [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Baxter, Jason B., E-mail: jbaxter@drexel.ed [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

2011-02-15

We report on electrodeposition of CdSe coatings onto ZnO nanowire arrays and determine the effect of processing conditions on material properties such as morphology and microstructure. CdSe-coated ZnO nanowire arrays have potential use in extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells, where CdSe absorbs visible light and injects photoexcited electrons into the ZnO nanowires. We show that room-temperature electrodeposition enables growth of CdSe coatings that are highly crystalline, uniform, and conformal with precise control over thickness and microstructure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show nanocrystalline CdSe in both hexagonal and cubic phases with grain size {approx}5 nm. Coating morphology depends on electrodeposition current density. Uniform and conformal coatings were achieved using moderate current densities of {approx}2 mA cm{sup -2} for nanowires with roughness factor of {approx}10, while lower current densities resulted in sparse nucleation and growth of larger, isolated islands. Electrodeposition charge density controls the thickness of the CdSe coating, which was exploited to investigate the evolution of the morphology at early stages of nucleation and growth. UV-vis transmission spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical solar cell measurements demonstrate that CdSe effectively sensitizes ZnO nanowires to visible light.

Electrodeposition of CdSe coatings on ZnO nanowire arrays for extremely thin absorber solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majidi, Hasti; Baxter, Jason B.

2011-01-01

We report on electrodeposition of CdSe coatings onto ZnO nanowire arrays and determine the effect of processing conditions on material properties such as morphology and microstructure. CdSe-coated ZnO nanowire arrays have potential use in extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells, where CdSe absorbs visible light and injects photoexcited electrons into the ZnO nanowires. We show that room-temperature electrodeposition enables growth of CdSe coatings that are highly crystalline, uniform, and conformal with precise control over thickness and microstructure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show nanocrystalline CdSe in both hexagonal and cubic phases with grain size ∼5 nm. Coating morphology depends on electrodeposition current density. Uniform and conformal coatings were achieved using moderate current densities of ∼2 mA cm -2 for nanowires with roughness factor of ∼10, while lower current densities resulted in sparse nucleation and growth of larger, isolated islands. Electrodeposition charge density controls the thickness of the CdSe coating, which was exploited to investigate the evolution of the morphology at early stages of nucleation and growth. UV-vis transmission spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical solar cell measurements demonstrate that CdSe effectively sensitizes ZnO nanowires to visible light.

Self-Assembly of Fluorescent Hybrid Core-Shell Nanoparticles and Their Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chun; Tang, Fu; Wang, Xiaoyu; Li, Lidong

2015-06-24

In this work, a fluorescent hybrid core-shell nanoparticle was prepared by coating a functional polymer shell onto silver nanoparticles via a facile one-pot method. The biomolecule poly-L-lysine (PLL) was chosen as the polymer shell and assembled onto the silver core via the amine-reactive cross-linker, 3,3'-dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidylpropionate). The fluorescent anticancer drug, doxorubicin, was incorporated into the PLL shell through the same linkage. As the cross-linker possesses a thiol-cleavable disulfide bond, disassembly of the PLL shell was observed in the presence of glutathione, leading to controllable doxorubicin release. The silver core there provided an easily modified surface to facilitate the shell coating and ensures the efficient separation of as-prepared nanoparticles from their reaction mixture through centrifugation. Cell assays show that the prepared hybrid fluorescent nanoparticles can internalize into cells possessing excellent biocompatibility prior to the release of doxorubicin, terminating cancer cells efficiently as the doxorubicin is released at the intracellular glutathione level. Such properties are important for designing smart containers for target drug delivery and cellular imaging.

Self-assembled hyaluronic acid nanoparticles for controlled release of agrochemicals and diosgenin.

Science.gov (United States)

Quiñones, Javier Pérez; Brüggemann, Oliver; Covas, Carlos Peniche; Ossipov, Dmitri A

2017-10-01

Commercial sodium hyaluronate (HA) and synthetic hydrazide-modified HA were functionalized with diosgenin and two agrochemicals (brassinosteroids DI31 and S7) with degree of substitution ranging from 5.6 to 13.1%. The HA-steroid conjugates were studied with FTIR, 1 H NMR and differential scanning calorimetry. Dynamic light scattering revealed self-assembly of the HA-steroid conjugates into stable negatively charged nanoparticles of around 159nm-441nm in water, which after drying appeared as 140nm-370nm spherically shaped nanoparticles according to transmission electron microscopy. These nanoparticles exhibited almost constant release rates of steroids for the first 8h, demonstrating sustained steroids delivery for 72h in acidic medium. The nanoparticles formed from HA-steroid conjugates were not cytotoxic to human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC), while the HA- brassinosteroid nanoparticles showed in vitro agrochemical activity that was superior to the activity observed for the parent brassinosteroids DI31 and S7 at 10 -5 to 10 -7 mgmL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: Gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

KAUST Repository

Das, Gobind

2013-04-13

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 105 with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl3 concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

A new route to produce efficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates: Gold-decorated CdSe nanowires

KAUST Repository

Das, Gobind; Chakraborty, Ritun; Gopalakrishnan, Anisha; Baranov, Dmitry; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Krahne, Roman

2013-01-01

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool for the detection of extremely small quantities of target molecules. Au nanoparticles have been very successful in this respect due to local enhancement of the light intensity caused by their plasmon resonance. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are biocompatible, and target substances can be easily attached to their surface. Here, we demonstrate that Au-decorated CdSe nanowires when employed as SERS substrates lead to an enhancement as large as 105 with respect to the flat Au surfaces. In the case of hybrid metal-CdSe nanowires, the Au nucleates preferably on lattice defects at the lateral facets of the nanowires, which leads to a homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles on the nanowire, and to an efficient quenching of the nanowire luminescence. Moreover, the size of the Au nanoparticles can be well controlled via the AuCl3 concentration in the fabrication process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our SERS substrates with two target substances, namely, cresyl-violet and rhodamine-6G. Au-decorated nanowires can be easily fabricated in large quantities at low cost by wet-chemical synthesis. Furthermore, their deposition onto various substrates, as well as the functionalization of these wires with the target substances, is as straightforward as with the traditional markers. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Combretastatin A4/poly(L-glutamic acid-graft-PEG conjugates self-assembled to nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Ou

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Combretastatin A4 (CA4 possesses varying ability to cause vascular disruption in tumors, while the short half-life, low water solubility and deactivation of many CA4 analogs during storage limited its antitumor efficacy and drug stability. A novel macromolecular conjugate of CA4 (CA4-PL was synthesized by covalent bonding of CA4 onto poly(L-glutamic acid-graft-polyethylene glycol (PLG-g-PEG via Yamaguchi reaction. The obtained CA4-PL was characterized by 1H NMR, GPC, and UV methods, and the properties of the nanoparticles composed of CA4-PL, including critical aggregation concentration, size and size distribution, and morphology, were investigated. CA4-PL can self-assemble to form micelle-like nanoparticles of 80~120 nm in diameter, which may have potential to improve the blood circulation period as well as the targetability of CA4, and find applications to treat various tumors when combined with traditional chemotherapy or radio therapy. Keywords: Combretastatin A4, Macromolecular conjugate, Poly(L-glutamic acid-graft-polyethylene glycol, Self-assemble, Nanoparticles

The fabrication and photocatalytic performances of flower-like Ag nanoparticles/ZnO nanosheets-assembled microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Quan; Tang, Haibin; Liu, Gang; Song, Xiaoping; Xu, Guoping; Li, Qian; Ng, Dickon H.L.; Wang, Guozhong

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ZnO nanosheets-assembled microspheres (ZnOs) were prepared. • Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were decorated onto the whole surface of the ZnOs. • The Ag-NPs/ZnOs composite showed enhanced photocatalytic performance to MB and MO. • Cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectra revealed enhanced charge transportation. - Abstract: A new micro/nanostructure photocatalyst, Ag nanoparticles decorated ZnO nanosheets-assembled microspheres (Ag-NPs/ZnOs), was synthesised by a two-step method. The flower-like micron-sized ZnO spheres assembled with ∼25 nm thick ZnO nanosheets were initially fabricated via a facile solvothermal method. Then, highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with dimension ranging from 15 to 50 nm were anchored onto the surface of the each ZnO nanosheet by the Sn(II) ion activation method. The as-prepared Ag-NPs/ZnOs demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic performance in eliminating methylene blue and methyl orange aqueous solutions under UV irradiation, showing twice faster reaction rate than the bare ZnOs. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was due to the suppression of electron/hole pair recombination and the acceleration of surface charge transfer induced by the highly dispersive Ag-NPs, which was further demonstrated by the cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectra measurements

Molecular dynamics simulations of surfactant and nanoparticle self-assembly at liquid-liquid interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo Mingxiang; Dai, Lenore L [Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States)

2007-09-19

We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate self-assembly at water-trichloroethylene (TCE) interfaces with the emphasis on systems containing modified hydrocarbon nanoparticles (1.2 nm in diameter) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants. The nanoparticles and surfactants were first distributed randomly in the water phase. The MD simulations have clearly shown the progress of migration and final equilibrium of the SDS molecules at the water-TCE interfaces with the nanoparticles either at or in the vicinity of the interfaces. One unique feature is the 'attachment' of surfactant molecules to the nanoparticle clusters in the water phase followed by the 'detachment' at the water-TCE interfaces. At low concentrations of surfactants, the surfactants and nanoparticles co-equilibrate at the interfaces. However, the surfactants, at high concentrations, competitively dominate the interfaces and deplete nanoparticles away from the interfaces. The interfacial properties, such as interfacial thickness and interfacial tension, are significantly influenced by the presence of the surfactants, but not the nanoparticles. The order of the surfactants at the interfaces increases with increasing surfactant concentration, but is independent of nanoparticle concentration. Finally, the simulation has shown that surfactants can aggregate along the water-TCE interfaces, with and without the presence of nanoparticles.

Block copolymer-nanoparticle hybrid self-assembly

KAUST Repository

Hoheisel, Tobias N.; Hur, Kahyun; Wiesner, Ulrich B.

2015-01-01

© 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Polymer-inorganic hybrid materials provide exciting opportunities as they may display favorable properties from both constituents that are desired in applications including catalysis and energy conversion and storage. For the preparation of hybrid materials with well-defined morphologies, block copolymer-directed nanoparticle hybrids present a particularly promising approach. As will be described in this review, once the fundamental characteristics for successful nanostructure formation at or close to the thermodynamic equilibrium of these nanocomposites are identified, the approach can be generalized to various materials classes. In addition to the discussion of recent materials developments based on the use of AB diblock copolymers as well as ABC triblock terpolymers, this review will therefore emphasize progress in the fundamental understanding of the underlying formation mechanisms of such hybrid materials. To this end, critical experiments for, as well as theoretical progress in the description of these nanostructured block copolymer-based hybrid materials will be discussed. Rather than providing a comprehensive overview, the review will emphasize work by the Wiesner group at Cornell University, US, on block copolymer-directed nanoparticle assemblies as well as their use in first potential application areas. The results provide powerful design criteria for wet-chemical synthesis methodologies for the generation of functional nanomaterials for applications ranging from microelectronics to catalysis to energy conversion and storage.

Transparent high-performance CDSE thin-film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahawela, P.; Jeedigunta, S.; Vakkalanka, S.; Ferekides, C.S.; Morel, D.L.

2005-01-01

Simulations indicate that 25-30% efficiency can be achieved with a four-terminal thin-film tandem structure. The bottom low band gap cell can be CuIn 1-x Ga x Se 2 , and CdSe is proposed as the top cell, as it has an ideal band gap of 1.7 eV. In addition to the efficiency requirements, the top cell must also be transparent to effectively transmit sub band gap light to the bottom cell. We have developed CdSe devices that meet many of the requirements of this tandem structure. High electronic quality CdSe has been deposited on SnO 2 and ZnO, which serve as the transparent n-type contact. The p-type transparent contact is ZnSe/Cu. Voc's of 475 mV have been achieved and can be further improved with better contacts. However, record Jsc's in excess of 17 mA/cm 2 have been achieved. This is close to the target 18 mA/cm 2 to meet the efficiency objectives. Transmission of 80% of the sub band gap radiation has been demonstrated for 2-no. muno. m-thick absorber layers. This is also close to the 85% target to achieve the overall tandem efficiency objectives. Improvement of the contact layers to achieve the Voc target is the final challenge

Glyco-Nanoparticles Made from Self-Assembly of Maltoheptaose-block-Poly(methyl methacrylate): Micelle, Reverse Micelle, and Encapsulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zepon, Karine M; Otsuka, Issei; Bouilhac, Cécile; Muniz, Edvani C; Soldi, Valdir; Borsali, Redouane

2015-07-13

The synthesis and the solution-state self-assembly of the "hybrid" diblock copolymers, maltoheptaose-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (MH-b-PMMA), into large compound micelles (LCMs) and reverve micelle-type nanoparticles, are reported in this paper. The copolymers were self-assembled in water and acetone by direct dissolution method, and the morphologies of the nanoparticles were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), and fluorescence spectroscopy as a function of the volume fraction of the copolymer hydrophobic block, copolymer concentration, stirring speed, and solvent polarity. The DLS measurements and TEM images showed that the hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of the LCMs obtained in water increases with the copolymer concentration. Apart from that, increasing the stirring speed leads to polydispersed aggregations of the LCMs. On the other hand, in acetone, the copolymers self-assembled into reverse micelle-type nanoparticles having Rh values of about 6 nm and micellar aggregates, as revealed the results obtained from DLS, AFM, and (1)H NMR analyses. The variation in micellar structure, that is, conformational inversion from LCMs to reverse micelle-type structures in response to polarity of the solvent, was investigated by apparent water contact angle (WCA) and (1)H NMR analyses. This conformational inversion of the nanoparticles was further confirmed by encapsulation and release of hydrophobic guest molecule, Nile red, characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy.

Fluorescence enhancement in large-scale self-assembled gold nanoparticle double arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chekini, M.; Bierwagen, J.; Cunningham, A.; Bürgi, T.; Filter, R.; Rockstuhl, C.

2015-01-01

Localized surface plasmon resonances excited in metallic nanoparticles confine and enhance electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale. This is particularly pronounced in dimers made from two closely spaced nanoparticles. When quantum emitters, such as dyes, are placed in the gap of those dimers, their absorption and emission characteristics can be modified. Both processes have to be considered when aiming to enhance the fluorescence from the quantum emitters. This is particularly challenging for dimers, since the electromagnetic properties and the enhanced fluorescence sensitively depend on the distance between the nanoparticles. Here, we use a layer-by-layer method to precisely control the distances in such systems. We consider a dye layer deposited on top of an array of gold nanoparticles or integrated into a central position of a double array of gold nanoparticles. We study the effect of the spatial arrangement and the average distance on the plasmon-enhanced fluorescence. We found a maximum of a 99-fold increase in the fluorescence intensity of the dye layer sandwiched between two gold nanoparticle arrays. The interaction of the dye layer with the plasmonic system also causes a spectral shift in the emission wavelengths and a shortening of the fluorescence life times. Our work paves the way for large-scale, high throughput, and low-cost self-assembled functionalized plasmonic systems that can be used as efficient light sources

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering on molecular self-assembly in nanoparticle-hydrogel composite.

Science.gov (United States)

Miljanić, Snezana; Frkanec, Leo; Biljan, Tomislav; Meić, Zlatko; Zinić, Mladen

2006-10-24

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering has been applied to study weak intermolecular interactions between small organic gelling molecules involved in the silver nanoparticle-hydrogel composite formation. Assembly and disassembly of the gelator molecules in close vicinity to embedded silver nanoparticles were followed by changes in Raman intensity of the amide II and carboxyl vibrational bands, whereas the strength of the bands related to benzene modes remained constant. This implied that the gelator molecules were strongly attached to the silver particles through the benzene units, while participating in gel structure organization by intermolecular hydrogen bonding between oxalyl amide and carboxyl groups.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of glycol chitosan – Ergocalciferol succinate conjugate, for controlled release

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quinones, Javier Perez; Gothelf, Kurt Vesterager; Kjems, Jørgen

2012-01-01

Glycol chitosan was linked to vitamin D2 hemisuccinate (ergocalciferol hemisuccinate) for controlled release through water-soluble carbodiimide activation. The resulting conjugate formed self-assembled nanoparticles in aqueous solution with particle size of 279 nm and ergocalciferol hemisuccinate...... content of 8.4% (w/w). Almost spherical 50–90 nm nanoparticles were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy upon drying. Drug linking to glycol chitosan was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and proton NMR. Particles were also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and wide...

Polymer/surfactant assisted self-assembly of nanoparticles into Langmuir–Blodgett films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alejo, T.; Merchán, M.D. [Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Salamanca, Plaza de los Caídos s/n, E-37008 Salamanca (Spain); Velázquez, M.M., E-mail: mvsal@usal.es [Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Salamanca, Plaza de los Caídos s/n, E-37008 Salamanca (Spain); Pérez-Hernández, J.A. [Centro de Láseres Pulsados Ultraintensos (CLPU), E-37008 Salamanca (Spain)

2013-02-15

We studied the ability of poly(octadecene-co-maleic anhydride) (PMAO) and a Gemini surfactant [C{sub 18}H{sub 37} (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}N{sup +}Br{sup −}–(CH{sub 2}){sub 2}–N{sup +}Br{sup −}(CH{sub 3}){sub 2} C{sub 18}H{sub 37}] (18-2-18) to assist in the self-assembly process of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) at the air–water interface. Results show that, while QD agglomeration is generally inhibited by the addition of these components to the Langmuir monolayer of QDs, structure of the film transferred onto mica by the Langmuir–Blodgett method is strongly affected by the dewetting process. Nucleation-and-growth of holes and spinodal-like dewetting were respectively observed in the presence of either PMAO or 18-2-18. When PMAO/18-2-18 mixtures were used, both mechanisms were allowed; nevertheless, even in films prepared with mixtures of low polymer contents, characteristic morphology from the polymer dewetting route prevailed. Highlights: ► Effect of the composition on the LB films of QDs/polymer. ► Effect of the composition on the LB films of QDs/Gemini surfactant. ► Dewetting mechanisms.

Bio-inspired Structural Colors from Deposition of Synthetic Melanin Nanoparticles by Evaporative Self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Ming; Li, Yiwen; Deheyn, Dimitri; Yue, Xiujun; Gianneschi, Nathan; Shawkey, Matthew; Dhinojwala, Ali

2015-03-01

Melanin, a ubiquitous black or brown pigment in the animal kingdom, is a unique but poorly understood biomaterial. Many bird feathers contain melanosomes (melanin-containing organelles), which pack into ordered nanostructures, like multilayer or two-dimensional photonic crystal structures, to produce structural colors. To understand the optical properties of melanin and how melanosomes assemble into certain structures to produce colors, we prepared synthetic melanin (polydopamine) particles with variable sizes and aspect ratios. We have characterized the absorption and refractive index of the synthetic melanin particles. We have also shown that we can use an evaporative process to self-assemble melanin films with a wide range of colors. The colors obtained using this technique is modeled using a thin-film interference model and the optical properties of the synthetic melanin nanoparticles. Our results on self-assembly of synthetic melanin nanoparticles provide an explanation as why the use of melanosomes to produce colors is prevalent in the animal kingdom. National science foundation, air force office of scientific research, human frontier science program.

How Does a SILAR CdSe Film Grow? Tuning the Deposition Steps to Suppress Interfacial Charge Recombination in Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Matthew A; Radich, James G; Bunker, Bruce A; Kamat, Prashant V

2014-05-01

Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) is a popular method of depositing the metal chalcogenide semiconductor layer on the mesoscopic metal oxide films for designing quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) or extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells. While this deposition method exhibits higher loading of the light-absorbing semiconductor layer than direct adsorption of presynthesized colloidal quantum dots, the chemical identity of these nanostructures and the evolution of interfacial structure are poorly understood. We have now analyzed step-by-step SILAR deposition of CdSe films on mesoscopic TiO2 nanoparticle films using X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis and probed the interfacial structure of these films. The film characteristics interestingly show dependence on the order in which the Cd and Se are deposited, and the CdSe-TiO2 interface is affected only during the first few cycles of deposition. Development of a SeO2 passivation layer in the SILAR-prepared films to form a TiO2/SeO2/CdSe junction facilitates an increase in photocurrents and power conversion efficiencies of quantum dot solar cells when these films are integrated as photoanodes in a photoelectrochemical solar cell.

Self-Assembly of Octopus Nanoparticles into Pre-Programmed Finite Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Halverson, Jonathan; Tkachenko, Alexei

2012-02-01

The precise control of the spatial arrangement of nanoparticles (NP) is often required to take full advantage of their novel optical and electronic properties. NPs have been shown to self-assemble into crystalline structures using either patchy surface regions or complementary DNA strands to direct the assembly. Due to a lack of specificity of the interactions these methods lead to only a limited number of structures. An emerging approach is to bind ssDNA at specific sites on the particle surface making so-called octopus NPs. Using octopus NPs we investigate the inverse problem of the self-assembly of finite clusters. That is, for a given target cluster (e.g., arranging the NPs on the vertices of a dodecahedron) what are the minimum number of complementary DNA strands needed for the robust self-assembly of the cluster from an initially homogeneous NP solution? Based on the results of Brownian dynamics simulations we have compiled a set of design rules for various target clusters including cubes, pyramids, dodecahedrons and truncated icosahedrons. Our approach leads to control over the kinetic pathway and has demonstrated nearly perfect yield of the target.

Assembly, characterization and swelling kinetics of Ag nanoparticles in PDMAA-g-PVA hydrogel networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Yanling; Wei Qingbo; Xu Feng; Chen Yashao; Fan Lihua; Zhang Changhu

2009-01-01

A series of poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-g-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PDMAA-g-PVA) graft hydrogel networks were designed and prepared via a free radical polymerization route initiated by a PVA-(NH 4 ) 2 Ce(NO 3 ) 6 redox reaction. Silver nanoparticles with high stability and good distribution behavior have been self-assembled by using these hydrogel networks as a nanoreactor and in situ reducing system. Meanwhile the PDMAA or PVA chains can efficiently act as stabilizing agents for the Ag nanoparticles in that Ag + would form complex via oxygen atom and nitrogen atom, and form weak coordination bonds, thus astricting Ag + . The structure of the PDMAA-g-PVA/Ag was characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR). The morphologies of pure PDMAA-g-PVA hydrogels and PDMAA-g-PVA/Ag nanocomposite ones were observed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). TEM micrographs revealed the presence of nearly spherical and well-separated Ag nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 10 to 20 nm, depending on their reduction routes. XRD results showed all relevant Bragg's reflection for crystal structure of Ag nanoparticles. UV-vis studies apparently showed the characteristic surface plasmon band at 410-440 nm for the existence of Ag nanoparticles within the hydrogel matrix. The swelling kinetics demonstrated that the transport mechanism belongs to non-Fickian mode for the PDMAA-g-PVA hydrogels and PDMAA-g-PVA/Ag nanocomposite ones. With increasing the DMAA proportion, the r 0 and S ∞ are enhanced for each system. The assembly of Ag nanoparticles and the swelling behavior may be controlled and modulated by means of the compositional ratios of PVA to DMAA and reduction systems.

Size-dependent structure of CdSe nanoclusters formed after ion implantation in MgO

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Huis, MA; van Veen, A; Schut, H; Eijt, SWH; Kooi, BJ; De Hosson, JTM

The band gap as well as the optical and structural properties of semiconductor CdSe nanoclusters change as a function of the nanocluster size. Embedded CdSe nanoclusters in MgO were created by means of sequential Cd and Se ion implantation followed by thermal annealing. Changes during annealing were

Two-dimensional self-assembly of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenjie; Zhang, Honghu; Hagen, Noah; Kuzmenko, Ivan; Akinc, Mufit; Travesset, Alex; Mallapragada, Surya; Vaknin, David

2D superlattices of nanoparticles (NPs) are promising candidates for nano-devices. It is still challenging to develop a simple yet efficient protocol to assemble NPs in a controlled manner. Here, we report on formation of 2D Gibbs monolayers of single-stranded DNA-coated gold nanoparticles (ssDNA-AuNPs) at the air-water interface by manipulation of salts contents. MgCl2 and CaCl2 in solutions facilitate the accumulation of the non-complementary ssDNA-AuNPs on aqueous surfaces. Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and X-ray reflectivity show that the surface AuNPs assembly forms a mono-particle layer and undergoes a transformation from short-range to long-range (hexagonal) order above a threshold of [MgCl2] or [CaCl2]. For solutions that include two kinds of ssDNA-AuNPs with complementary base-pairing, the surface AuNPs form a thicker film and only in-plane short-range order is observed. By using other salts (NaCl or LaCl3) at concentrations of similar ionic strength to those of MgCl2 or CaCl2, we find that surface adsorbed NPs lack any orders. X-ray fluorescence measurements provide direct evidence of surface enrichment of AuNPs and divalent ions (Ca2 +) . The work was supported by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, USDOE under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358 and DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Multifunctional Nanoparticles Self-Assembled from Small Organic Building Blocks for Biomedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Pengyao; Zhao, Yanli

2016-09-01

Supramolecular self-assembly shows significant potential to construct responsive materials. By tailoring the structural parameters of organic building blocks, nanosystems can be fabricated, whose performance in catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and biomedicine has been explored. Since small organic building blocks are structurally simple, easily modified, and reproducible, they are frequently employed in supramolecular self-assembly and materials science. The dynamic and adaptive nature of self-assembled nanoarchitectures affords an enhanced sensitivity to the changes in environmental conditions, favoring their applications in controllable drug release and bioimaging. Here, recent significant research advancements of small-organic-molecule self-assembled nanoarchitectures toward biomedical applications are highlighted. Functionalized assemblies, mainly including vesicles, nanoparticles, and micelles are categorized according to their topological morphologies and functions. These nanoarchitectures with different topologies possess distinguishing advantages in biological applications, well incarnating the structure-property relationship. By presenting some important discoveries, three domains of these nanoarchitectures in biomedical research are covered, including biosensors, bioimaging, and controlled release/therapy. The strategies regarding how to design and characterize organic assemblies to exhibit biomedical applications are also discussed. Up-to-date research developments in the field are provided and research challenges to be overcome in future studies are revealed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis of CdSe quantum dots for quantum dot sensitized solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Neetu, E-mail: singh.neetu1985@gmail.com; Kapoor, Avinashi [Department of Electronic Science, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi-110 021 (India); Kumar, Vinod [Department of Physics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, ZA9300 (South Africa); Mehra, R. M. [School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida-201 306, U.P. (India)

2014-04-24

CdSe Quantum Dots (QDs) of size 0.85 nm were synthesized using chemical route. ZnO based Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cell (QDSSC) was fabricated using CdSe QDs as sensitizer. The Pre-synthesized QDs were found to be successfully adsorbed on front ZnO electrode and had potential to replace organic dyes in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). The efficiency of QDSSC was obtained to be 2.06 % at AM 1.5.

Functionalized Raspberry-Like Microparticles obtained by Assembly of Nanoparticles during Electrospraying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Eun Chul; Jeong, Unyong; Hwang, Yoon Kyun

2014-01-01

The present study suggests a novel method to produce raspberry-like microparticles containing diverse functional materials inside. The raspberry-like microparticles were produced from a random assembly of uniformly-sized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles via electrospraying. The solution containing the PMMA nanoparticles were supplied through the inner nozzle and compressed air was emitted through the outer nozzle. The air supply helped fast evaporation of acetone, so it enabled copious amount of microparticles as dry powder. The microparticles were highly porous both on the surface and interiors, hence various materials with a function of UV-blocking (TiO 2 nanoparticles and methoxyphenyl triazine) or anti-aging (ethyl(4-(2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-5-carboxyamido) benzoate)) were loaded in large amount (17 wt % versus PMMA). The surface and interior structures of the microparticles were dependent on the characteristics of functional materials. The results clearly suggest that the process to prepare the raspberry-like microparticles can be an excellent approach to generate functional microstructures

Gold Nanoparticles Assembly on Silicon and Gold Surfaces: Mechanism, Stability and Efficiency in Diclofenac Biosensing

OpenAIRE

Ben Haddada , Maroua; Hübner , Maria; Casale , Sandra; Knopp , Dietmar; Niessner , Reinhard; Salmain , Michele; Boujday , Souhir

2016-01-01

International audience; We investigated the assembly of Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on Gold and Silicon sensors with two final objectives: (i) understanding the factors governing the interaction and (ii) building up a nanostructured piezoelectric immunosensor for diclofenac, a small-sized pharmaceutical pollutant. Different surface chemistries were devised to achieve AuNPs assembly on planar substrates. These surface chemistries included amines to immobilize AuNPs via electrostatic interaction...

Photoactive nanocomplex formed from chlorophyll assembly on TMA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbaros, Sibel; Meray, Zeynep; Tecim, Tuğba; Genç, Rükan, E-mail: rukangnc@gmail.com [Mersin University, Functional Nanomaterials Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty (Turkey)

2016-07-15

In this study, hierarchical self-assembly of photocatalytic nanodisks through non-covalent interactions between spinach-extracted chlorophyll molecules and trimethylammonium hydroxide-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles was discussed. Combination of chlorophyll molecules with iron oxide nanoparticles generated an alteration in light absorption at both visible and near-IR region with accompanying enhancement in fluorescence emission. Further, photocatalytic role of resulting molecular assembly was studied by means of the photoinduced degradation of methylene blue dye under UV light and direct sun irradiation at neutral pH. In order to enhance the long-term stability of the hybrid nanocatalyst, commercially available cellulose membrane was used as a support and magnetic recovery and reusability was achieved where the nanocatalyst retained more than 90 % of its efficiency even after four cycles. This simple strategy could initiate the development of new materials for wastewater treatment including membrane-based technologies. On the other hand, their sunlight-induced photocatalytic activity could easily be conducted to dye-synthesized solar cells or their enhanced photoluminescence can provide a strong basis for future bioimaging tools.Graphical Abstract.

Optimal sample preparation for nanoparticle metrology (statistical size measurements) using atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoo, Christopher M.; Doan, Trang; Starostin, Natasha; West, Paul E.; Mecartney, Martha L.

2010-01-01

Optimal deposition procedures are determined for nanoparticle size characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Accurate nanoparticle size distribution analysis with AFM requires non-agglomerated nanoparticles on a flat substrate. The deposition of polystyrene (100 nm), silica (300 and 100 nm), gold (100 nm), and CdSe quantum dot (2-5 nm) nanoparticles by spin coating was optimized for size distribution measurements by AFM. Factors influencing deposition include spin speed, concentration, solvent, and pH. A comparison using spin coating, static evaporation, and a new fluid cell deposition method for depositing nanoparticles is also made. The fluid cell allows for a more uniform and higher density deposition of nanoparticles on a substrate at laminar flow rates, making nanoparticle size analysis via AFM more efficient and also offers the potential for nanoparticle analysis in liquid environments.

Kinetic control of block copolymer self-assembly into multicompartment and novel geometry nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yingchao; Wang, Xiaojun; Zhang, Ke; Wooley, Karen; Mays, Jimmy; Percec, Virgil; Pochan, Darrin

2012-02-01

Micelles with the segregation of hydrophobic blocks trapped in the same nanoparticle core have been produced through co-self-assembly of two block copolymers in THF/water dilute solution. The dissolution of two block copolymer sharing the same polyacrylic acid PAA blocks in THF undergoes consequent aggregation and phase separation through either slow water titration or quick water addition that triggers the micellar formation. The combination and comparison of the two water addition kinetic pathways are the keys of forming multicompartment structures at high water content. Importantly, the addition of organic diamine provides for acid-base complexation with the PAA side chains which, in turn, plays the key role of trapping unlike hydrophobic blocks from different block copolymers into one nanoparticle core. The kinetic control of solution assembly can be applied to other molecular systems such as dendrimers as well as other block copolymer molecules. Transmission electron microscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, light scattering have been applied to characterize the micelle structures.

Electrostatically self-assembled films containing II-VI semiconductor nanoparticles: Optical and electrical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suryajaya; Nabok, A.V.; Tsargorodskaya, A.; Hassan, A.K.; Davis, F.

2008-01-01

CdS and ZnS semiconducting colloid nanoparticles were deposited as thin films using the technique of electrostatic self-assembly. The process of alternative deposition of Poly-allylamine Hydrochloride (PAH) and CdS (or ZnS) layers were monitored with a novel optical method of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE). The fitting of TIRE spectra allowed the evaluation of the parameter (thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficients) of all consecutively deposited layers. I-V characteristics of the films obtained were studied in sandwich structures on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) conductive electrodes using the mercury probe technique. The presence of CdS (or ZnS) nanoparticles in the polyelectrolyte films leads to a switching behaviour, which may be attributed to the resonance electron tunneling via semiconducting nanoparticles

Assembly of tantalum porous films with graded oxidation profile from size-selected nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vidyadhar; Grammatikopoulos, Panagiotis; Cassidy, Cathal; Benelmekki, Maria; Bohra, Murtaza; Hawash, Zafer; Baughman, Kenneth W.; Sowwan, Mukhles

2014-05-01

Functionally graded materials offer a way to improve the physical and chemical properties of thin films and coatings for different applications in the nanotechnology and biomedical fields. In this work, design and assembly of nanoporous tantalum films with a graded oxidation profile perpendicular to the substrate surface are reported. These nanoporous films are composed of size-selected, amorphous tantalum nanoparticles, deposited using a gas-aggregated magnetron sputtering system, and oxidized after coalescence, as samples evolve from mono- to multi-layered structures. Molecular dynamics computer simulations shed light on atomistic mechanisms of nanoparticle coalescence, which govern the films porosity. Aberration-corrected (S) TEM, GIXRD, AFM, SEM, and XPS were employed to study the morphology, phase and oxidation profiles of the tantalum nanoparticles, and the resultant films.

Dynamics of nanoparticle self-assembly into superhydrophobic liquid marbles during water condensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rykaczewski, Konrad; Chinn, Jeff; Walker, Marlon L; Scott, John Henry J; Chinn, Amy; Jones, Wanda

2011-12-27

Nanoparticles adsorbed onto the surface of a drop can fully encapsulate the liquid, creating a robust and durable soft solid with superhydrophobic characteristics referred to as a liquid marble. Artificially created liquid marbles have been studied for about a decade but are already utilized in some hair and skin care products and have numerous other potential applications. These soft solids are usually formed in small quantity by depositing and rolling a drop of liquid on a layer of hydrophobic particles but can also be made in larger quantities in an industrial mixer. In this work, we demonstrate that microscale liquid marbles can also form through self-assembly during water condensation on a superhydrophobic surface covered with a loose layer of hydrophobic nanoparticles. Using in situ environmental scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy, we study the dynamics of liquid marble formation and evaporation as well as their interaction with condensing water droplets. We demonstrate that the self-assembly of nanoparticle films into three-dimensional liquid marbles is driven by multiple coalescence events between partially covered droplets and is aided by surface flows causing rapid nanoparticle film redistribution. We also show that droplet and liquid marble coalescence can occur due to liquid-to-liquid contact or squeezing of the two objects into each other as a result of compressive forces from surrounding droplets and marbles. Irrelevant of the mechanism, coalescence of marbles and drops can cause their rapid movement across and rolling off the edge of the surface. We also demonstrate that the liquid marbles randomly moving across the surface can be captured and immobilized by hydrophilic surface patterns.

Chain-like nanostructures from anisotropic self-assembly of semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles with a block copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Junzheng; Winardi, Suminto; Sugawara-Narutaki, Ayae; Kumamoto, Akihito; Tohei, Tetsuya; Shimojima, Atsushi; Okubo, Tatsuya

2012-11-21

A facile method is reported for the preparation of chain-like nanostructures by anisotropic self-assembly of TiO(2) and SnO(2) nanoparticles with the aid of a block copolymer in an aqueous medium. Well-defined crystallographic orientations between neighbouring nanoparticles are observed in TiO(2) nanochains, which is important for tailoring the grain boundaries and thus enhancing charge transport.

Selective DNA-Mediated Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles on Electroded Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

2008-06-01

might use the Watson - Crick base-pairing of DNA as a means for ultrahigh-precision engineering is well- known.5,6 The idea is to use the highly specific...Selective DNA -Mediated Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles on Electroded Substrates K. E. Sapsford,†,‡,∇ D. Park,§ E. R. Goldman,‡ E. E. Foos,| S. A...electrodes via DNA hybridization. Protocols are demonstrated for maximizing selectivity and coverage using 15mers as the active binding agents. Detailed

Colloidal polymers with controlled sequence and branching constructed from magnetic field assembled nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bannwarth, Markus B; Utech, Stefanie; Ebert, Sandro; Weitz, David A; Crespy, Daniel; Landfester, Katharina

2015-03-24

The assembly of nanoparticles into polymer-like architectures is challenging and usually requires highly defined colloidal building blocks. Here, we show that the broad size-distribution of a simple dispersion of magnetic nanocolloids can be exploited to obtain various polymer-like architectures. The particles are assembled under an external magnetic field and permanently linked by thermal sintering. The remarkable variety of polymer-analogue architectures that arises from this simple process ranges from statistical and block copolymer-like sequencing to branched chains and networks. This library of architectures can be realized by controlling the sequencing of the particles and the junction points via a size-dependent self-assembly of the single building blocks.

Hydrothermal-induced assembly of colloidal silver spheres into various nanoparticles on the basis of HTAB-modified silver mirror reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Dabin; Yam, Vivian Wing-Wah

2005-03-31

Small colloidal silver spheres (diameter synthesis process. Adjustment of the synthesis parameters, in particular the concentrations of HTAB and [Ag(NH3)2]+, led to an obvious shape evolution of silver nanoparticles, thus resulting in the shape-selective formation of the silver nanoparticles. The monodisperse nanocubes with a well-defined crystallographical structure (a single crystal bounded by six {200} facets) have a strong tendency to assemble into two-dimensional arrays on substrates. The nanowires with uniform diameter usually existed in the form of two-dimensional alignments. The findings suggested that hydrothermal-induced assembly of small silver colloidal particles should be a convenient and effective approach to the preparation of various silver nanoparticles.

Plasmonic Coupling in Three-Dimensional Au Nanoparticle Assemblies Fabricated by Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahrum Sohn

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated optical properties of three-dimensional (3D assemblies of Au nanoparticles (NPs, which were fabricated by dewetting of thin Au layers on anodic aluminum oxides (AAO. The NP assembly had hexagonal array of repeated multiparticle structures, which consisted of six trimers on the AAO surface and one large NP in the AAO pore (pore-NP. We performed finite-difference time-domain simulation to explain the optical response of the NP assemblies and compared the calculation results with experimental data. Such complementary studies clearly revealed how the plasmonic coupling between the constituent NPs influenced the spectral response of our NP assemblies. In particular, comparison of the assemblies with and without pore-NPs suggested that strong plasmonic coupling between trimers and pore-NP significantly affected the spectra and the field distribution of the NP assemblies. Plasmonic multi-NP assemblies could provide us new platforms to realize novel optoelectronic devices.

Gold-nanoparticle-mediated jigsaw-puzzle-like assembly of supersized plasmonic DNA origami.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Guangbao; Li, Jiang; Chao, Jie; Pei, Hao; Liu, Huajie; Zhao, Yun; Shi, Jiye; Huang, Qing; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei; Fan, Chunhai

2015-03-02

DNA origami has rapidly emerged as a powerful and programmable method to construct functional nanostructures. However, the size limitation of approximately 100 nm in classic DNA origami hampers its plasmonic applications. Herein, we report a jigsaw-puzzle-like assembly strategy mediated by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to break the size limitation of DNA origami. We demonstrated that oligonucleotide-functionalized AuNPs function as universal joint units for the one-pot assembly of parent DNA origami of triangular shape to form sub-microscale super-origami nanostructures. AuNPs anchored at predefined positions of the super-origami exhibited strong interparticle plasmonic coupling. This AuNP-mediated strategy offers new opportunities to drive macroscopic self-assembly and to fabricate well-defined nanophotonic materials and devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mobility lifetime product in doped and undoped nanocrystalline CdSe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tripathi, S.K.; Al-Kabbi, Alaa S.; Sharma, Kriti; Saini, G.S.S.

2013-01-01

This paper reports the effect of doping on the charge transport in nanocrystalline CdSe thin film. The X-ray study confirms that the doping is achieved and the physical properties are improved. The energy resolution of a semiconductor radiation detector depends on the charge transport properties of the semiconductor and the mobility-lifetime (μτ) product is a key figure of merit for the charge transport. μτ product in nanocrystalline CdSe, CdSe:In and CdSe:Zn thin films has been estimated from temperature dependence of the photoconductivity, which increases with increase in temperature and doping. Also, μτ product of electrons in pure and doped nanocrystalline CdSe thin films has been determined by spectral photoconductivity at different applied voltages. Both the μτ and photoconductivity increase linearly with the bias voltage but the wavelength dependence remains qualitatively similar in all samples. The μτ products increase at photon energies > energy gap, which indicates that the recombination process depends on the excitation energy. The doped CdSe thin films have higher drift length in comparison with undoped films which suggest that these thin films can be used in charge collecting devices. - Highlights: • The structure of thin films has been studied using X-ray diffraction. • Spectral dependence of μτ product in pure and doped nc-CdSe thin films is studied. • The mobility-lifetime product shows dependence on temperature and doping type. • The drift length increases linearly with increasing applied field and doping. • The transport properties of nc-CdSe thin films are enhanced with doping

Performance of dielectric nanocomposites: matrix-free, hairy nanoparticle assemblies and amorphous polymer-nanoparticle blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, Christopher A; Koerner, Hilmar; Meth, Jeffrey S; Dang, Alei; Hui, Chin Ming; Matyjaszewski, Krzysztof; Bockstaller, Michael R; Durstock, Michael F; Vaia, Richard A

2014-12-10

Demands to increase the stored energy density of electrostatic capacitors have spurred the development of materials with enhanced dielectric breakdown, improved permittivity, and reduced dielectric loss. Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), consisting of a blend of amorphous polymer and dielectric nanofillers, have been studied intensely to satisfy these goals; however, nanoparticle aggregates, field localization due to dielectric mismatch between particle and matrix, and the poorly understood role of interface compatibilization have challenged progress. To expand the understanding of the inter-relation between these factors and, thus, enable rational optimization of low and high contrast PNC dielectrics, we compare the dielectric performance of matrix-free hairy nanoparticle assemblies (aHNPs) to blended PNCs in the regime of low dielectric contrast to establish how morphology and interface impact energy storage and breakdown across different polymer matrices (polystyrene, PS, and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA) and nanoparticle loadings (0-50% (v/v) silica). The findings indicate that the route (aHNP versus blending) to well-dispersed morphology has, at most, a minor impact on breakdown strength trends with nanoparticle volume fraction; the only exception being at intermediate loadings of silica in PMMA (15% (v/v)). Conversely, aHNPs show substantial improvements in reducing dielectric loss and maintaining charge/discharge efficiency. For example, low-frequency dielectric loss (1 Hz-1 kHz) of PS and PMMA aHNP films was essentially unchanged up to a silica content of 50% (v/v), whereas traditional blends showed a monotonically increasing loss with silica loading. Similar benefits are seen via high-field polarization loop measurements where energy storage for ∼15% (v/v) silica loaded PMMA and PS aHNPs were 50% and 200% greater than respective comparable PNC blends. Overall, these findings on low dielectric contrast PNCs clearly point to the performance benefits of

Achieving 3-D Nanoparticle Assembly in Nanocomposite Thin Films via Kinetic Control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Jingyu; Xiao, Yihan; Xu, Ting [UCB

2017-02-20

Nanocomposite thin films containing well-ordered nanoparticle (NP) assemblies are ideal candidates for the fabrication of metamaterials. Achieving 3-D assembly of NPs in nanocomposite thin films is thermodynamically challenging as the particle size gets similar to that of a single polymer chain. The entropic penalties of polymeric matrix upon NP incorporation leads to NP aggregation on the film surface or within the defects in the film. Controlling the kinetic pathways of assembly process provides an alternative path forward by arresting the system in nonequilibrium states. Here, we report the thin film 3-D hierarchical assembly of 20 nm NPs in supramolecules with a 30 nm periodicity. By mediating the NP diffusion kinetics in the supramolecular matrix, surface aggregation of NPs was suppressed and NPs coassemble with supramolecules to form new 3-D morphologies in thin films. The present studies opened a viable route to achieve designer functional composite thin films via kinetic control.

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) - CdSe quantum dot bulk heterojunction solar cells: Influence of the functional end-group of the polymer

KAUST Repository

Palaniappan, Kumaranand

2009-06-23

The synthesis of H/thiol terminated P3HT from Br/allyl-terminated P3HT precursor was analyzed. The photovoltaic response of blends were prepared of H/thiol terminated P3HT with spherical CdSe quantum dots(QD) and compares the results with regioregular H/Br and Br/aryl-terminated P3HT. Phase segregation was carried by mixing relatively polar pyridine treated CdSe QD with nonpolar P3HT. The experiment revealed that a high loading of CdSe is necessary for an efficient charge transport and different loading ratios of CdSe has been investigated to correlate the photovoltaic response as a function of ration between donor H/thiol-P3ht polymer and acceptor Cdse QD. The results show that H/Br-P3HT, H/thiol- and Br/allyl-terminated P3HT exhibits better performance and Cdse quantum dots were used to obtain results.

Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods via self-assembled spray pyrolyzed nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwivedi, Charu; Dutta, V

2012-01-01

Well-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are fabricated on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates via self-assembly of ZnO nanoparticles created using continuous spray pyrolysis (CoSP) technique. The method involves pre-treatment by dip-coating the substrate with a solution comprising of zinc salt for creating a seed layer, and then spray-pyrolyzed ZnO nanoparticles self-assemble on the pre-treated substrate. The effect of the substrate pre-treatment and the deposition time (t dep ) of nanoparticles is investigated. The results show that the substrate pre-treatment influences the growth of ZnO nanorods which are absent without the pre-treatment. Nanoparticle collection and nanorod growth on different substrates are done simultaneously. The thin films of as-grown nanorods are used as photoelectrode materials to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and the effect of nanorods grown for different times has been studied. The best performance with this cell structure is found for the layer with t dep =15 min, which showed a conversion efficiency of 1.77% for the cell area of 0.25 cm 2

Self-assembled peptides for coating of active sulfur nanoparticles in lithium–sulfur battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jewel, Yead; Yoo, Kisoo; Liu, Jin; Dutta, Prashanta

2016-01-01

Development of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is hindered by poor cyclability due to the loss of sulfur, although Li–S battery can provide high energy density. Coating of sulfur nanoparticles can help maintain active sulfur in the cathode of Li–S battery, and hence increase the cyclability. Among myriad of coating materials, synthetic peptides are very attractive because of their spontaneous self-assembly as well as electrical conductive characteristics. In this study, we explored the use of various synthetic peptides as a coating material for sulfur nanoparticles. Atomistic simulations were carried out to identify optimal peptide structure and density for coating sulfur nanoparticles. Three different peptide models, poly-proline, poly(leucine–lysine) and poly-histidine, are selected for this study based on their peptide–peptide and peptide-sulfur interactions. Simulation results show that both poly-proline and poly(leucine–lysine) can form self-assembled coating on sulfur nanoparticles (2–20 nm) in pyrrolidinone, a commonly used solvent for cathode slurry. We also studied the structural integrity of these synthetic peptides in organic [dioxolane (DOL) and dimethoxyethane (DME)] electrolyte used in Li–S battery. Both peptides show stable structures in organic electrolyte (DOL/DME) used in Li–S battery. Furthermore, the dissolution of sulfur molecules in organic electrolyte is investigated in the absence and presence of these peptide coatings. It was found that only poly(leucine–lysine)-based peptide can most effectively suppress the sulfur loss in electrolyte, suggesting its potential applications in Li–S battery as a coating material.Graphical abstract

CdSe white quantum dots-based white light-emitting diodes with high color rendering index

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yu-Sheng; Hsiao, Chih-Chun; Chung, Shu-Ru

2016-09-01

A white light emission CdSe quantum dots (QDs) can be prepared by chemical route under 180°C. An organic oleic acid (OA) is used to react with CdO to form Cd-OA complex. Hexadecylamine (HDA) and 1-Octadecene (ODE) were used as co-surfactants. By controlling the reaction time, a white light emission CdSe QDs can be obtained after reacts for 3 to 10 min. The luminescence spectra compose two obvious emission peaks and entire visible light ranges from 400 to 650 nm. Based on TEM measurement result, spherical morphologies with particle size 2.39+/-0.27 nm can be obtained. The quantum yields (QYs) of white CdSe QD are between 20 and 60 %, which depends on reaction time. A white CdSe QDs were mixed with UV cured gel (OPAS-226) with weight ratios 50.0 wt. %, and putted the mixture into reflective cup (3020, 13 mil) as convert type. The white LEDs have controllable CIE coordinates and correlated color temperature (CCT). The luminous efficacy of the device is less than 3 lm/W, but the color rendering index (CRI) for all devices are higher than 80. Since the luminous efficacy of hybrid devices has a direct dependence on the external QY of the UV-LED as well, the luminous efficacy can be improved by well dispersion of CdSe QDs in UV gel matrix and using optimized LED chips. Therefore, in this study, we provide a new and simple method to prepare high QY of white CdSe QDs and its have a potential to applicate in solid-state lighting.

On the Hopping Efficiency of Nanoparticles in the Electron Transfer across Self‐Assembled Monolayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Feng; Khan, Kamran; Liang, Jing‐Hong

2013-01-01

Redox reactions of solvated molecular species at gold‐electrode surfaces modified by electrochemically inactive self‐assembled molecular monolayers (SAMs) are found to be activated by introducing Au nanoparticles (NPs) covalently bound to the SAM to form a reactive Au–alkanedithiol–NP–molecule hy...

Electrostatic assembly of Cu2O nanoparticles on DNA templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Li; Wei Gang; Qi Bin; Zhou Hualan; Liu Zhiguo; Song Yonghai; Yang Xiurong; Li Zhuang

2006-01-01

In this paper, a method for highly ordered assembly of cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) nanoparticles (NPs) by DNA templates was reported. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped Cu 2 O NPs were adsorbed onto well-aligned λ-DNA chains to form necklace-like one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures. UV-vis, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the nanostructure. The Cu 2 O nanostructures fabricated with the method are both highly ordered and quite straight

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of CdSe nanocrystals covalently bound to GaAs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walzer, K.; Marx, E.; Greenham, N.C.

2003-01-01

We present scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) measurements of CdSe nanocrystals covalently attached to doped GaAs substrates using monolayers of 1,6-hexanedithiol. STM measurements showed the formation of stable, densely packed, homogeneous monolayers...... of nanocrystals. STS measurements showed rectifying behaviour, with high currents at the opposite sample bias to that previously observed for CdSe nanocrystals adsorbed on Si substrates. We explain the rectifying behaviour by considering the interaction between the electronic states of the nanocrystals...

Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene coated iron oxide nanoparticles and asymmetric assemblies by phase inversion

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui

2014-09-02

Films with a gradient concentration of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are reported, based on a phase inversion membrane process. Nanoparticles with ∼13 nm diameter were prepared by coprecipitation in aqueous solution and stabilized by oleic acid. They were further functionalized by ATRP leading to grafted polystyrene brush. The final nanoparticles of 33 nm diameter were characterized by TGA, FTIR spectroscopy, GPC, transmission electron microscopy, and dynanmic light scattering. Asymmetric porous nanoparticle assemblies were then prepared by solution casting and immersion in water. The nanocomposite film production with functionalized nanoparticles is fast and technically scalable. The morphologies of films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, demonstrating the presence of sponge-like structures and finger-like cavities when 50 and 13 wt % casting solutions were, respectively, used. The magnetic properties were evaluated using vibrating sample magnetometer.

Plasma-Induced Wafer-Scale Self-Assembly of Silver Nanoparticles and Application to Biochemical Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunbo Shi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, the wafer-scale silver nanoparticles fabricated by a self-assembly method was demonstrated based on a magnetron sputtering and plasma treatment process. Silver nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes were prepared, and the effects of the plasma treatment time, plasma gas composition, and power were systematically investigated to develop a method for low-cost and large-scale fabrication of silver nanoparticles. Furthermore, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering experiments: crystal violet, as the probe, was absorbed on the silver nanoparticles film of different size and density, and get the phenomena of surface-enhanced Raman scattering and surface-enhanced fluorescence. The results show that the proposed technique provides a rapid method for the fabrication of silver nanomaterial; the method is adaptable to large-scale production and is compatible with the fabrication of other materials and biosensors.

Size-controlled synthesis of chalcogen and chalcogenide nanoparticles using protic ionic liquids with imidazolium cation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meenatchi, Boominathan; Renuga, Velayutham; Manikandan, Ayyar

2016-01-01

Green synthesis of selenium (chalcogen) nanoparticles (SeNPs) has been successfully attained by simple wet chemical method that involves the reaction of six different protic ionic liquids with imidazolium cations and sodium hydrogen selenide (NaHSe) in the presence of poly ethylene glycol-600 (PEG-600) as an additional stabilizer. The obtained SeNPs were characterized using UV spectral (UV), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The results illustrate that the synthesized SeNPs are spherical in shape with size ranging 19-24 nm and possess good optical property with greater band gap energy, high thermal stability up to 330 .deg. C, low melting point of 218-220 .deg. C comparing to precursor selenium. Using the synthesized SeNPs, two chalcogenides such as ZnSe and CdSe semiconductor nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized using XRD, SEM with EDX and TEM analysis. The fabricated CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles appeared like pebble and cluster structure with particle size of 29.97 nm and 22.73 nm respectively.

Size-controlled synthesis of chalcogen and chalcogenide nanoparticles using protic ionic liquids with imidazolium cation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meenatchi, Boominathan [Cauvery College for Women, Tamilnadu (India); Renuga, Velayutham [National College, Tamilnadu (India); Manikandan, Ayyar [Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Bharath University, Tamilnadu (India)

2016-03-15

Green synthesis of selenium (chalcogen) nanoparticles (SeNPs) has been successfully attained by simple wet chemical method that involves the reaction of six different protic ionic liquids with imidazolium cations and sodium hydrogen selenide (NaHSe) in the presence of poly ethylene glycol-600 (PEG-600) as an additional stabilizer. The obtained SeNPs were characterized using UV spectral (UV), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The results illustrate that the synthesized SeNPs are spherical in shape with size ranging 19-24 nm and possess good optical property with greater band gap energy, high thermal stability up to 330 .deg. C, low melting point of 218-220 .deg. C comparing to precursor selenium. Using the synthesized SeNPs, two chalcogenides such as ZnSe and CdSe semiconductor nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized using XRD, SEM with EDX and TEM analysis. The fabricated CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles appeared like pebble and cluster structure with particle size of 29.97 nm and 22.73 nm respectively.

Self-assembly of robotic micro- and nanoswimmers using magnetic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheang, U. Kei; Kim, Min Jun, E-mail: mkim@coe.drexel.edu [Drexel University, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics (United States)

2015-03-15

Micro- and nanoscale robotic swimmers are very promising to significantly enhance the performance of particulate drug delivery by providing high accuracy at extremely small scales. Here, we introduce micro- and nanoswimmers fabricated using self-assembly of nanoparticles and control via magnetic fields. Nanoparticles self-align into parallel chains under magnetization. The swimmers exhibit flexibility under a rotating magnetic field resulting in chiral structures upon deformation, thereby having the prerequisite for non-reciprocal motion to move about at low Reynolds number. The swimmers are actuated wirelessly using an external rotating magnetic field supplied by approximate Helmholtz coils. By controlling the concentration of the suspended magnetic nanoparticles, the swimmers can be modulated into different sizes. Nanoscale swimmers are largely influenced by Brownian motion, as observed from their jerky trajectories. The microswimmers, which are roughly three times larger, are less vulnerable to the effects from Brownian motion. In this paper, we demonstrate responsive directional control of micro- and nanoswimmers and compare their respective diffusivities and trajectories to characterize the implications of Brownian disturbance on the motions of small and large swimmers. We then performed a simulation using a kinematic model for the magnetic swimmers including the stochastic nature of Brownian motion.

Self-assembly of robotic micro- and nanoswimmers using magnetic nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Cheang, U. Kei; Kim, Min Jun

2015-03-01

Micro- and nanoscale robotic swimmers are very promising to significantly enhance the performance of particulate drug delivery by providing high accuracy at extremely small scales. Here, we introduce micro- and nanoswimmers fabricated using self-assembly of nanoparticles and control via magnetic fields. Nanoparticles self-align into parallel chains under magnetization. The swimmers exhibit flexibility under a rotating magnetic field resulting in chiral structures upon deformation, thereby having the prerequisite for non-reciprocal motion to move about at low Reynolds number. The swimmers are actuated wirelessly using an external rotating magnetic field supplied by approximate Helmholtz coils. By controlling the concentration of the suspended magnetic nanoparticles, the swimmers can be modulated into different sizes. Nanoscale swimmers are largely influenced by Brownian motion, as observed from their jerky trajectories. The microswimmers, which are roughly three times larger, are less vulnerable to the effects from Brownian motion. In this paper, we demonstrate responsive directional control of micro- and nanoswimmers and compare their respective diffusivities and trajectories to characterize the implications of Brownian disturbance on the motions of small and large swimmers. We then performed a simulation using a kinematic model for the magnetic swimmers including the stochastic nature of Brownian motion.

Self-assembly of robotic micro- and nanoswimmers using magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheang, U. Kei; Kim, Min Jun

2015-01-01

Micro- and nanoscale robotic swimmers are very promising to significantly enhance the performance of particulate drug delivery by providing high accuracy at extremely small scales. Here, we introduce micro- and nanoswimmers fabricated using self-assembly of nanoparticles and control via magnetic fields. Nanoparticles self-align into parallel chains under magnetization. The swimmers exhibit flexibility under a rotating magnetic field resulting in chiral structures upon deformation, thereby having the prerequisite for non-reciprocal motion to move about at low Reynolds number. The swimmers are actuated wirelessly using an external rotating magnetic field supplied by approximate Helmholtz coils. By controlling the concentration of the suspended magnetic nanoparticles, the swimmers can be modulated into different sizes. Nanoscale swimmers are largely influenced by Brownian motion, as observed from their jerky trajectories. The microswimmers, which are roughly three times larger, are less vulnerable to the effects from Brownian motion. In this paper, we demonstrate responsive directional control of micro- and nanoswimmers and compare their respective diffusivities and trajectories to characterize the implications of Brownian disturbance on the motions of small and large swimmers. We then performed a simulation using a kinematic model for the magnetic swimmers including the stochastic nature of Brownian motion

Optical properties of P3HT:tributylphosphine oxide-capped CdSe nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benchaabane, A. [Faculte des Sciences d' Amiens, Laboratoire de Physique de la Matiere Condensee, Amiens (France); Universite Tunis El-Manar, Laboratoire de Materiaux avances et phenomenes quantiques, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis El Manar, Tunis (Tunisia); Universite Arabe des Sciences, Ecole Superieure d' Ingenieurs et des Etudes Technologiques, Tunis (Tunisia); Ben Hamed, Z.; Kouki, F.; Bouchriha, H. [Universite Tunis El-Manar, Laboratoire de Materiaux avances et phenomenes quantiques, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis El Manar, Tunis (Tunisia); Lahmar, A.; Zellama, K.; Zeinert, A. [Faculte des Sciences d' Amiens, Laboratoire de Physique de la Matiere Condensee, Amiens (France); Sanhoury, M.A. [Laboratoire de Chimie Organique Structurale, Synthese et Etudes Physicochimiques, Tunis (Tunisia)

2016-08-15

The optical properties of nanocomposite layers prepared by incorporation of tributylphosphine oxide (TBPO)-capped CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in a P3HT polymer matrix are studied using different nanocrystal concentrations. Reflection spectra analyzed through Kim oscillator model lead to the determination of optical constants such as refractive index n, extinction coefficient k, dielectric permittivity ε and absorption coefficient α. Using the common Cauchy, Drude-Lorentz, Tauc and single-effective-oscillator theoretical models, we have determined the values of static refractive index n{sub s} and permittivity ε{sub s}, plasma frequency ω{sub p}, carrier density N, optical band gap E{sub g} and oscillator and dispersion energies E{sub 0} and E{sub d}, respectively. It is found that TBPO-capped CdSe NCs concentration affects the optoelectronic parameters of the nanocomposite thin films. Moreover, the disorder of this hybrid system is also studied by the determination of Urbach energy, which increases with TBPO-capped CdSe concentration. (orig.)

Detection of CdSe quantum dot photoluminescence for security label on paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isnaeni,, E-mail: isnaeni@lipi.go.id; Sugiarto, Iyon Titok [Research Center for Physics, Indonesian Institute of Science, Building 442 Puspiptek Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia 15314 (Indonesia); Bilqis, Ratu; Suseno, Jatmiko Endro [Department of Physics, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. Soedarto, Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia 50275 (Indonesia)

2016-02-08

CdSe quantum dot has great potential in various applications especially for emitting devices. One example potential application of CdSe quantum dot is security label for anti-counterfeiting. In this work, we present a practical approach of security label on paper using one and two colors of colloidal CdSe quantum dot, which is used as stamping ink on various types of paper. Under ambient condition, quantum dot is almost invisible. The quantum dot security label can be revealed by detecting emission of quantum dot using photoluminescence and cnc machine. The recorded quantum dot emission intensity is then analyzed using home-made program to reveal quantum dot pattern stamp having the word ’RAHASIA’. We found that security label using quantum dot works well on several types of paper. The quantum dot patterns can survive several days and further treatment is required to protect the quantum dot. Oxidation of quantum dot that occurred during this experiment reduced the emission intensity of quantum dot patterns.

Layer by layer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene via Langmuir Blodgett method for efficient light-harvesting in photocatalytic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakir, Imran; Ali, Zahid; Kang, Dae Joon

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Layer by layer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene. • Efficient visible light photocatalysis. • Plasmonic resonances by nanoparticles are utilized for visible light scattering. • Electron scavenging reaction. • Easy handling and recycling. - Abstract: The synthesis of a photocatalyst that is highly active under visible light is one of the most challenging tasks for solar-energy utilization. Here we report a multilayer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene that offers dual functionality to efficiently harness visible photons. Firstly, plasmonic resonances by gold nanoparticles are utilized for visible light scattering; secondly the electron scavenging reaction is enhanced by the gold nanoparticles trapping the electrons that are injected from the dye into the graphene. Moreover, the structure is in the form of a thin film, which demonstrates the potential for easy handling and recycling. Precise control over light harvesting and the photocatalytic response is achieved by controlling the number of layers

Layer by layer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene via Langmuir Blodgett method for efficient light-harvesting in photocatalytic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shakir, Imran, E-mail: shakir@skku.edu [Deanship of scientific research, College of Engineering, King Saud University, PO-BOX 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Ali, Zahid [BK 21 Physics Research Division, Department of Energy Science, Institute of Basic Sciences, SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); National Institute of Lasers and Optronics, Islamabad (Pakistan); Kang, Dae Joon [BK 21 Physics Research Division, Department of Energy Science, Institute of Basic Sciences, SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-12-25

Highlights: • Layer by layer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene. • Efficient visible light photocatalysis. • Plasmonic resonances by nanoparticles are utilized for visible light scattering. • Electron scavenging reaction. • Easy handling and recycling. - Abstract: The synthesis of a photocatalyst that is highly active under visible light is one of the most challenging tasks for solar-energy utilization. Here we report a multilayer assembly of gold nanoparticles and graphene that offers dual functionality to efficiently harness visible photons. Firstly, plasmonic resonances by gold nanoparticles are utilized for visible light scattering; secondly the electron scavenging reaction is enhanced by the gold nanoparticles trapping the electrons that are injected from the dye into the graphene. Moreover, the structure is in the form of a thin film, which demonstrates the potential for easy handling and recycling. Precise control over light harvesting and the photocatalytic response is achieved by controlling the number of layers.

Hierarchical nanoflowers assembled with Au nanoparticles decorated ZnO nanosheets toward enhanced photocatalytic properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Cuiyan; Yu, Yanlong; Xu, Tao

2017-01-01

Hierarchical nanoflowers assembled with Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated ZnO nanosheets (Au-ZnO nanosheet flowers, AZNSFs) were successful synthesized. The AZNSFs showed more efficient activity to photodegradation of RhB than that of pure ZnO nanosheet flowers and commercial ZnO nanopowders. The ...

Controlled AFM manipulation of small nanoparticles and assembly of hybrid nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Suenne; Shafiei, Farbod; Ratchford, Daniel; Li Xiaoqin

2011-01-01

We demonstrate controlled manipulation of semiconductor and metallic nanoparticles (NPs) with 5-15 nm diameters and assemble these NPs into hybrid structures. The manipulation is accomplished under ambient environment using a commercial atomic force microscope (AFM). There are particular difficulties associated with manipulating NPs this small. In addition to spatial drift, the shape of an asymmetric AFM tip has to be taken into account in order to understand the intended and actual manipulation results. Furthermore, small NPs often attach to the tip via electrostatic interaction and modify the effective tip shape. We suggest a method for detaching the NPs by performing a pseudo-manipulation step. Finally, we show by example the ability to assemble these small NPs into prototypical hybrid nanostructures with well-defined composition and geometry.

Construction of vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductors photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity: Enhanced photo induced carriers separation efficiency and mechanism insight.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jiangsu; Ma, Changchang; Huo, Pengwei; Liu, Xinlin; Wei, Maobin; Liu, Yang; Yao, Xin; Ma, Zhongfei; Yan, Yongsheng

2017-10-01

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis as a green technology has attracted a lot of attention due to its potential applications in environmental remediation. Vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor photocatalyst are successfully prepared by a gas template method and characterized by a variety of methods. The vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductors display enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride, the photodegradation rate of 78.824% was achieved by vesicle CdSe, which exhibited an increase of 31.779% compared to granular CdSe. Such an exceptional photocatalytic capability can be attributed to the unique structure of the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor with enhanced light absorption ability and excellent carrier transport capability. Meanwhile, the large surface area of the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor can increase the contact probability between catalyst and target and provide more surface-active centers. The photocatalytic mechanisms are analyzed by active species quenching. It indicates that h + and O 2 - are the main active species which play a major role in catalyzing environmental toxic pollutants. Simultaneously, the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor had high efficiency and stability. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Electrosynthesis and characterization of Fe doped CdSe thin films from ethylene glycol bath

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawar, S.M.; Moholkar, A.V.; Rajpure, K.Y.; Bhosale, C.H.

2007-01-01

The CdSe and Fe doped CdSe (Fe:CdSe) thin films have been electrodeposited potentiostatically onto the stainless steel and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates, from ethylene glycol bath containing (CH 3 COO) 2 .Cd.2H 2 O, SeO 2 , and FeCl 3 at room temperature. The doping concentration of Fe is optimized by using (photo) electrochemical (PEC) characterization technique. The deposition mechanism and Fe incorporation are studied by cyclic voltammetry. The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the deposited CdSe and Fe:CdSe thin films have been studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical absorption techniques respectively. The PEC study shows that Fe:CdSe thin films are more photosensitive than that of undoped CdSe thin films. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the films are polycrystalline with hexagonal crystal structure. SEM studies reveal that the films with uniformly distributed grains over the entire surface of the substrate. The complete surface morphology has been changed after doping. Optical absorption study shows the presence of direct transition and a considerable decrease in bandgap, E g from 1.95 to 1.65 eV

The Self-Assembly of Nanogold for Optical Metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Nidetz, Robert A.

2011-12-01

Optical metamaterials are an emerging field that enables manipulation of light like never before. Producing optical metamaterials requires sub-wavelength building blocks. The focus here was to develop methods to produce building blocks for metamaterials from nanogold. Electron-beam lithography was used to define an aminosilane patterned chemical template in order to electrostatically self-assemble citrate-capped gold nanoparticles. Equilibrium self-assembly was achieved in 20 minutes by immersing chemical templates into gold nanoparticle solutions. The number of nanoparticles that self-assembled on an aminosilane dot was controlled by manipulating the diameters of the dots and nanoparticles. Adding salt to the nanoparticle solution enabled the nanoparticles to self-assemble in greater numbers on the same sized dot. However, the preparation of the nanoparticle solution containing salt was sensitive to spikes in the salt concentration which led to aggregation of the nanoparticles and non-specific deposition. Gold nanorods were also electrostatically self-assembled. Polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanorods were patterned with limited success. A polyelectrolyte chemical template also patterned gold nanorods, but the gold nanorods preferred to pattern on the edges of the pattern. Ligand-exchanged gold nanorods displayed the best self-assembly, but suffered from slow kinetics. Self-assembled gold nanoparticles were cross-linked with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride). The poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) allowed additional nanoparticles to pattern on top of the already patterned nanoparticles. Cross-linked nanoparticles were lifted-off of the substrate by sonication in a sodium hydroxide solution. The presence of van der Waals forces and/or amine bonding prevent the nanogold from lifting-off without sonication. A good-solvent evaporation process was used to self-assemble poly(styrene) coated gold nanoparticles into spherical microbead assemblies. The use of larger

Surface Passivation of CdSe Quantum Dots in All Inorganic Amorphous Solid by Forming Cd1-xZnxSe Shell.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Mengling; Liu, Chao; Zhao, Zhiyong; Wang, Jing; Lin, Changgui; Xu, Yinsheng; Heo, Jong; Dai, Shixun; Han, Jianjun; Zhao, Xiujian

2017-02-07

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) doped glasses have been widely investigated for optical filters, LED color converter and other optical emitters. Unlike CdSe QDs in solution, it is difficult to passivate the surface defects of CdSe QDs in glass matrix, which strongly suppress its intrinsic emission. In this study, surface passivation of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by Cd 1-x Zn x Se shell in silicate glass was reported. An increase in the Se/Cd ratio can lead to the partial passivation of the surface states and appearance of the intrinsic emission of CdSe QDs. Optimizing the heat-treatment condition promotes the incorporation of Zn into CdSe QDs and results in the quenching of the defect emission. Formation of CdSe/Cd 1-x Zn x Se core/graded shell QDs is evidenced by the experimental results of TEM and Raman spectroscopy. Realization of the surface passivation and intrinsic emission of II-VI QDs may facilitate the wide applications of QDs doped all inorganic amorphous materials.

Random telegraph signals by alkanethiol-protected Au nanoparticles in chemically assembled single-electron transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kano, Shinya; Azuma, Yasuo; Tanaka, Daisuke; Sakamoto, Masanori; Teranishi, Toshiharu; Smith, Luke W.; Smith, Charles G.; Majima, Yutaka

2013-01-01

We have studied random telegraph signals (RTSs) in a chemically assembled single-electron transistor (SET) at temperatures as low as 300 mK. The RTSs in the chemically assembled SET were investigated by measuring the source–drain current, using a histogram of the RTS dwell time, and calculating the power spectrum density of the drain current–time characteristics. It was found that the dwell time of the RTS was dependent on the drain voltage of the SET, but was independent of the gate voltage. Considering the spatial structure of the chemically assembled SET, the origin of the RTS is attributed to the trapped charges on an alkanethiol-protected Au nanoparticle positioned near the SET. These results are important as they will help to realize stable chemically assembled SETs in practical applications

Templated assembly of Co-Pt nanoparticles via thermal and laser-induced dewetting of bilayer metal films.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Yong-Jun; Kim, Jung-Hwan; Thompson, Carl V; Ross, Caroline A

2013-01-07

Templated dewetting of a Co/Pt metal bilayer film on a topographic substrate was used to assemble arrays of Co-Pt alloy nanoparticles, with highly uniform particle size, shape and notably composition compared to nanoparticles formed on an untemplated substrate. Solid-state and liquid-state dewetting processes, using furnace annealing and laser irradiation respectively, were compared. Liquid state dewetting produced more uniform, conformal nanoparticles but they had a polycrystalline disordered fcc structure and relatively low magnetic coercivity. In contrast, solid state dewetting enabled formation of magnetically hard, ordered L1(0) Co-Pt single-crystal particles with coercivity >12 kOe. Furnace annealing converted the nanoparticles formed by liquid state dewetting into the L1(0) phase.

Gold nanoparticle assisted assembly of a heme protein for enhancement of long-range interfacial electron transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Palle Skovhus; Chi, Qijin; Grumsen, Flemming Bjerg

2007-01-01

and characterization of water-soluble gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with core diameter 3-4 nm and their application for the enhancement of long-range interfacial ET of a heme protein. Gold nanoparticles were electrostatically conjugated with cyt c to form nanoparticle-protein hybrid ET systems with well...... and the protein molecule. When the nanoparticle-protein conjugates are assembled on Au(111) surfaces, long-range interfacial ET across a physical distance of over 50 A via the nanoparticle becomes feasible. Moreover, significant enhancement of the interfacial ET rate by more than an order of magnitude compared...... with that of cyt c in the absence of AuNPs is observed. AuNPs appear to serve as excellent ET relays, most likely by facilitating the electronic coupling between the protein redox center and the electrode surface....

Assessing potential harmful effects of CdSe quantum dots by using Drosophila melanogaster as in vivo model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alaraby, Mohamed; Demir, Esref; Hernández, Alba; Marcos, Ricard

2015-01-01

Since CdSe QDs are increasingly used in medical and pharmaceutical sciences careful and systematic studies to determine their biosafety are needed. Since in vivo studies produce relevant information complementing in vitro data, we promote the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a suitable in vivo model to detect toxic and genotoxic effects associated with CdSe QD exposure. Taking into account the potential release of cadmium ions, QD effects were compared with those obtained with CdCl 2 . Results showed that CdSe QDs penetrate the intestinal barrier of the larvae reaching the hemolymph, interacting with hemocytes, and inducing dose/time dependent significant genotoxic effects, as determined by the comet assay. Elevated ROS production, QD biodegradation, and significant disturbance in the conserved Hsps, antioxidant and p53 genes were also observed. Overall, QD effects were milder than those induced by CdCl 2 suggesting the role of Cd released ions in the observed harmful effects of Cd based QDs. To reduce the observed side-effects of Cd based QDs biocompatible coats would be required to avoid cadmium's undesirable effects. - Highlights: • CdSe QDs were able to cross the intestinal barrier of Drosophila. • Elevated ROS induction was detected in larval hemocytes. • Changes in the expression of Hsps and p53 genes were observed. • Primary DNA damage was induced by CdSe QDs in hemocytes. • Overall, CdSe QD effects were milder than those induced by CdCl 2

Assessing potential harmful effects of CdSe quantum dots by using Drosophila melanogaster as in vivo model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alaraby, Mohamed [Grup de Mutagènesi, Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Spain); Sohag University, Faculty of Sciences, Zoology Department, 82524-Campus, Sohag (Egypt); Demir, Esref [Akdeniz University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, 07058-Campus, Antalya (Turkey); Hernández, Alba [Grup de Mutagènesi, Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Spain); CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, ISCIII, Madrid (Spain); Marcos, Ricard, E-mail: ricard.marcos@uab.es [Grup de Mutagènesi, Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Spain); CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, ISCIII, Madrid (Spain)

2015-10-15

Since CdSe QDs are increasingly used in medical and pharmaceutical sciences careful and systematic studies to determine their biosafety are needed. Since in vivo studies produce relevant information complementing in vitro data, we promote the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a suitable in vivo model to detect toxic and genotoxic effects associated with CdSe QD exposure. Taking into account the potential release of cadmium ions, QD effects were compared with those obtained with CdCl{sub 2}. Results showed that CdSe QDs penetrate the intestinal barrier of the larvae reaching the hemolymph, interacting with hemocytes, and inducing dose/time dependent significant genotoxic effects, as determined by the comet assay. Elevated ROS production, QD biodegradation, and significant disturbance in the conserved Hsps, antioxidant and p53 genes were also observed. Overall, QD effects were milder than those induced by CdCl{sub 2} suggesting the role of Cd released ions in the observed harmful effects of Cd based QDs. To reduce the observed side-effects of Cd based QDs biocompatible coats would be required to avoid cadmium's undesirable effects. - Highlights: • CdSe QDs were able to cross the intestinal barrier of Drosophila. • Elevated ROS induction was detected in larval hemocytes. • Changes in the expression of Hsps and p53 genes were observed. • Primary DNA damage was induced by CdSe QDs in hemocytes. • Overall, CdSe QD effects were milder than those induced by CdCl{sub 2}.

Structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline CdSe and Al:CdSe thin films for photoelectrochemical application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gawali, Sanjay A. [Electrochemical Materials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur - 416 004 (India); Bhosale, C.H., E-mail: bhosale_ch@yahoo.com [Electrochemical Materials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur - 416 004 (India)

2011-10-03

Highlights: {yields} The CdSe and Al:CdSe thin films have been successfully deposited by SPT. {yields} Hexagonal cubic structured CdSe and Al: CdSe thin films are observed. {yields} Large number of fine grains, Uniform and compact growth morphology. {yields} Hydrophilic surface nature. {yields} Al:CdSe have better PEC performance than CdSe. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline CdSe and Al:CdSe semiconductor thin films have been successfully synthesized onto amorphous and FTO glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique. Aqueous solutions containing precursors of Cd and Se have been used to obtain good quality films. The optimized films have been characterized for their structural, morphological, wettability and optical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the films are polycrystalline in nature with hexagonal crystal structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies show that the film surface is smooth, uniform and compact in nature. Water wettability study reveals that the films are hydrophilic behavior. The formation of CdSe and Al:CdSe thin film were confirmed with the help of FTIR spectroscopy. UV-vis spectrophotometric measurement showed a direct allowed band gap lying in the range 1.673-1.87 eV. Output characteristics were studied by using cell configuration n- CdSe/Al:CdSe |1 M (NaOH + Na{sub 2} + S)|C. An efficient solar cell having a power conversion efficiency of 0.38% at illumination 25 mW cm{sup -2} was fabricated.

Enhancement of electron transfer from CdSe core/shell quantum dots to TiO2 films by thermal annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Cong; Meng, Xiangdong; Jing, Pengtao; Sun, Mingye; Zhao, Jialong; Li, Haibo

2013-01-01

We demonstrated the enhancement of electron transfer from CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) to TiO 2 films via thermal annealing by means of steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The significant decrease in PL intensities and lifetimes of the QDs on TiO 2 films was clearly observed after thermal annealing at temperature ranging from 100 °C to 300 °C. The obtained rates of electron transfer from CdSe core/shell QDs with red, yellow, and green emissions to TiO 2 films were significantly enhanced from several times to an order of magnitude (from ∼10 7 s −1 to ∼10 8 s −1 ). The improvement in efficiencies of electron transfer in the TiO 2 /CdSe QD systems was also confirmed. The enhancement could be considered to result from the thermal annealing reduced distance between CdSe QDs and TiO 2 films. The experimental results revealed that thermal annealing would play an important role on improving performances of QD based optoelectronic devices. -- Highlights: • Annealing-induced enhancement of electron transfer from CdSe to TiO 2 is reported. • CdSe QDs on TiO 2 and SiO 2 films are annealed at various temperatures. • Steady-state and time-resolved PL spectroscopy of CdSe QDs is studied. • The enhancement is related to the reduced distance between CdSe QDs and TiO 2

Self-assembly of calcium phosphate nanoparticles into hollow spheres induced by dissolved amino acids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagmeyer, D.; Ganesan, K.; Ruesing, J.; Schunk, D.; Mayer, C.; Dey, A.; Sommerdijk, N.A.J.M.; Epple, M.

2011-01-01

Nanoparticles of calcium phosphate assemble spontaneously within a few seconds into hollow spheres with a diameter around 200–300 nm in the presence of dissolved amino acids and dipeptides. The process of formation was followed by cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM), proving their hollow

White light emission from organic-inorganic hererostructure devices by using CdSe quantum dots as emitting layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Aiwei; Teng Feng; Gao Yinhao; Li Dan; Zhao Suling; Liang Chunjun; Wang Yongsheng

2007-01-01

In this paper, white light emission was obtained from organic-inorganic heterostructure devices by using CdSe quantum dots as emitting layer, in which CdSe quantum dots were synthesized via a colloidal chemical approach by using CdO and Se powder as precursors. Photoluminescence of CdSe quantum dots demonstrated a white emission with a full wavelength at half maximum (FWHM) of about 200 nm under ambient conditions, and the white emission could be observed in both multilayer device ITO/PEDOT:PSS/CdSe/BCP/Alq 3 /Al and single-layer device: ITO/PEDOT:PSS/CdSe/Al. The broad emission was attributed to the inhomogeneous broadening. The CIE coordinates of the multilayer device were x=0.35 and y=0.40. The white-light-emitting diodes with CdSe quantum dots as the emitting layer are potentially useful in lighting applications

The synthesis of CdSe quantum dots with carboxyl group and study on their optical characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, Chen; Park, Sangjoon; Kim, Jongsung

2009-01-01

Quantum dots are nanocrystal semiconductors which attract lots of research interests due to their peculiar optical properties. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots have been synthesized via pyrolysis of organometallic reagents. The color of the quantum dot changes from yellow-green to red as their size increases with reaction time. Photoluminescence quantum efficiency of CdSe quantum dots have been enhanced by passivating the surface of CdSe quantum dots with ZnS layers. Quantum dots are nanocrystal semiconductors which attract lots of research interests due to their peculiar optical properties. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots have been synthesized via pyrolysis of organometallic reagents. The color of the quantum dot changes from yellow-green to red as their size increases with reaction time. Photoluminescence quantum efficiency of CdSe quantum dots have been enhanced by passivating the surface of CdSe quantum dots with ZnS layers. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Controlled synthesis of pompon-like self-assemblies of Pd nanoparticles under microwave irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong Xia; Zhao Yanxi; Huang Tao; Liu Hanfan; Liew, Kong Yong

2009-01-01

Pd nanoparticles with uniform, self-assembled pompon-like nanostructure were synthesized by thermal decomposition of palladium acetate under microwave irradiation with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) as a solvent in the presence of a little amount of ethylene glycol (EG) and KOH without using any special stabilizers. The as-synthesized Pd nano-pompons were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The results show that the as-prepared Pd nano-pompons with the average diameters in the range of 28-81 nm were self-assemblies organized by hundreds of smaller primary nanoparticles with an average dimension of about 2.4 nm. The sizes of Pd nano-pompons can be well controlled by adjusting the concentration of palladium acetate. A little amount of EG and KOH also plays an important role in controlling the size, uniformity and dispersion of Pd nano-pompons. The Pd nano-pompons can be easily supported on γ-Al 2 O 3 and their catalytic activity was examined preliminarily.

Scalable and uniform 1D nanoparticles by synchronous polymerization, crystallization and self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Boott, Charlotte E.; Gwyther, Jessica; Harniman, Robert L.; Hayward, Dominic W.; Manners, Ian

2017-08-01

The preparation of well-defined nanoparticles based on soft matter, using solution-processing techniques on a commercially viable scale, is a major challenge of widespread importance. Self-assembly of block copolymers in solvents that selectively solvate one of the segments provides a promising route to core-corona nanoparticles (micelles) with a wide range of potential uses. Nevertheless, significant limitations to this approach also exist. For example, the solution processing of block copolymers generally follows a separate synthesis step and is normally performed at high dilution. Moreover, non-spherical micelles—which are promising for many applications—are generally difficult to access, samples are polydisperse and precise dimensional control is not possible. Here we demonstrate the formation of platelet and cylindrical micelles at concentrations up to 25% solids via a one-pot approach—starting from monomers—that combines polymerization-induced and crystallization-driven self-assembly. We also show that performing the procedure in the presence of small seed micelles allows the scalable formation of low dispersity samples of cylindrical micelles of controlled length up to three micrometres.

Hierarchical self-assembly of PDMA-b-PS chains into granular nanoparticles: genesis and fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Alberto; Mauri, Michele; Bonetti, Simone; Koynov, Kaloian; Kappl, Michael; Lieberwirth, Ingo; Butt, Hans-Jürgen; Simonutti, Roberto

2014-12-01

The hierarchical self-assembly of an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-block-polystyrene with a very short hydrophilic block (PDMA10 -b-PS62 ), in large granular nanoparticles is reported. While these nanoparticles are stable in water, their disaggregation can be induced either mechanically (i.e., by applying a force via the tip of the cantilever of an atomic force microscope (AFM)) or by partial hydrolysis of the acrylamide groups. AFM force spectroscopy images show the rupture of the particle as a combination of collapse and flow, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of partly hydrolyzed nanoparticles provide a clear picture of the granular structure. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

CuNiO nanoparticles assembled on graphene as an effective platform for enzyme-free glucose sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiaohui; Liao, Qingliang; Liu, Shuo; Xu, Wei; Liu, Yichong; Zhang, Yue

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hydrothermal CuNiO nanoparticles assembled on CVD synthesized graphene. • CuNiO–graphene nanocomposite was applied to construct nonenzymatic glucose sensor. • Wide linear range up to 16 mM, good selectivity and stability were achieved. - Abstract: We utilized CuNiO nanoparticles modified graphene sheets (CuNiO–graphene) to the application of enzymeless glucose sensing. The hydrothermal synthesized CuNiO nanoparticles were successfully assembled on graphene sheets. Distinct from general method, the high quality pristine graphene was produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and bubbling transferred on the electrode. Incorporating the excellent electronic transport of graphene and high electrocatalytic activity of CuNiO nanoparticles, the CuNiO–graphene nanocomposite modified electrode possessed strong electrocatalytic ability toward glucose in alkaline media. The proposed nonenzymatic glucose sensor exhibited wide linear range up to 16 mM (two parts, from 0.05 to 6.9 mM and 6.9–16 mM) and high sensitivity (225.75 μA mM −1 cm −2 and 32.44 μA mM −1 cm −2 , respectively). Excellent selectivity and acceptable stability were also achieved. Such an electrode would be attractive to sensor construction for its good properties, simple operation and low expense

Pectin-lipid self-assembly: influence on the formation of polyhydroxy fatty acids nanoparticles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana Guzman-Puyol

Full Text Available Nanoparticles, named cutinsomes, have been prepared from aleuritic (9,10,16-trihidroxipalmitic acid and tomato fruit cutin monomers (a mixture of mainly 9(10,16-dihydroxypalmitic acid (85%, w/w and 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid (7.5%, w/w with pectin in aqueous solution. The process of formation of the nanoparticles of aleuritic acid plus pectin has been monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, while their chemical and morphological characterization was analyzed by ATR-FTIR, TEM, and non-contact AFM. The structure of these nanoparticles can be described as a lipid core with a pectin shell. Pectin facilitated the formation of nanoparticles, by inducing their aggregation in branched chains and favoring the condensation between lipid monomers. Also, pectin determined the self-assembly of cutinsomes on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG surfaces, causing their opening and forming interconnected structures. In the case of cutin monomers, the nanoparticles are fused, and the condensation of the hydroxy fatty acids is strongly affected by the presence of the polysaccharide. The interaction of pectin with polyhydroxylated fatty acids could be related to an initial step in the formation of the plant biopolyester cutin.

Pectin-lipid self-assembly: influence on the formation of polyhydroxy fatty acids nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman-Puyol, Susana; Benítez, José Jesús; Domínguez, Eva; Bayer, Ilker Sefik; Cingolani, Roberto; Athanassiou, Athanassia; Heredia, Antonio; Heredia-Guerrero, José Alejandro

2015-01-01

Nanoparticles, named cutinsomes, have been prepared from aleuritic (9,10,16-trihidroxipalmitic) acid and tomato fruit cutin monomers (a mixture of mainly 9(10),16-dihydroxypalmitic acid (85%, w/w) and 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid (7.5%, w/w)) with pectin in aqueous solution. The process of formation of the nanoparticles of aleuritic acid plus pectin has been monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, while their chemical and morphological characterization was analyzed by ATR-FTIR, TEM, and non-contact AFM. The structure of these nanoparticles can be described as a lipid core with a pectin shell. Pectin facilitated the formation of nanoparticles, by inducing their aggregation in branched chains and favoring the condensation between lipid monomers. Also, pectin determined the self-assembly of cutinsomes on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces, causing their opening and forming interconnected structures. In the case of cutin monomers, the nanoparticles are fused, and the condensation of the hydroxy fatty acids is strongly affected by the presence of the polysaccharide. The interaction of pectin with polyhydroxylated fatty acids could be related to an initial step in the formation of the plant biopolyester cutin.

Resonant surface-enhanced Raman scattering by optical phonons in a monolayer of CdSe nanocrystals on Au nanocluster arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milekhin, Alexander G., E-mail: milekhin@isp.nsc.ru [A.V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, pr. Lavrentjeva, 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogov str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Sveshnikova, Larisa L.; Duda, Tatyana A. [A.V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, pr. Lavrentjeva, 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Rodyakina, Ekaterina E. [A.V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, pr. Lavrentjeva, 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogov str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Dzhagan, Volodymyr M. [Semiconductor Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany); Sheremet, Evgeniya [Solid Surfaces Analysis, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany); Gordan, Ovidiu D. [Semiconductor Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany); Himcinschi, Cameliu [Institut für Theoretische Physik, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 09596 Freiberg (Germany); Latyshev, Alexander V. [A.V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, pr. Lavrentjeva, 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogov str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Zahn, Dietrich R.T. [Semiconductor Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany)

2016-05-01

Highlights: • Regular Au nanocluster and dimer arrays as well as single Au dimers are fabricated. • Resonant SERS by monolayers of CdSe nanocrystals deposited on the Au nanostructures is observed. • LO energy change for CdSe NCs on different single Au dimers indicates SERS by single or a few NCs. - Abstract: Here we present the results on an investigation of resonant Stokes and anti- Stokes surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) by optical phonons in colloidal CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) homogeneously deposited on arrays of Au nanoclusters using the Langmuir–Blodgett technology. The thickness of deposited NCs, determined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, amounts to approximately 1 monolayer. Special attention is paid to the determination of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) energy in the arrays of Au nanoclusters as a function of the nanocluster size by means of micro-ellipsometry. SERS by optical phonons in CdSe NCs shows a significant enhancement factor with a maximal value of 2 × 10{sup 3} which depends resonantly on the Au nanocluster size and thus on the LSPR energy. The deposition of CdSe NCs on the arrays of Au nanocluster dimers enabled us to study the polarization dependence of SERS. It was found that a maximal SERS signal is observed for the light polarization along the dimer axis. Finally, SERS by optical phonons was observed for CdSe NCs deposited on the structures with a single Au dimer. A difference of the LO phonon energy is observed for CdSe NCs on different single dimers. This effect is explained as the confinement-induced shift which depends on the CdSe nanocrystal size and indicates quasi-single NC Raman spectra being obtained.

Effect of deposition temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films deposited by CBD method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laatar, F.; Harizi, A.; Smida, A.; Hassen, M.; Ezzaouia, H.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Synthesis of CdSe QDs with L-Cysteine capping agent for applications in nanodevices. • The films of CdSe QDs present uniform and good dispersive particles at the surface. • Effect of bath temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films. • Investigation of the optical constants and dispersion parameters of CdSe QDs thin films. - Abstract: Cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at different temperatures from an aqueous solution containing L-Cysteine (L-Cys) as capping agent. The evolution of the surface morphology and elemental composition of the CdSe films were studied by AFM, SEM, and EDX analyses. Structural and optical properties of CdSe thin films were investigated by XRD, UV–vis and PL spectroscopy. The dispersion behavior of the refractive index is described using the single oscillator Wemple-DiDomenico (W-D) model, and the physical dispersion parameters are calculated as a function of deposition temperature. The dispersive optical parameters such as average oscillator energy (E_o), dispersion energy (E_d), and static refractive index (n_o) were found to vary with the deposition temperature. Besides, the electrical free carrier susceptibility (χ_e) and the carrier concentration of the effective mass ratio (N/m*) were evaluated according to the Spitzer-Fan model.

Predicting Chiral Nanostructures, Lattices and Superlattices in Complex Multicomponent Nanoparticle Self-Assembly

KAUST Repository

Hur, Kahyun

2012-06-13

"Bottom up" type nanoparticle (NP) self-assembly is expected to provide facile routes to nanostructured materials for various, for example, energy related, applications. Despite progress in simulations and theories, structure prediction of self-assembled materials beyond simple model systems remains challenging. Here we utilize a field theory approach for predicting nanostructure of complex and multicomponent hybrid systems with multiple types of short- and long-range interactions. We propose design criteria for controlling a range of NP based nanomaterial structures. In good agreement with recent experiments, the theory predicts that ABC triblock terpolymer directed assemblies with ligand-stabilized NPs can lead to chiral NP network structures. Furthermore, we predict that long-range Coulomb interactions between NPs leading to simple NP lattices, when applied to NP/block copolymer (BCP) assemblies, induce NP superlattice formation within the phase separated BCP nanostructure, a strategy not yet realized experimentally. We expect such superlattices to be of increasing interest to communities involved in research on, for example, energy generation and storage, metamaterials, as well as microelectronics and information storage. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Template assisted self-assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles: An x-ray structural analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, D.; Zabel, H.; Ulyanov, S. V.; Romanov, V. P.; Uzdin, V. M.

2014-01-01

We have fabricated by e-beam lithography periodic arrays of rectangular shaped trenches of different widths into Si substrates. The trenches were filled with iron oxide nanoparticles, 20 nm in diameter, by spin-coating them onto the Si substrate. The trenches have the purpose to assist the self-assembly of the iron oxide nanoparticles. Using x-ray scattering techniques, we have analyzed the structure factor of the trenches before and after filling in order to determine the filling factor. We present a theoretical analysis of the x-ray scattering function within the distorted-wave Born approximation and we present a quantitative comparison between theory and experiment

Template assisted self-assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles: An x-ray structural analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, D. [Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Institut fuer Optik und Atomare Physik, Technische Universitaet Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin (Germany); Zabel, H. [Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Ulyanov, S. V. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); St.-Petersburg University of Commerce and Economics, St.-Petersburg 194018 (Russian Federation); Romanov, V. P. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); Uzdin, V. M. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); St.-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 49, Kronverkskij, St.-Petersburg 197101 (Russian Federation)

2014-02-07

We have fabricated by e-beam lithography periodic arrays of rectangular shaped trenches of different widths into Si substrates. The trenches were filled with iron oxide nanoparticles, 20 nm in diameter, by spin-coating them onto the Si substrate. The trenches have the purpose to assist the self-assembly of the iron oxide nanoparticles. Using x-ray scattering techniques, we have analyzed the structure factor of the trenches before and after filling in order to determine the filling factor. We present a theoretical analysis of the x-ray scattering function within the distorted-wave Born approximation and we present a quantitative comparison between theory and experiment.

Highly ordered self-assembly of one-dimensional nanoparticles in amphiphilic molecular systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tae Hwan

2009-02-01

Two kinds of one-dimensional (1D) nanoparticles, stable rod-like nanoparticles with highly controlled surface charge density (cROD) and non-covalently functionalized isolated single wall carbon nanotubes (p-SWNT) that were readily redispersible in water, have been developed. Using these 1D nanoparticles, various highly ordered superstructures of 1D nanoparticles by molecular self-assembling based on electrostatic interaction in amphiphilic molecular systems (two different cationic liposome systems) have been investigated. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of highly ordered self-assembly of 1D nanoparticles based on electrostatic interaction between 1D nanoparticles and amphiphilic molecules. The cRODs have been developed by free radical polymerization of a mixture of polymerizable cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium 4-vinylbenzoate (CTVB), and hydrotropic salt sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) in aqueous solution. The surface charge of the cROD was controlled by varying the NaSS concentration during the polymerization process and the charge variation was interpreted in terms of the overcharging effect in colloidal systems. The small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements showed that the diameter of cROD is constant at 4 nm and the particle length ranges from 20 nm to 85 nm, depending on the NaSS concentration. The cRODs are longest when the NaSS concentration is 5 mol % which corresponds to the charge inversion or neutral point. The SANS and zeta potential measurements showed that the Coulomb interactions between the particles are strongly dependent on the NaSS concentration and the zeta potential of the cRODs changes from positive to negative (+ 12.8 mV ∼ - 44.2 mV) as the concentration of NaSS increases from 0 mol % to 40 mol %. As the NaSS concentration is further increased, the zeta potential is saturated at approximately - 50 mV. The p-SWNTs have been developed by 1) dispersing single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in water using

Photoluminescence of patterned CdSe quantum dot for anti-counterfeiting label on paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isnaeni,; Yulianto, Nursidik; Suliyanti, Maria Margaretha

2016-01-01

We successfully developed a method utilizing colloidal CdSe nanocrystalline quantum dot for anti-counterfeiting label on a piece of glossy paper. We deposited numbers and lines patterns of toluene soluble CdSe quantum dot using rubber stamper on a glossy paper. The width of line pattern was about 1-2 mm with 1-2 mm separation between lines. It required less than one minute for deposited CdSe quantum dot on glossy paper to dry and become invisible by naked eyes. However, patterned quantum dot become visible using long-pass filter glasses upon excitation of UV lamp or blue laser. We characterized photoluminescence of line patterns of quantum dot, and we found that emission boundaries of line patterns were clearly observed. The error of line size and shape were mainly due to defect of the original stamper. The emission peak wavelength of CdSe quantum dot was 629 nm. The emission spectrum of deposited quantum dot has full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 30-40 nm. The spectra similarity between deposited quantum dot and the original quantum dot in solution proved that our stamping method can be simply applied on glossy paper without changing basic optical property of the quantum dot. Further development of this technique is potential for anti-counterfeiting label on very important documents or objects.

Photoluminescence of patterned CdSe quantum dot for anti-counterfeiting label on paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isnaeni,, E-mail: isnaeni@lipi.go.id; Yulianto, Nursidik; Suliyanti, Maria Margaretha [Research Center for Physics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Building 442, Kawasan Puspiptek, South Tangerang,Banten 15314 Indonesia (Indonesia)

2016-03-11

We successfully developed a method utilizing colloidal CdSe nanocrystalline quantum dot for anti-counterfeiting label on a piece of glossy paper. We deposited numbers and lines patterns of toluene soluble CdSe quantum dot using rubber stamper on a glossy paper. The width of line pattern was about 1-2 mm with 1-2 mm separation between lines. It required less than one minute for deposited CdSe quantum dot on glossy paper to dry and become invisible by naked eyes. However, patterned quantum dot become visible using long-pass filter glasses upon excitation of UV lamp or blue laser. We characterized photoluminescence of line patterns of quantum dot, and we found that emission boundaries of line patterns were clearly observed. The error of line size and shape were mainly due to defect of the original stamper. The emission peak wavelength of CdSe quantum dot was 629 nm. The emission spectrum of deposited quantum dot has full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 30-40 nm. The spectra similarity between deposited quantum dot and the original quantum dot in solution proved that our stamping method can be simply applied on glossy paper without changing basic optical property of the quantum dot. Further development of this technique is potential for anti-counterfeiting label on very important documents or objects.

Layer-by-layer assembled multilayers using catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sungwoo; Park, Jeongju; Cho, Jinhan

2010-01-01

We introduce a novel and versatile approach for the preparation of multilayers, based on catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (CAT-Au NP ), allowing electrostatic charge reversal and structural transformation through pH adjustment. CAT-Au NP , which are synthesized directly from CAT stabilizer, can be electrostatically assembled with anionic and cationic PEs as a result of the charge reversal of the catalase stabilizers through pH control. In particular, at pH 5.2, near the pI of catalase, dispersed CAT-Au NP are structurally transformed into colloidal or network CAT-Au NP nanocomposites. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer assembled multilayers composed of PEs and CAT-Au NP induce an effective electron transfer between CAT and the electrode as well as a high loading of CAT and Au NP , and resultantly exhibit a highly catalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 .

Polymer Crosslinked 3-D Assemblies of Nanoparticles: Mechanically Strong Lightweight Porous Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas

2005-01-01

In analogy to supramolecular assemblies, which are pursued because of properties above and beyond those of the individual molecules, self-standing monolithic three-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles also have unique properties attributed to their structure. For example, ultra low-density 3-D assemblies of silica nanoparticles, known as silica aerogels, are characterized by large internal void space, high surface area and very low thermal conductivity. Aerogels, however, are also extremely fragile materials, limiting their application to a few specialized environments, e.g., in nuclear reactors as Cerenkov radiation detectors, in space (refer to NASA's Stardust Program) and aboard certain planetary vehicles (thermal insulators on Mars Rovers in 1997 and 2004). The fragility problem is traced to well-defined weak points in the aerogel skeletal framework, the interparticle necks. Using the surface functionality of the nanoparticle building blocks as a focal point, we have directed attachment of a conformal polymer coating over the entire framework, rendering all necks wider. Thus, although the bulk density may increase only by 3x, the mesoporosity (pores in the range 2-50 nm) remains unchanged, while the strength of the material increases by up to 300... Having addressed the fragility problem, aerogels are now robust materials, and a variety of applications, ranging from thermal/acoustic insulators to catalyst supports, to platform for sensors, and dielectrics are all within reach. Our approach employs molecular science to manipulate nanoscopic matter for achieving useful macroscopic properties, and in our view it resides at the core of what defines nanotechnology. In that spirit, this technology is expandable in three directions. Thus, we have already crosslinked successfully amine-modified silica, and we anticipate that more rich chemistry will be realized by been creative with the nanoparticle surface modifiers. On the other hand, although we do not expect

A one-pot strategy for biomimetic synthesis and self-assembly of gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yi; Li Yuanfang; Zhao Xijuan; Huang Chengzhi; Chen Liqiang; Peng Li

2010-01-01

A simple, one-pot and controllable strategy is reported in this contribution for biomimetic synthesis and self-assembly of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs). It involves our synthesized polyaldehyde dextran (PAD), which has been proved to be a biomacromolecule with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, acting as both a reducing agent and a stabilizer. The morphology of the as-prepared Au-NP assemblies can be controlled by adjusting the reaction conditions, such as the concentration of aldehyde in PAD, the reaction time and the temperature. Investigations of the mechanism suggest that stabilizers may distribute on different crystal facets of NPs non-uniformly owing to the different binding forces, and dipole-dipole interaction of NPs could be the main driving force for the assembly of Au-NPs. In addition, intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction of stabilizers could also act as a possible driving force. The excellent biocompatibility of the Au-NP assemblies makes them promising candidates for fabricating future optical nanodevices and application in biological systems.

A one-pot strategy for biomimetic synthesis and self-assembly of gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Chen, Li Qiang; Li, Yuan Fang; Zhao, Xi Juan; Peng, Li; Zhi Huang, Cheng

2010-07-01

A simple, one-pot and controllable strategy is reported in this contribution for biomimetic synthesis and self-assembly of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs). It involves our synthesized polyaldehyde dextran (PAD), which has been proved to be a biomacromolecule with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, acting as both a reducing agent and a stabilizer. The morphology of the as-prepared Au-NP assemblies can be controlled by adjusting the reaction conditions, such as the concentration of aldehyde in PAD, the reaction time and the temperature. Investigations of the mechanism suggest that stabilizers may distribute on different crystal facets of NPs non-uniformly owing to the different binding forces, and dipole-dipole interaction of NPs could be the main driving force for the assembly of Au-NPs. In addition, intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction of stabilizers could also act as a possible driving force. The excellent biocompatibility of the Au-NP assemblies makes them promising candidates for fabricating future optical nanodevices and application in biological systems.

Studies of interaction of amines with TOPO/TOP capped CdSe quantum dots: Role of crystallite size and oxidation potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Shailesh N.; Sharma, Himani; Singh, Gurmeet; Shivaprasad, S.M.

2008-01-01

This work reports the interaction of aliphatic (triethyl amine, butyl amine) and aromatic amines (PPD, aniline) with CdSe quantum dots of varied sizes. The emission properties and lifetime values of CdSe quantum dots were found to be dependent on the oxidation potential of amines and crystallite sizes. Smaller CdSe quantum dots (size ∼5 nm) ensure better surface coverage of amines and hence higher quenching efficiency of amines could be realized as compared to larger CdSe quantum dots (size ∼14 nm). Heterogeneous quenching of amines due to the presence of accessible and inaccessible set of CdSe fluorophores is indicated. PPD owing to its lowest oxidation potential (∼0.26 V) has been found to have higher quenching efficiency as compared to other amines TEA and aniline having oxidation potentials ∼0.66 and >1.0 V, respectively. Butyl amine on the other hand, plays a dual role: its post-addition acts as a quencher for smaller and enhances emission for larger CdSe quantum dots, respectively. The beneficial effect of butyl amine in enhancing emission intensity could be attributed to enhance capping effect and better passivation of surface-traps

Self-assembled superparamagnetic nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents— A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Hong-Ying; Wu Chang-Qiang; Ai Hua; Li Dan-Yang

2015-01-01

Recent progress of the preparation and applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) clusters as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes is reviewed with regard to their applications in labeling and tracking cells in vivo, in diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and tumors, and in drug delivery systems. Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), especially SPIO nanoparticles, have long been used as MRI contrast agents and as an advantageous nanoplatform for drug delivery, taking advantage of their unique magnetic properties and ability to function at the molecular and cellular levels. Due to advances in nanotechnology, various means to control SPIO NPs’ size, composition, magnetization and relaxivity have been developed, as well as ways to usefully modify their surface. Recently, self-assembly of SPIO NP clusters in particulate carriers—such as polymeric micelles, vesicles, liposomes, and layer-by-layer (LbL) capsules—have been widely studied for application as ultrasensitive MRI probes, owing to their remarkably high spin–spin (T 2 ) relaxivity and convenience for further functionalization. (topical review)

Realization of thermally durable close-packed 2D gold nanoparticle arrays using self-assembly and plasma etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivaraman, Sankar K; Santhanam, Venugopal

2012-01-01

Realization of thermally and chemically durable, ordered gold nanostructures using bottom-up self-assembly techniques are essential for applications in a wide range of areas including catalysis, energy generation, and sensing. Herein, we describe a modular process for realizing uniform arrays of gold nanoparticles, with interparticle spacings of 2 nm and above, by using RF plasma etching to remove ligands from self-assembled arrays of ligand-coated gold nanoparticles. Both nanoscale imaging and macroscale spectroscopic characterization techniques were used to determine the optimal conditions for plasma etching, namely RF power, operating pressure, duration of treatment, and type of gas. We then studied the effect of nanoparticle size, interparticle spacing, and type of substrate on the thermal durability of plasma-treated and untreated nanoparticle arrays. Plasma-treated arrays showed enhanced chemical and thermal durability, on account of the removal of ligands. To illustrate the application potential of the developed process, robust SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) substrates were formed using plasma-treated arrays of silver-coated gold nanoparticles that had a silicon wafer or photopaper as the underlying support. The measured value of the average SERS enhancement factor (2 × 10 5 ) was quantitatively reproducible on both silicon and paper substrates. The silicon substrates gave quantitatively reproducible results even after thermal annealing. The paper-based SERS substrate was also used to swab and detect probe molecules deposited on a solid surface. (paper)

Diameter- and current-density-dependent growth orientation of hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays via electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Guo Defeng; Xie Yanwu; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi; Liu Baoting

2009-01-01

Controlling the growth orientation of semiconductor nanowire arrays is of vital importance for their applications in the fields of nanodevices. In the present work, hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays with various preferential growth orientations have been successfully yielded by employing the electrodeposition technique using porous alumina as templates (PATs). We demonstrate by experimental and theoretical efforts that the growth orientation of the CdSe nanowires can be effectively manipulated by varying either the nanopore diameter of the PATs or the deposited current density, which has significant effects on the optical properties of the CdSe nanowires. The present study provides an alternative approach to tuning the growth direction of electrodeposited nanowires and thus is of importance for the fabrication of nanodevices with controlled functional properties.

Diameter- and current-density-dependent growth orientation of hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays via electrodeposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Guo Defeng; Xie Yanwu; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Liu Baoting, E-mail: xyzh66@ysu.edu.c [College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

2009-10-21

Controlling the growth orientation of semiconductor nanowire arrays is of vital importance for their applications in the fields of nanodevices. In the present work, hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays with various preferential growth orientations have been successfully yielded by employing the electrodeposition technique using porous alumina as templates (PATs). We demonstrate by experimental and theoretical efforts that the growth orientation of the CdSe nanowires can be effectively manipulated by varying either the nanopore diameter of the PATs or the deposited current density, which has significant effects on the optical properties of the CdSe nanowires. The present study provides an alternative approach to tuning the growth direction of electrodeposited nanowires and thus is of importance for the fabrication of nanodevices with controlled functional properties.

Effective interactions between nanoparticles: Creating temperature-independent solvation environments for self-assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, Hari O. S., E-mail: cyz108802@chemistry.iitd.ac.in, E-mail: hariyadav.iitd@gmail.com; Shrivastav, Gourav; Agarwal, Manish; Chakravarty, Charusita [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi 110016 (India)

2016-06-28

emergent anisotropy due to correlation of mass dipoles on the two nanoparticles. One expects therefore that during self-assembly using solvent evaporation, temperature can be used as a structure-directing factor as long as good solvent conditions are maintained. It also suggests that disordered configurations may emerge as solvent quality decreases due to increasing role of short-range attractions and ligand fluctuation-driven anisotropy. The possibilities of using structural estimators of various thermodynamic quantities to analyse the interplay of ligand fluctuations and solvent quality in self-assembly as well as to design solvation environments are discussed.

Wide-field optical detection of nanoparticles using on-chip microscopy and self-assembled nanolenses

Science.gov (United States)

Mudanyali, Onur; McLeod, Euan; Luo, Wei; Greenbaum, Alon; Coskun, Ahmet F.; Hennequin, Yves; Allier, Cédric P.; Ozcan, Aydogan

2013-03-01

The direct observation of nanoscale objects is a challenging task for optical microscopy because the scattering from an individual nanoparticle is typically weak at optical wavelengths. Electron microscopy therefore remains one of the gold standard visualization methods for nanoparticles, despite its high cost, limited throughput and restricted field-of-view. Here, we describe a high-throughput, on-chip detection scheme that uses biocompatible wetting films to self-assemble aspheric liquid nanolenses around individual nanoparticles to enhance the contrast between the scattered and background light. We model the effect of the nanolens as a spatial phase mask centred on the particle and show that the holographic diffraction pattern of this effective phase mask allows detection of sub-100 nm particles across a large field-of-view of >20 mm2. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we report on-chip detection of individual polystyrene nanoparticles, adenoviruses and influenza A (H1N1) viral particles.

Nanocrystal Size-Dependent Efficiency of Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells in the Strongly Coupled CdSe Nanocrystals/TiO2 System.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Hyeong Jin; Paik, Taejong; Diroll, Benjamin; Edley, Michael E; Baxter, Jason B; Murray, Christopher B

2016-06-15

Light absorption and electron injection are important criteria determining solar energy conversion efficiency. In this research, monodisperse CdSe quantum dots (QDs) are synthesized with five different diameters, and the size-dependent solar energy conversion efficiency of CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSCs) is investigated by employing the atomic inorganic ligand, S(2-). Absorbance measurements and transmission electron microscopy show that the diameters of the uniform CdSe QDs are 2.5, 3.2, 4.2, 6.4, and 7.8 nm. Larger CdSe QDs generate a larger amount of charge under the irradiation of long wavelength photons, as verified by the absorbance results and the measurements of the external quantum efficiencies. However, the smaller QDs exhibit faster electron injection kinetics from CdSe QDs to TiO2 because of the high energy level of CBCdSe, as verified by time-resolved photoluminescence and internal quantum efficiency results. Importantly, the S(2-) ligand significantly enhances the electronic coupling between the CdSe QDs and TiO2, yielding an enhancement of the charge transfer rate at the interfacial region. As a result, the S(2-) ligand helps improve the new size-dependent solar energy conversion efficiency, showing best performance with 4.2-nm CdSe QDs, whereas conventional ligand, mercaptopropionic acid, does not show any differences in efficiency according to the size of the CdSe QDs. The findings reported herein suggest that the atomic inorganic ligand reinforces the influence of quantum confinement on the solar energy conversion efficiency of QDSSCs.

A biomimetic colorimetric logic gate system based on multi-functional peptide-mediated gold nanoparticle assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yong; Li, Wang; He, Kai-Yu; Li, Pei; Huang, Yan; Nie, Zhou; Yao, Shou-Zhuo

2016-04-28

In natural biological systems, proteins exploit various functional peptide motifs to exert target response and activity switch, providing a functional and logic basis for complex cellular activities. Building biomimetic peptide-based bio-logic systems is highly intriguing but remains relatively unexplored due to limited logic recognition elements and complex signal outputs. In this proof-of-principle work, we attempted to address these problems by utilizing multi-functional peptide probes and the peptide-mediated nanoparticle assembly system. Here, the rationally designed peptide probes function as the dual-target responsive element specifically responsive to metal ions and enzymes as well as the mediator regulating the assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Taking advantage of Zn2+ ions and chymotrypsin as the model inputs of metal ions and enzymes, respectively, we constructed the peptide logic system computed by the multi-functional peptide probes and outputted by the readable colour change of AuNPs. In this way, the representative binary basic logic gates (AND, OR, INHIBIT, NAND, IMPLICATION) have been achieved by delicately coding the peptide sequence, demonstrating the versatility of our logic system. Additionally, we demonstrated that the three-input combinational logic gate (INHIBIT-OR) could also be successfully integrated and applied as a multi-tasking biosensor for colorimetric detection of dual targets. This nanoparticle-based peptide logic system presents a valid strategy to illustrate peptide information processing and provides a practical platform for executing peptide computing or peptide-related multiplexing sensing, implying that the controllable nanomaterial assembly is a promising and potent methodology for the advancement of biomimetic bio-logic computation.

Effect of deposition temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films deposited by CBD method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laatar, F., E-mail: fakher8laatar@gmail.com [Photovoltaic Laboratory, Centre for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Harizi, A. [Photovoltaic and Semiconductor Materials Laboratory, Engineering Industrial Department, ENIT, Tunis El Manar University, BP 37, Le Belvédère, 1002 Tunis (Tunisia); Smida, A. [Photovoltaic Laboratory, Centre for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Hassen, M. [Photovoltaic Laboratory, Centre for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Higher Institute of Applied Science and Technology of Sousse, City Taffala (Ibn Khaldun), 4003 Sousse (Tunisia); Ezzaouia, H. [Photovoltaic Laboratory, Centre for Research and Technology Energy, Tourist Route Soliman, BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia)

2016-06-15

Highlights: • Synthesis of CdSe QDs with L-Cysteine capping agent for applications in nanodevices. • The films of CdSe QDs present uniform and good dispersive particles at the surface. • Effect of bath temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films. • Investigation of the optical constants and dispersion parameters of CdSe QDs thin films. - Abstract: Cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at different temperatures from an aqueous solution containing L-Cysteine (L-Cys) as capping agent. The evolution of the surface morphology and elemental composition of the CdSe films were studied by AFM, SEM, and EDX analyses. Structural and optical properties of CdSe thin films were investigated by XRD, UV–vis and PL spectroscopy. The dispersion behavior of the refractive index is described using the single oscillator Wemple-DiDomenico (W-D) model, and the physical dispersion parameters are calculated as a function of deposition temperature. The dispersive optical parameters such as average oscillator energy (E{sub o}), dispersion energy (E{sub d}), and static refractive index (n{sub o}) were found to vary with the deposition temperature. Besides, the electrical free carrier susceptibility (χ{sub e}) and the carrier concentration of the effective mass ratio (N/m*) were evaluated according to the Spitzer-Fan model.

Supramolecular Nanocomposites Under Confinement: Chiral Optically Active Nanoparticle Assemblies and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Peter; Yang, Sui; Bao, Wei; Salmeron, Miquel; Zhang, Xiang; Xu, Ting

2015-03-01

Block copolymer-based supramolecules provide a versatile platform to direct the self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) into precisely controlled nanostructures in bulk and thin film geometries. A supramolecule, PS-b-P4VP(PDP), composed of the small molecule 3-pentadecylphenol (PDP) hydrogen bonded to a diblock copolymer, polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP), was subjected to 2-D volume confinement in cylindrical anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane pores. TEM and 3-D TEM tomography reveal that the morphologies accessible by the supramolecule and supramolecule/NP composites, such as NP clusters, arrays, stacked rings, and single and double helical ribbons, are significantly different from those in the bulk or thin film. Furthermore, single molecule dark field scattering measurements demonstrate strong chiral optical response of single helical Au NP ribbon nanostructures in the near infrared wavelength regime. These studies demonstrate 2-D confinement to be an effective means to tailor self-assembled NP structure within supramolecule nanocomposites and pave the way for this assembly approach to be applied towards next generation chiral metamaterials and optoelectronic devices.

Random lasing actions in self-assembled perovskite nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuai; Sun, Wenzhao; Li, Jiankai; Gu, Zhiyuan; Wang, Kaiyang; Xiao, Shumin; Song, Qinghai

2016-05-01

Solution-based perovskite nanoparticles have been intensively studied in the past few years due to their applications in both photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices. Here, based on the common ground between solution-based perovskite and random lasers, we have studied the mirrorless lasing actions in self-assembled perovskite nanoparticles. After synthesis from a solution, discrete lasing peaks have been observed from optically pumped perovskites without any well-defined cavity boundaries. We have demonstrated that the origin of the random lasing emissions is the scattering between the nanostructures in the perovskite microplates. The obtained quality (Q) factors and thresholds of random lasers are around 500 and 60 μJ/cm2, respectively. Both values are comparable to the conventional perovskite microdisk lasers with polygon-shaped cavity boundaries. From the corresponding studies on laser spectra and fluorescence microscope images, the lasing actions are considered random lasers that are generated by strong multiple scattering in random gain media. In additional to conventional single-photon excitation, due to the strong nonlinear effects of perovskites, two-photon pumped random lasers have also been demonstrated for the first time. We believe this research will find its potential applications in low-cost coherent light sources and biomedical detection.

Synthesis and analysis of ZnO and CdSe nanoparticles

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Introduction. Semiconductor nanoparticles is a very important topic in the ongoing research ac- ... Zinc oxide is attracting tremendous attention due to its interesting properties like ... Size selective precipitation was carried out using acetone as.

Photoluminescence of colloidal CdSe nano-tetrapods and quantum dots in oxygenic and oxygen-free environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Lijuan [Donghua University, Applied Physics Department, Shanghai (China); Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Physics Department and the Institute of Nano-Science and Technology, Hong Kong (China); Pang, Qi; Ge, Weikun; Wang, Jiannong [Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Physics Department and the Institute of Nano-Science and Technology, Hong Kong (China); Yang, Shihe [Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chemistry Department and the Institute of Nano-Science and Technology, Hong Kong (China)

2011-05-15

The effects of oxygenic versus oxygen-free environments on colloidal CdSe nano-tetrapods and quantum dots (QDs) were studied using both continuous and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The decays of PL intensities for tetrapods and QDs in oxygen-free solution (chloroform) and in air (on silicon) can be well fitted by a bi-exponential function. Based on the emission-energy dependence of carrier lifetimes and the amplitude ratio of the fast-decay component to the slow-decay component, the fast and slow PL decays of CdSe nanocrystals are attributed to the recombination of delocalized carriers in the core states and localized carriers in the surface states, respectively. The PL intensities of CdSe nano-tetrapods and QDs were found to be five times and an order of magnitude higher in air than in vacuum, respectively, which is explained by the passivation of surface defects by the polar gas (oxygen) absorption. The lower enhancement in PL intensities of CdSe nano-tetrapods is explained by the special morphology of the tetrapods. (orig.)

Spin-dependent transport properties of oleic acid molecule self-assembled La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, L.; Du, J.H.; Ma, J.H.; Wang, Z.; Zuo, Y.L.; Xue, D.S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Spin-dependent transport property of LSMO/oleic acid nanoparticles is investigated. ► Transport properties and MR measured by Cu/nanoparticle assembly/elargol device. ► Non-linear I–V curve indicates a tunneling type transport properties. ► Tunnel barrier height around 1.3 ± 0.15 eV was obtained by fitting I–V curves. ► LFMR of LSMO/oleic acid molecules value reaches −18% with current of 0.1 μA at 10 K. - Abstract: Spin-dependent transport property through molecules is investigated using a monolayer of oleic acid molecule self-assembled half metallic La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO) nanoparticles, which was synthesized using a coprecipitation method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm that one-monolayer oleic acid molecules chemically bond to the LSMO nanoparticles. The transport properties and magnetoresistance (MR) effect of the oleic acid molecule coated LSMO nanoparticles were measured by a direct current four probes method using a Cu/nanoparticle assembly/elargol electrode sandwich device with various temperatures and bias voltages. The non-linear I–V curve indicates a tunneling type transport properties. The tunnel barrier height around 1.3 ± 0.15 eV was obtained by fitting the I–V curve according to the Simmons equation. The magnetoresistance curves can be divided to high-field MR and low-field MR (LFMR) parts. The former is ascribed to the influence of spin disorder or canting within the LSMO nanoparticle surface and the latter one with strong bias dependence is attributed to the spin-dependent tunneling effect through the insulating surface layer of LSMO and oleic acid molecules. The enhanced LFMR effect for oleic acid coated LSMO with respect to the bare LSMO was attributed to the enhanced tunneling transport and weak spin scattering in oleic acid molecule barrier.

High quality zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals synthesized in a hexadecylamine-oleic acid-paraffin liquid mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Lan, E-mail: lwang322@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Department of Physics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081 (China); Sun Xiudong, E-mail: xdsun@hit.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Liu Wenjing [Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Liu Bingyi [Laboratory Center for the School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081 (China)

2010-03-15

Safe, common, and low-cost compounds were used as solvents for the non-tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in open air. In oleic acid-paraffin liquid system, CdSe nanocrystals in the less common zinc-blende (ZB, cubic) crystal structure have been obtained. The effects of adding n-hexadecylamine (HDA) to different solutions were discussed. Stable, highly homogeneous and luminescent CdSe nanocrystals were formed by adding n-hexadecylamine to Cd solution rather than to Se solution. Without any size sorting, the size distribution of the nanocrystals can be readily controlled and the highest photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (QE) of the nanocrystals was up to 20-30%.

High quality zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals synthesized in a hexadecylamine-oleic acid-paraffin liquid mixture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lan; Sun Xiudong; Liu Wenjing; Liu Bingyi

2010-01-01

Safe, common, and low-cost compounds were used as solvents for the non-tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in open air. In oleic acid-paraffin liquid system, CdSe nanocrystals in the less common zinc-blende (ZB, cubic) crystal structure have been obtained. The effects of adding n-hexadecylamine (HDA) to different solutions were discussed. Stable, highly homogeneous and luminescent CdSe nanocrystals were formed by adding n-hexadecylamine to Cd solution rather than to Se solution. Without any size sorting, the size distribution of the nanocrystals can be readily controlled and the highest photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (QE) of the nanocrystals was up to 20-30%.

Silver nanoparticles embedded in amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel network assembly for sensing cysteine, adenosine and NADH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maduraiveeran, Govindhan; Ramaraj, Ramasamy

2011-01-01

Silver nanoparticles embedded in amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel network were synthesized and used for sensing biomolecules such as cysteine, adenosine, and β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The sensing of these biomolecules by the assembly of silver nanoparticles was triggered by the optical response of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the silver nanoparticles. The optical sensor exhibited the lowest detection limit (LOD) of 5, 20, and 5 μM for cysteine, adenosine, and NADH, respectively. The sensing of biomolecules in the micromolar range by using the amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel embedded silver nanoparticles was studied in the presence of interference molecules like uridine, glycine, guanine, and guanosine. Thus, the present approach might open up a new avenue for the development of silver nanoparticles-based optical sensor devices for biomolecules.

Silica nanoparticles for the layer-by-layer assembly of fully electro-active cytochrome c multilayers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feifel Sven C

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For bioanalytical systems sensitivity and biomolecule activity are critical issues. The immobilization of proteins into multilayer systems by the layer-by-layer deposition has become one of the favorite methods with this respect. Moreover, the combination of nanoparticles with biomolecules on electrodes is a matter of particular interest since several examples with high activities and direct electron transfer have been found. Our study describes the investigation on silica nanoparticles and the redox protein cytochrome c for the construction of electro-active multilayer architectures, and the electron transfer within such systems. The novelty of this work is the construction of such artificial architectures with a non-conducting building block. Furthermore a detailed study of the size influence of silica nanoparticles is performed with regard to formation and electrochemical behavior of these systems. Results We report on interprotein electron transfer (IET reaction cascades of cytochrome c (cyt c immobilized by the use of modified silica nanoparticles (SiNPs to act as an artificial matrix. The layer-by-layer deposition technique has been used for the formation of silica particles/cytochrome c multilayer assemblies on electrodes. The silica particles are characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, Zeta-potential and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The modified particles have been studied with respect to act as an artificial network for cytochrome c and to allow efficient interprotein electron transfer reactions. We demonstrate that it is possible to form electro-active assemblies with these non-conducting particles. The electrochemical response is increasing linearly with the number of layers deposited, reaching a cyt c surface concentration of about 80 pmol/cm2 with a 5 layer architecture. The interprotein electron transfer through the layer system and the

An insight into the optical properties of CdSe quantum dots during their growth in bovine serum albumin solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Avinash; Ahmed, M.; Guleria, A.; Singh, A.K.; Adhikari, S.; Rath, M.C.

2016-01-01

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) assisted synthesis of cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) exhibits remarkable changes in the optical properties of the QDs as well as BSA during their growth. The growth of these QDs was investigated by recording the UV–visible absorption spectra and room temperature steady state fluorescence at different time intervals after the mixing of the precursors. The growth of these QDs was associated with a quenching of the fluorescence from BSA. The fluorescence from these QDs was found to be associated with several features: (1) a gradual red-shift in its peak position, (2) increase in intensity with an isoemissive point up to few minutes from the time of mixing of the two precursors, and (3) subsequent decrease in intensity reaching a minimum value, which remains almost unchanged thereafter. The decrease and increase in the fluorescence from BSA and CdSe QDs, respectively have been explained on the basis of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) as well as the simultaneous growth of these QDs. - Highlights: • CdSe quantum dots were synthesized in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). • Fluorescence from BSA was quenched by during the growth of CdSe quantum dots. • There was an energy transfer from BSA to CdSe quantum dots during their growth. • The emission from CdSe quantum dots was associated with a red-shift.

Electrostatic and capillary force directed tunable 3D binary micro- and nanoparticle assemblies on surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, G; Pillai, S; Arpanaei, A; Kingshott, P

2011-01-01

We report a simple, rapid and cost-effective method based on evaporation induced assembly to grow 3D binary colloidal assemblies on a hydrophobic/hydrophilic substrate by simple drop casting. The evaporation of a mixed colloidal drop results in ring-like or uniform area deposition depending on the concentration of particles, and thus assembly occurs at the periphery of a ring or uniformly all over the drop area. Binary colloidal assemblies of different crystal structure are successfully prepared over a wide range of size ratios (γ = small/large) from 0.06 to 0.30 by tuning the γ of the micro- and nanoparticles used during assembly. The growth mechanism of 3D binary colloidal assemblies is investigated and it is found that electrostatic forces facilitate assembly formation until the end of the evaporation process, with capillary forces also playing a role. In addition, the effects of solvent type, humidity, and salt concentration on crystal formation and ordering behaviour are also examined. Furthermore, long range, highly ordered binary colloidal assemblies can be fabricated by the choice of a low conducting solvent combined with evaporation induced assembly.

Layer-by-layer assembled multilayers using catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sungwoo; Park, Jeongju [School of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kookmin University, Jeongneung-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-702 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jinhan, E-mail: jinhan71@korea.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-09-17

We introduce a novel and versatile approach for the preparation of multilayers, based on catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (CAT-Au{sub NP}), allowing electrostatic charge reversal and structural transformation through pH adjustment. CAT-Au{sub NP}, which are synthesized directly from CAT stabilizer, can be electrostatically assembled with anionic and cationic PEs as a result of the charge reversal of the catalase stabilizers through pH control. In particular, at pH 5.2, near the pI of catalase, dispersed CAT-Au{sub NP} are structurally transformed into colloidal or network CAT-Au{sub NP} nanocomposites. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer assembled multilayers composed of PEs and CAT-Au{sub NP} induce an effective electron transfer between CAT and the electrode as well as a high loading of CAT and Au{sub NP}, and resultantly exhibit a highly catalytic activity toward H{sub 2}O{sub 2}.

Self-assembly of core-polyethylene glycol-lipid shell (CPLS) nanoparticles and their potential as drug delivery vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Zhiqiang; Loe, David T.; Awino, Joseph K.; Kröger, Martin; Rouge, Jessica L.; Li, Ying

2016-08-01

Herein a new multifunctional formulation, referred to as a core-polyethylene glycol-lipid shell (CPLS) nanoparticle, has been proposed and studied in silico via large scale coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. A PEGylated core with surface tethered polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains is used as the starting configuration, where the free ends of the PEG chains are covalently bonded with lipid molecules (lipid heads). A complete lipid bilayer is formed at the surface of the PEGylated particle core upon addition of free lipids, driven by the hydrophobic properties of the lipid tails, leading to the formation of a CPLS nanoparticle. The self-assembly process is found to be sensitive to the grafting density and molecular weight of the tethered PEG chains, as well as the amount of free lipids added. At low grafting densities the assembly of CPLS nanoparticles cannot be accomplished. As demonstrated by simulations, a lipid bud/vesicle can be formed on the surface when an excess amount of free lipids is added at high grafting density. Therefore, the CPLS nanoparticles can only be formed under appropriate conditions of both PEG and free lipids. The CPLS nanoparticle has been recognized to be able to store a large quantity of water molecules, particularly with high molecular weight of PEG chains, indicating its capacity for carrying hydrophilic molecules such as therapeutic biomolecules or imaging agents. Under identical size and surface chemistry conditions of a liposome, it has been observed that the CPLS particle can be more efficiently wrapped by the lipid membrane, indicating its potential for a greater efficiency in delivering its hydrophilic cargo. As a proof-of-concept, the experimental realization of CPLS nanoparticles is explicitly demonstrated in this study. To test the capacity of the CPLS to store small molecule cargo a hydrophilic dye was successfully encapsulated in the particles' water soluble layer. The results of this study show the power and

Assembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays on glass via nanoimprinting and thin-film dewetting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun-Kyu Lee

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We propose a nanofabrication process to generate large-area arrays of noble metal nanoparticles on glass substrates via nanoimprinting and dewetting of metallic thin films. Glass templates were made via pattern transfer from a topographic Si mold to an inorganically cross-linked sol–gel (IGSG resist on glass using a two-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS stamp followed by annealing, which turned the imprinted resist into pure silica. The transparent, topographic glass successfully templated the assembly of Au and Ag nanoparticle arrays via thin-film deposition and dewetting at elevated temperatures. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics that developed during the processes were discussed. The results are promising for low-cost mass fabrication of devices for several photonic applications.

Assembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays on glass via nanoimprinting and thin-film dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sun-Kyu; Hwang, Sori; Kim, Yoon-Kee; Oh, Yong-Jun

2017-01-01

We propose a nanofabrication process to generate large-area arrays of noble metal nanoparticles on glass substrates via nanoimprinting and dewetting of metallic thin films. Glass templates were made via pattern transfer from a topographic Si mold to an inorganically cross-linked sol-gel (IGSG) resist on glass using a two-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp followed by annealing, which turned the imprinted resist into pure silica. The transparent, topographic glass successfully templated the assembly of Au and Ag nanoparticle arrays via thin-film deposition and dewetting at elevated temperatures. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics that developed during the processes were discussed. The results are promising for low-cost mass fabrication of devices for several photonic applications.

The processing of CdSe/Polymer nanocomposites via solution organometallic chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khanna, P.K.; Singh, Narendra; Charan, Shobhit; Lonkar, Sunil P.; Reddy, A. Satyanarayana; Patil, Yogesh; Viswanath, A. Kasi

2006-01-01

This paper presents in situ preparation of CdSe nanoparticles using poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA] and polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA] as matrices by use of organoselenium compound. Reaction of cadmium metal salt and 1,2,3-selenadiazole (the source of selenium) enabled formation of CdSe nanoparticles. Use of selenadiazole in the present work with polymer is first of its kind. The radical polymerization of methycrylate monomer with benzoyl peroxide followed by reaction of respective reagents have been successfully employed to synthesize CdSe/PMMA nanocomposite. Similarly, reaction between selenadiazole and cadmium metal salt in aq. PVA yielded polymer coated or mixed CdSe nanoparticles. The UV-vis absorption spectra showed blue shift of about 200 nm with respect to band-gap energy of bulk CdSe, due to size quantization effect in CdSe particles. An emission band was observed at 530 nm in photoluminescence spectrum (PL) of CdSe/PMMA. IR spectra indicated shifts in the values of the polymer functional group due to nanoparticles. X-ray measurement of CdSe/Polymer nano-composites showed broad pattern for cubic CdSe and particle size of CdSe was estimated to be <10 nm. TGA revealed gradual weight loss between 200 and 400 deg. C indicating increased thermal stability of the polymer

All-nanoparticle self-assembly ZnO/TiO₂ heterojunction thin films with remarkably enhanced photoelectrochemical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Sujun; Mu, Jiuke; Mao, Ruiyi; Li, Yaogang; Zhang, Qinghong; Wang, Hongzhi

2014-04-23

The multilaminated ZnO/TiO2 heterojunction films were successfully deposited on conductive substrates including fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass and flexible indium tin oxide coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) via the layer-by-layer (LBL) self assembly method from the oxide colloids without using any polyelectrolytes. The positively charged ZnO nanoparticles and the negatively charged TiO2 nanoparticles were directly used as the components in the consecutive deposition process to prepare the heterojunction thin films by varying the thicknesses. Moreover, the crystal growth of both oxides could be efficiently inhibited by the good connection between ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles even after calcination at 500 °C, especially for ZnO which was able to keep the crystallite size under 25 nm. The as-prepared films were used as the working electrodes in the three-electrode photoelectrochemical cells. Because the well-contacted nanoscale heterojunctions were formed during the LBL self-assembling process, the ZnO/TiO2 all-nanoparticle films deposited on both substrates showed remarkably enhanced photoelectrochemical properties compared to that of the well-established TiO2 LBL thin films with similar thicknesses. The photocurrent response collected from the ZnO/TiO2 electrode on the FTO glass substrate was about five times higher than that collected from the TiO2 electrode. Owing to the absence of the insulating layer of dried polyelectrolytes, the ZnO/TiO2 all-nanoparticle heterojunction films were expected to be used in the photoelectrochemical device before calcination.

Plasmon-enhanced photocurrent generation from self-assembled monolayers of phthalocyanine by using gold nanoparticle films.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugawa, Kosuke; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Kawazumi, Hirofumi; Yamada, Sunao

2009-04-09

The effect of localized electric fields on the photocurrent responses of phthalocyanine that was self-assembled on a gold nanoparticle film was investigated by comparing the conventional and the total internal reflection (TIR) experimental systems. In the case of photocurrent measurements, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a thiol derivative of palladium phthalocyanine (PdPc) were prepared on the surface of gold-nanoparticle film that was fixed on the surface of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrate via a polyion (PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO) or on the ITO surface (PdPc/ITO). Photocurrent action spectra from the two samples were compared by using the conventional spectrometer, and were found that PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO gave considerably larger photocurrent signals than PdPc/ITO under the identical concentration of PdPc. In the case of the TIR experiments for the PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO and the PdPc/AuP/Glass systems, incident-angle profiles of photocurrent and emission signals were correlated with each other, and they were different from that of the PdPc/ITO system. Accordingly, it was demonstrated that the photocurrent signals were certainly enhanced by the localized electric fields of the gold-nanoparticle film.

The effect of Pb addition on the morphology of CdSe quantum dot

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young-Kuk; Cho, Young-Sang; Chung, Kookchae; Choi, Chul-Jin

2010-08-01

CdSe quantum dots had been synthesized with a hot injection method. It was shown that the addition of Pb ions in the initial precursor solution changed the morphology of CdSe nanocrystals from slightly prolate ellipsoid to branched rod. Photoluminescence (PL) of the branched nanocrystals showed rapid depression of emission intensity due to the morphological development to the branched nanocrystal induced by Pb addition. Low temperature PL spectrum indicated that the surface recombination of charge carrier resulted in the large depression of emission from the branched nanocrystal.

Mesoscopic structure prediction of nanoparticle assembly and coassembly: Theoretical foundation

KAUST Repository

Hur, Kahyun

2010-01-01

In this work, we present a theoretical framework that unifies polymer field theory and density functional theory in order to efficiently predict ordered nanostructure formation of systems having considerable complexity in terms of molecular structures and interactions. We validate our approach by comparing its predictions with previous simulation results for model systems. We illustrate the flexibility of our approach by applying it to hybrid systems composed of block copolymers and ligand coated nanoparticles. We expect that our approach will enable the treatment of multicomponent self-assembly with a level of molecular complexity that approaches experimental systems. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Nanoparticle/Polymer assembled microcapsules with pH sensing property.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Pan; Song, Xiaoxue; Tong, Weijun; Gao, Changyou

2014-10-01

The dual-labeled microcapsules via nanoparticle/polymer assembly based on polyamine-salt aggregates can be fabricated for the ratiometric intracellular pH sensing. After deposition of SiO2 nanoparticles on the poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/multivalent anionic salt aggregates followed by silicic acid treatment, the generated microcapsules are stable in a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 8.0). pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye are simultaneously labeled on the capsules, which enable the ratiometric pH sensing. Due to the rough and positively charged surface, the microcapsules can be internalized by several kinds of cells naturally. Real-time measurement of intracellular pH in several living cells shows that the capsules are all located in acidic organelles after being taken up. Furthermore, the negatively charged DNA and dyes can be easily encapsulated into the capsules via charge interaction. The microcapsules with combination of localized pH sensing and drug loading abilities have many advantages, such as following the real-time transportation and processing of the carriers in cells. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gold nanoparticle assemblies of controllable size obtained by hydroxylamine reduction at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Tódor, István Sz.; Szabó, László; Marişca, Oana T.; Chiş, Vasile; Leopold, Nicolae

2014-12-01

Colloidal nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs) were obtained in a one-step procedure, by reduction of HAuCl4 by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, at room temperature, without the use of any additional nucleating agent. By changing the order of the reactants, NPAs with mean size of 20 and 120 nm were obtained. Because of their size and irregular popcorn like shape, the larger size NPAs show absorption in the NIR spectral region. The building blocks of the resulted nanoassemblies are spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 4-8 and 10-30 nm, respectively. Moreover, by stabilizing the colloid with bovine serum albumin at different time moments after synthesis, NPAs of controlled size between 20 and 120 nm, could be obtained. The NPAs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM and SEM electron microscopies. In addition, the possibility of using the here proposed NPAs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was assessed and found to provide a higher enhancement compared to conventional citrate-reduced nanoparticles.

Quantitative self-assembly prediction yields targeted nanomedicines

Science.gov (United States)

Shamay, Yosi; Shah, Janki; Işık, Mehtap; Mizrachi, Aviram; Leibold, Josef; Tschaharganeh, Darjus F.; Roxbury, Daniel; Budhathoki-Uprety, Januka; Nawaly, Karla; Sugarman, James L.; Baut, Emily; Neiman, Michelle R.; Dacek, Megan; Ganesh, Kripa S.; Johnson, Darren C.; Sridharan, Ramya; Chu, Karen L.; Rajasekhar, Vinagolu K.; Lowe, Scott W.; Chodera, John D.; Heller, Daniel A.

2018-02-01

Development of targeted nanoparticle drug carriers often requires complex synthetic schemes involving both supramolecular self-assembly and chemical modification. These processes are generally difficult to predict, execute, and control. We describe herein a targeted drug delivery system that is accurately and quantitatively predicted to self-assemble into nanoparticles based on the molecular structures of precursor molecules, which are the drugs themselves. The drugs assemble with the aid of sulfated indocyanines into particles with ultrahigh drug loadings of up to 90%. We devised quantitative structure-nanoparticle assembly prediction (QSNAP) models to identify and validate electrotopological molecular descriptors as highly predictive indicators of nano-assembly and nanoparticle size. The resulting nanoparticles selectively targeted kinase inhibitors to caveolin-1-expressing human colon cancer and autochthonous liver cancer models to yield striking therapeutic effects while avoiding pERK inhibition in healthy skin. This finding enables the computational design of nanomedicines based on quantitative models for drug payload selection.

Size-dependent structure of CdSe nanoclusters formed after ion implantation in MgO

OpenAIRE

van Huis, MA; van Veen, A; Schut, H; Eijt, SWH; Kooi, BJ; De Hosson, JTM

2005-01-01

The band gap as well as the optical and structural properties of semiconductor CdSe nanoclusters change as a function of the nanocluster size. Embedded CdSe nanoclusters in MgO were created by means of sequential Cd and Se ion implantation followed by thermal annealing. Changes during annealing were monitored using optical absorption and positron annihilation spectroscopy. High-resolution TEM on cross-sections after annealing at a temperature of 1300 K showed that clusters with a size below 5...

Uniform Thin Films of CdSe and CdSe(ZnS) Core(shell) Quantum Dots by Sol-Gel Assembly: Enabling Photoelectrochemical Characterization and Electronic Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Korala, Lasantha; Wang, Zhijie; Liu, Yi; Maldonado, Stephen; Brock, Stephanie L.

2013-01-01

Optoelectronic properties of quantum dot (QD) films are limited by (1) poor interfacial chemistry and (2) non-radiative recombination due to surface traps. To address these performance issues, sol-gel methods are applied to fabricate thin films of CdSe and core(shell) CdSe(ZnS) QDs. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imaging with chemical analysis confirms that the surface of the QDs in the sol-gel thin films are chalcogen-rich, consistent with an oxidative-induced gelation mechanism in which connectivity is achieved by formation of dichalcogenide covalent linkages between particles. The ligand removal and assembly process is probed by thermogravimetric, spectroscopic and microscopic studies. Further enhancement of inter-particle coupling via mild thermal annealing, which removes residual ligands and reinforces QD connectivity, results in QD sol-gel thin films with superior charge transport properties, as shown by a dramatic enhancement of electrochemical photocurrent under white light illumination relative to thin films composed of ligand-capped QDs. A more than 2-fold enhancement in photocurrent, and a further increase in photovoltage can be achieved by passivation of surface defects via overcoating with a thin ZnS shell. The ability to tune interfacial and surface characteristics for the optimization of photophysical properties suggests that the sol-gel approach may enable formation of QD thin films suitable for a range of optoelectronic applications. PMID:23350924

Colloidal CdSe Quantum Rings.

Science.gov (United States)

Fedin, Igor; Talapin, Dmitri V

2016-08-10

Semiconductor quantum rings are of great fundamental interest because their non-trivial topology creates novel physical properties. At the same time, toroidal topology is difficult to achieve for colloidal nanocrystals and epitaxially grown semiconductor nanostructures. In this work, we introduce the synthesis of luminescent colloidal CdSe nanorings and nanostructures with double and triple toroidal topology. The nanorings form during controlled etching and rearrangement of two-dimensional nanoplatelets. We discuss a possible mechanism of the transformation of nanoplatelets into nanorings and potential utility of colloidal nanorings for magneto-optical (e.g., Aharonov-Bohm effect) and other applications.

Preparation and tribological behavior of Cu-nanoparticle polyelectrolyte multilayers obtained by spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Guangbin; Geng Zhengang; Ma Hongxia; Wu Zhishen; Zhang Pingyu

2009-01-01

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) fabricated by spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly technique were used as nanoreactors for in-situ synthesis Cu nanoparticles. Chemical reaction within the PEMs was initiated by a reaction cycle in which Cu 2+ was absorbed into the polymer-coated substrate and then reduced in NaBH 4 solutions. Repeating the above process resulted in an increase in density of the nanoparticles and further growth in the dimension of the particles initially formed. So, different Cu-nanoparticle polyelectrolyte multilayers were formed in the process. The friction and wear properties of Cu-nanoparticle PEMs formed by different reaction cycles were investigated on a microtribometer against a stainless steel ball. The PEMs reinforced with Cu nanoparticles, prepared under the best preparation conditions, possess good tribological behavior, because of the weakened adhesion between the PEMs and the substrate and decreased mobility of the polymeric chains in the presence of excessive Cu nanoparticles generated at larger reaction cycles

Properties of CdSe quantum dots coated with silica fabricated in a facile way

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Yufeng; Li Wenjiang; He Sailing

2007-01-01

High quality quantum dots (QDs) CdSe were prepared using a novel and non-TOP method. Quantum dots of different sizes ranging from 2 to 4 nm could be obtained by removing aliquots of the reaction solution at different time intervals or by adjusting some reaction conditions. The CdSe quantum dots (core) were directly coated with silica (shell) using a microemulsion method. The design and preparation of a model QD/silica was described and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis absorption, photoluminescence and laser confocal scanning microscopy. TEM images confirmed the well-monodispersed QDs and the silica shell around the CdSe core, respectively; laser confocal microscope images, UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra clearly indicated that both the original QDs and the silica-coated QDs had good fluorescence properties. The quantum dots coated with silica shells were stable, water-soluble and less toxic (due to the silica shells), and are anticipated to be used as fluorescent probes for biosensing and imaging applications

Characterization of CdSe polycrystalline films by photoluminescence spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brasil, M.J.S.P.

1985-01-01

The characterization of CdSe polycristalline films were done by photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, diagrams IxV, and efficiency of solar energy conversion for cells done by these films. The experimental data shown strong temperature dependence of annealing, and the optimum temperature around 650 0 C was determined. The films did not present photoluminescence before heat treatment, but the annealed sample spectrum showed fine structures in the excitonic region, crystal phase transformation, enhancement of grain size, and better efficiency of the cell. Measurements of photoluminescence between 2 and 300 K, showed two bands of infrared emission, width and intense enough. The shape, at half-width, and the integrated intensity of one these bands were described by a configuration coordinate model for deep centers. Based on obtained results, some hypothesis about the origin of these bands and its correlation with efficiency of cells done with CdSe polycrystalline films, are proposed. (M.C.K.) [pt

Insitu synthesis of self-assembled gold nanoparticles on glass or silicon substrates through reactive inkjet printing

KAUST Repository

Abulikemu, Mutalifu; Da'As, Eman Husni; Haverinen, Hanna M.; Cha, Dong Kyu; Malik, Mohammad A.; Jabbour, Ghassan Elie

2013-01-01

A facile and low cost method for the synthesis of self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) with minimal size variation and chemical waste by using reactive inkjet printing was developed. Gold NPs with diameters as small as (8±2)nm can be made at low

Structural and optical properties of electron beam evaporated CdSe ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

ECMS Division, Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630 006, India. † ... (0 0 2) direction of films has been confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The films ... CdSe is a direct band gap semiconductor belonging to the.

Size and temperature dependence of the tensile mechanical properties of zinc blende CdSe nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Bing; Chen, Na; Xie, Yiqun; Ye, Xiang; Gu, Xiao

2013-01-01

The effect of size and temperature on the tensile mechanical properties of zinc blende CdSe nanowires is investigated by all atoms molecular dynamic simulation. We found the ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus will decrease as the temperature and size of the nanowire increase. The size and temperature dependence are mainly attributed to surface effect and thermally elongation effect. High reversibility of tensile behavior will make zinc blende CdSe nanowires suitable for building efficient nanodevices.

Mobility activation in thermally deposited CdSe thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Effect of illumination on mobility has been studied from the photocurrent decay characteristics of thermally evaporated CdSe thin films deposited on suitably cleaned glass substrate held at elevated substrate temperatures. The study indicates that the mobilities of the carriers of different trap levels are activated due to the ...

Proximity hybridization-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assembly for electrochemical immunoassay based on in situ DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Fuyi; Yao, Yao; Luo, Jianjun; Zhang, Xing; Zhang, Yu; Yin, Dengyang; Gao, Fenglei; Wang, Po

2017-01-01

Novel hybridization proximity-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assembly strategy has been proposed for electrochemical immunoassay based on in situ DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles as signal label. The DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles were characterized with atomic force microscopic and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The highly efficient electrocatalysis by DNA template synthesized Pd nanoparticles for NaBH 4 oxidation produced an intense detection signal. The label-free electrochemical method achieved the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) with a linear range from 10 −15 to 10 −11  g mL −1 and a detection limit of 0.43 × 10 −15  g mL −1 . Through introducing a supersandwich reaction to increase the DNA length, the electrochemical signal was further amplified, leading to a detection limit of 0.52 × 10 −16  g mL −1 . And it rendered satisfactory analytical performance for the determination of CEA in serum samples. Furthermore, it exhibited good reproducibility and stability; meanwhile, it also showed excellent specificity due to the specific recognition of antigen by antibody. Therefore, the DNA template synthesized Pd nanoparticles based signal amplification approach has great potential in clinical applications and is also suitable for quantification of biomarkers at ultralow level. - Graphical abstract: A novel label-free and enzyme-free electrochemical immunoassay based on proximity hybridization-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assemblies for recycling of the CEA. - Highlights: • A novel enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensor was developed for detection of CEA. • The signal amplification was based on catalytic DNA hairpin assembly and DNA-template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles. • The biosensor could detect CEA down to 0.52 × 10 −16  g mL −1 level with a dynamic range spanning 5 orders of magnitude.

Self-assembly of cyclodextrins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fülöp, Z.; Kurkov, S.V.; Nielsen, T.T.

2012-01-01

The design of functional cyclodextrin (CD) nanoparticles is a developing area in the field of nanomedicine. CDs can not only help in the formation of drug carriers but also increase the local concentration of drugs at the site of action. CD monomers form aggregates by self-assembly, a tendency...... that increases upon formation of inclusion complexes with lipophilic drugs. However, the stability of such aggregates is not sufficient for parenteral administration. In this review CD polymers and CD containing nanoparticles are categorized, with focus on self-assembled CD nanoparticles. It is described how...

Rationally Designed, Multifunctional Self-Assembled Nanoparticles for Covalently Networked, Flexible and Self-Healable Superhydrophobic Composite Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yujin; You, Eun-Ah; Ha, Young-Geun

2018-03-21

For constructing bioinspired functional films with various superhydrophobic functions, including self-cleaning, anticorrosion, antibioadhesion, and oil-water separation, hydrophobic nanomaterials have been widely used as crucial structural components. In general, hydrophobic nanomaterials, however, cannot form strong chemical bond networks in organic-inorganic hybrid composite films because of the absence of chemically compatible binding components. Herein, we report the rationally designed, multifunctional self-assembled nanoparticles with tunable functionalities of covalent cross-linking and hydrophobicity for constructing three-dimensionally interconnected superhydrophobic composite films via a facile solution-based fabrication at room temperature. The multifunctional self-assembled nanoparticles allow the systematic control of functionalities of composite films, as well as the stable formation of covalently linked superhydrophobic composite films with excellent flexibility (bending radii of 6.5 and 3.0 mm, 1000 cycles) and self-healing ability (water contact angle > 150°, ≥10 cycles). The presented strategy can be a versatile and effective route to generating other advanced functional films with covalently interconnected composite networks.

Linker-mediated assembly of gold nanoparticles into multimeric motifs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, Mateusz; Cieplak, Marek [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Szymczak, Piotr [Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, ulica Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland); Thompson, Damien, E-mail: mc@ifpan.edu.pl [Tyndall National Institute, Lee Maltings, University College Cork, Cork (Ireland)

2011-11-04

We present a theoretical description of linker-mediated self-assembly of gold nanoparticles (Au-NP). Using mesoscale simulations with a coarse-grained model for the Au NPs and dirhenium-based linker molecules, we investigate the conditions under which large clusters can grow and construct a phase diagram that identifies favorable growth conditions in terms of floating and bound linker concentrations. The findings can be considered as generic, as we expect other NP-linker systems to behave in a qualitatively similar way. In particular, we also discuss the case of antibody-functionalised Au NPs connected by the C-reactive proteins (CRPs). We extract some general rules for NP linking that may aid the production of size- and shape-specific NP clusters for technology applications.

Electrochemical preparation of vertically aligned, hollow CdSe nanotubes and their p-n junction hybrids with electrodeposited Cu2O.

Science.gov (United States)

Debgupta, Joyashish; Devarapalli, Ramireddy; Rahman, Shakeelur; Shelke, Manjusha V; Pillai, Vijayamohanan K

2014-08-07

Vertically aligned, hollow nanotubes of CdSe are grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates by ZnO nanowire template-assisted electrodeposition technique, followed by selective removal of the ZnO core using NH4OH. A detailed mechanism of nucleation and anisotropic growth kinetics of nanotubes have been studied by a combination of characterization tools such as chronoamperometry, SEM and TEM. Interestingly, "as grown" CdSe nanotubes (CdSe NTs) on FTO coated glass plates behave as n-type semiconductors exhibiting an excellent photo-response (with a generated photocurrent density value of ∼ 470 μA cm(-2)) while in contact with p-type Cu2O (p-type semiconductor, grown separately on FTO plates) because of the formation of a n-p heterojunction (type II). The observed photoresponse is 3 times higher than that of a similar device prepared with electrodeposited CdSe films (not nanotubes) and Cu2O on FTO. This has been attributed to the hollow 1-D nature of CdSe NTs, which provides enhanced inner and outer surface areas for better absorption of light and also assists faster transport of photogenerated charge carriers.

Reassignment of oxygen-related defects in CdTe and CdSe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastin, Dirk

2015-01-01

This thesis reassigns the O_T_e-V_C_d complex in CdTe and the O_S_e-V_C_d complex in CdSe to a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO_2*, and the O_C_d defect in CdSe to a V_C_dH_2 complex using Fourier transformed infrared absorption spectroscopy. The publications of the previous complexes were investigated by theoreticians who performed first-principle calculations of theses complexes. The theoreticians ruled out the assignments and proposed alternative defects, instead. The discrepancy between the experimentally obtained and theoretically proposed defects was the motivation of this work. Two local vibrational modes located at 1096.8 (ν_1) and 1108.3 cm"-"1 (ν_2) previously assigned to an O_T_e-V_C_d complex are detected in CdTe single crystals doped with CdSO_4 powder. Five weaker additional absorption lines accompanying ν_1 and ν_2 could be detected. The relative intensities of the absorption lines match a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO_2* having two configurations labeled ν_1 and ν_2. A binding energy difference of 0.5±0.1 meV between the two configurations and an energy barrier of 53±4 meV separating the two configurations are determined. Uniaxial stress applied to the crystal leads to a splitting of the absorption lines which corresponds to an orthorhombic and monoclinic symmetry for ν_1 and ν_2, respectively. In virgin and oxygen-doped CdSe single crystals, three local vibrational modes located at 1094.1 (γ_1), 1107.5 (γ_2), and 1126.3 cm"-"1 (γ_3) previously attributed to an O_S_e-V_C_d complex could be observed. The signals are accompanied by five weaker additional absorption features in their vicinity. The additional absorption lines are identified as isotope satellites of a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO_2* having three configurations γ_1, γ_2, and γ_3. IR absorption measurements with uniaxial stress applied to the CdSe crystal yield a monoclinic C_1_h symmetry for γ_1 and γ_2. The SO_2* complex is stable up to 600 C. This thesis assigns the ν-lines in

Green method for producing hierarchically assembled pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobedo-Morales, A.; Téllez-Flores, D.; Ruiz Peralta, Ma. de Lourdes; Garcia-Serrano, J.; Herrera-González, Ana M.; Rubio-Rosas, E.; Sánchez-Mora, E.; Olivares Xometl, O.

2015-01-01

A green method for producing pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution is reported. This method consists in synthesizing ZnO 2 nanopowders via a hydrothermal route using cheap and non-toxic reagents, and its subsequent thermal decomposition at low temperature under a non-protective atmosphere (air). The morphology, structural and optical properties of the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles were studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. It was found that after thermal decomposition of the ZnO 2 powders, pristine ZnO nanoparticles are obtained. These particles are round-shaped with narrow size distribution. A further analysis of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles reveals that they are hierarchical self-assemblies of primary ZnO particles. The agglomeration of these primary particles at the very early stage of the thermal decomposition of ZnO 2 powders provides to the resulting ZnO nanoparticles a porous nature. The possibility of using the synthesized porous ZnO nanoparticles as photocatalysts has been evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B dye. - Highlights: • A green synthesis method for obtaining porous ZnO nanoparticles is reported. • The obtained ZnO nanoparticles have narrow particle size distribution. • This method allows obtaining pristine ZnO nanoparticles avoiding unintentional doping. • A growth mechanism for the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles is proposed

Green method for producing hierarchically assembled pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobedo-Morales, A., E-mail: alejandro.escobedo@correo.buap.mx [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Téllez-Flores, D.; Ruiz Peralta, Ma. de Lourdes [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Garcia-Serrano, J.; Herrera-González, Ana M. [Centro de Investigaciones en Materiales y Metalurgia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca Tulancingo Km 4.5, Pachuca, Hidalgo (Mexico); Rubio-Rosas, E. [Centro Universitario de Vinculación y Transferencia de Tecnología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Sánchez-Mora, E. [Instituto de Física, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Apdo. Postal J-48, 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Olivares Xometl, O. [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico)

2015-02-01

A green method for producing pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution is reported. This method consists in synthesizing ZnO{sub 2} nanopowders via a hydrothermal route using cheap and non-toxic reagents, and its subsequent thermal decomposition at low temperature under a non-protective atmosphere (air). The morphology, structural and optical properties of the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles were studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. It was found that after thermal decomposition of the ZnO{sub 2} powders, pristine ZnO nanoparticles are obtained. These particles are round-shaped with narrow size distribution. A further analysis of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles reveals that they are hierarchical self-assemblies of primary ZnO particles. The agglomeration of these primary particles at the very early stage of the thermal decomposition of ZnO{sub 2} powders provides to the resulting ZnO nanoparticles a porous nature. The possibility of using the synthesized porous ZnO nanoparticles as photocatalysts has been evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B dye. - Highlights: • A green synthesis method for obtaining porous ZnO nanoparticles is reported. • The obtained ZnO nanoparticles have narrow particle size distribution. • This method allows obtaining pristine ZnO nanoparticles avoiding unintentional doping. • A growth mechanism for the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles is proposed.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of modified-chitosan conjugates for the sustained release of dl-α-tocopherol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quinones, Javier Perez; Gothelf, Kurt Vesterager; Kjems, Jørgen

2013-01-01

Synthetic O6-succinylated chitosan and commercial glycol chitosan were covalently linked to dl-α-tocopheryl monoesters for controlled release of vitamin E. These conjugates formed self-assembled nanoparticles in aqueous solution with 254–496 nm mean diameters and dl-α-tocopherol contents between 27...... and 39% (w/w). The particles appeared as 40–75 nm almost spherical nanoparticles when studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy upon drying. Drug linking to chitosan matrix was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and proton NMR. Conjugates were also characterized by differential scanning...... calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. In vitro tocopherol release studies performed in water at acid pH indicated a drug release dependence on drug content, hydrated particle sizes and employed chitosan derivative. Almost constant release rates were observed the first 7 h. The obtained nanoparticles...

Formation of linear and crosslinked polyurethane nanoparticles that self-assemble differently in acetone and in water

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Serkis-Rodzen, Magdalena; Špírková, Milena; Matějíček, P.; Štěpánek, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 106, May (2017), s. 119-127 ISSN 0300-9440 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-06700S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : polyurethane water dispersion * nanoparticles * self-assembly Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 2.858, year: 2016

Fabrication of CdSe quantum dots/permutite luminescent materials

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

tosuccinic acid-capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared in aqueous solution by using SeO2 as selenium source and NaBH4 as reductant. Secondly, the commercial permutite was treated with acetic acid to induce a partial dealumnization, which can introduce a large number of intracrystal mesopores, and the.

Space charge limited conduction in CdSe thin films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

of trap limited space charge limited conduction (SCLC) at higher voltage. The transition voltage (Vt ) from ohmic to SCLC is found to be quite independent of ambient temperature as well as intensity of illumination. SCLC is explained on the basis of the exponential trap distribution in CdSe films. Trap depths estimated from.

One-dimensional self-assembly of gold nanoparticles for tunable surface plasmon resonance properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yong; Matsubara, Shigemasha; Nogami, Masayuki; Shi Jianlin; Huang Weiming

2006-01-01

The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is a collective oscillation of the nanoparticle conduction electrons. LSPR excitation in silver and gold nanoparticles produces strong extinction and scattering spectra that in recent years have been used for important sensing and spectroscopy applications. Tuning the optoelectronic properties by controlling coupled SP modes in metals is one of the major challenges in the area of metal nanomaterials. Here we develop a simple method to fabricate linear-chainlike aggregates of gold nanoparticles (so-called nanochains), tuning the linear optical properties in a wide wavelength range from visible to the near infrared. The aggregation behaviour and linear self-assembly mechanism of citrate-stabilized gold colloids as provoked by the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) are also analysed. The CTAB with appropriate concentration serves as the 'glue' that can link the {100} facets of two neighbour Au NPs, which leads to an anisotropic distribution of the residual surface charge, and this extrinsic electric dipole formation is responsible for the linear organization of the gold NPs into short chains

Gold nanoparticle assemblies of controllable size obtained by hydroxylamine reduction at room temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tódor, István Sz.; Szabó, László; Marişca, Oana T.; Chiş, Vasile; Leopold, Nicolae, E-mail: nicolae.leopold@phys.ubbcluj.ro [Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Physics (Romania)

2014-12-15

Colloidal nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs) were obtained in a one-step procedure, by reduction of HAuCl{sub 4} by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, at room temperature, without the use of any additional nucleating agent. By changing the order of the reactants, NPAs with mean size of ∼20 and ∼120 nm were obtained. Because of their size and irregular popcorn like shape, the larger size NPAs show absorption in the NIR spectral region. The building blocks of the resulted nanoassemblies are spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 4–8 and 10–30 nm, respectively. Moreover, by stabilizing the colloid with bovine serum albumin at different time moments after synthesis, NPAs of controlled size between 20 and 120 nm, could be obtained. The NPAs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, TEM and SEM electron microscopies. In addition, the possibility of using the here proposed NPAs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was assessed and found to provide a higher enhancement compared to conventional citrate-reduced nanoparticles.

Bio-templated CdSe quantum dots green synthesis in the functional protein, lysozyme, and biological activity investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qisui; Li, Song; Liu, Peng; Min, Xinmin

2012-01-01

Bifunctional fluorescence (CdSe Quantum Dots) – protein (Lysozyme) nanocomposites were synthesized at room temperature by a protein-directed, solution-phase, green-synthetic method. Fluorescence (FL) and absorption spectra showed that CdSe QDs were prepared successfully with Lyz. The average particle size and crystalline structure of QDs were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. With attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, it was confirmed that there is interaction between QDs and amide I, amide II groups in Lyz. FL polarization was measured and FL imaging was done to monitor whether QDs could be responsible for possible changes in the conformation and activity of Lyz. Interestingly, the results showed Lyz still retain the biological activity after formation of QDs, but the secondary structure of the Lyz was changed. And the advantage of this synthesis method is producing excellent fluorescent QDs with specifically biological function. -- Highlights: ► Lysozyme-directed green synthesis of CdSe quantum dots. ► Lysozyme still retain the biological activity after formation of CdSe. ► The method is the production of fluorescent QDs with highly specific and functions.

Synthesis, optical characterization, and size distribution determination by curve resolution methods of water-soluble CdSe quantum dots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Calink Indiara do Livramento; Carvalho, Melissa Souza; Raphael, Ellen; Ferrari, Jefferson Luis; Schiavon, Marco Antonio, E-mail: schiavon@ufsj.edu.br [Universidade Federal de Sao Joao del-Rei (UFSJ), MG (Brazil). Grupo de Pesquisa em Quimica de Materiais; Dantas, Clecio [Universidade Estadual do Maranhao (LQCINMETRIA/UEMA), Caxias, MA (Brazil). Lab. de Quimica Computacional Inorganica e Quimiometria

2016-11-15

In this work a colloidal approach to synthesize water-soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) bearing a surface ligand, such as thioglycolic acid (TGA), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), glutathione (GSH), or thioglycerol (TGH) was applied. The synthesized material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and fluorescence spectroscopy (PL). Additionally, a comparative study of the optical properties of different CdSe QDs was performed, demonstrating how the surface ligand affected crystal growth. The particles sizes were calculated from a polynomial function that correlates the particle size with the maximum fluorescence position. Curve resolution methods (EFA and MCR-ALS) were employed to decompose a series of fluorescence spectra to investigate the CdSe QDs size distribution and determine the number of fraction with different particle size. The results for the MPA-capped CdSe sample showed only two main fraction with different particle sizes with maximum emission at 642 and 686 nm. The calculated diameters from these maximum emission were, respectively, 2.74 and 3.05 nm. (author)

Generation of 320 mW at 10.20 μm based on CdSe long-wave infrared crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jian; Yuan, Ligang; Zhang, Yingwu; Chen, Guo; Cheng, Hongjuan; Gao, Yanzhao

2018-06-01

CdSe single crystal, with the sizes of ∼54 mm in diameter and ∼25 mm in length, was grown by a high pressure vertical gradient freeze (HPVGF) technique using (0 0 1)-oriented seed. The CdSe crystal was characterized with transmission spectrophotometer. The transmission spectra showed that the infrared transmission was above 68% and the mean absorption coefficient was 0.041 cm-1 in the range of 2.5-20 μm. Using fabricated CdSe crystal with the dimensions of 6 mm × 10 mm × 44 mm, we demonstrated an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a 2.05 μm Ho:YLF laser at a pulse repetition frequency of 5 kHz. Up to 320 mW output was obtained at the idler wavelength of 10.20 μm with a pump power of 18.06 W. 320 mW at 10.20 μm, to our knowledge, was the highest power obtained with a 2.05 μm laser-pumped CdSe OPO.

Resonant Infrared Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation Of Inorganic Nanoparticles And Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Pate, Ryan; Lantz, Kevin R.; Dhawan, Anuj; Vo-Dinh, Tuan; Stiff-Roberts, Adrienne D.

2010-10-01

In this research, resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE) has been used to deposit different classes of inorganic nanoparticles, including bare, un-encapsulated ZnO and Au nanoparticles, as well as ligand-encapsulated CdSe colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). RIR-MAPLE has been used for thin-film deposition of different organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites using some of these inorganic nanoparticles, including CdSe CQD-poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-(1-cyanovinylene)phenylene] (MEH-CN-PPV) nanocomposites and Au nanoparticle-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites. The unique contribution of this research is that a technique is demonstrated for the deposition of organic-based thin-films requiring solvents with bond energies that do not have to be resonant with the laser energy. By creating an emulsion of solvent and ice in the target, RIR-MAPLE using a 2.94 μm laser can deposit most material systems because the hydroxyl bonds in the ice component of the emulsion matrix are strongly resonant with the 2.94 μm laser. In this way, the types of materials that can be deposited using RIR-MAPLE has been significantly expanded. Furthermore, materials with different solvent bond energies can be co-deposited without concern for material degradation and without the need to specifically tune the laser energy to each material solvent bond energy, thereby facilitating the realization of organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite thin-films. In addition to the structural characterization of the inorganic nanoparticle and hybrid nanocomposite thin-films deposited using this RIR-MAPLE technique, optical characterization is presented to demonstrate the potential of such films for optoelectronic device applications.

Resonant Infrared Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation Of Inorganic Nanoparticles And Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pate, Ryan; Lantz, Kevin R.; Stiff-Roberts, Adrienne D.; Dhawan, Anuj; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

2010-01-01

In this research, resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE) has been used to deposit different classes of inorganic nanoparticles, including bare, un-encapsulated ZnO and Au nanoparticles, as well as ligand-encapsulated CdSe colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). RIR-MAPLE has been used for thin-film deposition of different organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites using some of these inorganic nanoparticles, including CdSe CQD-poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy )-1,4-(1-cyanovinylene)phenylene](MEH-CN-PPV) nanocomposites and Au nanoparticle-poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) nanocomposites. The unique contribution of this research is that a technique is demonstrated for the deposition of organic-based thin-films requiring solvents with bond energies that do not have to be resonant with the laser energy. By creating an emulsion of solvent and ice in the target, RIR-MAPLE using a 2.94 μm laser can deposit most material systems because the hydroxyl bonds in the ice component of the emulsion matrix are strongly resonant with the 2.94 μm laser. In this way, the types of materials that can be deposited using RIR-MAPLE has been significantly expanded. Furthermore, materials with different solvent bond energies can be co-deposited without concern for material degradation and without the need to specifically tune the laser energy to each material solvent bond energy, thereby facilitating the realization of organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite thin-films. In addition to the structural characterization of the inorganic nanoparticle and hybrid nanocomposite thin-films deposited using this RIR-MAPLE technique, optical characterization is presented to demonstrate the potential of such films for optoelectronic device applications.

Intracellular targeting of CD44+ cells with self-assembling, protein only nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesarrodona, Mireia; Ferrer-Miralles, Neus; Unzueta, Ugutz; Gener, Petra; Tatkiewicz, Witold; Abasolo, Ibane; Ratera, Imma; Veciana, Jaume; Schwartz, Simó; Villaverde, Antonio; Vazquez, Esther

2014-10-01

CD44 is a multifunctional cell surface protein involved in proliferation and differentiation, angiogenesis and signaling. The expression of CD44 is up-regulated in several types of human tumors and particularly in cancer stem cells, representing an appealing target for drug delivery in the treatment of cancer. We have explored here several protein ligands of CD44 for the construction of self-assembling modular proteins designed to bind and internalize target cells. Among five tested ligands, two of them (A5G27 and FNI/II/V) drive the formation of protein-only, ring-shaped nanoparticles of about 14 nm that efficiently bind and penetrate CD44(+) cells by an endosomal route. The potential of these newly designed nanoparticles is evaluated regarding the need of biocompatible nanostructured materials for drug delivery in CD44-linked conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of magnetic field on self-assembling of colloidal Co magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chitu, L.; Chushkin, Y.; Luby, S.; Majkova, E.; Leo, G.; Satka, A.; Giersig, M.; Hilgendorff, M.

2006-01-01

In this paper the formation of 3-D structures composed of Co nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. Structures were obtained by drying a droplet of a colloidal solution of NPs in a magnetic field perpendicular to the substrate. The Co nanoparticles were prepared by thermolysis of Co 2 (CO) 8 . The 3-D NP structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic and magnetic force microscopy (AFM/MFM). It has been found that at the border of the droplet, NPs assemble into hexagonally ordered 3-D columns or they form a labyrinthine structure. The formation of the 3-D structures can be explained by the outflow of NPs to the border of the droplet during the drying process. Within this model the pattern formation is dependent on the concentration of the NPs and the degree of alignment of the magnetic moments of NPs in the 3-D columns

Resolving Properties of Polymers and Nanoparticle Assembly through Coarse-Grained Computational Studies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grest, Gary S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-09-01

Coupled length and time scales determine the dynamic behavior of polymers and polymer nanocomposites and underlie their unique properties. To resolve the properties over large time and length scales it is imperative to develop coarse grained models which retain the atomistic specificity. Here we probe the degree of coarse graining required to simultaneously retain significant atomistic details a nd access large length and time scales. The degree of coarse graining in turn sets the minimum length scale instrumental in defining polymer properties and dynamics. Using polyethylene as a model system, we probe how the coarse - graining scale affects the measured dynamics with different number methylene group s per coarse - grained beads. Using these models we simulate polyethylene melts for times over 500 ms to study the viscoelastic properties of well - entangled polymer melts and large nanoparticle assembly as the nanoparticles are driven close enough to form nanostructures.

Cytotoxicity and fluorescence studies of silica-coated CdSe quantum dots for bioimaging applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vibin, Muthunayagam; Vinayakan, Ramachandran; John, Annie; Raji, Vijayamma; Rejiya, Chellappan S.; Vinesh, Naresh S.; Abraham, Annie

2011-01-01

The toxicological effects of silica-coated CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were investigated systematically on human cervical cancer cell line. Trioctylphosphine oxide capped CdSe QDs were synthesized and rendered water soluble by overcoating with silica, using aminopropyl silane as silica precursor. The cytotoxicity studies were conducted by exposing cells to freshly synthesized QDs as a function of time (0–72 h) and concentration up to micromolar level by Lactate dehydrogenase assay, MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] assay, Neutral red cell viability assay, Trypan blue dye exclusion method and morphological examination of cells using phase contrast microscope. The in vitro analysis results showed that the silica-coated CdSe QDs were nontoxic even at higher loadings. Subsequently the in vivo fluorescence was also demonstrated by intravenous administration of the QDs in Swiss albino mice. The fluorescence images in the cryosections of tissues depicted strong luminescence property of silica-coated QDs under biological conditions. These results confirmed the role of these luminescent materials in biological labeling and imaging applications.

Cytotoxicity and fluorescence studies of silica-coated CdSe quantum dots for bioimaging applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vibin, Muthunayagam [University of Kerala, Department of Biochemistry (India); Vinayakan, Ramachandran [National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR), Photosciences and Photonics (India); John, Annie [Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Biomedical Technology Wing (India); Raji, Vijayamma; Rejiya, Chellappan S.; Vinesh, Naresh S.; Abraham, Annie, E-mail: annieab2@yahoo.co.in [University of Kerala, Department of Biochemistry (India)

2011-06-15

The toxicological effects of silica-coated CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were investigated systematically on human cervical cancer cell line. Trioctylphosphine oxide capped CdSe QDs were synthesized and rendered water soluble by overcoating with silica, using aminopropyl silane as silica precursor. The cytotoxicity studies were conducted by exposing cells to freshly synthesized QDs as a function of time (0-72 h) and concentration up to micromolar level by Lactate dehydrogenase assay, MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] assay, Neutral red cell viability assay, Trypan blue dye exclusion method and morphological examination of cells using phase contrast microscope. The in vitro analysis results showed that the silica-coated CdSe QDs were nontoxic even at higher loadings. Subsequently the in vivo fluorescence was also demonstrated by intravenous administration of the QDs in Swiss albino mice. The fluorescence images in the cryosections of tissues depicted strong luminescence property of silica-coated QDs under biological conditions. These results confirmed the role of these luminescent materials in biological labeling and imaging applications.

Rapid screening of aquatic toxicity of several metal-based nanoparticles using the MetPLATE™ bioassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokhrel, Lok R.; Silva, Thilini; Dubey, Brajesh; El Badawy, Amro M.; Tolaymat, Thabet M.; Scheuerman, Phillip R.

2012-01-01

Current understanding of potential toxicity of engineered nanomaterials to aquatic microorganisms is limited for risk assessment and management. Here we evaluate if the MetPLATE™ test can be used as an effective and rapid screening tool to test for potential aquatic toxicity of various metal-based nanoparticles (NPs). The MetPLATE bioassay is a heavy metal sensitive test based on β-galactosidase activity in Escherichia coli. Five different types of metal-based NPs were screened for toxicity: (1) citrate coated nAg (Citrate-nanosilver), (2) polyvinylpyrrolidone coated nAg (PVP-nAg), (3) uncoated nZnO, (4) uncoated nTiO 2 and (5) 1-Octadecylamine coated CdSe Quantum Dots (CdSe QDs); and compared with their corresponding ionic salt toxicity. Citrate-nAg was further fractionated into clean Citrate-nAg, unclean Citrate-nAg and permeate using a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system to eliminate residual ions and impurities from the stock Citrate-nAg suspension and also to differentiate between ionic- versus nano-specific toxicity. Our results showed that nAg, nZnO and CdSe QDs were less toxic than their corresponding ionic salts tested, while nano- or ionic form of TiO 2 was not toxic as high as 2.5 g L −1 to the MetPLATE™ bacteria. Although coating-dependent toxicity was noticeable between two types of Ag NPs evaluated, particle size and surface charge were not adequate to explain the observed toxicity; hence, the toxicity appeared to be material-specific. Overall, the toxicity followed the trend: CdCl 2 > AgNO 3 > PVP-nAg > unclean Citrate-nAg > clean Citrate-nAg > ZnSO 4 > nZnO > CdSe QDs > nTiO 2 /TiO 2 . These results indicate that an evaluation of β-galactosidase inhibition in MetPLATE™ E. coli can be an important consideration for rapid screening of metal-based NP toxicity, and should facilitate ecological risk assessment of these emerging contaminants. - Highlights: ► MetPLATE bioassay was evaluated as a rapid screening tool for nanotoxicity. �

Controlled in situ growth of tunable plasmonic self-assembled nanoparticle arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verre, R; Fleischer, K; McGilp, J F; Fox, D; Behan, G; Zhang, H; Shvets, I V

2012-01-01

Self-assembled silver nanoparticle (NP) arrays were produced by deposition at glancing angles on transparent stepped Al 2 O 3 templates. The evolution of the plasmonic resonances has been monitored using reflection anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) during growth. It is demonstrated that the morphology of the array can be tailored by changing the template structure, resulting in a large tunability of the optical resonances. In order to extract detailed information on the origin of the measured dichroic response of the system, a model based on dipolar interactions has been developed and the effect of tarnishing and morphological dispersion addressed. (paper)

Self-Assembled Lipid Nanoparticles for Oral Delivery of Heparin-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Theranostic Purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Truzzi, Eleonora; Bongio, Chiara; Sacchetti, Francesca; Maretti, Eleonora; Montanari, Monica; Iannuccelli, Valentina; Vismara, Elena; Leo, Eliana

2017-06-09

Recently, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have attracted increasing attention owing to their potential as an oral delivery system, promoting intestinal absorption in the lymphatic circulation which plays a role in disseminating metastatic cancer cells and infectious agents throughout the body. SLN features can be exploited for the oral delivery of theranostics. Therefore, the aim of this work was to design and characterise self-assembled lipid nanoparticles (SALNs) to encapsulate and stabilise iron oxide nanoparticles non-covalently coated with heparin (Fe@hepa) as a model of a theranostic tool. SALNs were characterised for physico-chemical properties (particle size, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro stability, and heparin leakage), as well as in vitro cytotoxicity by methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay and cell internalisation in CaCo-2, a cell line model used as an indirect indication of intestinal lymphatic absorption. SALNs of about 180 nm, which are stable in suspension and have a high encapsulation efficiency (>90%) were obtained. SALNs were able to stabilise the heparin coating of Fe@hepa, which are typically unstable in physiological environments. Moreover, SALNs-Fe@hepa showed no cytotoxicity, although their ability to be internalised into CaCo-2 cells was highlighted by confocal microscopy analysis. Therefore, the results indicated that SALNs can be considered as a promising tool to orally deliver theranostic Fe@hepa into the lymphatic circulation, although further in vivo studies are needed to comprehend further potential applications.

Optical and AFM study of electrostatically assembled films of CdS and ZnS colloid nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suryajaya; Nabok, A.; Davis, F.; Hassan, A.; Higson, S.P.J.; Evans-Freeman, J.

2008-01-01

CdS and ZnS semiconducting colloid nanoparticles coated with the organic shell, containing either SO 3 - or NH 2 + groups, were prepared using the aqueous phase synthesis. The multilayer films of CdS (or ZnS) were deposited onto glass, quartz and silicon substrates using the technique of electrostatic self-assembly. The films produced were characterized with UV-vis spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. A substantial blue shift of the main absorption band with respect to the bulk materials was found for both CdS and ZnS films. The Efros equation in the effective mass approximation (EMA) theoretical model allowed the evaluation of the nanoparticle radius of 1.8 nm, which corresponds well to the ellipsometry results. AFM shows the formation of larger aggregates of nanoparticles on solid surfaces

Fabrication of Reductive-Responsive Prodrug Nanoparticles with Superior Structural Stability by Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly and Functional Nanoscopic Platform for Drug Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wen-Jian; Hong, Chun-Yan; Pan, Cai-Yuan

2016-09-12

A highly efficient strategy, polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) for fabrication of the polymeric drug delivery systems in cancer chemotherapy is reported. Diblock prodrug copolymer, PEG-b-P(MEO2MA-co-CPTM) was used as the macro-RAFT agent to fabricate prodrug nanoparticles through PISA. The advantages of fabricating intelligent drug delivery system via this approach are as following: (1) Simultaneous fulfillment of polymerization, self-assembly, and drug encapsulation in one-pot at relatively high concentration (100 mg/mL); (2) Almost complete monomer conversion allows direct application of the resultant prodrug nanoparticles without further purification; (3) Robust structures of the resultant prodrug nanoparticles, because the cross-linker was used as the comonomer, resulted in core-cross-linking simultaneously with the formation of the prodrug nanoparticles; (4) The drug content in the resultant prodrug nanoparticles can be accurately modulated just via adjusting the feed molar ratio of MEO2MA/CPTM in the synthesis of PEG-b-P(MEO2MA-co-CPTM). The prodrug nanoparticles with similar diameters but various drug contents were obtained using different prodrug macro-CTA. In consideration of the long-term biological toxicity, the prodrug nanoparticles with higher drug content exhibit more excellent anticancer efficiency due to that lower dosage of them are enough for effectively killing HeLa cells.

Bacteriophage T4 Nanoparticles as Materials in Sensor Applications: Variables That Influence Their Organization and Assembly on Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinny L. Liu

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Bacteriophage T4 nanoparticles possess characteristics that make them ideal candidates as materials for sensors, particularly as sensor probes. Their surface can be modified, either through genetic engineering or direct chemical conjugation to display functional moieties such as antibodies or other proteins to recognize a specific target. However, in order for T4 nanoparticles to be utilized as a sensor probe, it is necessary to understand and control the variables that determine their assembly and organization on a surface. The aim of this work is to discuss some of variables that we have identified as influencing the behavior of T4 nanoparticles on surfaces. The effect of pH, ionic strength, substrate characteristics, nanoparticle concentration and charge was addressed qualitatively using atomic force microscopy (AFM.

Physicochemical and biological properties of self-assembled antisense/poly(amidoamine) dendrimer nanoparticles: the effect of dendrimer generation and charge ratio

OpenAIRE

Nomani, Alireza; Haririan, Ismaeil; Rahimnia, Ramin; Fouladdel, Shamileh; Gazori, Tarane; Dinarvand, Rassoul; Omidi, Yadollah; Azizi, Ebrahim

2010-01-01

To gain a deeper understanding of the physicochemical phenomenon of self-assembled nanoparticles of different generations and ratios of poly (amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM) dendrimer and a short-stranded DNA (antisense oligonucleotide), multiple methods were used to characterize these nanoparticles including photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS); zeta potential measurement; and atomic force microscopy (AFM). PCS and AFM results revealed that, in contrast to larger molecules of DNA, smaller mol...

Watching Nanoscale Self-Assembly Kinetics of Gold Prisms in Liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Juyeong; Ou, Zihao; Jones, Matthew R.; Chen, Qian

We use liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy to watch self-assembly of gold triangular prisms into polymer-like structures. The in situ dynamics monitoring enabled by liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy, single nanoparticle tracking, and the marked conceptual similarity between molecular reactions and nanoparticle self-assembly combined elucidate the following mechanistic understanding: a step-growth polymerization based assembly statistics, kinetic pathways sampling particle curvature dependent energy minima and their interconversions, and directed assembly into polymorphs (linear or cyclic chains) through in situ modulation of the prism bonding geometry. Our study bridges the constituent kinetics on the molecular and nanoparticle length scales, which enriches the design rules in directed self-assembly of anisotropic nanoparticles.

Insitu synthesis of self-assembled gold nanoparticles on glass or silicon substrates through reactive inkjet printing

KAUST Repository

Abulikemu, Mutalifu

2013-12-18

A facile and low cost method for the synthesis of self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) with minimal size variation and chemical waste by using reactive inkjet printing was developed. Gold NPs with diameters as small as (8±2)nm can be made at low temperature (120 °C). The size of the resulting NPs can be readily controlled through the concentration of the gold precursor and oleylamine ink. The pure gold composition of the synthesized NPs was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) analysis. High-resolution SEM (HRSEM) and TEM (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction revealed their size and face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure, respectively. Owing to the high density of the NP film, UV/Vis spectroscopy showed a red shift in the intrinsic plasmonic resonance peak. We envision the extension of this approach to the synthesis of other nanomaterials and the production of tailored functional nanomaterials and devices. Midas touch: The use of low-cost manufacturing approaches in the synthesis of nanoparticles is critical for many applications. Reactive inkjet printing, along with a judicious choice of precursor/solvent system, was used to synthesize a relatively uniform assembly of crystalline gold nanoparticles, with diameters as small as (8±2)nm, over a given substrate surface. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH.

Oxidation and sensing of ascorbic acid and dopamine on self-assembled gold nanoparticles incorporated within polyaniline film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Wenya [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Zhou, Qun, E-mail: zhq@suda.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Li, Shuangshuang [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Zhao, Wei; Li, Na [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Zheng, Junwei, E-mail: jwzheng@suda.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China)

2015-10-30

Highlights: • Gold nanoparticles assembled on electrodes are incorporated into polyaniline film. • Composite film electrodes exhibit synergistic effect on electrocatalytic oxidation. • Ascorbic acid and dopamine can be detected simultaneously on composite electrodes. - Abstract: Electrochemical biosensors based on conducting polymers incorporated with metallic nanoparticles can greatly enhance sensitivity and selectivity. Herein, we report a facile fabrication approach for polyaniline (PAN) incorporated with a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) composite electrode by electrodeposition of PAN on a self-assembled AuNP layer on the surface of an indium tin oxide electrode. The resulting AuNP/PAN composite electrode exhibits a remarkable synergistic effect on the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and dopamine (DA). It is demonstrated that the oxidation reaction of AA mainly occurs at AuNPs inside the PAN film as the ascorbate anions are doped into the polymer during the oxidation of the PAN film. Conversely, the oxidation of positively charged DA may only take place at the PAN/solution interface. The different mechanisms of the electrode reactions result in the oxidation of AA and DA occurring at different potentials. As a result, the AuNP/PAN composite electrode can be employed to simultaneously detect AA and DA with a good linear range, high sensitivity, and low detection limit.

Oxidation and sensing of ascorbic acid and dopamine on self-assembled gold nanoparticles incorporated within polyaniline film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Wenya; Zhou, Qun; Li, Shuangshuang; Zhao, Wei; Li, Na; Zheng, Junwei

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Gold nanoparticles assembled on electrodes are incorporated into polyaniline film. • Composite film electrodes exhibit synergistic effect on electrocatalytic oxidation. • Ascorbic acid and dopamine can be detected simultaneously on composite electrodes. - Abstract: Electrochemical biosensors based on conducting polymers incorporated with metallic nanoparticles can greatly enhance sensitivity and selectivity. Herein, we report a facile fabrication approach for polyaniline (PAN) incorporated with a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) composite electrode by electrodeposition of PAN on a self-assembled AuNP layer on the surface of an indium tin oxide electrode. The resulting AuNP/PAN composite electrode exhibits a remarkable synergistic effect on the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and dopamine (DA). It is demonstrated that the oxidation reaction of AA mainly occurs at AuNPs inside the PAN film as the ascorbate anions are doped into the polymer during the oxidation of the PAN film. Conversely, the oxidation of positively charged DA may only take place at the PAN/solution interface. The different mechanisms of the electrode reactions result in the oxidation of AA and DA occurring at different potentials. As a result, the AuNP/PAN composite electrode can be employed to simultaneously detect AA and DA with a good linear range, high sensitivity, and low detection limit.

Sample preconcentration utilizing nanofractures generated by junction gap breakdown assisted by self-assembled monolayer of gold nanoparticles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Ping Jen

Full Text Available The preconcentration of proteins with low concentrations can be used to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of detection. A nonlinear electrokinetic flow is induced in a nanofluidic channel due to the overlap of electrical double layers, resulting in the fast accumulation of proteins, referred to as the exclusion-enrichment effect. The proposed chip for protein preconcentration was fabricated using simple standard soft lithography with a polydimethylsiloxane replica. This study extends our previous paper, in which gold nanoparticles were manually deposited onto the surface of a protein preconcentrator. In the present work, nanofractures were formed by utilizing the self-assembly of gold-nanoparticle-assisted electric breakdown. This reliable method for nanofracture formation, involving self-assembled monolayers of nanoparticles at the junction gap between microchannels, also decreases the required electric breakdown voltage. The experimental results reveal that a high concentration factor of 1.5×10(4 for a protein sample with an extremely low concentration of 1 nM was achieved in 30 min by using the proposed chip, which is faster than our previously proposed chip at the same conditions. Moreover, an immunoassay of bovine serum albumin (BSA and anti-BSA was carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed chip.

Hierarchical TiN nanoparticles-assembled nanopillars for flexible supercapacitors with high volumetric capacitance.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Ping; Li, Xingxing; Gao, Biao; Fu, Jijiang; Xia, Lu; Zhang, Xuming; Huo, Kaifu; Shen, Wenli; Chu, Paul K

2018-05-10

Titanium nitride (TiN) is an attractive electrode material in fast charging/discharging supercapacitors because of its excellent conductivity. However, the low capacitance and mechanical brittleness of TiN restricts its further application in flexible supercapacitors with high energy density. Thus, it is still a challenge to rationally design TiN electrodes with both high electrochemical and mechanical properties. Herein, the hierarchical TiN nanoparticles-assembled nanopillars (H-TiN NPs) array as binder free electrodes were obtained by nitriding of hierarchical titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopillars, which was produced by a simple hydrothermal treatment of anodic TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) array in water. The porous TiN nanoparticles connected to each other to form ordered nanopillar arrays, effectively providing larger specific surface area and more active sites for charge storage. The H-TiN NPs delivered a high volumetric capacitance of 120 F cm-3 at 0.83 A cm-3, which is better than that of TiN NTs arrays (69 F cm-3 at 0.83 A cm-3). After assembling into all-solid-state devices, the H-TiN NPs based supercapacitors exhibited outstanding volumetric capacitance of 5.9 F cm-3 at 0.02 A cm-3 and a high energy density of 0.53 mW h cm-3. Our results reveal a new strategy to optimize the supercapacitive performance of metal nitrides.

Evaluation of a combined drug-delivery system for proteins assembled with polymeric nanoparticles and porous microspheres; characterization and protein integrity studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá-Alcalá, Sergio; Benítez-Cardoza, Claudia G; Lima-Muñoz, Enrique J; Piñón-Segundo, Elizabeth; Quintanar-Guerrero, David

2015-07-15

This work presents an evaluation of the adsorption/infiltration process in relation to the loading of a model protein, α-amylase, into an assembled biodegradable polymeric system, free of organic solvents and made up of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA). Systems were assembled in a friendly aqueous medium by adsorbing and infiltrating polymeric nanoparticles into porous microspheres. These assembled systems are able to load therapeutic amounts of the drug through adsorption of the protein onto the large surface area characteristic of polymeric nanoparticles. The subsequent infiltration of nanoparticles adsorbed with the protein into porous microspheres enabled the controlled release of the protein as a function of the amount of infiltrated nanoparticles, since the surface area available on the porous structure is saturated at different levels, thus modifying the protein release rate. Findings were confirmed by both the BET technique (N2 isotherms) and in vitro release studies. During the adsorption process, the pH of the medium plays an important role by creating an environment that favors adsorption between the surfaces of the micro- and nano-structures and the protein. Finally, assays of α-amylase activity using 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-α-D-maltotrioside (CNP-G3) as the substrate and the circular dichroism technique confirmed that when this new approach was used no conformational changes were observed in the protein after release. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reassignment of oxygen-related defects in CdTe and CdSe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bastin, Dirk

2015-05-22

This thesis reassigns the O{sub Te}-V{sub Cd} complex in CdTe and the O{sub Se}-V{sub Cd} complex in CdSe to a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO{sub 2}*, and the O{sub Cd} defect in CdSe to a V{sub Cd}H{sub 2} complex using Fourier transformed infrared absorption spectroscopy. The publications of the previous complexes were investigated by theoreticians who performed first-principle calculations of theses complexes. The theoreticians ruled out the assignments and proposed alternative defects, instead. The discrepancy between the experimentally obtained and theoretically proposed defects was the motivation of this work. Two local vibrational modes located at 1096.8 (ν{sub 1}) and 1108.3 cm{sup -1} (ν{sub 2}) previously assigned to an O{sub Te}-V{sub Cd} complex are detected in CdTe single crystals doped with CdSO{sub 4} powder. Five weaker additional absorption lines accompanying ν{sub 1} and ν{sub 2} could be detected. The relative intensities of the absorption lines match a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO{sub 2}* having two configurations labeled ν{sub 1} and ν{sub 2}. A binding energy difference of 0.5±0.1 meV between the two configurations and an energy barrier of 53±4 meV separating the two configurations are determined. Uniaxial stress applied to the crystal leads to a splitting of the absorption lines which corresponds to an orthorhombic and monoclinic symmetry for ν{sub 1} and ν{sub 2}, respectively. In virgin and oxygen-doped CdSe single crystals, three local vibrational modes located at 1094.1 (γ{sub 1}), 1107.5 (γ{sub 2}), and 1126.3 cm{sup -1} (γ{sub 3}) previously attributed to an O{sub Se}-V{sub Cd} complex could be observed. The signals are accompanied by five weaker additional absorption features in their vicinity. The additional absorption lines are identified as isotope satellites of a sulfur-dioxygen complex SO{sub 2}* having three configurations γ{sub 1}, γ{sub 2}, and γ{sub 3}. IR absorption measurements with uniaxial stress applied to the

Monolayer-directed Assembly and Magnetic Properties of FePt Nanoparticles on Patterned Aluminum Oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guus Rijnders

2010-03-01

Full Text Available FePt nanoparticles (NPs were assembled on aluminum oxide substrates, and their ferromagnetic properties were studied before and after thermal annealing. For the first time, phosph(onates were used as an adsorbate to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs on alumina to direct the assembly of NPs onto the surface. The Al2O3 substrates were functionalized with aminobutylphosphonic acid (ABP or phosphonoundecanoic acid (PNDA SAMs or with poly(ethyleneimine (PEI as a reference. FePt NPs assembled on all of these monolayers, but much less on unmodified Al2O3, which shows that ligand exchange at the NPs is the most likely mechanism of attachment. Proper modification of the Al2O3 surface and controlling the immersion time of the modified Al2O3 substrates into the FePt NP solution resulted in FePt NPs assembly with controlled NP density. Alumina substrates were patterned by microcontact printing using aminobutylphosphonic acid as the ink, allowing local NP assembly. Thermal annealing under reducing conditions (96%N2/4%H2 led to a phase change of the FePt NPs from the disordered FCC phase to the ordered FCT phase. This resulted in ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. Such a process can potentially be applied in the fabrication of spintronic devices.

Size-dependent oscillator strength and quantum efficiency of CdSe quantum dots controlled via the local density of states

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leistikow, M.D.; Johansen, Jeppe; Kettelarij, A.J.

2009-01-01

We study experimentally time-resolved emission of colloidal CdSe quantum dots in an environment with a controlled local density of states LDOS. The decay rate is measured versus frequency and as a function of distance to a mirror. We observe a linear relation between the decay rate and the LDOS, ...... with the measured radiative rates. Our results are relevant for applications of CdSe quantum dots in spontaneous emission control and cavity quantum electrodynamics.......We study experimentally time-resolved emission of colloidal CdSe quantum dots in an environment with a controlled local density of states LDOS. The decay rate is measured versus frequency and as a function of distance to a mirror. We observe a linear relation between the decay rate and the LDOS......, allowing us to determine the size-dependent quantum efficiency and oscillator strength. We find that the quantum efficiency decreases with increasing emission energy mostly due to an increase in nonradiative decay. We manage to obtain the oscillator strength of the important class of CdSe quantum dots...

“Click” Synthesis of Dextran Macrostructures for Combinatorial-Designed Self-Assembled Nanoparticles Encapsulating Diverse Anticancer Therapeutics

Science.gov (United States)

Abeylath, Sampath C.; Amiji, Mansoor

2011-01-01

With the non-specific toxicity of anticancer drugs to healthy tissues upon systemic administration, formulations capable of enhanced selectivity in delivery to the tumor mass and cells are highly desirable. Based on the diversity of the drug payloads, we have investigated a combinatorial-designed strategy where the nano-sized formulations are tailored based on the physicochemical properties of the drug and the delivery needs. Individually functionalized C2 to C12 lipid-, thiol-, and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified dextran derivatives were synthesized via “click” chemistry from O-pentynyl dextran and relevant azides. These functionalized dextrans in combination with anticancer drugs form nanoparticles by self-assembling in aqueous medium having PEG surface functionalization and intermolecular disulfide bonds. Using anticancer drugs with logP values ranging from −0.5 to 3.0, the optimized nanoparticles formulations were evaluated for preliminary cellular delivery and cytotoxic effects in SKOV3 human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells. The results show that with the appropriate selection of lipid-modified dextran, one can effectively tailor the self-assembled nano-formulation for intended therapeutic payload. PMID:21978947

Effect of the number of iron oxide nanoparticle layers on the magnetic properties of nanocomposite LbL assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dincer, Ilker; Tozkoparan, Onur; German, Sergey V.; Markin, Alexey V.; Yildirim, Oguz; Khomutov, Gennady B.; Gorin, Dmitry A.; Venig, Sergey B.; Elerman, Yalcin

2012-01-01

Aqueous colloidal suspension of iron oxide nanoparticles has been synthesized. Z-potential of iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized by citric acid was −35±3 mV. Iron oxide nanoparticles have been characterized by the light scattering method and transmission electron microscopy. The polyelectrolyte/iron oxide nanoparticle thin films with different numbers of iron oxide nanoparticle layers have been prepared on the surface of silicon substrates via the layer-by-layer assembly technique. The physical properties and chemical composition of nanocomposite thin films have been studied by atomic force microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, magnetization measurements, Raman spectroscopy. Using the analysis of experimental data it was established, that the magnetic properties of nanocomposite films depended on the number of iron oxide nanoparticle layers, the size of iron oxide nanoparticle aggregates, the distance between aggregates, and the chemical composition of iron oxide nanoparticles embedded into the nanocomposite films. The magnetic permeability of nanocomposite coatings has been calculated. The magnetic permeability values depend on the number of iron oxide nanoparticle layers in nanocomposite film. - Highlights: ► The magnetic properties of nanocomposite films depended on the number of iron oxide nanoparticle layers. ► The iron oxide nanoparticle phase in nanocomposite coatings is a mixture of magnetite and maghemite phases. ► The magnetite and maghemite phases depend on a number of iron oxide nanoparticle layers because the iron oxide nanoparticles are oxidized from magnetite to maghemite.

Understanding the self-assembly of proteins onto gold nanoparticles and quantum dots driven by metal-histidine coordination.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldeek, Fadi; Safi, Malak; Zhan, Naiqian; Palui, Goutam; Mattoussi, Hedi

2013-11-26

Coupling of polyhistidine-appended biomolecules to inorganic nanocrystals driven by metal-affinity interactions is a greatly promising strategy to form hybrid bioconjugates. It is simple to implement and can take advantage of the fact that polyhistidine-appended proteins and peptides are routinely prepared using well established molecular engineering techniques. A few groups have shown its effectiveness for coupling proteins onto Zn- or Cd-rich semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). Expanding this conjugation scheme to other metal-rich nanoparticles (NPs) such as AuNPs would be of great interest to researchers actively seeking effective means for interfacing nanostructured materials with biology. In this report, we investigated the metal-affinity driven self-assembly between AuNPs and two engineered proteins, a His7-appended maltose binding protein (MBP-His) and a fluorescent His6-terminated mCherry protein. In particular, we investigated the influence of the capping ligand affinity to the nanoparticle surface, its density, and its lateral extension on the AuNP-protein self-assembly. Affinity gel chromatography was used to test the AuNP-MPB-His7 self-assembly, while NP-to-mCherry-His6 binding was evaluated using fluorescence measurements. We also assessed the kinetics of the self-assembly between AuNPs and proteins in solution, using time-dependent changes in the energy transfer quenching of mCherry fluorescent proteins as they immobilize onto the AuNP surface. This allowed determination of the dissociation rate constant, Kd(-1) ∼ 1-5 nM. Furthermore, a close comparison of the protein self-assembly onto AuNPs or QDs provided additional insights into which parameters control the interactions between imidazoles and metal ions in these systems.

Proximity hybridization-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assembly for electrochemical immunoassay based on in situ DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Fuyi [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 221004, Xuzhou (China); Yao, Yao; Luo, Jianjun; Zhang, Xing; Zhang, Yu; Yin, Dengyang [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 221004, Xuzhou (China); Gao, Fenglei, E-mail: jsxzgfl@sina.com [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 221004, Xuzhou (China); Wang, Po, E-mail: wangpo@jsnu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116 (China)

2017-05-29

Novel hybridization proximity-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assembly strategy has been proposed for electrochemical immunoassay based on in situ DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles as signal label. The DNA template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles were characterized with atomic force microscopic and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The highly efficient electrocatalysis by DNA template synthesized Pd nanoparticles for NaBH{sub 4} oxidation produced an intense detection signal. The label-free electrochemical method achieved the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) with a linear range from 10{sup −15} to 10{sup −11} g mL{sup −1} and a detection limit of 0.43 × 10{sup −15} g mL{sup −1}. Through introducing a supersandwich reaction to increase the DNA length, the electrochemical signal was further amplified, leading to a detection limit of 0.52 × 10{sup −16} g mL{sup −1}. And it rendered satisfactory analytical performance for the determination of CEA in serum samples. Furthermore, it exhibited good reproducibility and stability; meanwhile, it also showed excellent specificity due to the specific recognition of antigen by antibody. Therefore, the DNA template synthesized Pd nanoparticles based signal amplification approach has great potential in clinical applications and is also suitable for quantification of biomarkers at ultralow level. - Graphical abstract: A novel label-free and enzyme-free electrochemical immunoassay based on proximity hybridization-regulated catalytic DNA hairpin assemblies for recycling of the CEA. - Highlights: • A novel enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensor was developed for detection of CEA. • The signal amplification was based on catalytic DNA hairpin assembly and DNA-template-synthesized Pd nanoparticles. • The biosensor could detect CEA down to 0.52 × 10{sup −16} g mL{sup −1} level with a dynamic range spanning 5 orders of magnitude.

Optical performance evolutions of reductive glutathione coated CdSe quantum dots in different environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lili; Jiang Jisen

2011-01-01

Optical performances of reductive glutathione coated CdSe quantum dots were studied under different ageing conditions. The enhancements of luminescence were obviously occurred for the samples ageing under illumination. The quantum yield of CdSe was enhanced continuously over 44 days at room temperature, and reached as high as 36.6%. O 2 was proved to make a certain contribute to the enhancement. The evolutions of the systems during the ageing time were deduced according to the variations of pH values with ageing time and the XRD results of the samples ageing in air with illumination. We conferred that the reduction of surface defects resulted from the photo-induced decomposition of CdSe quantum dots was the main reason for the enhancement of fluorescence. The production of CdO as a result of the surface reaction with O 2 made contributions to the enhancement for a certain extent. The curves of quantum yield versus ageing time were fitted with a stretched exponential function. It was found that the course of fluorescence enhancement accorded with the dynamics of system with strongly coupled hierarchical degrees of freedom.

Kinetic assembly of block copolymers in solution helical cylindrical micelles and patchy nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Sheng

There is always an interest to understand how molecules behave under different conditions. One application of this knowledge is to self-assemble molecules into increasingly complex structures in a simple fashion. Self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymer in solution has produced a large variety of nanostructures through the manipulation in polymer chemistry, assembly environment, and additives. Moreover, some reports suggest the formation of many polymeric assemblies is driven by kinetic process. The goal of this dissertation is to study the influence of kinetics on the assembly of block copolymer. The study shows kinetic control can be a very effective way to make novel polymeric nanostructures. Two examples discussed here are helical cylindrical micelles and patchy nanoparticles. Helical cylindrical micelles are made from the co-assembly of amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(methyl acrylate)- block-polystyrene and organoamine molecules in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water (H2O). This system has already shown promise of achieving many assembled structures. The unique aspects about this system are the use of amine molecules to complex with acid groups and the existence of cosolvent system. Application of amine molecules offers a convenient control over assembled morphology and the introduction of PMA-PS selective solvent, THF, promotes the mobility of the polymer chains. In this study, multivalent organoamine molecules, such as diethylenetriamine and triethylenetetramine, are used to interact with block copolymer in THF/water mixture. As expected, the assembled morphologies are dependent on the polymer architecture, selection and quantity of the organoamine molecules, and solution composition. Under the right conditions, unprecedented, multimicrometer-long, supramolecular helical cylindrical micelles are formed. Both single-stranded and double-stranded helices are found in the same system. These helical structures share

Heterogeneous local order in self-assembled nanoparticle films revealed by X-ray cross-correlations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix Lehmkühler

2018-05-01

Full Text Available We report on the self-assembly of gold nanoparticles coated with a soft poly(ethylene glycol shell studied by X-ray cross-correlation analysis. Depending on the initial concentration of gold nanoparticles used, structurally heterogeneous films were formed. The films feature hot spots of dominating four- and sixfold local order with patch sizes of a few micrometres, containing 104–105 particles. The amplitude of the order parameters suggested that a minimum sample amount was necessary to form well ordered local structures. Furthermore, the increasing variation in order parameters with sample thickness demonstrated a high degree of structural heterogeneity. This wealth of information cannot be obtained by the conventional microscopy techniques that are commonly used to study nanocrystal superstructures, as illustrated by complementary scanning electron microscopy measurements.

Gold nanoparticles-decorated fluoroalkylsilane nano-assemblies for electrocatalytic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ballarin, Barbara; Barreca, Davide; Cassani, Maria Cristina; Carraro, Giorgio; Maccato, Chiara; Mignani, Adriana; Lazzari, Dario; Bertola, Maurizio

2016-01-01

Metal/organosilane/oxide sandwich structures were prepared via a two-step self-assembly method. First, indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates were functionalized with the following fluoroalkylsilanes (FAS): RFC(O)N(H)(CH2)3Si(OMe)3 (1, RF = C5F11), containing an embedded amide between the perfluoroalkyl chain and the syloxanic moiety, and RF(CH2)2Si(OEt)3 (2, RF = C6F13). Subsequently, Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) introduction in the obtained systems was carried out by controlled immersion into a solution of citrate-stabilized AuNPs. The physico-chemical properties of the target materials were thoroughly investigated by using various complementary techniques. Finally, the application of such systems as catalysts for methanol electro-oxidation under alkaline conditions was investigated, revealing the synergistical role played by FAS and AuNPs in promoting a remarkable electrocatalytic activity.

Water-soluble PEGylated silicon nanoparticles and their assembly into swellable nanoparticle aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zejing; Li, Yejia; Zhang, Boyu; Purkait, Tapas; Alb, Alina; Mitchell, Brian S.; Grayson, Scott M.; Fink, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Water-soluble silicon nanoparticles were synthesized by grafting PEG polymers onto functionalized silicon nanoparticles with distal alkyne or azide moieties. The surface-functionalized silicon nanoparticles were produced in one step from the reactive high-energy ball milling (RHEBM) of silicon wafers with a mixture of either 5-chloro-1-pentyne in 1-pentyne or 1,7 octadiyne in 1-hexyne to afford air and water-stable chloroalkyl or alkynyl-terminated nanoparticles, respectively. Nanoparticles with the ω-chloroalkyl substituents were easily converted to ω-azidoalkyl groups through the reaction of the Si nanoparticles with sodium azide in DMF. The azido-terminated nanoparticles were then grafted with mono-alkynyl-PEG polymers using a copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction to afford core–shell silicon nanoparticles with a covalently attached PEG shell. Covalently linked Si nanoparticle clusters were synthesized via the CuAAC “click” reaction of functional Si NPs with α,ω-functional PEG polymers of various lengths. Dynamic light scattering studies show that the flexible globular nanoparticle aggregates undergo a solvent-dependent change in volume (ethanol > dichloromethane > toluene) similar in behavior to hydrogel nanocomposites