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Nanomaterials, Volume 2, Issue 1 (March 2012) – 6 articles , Pages 1-91

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2314 KiB  
Article
A New Method for Characterization of Natural Zeolites and Organic Nanostructure Using Atomic Force Microscopy
by Domenico Fuoco
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 79-91; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010079 - 5 Mar 2012
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 9610
Abstract
In order to study and develop an economical solution to environmental pollution in water, a wide variety of materials have been investigated. Natural zeolites emerge from that research as the best in class of this category. Zeolites are natural materials which are relatively [...] Read more.
In order to study and develop an economical solution to environmental pollution in water, a wide variety of materials have been investigated. Natural zeolites emerge from that research as the best in class of this category. Zeolites are natural materials which are relatively abundant and non biodegradable, economical and serve to perform processes of environmental remediation. This paper contains a full description of a new method to characterize the superficial properties of natural zeolites of exotic provenience (Caribbean Islets) with atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM works with the simplicity of the optical microscope and the high resolution typical of a transmission electron microscope (TEM). If the sample is conductive, structural information of mesoporous material is obtained using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), otherwise the sample has to be processed through the grafitation technique, but this procedure induces errors of topography. Therefore, the existing AFM method, to observe zeolite powders, is made in a liquid cell-head scanner. This work confirms that it is possible to use an ambient air-head scanner to obtain a new kind of microtopography. Once optimized, this new method will allow investigation of organic micelles, a very soft nanostructure of cetyltriammonium bromide (CTAB), upon an inorganic surface such as natural zeolites. The data also demonstrated some correlation between SEM microphotographies and AFM 3D images. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Nanomaterial Analysis)
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620 KiB  
Article
Wettability of Y2O3: A Relative Analysis of Thermally Oxidized, Reactively Sputtered and Template Assisted Nanostructured Coatings
by Harish C. Barshilia, Archana Chaudhary, Praveen Kumar and Natarajan T. Manikandanath
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 65-78; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010065 - 29 Feb 2012
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7857
Abstract
The wettability of reactively sputtered Y2O3, thermally oxidized Y-Y2O3 and Cd-CdO template assisted Y2O3 coatings has been studied. The wettability of as-deposited Y2O3 coatings was determined by contact angle measurements. [...] Read more.
The wettability of reactively sputtered Y2O3, thermally oxidized Y-Y2O3 and Cd-CdO template assisted Y2O3 coatings has been studied. The wettability of as-deposited Y2O3 coatings was determined by contact angle measurements. The water contact angles for reactively sputtered, thermally oxidized and template assisted Y2O3 nanostructured coatings were 99°, 117° and 155°, respectively. The average surface roughness values of reactively sputtered, thermally oxidized and template assisted Y2O3 coatings were determined by using atomic force microscopy and the corresponding values were 3, 11 and 180 nm, respectively. The low contact angle of the sputter deposited Y2O3 and thermally oxidized Y-Y2O3 coatings is attributed to a densely packed nano-grain like microstructure without any void space, leading to low surface roughness. A water droplet on such surfaces is mostly in contact with a solid surface relative to a void space, leading to a hydrophobic surface (low contact angle). Surface roughness is a crucial factor for the fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface. For Y2O3 coatings, the surface roughness was improved by depositing a thin film of Y2O3 on the Cd-CdO template (average roughness = 178 nm), which resulted in a contact angle greater than 150°. The work of adhesion of water was very high for the reactively sputtered Y2O3 (54 mJ/m2) and thermally oxidized Y-Y2O3 coatings (43 mJ/m2) compared to the Cd-CdO template assisted Y2O3 coating (7 mJ/m2). Full article
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904 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Size Dependent Reflectance Study of Water Soluble SnS Nanoparticles
by Ying Xu, Najeh Al-Salim and Richard D. Tilley
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 54-64; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010054 - 16 Jan 2012
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 9019
Abstract
Near-monodispersed water soluble SnS nanoparticles in the diameter range of 3–6 nm are synthesized by a facile, solution based one-step approach using ethanolamine ligands. The optimal amount of triethanolamine is investigated. The effect of further heat treatment on the size of these SnS [...] Read more.
Near-monodispersed water soluble SnS nanoparticles in the diameter range of 3–6 nm are synthesized by a facile, solution based one-step approach using ethanolamine ligands. The optimal amount of triethanolamine is investigated. The effect of further heat treatment on the size of these SnS nanoparticles is discussed. Diffuse reflectance study of SnS nanoparticles agrees with predictions from quantum confinement model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Molecules to Nanomaterials)
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1542 KiB  
Article
Study of Alginate-Supported Ionic Liquid and Pd Catalysts
by Claire Jouannin, Chloë Vincent, Isabelle Dez, Annie-Claude Gaumont, Thierry Vincent and Eric Guibal
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 31-53; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010031 - 11 Jan 2012
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7810
Abstract
New catalytic materials, based on palladium immobilized in ionic liquid supported on alginate, were elaborated. Alginate was associated with gelatin for the immobilization of ionic liquids (ILs) and the binding of palladium. These catalytic materials were designed in the form of highly porous [...] Read more.
New catalytic materials, based on palladium immobilized in ionic liquid supported on alginate, were elaborated. Alginate was associated with gelatin for the immobilization of ionic liquids (ILs) and the binding of palladium. These catalytic materials were designed in the form of highly porous monoliths (HPMs), in order to be used in a column reactor. The catalytic materials were tested for the hydrogenation of 4-nitroaniline (4-NA) in the presence of formic acid as hydrogen donor. The different parameters for the elaboration of the catalytic materials were studied and their impact analyzed in terms of microstructures, palladium sorption properties and catalytic performances. The characteristics of the biopolymer (proportion of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) and α-L-guluronic acid (G) in the biopolymer defined by the M/G ratio), the concentration of the porogen agent, and the type of coagulating agent significantly influenced catalytic performances. The freezing temperature had a significant impact on structural properties, but hardly affected the catalytic rate. Cellulose fibers were incorporated as mechanical strengthener into the catalytic materials, and allowed to enhance mechanical properties and catalytic efficiency but required increasing the amount of hydrogen donor for catalysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Molecules to Nanomaterials)
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340 KiB  
Article
Accurate Size and Size-Distribution Determination of Polystyrene Latex Nanoparticles in Aqueous Medium Using Dynamic Light Scattering and Asymmetrical Flow Field Flow Fractionation with Multi-Angle Light Scattering
by Haruhisa Kato, Ayako Nakamura, Kayori Takahashi and Shinichi Kinugasa
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 15-30; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010015 - 5 Jan 2012
Cited by 70 | Viewed by 12832
Abstract
Accurate determination of the intensity-average diameter of polystyrene latex (PS-latex) by dynamic light scattering (DLS) was carried out through extrapolation of both the concentration of PS-latex and the observed scattering angle. Intensity-average diameter and size distribution were reliably determined by asymmetric flow field [...] Read more.
Accurate determination of the intensity-average diameter of polystyrene latex (PS-latex) by dynamic light scattering (DLS) was carried out through extrapolation of both the concentration of PS-latex and the observed scattering angle. Intensity-average diameter and size distribution were reliably determined by asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AFFFF) using multi-angle light scattering (MALS) with consideration of band broadening in AFFFF separation. The intensity-average diameter determined by DLS and AFFFF-MALS agreed well within the estimated uncertainties, although the size distribution of PS-latex determined by DLS was less reliable in comparison with that determined by AFFFF-MALS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Molecules to Nanomaterials)
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527 KiB  
Article
Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Co-Condensed Gadolinium Chelates for Multimodal Imaging
by Kathryn M. L. Taylor-Pashow, Joseph Della Rocca and Wenbin Lin
Nanomaterials 2012, 2(1), 1-14; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano2010001 - 27 Dec 2011
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 8993
Abstract
Several mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) contrast agents have been synthesized using a co-condensation method to incorporate two different Gd3+ complexes at very high loadings (15.5–28.8 wt %). These MSN contrast agents, with an MCM-41 type pore structure, were characterized using a variety [...] Read more.
Several mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) contrast agents have been synthesized using a co-condensation method to incorporate two different Gd3+ complexes at very high loadings (15.5–28.8 wt %). These MSN contrast agents, with an MCM-41 type pore structure, were characterized using a variety of methods including SEM and TEM, nitrogen adsorption measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), direct current plasma (DCP) spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The magnetic resonance (MR) relaxivities of these contrast agents were determined using a 3 T MR scanner. The r1 relaxivities of these nanoparticles range from 4.1 to 8.4 mM−1s−1 on a per Gd basis. Additionally, the MSN particles were functionalized with an organic fluorophore and cancer cell targeting peptide to allow for demonstration of both the optical and MR contrast enhancing capabilities in vitro. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Molecules to Nanomaterials)
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