Synthesis of highly crystalline and monodisperse maghemite nanocrystallites without a size-selection process

Size-controlled synthesis of monodispersed silver nanoparticles capped by long-chain alkyl carboxylates from silver carboxylate and tertiary amine

Monodispersed silver nanoparticles capped by long-chain alkyl carboxylates were prepared by the reaction of silver carboxylate with tertiary amine at 80 degrees C for 2 h. This approach is a unique, size-controlled synthetic method for the large-scale preparation of silver nanoparticles. Long-chain alkyl carboxylate derived from a precursor acts as a stabilizer to avoid the aggregation of silver nanoparticles and to control particle size. In addition, amine plays an important role both as a reagent to form a thermally unstable, amine-coordinated intermediate, bis(amine)silver(I) carboxylate, and as a mild reducing agent for the intermediate to produce nanoparticles at a low temperature. The silver core and carboxylate-capping ligand of silver nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, gas chromatograph mass spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The diameter of the nanoparticles can be strongly influenced by the alkyl chain length and the structure of the carboxylate. The average diameters of the silver nanoparticles were controlled to less than 5 nm in the case of silver carboxylate with a single alkyl chain length of 13 or 17 carbon atoms. On the contrary, the average diameters of silver nanoparticles became large and polydisperse in the case of silver carboxylate with a chain length of 7 carbon atoms or a branched chain. In comparing triethylamine with trioctylamine, there was no obvious effect to regulate the size distribution of the nanoparticles because they could not function as a capping ligand of the nanoparticles due to their weak coordination to silver. In addition, the heat treatment of silver nanoparticles in solution rather than in the solid state was effective for the growth of particles while maintaining narrow size distributions.

Synthesis, properties and perspectives of hybrid nanocrystal structures

Current efforts and success of nanoscale science and technology are related to the fabrication of functional materials and devices in which the individual units and their spatial arrangement are engineered down to the nanometer level. One promising way of achieving this goal is by assembling colloidal inorganic nanocrystals as the novel building blocks of matter. This trend has been stimulated by significant advances in the wet-chemical syntheses of robust and easily processable nanocrystals in a wide range of sizes and shapes. The increase in the degree of structural complexity of solution-grown nanostructures appears to be one of the natural directions towards which nanoscience will increasingly orient. Recently, several groups have indeed devised innovative syntheses of nanocrystals through which they have been able to group inorganic materials with different properties in the same particle. These approaches are paving the way to the development of nanosized objects able to perform multiple technological tasks. In this critical review (165 references), we will summarize the recent advances in the synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals, with emphasis on the strategies followed for the fabrication of nano-heterostructures, as well as on their properties and the perspectives in this field.

A Multistep Oriented Attachment Kinetics: Coarsening of ZnS Nanoparticle in Concentrated NaOH

Crystal growth of ZnS nanoparticles during hydrothermal coarsened in 4 M NaOH occurs via a two-stage process. In the first stage, the primary particles grow into a size over hundred times of the original volume. The initial growth rate can be fitted by an asymptotic curve. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) data indicate that in this stage, crystal growth mainly occurs via a multistep crystallographically specific oriented attachment (OA). The higher the coarsening temperature, the earlier the first stage ends. In the second stage, an abrupt transition from asymptotic to square parabola growth kinetics occurs. The crystal growth data can be fitted by a standard Ostwald ripening (OR) model consistent with growth controlled by dissolution/precipitation of ions in solution. HRTEM data indicate that a minor amount of OA-based growth also occurs in the early period of the second stage. A new multistep OA kinetics model analogous to the reaction between molecules was proposed to illustrate the asymptotic growth in the first stage of coarsening. The effect of concentrated NaOH was discussed and proved to be the key that hindered the OR process, attributing to the almost exclusive pure OA-based growth of ZnS particles in the first stage.

One-Pot Synthesis and Bioapplication of Amine-Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles and Hollow Nanospheres

To demonstrate their applications in biological and medical fields such as in immunoassays, magnetic separation of cells or proteins, drug or gene delivery, and magnetic resonance imaging, the template-free syntheses of water-soluble and surface functionalized magnetic nanomaterials have become essential and are challenging. Herein, we developed a facile one-pot template-free method for the preparation of amine-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles and hollow nanospheres by using FeCl(3)6 H(2)O as single iron source. These magnetic nanomaterials were characterized by TEM, SEM, XRD, and FTIR technologies. Their magnetic properties were also studied by using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer at room temperature. Then the amine-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles were applied to immunoassays and magnetic resonance imaging in live mice.

Preparation of Nearly Monodisperse Nanoscale Inorganic Pigments

Many different important commercial pigments have been synthesized based on the liquid-solid-solution (LSS) phase-transfer and separation process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement results show that they are very small in size and have a narrow size distribution. Visible absorption spectra were taken to examine the very pure and brilliant colors of the pigments. They can be well-dispersed in cyclohexane and remain non-agglomerated, even over several months. These nearly monodisperse nanoscale inorganic pigments may have wide applications in many important fields and could bring about new developments in the pigment industry.

Immobilization of histidine-tagged proteins by magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-phospholipids micelle

We described the development of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with PEG-modification, a phospholipids micelle coating, and their use in manipulating histidine-tagged proteins. Highly monodisperse MNPs were synthesized in an organic solvent and could be phase-transferred into an aqueous solution by encapsulating the nanoparticles with a phospholipids micelle. The phospholipids micelle coating rendered the nanoparticles highly water-soluble, and the functional groups of the phospholipids coating allowed for the bioconjugation of various moieties, such as fluorescent molecules and engineered proteins. Functionalized phospholipids, such as nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-phospholipids, caused the MNPs to bind and allowed for manipulation of histidine-tagged proteins. Due to their high surface/volume ratio, the MNPs showed better performance (about 100 times higher) in immobilizing engineered proteins than conventional micrometer-sized beads. This demonstrates that MNPs coated with phospholipids micelle can be a versatile platform for the effective manipulation of various kinds of engineered proteins, which is very important in the field of proteomics. It is expected that a combination of MNPs with optical fluorescent molecules can find applications in bimodal (magnetic and optical) molecular imaging nanoprobes.

Versatile routes toward functional, water-soluble nanoparticles via trifluoroethylester-PEG-thiol ligands

This paper reports the synthesis of a trifluoroethylester-PEG-thiol ligand (TFEE-PEG-SH) and its use to create water-soluble, chemically functional Au metal and FePt magnetic nanoparticles. The trifluoroethylester terminus facilitates attachment of any primary-amine-containing molecule via amide bond formation at room temperature without the use of coupling agents. Three possible routes of nanoparticle functionalization are demonstrated: synthesis of Au nanoparticles in the presence of functionalized R-PEG-SH; ligand-exchange of R-PEG-SH onto both Au and FePt nanoparticles; and exchange of TFEE-PEG-SH onto Au nanoparticles followed by subsequent amide condensation. A series of primary-amine-containing molecules, including biotin and fluorescamine, are easily attached to the water-soluble particles, and the resulting materials are characterized by NMR, UV-visible absorption, and emission spectroscopies.

The concept of delayed nucleation in nanocrystal growth demonstrated for the case of iron oxide nanodisks

A comprehensive study of iron oxide nanocrystal growth through non-hydrolitic, surfactant-mediated thermal reaction of iron pentacarbonyl and an oxidizer has been conducted, which includes size control, anisotropic shape evolution, and crystallographic phase transition of monodisperse iron oxide colloidal nanocrystals. The reaction was monitored via in situ UV-vis spectroscopy, taking advantage of the color change accompanying the iron oxide colloid formation, allowing measurement of the induction time for nucleation. Features of the synthesis such as the size control and reproducibility are related to the occurrence of the observed delayed nucleation process. As a separate source of iron and oxygen is adopted, phase control could also be achieved by sequential injections of oxidizer.

Synthesis of single crystalline triangular and hexagonal Ni nanosheets with enhanced magnetic properties

For the first time, single crystalline Ni nanosheets have been successfully synthesized with the aid of iron species. The as-prepared nanosheets are mainly triangular and hexagonal in shape, with edge lengths ranging from several tens to several hundreds of nanometres. The exposed sheet planes are assigned to be (111) planes of a face-centred cubic nickel crystal. The well defined geometry enhances the anisotropic energy of Ni nanosheets, and therefore increases its blocking temperature (TB) to room temperature. Notably, the coercive force of the Ni nanosheets is 172 Oe at 300 K, which is significantly higher than that of the bulk one (ca. 0.7 Oe at room temperature). A possible mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the thermodynamically unfavorable morphology of nanosheets. We suggest that crystal twinning, which is formed by etching of the introduced iron species with oleic acid, lowers the system energy, and leads to the growth of these Ni nanosheets.

Structural Characterization of Self-Assembled Multifunctional Binary Nanoparticle Superlattices

Nanocrystals of different size and functionality (e.g., noble metals, semiconductors, oxides, magnetic alloys) can be induced to self-assemble into ordered binary superlattices (also known as opals or colloidal crystals), retaining the size tunable properties of their constituents. We have built a variety of binary superlattices from monodisperse PbS, PbSe, CoPt3, Fe2O3, Au, Ag, and Pd nanocrystals, mixing and matching these nanoscale building blocks to yield multifunctional nanocomposites (metamaterials). Superlattices with AB, AB2, AB3, AB4, AB5, AB6, and AB13 stoichiometry with cubic, hexagonal, tetragonal, and orthorhombic symmetries have been identified. Assemblies with the same stoichiometry can be produced in several polymorphous forms by tailoring the particle size and deposition conditions. We have identified arrays isostructural with NaCl, CuAu, AlB2, MgZn2, MgNi2, Cu3Au, Fe4C, CaCu5, CaB6, NaZn13, and cub-AB13 compounds emphasizing the parallels between nanoparticle assembly and atomic scale crystal growth and providing confidence that many more structures will follow. Recently, we have demonstrated that electrical charges on sterically stabilized nanoparticles in addition to such parameters as particle size ratio and their concentrations can provide the formation of a much broader pallet of binary nanoparticle superlattices as compared with the limited number of possible superlattices formed by hard noninteracting spheres. In this contribution, we demonstrate a large variety of different binary superlattices, provide their detailed structural characterization, and discuss the role of energetic and kinetic factors in the cocrystallization process. We found that Coulomb, van der Waals, charge-dipole, dipole-dipole, and other interactions can contribute equally to cocrystallization, allowing superlattice formation to be dependent on a number of tunable parameters. We present binary superlattices as a new class of materials with a potentially unlimited library of constituents over a wide range of tunable structures.

Oriented Attachment Mechanism in Anisotropic Nanocrystals: A “Polymerization” Approach

The kinetic model of stepwise polymerization is revisited, with some adaptations for its application to the kinetics of oriented attachment of nanoparticles in colloidal suspensions, which results in the formation of anisotropic particles. A comparison with experimental data reported in the literature shows good agreement with the model and supports comparisons with other systems.

Synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles and their application to bioassays

Magnetic nanoparticles have been attracting much interest as a labeling material in the fields of advanced biological and medical applications such as drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, and array-based assaying. In this review, synthesis of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles via a reverse micelle system and modification of their surface by an organosilane agent are discussed. Furthermore, as a practical biological assay system, the magnetic detection of biomolecular interactions is demonstrated by using the combination of a patterned substrate modified with a self-assembled monolayer and the magnetic nanoparticles.

Biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles for protein separation and pathogen detection

Recent successful syntheses of monodispersed magnetic nanoparticles have offered a unique opportunity to control and probe biological interactions using magnetic force. This paper highlights a general strategy to generate biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles, illustrates applications for these nanoparticles in protein separation and pathogen detection, and analyzes the high sensitivity and high selectivity achieved by this system.

Structural diversity in binary nanoparticle superlattices

Assembly of small building blocks such as atoms, molecules and nanoparticles into macroscopic structures--that is, 'bottom up' assembly--is a theme that runs through chemistry, biology and material science. Bacteria, macromolecules and nanoparticles can self-assemble, generating ordered structures with a precision that challenges current lithographic techniques. The assembly of nanoparticles of two different materials into a binary nanoparticle superlattice (BNSL) can provide a general and inexpensive path to a large variety of materials (metamaterials) with precisely controlled chemical composition and tight placement of the components. Maximization of the nanoparticle packing density has been proposed as the driving force for BNSL formation, and only a few BNSL structures have been predicted to be thermodynamically stable. Recently, colloidal crystals with micrometre-scale lattice spacings have been grown from oppositely charged polymethyl methacrylate spheres. Here we demonstrate formation of more than 15 different BNSL structures, using combinations of semiconducting, metallic and magnetic nanoparticle building blocks. At least ten of these colloidal crystalline structures have not been reported previously. We demonstrate that electrical charges on sterically stabilized nanoparticles determine BNSL stoichiometry; additional contributions from entropic, van der Waals, steric and dipolar forces stabilize the variety of BNSL structures.

Highly active heterogeneous Fenton catalyst using iron oxide nanoparticles immobilized in alumina coated mesoporous silica

A highly active heterogeneous Fenton catalyst was fabricated by impregnating iron oxide nanoparticles in alumina coated mesoporous SBA-15 silica.

Magnetic-field-induced assemblies of cobalt nanoparticles

Under the influence of a 0.05 T magnetic field, 15-nm diameter cobalt nanoparticles covered with surfactants in a colloidal solution assemble into highly constrained linear chains along the direction of the magnetic field. The magnetic-field-induced (MFI) chains become floppy after removal of the field, folding into three-dimensional (3D) coiled structures upon gentle agitation. The 3D structures are broken into smaller units with vigorous agitation. The nanoparticles redisperse into the solvent upon ultrasonic agitation. Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterize the morphologies of the nanoparticle assemblies at various stages of this reversible process. The hysteresis loops and zero-field cooled/field cooled (ZFC/FC) curves reveal the interparticle coupling in the assemblies. MFI assembly provides a powerful tool to manipulate magnetic nanoparticles.

Magnetic Nanoparticles as an Orthogonal Support of Polymer Resins: Applications to Solid-Phase Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reactions

[reaction: see text] Most of the reactants immobilized on conventional solid-phase resins are buried inside the interiors of lightly cross-linked polystyrene beads. An orthogonal support of solid-phase resins needs to be small enough to penetrate the interpolymeric chain spaces of a swollen resin to reach reaction sites. In this paper, we report the use of magnetic nanoparticles ( approximately 4 nm) as an orthogonal matrix to assist solid-phase reactions. A magnetic nanoparticle-supported homogeneous Pd catalyst was employed for promoting the Suzuki cross-coupling of an aryl halide on resins and an excessive arylboronic acid in solution. The workup separating three components (the catalyst, product, and remaining arylborate) is a chromatography-free process. The Pd catalyst was magnetically isolated and recycled from the reaction mixture by applying an external magnetic field. Then, a filtration process was followed to recover the excess borate reagent from the resins/product. Our work here presents the first example of an orthogonal matrix of solid-phase resins and shows the promise of employing nanomaterials in organic synthesis.

Synthesis and Structure Characterization of Chromium Oxide Prepared by Solid Thermal Decomposition Reaction

Mesoporous chromium oxide (Cr2O3) nanocrystals were first synthesized by the thermal decomposition reaction of Cr(NO3)3.9H2O using citric acid monohydrate (CA) as the mesoporous template agent. The texture and chemistry of chromium oxide nanocrystals were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis, and thermoanalytical methods. It was shown that the hydrate water and CA are the crucial factors in influencing the formation of mesoporous Cr2O3 nanocrystals in the mixture system. The decomposition of CA results in the formation of a mesoporous structure with wormlike pores. The hydrate water of the mixture provides surface hydroxyls that act as binders, making the nanocrystals aggregate. The pore structures and phases of chromium oxide are affected by the ratio of precursor-to-CA, thermal temperature, and time.

Cobalt and magnesium ferrite nanoparticles: preparation using liquid foams as templates and their magnetic characteristics

An easy and convenient method for the synthesis of cobalt and magnesium ferrite nanoparticles is demonstrated using liquid foams as templates. The foam is formed from an aqueous mixture of an anionic surfactant and the desired metal ions, where the metal ions are electrostatically entrapped by the surfactant at the thin borders between the foam bubbles and their junctions. The hydrolysis is carried out using alkali resulting in the formation of desired nanoparticles, with the foam playing the role of a template. However, in the formation of ferrites with the formula MFe(2)O(4), where the metal ion and iron possess oxidation states of +2 and +3, respectively, forming a foam from a 1:2 mixture of the desired ionic solutions would lead to a foam composition at variance with the original solution mixture because of greater electrostatic binding of ions possessing a greater charge with the surfactant. In our procedure, we circumvent this problem by preparing the foam from a 1:2 mixture of M(2+) and Fe(2+) ions and then utilizing the in situ conversion of Fe(2+) to Fe(3+) under basic conditions inside the foam matrix to get the desired composition of the metal ions with the required oxidation states. The fact that we could prepare both CoFe(2)O(4) and MgFe(2)O(4) particles shows the vast scope of this method for making even multicomponent oxides. The magnetic nanoparticles thus obtained exhibit a good crystalline nature and are characterized by superparamagnetic properties. The magnetic features observed for CoFe(2)O(4) and MgFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles are well in accordance with the expected behaviors, with CoFe(2)O(4) particles showing higher blocking temperatures and larger coercivities. These features can easily be explained by the contribution of Co(2+) sites to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the absence of the same from the Mg(2+) ions.

Nickel sulfide and copper sulfide nanocrystal synthesis and polymorphism

Nickel sulfide and copper sulfide nanocrystals were synthesized by adding elemental sulfur to either dichlorobenzene-solvated (copper sulfide) or oleylamine-solvated metal(II) precursors (nickel sulfide) at relatively high temperature to produce the metal sulfide. Nickel sulfide nanocrystals are cubic Ni(3)S(4) (polydymite) with irregular prismatic shapes, forming by a two-step reduction-sulfidation mechanism where Ni(II) reduces to Ni metal before sulfidation to Ni(3)S(4). Despite extensive efforts to optimize the Ni(3)S(4) nanocrystal size and shape distributions, polydisperse nanocrystals are produced. In contrast, copper sulfide nanocrystals can be obtained with narrow size and shape distributions. The copper sulfide stoichiometry depended on the Cu:S mole ratio used in the reaction: Cu:S mole ratios of 1:2 and 2:1 gave CuS (covellite) and Cu(1.8)S (digenite), respectively. CuS nanocrystals formed as hexagonal disks that assemble into stacked ribbons when cast from solution onto a substrate. CuS, Cu(1.8)S, and Ni(3)S(4) differ from the Cu(2)S and NiS nanocrystals obtained by solventless decomposition of metal thiolate single source precursors, in terms of stoichiometry for copper sulfide, and both stoichiometry and morphology for nickel sulfide [Ghezelbash, A.; Sigman, M. B., Jr.; Korgel, B. A. Nano Lett. 2004, 4, 537-542. Sigman, M. B. Ghezelbash, A.; Hanrath, T.; Saunders, A. E.; Lee, F.; Korgel, B. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 16050-16057].

Magnetomicelles: composite nanostructures from magnetic nanoparticles and cross-linked amphiphilic block copolymers

We report the synthesis, characterization, and covalent surface chemistry of "magnetomicelles", cross-linked, amphiphilic block-copolymer micelles that encapsulate superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Because these composite nanostructures assemble spontaneously from solution by simultaneous desolvation of nanoparticle and amphiphilic poly(styrene(250)-block-acrylic acid(13)) components, explicit surface functionalization of the particles is not required, and the encapsulation method was applied to different magnetic nanoparticle sizes and compositions. TEM images of the magnetomicelles illustrated that the number of encapsulated particles could be dictated rationally by synthetic conditions. The magnetic properties of the particles were characterized by SQUID magnetometry and followed the general Langevin magnetic model for superparamagnetic materials. The micellar shells of these particles were functionalized using covalent chemistry that would not ordinarily be possible on the magnetic particle surface. As a result, this noncovalent approach provides a new route to technological applications of hydrophobic magnetic nanomaterials that lack appropriate conjugate surface chemistry.

The effects of particle size and surface coating on the cytotoxicity of nickel ferrite

The safety and toxicity of nanoparticles are of growing concern despite their significant scientific interests and promising potentials in many applications. The properties of nanoparticles depend not only on the size but also the structure, microstructure and surface coating. These in turn are controlled by the synthesis and processing conditions. The dependence of cytotoxicity on particle size and on the presence of oleic acid as surfactant on nickel ferrite particles were investigated in vitro using the Neuro-2A cell line as a model. For nickel ferrite particles without oleic acid prepared by ball milling, cytotoxicity was independent of particle size within the given mass concentrations and surface areas accessible to the cells. For nickel ferrite particles coated with oleic acid prepared by the polyol method, the cytotoxicity significantly increased when one or two layers of oleic acid were deposited. Large particles (150+/-50 nm diameter) showed a higher cytotoxicity than smaller particles (10+/-3 nm diameter).

The use of heat transfer fluids in the synthesis of high-quality CdSe quantum dots, core/shell quantum dots, and quantum rods

Fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles, or quantum dots, have potential uses as an optical material, in which the optoelectronic properties can be tuned precisely by particle size. Advances in chemical synthesis have led to improvements in size and shape control, cost, and safety. A limiting step in large-scale production is identified to be the raw materials cost, in which a common synthesis solvent, octadecene, accounts for most of the materials cost for a batch of CdSe quantum dots. Thus, less expensive solvents are needed. In this paper, we identify heat transfer fluids, a class of organic liquids commonly used in chemical process industries to transport heat between unit operations, as alternative solvents for quantum dot synthesis. We specifically show that two heat transfer fluids can be used successfully in the synthesis of CdSe quantum dots with uniform particle sizes. We show that the synthesis chemistry for CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots and CdSe quantum rods can also be performed in heat transfer fluids. With the aid of a population balance model, we interpret the effect of different HT fluids on QD growth kinetics in terms of solvent effects, i.e., solvent viscosity, CdSe bulk solubility in the solvent, and surface free energy.

Gamma-Fe2O3/II-VI sulfide nanocrystal heterojunctions

Heterostructure nanocrystals (NCs) of gamma-Fe(2)O(3) and MS (M = Zn, Cd, Hg) are synthesized. The large lattice mismatch between gamma-Fe(2)O(3) and MS NCs leads to noncentrosymmetric structures. Crystallographic planes at the heterojunctions are identified by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Preferential formation of trimers and higher oligomers for ZnS and dimers or isolated particles for CdS and HgS with gamma-Fe(2)O(3) NCs are observed and explained by changes in the effective mismatch between the coincidence lattices of the most commonly observed junction planes.

A rapid synthesis of iron phosphate nanoparticles via surface-mediated spontaneous reaction for the growth of high-yield, single-walled carbon nanotubes

The direct formation of iron phosphate nanoparticles on hydroxyl-terminated SiO(2)/Si substrates with a narrow size distribution (average diameter = 2.2 nm) is achieved by a simple room temperature spontaneous reaction of ferric chloride and phosphoric acid. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are grown in high yield from the synthesized iron phosphate nanoparticles by the thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, as confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, three-terminal, p-type, nanotube network field effect transistor (FET) devices are successfully fabricated using the synthesized SWNTs via the photolithography technique. The reduced solubility of Fe(III) ions when they form iron phosphate salts in aqueous media is the main driving force for the nanoparticle formation. Systematic control experiments reveal that the surface property, concentration, and pH of the reaction solution play equally important roles in the formation of nanoparticles.