Structure of a Core–Shell Type Colloid Nanoparticle in Aqueous Solution Studied by XPS from a Liquid Microjet

Plant-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles: unlocking their pharmacological potential-a comprehensive review

In recent times, nanoparticles have experienced a significant upsurge in popularity, primarily owing to their minute size and their remarkable ability to modify physical, chemical, and biological properties. This burgeoning interest can be attributed to the expanding array of biomedical applications where nanoparticles find utility. These nanoparticles, typically ranging in size from 10 to 100 nm, exhibit diverse shapes, such as spherical, discoidal, and cylindrical configurations. These variations are not solely influenced by the manufacturing processes but are also intricately linked to interactions with surrounding stabilizing agents and initiators. Nanoparticles can be synthesized through physical or chemical methods, yet the biological approach emerges as the most sustainable and eco-friendly alternative among the three. Among the various nanoparticle types, silver nanoparticles have emerged as the most encountered and widely utilized due to their exceptional properties. What makes the synthesis of silver nanoparticles even more appealing is the application of plant-derived sources as reducing agents. This approach not only proves to be cost-effective but also significantly reduces the synthesis time. Notably, silver nanoparticles produced through plant-mediated processes have garnered considerable attention in recent years due to their notable medicinal capabilities. This comprehensive review primarily delves into the diverse medicinal attributes of silver nanoparticles synthesized using plant-mediated techniques. Encompassing antimicrobial properties, cytotoxicity, wound healing, larvicidal effects, anti-angiogenesis activity, antioxidant potential, and antiplasmodial activity, the paper extensively covers these multifaceted roles. Additionally, an endeavor is made to provide an elucidated summary of the operational mechanisms underlying the pharmacological actions of silver nanoparticles.

Core level photoelectron spectroscopy of heterogeneous reactions at liquid-vapor interfaces: Current status, challenges, and prospects

Liquid-vapor interfaces, particularly those between aqueous solutions and air, drive numerous important chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere and in the environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is an excellent method for the investigation of these interfaces due to its surface sensitivity, elemental and chemical specificity, and the possibility to obtain information on the depth distribution of solute and solvent species in the interfacial region. In this Perspective, we review the progress that was made in this field over the past decades and discuss the challenges that need to be overcome for investigations of heterogeneous reactions at liquid-vapor interfaces under close-to-realistic environmental conditions. We close with an outlook on where some of the most exciting and promising developments might lie in this field.

Studies of surface of metal nanoparticles in a flowing liquid with XPS

Studying surface of catalyst nanoparticles in a flowing liquid is important for understanding the underlying mechanism of a reaction performed in liquid. We report the design of a reaction cell system of Si3N4 window covering the flowing liquid with an electron-transmissible membrane. By using metal nanoparticles as a catalyst dispersed in a solvent, examination of the surface of catalyst nanoparticles in a flowing liquid was demonstrated by observation of Ag 3d photoemission feature when a liquid containing Ag nanoparticles was flowing through this system.

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Studies of Nanoparticles Dispersed in Static Liquid

For nanoparticles active for chemical and energy transformations in static liquid environment, chemistries of surface or near-surface regions of these catalyst nanoparticles in liquid are crucial for fundamentally understanding their catalytic performances at a molecular level. Compared to catalysis at a solid-gas interface, there is very limited information on the surface of these catalyst nanoparticles under a working condition or during catalysis in liquid. Photoelectron spectroscopy is a surface-sensitive technique; however, it is challenging to study the surfaces of catalyst nanoparticles dispersed in static liquid because of the short inelastic mean free path of photoelectrons traveling in liquid. Here, we report a method for tracking the surface of nanoparticles dispersed in static liquid by employing graphene layers as an electron-transparent membrane to separate the static liquid containing a solvent, catalyst nanoparticles, and reactants from the high-vacuum environment of photoelectron spectrometers. The surfaces of Ag nanoparticles dispersed in static liquid sealed in such a graphene membrane liquid cell were successfully characterized using a photoelectron spectrometer equipped with a high vacuum energy analyzer. With this method, the surface of catalyst nanoparticles dispersed in liquid during catalysis at a relatively high temperature up to 150 °C can be tracked with photoelectron spectroscopy.

An experimental/theoretical method to measure the capacitive compactness of an aqueous electrolyte surrounding a spherical charged colloid

The capacitive compactness has been introduced very recently [G. I. Guerrero-García et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 20, 262-275 (2018)] as a robust and accurate measure to quantify the thickness, or spatial extension, of the electrical double layer next to either an infinite charged electrode or a spherical macroion. We propose here an experimental/theoretical scheme to determine the capacitive compactness of a spherical electrical double layer that relies on the calculation of the electrokinetic charge and the associated mean electrostatic potential at the macroparticle's surface. This is achieved by numerically solving the non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann equation of point ions around a colloidal sphere and matching the corresponding theoretical mobility, predicted by the O'Brien and White theory [J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 2 74, 1607-1626 (1978)], with experimental measurements of the electrophoretic mobility under the same conditions. This novel method is used to calculate the capacitive compactness of NaCl and CaCl₂ electrolytes surrounding a negatively charged polystyrene particle as a function of the salt concentration.

Detection of suspended nanoparticles with near-ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Two systems of suspended nanoparticles have been studied with near-ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: silver nanoparticles in water and strontium fluoride-calcium fluoride core-shell nanoparticles in ethylene glycol. The corresponding dry samples were measured under ultra high vacuum for comparison. The results obtained under near-ambient pressure were overall comparable to those obtained under ultra high vacuum, although measuring silver nanoparticles in water requires a high pass energy and a long acquisition time. A shift towards higher binding energies was found for the silver nanoparticles in aqueous suspension compared to the corresponding dry sample, which can be assigned to a change of surface potential at the water-nanoparticle interface. The shell-thickness of the core-shell nanoparticles was estimated based on simulated spectra from the National Institute of Standards and Technology database for simulation of electron spectra for surface analysis. With the instrumental set-up presented in this paper, nanoparticle suspensions in a suitable container can be directly inserted into the analysis chamber and measured without prior sample preparation.