Fabrication of new Fe-phthalocyanine oligomer–magnetite hybrid magnetic nano particles and their effects on the LCST behavior of thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) magnetic nanocomposites

Fabrication of a novel core-shell-shell temperature-sensitive magnetic composite with excellent performance for papain adsorption

Herein, a novel temperature-sensitive magnetic composite (Fe3O4@SiO2@P(NIPAM-co-VI)/Cu2+) with a uniform core-shell-shell structure was successfully prepared via a layer-by-layer method. The resulting magnetic composite revealed good magnetic properties and remarkable affinity to papain with a maximum adsorption capacity of 199.17 mg g-1. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich models well, and the major thermodynamics parameters indicated that adsorption was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Fe3O4@SiO2@P(NIPAM-co-VI)/Cu2+ could thermally protect papain, which is attributed to the reversible hydrophilic-hydrophobic transition of the composite at temperatures below and above the lower critical solution temperature. More importantly, the magnetic composite could be recycled at least six times without a remarkable loss in its adsorption capacity, and the process of adsorption and elution had no significant effect on the activity and structure of papain. This work could provide a novel separation method for papain without loss of its activity.

Nanomaterials Based on Fe3O4 and Phthalocyanines Derived from Cashew Nut Shell Liquid

In this work we report the synthesis of new hybrid nanomaterials in the core/shell/shell morphology, consisting of a magnetite core (Fe₃O₄) and two consecutive layers of oleic acid (OA) and phthalocyanine molecules, the latter derived from cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). The synthesis of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle was performed via co-precipitation procedure, followed by the nanoparticle coating with OA by hydrothermal method. The phthalocyanines anchorage on the Fe₃O₄/OA core/shell nanomaterial was performed by facile and effective sonication method. The as obtained Fe₃O₄/OA/phthalocyanine hybrids were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis and magnetic measurements. TEM showed round-shaped nanomaterials with sizes in the range of 12–15 nm. Nanomaterials presented saturation magnetization (Ms) in the 1–16 emu/g and superparamagnetic behavior. Furthermore, it was observed that the thermal stability of the samples was directly affected by the insertion of different transition metals in the ring cavity of the phthalocyanine molecule.

Silver nanoparticle-loaded microgel-based etalons for H2O2sensing

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were generated inside the network structure of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid (pNIPAm-co-AAc) microgels that were sandwiched between two thin Au layers (15 nm) of an etalon. This was done by introducing Ag⁺ to the etalons composed of deprotonated microgels, followed by its subsequent reduction with NaBH₄. The resultant microgels were collected and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), verifying the loading of AgNPs with relatively uniform diameter (5–7 nm) within the microgels. Furthermore, the optical properties of the resultant etalons and their response to H₂O₂ were evaluated by reflectance spectroscopy. Specifically, upon the addition of H₂O₂, the AgNP-loaded etalons exhibited both a red shift in the position of the reflectance peaks and an increase in reflected wavelength intensity. We hypothesize that the dual signal response of the devices was a result of oxidative decomposition of the AgNPs, enabling the microgels to swell and for more light to be reflected (due to the loss of the light absorbing AgNPs). Finally, we showed that the AgNPs could be regenerated in the used etalons multiple times without a loss in performance. This work provides a cost-effective means to detect H₂O₂, which could be modified to sense a variety of other species of physiological and environmental importance through rationally loading other functional nanomaterials.

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-loaded poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid (pNIPAm-co-AAc)-based microgels were generated and used to make etalons. The etalons were shown to exhibit optical properties that depended on the concentration of H₂O₂ in solution.

Preparation and lower critical solution temperature behavior investigation of new thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-phthalocyanine) magnetic nanocomposites containing phthalocyanine-coated Fe3O4 hybrid

New thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-phthalocyanine) magnetic nanocomposites were prepared by in situ dispersion polymerization. 4-Nitrophthalic acid and CoCl2 were employed to synthesize tetranitrophthalocyanine and then it was converted to tetraaminophthalocyanine by sodium sulfide. The cobalt tetra(N-carbonylacrylic)aminophthalocyanine monomer was obtained by reaction of tetraaminophthalocyanine with maleic anhydrid. N-isopropylacrylamide as the main monomers, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as the cross-linker, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) as the steric stabilizer, potassium persulfate as the initiator, and new Fe-phthalocyanine oligomer/Fe3O4 nanohybrid particles (FePc/Fe3O4) as nanoparticles were used. The magnetite nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectrum, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometer, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the lower critical solution temperatures of the hydrogel nanocomposits were influenced by the content of FePc/Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles. The lower critical solution temperatures of the magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites F3 and F4 were at about 34 and 40 °C. The results show that the increase of FePc/Fe3O4 nanoparticle content caused the LCSTs of the hydrogels to increase. FePc/Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared from 4,4′-isopropyliden-bis-dioxydiphthalonitrile and FeCl3·6H2O via the solvothermal route. The sizes of nanoparticles were determined by scanning electron microscopy. They are spherical in shape and the average size of them is between 30 and 70 nm.