Mesoscale Organization of CuO Nanoribbons: Formation of “Dandelions”

Soccer Ball-like Assembly of Edge-to-edge Oriented 2D-silica Nanosheets: A Promising Catalyst Support for High-Temperature Reforming

Controlled assembly of nanoparticles into well-defined assembled architectures through precise manipulation of spatial arrangement and interactions allows the development of advanced mesoscale materials with tailored structures, hierarchical functionalities, and enhanced properties. Despite remarkable advancements, the controlled assembly of highly anisotropic 2Dnanosheets is significantly challenging, primarily due to the limited availability of selective edge-to-edge connectivity compared to the abundant large faces. Innovative strategies are needed to unlock the full potential of 2D-nanomaterialsin self-assembled structures with distinct and desirable properties. This research unveils the discovery of controlled self-assembly of 2D-silica nanosheets (2D-SiNSs) into hollow micron-sized soccer ball-like shells (SA-SiMS). The assembly is driven by the physical flexibility of the 2D-SiNSs and the differential electricdouble-layer charge gradient creating electrostatic bias on the edge and face regions. The resulting SA-SiMS structures exhibit high mechanical stability, even at high-temperatures, and exhibit excellent performance as catalyst support in the dry reforming of methane. The SA-SiMS structures facilitate improved mass transport, leading to enhanced reaction rates, while the thin silica shell prevents sintering of small catalyst nanocrystals, thereby preventing coke formation. This discovery sheds light on the controllable self-assembly of 2D nanomaterials and provides insights into the design and synthesis of advanced mesoscale materials with tailored properties.

Facile Hydrothermal Synthesis of BiVO4/MWCNTs Nanocomposites and Their Influences on the Biofilm Formation of Multidrug Resistance Streptococcus mutans and Proteus mirabilis

This study utilized a simple hydrothermal technique to prepare pure BiVO4 and tightly bound BiVO4/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposite materials. The surfactant was employed to control the growth, size, and assembly of BiVO4 and the nanocomposite. Various techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), photoluminescence (PL), Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were utilized to analyze and characterize BiVO4 and the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite. Through XRD analysis, it was found that the carbon nanotubes were effectively embedded within the lattice of BiVO4 without generating any separate impurity phase and had no influence on the BiVO4 monoclinic structure. TEM images confirmed the presence of MWCNTs within BiVO4. Furthermore, adding MWCNTs in the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite resulted in an effective charge transfer transition and improved carrier separation, as evidenced by PL analysis. The introduction of MWCNTs also led to a significant reduction in the optical band gap due to quantum effects. Finally, the antibacterial activity of pure BiVO4 and the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite was assessed by exposing Proteus mirabilis and Streptococcus mutans to these materials. Biofilm inhibition and antibiofilm activity were measured using a crystal violet assay and a FilmTracer LIVE/DEAD Biofilm Viability Kit. The results demonstrated that pure BiVO4 and BiVO4/MWCNTs effectively inhibited biofilm formation. In conclusion, both pure BiVO4 and BiVO4/MWCNTs are promising materials for inhibiting the bacterial biofilm during bacterial infections.

Controlled Synthesis and Uniform Anchoring of Hollow CuxO Nanocubes on Carbon Nanofiber for Enhanced Se(S)-Se(S) Bond Activation

In the present study, we fabricated hollow cubic Cu_xO nanoparticles (∼23 nm) incorporated with CNF (HC-Cu_xO/CNF) through controlled thermal oxidation of solid cubic Cu₂O nanoparticles (∼21 nm) supported on carbon nanofibers (SC-Cu₂O/CNF) under airflow, exploiting the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. These hollow Cu_xO nanocubes with increased surface areas exhibited outstanding catalytic activity for unsymmetrical chalcogenide synthesis under ligand-free conditions.

On the Formation of Honeycomb Superlattices from PbSe Quantum Dots: The Role of Solvent-Mediated Repulsion and Facet-to-Facet Attraction in NC Self-Assembly and Alignment

Semiconductor superstructures made from assembled and epitaxially connected colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) hold promise for crystalline solids with atomic and nanoscale periodicity, whereby the band structure can be tuned by the geometry. The formation of especially the honeycomb superstructure on a liquid substrate is far from understood and suffers from weak replicability. Here, we introduce 1,4-butanediol as an unreactive substrate component, which is mixed with reactive ethylene glycol to tune for optimal reactivity. It shows us that the honeycomb superlattice has a NC precursor state before oriented attachment occurs, in the form of a self-assembled hexagonal bilayer. We propose that the difference between the formation of the square or honeycomb superstructure occurs during the self-assembly phase. To form a honeycomb superstructure, it is crucial to stabilize the hexagonal bilayer in the presence of solvent-mediated repulsion. In contrast, a square superstructure benefits from the contraction of a hexagonal monolayer due to the absence of a solvent. A second experiment shows the very last stage of the process, where the increasing alignment of NCs is quantified using selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). The combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SAED, and tomography used in these experiments shows that the (100)/(100) facet-to-facet attraction is the main driving force for NC alignment and attachment. These findings are validated by coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations, where we show that an optimal NC repulsion is crucial to create the honeycomb superstructure.

Chiral Magneto-Optical Properties of Supra-Assembled Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

Research on the chiral magneto-optical properties of inorganic nanomaterials has enabled novel applications in advanced optical and electronic devices. However, the corresponding chiral magneto-optical responses have only been studied under strong magnetic fields of ≥1 T, which limits the wider application of these novel materials. In this paper, we report on the enhanced chiral magneto-optical activity of supra-assembled Fe₃O₄ magnetite nanoparticles in the visible range at weak magnetic fields of 1.5 mT. The spherical supra-assembled particles with a diameter of ∼90 nm prepared by solvothermal synthesis had single-crystal-like structures, which resulted from the oriented attachment of nanograins. They exhibited superparamagnetic behavior even with a relatively large supraparticle diameter that exceeded the size limit for superparamagnetism. This can be attributed to the small size of nanograins with a diameter of ∼12 nm that constitute the suprastructured particles. Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements at magnetic fields of 1.5 mT showed distinct chiral magneto-optical activity from charge transfer transitions of magnetite in the visible range. For the supraparticles with lower crystallinity, the MCD peaks in the 250-550 nm range assigned as the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) and the inter-sublattice charge transfer (ISCT) show increased intensities in comparison to those with higher crystallinity samples. On the contrary, the higher crystallinity sample shows higher MCD intensities near 600-700 nm for the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transition. The differences in MCD responses can be attributed to the crystallinity determined by the reaction time, lattice distortion near grain boundaries of the constituent nanocrystals, and dipolar interactions in the supra-assembled structures.

In-Situ Growing Mesoporous CuO/O-Doped g-C3N4 Nanospheres for Highly Enhanced Lithium Storage

The development of lithium-ion batteries using transition metal oxides has recently become more attractive, due to their higher specific capacities, better rate capability, and high energy densities. Herein, the in situ growth of advanced mesoporous CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄ nanospheres is carried out in a two step hydrothermal process at 180 °C and annealing in air at 300 °C. When used as an anode material, the CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄ nanospheres achieve a high reversible discharge specific capacity of 738 mAhg^-1 and a capacity retention of ∼75.3% after 100 cycles at a current density 100 mAg^-1 compared with the pure CuO (412 mAhg^-1, 47%) and O-doped g-C₃N₄ (66 mAhg^-1, 53%). Even at high current density 1 Ag^-1, they exhibit a reversible discharge specific capacity of 503 mAhg^-1 and capacity retention ∼80% over 500 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performance of the CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite is attributed to the following factors: (I) the in situ growing CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄ avoids CuO nanoparticle aggregation, leading to the improved lithium ion transfer and electrolyte penetration inside the CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄ anode, thus promoting the utilization of CuO; (II) the porous structure provides efficient space for Li⁺ transfer during the insertion/extraction process to avoid large volume changes; (III) the O-doping g-C₃N₄ decreases its band gap, ensuring the increased electrical conductivity of CuO/O-doped g-C₃N₄; and (IV) the strong interaction between CuO and O-doped g-C₃N₄ ensures the stability of the structure during cycling.

Architecture and Preparation of Hollow Catalytic Devices

Since pioneering work done in the late 1990s, synthesis of functional hollow materials has experienced a rapid growth over the past two decades while their applications have been proven to be advantageous across many technological fields. In the field of heterogeneous catalysis, the development of micro- and nanoscale hollow materials as catalytic devices has also yielded promising results, because of their higher activity, stability, and selectivity. Herein, the architecture and preparation of these catalysts with tailorable composition and morphology are reviewed. First, synthesis of hollow materials is introduced according to the classification of template mediated, template free, and combined approaches. Second, different architectural designs of hollow catalytic devices, such as those without functionalization, with active components supported onto hollow materials, with active components incorporated within porous shells, and with active components confined within interior cavities, are evaluated respectively. The observed catalytic performances of this new class of catalysts are correlated to structural merits of individual configuration. Examples that demonstrate synthetic approaches and architected configurations are provided. Lastly, possible future directions are proposed to advance this type of hollow catalytic devices on the basis of our personal perspectives.

Hollow Micro/Nanostructured Ceria-Based Materials: Synthetic Strategies and Versatile Applications

Hollow micro/nanostructured CeO₂ -based materials (HMNCMs) have triggered intensive attention as a result of their unique structural traits, which arise from their hollowness and the fascinating physicochemical properties of CeO₂ . This attention has led to widespread applications with improved performance. Herein, a comprehensive overview of methodologies applied for the synthesis of various hollow structures, such as hollow spheres, nanotubes, nanoboxes, and multishelled hollow spheres, is provided. The synthetic strategies toward CeO₂ hollow structures are classified into three major categories: 1) well-established template-assisted (hard-, soft-, and in situ template) methods; 2) newly emerging self-template approaches, including selective etching, Ostwald ripening, the Kirkendall effect, galvanic replacement, etc.; 3) bottom-up self-organized formation synthesis (namely, oriented attachment and self-deformation). Their underlying mechanisms are concisely described and discussed in detail, the differences and similarities of which are compared transversely and longitudinally. Niche applications of HMNCMs in a wide range of fields including catalysis, energy conversion and storage, sensors, absorbents, photoluminescence, and biomedicines are reviewed. Finally, an outlook of future opportunities and challenges in the synthesis and application of CeO₂ -based hollow structures is also presented.

Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Mesocrystals: Synthesis, Growth Mechanisms and Photocatalytic Properties

Hierarchical TiO2 superstructures with desired architectures and intriguing physico-chemical properties are considered to be one of the most promising candidates for solving the serious issues related to global energy exhaustion as well as environmental deterioration via the well-known photocatalytic process. In particular, TiO2 mesocrystals, which are built from TiO2 nanocrystal building blocks in the same crystallographical orientation, have attracted intensive research interest in the area of photocatalysis owing to their distinctive structural properties such as high crystallinity, high specific surface area, and single-crystal-like nature. The deeper understanding of TiO2 mesocrystals-based photocatalysis is beneficial for developing new types of photocatalytic materials with multiple functionalities. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the recent advances toward fabricating and modifying TiO2 mesocrystals is provided, with special focus on the underlying mesocrystallization mechanism and controlling rules. The potential applications of as-synthesized TiO2 mesocrystals in photocatalysis are then discussed to shed light on the structure–performance relationships, thus guiding the development of highly efficient TiO2 mesocrystal-based photocatalysts for certain applications. Finally, the prospects of future research on TiO2 mesocrystals in photocatalysis are briefly highlighted.

Mesocrystals for photocatalysis: a comprehensive review on synthesis engineering and functional modifications

Mesocrystals are a new class of superstructures that are generally made of crystallographically highly ordered nanoparticles and could function as intermediates in a non-classical particle-mediated aggregation process. In the past decades, extensive research interest has been focused on the structural and morphogenetic aspects, as well as the growth mechanisms, of mesocrystals. Unique physicochemical properties including high surface area and ordered porosity provide new opportunities for potential applications. In particular, the oriented interfaces in mesocrystals are considered to be beneficial for effective photogenerated charge transfer, which is a promising photocatalytic candidate for promoting charge carrier separation. Only recently, remarkable advances have been reported with a special focus on TiO2 mesocrystal photocatalysts. However, there is still no comprehensive overview on various mesocrystal photocatalysts and their functional modifications. In this review, different kinds of mesocrystal photocatalysts, such as TiO2 (anatase), TiO2 (rutile), ZnO, CuO, Ta2O5, BiVO4, BaZrO3, SrTiO3, NaTaO3, Nb3O7(OH), In2O3-x (OH) y , and AgIn(WO4)2, are highlighted based on the synthesis engineering, functional modifications (including hybridization and doping), and typical structure-related photocatalytic mechanisms. Several current challenges and crucial issues of mesocrystal-based photocatalysts that need to be addressed in future studies are also given.

Alkyldimethylbetaine-Assisted Development of Hollow Urchinlike CuO Microspheres and Application for High-Performance Battery Anodes

A new approach to develop novel hollow urchinlike copper oxide (CuO) microspheres by the hydrothermal method was reported, and zwitterionic alkyldimethylbetaine (BS) surfactants were employed as templates in the classic copper-ammonia complex systems. Effects of numerous environmental factors on the morphology of CuO particles were studied systematically, in which the concentration and structure of BS predominantly affected the developed CuO materials. It was noticed that hollow urchinlike CuO microspheres were generally formed in the presence of BS regardless of the reaction temperature and time and the source of copper ions. Generally speaking, high concentrations of BS and BS with longer chain length strongly favored the formation of hollow urchinlike CuO microspheres. The microstructures of synthesized CuO particles were studied in detail, and the corresponding formation mechanism of hollow urchinlike CuO microspheres was also proposed based on the selective adsorption of BS on the particular crystal facets of CuO crystals. Moreover, hollow urchinlike CuO microspheres showed excellent performance in the lithium-ion batteries as anode materials with a reversible capability of 511 mA h·g^-1 at 0.1 C after 40 charge-discharge cycles, which was one of the best values of CuO materials reported in this field.

Synthesis of Heart/Dumbbell-Like CuO Functional Nanostructures for the Development of Uric Acid Biosensor

It is always demanded to prepare a nanostructured material with prominent functional properties for the development of a new generation of devices. This study is focused on the synthesis of heart/dumbbell-like CuO nanostructures using a low-temperature aqueous chemical growth method with vitamin B₁₂ as a soft template and growth directing agent. CuO nanostructures are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. CuO nanostructures are heart/dumbbell like in shape, exhibit high crystalline quality as demonstrated by XRD, and have no impurity as confirmed by XPS. Apparently, CuO material seems to be porous in structure, which can easily carry large amount of enzyme molecules, thus enhanced performance is shown for the determination of uric acid. The working linear range of the biosensor is 0.001 mM to 10 mM with a detection limit of 0.0005 mM and a sensitivity of 61.88 mV/decade. The presented uric acid biosensor is highly stable, repeatable, and reproducible. The analytical practicality of the proposed uric acid biosensor is also monitored. The fabrication methodology is inexpensive, simple, and scalable, which ensures the capitalization of the developed uric acid biosensor for commercialization. Also, CuO material can be used for various applications such as solar cells, lithium ion batteries, and supercapacitors.

Twisted bio-nanorods serve as a template for constructing chiroptically active nanoflowers

Using biomacromolecule-based nanorods as a chiral source is a creative way to fabricate broadband chiroptically active nanoarchitectures. Herein, right-handedly twisted cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanorods, serving simultaneously as a chiral template and a building block, were combined with CuO for constructing composite nanoflowers that showed broadband chiroptical activity. Through calcination, the CuO/CNC nanoflowers can transform into chiral CuO with a flower-like architecture. The established preparation technology is expected to provide various novel broadband chiroptically active nanoarchitectures originating from CNCs and metal oxides.

Hierarchically ZnIn2S4 nanosheet-constructed microwire arrays: template-free synthesis and excellent photocatalytic performances

Hierarchically ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheet-constructed microwire arrays (NCMAs) on a zinc substrate have been synthesized for the first time through a one-step solvothermal method without using any template or surfactant. The as-synthesized ZnIn₂S₄ microwires are constructed by vertical nanosheets preferentially exposing (006) facets, which are about 1-5 μm in diameters and larger than 10 μm in average length. Experimental results demonstrate that the hierarchically ZnIn₂S₄ NCMAs are converted from intermediate components of single crystalline indium nanowires, which are generated along the direction of (101) planes by a displacement reaction between Zn and In³⁺ during the initial synthesis process. This conversion of indium nanowires to hierarchically ZnIn₂S₄ NCMAs has been explained by a novel corrosion-exchange-self-assembly mechanism, which might indicate a novel strategy for preparing other ternary sulphide nano-microwire arrays. The prepared ZnIn₂S₄ NCMAs are used as photocatalysts, demonstrating effective photocatalytic degradation activity for diverse organic pollutants including different dyes, tetracycline and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP). This efficient photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the strong absorption of ZnIn₂S₄ NCMAs in a wide range from ultraviolet to visible light as well as the preferentially exposed (006) facets of ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheets.

Synthesis of three-dimensional mesoporous Cu–Al layered double hydroxide/g-C3N4 nanocomposites on Ni-foam for enhanced supercapacitors with excellent long-term cycling stability

In this study, a novel composite of Cu–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets and g-C₃N₄-covered Ni-foam was fabricated via a simple and facile two-step process.

Topological Transformations of Core-Shell Precursors to Hierarchically Hollow Assemblages of Copper Silicate Nanotubes

Functional hollow materials have attracted extensive research attention due to their promising prospects for catalysis. Herein, we report an alternative synthesis of hierarchically hollow structured materials directly from core-shell structured templates, based on confined chemical reactions between the solid matter of a core and shell under hydrothermal conditions. More specifically, we have developed a novel and facile strategy to transform core-shell structured Cu₂O@mSiO₂ (m = mesoporous) to tubular copper silicate assemblages (TCSA). Depending on the original shapes of Cu₂O, TCSA can be tailored as spherical or cubic assemblages with stacking copper silicate nanotubes (inner diameter: 4.5 nm, thickness: 0.8 nm, length: ca. 96 nm) in the shell. Moreover, by utilizing the residual reductive Cu(I) (ca. 10 at% of total surface copper) on TCSA support, in situ generations of Pd nanoparticles (∼4.5 nm) and Au nanoparticles (∼5.8 nm) were successfully achieved based on the spontaneous galvanic replacement reactions. Two integrated nanocatalysts (viz., Pd/TCSA and Au/TCSA) have been prepared with this approach. As an example, Pd/TCSA exhibits excellent activity and recyclability for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions.

Photocatalytic degradation of tartrazine dye using CuO straw-sheaf-like nanostructures

Straw-sheaf-like CuO nanostructures were fruitfully synthesized using a chemical precipitation approach for the photocatalytic degradation assessment of tartrazine. Phase identification, composition, and morphological outlook of prepared CuO nanostructures were established by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized CuO nanostructures was appraised in the presence of visible light and the possible intermediates formed during the photocatalytic degradation were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A suitable degradation pathway has also been proposed.

N,N′-di-caboxy methyl perylene diimide (PDI) functionalized CuO nanocomposites with enhanced peroxidase-like activity and their application in visual biosensing of H2O2 and glucose

Perylene diimide functionalized CuO nanobelts were demonstrated to possess higher intrinsic peroxidase-like activity than that of pure CuO nanobelts.

Colloidal capsules: nano- and microcapsules with colloidal particle shells

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the synthesis strategies and the progress made so far of bringing colloidal capsules closer to technical and biomedical applications.

Hollow CuxO (x = 2, 1) micro/nanostructures: synthesis, fundamental properties and applications

In this review, we comprehensively summarize the important advances in hollow Cu_xO micro/nanostructures, including the universal synthesis strategies, the interfacial Cu–O atomic structures as well as the intrinsic properties, and potential applications. Remarks on emerging issues and promising research directions are also discussed.

Designed synthesis of MOx (M = Zn, Fe, Sn, Ni, Mn, Co, Ce, Mg, Ag), Pt, and Au nanoparticles supported on hierarchical CuO hollow structures

Despite intensive research into support substrates for the dispersal of nanoparticles and their applications, there has been a lack of general methods to produce metal oxide hollow substrates supporting a wide range of metal and metal oxides. Herein, a synthetic protocol for the preparation of CuO hollow structure-supported MO_x (M = Zn, Fe, Ni, Sn, Mn, Co, Ce, Mg, and Ag) and noble metals (Pt and Au) with the desired properties and shell structure, such as CuO/Fe₂O₃, CuO/ZnO, CuO/SnO₂, CuO/MgO, CuO/NiO, CuO/Mn₂O₃, CuO/CoO, CuO/CeO₂, CuO/Ag₂O, CuO/Pt, CuO/Au hollow cubes, CuO/ZnO double-shell hollow cubes, CuO/SnO₂ double-shell hollow octahedra, CuO/SnO₂/Fe₂O₃ and CuO/Mn₂O₃/NiO double-shell hollow cubes, was developed based on controlled calcination and etching. These hybrid hollow structures were employed not only as support substrates but also as active constituents for catalytic reactions. As an example, we demonstrated that CuO/ZnO hollow cubes are remarkably efficient in converting solid chitin biomass to liquid chemicals in methanol. In addition, CuO/ZnO double-shell hollow cubes were highly effective in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol in the presence of H₂O₂, whereas CuO/Pt and CuO/Au hollow cubes promoted the oxidation of benzyl alcohol in pure O₂. The strategy developed in this work extends the controllable fabrication of high-quality CuO hollow structure-supported nanoparticles using various compositions and shell structures, paving the way to the exploration and systematic comparison of these materials in a wider range of applications.

Surfactant-free Synthesis of CuO with Controllable Morphologies and Enhanced Photocatalytic Property

A green synthesis for nanoleave, nanosheet, spindle-like, rugby-like, dandelion-like and flower-like CuO nanostructures (from 2D to 3D) is successfully achieved through simply hydrothermal synthetic method without the assistance of surfactant. The morphology of CuO nanostructures can be easily tailored by adjusting the amount of ammonia and the source of copper. By designing a time varying experiment, it is verified that the flower- and dandelion-like CuO structures are synthesized by the self-assembly and Ostwald ripening mechanism. Structural and morphological evolutions are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra. Additionally, the CuO nanostructures with different morphologies could serve as a potential photocatalyst on the photodecomposition of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solutions in the presence of H2O2 under visible light irradiation.

A Robust, Enzyme-Free Glucose Sensor Based on Lysine-Assisted CuO Nanostructures

The production of a nanomaterial with enhanced and desirable electrocatalytic properties is of prime importance, and the commercialization of devices containing these materials is a challenging task. In this study, unique cupric oxide (CuO) nanostructures were synthesized using lysine as a soft template for the evolution of morphology via a rapid and boiled hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure of the synthesized CuO nanomaterial were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The prepared CuO nanostructures showed high potential for use in the electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in an alkaline medium. The proposed enzyme-free glucose sensor demonstrated a robust response to glucose with a wide linear range and high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. To explore its practical feasibility, the glucose content of serum samples was successfully determined using the enzyme-free sensor. An analytical recovery method was used to measure the actual glucose from the serum samples, and the results were satisfactory. Moreover, the presented glucose sensor has high chemical stability and can be reused for repetitive measurements. This study introduces an enzyme-free glucose sensor as an alternative tool for clinical glucose quantification.

Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanocrystals: From Intricate Structures to Functional Materials

Chemical methods developed over the past two decades enable preparation of colloidal nanocrystals with uniform size and shape. These Brownian objects readily order into superlattices. Recently, the range of accessible inorganic cores and tunable surface chemistries dramatically increased, expanding the set of nanocrystal arrangements experimentally attainable. In this review, we discuss efforts to create next-generation materials via bottom-up organization of nanocrystals with preprogrammed functionality and self-assembly instructions. This process is often driven by both interparticle interactions and the influence of the assembly environment. The introduction provides the reader with a practical overview of nanocrystal synthesis, self-assembly, and superlattice characterization. We then summarize the theory of nanocrystal interactions and examine fundamental principles governing nanocrystal self-assembly from hard and soft particle perspectives borrowed from the comparatively established fields of micrometer colloids and block copolymer assembly. We outline the extensive catalog of superlattices prepared to date using hydrocarbon-capped nanocrystals with spherical, polyhedral, rod, plate, and branched inorganic core shapes, as well as those obtained by mixing combinations thereof. We also provide an overview of structural defects in nanocrystal superlattices. We then explore the unique possibilities offered by leveraging nontraditional surface chemistries and assembly environments to control superlattice structure and produce nonbulk assemblies. We end with a discussion of the unique optical, magnetic, electronic, and catalytic properties of ordered nanocrystal superlattices, and the coming advances required to make use of this new class of solids.

Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using a hydrothermal method and a study its optical activity

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with a granular morphology were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Structural analysis revealed that ZnO NPs had a single crystal wurtzite hexagonal structure. Solvent polarity was responsible for varying and controlling their size and morphology. The process was very trouble free and scalable. In addition, it could be used for fundamental studies on tunable morphology formation. This hydrothermal method showed different morphology with different co-surfactants such as a floral-like or wire-like belt sheet structures etc. Based on their surface morphology, the same material had different applications as a catalyst in various organic reactions and also could be used as a photocatalyst and fuel cell, solar cell or in semiconductors etc. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence of the resulting product was performed to study its purity, morphology and size, plus its optical properties via measurement of band gap energy and light absorbance.