Controllable fabrication of nanocrystal-loaded photonic crystals with a polymerizable macromonomer via the CCTP technique

Janus Suprabead Displays Derived from the Modified Photonic Crystals toward Temperature Magnetism and Optics Multiple Responses

The design and development of Janus suprabeads (JSs) with multiple responses are highly desirable in the fabrication of functional nanomaterials. In this work, we report a triphase microfluidic strategy for the construction of JSs with temperature-magnetism-optics triple responses. Initially, macromonomer poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) obtained via catalytic chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) was grafted onto the polystyrene (PS) colloidal photonic crystals (CPCs) surface. Because abundant carboxylic acid groups in PMAA could coordinate cadmium ions for in situ production of fluorescent CdS quantum dots (QDs) after introducing sulfur ions, the as-prepared JSs were endowed with favorable optical properties. Meanwhile, the as-prepared Cd(2+)/PS CPCs were employed as a template to build JSs with temperature-magnetism sensitivity via the introduction of magnetic Fe3O4 and hydrogels. Finally, the fluorescence pattern was easily performed by using chalcogenides as "ink" to write on the pad, in which in situ reaction mechanism was involved in the response. The multiple responsive JSs show promising applications in sensor, display, and anticounterfeit fields.

Facile fabrication of structure-tunable bead-shaped hybrid microfibers using a Rayleigh instability guiding strategy

A novel Rayleigh instability driven drop-sliding fiber approach combined with a spinning process is proposed for the fabrication of bead-shaped hybrid microfiber arrays.

Encodable multiple-fluorescence CdTe@carbon nanoparticles from nanocrystal/colloidal crystal guest-host ensembles

We report herein the controllable generation of encodable multi-fluorescence CdTe@carbon nanoparticles (CdTe@C NPs) via the pyrolysis of quantum dot/photonic crystal (QD/PC) guest-host ensembles. The precursors of CdTe/poly(styrene-co-glycidylmethacrylate) (PS-co-PGMA) QD/PC guest-host ensembles were initially formed via the assembly of epoxy groups of PCs and carboxyl groups on the surface of CdTe QDs, followed by a pyrolysis process to generate CdTe@C NPs. The as-prepared CdTe@C NPs not only integrate the optical properties for both the carbon and CdTe QD constituents, but also enable an impressive enhancement of the fluorescence lifetime for CdTe QDs. The multifarious fluorescent spectra coding for CdTe@C NPs was further generated through regulating the embedded sizes or concentrations of CdTe QDs and the excitation wavelength, and their applications in DNA detection and luminescent patterns were achieved.

Complete synthesis of germanium nanocrystal encrusted carbon colloids in supercritical CO2 and their superhydrophobic properties

Colloidal carbon spheres were synthesized by the carbonization of squalane, a nonvolatile hydrocarbon solvent, in supercritical carbon dioxide. Precise pressure modulation of the fluid medium led to size controlled growth of carbon spheres ranging from 300 to 1500 nm in diameter. This unique synthetic approach of carbonizing a hydrocarbon suspension in supercritical fluid is found to suppress any particle aggregation, resulting in excellent sphere monodispersity. Core-shell hybrid structures of C-Ge were subsequently formed by inducing the growth of 10-40 nm sized germanium nanocrystals from the spheres in a hierarchical bottom-up approach. Extensive characterization of the spheres and nanocrystals was conducted using transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman, and thermogravametric analysis. Assemblies of nanocrystal modified carbon colloids impart outstanding superhydrophobic properties due to the combined nano- and microstructuring of the particle arrays.