Spectroelectrochemistry, the future of visualizing electrode processes by hyphenating electrochemistry with spectroscopic techniques

Reviewing the future of electrochemistry combined with infrared, Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry.

Carbon nanodot-based heterostructures for improving the charge separation and the photocurrent generation

The possibility to employ carbon nanodots (CNDs) in solar devices was exploited by combining them with a fulleropyrrolidine derivative (FP2). The interaction between the two species was promoted by the presence of opposite electrostatic charges on CNDs (negatively charged) and FP2 (positively charged). The supramolecular dyad CNDs/FP2 generation was induced at the air/water interface of a Langmuir trough: water soluble CNDs were dissolved in the subphase and FP2 chloroform solution was spread on the subphase; the electrostatic interaction promoted the formation of the supramolecular adduct FP2/CNDs, which was then transferred onto solid substrates. Photo-induced charge transfer was promoted in the FP2/CNDs dyad and we demonstrated that the presence of CNDs increased the short-circuit current density, under light illumination, of a porphyrin-FP2/CNDs thin film by about 300% when compared with a more traditional porphyrin-FP2 solar device.

Which fullerenols are water soluble? Systematic atomistic investigation

Insights to guide a choice of most soluble fullerenols.

Uncontrolled variability in the extinction spectra of C60 nanoparticle suspensions

To properly investigate the environmental transport, fate, and impact of fullerene C60 nanoparticles (nC60), it is necessary to reproducibly obtain nC60 suspensions and to accurately determine their concentration ([C60]). The results in the present study, however, clearly illustrate that the production of nC60 via extended mixing and via sonication are highly stochastic top-down processes subject to widely divergent end points. nC60 suspensions exhibit variable characteristics (e.g., [C60], average particle size, size distribution, etc.) that make it challenging, if not impossible, to acquire reproducible UV-vis extinction spectra. The mass extinction coefficient, which is the absorptivity of a suspension with [C60] = 1 mM obtained by normalizing UV-vis spectra by the mass concentration of C60 in the suspension, decreases with a given suspension's hydrodynamic diameter, whereas the particle extinction coefficient, which is the absorptivity of a suspension containing one mole of nC60 nanoparticles with the same size distribution as the target suspension and calculated based upon the suspension nanoparticle size distribution, increases with its number weighted average diameter. Other spectroscopic properties of nC60 (e.g., absorbance bandwidth, position of absorption maximum, and relative extinction intensity) also change with average particle size. As a result of the extant variability between samples, when UV-vis spectra are employed to calculate or represent [C60] for fullerene nanoparticle suspensions, extreme care must be taken and other colloidal properties of this suspension must be measured to obtain an accurate result.

Beyond nC60: strategies for identification of transformation products of fullerene oxidation in aquatic and biological samples

Owing to their exceptional properties and versatility, fullerenes are in widespread use for numerous applications. Increased production and use of fullerenes will inevitably result in accelerated environmental release. However, study of the occurrence, fate, and transport of fullerenes in the environment is complicated because a variety of surface modifications can occur as a result of either intentional functionalization or natural processes. To gain a better understanding of the effect and risk of fullerenes on environmental health, it is necessary to acquire reliable data on the parent compounds and their congeners. Whereas currently established quantification methods generally focus on analysis of unmodified fullerenes, we discuss in this review the occurrence and analysis of oxidized fullerene congeners (i.e., their corresponding epoxides and polyhydroxylated derivatives) in the environment and in biological specimens. We present possible strategies for detection and quantification of parent nanomaterials and their various derivatives.