Fast Microwave Synthesis of Gold-Doped TiO2 Assisted by Modified Cyclodextrins for Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye and Hydrogen Production

A convenient and fast microwave synthesis of gold-doped titanium dioxide materials was developed with the aid of commercially available and common cyclodextrin derivatives, acting both as reducing and stabilizing agents. Anatase titanium oxide was synthesized from titanium chloride by microwave heating without calcination. Then, the resulting titanium oxide was decorated by gold nanoparticles thanks to a microwave-assisted reduction of HAuCl4 by cyclodextrin in alkaline conditions. The materials were fully characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, while the metal content was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The efficiency of the TiO2@Au materials was evaluated with respect to two different photocatalytic reactions, such as dye degradation and hydrogen evolution from water.

Enhanced chemotherapeutic toxicity of cyclodextrin templated size-tunable rhodamine 6G nanoGUMBOS

Rhodamine 6G nanoGUMBOS were templated with cyclodextrin to develop size tunable nanodrugs with enhanced cellular uptake and selective chemotherapeutic toxicity.

Sorption of metal ions by poly(ethylene glycol)/β-CD hydrogels leads to gel-embedded metal nanoparticles

Inorganic nanoparticles can be embedded within gels by selectively preloading them with suitable molecular precursors followed by reduction or another suitable reaction. Here, we exploit the selective sorption properties of cross-linked β-cyclodextrin/poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels, in analogy with polyurethane foams, to preconcentrate metal salts (HAuCl4 and K2[Co(SCN)4]) and subsequently generate gel-embedded metal nanoparticles (10-50 nm). The nanoparticles are shown to be immobilized within the gel network as a consequence of their large dimensions in comparison to the gel network pore size. We suggest this is a useful approach for the generalized synthesis of hybrid soft-hard nanomaterials.