Search results for "surface properties"
showing 10 items of 421 documents
Preparation and photoactivity of nanostructured anatase, rutile and brookite TiO2 thin films
2006
Photoactive films consisting of pure anatase, brookite or rutile TiO2 were prepared by dip coating from water dispersions obtained by using TiCl4 as the precursor under similar mild experimental conditions
Polyacrylonitrile block copolymers for the preparation of a thin carbon coating around TiO2 nanorods for advanced lithium-ion batteries.
2013
Herein, a new method for the realization of a thin and homogenous carbonaceous particle coating, made by carbonizing RAFT polymerization derived block copolymers anchored on anatase TiO2 nanorods, is presented. These block copolymers consist of a short anchor block (based on dopamine) and a long, easily graphitizable block of polyacrylonitrile. The grafting of such block copolymers to TiO2 nanorods creates a polymer shell, which can be visualized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermal treatment at 700 °C converts the polyacrylonitrile block to partially graphitic structures (as determined by Raman spectroscopy), establishing a thin carbon coating (as determined by transmission electron m…
Nonlinear response of a batch BZ oscillator to the addition of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate.
2007
The response of the Belousov-Zhabotinsy (BZ) system to the addition of increasing amounts of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was monitored at 25.0 degrees C in stirred batch conditions. The presence of SDS in the reaction mixture influences the oscillatory parameters, i.e., induction period and oscillation period, to an extent that depends on the surfactant concentration. The experimental results have shown that the induction period increases slightly on increasing surfactant concentration and, then, a further increase in the [SDS] leads to an enhancement while the oscillation period increases monotonously on increasing SDS concentration. It has been proposed that the re…
N-Propyl-N′-2-pyridylurea-modified silica as mixed-mode stationary phase with moderate weak anion exchange capacity and pH-dependent surface charge r…
2018
Herein, we present a novel silica-based stationary phase modified with N-propyl-N'-2-pyridylurea selector. Due to the weakly basic properties of the pyridine selector and the presence of residual silanols after selector immobilization, a zwitterionic surface with a pI observed at approximately pH 5.5 was measured by electrophoretic light scattering in pH-dependent ζ-potential determinations. The capability of the new N-propyl-N'-2-pyridylurea-modified silica to serve as mixed-mode stationary phase was investigated. For this purpose, it was characterized under RP and HILIC conditions using test mixtures. Subsequent classification of this stationary phase in comparison to in-house and commerc…
Mechanisms of nanotoxicity – biomolecule coronas protect pathological fungi against nanoparticle-based eradication
2020
Whereas nanotoxicity is intensely studied in mammalian systems, our knowledge of desired or unwanted nano-based effects for microbes is still limited. Fungal infections are global socio-economic health and agricultural problems, and current chemical antifungals may induce adverse side-effects in humans and ecosystems. Thus, nanoparticles are discussed as potential novel and sustainable antifungals via the desired nanotoxicity but often fail in practical applications. In our study, we found that nanoparticles' toxicity strongly depends on their binding to fungal spores, including the clinically relevant pathogen
Pga13 in Candida albicans is localized in the cell wall and influences cell surface properties, morphogenesis and virulence.
2011
The fungal cell wall is an essential organelle required for maintaining cell integrity and also plays an important role in the primary interactions between pathogenic fungi and their hosts. PGA13 encodes a GPI protein in the human pathogen Candida albicans, which is highly up-regulated during cell wall regeneration in protoplasts. The Pga13 protein contains a unique tandem repeat, which is present five times and is characterized by conserved spacing between the four cysteine residues. Furthermore, the mature protein contains 38% serine and threonine residues, and therefore probably is a highly glycosylated cell wall protein. Consistent with this, a chimeric Pga13-V5 protein could be localiz…
Proton coupled electron transfer of ubiquinone Q2 incorporated in a self-assembled monolayer.
2011
We present a complete study of the reduction of ubiquinone Q(2) (UQ(2)) in simpler aqueous medium, over a pH range of 2.5 to 12.5. The short isoprenic chain ubiquinones (UQ(2)) were incorporated in a self-assembled monolayer. Under these conditions, the global 2e(-) electrochemical reaction can be described on the basis of a nine-member square scheme. The thermodynamic constants of the system were determined. The global 2e(-) process is controlled by the uptake of the second electron. The elementary electrochemical rate constants obtained by fitting of the experimental rate constant were k(s4) = 1.5 s(-1) for QH˙(+)(2)↔ QH(2), k(s5) = 1.5 s(-1) for QH˙↔ QH(-) and k(s6) = 1 s(-1) for Q˙(-)↔ …
Structural Characterization of Zirconia Nanoparticles Prepared by Microwave-Hydrothermal Synthesis
2009
Nanocrystalline zirconia powders have been prepared by microwave-hydrothermal synthesis starting from aqueous solution of ZrOCl2·8H2O. Results of investigations on the aqueous suspension stability of the washed zirconia nanopowders by dynamic light scattering showed that the suspension, constituted by superaggregates of nanoparticles (131 ± 10 nm), was stable up to 15 days. Nanopowders were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering measurements which proved that the zirconia nanopowder is constituted by small primary nanoparticles of ca. 8 nm that agglomerate forming bigger aggregates of 50 ± 1 nm.
Dioxygen reduction by cobalt(II) octaethylporphyrin at liquid|liquid interfaces.
2010
Oxygen reduction catalyzed by cobalt(II) (2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin) [Co(OEP)] at soft interfaces is studied by voltammetry and biphasic reactions. When Co(OEP) is present in a solution of 1,2-dichloroethane in contact with an aqueous acidic solution, oxygen is reduced if the interface is positively polarized (water phase versus organic phase). This reduction reaction is facilitated when an additional electron donor, here ferrocene, is present in excess in the organic phase.
Thermal and Chemical Stability of Thiol Bonding on Gold Nanostars
2015
The stability of thiol bonding on the surface of star-shaped gold nanoparticles was studied as a function of temperature in water and in a set of biologically relevant conditions. The stability was evaluated by monitoring the release of a model fluorescent dye, Bodipy-thiol (BDP-SH), from gold nanostars (GNSs) cocoated with poly(ethylene glycol) thiol (PEG-SH). The increase in the BDP-SH fluorescence emission, quenched when bound to the GNSs, was exploited to this purpose. A maximum 15% dye release in aqueous solution was found when the bulk temperature of gold nanostars solutions was increased to T = 42 °C, the maximum physiological temperature. This fraction reduces 3-5% for temperatures …