Poly(ethylene oxide)‑<i>b</i>‑Poly(propylene oxide) Amphiphilic Block Copolymer-Mediated Growth of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial Behavior

Silver nanoparticles were grown in self-assembled amphiphilic poly­(ethylene oxide)/poly­(propylene oxide) (PEO/PPO) triblock copolymers in selective solvents. Ternary systems of block copolymer, water, and p-xylene were used, forming a dispersion of water droplets in oil (reverse micellar) as well as binary water/block copolymer solutions. Besides its stabilizing affect, the role of the copolymer as a reducing agent for the metal salt precursors was examined. It was found that block copolymer-enabled reduction, carried out mainly by the PEO blocks, could take place only under particular conditions mostly related to the metal precursor, the block copolymer concentration, and the self-assembled micellar configuration. The effect of the triblock copolymers on growth and stabilization of gold nanoparticles was also examined. The antibacterial effect of the silver nanoparticles was investigated against Escherichia coli cells, and their performance was evaluated through a series of parametrization experiments, including the effect of the metal concentration, stability, activity over time, and dosage, while particular emphasis was given on the role of ions versus nanoparticles on the antibacterial performance

Ag and Cu Monometallic and Ag/Cu Bimetallic Nanoparticle–Graphene Composites with Enhanced Antibacterial Performance

Increased proliferation of antimicrobial resistance and new strains of bacterial pathogens severely impact current health, environmental, and technological developments, demanding design of novel, highly efficient antibacterial agents. Ag, Cu monometallic and Ag/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) were in situ grown on the surface of graphene, which was produced by chemical vapor deposition using ferrocene as precursor and further functionalized to introduce oxygen-containing surface groups. The antibacterial performance of the resulting hybrids was evaluated against Escherichia coli cells and compared through a series of parametrization experiments of varying metal type and concentration. It was found that both Ag- and Cu-based monometallic graphene composites significantly suppress bacterial growth, yet the Ag-based ones exhibit higher activity compared to that of their Cu-based counterparts. Compared with well-dispersed colloidal Ag NPs of the same metal concentration, Ag- and Cu-based graphene hybrids display weaker antibacterial activity. However, the bimetallic Ag/CuNP–graphene hybrids exhibit superior performance compared to that of all other materials tested, i.e., both the monometallic graphene structures as well as the colloidal NPs, achieving complete bacterial growth inhibition at all metal concentrations tested. This striking performance is attributed to the synergistic action of the combination of the two different metals that coexist on the surface as well as the enhancing role of the graphene support

Investigation of Confined Ionic Liquid in Nanostructured Materials by a Combination of SANS, Contrast-Matching SANS, and Nitrogen Adsorption

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), contrast-matching SANS, and nitrogen adsorption have been utilized to investigate the confined ionic liquid (IL) [bmim][PF6] phase in ordered mesoporous silica MCM-41 and SBA-15. The results suggest that the pores of SBA-15 are completely filled with IL whereas a small fraction of the pore volume, the pore “core”, of MCM-41 is empty. The contrast-matching SANS measurements confirm the enhanced solubility of water in IL. In addition, they provide strong evidence that water does not enter the empty pore core of MCM-41, possibly because of the preferred orientation of the IL molecules in the adsorbed layer

Grafting of Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquid on the Pore Surface of Nanoporous MaterialsStudy of Physicochemical and Thermodynamic Properties

Supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) systems were prepared by immobilizing a methylimidazolium cation based ionic liquid onto the pore surface of two types of support, MCM-41 and Vycor. The “grafting to” method was applied, involving (3-chloropropyl)-trialkoxysilane anchoring on the supports’ silanol groups, followed by treatment with 1-methylimidazole and ion exchange with PF6−. Optimum surface pretreatment procedures and reaction conditions for enhanced ionic liquid (IL) loading were properly defined and applied for all modifications. A study on the effect of different pore sizes on the physical state of the grafted 1-(silylpropyl)-3-methylimidazolium-hexafluorophosphate ([spmim][PF6−]) was also conducted. The [spmim][PF6−] crystallinity under extreme confinement in the pores was investigated by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and was further related to the capacity of the developed SILP to preferentially adsorb CO2 over CO. For this purpose, CO2 and CO absorption measurements of the bulk ionic liquid [bmim][PF6−] and the synthesized alkoxysilyl-IL were initially performed at several temperatures. The results showed an enhancement of the bulk IL performance to preferentially adsorb CO2 at 273 K. The DSC analysis of the SILPs revealed transition of the melting point of the grafted alkoxysilyl-IL to higher temperatures when the support pore size was below 4 nm. The 2.3 nm MCM-41 SILP system exhibited infinite CO2/CO separation capacity at temperatures below and above the melting point of the bulk IL phase, adsorbing in parallel significant amounts of CO2 in a reversible manner. These properties make the developed material an excellent candidate for CO2/CO separation with pressure swing adsorption (PSA) techniques

Carbon Nanotube Selective Membranes with Subnanometer, Vertically Aligned Pores, and Enhanced Gas Transport Properties

Membranes consisting of ultrathin, oriented, single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) micropores with a diameter of ∼4 Å were developed. <i>c</i>-Oriented AFI-type aluminophosphate (AlPO) films (AlPO₄-5 and CoAPO-5), consisting of parallel channels 7.3 Å in diameter, were first fabricated by seeded growth on macroporous alumina supports, and used as templates for synthesis of CNTs inside the zeolitic channels by thermal treatment, utilizing the structure directing agent (amine) occluded in the channels as carbon source. Incorporation of CNTs inside the AFI channels altered the transport mechanism of all permeating gases tested, and imposed a substantial increase in their permeation rates, in comparison to the AlPO₄-5 membrane, despite the pore size reduction due to nanotube growth. The enhancement of the permeation rates is attributed to repulsive potentials between gas molecules and occluded nanotubes, which limit adsorption strength and enhance diffusivity, coupled to the smooth SWCNT surface that enables fast diffusion through the nanotube interior. Separation ability, evaluated with respect to H₂ and CO₂ gases, was enhanced by using polysterene as defect-blocking medium on both AlPO and CNT/AlPO membranes and was preserved after CNT growth

Ionic Liquid-Modified Porous Materials for Gas Separation and Heterogeneous Catalysis

This work examines important physicochemical and thermophysical properties of ultrathin ionic liquid (IL) layers under confinement into the pore structure of siliceous supports and brings significant advances toward understanding the effects of these properties on the gas separation and catalytic performance of the developed supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) and solid catalysts with ionic liquid layers (SCILL). SILPs were developed by making use of functionalized and nonfunctionalized ILs, such as 1-(silylpropyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate and 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ILs, whereas the SCILL was prepared by effectively dispersing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto the IL layers inside the open pores of the SILP. The information derived from the gas absorption/diffusivity and heterogeneous catalysis experiments was exemplified in relation to the liquid crystalline ordering and orientation of the IL molecules, investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). The extent of pore blocking was elucidated with small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and was proven to be a decisive factor for the gas separation efficiency of the SILPs. CO₂/CO separation values above 50 were obtained in cases where liquid crystalline ordering of the IL layers and extended pore blocking had occurred. The presence of the IL layer in the developed SCILL assisted the formation of ultrasmall (2–3 nm) and well-stabilized AuNPs. The low-temperature CO oxidation efficiency was 22%. The catalytic experiments showed an additional functionality of the IL, acting as an “in-situ trap” that abstracts the product (CO₂) from the reaction site and improves yield