Nonlinear optical responses of targeted phthalocyanines when conjugated with nanomaterials or fabricated into polymer thin films

A number of zinc, gallium and indium metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) with diverse substituents have been synthesized and characterized using various characterization tools such as proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), matrix assisted laser desorption time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, Fourier-transformed infra-red (FT-IR), Ultraviolet-visible (Uv-vis) spectrophotometry, magnetic circular dichroism and CHNS elemental analysis. The time dependent density functional theory was employed to probe the origin of spectroscopic information in these complexes. Complexes with gallium and indium as central metal showed higher triplet quantum yield compared to the zinc derivatives. Some of the MPcs were covalently linked to nanomaterials such as CdTe, CdTeSe, CdTeSe/ZnO, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as well as metallic gold (AuNPs) and silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles. Others were either surface assembled onto AuNPs and AgNPs or embedded into polystyrene as polymer source. The phthalocyanine-nanomaterial composites (Pc-NMCs) were characterized with FT-IR, UV-visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The thickness of the thin films was determined by utilization of the knife edge attachment of the A Bruker D8 Discover X-ray diffraction. The optical limiting properties (using the open-aperture Z-scan technique) of the MPcs and the Pc-NMCs were investigated. The investigated MPcs complexes generally showed good optical limiting properties. The nonlinear optical response of the MPcs were improved in the presence of nanomaterials such as the semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as well as metallic AuNPs and AgNPs with MPc-QDs showing the best optical limiting behavior. The optical limiting properties of the MPcs were greatly enhanced in the presence of polymer thin films

Cassane diterpenoids from lonchocarpus laxiflorus

This article examines cassane diterpenoids from lonchocarpus laxiflorus

The effect of local anesthetics on tear production

Local anesthetics act on any part of the nervous system and on every type of nerve and fibre. Different sensations are lost according to the size of the axon serving them. Lignocaine due to its moderate properties is one of the most versatile agents in anesthesia and as such is often used by optometrists and ophthalmologists alike in different clinical procedures. Tear production using Schirmer's technique was measure before and after the instillation of a local anesthetic (Lignocaine 2%) in fifty (50) subjects of both male and female within the age range 18 -35 years. Results from data collected showed that Lignocaine caused a slight reduction in tear production; with a mean percentage reduction of 29.06%. Statistical analysis also revealed the effect of lignocaine on tear production to be significant (

Reduction of Saturation Error Value of PAL Television System Using Inverse Matrix Generator Model

Reduction of Saturation Error Value of PAL Television System Using Inverse Matrix Generator Model, is aimed at the need to improve received picture quality in the event of distortion in the transmitted picture that could cause differential phase difference on received image signals which is the cause of saturation error. Saturation error leads to darkening of the picture colour and, thus, introduction of huge hue changes from the original. This thesis highlights the effects of saturation error to television image viewing, it analyses various methods that could be adopted to reduce saturation error, and it provides a unique model that reduces or eliminates saturation error of PAL colour television system. The model utilizes an inverse matrixes generator that is combined with a zero-window comparator and a low-pass filter network to ensure that saturation error of PAL television is reduced or eliminated. An analysis of the inverse matrix generator model using MatLab simulink shows that it adequately reduces saturation error by 99%; thus, presenting itself as a unique model that can be used to improve the quality of pictures and images when transmitted under poor condition, causing a differential phase error to be introduced into the system. Keywords: PAL, Saturation, Amplitude, Hue, Inverse Matrix.

Nanosecond optical nonlinearities in low symmetry phthalocyanine nanoconjugates studied using the Z-scan technique

In this study, the photophysical, and nonlinear optical limiting properties of low symmetry tris[(4-benzo[d] thiazol-2-ylphenoxy)-2-phenoxyl acetic acid phthalocyaninato] zinc (II) (3) conjugated to metallic nanoparticles have been investigated using open aperture Z-scan techniques at 532 nm. The nonlinear optical response demonstrated that the studied complex and the nanoconjugates exhibits higher excited state absorption cross-section resulting from S1 and T1 compared to ground state absorption. Enhanced optical limiting performance was observed when the complex was conjugated to nanoparticles with 3SA-AuNPs showing the best optical limiting threshold of 0.39 J/cm2

Low symmetric metallophthalocyanine modified electrode via click chemistry for simultaneous detection of heavy metals

Beside different methods and materials used to develop electrochemical sensors, the modification of the electrode using click reaction based on metallophthalocyanine (MPc) compounds are shown to improve the stability and sensitivity of the sensor. This work reported the development of electrochemical sensor for mercury (II), Lead (II), copper (II) and cadmium (II) ions detection based on the synthesized novel low symmetry alkyne terminated cobalt Phthalocyanine (CoPc) derivative. Differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) technique was employed for the first time in simultaneous determination of trace levels of the above metal ions using modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) via click chemistry. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the anodic peak current is proportional to the concentrations of metal ions over a wide range of 0 to 0.1 mM with nanolevel detection limit of 81.94, 327.71, 55.87 and 347.06 nM and the sensitivity of 866.23 ± 5.48, 215.82 ± 2.16, 1979.48 ± 11.47 and 204.50 ± 1.10 μA/mM for Hg(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II), respectively. The selectivity of the clicked-CoPc modified GCE toward Hg(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) present no interference from these metals ions. The fabricated electrochemical sensor exhibited very good electrochemical properties such as good reproducibility, stability, reusability and is suitable for the detection of heavy metal ions in tap water in our laboratory

Photophysical and enhanced nonlinear optical response in asymmetric benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanine covalently linked to semiconductor quantum dots

The synthesis of asymmetric benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanines (complexes 3 to 5) and their covalent attachment to glutathione (GSH) functionalized quantum dots (QDs) are reported in this work. Additionally, their photophysical and nonlinear optical properties were investigated. A decrease in the fluorescence quantum yield with corresponding increase in the triplet quantum yield was observed when the complexes were covalently linked to glutathione (GSH) functionalized cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots. Reverse saturable absorption was found to be predominantly dominated by excited state absorption. The observed limiting threshold values range from 0.29–0.75 J/cm2

4-Bis (4-aminophenoxy) phenoxy derivitized phthalocyanine conjugated to metallic nanoparticles

In this study, the photophysical, nonlinear absorption and nonlinear optical limiting properties of 4-(2,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)phenoxy) phthalocyinato zinc(II) phthalocyanine (6) conjugated to metallic nanoparticles have been investigated using open aperture Z-scan techniques using 532 nm nanosecond pulses. The nonlinear optical response demonstrated that the studied complex and the nanoconjugates exhibit higher excited state absorption cross-section compared to ground state absorption. Enhanced optical limiting performance was observed when complex 6 was conjugated to nanoparticles with 6CB-AuNPs (CB = covalent bond) showing the highest optical limiting threshold of 0.36 J cm−2

Photo-induced resonance energy transfer and nonlinear optical response in ball-type phthalocyanine conjugated to semiconductor and graphene quantum dots

The synthesis of ball-type zinc and gallium phthalocyanines (complexes 2 and 3) and their covalent linkage to glutathione (GSH) and amine functionalized quantum dots QDs) are reported in this work. Furthermore, their photophysical, photo-induced resonance energy transfer and optical limiting responses were investigated. We observed a decrease in the fluorescence quantum yields with a corresponding increase in the triplet quantum yields of the nanoconjugates in comparison to the phthalocyanine complexes alone. The reverse saturable absorption was found to be dependent on the excited state absorption, and the observed limiting threshold ranged from 0.32 to 1.43 J cm−2. Enhanced triplet parameters and nonlinear optical performance were found when the complexes were covalently linked to semiconductor quantum dots compared to carbon based graphene quantum dots

Glycosylated zinc phthalocyanine-gold nanoparticle conjugates for photodynamic therapy

In this work, we report on the synthesis of tris-[(2,2,7,7-tetramethyltetrahydro-3aH-bis([1,3]dioxolo)[4,5-b:4′,5′-d]pyran-5-yl)methoxy)-2-(4-benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylphenoxyphthalocyaninato] zinc(II) (complex 3) and its linkage to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different shapes through S-Au/N-Au self-assembly. The conjugates of complex 3 (with both gold nanorods (AuNR) and nanospheres (AuNS)), displayed decreased fluorescence quantum yield with corresponding improved triplet and singlet quantum yields compared to complex 3 alone, however 3-AuNR showed improved properties than 3-AuNS. Complex 3 showed relatively low in vitro dark cytotoxicity against the epithelial breast cancer cells with cell survival ≥ 85% at concentration ≤ 160 μg/mL but afforded reduced photodynamic therapy activity which may be due to aggregation. 3-AuNR afforded superior PDT activity with more than 50% viable cells at concentration ≥ 40 μg/mL in comparison to 3-AuNS with more than 50% viable cells at concentration ≥ 80 μg/mL. The superior activity of 3-AuNR is attributed to the photothermal therapy effect since nanorods absorb more light at 680 nm than nanospheres