Structure of Gold - Silver Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles with nominal structures of Au@Ag (core@shell) and Au@Ag@Au (core@shell@shell) were prepared using the sequential citrate reduction technique and characterized using routine characterization techniques, including transmission electron microscopy. X-ray absorption spectroscopy was then carried out on the samples, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis was used to determine the structure of the systems. The results of the routine techniques and the X-ray absorption spectroscopy were then compared. EXAFS analysis of the nanoparticles with the Au@Ag structure revealed very limited bimetallic interactions, supporting the assignment of a core@shell structure. EXAFS analysis of the nanoparticles with Au@Ag@Au structure showed an increased proportion of bimetallic interactions. Based on the colloid composition, the other characterization techniques and the chemistry of the system, these nanoparticles were interpreted as having an Au@Au/Ag-alloy structure. The EXAFS analyses corroborated the other characterization techniques and enabled the determination of the average-structure of the entire sample

Multicore magnetic FePt nanoparticles: controlled formation and properties

Research on magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) has become one of the most active and exciting fields in materials science. The challenge is to produce magnetic NPs with high magnetic saturation without exceeding the super-paramagnetic limit so that they may be used as non-permanent magnets in biomedicine and catalysis. FePt offers enhanced saturation magnetisation properties compared to iron oxide, however synthetic methods require fine-tuning to achieve these superior properties. Multicore FePt NPs up to 44 nm in diameter and composed of Pt rich FePt nanocrystals within an iron rich FePt matrix not previously seen in the literature are presented here. The results indicate that coordination of Fe and Pt intermediates with oleic acid and oleylamine respectively hinders deposition of each respective metal in the growth of discrete and multicore NPs

Quantitative two-dimensional strain mapping of small core-shell FePt@Fe3O4 nanoparticles

We report a facile one-pot chemical synthesis of colloidal FePt@Fe3O4 core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) with an average diameter of 8.7 ± 0.4 nm and determine their compositional morphology, microstructure, two-dimensional strain, and magnetic hysteresis. Using various state-of-the-art analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization techniques—including high resolution TEM imaging, TEM tomography, scanning TEM-high angle annular dark field imaging, and scanning TEM-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy elemental mapping—we gain a comprehensive understanding of the chemical and physical properties of FePt@Fe3O4 NPs. Additional analysis using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry distinguishes the oxide phase and determines the magnetic properties. The geometric phase analysis method is effective in revealing interfacial strain at the core–shell interface. This is of fundamental interest for strain engineering of nanoparticles for desirable applications

Doxorubicin loaded dual pH- and thermo-responsive magnetic nanocarrier for combined magnetic hyperthermia and targeted controlled drug delivery applications

Magnetic nanocarriers have attracted increasing attention for multimodal cancer therapy due to the possibility to deliver heat and drugs locally. The present study reports the development of magnetic nanocomposites (MNCs) made of an iron oxide core and a pH- and thermo-responsive polymer shell, that can be used as both hyperthermic agent and drug carrier. The conjugation of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to the pH- and thermo-responsive MNCs via acid-cleavable imine linker provides advanced features for the targeted delivery of DOX molecules via the combination of magnetic targeting, and dual pH- and thermo-responsive behaviour which offers spatial and temporal control over the release of DOX. The iron oxide cores exhibit a superparamagnetic behaviour with a saturation magnetization around 70 emu g−1. The MNCs contained 8.1 wt% of polymer and exhibit good heating properties in an alternating magnetic field. The drug release experiments confirmed that only a small amount of DOX was released at room temperature and physiological pH, while the highest drug release of 85.2% was obtained after 48 h at acidic tumour pH under hyperthermia conditions (50 °C). The drug release kinetic followed Korsmeyer–Peppas model and displayed Fickian diffusion mechanism. From the results obtained it can be concluded that this smart magnetic nanocarrier is promising for applications in multi-modal cancer therapy, to target and efficiently deliver heat and drug specifically to the tumou

A study of the properties of core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles

© 2017, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. The properties of heterophase core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles synthesized via a plasma method that are promising for biological applications are studied. As is established, the core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles exhibit a superparamagnetic state at room temperature that allows one to manage the hyperthermia process. The magnetic characteristics of core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles are interpreted by assuming partial oxidation of the surface layer of a ferromagnetic FeCo shell and formation of the antiferromagnetic Co x Fe 1–x О layer on the FeCo surface. The interaction between the surface antiferromagnetic Co x Fe 1–x О layer and the ferromagnetic FeCо shell causes the emergence of the exchange bias in Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles

Synthesis of magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles with controlled morphology, monodispersity and composition: the influence of solvent, surfactant, reductant and synthetic conditions

In our present work, magnetic cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesised by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) and Co(II) acetylacetonate compounds in organic solvents in the presence of oleic acid (OA)/ oleylamine (OLA) as surfactants and 1,2-hexadecanediol (HDD) or octadecanol (OCD-ol) as an accelerating agent. As a result, CoFe2O4 nanoparticles of different shapes were tightly controlled in size (range of 4–30 nm) and monodispersity (standard deviation only at ca. 5%). Experimental parameters, such as reaction time, temperature, surfactant concentration, solvent, precursor ratio, and accelerating agent, in particular, the role of HDD, OCD-ol, and OA/OLA have been intensively investigated in detail to discover the best conditions for the synthesis of the above magnetic nanoparticles. The obtained nanoparticles have been successfully applied for producing oriented carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and they have potential to be used in biomedical applications

編集委員

© 2017, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. The properties of heterophase core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles synthesized via a plasma method that are promising for biological applications are studied. As is established, the core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles exhibit a superparamagnetic state at room temperature that allows one to manage the hyperthermia process. The magnetic characteristics of core/shell/shell Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles are interpreted by assuming partial oxidation of the surface layer of a ferromagnetic FeCo shell and formation of the antiferromagnetic Co x Fe 1–x О layer on the FeCo surface. The interaction between the surface antiferromagnetic Co x Fe 1–x О layer and the ferromagnetic FeCо shell causes the emergence of the exchange bias in Ag/FeCo/Ag nanoparticles

Synthesis of Fine-Tuning Highly Magnetic Fe@FexOy Nanoparticles through Continuous Injection and a Study of Magnetic Hyperthermia

Core@shell Fe@FexOy nanoparticles (NPs) have the potential to be promising tools for many applications, thanks to their combination of an iron core, with a high magnetic moment and an iron oxide shell which could protect the core from oxidation. However, the deterioration of NPs structure can lead to the shrinking of the core and the hollowing of the structure, diminishing the magnetic properties. The ability to retain the iron core under biomedically compatible conditions is desirable for many applications. In this paper, we have developed a synthetic method to produce core@shell α-Fe@FexOy NPs with tunable sizes and evaluated the retention of the stable magnetic α-Fe core upon exposure to air and after ligand exchange and its resulting effect on the magnetic hyperthermia. In particular, using a continuous injection of the precursor, we were able to finely tune the final size of the core@shell NPs producing four samples with average sizes of 12, 15, 18, and 20 nm. The structural properties of the particles were studied, and while the size increases, the chemical stability of the iron core is enhanced, and the magnetic properties improved accordingly. Particles larger than 20 nm were shown to be prone to aggregation, resulting in an abrupt increase of the particle size distribution. Two samples with high magnetization saturation value and low polydispersity, 15 and 18 nm, were transferred in water using a dopamine-functionalized poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) polymer, resulting in colloidal stability over a wide range of pH and ionic strength comparable to physiological conditions. We found that the 18 nm particles retain their chemical properties over 2 months, with less oxidation of the Fe core; this results in a specific absorption rate (SAR) value of 660 W g−1 and intrinsic loss power (ILP) of 3.6 nHm2 kg−1 , while the 15 nm NPs resulted in the reduction of their properties due to oxidation of the core

Environmental STEM Study of the Oxidation Mechanism for Iron and Iron Carbide Nanoparticles

The oxidation of solution-synthesized iron (Fe) and iron carbide (Fe2C) nanoparticles was studied in an environmental scanning transmission electron microscope (ESTEM) at elevated temperatures under oxygen gas. The nanoparticles studied had a native oxide shell present, that formed after synthesis, an ~3 nm iron oxide (FexOy) shell for the Fe nanoparticles and ~2 nm for the Fe2C nanoparticles, with small void areas seen in several places between the core and shell for the Fe and an ~0.8 nm space between the core and shell for the Fe2C. The iron nanoparticles oxidized asymmetrically, with voids on the borders between the Fe core and FexOy shell increasing in size until the void coalesced, and finally the Fe core disappeared. In comparison, the oxidation of the Fe2C progressed symmetrically, with the core shrinking in the center and the outer oxide shell growing until the iron carbide had fully disappeared. Small bridges of iron oxide formed during oxidation, indicating that the Fe transitioned to the oxide shell surface across the channels, while leaving the carbon behind in the hollow core. The carbon in the carbide is hypothesized to suppress the formation of larger crystallites of iron oxide during oxidation, and alter the diffusion rates of the Fe and O during the reaction, which explains the lower sensitivity to oxidation of the Fe2C nanoparticles

Heat-Up Colloidal Synthesis of Shape-Controlled Cu-Se-S Nanostructures—Role of Precursor and Surfactant Reactivity and Performance in N2 Electroreduction

Copper selenide-sulfide nanostructures were synthesized using metal-organic chemical routes in the presence of Cu- and Se-precursors as well as S-containing compounds. Our goal was first to examine if the initial Cu/Se 1:1 molar proportion in the starting reagents would always lead to equiatomic composition in the final product, depending on other synthesis parameters which affect the reagents reactivity. Such reaction conditions were the types of precursors, surfactants and other reagents, as well as the synthesis temperature. The use of ‘hot-injection’ processes was avoided, focusing on ‘non-injection’ ones; that is, only heat-up protocols were employed, which have the advantage of simple operation and scalability. All reagents were mixed at room temperature followed by further heating to a selected high temperature. It was found that for samples with particles of bigger size and anisotropic shape the CuSe composition was favored, whereas particles with smaller size and spherical shape possessed a Cu2−xSe phase, especially when no sulfur was present. Apart from elemental Se, Al2Se3 was used as an efficient selenium source for the first time for the acquisition of copper selenide nanostructures. The use of dodecanethiol in the presence of trioctylphosphine and elemental Se promoted the incorporation of sulfur in the materials crystal lattice, leading to Cu-Se-S compositions. A variety of techniques were used to characterize the formed nanomaterials such as XRD, TEM, HRTEM, STEM-EDX, AFM and UV-Vis-NIR. Promising results, especially for thin anisotropic nanoplates for use as electrocatalysts in nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), were obtained