Wisely Designed Phthalocyanine Derivative for Convenient Molecular Fabrication on a Substrate

An axial-substituted silicon phthalocyanine derivative, SiPc­(OR)₂ (R = C₄H₉), that is soluble in organic solvent is conveniently synthesized. This silicon phthalocyanine derivative reacts with a hydroxyl group on a substrate and then with another phthalocyanine derivative under mild conditions. The accumulation number of the phthalocyanine molecules on the substrates is easily controlled by the immersion time. On the basis of AFM (atomic force microscopy) images, the surface of the phthalocyanine-modified glass substrate has uneven structures on the nanometer scale. ITO electrodes modified with the composition of the phthalocyanine derivative and PCBM show stable cathodic photocurrent generation upon light irradiation

Surfactant-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Hafnium Oxide Nanoparticles in Highly Alkaline Media

Hafnium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via a short-duration (10 min) hydrothermal reaction. The reaction was found to produce three differently shaped nanoparticles: flower-like nanostructures (20 nm diameter), polycrystalline nanoagglomerates (25 nm diameter), and water-dispersible single nanoparticles (4 nm diameter). The mechanisms by which these different shapes form were then investigated by examining the effects of precursor alkalinity and the presence of an organic capping agent. The synthesized water-dispersible nanoparticles showed a very high affinity for water-soluble polymers, thus demonstrating their potential for fabrication of transparent nanocomposite films