Search

A novel NIR (near infrared) active photothermal agent, CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S has been synthesized by covalent grafting of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and subsequent deposition of Ag 2 S nanocrystallites. The potential of CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S as a NIR active photothermal agent was preliminarily accessed by its electronic absorption spectrum measured in UV-vis-NIR region. The CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S exhibited excellent photothermal effect and photothermal conversion efficiency of 26% under illumination with 980 nm laser, the efficiency was found to be higher than popular gold and copper based photothermal agents. Temperature attained by CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S during measurement of its photothermal effect was 64.7 °C at 1 g/mL, which far exceeds the temperature tolerance level of cancer cells. So that CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S could destroy the cancer cells in an effective manner. Furthermore, it was found the linear dependence of photothermal effect of CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S over its concentration. CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S possessed excellent stability against photo-bleaching and photo-corrosiveness. In consideration of its outstanding photothermal effect and photothermal conversion efficiency, CNTs-PAMAM-Ag 2 S could be a promising photothermal agent to employ in future photothermal therapy.

Herein, we present a novel acid-less synthetic approach for in-situ polymerization of aniline synchronized with reduction of graphene oxide to graphene. This method provides uniform deposition of ordered polyaniline nanotubes over the surface of graphene nanosheets. The synthesized graphene-polyaniline nanocomposite has the ability of complete removal of harmful dyes commonly used in industry: such as methyl orange, methylene blue, and rhoadmine B from the waste water under the exposure to natural sunlight. The system can be used as an efficient solar energy operated photocatalyst due to effective suppression of recombination of the charge carriers. The unique spatial structure of the graphene-polyaniline nanocomposite has high chemical stability, can be recycled after photolysis, and allows using in multiple cycles without reduction in its photocatalytic activity. In addition, the graphene-polyaniline nanocomposite exhibits strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, good photothermal stability, as well as shows substantial thermal energy generation under exposure to 808 or 980 nm NIR lasers. The electrical conductivity of polyaniline nanotubes is improved as a result of their conjugation with graphene nanosheets in the nanocomposite. Owing to its outstanding photocatalytic activity and chemical stability, the reported graphene-polyaniline nanocomposite has a great potential in purification of industrially generated waste water.

Herein, we report the in situ polymerization of 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (15DAN) and 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone (14DAA) on the surface of reduced graphite oxide (RGO). Synthesized RGO-P15DAN and RGO-P14DAA were characterized by FTIR, Raman, SEM, TGA and XRD. The adsorption capacity and adsorptivity of the synthesized composites were investigated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) using 100 ppm aqueous solution of Pb(2+) ions. Further, we compared the results of the composites with those of poly 1,5-(diaminonaphthalene) (P15DAN), poly 1,4-(diaminoanthraquinone) (P14DAA), RGO, graphite oxide (GO) and graphite. Among the tested adsorbents, RGO-P15DAN demonstrated the high adsorptivity., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, hydroxyapatite (HA) was successfully grafted to carboxylated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanosheets. The HA grafted CNTs and HA-graphene nanosheets were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, SEM and X-ray diffraction. The HA grafted CNTs and graphene nanosheets (CNTs-HA and Gr-HA) were further used to examine the proliferation and differentiation rate of temperature-sensitive human fetal osteoblastic cell line (hFOB 1.19). Total protein assays and western blot analysis of osteocalcin expression were used as indicators of cell proliferation and differentiation. Results indicated that hFOB 1.19 cells proliferate and differentiate well in treatment media containing CNTs-HA and graphene-HA. Both CNTs-HA and graphene-HA could be promising nanomaterials for use as scaffolds in bone tissue engineering., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The adsorption efficiency and kinetics of removal of lead in presence of graphite oxide (GO) was determined using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The GO was prepared by the chemical oxidation of graphite and characterized using FTIR, SEM, TGA and XRD. The adsorption efficiency of GO for the solution containing 50, 100 and 150 ppm of Pb(2+) was found to be 98%, 91% and 71% respectively. The adsorption ability of GO was found to be higher than graphite. Therefore, the oxidation of activated carbon in removal of heavy metals may be a viable option to reduce pollution in portable water., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Herein we report the design of antimicrobial nanohybrids, f-MWCNTs-CdS and f-MWCNTs-Ag(2)S developed by covalent grafting of cationic hyperbranched dendritic polyamidoamine (PAMAM) onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and successive deposition of CdS and Ag(2)S quantum dots (QDs). The CdS and Ag(2)S QDs were in situ deposited on PAMAM grafted MWCNTs instead of anchoring the pre-synthesized QDs. The fourth generation, amine terminated hyperbranched PAMAM was grafted on MWCNTs, which was achieved through repetitive reactions of Michael addition of methylmethacrylate to the surface amino groups and amidation of terminal ester groups with ethylenediamine. The covalent grafting of PAMAM onto MWCNTs and the consecutive conjugation of CdS and Ag(2)S QDs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of f-MWCNTs-CdS and f-MWCNTs-Ag(2)S nanohybrids was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and the results were compared with the activity of carboxylated MWCNTs, PAMAM grafted MWCNTs, PAMAM dendrimer, and CdS and Ag(2)S QDs. It was found that the germicidal action of MWCNTs was enhanced by grafting of PAMAM, which was further improved with immobilization of CdS and Ag(2)S QDs., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The single walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were effectively functionalized through grafting with chitosan (CTS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Prior to grafting reaction, the carboxylated SWNCTs (SWNCTs-COOH) were obtained by treating pristine CNTs with a mixture of 3:1 (v/v) H(2)SO(4) and HNO(3), and the successive treatment of SWNCTs-COOH with SOCl(2) yielded the acylated CNTs (CNTs-COCl). The functionalized derivatives of CNTs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Both CTS and PMMA grafted CNTs showed better dispersability in acetic acid and tetrahydrofuran, in addition to higher stability in solution., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Herein a facile hydrothermal approach is used to construct carbon coated TiO2 nanoparticles employing dextrose as the source of carbon. The procedure is operated at a low temperature of 200 °C. Fourier infrared spectroscopy demonstrated the successful coating of carbon on TiO2 nanoparticles. The phase composition of TiO2 and carbon coated TiO2 nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction and the surface morphology was analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The existence of carbon coating on TiO2 nanoparticles was revealed by thermogravimetric analysis through different thermograms exhibited for TiO2 and carbon coated TiO2 nanoparticles. The reported method offers a simple and efficient approach for production of carbon coated TiO2 nanoparticles., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Herein a simple and effective approach is introduced to functionalize single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by in-situ grafting of hydroxyapatite (HA). The pristine SWCNTs were chemically activated through introduction of carboxylic groups on their surfaces by refluxing in the mixture of H(2)SO(4) and HNO(3). The resulting carboxylated SWCNTs were further utilized for grafting of HA. The Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic studies demonstrated the formation of HA and its grafting over SWCNTs. The phase composition of HA and existence Ca(2+) and PO(4) (3-) ions were studied using X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analyses, respectively. The surface morphology of functionalized SWCNTs was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the existence of HA on SWCNTs by exhibiting different thermogram for pure HA and functionalized SWCNTs. Overall this method produced uniform grafting of low crystalline HA on carboxylated SWCNTs with strong interfacial bonding.

Two novel ternary nanocatalysts, f-MWCNTs-CdS and f-MWCNTs-Ag(2)S were successfully constructed by covalent grafting of fourth generation (G4) hyperbranched, crosslinked poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) to carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) and subsequent deposition of CdS or Ag(2)S quantum dots (QDs). The structural transformation, surface potential, and morphology of functionalized MWCNTs (f-MWCNTs) and nanocatalysts were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the effective anchoring of QDs on f-MWCNTs. The catalytic activity of nanocatalysts was evaluated by photodegradation of methyl orange under illumination of UV light. The coupling of MWCNTs, PAMAM and CdS or Ag(2)S QDs significantly enhanced the catalytic efficiency of nanocatalysts. The rate constants for degradation of methyl orange in presence of nanocatalysts were calculated using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. Overall, the excellence in photodegradation was accomplished by hybridizing f-MWCNTs with CdS or Ag(2)S.

Herein we described the synthesis of a novel f-CNTs-Pd nanocatalyst by covalent grafting of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and subsequent deposition of Pd nanoparticles. Prior to grafting of PLA, CNTs were oxidized with a mixture of HNO(3)/H(2)SO(4) and successively activated with thionyl chloride. The PLA grafted CNTs (f-CNTs) were then used as platform for in-situ deposition of Pd nanoparticles. The formation of f-CNTs-Pd nanocatalyst was analyzed by UV-vis, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, powder XRD, energy dispersive spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The morphologies of the nanocatalyst were characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The f-CNTs stabilized Pd nanoparticles are found to be more effective in the promotion of Heck cross-coupling reaction between aryl halides and n-butyl acrylate. The f-CNTs-Pd nanocatalyst was regenerated for three cycles of reaction without any significant loss in its activity.

The electron donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction between 2,3-dicyano-1,4-naphthoquinone (DCNQ) and 3,4-dimethylaniline (3,4-DMA) is studied in chloroform, dichloromethane and 1:1 (v/v) mixture of chloroform and dichloromethane. The rate of formation of the product was measured as a function of time using UV-vis spectrophotometer. The formation constant (K) and molar extinction coefficient (ɛ) values for the formation of EDA complex were evaluated in the temperature range of 20-35°C. The pseudo-first-order rate constant (k1) and the second-order rate constant (k2) for the disappearance of EDA complex and for the formation of product were evaluated. The activation parameters (ΔH#, ΔS# and ΔG#) of the reaction were determined by temperature dependence of rate constants using the Arrhenius plots. The effect of relative permittivity of the medium on the reaction is discussed. The observed results indicate that formation of final product proceeds through initial formation of EDA complex as an intermediate. The product of the reaction was purified by column chromatography method and identified as 3-(N-3,4-dimethyl-phenylamino)-2-cyano-1,4-naphthoquinone by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy. On the basis of kinetic, analytical and spectroscopic results, a plausible mechanism for the formation of EDA complex and its transformation into product is proposed., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The rapid interaction between 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone (DClNQ) and n-butylamine results in the formation of 2N(n-butylamino)-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone as the final product. The reaction is found to proceed through the initial formation of charge-transfer (CT) complex as an intermediate. The final product of the reaction has been isolated and characterized using FTIR, H1 and C13 NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The rate of formation of product has been measured as a function of time in different halocarbon solvents, viz., chloroform, dichloromethane and 1:1 (v/v) mixture of two solvents. The pseudo first order and second order rate constants at various temperatures for the transformation process were evaluated from the absorbance time data. The activation parameters (E(a), DeltaS#, DeltaH#, and DeltaG#) were obtained from temperature dependence of rate constants. The influence of dielectric constant on the properties of reaction was discussed and the probable course of reaction is presented.

The donor-acceptor complexes between 2,3-dichloro-5-nitro-1,4-naphthoquinone (DClNNQ) and some methyl substituted anilines were investigated by spectrophotometric method. This investigation was carried out in three different chlorinated solvents viz., chloroform, dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane. Experimental evidences shows the formation of 1:2 (A:D) complexes but not 1:1 complexes. The calculated values of the oscillator strength and transition moment confirms this suggestion. The stoichiometry of the complexes was unaffected by the variation of temperature over a small interval and also change in solvent. The thermodynamic and spectroscopic parameters were evaluated in all the three solvents for the formation of CT-complexes. The influence of used solvents on the thermodynamic and spectroscopic parameters was investigated. The strength of the donors was also investigated.