Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles.

RT ferromagnetism was observed in nanoparticles of Fe-doped CeO2 (i.e., Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2) synthesized by a sol-gel method. The undoped and Fe-doped CeO2 were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, and VSM. The undoped samples and Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 precursor exhibit a diamagnetic behavior. The 673 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 sample is paramagnetic whereas 773 and 873 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 samples are ferromagnetism having the magnetizations of 4.65 x 10(-3) emu/g and 6.20 x 10(-3) emu/g at 10 kOe, respectively. Our results indicate that the ferromagnetic property is intrinsic to the Fe-doped CeO2 system and is not a result of any secondary magnetic phase or cluster formation.

Cellular evaluation of the toxicity of combustion derived particulate matter: influence of particle grinding and washing on cellular response.

There is increasing interest in continual monitoring of air for the presence of inhalation health hazards, such as particulate matter, produced through combustion of fossil fuels. Currently there are no means to rapidly evaluate the relative toxicity of materials or to reliably predict potential health impact due to the complexity of the composition, size, and physical properties of particulate matter. This research evaluates the feasibility of utilizing cell cultures as the biological recognition element of an inhalation health monitoring system. The response of rat lung type II epithelial (RLE-6TN) cells to a variety of combustion derived particulates and their components has been evaluated. The focus of the current work is an evaluation of how particles are delivered to a cellular sensing array and to what degree does washing or grinding of the particles impacts the cellular response. There were significant differences in the response of these lung cells to PM's of varying sources. Mechanical grinding or washing was found to alter the toxicity of some of these particulates; however these effects were strongly dependent on the fuel source. Washing reduced toxicity of oil PM's, but had little effect on those from diesel or coal. Mechanical grinding could significantly increase the toxicity of coal PM's, but not for oil or diesel.

Formation of hydroxyl radicals and kinetic study of 2-chlorophenol photocatalytic oxidation using C-doped TiO2, N-doped TiO2, and C,N Co-doped TiO2 under visible light.

This work reports on synthesis, characterization, adsorption ability, formation rate of hydroxyl radicals (OH(•)), photocatalytic oxidation kinetics, and mineralization ability of C-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2), N-doped TiO2, and C,N co-doped TiO2 prepared by the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible spectroscopy were used to analyze the titania. The rate of formation of OH(•) for each type of titania was determined, and the OH-index was calculated. The kinetics of as-synthesized TiO2 catalysts in photocatalytic oxidation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) under visible light irradiation were evaluated. Results revealed that nitrogen was incorporated into the lattice of titania with the structure of O-Ti-N linkages in N-doped TiO2 and C,N co-doped TiO2. Carbon was joined to the Ti-O-C bond in the C-doped TiO2 and C,N co-doped TiO2. The 2-CP adsorption ability of C,N co-doped TiO2 and C-doped TiO2 originated from a layer composed of a complex carbonaceous mixture at the surface of TiO2. C,N co-doped TiO2 had highest formation rate of OH(•) and photocatalytic activity due to a synergistic effect of carbon and nitrogen co-doping. The order of photocatalytic activity per unit surface area was the same as that of the formation rate of OH(•) unit surface area in the following order: C,N co-doped TiO2 > C-doped TiO2 > N-doped TiO2 > undoped TiO2.

Dendron-Controlled Nucleation and Growth of Gold Nanoparticles.

Passivation of the metal surface by dendrons bearing a focal 4-pyridone functionality (the second-generation dendron is shown; C: gray, N: blue, O: red) allows controlled nucleation and growth of gold nanoclusters. The particle size is a direct function of the generation number of the dendritic ligands, with higher generation dendron producing larger particles.

Printed sub-100 nm polymer-derived ceramic structures.

We proposed an unconventional fabrication technique called spin-on nanoprinting (SNAP) to generate and transfer sub-100 nm preceramic polymer patterns onto flexible and rigid substrates. The dimensions of printed nanostructures are almost the same as those of the mold, since the ceramic precursor used is a liquid. The printed patterns can be used as a replica for printing second-generation structures using other polymeric materials or they can be further converted to desirable ceramic structures, which are very attractive for high-temperature and harsh environment applications. SNAP is an inexpensive parallel process and requires no special equipment for operation.

Visible light absorption ability and photocatalytic oxidation activity of various interstitial N-doped TiO2 prepared from different nitrogen dopants.

Nitrogen-doped TiO(2) was developed to enable photocatalytic reactions using the visible range of the solar spectrum. This work reports on the synthesis, characterisation and kinetic study of interstitial N-doped TiO(2) prepared by the sol-gel method using three different types of nitrogen dopants: diethanolamine, triethylamine and urea. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy were used to analyse the titania. Different interstitial N-doped TiO(2) properties, such as absorption ability in the UV-visible light region, redshift in adsorption edge, good crystallisation and composition ratio of titania structures (anatase and rutile) could be obtained from different nitrogen dopants. Amongst investigated nitrogen precursors, diethanolamine provided the highest visible light absorption ability of interstitial N-doped TiO(2) with the smallest energy bandgap and the smallest anatase crystal size, resulting in the highest efficiency in 2-chlorophenol degradation. The photocatalytic activity of all N-doped TiO(2) can be arranged in the following order: TiO(2)/diethanolamine>TiO(2)/triethylamine>TiO(2)/urea>un-doped TiO(2). The initial rate of 2-chlorophenol degradation using the interstitial N-doped TiO(2) with diethanolamine was 0.59 mg/L-min and the kinetic constant was 2.34 x 10(-2)min(-1) with a half-life of 98 min. In all cases, hydroquinone was detected as a major intermediate in the degradation of 2-chlorophenol.

Strontium speciation during reaction of kaolinite with simulated tank-waste leachate: bulk and microfocused EXAFS analysis.

Radioactive strontium (90Sr) is an important constituent of the complex wastes from past nuclear weapons production and has been stored in underground tanks at U.S. DOE sites (e.g., Hanford, WA). Using bulk and microfocused EXAFS spectroscopy, we examined temporal changes in solid-phase Sr speciation in kaolinite samples reacted for 1-369 d with high-pH, high ionic strength synthetic tank-waste leachate containing Sr(2+) and Cs(+) at 10(-3) mol kg(-1). Analyses of bulk EXAFS spectra showed that Sr initially forms a precipitate by 7 d with a local structure similar to SrCO(3-) (s). At 33 d, microfocused EXAFS of individual particles in one sample revealed a mixture of hydrated and dehydrated Sr associated with neoformed sodalite-type phases. At aging times of 93 d and longer, bulk EXAFS spectra and supporting characterizations indicated nonexchangeable Sr with a local structure consistent with incorporation into increasingly crystalline aluminosilicate particles, particularly sodalite. These experimental studies suggest that irreversible trapping of radionuclides occurs if they are present during the formation and aging of feldspathoid alteration products of local Si-bearing sediment minerals. This may serve as an effective contaminant sequestration mechanism at sites such as Hanford.