Dynamic Nuclear Polarization of Selectively 29Si-Enriched Core@shell Silica Nanoparticles.

29Si silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes that possess advantageous properties for in vivo applications, including suitable biocompatibility, tailorable properties, and high water dispersibility. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is used to enhance 29Si MR signals via enhanced nuclear spin alignment; to date, there has been limited success employing DNP for SiO2 NPs due to the lack of endogenous electronic defects that are required for the process. To create opportunities for SiO2-based 29Si MRI probes, we synthesized variously featured SiO2 NPs with selective 29Si isotope enrichment on homogeneous and core@shell structures (shell thickness: 10 nm, core size: 40 nm), and identified the critical factors for optimal DNP signal enhancement as well as the effective hyperpolarization depth when using an exogenous radical. Based on the synthetic design, this critical factor is the proportion of 29Si in the shell layer regardless of core enrichment. Furthermore, the effective depth of hyperpolarization is less than 10 nm between the surface and core, which demonstrates an approximately 40% elongated diffusion length for the shell-enriched NPs compared to the natural abundance NPs. This improved regulation of surface properties facilitates the development of isotopically enriched SiO2 NPs as hyperpolarized contrast agents for in vivo MRI.

Dispersion Stability of 14 Manufactured Nanomaterials for Ecotoxicity Tests Using Raphidocelis subcapitata.

The development of nanotechnology has increased concerns about the exposure of ecosystems to manufactured nanomaterials, the toxicities of which are now being researched. However, when manufactured nanomaterials are mixed with algae in a culture medium for ecotoxicity tests, the results are vulnerable to distortion by an agglomeration phenomenon. Here, we describe a dispersion method commonly applicable to ecotoxicity tests for the 14 types of manufactured nanomaterials specified by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development's Sponsorship Programme, namely aluminum oxide (Al2O3), carbon black, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), cerium oxide (CeO2), dendrimers, fullerene, gold (Au), iron (Fe), nanoclays, silver (Ag), silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO). The type of dispersant, sonication time, and stirring speed were carefully considered. Consequently, 1500 mg/L of gum arabic was selected as a dispersant; for sonication time, 1 h was selected for dendrimers, 2 h for SiO2, 24 h for SWCNTs and Au, and 4 h for the other nanomaterials. Dispersion stability was achieved for all materials at a stirring speed of 200 rpm. To verify the effect of this dispersion method on ecotoxicity tests, toxicity was measured through cell counts for SWCNTs and TiO2 using Raphidocelis subcapitata. The half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) were 18.0 ± 4.6 mg/L for SWCNTs and 316.6 ± 64.7 mg/L for TiO2.

One-pot bifunctionalization of silica nanoparticles conjugated with bioorthogonal linkers: application in dual-modal imaging.

Covalent surface modification of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) offers great potential for the development of multimodal nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Herein, we report the synthesis of covalently conjugated bifunctional SNPs and their application to in vivo multimodal imaging. Bis(methallyl)silane 15 with cyclopropene and maleimide, designed as a stable bifunctional linker, was efficiently synthesized by traceless Staudiger ligation, and subsequently introduced onto the surface of monodispersed SNPs via Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed siloxane formation. The bifunctional linker-grafted SNP 20 underwent both thiol-conjugated addition and tetrazine cycloaddition in one pot. Finally, positron emission tomography/computed tomography and fluorescence imaging study of dual functional SNP [125I]28 labeled with NIR dye and 125I isotope showed a prolonged circulation in mice, which is conducive to the systemic delivery of therapeutics.

Sub-40 nm zeolite suspensions via disassembly of three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous-imprinted silicalite-1.

Zeolite nanocrystals were prepared from three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous-imprinted (3DOm-i) silicalite-1 by a fragmentation method involving sonication and dissolution within a certain pH range. 3DOm-i silicalite-1 with spherical elements with diameters ranging from 10 to 40 nm and a wide range of crystal sizes (100-200 nm, 500-600 nm, and 1-2 µm) was used as the starting material. The highest yield (57%) of isolated nanocrystals was obtained for 3DOm-i silicalite-1 with a crystal size of 100-200 nm and a spherical element diameter of 40 nm. The smallest nanocrystals obtained, albeit in very low yields, had a 10 nm diameter. Preparation of stable silicalite-1 nanocrystal suspensions fragmented from 20 and 40 nm 3DOm-i silicalite-1 was demonstrated. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy showed that the isolated zeolite nanocrystals can be used as seeds for the epitaxial growth of silicalite-1. An application of these findings was demonstrated: silicalite-1 nanocrystal suspensions were used to deposit seed layers on porous α-alumina disks, which were converted to continuous thin (300-400 nm) films by secondary growth that exhibited both high permeances and separation factors (3.5 × 10(-7) mol m(-2) s(-1) Pa(-1) and 94-120, respectively, at 150 °C) for p- and o-xylene.

Site-specific functionalization of anisotropic nanoparticles: from colloidal atoms to colloidal molecules.

Multipodal nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled tethers are promising principal building blocks, useful for constructing more complex materials, much like atoms are connected into more complex molecules. Here we report colloidal sphere templating as a viable means to create tetrapodal NPs with site-specific tethers. Amorphous sol-gel materials were molded by the template into shaped NPs that mimic tetravalent atoms but on the length scale of colloids. Synthetic methods were developed to modify only the tips of the tetrapods with a range of possible functional groups to generate anisotropic NPs capable of directional bonding to other NPs. We also illustrate that sets of tethered "colloidal atoms" can assemble themselves into "colloidal molecules" with precise placement of the modifying colloids. The templating and tethering approaches to these anisotropic colloidal building blocks and the assembly methods are applicable to many compositions regardless of crystal structure, therefore lending themselves to the fabrication of complex assemblies, analogous to those found in the molecular regime.

Growth patterns and shape development of zeolite nanocrystals in confined syntheses.

The effects of confinement on the morphological development of the zeolite silicalite-1 were studied during hydrothermal synthesis in three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) carbon monoliths. By scheduling multiple infiltration/hydrothermal reaction (IHT) steps using precursor solutions with high (H) or low nutrient content (L) in specific sequences, it was possible to obtain various zeolite morphologies of interest for technological applications. The special morphologies are also functions of shaping and templating effects by the 3DOM carbon reactor and functions of limited mass transport in the confined reaction environment. IHT steps employing high nutrient concentrations favor nucleation, whereas those using low nutrient concentrations provide growth-dominant conditions. Observed product morphologies include polycrystalline sphere arrays for the sequence HHH..., single crystal domains spanning dozens of macropores for the sequence LLL..., and faceted silicalite-1 crystallites with dimensions less than 100 nm with the sequence HLLL.... Most of these crystallites have dimensions less than 100 nm and would be suitable building blocks for seeded zeolite membrane growth. Finally, the sequence LLL...H introduces a secondary population of particles with smaller size, so that the size distribution of zeolite crystallites in the combined population may be tuned, for example, to optimize packing of particles. Hence, by choosing the appropriate infiltration program, it is possible to control grain sizes in polycrystalline particles (spheres and opaline arrays of spheres), which alters the concentration of grain boundaries in the particles and is expected to influence transport properties through the zeolite.

Hierarchical nanofabrication of microporous crystals with ordered mesoporosity.

Shaped zeolite nanocrystals and larger zeolite particles with three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous (3DOm) features hold exciting technological implications for manufacturing thin, oriented molecular sieve films and realizing new selective, molecularly accessible and robust catalysts. A recognized means for controlled synthesis of such nanoparticulate and imprinted materials revolves around templating approaches, yet identification of an appropriately versatile template has remained elusive. Because of their highly interconnected pore space, ordered mesoporous carbon replicas serve as conceptually attractive materials for carrying out confined synthesis of zeolite crystals. Here, we demonstrate how a wide range of crystal morphologies can be realized through such confined growth within 3DOm carbon, synthesized by replication of colloidal crystals composed of size-tunable (about 10-40 nm) silica nanoparticles. Confined crystal growth within these templates leads to size-tunable, uniformly shaped silicalite-1 nanocrystals as well as 3DOm-imprinted single-crystal zeolite particles. In addition, novel crystal morphologies, consisting of faceted crystal outgrowths from primary crystalline particles have been discovered, providing new insight into constricted crystal growth mechanisms underlying confined synthesis.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Composition- and Morphology-Tunable Polyimide-Based Microparticles.

Polyimide is one of the most important high-performance polymers, which is widely used due to its excellent mechanical performance and thermal stability. Unlike the conventional synthetic approach, hydrothermal polymerization enables the synthesis of polyimides without any toxic solvent and catalyst. Herein, we report the synthesis of polyimide-based microparticles (PIMs) through one-pot hydrothermal polymerization using precursors of mellitic acid (MA) and three isomers of phenylenediamine (PDA) (o-, m-, and p-PDA). Interestingly, the chemical composition of PIMs was highly tunable with the choice of the PDA isomers, leading to considerable morphological differences between PIMs. The molecular dynamics simulation and density functional theory calculation of the polymeric segment of the respective PIMs suggested that the relative ratio of amide to imide influenced the rotational freedom of the polymeric chains and number of hydrogen bonds, resulting in the well-defined structures of respective PIMs. Considering the highly tunable nature of PIMs coupled with the facile synthetic protocol, we anticipate prospective potentials of PIMs in materials, energy, and composite applications.

Facile synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles inside a nanoporous carbon matrix (M/MO@C) through the morphology-preserved transformation of metal-organic framework.

A facile method to transform metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into metal/metal oxide@carbon (M/MO@C) composites with well-defined shapes is reported. The porosity of carbon and the particle sizes of M/MO are readily controlled by a simple two-step process that includes impregnation of the polymer precursors and a thermolysis reaction.

Structural evolution in ordered mesoporous TiO2 anatase electrodes.

Structural evolutions of spherical, ordered mesoporous TiO2 anatase electrodes have been investigated during lithium intercalation-de-intercalation.

Nanostructuring of a polymeric substrate with well-defined nanometer-scale topography and tailored surface wettability.

This study demonstrates a simple and highly reproducible method for fabricating well-defined nanostructured polymeric surfaces with aligned nanoembosses or nanofibers of controllable aspect ratios, showing remarkable structural similarity with interesting natural biostructures such as the wing surface of Cicada orni and the leaf surface of Lotus. Our studies on the present biomimetic surfaces revealed that the wetting property of the nanostructured surface of a given chemical composition could be systematically controlled by rendering nanometer-scale roughness. The nanofabricating method we developed can be readily extended to other thermoplastic polymeric materials (e.g., light-emitting polymers, conducting polymers, block copolymers, liquid crystalline polymers), and it could be applied to developing a new generation of optical and electronic devices.