Surfactant-tail control of CsPbBr3 nanocrystal morphology.

CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs) are promising optoelectronic and catalytic materials. Manipulating their morphology can improve their properties and stability. In this work, an alkene-derived zwitterionic ligand was used to control the morphology of CsPbBr3 NCs to yield the highly unusual rhombicuboctahedron morphology, showcasing the first example of a surfactant-tail controlled growth.

Synthesis and Characterization of an SWCNT@HKUST-1 Composite: Enhancing the CO2 Adsorption Properties of HKUST-1.

Synthesis of a new HKUST-1 composite based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was successfully achieved (SWCNT@HKUST-1). SWCNTs were used as templates to grow rod-like HKUST-1 crystals over the surface of the nanotubes. N2 adsorption properties showed an increment on the surface area and pore volume for the SWCNT@HKUST-1 composite. Furthermore, the CO2 capture increased, from 7.92 to 8.75 mmol g-1 at 196 K up to 100 kPa, for the SWCNT@HKUST-1 composite. This enhancement was directly associated with the increase of the surface area of the composite. Additionally, an increase in the CO2 heat of adsorption was estimated, from 30 to 39.1 kJ mol-1 for the SWCNT@HKUST-1 composite. In situ Raman experiments corroborated the favored CO2 adsorption for the composite and provided an insight into the augmented hydrophobicity of the SWCNT@HKUST-1. Ethanol adsorption isotherms corroborated an increase in the hydrophobicity of the material upon the incorporation of carbon nanotubes.

Spontaneous, Solvent-Free, Polymer-Templated, Solid-Solid Transformation of Thin Metal Films into Nanoparticles.

Metal nanoparticles have unusual optical, electronic, sensing, recognition, catalytic, and therapeutic properties. They are expected to form the basis of many of the technological and biological innovations of this century. A prerequisite for future applications using nanoparticles as functional entities is control of the shape, size, and homogeneity of these nanoparticles and of their interparticle spacing and arrangement on surfaces, between electrodes, or in devices. Here, we demonstrate that thin films of gold, silver, and copper sputter-deposited onto the surface of an organic polymer poly[[1,1':4',1″-terphenyl]-4,4″-diyl(2-bromo-1-carboxyethylidene)] (PTBC) undergo spontaneous solid-solid transformation into nanoparticles. Furthermore, we show that, by varying the thickness of the films, the volume-to-surface ratio of the polymer substrate, and the amount of plasticizer, it is possible to control the rate of transformation and the morphology of the nanoparticles formed. PTBC containing Au nanoparticles was found to enhance the cell adhesion and proliferation. To the best of our knowledge, our findings constitute the first experimental evidence of spontaneous, room-temperature, solid-solid transformation of metal films sputtered onto the surface of an organic polymeric substrate into nanoparticles (crystals).