Carbon nanotubes: Structural defects as stressors inducing lung cell toxicity.

Lung toxicity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is matter of concern since very long time. However, their mechanism of toxicity is still not yet well defined. In this work, the role of structural defects as organic stressors of CNTs able to trigger their potential toxicity is investigated. Four commercial CNTs, with different carbon purity grade, are morphologically characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the relative amount of structural defects are estimated through Raman spectroscopy, by measuring the intensity ratio D/G (ID/IG). The oxidative potential of CNTs is evaluated with cytochrome-C assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection. Data show that CNTs with larger amounts of structural defects (higher ID/IG ratio) induce an increased ROS generation and consequent cytotoxicity and cellular damage, shown by TEM images of CNTs-cells interaction. Raman analyses of cells exposed to CNTs point out that the spectra of the CNTs inside the cells show no differences with respect of the signal recorded for cell-free CNTs, evidencing their biopersistence in lung cells. Raman spectra cannot provide direct indication of the existence of metals as impurity. It follows that the intensity ratio ID/IG can be taken as a predictive marker of the toxicity of a given CNT.

Fingerprints of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in infrared absorption spectroscopy.

We have analyzed a set of 51 PAHs whose structures have been hypothesized from mass spectrometry data collected on samples extracted from carbon particles of combustion origin. We have obtained relationships between infrared absorption signals in the fingerprint region (mid-IR) and the chemical structures of PAHs, thus proving the potential of IR spectroscopy for the characterization of the molecular structure of aromatic combustion products. The results obtained here for the spectroscopic characterization of PAHs can be also of interest in Materials Science and Astrophysics.

Synthesis of calcium oxalate trihydrate: New data by vibrational spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction.

Calcium oxalate is found in nature in three different crystalline states determined by the number of H2O in the unit formula (whewellite CaC2O4·H2O, COM; weddellite CaC2O4·(2+x)H2O, COD and caoxite CaC2O4·3H2O, COT). The properties of these materials are relevant in the field of biomedicine, cultural heritage and mineralogy. In two previous papers, we have used X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy (infrared and Raman) to derive information on crystal and molecular structures of COM and COD. In this paper, we complete the synthesis and analysis on the third form, COT, and present a comparative study of the data collected from the three crystalline states. The experiments clearly highlight the role played by the H2O molecules linked within the structure by different kinds of hydrogen bonds. The vibrational assignment of the infrared and Raman bands are critically proposed. The fact relevant for the work in biomedicine, cultural heritage and crystallography is that a simple examination of the spectra allows quickly to determine the chemical nature of the material in an unknown sample even in a minute quantity or in awkward experimental conditions.

Subsurface Raman analysis of thin painted layers.

Here we present, for the first time, an extension of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy to thin (tens of micrometers thick), highly turbid stratified media such as those encountered in paintings. The method permits the non-destructive interrogation of painted layers in situations where conventional Raman microscopy is not applicable due to high turbidity of the top layer(s). The concept is demonstrated by recovering the pure Raman spectra of paint sub-layers that are completely obscured by paint over-layers. Potential application areas include the analysis of paintings in art preservation and restoration avoiding the cross-sectional analysis used currently with this type of samples. The technique also holds promise for the development as a non-destructive subsurface tool for in situ analysis using portable instruments.

Phase transformation of calcium oxalate dihydrate-monohydrate: effects of relative humidity and new spectroscopic data.

New data on vibrational properties of calcium oxalates and their controversial transformation mechanism are presented. We have focused on whewellite (CaC2O4·H2O) and weddellite [CaC2O4·(2+x) H2O], the most common phases of calcium oxalate; these compounds occur in many organisms, in kidney stones and in particular kinds of films found on the surface of many works of art. Low temperature experiments carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have highlighted both the high structural order in the crystalline state of whewellite and the disordered distribution of the zeolitic water molecules in weddellite. The synthesised nanocrystals of weddellite have been kept under different hygrometric conditions in order to study, by X-ray powder diffraction, the role of "external" water molecules on their stability. Moreover, in order to identify the different kinds of water molecules, a re-investigation, supported by quantum chemical calculations, of the observed vibrational spectra (IR and Raman) of whewellite has been conducted.

Portable Raman versus portable mid-FTIR reflectance instruments to monitor synthetic treatments used for the conservation of monument surfaces.

This study aims to evaluate the relevance of portable Raman and portable mid-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) reflectance instruments in monitoring the synthetic treatments applied on plaster substrates, a crucial issue in a conservation work. Some polymeric consolidants and protectives have a relatively short life owing to their degradation, and after some years the surface should be retreated. It follows that any information about the presence and composition of the products applied, their chemical transformations and their distribution on the surfaces is essential. For these purposes, conservation scientists should seek and test new in situ methods, and this is of utmost importance especially in the case of buildings, considering their large dimensions and consequent extensive mapping. The effectiveness of portable Raman and portable mid-FTIR reflectance instruments has been compared by analysing a set of laboratory specimens prepared and treated with variable amounts of products belonging to three classes of polymers; the spectroscopic investigation highlighted, for the first time, the limits and the advantages of portable Raman and portable mid-FTIR reflectance instruments in the detection of small amounts of products commonly employed for the conservation of plasters.

Raman and SERS recognition of ß-carotene and haemoglobin fingerprints in human whole blood.

The present work reports on Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) vibrational fingerprints of ß-carotene and haemoglobin in fresh whole blood (i.e. right after blood test) with different laser excitations, i.e. visible (514 nm) and near-infrared (NIR, 785 nm). The use of colloidal silver nanoparticles significantly increases the Raman signal, thus providing a clear SERS spectrum of blood. The collected spectra have been examined and marker bands of ß-carotene and of the haem prosthetic group of haemoglobin have been found. In particular, the fundamental features of ß-carotene (514 nm excitation), blood proteins and haem molecules (785 nm excitation) were recognized and assigned. Moreover haemoglobin SERS signals can be identified and related with its oxygenation state (oxy-haemoglobin). The data reported show the prospects of Raman and SERS techniques to detect important bio-molecules in a whole blood sample with no pre-treatment.

Photogenerated cumulenic structure of adamantyl endcapped linear carbon chains: an experimental and computational investigation based on infrared spectroscopy.

The infrared (IR) spectrum of an adamantyl endcapped α, ω-polyyne (the hexayne, Ad-C(12)-Ad) is investigated both experimentally and computationally. A new IR band is observed upon UV photoexcitation of the compound (embedded in a poly methyl methacrylate matrix at 78 K), thus, revealing the existence of new photogenerated molecular structure trapped at low temperature. Complete reversibility is found, thus, demonstrating that the photoexcitation is responsible for the generation of metastable excited states of the molecule. Density functional theory and time dependent density functional theory calculations indicate that these metastable states result from the forbidden singlet (S(1)) or triplet (T(1)) excited states, and geometry optimizations of the polyyne trapped in either S(1) and/or T(1) states demonstrate that the carbon chain takes on a cumulenic structure. Comparison of the experimental and the computed IR spectra for the molecule trapped in the forbidden states confirms that the new IR features are clear markers of cumulenic species. The temperature and time dependent behavior of the new IR band is analyzed, while the experimentally determined value of the activation energy highlights the low stability of these molecular structures.

Photochromic polyurethanes for rewritable CGHs in optical testing.

The development of photochromic Computer Generated Holograms (CGHs) to test any complex optics, such as aspheres and free-form optics, is described. A thermally irreversible photochromic polyurethane has been synthesized to give good thin films with a strong modulation of the optical transmission. The photochromic CGH has been tested with a simple interferometrical configuration showing promising results. The use of photochromic CGHs provides advantages over standard technologies, as rewritability and self developing.

Stability and transformation mechanism of weddellite nanocrystals studied by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy.

This study is focused on the stability of weddellite, the dihydrate phase of calcium oxalate [CaC(2)O(4)·(2 + x)H(2)O], mainly detected in kidney stones and in oxalate films found on the surfaces of several ancient monuments. Its occurrence is a critical issue since, at environmental conditions, weddellite is unstable and quickly changes into whewellite, the monohydrate phase of calcium oxalate (CaC(2)O(4)·H(2)O). New single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments have been carried out, which confirm the structural model of weddellite previously published. Synthesised nanocrystals of weddellite have been kept under different hygrometric conditions in order to study, by X-ray powder diffraction, the influence of humidity on their stability. Moreover, the mechanism of transformation of weddellite nanocrystals has been investigated by infrared spectroscopy using D(2)O as a structural probe.

Evidence for solution-state nonlinearity of sp-carbon chains based on IR and Raman spectroscopy: violation of mutual exclusion.

Adamantyl-end-capped polyynes with chains of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 20 sp-hybridized carbons (C4-C20) have been synthesized and their IR and Raman spectra obtained. On the basis of violations of the mutual-exclusion principle between IR and Raman spectroscopy, spectral evidence demonstrates that these molecules possess a noncentrosymmetric molecular structure in both the solid and solution states. This premise is supported by X-ray crystallographic analysis of C12, which shows a bent, noncentrosymmetric structure in the solid state. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for adamantyl-end-capped polyynes, in comparison with those for hydrogen-end-capped polyynes, show that the observed violation of mutual exclusion is independent of the end group of the polyyne chain (i.e., adamantyl versus H). The origin of these experimental spectroscopic observations is ascribed to the existence of dynamic contributions to molecular nonlinearity resulting from low-frequency skeletal bending vibrations of the chains and/or the existence of low-energy bent conformations of the polyyne chains, as DFT-optimized structures seem to suggest.

Composite polyamide 6/polypyrrole conductive nanofibers.

Conductive Polyamide 6 (PA-6) nanofibers were prepared by making a conductive polypyrrole coating obtained by a polymerization of pyrrole molecules directly on the fiber surface. A solution of PA-6 added with ferric chloride in formic acid has been electrospun and the fibers obtained showed an average diameter of 260 nm with a smooth surface. The fibers have been then exposed to pyrrole vapours and a compact coating of polypyrrole was formed on the fiber surface. The growth of the coating was monitored by measuring the increment of the fiber diameter and by FT-IR spectroscopy. The same technique was used to study the interaction between the ferric chloride and the polyamide chains. The polypyrrole coating on the fibers turned out to be conductive with a pure resistive characteristic and the stability of the conductivity was evaluated in air at room temperature.

Modulation of the refractive index by photoisomerization of diarylethenes: theoretical modeling.

Molecular polarizabilities of photochromic diarylethenes bearing different chemical groups as substituents have been calculated by density functional theory (DFT) simulations with the aim to obtain an estimate of the refractive index of a glassy matrix containing diarylethenes as active species. Simple models have been introduced in order to take into account the effects that occur in bulk materials. The results obtained show that the choice of suitable substituents enhances the modulation of the refractive index driven by the photochromic reaction; moreover, the trends predicted are consistent with the experimental data. This opens the way to use quantum chemical predictions on model molecules to foresee performances relative to the photoinduced modulation of the refractive index in bulk materials.

Carbynes phonons: a tight binding force field.

Modeling the vibrational structure of linear carbon chains has proved to be a difficult task with present first-principles calculations. This limits their applicability for the interpretation of experimental data, such as Raman scattering experiments on linear carbon chains within nanotubes. These limitations can be overcome by means of a simple tight binding scheme for pi-electrons. In this work a force field for the calculation of longitudinal phonon dispersion branches is built on the basis of bond-bond polarizabilities and just three parameters. The so obtained phonon dispersion branches are in very good agreement with the experimental data on carbynes in different environments and polyynes of any length. The model is discussed in relation to the importance of long range vibrational interactions in carbynes. The physical phenomena affecting their vibrational properties (i.e., Kohn anomaly, electron-phonon coupling) can be accurately and analytically described by the present approach.

Characterisation of an inclusion complex between cladribine and 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin.

Parenterally administered cladribine (2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine) has demonstrated promising efficacy and safety in clinical trials in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). An oral formulation of this small molecule would be an attractive option for patients. Here, we describe the chemical characterisation of the inclusion complex between cladribine and the drug carrier molecule 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (2-HP-beta-CD). Several techniques were used to analyse the complex both in solution and in the solid state. These analyses provided evidence that the inclusion complex cannot be simply reduced to the sum of the two species, as it shows behaviour different from that of the physical mixture of the two components. Furthermore, solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated the existence of an inclusion complex between cladribine and 2-HP-beta-CD. Importantly, analysis of a tablet formulation demonstrated that the chemical characteristics of the inclusion complex are not affected by the manufacturing process, and that the complex is stable during storage. This tablet formulation is currently under investigation for the treatment of patients with MS.

The effect of intermolecular dipole-dipole interaction on Raman spectra of polyconjugated molecules: density functional theory simulations and mathematical models.

In this work, we analyze the effect of intermolecular dipole-dipole interactions on Raman spectra of polyconjugated molecules. In particular, the behavior of push-pull polyenes has been studied. By means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on isolated molecules and dimers, we have found that both the frequencies and intensities of the strongest Raman lines (R mode) are strongly influenced by intermolecular interactions. The results have been rationalized within the effective conjugation coordinate (ECC) theory developed in the past. The calculations for different configurations have also shown that the Raman spectra are sensible to different intermolecular geometries, thus implying a possible application of vibrational spectroscopy to the study of supramolecular properties of polyconjugated systems. The comparison with the available experimental spectra confirms the results obtained with the DFT computations. Finally, a very simple mathematical model is proposed for the prediction of the Raman frequencies of interacting systems. From the knowledge of just a few quantities for the isolated molecule and of some geometrical parameters, an estimate of the frequency of the dimers can be obtained. Despite its simplicity, this model gives results in very good agreement with DFT calculations carried out explicitly on dimers in several different arrangements.

Intramolecular vibrational force fields for linear carbon chains through an adaptative linear scaling scheme.

In this work, the vibrational force fields of hydrogen-capped oligoynes of increasing chain lengths are investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. It is shown that the interaction force constants between CC stretching coordinates decrease slowly with the distance between the two bonds considered. The consequence for the frequency dispersion of longitudinal optical (LO) phonons of an infinite polyyne chain is discussed and related to the observed behavior of the spectra of finite-size molecules. Effects of the exchange-correlation functional and of the basis set on the vibrational force constants are also investigated and the need for a scaling procedure is pointed out. Accordingly, new force fields which allow predictions in very good quantitative agreement with the available experimental data for oligoynes have been obtained, providing a sound assignment of alpha and beta lines.

Use of a geometry optimized fiber-optic surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor in trace detection.

A novel SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) sensor has been recently developed; its peculiar geometry is able to increase considerably both the SERS active surface and the number of internal reflections at the interface between silica and silver, thus allowing an increase of the signal intensity. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that this sensor could be efficiently used to detect some molecules such as illegally used veterinary medicine (crystal violet and malachite green) below the ppb detection limit. The advantages of this sensor with respect to other detection techniques are not only the higher sensitivity, but also the fast response and the possibility of coupling with a portable Raman spectrometer for "on-field" measurements. The ability of the sensor to work under real environmental conditions in the presence of many cationic and anionic species has been tested both in solutions containing sodium and chlorine ions and in water coming from the aqueduct of Milan and from the (normally polluted) river Serio.