Rationally designed bimetallic Au@Pt nanoparticles for glucose oxidation.

Bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have aroused interest in various fields because of their synergetic and unique properties. Among those nanoparticles, we strategically approached and synthesized Au@Pt NPs via the sonochemical method with different molar ratios (e.g. 3:7, 5:5, and 7:3) of Au to Pt precursors. The particle structure was confirmed to be core-shell, and the size was estimated to be 60, 52, and 47 nm, respectively, for 3:7, 5:5, and 7:3 ratios of Au to Pt. The detailed structure and crystallinity of as-prepared Au@Pt NPs were further studied by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy with element mapping, and X-ray diffraction. It should be noted that thickness of the dendritic Pt shell in the core-shell structure can be easily tuned by controlling the molar ratio of Au to Pt. To explore the possibility of this material as glucose sensor, we confirmed the detection of glucose using amperometry. Two dynamic ranges in a calibration plot were displayed at 0.5-50.0 µM and 0.05-10.0 mM, and their detection limit as glucose sensor was determined to be 319.8 (±5.4) nM.

Facile Synthesis of Palladium-Nanoparticle-Embedded N-Doped Carbon Fibers for Electrochemical Sensing.

In recent years, there have been many studies on metal/carbon hybrid materials for electrochemical applications. However, reducing the metal content in catalysts is still a challenge. Here, a facile synthesis of palladium (Pd) nanoparticle-embedded N-doped carbon fibers (Pd/N-C) through electropolymerization and reduction methods is demonstrated. The as-prepared Pd/N-C contains only 1.5 wt % Pd. Under optimal conditions, bisphenol A is detected by using amperometry in two dynamic ranges from 0.1 to 10 µm and from 10 to 200 µm, and the obtained correlation coefficients are close to 0.9836 and 0.9987, respectively. The detection limit (DL) for bisphenol A is determined to be 29.44 (±0.77) nm.

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity of Dendritic Platinum Nanoparticles with HEK-293 Cells.

Dendritic platinum nanoparticles (DPNs) have been synthesized from l-ascorbic acid and an amphiphilic non-ionic surfactant (Brij-58) via a sonochemical method. The particle size and shape of the DPNs could be tuned by changing the reduction temperature, resulting in a uniform DPN with a size of 23 nm or 60 nm. The facets of DPNs have been studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The cytotoxicity of DPNs has been investigated using human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293), and the biological adaptability exhibited by DPNs has opened a pathway to biomedical applications such as drug-delivery systems, photothermal treatment, and biosensors.

A Facile Approach for Constructing Conductive Polymer Patterns for Application in Electrochromic Devices and Flexible Microelectrodes.

We developed a novel strategy for fabricating poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) patterns on various substrates, including hydrogels, via sequential solution procedure without multistep chemical etching or lift-off processes. First, PEDOT nanothin films were prepared on a glass substrate by solution phase monomer casting and oxidative polymerization. As a second step, after UV-induced poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) photolithography at the PEDOT/PEG interface through a photomask, the hydrogel was peeled away from the PEDOT-coated glass substrate to detach the UV-exposed PEDOT region, which left the UV nonexposed PEDOT region intact on the glass substrate, resulting in PEDOT patterns. In a final step, the PEDOT patterns were cleanly transferred from the glass to a flexible hydrogel substrate by a direct-transfer process based on a second round of gelation process. Using this strategy, PEDOT patterns on ITO glass or ITO film were used to successfully fabricate an electrochromic (EC) device that exhibited stable electrochromic switching as a function of applied potential. Furthermore, PEDOT patterns on hydrogel were used to fabricate all organic, flexible microelectrodes with good electrical properties and excellent mechanical flexibility. Importantly, the conductivity of PEDOT patterns on hydrogel (ca. 235 S cm-1) described here is significantly higher than that previously reported (ca. 20-70 S cm-1). This approach can be easily integrated into various technological fabrication steps for the development of next-generation bioelectronics systems.

Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile-Ionic Liquid Nanofibers for Superior PM2.5 Capture Capacity.

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM) affects both human health and climate. To reduce the PM2.5 (mass of particles below 2.5 µm in diameter) concentration of an individual's living environment, ionic liquid-modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers with superior PM2.5 capture capacity were prepared by electrospinning. Ionic liquid diethylammonium dihydrogen phosphate (DEAP) with high viscosity and hydrophilicity was involved during the electrospinning process. Observations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and water contact angle measurement suggested that the modification of DEAP on PAN effectively altered the morphology (roughness) and surface properties (hydrophilicity) of the PAN nanofibers. The PM2.5 capture measurement was performed in a closed and static system, which mimicked the static hazy weather without wind flow. As a result, DEAP-modified PAN nanofibers exhibited significantly enhanced PM2.5 capture capacity compared to that of the bare PAN nanofibers. This can be attributed to the improved surface roughness (i.e., improved adsorption sites), hydrophilicity, and dipole moment of PAN upon DEAP modification.