Previous studies have reported that the metastable vaterite phase of calcium carbonate can be stabilized in solution by acidic additives. Here we demonstrate that vaterite can also be stabilized directly at surfaces by engineered peptides. Our data show that the mineralisation occurs in a 'self-templating' process where calcium ions restructure...
The reaction conditions for the synthesis of Cu-BTC (BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid) were elucidated using a continuous-flow microreactor-assisted solvothermal system to achieve crystal size and phase control. A high-rate synthesis of Cu-BTC metal-organic frameworks with BET surface area of more than 1600 m²/g (Langmuir surface area of more than 2000...
Despite the considerable advances of deposition technologies, it remains a significant challenge to form conformal deposition on surface of nanoporous carbons. Here, we introduce a new ambient hydrolysis deposition method that employs and controls pre-adsorbed water vapor on nanoporous carbons to define the deposition of TiO₂. We converted the deposited...
We, for the first time, employ magnesiothermic reaction to convert microwave-irradiated graphite oxide to pure graphene. The magnesiothermic reaction raises the carbon to oxygen atomic ratio from 22.2 to 165.7 and maintains a high surface area. The new strategy demonstrates an efficient method for obtaining highly pure graphene materials.
A novel table-top, microreactor-assisted nanomaterial deposition (MAND™) process, which combines the merits of microreaction technology with solution-phase nanomaterial synthesis and film deposition, was used to grow a nanostructured ZnO anti-reflective coating on a textured silicon substrate from aqueous solution. The subwavelength, anti-reflective nanostructures mimicked the structure and performance of the...
Mapping out multidimensional potential energy surfaces has been a goal of
physical chemistry for decades in the quest to both predict and control chemical
reactivity. Recently a new spectroscopic approach called Femtosecond Stimulated Raman
Spectroscopy or FSRS was introduced that can structurally interrogate multiple
dimensions of a reactive potential energy...
Combined plasmonic nanocrystals and metal–organic framework thin-films are fabricated for sensing gases in the near-infrared range. This nanocomposite thin-film shows a highly sensitive response in near-infrared absorption, which is attributed to preconcentration of gas molecules in metal–organic framework pores causing close proximity to the electromagnetic fields at the plasmonic nanocrystal...
Sporosarcina pasteurii is known to produce calcite or biocement in the presence of urea and Ca²⁺. Herein, we report the use of novel ultramicrosensors such as pH, Ca²⁺, and redox sensors, along with a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), to monitor a real-time, bacteria-mediated urea hydrolysis process and subsequent changes in...
The aggregation of 12 nm citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (cit-AuNPs) in the presence of four
different natural organic matter (NOM) isolates and a monovalent electrolyte (KCl) was evaluated using
time-resolved dynamic light scattering. All four NOM isolates stabilized the cit-AuNPs with respect to
aggregation. However, specific effects varied among the different...
Assembly of nanocrystals is considered one of the most promising approaches to design nano-, microstructures, and complex mesoscopic architectures. A variety of strategies to induce nanocrystal assembly have been reported, including directed assembly methods that apply external forces to fabricate assembled structures. In this study ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized in...