Quickly obtaining densely dispersed coherent particles in steel matrix and its related mechanical property

Densely distributed coherent nanoparticles(DCN)in steel matrix can enhance the work-hardening ability and ductility of steel simultaneously.All the routes to this end can be generally classified into the liquid-solid route and the solid-solid route.However,the formation of DCN structures in steel requires long processes and complex steps.So far,obtaining steel with coherent particle enhancement in a short time remains a bottleneck,and some necessary steps remain unavoidable.Here,we show a high-efficiency liquid-phase refining process reinforced by a dynamic magnetic field.Ti-Y-Mn-O particles had an average size of around(3.53±1.21)nm and can be obtained in just around 180 s.These small nanoparticles were coherent with the matrix,implying no accumulated dislocations between the particles and the steel matrix.Our findings have a potential application for improving material machining capacity,creep resistance,and radiation resistance.

5-Fluorouracil-loaded Self-assembled pH-sensitive Nanoparticles as Novel Drug Carrier for Treatment of Malignant Tumors

In order to improve the cancer-targeting and selective activity of antineoplastic agent [5-fluorouracil （5-FU）], a novel pH-responsive drug delivery system [pullulan acetate/sulfonamide （PA/SDM） conjugate] was synthesized by a diafiltration method. Sulfonamide was grafted to the hydrophobicaUy modified pullulan acetate to enhance the pH sensitivity for better cancer-targeting delivery. 5-FU was loaded into the self-assembled nanoparticles by the same method. The drug-loaded self-assembled nanoparticles were successfully obtained and characterized in terms of particle size, morphology and drug loading and release profile at various pHs. The results showed that the mean diameter of the self-assembled particles was approximately 100nm, with uniform size and good spherical morphology. The nanoparticles showed good stability at pH 7.4, which is equal to that of the normal body fluid, but shrank and aggregated below pH 6.8, which is close to the pH with tumors. The loading efficiency and concentration of released 5-FU was monitored at 269 nm on the UVNis spectrophotometer. The release profile was heavily pH-dependent around phvsiological pH, and the release rate was significantly enhanced under pH of 6.8.

Self-assembled superparamagnetic nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents — A review

Recent progress of the preparation and applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide（SPIO） clusters as magnetic resonance imaging（MRI） probes is reviewed with regard to their applications in labeling and tracking cells in vivo, in diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and tumors, and in drug delivery systems. Magnetic nanoparticles（NPs）, especially SPIO nanoparticles, have long been used as MRI contrast agents and as an advantageous nanoplatform for drug delivery,taking advantage of their unique magnetic properties and ability to function at the molecular and cellular levels. Due to advances in nanotechnology, various means to control SPIO NPs＇ size, composition, magnetization and relaxivity have been developed, as well as ways to usefully modify their surface. Recently, self-assembly of SPIO NP clusters in particulate carriers — such as polymeric micelles, vesicles, liposomes, and layer-by-layer（Lb L） capsules — have been widely studied for application as ultrasensitive MRI probes, owing to their remarkably high spin–spin（T2） relaxivity and convenience for further functionalization.

Seed-mediated growth of gold nanoparticles using self-assembled monolayer of polystyrene microspheres as nanotemplate arrays

Arrays of noble metal nanoparticles show potential applications in （bio-）sensing, optical storage, surface-enhanced spectroscopy, and waveguides. For all such potential devices, controlling the size, morphology, and interparticle spacing of the nanoparticles is very important. Here, we combine seed-mediated growth with nanosphere lithography to study the controllable growth of gold nanoparticles （Au NPs）, in which the self-assembly monolayer of polystyrene （PS） on a silicon surface is used to guide the modification of allaunesilanes and the subsequent adsorption of gold seeds; seed-mediated growth is applied to controlling the morphology and size of Au NPs. The size of adsorption region （determining the number of adsorbed gold seeds） is controlled by etching PS microspheres with oxygen plasma or annealing PS microspheres at the glass transition temperature. The size and morphology of the Au NPs are controlled by changing growth conditions. In such a way, we have achieved the dual control of the obtained Au NPs. Preliminary results show that this strategy holds a great promise. This approach can also be extended to a wide range of materials and substrates.

5-Fluorouracil-loaded Self-assembled pH-sensitive Nanoparticles as Novel Drug Carrier for Treatment of Malignant Tumors

In order to improve the cancer-targeting and selective activity of antineoplastic agent [5-fluorouracil (5-FU)], a novel pH-responsive drug delivery system [pullulan acetate/sulfonamide (PA/SDM) conjugate] was syn- thesized by a diafiltration method. Sulfonamide was grafted to the hydrophobically modified pullulan acetate to enhance the pH sensitivity for better cancer-targeting delivery. 5-FU was loaded into the self-assembled nanoparti- cles by the same method. The drug-loaded self-assembled nanoparticles were successfully obtained and character- ized in terms of particle size, morphology and drug loading and release profile at various pHs. The results showed that the mean diameter of the self-assembled particles was approximately 100nm, with uniform size and good spherical morphology. The nanoparticles showed good stability at pH 7.4, which is equal to that of the normal body fluid, but shrank and aggregated below pH 6.8, which is close to the pH with tumors. The loading efficiency and concentration of released 5-FU was monitored at 269 nm on the UV/Vis spectrophotometer. The release profile was heavily pH-dependent around physiological pH, and the release rate was significantly enhanced under pH of 6.8.

Self-assembled Nanoparticles based on Folic Acid Modifi ed Carboxymethyl Chitosan Conjugated with Targeting Antibody

Nanoparticles conjugated with antibody were designed as active drug delivery system to reduce the toxicity and side effects of drugs for acute myeloid leukemia（AML）.Moreover,methotrexate（MTX）was chosen as modeldrug and encapsulate within folic acid modified carboxymethylchitosan（FACMCS）nanoparticles through self-assembling.The chemicalstructure,morphology,release and targeting of nanoparticles were characterized by routine detection.It is demonstrated that the mean diameter is about 150 nm,the release rate increases with the decreasing of p H,the binding rate of CD33 antibody and FA-CMCS nanoparticles is about 5：2,and nanoparticles can effectively bind onto HL60 cells in vitro.The experimentalresults indicate that the FA-CMCS nanoparticles conjugated with antibody may be used as a potentialp Hsensitive drug delivery system with leukemic targeting properties.

Hydrophobic nanochannel self-assembled by amphipathic Janus particles confined in aqueous nano-space

Hydrophobic nanochannel plays a significant role in many physical, biological, and geological phenomena and ex- hibits impressive applications due to both its ubiquitous distribution and great ability to transport hydrophobic molecules, including various oils and gases. Based on theoretical modeling, we herein reveal that the amphipathic Janus nanoparticles have a large probability to self-assemble into uninterrupted hydrophobic nanochannels inside the aqueous nano-space, al- though there are large portions of the Janus nanoparticles to be hydrophilic. The key to this observation is the attractions between the hydrophobic regimes on neighboring amphipathic Janus particles through hydrophobic interaction in aqueous nano-space. More surprisingly, the permeation efficiency of hydrophobic molecules through the uninterrupted hydrophobic channel in Janus particles aggregate is even higher than that in the aggregate of hydrophobic particles. We note that the proposed amphipathic Janus particles can be transported to the appropriate positions by the water since the hydrophilic regimes still remain a strong particle-water interaction. We also note that most natural subsurface rocks are not completely hydrophobic or hydrophilic but have complex surfaces with inhomogeneous wetting property. Our work therefore provides a detailed molecular level understanding of the formation of underground strata as well as the new insight for constructing the artificial hydrophobic channels for various applications, such as the design of proppants to enhance the recovery of the unconventional oil/gas.

Electrochemical investigation on the film of L-cysteine self-assembled to nanoparticles on a gold electrode

The film contained L-cysteine and gold nanoparticles were provided by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and potentiostatic electrodeposition technology on the gold electrode. Two methods were used to study the film: In the first, cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to inspect the functional groups of the film and the same time hydroquinone was chosen to be a probe molecule in the based solution;secondly, based on analytical technology of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), the heterogeneous rate constant (keff) between solid phase (the modified electrode) and liquid phase (K3Fe(CN)6) was obtained. As a result, the better binary catalysis of hydroquinone was demonstrated and the heterogeneous rate constant (keff) is the greater at 8 h for L-cysteine self-assembled monolayers (SAMs).

Self-Assembled Structures of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles on Solid Substrates

With a two-phase method,well-dispersed 5.2 nm Ag nanoparticles with narrow size distribution （±0.5 nm） are synthesized.The assembled structures of colloidal Ag nanoparticles on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite （HOPG）,silicon chip and microscopic glass have been investigated by atomic force microscopy （AFM）.With different spin-coating speeds and concentrations of colloidal silver nanoparticles,various assembly structures could form on those substrates.On HOPG,Ag nanoparticles were absorbed and aligned along single-atom-height step edges to form a linear one-layer structure.And on silicon chip and microscopic glass,one-layer closed packing fractal structure and two-layer closed packing ring were observed respectively.

Self-assembled SnO_2 Colloidal Particles and Their Gas Sensing Performance to H_2, C_2H_5OH and LPG

Using organo-tin Sn（OC4H9）4 as precursor, sodium dodecyl sulfonate （SDS） and SDS-gelatin （SDS-G） complex as template, two tin dioxide colloidal particles were prepared by a self-assembly method. Both SnO2 products were respectively labelled SnO2-B particles with SDS and SnO2-C particles with SDS-G, which are applied in fabricating SnO2 gas sensors corresponding to SnO2-B＇ and SnO2-C＇ sensors. X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and thermo-gravimetry and different thermal analysis （TG/DTA） were used for characterizations. The experimental results show that SnO2-B colloidal particles are composed of mesoporous piece-like particles, while SnO2-C particles mainly consist of spherical particles. Gas sensing measurements show that SnO2-B＇ sensor performs the best sensing response to all target gases, including H2, C2H5OH and liquid petroleum gas （LPG）. In particular, the sensing response of SnO2-B＇ sensor is achieved at 32 in H2 atmosphere at the concentration of 1000×10-6 M. The gas sensing mechanism was purposely discussed from the electron transfer process and the microstructures of the as-prepared SnO2 products. It is found that serious agglomerations in SnO2-B＇ particles facilitate the high gas sensing performance of SnO2-B＇ sensor, while mesoporous structures in SnO2-C＇ particles decrease the gas sensing response of SnO2-C＇ sensor.

Self-Assembled Monolayer of Mixed Gold and Nickel Nanoparticles

Forming a monolayer of mixed nickel and gold nanoparticles through self-assembly via simple solution processing constitutes an important step toward inexpensive nanoparticle-based carbon nanofiber growth.In this work,mixed gold and nickel nanoparticles were anchored on the silicon wafer using self-assembled monolayers(SAMs)as a template.SAMs of 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane(MPTS-SAMs)were formed on silicon wafer,with the exposed thiol functionality providing ligand exchange sites to form the mixed monolayer of nickel and gold nanoparticles via a two-step sequential soaking approach.The densities of the nickel and gold nanoparticles on the surface can be varied by adjusting the soaking sequence.

QCM and EC-SPR Studies of Cytochrome c Self-assembled on Au Electrode and Enhancement of SPR Signal by Au Nanoparticles

Quartz crystal microbalance（QCM） and cyclic voltammetry（CV） were used to characterize the monolayer of cytochrome c（Cyt c）,which was adsorbed on gold film modified with alkanethiol mixed monolayer.A direct comparison of protein surface coverages calculated from QCM and cyclic voltammetric measurements illustrates that the ratio of the electroactive Cyt c to the total surface-confined Cyt c is 34%,which suggests that the orientation is a main factor affecting the electroactivity of Cyt c.Moreover,surface plasmon resonance（SPR） measurement combined with CV ＂in situ＂ was used to investigate the conformational change of Cyt c in the redox process.Besides,Au nanoparticles（Au NPs） were adsorbed on the surface of Cyt c.The result indicates that Au NPs promote electron transfer between Cyt c and the gold electrode,and SPR result suggests Au NPs enhance SPR signal.

Fluorescence spectra of colloidal self-assembled CdSe nano-wire on substrate of porous Al2O3/Au nanoparticles

We present a self-assembly method to prepare array nano-wires of colloidal CdSe quantum dots on a substrate of porous Al2 O3 film modified by gold nanoparticles. The photoluminescence(PL) spectra of nanowires are in situ measured by using a scanning near-field optical microscopy(SNOM) probe tip with 100-nm aperture on the scanning near-field optical microscope. The results show that the binding sites from the edge of porous Al2 O3 nanopores are combined with the carboxyl of CdSe quantum dots’ surface to form an array of CdSe nanowires in the process of losing background solvent because of the gold nanoparticles filling the nano-holes of porous Al2 O3 film. Compared with the area of nonself-assembled nano-wire, the fluorescence on the Al2 O3/Au/CdSe interface is significantly enhanced in the self-assembly nano-wire regions due to the electron transfer conductor effect of the gold nanoparticles’ surface. In addition, its full width at half maximum(FWHM) is also obviously widened. The method of enhancing fluorescence and energy transfer can widely be applied to photodetector, photocatalysis, optical display, optical sensing, and biomedical imaging, and so on.

Combretastatin A4/poly(L-glutamic acid)-graft-PEG conjugates self-assembled to nanoparticles

Combretastatin A4(CA4) possesses varying ability to cause vascular disruption in tumors,while the short half-life, low water solubility and deactivation of many CA4 analogs during storage limited its antitumor efficacy and drug stability. A novel macromolecular conjugate of CA4(CA4-PL) was synthesized by covalent bonding of CA4 onto poly(L-glutamic acid)-graft-polyethylene glycol(PLG-g-PEG) via Yamaguchi reaction. The obtained CA4-PL was characterized by ~1H NMR, GPC, and UV methods, and the properties of the nanoparticles composed of CA4-PL, including critical aggregation concentration, size and size distribution, and morphology, were investigated. CA4-PL can self-assemble to form micelle-like nanoparticles of 80～120 nm in diameter, which may have potential to improve the blood circulation period as well as the targetability of CA4, and find applications to treat various tumors when combined with traditional chemotherapy or radio therapy.

Interfacial Modification of NiO_(x)by Self-assembled Monolayer for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

NiO_(x)as a hole transport material for inverted perovskite solar cells has received great attention owing to its high transparency,low fabrication temperature,and superior stability.However,the mismatched energy levels and possible redox reactions at the NiO_(x)/perovskite interface severely limit the performance of NiO_(x) based inverted perovskite solar cells.Herein,we introduce a p-type self-assembled monolayer between NiO_(x)and perovskite layers to modify the interface and block the undesirable redox reaction between perovskite and NiO_(x)The selfassembled monolayer molecules all contain phosphoric acid function groups,which can be anchored onto the NiOr surface and passivate the surface defect.Moreover,the introduction of self-assembled monolayers can regulate the energy level structure of NiO_(x),reduce the interfacial band energy offset,and hence promote the hole transport from perovskite to NiO_(x)layer.Consequently,the device performance is significantly enhanced in terms of both power conversion efficiency and stability.

Self-assembly of Binary Particles with Electrostatic and van der Waals Interactions

Nanoparticles with competitive interactions in solution can aggregate into complex structures. In this work, the synergistic self-assembles of binary particles with electrostatic and van der Waals interactions are studied with the particle Langevin dynamics simulation using a simple coarse-grained particle model. Various aggregations such as spherical, stacking-disk and tube structures are observed by varying the particles size and the interaction strength. The aggregation structures are explained with the packing theories of amphiphilic molecules in solution and dibolck copolymers in bulk. When the opposite ions are introduced into solution, the distribution of structures in the phase diagram appears an obvious offset. The simulation result is helpful to deeply understand the formation mechanism of complex nanostructures of multicomponent particles in solution.

Self-assembly of Asymmetric Dimer Particles in Supported Copolymer Bilayer

Using self-consistent field and density functional theories, we investigate the self-assembly behavior of asymmetric dimer particles in a supported AB block copolymer bilayer. Asymmetric dimer particles are amphiphilic molecules composed by two different spheres. One prefers to A block of copolymers and the other likes B block when they are introduced into the copolymer bilayer. The two layer structure of the dimer particles is formed within the bilayer. Due to the presence of the substrate surface, the symmetry of the two leaflets of the bilayer is broken, which may lead to two different layer structures of dimer particles within each leaflet of the bilayer. With the increasing concentration of the asymmetric dimer particles, in-plane structure of the dimer particles undergoes sparse square, hexagonal, dense square, and cylindrical structures. In a further condensed packing, a bending cylindrical structure comes into being. Here we verify that the entropic effect of copolymers, the enthalpy of the system and the steric repulsion of the dimer particles are three important factors determing the self-assembly of dimer particles within the supported copolymer bilayer.

Characterization of self-assembled nano-phase silane-based particle coating

Self-assembled nano-phase silane-based particle coating was prepared through sol-gel technique.Tetramethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane were used as precursors for the self-assembled sol-gel coatings.The silane colloidal particle size was analyzed by laser particle size measurement.The results indicate that the particle size is in nano-scale and the diameter of particles deceases with increasing dilution times.Gel permeation chromatography proves that the relative molecular mass of macromolecule in a referenced sol solution is 1220-1240 amu.A simulation model was proposed to study the siloxane structure.Fourier transform infrared spectra of solution and film prove the disappearing of epoxy bond.The results of solid-state 13C and 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance experiments indicate the formation of Si-O-Si network.Potentiodynamic analysis shows that the self-assembled coating has excellent corrosion resistance.Salt fog tests prove that 2-methyl piperidine as inhibitor significantly improves the corrosion resistance of the self-assembled coating.

When river meets ocean: distribution and conversion of suspended organic particles in a Sundarbans mangrove river-estuary system, Bangladesh

Global carbon cycle has received extensive attention,among which the river-estuary system is one of the important links connecting the carbon cycle between land and ocean.In this paper,the distribution and control factors of particulate organic carbon(POC)were studied by using the data of organic carbon contents and its carbon isotopic composition(δ13C)in the mainstream and estuary of Passur River in the Sundarbans area,combined with the hydrological and biological data measured by CTD.The results show that POC content ranged from 0.263 mg/L to 9.292 mg/L,and the POC content in the river section(averaged 4.129 mg/L)was significantly higher than that in the estuary area(averaged 0.858 mg/L).Two distinct stages of POC transport from land to sea in the Sundarbans area were identified.The first stage occurred in the river section,where POC distribution was mainly controlled by the dynamic process of runoff and the organic carbon was mainly terrestrial source.The second stage occurred during estuarine mixing,where the POC distribution was mainly controlled by the mixing process of seawater and freshwater.The source of POC was predominantly marine and exhibiting vertical differences.The surface and middle layers were primarily influenced by marine sources,while the bottom layer was jointly controlled by terrestrial and marine sources of organic carbon.These findings are of great significance for understanding the carbon cycle in such a large mangrove ecosystem like the Sundarbans mangrove.

Study of deep transportation and plugging performance of deformable gel particles in porous media

Deformable gel particles(DGPs) possess the capability of deep profile control and flooding. However, the deep migration behavior and plugging mechanism along their path remain unclear. Breakage, an inevitable phenomenon during particle migration, significantly impacts the deep plugging effect. Due to the complexity of the process, few studies have been conducted on this subject. In this paper, we conducted DGP flow experiments using a physical model of a multi-point sandpack under various injection rates and particle sizes. Particle size and concentration tests were performed at each measurement point to investigate the transportation behavior of particles in the deep part of the reservoir. The residual resistance coefficient and concentration changes along the porous media were combined to analyze the plugging performance of DGPs. Furthermore, the particle breakage along their path was revealed by analyzing the changes in particle size along the way. A mathematical model of breakage and concentration changes along the path was established. The results showed that the passage after breakage is a significant migration behavior of particles in porous media. The particles were reduced to less than half of their initial size at the front of the porous media. Breakage is an essential reason for the continuous decreases in particle concentration, size, and residual resistance coefficient. However, the particles can remain in porous media after breakage and play a significant role in deep plugging. Higher injection rates or larger particle sizes resulted in faster breakage along the injection direction, higher degrees of breakage, and faster decreases in residual resistance coefficient along the path. These conditions also led to a weaker deep plugging ability. Smaller particles were more evenly retained along the path, but more particles flowed out of the porous media, resulting in a poor deep plugging effect. The particle size is a function of particle size before injection, transport distance, and different injection parameters(injection rate or the diameter ratio of DGP to throat). Likewise, the particle concentration is a function of initial concentration, transport distance, and different injection parameters. These models can be utilized to optimize particle injection parameters, thereby achieving the goal of fine-tuning oil displacement.