Preferential Growth of Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Substrate by Europium Oxide

In this paper, we have demonstrated that europium oxide (Eu₂O₃) is a new type of active catalyst for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) growth under suitable conditions. Both random SWNT networks and horizontally aligned SWNT arrays are efficiently grown on silicon wafers. The density of the SWNT arrays can be altered by the CVD conditions. This result further provides the experimental evidence that the efficient catalyst for SWNT growth is more size dependent than the catalysts themselves. Furthermore, the SWNTs from europium sesquioxides have compatibly higher quality than that from Fe/Mo catalyst. More importantly, over 80% of the nanotubes from Eu₂O₃ are semiconducting SWNTs (s-SWNTs), indicating the preferential growth of s-SWNTs from Eu₂O₃. This new finding could open a way for selective growth of s-SWNTs, which can be used as high-current nanoFETs and sensors. Moreover, the successful growth of SWNTs by Eu₂O₃ catalyst provides new experimental information for understanding the preferential growth of s-SWNTs from Eu₂O₃, which may be helpful for their controllable synthesis.     

单壁碳纳米管与新型储氢材料

本文介绍了新能源战略下储氢材料的发展,其中单壁碳纳米管具有特别好的应用前景。最近的研究表明纳米管的最大氢化度依赖于其直径,对于直径约为2.0nm的单壁碳纳米管-氢复合物具有几乎100％的氢化度和通过可逆碳-氢键的形成而达7％以上的重量比储氢容量,并且室温下是稳定的。     

Dispersion of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Water with Polyphosphazene Polyelectrolyte

A polyphosphazene polyelectrolyte was prepared as a dispersing agent of SWNTs in water. Poly(organophosphazene) was prepared by sequential treatment of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with sodium 4-phenylphenoxide, sodium phenoxide, and sodium trifluoroethoxide in THF. Their substitution percentages were 60, 24, and 16%, respectively. A water-soluble polyphosphazene polyelectrolyte was obtained by sulfonation of aromatic rings by using fuming sulfuric acid. SWNTs were dispersed in an aqueous polymer solution by sonication to give a black homogeneous dispersion. The supramolecular association between the nanotube and the sulfonated polyphosphazene was investigated by TEM, SEM, and AFM. The SEM image of the cleaved edge of the bucky paper, obtained by filtration of the dispersion of SWNTs, showed the nanotubes uniformly wrapped with the polymer. Their diameters were about 30 nm, suggesting small bundles of SWNTs rather than individual SWNTs. Individual SWNTs coated with the polymer were also observed by TEM. The total diameter of the coated tube was about 10 nm and a polymer layer thickness was lager than 4 nm. This paper is dedicated to Professor Harry R. Allcock in recognition of his outstanding contributions to polymer chemistry and his inspirational teaching.     

d-(+)-Galactose-Conjugated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as New Chemical Probes for Electrochemical Biosensors for the Cancer Marker Galectin-3

d-(+)-Galactose-conjugated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were synthesized for use as biosensors to detect the cancer marker galectin-3. To investigate the binding of galectin-3 to the d-(+)-galactose-conjugated SWCNTs, an electrochemical biosensor was fabricated by using molybdenum electrodes. The binding affinities of the conjugated SWCNTs to galectin-3 were quantified using electrochemical sensitivity measurements based on the differences in resistance together with typical I-V characterization. The electrochemical sensitivity measurements of the d-(+)-galactose-conjugated SWCNTs differed significantly between the samples with and without galectin-3. This indicates that d-(+)-galactose-conjugated SWCNTs are potentially useful electrochemical biosensors for the detection of cancer marker galectin-3.     

单壁碳纳米管储氢的量子理论模型

一些研究结果表明,碳纳米管是一种很有前途的储氢材料,并且这已成为纳米材料应用研究中的一项热点内容。尽管在碳纳米管储氢方面已有一些实验结果,但是就其储氢机理的研究还很不深入。在对单壁碳纳米管储氢问题的研究中,提出了碳纳米管的量子理论模型,根据解定态Schr?dinger方程,得出了H2分子沿管的径向穿透几率,从量子隧道贯穿角度,阐述了单壁碳纳米管的储氢机制。     

单壁碳纳米管的纯化研究

为了获得纯净的单壁碳纳米管,根据催化裂解法制备的单壁碳纳米管中所含杂质的性质和特点,运用综合纯化法,将液相氧化、超声和过滤等相结合对单壁碳纳米管进行纯化。利用透射电子显微镜、热重分析等对单壁碳纳米管进行表征。研究结果表明,使用该纯化流程可以得到一个好的纯化效果。     

Enhancement of Phenol Biodegradation by Pseudochrobactrum sp. through Ultraviolet-Induced Mutation

The phenol-degrading efficiency of Pseudochrobactrum sp. was enhanced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. First, a bacterial strain, Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1, was isolated from the activated sludge in a coking plant. It was subjected to mutation by UV radiation for 120 s and a mutant strain with higher phenol-degrading efficiency, Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1-UV, was selected. The mutant strain XF1-UV was capable of degrading 1800 mg/L phenol completely within 48 h and had higher tolerance to hydrogen ion concentration and temperature variation than the wild type. Haldane’s kinetic model was used to fit the exponential growth data and the following kinetic parameters were obtained: μ_max = 0.092 h⁻¹, Ks = 22.517 mg/L, and Ki = 1126.725 mg/L for XF1, whereas μ_max = 0.110 h⁻¹, Ks = 23.934 mg/L, and Ki = 1579.134 mg/L for XF1-UV. Both XF1 and XF1-UV degraded phenol through the ortho-pathway; but the phenol hydroxylase activity of XF1-UV1 was higher than that of XF1, therefore, the mutant strain biodegraded phenol faster. Taken together, our results suggest that Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1-UV could be a promising candidate for bioremediation of phenol-containing wastewaters.     

Symmetry Properties of Single-Walled BC2N Nanotubes

The symmetry properties of the single-walled BC₂N nanotubes were investigated. All the BC₂N nanotubes possess nonsymmorphic line groups. In contrast with the carbon and boron nitride nanotubes, armchair and zigzag BC₂N nanotubes belong to different line groups, depending on the index n (even or odd) and the vector chosen. The number of Raman- active phonon modes is almost twice that of the infrared-active phonon modes for all kinds of BC₂N nanotubes.     

Towards Personalized Medicine Mediated by in Vitro Virus-Based Interactome Approaches

We have developed a simple in vitro virus (IVV) selection system based on cell-free co-translation, using a highly stable and efficient mRNA display method. The IVV system is applicable to the high-throughput and comprehensive analysis of proteins and protein–ligand interactions. Huge amounts of genomic sequence data have been generated over the last decade. The accumulated genetic alterations and the interactome networks identified within cells represent a universal feature of a disease, and knowledge of these aspects can help to determine the optimal therapy for the disease. The concept of the “integrome” has been developed as a means of integrating large amounts of data. We have developed an interactome analysis method aimed at providing individually-targeted health care. We also consider future prospects for this system.     

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Modify Leaf Micromorphology,Chloroplast Ultrastructure and Photosynthetic Activity of Pea Plants

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) emerge as promising novel carbon-based nanoparticles for use in biomedicine, pharmacology and precision agriculture. They were shown to penetrate cell walls and membranes and to physically interact and exchange electrons with photosynthetic complexes in vitro. Here, for the first time, we studied the concentration-dependent effect of foliar application of copolymer-grafted SWCNTs on the structural and functional characteristics of intact pea plants. The lowest used concentration of 10 mg L⁻¹ did not cause any harmful effects on the studied leaf characteristics, while abundant epicuticular wax generation on both leaf surfaces was observed after 300 mg L⁻¹ treatment. Swelling of both the granal and the stromal regions of thylakoid membranes was detected after application of 100 mg L⁻¹ and was most pronounced after 300 mg L⁻¹. Higher SWCNT doses lead to impaired photosynthesis in terms of lower proton motive force generation, slower generation of non-photochemical quenching and reduced zeaxanthin content; however, the photosystem II function was largely preserved. Our results clearly indicate that SWCNTs affect the photosynthetic apparatus in a concentration-dependent manner. Low doses (10 mg L⁻¹) of SWCNTs appear to be a safe suitable object for future development of nanocarriers for substances that are beneficial for plant growth.     

Selective Deposition and Alignment of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Assisted by Dielectrophoresis: From Thin Films to Individual Nanotubes

Dielectrophoresis has been used in the controlled deposition of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with the focus on the alignment of nanotube thin films and their applications in the last decade. In this paper, we extend the research from the selective deposition of SWNT thin films to the alignment of small nanotube bundles and individual nanotubes. Electrodes with “teeth”-like patterns are fabricated to study the influence of the electrode width on the deposition and alignment of SWNTs. The entire fabrication process is compatible with optical lithography-based techniques. Therefore, the fabrication cost is low, and the resulting devices are inexpensive. A series of SWNT solutions is prepared with concentrations ranging from 0.0125 to 0.2 mg/ml. The alignment of SWNT thin films, small bundles, and individual nanotubes is achieved under the optimized experimental conditions. The electrical properties of these samples are characterized; the linear current–voltage plots prove that the aligned SWNTs are mainly metallic nanotubes. The microscopy inspection of the samples demonstrates that the alignment of small nanotube bundles and individual nanotubes can only be achieved using narrow electrodes and low-concentration solutions. Our investigation shows that it is possible to deposit a controlled amount of SWNTs in desirable locations using dielectrophoresis.     

碳纳米管对混凝土性能的影响研究

近年来,将混凝土作为一种复杂的电化学体系研究其电阻率是检测其结构性能的一种新的测试方法.碳纳米管具有优异的导电性,将碳纳米管加入到混凝土中预期可以改善混凝土的导电性.本文将多壁碳纳米管掺加到C40混凝土中,探讨了多壁碳纳米管对混凝土和易性、凝结时间以及电学性能的影响.试验结果表明,当碳纳米管为0.3％时,混凝土拌合物的和易性良好,且碳纳米管可以在硬化混凝土中形成良好的导电纤维网络,水泥基体形成的导电势垒较小,显著提高了混凝土导电性.本论文的研究成果可为导电混凝土研究应用提供依据.     

RNA aptamer evolution: two decades of SELEction

Aptamers are small non-coding RNAs capable of recognizing, with high specificity and affinity, a wide variety of molecules in a manner that resembles antibodies. This class of nucleic acids is the resulting product of applying a well-established screening method known as SELEX. First developed in 1990, the SELEX process has become a powerful tool to select structured oligonucleotides for the recognition of targets, starting with small molecules, going through protein complexes until whole cells. SELEX has also evolved along with new technologies positioning itself as an alternative in the design of a new class of therapeutic agents in modern molecular medicine. This review is an historical follow-up of SELEX method over the two decades since its first appearance.     

Biodegradation of Di-n-Butyl Phthalate by a Newly Isolated Halotolerant Sphingobium sp.

A Gram-negative strain (TJ) capable of growing aerobically on mixed phthalate esters (PAEs) as the sole carbon and energy source was isolated from the Haihe estuary, Tianjin, China. It was identified as belonging to the Sphingobium genus on the basis of morphological and physiological characteristics and 16S rRNA and gyrb gene sequencing. The batch tests for biodegradation of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) by the Sphingobium sp. TJ showed that the optimum conditions were 30 °C, pH 7.0, and the absence of NaCl. Stain TJ could tolerate up to 4% NaCl in minimal salt medium supplemented with DBP, although the DBP degradation rates slowed as NaCl concentration increased. In addition, substrate tests showed that strain TJ could utilize shorter side-chained PAEs, such as dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate, but could not metabolize long-chained PAEs, such as di-n-octyl phthalate, diisooctyl phthalate, and di-(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the biodegradation characteristics of DBP by a member of the Sphingobium genus.     

Greenhouse Gas Adsorptivity of Horn-Shaped Carbon Nanotubes over Nitrogen: Equilibrium Study

The synthesis of horn-shaped carbon nanotubes using carbon tetrachloride as carbon source was carried out by solvothermal method at 200°C for 2 h. The scanning and transmission electron microscopic characterization of the obtained product showed the formation of horn-shaped carbon nanotubes with irregular wall structure having inner diameter of ～105 nm and length of ～1 µm. The equilibrium gas adsorption properties of horn-shaped carbon nanotubes derived from carbon tetrachloride were successfully investigated for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂ at 288, 303, and 318 K. Horn-shaped carbon nanotubes possess better CO₂ adsorption capacity (2.53 mmol/g) with high capacity selectivity (14.7) and equilibrium selectivity (59.1) over N₂ at 288 K. The detailed adsorption study with estimation of physical parameters such as Henry's constant and heat of adsorption identifies the horn-shaped carbon nanotubes as a potential adsorbent material in the field of CO₂ storage and separation.     

碳纳米管化学镀Ni/Ni3P的表面改性研究

采用化学镀方法制备了Ni包覆碳纳米管(CNTs),利用红外光谱(IR)、场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)、能谱分析(EDS)以及X射线衍射分析(XRD)研究了混酸纯化、敏化活化、化学镀Ni工艺以及镀后热处理(HT)对化学镀的影响.结果表明:混酸纯化后CNTs在其表面形成了大量的羧基(-COOH)和羟基(-OH)等官能团,提高了CNTs在镀液中的分散性;当稳定剂NH4Cl为35 g/L时,随着镀液温度的升高,镀层Ni含量先升高后降低;当温度为85℃时,镀Ni效果最佳,镀层Ni的质量分数为69.05％;热处理后镀层由非晶态的Ni-P层转变为Ni3P晶态结构,镀层更加平滑致密.     

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles-coated Carbon Nanotubes

A simple and straightforward approach to prepare TiO₂-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is presented. Anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with the average size ~8 nm were coated on CNTs from peroxo titanic acid (PTA) precursor even at low temperature of 100 °C. We demonstrate the effects of CNTs/TiO₂ molar ratio on the adsorption capability and photocatalytic efficiency under UV–visible irradiation. The samples showed not only good optical absorption in visible range, but also great adsorption capacity for methyl orange (MO) dye molecules. These properties facilitated the great enhancement of photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ NPs-coated CNTs photocatalysts. The TiO₂ NPs-coated CNTs exhibited 2.45 times higher photocatalytic activity for MO degradation than that of pure TiO₂.     

Genetic Diversity Characterization of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Isolates in Romania, Based on Phylogenetic Analysis

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a disease produced by the (PRRS) virus, characterized by endemic evolution in the majority of countries, which remains in actuality being a permanent threat to health and economic free farms, as well as for those infected. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of Romanian PRRSV isolates from the four most important pig farms in Romania by comparing the nucleotide sequences obtained for ORF5 and ORF7 with a wide range of sequences from GenBank belonging to the main types of PRRSV; the type 1. Eighteen different sequences were obtained for ORF5 gene and 10 for ORF7 gene. One Romanian isolate (Rom3) was found in three of the four different investigated farms. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Romanian PRRSV nucleotide sequences clustered in three groups within the subtype 1 of the virus. The analysis of amino acid sequences evidenced for GP5 and N-nucleocapsid proteins confirmed that the Romanian virus belonged to type 1.