学術雑誌リスト

A flexible hybrid heterojunction PbS colloidal quantum dot solar cell, where the photoactive layers are deposited using a solution processed fabrication approach under ambient condition and at room temperature is presented. The bending stability of the obtained solar cell is evaluated. The results show that the solar cell exhibits high bending stability and even under the bent state the cell also maintains a high performance, which shows the potential of the quantum dot solar cell toward a lightweight, bendable power source with many possible applications.

A facile and efficient method was developed to prepare the monodisperse biodegradable PEGylated pH and reduction dual-stimuli sensitive poly[methacrylic acid-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-N,N-bis(acryloyl)cystamine] (PMPB) nanohydrogels with dried particle size below 200 nm via one-step distillation precipitation polymerization as a drug delivery system (DDS) for the controlled release of a wide-spectrum anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). Under normal physiological media, the nanohydrogels possessed high drug encapsulation efficiency (more than 96%) within 48 h and exhibited good stability with a trifle premature drug release. However, rapid DOX release was achieved at lower pH or in the presence of reductive reagent glutathione (GSH) with a cumulative release of more than 85% within 30 h. Furthermore, the nanohydrogels manifested nontoxicity on HepG2 cells at a concentration of 10 μg mL−1 or lower. Based on the excellent characteristics of the nanohydrogels, such as low toxicity, impressive biodegradability, sharp dual responsiveness, adequate drug loading capacity and a high drug encapsulation efficiency, they were supposed to have potential application in the area of cancer therapy.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are a promising category of materials with remarkable size dependent properties like tunable bandgap and photoluminescence along with the possibility of effective chemical functionalization. Doping of GQDs with heteroatoms is an interesting way of regulating their properties. Herein, we report a facile and scalable one-step synthesis of luminescent GQDs, substitutionally co-doped with N, F and S, of ∼2 nm average size by a microwave treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a customized ionic liquid medium. The use of an ionic liquid coupled with the use of a microwave technique enables not only an ultrafast process for the synthesis of co-doped GQDs, but also provides excellent photoluminescence quantum yield (70%), perhaps due to the interaction of defect clusters and dopants.

We realized white light-emitting diodes with high color rendering index (85–96) and widely variable color temperatures (2805–7786 K) by combining three phosphors based on carbon dots and polymer dots, whose solid-state photoluminescence self-quenching was efficiently suppressed within a polyvinyl pyrrolidone matrix. All three phosphors exhibited dominant absorption in the UV spectral region, which ensured the weak reabsorption and no energy transfer crosstalk. The WLEDs showed excellent color stability against the increasing current because of the similar response of the tricolor phosphors to the UV light variation.

The programmed self-assembly of block copolymers into higher order nanoscale structures offers many attractive attributes for the development of new nanomaterials for numerous applications including drug delivery and biosensing. The incorporation of biomimetic silaffin peptides in these block copolymers enables the formation of hybrid organic–inorganic materials, which can potentially enhance the utility and stability of self-assembled nanostructures. We demonstrate the design, synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) diblock copolymers that undergo temperature-triggered self-assembly into well-defined spherical micelles. Genetically encoded incorporation of the silaffin R5 peptide at the hydrophilic terminus of the diblock ELP leads to presentation of the silaffin R5 peptide on the coronae of the micelles, which results in localized condensation of silica and the formation of near-monodisperse, discrete, sub-100 nm diameter hybrid ELP-silica particles. This synthesis method, can be carried out under mild reaction conditions suitable for bioactive materials, and will serve as the basis for the development and application of functional nanomaterials. Beyond silicification, the general strategies described herein may also be adapted for the synthesis of other biohybrid nanomaterials as well.

Rechargeable Li–O2 batteries with high theoretical energy density urgently require efficient cathode catalysts to improve their electrochemical performance. Here we first demonstrated the application of Ni-based organic frameworks of Ni(4,4′-bipy)(H3BTC) (4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine; H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) (Ni-MOFs) as high-performance cathode catalysts for rechargeable Li–O2 batteries. It is found that Ni-MOFs with a three-dimensional (3D) micro-nano structure, open catalytic sites and large specific surface area can guarantee the free transfer of O2 and effective contact between the electrolyte and the catalytic sites. Preliminary testing of Ni-MOFs showed that they possess an extremely high capacity of 9000 mA h g−1, a high round-trip efficiency of 80%, and a respectable cycling of 170 cycles without obvious voltage drop. Furthermore, plastic rechargeable Li–O2 batteries with Ni-MOFs as the cathode catalyst have been assembled, displaying an energy density of 478 Wh kg−1. This study leads to both fundamental and technological advances of Ni-MOFs as the cathode for rechargeable Li–O2 batteries.

Degenerate metal oxide nanoparticles are promising systems to expand the significant achievements of plasmonics into the infrared (IR) range. Among the possible candidates, Ga-doped ZnO nanocrystals are particularly suited for mid IR, considering their wide range of possible doping levels and thus of plasmon tuning. In the present work, we report on the tunable mid IR plasmon induced in degenerate Ga-doped ZnO nanocrystals. The nanocrystals are produced by a plasma expansion and exhibit unprotected surfaces. Tuning the Ga concentration allows tuning the localized surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, the plasmon resonance is characterized by a large damping. By comparing the plasmon of nanocrystal assemblies to that of nanoparticles dispersed in an alumina matrix, we investigate the possible origins of such damping. We demonstrate that it partially results from the self-organization of the naked particles and also from intrinsic inhomogeneity of dopants.

High aspect ratio magnetic nanomaterials possess anisotropic properties that make them attractive for biological applications. Their elongated shape enables multivalent interactions with receptors through the introduction of multiple targeting units on their surface, thus enhancing cell internalization. Moreover, due to their magnetic anisotropy, high aspect ratio nanomaterials can outperform their spherical analogues as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. In this review, we first describe the two main synthetic routes for the preparation of anisotropic magnetic nanomaterials: (i) direct synthesis (in which the anisotropic growth is directed by tuning the reaction conditions or by using templates) and (ii) assembly methods (in which the high aspect ratio is achieved by assembly from individual building blocks). We then provide an overview of the biomedical applications of anisotropic magnetic nanomaterials: magnetic separation and detection, targeted delivery and magnetic resonance imaging.

Iron oxide exhibits fascinating physical properties especially in the nanometer range, not only from the standpoint of basic science, but also for a variety of engineering, particularly biomedical applications. For instance, Fe3O4 behaves as superparamagnetic as the particle size is reduced to a few nanometers in the single-domain region depending on the type of the material. The superparamagnetism is an important property for biomedical applications such as magnetic hyperthermia therapy of cancer. In this review article, we report on some of the most recent experimental and theoretical studies on magnetic heating mechanisms under an alternating (AC) magnetic field. The heating mechanisms are interpreted based on Néel and Brownian relaxations, and hysteresis loss. We also report on the recently discovered photoluminescence of Fe3O4 and explain the emission mechanisms in terms of the electronic band structures. Both optical and magnetic properties are correlated to the materials parameters of particle size, distribution, and physical confinement. By adjusting these parameters, both optical and magnetic properties are optimized. An important motivation to study iron oxide is due to its high potential in biomedical applications. Iron oxide nanoparticles can be used for MRI/optical multimodal imaging as well as the therapeutic mediator in cancer treatment. Both magnetic hyperthermia and photothermal effect has been utilized to kill cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth. Once the iron oxide nanoparticles are up taken by the tumor with sufficient concentration, greater localization provides enhanced effects over disseminated delivery while simultaneously requiring less therapeutic mass to elicit an equal response. Multi-modality provides highly beneficial co-localization. For magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles the co-localization of diagnostics and therapeutics is achieved through magnetic based imaging and local hyperthermia generation through magnetic field or photon application. Here, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are shown to provide excellent conjugation bases for entrapment of therapeutic molecules, fluorescent agents, and targeting ligands; enhancement of solid tumor treatment is achieved through co-application of local hyperthermia with chemotherapeutic agents.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in our daily lives, for example, in the areas of sunscreens, cosmetics, toothpastes, food products, and nanomedical reagents. Recently, increasing concern has been raised about their neurotoxicity, but the mechanisms underlying such toxic effects are still unknown. In this work, we employed a human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) to study the effects of TiO2 NPs on neurological systems. Our results showed that TiO2 NPs did not affect cell viability but induced noticeable morphological changes until 100 μg ml−1. Immunofluorescence detection showed disorder, disruption, retraction, and decreased intensity of the microtubules after TiO2 NPs treatment. Both α and β tubule expressions did not change in the TiO2 NP-treated group, but the percentage of soluble tubules was increased. A microtubule dynamic study in living cells indicated that TiO2 NPs caused a lower growth rate and a higher shortening rate of microtubules as well as shortened lifetimes of de novo microtubules. TiO2 NPs did not cause changes in the expression and phosphorylation state of tau proteins, but a tau–TiO2 NP interaction was observed. TiO2 NPs could interact with tubule heterodimers, microtubules and tau proteins, which led to the instability of microtubules, thus contributing to the neurotoxicity of TiO2 NPs.