Here, for the first time, we demonstrate formation of virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs) utilizing gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles as cores and capsid protein of brome mosaic virus (BMV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) as shells. Further, utilizing cryo-electron microscopy and single particle methods, we are able to show that the BMV coat on VNPs assembles into a structure very close to that of a native virion. This is a consequence of an optimal iron oxide NP size (∼11 nm) fitting the virus cavity and an ultrathin gold layer on the maghemite cores, which allows for utilization of SH-(CH 2 ) 11 -(CH 2 -CH 2 -O) 4 -OCH 2 -COOH as capping molecules to provide sufficient stability, charge density, and small form factor. MRI studies show unique relaxivity ratios that diminish only slightly with gold coating. A virus protein coating of a magnetic core mimicking the wild-type virus makes these VNPs a versatile platform for biomedical applications.

Here we report novel catalysts for nitrobenzene hydrogenation based on Ru/RuO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) and including iron oxide NPs, allowing magnetic recovery. The solvent type, reaction temperature, and the size and composition of initial iron oxide NPs are demonstrated to be the control factors determining synthesis outcomes including the degree of NP aggregation and catalytic properties. A complete characterization of the catalysts using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) allowed assessment of the structure-property relationships. It is revealed that coexistence of the Ru/RuO 2 and iron oxide NPs in the catalyst as well as the proximity of two different NP types lead to significantly higher aniline yields and reaction rates. The catalytic properties are also influenced by the type of iron oxide NPs present in the catalytic samples.

Laboratory safety has received heightened attention due to a series of devastatingly tragic accidents in both academic and nonacademic settings. Consequently, chemistry departments at various academic institutions now offer some form of formal training in laboratory safety for entering graduate students. Although the extent of this training varies widely among institutions, it typically includes an online assessment and/or minimal in-person classroom instruction. However, a significant gap exists between a lecture hall setting and the complex environment that comprises an advanced research laboratory. We've adapted the technological advances in virtual and augmented reality to bridge this gap. A set of 360°virtual reality lab experiences, highlighting safety infractions, have been created for a variety of subdiscipline-distinct (medicinal, organic, inorganic, physical, drug screening) laboratory settings. Notable features include the accurate depiction of the visual complexity associated with research settings, the opportunity for the trainee to explore multiple laboratories in a self-paced fashion, and immediate feedback with respect to the identification of safety hazards. The VR Lab Safety modules were very well received by first year graduate students, with greater than 85% of the respondents describing the VR experience as engaging and memorable, as a good supplement to safety reading material, and as providing real world examples that are otherwise difficult to visualize.