In this work, a facile one-pot reaction for the formation of metal nanoparticles in a water solution through the use of n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol is presented. This compound can be used to effectively reduce and complex metal salts into metal core nanoparticles coated with the compound. By controlling the concentrations of salt and silane one is able to control reaction rates, particle size, and nanoparticle coating. The effects of these changes were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectrometry (UV-Vis), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A unique aspect to this reaction is that usually silanes hydrolyze and cross-link in water; however, in this system the silane is water-soluble and stable. It is known that silicon and amino moieties can form complexes with metal salts. The silicon is known to extend its coordination sphere to form penta- or hexa-coordinated species. Furthermore, the silanol group can undergo hydrolysis to form a Si-O-Si silica network, thereby transforming the metal nanoparticles into a functionalized nanocomposites.

Amino-bridged gel polymer P1 was discovered to catalyze alkyne halo-functionalization in excellent yields, regioselectivity, functional group compatibility, and recyclability. We have observed that both aromatic and aliphatic alkynes can be converted to α,α-dihalogenated ketones in the presence of polymer P1 under metal-free conditions at room temperature within a short reaction time.

In this publication, a copper acetate-mediated rhodanine polymerization reaction is examined. It is demonstrated that at room temperature, Cu(II) acetate complexes with rhodanine generate solid nanospheres, which, upon heating in a microwave, results in polyrhodanine core–shell nano- and microsphere particles. The structural analysis of the polyrhodanine nanosphere produced by this efficient microwave-initiated method was conducted by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, it is verified that this template-free, efficient, and versatile synthesis of polyrhodanine nanospheres can also be accomplished by introducing a strong oxidant KMnO 4 as a cocatalyst with copper acetate without compromising the morphology of the resulting core–shell nanospheres. It is also demonstrated that the polyrhodanine nanospheres can be used to adsorb methyl orange dye, a known contaminant in industrial wastewater.

In this work, a NIR emitting dye, p-toluenesulfonate (IR-813) was explored as a model precursor to develop red emissive carbon dots (813-CD) with solvatochromic behavior with a red-shift observed with increasing solvent polarity. The 813-CDs produced had emission peaks at 610 and 698 nm, respectively, in water with blue shifts of emission as solvent polarity decreased. Subsequently, 813-CD was synthesized with increasing nitrogen content with polyethyleneimine (PEI) to elucidate the change in band gap energy. With increased nitrogen content, the CDs produced emissions as far as 776 nm. Additionally, a CD nanocomposite polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) film was synthesized to assess the phenomenon of solid-state fluorescence. Furthermore, the CDs were found to have electrochemical properties to be used as an additive doping agent for PVP film coatings.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are mixed M(II) and M(III) hydroxides with positively charged lamellar brucite layers and interlayered anions. LDHs have attracted significant attention due to their anion- and cation-exchange ability, adsorption capacity, and potential applications in drug delivery and catalysis. The properties of LDHs directly correlate with their structures. In this study, we synthesized nickel-aluminum LDHs by the sol–gel method. We investigated the changes in their crystal structure/morphology introduced by hydrothermal treatments that varied from 0 to 48 h. Based on measured data using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering, we demonstrated that the duration of the hydrothermal treatment can effectively control the micro- and nanostructures of Ni–Al LDHs. We found that the hydrothermal treatment leads to a two-step change in the structure of the LDHs. In the first step, crystallization occurred during the first 24 h of hydrothermal treatment, increasing the interlayer width (from 2.28 to 2.31 nm) and the crystallite size (from 14.2 to 50.6 nm). In the second step, the predominant phenomena were stacking and planar expansion after the crystallization process approached equilibrium. Thus, the layered structure already developed in the first step was further stacked, and the hexagonal platelet characteristic of LDH expanded in a planar direction. Our study suggests that the duration of the hydrothermal treatment is a crucial factor in the structural evolution of LDHs and can be used to control the structure of LDHs for different applications.