Synthesis and optical properties of perovskite nanocrystals in glass with cationic substitution.

The effect of cadmium ions introduced into fluorophosphate glass on the growth and photoluminescence (PL) of the CsPb1-xCdxBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) is systematically studied. The x-ray diffraction patterns have shown that cadmium ions are really incorporated into the NCs that results in a decrease in the lattice constant from 5.85 (x = 0) to 5.

A Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Based Aptasensor for the Detection of Deoxynivalenol and T-2 Mycotoxins.

The quality of food is one of the emergent points worldwide. Many microorganisms produce toxins that are harmful for human and animal health. In particular, mycotoxins from Fusarium fungi are strictly controlled in cereals.

Smart photopharmacological agents: LaVO:Eu@vinyl phosphonate combining luminescence imaging and photoswitchable butyrylcholinesterase inhibition.

The combination of photoswitchability and bioactivity in one compound provides interesting opportunities for photopharmacology. Here, we report a hybrid compound that in addition allows for its visual localization. It is the first demonstration of its kind and it even shows high photoswitchability.

Ligand Exchange Reaction between Ferrocene and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: A Contemporary Approach.

Ligand exchange reaction (LER) between carbon nanoparticles and ferrocene (CpFe) was conducted several times, but there was no convincing evidence of half-sandwich CpFe coordination to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). In this study, MWCNT is modified by LER with ferrocene using AlCl/Al as a catalytic system. The modified MWCNT (Fc-MWCNT) are investigated for better understanding of the processes taking place on the surface of MWCNT using different spectroscopic and electrochemical methods.

All-in-One Photoactivated Inhibition of Butyrylcholinesterase Combined with Luminescence as an Activation and Localization Indicator: Carbon Quantum Dots@Phosphonate Hybrids.

Photopharmacology is a booming research area requiring a new generation of agents possessing simultaneous functions of photoswitching and pharmacophore. It is important that any practical implementation of photopharmacology ideally requires spatial control of the medicinal treatment zone. Thus, advances in the study of substances meeting all the listed requirements will lead to breakthrough research in the coming years.

Photoswitchable Phosphonate-Fullerene Hybrids with Cholinesterase Activity.

Modern progress in photopharmocology calls for new generation of compounds joining bioactivity, photoswitchable properties and high selectivity of response to light wavelength. Introduced here, phosphonate-fullerene hybrids are the first representatives of such compounds. Phosphonate-fullerene hybrids were synthesized on a base of fullerene C and organophosphates with the function of photoswitchable cholinesterase activity-phosphorylated thiazolotriazole and aminomalonate compounds and studied with FTIR, UV-VIS spectroscopy and IPC-micro neurotoxin amperometric analysis.

DFT Modelling of Molecular Structure, Vibrational and UV-Vis Absorption Spectra of T-2 Toxin and 3-Deacetylcalonectrin.

This paper discusses the applicability of optical and vibrational spectroscopies for the identification and characterization of the T-2 mycotoxin. Vibrational states and electronic structure of the T-2 toxin molecules are simulated using a density-functional quantum-mechanical approach. A numerical experiment aimed at comparing the predicted structural, vibrational and electronic properties of the T-2 toxin with analogous characteristics of the structurally similar 3-deacetylcalonectrin is performed, and the characteristic spectral features that can be used as fingerprints of the T-2 toxin are determined.

Copper oxalate formation by lichens and fungi.

The present work focuses on the revealing the patterns of copper oxalates formation under the influence of lichens and fungi by combination of the results of field studies and model experiments. These findings create the scientific basis for the potential microbial technology applications (ore enrichment, monuments conservation, environment bioremediation, etc.).

Laser-induced twisting of phosphorus functionalized thiazolotriazole as a way of cholinesterase activity change.

Herein, the synthesis, design, and the physicochemical characterization of phosphorus functionalized thiazolotriazole (PFT) compound are presented. The PFT tests on the biological activity revealed butyrylcholinesterase inhibition that was confirmed and explained with molecular docking studies. The pronounced reduction of optical density and biological activity was found as a result of irradiation of the PFT water solution with laser beam at wavelength 266 nm.

Spectral properties of triphenyltin chloride toxin and its detectivity by SERS: Theory and experiment.

The triphenyltin chloride (TPhTCl) molecular structure was investigated by Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and the density functional theory (DFT) modeling. Several conformers with different ordering of the benzene rings were determined in the gas phase and in the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) medium. It was shown that the dihedral angles describing such ordering can change under room conditions.

Adjusting Interfacial Chemistry and Electronic Properties of Photovoltaics Based on a Highly Pure SbS Absorber by Atomic Layer Deposition.

The combination of oxide and heavier chalcogenide layers in thin film photovoltaics suffers limitations associated with oxygen incorporation and sulfur deficiency in the chalcogenide layer or with a chemical incompatibility which results in dewetting issues and defect states at the interface. Here, we establish atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a tool to overcome these limitations. ALD allows one to obtain highly pure SbS light absorber layers, and we exploit this technique to generate an additional interfacial layer consisting of 1.

Nanoporous water oxidation electrodes with a low loading of laser-deposited Ru/C exhibit enhanced corrosion stability.

For the oxidation of water to dioxygen, oxide-covered ruthenium metal is known as the most efficient catalyst, however, with limited stability. Herein, we present a strategy for incorporating a Ru/C composite onto a novel nanoporous electrode surface with low noble metal loading and improved stability. The Ru/C is coated on the pore walls of anodic alumina templates in a one-step laser-induced deposition method from Ru(CO) solutions.

Raman fingerprints for unambiguous identification of organotin compounds.

Raman spectra of the different ecotoxicants such as perfluorooctane sulfonate acid, organotin compounds of different families tributyl-, and triphenyl-, as well as chemically close compounds belonging to the same family - such as mono-, di-, and tributyl organotin compounds were analyzed. The comprehensive Raman spectra analysis allowed suggesting the identification scheme for clear recognition of the toxins family and the following intra-group specification. Possibility of unambiguous toxins detection and identification was demonstrated also for complex mixtures of various toxins on a base of control of characteristic peak groups, which can be considered as Raman fingerprints of the listed environmentally hazardous substances.

Design Rules for Oxygen Evolution Catalysis at Porous Iron Oxide Electrodes: A 1000-Fold Current Density Increase.

Nanotubular iron(III) oxide electrodes are optimized for catalytic efficiency in the water oxidation reaction at neutral pH. The nanostructured electrodes are prepared from anodic alumina templates, which are coated with Fe O by atomic layer deposition. Scanning helium ion microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the morphologies and phases of samples submitted to various treatments.