Magnetic Propulsion of Recyclable Catalytic Nanocleaners for Pollutant Degradation.

Electrochemically fabricated magnetic mesoporous CoNi@Pt nanorods are excellent nanomotors with controlled magnetic propulsion and excellent catalytic properties. The core-shell structure allows a double functionality: (i) controlled motion of the nanorods by applying rotating magnetic fields at different frequencies and field strengths and (ii) effective catalytic activity of the platinum shell for reactions involving sodium borohydride. The structure and magnetic properties of the CoNi core are not modified by the presence of the Pt shell.

Green electrochemical template synthesis of CoPt nanoparticles with tunable size, composition, and magnetism from microemulsions using an ionic liquid (bmimPF6).

Electrodeposition from microemulsions using ionic liquids is revealed as a green method for synthesizing magnetic alloyed nanoparticles, avoiding the use of aggressive reducing agents. Microemulsions containing droplets of aqueous solution (electrolytic solution containing Pt(IV) and Co(II) ions) in an ionic liquid (bmimPF6) define nanoreactors in which the electrochemical reduction takes place. Highly crystalline hcp alloyed CoPt nanoparticles, in the 10-120 nm range with a rather narrow size distribution, have been deposited on a conductive substrate.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Mesoporous CoPt Nanowires for Methanol Oxidation.

A new electrochemical method to synthesize mesoporous nanowires of alloys has been developed. Electrochemical deposition in ionic liquid-in-water (IL/W) microemulsion has been successful to grow mesoporous CoPt nanowires in the interior of polycarbonate membranes. The viscosity of the medium was high, but it did not avoid the entrance of the microemulsion in the interior of the membrane's channels.

Conductive microemulsions for template CoNi electrodeposition.

Microemulsions have been revealed as feasible templates to grow magnetic nanostructures using an electrodeposition method. Reducing agents are not required and the applied potential has been used as driving force of the nanostructure growth. A systematic study of conductive microemulsion systems to allow the CoNi electrodeposition process has been performed.

Measurement of the giant magnetoresistance effect in cobalt-silver magnetic nanostructures: nanoparticles.

Cobalt-silver (Co-Ag) core-shell nanoparticles with different silver thicknesses were prepared by the microemulsion method in a two-step reduction process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization revealed the almost monodispersity and nanometric size (in the range 3-5 nm depending on the shell thickness) of the synthesized nanoparticles. However, it was the use of high-resolution TEM that revealed the correct core-shell formation of the nanometric material.

Photo-controllable electronic switches based on azopyridine derivatives.

Stable photo-controllable electronic switches based on new light-sensitive azopyridines are reported herein. Such systems produce notable variations in the cathodic current density on working at low reduction potentials when UV light falls on them. The appropriate design of the azopyridine chromophore allows modulating the response time of the final opto-electronic switch.

Electrodeposition of Co-Ag films and compositional determination by electrochemical methods.

An electrolytic bath containing silver(I), cobalt(II) and different complexing agents to electrodeposit Co-Ag coatings over vitreous carbon and silicon/seed-layer substrates is proposed. In situ electrochemical characterization of thin deposits is performed by means of stripping (potentiodynamic or galvanostatic) methods. These techniques allow detecting the heterogeneous codeposition of cobalt and silver.