Flow field-flow fractionation and single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry as a powerful tool for tracking and understanding the sensing mechanism of Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles toward cobalt ions.

Background: Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs), synthesized by using citrate reduction of Ag and Au ions, were used as sensor for detection of Co. In order to optimize sensing performance, it is necessary to control the particle size and size distribution of the original Ag-Au BNPs. Therefore, analytical methods based on the use of single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) and flow-field flow fractionation (FlFFF)-ICP-MS were developed to track the signal of Ag and Au in bimetallic nanoparticles at each step of the procedure: BNP synthesis, aggregation and sensing in order to understand the sensing mechanism.

Use of single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for understanding the formation of bimetallic nanoparticles.

Bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs), including core-shell structure and bimetallic alloy nanoparticles, were synthesized and characterized using flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF), single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). For the core-shell particles, a nominal 80 nm commercial core-shell AuAg bimetallic nanoparticle was used to examine the applicability of SP-ICP-MS to determine the core size of Au and shell thickness of Ag. Then, the method was applied to estimate the core size of Au and shell thickness of Ag for the laboratory synthesized particles.

Use of flow field-flow fractionation and single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for size determination of selenium nanoparticles in a mixture.

Various analytical techniques have been used for size analysis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). These include flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF), single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For hydrodynamic diameter estimation, the FlFFF technique was used and the results were compared with those analyzed by DLS.

Discovery of coumarin derivatives as fluorescence acceptors for intrinsic fluorescence resonance energy transfer of proteins.

Coumarin analogues were synthezised and evaluated as acceptors for the intrinsic fluorescence resonance energy transfer (iFRET) of tryptophan residues in target proteins. The fluorescence properties such as quantum yields, iFRET efficiencies, and Förster distances of the prepared coumarin analogs were determined in a model system, by their conjugation to biotin, utilizing streptavidin (SAV) as the iFRET donor. The coumarin derivatives reported here represent the most efficient iFRET acceptors for tryptophan, known to date.

Recent advances in target characterization and identification by photoaffinity probes.

Target identification of biologically active molecules such as natural products, synthetic small molecules, peptides, and oligonucleotides mainly relies on affinity chromatography, activity-based probes, or photoaffinity labeling (PAL). Amongst them, activity-based probes and PAL have offered great advantages in target identification technology due to their ability to form covalent bonds with the corresponding targets. Activity-based probe technology mainly relies on the chemical reactivity of the target proteins, thereby limiting the majority of the biological targets to enzymes or proteins which display reactive residues at the probe-binding site.

Diamond and diamond-like carbon from a preceramic polymer.

The synthesis of poly(hydridocarbyne), one of a class of carbon-based random network polymers and a structural isomer of polyacetlyene, is reported. The network backbone of this polymer is primarily composed of tetrahedrally hybridized carbon atoms, each bearing one hydride substituent and linked via three carbon-carbon single bonds into a three-dimensional random network of fused rings. This atomic-level carbon network backbone confers unusual properties on the polymer, including facile thermal decomposition to form diamond or diamond-like carbon high-quality films at atmospheric pressure, by direct deposition or by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), without the use of hydrogen or any other reagent.