Up-scaling a Sol-Gel Process for the Production of a Multi-Component Xerogel Powder.

A sol-gel process for the synthesis of a multi-component oxide material from the system SiO2-ZrO2-Al2O3underwent optimization and up-scaling. Initially, on a laboratory scale, components including precursors, catalysts, and additives were methodically evaluated to ensure a safe and efficient transition to larger volumes. Subsequently, the equipment for the whole setup of the sol-gel process was strategically selected.

A Nano-Rattle SnO@carbon Composite Anode Material for High-Energy Li-ion Batteries by Melt Diffusion Impregnation.

The huge volume expansion in Sn-based alloy anode materials (up to 360%) leads to a dramatic mechanical stress and breaking of particles, resulting in the loss of conductivity and thereby capacity fading. To overcome this issue, SnO@C nano-rattle composites based on <10 nm SnO nanoparticles in and on porous amorphous carbon spheres were synthesized using a silica template and tin melting diffusion method. Such SnO@C nano-rattle composite electrodes provided two electrochemical processes: a partially reversible process of the SnO reduction to metallic Sn at 0.

Melt-Spun Nanocomposite Fibers Reinforced with Aligned Tunicate Nanocrystals.

The fabrication of nanocomposite films and fibers based on cellulose nanocrystals (P-tCNCs) and a thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) elastomer is reported. High-aspect-ratio P-tCNCs were isolated from tunicates using phosphoric acid hydrolysis, which is a process that affords nanocrystals displaying high thermal stability. Nanocomposites were produced by solvent casting (films) or melt-mixing in a twin-screw extruder and subsequent melt-spinning (fibers).

Characteristics and properties of nano-LiCoO synthesized by pre-organized single source precursors: Li-ion diffusivity, electrochemistry and biological assessment.

Background: LiCoO is one of the most used cathode materials in Li-ion batteries. Its conventional synthesis requires high temperature (>800 °C) and long heating time (>24 h) to obtain the micronscale rhombohedral layered high-temperature phase of LiCoO (HT-LCO). Nanoscale HT-LCO is of interest to improve the battery performance as the lithium (Li) ion pathway is expected to be shorter in nanoparticles as compared to micron sized ones.

Surface chemistry at Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences.

In the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences, a number of research groups are involved in surface science, with different methodological approaches and a broad range of sophisticated characterization techniques. A snapshot of the current research going on in different groups from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) is given.

Non-destructive localization and identification of active pharmaceutical compounds by Raman chemical imaging.

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful and non-destructive technique for chemical and structural identification. Based on inelastic scattering of laser light by molecular vibrations, the analysis can be localized on a microscopic area when combined with a microscope. Thus, by moving the sample under the microscope objective and recording a Raman spectrum at each point, a map of the intensity of specific Raman bands can be generated, effectively creating a chemical image of the sample at the microscale.

Electrodeposition of gold thin films with controlled morphologies and their applications in electrocatalysis and SERS.

Here, an easy and effective electrochemical route towards the synthesis of gold thin films with well-controlled roughness, morphology and crystallographic orientation is reported. To control these different factors, the applied potential during deposition played a major role. A tentative nucleation and growth mechanism is demonstrated by means of electrochemical characterizations and a formation mechanism is proposed.

Simple synthetic route for SERS-active gold nanoparticles substrate with controlled shape and organization.

We report a simple synthetic route based on electroless deposition (galvanic displacement) and natural lithography to simultaneously control the shape and organization of Au nanoparticles (NPs). We show for the first time the formation of organized extended domains of Au nanoflowers and nanocrowns with single crystalline tips. The dimension and morphology of the desired nanostructures (NSs) can be tuned easily by controlling the deposition conditions at room temperature using saccharin as an organic additive.

Application of transient evanescent grating techniques to the study of liquid/liquid interfaces.

Transient grating experiments performed with evanescent fields resulting from total internal reflection at an interface between a polar absorbing solution and an apolar transparent solvent are described. The time evolution of the diffracted intensity was monitored from picosecond to millisecond time scales. The diffracted signal originates essentially from two density phase gratings: one in the absorbing phase induced by thermal expansion and one in the transparent solvent due to electrostriction.

Helicates of chiragen-type ligands and their aptitude for chiral self-recognition.

Two (-)-5,6-pinene-bipyridine moieties connected by a para-xylylene bridge (so-called chiragen-type ligands), (-)-L1, undergo self-assembly upon reaction with equimolar amounts of CuI to form enantiopure circular hexanuclear P-helicates. If both enantiomers of L1 are used, mixtures of P and M hexanuclear helicates are exclusively obtained through a complete chiral recognition; that is, no mixing of the (+) and (-) ligands, respectively, occurs upon complexation. This was proven by a) NMR spectroscopy where identical spectra to those for complexes with the enantiomerically pure ligands were obtained and b) circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.