Ammonia Synthesis with Visible Light and Quantum Dots.

Light-assisted synthesis of ammonia from nitrate and nitrite sources is a sustainable approach to reduce the burden of the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, poor selectivity and the need for UV-active photocatalysts are the current bottlenecks in the synthesis of ammonia from nitrate and nitrite sources. Herein, we introduce selective visible-light-driven ammonia production from nitrate and nitrite ions with indium phosphide quantum dots (InP QDs) as the photocatalyst.

Plasmon-powered chemistry with visible-light active copper nanoparticles.

In the quest for affordable materials for performing visible-light driven chemistry, we report here intriguing optical and photothermal properties of plasmonic copper nanoparticles (CuNPs). Precise tuning of reaction conditions and surface functionalization yield stable and monodisperse CuNPs, with a strong localized surface plasmon absorption at ∼580 nm. The molar extinction coefficient is estimated to be ∼7.

Plasmon enabled Claisen rearrangement with sunlight.

Plasmonic-heat generated from the solar irradiation of gold nanoparticles is used as the thermal energy source for the Claisen rearrangement of allyl phenyl ether to 2-allylphenol, which is conventionally performed with electrical heating at 250 °C. The use of a closed reactor enables the physical separation of the reactants from the source of plasmonic-heat, thereby preventing the interference of the hot-charge carriers in the plasmon-driven Claisen rearrangement. In this way, the sole effect of plasmonic-heat in driving a high temperature organic transformation is demonstrated.

A comparative evaluation of resin- and varnish-based surface protective agents on glass ionomer cement - a spectrophotometric analysis.

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of resin- and varnish-based surface protective agents on Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC). The different surface protective agents used were: Vaseline, GC Fuji VARNISH™ (varnish), G-Coat Plus™ (resin) and EQUIA Coat (resin). Thirty-six identical specimens of GIC were made.

Cu-sil dentures: A novel approach of Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome management.

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by palmoplantar keratosis and premature loss of primary and permanent dentition. Its onset can be as early as 1-4 years of age. The genetic disorder is mutation in the cathepsin C gene.