Shape-controlled synthesis of highly crystalline titania nanocrystals

Optimization of an ultra-bright real-time high-throughput renilla luciferase assay for antibacterial assessment of Streptococcus mutans biofilms

OBJECTIVE

The present work demonstrates the optimization of a renilla-based real-time, ultra-bright, non-disruptive, high-throughput bioluminescence assay (HTS) to assess the metabolism of intact Streptococcus mutans biofilms and its utility in screening the antibacterial efficacy of experimental nanofilled dental adhesive resins containing varying concentrations of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (N_TiO2).

METHODS

Optimization of the assay was achieved by screening real-time bioluminescence changes in intact Streptococcus mutans biofilms imposed by the various experimental biofilm growth parameters investigated (bacterial strain, growth media, sucrose concentration, dilution factor, and inoculum volume). The optimized assay was then used to characterize the antibacterial efficacy of experimental nanofilled dental adhesive resins. The assay's ability to discriminate between bacteriostatic and bactericidal approaches was also investigated.

RESULTS

Relative Light Units (RLU) values from the HTS optimization were analyzed by multivariate ANOVA (α = 0.05) and coefficients of variation. An optimized HTS bioluminescence assay was developed displaying RLUs values (brightness) that are much more intense when comparing to other previously reported bioluminescence assays, thereby decreasing the error associated with bioluminescence assays and displaying better utility while investigating the functionalities of antimicrobial nanofilled experimental dental adhesive resins with proven long-term properties.

SIGNIFICANCE

The present study is anticipated to positively impact subsequent research on dental materials and oral microbiology because it serves as a valuable screening tool in metabolic-based assays with increased sensitivity and robustness. The assay reported is anticipated to be further optimized to be used as a co-reporter for other Luc based assays.

Understanding Flexdispersion: Structure-Function Relationship Studies of Organic Amphiphilic Ligands

Since inorganic nanoparticles have unique properties that differ from those of bulk materials, their material applications have attracted attention in various fields. In order to utilize inorganic nanoparticles for functional materials, they must be dispersed without agglomeration. Therefore, the surfaces of inorganic nanoparticles are typically modified with organic ligands to improve their dispersibility. Nevertheless, the relationship between the tail group structure in organic ligands and the dispersibility of inorganic nanoparticles in organic solvents remains poorly understood. We previously developed amphiphilic ligands that consist of ethylene glycol chains and alkyl chains to disperse inorganic nanoparticles in a variety of organic solvents. However, the structural requirements for amphiphilic ligands to "flexibly" disperse nanoparticles in less polar to polar solvents are still unclear. Here, we designed and synthesized several phosphonic acid ligands for structure-function relationship studies of flexdispersion. Dynamic light scattering analysis and visible light transmittance measurements revealed that the ratio of alkyl/ethylene glycol chains in organic ligands alone does not determine the dispersibility of the nanoparticles in organic solvents, but the arrangement of the individual chains also has an effect. From a practical application standpoint, it is preferable to design ligands with ethylene glycol chains on the outside relative to the particle surface.

Partial Hydrolysis of Diphosphonate Ester During the Formation of Hybrid TiO2 Nanoparticles: Role of Acid Concentration

The hydrolysis of the phosphonate ester linker during the synthesis of hybrid (organic-inorganic) TiO2 nanoparticles is important when forming porous hybrid organic-inorganic metal phosphonates. In the present work, a method was utilized to control the in-situ partial hydrolysis of diphosphonate ester in the presence of a titania precursor as a function of acid content, and its impact on the hybrid nanoparticles was assessed. Organodiphosphonate esters, and more specific, their hydrolysis degree during the formation of hybrid organic-inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles, are relatively under explored as linkers. Here, a detailed analysis on the hydrolysis of tetraethyl propylene diphosphonate ester (TEPD) as diphosphonate linker to produce hybrid TiO2 nanoparticles is discussed as a function of acid content. Quantitative solution NMR spectroscopy revealed that during the synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles, an increase in acid concentration introduces a higher degree of partial hydrolysis of the TEPD linker into diverse acid/ester derivatives of TEPD. Increasing the HCl/Ti ratio from 1 to 3, resulted in an increase in degree of partial hydrolysis of the TEPD linker in solution from 4 % to 18.8 % under the applied conditions. As a result of the difference in partial hydrolysis, the linker-TiO2 bonding was altered. Upon subsequent drying of the colloidal TiO2 solution, different textures, at nanoscale and macroscopic scale, were obtained dependent on the HCl/Ti ratio and thus the degree of hydrolysis of TEPD. Understanding such linker-TiO2 nanoparticle surface dynamics is crucial for making hybrid organic-inorganic materials (i. e. (porous) metal phosphonates) employed in applications such as electronic/photonic devices, separation technology and heterogeneous catalysis.

A general method for endowing hydrophobic nanoparticles with water dispersion abilities

Inorganic nanoparticles with long-chain ligands are usually hydrophobic. However, simple and practical methods for converting hydrophobic nanoparticles to hydrophilic nanoparticles are still lacking. Herein, we developed a general method involving using dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) for endowing hydrophobic nanoparticles with water dispersion abilities. By mixing a tetrahydrofuran solution of DMSA with a cyclohexane solution of hydrophobic nanoparticles, the long-chain ligands were replaced with DMSA, with the replacement due to the strong and broad-spectrum coordination abilities of sulphydryls and carboxyls. Four representative kinds of hydrophobic nanoparticles, namely Ag, NaGdF4, TiO2, and ZnS nanoparticles, were selected for verifying the performance of this DMSA-based modification method. Meanwhile, this method can also widen the applications of hydrophobic nanoparticles and facilitate their being subjected to further graft modifications. We hope that our research will increase the chances for applications of nanomaterials to be made.

Mechanical and antibacterial properties of an experimental flowable composite containing Nb2O5 and NF_TiO2 nanoparticles

This study developed an experimental flowable composite incorporated with niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) combined or not with titanium dioxide co-doped with fluorine and nitrogen (NF_TiO2) and evaluated the mechanical and antibacterial properties. The experimental flowable composite (TEGDMA + BisGMA 1:1 + 60%wt - inorganic filler - borosilicate 0.7 μm) was formulated according to the type and concentration of Nb2O5 and NF_TiO2 (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 wt%) or NF_TiO2 + Nb2O5 (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 wt% - 1:1). The control groups were formed by the experimental composite without the incorporation of Nb2O5 and/or NF_TiO2 (GC-E) and by a commercial flowable composite (GC). The characterization of the surface of the composite and its particles was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-rays (EDX). Specimens were manufactured and subjected to mechanical tests of flexural strength (FS) (n = 12), flexural modulus (FM) (n = 12), roughness (Ra) (n = 10), microhardness (n = 10), and contact angle (n = 10); and, to evaluate the antibacterial activity, they were submitted to tests of biofilm formation against S. mutans (CFU/mL) (n = 5), biofilm biomass by dry weight (n = 5) and confocal laser microscopy (%LIVE/DEAD) (n = 5). Data were submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc and, those that were not homoscedastic, but with normality, were submitted to Welch's ANOVA and Games-Howell's post-hoc. Dunnet's test was used to compare the controls with the other experimental groups (α = 5). The Nb2O5 particles had an average size of 32.4 μm and the nanoparticles (NPs) of NF_TiO2, 10 nm. EDX analysis identified isolated peaks of N, F, Ti, and Nb confirming the presence of these particles in the resin matrix. The 1.5% NF_TiO2 group had a higher FS and FM than the controls (p < 0.05). GC showed higher microhardness between groups (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the experimental groups regarding contact angle and roughness (p > 0.05), except for GC, which had the highest Ra values and the lowest contact angle between groups (p < 0.05). Composites containing 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% Nb2O5, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% NF_TiO2 and 2% Nb2O5 + NF_TiO2 showed lower biofilm formation (p < 0.05), lower total biofilm biomass (p < 0.05), and a higher percentage of dead cells (44%, 52%, 52%, 79%, 42% 43%, 62%, 65%, respectively) than GC and GC-E (5% and 1%, respectively). It is concluded that the incorporation of 1.5% NF_TiO2 promoted a greater FS and FM among the experimental composites and that the addition of Nb2O5 particles (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%), NF_TiO2 (1%, 1.5% and 2%) and the combination Nb2O5 + NF_TiO2 (2%) showed significant antibacterial effects.

Dispersibility of TiO2 Nanoparticles in Less Polar Solvents: Role of Ligand Tail Structures

Nanoparticles (NPs) are inherently prone to aggregation and loss of their size-derived properties, thus it is essential to enhance their dispersibility for applications. In less polar solvents, organic ligands containing oleyl groups are known as good dispersants due to their inefficient shell packing and inhibition of chain-chain crystallization as well as interdigitation between adjacent NPs. However, reagents with oleyl structures, such as oleic acid and oleylamine, can contain trans double bonds and saturated impurities, which might affect the chemical and/or physical properties of the NPs. Nevertheless, the effect of slight differences in surface ligand structure, including isomers, on the dispersibility of NPs has been little studied. We have synthesized five phosphonic acid ligands to investigate the structure-dispersibility relationship in detail. Dynamic light scattering and visible light transmittance revealed that not only regio- but also the stereochemistries of the C=C double bond in the ligand molecule, as well as the choice of solvent, are key factors in enhancing dispersibility.

Effect of shape of titanium dioxide nanofillers on the properties of dental composites

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the morphology of titanium dioxide nanofillers on the flexural strength and shear bond strength of the dental composite. Spherical and rhombic-shaped nano titanium dioxide fillers were synthesized via solvothermal method and were characterized. Subsequently, these fillers were incorporated into a flowable composite (Filtek^™ Z350 XT Flowable Restorative) at 0.5 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% and the prepared specimens were stored in water for 24 h. The specimens were then evaluated for flexural strength using a universal testing machine. Similarly, the shear bond strength of modified composites to the tooth was evaluated and bond failures were analyzed using stereomicroscope magnification. Incorporation of nanofillers significantly enhanced the flexural strength of flowable composite (p = 0.009) with a significant increase at 0.5wt.% of spherical (p = 0.015) and rhomboidal-shaped fillers (p = 0.010). However, no statistically significant difference in flexural strength was observed among the different shapes of nanofillers. The results of our study did not show a significant effect on the shear bond strength of the composites. Thus the reinforcing ability of titanium dioxide nanofillers on dental composite was confirmed in this study, although the effect of using nanofillers with different morphology was not significant.

Predictive Removal of Interfacial Defect-Induced Trap States between Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles via Sub-Monolayer Zirconium Coating

First principles modeling of anatase TiO₂ surfaces and their interfacial contacts shows that defect-induced trap states within the band gap arise from intrinsic structural distortions, and these can be corrected by modification with Zr(IV) ions. Experimental testing of these predictions has been undertaken using anatase nanocrystals modified with a range of Zr precursors and characterized using structural and spectroscopic methods. Continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed that under illumination, nanoparticle-nanoparticle interfacial hole trap states dominate, which are significantly reduced after optimizing the Zr doping. Fabrication of nanoporous films of these materials and charge injection using electrochemical methods shows that Zr doping also leads to improved electron conductivity and mobility in these nanocrystalline systems. The simple methodology described here to reduce the concentration of interfacial defects may have wider application to improving the efficiency of systems incorporating metal oxide powders and films including photocatalysts, photovoltaics, fuel cells, and related energy applications.

Shear Bond Strength and Color Stability of Novel Antibacterial Nanofilled Dental Adhesive Resins

Experimental adhesives containing co-doped metaloxide nanoparticles were demonstrated to display strong and long-term antibacterial properties against Streptococcus mutans biofilms. The present study represents an effort to characterize the shear-bond strength (SBS) and color stability (CS) of these novel biomaterials. Experimental adhesives were obtained by dispersing nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NF_TiO2, 10%, 20% or 30%, v/v%) into OptiBond Solo Plus (OPTB). Dentin surfaces were wet-polished (600-Grit). Specimens (n = 5/group) of Tetric EvoCeram were fabricated and bonded using either OPTB or experimental (OPTB + NF_TiO2) adhesives. Specimens were stored in water (37 °C) for twenty-four hours (T1), three months (T2), and six months (T3). At T1, T2, or T3, specimens were removed from water storage and were tested for SBS. Disc-shaped specimens (n = 10/group; d = 6.0 mm, t = 0.5 mm) of adhesives investigated were fabricated and subjected to thermocycling (10,000 cycles, 5−55 °C, 15 s dwell time). Specimens’ colors were determined with a VITA Easyshade® V spectrophotometer (after every 1000 cycles). SBS data was analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests, while CS data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests (α = 0.05). Mean values of SBS ranged from 16.39 ± 4.20 MPa (OPTB + 30%NF_TiO2) to 19.11 ± 1.11 MPa (OPTB), from 12.99 ± 2.53 MPa (OPTB + 30% NF_TiO2) to 14.87 ± 2.02 (OPTB) and from 11.37 ± 1.89 (OPTB + 20% NF_TiO2) to 14.19 ± 2.24 (OPTB) after twenty-four hours, three months, and six months of water storage, respectively. Experimental materials had SBS values that were comparable (p > 0.05) to those from OPTB independently of nanoparticle concentration or time-point considered. Experimental materials with higher NF_TiO2 concentrations had less intense color variations and were more color stable than OPTB even after 10,000 thermocycles. In combination, the results reported have demonstrated that experimental adhesives can establish strong and durable bonds to human dentin while displaying colors that are more stable, thereby suggesting that the antibacterial nanotechnology investigated can withstand the harsh conditions within the oral cavity without compromising the esthetic component of dental restorations.

Determination of Crystallographic Orientation and Exposed Facets of Titanium Oxide Nanocrystals

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂ ) nanocrystals have attracted great attention in heterogeneous photocatalysis and photoelectricity fields for decades. However, contradicting conclusions on the crystallographic orientation and exposed facets of TiO₂ nanocrystals frequently appear in the literature. Herein, using anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals with highly exposed {001} facets as a model, the misleading conclusions that exist on anatase nanocrystals are clarified. Although TiO₂ -001 nanocrystals are recognized to be dominated by {001} facets, in fact, anatase nanocrystals with both dominant {001} and {111} facets always co-exist due to the similarities in the lattice fringes and intersection angles between the two types of facets (0.38 nm and 90° in the [001] direction, 0.35 nm and 82° in the [111] direction). A paradigm for determining the crystallographic orientation and exposed facets based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, which provides a universal methodology to nanomaterials for determining the orientation and exposed facets, is also given.

Oleic acid/oleylamine ligand pair: a versatile combination in the synthesis of colloidal nanoparticles

A variety of colloidal chemical approaches has been developed in the last few decades for the controlled synthesis of nanostructured materials in either water or organic solvents. Besides the precursors, the solvents, reducing agents, and the choice of surfactants are crucial for tuning the composition, morphology and other properties of the resulting nanoparticles. The ligands employed include thiols, amines, carboxylic acids, phosphines and phosphine oxides. Generally, adding a single ligand to the reaction mixture is not always adequate to yield the desired features. In this review, we discuss in detail the role of the oleic acid/oleylamine ligand pair in the chemical synthesis of nanoparticles. The combined use of these ligands belonging to two different categories of molecules aims to control the size and shape of nanoparticles and prevent their aggregation, not only during their synthesis but also after their dispersion in a carrier solvent. We show how the different binding strengths of these two molecules and their distinct binding modes on specific facets affect the reaction kinetics toward the production of nanostructures with tailored characteristics. Additional functions, such as the reducing function, are also noted, especially for oleylamine. Sometimes, the carboxylic acid will react with the alkylamine to form an acid-base complex, which may serve as a binary capping agent and reductant; however, its reducing capacity may range from lower to much lower than that of oleylamine. The types of nanoparticles synthesized in the simultaneous presence of oleic acid and oleylamine and discussed herein include metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, metals, bimetallic structures, perovskites, upconversion particles and rare earth-based materials. Diverse morphologies, ranging from spherical nanoparticles to anisotropic, core-shell and hetero-structured configurations are presented. Finally, the relation between tuning the resulting surface and volume nanoparticle properties and the relevant applications is highlighted.

Synthesis of 2D anatase TiO2 with highly reactive facets by fluorine-free topochemical conversion of 1T-TiS2 nanosheets

Two-dimensional (2D) anatase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is expected to exhibit different properties as compared to anatase nanocrystallites, due to its highly reactive exposed facets. However, access to 2D anatase TiO₂ is limited by the non-layered nature of the bulk crystal, which does not allow use of top-down chemical exfoliation. Large efforts have been dedicated to the growth of 2D anatase TiO₂ with high reactive facets by bottom-up approaches, which relies on the use of harmful chemical reagents. Here, we demonstrate a novel fluorine-free strategy based on topochemical conversion of 2D 1T-TiS₂ for the production of single crystalline 2D anatase TiO₂, exposing the {001} facet on the top and bottom and {100} at the sides of the nanosheet. The exposure of these faces, with no additional defects or doping, gives rise to a significant activity enhancement in the hydrogen evolution reaction, as compared to commercially available Degussa P25 TiO₂ nanoparticles. Because of the strong potential of TiO₂ in many energy-based applications, our topochemical approach offers a low cost, green and mass scalable route for production of highly crystalline anatase TiO₂ with well controlled and highly reactive exposed facets.

Adsorption and Mechanism of Glycine on the Anatase with Exposed (001) and (101) Facets

As a widely existing mineral types on Earth, semiconductor minerals play an important role in the origin of life and the material geochemical cycle. The first step of peptide formation is amino acid adsorption on the mineral surface, but the role and mechanism of different crystal facets of semiconductor minerals are not well understood. Anatase (TiO2) with exposed (001) facets was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and then analyzed and compared with the purchased ordinary anatase (TiO2) for the adsorption of glycine, the simplest amino acid. XRD, SEM and TEM results show that the hydrothermally synthesized anatase (TiO2) has a good anatase crystal form, which is micro-nano-scale flake particles and mainly composed of (001) facets. The results of HPLC used in the adsorption experiment showed that under optimal conditions (pH 5 to 6, an adsorption time of 24 h, and an initial concentration of 0.09 mol/L), the adsorption quantity of glycine on anatase (TiO2) with exposed (001) facets may reach 10 mg/m2, which is larger than that for ordinary anatase (TiO2) with exposed (101) facets. Based on a combination of various characterizations and simulation calculations, the results proved that anatase can activate thermodynamically stable γ-glycine to β-glycine. The adsorption of glycine on anatase (TiO2) has two forms, one is the zwitterionic form in which the carboxyl group forms a bridge structure with two Ti atoms connected by surface bridging oxygen, and the dissociated form is in which the amino group forms a bond with the surface Ti atom. Among these, glycine is mainly adsorbed to anatase by dissociative molecules on the anatase (TiO2) with exposed (001) facets and by zwitterion adsorption on the anatase (TiO2) with exposed (101) facets. This research elucidates the conditions and mechanism of amino acid adsorption by semiconductor minerals in weak acidic environment, which is similar to the environmental pH that was beneficial to the formation of life on the early Earth. Therefore, these can provide a reference for the further study of the role of semiconductor minerals in the adsorption and polymerization of small biomolecules in the origin of life.

Synthesis and Characterization of Anatase TiO2 Nanorods: Insights from Nanorods’ Formation and Self-Assembly

Highly crystalline, organic-solvent-dispersible titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods (NRs) present promising chemicophysical properties in many diverse applications. In this paper, based on a modified procedure from literature, TiO2 NRs were synthesized via a ligand-assisted nonhydrolytic sol-gel route using oleic acid as the solvent, reagent, and ligand and titanium (IV) isopropoxide as the titanium precursor. This procedure produced monodisperse TiO2 NRs, as well as some semi-spherical titania nanocrystals (NCs) that could be removed by size-selective precipitation. X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction results showed that the nanorods were anatase, while the semipheres also contained the TiO2(B) phase. By taking samples during the particle growth, it was found that the average length of the initially grown NRs decreased during the synthesis. Possible reasons for this unusual growth path, partially based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations during the growth, were discussed. The dispersion of anatase TiO2 nanorods was capable of spontaneous formation of lyotropic liquid crystals on the TEM grid and in bulk. Considering high colloidal stability together with the large optical birefringence displayed by these high refractive index liquid crystalline domains, we believe these TiO2 NRs dispersions are promising candidates for application in transparent and switchable optics.

Single Step Synthesis and Functionalization of Nano Titania for Development of Multifunctional Cotton Fabrics

Synthesis and modification of nanoparticles to make them suitable to functionalise a substrate for various application fields involves many steps, which are complex, time-consuming, and sometimes require special equipment. This is a major drawback to meet rapid technological requirements. In this work, a procedure has been developed to modify TiO₂ nanoparticles by the sol-gel method at their synthesis stage using titanium tetraisopropoxide and modifying agents including ODS and GPTMS. The prepared nanoparticle finish can be used as it is without any further processing, thus eliminating the need for extra steps required to decorate them on some substrate. The nanoparticles were characterised by SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and zeta potential. The adhesion of the obtained nanoparticles was tested by applying them to a cellulosic substrate. The obtained substrate was subjected to mechanical action and adhesion efficiency was estimated on the basis of UV transmittance and antibacterial properties that showed excellent results. The hydrophobic properties of the obtained nanoparticles were assessed by measuring water contact angles, which reached 157.9°, indicating their superhydrophobic nature. The developed procedure is facile and will be suitable for the engineering of multiple surfaces.

Magneli-type tungsten oxide nanorods as catalysts for the selective oxidation of organic sulfides

Selective oxidation of thioethers is an important reaction to obtain sulfoxides as synthetic intermediates for applications in the chemical industry, medicinal chemistry and biology or the destruction of warfare agents. The reduced Magneli-type tungsten oxide WO_3-x possesses a unique oxidase-like activity which facilitates the oxidation of thioethers to the corresponding sulfoxides. More than 90% of the model system methylphenylsulfide could be converted to the sulfoxide with a selectivity of 98% at room temperature within 30 minutes, whereas oxidation to the corresponding sulfone was on a time scale of days. The concentration of the catalyst had a significant impact on the reaction rate. Reasonable catalytic effects were also observed for the selective oxidation of various organic sulfides with different substituents. The WO_3-x nanocatalysts could be recycled at least 5 times without decrease in activity. We propose a metal oxide-catalyzed route based on the clean oxidant hydrogen peroxide. Compared to other molecular or enzyme catalysts the WO_3-x system is a more robust redox-nanocatalyst, which is not susceptible to decomposition or denaturation under standard conditions. The unique oxidase-like activity of WO_3-x can be used for a wide range of applications in synthetic, environmental or medicinal chemistry.

Highly Ordered Inverse Opal Structures Synthesized from Shape-Controlled Nanocrystal Building Blocks

Three-dimensional ordered porous materials known as inverse opal films (IOFs) were synthesized using nanocrystals with precisely defined morphologies. Comprehensive theoretical and experimental studies of the volume fraction ratio and electrostatic interactions between nanocrystals and polystyrene templating particles enabled the formation of highly ordered crack-free photonic structures. The synthetic strategy was first demonstrated using titanium dioxide (TiO₂ ) nanocrystals of different shapes and then generalized to assemble nanocrystals of other functional materials, such as indium tin oxide and zinc-doped ferrite. Tunable photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ IOFs, modulated through the choice of the shape of TiO₂ nanocrystals in conjunction with selecting desired macroscopic features of the IOF, was further explored. In particular, enhanced activity is observed for crack-free, highly ordered IOFs whose photonic properties can improve light absorption via the slow light effect. This study opens new opportunities in designing multi-length-scale porous nanoarchitectures having enhanced performance in a variety of applications.

Enhancement of Interfacial Charge Transfer of TiO2/Graphene with Doped Ca2+ for Improving Electrical Conductivity

Imparting surface coatings with conductivity is an effective way to prevent fire and explosion caused by electrostatic discharge. TiO₂ is a commonly used paint; however, intrinsic TiO₂ has poor electrical conductivity. Herein, we develop a method to make TiO₂ coating highly conductive by doping Ca²⁺ into the TiO₂ lattice based on the introduction of graphene. It is demonstrated that doping Ca²⁺ increases the carrier density of TiO₂ and its morphology changes from a sphere to a spindle shape, which increases the interfacial contact area between TiO₂ and graphene. Therefore, resistivity can be greatly decreased due to the construction of fast charge transport pathways from TiO₂ to graphene, resulting from an increase in the speed of interfacial charge transfer. In addition, the electronic properties of the samples are also studied through first-principles calculations before and after Ca²⁺ doping. The result of the theoretical analysis is in agreement with that of experiments. Thus, the lowest resistivity of Ca²⁺-TiO₂/graphene can reach 0.004 Ω cm. Consequently, the feature of superior conductivity of the Ca²⁺-TiO₂/graphene composite endows it with practical application potential in the field of antistatic coating.

Photocatalysis and Li-Ion Battery Applications of {001} Faceted Anatase TiO2-Based Composites

Anatase TiO2 are the most widely used photocatalysts because of their unique electronic, optical and catalytic properties. Surface chemistry plays a very important role in the various applications of anatase TiO2 especially in the catalysis, photocatalysis, energy conversion and energy storage. Control of the surface structure by crystal facet engineering has become an important strategy for tuning and optimizing the physicochemical properties of TiO2. For anatase TiO2, the {001} crystal facets are the most reactive because they exhibit unique surface characteristics such as visible light responsiveness, dissociative adsorption, efficient charge separation capabilities and photocatalytic selectivity. In this review, a concise survey of the literature in the field of {001} dominated anatase TiO2 crystals and their composites is presented. To begin, the existing strategies for the synthesis of {001} dominated anatase TiO2 and their composites are discussed. These synthesis strategies include both fluorine-mediated and fluorine-free synthesis routes. Then, a detailed account of the effect of {001} facets on the physicochemical properties of TiO2 and their composites are reviewed, with a particular focus on photocatalysis and Li-ion batteries applications. Finally, an outlook is given on future strategies discussing the remaining challenges for the development of {001} dominated TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of Size-Controlled Titania Nanorods through Double Surfactants

A synthetic technique based on a two-step sol-gel hydrothermal method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and triblock copolymer PEO₁₀₆-PPO₇₀-PEO₁₀₆ (F127) as double surfactants with the assistance of three amines (ethylamine (EA), diethylamine (DEA), and triethylamine (TEA)) for fabrications of anatase titania nanorods is proposed. The formation and growth mechanisms of TiO₂ crystals are described. We discovered that crystal size reduces with an increase in the number of alkyl substituents on the nitrogen of amines because the steric hindrance of the bulky alkyl substituent around nitrogen suppresses the nucleation and crystal growth rate. The size of titania from 80 to 220 nm is modulated with concentrations of EA, DEA, and TEA. The amines are considered as catalysts for morphological evolution of TiO₂ crystals. The results indicate that the incorporation of double surfactants (F127-CTAB) has a dual role, acting as a chelating agent for titania against external forces and a capping agent inhibiting the three-dimensional growth of TiO₂ crystals.

Dynamics of Lithium Insertion in Electrochromic Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystal Ensembles

Nanocrystalline anatase TiO₂ is a robust model anode for Li insertion in batteries. The influence of nanocrystal size on the equilibrium potential and kinetics of Li insertion is investigated with in operando spectroelectrochemistry of thin film electrodes. Distinct visible and infrared responses correlate with Li insertion and electron accumulation, respectively, and these optical signals are used to deconvolute bulk Li insertion from other electrochemical responses, such as double-layer capacitance, pseudocapacitance, and electrolyte leakage. Electrochemical titration and phase-field simulations reveal that a difference in surface energies between anatase and lithiated phases of TiO₂ systematically tunes the Li-insertion potentials with the particle size. However, the particle size does not affect the kinetics of Li insertion in ensemble electrodes. Rather, the Li-insertion rates depend on the applied overpotential, electrolyte concentration, and initial state of charge. We conclude that Li diffusivity and phase propagation are not rate limiting during Li insertion in TiO₂ nanocrystals. Both of these processes occur rapidly once the transformation between the low-Li anatase and high-Li orthorhombic phases begins in a particle. Instead, discontinuous kinetics of Li accumulation in TiO₂ particles prior to the phase transformations limits (dis)charging rates. We demonstrate a practical means to deconvolute the nonequilibrium charging behavior in nanocrystalline electrodes through a combination of colloidal synthesis, phase field simulations, and spectroelectrochemistry.

Graphene coupled TiO2 photocatalysts for environmental applications: A review

Nanostructured photocatalysts have always offered opportunities to solve issues concerned with the environmental challenges caused by rapid urbanization and industrialization. These materials, due to their tunable physicochemical characteristics, are capable of providing a clean and sustainable ecosystem to humanity. One of the current thriving research focuses of visible-light-driven photocatalysts is on the nanocomposites of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) with carbon nanostructures, especially graphene. Coupling TiO₂ with graphene has proven more active by photocatalysis than TiO₂ alone. It is generally considered that graphene sheets act as an electron acceptor facilitating the transfer and separation of photogenerated electrons during TiO₂ excitation, thereby reducing electron-hole recombination. This study briefly reviews the fundamental mechanism and interfacial charge-transfer dynamics in TiO₂/graphene nanocomposites. Design strategies of various graphene-based hybrids are highlighted along with some specialized synthetic routes adopted to attain preferred properties. Importantly, the enhancing interfacial charge transfer of photogenerated e¯_CB through the graphene layers by morphology orientation of TiO₂, predominated exposure of their high energy crystal facets, defect engineering, enhancing catalytic sites in graphene, constructing dedicated architectures, tuning the nanomaterial dimensionality at the interface, and employing the synergism adopted through various modifications, are systematically compiled. Portraying the significance of these photocatalytic hybrids in environmental remediation, important applications including air and water purification, self-cleaning surfaces, H₂ production, and CO₂ reduction to desired fuels, are addressed.

Charge Carrier Processes and Optical Properties in TiO2 and TiO2-Based Heterojunction Photocatalysts: A Review

Photocatalysis based technologies have a key role in addressing important challenges of the ecological transition, such as environment remediation and conversion of renewable energies. Photocatalysts can in fact be used in hydrogen (H₂) production (e.g., via water splitting or photo-reforming of organic substrates), CO₂ reduction, pollution mitigation and water or air remediation via oxidation (photodegradation) of pollutants. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is a “benchmark” photocatalyst, thanks to many favorable characteristics. We here review the basic knowledge on the charge carrier processes that define the optical and photophysical properties of intrinsic TiO₂. We describe the main characteristics and advantages of TiO₂ as photocatalyst, followed by a summary of historical facts about its application. Next, the dynamics of photogenerated electrons and holes is reviewed, including energy levels and trapping states, charge separation and charge recombination. A section on optical absorption and optical properties follows, including a discussion on TiO₂ photoluminescence and on the effect of molecular oxygen (O₂) on radiative recombination. We next summarize the elementary photocatalytic processes in aqueous solution, including the photogeneration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the hydrogen evolution reaction. We pinpoint the TiO₂ limitations and possible ways to overcome them by discussing some of the “hottest” research trends toward solar hydrogen production, which are classified in two categories: (1) approaches based on the use of engineered TiO₂ without any cocatalysts. Discussed topics are highly-reduced “black TiO₂”, grey and colored TiO₂, surface-engineered anatase nanocrystals; (2) strategies based on heterojunction photocatalysts, where TiO₂ is electronically coupled with a different material acting as cocatalyst or as sensitizer. Examples discussed include TiO₂ composites or heterostructures with metals (e.g., Pt-TiO₂, Au-TiO₂), with other metal oxides (e.g., Cu₂O, NiO, etc.), direct Z-scheme heterojunctions with g-C₃N₄ (graphitic carbon nitride) and dye-sensitized TiO₂.

Simultaneous photocatalytic degradation of ibuprofen and H2 evolution over Au/sheaf-like TiO2 mesocrystals

Considerable effort has been devoted to the efficient degradation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), while the chemical energy in these processes has been widely overlooked. In this study, we demonstrated the simultaneous hydrogen production and ibuprofen degradation through heterogeneous photocatalysis. By anchoring Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the (101) surface of sheaf-like TiO₂ mesocrystals with [001] orientation, efficient charge separation is achieved, which is essential for the photocatalytic redox reactions. XPS analysis showed that the binding energies of Ti 2p and O 1s indicated no shift after Au addition. Peaks observed at 81.8 and 85.5 eV due to Au 4f_7/2 and Au 4f_5/2 of metallic gold on the surface of Au/meso-TiO₂, confirmed the formation of Au NPs. The as-synthesized anatase TiO₂ mesocrystals are composed of small nanocrystals with a size of 8 nm and exhibit the uniform sheaf-like morphology along [001] orientation. As expected, the 1 wt% Au/TiO₂ mesocrystals shows the largest photocurrent density, highest H₂-evolution rate, and fastest photodegradation rate of ibuprofen under simulated sunlight irradiation among all the studied catalyst. Furthermore, the effect of solution pH, common anions (Cl^-, NO₃^-, and SO₄^2-) and cations (Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺) on photocatalytic H₂ evolution and degradation of ibuprofen were individually investigated and discussed. A mechanism for the simultaneous photocatalytic hydrogen generation and degradation of ibuprofen has also been proposed. This work opens up new opportunities for the development of energy efficient techniques for PPCPs degradation.

Facet Engineered α-MnO2 for Efficient Catalytic Ozonation of Odor CH3SH: Oxygen Vacancy-Induced Active Centers and Catalytic Mechanism

The oxygen vacancy in MnO₂ is normally proved as the reactive site for the catalytic ozonation, and acquiring a highly reactive crystal facet with abundant oxygen vacancy by facet engineering is advisable for boosting the catalytic activity. In this study, three facet-engineered α-MnO₂ was prepared and successfully utilized for catalytic ozonation toward an odorous CH₃SH. The as-synthesized 310-MnO₂ exhibited superior activity in catalytic ozonation of CH₃SH than that of 110-MnO₂ and 100-MnO₂, which could achieve 100% removal efficiency for 70 ppm of CH₃SH within 20 min. The results of XPS, Raman, H₂-TPR, and DFT calculation all prove that the (310) facets possess a higher surface energy than other facets can feature the construction of oxygen vacancies, thus facilitating the adsorption and activate O₃ into intermediate peroxide species (O^2-/O₂^2-) and reactive oxygen species (•O₂^-/¹O₂) for eliminating adjacent CH₃SH. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) revealed that the CH₃SH molecular was chemisorbed on S atom to form CH₃S^-, which was further converted into intermediate CH₃SO₃^- and finally oxidized into SO₄^2- and CO₃^2-/CO₂ during the process. Attributed to the deep oxidation of CH₃SH on 310-MnO₂ via efficient cycling of active oxygen vacancies, the lifetime of 310-MnO₂ can be extended to 2.5 h with limited loss of activity, while 110-MnO₂ and 100-MnO₂ were inactivated within 1 h. This study deepens the comprehension of facet-engineering in MnO₂ and presents an efficient and portable catalyst to control odorous pollution.

Memristive TiO2: Synthesis, Technologies, and Applications

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the most widely used materials in resistive switching applications, including random-access memory, neuromorphic computing, biohybrid interfaces, and sensors. Most of these applications are still at an early stage of development and have technological challenges and a lack of fundamental comprehension. Furthermore, the functional memristive properties of TiO2 thin films are heavily dependent on their processing methods, including the synthesis, fabrication, and post-fabrication treatment. Here, we outline and summarize the key milestone achievements, recent advances, and challenges related to the synthesis, technology, and applications of memristive TiO2. Following a brief introduction, we provide an overview of the major areas of application of TiO2-based memristive devices and discuss their synthesis, fabrication, and post-fabrication processing, as well as their functional properties.

Sorption, solubility and cytotoxicity of novel antibacterial nanofilled dental adhesive resins

Dental adhesives hydrolyze in the mouth. This study investigated the water sorption (SOR), solubility (SOL) and cytotoxicity (CYTO) of experimental adhesives containing nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (N_TiO₂). Specimens (n = 15/group [SOR, SOL]; n = 10/group [CYTO]) of unaltered Clearfil SE Protect (CSP), OptiBond Solo Plus (OSP), Adper Scotchbond (ASB) and experimental adhesives (OSP + 25% or 30% of N_TiO₂) were fabricated, desiccated (37 °C) and tested for SOR and SOL according to ISO Specification 4049 (2009). CYTO specimens were UV-sterilized (8 J/cm²) and monomer extracted in growth medium (1, 3 or 7 days). Human pulp cells were isolated and seeded (0.5 × 10⁴) for MTT assay. SOR and SOL data was analyzed using GLM and SNK (α = 0.05) and CYTO data was analyzed with Kruskal–Wallis and SNK tests (α = 0.05). SOR and SOL values ranged from 25.80 μg/mm³ (30% N_TiO₂) to 28.01 μg/mm³ (OSP) and 23.88 μg/mm³ (30% N_TiO₂) to 25.39 μg/mm³ (25% N_TiO₂). CYTO results indicated that pulp cells exposed to experimental materials displayed comparable viabilities (p > 0.05) to those of OSP. Experimental materials displayed comparable SOR, SOL and CYTO values (p > 0.05) when compared to unaltered materials. N_TiO₂ incorporation have not adversely impacted SOR, SOL and CYTO properties of unaltered adhesives.

TiO2 nanoflowers based humidity sensor and cytotoxic activity

We have systematically investigated the humidity sensing performance and cytotoxic activity of TiO2 nanoflowers synthesized by hydrothermal method. Our result reveals that TiO2 nanoflower based sensor devices show good performance at room temperature with a maximum sensitivity of ∼815% along with a response time of ∼143 s and a recovery time of ∼33 s. Our findings also evaluate the cytotoxic effect of TiO2 nanoflowers on human HepG2 cell lines. The cells are cultured in DMEM medium with varying concentrations of TiO2 nanoflowers for 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. The results indicate that TiO2 nanoflower doses time dependently suppress the proliferation of HepG2 cell lines.

Size-dependent interaction of plasma with anatase TiO2 nanoparticles

We study the particle size distribution and phase changes of the anatase TiO2 nanopowder samples when they are subject to the plasma treatments of three different kinds of gases as nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar). The plasma gas pressures vary as 0.1, 0.3, and 0.6 Torr. We demonstrate that the plasma treatments have an effect neither on the phase structure nor on the mean nanocrystalline size. The phase and size invariances of the samples are attributed to their nanoscale thermodynamic aspects. We find out that elevating the gas pressure in some cases creates fine-size amorphous nanoparticles with a narrow distribution. Our findings authenticate that plasma treatment affects the amorphous phase with etching particles down to a mean value of ∼3 nm. The small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique was utilized to obtain the size distribution of the nanoparticles, and the wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) technique was used to probe the phase and size changes of the crystalline structure.

Advanced characterization of surface-modified nanoparticles and nanofilled antibacterial dental adhesive resins

Nanotechnology can improve the performance of dental polymers. The objective of this study was to modify the surfaces of nanoparticles with silanes and proteins, characterize nanoparticles' agglomeration levels and interfaces between nanoparticles and the polymeric matrix. Undoped (n-TiO2), nitrogen-doped (N_TiO2) and nitrogen-fluorine co-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NF_TiO2) were synthesized and subjected to surface modification procedures in preparation for Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) characterizations. Experimental adhesives were manually synthesized by incorporating 20% (v/v) of n-TiO2, N_TiO2 or NF_TiO2 (as-synthesized or surface-modified) into OptiBond Solo Plus (OPTB). Specimens (n = 15/group; d = 6.0 mm, t = 0.5 mm) of OPTB and experimental adhesives were characterized using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS), 2-D ToF-SIMS chemical imaging and SANS. SAXS results indicated that surface-modified nanoparticles displayed higher scattering intensities in a particle-size dependent manner. ToF-SIMS results demonstrated that nanoparticles' incorporation did not adversely impact the parental polymer. 2-D ToF-SIMS chemical imaging demonstrated the distribution of Ti+ and confirmed nitrogen-doping levels. SANS results confirmed nanoparticles' functionalization and revealed the interfaces between nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. Metaloxide nanoparticles were successfully fabricated, incorporated and covalently functionalized in a commercial dental adhesive resin, thereby supporting the utilization of nanotechnology in dentistry.

Constructing a library of metal and metal-oxide nanoparticle heterodimers through colloidal assembly

Nanoparticle dimers composed of different metals or metal oxides, as well as different shapes and sizes, are of wide interest for applications ranging from nanoplasmonic sensing to nanooptics to biomedical engineering. Shaped nanoparticles, like triangles and nanorods, can be particularly useful in applications due to the strong localized plasmonic hot-spot that forms at the tips or corners. By placing catalytic, but traditionally weakly- or non-plasmonic nanoparticles, such as metal oxides and metals like palladium, in these hot-spots, an enhanced function for sensing, photocatalysis or optical use is predicted. Here, we present an electrostatic colloidal assembly strategy for nanoparticles, incorporating different sizes, shapes and metal or metal oxide compositions into heterodimers with smaller gaps than are achievable using nanofabrication techniques. This versatile method is demonstrated on 14 combinations, including a variety of shaped gold nanoparticles as well as palladium, iron oxide, and titanium oxide nanoparticles. These colloidal nanoparticles are stabilized with traditional surfactants, such as citrate, CTAB, PVP and oleic acid/oleylamines, indicating the wide applicability of our approach. Heterodimers of gold and palladium are further analyzed using cathodoluminescence to demonstrate the tunability of these "plasmonic molecules". Since systematically altering the absorption and emission of the plasmonic nanoparticles dimers is crucial to extending their functionality, and small gap sizes produce the strongest hot-spots, this method indicates that the electrostatic approach to heterodimer assembly can be useful in creating new nanoparticle dimers for many applications.

Auger Electrons Constructed Active Sites on Nanocatalysts for Catalytic Internal Radiotherapy

Excess electrons play important roles for the construction of superficial active sites on nanocatalysts. However, providing excess electrons to nanocatalysts in vivo is still a challenge, which limits the applications of nanocatalysts in biomedicine. Herein, auger electrons (AEs) emitted from radionuclide 125 (125I) are used in situ to construct active sites in a nanocatalyst (TiO2) and the application of this method is further extended to cancer catalytic internal radiotherapy (CIRT). The obtained 125I-TiO2 nanoparticles first construct superficial Ti3+ active sites via the reaction between Ti4+ and AEs. Then Ti3+ stretches and weakens the O-H bond of the absorbed H2O, thus enhancing the radiolysis of H2O molecules and generating hydroxyl radicals (•OH). All in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate a good CIRT performance. These findings will broaden the application of radionuclides and introduce new perspectives to nanomedicine.

Ligands as a universal molecular toolkit in synthesis and assembly of semiconductor nanocrystals

The multiple ligands with different functionalities enable atomic-precision control of NCs morphology and subtle inter-NC interactions, which paves the way for novel optoelectronic applications.

Successful exploitation of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) in commercial products is due to the remarkable progress in the wet-chemical synthesis and controlled assembly of NCs. Central to the cadence of this progress is the ability to understand how NC growth and assembly can be controlled kinetically and thermodynamically. The arrested precipitation strategy offers a wide opportunity for materials selection, size uniformity, and morphology control. In this colloidal approach, capping ligands play an instrumental role in determining growth parameters and inter-NC interactions. The impetus for exquisite control over the size and shape of NCs and orientation of NCs in an ensemble has called for the use of two or more types of ligands in the system. In multiple ligand approaches, ligands with different functionalities confer extended tunability, hinting at the possibility of atomic-precision growth and long-range ordering of desired superlattices. Here, we highlight the progress in understanding the roles of ligands in size and shape control and assembly of NCs. We discuss the implication of the advances in the context of optoelectronic applications.

Optimization of a real-time high-throughput assay for assessment of Streptococcus mutans metabolism and screening of antibacterial dental adhesives

Objective.

The present work shows the optimization of a high-throughput bioluminescence assay to assess the metabolism of intact Streptococcus mutans biofilms and its utility as a screening method for nanofilled antibacterial dental materials.

Methods.

The assay was optimized by monitoring changes in bioluminescence mediated by variation of the experimental parameters investigated (growth media and sucrose concentration, inoculum:D-Luciferin ratio, dilution factor, inoculum volume, luminescence wavelength, replicate and luciferase metabolic activity). Confocal microscopy was then used to demonstrate the impact of biofilm growth conditions on the 3-D distribution of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) within Streptococcus mutans biofilms and its implications as confounding factors in high-throughput studies (HTS).

Results.

Relative Luminescence Unit (RLU) values from the HTS optimization were analyzed by multivariate ANOVA (α = 0.05) and coefficients of variation, whereas data from 3-D structural parameters and RLU values of biofilms grown on experimental antibacterial dental adhesive resins were analyzed using General Linear Models and Student–Newman–Keuls post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Confocal microscopy demonstrated that biofilm growth conditions significantly influenced the quantity and distribution of EPS within the 3-D structures of the biofilms. An optimized HTS bioluminescence assay was developed and its applicability as a screening method in dentistry was demonstrated using nanofilled experimental antibacterial dental adhesive resins.

Significance.

The present study is anticipated to positively impact the direction of future biofilm research in dentistry, because it offers fundamental information for the design of metabolic-based assays, increases the current levels of standardization and reproducibility while offering a tool to decrease intra-study variability.

Controlling the morphology of metal–organic frameworks and porous carbon materials: metal oxides as primary architecture-directing agents

We give a comprehensive overview of how the morphology control is an effective and versatile way to control the physicochemical properties of metal oxides that can be transferred to metal–organic frameworks and porous carbon materials.

Morphology- and Crystalline Composition-Governed Activity of Titania-Based Photocatalysts: Overview and Perspective

Titania photocatalysts have been intensively examined for both mechanism study and possible commercial applications for more than 30 years. Although various reports have already been published on titania, including comprehensive review papers, the morphology-governed activity, especially for novel nanostructures, has not been reviewed recently. Therefore, this paper presents novel, attractive, and prospective titania photocatalysts, including zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional titania structures. The 1D, 2D, and 3D titania structures have been mainly designed for possible applications, e.g., (i) continuous use without the necessity of particulate titania separation, (ii) efficient light harvesting (e.g., inverse opals), (iii) enhanced activity (fast charge carriers’ separation, e.g., 1D nanoplates and 2D nanotubes). It should be pointed out that these structures might be also useful for mechanism investigation, e.g., (i) 3D titania aerogels with gold either incorporated inside the 3D network or supported in the porosity, and (ii) titania mesocrystals with gold deposited either on basal or lateral surfaces, for the clarification of plasmonic photocatalysis. Moreover, 0D nanostructures of special composition and morphology, e.g., magnetic(core)–titania(shell), mixed-phase titania (anatase/rutile/brookite), and faceted titania NPs have been presented, due to their exceptional properties, including easy separation in the magnetic field, high activity, and mechanism clarification, respectively. Although anatase has been usually thought as the most active phase of titania, the co-existence of other crystalline phases accelerates the photocatalytic activity significantly, and thus mixed-phase titania (e.g., famous P25) exhibits high photocatalytic activity for both oxidation and reduction reactions. It is believed that this review might be useful for the architecture design of novel nanomaterials for broad and diverse applications, including environmental purification, energy conversion, synthesis and preparation of “intelligent” surfaces with self-cleaning, antifogging, and antiseptic properties.

Fluorine-assisted structural engineering of colloidal anatase TiO2 hierarchical nanocrystals for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

Anatase TiO2 materials are well-known for their photocatalytic properties and their structure-performance relationship has been intensively studied over the past few decades. In this study, we report a versatile strategy to control the geometric and electronic structure of hierarchical anatase TiO2 nanocrystals via a colloidal synthesis technique in order to optimize their photocatalytic performances. The synthesis is modified from a classical nonaqueous sol-gel approach in which titanium alkoxides and long carbon chain carboxylic acids are used as titanium sources and hydrolysis/capping agents, respectively. By introducing fluoride ions into the reaction as competitive capping agents and controlling other parameters, the geometric structure of TiO2 nanocrystals can be regulated from nanorods and nanobipyramids to their hierarchical assembly structures with controlled dimension and crystallinity. Meanwhile, it is confirmed that the fluoride capping agents also affect the surface structure of TiO2 by fluorine doping, which exerts an additional impact on the electronic structure of TiO2 nanocrystals apart from morphology variation. Further investigation of photocatalytic hydrogen production performances of TiO2 nanocrystals with different structures indicates that the catalytic efficiency is highly dependent on structural factors including hierarchical shape, surface area and doping status. Obvious improvement of photocatalytic performance is observed in the optimized hierarchical TiO2 nanocrystals (2033.6 μmol g-1 h-1) compared to that in commonly prepared TiO2 nanobipyramids (1135.5 μmol g-1 h-1) and other hierarchical TiO2 nanocrystals (1331.9 μmol g-1 h-1 or lower), which demonstrates the effectiveness of material optimization by the strategy developed in this study.

Hybrid Inorganic Electron-Transporting Layer Coupled with a Halogen-Resistant Electrode in CsPbI2Br-Based Perovskite Solar Cells to Achieve Robust Long-Term Stability

Along with the rapidly developed power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), operational stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) remains a bottleneck for further commercialization. The instability mainly arises from the unstable organic components in the whole devices and the responsive metal electrode to the halogens from perovskites. In this work, we develop a carbide-titanium oxide (C-TiO₂) hybrid electron-transporting layer (ETL) and a halogen-resistant Sb electrode on top of the inorganic CsPbI₂Br layer to solve the issues of instability. The hybrid C-TiO₂ presents a uniform and pinhole-free morphology, adequate band structure and electronic property, and observably strong stability. On the other hand, Sb is demonstrated to be effective to restrict inferior ion diffusion and further perovskite decomposition. As a result, our well-designed PSCs achieve both high efficiencies (14.8% for the champion device) and long-term stabilities (<6% decline @ 85 °C, dark, <10% decline @ 60 °C, continuous illumination) of 1000 h.

Anisotropic nanomaterials for shape-dependent physicochemical and biomedical applications

This review contributes towards a systematic understanding of the mechanism of shape-dependent effects on nanoparticles (NPs) for elaborating and predicting their properties and applications based on the past two decades of research. Recently, the significance of shape-dependent physical chemistry and biomedicine has drawn ever increasing attention. While there has been a great deal of effort to utilize NPs with different morphologies in these fields, so far research studies are largely localized in particular materials, synthetic methods, or biomedical applications, and have ignored the interactional and interdependent relationships of these areas. This review is a comprehensive description of the NP shapes from theory, synthesis, property to application. We figure out the roles that shape plays in the properties of different kinds of nanomaterials together with physicochemical and biomedical applications. Through systematic elaboration of these shape-dependent impacts, better utilization of nanomaterials with diverse morphologies would be realized and definite strategies would be expected for breakthroughs in these fields. In addition, we have proposed some critical challenges and open problems that need to be addressed in nanotechnology.

Optimizing PEGylation of TiO2 Nanocrystals through a Combined Experimental and Computational Study

PEGylation of metal oxide nanoparticles is the common approach to improve their biocompatibility and in vivo circulation time. In this work, we present a combined experimental and theoretical study to determine the operating condition that guarantee very high grafting densities, which are desirable in any biomedical application. Moreover, we present an insightful conformational analysis spanning different coverage regimes and increasing polymer chain lengths. Based on 13C NMR measurements and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that classical and popular models of polymer conformation on surfaces fail in determining the mushroom-to-brush transition point and prove that it actually takes place only at rather high grafting density values.