Many living organisms form mineral phases through biologically controlled processes, known as biomineralization. Thus created materials are composites of both, mineral and organic components. The shell of the gastropod mollusc red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) consists of calcite and aragonite layers, each of them containing characteristic biopolymers responsible for biomineralization. In this w...

We use electric force microscopy (EFM) to study single nanocrystal photoionization in two classes of high-quality nanocrystals whose exciton luminescence quantum yields approach unity in solution. The CdSe/CdS/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals do not photoionize, while the CdSe/CdS nanocrystals do show substantial photoionization. This verifies the theoretical prediction that the ZnS shell confines t...

Using phosphine-free and "green" chalcogen precursors, controlled synthesis of high quality CdS/ZnSe/ZnS core/shell1/shell2 nanocrystals has been successfully carried out using different sized CdS nanocrystals as cores. The properties and structures of the synthesized nanocrystals were characterized by absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transm...

Temporal and spatial changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were examined in dendrites and somata of rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons by combining whole-cell patch-clamp recording and fast confocal laser-scanning microscopy. In cells loaded via the patch pipette with the high-affinity Ca2+ indicator Calcium Green-1 (Kd approximately 220 nM), a single synaptic climbing fiber re...

The removal of Malachite Green (MG) by Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Shell Activated Carbon (CSAC) was investigated in present study. Adsorption studies were performed by batch experiments as a function of process parameters such as initial pH, contact time, initial concentration and adsorbent dose. A comparison of kinetic models applied to the adsorption of MG on CSAC was evaluated for the pseudo-fi...

In the next decade, we will witness replacement of a majority conventional light sources with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Efficient LEDs other than phosphors can enhance their functionality and meet different lighting needs. Quantum dots (QDs) have high potential for future LED technology due to sensitive band-gap tuning via quantum confinement effect compositional control, photoluminescence ...

Robust luminophores emitting light with broadly tunable colors are desirable in many applications such as light-emitting diode (LED)-based lighting, displays, integrated optoelectronics and biology. Nanocrystalline quantum dots with multicolor emission, from core- and shell-localized excitons, as well as solid layers of mixed quantum dots that emit different colors have been proposed. Here, we ...

A hydrophilic star block co-polymer was synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as a protein nanocarrier. The star block co-polymer was composed of a hyperbranched polyethylenimine (PEI) core, a poly(L-lysine) (PLL) inner shell, and a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) outer shell. The model protein insulin can be rapidly and efficiently encapsulated by the synthesized polymer in aqueous phosphate b...

Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles (FONs), prepared by self-aggregation of dedicated dyes in water, represent a promising green alternative to the toxic quantum dots (QDs) for bioimaging purposes. In the present paper, we describe the synthesis and photophysical properties of new dipolar push-pull derivatives built from thieno[3,2-b]thiophene as a π-conjugated bridge that connects a triphenylami...

This work presents a simple effective strategy to synthesize N-doped and shell-controlled carbon nanocages through package baking approach. A green approach core-shell ZIF-8@PTZ nanoparticles involves zinc contained ZIF-8 core wrapped by N-enriched polytriazine (PTZ). Synthesized are calcinated further sublime PTZ shell washed HCl, leaving porous structure. At the meantime, hollow cavities were...