Silicon is a promising high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries yet attaining long cycle life remains a significant challenge due to pulverization of the silicon and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation during the electrochemical cycles. Despite significant advances in nanostructured Si electrodes, challenges including short cycle life and scalability hinder its w...

We present an investigation on a coupled system consists of gold nanoparticles and silicon nanocrystals. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) embedded into porous silicon (PSi) were prepared using the electrochemical deposition method. Scanning electron microscope images and energy-dispersive X-ray results indicated that the growth of AuNPs on PSi varies with current density. X-ray diffraction analysis s...

A comparative photoluminescence analysis of as-prepared and chemically modified (by alkyl chains -C18H37) silicon and carbon nanoparticles dispersed in low-polar liquids is reported. Influence of the low-polar liquid nature and ambient temperature on photoluminescence of the nanoparticles has been investigated from the point of view of their possible application as thermal nanoprobes.

The reduction of [Pt(COD)(CH3)2] with CO in the presence of hexadecylamine (HDA) and oleic acid (OlAc) leads to amine carbonylation and formation of an air-stable colloidal solution of N,N'-bis(hexadecyl)urea-stabilized Pt(0) nanoparticles. These air-stable colloidal solutions can be used to form thin films of Pt nanoparticles on a silicon substrate.

Enhanced S(1)--> T(1) intersystem crossing of silicon phthalocyanine (SiPc) owing to iron oxide nanoparticles and intense MCD signal of diamagnetic SiPc have been experimentally shown by using SiPcs supported on magnetic silica gel, in which the iron oxide nanoparticles were effectively dispersed.

Successful covalent soft immobilization of gold nanoparticles on Si(111) surface by simple immersion of hydrogen-terminated silicon wafer into a toluene dispersion of gold nanoparticles was achieved by use of a phenylalkyne-type stabilizing ligand, and the electron behaviour was investigated using a conducting AFM.

Silicon nanoparticles have been successfully inserted into graphene sheets via a novel method combining freeze-drying and thermal reduction. The as-obtained Si/graphene nanocomposite exhibits remarkably enhanced cycling performance and rate performance compared with bare Si nanoparticles for lithium-ion batteries.

Layers of thiophenol functionalized spherical gold nanoparticles grafted on Si(100) are probed by linear UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared and nonlinear infrared-visible vibrational sum/difference–frequency generation spectroscopies as a function of the nanoparticles surface coverage. Depending on the dipping time (5 min, 20 min, 1 h, and 24 h) in the colloidal solution, AFM imaging corroborat...

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are widely used in various applications, raising issues regarding the possible adverse effects of these metal oxide nanoparticles on human cells. In this study, we determined the cytotoxic effects of differently charged SiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles, with mean sizes of either 100 or 20 nm, on the U373MG human glioblastoma cell line. The ove...