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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Light-Harvesting Gold Nanoclusters Fully Functionalized with Antenna Chromophores

The development of efficient light-harvesting systems is important to understand the key aspects of solar-energy conversion processes and to utilize them in various photonic applications. In this study, atomically well-defined gold nanoclusters are reported as a new platform to fabricate artificial light-harvesting systems. An efficient amide coupling method is developed to synthesize water-soluble Au 22 clusters fully protected with pyrene chromophores by taking advantage of their facile phase-transfer reaction. The synthesized Au 22 clusters with densely packed 18 pyrene chromophores (Au 22 –PyB 18 ) exhibit triple-emission in blue, green, and red wavelength regions arising respectively from pyrene monomer, pyrene excimer, and Au 22 emission, producing bright white light emission together. The photoluminescence of Au 22 is enhanced by more than tenfold, demonstrating that pyrenes at the periphery efficiently channel the absorbed energy to the luminescent Au 22 at the center. A combination of femtosecond transient absorption and anisotropy measurements of Au 22 –PyB 18 explicitly reveals three main decay components of 220 fs, 3.5 ps, and 160 ps that can be assigned to energy migration between pyrenes and energy transfer processes from pyrene monomer and excimer to the central Au 22 , respectively.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Sers Imaging of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Markers Using an Antibody-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles Probe

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotags as an ultrasensitive nanoprobe is becoming popular for the detection of biomarkers. Herein, antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used to target LMP2A in an LMP2A-infected CNE2 cell line. SERS maps showed that the LMP2A was distributed around the cell, which was consistent with the results of immunofl uorescence staining in the previous report. This location could be due to the specific binding of the bioconjugated nanotags to the receptors on the cell surface. However, the CNE2 cell line without LMP2A-infected showed no detectable signal at 1044 cm{sup –1}. The results demonstrated the potential feasibility of AuNPs nanotags as highly sensitive probes conjugated at the subcellular level for detection and localization of cancer markers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Twin-core sunflower-type photonic quasicrystal fibers incorporated gold, silver, and copper microwire: an ultrashort and broad bandwidth polarization splitter

Polarization splitters are beneficial in the field of passive optical devices which are principally used in the coherent optical communication systems. An ideal polarization splitter must possess an efficient coupling with significant optical bandwidth. Hence, we proposed a novel metal-filled polarization splitter based on twin-core sunflower-type photonic quasicrystal fiber (PQF). The characteristics of the proposed splitter such as coupling length, extinction ratio, and available optical bandwidth were investigated by using the commercially available software, COMSOL Multiphysics. These aforementioned characteristics were determined by optimizing the geometrical parameters of proposed PQF—first by using gold-filled PQF (AuPQF). With optimized geometrical parameters, the splitter achieved an ultra-short coupling length of 132 µm and an ultra-broad bandwidth of 301 nm (wavelength range 1.36–1.68 µm) with an extinction ratio below than − 20 dB which comprised E + S+C + L+U band. Secondly, a comparative study to use silver- and copper-filled PQF (AgPQF and CuPQF) was explored. Both AgPQF and CuPQF retained a short length with adequate bandwidth and a significant extinction ratio below than − 20 dB. The AgPQF has a coupling length of 137 µm with a bandwidth of 136 nm which operated at 1.44 µm wavelength, while CuPQF with 134 µm lengths with a bandwidth of 149 nm and operated at 1.50 µm wavelengths.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quantitative Study of Plasmonic Gold Nanostar Geometry Toward Optimal SERS Detection

Abstract Complex shapes of gold nanostars (GNS) have been the major obstacle to the comprehensive understanding of the rich plasmonic phenomena of GNS. We conducted extensive, systematic numerical study of far-field and near-field spectral responses of GNS for varying geometrical parameters (e.g., number of spikes, spike tip angle, and spike-to-core ratio) to elucidate the relationship between the optical property and the geometry of GNS. We found that symmetric configurations of GNS spikes generated both dipole and quadrupole localized surface plasmon (LSP) modes, their hybridization resulted in the final near-field intensity at the spike tips, and there existed a specific GNS geometry that optimized the hybridization and thus the E-field intensity for any given wavelength. From these results, we further identified the shapes of GNS that generated the strongest Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) enhancement factors in the visible and NIR spectral range. Hence, our results provide guiding principles in determining the optimal geometry of GNS for SERS applications with any choice of excitation wavelength.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Investigation of the Ionization Mechanism of NAD{sup +}/NADH-Modified Gold Electrodes in ToF-SIMS Analysis

Analysis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD{sup +}/NADH)-modified electrodes is important for in vitro monitoring of key biological processes. In this work, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to analyze NAD{sup +}/NADH-modified gold electrodes. Interestingly, no obvious characteristic peaks of nicotinamide fragment could be observed in the mass spectra of NAD{sup +}/NADH in their neutral sodium pyrophosphate form. However, after acidification, the characteristic peaks for both NAD{sup +} and NADH were detected. This was due to the suppression effect of inner pyrophosphoric salts in both neutral molecules. Besides, it was proved that the suppression by inner salt was intramolecular. No obvious suppression was found between neighboring molecules. These results demonstrated the suppression effect of inner salts in ToF-SIMS analysis, providing useful evidence for the study of ToF-SIMS ionization mechanism of organic molecule-modified electrodes. .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Co-adsorption of O{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} on a Free Gold Dimer Probed via Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy

Infrared multiple photon dissociation (IR-MPD) spectroscopy in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) calculations has been employed to study the activation of molecular oxygen and ethylene co-adsorbed on a free gold dimer cation Au{sub 2}{sup +}. Both studied complexes, Au{sub 2}O{sub 2}(C{sub 2}H{sub 4}){sup +} and Au{sub 2}O{sub 2}(C{sub 2}H{sub 4}){sub 2}{sup +}, show distinct features of both intact O{sub 2} and ethylene co-adsorbed on the cluster. However, the ethylene C=C double bond is activated, increasing in length by up to 0.07 Å compared with the free molecule, and the red shift of the O–O vibration frequency increases with the number of adsorbed ethylene molecules, indicating a small but increasing activation of the O–O bond. The small O{sub 2} activation and the rather weak interaction between O{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} are also reflected in the calculated electronic structure of the co-adsorption complexes which shows only a small occupation of the empty anti-bonding O{sub 2} 2π{sup *}{sub 2p} orbital as well as the localization of most of the Kohn–Sham orbitals on O{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 4}, respectively, with only limited mixing between O{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} orbitals. The results are compared with theoretical studies on neutral Au{sub x}O{sub 2}(C{sub 2}H{sub 4}) (x = 3, 5, 7, 9) complexes. .

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Paper-based gold nanoparticles decorated SWCNTs chemiresistive sensor for sensitive detection of As(III) based on electrochemical doping

A paper-based chemiresistive sensor consisting of a single-walled carbon nanotubes network with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-SWCNTs) was developed for the sensitive detection of As(III). A new sensing strategy was also proposed combined with a paper-based device for As(III) chemiresistive detection based on the electrochemical doping of As(0) on the AuNPs-SWCNTs channel. Here, the proposed paper-based chemiresistive sensor was manufactured by wax printing and vacuum deposition using a water-based SWCNTs ink. The sensor sensitivity was enhanced by optimizing the volume of SWCNTs ink used in the formation of the sensing network in the paper and the sweep segment of cyclic voltammetry used for the electrochemical deposition of AuNPs. Additionally, the mechanism of the sensing strategy based on the electrochemical n-doping of As(0) to the AuNPs-SWCNTs sensing channel was investigated using a liquid-ion gated FET system. The As(III) concentration detected by the as-fabricated chemiresistive sensor is as low as 1.35 × 10 -5 μM which is even lower than the maximum permissible concentration in drinking water defined by the WHO. In this paper, we provide a simple strategy for developing paper-based chemiresistive sensors with unique properties for practical As(III) determination.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

TiO 2 Supported gold–palladium catalyst for effective syngas production from methane partial oxidation

The CO and H 2 (syngas) production from methane partial oxidation (MPO) using TiO 2 supported Au-Pd bimetallic catalysts are discussed. The supported Au, Pd and Au-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation or co-impregnation method and were characterized. The supported Au-Pd catalyst was selective for reforming and was more active compared to bare TiO 2 , TiO 2 supported Au only, or Pd only catalysts. The catalyst properties before and after MPO reaction were investigated, including the stability of the TiO 2 support, and the stability of Au and Pd nanoparticles. The supported Au-Pd catalyst has the highest TON (TON H2 = 23 at 650 °C), compared to supported Au catalyst (TON H2 < 1) and supported Pd catalyst (TON H2 < 1). Based on the analysis of outlet gases from the MPO reaction in a flow reactor, synergetic effects between Au and Pd, where Pd activates CH bonds while gold modulates the behavior of oxygen at the catalyst surface, are shown to contribute to MPO. Additionally, the Au-Pd/TiO 2 material shows long-term activity (>12 h) for the MPO reaction at 600 °C.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

A new trick for an old support: Stabilizing gold single atoms on LaFeO 3 perovskite

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have shown great potential for achieving superior catalytic activity due to maximizing metal efficiency. The key obstacle in developing SACs lies in the availability of supports that can stabilize SACs. Here we report the first successful development of single gold (Au) atom catalysts supported on high-surface-area hierarchical perovskite oxides. The resulting Au single-atoms are extremely stable at calcination temperatures up to 700 °C in air and under reaction conditions. A high catalytic activity for CO oxidation and distinct self-activating property were also achieved. Furthermore, evidenced by theoretical calculations and experimental studies including X-ray absorption fine structures and in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectra, the surface Au active sites are confirmed to be predominately positively charged. This study provides a generalizable approach to fabricating highly stable Au single-atom catalysts with tunable catalytic performance, and we anticipate that this discovery will facilitate new possibilities for the development of single atom catalysts.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Inhibition of discoidin domain receptor 2-mediated lung cancer cells progression by gold nanoparticle-aptamer-assisted delivery of peptides containing transmembrane-juxtamembrane 1/2 domain

The delivery of biologically functional peptides into mammalian cells can be a direct and effective method for cancer therapy and treatment of other diseases. Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a collagen-induced receptor tyrosine kinase recently identified as a novel therapeutic target in lung cancer. In this study, we report that peptides containing the functional domain of DDR2 can be efficiently delivered into lung malignant cancer cells via a gold nanoparticle-DNA aptamer conjugate (AuNP-Apt)-based system. Peptide delivery resulted in the abrogation of DDR2 activation triggered by collagen. Moreover, the peptide delivered by the AuNP-Apt system inhibited cancer cell proliferation and invasion mediated by DDR2 activation. Thus, these results suggest that peptide loaded onto AuNP-Apt conjugates can be used for the development of peptide-based biomedical applications for the treatment of DDR2-positive cancer. - Highlights: • TM-JM1/2 peptides are efficiently delivered into cells by AuNP-Apt-conjugates. • TM-JM1/2 peptides loaded onto AuNP-Apt conjugates inhibit DDR2 activation. • Inhibition of DDR2 activation by TM-JM1/2 peptides decreases tumor progression.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Separation of gold from irradiated actinide material utilizing a 2- thenoyltrifluoroacetone extraction resin

Post-detonation nuclear forensics capabilities depend on the ability to rapidly isolate radionuclides to improve measurement quality. In this work an extraction chromatography resin was developed utilizing the extractants thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 1-octanol supported on Eichrom prefilter resin. Here the resin was tested in nitric and hydrochloric acid matrices. In nitric acid matrices the resin is able to extract zirconium, while in hydrochloric acid matrices it is possible to extract iron and gallium. In all acid conditions tested gold is retained but can be removed from the column with a 10% thiourea rinse.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2016

Roadmap to Clinical Use of Gold Nanoparticles for Radiation Sensitization

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in interest in the use of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as radiation sensitizers for radiation therapy. This interest was initially driven by their strong absorption of ionizing radiation and the resulting ability to increase dose deposited within target volumes even at relatively low concentrations. These early observations are supported by extensive experimental validation, showing GNPs' efficacy at sensitizing tumors in both in vitro and in vivo systems to a range of types of ionizing radiation, including kilovoltage and megavoltage X rays as well as charged particles. Despite this experimental validation, there has been limited translation of GNP-mediated radiation sensitization to a clinical setting. One of the key challenges in this area is the wide range of experimental systems that have been investigated, spanning a range of particle sizes, shapes, and preparations. As a result, mechanisms of uptake and radiation sensitization have remained difficult to clearly identify. This has proven a significant impediment to the identification of optimal GNP formulations which strike a balance among their radiation sensitizing properties, their specificity to the tumors, their biocompatibility, and their imageability in vivo. This white paper reviews the current state of knowledge in each of the areas concerning the use of GNPs as radiosensitizers, and outlines the steps which will be required to advance GNP-enhanced radiation therapy from their current pre-clinical setting to clinical trials and eventual routine usage.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Green synthesis and characterization of nontoxic L-methionine capped silver and gold nanoparticles

The simple green method for synthesis of stable L-Methionine (L-Met) capped silver (Ag@LM NPs) and gold (Au@LM NPs) nanoparticles (NPs) without adding any additional reduction agent or stabilizer was developed. Colloidal dispersions were characterized by UV–Vis spectrophotometry. The size and spherical shape of NPs were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Their surface covering was confirmed by atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. Density functional theory calculations pointed that the preferential adsorption mode of L-Met on both Ag and Au surfaces was a vertical binding geometry via –NH2 group, while horizontal binding mode via [sbnd]S[sbnd] and –NH2 groups is also possible. The genotoxicity (evaluated by the micronucleus assay) of NPs, as well as their effects on some oxidative stress parameters (catalase activity, malondialdehyde level), were assessed in vitro using human peripheral blood cells as a model system. The influence of NPs on the morphology of lymphocyte cells studied using atomic force microscopy revealed that the membrane of cells remained unaffected after the treatment with NPs. When considering the effects of NPs on catalase activity and malondialdehyde level, neither particle type promoted oxidative stress. However, the treatment of lymphocytes with Ag@LM NPs induced a concentration-dependent enhancement of the micronuclei incidence and suppression of the cell proliferation while Au@LM NPs promoted cell proliferation, with no significant effects on micronuclei formation. The Ag@LM NPs were more prone to induce DNA damage than Au@LM NPs, which makes the latter type more suitable for further studies in nano-medicine. © 2019.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Structural and optical properties of dense vertically aligned ZnO nanorods grown onto silver and gold thin films by galvanic effect with iron contamination

Highlights: • ZnO nanorods were grown on Au and Ag films in aqueous solution by galvanic effect. • The method is prone to metal contamination which can influence the ZnO properties. • Iron doping improves the lattice matching between ZnO and the substrate. • Energy levels of point defects are lowered and the light emission is red-shifted. • Galvanic-induced nucleation starts and proceeds continuously during the growth. - Abstract: Dense arrays of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods have been grown onto either silver or gold seedless substrates trough a simple hydrothermal method by exploiting the galvanic effect between the substrate and metallic parts. The nanorods exhibit larger bases and more defined hexagonal shapes, in comparison with standard non-galvanic wet-chemistry synthesis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the iron contamination, associated with the galvanic contact, significantly improves the in-plane compatibility of ZnO with the Au and Ag cubic lattice. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicate that the contamination does not affect the number density of localized defects, but lowers their energy levels uniformly; differently, the band-edge emission is not altered appreciably. Finally, we have found that the ZnO hetero-nucleation by galvanic effect initiates at different times in different sites of the substrate area. Our results can be useful for the fabrication of high performance piezonanodevices comprising high-density metal-to-ZnO nanoscaled junctions without intermediate polycrystalline layers.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Preparation of ultrathin sputtered gold films on palladium as efficient oxygen reduction electro-catalysts

Herein, we present the preparation of ultrathin gold (Au) films on different M (M = Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir, and Ru) electrodes (Au/M) using magnetron sputtering deposition for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The ORR electro-catalytic activities of prepared Au/M catalysts increase as follows: Au/Ru < Au/Ir < Au/Rh < Au/Pt < Au/Pd. Accordingly, the oxygen reduction catalytic behaviors of the Au-modified palladium (Au/Pd) thin films with various Au thicknesses (0.16, 0.24, 0.5, and 1 nm) are investigated in acidic environments. It is found that Au modifications can promote oxygen reduction performances due to the development of more catalytic active sites on the Pd catalyst through the existence of Au atoms. Noticeably, Au/Pd samples exhibit a connection in oxygen reduction ability as a function of Au thickness, with the ultrathin 0.16 nm Au/Pd being the most active ORR catalyst. Significantly, the 0.16 nm Au/Pd material demonstrates superior stability after 1000 potential cycles compared with the 0.16 nm Pt/Pd owing to the influence of Au coating and structurally stable surfaces. Therefore, surface modification with the deposition of Au films on Pd represents a favorable technique to boost both the ORR capability and stability of the electro-catalysts.

Magnetron sputtering↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evaluation of phenolic antioxidant capacity in beverages based on laccase immobilized on screen-printed carbon electrode modified with graphene nanoplatelets and gold nanoparticles

A simple and highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor based on laccase immobilized onto a gold nanoparticles/graphene nanoplatelets-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (LACC/AuNP/GNPl/SPCE) was developed for the determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and other phenolic compounds. The biosensor shows excellent electro-catalytic activity towards oxidation of hydroquinone at a potential of -0.05 V (vs Ag/AgCl, 3 M KCl) in phosphate buffer as supporting electrolyte (0.1 M, pH 7.0) using hydrodynamic amperometry. Analytical characteristics uncover that the LACC/AuNP/GNPl/SPCE comprises a wide linear range for the dependence of the signal on HQ concentrations from 4 to 130 µM with a detection limit (3σ) of 1.5 µM. The repeatability (5 measurements, 100 µM hydroquinone) is ±2% and the reproducibility (5 biosensors, 100 µM hydroquinone) is ±3%. Interference studies of most common compounds with the determination of hydroquinone demonstrated negligible effects. Finally, the biosensor and the analytical method were applied to the determination of phenolic antioxidant capacity (AOC) in wine and blueberry syrup based on Trolox (6‑hydroxy‑2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid) and hydroquinone equivalents. The results were evaluated by using their calibration curves which were satisfactory and agreed well with the results obtained by the reference method Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity assay (TEAC-Assay).

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗