In this communication, we report the synthesis of an amino-functionalized ionic liquid (AFIL) and its application as building block in the construction of new functional nanomaterials. This AFIL has been used as surfactant in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles ( Au NPs) and in the development of functional CNTs/IL hybrid nanomaterials by mixing the AFIL with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The presence of an amine group in the ionic liquid provides to the resultant nanomaterial with new opportunities in several applications in the nanobio field.

The gradient on block copolymer concentration through film thickness as well as the effects of casting solvents used on the nanostructuring of a thermosetting epoxy coating modified with an epoxidized poly­(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) triblock copolymer was studied by means of atomic force microscopy and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. Thin coating films based on a commercial epoxy– amine formulation consisting of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A and a low-temperature fast curing amine were modified with several amounts of epoxidized SBS triblock copolymer. Toluene and a mixture of tetrahydrofuran and N,N-dimethylformamide were used as casting solvents. With epoxidation degrees higher than 45 mol % of polybutadiene block nanostructuring was achieved. Fast curing rate of the epoxy/amine system and the comparatively slow evaporation rate of the casting solvent led to a gradient of morphologies through the film cross section owing to the coalescence of small micelles into larger micellar domains in the case of low block copolymer content. For these reasons, different morphologies were also obtained in the midtransverse section of a film with variable thickness. Finally, pseudolamellar nanostructure at high copolymer contents was achieved as confirmed by parallel and perpendicular cuttings to the air/polymer interface.

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The variation of CdSe nanoparticle size as a function of synthesis conditions is presented. Cadmium sulphate (CdSO 4 ), cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) and sodium selenosulphate (Na 2 SeSO 3 ) solutions were used as precursors. Nanoparticles were synthesized by aqueous chemical methods. The synthesis parameters studied were pH, Cd:Se ratio and the type of stabilizing agent. Three different stabilizing agents were used, thioglycolic acid, mercaptoethanol and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed the presence of the stabilizing agent on the surface of the nanoparticles. Ultraviolet visible and X-ray powder diffraction measurements were used to estimate the trend of size variations of the particles with different synthesis parameters, which agreed fairly by both techniques and the crystal structure. Additionally, the size of the nanoparticles was obtained by transmission electron microscopy measurements. Whilst the effect of pH was different for each of the different stabilizing agents due to the different chemical groups in the thiol compounds and the size of the nanoparticles varied with the used stabilizing agents, the effect of Cd:Se ratio in the size of nanoparticles showed the same tendency for the several stabilizing agents.

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