Rapid One‐Pot Preparation of Large Freestanding Nanoparticle‐Polymer Films

Xu, Yikai; Konrad, Magdalena P.; Trotter, Johann L.; McCoy, Colin; Bell, Steven E. J.

doi:10.1002/smll.201602163

Cited by 45 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The key component is a recently reported new class of flexible SERS substrates, surface exposed nanoparticle sheets (SENS), which are composed of 2-dimensional arrays of NPs physically anchored onto a flexible polymer support (Fig 1a and b) [22]. In these films the nano-gaps are still exposed and accessible, since the particles are only partly submerged into the polymer but the polymer backing makes them physically robust and able to withstand the pressure required to force solid materials into plasmonic enhancing regions to achieve significant signal enhancements (Fig 1b).…”

Section: Proof-of-principle Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pressing solids directly into sheets of plasmonic nanojunctions enables solvent-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

et al. 2018

Applied Materials Today

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Often chemical analysis of solid materials begins with dissolving the sample in a solvent but this is undesirable, particularly if the physical form is important. In principle surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) should allow detection of solid analytes and offers attomolar sensitivity combined with molecular specificity. SERS requires the target molecules to sit in plasmonic hot-spots, which are normally nanojunctions, just a few nm across. This means that solid samples normally need to be dissolved in a solvent so they can diffuse into the enhancing region. Here, we show that SERS spectra of picograms of solid analytes can be directly obtained by pressing them into a flexible SERS substrate with a dense field of exposed nanojunction hot-spots anchored on its surface. We demonstrate that this can be a powerful tool for straightforward and non-destructive forensic analysis of layered materials (crossing ink lines), solid explosives and illicit drugs as well as for studying previously intractable samples such as pharmaceutical co-crystals, whose important solid state structure is lost when they are dissolved.

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Section: Proof-of-principle Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pressing solids directly into sheets of plasmonic nanojunctions enables solvent-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

et al. 2018

Applied Materials Today

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“…Ideally, what is required is a simple method that can be used to arrange various types of NPs into robust 3D materials which are strong enough for routine handling while retaining their nanoproperties. Previously, we have shown that charged colloidal NPs of various morphologies and material compositions can be induced to self-assemble into densely packed 2D arrays at the LLI using oppositely charged promoter ions to provide charge screening [20,21]. In the current work we extend our approach for assembling 2D arrays to the assembly of densely packed interfacial 3D arrays, this is then combined with in-situ polymer deposition to form suspensions of NP/polymer hybrid materials consisting of exposed and densely packed NP surface layers fixed on solid polymer micro-particle cores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A one-pot method for building colloidal nanoparticles into bulk dry powders with nanoscale magnetic, plasmonic and catalytic functionalities

Skillen

et al. 2019

Applied Materials Today

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Building easy-to-handle bulk materials with nanoproperties is crucial for many nanotechnology-based real-world applications. Here, we describe a simple onepot method based on nanoparticle self-assembly of pickering emulsions and in-situ polymer deposition for preparing particles consisting of a rigid micro-polymer core covered in exposed surface layers of nanoparticles, which we have named nanomicro-particles (NMPs). Unlike simple colloids, these NMPs can be filtered off from the aqueous suspensions in which they are prepared and dried to form free-flowing powders which, most importantly, retain the properties of the constituent nanoparticles in the surface layer. These NMPs can be stored for extended periods but then used either in the dry state or be re-suspended into liquid media as required. The preparation method is very general and can be readily extended to assemble various types of nanoparticles regardless of their material composition or morphology. In addition, functional components, such as magnetic particles or fluorescent tags, can be encapsulated within the polymer core. This method is a platform technology for building nanoparticles into bulk materials with nano-functionalities tailored towards real-life applications. This is illustrated with examples of the preparation of NMPs suitable for rapid and low-cost on-site water monitoring and remediation.

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“…Recently, this group has reported a method for preparing robust, flexible 2D MeLLF films involving their deposition on a thin polymer film bed [10]. In these nanoparticle polymer films, or 'Surface-Exposed Nanoparticle', i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In these nanoparticle polymer films, or 'Surface-Exposed Nanoparticle', i.e. SEN, plastic films, the nanoparticles are partially embedded in the polymer film, usually polystyrene (PS), but other polymers have been used [10]. Thus, Au-or Ag-SEN plastic films have been used to catalyse reactions or promote the detection of analytes by SERS [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SEN, plastic films, the nanoparticles are partially embedded in the polymer film, usually polystyrene (PS), but other polymers have been used [10]. Thus, Au-or Ag-SEN plastic films have been used to catalyse reactions or promote the detection of analytes by SERS [10]. Despite the formation of interfacial monolayers of metal oxide nanoparticles, no SEN plastic films made from such nanoparticles have been reported to date.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Production and testing of novel photocatalytic TiO2 surface-exposed nanoparticle (TiO2-SEN) thin plastic films

McNeill¹,

Wells²,

Xu³

et al. 2019

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

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Flexible, surface-active, polystyrene-based, optically transparent films, embedded with a coating of commercially sourced titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Evonik P25), are made by coupling the protonated TiO2 particles with an anionic phase transfer agent (tetraphenylborate), to create an ion paired species that is drawn to a water/dichloromethane (DCM) interface to form a monolayer. The latter is subsequently embedded in a thin polystyrene (PS) film, typically 2.5 m thick, by allowing the DCM to evaporate. The resulting clear TiO2 Surface-Exposed Nanoparticle (TiO2-SEN) thin plastic films are characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and found to have 25.3 ± 5.4 nm nanoparticles exposed to the air on one side and PS on the other. The photocatalytic activity of these films is demonstrated using a number of different tests including: the photooxidation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and methylene blue (MB) and the photoreduction of resazurin (Rz) and MB. In most of these tests the photoactivity of the film is more than double compared against that of a commercial photocatalytic film, Activ TM .

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Rapid One‐Pot Preparation of Large Freestanding Nanoparticle‐Polymer Films

Cited by 45 publications

References 33 publications

Pressing solids directly into sheets of plasmonic nanojunctions enables solvent-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Pressing solids directly into sheets of plasmonic nanojunctions enables solvent-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A one-pot method for building colloidal nanoparticles into bulk dry powders with nanoscale magnetic, plasmonic and catalytic functionalities

Production and testing of novel photocatalytic TiO2 surface-exposed nanoparticle (TiO2-SEN) thin plastic films

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