Dr. B.P.S. Chauhan would like to gratefully acknowledge William Paterson University for assigned release time (ART) award for part of the research described here and also for the research program in general.

Note: All reagents are used as is from manufacturer with no further purification. Reactions were monitored for up to one week via UV-Vis spectroscopy to ensure complete reduction. All reactions are carried out under a vent hood and appropriate safety attire is worn at all times, including gloves, eye goggles, and lab coats.
1. Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles
<ol>
	<li>Weigh out 0.0169 g (0.1 mmol) of silver nitrate directly into a 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask.</li>
	<li>Add in 20 ml of 18.2 M&#937; of ultrapure water and a magnetic stirrer bar. Cover flask with stopper to prevent evaporation.</li>
	<li>Place flask in an oil bath situated on a stirrer/hot plate and ensure that temperature is maintained at 60 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Slowly add 144 &#181;l (0.2 mmol) of 2-AST using a precision micropipette. Flush pipette several times in solution to ensure all silane is transferred into the solution.</li>
	<li>Take UV-Vis spectroscopy readings according to protocol listed in Section 5.</li>
	<li>After 6 hr, remove sample from the oil bath and transfer to a 20 ml sample vial for storage, TEM, FTIR and further analysis. 
	Note: Synthesis of gold and palladium nanoparticles follows the same method and stoichiometric amounts with the exception of gold nanoparticles requiring 216 &#181;l (0.3 mmol) 2-AST. The reaction may continue to produce nanoparticles for up to 2 weeks, but the rate is not significant compared to initial rate.</li>
</ol>
2. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) Sample Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Ensure that sample has cooled to RT.</li>
	<li>Place a 200 carbon-mesh formvar-coated copper grid onto a clean piece of filter paper.</li>
	<li>Using a 1 ml plastic Pasteur pipette, cast-drop approximately 60 &#181;l of the nanoparticle sample directly onto the grid.</li>
	<li>Allow grid to dry for 24 hr before imaging.</li>
	<li>Take high-resolution TEM images with the following conditions: 10 &#181;A current and 100 kV accelerating voltage22.</li>
</ol>
3. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Sample Preparation
Note: Perform NMR at RT. At high temperatures signals may coalesce, which degrades the quality of spectra obtained.
<ol>
	<li>Using a precision pipette, pipette 50 &#181;l of deuterium dioxide (D2O) into a clean NMR tube.</li>
	<li>With another clean precision pipette, pipette 400 &#181;l of nanoparticle sample into the same NMR tube.
	<ol>
		<li>As samples may adhere to the inner walls of the NMR tube, slowly add solutions into the NMR tube. If sample does adhere, cap the tube and shake the top of the tube to force the solution to the bottom.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Mix the sample by shaking and repeatedly inverting the NMR tube.</li>
	<li>Place sample tube into the NMR following directions set by NMR protocol provided by manufacturer. An upwards of 1,000 scans may be necessary for proper resolution in a 1H proton NMR pulse program. 
	Note: NMR tube walls should be clean. It is recommended that the outer wall of the tube is wiped with a microfiber or lint free cloth prior to analysis for spectra clarity.</li>
	<li>Discard sample when finished. Do not return sample to parent solution.</li>
</ol>
4. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy Sample Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Place 2 ml of nanoparticle sample into a small glass container. A 3 ml tube or 1 dram glass vial works well.</li>
	<li>Dry the samples by placing the glass container in a vacuum desiccator fitted with a stopcock.</li>
	<li>Attach desiccator to vacuum pump apparatus. Drying of samples may take a few hours depending on vacuum strength. Consider samples dry after there is no visible liquid in container.</li>
	<li>Scrape down the sample using a clean spatula and collect solid materials.</li>
	<li>Place solid material onto ATR-FTIR spectroscope fitted with a ZnSe crystal diode laser.</li>
	<li>Obtain FTIR spectra integrating 32 scans between 4,000-500 cm-1 with a spectral resolution of 2.0. Use the air background23.</li>
</ol>
5. UV-Vis Spectroscopy Sample Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Conduct UV-Vis spectroscopy on nanoparticle samples that are in a one to ten dilution of nanoparticle sample to water so that saturation does not occur in spectrometer analysis.</li>
	<li>Remove nanoparticle samples for UV-Vis while reaction is running at half hour intervals.</li>
	<li>Using a precision pipette, remove 100 &#181;l of nanoparticle material and place into a plastic cuvette.</li>
	<li>Add 1 ml of ultrapure water to the same cuvette and mix thoroughly by flushing the pipette several times.</li>
	<li>Record UV-Vis absorbance spectrum between 250-800 nm.</li>
	<li>After analysis, do not return sample to reaction. Dispose of analyte in an appropriate manner.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
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Rev. 40 (1), 233-245 (2011).</li><li>Richards, R., B&#246;nnemann, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthetic+Approaches+to+Metallic+Nanomaterials.">Synthetic Approaches to Metallic Nanomaterials.</a> Nanofabrication towards Biomedical Applications. , 4-9 (2005).</li><li>Bradley, J., Schmid, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chapter+6,+Unit+6.2.2,+The+Chemistry+of+Transition+Metal+Colloids:+Synthetic+Methods+for+the+Preparation+of+Colloidal+Transition+Metals.">Chapter 6, Unit 6.2.2, The Chemistry of Transition Metal Colloids: Synthetic Methods for the Preparation of Colloidal Transition Metals.</a> Clusters and Colloids. , 469-473 (1994).</li><li>Paterer, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Investigation+on+the+formation+of+copper+zinc+tin+sulphide+nanoparticles+from+metal+salts+and+dodecanethiol.">Investigation on the formation of copper zinc tin sulphide nanoparticles from metal salts and dodecanethiol.</a> Mater. Chem. Phys. 149-150, 94-98 (2015).</li><li>Yi, D. K., Lee, S. S., Ying, J. Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+and+Applications+of+Magnetic+Nanocomposite+Catalysts.">Synthesis and Applications of Magnetic Nanocomposite Catalysts.</a> Chem. Mater. 18, 2459-2461 (2006).</li><li>Piepenbrock, M. M., Lloyd, G. O., Clarke, N., Steed, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Metal-+and+Anion-Binding+Supramolecular+Gels.">Metal- and Anion-Binding Supramolecular Gels.</a> Chem. Rev. 110, 1960-2004 (2010).</li><li>Wu, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preparation+and+Structural+Characterization+of+Novel+Nanohybrids+by+Cationic+3D+Silica+Nanoparticles+Sandwiched+between+2D+Anionic+Montmorillonite+Clay+through+Electrostatic+Attraction.">Preparation and Structural Characterization of Novel Nanohybrids by Cationic 3D Silica Nanoparticles Sandwiched between 2D Anionic Montmorillonite Clay through Electrostatic Attraction.</a> J. Phys. Chem. C. 113 (30), 13036-13044 (2009).</li><li>Spitalsky, Z. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Carbon+nanotube-polymer+composites:+Chemistry,+Processing,+Mechanical+and+Electrical+Properties.">Carbon nanotube-polymer composites: Chemistry, Processing, Mechanical and Electrical Properties.</a> Prog. Polym. 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M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+of+silver+nanoparticles+by+microbial+method+and+their+characterization.">Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by microbial method and their characterization.</a> Arch. Phys. Res. 2 (3), 153-158 (2011).</li><li>Ghosh, S., Sarma, N., Mandal, M., Kundu, S., Esumi, K., Pal, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evolution+of+gold+nanoparticles+in+micelle+by+UV-irradiation:+A+conductometric+study.">Evolution of gold nanoparticles in micelle by UV-irradiation: A conductometric study.</a> Curr. Sci. 84 (6), 791-795 (2003).</li><li>Paul, B., Bhuyan, B., Purkayastha, D. D., Dey, M., Dhar, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Green+synthesis+of+gold+nanoparticles+using+Pogestemon+benghalensis+(B)+O.+Ktz+leaf+extract+and+studies+of+their+photocatalytic+activity+in+degradation+of+methylene.">Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Pogestemon benghalensis (B) O. Ktz leaf extract and studies of their photocatalytic activity in degradation of methylene.</a> Mater. Lett. 148, 37-40 (2015).</li><li>Chauhan, B. P. S., Rathore, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regioselective+Synthesis+of+Multifunctional+Hybrid+Polysiloxanes+Achieved+by+Pt-Nanocluster+Catalysis.">Regioselective Synthesis of Multifunctional Hybrid Polysiloxanes Achieved by Pt-Nanocluster Catalysis.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 5790-5791 (2005).</li><li>Chauhan, B. P. S., Rathore, S., Bandoo, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=&#34;Polysiloxane-Pd&#34;+Nanocomposites+as+Recyclable+Chemoselective+Hydrogenation+Catalysts.">&#34;Polysiloxane-Pd&#34; Nanocomposites as Recyclable Chemoselective Hydrogenation Catalysts.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 8493-8500 (2004).</li><li>Chauhan, B. P. S., Rathore, S., Chauhan, M., Krawicz, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+of+Polysiloxane+Stabilized+Palladium+Colloids+and+Evidence+of+Their+Participation+in+Silaesterification+Reactions.">Synthesis of Polysiloxane Stabilized Palladium Colloids and Evidence of Their Participation in Silaesterification Reactions.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 2876-2877 (2003).</li><li>Chauhan, B. P. S., Sardar, R., Tewari, P., Sharma, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> , 23-25 (2003).</li><li>Pouchert, C. J., Pouchert, C. .. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Non-Aromatic+Amines.">Non-Aromatic Amines.</a> The Aldrich Library of Infrared Spectra. , (1983).</li><li>Arkles, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Infrared+Analysis+of+Organosilicon+Compounds:+Spectra-Structure+Correlations.">Infrared Analysis of Organosilicon Compounds: Spectra-Structure Correlations.</a> Silicon Compounds Register and Review. , (1987).</li><li>Corriu, R. J. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hypervalent+Species+of+Silicon-structure+and+Reactivity.">Hypervalent Species of Silicon-structure and Reactivity.</a> J. Organomet. Chem. 400, 81-106 (1990).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Basic Instruction Manual: Hitachi HT7700 TEM. , 1-28 (2014).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> OMNIC User's Guide Version 7.3: Thermo Electron Corporation. , 151-216 (2006).</li></ol>

There are no conflicting financial interests.

Salts reported in this paper are the only salts that were tested of that metal. As a result, it is uncertain that this reaction strategy would work with all salts of the metals, particularly gold. The solubility of these salts in water may also affect the outcome of the reaction in terms of reaction time, morphology, and yields. In all reactions, the silane was added to an already dissolved metal salt solution.
It is worth noting that care must be taken to ensure accuracy for these reactions require a small concentration of metal salts, which may be hygroscopic or deliquescent18. This issue was experienced in the gold chloride nanoparticle synthesis as gold complexes are air sensitive and may decompose when left exposed to air. In an effort to alleviate this, gold chloride salt was stored in a refrigerator until needed and then removed, quickly measured and returned to refrigeration when complete. Also, since a condenser is not used with the reaction vessel, care should be taken that the solvent does not evaporate during the heating phase. Water used as the solvent should be of high purity. Contaminates in solvent and pH variations may affect nanoparticle formation.
The production of gold and silver nanoparticles takes place under mild reaction conditions, which bodes well for this protocol in industrial applications. This method allows one to produce noble metal nanoparticles in aqueous medium with high yields. A major advantage of this method is that it does not require any additional reducing agent, which is known to complicate the isolation of resulting nanoparticles as additional purification steps may be needed. It is expected that this protocol will extend to other metals as well. This method can also provide an avenue where the particles can be rendered heterogeneous via sol gel methods.
Moreover, most of the materials can be converted to gels via copolymerization with other gelation agents21. Research is already underway to prepare and analyze such gels. Ongoing research is directed towards generating such a nanocomposite, which will be interesting for applications in recoverable heterogeneous catalysis.

As the demand and applications of designer nanomaterials increases, so do the various methods of synthesis. The &#34;top-down&#34; methods, such as laser ablation or chemical etching have been employed for their excellent controllability and capability of resolving materials reliably down to the sub-micron level. These methods rely on bulk materials being processed into finer components, which typically increase the cost of production as the desired nanostructure size decreases. An alternative method of synthesis to this is the &#34;bottom-up&#34; approach, which controls synthesis at the molecular level and builds up to the desired nanostructure. This imparts a significant degree of control on the desired self-assembly, functionality, passivity, and stability in the generation of these nanostructured materials1. By working from the molecular level, hybrid nanocomposites can be generated providing the benefits of both materials within the same structure.
As nanomaterials are synthesized through the bottom-up strategy, methods need to be employed to control particle size, shape, texture, hydrophobicity, porosity, charge, and functionality2. In metal core nanoparticle synthesis, the initial metal salt is reduced in an autocatalytic process to generate zero-valent particles, which in turn direct the nucleation of other particle. This leads to clustering and finally nanoparticle production3. In an effort to control the size of nanoparticles created and prevent them from precipitating out of solution, stabilizers such as ligands, surfactants, ionic charge, and large polymers are exploited for their ability to block nanoparticles from further agglomeration4-10. These materials inhibit the van der Waals attraction of the nanoparticles, either through steric hindrance due to the presence of bulky groups or through Coulombic repulsions3.
In this work, a facile, one pot, synthetic strategy for the generation of various metal core nanoparticles using the silane, n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol (2-AST) is presented (Figure 1). Ligands on this compound are capable of reducing metal precursors and stabilizing metal nanoparticles with a relatively high efficacy. The three silanol moieties present are also capable of crosslinking and this forms an interconnected network of organosilane polymer impregnated with nanoparticles within its matrix (Figure 2). Unlike most silanes, which readily undergo hydrolysis in the presence of water, this compound is stabilized in water, which is beneficial for hydrophobicity purposes, stability, and control.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="644">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:287px;">n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol (2-AST)</td>
			<td style="width:209px;">Gelest</td>
			<td style="width:72px;">SIA0590.0</td>
			<td style="width:76px;">25% in H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Silver nitrate</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>S6506</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Gold(III) chloride trihydrate</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td align="right">520918</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Palladium(II) Nitrate</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td align="right">11035</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Deuterium Dioxide</td>
			<td>Cambridge Isotope Laboratories</td>
			<td>DLM-4-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

generation of zerovalent metal core nanoparticles using n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol

In this work, a facile one-pot reaction for the formation of metal nanoparticles in a water solution through the use of n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol is presented. This compound can be used to effectively reduce and complex metal salts into metal core nanoparticles coated with the compound. By controlling the concentrations of salt and silane one is able to control reaction rates, particle size, and nanoparticle coating. The effects of these changes were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectrometry (UV-Vis), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A unique aspect to this reaction is that usually silanes hydrolyze and cross-link in water; however, in this system the silane is water-soluble and stable. It is known that silicon and amino moieties can form complexes with metal salts. The silicon is known to extend its coordination sphere to form penta- or hexa-coordinated species. Furthermore, the silanol group can undergo hydrolysis to form a Si-O-Si silica network, thereby transforming the metal nanoparticles into a functionalized nanocomposites.

The reaction was monitored via UV-Vis spectrometry as nanoparticle formation should produce peaks characteristic for each individual metal nanoparticle. The final analysis of synthesized materials was accomplished through TEM and FTIR. The FTIR spectra was obtained from dried powder of samples. The particle size analysis can be accomplished by measuring nanoparticle diameter from images obtained via TEM and averaging results.
Complexation of nanoparticles with 2-AST silane can be verified with FTIR by the presence of characteristic peaks for silane and amine functionalities (Figure 3C, 5C, &#38; 6C). Literature suggests the presence of Si-O-Si linkages can produce strong infrared absorption around 1,000 cm-1 with branching and extended polymer chains broadening this peak20. Peaks in the range of 1,550-1,650 cm-1 are attributed to NH2 deformation. A moderate NH2 stretch and NH wag can be seen at 3,000-2,750 cm-1 and 910-770 cm-1 respectively19.
For silver nanoparticle synthesis, the starting materials were added to a preheated solution and the reaction was monitored until reduction was complete. The UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis of the product showed the formation of silver nanoparticles with an increasing peak at approximately 414 nm (Figure 3A), which followed the literature values of the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles formation11, 12. The concentration of silver nanoparticles increased until the reduction of the metal salt was complete. After 6 hr of the reaction, TEM analysis (Figure 3B) confirmed the presence of silver nanoparticles. The particle size analysis showed that the majority of the nanoparticles were in the 10 &#177; 2.3 nm size range. In order to better understand the role of our silane compound, a RT&#160;1H NMR of the silver nanoparticle solution was conducted (Figure 4B). It is believed that the coordination of the amine to nanoparticles gives rise to the new peaks between 2.73 to 3.40 &#948;. Furthermore, the samples were re-analyzed again after one year and retained the same characteristics, verifying the stability of the particles.
The reaction with gold chloride was carried out in the same manner as the silver nitrate nanoparticle synthesis. In the gold samples, an increasing peak in the 533 nm range over the course of 6 hr (Figure 5A) was observed, which is characteristic of the surface plasmon resonance band for gold nanoparticles13, 14. The particle size analysis calculated the average size to be approximately 24 &#177; 5.4 nm in diameter (Figure 5B). A 1H NMR sample was prepared for the gold samples in the same manner as the silver (Figure 4C). The coordination of amines with the generated gold nanoparticles can be seen by the additional splitting peaks between 2.45-3.26 &#948;. These samples were also re-analyzed after one year and have been found to retain the same characteristics as the initial sample, which indicated that they too had good colloidal stability.
Palladium nanoparticles were synthesized in the same manner as the silver and gold reactions. It is well-known that a featureless spectra is obtained upon the production of Pd-nanoparticles; there is no observable &#955;max increase in UV-Vis spectrometry from surface plasmon resonance (Figure 6A) as Pd0 nanoparticles are produced15, 16, 17. However, TEM imaging and particle size analysis indicated that palladium nanoparticles, sized at 1.8 &#177; 0.56 nm in diameter (Figure 6B), were synthesized. A 1H NMR sample was prepared for this sample following the same preparative methods as the previous nanoparticles (Figure 4D). In the samples, the coordination of amines with Pd0 nanoparticles can be observed via the additional peaks between 2.81-3.26 &#948;.
<img alt="Figure 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1. Properties of n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol (2-AST). <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig1large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig2.jpg" /> 
Figure 2. General scheme of the synthesis of 2-AST stabilized metal nanoparticles. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig2large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig3.jpg" /> 
Figure 3. Silver Nanoparticles. (A) UV-Vis spectral analysis of silver nanoparticle reaction mixture at a 1-10 dilution was monitored over time. (B) TEM imaging of silver nanoparticle. (C) FTIR of dried silver nanoparticle solution. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig3large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 4" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig4.jpg" /> 
Figure 4. NMR Spectrometry. 1H NMR of solution sample in D2O. (A) n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol; (B) silver nanoparticles; (C) gold nanoparticles; (D) palladium nanoparticles. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig4large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 5" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig5.jpg" /> 
Figure 5. Gold Nanoparticles. (A) UV-Vis spectral analysis of gold nanoparticle reaction mixture at a 1-10 dilution was monitored over time. (B) TEM imaging of gold nanoparticles. (C) FTIR of dried gold nanoparticle solution. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig5large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 6" src="/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig6.jpg" /> 
Figure 6. Palladium Nanoparticles. (A) UV-Vis spectral analysis of palladium nanoparticle reaction mixture at a 1-10 dilution was monitored over time. (B) TEM imaging of palladium nanoparticles. (C) FTIR of dried palladium nanoparticle solution. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/53507/53507fig6large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>

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Generation of Zerovalent Metal Core Nanoparticles Using n-2-aminoethyl-3-aminosilanetriol

A novel method for metal core nanoparticle synthesis using a water stable silanol is described.

Generation of Zerovalent Metal Core Nanoparticles Using n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminosilanetriol

In this work, a facile one-pot reaction for the formation of metal nanoparticles in a water solution through the use of ...

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7.6K Views.  William Paterson University. A novel method for metal core nanoparticle synthesis using a water stable silanol is described.

Video: Generation of Zerovalent Metal Core Nanoparticles Using n-2-aminoethyl-3-aminosilanetriol

Using Polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid)-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

We present a template-free method for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; nanoparticles into long chains without side branches. A variety of nanoparticles are encapsulated in polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PSPAA) shells and then used as monomers for their self-assembly. Spherical PSPAA micelles upon acid treatment are known to assemble into cylindrical micelles. Exploiting this tendency, the core-shell nanoparticles are induced to aggregate, coalesce, and then transform into long chains. When more than one type of nanoparticles are used, random and block &#8220;copolymers&#8221; of nanoparticles can be obtained. Detailed procedures are reported for the PSPAA encapsulation of nanoparticles, homo- and co-polymerization of the core-shell nanoparticles, separation and purification of the resulting nanoparticle chains. Transformations of single-line chains into double- and triple-line chains are also presented. The synergy between the polymer shell and the embedded nanoparticles leads to an unusual chain-growth polymerization mode, giving long nanoparticle chains that are distinct from the products of the traditional step-growth aggregation process.

Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

We report protocols for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; various types of polymer-encapsulated metal nanoparticles into long chains of &#8220;homo-&#8220; and &#8220;co-polymers&#8221;.

We present a template-free method for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; nanoparticles into long chains without side branches. A variety of nanoparticles are ...

Reverse Microemulsion-mediated Synthesis of Monometallic and Bimetallic Early Transition Metal Carbide and Nitride Nanoparticles

A reverse microemulsion is used to encapsulate monometallic or bimetallic early transition metal oxide nanoparticles in microporous silica shells. The silica-encapsulated metal oxide nanoparticles are then carburized in a methane/hydrogen atmosphere at temperatures over 800 &#176;C to form silica-encapsulated early transition metal carbide nanoparticles. During the carburization process, the silica shells prevent the sintering of adjacent carbide nanoparticles while also preventing the deposition of excess surface carbon. Alternatively, the silica-encapsulated metal oxide nanoparticles can be nitridized in an ammonia atmosphere at temperatures over 800 &#176;C to form silica-encapsulated early transition metal nitride nanoparticles. By adjusting the reverse microemulsion parameters, the thickness of the silica shells, and the carburization/nitridation conditions, the transition metal carbide or nitride nanoparticles can be tuned to various sizes, compositions, and crystal phases. After carburization or nitridation, the silica shells are then removed using either a room-temperature aqueous ammonium bifluoride solution or a 0.1 to 0.5 M NaOH solution at 40-60 &#176;C. While the silica shells are dissolving, a high surface area support, such as carbon black, can be added to these solutions to obtain supported early transition metal carbide or nitride nanoparticles. If no high surface area support is added, then the nanoparticles can be stored as a nanodispersion or centrifuged to obtain a nanopowder.

A &#8220;removable ceramic coating method&#8221; is presented in visual format for the synthesis of non-sintered and metal-terminated monometallic and bimetallic early transition metal carbide and nitride nanoparticles with tunable sizes and crystal structures.

A reverse microemulsion is used to encapsulate monometallic or bimetallic early transition metal oxide nanoparticles in microporous silica shells. The ...

Synthesis, Characterization, and Functionalization of Hybrid Au/CdS and Au/ZnS Core/Shell Nanoparticles

Plasmonic nanoparticles are an attractive material for light harvesting applications due to their easily modified surface, high surface area and large extinction coefficients which can be tuned across the visible spectrum. Research into the plasmonic enhancement of optical transitions has become popular, due to the possibility of altering and in some cases improving photo-absorption or emission properties of nearby chromophores such as molecular dyes or quantum dots. The electric field of the plasmon can couple with the excitation dipole of a chromophore, perturbing the electronic states involved in the transition and leading to increased absorption and emission rates. These enhancements can also be negated at close distances by energy transfer mechanism, making the spatial arrangement of the two species critical. Ultimately, enhancement of light harvesting efficiency in plasmonic solar cells could lead to thinner and, therefore, lower cost devices. The development of hybrid core/shell particles could offer a solution to this issue. The addition of a dielectric spacer between a gold nanoparticles and a chromophore is the proposed method to control the exciton plasmon coupling strength and thereby balance losses with the plasmonic gains. A detailed procedure for the coating of gold nanoparticles with CdS and ZnS semiconductor shells is presented. The nanoparticles show high uniformity with size control in both the core gold particles and shell species allowing for a more accurate investigation into the plasmonic enhancement of external chromophores.

The synthesis of uniform gold nanoparticles coated with semiconductor shells of CdS or ZnS is performed. The semiconductor coating is conducted by first depositing a silver sulfide shell and exchanging the silver cations for zinc or cadmium cations.

Plasmonic nanoparticles are an attractive material for light harvesting applications due to their easily modified surface, high surface area and large ...

Sediment Core Extrusion Method at Millimeter Resolution Using a Calibrated, Threaded-rod

Aquatic sediment core subsampling is commonly performed at cm or half-cm resolution. Depending on the sedimentation rate and depositional environment, this resolution provides records at the annual to decadal scale, at best. An extrusion method, using a calibrated, threaded-rod is presented here, which allows for millimeter-scale subsampling of aquatic sediment cores of varying diameters. Millimeter scale subsampling allows for sub-annual to monthly analysis of the sedimentary record, an order of magnitude higher than typical sampling schemes. The extruder consists of a 2 m aluminum frame and base, two core tube clamps, a threaded-rod, and a 1 m piston. The sediment core is placed above the piston and clamped to the frame. An acrylic sampling collar is affixed to the upper 5 cm of the core tube and provides a platform from which to extract sub-samples. The piston is rotated around the threaded-rod at calibrated intervals and gently pushes the sediment out the top of the core tube. The sediment is then isolated into the sampling collar and placed into an appropriate sampling vessel (e.g., jar or bag). This method also preserves the unconsolidated samples (i.e., high pore water content) at the surface, providing a consistent sampling volume. This mm scale extrusion method was applied to cores collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon submarine oil release. Evidence suggests that it is necessary to sample at the mm scale to fully characterize events that occur on the monthly time-scale for continental slope sediments.

An extrusion method using a calibrated threaded-rod is presented, which allows for mm scale subsampling of aquatic sediment cores. Millimeter-scale sampling is necessary to fully characterize recent event stratigraphy in sediment records.

Aquatic sediment core subsampling is commonly performed at cm or half-cm resolution. Depending on the sedimentation rate and depositional environment, ...

In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis

Micro-analytical techniques based on chemical element imaging enable the localization and quantification of chemical composition at the cellular level. They offer new possibilities for the characterization of living systems and are particularly appropriate for detecting, localizing and quantifying the presence of metal oxide nanoparticles both in biological specimens and the environment. Indeed, these techniques all meet relevant requirements in terms of (i) sensitivity (from 1 up to 10 &#181;g.g-1 of dry mass), (ii) micrometer range spatial resolution, and (iii) multi-element detection. Given these characteristics, microbeam chemical element imaging can powerfully complement routine imaging techniques such as optical and fluorescence microscopy. This protocol describes how to perform a nuclear microprobe analysis on cultured cells (U2OS) exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Cells must grow on and be exposed directly in a specially designed sample holder used on the optical microscope and in the nuclear microprobe analysis stages. Plunge-freeze cryogenic fixation of the samples preserves both the cellular organization and the chemical element distribution. Simultaneous nuclear microprobe analysis (scanning transmission ion microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and particle induced X-ray emission) performed on the sample provides information about the cellular density, the local distribution of the chemical elements, as well as the cellular content of nanoparticles. There is a growing need for such analytical tools within biology, especially in the emerging context of Nanotoxicology and Nanomedicine for which our comprehension of the interactions between nanoparticles and biological samples must be deepened. In particular, as nuclear microprobe analysis does not require nanoparticles to be labelled, nanoparticle abundances are quantifiable down to the individual cell level in a cell population, independently of their surface state.

In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis

We describe a procedure for the detection of chemical elements present in situ in human cells as well as their in vitro quantification. The method is well-suited to any cell type and is particularly useful for quantitative chemical analyses in single cells following in vitro metal oxide nanoparticles exposure.

Micro-analytical techniques based on chemical element imaging enable the localization and quantification of chemical composition at the cellular level. ...

Determination of Thermodynamic Properties of Alkaline Earth-liquid Metal Alloys Using the Electromotive Force Technique

A novel electrochemical cell based on a CaF2 solid-state electrolyte has been developed to measure the electromotive force (emf) of binary alkaline earth-liquid metal alloys as functions of both composition and temperature in order to acquire thermodynamic data. The cell consists of a chemically stable solid-state CaF2-AF2 electrolyte (where A is the alkaline-earth element such as Ca, Sr, or Ba), with binary A-B alloy (where B is the liquid metal such as Bi or Sb) working electrodes, and a pure A metal reference electrode. Emf data are collected over a temperature range of 723 K to 1,123 K in 25 K increments for multiple alloy compositions per experiment and the results are analyzed to yield activity values, phase transition temperatures, and partial molar entropies/enthalpies for each composition.

This protocol describes the measurement of the electromotive force of alkaline-earth elements in liquid metal alloys at high temperatures (723-1,123 K) to determine their thermodynamic properties, including activity, partial molar entropy, partial molar enthalpy, and phase transition temperatures, over a wide composition range.

A novel electrochemical cell based on a CaF2 solid-state electrolyte has been developed to measure the electromotive force (emf) of binary alkaline ...

Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles

The size, size distribution and stability of colloidal nanoparticles are greatly affected by the presence of capping ligands. Despite the key contribution of capping ligands during the synthesis reaction, their role in regulating the nucleation and growth rates of colloidal nanoparticles is not well understood. In this work, we demonstrate a mechanistic investigation of the role of trioctylphosphine (TOP) in Pd nanoparticles in different solvents (toluene and pyridine) using in situ SAXS and ligand-based kinetic modeling. Our results under different synthetic conditions reveal the overlap of nucleation and growth of Pd nanoparticles during the reaction, which contradicts the LaMer-type nucleation and growth model. The model accounts for the kinetics of Pd-TOP binding for both, the precursor and the particle surface, which is essential to capture the size evolution as well as the concentration of particles in situ. In addition, we illustrate the predictive power of our ligand-based model through designing the synthetic conditions to obtain nanoparticles with desired sizes. The proposed methodology can be applied to other synthesis systems and therefore serves as an effective strategy for predictive synthesis of colloidal nanoparticles.

The main goal of this work is to elucidate the role of capping agents in regulating the size of palladium nanoparticles by combining in situ small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and ligand-based kinetic modeling.

The size, size distribution and stability of colloidal nanoparticles are greatly affected by the presence of capping ligands. Despite the key contribution ...

Molten-Salt Synthesis of Complex Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

The development of feasible synthesis methods is critical for the successful exploration of novel properties and potential applications of nanomaterials. Here, we introduce the molten-salt synthesis (MSS) method for making metal oxide nanomaterials. Advantages over other methods include its simplicity, greenness, reliability, scalability, and generalizability. Using pyrochlore lanthanum hafnium oxide (La2Hf2O7) as a representative, we describe the MSS protocol for the successful synthesis of complex metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Furthermore, this method has the unique ability to produce NPs with different material features by changing various synthesis parameters such as pH, temperature, duration, and post-annealing. By fine-tuning these parameters, we are able to synthesize highly uniform, non-agglomerated, and highly crystalline NPs. As a specific example, we vary the particle size of the La2Hf2O7&#160;NPs by changing the concentration of the ammonium hydroxide solution used in the MSS process, which allows us to further explore the effect of particle size on various properties. It is expected that the MSS method will become a more popular synthesis method for nanomaterials and more widely employed in the nanoscience and nanotechnology community in the upcoming years.

Here, we demonstrate a unique, relatively low-temperature, molten-salt synthesis method for preparing uniform complex metal oxide lanthanum hafnate nanoparticles.

The development of feasible synthesis methods is critical for the successful exploration of novel properties and potential applications of nanomaterials. ...

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis

Heteroarylation introduces heteroaryl fragments to organic molecules. Despite the numerous available reactions reported for arylation via transition metal catalysis, the literature on direct heteroarylation is scarce. The presence of heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen often make heteroarylation a challenging research field due to catalyst poisoning, product decomposition and the rest. This protocol details a highly efficient direct &#945;-C(sp3) heteroarylation of ketones under microwave irradiation. Key factors for successful heteroarylation include the use of XPhos Palladacycle Gen. 4 Catalyst, excess base to suppress side reactions and the high temperature and pressure achieved in a sealed reaction vial under microwave irradiation. The heteroarylation compounds prepared by this method were fully characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). This methodology has several advantages over literature precedents including broad substrate scope, rapid reaction time, greener procedure and operational simplicity by eliminating the preparation of intermediates such as silyl enol ether. Possible applications for this protocol include, but are not limited to, diversity-oriented synthesis for the discovery of biologically active small molecules, domino synthesis for the preparation of natural products and ligand development for new transition metal catalytic systems.

Heteroaryl compounds are important molecules utilized in organic synthesis, medicinal and biological chemistry. A microwave-assisted heteroarylation using palladium catalysis provides a rapid and efficient method to attach heteroaryl moieties directly to ketone substrates.

Heteroarylation introduces heteroaryl fragments to organic molecules. Despite the numerous available reactions reported for arylation via transition metal ...

Development of Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysts using Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

Substrate size discrimination by the pore size and homogeneity of the chiral environment at the reaction sites are important issues in the validation of the reaction site in metal-organic framework (MOF)&#8211;based catalysts in an enantioselective catalytic reaction system. Therefore, a method of validating the reaction site of MOF-based catalysts is necessary to investigate this issue. Substrate size discrimination by pore size was accomplished by comparing the substrate size versus the reaction rate in two different types of carbonyl-ene reactions with two kinds of MOFs. The MOF catalysts were used to compare the performance of the two reaction types (Zn-mediated stoichiometric and Ti-catalyzed carbonyl-ene reactions) in two different media. Using the proposed method, it was observed that the entire MOF crystal participated in the reaction, and the interior of the crystal pore played an important role in exerting chiral control when the reaction was stoichiometric. Homogeneity of the chiral environment of MOF catalysts was established by the size control method for a particle used in the Zn-mediated stoichiometric reaction system. The protocol proposed for the catalytic reaction revealed that the reaction mainly occurred on the catalyst surface regardless of the substrate size, which reveals the actual reaction sites in MOF-based heterogeneous catalysts. This method for reaction site validation of MOF catalysts suggests various considerations for developing heterogeneous enantioselective MOF catalysts.

Development of Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysts using Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks MOFs

Here, we present a protocol for active site validation of metal-organic framework catalysts by comparing stoichiometric and catalytic carbonyl-ene reactions to find out whether a reaction takes place on the inner or outer surface of metal-organic frameworks.

Substrate size discrimination by the pore size and homogeneity of the chiral environment at the reaction sites are important issues in the validation of ...