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Biomedical subjects

Daoben Zhu

Publications and source records attributed to Daoben Zhu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Dyads and triads containing perylenetetracarboxylic diimide and porphyrin: efficient photoinduced electron transfer elicited via both excited singlet states.

Synthesis, characterizations, and photophysical properties of new photoactive dyads and triads containing perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PIm) and porphyrin (free-base porphyrin (H(2)P) and zinc porphyrin (ZnP)), in which both entities were connected with a short ether bond, were examined with the aim of using these systems for molecular photonics. The porphyrin(P)-PIm systems absorbed strongly across the visible region, which greatly matched the solar spectrum. The geometric and electronic structures of the dyads and triads were probed using density function theory method at the B3LYP/3-21G level. It was revealed that the majority of the highest-occupied molecular orbital was located on the porphyrin entity, while the lowest-unoccupied molecular orbitals were entirely on the PIm entity. The excited-state electron-transfer processes were monitored by both steady-state and time-resolved emission as well as transient-absorption techniques in polar solvent benzonitrile. Upon excitation of the P (H(2)P and ZnP) moieties, efficient fluorescence quenching of the P moiety was observed, suggesting that the main quenching paths involved charge separation from the excited singlet porphyrin ((1)P) to the PIm moiety. Upon excitation of the PIm moiety, fluorescence quenching of the (1)PIm moiety was also observed. The nanosecond transience of spectra in near-IR region revealed the charge separation process from the P moieties to the PIm moiety via their excited singlet states. The lifetimes of the charge-separated states were evaluated to be 7-14 ns, depending on the solvent polarity. Photosensitized electron mediation systems were also revealed in the presence of methyl viologen and sacrificial electron donor.

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Field emission properties of large-area nanowires of organic charge-transfer complexes.

In this contribution, large-area organic charge-transfer complex (AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ) nanowires were synthesized by organic vapor-solid-phase reaction at mild experimental conditions. These nanowires were facilitated on the surface of Cu and Ag foils or different kinds of substrates coated with a layer of silver and copper on a large scale. The excellent field emission properties were observed in the as-grown AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ nanowires. They should have great potential in vacuum device applications.

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Fabrication of ultrathin films with large third-order nonlinear optical properties.

An ultrathin composite film containing anionic Ag-His complexes (His: L-Histidine) and oppositely charged BH-PPV was fabricated by means of the electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. UV/Vis spectra showed a continuous deposition process of Ag-His complexes and BH-PPV. The film structure was characterized by using small-angle X-ray diffraction, AFM, and SEM. The nonlinear optical properties of the ultrathin film were studied by using the Z-scan technique with a laser duration of 8 ns at a wavelength of 532 nm. The film sample exhibited a strong nonlinear saturated absorption, with an alpha2 value of -3.9 x 10(-5) mW(-1) and a self-defocusing effect with an n2 value of -4.78 x 10 (-12) m2W(-1).

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Assembly and characterization of novel hydrogen-bond-induced nanoscale rods.

A class of bis-urea compounds with perylene bisimide was synthesized and characterized successfully. (1)H NMR and fluorescence spectra confirmed that strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between neighboring urea groups were formed. Interestingly, the photocurrent measurement showed that the self-assembled films of bis-urea compounds could produce steady and rapid anodic photocurrent responses. The TEM images indicated that well-defined nanoscale rods with uniform diameter distribution could be fabricated by self-assembly of hydrogen-bonding interactions and pi-pi stacking interactions of perylene rings.

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Molecular and nanoscale materials and devices in electronics.

Over the past several years, there have been many significant advances toward the realization of electronic computers integrated on the molecular scale and a much greater understanding of the types of materials that will be useful in molecular devices and their properties. It was demonstrated that individual molecules could serve as incomprehensibly tiny switch and wire one million times smaller than those on conventional silicon microchip. This has resulted very recently in the assembly and demonstration of tiny computer logic circuits built from such molecular scale devices. The purpose of this review is to provide a general introduction to molecular and nanoscale materials and devices in electronics.

Computers, Molecular↗

7-trifluoromethylquinoline-functionalized luminescent photochromic spiropyran with the stable merocyanine species both in solution and in the solid state.

A new spiropyran (SP2) with the stable merocyanine form (MC2) both in solution and in the solid state at room temperature was designed and synthesized. The stability of MC2 is believed to be due to the electron-withdrawing effect of both the quinoline and the trifluoromethyl groups. (1)H NMR spectra indicate that the ratio of the open form vs the closed form of SP2 is dependent on the polarity of solvents. Single crystals composed of only the open form (MC2) were successfully obtained. X-ray structural analysis indicates that except trifluoromethyl and two methyl groups MC2 is completely planar with an s-trans,s-cis conformation. It should be noted that this is the first report of the X-ray crystal structure of the pure open form of spiropyran. MC2 can be slowly transformed into SP2 at -30 degrees C or lower temperature, and the process is accelerated by visible light irradiation. This special photochromic behavior can be explained by the calculated thermodynamic data. The spectral properties of SP2/MC2 in the presence of different metal ions are also studied, and the results show the potential application of SP2/MC2 in sensing metal ions.

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New types of heterospin complexes from trans-oxamido-bridged copper(II) binuclear units and nitronyl nitroxide radicals: crystal structure and magnetic characterization.

Three new heterospin complexes derived from trans-oxamido-bridged copper(II) binuclear units [Cu(2)(oxen), oxen = N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)oxamide] and pyridine-substituted nitronyl nitroxides (o-, m-, and p-PYNN) were synthesized and characterized structurally and magnetically. Complexes 1 and 2 are four-spin complexes. Interestingly, it is found that in complex 3, the Cu(II) ions and m-PYNN units are arranged to form 1D double-stranded helical chains, which to the best of our knowledge is the first example of a metal nitronyl nitroxide complex with such a 1D helical structure. The temperature dependencies of the magnetic susceptibilities of 1 and 2 were fitted to the four-spin model with the Hamiltonian H = -2Js(Cu1)s(Cu2) - 2j(s(Cu1)s(rad1) - s(Cu2)s(rad2)), leading to J = -150.5 cm(-)(1) and j = 47.2 cm(-)(1) for complex 1 and J = -191.7 cm(-)(1) and j = -18.9 cm(-)(1) for complex 2. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of complex 3 was approximately simulated with a simple model composed of a dimer of Cu(II) ions and two m-PYNN molecules. The best fitting leads to the values of J = -183.0 cm(-)(1) and zJ' = -0.55 cm(-)(1) for the magnetic exchange of two Cu(II) ions through the oxamide bridge and that between the dimer of Cu(II) ions and two m-PYNN molecules, respectively. The antiferromagnetic exchange of oxamido-bridged Cu(II) ions in complexes 1-3 is strong. The strength of such antiferromagnetic interactions is also similar for the three complexes.

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Polymer-controlled synthesis of Fe3O4 single-crystal nanorods.

In this study, we describe a simple approach to preparing single-crystal Fe3O4 nanorods in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). The morphologies of the nanorods are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicates that these nanorods are formed by nucleation and growth process in situ in aqueous solution. A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer characteristic of the as-synthesized Fe3O4 nanorods shows superparamagnetic properties.

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4,5-dimethylthio-4'-[2-(9-anthryloxy)ethylthio]tetrathiafulvalene, a highly selective and sensitive chemiluminescence probe for singlet oxygen.

4,5-Dimethylthio-4'-[2-(9-anthryloxy)ethylthio]tetrathiafulvalene has been designed and synthesized as a highly selective and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) probe for singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). The design strategy for the probe is directed by the idea of photoinduced electron-transfer process and carried out through the incorporation of electron-rich tetrathiafulvalene unit into a reactive luminophore of anthracene specific for (1)O(2). Upon reaction with reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite, superoxide, hydroxyl radical, or (1)O(2), the probe exhibits both strong CL response to and high selectivity for (1)O(2) only, rather than the other ROS. This remarkable CL property permits (1)O(2) to be distinguished easily from the other ROS and makes the probe possible to be used widely for (1)O(2) detection in many chemical and biological systems and even in light water (H(2)O) environments. This applicability has been demonstrated by monitoring the (1)O(2) generation in a metal-catalyzed decomposition system of tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Moreover, the CL reaction mechanism of the present system is also discussed, clearly confirming that the introduction of electron-rich tetrathiafulvalene into the 9-position of anthracene can greatly activate its reactivity toward (1)O(2).

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Self-assembly and characterization of hydrogen-bond-induced nanostructure aggregation.

A supramolecular system of a perylene derivative containing bis(2,6-diacylaminopyridine) units and a perylene bisimide bound through three hydrogen-bonds was synthesized and characterized. 1H NMR spectra confirmed the existence of hydrogen-bonding interactions between the perylene derivative (3) and the perylene bisimide (7). The photocurrent generation of the self-assembled 3.7 film was measured, and a cathodic photocurrent response was obtained. SEM images indicated that well-defined long fibers could be fabricated by self-assembly, by exploiting the hydrogen bonding interactions and pi-pi stacking interactions of perylene rings.

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Concatenation of two molecular switches via a Fe(II)/Fe(III) couple.

[reaction: see text] Modulation of the fluorescein fluorescence in the presence of spiropyran and ferric ion by light was observed. Such fluorescence modulation was due to the low oxidation potential of complex MC.Fe(2+), which made the electron transfer from MC.Fe(2+) to Flu(+)()(*)() thermodynamically favorable. As a result, the communication between two molecular switches based on fluorescein and spiropyan, respectively, was realized via the reversible Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. The communicating behavior corresponds well to the function of an INHIBIT logic gate.

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Reversible wettability of a chemical vapor deposition prepared ZnO film between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity.

A superhydrophobic ZnO thin film was fabricated by the Au-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition method. The surface of the film exhibits hierarchical structure with nanostructures on sub-microstructures. The water contact angle (CA) was 164.3 degrees, turning into a superhydrophilic one (CA < 5 degrees) after UV illumination, which can be recovered through being placed in the dark or being heated. The film was attached tightly to the substrate, showing good stability and durability. The surface structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.

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Coordination complexes of 2-(4-quinolyl)nitronyl nitroxide with M(hfac)(2) [M = Mn(II), Co(II), and Cu(II)]: syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic characterization.

Three new complexes of the formula M(2)L(2) derived from 2-(4-quinolyl)nitronyl nitroxide (4-QNNN) and M(hfac)(2) [M = Mn(II), Co(II), and Cu(II)], (4-QNNN)(2).[Mn(hfac)(2)](2) (1), (4-QNNN)(2).[Co(hfac)(2)](2).2H(2)O (2), and (4-QNNN)(2).Cu(hfac)(2).Cu'(hfac)(2) (3), were synthesized and characterized structurally as well as magnetically. Complexes 1 and 2 are four-spin complexes with quadrangle geometry, in which both the nitrogen atoms of quinoline rings and oxygen atoms of nitronyl nitroxides are involved in the formation of coordination bonds. For complex 3, however, the nitrogen atoms of quinoline rings are coordinated with Cu(II) ion to afford a three-spin complex, which is further linked to another molecule of Cu(hfac)(2) (referred to as Cu'(hfac)(2)) to form a 1D alternating chain. The magnetic behaviors of the three complexes were investigated. For complex 1, as the nitronyl nitroxides and Mn(II) ions are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled, consequently its temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility was fitted to the model of spin-dimer with S = 2, yielding the intradimer magnetic exchange constant of J = -0.82 cm(-1). For complex 2, the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility in the T > 50 K region was simulated with the model of two-spin unit with S(1) = 3/2 and S(2) = 1/2, leading to J = -321.9 cm(-1) for the magnetic interaction due to Co(II).O coordination bonding, D = -16.3 cm(-1) (the zero-field splitting parameter), g = 2.26, and zJ = -3.8 cm(-1) for the magnetic interactions between Co(II) ions and nitronyl nitroxides through quinoline rings and those between nitronyl nitroxides due to the short O.O short contacts. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of 3 was approximately fitted to a model described previously affording J(1) = -6.52 cm(-1) and J(2) = 3.64 cm(-1) for the magnetic interaction between nitronyl nitroxides and Cu(II) ions through the quinoline unit via spin polarization mechanism and the weak O.Cu coordination bonding, respectively.

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