1/21/2011
Silver nanoparticles on titanate nanobelts via the self-assembly of weak polyelectrolytes: synthesis and photocatalytic properties
(# 085705) Nanotechnology 22 #8 (2010)
Bračko et al of the Jožef Stefan Institute, Solvenia used a weak-polyelectrolyte multilayer on a surface of titanate nanobelts (Ti-NBs) as a template for in situ Ag nanoparticle formation in the fabrication of Ag-loaded Ti-NBs nanocomposites.  The polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) was fabricated using layer-by-layer self-assembly of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) on the surface of high-surface-area titanate nanobelts (Ti-NBs) synthesized using a hydrothermal procedure.  The subsequent annealing of the Ag/Ti-NBs–PEM nanocomposites yielded nanostructured crystalline Ag/Ti-NBs. An enhanced UV photo-efficiency was observed for the Ag/Ti-NBs nanocomposites compared with pure Ti-NBs. As-fabricated Ag(x)/Ti-NBs nanocomposites also exhibited visible photoactivity assisted by the near-field amplitudes of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the silver nanoparticles in the 1D nanocomposite.  (RDC 1/21/2011)

1/7/2011
A Bioinspired Polymeric Template for 1D Assembly of Metallic Nanoparticles, Semiconductor Quantum Dots, and Magnetic Nanoparticles
(2109–2114)Macromolecular Rapid Communications 31 #24 (2010)
Lee et al of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea and Northwestern University, Illinois developed a universal polymeric template for 1D assembly of various nanoparticles including, gold nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, and quantum dots. We find that the length of the 1D assembly is tunable using hyaluronic acid-graft-catechol templates with various contour lengths.  (RDC 1/15/2011)

 1/7/2011
Biocompatible and Biodegradable Polymeric Nanocapsules from Poly(α,β-malic acid)-Grafted Nano-silica Templates
(39-45) Designed Monomers and Polymers 14 #1 (2011)
Shen  et al  prepared the nancapsules by the surface polycondensation of α,β-malic acid from silica nanoparticles as the sacrificial templates.  After crosslinking the nano-silica templates are etched with hydrofluoric acid to produce the biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric nanocapsules. The hollow structure of the polymeric nanocapsules have an inner diameter about 20-100 nm.  (RDC 1/6/2010)