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Herein is presented a novel and efficient portable paper-based sensing platform using paper-incorporated histidine stabilized gold nanoclusters (His-AuNCs), for the sensitive and selective detection of Fe ions from low-volume real water samples based on photoluminescence (PL) quenching. Highly photoluminescent colloidal His-AuNCs are obtained via a novel microwave-assisted method. The His-AuNCs-based sensor reveals a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.2 μM and a good selectivity towards Fe ions, in solution. Further, the fabricated portable sensing device based on paper impregnated with His-AuNCs proves to be suitable for the easy detection of hazardous Fe levels from real water samples, under UV light exposure, through evaluating the level of PL quenching on paper. Photographic images are thereafter captured with a smartphone camera and the average blue intensity ratio (I/I0) of the His-AuNCs-paper spots is plotted against [Fe2+] revealing a LOD of 3.2 μM. Moreover, selectivity and competitivity assays performed on paper-based sensor prove that the proposed platform presents high selectivity and accuracy for the detection of Fe ions from water samples. To validate the platform, sensing assays are performed on real water samples from local sources, spiked with 35 μM Fe ions (i.e., Fe2+). The obtained recoveries prove the high sensitivity and accuracy of the proposed His-AuNCs-paper-based sensor pointing towards its applicability as an easy-to-use, fast, quantitative and qualitative sensor suitable for on-site detection of toxic levels of Fe ions in low-volume real water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein is presented a novel and efficient portable paper-based sensing platform using paper-incorporated histidine stabilized gold nanoclusters (His-AuNCs), for the sensitive and selective detection of Fe ions from low-volume real water samples based on photoluminescence (PL) quenching. Highly photoluminescent colloidal His-AuNCs are obtained via a novel microwave-assisted method. The His-AuNCs-based sensor reveals a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.2 μM and a good selectivity towards Fe ions, in solution. Further, the fabricated portable sensing device based on paper impregnated with His-AuNCs proves to be suitable for the easy detection of hazardous Fe levels from real water samples, under UV light exposure, through evaluating the level of PL quenching on paper. Photographic images are thereafter captured with a smartphone camera and the average blue intensity ratio (I/I0) of the His-AuNCs-paper spots is plotted against [Fe2+] revealing a LOD of 3.2 μM. Moreover, selectivity and competitivity assays performed on paper-based sensor prove that the proposed platform presents high selectivity and accuracy for the detection of Fe ions from water samples. To validate the platform, sensing assays are performed on real water samples from local sources, spiked with 35 μM Fe ions (i.e., Fe2+). The obtained recoveries prove the high sensitivity and accuracy of the proposed His-AuNCs-paper-based sensor pointing towards its applicability as an easy-to-use, fast, quantitative and qualitative sensor suitable for on-site detection of toxic levels of Fe ions in low-volume real water samples.

In this study, we reported the photoluminescence (PL) behaviour of a new intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) compound, ((E)-2-(((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)amino)benzoic acid, (HABA), which shows ICT solvent effect in aprotic solvents as confirmed by absorption and emission spectra. While in protic solvents including water and ethanol, the charge transfer (CT) band significantly reduces. Remarkable fluorescence enhancement in the blue region was also observed for HABA in polar protic solvents. We described such phenomena as “specific solvent effect”. It can be ascribed to the hydrogen bonding formation between HABA and protic solvents, which not only causes significant reduction in the rate of internal conversion but also elevates the energy gap. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations as well as the dynamics analysis were performed to further verify the existence of hydrogen bonding complexes. Stronger emission turn-on effect was observed on HABA solid film when it is treated with water and base solution. The stimuli-responsive fluorescence of HABA enables a new green printing technique that uses water/base as the ink, affording fluorescent handwritings highly distinct from the background. Thermoanalysis of the dye suggests the nice thermostability, which is highly desired for real-world printing in a wide temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays (NRAs) were well integrated on the cellulose fibers (CFs) of waste paper via a facile hydrothermal method. By mechanically blending the waste paper with de-ionized water, abundant CFs were obtained and used as a sufficient platform for integrating ZnO NRAs. After coating a thin ZnO seed layer onto the surface of CFs and subsequent thermal treatment, the ZnO NRAs were densely grown, exhibiting high crystallinity and good photoluminescence properties. Their sizes were readily controlled by changing the concentration of the growth solution. To test the feasibility of an energy harvesting application using the prepared samples, the piezoelectric charge generation was explored under an external pushing force for the fabricated devices with polydimethylsiloxane-shielded ZnO NRAs on CFs for good contact to two electrodes (i.e., gold and indium tin oxide). This nanotechnology of recycling waste paper could be considered as a promising candidate for implementation in cost-effective and environment-friendly advanced materials and energy production. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nanoparticles of ZnS doped with Mn, a common photo- and electro-luminescent species, were synthesized in water using a competitive precipitation method. Particle size was controlled by selection of an appropriate stabilizer added during synthesis, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, which also rendered the particles water-dispersible after synthesis and isolation. Primary particle size was ∼3nm, with small agglomerates of 10–20nm in size. The particles were stably dispersed into water at a loading of 2.5w/w%. This dispersion formed the basis for an aqueous inkjet ink, containing 1w/w% ZnS:Mn. The small particle size allowed the nanoparticles to be successfully delivered to several substrates without loss during filtration or jetting. Bright photoluminescence was observed in the printed patterns on some substrates (glass, photo-paper, foil, etc.) but was quenched on other substrates where the ink penetrated into the surface (uncoated paper). The small drop volume (10pL) allowed for reasonably high-resolution printed patterns to be deposited, albeit with significant surface roughness due to the “coffee-ring” effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of the elemental composition, determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), to characterize ancient and modern papyrus and parchment, and newspaper from three different years is reported. The concentrations of S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Ba and Pb were determined in these samples in order to proceed to its characterization. From this work, we can conclude that the obtained results allow distinguishing modern and ancient documents by its elemental amount. It was observed, with few exceptions, that the modern samples present lower elemental concentration than the older ones. Furthermore, in the newspaper samples the number of detected elements depends on the newspaper''s age, and decreases from the oldest (1919) to the most recent (2005). X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a good elemental technique with the main advantage of being non-destructive, which makes it the perfect tool for the elemental analysis of cultural heritage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]