Fluorescent probes are one of the most popularly used bioimaging markers to monitor metabolic processes of living cells. However, long-term light excitation always leads to photobleaching of fluorescent probes, unavoidable autofluorescence as well as photodamage of cells. To overcome these limitations, we synthesized a type of photostable luminogen named TPE-TPP with an aggregation induced emis...

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has attracted tremendous interests as a highly sensitive label-free tool. The local field produced by the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) dominates the overall enhancement of SERS. Such an electromagnetic enhancement is unfortunately accompanied by a strong modification in the relative intensity of the original Ram...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies have shown that silica in grass leaves defends them against small herbivores, which avoid high-silica grasses and digest them less efficiently. This study tested the idea that silica can reduce digestibility by preventing the mechanical breakdown of chlorenchyma cells. METHODS Both the percentage of total chlorophyll liberated from high- and low-silica gra...

Silica nanoparticles have been functionalized by click chemistry and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) simultaneously. First, the silanized silica nanoparticles were modified with bromine end group, and then the azide group was grafted onto the surface via covalent coupling. 3-Bromopropyl propiolate was synthesized, and then the synthesized materials were used to react with azide-modi...

G roundwaters in areas such as Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, parts of southern Europe, the Pacific Rim, and Latin America contain high silica concentrations (50 to 100 ppm, as colloidal silica [SiO 2 ]). These levels arise from dissolution of various silicate-containing minerals into the groundwater. Silica precipitation and deposition occur mostly in evaporative cooling systems, wher...

Polyamide 6/silica nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ ring-opening anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam in the presence of sodium caprolactamate as a catalyst and caprolactam-functionalized silica as an initiator. The initiator precursor, isocyanate-functionalized silica, was prepared by directly reacting commercial silica with excess toluene 2,4-diisocyanate. This polymerization was...

metal nanoshells consists of a dielectric core surrounded by a thin noble metal shell, possess unique optical properties that render nanoshells attractive for use in different technologies. this paper reports a facile method for growth of small gold nanoparticles on the functionalized surface of larger silica nanoparticles. mono-dispersed silica particles and gold nanoparticles were prepared by...

This study examined the effect that silica content in diatom cells has on the behavior of protists. The diatoms Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonanawere cultured in high or low light conditions to achieve low and high silica contents, respectively. These cells were then fed to a heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans and a ciliate Euplotes sp. in single and mixed diet experim...