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Robert Ray

Bio: Robert Ray is an academic researcher from University of South Carolina. The author has contributed to research in topics: Colloidal gold & Van Deemter equation. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 3 publications receiving 2437 citations.

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Arc-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes have been purified through preparative electrophoresis in agarose gel and glass bead matrixes and promise to be interesting nanomaterials in their own right.
Abstract: Arc-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes have been purified through preparative electrophoresis in agarose gel and glass bead matrixes. Two major impurities were isolated: fluorescent carbon and short tubular carbon. Analysis of these two classes of impurities was done. The methods described may be readily extended to the separation of other water-soluble nanoparticles. The separated fluorescent carbon and short tubule carbon species promise to be interesting nanomaterials in their own right.

3,357 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of a systematic study of the remodeling of ultrathin (20 nm) gold films by exposure to condensable vapors of volatile solvents were presented.
Abstract: In this paper we present the results of a systematic study of the remodeling of ultrathin (<20 nm) gold films by exposure to condensable vapors of volatile solvents. The starting gold films, deposited on glass, consist of closely packed gold nanoparticles with controlled nominal thickness. Heating to relatively low temperature (60−120 °C) and exposure to condensable vapor carried by flowing N2 gas lead to remodeling of the films' morphology. Electron and atomic force microscopy images show that the gold nanoparticles coalesce and form islands, interconnected networks, or holey continuous films, depending on the exposure time and the initial film thickness. Associated changes in the UV−vis spectra are similar to those seem in previous studies of thin gold films. Remodeling does not occur for films heated in a vacuum, immersed in solvent, or exposed to gases carrying saturated condensable vapor. Remodeling also occurs for other condensable vapors including water. Intermittent exposure of the films to ambien...

44 citations

21 Oct 2005
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discussed the data comparisons to known algebraic isotherms used to evaluate ion-exchange resins for WTP plant scale cesium removal operations and showed that van Deemter considerations indicate better displacement column chromatography by the use of spherical particle beads rather than irregularly shaped ground or granular particles.
Abstract: Base catalyzed sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol (1,3-dihydroxybenzene) with formaldehyde by inverse suspension polymerization leads to the formation of uniform, highly cross-linked, translucent, spherical gels, which have increased selectivity and capacity for cesium ion removal from high alkaline solutions. Because of its high selectivity for cesium ion, resorcinol-formaldehyde (R-F) resins are being considered for process scale column radioactive cesium removal by ion-exchange at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), which is now under construction at the Hanford site. Other specialty resins such as Superlig{reg_sign} 644 have been ground and sieved and column tested for process scale radioactive cesium removal but show high pressure drops across the resin bed during transition from column regeneration to loading and elution. Furthermore, van Deemter considerations indicate better displacement column chromatography by the use of spherical particle beads rather than irregularly shaped ground or granular particles. In our studies batch contact equilibrium experiments using a high alkaline simulant show a definite increase in cesium loading onto spherical R-F resin. Distribution coefficient (Kd) values ranged from 777 to 429 mL/g in the presence of 0.1M and 0.7M potassium ions, respectively. Though other techniques for making R-F resins have been employed, to our knowledge no one has more » made spherical R-F resins by inverse suspension polymerization. Moreover, in this study we discuss the data comparisons to known algebraic isotherms used to evaluate ion-exchange resins for WTP plant scale cesium removal operations. « less

1 citations


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This Review summarize recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of C-dots and speculate on their future and discuss potential developments for their use in energy conversion/storage, bioimaging, drug delivery, sensors, diagnostics, and composites.
Abstract: Similar to its popular older cousins the fullerene, the carbon nanotube, and graphene, the latest form of nanocarbon, the carbon nanodot, is inspiring intensive research efforts in its own right. These surface-passivated carbonaceous quantum dots, so-called C-dots, combine several favorable attributes of traditional semiconductor-based quantum dots (namely, size- and wavelength-dependent luminescence emission, resistance to photobleaching, ease of bioconjugation) without incurring the burden of intrinsic toxicity or elemental scarcity and without the need for stringent, intricate, tedious, costly, or inefficient preparation steps. C-dots can be produced inexpensively and on a large scale (frequently using a one-step pathway and potentially from biomass waste-derived sources) by many approaches, ranging from simple candle burning to in situ dehydration reactions to laser ablation methods. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of C-dots. We also speculate on their future and discuss potential developments for their use in energy conversion/storage, bioimaging, drug delivery, sensors, diagnostics, and composites.

3,991 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The progress in the research and development of CQDs is reviewed with an emphasis on their synthesis, functionalization and technical applications along with some discussion on challenges and perspectives in this exciting and promising field.
Abstract: Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles or carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a new class of carbon nanomaterials that have emerged recently and have garnered much interest as potential competitors to conventional semiconductor quantum dots. In addition to their comparable optical properties, CQDs have the desired advantages of low toxicity, environmental friendliness low cost and simple synthetic routes. Moreover, surface passivation and functionalization of CQDs allow for the control of their physicochemical properties. Since their discovery, CQDs have found many applications in the fields of chemical sensing, biosensing, bioimaging, nanomedicine, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. This article reviews the progress in the research and development of CQDs with an emphasis on their synthesis, functionalization and technical applications along with some discussion on challenges and perspectives in this exciting and promising field.

3,514 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The facile one-step alkali-assisted electrochemical fabrication of CQDs with sizes of 1.2– 3.8 nm which possess size-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and excellent upconversion luminescence properties are reported and the design of photocatalysts is demonstrated to harness the use of the full spectrum of sunlight.
Abstract: Carbon nanostructures are attracting intense interest because of their many unique and novel properties. The strong and tunable luminescence of carbon materials further enhances their versatile properties; in particular, the quantum effect in carbon is extremely important both fundamentally and technologically. Recently, photoluminescent carbonbased nanoparticles have received much attention. They are usually prepared by laser ablation of graphite, electrochemical oxidation of graphite, electrochemical soaking of carbon nanotubes, thermal oxidation of suitable molecular precursors, vapor deposition of soot, proton-beam irradiation of nanodiamonds, microwave synthesis, and bottom-up methods. Although small (ca. 2 nm) graphite nanoparticles show strong blue photoluminescence (PL), definitive experimental evidence for luminescence of carbon structure arising from quantum-confinement effects and size-dependent optical properties of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) remains scarce. Herein, we report the facile one-step alkali-assisted electrochemical fabrication of CQDs with sizes of 1.2– 3.8 nm which possess size-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and excellent upconversion luminescence properties. Significantly, we demonstrate the design of photocatalysts (TiO2/CQDs and SiO2/CQDs complex system) to harness the use of the full spectrum of sunlight (based on the upconversion luminescence properties of CQDs). It can be imagined that judicious cutting of a graphite honeycomb layer into ultrasmall particles can lead to tiny fragments of graphite, yielding CQDs, which may offer a straightforward and facile strategy to prepare high-quality CQDs. Using graphite rods as both anode and cathode, and NaOH/EtOH as electrolyte, we synthesized CQDs with a current intensity of 10–200 mAcm . As a reference, a series of control experiments using acids (e.g. H2SO4/EtOH) as electrolyte yielded no formation of CQDs. This result indicates that alkaline environment is the key factor, and OH group is essential for the formation of CQDs by the electrochemical oxidation process. Figure 1a shows a trans-

2,266 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the photo and electron properties of carbon nanodots is presented to provide further insight into their controversial emission origin and to stimulate further research into their potential applications, especially in photocatalysis, energy conversion, optoelectronics, and sensing.
Abstract: Carbon nanodots (C-dots) have generated enormous excitement because of their superiority in water solubility, chemical inertness, low toxicity, ease of functionalization and resistance to photobleaching. In this review, by introducing the synthesis and photo- and electron-properties of C-dots, we hope to provide further insight into their controversial emission origin (particularly the upconverted photoluminescence) and to stimulate further research into their potential applications, especially in photocatalysis, energy conversion, optoelectronics, and sensing.

2,262 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Shoujun Zhu1, Yubin Song1, Xiaohuan Zhao1, Jieren Shao1, Junhu Zhang1, Bai Yang1 
TL;DR: The actual mechanism of photoluminescence (PL) of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) is still an open debate among researchers as mentioned in this paper, and three types of fluorescent CDs were involved: graphene quantum dots (GQDs), carbon nanodots (CNDs), and polymer dots (PDs).
Abstract: At present, the actual mechanism of the photoluminescence (PL) of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) is still an open debate among researchers. Because of the variety of CDs, it is highly important to summarize the PL mechanism for these kinds of carbon materials; doing so can guide the development of effective synthesis routes and novel applications. This review will focus on the PL mechanism of CDs. Three types of fluorescent CDs were involved: graphene quantum dots (GQDs), carbon nanodots (CNDs), and polymer dots (PDs). Four reasonable PL mechanisms have been confirmed: the quantum confinement effect or conjugated π-domains, which are determined by the carbon core; the surface state, which is determined by hybridization of the carbon backbone and the connected chemical groups; the molecule state, which is determined solely by the fluorescent molecules connected on the surface or interior of the CDs; and the crosslink-enhanced emission (CEE) effect. To give a thorough summary, the category and synthesis routes, as well as the chemical/physical properties for the CDs, are briefly introduced in advance.

1,987 citations