Stable nanosized germanium particles were synthesized in a liquid medium (acetone) by laser irradiation of single-crystal germanium plates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions at room temperature. Various experimental methods—optical spectrophotometry, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering—made it possible to detect stable nanosized Ge particles in acetone and record optical absorption and luminescence spectra depending on the time of laser irradiation in the presence and absence of oxygen. Particular attention is paid to the results of the effect of laser irradiation on the physicochemical properties of pure acetone.

Polymer nanocomposite materials with catalytic activity were designed via modification of MF-4SK ion-exchange membranes with Au and Ag nanoparticles obtained according to various synthetic methods in reverse micellar solutions. A sufficient transparency of the films allowed us to detect nanoparticles in the films using UV–Vis spectrophotometry, monitoring changes in the content of metal nanoparticles in the reverse micellar solution. A different mechanism of interaction of Au and Ag nanoparticles obtained by the same synthetic method with the MF-4SK film upon their contact with its surface was discovered, the destruction of nanoparticles was observed, and the influence of mechanism of primary acts in the formation of metal nanoparticles in reverse micellar solutions on their adsorption properties was confirmed. The highest concentration of gold nanoparticles was found in films immersed in reverse micellar solutions at the time of their exposure to ionizing radiation.

The results are reported of processing luminescence spectra from samples obtained by successive dilution of the aqueous solution of antibodies to S100 protein with the initial concentration C = 1 µM. It is found that the intensity of the light scattering background increases as compared to the control water, which indicates relaxation of optical properties of the solution, probably due to modification of its structure at successive dilution.

This work presents the results of a study of the physical-chemical properties of gold nanoparticles (NP) prepared in reverse micellar solutions (RMS) using various ion reduction methods, including self-assembly (SA). The spectra of the electron plasmon resonance of the Au NP in the visible region (λ max ~ 530 nm) and in the UV region of the spectrum (λ max ~ 200–220 nm) were recorded by UV–Vis spectrophotometry. In the present work, the kinetics of the primary stages of the formation of Au NPs in RMS using various synthesis methods, including SA, has been studied. Based on the results we obtained, an explanation has been provided for the effect of oxygen ( aerobic conditions ) on the primary stages of the formation of Au NPs using chemical (Chem) synthesis in the presence of the flavonoid quercetin, and radiation-chemical (RadChem) one based on interaction with intermediate particles of water radiolysis. The formation of Au NPs with optical absorption bands in the UV region and the visible region of the spectrum has been corroborated by the results of electron microscopy.

Size-exclusion chromatography has been employed to determine the sizes of palladium and silver nanoparticles synthesized by the radiation-chemical method in micellar solutions of a surfactant (AOT) at different degrees of hydration ω0 = [H2O]/[AOT]. Silver and palladium nanoparticle sizes are in the ranges of 1.5–5.3 and 1.5–3 nm. The results obtained have been compared with the data of atomic force microscopy. It has been shown that the sizes of nanoparticles synthesized in micellar solutions must be corrected with allowance for the contribution of micelle shell thickness.

Physicochemical properties of stable nanoscale Ge particles have been widely investigated by means of radiation-chemical and chemical-reduction reactions of germanium ions in inversely micellar solutions, as well as various methods for registering the resulting nanoparticles, such as UV–Vis spectrophotometry (measurement of optical absorption and luminescence spectra) and AFM measurements. Depending on the concentration of components, the size of a water pool of inverse micelles, the storage time of samples, and the dose of ionizing radiation, the conditions for the formation of Ge NPs have been determined. Significant differences in the initial events of ion-reduction reactions have been revealed. The obtained results have confirmed the unique properties of polarized water in inverse-micellar solutions and the important role of the reducing properties of polarized water in various methods of the formation of Ge nanoparticles, including the processes of self-assembly and “molecular assembly” of metal and bimetal nanoparticles in the postreaction periods.

The current variation effect in an electrochemical cell (ECC) with deionized water is considered. It is shown that current variations result from formation of electrophoretic current of charged nanoparticles in the electric field of the cell. Influence of the field concentrator on current variations in a two-electrode ECC with deionized water is examined. A mechanism is proposed which explains enhancement of ECC water sensitivity to exposures by formation of nano-sized metal particles.

Using the radiation-chemical simulation method of free radical reactions with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, we were able to show high antiradical activity of water-ethanol extracts from Murraya paniculata. This will allow for the creation of new bioactive antioxidants based on them. The formation of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) was determined using the silver-ion reduction process by M. paniculata extracts. A band of electronic plasmon resonance was identified in the optical absorption spectra of hydrosols of Ag-NP using extracts of dried M. paniculata leaves. A decrease in the number of Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells after introduction into the Ag-NP system synthesized by the reduction of silver cations using M. paniculata extracts indicates their moderate antimicrobial activity.

— Synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of the transition metals Rh and Pd in H 2 O/AOT/isooctane (where AOT is dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate) reverse-micelle solutions (RMSs) in the presence of molecular oxygen and quercetin, a flavonoid, is described. The methods for NP synthesis used here enable us to prepare alloyed-type Rh−Pd NPs and core/shell Pd/Rh and Rh/Pd NPs with the metal molar ratio of 1 : 1. With both Rh 3+ and Pd 2+ ions present in an RMS simultaneously, palladium ions are reduced first, and the formed Pd NPs have an inhibitive effect on reduction of rhodium ions. The stability of a mixture of Rh and Pd NPs in RMSs is investigated, and the mixture of NPs with a mean diameter of ~2.7 nm is found to be stable for at least 25 days. Pd and Rh NP-based catalysts are prepared by absorption of the synthesized NPs on γ-Al 2 O 3 , and their catalytic activity is tested in the monomolecular hydrogen isotope exchange reaction. A synergetic effect, manifested as an enhanced catalytic activity, is observed for the catalyst prepared by adsorption of the mixture of Rh and Pd NPs on γ-Al 2 O 3 .

The key role of self-organization processes in the formation of stable nanoparticles of various metals (Fe, Au, Rh, Re, Pd) in reverse micelles (acting as microreactors) is experimentally confirmed. An important property of the water pools of reverse micelles is also confirmed: the water in these pools is in the polarized state and can reduce metal ions.

A method is developed for creating highly active and selective catalysts for associated petroleum gas cracking which is based on use of activated carbons derived from renewable sources of plant raw materials (Jerusalem artichoke, false flax, rape, wheat) modified with nanosized iron particles obtained in reverse-micellar solutions. It is shown that carbon matrices modified with iron nanoparticles possess а high catalytic activity with the maximum conversion attained at 900 К and a high selectivity for olefin formation (about 95%).

New technologies for the preparation of graphene nanofl akes (GNF) with noble metal nanoparticles (NPs), specifi cally Au and Ag, as well as hybrid nanocomposites composed of metal microspheres coated with nanostructures [GNF+metal NPs], were considered. The optical properties of metal nanoparticles, their adsorption characteristics with respect to graphene fl akes, and the thermophysical properties of the obtained functional nanomaterials were studied. The obtained data on dynamic optical absorption and thermal conductivity makes it possible to propose new fi elds of application of graphene materials.

The kinetics of optical properties is studied experimentally on an OT Aerosol (dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt)/isooctane/Qr (quercetin)/Ag+) reverse micellar system (RMS) during the chemical synthesis of Ag nanoparticles. The kinetic light optical absorption data acquired for an RMS at a wavelength λ = 432 nm with a chronometric resolution of 0.14 and 1 s are used to calculate the boundaries of the stages of Ag NP formation (at a confidence factor of at least 0.99). The determination of relaxation times (almost-periods) in an RMS allows evaluation of the kinetics parameters at certain stages of the chemical synthesis of NP metals.

Results of the fundamental studies of chemical, radiolitic, and biochemical processes, taking place in the aqueous-organic reversed micellar solutions, suggest existence of the link between selforganization of metal nanoparticles in reverse micelles at certain synthesis stages with reductive properties of polarized water in micelle's water pool.