We report that nano-emulsions can be creatively used as a morphology selective synthesis method to prepare not onlynano-grainsbut alsonano-fibers withhighselectivity.Synthesisof thetwodifferentmorphological materials was demonstrated using polyaniline synthesis as a model case. Polyaniline nano-grains were synthesized from aniline molecules in nano-size aqueous droplets as polymerization sites whose droplets were generated by inverse water-inoil nano-emulsion use, and polyaniline nano-fibers were synthesized from aniline in aqueous nano-dimensional channels as polymerization sites whose channels were generated by direct oil-in-water nano-emulsion use containing highpopulation of oil droplets. Using theapproaches,wesuccessfullysynthesized nano-fibers of 60nmdiameter with 0.5 mm length and also nano-grains having diameter of 60‐80nm. The two different polymerization sites of nanoscale dimension were made bychanging the ratio among surfactant,aqueous aniline/HCl solution, and oil, i.e.organic solvent. We found the nano-fibers synthesized from the channels formed by the direct oil-in-water nano-emulsion havehigher bulkelectricalconductivity thanthenano-grainswhich weresynthesized fromthedroplets formed bythe inverse water-in-oil emulsion. We also found that the emulsion use allows us to use a room temperature synthesis unlike conventional synthesis methods which require to use ice bath temperature. Physical properties of both nanofibers and nano-grains synthesized were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV‐Vis spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and four probes conductivity measurement. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of oxygen on the potential of reduced forms of polyaniline and polypyrrole were investigated. These forms of polyaniline and polypyrrole were not stable in the presence of oxygen. Zinc–polyaniline, zinc–polypyrrole, polyaniline–polyaniline (PANI–PANI), and polypyrrole–polypyrrole (PPy–PPy) batteries were constructed and studied. The effect of oxygen on the short-circuit current of these batteries showed that the cathode material, i.e., polyaniline and polypyrrole, can be regenerated by oxygen oxidation after discharge. These materials are potential candidates for the use as O2 “fuel cell” type electrocatalytic electrodes.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly, affecting 5% of Americans over age 65, and 20% over age 80. An excess of senile plaques (β-amyloid protein) and neurofibrillary tangles (tau protein), ventricular enlargement, and cortical atrophy characterizes it. Unfortunately, targeted drug delivery to the Central Nervous System (CNS), for the therapeutic advancement of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, is complicated by restrictive mechanisms imposed at the blood brain barrier (BBB). Opsonization by plasma proteins in the systemic circulation is an additional impediment to cerebral drug delivery. Here, we attempt to show that biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) with appropriate surface modifications can deliver drugs of interest beyond the BBB for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, thus allowing the study of neurological disorders. Particularly, the radiolabelled Cu2+ or Fe3+ metal chelator Clioquinol (CQ), which has a high affinity for amyloid plaques with a radioisotope 125I, and encapsulated 125I-CQ within small, spherical, lipophilic drug carriers are capable of crossing the BBB. In this feature article, the biodistribution patterns of such nanoparticle drug carriers in wild type Swiss Webster mice are compared with free 125I-CQ. The physicochemical properties of the NPs at different surfactant concentrations, stabilizers, and amyloid-affinity agents could influence the transport mechanism.

Modified silica aerogels were prepared with polyethoxydisiloxanes (E-40) followed by silylation of alcogels and ethanol supercritical drying. Trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMMOS) were used as the silylation agents. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen sorption techniques were used to characterise the modified and unmodified silica aerogels. The existence of the methyl groups on the internal surface of aerogels was observed with an infrared and Si-29 magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (MAS-NMR). The thermal conductivities of silica aerogels were measured as a function of air pressure and mixture (air and water vapour) pressure, respectively. The results were discussed by considering the adsorption of water vapour by the silica aerogels.

Hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels were produced by the surface modification of alcogels prepared via sol-gel process using polyethoxydisiloxanes (E-40) as the precursor and followed by ethanol supercritical drying. The structure of the modified silica aerogels was a silica matrix produced by hydrolysis and condensation of polyethoxydisiloxanes. Si-CH3 was modified on the surface of the silica matrix. The pore size decreased from 23.1nm to 18.2nm, the specific surface area increased from 477 m2*g-1 to 563 m2*g-1 and the water vapor adsorption decreased from 0.04 to 0.0012(weight ratio) after the surface modification of silica aerogels. The existence of Si-CH3 was observed using infrared spectra.

Hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels were produced by the surface modification of alcogels prepared via sol-gel process using polyethoxydisiloxanes (E-40) as the precursor and followed by ethanol supercritical drying. The structure of the modified silica aerogels was a silica matrix produced by hydrolysis and condensation of polyethoxydisiloxanes. Si-CH3 was modified on the surface of the silica matrix. The pore size decreased from 23.1nm to 18.2nm, the specific surface area increased from 477 m2(.)g(-1) to 563 m(2).g(-1) and the water vapor adsorption decreased from 0.04 to 0.0012(weight ratio) after the surface modification of silica aerogels. The existence of Si-CH3 was observed using infrared spectra.

Silica aerogels with titanium dioxide powder and inorganic binders were made using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), water and HF catalyst, followed by supercritical drying with ethanol leading to crack-free monolithic aerogels. Strength of the monolithic silica aerogels increased from 1.8×104 Pa to 1.2×105 Pa with doping, while the thermal conductivity of the doped silica aerogel remains below 0.02 w/m K at room temperature in air.