Biopolymer-protected CdSe nanoparticles.

A synthetic procedure for the encapsulation of cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles in a sago starch matrix is introduced. The nanocomposite was investigated using structural, spectroscopic, and thermal methods. TEM micrographs of the nanocomposite showed spherical CdSe particles of 4-5 nm in size coated with a biopolymer layer. The absorption edges of both the aqueous solution and the thin film of the CdSe-starch nanocomposite were shifted toward lower wavelengths in comparison to the value of the bulk semiconductor. Infrared measurements revealed that the interaction of CdSe nanoparticles and starch chains takes place via OH groups. Although the onset of the temperature of decomposition of CdSe-starch nanocomposite is lower than that of the pure matrix, thermogravimetric analysis also showed that introduction of CdSe nanoparticles significantly reduced starch degradation rate leading to high residual mass at the end of the degradation process.

Reaction of o-phenylenediamine with diacetyl monoxime: characterisation of the product by solid-state 13C and 15N MAS NMR.

2,3-dimethylquinoxaline (DMQ) and dimethylglyoxime (DMGH2) form a 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complex in the solid state, which is completely dissociated in methanol solution. There are small differences in solid-state 13C shifts between the separated components DMQ and DMGH2 and the complex. The changes in 15N solid-state chemical shifts are more significant: the hydrogen bond imparting a low frequency shift of ca 19 ppm. The effect of direct protonation on the DMQ solid-state 15N shifts was measured, and the experimental 15N data correlated with those from GIAO molecular orbital (MO) calculations.