Spectroscopy: a versatile sensing tool for cost-effective and rapid detection of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The deadly novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for COVID-19, which was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Rapid identification at primary stage of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is important to restrict it and prevent the pandemic. Real-time RT-PCR assays are the best diagnostic tests presently available for SARS-CoV-2 detection, which are highly sensitive, even though expensive equipment and trained technicians are necessary. Furthermore, the method has moderately long time bound. This deadly viral infection can also be detected by applying various spectroscopic techniques as spectroscopy can provide fast, precise identification and monitoring, leading to the overall understanding of its mutation rates, which will further facilitate antiviral drug development as well as vaccine development. It is an innovative and non-invasive technique for combating the spread of novel coronavirus. This review article demonstrates the application of various spectroscopic techniques to detect COVID-19 rapidly. Different spectroscopy-based detection protocols and additional development of new, novel sensors and biosensors along with diagnostic kits had been described here stressing the status of sensitive diagnostic systems to handle with the COVID-19 outbreak. Graphical abstract: Spectroscopy: A versatile sensing tool for cost-effective and rapid detection of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Synthesis of Mesoporous Nanocrystalline Zirconia by Surfactant-Assisted Hydrothermal Approach.

In this paper, we have reported the chemical synthesis of thermally stable mesoporous nanocrystalline zirconia with high surface area using a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal approach. We have employed different type of surfactants such as CTAB, SDS and Triton X-100 in our synthesis. The synthesized nanocrystalline zirconia multistructures exhibit various morphologies such as rod, mortar-pestle with different particle sizes. We have characterized the zirconia multistructures by X-ray diffraction study, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Attenuated total refection infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The thermal stability of as synthesized zirconia multistructures was studied by thermo gravimetric analysis, which shows the high thermal stability of nanocrystalline zirconia around 900 °C temperature.

Centrifuge Controlled Shape Tuning of Biosynthesized Gold Nanoparticles Obtained from Plumbago zeylanica Leaf Extract.

Development of cost-efficient and eco-friendly biogenic synthetic protocols for the green synthesis of biocompatible metal nanoparticles has become popular among researchers in recent years. The biogenic synthesis of these nanoparticles and their potential biomedical applications introduces the concept of nanobiotechnology, which has become the latest fascinating area of research. The lower cost and lesser side effects as compare to chemical methods of synthesis are the main advantages of biosynthesis. In the present investigation, aqueous leaf extract of Plumbago zeylanica had been used to synthesize anisotropic gold nanoparticles. The as-synthesized gold nanoparticles were centrifuged at 5000 and 10000 rpm and compared both pellets using UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR and TEM techniques. We have studied here the effect of speed of centrifugation on the yield, shape, size as well as size distribution of as synthesized gold nanoparticles.

Synthesis, characterization, photophysical properties of a novel organic photoswitchable dyad in its pristine and hybrid nanocomposite forms.

In the present paper the method of synthesis and characterization of a novel organic dyad, 3-(1-Methoxy-3,4-dihydro-naphthalyn-2-yl-)-1-p-chlorophenyl propenone, have been reported. In this paper our main thrust is to fabricate new hybrid nanocomposites by combining the organic dyad with different noble metals, semiconductor nanoparticle and noble metal-semiconductor core/shell nanocomposites. In this organic dyad, donor part is 1-Methoxy-3, 4-dihydro-naphthalen-2-carboxaldehyde with the acceptor p-chloroacetophenone. We have carried out steady state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements on the dyad and its hybrid nanocomposite systems. Some quantum chemical calculations have also been done using Gaussian 03 software to support the experimental findings by theoretical point of view. Both from the theoretical predictions and NMR studies it reveals that in the ground state only extended (E-type or trans-type) conformation of the dyad exists whereas on photoexcitation these elongated conformers are converted into folded forms (Z- or cis-type) of the dyad, showing its photoswitchable character. Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopic (fluorescence lifetime by TCSPC method) measurements demonstrate that in chloroform medium all the organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, studied in the present investigation, possess larger amount of extended conformers relative to folded ones, even in the excited singlet state. This indicates the possibility of slower energy destructive charge recombination rates relative to the rate processes associate with charge-separation within the dyad. It was found that in CHCl3 medium, the computed charge separation rate was found to be approximately 10(8) s(-1) for the dyad alone and other hybrid nanocomposite systems. The rate is found to be faster than the energy wasting charge recombination rate approximately 10(2)-10(1) s(-1), as observed from the transient absorption measurements for the corresponding hybrid systems. It indicates the conformational geometry has a great effect on the charge-separation and recombination rate processes. The suitability for the construction of efficient light energy conversion devices especially with Ag-Dyad nanocomposite of all the systems studied here is hinted from the observed long ion-pair lifetime.

In situ identification of intermediates of benzyl chloride reduction at a silver electrode by SERS coupled with DFT calculations.

Aiming to deeply understand the electrocatalytic mechanism of silver on reduction of benzyl chloride, we carried out an in situ electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic study to characterize various surface species in different electrode potential regions. A further analysis with DFT calculation reveals that the benzyl radical and its anionic derivate bonded on a silver electrode are the key intermediates, implying that the pathway could drastically differ from the outer sphere concerted electron reduction at inert electrodes.

Electrochemically replicated smooth aluminum foils for anodic alumina nanochannel arrays.

A fast electrochemical replication technique has been developed to fabricate large-scale ultra-smooth aluminum foils by exploiting readily available large-scale smooth silicon wafers as the masters. Since the adhesion of aluminum on silicon depends on the time of surface pretreatment in water, it is possible to either detach the replicated aluminum from the silicon master without damaging the replicated aluminum and master or integrate the aluminum film to the silicon substrate. Replicated ultra-smooth aluminum foils are used for the growth of both self-organized and lithographically guided long-range ordered arrays of anodic alumina nanochannels without any polishing pretreatment.

High speed fabrication of aluminum nanostructures with 10 nm spatial resolution by electrochemical replication.

A high fidelity electrochemical replication technique for the rapid fabrication of Al nanostructures with 10 nm lateral resolution has been successfully demonstrated. Aluminum is electrodeposited onto a lithographically patterned Si master using a non-aqueous organic hydride bath of aluminum chloride and lithium aluminum hydride at room temperature. Chemical pretreatment of the Si surface allows a clean detachment of the replicated Al foil from the master, permitting its repetitive use for mass replication. This high throughput technique opens up new possibilities in the fabrication of Al-related nanostructures, including the growth of long range ordered anodic alumina nanochannel arrays.

Microwave activation in ionic liquids induces high temperature-high speed electrochemical processes.

Self-focusing of intense microwave radiation at the tip of a 25 microm diameter platinum disk microelectrode immersed into the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM(+)PF(6)(-)) containing 1 mM ferrocene causes dramatically (two orders of magnitude) enhanced voltammetric current signals and temperatures in excess of 600 K (at the electrode surface)--extreme conditions sufficient for condensed phase pyrolysis processes to occur.

Cyclic voltammetric and electrochemical impedance studies on the structure, adsorption kinetics, and barrier properties of some organic dithiol self-assembled monolayers on gold.

We have studied the orientation and barrier properties of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of two alkanedithiols, hexanedithiol, octanedithiol, and an aromatic dithiol, 1,4-benzene dimethanethiol (BDMT), on gold in acetonitrile. From our studies, we conclude that BDMT molecules can form more organized monolayers on gold than aliphatic dithiol SAMs due to extremely strong lateral van der Waals interaction among the phenyl rings in the former. A study of the adsorption kinetics of octanedithiol in ethanol indicates that the adsorption rate law is concentration dependent just as for alkanethiols. However, the rate of adsorption is considerably faster than for simple alkanethiols.

Existence of a hydrophobic gap at the alkanethiol SAM-water interface: an interfacial capacitance study.

The highly hydrophobic neat alkanethiol-coated SAM on evaporated gold shows an unusually low interfacial capacitance in aqueous media. This result cannot be explained by a simple parallel plate model of the double layer with the alkanethiol monolayer as a sole dielectric separator. Interestingly, a hydrophilic SAM prepared from a neat hydroxy thiol does not show any such capacitance lowering in aqueous media. Our results suggest the existence of a "hydrophobic gap" between the alkanethiol SAM-water interface. Such a model is also very much consistent with the predictions of Lum, Chandler, and Weeks theory of length scale dependent hydrophobicity.