Rice University chemists have created a polymer-coated version of gold-platinum nanorods that can be used in the organic solvents favoured by chemical and drug manufacturers.
Rice University chemists have created a polymer-coated version of gold-platinum nanorods that can be used in the organic solvents favoured by chemical and drug manufacturers.
This work attains significance because, to date, chemists have struggled to create nanoparticles combining platinum and gold-which act as super-efficient catalysts-in an industrially useful form.
Drug Toxicity - Read Medication Information
Encyclopedia section of medindia provides some valuable tips about the importance of reading the medication information provided by durg manufacturers
Encyclopedia section of medindia provides some valuable tips about the importance of reading the medication information provided by durg manufacturers
"There are some industrial reactions where drugmakers have no choice but to use platinum and palladium catalysts, but the majority of these are homogenous, which means they mix readily with reactants and are very difficult to remove," said lead researcher Eugene Zubarev, associate professor in chemistry at Rice.
"Because these heavy metals are toxic, they must be completely removed from the drug after its synthesis is completed. However, the removal of homogeneous catalysts is very time-consuming and expensive, which creates a big problem for pharmaceutical companies," Zubarev added.
Zubarev and Rice graduate student Bishnu Khanal revealed that they wanted to make a heterogeneous platinum catalyst that was soluble enough for industrial use, but that could also be easily removed.
They already knew from previous studies that combining platinum with gold in tiny nanoparticles could enhance the platinum's catalytic effect. Thus, they started with tiny rods of pure gold. and coated them with a layer of platinum so thin that it left the gold exposed in some places.
Advertisements
Failed HIV Drug's Efficacy Improved by Gold Nanoparticles
Researchers at North Carolina State University say that lab experiments with gold nanoparticles have shown that it may be possible to resurrect a failed HIV drug called TAK779, ruled
Researchers at North Carolina State University say that lab experiments with gold nanoparticles have shown that it may be possible to resurrect a failed HIV drug called TAK779, ruled
Building on Zubarev's previous work in making soluble gold nanorods, they found a way to attach hair-like molecules of polystyrene to the surface of the gold-platinum rods.
Advertisements
Indian Scientists Create Silver Nanoparticle Skin Gel For Healing Burns
Indian scientists have created a skin gel made of silver nanoparticles that may help improve the treatment of burns and speed up healing.
Indian scientists have created a skin gel made of silver nanoparticles that may help improve the treatment of burns and speed up healing.
"The selectivity of the coated gold and platinum nanorods will be very attractive to industry. For example, we found they had nearly 100 percent catalytic selectivity for the hydrogenation of terminal olefins," Zubarev said.
The researchers are using similar methods to produce gold-palladium catalysts in a follow-up study. Palladium is another high-demand catalyst.
"The early indications are very promising," he said.
A research article on this work has been published in the German scientific journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Source-ANI
LIN
