Norifusa Satoh

Quantum size effect in TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by finely controlled metal assembly on dendrimer templates.

The use of dendrimer templates to make metal-based nanoparticles of controlled size has attracted much interest. These highly branched macromolecules have well-defined structures that enable them to bind metal ions to generate precursors that can be converted into nanoparticles. We describe the sub-nanometre size control of both anatase and rutile forms of TiO2 particles with phenylazomethine dendrimers, leading to samples with very narrow size distributions. Such fine tuning is possible because both the number and location of metal ions can be precisely controlled in these templates. Quantum size effects are observed in the particles, and the energy gap between the conduction and valence bands exhibits a blueshift with decreasing particle size and is dependent on the crystal form of the material. The dependency of the bandgap energy on these factors is explained using a semi-empirical effective mass approximation.

Metastability of anatase: size dependent and irreversible anatase-rutile phase transition in atomic-level precise titania

Since crystal phase dominantly affects the properties of nanocrystals, phase control is important for the applications. To demonstrate the size dependence in anatase-rutile phase transition of titania, we used quantum-size titania prepared from the restricted number of titanium ions within dendrimer templates for size precision purposes and optical wave guide spectroscopy for the detection. Contrary to some theoretical calculations, the observed irreversibility in the transition indicates the metastablity of anatase; thermodynamics cannot explain the formation of metastable states. Therefore, we take into account the kinetic control polymerization of TiO6 octahedral units to explain how the crystal phase of the crystal-nucleus-size titania is dependent on which coordination sites, cis- or trans-, react in the TiO6 octahedra, suggesting possibilities for the synthetic phase control of nanocrystals. In short, the dendrimer templates give access to crystal nucleation chemistry. The paper will also contribute to the creation of artificial metastable nanostructures with atomic-level precision.

Self-assembled monolayers of metal-assembling dendron thiolate formed from dendrimers with a disulfide core.

Novel phenylazomethine dendrimers with a disulfide core (SS-DPA G1-4) were synthesized in nearly quantitative yields. Although the disulfide core is shielded by the rigid dendron shell, direct formation of the self-assembled monolayers of metal-assembling dendron thiolate was observed by XPS and electrochemical reduction of the self-assembled monolayer substrates. The dendrimers showed a similar metal-assembling manner with other derivatives. The metal assembly to the self-assembled monolayers of metal-assembling dendron thiolate was also confirmed.

Long-lived hole stabilized at a triphenylamine core and shielded by rigid phenylazomethine dendrons: a pulse radiolysis study.

The optical properties and reactivity of one-electron oxidized states (radical cations) of dendrimers are investigated in benzonitrile solutions by nanosecond pulse radiolysis. The hole stabilized at the triphenylamine (TPA) core is effectively shielded by a rigid dendritic phenylazomethine (DPA) shell of four generations, leading to an extension of its lifetime by nearly 2 orders of magnitude in comparison with a core radical cation without dendrons. A continuous red shift of the peak in the photoabsorption spectrum in the visible region and a decrease in the extinction coefficients (oscillator strengths) are found with increasing dendrimer generation number. These experimental observations are compared to the results of time-dependent density functional theory. It is suggested that bulky, rigid, insulating DPA dendrons shield against outer reactants and stabilize hole at the TPA core. Correlating the dendrimer generation number with the optical properties and reactivities of the radical cations could shed light on fundamental aspects of structurally defined nanoenvironments having hyperbranched entities.