The present invention relates to silica hollow nanoparticles having inside their cavity a metal core consisting of inorganic nanostructures coated by a protective agent and agglomerated with a polymeric aggregating agent, useful in particular in medicine in the bio-imaging techniques and/or in the radio-therapeutic or chemo-therapeutic techniques; the invention moreover refers to a process for the preparation of such nanoparticles.

A nanocrystal capable of light emission includes a nanoparticle having photoluminescence having quantum yields of greater than 30%.

Composites having semiconductor structures embedded in a matrix are described. In an example, a composite includes a matrix material. A plurality of semiconductor structures is embedded in the matrix material. Each semiconductor structure includes an anisotropic nanocrystalline core composed of a first semiconductor material. Each semiconductor structure also includes a nanocrystalline shell composed of a second, different, semiconductor material at least partially surrounding the anisotropic nanocrystalline core. An insulator layer encapsulates each nanocrystalline shell and anisotropic nanocrystalline core pairing.

A composite nanomaterial of ZnO impregnated by, e.g., a green copper phthalocyanine compound (CuPc) can be an efficient solar light photocatalyst for water remediation. The composite may include hollow shell microspheres and hollow nanospheres of CuPc-ZnO. CuPc may function as a templating and/or structure modifying agent, e.g., for forming hollow microspheres and/or nanospheres of ZnO particles. The composite can photocatalyze the degradation of organic pollutants such as crystal violet (CV) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid as well as microbes in water under solar light irradiation. The ZnO—CuPc composite can be stable and recyclable under solar irradiation.

A method of making molecularly doped nanodiamond. A versatile method for doping diamond by adding dopants into a carbon precursor and producing diamond at high pressure, high temperature conditions. Molecularly doped nanodiamonds that have direct incorporation of dopants and therefore without the need for ion implantation. Molecularly-doped diamonds that have fewer lattice defects than those made with ion implantation.

The invention provides a perovskite-type oxynitride hydride which can be easily synthesized by achieving both improvement in catalytic performance and stabilization when used as a support of a catalyst. The oxynitride hydride is represented by general formula (1a) or (1b).

ABO.sub.3-xN.sub.yH.sub.z  (1a)

AB.sub.2O.sub.4-xN.sub.yH.sub.z  (1b)

(In the above general formulas (1 a) and (1 b), A is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ba and Sr; B is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ce, La and Y; x represents a number represented by 0.2≤x≤2.0; y represents a number represented by 0.1≤y≤1.0; and z represents a number represented by 0.1≤z≤1.0.)

An efficient green method for the synthesis of noble metal/transition metal oxide nanocomposite comprising reducing noble metal salt and a templating metal oxide is disclosed. The method is a one-step method comprises mixing coffee seed husk extract, a noble metal precursor, and a transition metal precursor; and filtering and drying the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite prepared by the method of the invention displays all the characteristics and biocidal activity of a composite prepared by traditional methods.

An adduct consists of derivatives of serinol pyrrole and of carbon allotropes in which the carbon is sp.sup.2 hybridized, such as carbon nanotubes, graham or nano-graphites or carbon black, in order to improve the chemical-physical properties of the allotropes increasing above all their dispersibility and stability in liquid media and in polymer matrices, and a process for preparation of the adduct.

Bandgap-tunable perovskite compositions are provided having the formula CsPb(A.sub.xB.sub.y).sub.3, wherein A and B are each a halogen. The mixed halide perovskite composition has a morphology which suppresses phase segregation to stabilize a tuned bandgap of the mixed halide perovskite composition. For example, the perovskite may be in the form of nanocrystals embedded in a non-perovskite matrix, which, for example, may have the formula Cs.sub.4Pb(A.sub.xB.sub.y).sub.6, wherein A and B are each a halogen. Solar cells and light-emitting diodes comprising the mixed perovskite compositions are also provided.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.