This Master’s thesis deals with isolating carbon nanoparticles from South Moravian lignite using "green" – environmentally friendly methods. This method consists of mechanical-chemical-thermal stressing of lignite using ultrasound, hydrogen peroxide and high temperatures. This work aims to develop recommendations on coal as a source of carbon nanoparticles and based on these recommendations, to design procedures for isolating nanoparticles from South Moravian lignite using environmentally friendly methods. The identified procedures were designed to meet carbon-based particles with an oxidized surface. From the results we can deduct that it is possible to use South Moravian lignite for the preparation of carbon nanoparticles. However, it will be necessary to modify the process further and also to optimize the purification of the obtained particles.

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La thèse intitulée «Design, Synthesis and SupramolecularArchitectures of New Heterocyclic Compounds with PotentialApplications in Material Chemistry and Photovoltaic Conversion” eststructurée en cinq chapitres traitant de nouveaux: a)cyclopenta[c]pyrannes hétérocyclique; b)des propriétés fluorescentes; d) potentiels dispositifs de l'électroniquemoléculaire; d) donneurs moléculaires pour les photovoltaïquesorganiques et e) carbon‘quantum’dots électroluminescents.Le premier chapitre présente une étude des dérivéspseudoazulenique ayant une unité cyclopenta[porte sur leur synthèse, l'analyse structurale et leur comportement dansdes réactions de substitution électrophile pour obtenir des composésayant des propriétés fluorescentes.Le deuxième chapitre présentediastéréoisomères et l'étude de propriétés de fluorescencedérivés d’indenopyrone.Le troisième chapitre décrit la synthèse des nouvellesarchitectures basées sur l’unité cyclopenta[être modifiés structurellement par l'influence d'un stimulus chimiqueou électrochimique afin d'élaborer des potentiels dispositifs del'électronique moléculaire.Dans le quatrième chapitre, la synthèsedes propriétés électroniques des nouvelles molécucellules solaires organiques (OSC) ontLe cinquième et dernier chapitre décrit la passivation desdéfauts de surface des nanoparticules de carbone avec desmolécules organiques ou des polymères pour obtenir desnanoparticules de carbone photoluminescentse surnommé ‘quantum dots. / The thesis entitled “Design, Synthesis and SupramolecularArchitectures of New Heterocyclic Compounds with PotentialApplications in Material Chemistry and Photovoltaic Conversion” isstructured into five chapters concerning new: a) heterocycliccyclopenta[c]pyrans; b) indenopyrone derivatives with fluorescentproperties; c) potential devices of molecular electronics; d)donors for organic photovoltaics and e) electroluminescent carbon‘quantum’ dots.The first chapter presents a study of pseudoazulenederivatives having a cyclopenta[c]pyran unit. The survey comprises thesynthesis, structural analysis and reactivity towards electrophilicsubstitution in order to obtain fluorescent compounds.The second chapter deals with the separation odiastereoisomers and the study of fluorescent propertiesindenopyrone derivatives.The third chapter describes the synthesis of newarchitectures based on cyclopenta[c]pyran unit that can be structurallymodified by the influence of a chemical or electrochemical stimulus inorder to work as potential devices in molecular electronics.In the fourth chapter, the synthesis andelectronic properties of new molecular donors for organic solar cellswas described.The fifth and last chapter outlines the passivation of surfacedefects on carbon nanoparticles using small organic molecules orpolymers in order to obtain photoluminescent carbon nanoparticlesdubbed as carbon‘quantum’dots.

Submitted by ANA KARLA PEREIRA RODRIGUES (anakarla_@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-01T17:03:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arqivototal.pdf: 5257107 bytes, checksum: a3f902aafc4de8ccb68742fb34fb37df (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-01T17:03:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arqivototal.pdf: 5257107 bytes, checksum: a3f902aafc4de8ccb68742fb34fb37df (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / In this work, a novel fluorescence method using flow-batch analysis for the determination of copper in edible oil, employing carbon quantum dots (CDs) was developed. The in-line single-phase extraction of iron consisted of the addition of a mixture of isopropyl alcohol/chloroform (70:30, v/v) to dissolve the oil samples. Moreover, an eco-friendly, simple, and low-cost hydrothermal method was developed for preparation of water-soluble fluorescent carbon quantum dots using pineapple juice as carbon precursors. The fluorescence properties of CDs were examined by fluorescent detection of Cu(II) in oil. Their photoluminescence can be significantly quenched by simply using the buffer solution PBS of pH 4.0. This mechanism was presumably explained by the interactions between the surface groups of CDs with metal ions studied. Concerning the flow-batch analysis a new mixing chamber was developed in polytetrafluoroethylene provided with quartz windows in order to allow the excitation and fluorescence detection online. For this, an LED UV was used as the excitation source and a portable spectrofluorometer as detector. The limits of detection and relative standard deviation were estimated as 2.9 μg L−1 and < 2.5 % (n=3). The analysis of interfering was successful for the major ions present in solution, revealing significant percentage interference (≤ 5 %).The precision of the method was evaluated by recovery test (96 to 106 %). The robustness of the method was evaluated by intra- and inter- day comparison of the results obtained and using the reference method with detection by atomic absorption graphite furnace at a 95% level of statistical confidence. Finally, the system showed quite satisfactory analytical frequency (60 h–1) and considerably reducing the consumption of chemicals. Thus, it is demonstrated appreciably the viability of new fluorescent method, thus allowing the development of new analytical strategies employing potentially useful carbon quantum dots and flow-batch analyzer. / Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um novo método automático em fluxo-batelada baseado em pontos quânticos de carbono (PQCs) para determinação fluorescente de cobre(II) em óleos comestíveis. O método analítico proposto apresenta como estratégia de pré-tratamento da amostra a disponibilização on-line do cobre por meio de extração em fase única utilizando uma mistura de solventes álcool isopropílico/clorofórmio na proporção 70:30 (v/v). Para a preparação dos PQCs, foi empregado o tratamento hidrotérmico, simples e de baixo custo, do suco de abacaxi, como bioprecursor. Foi constatado que a fluorescência dos PQCs pode ser significativamente reduzida na presença do Cu(II) simplesmente utilizando um tampão PBS pH 4,0. O mecanismo de extinção da fluorescência pode ser atribuído as interações entre os grupos presentes na superfície dos PQCs com os íons Cu(II). Concernente ao sistema automático fluxo-batelada uma nova câmara de mistura foi construída em politetrafluoretileno, provida de três janelas de quartzo, com o objetivo de permitir a excitação e aquisição dos espectros de fluorescência on-line. Para isso, foi utilizado um LED-ultravioleta como fonte de excitação e um espectrofluorímetro portátil como detector. Os limites de detecção e os desvios padrão relativo foram estimados como sendo 2,9 μg L–1 e < 2,5 % (n = 3), respectivamente. A análise de íons interferentes foi realizada com êxito para os principais íons metálicos presentes na matriz da amostra, não revelando interferência percentual significativa (≤ 5 %). A exatidão do método foi avaliada através do teste de recuperação (96 a 106 %). A robustez do método foi avaliada por comparação intra e inter-dia dos resultados obtidos e empregando o método de referência com detecção por absorção atômica em forno de grafite, a um nível de 95% de confiança estatística. Por fim, o sistema apresentou frequência analítica bastante satisfatória (60 h–1) com uma redução considerável do consumo de produtos químicos. Desta forma, é evidenciado de modo apreciável a viabilidade do novo método fluorescente, permitindo, dessa maneira, o desenvolvimento de novas estratégias analíticas potencialmente úteis baseadas em nanopartículas de carbono e automação em sistemas fluxo-batelada.

My thesis is divided into five chapters, starting with a general introduction in first chapter and sample preparation and protein-NMR assignment techniques in second chapter. The remaining three chapters focus on three different areas/projects that I have worked on. Chapter 1: Introduction to nanomaterials and all the experimental techniques This chapter reviews different kinds of nanomaterials and their application utilized for protein-nanomaterial interaction in our study, along with the introduction to different spectroscopy and microscopy techniques used for the interaction studies. Starting with introduction of nanomaterials and all the experimental techniques, which constitute the arsenal for structural studies of the protein-nanomaterial interaction, different steps enroute to structural and dynamic interaction are outlined in detail. Chapter 2: Preparation and Characterization of Proteins used for nanomaterial interaction studies Proteins are generally of three kinds- globular (structured), intrinsically disordered and membrane bound. These proteins have different functions in living organisms and play a major role to maintain metabolism and other important factors. To probe protein-nanomaterial interactions, we have chosen different protein/peptides. This chapter describes the protocol/procedure used for purifying the proteins. For studying a globular protein, ubiquitin was chosen. Nanomaterial-IDP interaction was investigated using the intrinsically disordered central linker domain of human insulin like growth factor binding protein-2 (L-hIGFBP2). The hydrophobic membrane interacting part of the prion protein was chosen as a representative membrane protein. The characterization of the proteins by NMR spectroscopy is also described. Chapter 3: A nanomaterial based novel macromolecular crowding agent Carbon quantum dots (CQD) are nanomaterials with size less than 10 nm, first obtained in 2004 during purification of single-walled carbon-nanotubes. Since then CQDs have been used in a wide range of applications due to their low cost of preparation and favorable properties such as chemical inertness, biocompatibility, non-toxicity and solubility in aqueous medium. One of the applications of CQDs has been their use for imaging and tracking proteins inside cells, based on their intrinsic fluorescence. Further, quantum dots exhibit concentration dependent aggregation while retaining their solubility. Fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQD) induce macromolecular crowding making them suitable for probing the structure, function and dynamics of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic peptides/ proteins under near in-cell conditions. We have prepared hydrophilic and hydrophobic quantum dots to see the crowding effect. After characterization of CQD, we tested the property of proteins with CQD and found that CQD behaves as a macromolecular crowding agent by mimicking near in-cell conditions. In our study, we have chosen a globular protein, an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) and one hydrophobic membrane peptide. We have also compared the crowding property of CQD with ficoll which is widely used commercial crowding agent. The overall study tells that the CQD acts like crowding agent and can be used for the study of macromolecular crowding effect. This makes them suitable for structural and functional studies of proteins in near in-cell conditions. Chapter 4: Ubiquitin-Graphene oxide interactions Described here is the interaction of human ubiquitin with GO using NMR spectroscopy and other techniques such as Fluorescence spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The globular protein ubiquitin interacts with GO and undergoes a dynamic and reversible association-dissociation in a fast exchange regimen as revealed by NMR spectroscopy. The conformation of the protein is not affected and the primary interaction is seen to be electrostatic in nature due to the polar functional groups present on the protein and GO sheet surface. For the first time we have shown that the interaction between ubiquitin and GO is dynamic in nature with fast and reversible adsorption/desorption of protein from the surface of GO. This insight will help in understanding the mechanistic aspects of interaction of GO with cellular proteins and will help in designing appropriate functionalized graphene oxide for its biological application. Chapter 5: Section A: Interaction of an intrinsically disordered protein (L-HIGFBP2) with graphene oxide The interaction between intrinsically disordered linker domain of human insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (L-hIGFBP2) with GO was studied using NMR spectroscopy and other techniques such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta-potential measurements. The study revealed that the disordered protein L-hIGFBP2 interacts with GO through electrostatic interaction and undergoes a dynamic and reversible association-dissociation in a fast exchange regime. The conformation of the protein is not affected. Section B: Stability of an Intrinsically disordered protein through weak interaction with Silver nanoparticles Using NMR spectroscopy and other techniques we probed the mechanism of L-hIGFBP2–AgNP interactions which render the IDP stable. The study reveals a mechanism which involves a relatively fast and reversible association–dissociation of L-hIGFBP2 (dynamic exchange) from the surface of AgNP. The AgNP–L-hIGFBP2 complex remains stable for more than a month. The techniques employed in addition to NMR include UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to probe the protein-AgNP interaction here in this section.