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Nanomaterials with intense near-infrared （NIR） absorption exhibit effective photon-to-thermal energy transfer capabilities and can generate heat to ablate cancer cells, thus playing a pivotal role in photothermal cancer therapeutics. Herein, hydrophilic flower-like bismuth sulfur （Bi2S3） superstructures with uniform size and improved NIR absorption were controllably synthesized via a facile solvothermal procedure assisted by polyvinylpyrrolidone （PVP）, which could adjust the product morphology. Induced by an 808-nm laser, the as-prepared Bi2S3 nanoflowers exhibited much higher photothermal conversion efficiency （64.3%） than that of Bi2S3 nanobelts （36.5%） prepared in the absence of PVP. This can be attributed not only to the Bi2S3 nanoflower superstructures assembled by 3-dimensional crumpled-paper-like nanosheets serving as many laser-cavity mirrors with improved reflectivity and absorption of NIR light but also to the amorphous structures with a lower band gap. Thus, to achieve the same temperature increase, the concentration or laser power density could be greatly reduced when using Bi2S3 nanoflowers compared to when using Bi2S3 nanobelts, which makes them more favorable for use in therapy due to decreased toxicity. Furthermore, these Bi2S3 nanoflowers effectively achieved photothermal ablation of cancer ceils in vitro and in vivo. These results not only supported the Bi2S3 nanoflowers as a promising photothermal agent for cancer therapy but also paved an approach to exploit new agents with improved photothermal efficiency.

Plasmonics based on localized surface plasmon resonance （LSPR） has found many exciting appli- cations recently. Those applications usually require a good morphological and structural control of metallic nanostructures. Oblique angle deposition （OAD） has been demonstrated as a powerful technique for various plasmonic applications due to its advantages in controlling the size, shape, and composition of metallic nanostructures. In this review, we focus on the fabrication of metallic nanostructures by OAD and their applications in plasmonics. After a brief introduction to OAD technique, recent progress of applying OAD in fabricating noble metallic nanostructures for LSPR sensing, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, surface-enhanced infrared absorption, metal-enhanced fluorescence, and metamaterials, and their corresponding properties are reviewed. The future requirements for OAD plasmonics applications are also discussed.

Ladle slag affects steel cleanliness at the end of the Ruhrstahl-Hereaeus （RH） and holding process. The relationship between composition of ladle slag, total oxygen （TO） and inclusions was investigated using X ray fluorescence （XRF）, infrared absorption, and SEM＋ EDS methods. The results indicate that TO in steel at the end of RH increases linearly with increasing FeO content in slag. TO is lower when wcao/ wAl2O3 （C/A）=I. 5--2.0 than that of C/A= 1.0--1.4 under an approximate content of FeO. During the holding process, irregular Al2O3 inclusions are newly generated due to slag reoxidation. Additionally, Al2O3 Ti, O inclusions are newly generated in the steel when the content of FeO is higher. By combining experimental and thermodynamic calculation results, it is determined that the slag has a good melting property within the zone of C/A= 1.2 1.8 and adsorption capacity of Al2O3 when the content of SiO2 in slag is controlled at 4~ 6%. The increase in the C/A ratio and the decrease of FeO content in slag can slow down the reoxidation rate：

Using first-principle theory, the infrared absorptions of transition metal （Mn, Fe, Co, Ni）-doped ZnO were investigated. The results indicate that the absorptions of Mn- and Co-incorporated ZnO without oxygen vacancy are reduced, while those of Fe- and Ni-doped ZnO are raised. This is consistent with the previous experimental results. The effects of oxygen vacancy on the absorptions of the doped systems were predicted. When a neutral oxygen vacancy is introduced, all doping elements decrease the absorptions. On the contrary, the absorptions of the doped systems are enhanced if the vacancies are charged. Degraded absorptions can be obtained by increasing the permeability. However, the appearance of anti-bonding states may cause enhanced absorptions. In the current study, Mn-doped ZnO is the most suitable for use as low infrared absorption materials.

A new Nd3＋-doped organic complex featuring two different perfluorinated carboxylic acids as the first ligand and pyridine derivative 2-amino-3-chloro-5-（tri- fluoromethyl）pyridine as the second ligand was designed and synthesized. Successful coordination between the ligands and central rare earth ions was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR） spectra, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance （1H NMR） spectra, and UV spectra, and the synthesized complex is inferred to be eight-coordinate structure. Solution of the complex dis- solved in DMSO-d6 was prepared and then its fluorescence spectrum, UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectrum, and fluorescence decay curve were tested. The fluorescent lifetime is about 7 txs. Based on the above experimental research, Judd-Ofelt analysis was carried out, and the results indi- cate that appropriate coordination environment around Nd3＋ in this solution results in a high fluorescent quantum efficiency 2 % and a large stimulated emission cross-section about 3.2 × 10^-20 cm^2 at 1,064 nm.

Anatase titania nanoparticles with an average size of about 14 nm were synthesized by microwave solvothermal method from TiCI4 and ethanol as a precursor and solvent respectively. The shapes of as prepared samples were modified by microwave hydrothermal treatment in strongly alkaline medium at 100℃ for 2 h, the agglomerate particles can be converted to the nanorods then to flower-like sphere. The structure, morphology and optical properties of as-prepared powders were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV- vis absorption spectroscopy, the quality of the samples was examined by IR absorption spectroscopy and room temperature photoluminescence （PL）. The results showed that the synthesized Ti02 revealed the formation of the nanorods and the flower-like shape of titania after post treatment in 5 mol/L and 10 mol/L NaOH solution, respectively. IR absorption spectra showed that the as-prepared TiO2 nanocrystals were highly pure and strongly surface hydrated, The photoluminescence measurement showed that five main emission peaks appeared in UV, violet, blue and green regions.

Discharge of heavy metals from metal processing industries is known to have adverse effects on the environment.Bio-sorption of heavy metals by metabolically inactive biomass of microbial organisms is an innovative and alternative technology for removal of these pollutants from aqueous solution.The search of marine actinobacteria with potential heavy metal biosorption ability resulted in the identification of a novel alkalophilic Streptomyces VITSVK5 species.The biosorption property of Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp.was investigated by absorbing heavy metals Cadmium （Cd） and Lead （Pb）.Physiochemical characteristics and trace metal concentration analysis of the backwater showed the concentrations of different metals were lead 13±2.1 μg L-1,cadmium 3.1±0.3μg L-1,zinc 8.4±2.6μg L-1 and copper 0.3±0.1μg L-1,whereas mercury was well below the detection limit.The effect of pH and biomass dosage on removal efficiency of heavy metal ions was also investigated.The optimum pH for maximal biosorption was 4.0 for Cd （II） and 5.0 for Pb （II） with 41% and 84% biosorption respectively.The biosorbent dosage was optimized as 3 g L-1 for both the trace metals.Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrum results indicated the chemical interactions of hydrogen atoms in carboxyl （–COOH）,hydroxyl （–CHOH） and amine （–NH2） groups of biomass with the metal ions.This could be mainly involved in the biosorption of Cd （II） and Pb （II） onto Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp.The results of our study revealed Streptomyces metabolites could be used to develop a biosorbent for adsorbing metal ions from aqueous environments.