Mechanisms and kinetics for sorption of CO2 on bicontinuous mesoporous silica modified with n-propylamine

We studied equilibrium adsorption and uptake kinetics and identified molecular species that formed during sorption of carbon dioxide on amine-modified silica. Bicontinuous silicas (AMS-6 and MCM-48) were postsynthetically modified with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane or (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane, and amine-modified AMS-6 adsorbed more CO(2) than did amine-modified MCM-48. By in situ FTIR spectroscopy, we showed that the amine groups reacted with CO(2) and formed ammonium carbamate ion pairs as well as carbamic acids under both dry and moist conditions. The carbamic acid was stabilized by hydrogen bonds, and ammonium carbamate ion pairs formed preferably on sorbents with high densities of amine groups. Under dry conditions, silylpropylcarbamate formed, slowly, by condensing carbamic acid and silanol groups. The ratio of ammonium carbamate ion pairs to silylpropylcarbamate was higher for samples with high amine contents than samples with low amine contents. Bicarbonates or carbonates did not form under dry or moist conditions. The uptake of CO(2) was enhanced in the presence of water, which was rationalized by the observed release of additional amine groups under these conditions and related formation of ammonium carbamate ion pairs. Distinct evidence for a fourth and irreversibly formed moiety was observed under sorption of CO(2) under dry conditions. Significant amounts of physisorbed, linear CO(2) were detected at relatively high partial pressures of CO(2), such that they could adsorb only after the reactive amine groups were consumed.     

Infrared spectroscopic study of the carbon dioxide adsorption on the surface of Ga2O3 polymorphs

The adsorption of CO(2) over a set of gallium (III) oxide polymorphs with different crystallographic phases (alpha, beta, and gamma) and surface areas (12-105 m(2) g(-1)) was studied by in situ infrared spectroscopy. On the bare surface of the activated gallias (i.e., partially dehydroxylated under O(2) and D(2) (H(2)) at 723 K), several IR signals of the O-D (O-H) stretching mode were assigned to mono-, di- and tricoordinated OD (OH) groups bonded to gallium cations in tetrahedral and/or octahedral positions. After exposing the surface of the polymorphs to CO(2) at 323 K, a variety of (bi)carbonate species emerged. The more basic hydroxyl groups were able to react with CO(2), to yield two types of bicarbonate species: mono- (m-) and bidentate (b-) [nu(as)(CO(3)) = 1630 cm(-1); nu(s)(CO(3)) = 1431 or 1455 cm(-1) (for m- or b-); delta(OH) = 1225 cm(-1)]. Together with the bicarbonate groups, IR bands assigned to carboxylate [nu(as)(CO(2)) = 1750 cm(-1); nu(s)(CO(2)) = 1170 cm(-1)], bridge carbonate [nu(as)(CO(3)) = 1680 cm(-1); nu(s)(CO(3)) = 1280 cm(-1)], bidentate carbonate [nu(as)(CO(3)) = 1587 cm(-1); nu(s)(CO(3)) = 1325 cm(-1)], and polydentate carbonate [nu(as)(CO(3)) = 1460 cm(-1); nu(s)(CO(3)) = 1406 cm(-1)] species developed, up to approximately 600 Torr of CO(2). However, only the bi- and polydentate carbonate groups still remained on the surface upon outgassing the samples at 323 K. The total amount of adsorbed CO(2), measured by volumetric adsorption (323 K), was approximately 2.0 micromol m(-2) over any of the polymorphs, congruent with an integrated absorbance of (bi)carbonate species proportional to the surface area of the materials. Upon heating under flowing CO(2) (760 Torr), most of the (bi)carbonate species vanished a T > 550 K, but polydentate groups remained on the surface up to the highest temperature used (723 K). A thorough discussion of the more probable surface sites involved in the adsorption of CO(2) is made.     

Interaction of acetonitrile with Na-zeolites: adsorption modes and vibrational dynamics in the zeolite channels and cavities

The interaction of acetonitrile with the extra-framework Na(+) cations in zeolites, namely Na-LTA and Na-FER, was investigated. The relative stabilities of possible types of adsorption complexes were calculated at the periodic DFT level. Individual effects on the complex stability and on the vibrational dynamics of adsorbed acetonitrile were qualitatively analysed on various cluster models. The acetonitrile primarily interacts with the Na(+) cation (via the N end), and the complex stability is modulated by the interaction of the methyl group with the framework oxygen atoms, which has a partial hydrogen-bond character. In line with the results of recent analyses of CO interactions with metal-exchanged zeolites [D. Nachtigallová, O. Bludsky, C. O. Areán, R. Bulanek and P. Nachtigall, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2006, 8, 4849], two types of effects should be taken into consideration for acetonitrile complexes in Na-zeolites: (i) the effects from the bottom, reflecting the accessibility and coordination of the primary metal cation, to which the acetonitrile molecule is bonded via the N atom; and (ii) the effects from the top, including H-bond formation (stabilising effect) or repulsion due to the secondary metal cation. The effect from the bottom results in a blue shift of nu(CN) while the effect from the top (H-bond formation) results in a red shift in both nu(CN) and nu(CH).     

Interaction of glycine with isolated hydroxyl groups at the silica surface: first principles B3LYP periodic simulation

The adsorption of a glycine molecule on a model silica surface terminated by an isolated hydroxyl group has been studied ab initio using a double-zeta polarized Gaussian basis set, the hybrid B3LYP functional, and a full periodic treatment of the silica surface/glycine system. The hydroxylated silica surface has been simulated using either a 2D slab or a single polymer strand cut out from the (001) surface of an all-silica edingtonite. A number of B3LYP-optimized structures have been found by docking glycine on the silica surface exploiting all possible hydrogen bond patterns. Whereas glycine is generally adsorbed in its neutral form, two structures show glycine adsorbed as a zwitterion, the surface playing the role of a "solid solvent" whereas intrastrand hydrogen bond cooperativity stabilizes the zwitterions. The adsorbed zwitterionic structures are no longer formed at a lower glycine coverage as simulated by enlarging the unit cell so as to break intrastrand hydrogen bonds, showing the importance of H-bond cooperativity in stabilizing the zwitterionic forms. Each structure has been characterized by computing its harmonic vibrational spectrum at the Gamma point, which also allowed us to calculate the free energy of adsorption. The experimental infrared features of chemical-vapor-deposited glycine on a silica surface are in agreement with those computed for glycine adsorbed in its neutral form and engaging three hydrogen bonds with the surface silanols, two of them involving the C=O bond and one originating from the glycine OH group. The NH(2) group plays only a minor role as a weak hydrogen bond donor.     

Studies on the hydrogen bonding of aniline's derivatives by FT-IR

The hydrogen bonding of 23 aniline's derivatives in various solvents and in solid states are studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The Infrared absorption of their amino group is greatly influenced by solvents. Compared with those data determined in hexane, the symmetric stretching frequency (nu(s)) and asymmetric stretching frequency (nu(as)) of amino group have an obvious bathochromic shift in benzene, but a relatively smaller shift in CCl4. It is also found that the concentration of these compounds has very little effect on the frequencies, the band shapes and relative absorption intensities of amino group. This indicates that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds are very weak between the aniline's derivatives in the solution. The substituent of methyl (-CH3) has different electronic effects in organic solvents with various polarities. Methyl group behaves as an electron-donating functional group in hexane, however, it shows an electron-withdrawing effect in benzene. When methoxyl (CH3O-) is ortho-substituted, v(as) of amino group increases and nu(s) almost does not change. While methoxyl (CH3O-) is meta-substituted, v(as) of amino group increases, but nu(s) decreases. The groups of chloro- (Cl-) and nitro- (-NO2) cause a hyposochromic shift of the nu(as) and nu(s) of amino group, while substituent of -NH2 makes a bathochromic shift. The solvents influence the relative intensities of nu(as) and nu(s) of amino group more greatly than the substituents do. In solid states, the amino group of aniline's derivatives has more than two absorption bands because of forming the inter- or intra-molecular hydrogen bonds.     

Evidence of CO(2) molecule acting as an electron acceptor on a nanoporous metal-organic-framework MIL-53 or Cr(3+)(OH)(O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2))

The adsorption mode of CO(2) at low coverage in the nanoporous metal benzenedicarboxylate MIL-53(Cr) or Cr(3+)(OH)(O(2)C-C(6)H(4)-CO(2)) has been identified using IR spectroscopy; the red shift of the nu(3) band and the splitting of the nu(2) mode of CO(2) in addition to the shifts of the nu(OH) and delta(OH) bands of the MIL-53(Cr) hydroxyl groups provide evidence that CO(2) interacts with the oxygen atoms of framework OH groups as an electron-acceptor via its carbon atom; this is the first example of such an interaction between CO(2) and bridged OH groups in a solid.     

Remarkable effect of the preparation technique on the state of cobalt ions in BEA zeolites evidenced by FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO and NO, TPR and XRD

The state of cobalt in two BEA zeolites was studied by XRD, TPR, and FTIR spectroscopy using CO and NO as probe molecules. One of the samples, CoAlBEA (0.4 wt % of Co), was prepared by conventional ion exchange and the other, CoSiBEA (0.7 wt % Co), by a two-step postsynthesis method involving dealuminated SiBEA zeolite. The introduction of Co into SiBEA leads to an increase of unit cell parameters of the BEA structure and to the consumption of silanol groups in vacant T-sites of the dealuminated zeolite. In contrast, no structural changes are observed after incorporation of cobalt into AlBEA by ion-exchange. The reduction temperature of cobalt in CoSiBEA zeolite (1130 K), is much higher than for CoAlBEA and indicates a strong interaction of cobalt ions with SiBEA. Low-temperature CO adsorption on CoAlBEA results in (i) H-bonded CO, (ii) Co(3+)-CO adducts (2,208 cm(-1)) and (iii) a small amount of Co(2+)-CO complexes (2,188 cm(-1)). In agreement with these results, NO adsorption leads to the appearance of (i) NO(+) (2,133 cm(-1), formed with the participation of the zeolite acidic hydroxyls), (ii) Co(3+)-NO (1932 cm(-1)), and (iii) a small amount of Co(2+)(NO)(2) dinitrosyls (nu(s) = 1,898 and nu(as) = 1,814 cm(-1)). Low-temperature CO adsorption on CoSiBEA leads to formation of two kinds of Co(2+)-CO adducts (2,185 and 2,178 cm(-1)). No Co(3+) cations are detected. In line with these results, adsorption of NO reveals the existence of two kinds of Co(2+)(NO)(2) dinitrosyls (nu(s) = 1,888 and nu(as) = 1,808 cm(-1) and nu(s) = 1,878 and nu(as) = 1,799 cm(-1), respectively).     

Molecular water on exposed Al3+ cations is a source of acidity in silicoaluminas

Evidence about the remarkable acidic nature of molecular water adsorbed at the surface of mesoporous MCM-41 silicoaluminas (MSA) with a ratio of Si/Al = 25 is reported, coming from both infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. By using CO as a probe, OH stretching and HOH bending modes of water adsorbed on coordinatively unsaturated Al ions (Lewis sites) at the surface of MSA have been detected for the first time. CO adsorption causes OH stretching frequencies to suffer a bathochromic shift of about -200/-250 cm(-1), whereas the HOH bending frequency undergoes a hypsochromic shift by about +10/+20 cm(-1). B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations on model clusters designed to mimic both Br?nsted and Lewis sites validate the assignments, showing that water adsorbed on the surface Lewis site, when interacting with CO, shows an acidity comparable to that of a classical zeolitic Br?nsted site.     

Infrared spectroscopy of acetone-water liquid mixtures. II. Molecular model

In aqueous acetone solutions, the strong bathochromic shifts observed on the OH and CO stretch infrared (IR) bands are due to hydrogen bonds between these groups. These shifts were evaluated by factor analysis (FA) that separated the band components from which five water and five acetone principal factors were retrieved [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 5632 (2003)]. However, these factors were abstract making them difficult to interpret. To render them real an organization model of molecules is here developed whose abundances are compared to the experimental ones. The model considers that the molecules are randomly organized limited by the hydrogen bond network formed between the water hydrogen atoms and the acetone or water oxygen atoms, indifferently. Because the oxygen of water has two covalent hydrogen atoms which are hydrogen-bonded and may receive up to two hydrogen atoms from neighbor molecules hydrogen-bonded to it, three types of water molecules are found: OH2, OH3, and OH4 (covalent and hydrogen bonds). In the OH stretch region these molecules generate three absorption regimes composed of nu3, nu1, and their satellites. The strength of the H-bond given increases with the number of H-bonds accepted by the oxygen atom of the water H-bond donor, producing nine water situations. Since FA cannot separate those species that evolve concomitantly the nine water situations are regrouped into five factors, the abundance of which compared exactly to that retrieved by FA. From the factors' real spectra the OH stretch absorption are simulated to, respectively, give for the nu3 and nu1 components the mean values for OH2, 3608, 3508; OH3, 3473, 3282 and OH4, 3391, 3223 cm(-1). The mean separations from the gas-phase position which are respectively about 150, 330, and 400 cm(-1) are related to the vacancy of the oxygen electron doublets: two, one, and zero, respectively. No acetone hydrate that sequesters water molecules is formed. Similarly, acetone produces ten species, two of which evolve concomitantly. Spectral similarities further reduce these to five principal IR factors, the abundance of which compared adequately to the experimental results obtained from FA. The band assignment of the five-acetone spectra is given.     

Heats of adsorption of linear CO species adsorbed on the Au degrees and Ti+delta sites of a 1% Au/TiO2 catalyst using in situ FTIR spectroscopy under adsorption equilibrium

The heats of adsorption of two linear CO species adsorbed on the Au degrees particles (denoted L(Au degrees)) and on the Ti(+delta) sites (denoted L(Ti+delta)) of a 1% Au/TiO(2) catalyst are determined as the function of their respective coverage by using the AEIR procedure (adsorption equilibrium infrared spectroscopy) previously developed. Mainly, the evolutions of the IR band area of each adsorbed species (2184 cm(-1) for L(Ti+delta) and at 2110 cm(-1) for L(Au degrees)) as a function of the adsorption temperature T(a), at a constant CO adsorption pressure P(CO), provide the evolutions of the coverages theta(LTi+delta) and theta(LAu degrees ) of each adsorbed CO species with T(a) in isobar conditions that give the individual heats of adsorption. It is shown that they linearly vary from 74 to 47 kJ/mol for L(Au degrees ) and from 50 to 40 kJ/mol for L(Ti+delta) at coverages 0 and 1, respectively. These values are consistent with literature data on model Au particles and TiO(2). In particular, it is shown that the mathematical formalism supporting the AEIR procedure can be applied to literature data on Au-containing solids (single crystals and model particles).     

Low temperature Fourier transform infrared spectra and hydrogen bonding in polycrystalline uracil and thymine

The FTIR spectra of pure NH and isotopically diluted (NH/ND and ND/NH) polycrystalline uracil and thymine were measured in the range 4000-400 cm(-1) at temperatures from 300 to 10K. For the first time, the essentially narrow bands corresponding to the uncoupled stretching (nu(1)) and out of plane bending (nu(4)) NH proton modes of uracil and thymine were observed in the solid phase. It was found that in the nu(4) region the spectra reveal more details on the H-bond interactions present in both solids than in the nu(1) range. The frequencies of the various bands observed in both spectral regions were used for estimation of the H-bond energy, using empirical correlations between this property and both the red shift of nu(1) and the blue shift of nu(4) that occur upon crystallization due to the establishment of the H-bonds. The results are compared with known thermodynamic, structural and theoretical data. The IR data also suggest that the H-bond networks of both crystals contain, besides the two NH...O=C bonds revealed by X-ray experiments, additional types of H-bonds, which do not show long range periodicity and, thus, cannot be detected by the conventional structural methods. The assignment of some other bands in the spectra of both substances was also reviewed.     

DFT study of the adsorption of microsolvated glycine on a hydrophilic amorphous silica surface

Density functional theory (DFT) periodic ab initio molecular dynamics calculations are used to study the adsorption of gaseous and microsolvated glycine on a hydroxylated, hydrophilic silica surface. The silica model is presented and the interaction of water with surface silanols is studied. The heat of interaction of water is higher with the associated silanols (be they terminal or geminal ones) studied here than with isolated silanols presented in past works. Glycine is stabilized in a parallel mode on the hydroxylated surface. Terminal silanols do not allow the stabilization of the zwitterionic form, whereas geminal silanols do. Molecular dynamics (MD) first-principle calculations show that microsolvated zwitterion glycine directly binds through the carboxylate function to a surface silanol rather than through water molecules. The adsorption mode, whether with or without additional water molecules, is parallel to the surface. The ammonium function does not interact directly with the silanol groups but rather through water molecules. Thus, the carboxylate and ammonium functions exhibit two different reactivities towards silanols. The calculated free energies, taking into account the chemical potentials of water and glycine in the gas phase, suggest the existence of a thermodynamic domain in which the glycine is present in the gas phase as well as strongly adsorbed on specific sites of the surface.     

Elucidation of adsorption mechanism of bone-staining agent alizarin red S on hydroxyapatite by FT-IR microspectroscopy

To elucidate adsorption mechanism of alizarin red S (ARS), which is often used for staining bones in histology, adsorption of ARS on hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (HAP), was investigated by a batch method, compared with alizarin, phenols, and benzenesulfonates. We found that ionized 1-, 2-OH groups (1-, 2-O(-)) of ARS can be electrostatically bound to Ca2+ on HAP, but that the 3-SO3(-) group of ARS hardly participates in adsorption on HAP. ARS-adsorbed HAP (ARS-HAP) in dark reddish violet was also prepared and analyzed by FT-IR microspectroscopy to gain structural information on bonding between ARS and HAP. The obtained spectrum, which was converted to difference spectra, indicated a single band of nu(C=O) at 1627 cm(-1) and two types of symmetric C=O stretching bands of nu(s)(C=O) + nu(C=C) at 1345 cm(-1) and nu(s)(C=O) + delta(O-C=C) at 1272 cm(-1). These bands imply the existence of a salt form in ARS-HAP via 1-, 2-OH groups of ARS. As a result of the existence of a chelate form in ARS-HAP via 1-OH and 9-C=O groups of ARS, two bands of nu(C=C) + nu(C=O) at 1572 cm(-1) and nu(C=O) + nu(C=C) at 1537 cm(-1) were also observed. In addition, ARS was almost desorbed from colored ARS-HAP at 50 degrees C by using neutral phosphate buffer to recover slightly pale pinkish HAP, or De-ARS-HAP. The desorbed ARS belongs to ARS previously adsorbed on HAP by salt formation, while the remaining color on De-ARS-HAP indicates ARS still adsorbed on HAP by chelate formation. Consequently, we elucidated two adsorption mechanisms of ARS on HAP: The major adsorption is salt formation made up with 1-, 2-O(-) of ARS and Ca2+ on HAP, and the minor adsorption is chelate formation made up with 1-O(-) and 9-C=O of ARS and Ca2+ on HAP.     

Comparative study of the H-bond and FTIR spectra between 2,2-hydroxymethyl propionic acid and 2,2-hydroxymethyl butanoic acid

In the present paper, the FTIR band and H-bond differences between the two dihydroxy-based carboxyls, 2,2-hydroxymethyl butanoic acid (hereinafter abbreviated to DMBA) and 2,2-hydroxymethyl propionic acid (hereinafter abbreviated to DMPA), were analyzed based on the crystal structure as well as the relation between H-bond and FTIR band of DMPA. In addition, the energy and length of the H-bonds formed between COOH, between OH, between COOH and OH were also calculated via molecular modeling. The results showed that three H-bond types existing in DMPA while only two in DMBA. The COOH pattern and H-bond type in DMBA and DMPA can be preliminarily judged according to the band position and relative strength of the nuOH and nuCOOH in FTIR spectrum. The H atom in COOH is a stronger H-bond donor than that in primary OH, while the O atom in primary OH is a stronger H-bond acceptor than that in COOH. The H-bond formed by two COOH is, therefore, weaker than that formed by COOH (as donor) and OH (as acceptor), which makes nuC=O shift to lower frequency in DMPA than in DMBA.     

Solvent effects on the infrared spectra of beta-alkoxyvinyl methyl ketones I. Carbonyl and vinyl stretching vibrations

Infrared spectroscopy studies of six beta-alkoxyvinyl methyl ketones, with common structure R(1)O-CR(2)CH-COR(3), where R(1)=R(3)=CH(3), R(2)=H (1); R(1)=C(2)H(5), R(2)=H (2); R(3)=CF(3); R(1)=R(2)=CH(3), R(3)=CF(3) (3); R(1)=C(2)H(5), R(2)=C(6)H(5), R(3)=CF(3) (4); R(1)=C(2)H(5), R(2)=4-O(2)NC(6)H(4), R(3)=CF(3) (5); R(1)=C(2)H(5), R(2)=C(CH(3))(3), R(3)=CF(3) (6) in 11 pure organic solvents of different polarity were undertaken to investigate the solute-solvent interactions and to correlate solvent properties by means of linear solvation energy relationships (LSER) with the carbonyl and vinyl stretching vibrations of existing stereoisomeric forms. It was shown that contrary to simple carbonyl-containing compounds where solvent HBD acidity (alpha) has the largest influence on the nu (CO) band shift to lower wavenumbers, the dipolarity/polarizability (pi) term plays the main role in the interactions of conjugated enones with solvent molecules leading to the nu (CO) and nu (CC) bathochromic band shifts. The trifluoroacetyl group possesses a reduced ability to form hydrogen bonds with solvents. For the nu (CC) band of non-fluorinated enone 1 solvent HBD acidity (alpha) and solvent HBA basicity term (beta) play a perceptible role, whereas for 2 these terms are not significant. beta-Substituents in fluorinated enones such as R(2)=H, C(6)H(5), and C(CH(3))(3) assist in the intermolecular hydrogen bond formation of the carbonyl moiety with HBD solvents, while beta-substituents such as CH(3) and 4-NO(2)C(6)H(4) prevent the CO group to form the H-bonds with HBD solvents (the solvent HBD acidity term (alpha) is not significant). The comparison of four conformers of the enone 1 reveals that (EEE) form is the most polarizable conformer; the influences of the solvent dipolarity/polarizability (pi) and solvent HBD acidity (alpha) term on the bathochromic nu (CO) band shift are opposite to one another.     

Chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes by carboxyl groups on stone-wales defects: a density functional theory study

Chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes with Stone-Wales (SW) defects by carboxyl (COOH) groups is investigated by density functional calculations. Due to the localized donor states induced by the SW defect, the binding of the COOH group with the defective carbon nanotube is stronger than that with the perfect one. A quasi-tetrahedral bonding configuration of carbon atoms, indicating sp3 hybrid bonding, is formed in the adsorption site. The charge distribution analysis shows that, in comparison with benzoic acid, the localized or delocalized pi states on the nanotube would affect the polarities of chemical bonds of the COOH group without losing the acidity. Furthermore, it is found that the double-adsorption system (two COOH groups are respectively adsorbed on two individual carbon atoms of the SW defect) is more energetically favorable than the monoadsorption one. The adsorption of COOH groups leads to a significant change of the electronic states around the Fermi level, which is advantageous for the electrical conductivity. The functionalization by introducing functional groups on the topological defects provides a pathway for applications of carbon nanotubes in chemical sensors and nanobioelectronics.     

FTIR spectroscopy of alcohol and formate interactions with mesoporous TiO2 surfaces

The effects of pH and ultraviolet (UV) light with ligated formic acid on mesoporous TiO2 were characterized by transmission Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and compared with adsorbed formate complexes. Surface-modified anatase thin films were prepared from acidic aqueous nanoparticulate anatase suspensions diluted with methanol and ethanol. Bands assigned to carboxylic acid groups displayed unique bonding character in the ligated formic acid on the anatase surface. For increased proton concentrations in the films, separation in -COO stretching bands (delta nu) for formic acid increased (increase in frequency for nuC=O and decrease in frequency for nuC-O). With UV exposure, surface-bound organics were rapidly removed by photocatalytic oxidation at 40 degrees C and 40% relative humidity (RH). In addition, the delta nu of the formic acid bands decreased as organics were mineralized to carbonates and CO2 with UV light. Aqueous formic acid adsorption experiments showed a distinctly different bonding environment lacking carbonate, and the delta nu for the carboxylic groups indicated a bridging bidentate coordination. The delta nu of the bands increased with increasing proton concentration, with both bands shifting to higher wavenumbers. The shifts may be ascribed to the influence of protonation on surface charge and the effect of that charge on the electronegativity of carboxylate groups bound to the surface. As alcohols are used in the mesoporous TiO2 solar cell preparation, implications of these surface modifications to dye-sensitized photovoltaics are discussed.     

A vibrational study of di-i-propoxyphosphoryl benzylisothiourea

The Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra of di-i-propoxyphosphoryl benzylisothiourea (DPB) (1) in the solid state and in solutions of CCl4, CHCl3, CHBr3, CH2Cl2, C2H4Cl2, C2H4Br2 and THF were studied. In the IR spectra, the effects of different concentrations were also investigated. The behavior of the nu(NH), delta(NH), delta(HNH), nu(C=N) and nu(P=O) normal modes suggests the existence of a tautomerism between the phosphorylamine (I) and N-phosphorylimine (II) structures: [structures: see text] The data show the presence of different delta(NH) and delta(HNH) bendings and nu(C=N) normal modes in the solid state as a result of inter and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The experimental approximate frequencies assignments were done for this compound, and were confirmed by a normal coordinate analysis carried out for several fragments of phosphorylamine and N-phosphorylimine structures.     

Vibrational behavior of adsorbed CO2 on single-walled carbon nanotubes

We present theoretical and experimental evidence for CO(2) adsorption on different sites of single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles. We use local density approximation density functional theory (LDA-DFT) calculations to compute the adsorption energies and vibrational frequencies for CO(2) adsorbed on SWNT bundles. The LDA-DFT calculations give a range of shifts for the asymmetric stretching mode from about -6 to -20 cm(-1) for internally bound CO(2), and a range from -4 to -16 cm(-1) for externally bound CO(2) at low densities. The magnitude of the shift is larger for CO(2) adsorbed parallel to the SWNT surface; various perpendicular configurations yield much smaller theoretical shifts. The asymmetric stretching mode for CO(2) adsorbed in groove sites and interstitial sites exhibits calculated shifts of -22.2 and -23.8 cm(-1), respectively. The calculations show that vibrational mode softening is due to three effects: (1) dynamic image charges in the nanotube; (2) the confining effect of the adsorption potential; (3) dynamic dipole coupling with other adsorbate molecules. Infrared measurements indicate that two families of CO(2) adsorption sites are present. One family, exhibiting a shift of about -20 cm(-1) is assigned to internally bound CO(2) molecules in a parallel configuration. This type of CO(2) is readily displaced by Xe, a test for densely populated adsorbed species, which are expected to be present on the highest adsorption energy sites in the interior of the nanotubes. The second family exhibits a shift of about -7 cm(-1) and the site location and configuration for these species is ambiguous, based on comparison with the theoretical shifts. The population of the internally bound CO(2) may be enhanced by established etching procedures that open the entry ports for adsorption, namely, ozone oxidation followed by annealing in vacuum at 873 K. Xenon displacement experiments indicate that internally bound CO(2) is preferentially displaced relative to the -7 cm(-1) shifted species. The -7 cm(-1) shifted species is assigned to CO(2) adsorbed on the external surface based on results from etching and Xe displacement experiments.