Exploration of the reactivity of N2O5 with two Si(OH)4 monomers using electronic structure methods

The heterogeneous uptake of N₂O₅ on mineral dust particles may play an important role in the removal of nitrogen oxides from the atmosphere. However, the reaction of N₂O₅ with the mineral particles is not well understood. The reaction of N₂O₅ with two Si(OH)₄ monomers is explored using theoretical methods. This study represents a first step towards understanding the interaction of N₂O₅ with the hydroxyl groups of silica particles. Energies are calculated using MP2 single point calculations on the B3LYP optimized geometries and including B3LYP thermodynamic corrections. Four mechanisms are considered for the formation of two HNO₃ and one H₆Si₂O₇. The rate limiting activation barrier of the most favorable path is found to be 12.5 kcal mol^?1. This reaction appears to be more favorable than the hydrolysis of N₂O₅ with one water molecule. These results are in agreement with experimental observations, which show that N₂O₅ reacts with OH groups of Saharan dust to form nitrate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Heterogeneous reaction of SO2 on TiO2 particles

The heterogeneous reaction of SO₂ on TiO₂ particles was studied using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The influences of the oxygen concentration, relative humidity (RH), and ultraviolet (UV) light illumination (λ ≈ 365 nm) intensity on the reaction were investigated. The main product of the heterogeneous reaction of SO₂ on TiO₂ particles was sulfate with UV illumination and sulfite without it. The production of sulfate was promoted significantly with UV illumination or water, and there was a synergistic effect when both were present. In the dry system without UV, the heterogeneous reaction of SO₂ on TiO₂ particles was found to be second-order for SO₂ and the initial uptake coefficient, γ_BET, was determined to be 1.94 × 10^?6. With UV and RH = 40%, the reaction order was first-order and the initial uptake coefficient was 1.35 × 10^?5.     

Catalytic oxidation of CS2 over atmospheric particles and oxide catalysts

The catalytic oxidization of CS₂ over atmospheric particles and some oxide catalysts was explored through FT-IR, MS and a fixed-bed stainless steel reactor. The results show that atmospheric particles and some oxide catalysts exhibited considerable oxidizing activities for CS₂ at ambient temperature. The reaction products are mainly COS and elemental sulfur, even CO₂ on some catalysts. Among the catalysts, CaO has the strongest catalytic activity for oxidizing CS₂. Fe₂O₃ is weaker than CaO. The catalytic activity for Al₂O₃ reduces considerably compared with the former two catalysts, and SiO₂ the weakest. Atmospheric particle samples’ catalytic activity is between Fe₂O₃’s and Al₂O₃’s. The atmospheric particle sample collected mainly consists of Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈) · 4H₂O, which is also the main component of cement. COS, the main product, is formed by the catalytic oxidization of CS₂ with adsorbed “molecular” oxygen over the catalysts’ surfaces. The concentration of adsorbed oxygen over catalysts’ surfaces may be the key factor contributed to the oxidizing activity. It is indicated that CS₂ could be catalytically oxidized over atmospheric particles, which induced that this reaction may be another important source of atmospheric COS from CS₂.     

Catalytic oxidation of CS2 over atmospheric particles and oxide catalysts

The catalytic oxidization of CS₂ over atmospheric particles and some oxide catalysts was explored through FT-IR, MS and a fixed-bed stainless steel reactor. The results show that atmospheric particles and some oxide catalysts exhibited considerable oxidizing activities for CS₂ at ambient temperature. The reaction products are mainly COS and elemental sulfur, even CO₂ on some catalysts. Among the catalysts, CaO has the strongest catalytic activity for oxidizing CS₂. Fe₂O₃ is weaker than CaO. The catalytic activity for Al₂O₃ reduces considerably compared with the former two catalysts, and SiO₂ the weakest. Atmospheric particle samples’ catalytic activity is between Fe₂O₃’s and Al₂O₃’s. The atmospheric particle sample collected mainly consists of Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈) · 4H₂O, which is also the main component of cement. COS, the main product, is formed by the catalytic oxidization of CS₂ with adsorbed “molecular” oxygen over the catalysts’ surfaces. The concentration of adsorbed oxygen over catalysts’ surfaces may be the key factor contributed to the oxidizing activity. It is indicated that CS₂ could be catalytically oxidized over atmospheric particles, which induced that this reaction may be another important source of atmospheric COS from CS₂.     

Heterogeneous reactions of gaseous HNO3 and NO2 on the clay minerals kaolinite and pyrophyllite

Airborne clay mineral particles have long atmospheric lifetimes due to their relatively small size. To assess their impact on trace atmospheric gases, we investigated heterogeneous reactions on prototype clay minerals. Diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy identified surface-adsorbed products formed from the uptake of gaseous nitric acid and nitrogen dioxide on kaolinite and pyrophyllite. For kaolinite, a 1:1 phyllosilicate, HNO3 molecularly adsorbed onto the octahedral aluminum hydroxide and tetrahedral silicon oxide surfaces. Also detected on the aluminum hydroxide surface were irreversibly adsorbed monodentate, bidentate, bridged, and water-coordinated nitrate species as well as surface-adsorbed water. Similar adsorbed products formed during the uptake of NO2 on kaolinite at relative humidity (RH) of 0%, and the reaction was second order with respect to reactive surface sites and 1.5 +/- 0.1 for NO2. Reactive uptake coefficients, calculated using Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller surface areas, increased from (8.0 +/- 0.2) x 10(-8) to (2.3 +/- 0.4) x 10(-7) for NO2 concentrations ranging from 0.56 x 10(13) to 8.8 x 10(13) molecules cm(-3). UV-visible spectroscopy detected gaseous HONO as a product for the reaction of NO2 on wet kaolinite. The uptake of HNO3 on pyrophyllite, a 2:1 phyllosilicate, resulted in stronger signal for nitric acid molecularly adsorbed on the silicon oxide surface compared to kaolinite. Monodentate, bridged, and water-coordinated nitrate species bound to aluminum sites also formed during this reaction indicating that reactive sites on edge facets are important for this system. The uptake of NO2 on pyrophyllite, gammaBET = (7 +/- 1) x 10(-9), was significantly lower than kaolinite because NO2 did not react with the dominant tetrahedral silicon oxide surface. These results highlight general trends regarding the reactivity of tetrahedral silicon oxide and octahedral aluminum hydroxide clay surfaces and indicate that the heterogeneous chemistry of clay aerosols varies with mineralogy and cannot be predicted by elemental analysis.     

Surface-catalyzed chlorine and nitrogen activation: mechanisms for the heterogeneous formation of ClNO, NO, NO2, HONO, and N2O from HNO3 and HCl on aluminum oxide particle surfaces

It is well-known that chlorine active species (e.g., Cl(2), ClONO(2), ClONO) can form from heterogeneous reactions between nitrogen oxides and hydrogen chloride on aerosol particle surfaces in the stratosphere. However, less is known about these reactions in the troposphere. In this study, a potential new heterogeneous pathway involving reaction of gaseous HCl and HNO(3) on aluminum oxide particle surfaces, a proxy for mineral dust in the troposphere, is proposed. We combine transmission Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate changes in the composition of both gas-phase and surface-bound species during the reaction under different environmental conditions of relative humidity and simulated solar radiation. Exposure of surface nitrate-coated aluminum oxide particles, from prereaction with nitric acid, to gaseous HCl yields several gas-phase products, including ClNO, NO(2), and HNO(3), under dry (RH < 1%) conditions. Under humid more conditions (RH > 20%), NO and N(2)O are the only gas products observed. The experimental data suggest that, in the presence of adsorbed water, ClNO is hydrolyzed on the particle surface to yield NO and NO(2), potentially via a HONO intermediate. NO(2) undergoes further hydrolysis via a surface-mediated process, resulting in N(2)O as an additional nitrogen-containing product. In the presence of broad-band irradiation (λ > 300 nm) gas-phase products can undergo photochemistry, e.g., ClNO photodissociates to NO and chlorine atoms. The gas-phase product distribution also depends on particle mineralogy (Al(2)O(3) vs CaCO(3)) and the presence of other coadsorbed gases (e.g., NH(3)). These newly identified reaction pathways discussed here involve continuous production of active ozone-depleting chlorine and nitrogen species from stable sinks such as gas-phase HCl and HNO(3) as a result of heterogeneous surface reactions. Given that aluminosilicates represent a major fraction of mineral dust aerosol, aluminum oxide can be used as a model system to begin to understand various aspects of possible reactions on mineral dust aerosol surfaces.     

Heterogeneous photochemistry of trace atmospheric gases with components of mineral dust aerosol

Mineral dust aerosol is known to provide a reactive surface in the troposphere for heterogeneous chemistry to occur. Certain components of mineral dust aerosol, such as semiconductor metal oxides, can act as chromophores that initiate chemical reactions, while adsorbed organic and inorganic species may also be photoactive. However, relatively little is known about the impact of heterogeneous photochemistry of mineral dust aerosol in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the heterogeneous photochemistry of trace atmospheric gases including HNO(3) and O(3) with components of mineral dust aerosol using an environmental aerosol chamber that incorporates a solar simulator. For reaction of HNO(3) with aluminum oxide, broadband irradiation initiates photoreactions to form gaseous NO and NO(2). A complex dynamic balance between surface adsorbed nitrate and gaseous nitrogen oxide products including NO and NO(2) is observed. For heterogeneous photoreactions of O(3), iron oxide shows catalytic decompositions toward O(3) while aluminum oxide is deactivated by ozone exposure. Furthermore, the role of relative humidity, and, thus, adsorbed water, on heterogeneous photochemistry has been explored. The atmospheric implications of these results are discussed.     

Kinetics of the uptake of SO2 on mineral oxides: Improved initial uptake coefficients at 298 K from pulsed Knudsen cell experiments

The uptake of SO₂ on γ‐Fe₂O₃, γ‐Al₂O₃, and Saharan dust has been studied at T = 298 K using a Knudsen cell reactor operated in a steady‐state as well as in a pulsed mode. The initial uptake coefficients determined in the steady‐state mode have been found to be affected by surface saturation as well as bulk diffusion of SO₂ resulting in an apparent dependence of the initial uptake coefficients on the sample mass of the mineral oxides. However, by operating the Knudsen cell in the pulsed mode with shorter response time, these effects could be suppressed. Initial uptake coefficients of γ_ini (Fe₂O₃) = (8.8 ± 0.4) × 10^?2, γ_ini (Al₂O₃) = (7.4 ± 0.9) × 10^?3, and γ_ini (Saharan dust) = (7.6 ± 0.5) × 10^?2 were derived. This suggests that Fe₂O₃ is an important component in determining the reactivity of mineral dusts. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 242–249, 2006     

Sulfur evolution from coal combustion in O2/CO2 mixture

O₂/CO₂ coal combustion technology is considered as one of the most promising technologies for CO₂ sequestration due to its economical advantages and technical feasibility. It is significant to study the sulfur transfer behavior of coal in O₂/CO₂ atmosphere for organizing combustion properly and controlling SO₂ emission effectively. To clarify the effect of atmosphere on the sulfur transfer behavior, thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared (TG-FTIR) system was employed to study the formation behavior of sulfur-containing gas species from Xuzhou bituminous coal pyrolysis in CO₂ atmosphere compared with that in N₂ atmosphere. Also the SO₂ formation behaviors during Xuzhou bituminous coal combustion in O₂/N₂ and O₂/CO₂ atmospheres were investigated. Results show that COS is preferentially formed during the coal pyrolysis process in CO₂ atmosphere rather than in N₂ atmosphere. When temperature is above 1000 K, sulfate in the CO₂ atmosphere begins to decompose due to the reduction effect of CO, which comes from the CO₂ gasification. During coal combustion process, replacing N₂ with CO₂ enhances the SO₂ releasing rate. SO₂ emission increases first and then decreases as O₂ fraction increases in the O₂/CO₂ mixture. XPS result of the ash after combustion indicates that higher O₂ concentration elevates the sulfur retention ability of the mineral matter in the coal.     

燃煤烟气中共存杂质对膜分离CO2性能影响的实验研究

利用自行搭建的膜分离实验台,考察了共存气态组分以及颗粒物对于聚二甲基硅氧烷/聚砜(PDMS-PSF)复合膜分离CO₂性能的影响.结果表明,共存气态组分中O₂对于膜分离CO₂有抑制作用;由于SO₂浓度显著低于CO₂,在短时间内对膜分离CO₂没影响;水汽可以促进CO₂的分离;燃煤飞灰细颗粒在分离膜表面沉积会导致膜性能的恶化.在此基础上,采用模拟湿法烟气脱硫系统装置,进行了燃煤湿法脱硫净烟气环境下的膜分离CO₂实验;在测试的50 h以内,水汽、SO₂和O₂的共同作用导致膜分离性能在前期有一定的提高,随着运行时间的延长,细颗粒物对膜的影响程度加大,导致PDMS-PSF复合膜的分离性能逐渐恶化,最终导致膜的CO₂/N₂分离因子和CO₂渗透速率分别下降了17.91%和28.21%.     

NaCl与Fe2O3混合物对SO2的有效吸收

采用DRIFTS和XPS等方法研究了SO2在NaCl和α-Fe2O3混合物表面的复相反应, 并计算了反应的吸附常数. 结果表明, 反应生成物主要为硫酸盐、硫酸氢盐以及少量的亚硫酸(氢)盐; SO2与NaCl和α-Fe2O3混合物的反应符合零级反应动力学规律; NaCl的含量对反应有影响, 随着混合物中NaCl含量的增加, BET吸附常数呈现先上升而后再下降的变化规律, 当NaCl的质量分数达到70%左右时, BET吸附常数达到最大(4.62×10-6), 是纯α-Fe2O3(5.72×10-7)的8.08倍; 反应生成的FeCl2-SO3-中间体作为SO2的储存库, 促进了更多的硫酸盐生成.     

CO2 Hydrogenation on Cu/Al2O3: Role of the Metal/Support Interface in Driving Activity and Selectivity of a Bifunctional Catalyst

Selective hydrogenation of CO₂ into methanol is a key sustainable technology, where Cu/Al₂O₃ prepared by surface organometallic chemistry displays high activity towards CO₂ hydrogenation compared to Cu/SiO₂, yielding CH₃OH, dimethyl ether (DME), and CO. CH₃OH formation rate increases due to the metal–oxide interface and involves formate intermediates according to advanced spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Al₂O₃ promotes the subsequent conversion of CH₃OH to DME, showing bifunctional catalysis, but also increases the rate of CO formation. The latter takes place 1) directly by activation of CO₂ at the metal–oxide interface, and 2) indirectly by the conversion of formate surface species and CH₃OH to methyl formate, which is further decomposed into CH₃OH and CO. This study shows how Al₂O₃, a Lewis acidic and non‐reducible support, can promote CO₂ hydrogenation by enabling multiple competitive reaction pathways on the oxide and metal–oxide interface.     

Heterogeneous uptake of ozone on reactive components of mineral dust aerosol: an environmental aerosol reaction chamber study

We have undertaken a kinetic study of heterogeneous ozone decomposition on alpha-Fe2O3 (hematite) and alpha-Al2O3 (corundum) aerosols under ambient conditions of temperature, pressure, and relative humidity in order to better understand the role of mineral dust aerosol in ozone loss mechanisms in the atmosphere. The kinetic measurements are made in an environmental aerosol reaction chamber by use of infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopic probes. The apparent heterogeneous uptake coefficient, gamma, for ozone reaction with alpha-Fe2O3 and alpha-Al2O3 surfaces is determined as a function of relative humidity (RH). The uptake of ozone by the iron oxide surface is approximately an order of magnitude larger than that by the aluminum oxide sample, under dry conditions. At the pressures used, alpha-Fe2O3 shows clear evidence for catalytic decomposition of ozone while alpha-Al2O3 appears to saturate at a finite ozone coverage. The measured uptake for both minerals decreases markedly as the RH is increased. Comparison with other literature reports and the atmospheric implications of these results are discussed.     

The heterogeneous decomposition of ozone on atmospheric mineral dust surrogates at ambient temperature

The rate of uptake of ozone on various mineral dust surrogates, expressed as uptake coefficient γ, has been studied employing a Knudsen flow reactor. Experiments were performed at T = 298 ± 2 K on substrates of kaolinite, CaCO₃, natural limestone, Saharan dust, and Arizona test dust. Initially, the uptake coefficients have been calculated on the basis of the geometric surface area of the powder samples. Both initial and steady‐state uptake coefficients γ₀ and γ_ss were found very similar for all the examined substrates. In addition, additional uptake experiments on marble sample have shown that γ₀ and γ_ss may be overestimated between a factor of 50 and 100, respectively. Based on these considerations, we proposed initial and steady‐state uptake values of the order of 10^?4 and 10^?5, respectively. On kaolinite, the uptake coefficient decreased with increasing O₃ residence time τ_g thus indicating a complex mechanism. In contrast, γ decreased and became independent of τ_g at long residence time after long exposure to O₃. For all uptake experiments the disappearance of O₃ was accompanied by the formation of O₂. The different mineral dust surrogates may be more accurately distinguished by their time‐dependent O₂ yield r(t) rather than the magnitude of γ. The heterogeneous reaction of O₃ on mineral dust has been found to be noncatalytic and of limited importance in the atmosphere. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 407–419, 2006     

Mechanism and Kinetics of Heterogeneous Reactions of Unsaturated Organic Acids on α‐Al2O3 and CaCO3

Heterogeneous reactions have a vital role in the atmosphere due to their significant effects on the evolution of atmospheric aerosols, which in turn contribute to air pollution. However, the mechanism and kinetics of these processes involving unsaturated organic acids, important types of volatile organic compounds, are still unclear. In this work, the heterogeneous uptake of two representative atmospheric unsaturated organic acids (acrylic acid and methacrylic acid) on mineral aerosols including α‐Al₂O₃ and CaCO₃ are investigated using a Knudsen cell reactor and an in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS) reactor. The corresponding reaction pathways are proposed from the DRIFTS analysis. In addition, the initial uptake coefficients of unsaturated organic acids and their heterogeneous fate are obtained for the first time. Our results suggest that heterogeneous reactions on α‐Al₂O₃ and CaCO₃ can be important sinks for acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, as well as possible contributors to the organic coating found on atmospheric aerosols, especially in high‐pollution events.     

The interaction between adsorbed OH and O2 on TiO2 surfaces

Reduced TiO₂(110) surfaces usually have OH groups as a result of H₂O dissociation at oxygen vacancy defects. Because of excess electrons due to OH adsorption, OH/TiO₂ exhibit interesting properties favorable to further O₂ or H₂O adsorption. Both O₂ and H₂O can adsorb and easily diffuse on the OH/TiO₂ surface; such behavior plays a significant role in photocatalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, electronic devices and sensors. Indeed, the processes of H₂O dissociation, O₂ and H₂O diffusion on such TiO₂ surfaces, in the presence of OH groups, are important issues in their own right. Herein, the most recent experimental and theoretical progresses in understanding the interactions between adsorbed OH groups and O₂, or H₂O, over TiO₂(110) surfaces and their implications will be reviewed.     

A theoretical study of the H2SO4+H2O → HSO4 −+H3O+ reaction at the surface of aqueous aerosols

The surface region of sulfate aerosols (supercooled aqueous concentrated sulfuric acid solutions) is the likely site of a number of important heterogeneous reactions in various locations in the atmosphere, but the surface region ionic composition is not known. As a first step in exploring this issue, the first acid ionization reaction for sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄ + H₂O HSO₄^– + H₃O⁺, is studied via electronic structure calculations at the Hartree–Fock level on an H₂SO₄ molecule embedded in the surface region of a cluster containing 33 water molecules. An initial H₂SO₄ configuration is selected which could produce H₃O⁺ readily available for heterogeneous reactions, but which involves reduced solvation and is consistent with no dangling OH bonds for H₂SO₄. It is found that at 0 K and with zero-point energy included, the proton transfer is endothermic by 3.4 kcal/mol. This result is discussed in the context of reactions on sulfate aerosol surfaces and, further, more complex calculations.Contribution to the Jacopo Tomasi Honorary Issue     

Thermal analysis of lanthanum hydroxide

Lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃) is of great interest as catalyst material. When La₂O₃ particles are prepared from lanthanum hydroxide (La(OH)₃) by thermal processes under air, various oxycarbonate phases are formed which are resistant to thermal hydroxylation. This phenomenon has not yet been extensively investigated, even though oxycarbonate phases at the particle surfaces cause a change in lanthanum oxide??s catalytic activity. The carbonate phases formed cannot be detected by means of XRD or REM-EDX investigations due to their detection limits. Thermal analysis, particularly TG-FT-IR, allows not only for the detection of the carbonate phases in La(OH)₃, but also for the tracking of the entire dehydration process from La(OH)₃ via LaOOH to La₂O₃ as well as the correct interpretation of mass changes during the thermal transformations. Pursuant to the investigations here carried out, it was determined that carbonate-free lanthanum hydroxide compounds can only be prepared and stored in a CO₂-free protective gas atmosphere (e.g., argon).     

柠檬烯和柠檬烯氧化物与硫酸的非均相反应动力学

主要对天然挥发性有机物柠檬烯和柠檬烯氧化物在30%-80% (w)硫酸表面的非均相吸收反应进行了研究, 借以评估天然挥发性有机物与大气环境中的酸性气溶胶的反应活性. 采用自行搭建的配以单光子激光电离飞行时间质谱的湿壁流动反应管的设备对柠檬烯及其氧化物在硫酸表面的非均相吸收动力学进行了测定,计算了稳态摄取系数(γ). 实验结果表明, 柠檬烯氧化物在硫酸表面比只含有双键的柠檬烯的反应活性高, 室温下柠檬烯氧化物在30%-50% (w)硫酸上对应的稳态摄取系数是(7.100±0.023)×10^-5-(8.150±0.162)×10^-3. 此外, 还利用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用和电喷雾电离质谱(ESI-MS)对柠檬烯氧化物与硫酸的体相反应产物进行了研究, 产物包括单萜烯、松油醇、水合萜二醇和水合萜二醇二硫酸酯. 其中, 水合萜二醇二硫酸酯作为有机硫酸酯的一种, 能够改变气溶胶的吸湿性, 增强云凝结核的活性, 对于大气中灰霾的形成可能有明显的促进作用.     

Ferric hydrous oxide sols I. Monodispersed basic iron(III) sulfate particles

The methods of preparation of basic ferric sulfate sols consisting of particles uniform in shape of extremely narrow size distribution are described in detail. To produce such sols, acidic solutions containing ferric ions and sulfate ions were aged at elevated temperatures for a few hours. Solids formed from solutions containing a mixture of a ferric salt with a metal sulfate consisted of Fe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₅· 2H₂O, which is the basic formulation for the alunite mineral group, whereas particles formed from ferric sulfate solutions also included Fe₄(SO₄)-(OH)₁₀ in varying proportions. The morphology of the particles was strongly dependent on the [Fe³⁺]: [SO₄²⁻] ratio in solution. Changes in the cation (K⁺, NH₄⁺, Na⁺) of the sulfate salt used in the mixture with ferric nitrate solutions greatly affected the particle size and also exhibited some effect on the lattice parameters. Certain cations (Mg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺) completely inhibited particle formation. During the first few hours of growth of the Fe₃(SO₄)₂-(OH)₅· 2H₂0 particles their diameters increased essentially linearly with time, indicating that the rate determining step was the surface reaction. The relevance of these systems to the study of corrosion of iron and steel is discussed.