Low-Temperature Synthesis of Nanosize Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ Phosphor from the Precursor Sol in Supercritical Ethanol and its Photoluminescent Properties

Acetylcellulose (AC)/silica and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/silica composites were prepared by the sol–gel method from Si(OCH₃)₄-AC-HNO₃-H₂O-tetrahydrofuran-CH₃OC₂H₄OH and Si(OCH₃)₄-PVP-(CH₃COOH or NH₃)-H₂O-CH₃OH-CH₃OC₂H₄OH solutions. AC/silica composites were composed of micrometer-sized particles rich in silica and a matrix rich in AC, while PVP/silica composites were single-phase on the SEM length scale. The AC/silica composites exhibited elastic-plastic behavior, and had excellent machinability without chipping on cutting with an electric saw while the PVP/silica composites showed less plasticity and machinability. Youngs modulus and bending strength were increased by post-drying, 1.8–2.8 GPa and 49–88 MPa, respectively, for the AC/silica composites, and 1.0–3.9 GPa and 17–79 MPa, respectively, for the PVP/silica composites.     

Synthesis of uniform-sized bimetallic iron–nickel phosphide nanorods

We synthesized uniform-sized nanorods of iron–nickel phosphides from the thermal decomposition of metal–phosphine complexes. Uniform-sized (Fe_xNi_1−x)₂P nanorods (0x1) of various compositions were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Ni–trioctylphosphine (TOP) complex and Fe–TOP complex. By measuring magnetic properties, we found that blocking temperature and coercive field depend on Ni content in the nanorods. Both parameters were more sensitive to doping compared with bulk samples.     

Characterization of Fumed Alumina/Silica/Titania in the Gas Phase and in Aqueous Suspension

Fumed oxide alumina/silica/titania was studied in comparison with fumed alumina, silica, titania, alumina/silica, and titania/silica by means of XRD, ¹H NMR, IR, optical, dielectric relaxation, and photon correlation spectroscopies, electrophoresis, and quantum chemical methods. The explored Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ consists of amorphous alumina (22 wt%), amorphous silica (28 wt%), and crystalline titania (50 wt%, with a blend of anatase (88%) and rutile (12%)) and has a wide assortment of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites, which provide a greater acidity than that of individual fumed alumina, silica, or titania and an acidity close to that of fumed alumina/silica or titania/silica. The changes in the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of interfacial water in an aqueous suspension of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ are close to the ΔG values of the dispersions of pure rutile but markedly lower than those of alumina, anatase, or rutile covered by alumina and silica. The zeta potential of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ (pH of the isoelectric point (IEP) equals ≈3.3) is akin to that of fumed titania (pH(IEP_TiO2) ≈ 6) at pH > 6, but it significantly differs from the ζ of fumed alumina (pH(IEP_Al2O3) ≈ 9.8) at any pH value as well as those of fumed silica, titania/silica, and alumina/silica at pH < 6. The particle size distribution in the diluted aqueous suspensions of Al₂O₃/SiO₂/TiO₂ studied by means of photon correlation spectroscopy depends relatively slightly on pH in contrast to the titania/silica or alumina/silica dispersions. Theoretical calculations of oxide cluster interaction with water show a high probability of hydrolysis of Al–O–Ti and Si–O–Ti bonds strained at the interface of alumina/titania or silica/titania due to structural differences in the lattices of the corresponding individual oxides. Ab initio calculated chemical shift δ_H values of H atoms in different hydroxyl groups at the oxide clusters and in bound water molecules are in agreement with the ¹H NMR data and show a significant impact of charged particles (H₃O⁺ or OH⁻) on the average δ_H values of water droplets with (H₂O)_n at n between 2 and 48.     

Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Micro-Extraction of Pesticides from Single Insects with Subsequent GC–MS Analysis

A simple multiresidue method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) micro-extraction was studied to determine various organophosphorus (OPPs) and pyrethroid pesticides in single insects. Optimisation of the relevant parameters showed that, in the case of OPPs and permethrin, extraction from 40 mg of isopod (Porcellio scaber) and the use of C₈-bonded silica and 100 L of ethyl acetate were the best conditions, while silica and 3.5 mL of n-hexane were optimal for the less polar pyrethroids. Subsequently, 1 L (ethyl acetate) or 20 L (n-hexane) of the extracts were analysed by GC–MS without any further clean-up. The limits of detection (LODs), in the SIM mode, were 5–80 ng g^–1 for most OPPs and trans-permethrin (cis-permethrin 0.3 ng g^–1) when using the C₈-bonded silica/ethyl acetate procedure, and 5–35 ng g^–1 for the pyrethroids when using the silica/n-hexane procedure. The recoveries of the OPPs and pyrethroids from the isopods were 52–94%. The practicality of the proposed method was studied for pesticides in isopods which had been fed polluted leaves.     

Effect of the Measurement Temperature on the Dispersive Component of the Surface Free Energy of a Heat Treated SiO2 Xerogel

The surface free energy of a monolithic silica xerogel treated at 1000°C has been measured by inverse gas chromatography in the temperature range 25–150°C using n-alkanes. Values of the dispersive component, _S ^D, vary from 49.07 mJ·m^–2 at 25°C to 17.20 mJ·m^–2 at 150°C. The _S ^D value obtained at 25°C is lower than that found for amorphous and crystalline silicas but higher than that found for glass fibres meaning that the heat treatment at 1000°C changes drastically the structure of the silica xerogel showing a surface similar to a glass. However, the higher value of _S ^D in comparison to glass fibres can be attributed to the mesoporous structure present in the silica xerogel. In the temperature range of 60–90°C there exists an abrupt change of the _S ^D values as well as in the dispersive component of the surface enthalpy, h _S ^D. Such abrupt change can be attributed to an entropic contribution of the surface free energy.     

Microporous Silica Xerogel Membrane with High Selectivity and High Permeance for Carbon Dioxide Separation

The asymmetric microporous silica xerogel membrane was prepared by sol-gel method. A multi-layer (asymmetric) structure was obtained by silica xerogel layer on top of mesoporous silica layer (mean pore diameter of 4 nm), supported by porous alumina tube (mean pore diameter of 0.1 m). The ratio of the permeances, CO₂/N₂ for this membrane attained more than 60 at 298 K. This value is considerably higher than the theoretical Knudsen value (CO₂/N₂ = 0.8). The gas permeances of this membrane were about 5–10 times higher than the previous membrane. Application of the membrane to an enrichment of CO₂ from air was also investigated. CO₂ in the air (about 300 ppm) was concentrated to more than 1000 ppm by using the membrane at 298 K.     

Mechanism of the grafting of organosilanes on mineral surfaces. IV. Phenylderivatives of sepiolite and poly (organosiloxanes)

Grafting reactions of phenyl groups on silica substrates using as reagents various phenylsilanes with variable distances between the silicon atoms and the aromatic ring by 0, 1, and 2 methylene groups [Si–(CH₂) _n –C₆H₅] were studied. Two different silicates have been selected as source of silica: sepiolite and tetraethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS). Sulfonic- and nitro-derivatives prepared from these phenyl compounds by electrophilic substitution reactions, have been obtained. The mechanism of these processes has been studied in relation to the number of methylene separating groups belonging to the starting reagents. The characterization of such systems has been achieved by XRD,²⁹Si and¹³C NMR/MAS, IR, and laser microprobe mass spectrometry.Parts I, II and III published in this Journal (1978) 256:135–139, (1979) 257:178–181 and (1985) 263:1025–1030     

Nucleation of Titania Nanocrystals in Silica Titania Waveguides

SiO_{2(1 – x)}-TiO_2(x) monomode waveguides at 632.8 nm, with x in the range 0.07–0.2 and thickness of about 0.4 m, were deposited on silica substrates by a dip-coating technique. Nucleation of TiO₂ nanocrystals and the growth of their size by thermal annealing up to 1300°C were studied by waveguided Raman scattering in the SiO_2(0.8)-TiO_2(0.2) composition. In the low frequency region (5–50 cm^–1) of the VV and HV polarized Raman spectra the symmetric and quadrupolar acoustic vibrations are observed. The mean size of the titania particles are obtained from the frequencies of the Raman peaks. The results are compared with those obtained from the measure of the linewidths in the X-ray diffraction spectra. Nanocrystals with a mean size in the range 4–20 nm are obtained by thermal annealing in a corresponding range of 700–1300°C.     

Tin(IV) complexes ofSchiff bases derived from salicylaldehyde and aminoalcohols

11 and 12 molar reactions of tin(IV) chloride with theSchiff bases, HO–C₆H₄CHNROH [where R=–(CH₂)₂–, –CH₂–, –CH(CH₃)–, –(CH₂)₃–, and –CH(C₂H₅)CH₂–] have been studied in different stoichiometric ratios and derivatives of the type SnCl₄(SBH₂) and SnCl₄(SBH₂)₂ (whereSBH₂ represents theSchiff base molecule) have been isolated. These have been characterised by elemental analysis, conductivity measurements and I.R. spectral studies.     

Photochemical Preparation of Nanoparticles of Ag in Aqueous-Alcoholic Solutions and on the Surface of Mesoporous Silica

Stable nanoparticle colloids of silver were obtained by irradiation of aqueous-alcoholic solutions of AgNO₃ in the presence of mesoporous SiO₂ powder and films modified with benzophenone (BP/SiO₂). Colloidal solutions of Ludox silica were used to stabilize the photochemically produced nanoparticles of silver in solution. Formation of nanoparticles of Ag on the surface of mesoporous silica occurred on irradiation of SiO₂ modified with silver ions (Ag⁺/SiO₂) in the presence of benzophenone solution.__________Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Eksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 100–104, March–April, 2005.     

Determination of traces of bismuth by quenching of solid-substrate room-temperature phosphorescence from morin-labeled silicon dioxide nano-particles

Silicon dioxide nano-particles, diameter 50 nm, containing morin (morin–SiO₂) have been synthesized by the sol–gel method. They emit strong and stable room-temperature phosphorescence (SS-RTP) on filter paper as substrate, and bismuth can quench the intensity of the SS-RTP. On this basis a new morin–SiO₂ solid-substrate room-temperature phosphorescence-quenching method has been established for determination of traces of bismuth. Reduction of phosphorescence intensity (I_p) is directly proportional to the concentration of bismuth in the working range 0.16–14.4 ag spot^–1 (sample volume 0.40 L spot^–1, corresponding to the concentration range 0.40–36.0 fg mL^–1). The regression equation of the working curve is I_p=14.86+5.279×[Bi³⁺] (ag spot^–1) (n=6, r=0.9982). The detection limit of this method is 0.026 ag spot^–1 (corresponding to a concentration of 6.5×10^–17 g mL^–1).This sensitive, reproducible and accurate method has been used for successful analysis of real samples.     

Synthesis of hollow spherical silica with MCM-41 mesoporous structure

Hollow spherical mesoporous silica was synthesized by using sodium silicate as a precursor and a low concentration of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) (0.154 mol dm^–3). The resulting hollow spherical particles were characterized with scanning electron microcopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction (SXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N₂ gas adsorption and desorption techniques. The results showed that regular spherical mesoporous silica could be obtained only if the molar ratio of propanol to CTAB was in the range of approximately 8:1–9:1. The spherical particles were hollow (inside), and the shell consisted of smaller particles with a pore structure of hexagonal symmetry. With an increase of the molar ratio of propanol to CTAB, the distance (a value) between centers of two adjacent pores increased, and the pore structure of mesoporous silica became less ordered. N₂ adsorption–desorption curves revealed type IV isotherms and H1 hysteresis loops; with an increase of the molar ratio of propanol to CTAB, the pore size with Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) diameter of the most probable distribution decreased, but the half peak width of the pore size distribution peak increased     

Sol-Gel Processing and Luminescent Properties of Rare-Earth Oxyfluoride Materials

Luminescent rare-earth oxyfluoride materials were prepared by a sol-gel method using trifluoroacetic acid as a fluorine source. Crystalline (La, Eu)OF powders and thin films were obtained by heating gels at typically 600–800°C. Transparent SiO₂-LaOF glass-ceramic thin films were also prepared by mixing the trifluoroacetate sols and silica sols, spin-coating on silica glass substrates and heating at temperatures 600–900°C. Eu³⁺ ions doped in the oxyfluoride materials exhibited a strong red ⁵D₀ ⁷F₂ emission (611 nm) by a charge-transfer (O^2–-Eu³⁺) excitation with ultra-violet radiation (265 nm). It was strongly suggested that the Eu³⁺ activators were preferentially incorporated into the crystalline LaOF phase in the SiO₂-LaOF glass-ceramics.     

Investigation of the effect of calcination temperature on HMDS-treated ordered mesoporous silica film

To reduce signal delay in ultra-large-scale integrated circuits, an intermetal dielectric with low dielectric constant is required. Ordered mesoporous silica film is appropriate for use as an intermetal dielectric due to its low dielectric constant and superior mechanical properties. To reduce the dielectric constant, an ordered mesoporous silica film prepared by a tetraethoxysilane/methyltriethoxysilane silica precursor and Brij-76 block copolymer was surface-modified by hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) treatment. HMDS treatment substituted OH with Si(CH₃)₃ groups on the silica surface. After treatment, ordered mesoporous silica films were calcined at various calcination temperatures, and the calcination temperature to obtain optimal structural, electrical, and mechanical properties was determined to be approximately 300 °C.     

Chronovoltammetry of electrolytic molybdenum oxides at the electrochemical intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ions

Chemical diffusion coefficients of lithium ions in processes of electrochemical intercalation/deintercalation in electrolytic molybdenum oxides and the parameter of interaction between the intercalated particles (g) have been obtained by the following methods: the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT), the potential relaxation technique after current interruption (PRT), and the potential intermittent titration technique (PITT). In the potential range 2.40–1.40 V the values of of the order of 10^–11–10^–13 cm²/s have been obtained for Mo₄O₁₁ oxide. Intercalation/deintercalation was realized in one phase when g>4.Presented at the 3rd International Meeting on Advanced Batteries and Accumulators, 16–20 June 2002, Brno, Czech Republic     

Preparation of Silica Microspheres Containing Ag Nanoparticles

Two sol-gel fabrication processes were investigated to make silica spheres containing Ag nanoparticles: (1) a modified Stöber method for silica spheres below 1 m size, and (2) a SiO₂-film formation method on spheres of 3–;7 m size. The spheres were designed to incorporate silver nanoparticles of high ⁽³⁾ in a spherical optical cavity structure for the resonance effect. For the incorporation, interaction between [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ ion and Si-OH was important. In the Stöber method, the size of the silica spheres was determined by a charge balance of plus and minus ions on the silica surface. In the film formation method, the capture of Ag complex ion on the silica surface depended on whether the surface was covered with OH groups or not. After doping [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ into silica particles or SiO₂ films on the spheres, these ions w ere reduced by NaBH₄ to form silver nanoparticles. From plasma absorption at around 420 nm wavelength and TEM photographs of nanometer-sized silver particles, their formation inside the spherical cavity structures was confirmed.     

Porous cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanorods: Facile syntheses, optical property and application in lithium-ion batteries

We developed a facile synthetic route of porous cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanorods via a microemulsion-based method in combination with subsequent calcination process. The porous structure was formed by controlled decomposition of the microemulsion-synthesized precursor CoC₂O₄ nanorods without destruction of the original morphology. The as-prepared Co₃O₄ nanorods, consisting of small nanoparticles with diameter of 80–150 nm, had an average diameter of 200 nm and a length of 3–5 μm. The morphology and structure of synthesized samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The phase and composition were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The optical property of Co₃O₄ nanorods was investigated. Moreover, the porous Co₃O₄ nanorods exhibited high electrochemical performance when applied as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, which gives them good potential applications.     

Infrared and infrared emission spectroscopy of gallium oxide α-GaO(OH) nanostructures

Infrared spectroscopy has been used to study nano- to micro-sized gallium oxyhydroxide α-GaO(OH), prepared using a low temperature hydrothermal route. Rod-like α-GaO(OH) crystals with average length of 2.5 μm and width of 1.5 μm were prepared when the initial molar ratio of Ga to OH was 1:3. β-Ga₂O₃ nano and micro-rods were prepared through the calcination of α-GaO(OH). The initial morphology of α-GaO(OH) is retained in the β-Ga₂O₃ nanorods.The combination of infrared and infrared emission spectroscopy complimented with dynamic thermal analysis were used to characterise the α-GaO(OH) nanotubes and the formation of β-Ga₂O₃ nanorods. Bands at around 2903 and 2836 cm⁻¹ are assigned to the –OH stretching vibration of α-GaO(OH) nanorods. Infrared bands at around 952 and 1026 cm⁻¹ are assigned to the Ga–OH deformation modes of α-GaO(OH). A significant number of bands are observed in the 620–725 cm⁻¹ region and are assigned to GaO stretching vibrations.     

Synthesis and Characterisation of Aluminium-Zirconium Based Organic-Inorganic Materials via Sol-Gel Route

Monolithic and transparent hybrid Al-Zr gels were obtained by the reaction of homogeneous mixtures of metal alkoxides: (Al(OBu^s)₃ + Zr(OPr)₄) with Butan-1,3-diol at room temperature, without solvent, catalyst, or water. The products have been characterized by IR spectroscopy, DTA and TGA. The results show that the diol has reacted with the mixture of alkoxides leading to the monolithic transparent gels in which both organic-inorganic (–Al–O–R–O–Zr–) and inorganic (–Al–O–Zr–O–) bridges are formed.Xerogels obtained after the drying of gels were pyrolysed at different temperatures in air. The structure and morphology of the obtained materials were studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. At 1200°C, the materials were composed of Al₂O₃, t-ZrO₂ and m-ZrO₂.