Thermal coefficient of linear expansion of non-crystalline chalcogenides in the As-S-Se-Te-I system

The object of the paper is an investigation of the glasses of the (As₂S₃)_x(AsSe_0.5Te_0.5I)_100-x. type for 65≤;x≤;95, using methods of thermomechanical analysis. Values of the thermal coefficients of linear expansion in solid and visco-plastic phase were determined. it was shown that introducing arsenic-sulfide in glass-matrix AsChI, i.e. (AsSe_0.5Te_0.5I), leads to an increasing stability of these glasses. The characteristic temperatures of softening Tg and the temperature of the beginning of deformation t_w increase by increasing content of As₂S₃. The analytical forms of dependence of four significant physical values α_g, α_l, Tg, Tw, as a function of As₂S₃ content in the structure of glasses were fitted. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electrophysical properties of materials based on BaGdCo2O5 + δ

The phase composition, linear thermal expansion coefficient, electroconductivity (in the temperature interval 600–900°C and partial pressures of oxygen 10⁻⁵–0.21 atm) of solid-oxide materials based on gadolinium-barium cobaltite doped with 3d-elements BaGdCo_{2 − x} Me _x O_{5 + δ}, Me = Cu, Fe; x = 0.0, 0.2, …, 2.0 were investigated. The homogeneity regions of samples were established by means of X-ray phase analysis. It was shown that the linear thermal expansion coefficient of cobaltite decreases with an increase in the copper or iron concentration. It was established that the electroconductivity of BaGdCo_{2 − x} Me _x O_{5 + δ} decreases with an increase in x. We concluded that upon a decrease in p(O₂), the electroconductivity of samples first decreases and then reaches a horizontal plateau.     

Sol-gel prepared copper doped SiO2 glasses

SiO₂ glasses doped with nano-sized copper particles were prepared through sol-gel method. Samples with nominal composition xCu–(1–x)SiO₂ (x=0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) were prepared by hydrolyzing tetraethylorthosilicate with various amounts of Cu(NO₃)₂. The dried gels were heat treated at 400, 500, 600, 700°C for 10 hrs under flowing 5% H₂-95% N₂ mixture gas to reduce Cu⁺² ions to metallic copper. The amorphous nature of the SiO₂ matrix was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. The size of particulate copper metal, which was determined by transmission electron microscopy, increases with the temperature of heat treatment and the copper content. The local structure of SiO₂ matrix was probed by FTIR. The silica matrix has no major structural change for gels heat treated at different temperatures and with different copper contents.     

Room‐Temperature Synthesis of Cu2−xE (E=S,Se) Nanotubes with Hierarchical Architecture as High‐Performance Counter Electrodes of Quantum‐Dot‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Copper chalcogenide nanostructures (e.g. one‐ dimensional nanotubes) have been the focus of interest because of their unique properties and great potential in various applications. Their current fabrications mainly rely on high‐temperature or complicated processes. Here, with the assistance of theoretical prediction, we prepared Cu_2?xE (E=S, Se) micro‐/nanotubes (NTs) with a hierarchical architecture by using copper nanowires (Cu NWs), stable sulfur and selenium powder as precursors at room temperature. The influence of reaction parameters (e.g. precursor ratio, ligands, ligand ratio, and reaction time) on the formation of nanotubes was comprehensively investigated. The resultant Cu_2?xE (E=S, Se) NTs were used as counter electrodes (CE) of quantum‐dot‐sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) to achieve a conversion efficiency (η) of 5.02 and 6.25 %, respectively, much higher than that of QDSSCs made with Au CE (η=2.94 %).     

Kinetic Studies of Bulk Ge22Se78−xBix (x=0, 4 and 8) Semiconducting Glasses

Results of phase transformations, enthalpy released and specific heat of Ge₂₂Se_78–xBi_x(x=0, 4 and 8) chalcogenide glasses, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), under non-isothermal condition have been reported and discussed. The glass transition temperature, T _g, is found to increase with an average coordination number and heating rates. Following Gibbs—Dimarzio equation, the calculated values of T _g (i.e. 462.7, 469.7 and 484.4 K) and the experimental values (i.e. 463.1, 467.3 and 484.5 K) increase with Bi concentration. Both values of T _g, at a heating rate of 5 K min^–1, are found to be in good agreement. The glass transition activation energy increases i.e. 102±2, 109±3 and 115±8 kJ mol^–1 with Bi concentration. The demand for thermal stability has been ensured through the temperature difference T _c–T _g and the enthalpy released during the crystallization process. Below T _g, specific heat has been observed to be temperature independent but highly compositional dependent. The growth kinetic has been investigated using the Kissinger, Ozawa, Matusita and modified JMA equations. Results indicate that the crystallization ability is enhanced, the activation energy of crystallization increases with increasing the Bi content and the crystal growth of these glasses occur in 3 dimensions.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Glass Stability and Glass Forming Ability of Ge25−xSe75Sbx (x = 12, 15, and 18) Chalcogenide Glasses Using Thermal Parameters

In the present communication glass stability (GS) and glass forming ability (GFA) of Ge_25−xSe₇₅Sb_x (x = 12, 15, and 18) chalcogenide glasses have been calculated in terms of certain thermal parameters, i.e., reduced glass transition temperature (T_rg), Hruby number (H), S-parameter (S), and ΔT. The glassy samples have been prepared by quenching of melt technique. For structure characterization, XRD technique has been used. For thermal analysis Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC) has been used. DSC scans have been recorded at different heating rates, i.e., 5, 10, 15, and 20 K min⁻¹. Stability of glassy samples has also been confirmed in terms of activation energy of glass transition calculated by Kissinger relation. All these parameters indicate that GS and GFA both decrease with increase of Sb content in Ge_25−xSe₇₅Sb_x (x = 12, 15, and 18) glassy series.     

Galvanic synthesis of copper selenides Cu2 − x Se and CuSe in alkaline sodium selenosulfate aqueous solution

Spherical copper selenide nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a simple reaction of sodium selenosulfate with metal copper at room temperature in alkaline Na₂SeSO₃ aqueous solution. It is a galvanic process that operates on a coupled anodic copper oxidation and selenosulfate reduction. 1-Thioglycerol is found to catalyze this reaction. With gold and graphite as the positive electrodes, nanocrystallites of nonstoichiometric copper selenide (Cu_2 − x Se) and stoichiometric copper selenides (CuSe) were produced, respectively. The XRD study shows that the produced CuSe and Cu_2 − x Se are in the pure hexagonal phase and clausthalite phase, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the diameters of the produced CuSe and Cu_2 − x Se NPs are in the range of 10∼20 and 5∼15 nm, respectively.     

Sol-Gel Synthesis Route for the Preparation of Y(Ba1−x Sr x )2Cu4O8 Superconducting Oxides

Superconducting oxide ceramics of composition Y(Ba_1–x Sr _x )₂Cu₄O₈ (x = 0.00, 0.10, and 0.20) have been prepared by a simple sol-gel method based on the complexation of metal ions in aqueous medium, by chelating acetate and tartarate ligands. Homogeneous sols were obtained by complexing copper ions with tartaric acid, which prevented the flocculation of copper acetate during the gelation process. Single-phase bulk samples were obtained after firing the mixed-metal polymeric acetate-tartarate precursor to 835°C for 70 h in flowing oxygen atmosphere. Thermal decomposition of the gels was studied by thermogravimetry. Effect of strontium substitution on the properties of the compounds was studied by X-ray powder diffraction, electron microscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and resistivity measurements. These data indicate that nearly monophasic Y(Ba_1–x Sr _x )₂Cu₄O₈ superconducting samples were obtained for x < 0.30. The Sr-doping in the YBa₂Cu₄O₈ (Y-124) phase shows a pronounced effect on the superconducting properties enhancing the critical temperature from 78 K (for the non-substituted sample) to 88 K (for Y(Ba_1–x Sr _x )₂Cu₄O₈).     

Characterization and Activity of Cu‐MnOx/γ‐Al2O3 Catalyst for Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide

The effect of manganese on the dispersion, reduction behavior and active states of surface of supported copper oxide catalysts have been investigated by XRD, temperature‐programmed reduction and XPS. The activity of methanol synthesis from CO₂/H₂ was also investigated. The catalytic activity over CuO‐MnO_x/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst for CO₂ hydrogenation is higher than that of CuO/γ‐Al₂O₃. The adding of manganese is beneficial in enhancing the dispersion of the supported copper oxide and make the TPR peak of the CuO‐MnK_x/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst different from the individual supported copper and manganese oxide catalysts, which indicates that there exists strong interaction between the copper and manganese oxide. For the CuO/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst there are two reducible copper oxide species; α and β peaks are attributed to the reduction of highly dispersed copper oxide species and bulk CuO species, respectively. For the CuO‐MnO_x/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst, four reduction peaks are observed, α peak is attributed to the dispersed copper oxide species; β peak is ascribed to the bulk CuO; γ peak is attributed to the reduction of high dispersed CuO interacting with manganese; δ peak may be the reduction of the manganese oxide interacting with copper oxide. XPS results show that Cu⁺ mostly existed on the working surface of the Cu‐Mn/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalysts. The activity was promoted by Cu with positive charge which was formed by means of long path exchange function between Cu? O? Mn. These results indicate that there is synergistic interaction between the copper and manganese oxide, which is responsible for the high activity of CO₂ hydrogenation.     

Effect of temperature and dopant concentration on the conductivity of samaria-doped ceria electrolyte

The conductivity, σ, of a samaria-doped ceria electrolyte is studied as a function of temperature and dopant concentration, x, which was from 5 to 30 mol%. It is shown that a maximum in σ versus x corresponds to a minimum in activation energy. It is found that the conductivity is completely due to oxygen vacancy conduction. The conductivity increases with increasing samaria doping and reaches a maximum for (CeO₂)_0.8(SmO_1.5)_0.2, which has a conductivity of 5.6×10^–1 S/cm at 800 °C. A curvature at T=T _c, the critical temperature, has been observed in the Arrhenius plot. This phenomenon may be explained by a model which proposed that, below T _c, nucleation of mobile oxygen vacancies into ordered clusters occurs, and, above T _c, all oxygen vacancies appear to be mobile without interaction with dopant cation. In addition, the composition dependences of both the critical temperature and the trapping energy are consistent with that of the activation energy. Electronic Publication     

Kinetic study of zirconia crystallization from amorphous ZrO2-SiO2 composite precursors processed by sol-gel chemistry

Powder precursor gels with composition xZrO₂·(100–x)SiO₂, with selected values of x=8, 24, 43 and 75 mol%, were processed by sol-gel chemistry. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was used to study crystallization in (cubic/tetragonal)-ZrO₂ during the heating of the reactive amorphous precursors. Kinetic parameters such as activation energy, Avrami's exponent and frequency factor have been simultaneously calculated from the computed DTA data using a previously reported kinetic model. The crystallization temperature decreases relative to the increase in the amount of ZrO₂, the value of the kinetic parameter of the crystallization being related to the value of x.     

Can Dynamics Be Responsible for the Complex Multipeak Infrared Spectra of NO Adsorbed to Copper(II) Sites in Zeolites?

Copper‐exchanged SSZ‐13 is a very efficient material in the selective catalytic reduction of NO_x using ammonia (deNO_x‐SCR) and characterizing the underlying distribution of copper sites in the material is of prime importance to understand its activity. The IR spectrum of NO adsorbed to divalent copper sites are modeled using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. For most sites, complex multi‐peak spectra induced by the thermal motion of the cation as well as the adsorbate are found. A finite temperature spectrum for a specific catalyst was constructed, which shows excellent agreement with previously reported data. Additionally these findings allow active and inactive species in deNO_x‐SCR to be identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time such complex spectra for single molecules adsorbed to single active centers have been reported in heterogeneous catalysis, and we expect similar effects to be important in a large number of systems with mobile active centers.     

Thermochemistry of the binary system nitrocellulose+N-nitrodiethanolamine dinitrate

The melting and mixing enthalpy of the binary system nitrocellulose and N-nitrodiethanolamine dinitrate (DINA) was determined by DSC. The mixing enthalpy H _max^M = 1.95 kJ mol⁻¹ had maximum at mass fraction x _wDINA=0.46. The influence of samples storing on glass and endothermic transitions were studied. The temperature range of glass transition broadened with x _wDINA what proved the increase of samples heterogeneity. For x _wDINA≤0.750 no influence of samples storing on the phase changes was observed. The heat capacity change decreased and temperature range of glass transition increased for x _wDINA≤0.500 what indicated the reduction of glass phase fraction in studied samples.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry and the thermodynamic and structural properties of double perovskites PrBaCo2 ? xCuxO5 + δ

The special features of the structure, electrophysical properties, and oxygen nonstoichiometry of new double perovskites PrBaCo_{2 − x} Cu _x O_{5 + δ} were studied. Within the homogeneity region with respect to copper 0 < x ≤ 1, solid solution samples had an orthorhombic structure (space group Pmmm) with the parameters a _p × 2a _p × 2a _p , where a _p ≈ 3.8 ?. The oxygen nonstoichiometry of PrBaCo_{2 − x} Cu _x O_{5 + δ} changes as the copper content increases approximately as δ ≈ 0.85 − x/2. The content of oxygen was measured by coulometric titration over wide temperature and oxygen pressure ranges. The partial thermodynamic functions of labile oxygen were calculated and the limits of the thermodynamic stability of the solid solution were established. Original Russian Text ? A.Yu. Suntsov, I.A. Leonidov, A.A. Markov, M.V. Patrakeev, Ya.N. Blinovskov, V.L. Kozhevnikov, 2009, published in Zhurnal Fizicheskoi Khimii, 2009, Vol. 83, No. 5, pp. 954–960.     

Synthesis and Structural Determination of the Disordered Bixbyite Cu3‐xSb1+xO5.5+3x/2 with Spin‐Glass Behaviour

The ternary copper antimony oxide Cu_3‐xSb_1+xO_5.5+3x/2 (x=0.23) has been synthesized under 0.8–1.3 MPa pO₂ at 1022–1082 °C. Rietveld refinements of X‐ray and neutron powder diffraction patterns concluded that the oxide adopts a bixbyite type structure, crystallising in the cubic space group Ia‐3 with the unit cell parameter a=9.61164(4) Å at room temperature from powder neutron diffraction data. The cationic 8b and 24d sites were found to be occupationally disordered where both Cu and Sb could be found on both sites. This is supported by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy experiments showing more than one possible Cu environment. There was a significant net deficiency of oxygen in the compound which was first inferred from observations of a thermochromic‐like phenomena and also seen from in situ high temperature neutron diffraction experiments. Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements show paramagnetic behaviour with spin‐glass like transition below 6 K.     

Thermodynamic study of Cu-Tl-Te system using EMF technique with Cu<Subscript>4</Subscript>RbCl<Subscript>3</Subscript>I<Subscript>2</Subscript> solid electrolyte

The EMF method with a solid Cu⁺-conducting electrolyte of Cu₄RbCl₃I₂ was sued to study the Cu-Tl-Te system in the temperature range of 300–420 K. A diagram of solid-phase equilibriums of this system is constructed, partial molar functions of copper in alloys, standard thermodynamic functions of formation and standard entropies of CuTlTe₂, CuTl₄Te₃, Cu₂TlTe₂, Cu₃TlTe₂, Cu₉TlTe₅ triple compounds and Cu _x Tl_{5 − x} Te₃ solid solutions (0 < x < 1) are calculated. The obtained results confirmed the assumption as to the possibility of using this modification for the EMF technique for thermodynamic studies of copper-containing triple systems, even if they contain a less noble component than copper.     

Deposition of copper‐doped iron sulfide (CuxFe1−xS) thin films using aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition technique

Copper‐doped iron sulfide (Cu_xFe_1?xS, x = 0.010–0.180) thin films were deposited using a single‐source precursor, Cu(LH)₂Cl₂ (LH = monoacetylferrocene thiosemicarbazone), by aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. The Cu‐doped FeS thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures, i.e. 250, 300, 350, 400 and 450 °C. The deposited thin films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX) and atomic force microscopy. XRD studies of Cu‐doped FeS thin films at all the temperatures revealed formation of single‐phase FeS structure. With increasing substrate temperature from 250 to 450 °C, there was change in morphology from wafer‐like to cylindrical plate‐like. EDX analysis showed that the doping percentage of copper increased as the substrate temperature increased from 250 to 450 °C. Raman data supports the doping of copper in FeS films. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Excess and partial excess molar volumes of mixing of N,N-dibutyl-2-ethylhexamide with dodecanol

Excess and excess partial molar volumes of mixing of the system N,N-dibutyl-2-ethylhexylamide (DBEHA) + dodecanol (DDA) were determined at 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65°C. The excess molar volumes exhibit a maxima at each temperature at approximatelyx _DBEHA = 0.3 and a minima close tox _DBEHA = 0.9. The values of the excess volumes in general increase with the temperature. The partial excess molar volumes are calculated from the smoothed data and the results are discussed in the light of postulated amide-alcohol interactions.     

Thermal analysis study of Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3-x</Subscript>Er<Subscript>x</Subscript>O<Subscript>10+δ</Subscript> glass-ceramic system

Summary We have fabricated glasses in the Bi-2223 HT_c superconductor system with Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu_3-xEr_xO_{10+ δ} nominal composition, where x=0.5 and 1.0, by the glass-ceramic technique. Using an analysis developed for non-isothermal crystallization studies, information on some aspects of crystallization temperature and thermal properties has been obtained. The crystallization studies were made using DTA with several uniform rates. The calculations of crystallization activation energies, E_a, and the Avrami parameters, n, were made based on the non-isothermal kinetic theory of Kissinger and the Ozawa’s equations. The DTA data of the samples showed that the first crystallization temperature, T_x1, increases and the second crystallization temperature, T_x2, decreases by increasing the Er concentration. This suggests that the Er substitution had significant effect on the glassification of the BSCCO material due to change on the surface nucleation and increased ionic activities at high temperature region. The activation energy for crystallization, E_a, of the samples was also showed an increase at high Er concentration case. However, the Avrami parameter, n, decreased from 2.5 to 1.7 for x=0.5 and 1.0 samples, respectively. This suggests that the growth mechanism is diffusion-controlled and three-dimensional parabolic growth takes place near the first crystallization temperature. The oxidization rates and the activation barrier for oxygen out-diffusion process, E, was calculated using the TG data. It was found that the total mass gain in the x=0.5 sample is comparably smaller than that of the x=1.0 sample. This shows that the oxygen absorption of the x=1.0 sample is faster than the x=0.5 sample, leading to increase in the oxidization rate in the x=1.0 material.     

Mechanochemical Synthesis and Temperature‐Dependent Optical Properties of Thermochromic (Ag1−xCux)2HgI4

Thermochromic materials are generally synthesized via high‐temperature melting reaction or solution‐based synthesis. Herein, all‐inorganic thermochromic compounds of (Ag_1?xCu_x)₂HgI₄ were synthesized by solvent‐free simple and scalable mechanochemical grinding at room temperature. Temperature‐dependent electronic absorption spectroscopy along with DSC analysis confirmed the thermochromic events within these materials, and the phase transition temperature varied with solid solution compositions. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra is red‐shifted with the increase in the Cu content in (Ag_1?xCu_x)₂HgI₄ (x=0–1).