Determination of surface potentials from the electrode potentials of a single-crystal electrode

Determination of surface potentials Psi0 at the metal oxide/aqueous solution interface from measured electrode potentials of a metal oxide single-crystal electrode (SCrE) is described. The proposed method is based on the surface complexation model and evaluates the surface potential at the isoelectric point, i.e., at pHiep. This value is used for calculation of Psi0 values from the measured electrode potentials. Both 1-pK and 2-pK models produced the same result so that the procedure does not depend on the assumed mechanism of the surface charging. It is proposed to determine the pristine point of zero charge pHeln and the isoelectric point pHiep, and use these data to set the scale of surface potentials. The value of pHeln can be obtained at a sufficiently low ionic strength where pHpzc coincides with pHiep. The method is demonstrated on the example of the anatase single-crystal electrode. From the shifts of pHiep and pHpzc with respect to the pristine point of zero charge pHeln it was concluded that Cl- ions exhibit higher affinity for association with positively charged surface groups than ClO-4 ions. Also, preferential surface association of Na+ cations compared to both anions was detected. The slopes of the Psi0(pH) functions were found to be significantly lower in magnitude with respect to the Nernst equation, which is due to the high degree of counterion association at the surface caused by their relatively high concentration.     

Changes in the acid-base properties of hydrogels of metal oxide hydroxides induced by aging in solutions of electrolytes

Changes in the acid-base properties of titanium(IV), zirconium(IV), iron(III), chromium(III), and indium(III) hydrogels of oxide hydroxides induced by aging in sodium chloride and sulfate solutions were studied by the point of zero charge method. On aging in a solution of the sulfate electrolyte the hydrogels loose their basic properties much more rapidly than in the chloride solution. The most changes were observed in the region of high pH of the point of zero charge of the hydrogels. The changes in the acid-base properties can be explained by a decrease in the content of surface OH groups with are displaced by the supporting electrolyte ions, and due to the oxolation of the hydrogels. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1329–1332, August, 2000.     

The use of the pH at the point of zero charge for characterizing the properties of oxide hydroxides

The modern theoretical views on the point of zero charge of the oxide hydroxide surface are considered. Methods for determination of the pH of the point of zero charge and the use of this value to characterize the properties of oxide hydroxides are described. Examples of using the pH of the point of zero charge in studies of oxide anodes and amorphous oxide hydroxide sorbents are presented. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1029–1035, June, 1999.     

Synthesis and characterization of goethite and goethite-hematite composite: experimental study and literature survey

Aging of synthetic goethite at 140 degrees C overnight leads to a composite material in which hematite is detectable by M?ssbauer spectroscopy, but X-ray diffraction does not reveal any hematite peaks. The pristine point of zero charge (PZC) of synthetic goethite was found at pH 9.4 as the common intersection point of potentiometric titration curves at different ionic strengths and the isoelectric point (IEP). For the goethite-hematite composite, the common intersection point (pH 9.4), and the IEP (pH 8.8) do not match. The electrokinetic potential of goethite at ionic strengths up to 1 mol dm(-3) was determined. Unlike metal oxides, for which the electrokinetic potential is reversed to positive over the entire pH range at sufficiently high ionic strength, the IEP of goethite is rather insensitive to the ionic strength. A literature survey of published PZC/IEP values of iron oxides and hydroxides indicated that the average PZC/IEP does not depend on the degree of hydration (oxide or hydroxide). Our material showed a higher PZC and IEP than most published results. The present results confirm the allegation that electroacoustic measurements produce a higher IEP than the average IEP obtained by means of classical electrokinetic methods.     

Point of zero charge/isoelectric point of exotic oxides: Tl2O3

The pristine point of zero charge of Tl(2)O(3) determined in the presence of NaNO(3) using the inert electrolyte titration method and confirmed by microelectrophoresis is at pH 7.9.     

Sorption properties of indium oxohydroxides

The influence of the pH of precipitation and of the ionic medium on the sorption properties (the surface charge and the kinetic characteristics of sorption) of indium oxohydroxides obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of indium nitrate was investigated. It was found by the method of zero charge point, by the indicator reactions of heterogeneous hydrolysis, by drop titration, and by thermography that In(OH)₃·0.5 H₂O·(0.2–0.3) NaOH with a very small degree of crystallinity is formed at pH>6. The basic properties of the oxohydroxide increase with increasing pH of precipitation up to 9–10 and then remain constant. The rates of the indicator reactions depend slightly on the pH of precipitation. The sorption properties of indium oxohydroxides differ markedly from those of ferrogels obtained under similar conditions. The results obtained can be explained by the formation of quasistable microstructures during the precipitation of indium oxohydroxide.     

A study of the chelation reaction of gallium and indium with Arsenazo 1

The chelation reactions of gallium and indium with Arsenazo 1, i.e., 3-[(o-arsonophenyl)azo]-4,5-dihydroxy-2,7-naphthalene disulfonic acid, have been studied in detail. The nature and number of complexes formed was studied and it was found that gallium and indium form only one complex with Arsenazo 1. The composition of the complexes formed was found by various methods and it was found that both the complexes have composition 1:1 (metal:reagent). The values of log K were calculated by different methods at four different fixed values of ionic strength. For both the complexes, the value of thermodynamic stability constant has been obtained by plotting values of log K against ionic strength and extrapolating the curves to zero ionic strength. A tentative suggestion about the structure of the chelate ring has been made. The studies were further extended to the analytical aspects of the complexes and a suitable procedure has been recommended for the spectrophotometric determination of gallium and indium using this reagent.     

Surface charge properties of Fe2O3 in aqueous and alcoholic mixed solvents

Iron oxide (Fe2O3) was identified and characterized by surface area, X-ray diffractometry, and FTIR analyses. Surface charge densities, point of zero charge (PZC), and surface ionization constants were determined from the potentiometric titration data in various aqueous and aqueous organic mixed solvents in the temperature range 293-313 K. The surface charge densities were observed to decrease with the increase in temperature and concentration of metal ions in both the aqueous and aqueous organic mixed solvents. The absolute values of the surface charge density were found to change in the order aqueous > aqueous/methanol > aqueous/ethanol. Further, the PZC of the iron oxide was observed to shift to the higher pH values in the order ethanol > methanol > aqueous solution, which indicated a decrease in the acidity of the surface -OH groups. The pKa1 and pKa2 values of iron oxide were also determined and then used for determination of the surface potential (psi0) of the solid in aqueous and aqueous organic mixed solvents. The surface potential-surface charge curves generally supplemented the results derived from psi0-pH curves.     

Surface electrochemical properties of mixed oxide ceramic membranes: Zeta-potential and surface charge density

The surface electrochemical properties of alumina based ceramic microfiltration membranes were studied by measuring electroosmotic rates and surface charge densities obtained from potentiometric titrations. The rate of electroosmosis, which determines the zeta-potential, was measured on the membrane itself, whereas the surface charge was titrated on a suspension obtained by crushing of the membrane. The zeta-potential was measured in the presence of salts including NaCl, CaCl₂ and Na₂SO₄, for a wide range of pH values (4–9) at ionic strengths of 0.01 and 0.001 M. The pH value of the isoelectric point (iep) show a specific adsorption of SO₄²⁻ and Ca²⁺ ions onto the membrane surface. The iep in NaCl solutions occurs at pH 4.7 ± 0.1. The low iep is due to the large amount of silicium oxide in the membrane. The surface charge density is relatively high with respect to the low values of zeta-potentials. The point of zero charge pH(pzc) determined from surface charge and pH profiles occurs at pH 8.2 ± 0.1 in NaCl solution. The pH(pzc) value was also determined by two ‘addition’ methods. Similar pH(pzc) values were obtained. The difference between the pH(pzc) and pH(iep) may be correlated to a loss of acidity that is due to using crushed-membrane powder to perform potentiometric measurements.     

An experimental comparison between the aqueous pH scale and the electron donicity scale

We have made an experimental comparison of the aqueous pH scale with the Lewis base donicity scale. This requires an indicator that can function in both kinds of system. We find that the zeta-potential zero charge point for certain oxide materials provides a suitable indicator. The materials are: SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, and MgO. For each material, we measure the zeta potential in aqueous media as a function of pH. In each case, the zeta potential varies systematically with pH, and changes sign at some value of pH, that we refer to as the zero charge point. We then do similar measurements in a series of organic liquids having different donicities. In this case, the zeta potential varies systematically with the donicity and may change sign. In such cases, we determine the donicity that corresponds to the zero charge point. For a given oxide material, we can then relate a zero charge point on the pH scale to one on the donicity scale. This gives us a consistent experimental alignment of the pH and donicity scales, relative to one another. We compare our results with thermodynamic data, relating to the pH scale, and the hydrogen electrode, and find good agreement.     

Novel guests for porous columnar thin films: the switchable perchlorinated trityl radical derivatives

TiO(2) and SiO(2) porous thin films consisting of tilted nanocolumns prepared by glancing angle evaporation (GLAD) have been infiltrated with guest derivatives belonging to the family of perchlorinated trityl radicals, novel guest molecules presenting an open-shell electronic configuration associated with paramagnetism, fluorescence, and electroactivity. The main driving forces for infiltration from aqueous solutions of the carboxylate-substituted radical derivatives are the electrostatic interactions between their negative charge and the net positive charges induced on the film pores. Positive charges on the internal surface of the films were induced by either adjusting the radical solution pH at values lower than the point of zero charge (PZC) of the oxide or passivating the nanocolumns oxide surface with a positively charged aminosilane. The infiltrated composite thin films are robust and easy to handle thanks to the physical protection exerted by the film columns. They also keep the multifunctionality of the used guests, as confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV-vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. To prove the electroactivity of the infiltrated porous films, a porous TiO(2) host layer was supported onto conductive indium tin oxide (ITO). By application of an appropriate redox potential, the guest radical molecules have been reversibly switched from their open-shell electronic configuration to their diamagnetic state and hence changed their optical properties. On the basis of these results, it is herein proposed that the appropriate surface functionalization of the pore internal surface of GLAD thin films can be used to prepare novel radical-oxide composite thin films usable for the development of robust switchable electrically driven photonic and magnetic devices.     

Spectrophotometric determination of traces of gallium and indium with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol

1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) reacts with either gallium or indium at pH 5–6 giving a red complex in an aqueous medium in the presence of N.N-dimethyl-formamide. The maximum absorption of both PAN complexes of gallium and indium in an aqueous solution is at 545 mμ. The gallium-PAN complex shows a characteristic enhancement of color by addition of small amounts of ethers. Based on this selective enhancement reaction, gallium can be determined in the presence of other metals without separation. The results of determining gallium and indium in the presence of each other are reported. Both gallium and indium form M₂(PAN)₃; but in the presence of certain organic solvents, a different gallium complex, Ga(PAN)₅, and the same indium complex, In₂(PAN)₃, are formed. The reaction of PAN with cadmium can be masked by iodide; an example of determining indium in the presence of cadmium is given. The PAN method has a sensitivity of 0.003 μg/cm² for gallium and 0.005μg/cm² for indium and an absorptivity of 24,900 for the Ga-PAN complex and of 24,500 for the In-PAN complex, respectively. The methods have been successfully applied to the determination of both gallium and indium in germanium thin films.     

Surface characterization of plasma sprayed oxide materials: estimation of surface acidity using mass titration

The aim of this study was to characterize the influence of plasma spraying on the point of zero charge (PZC) of Al2O3-, Cr2O3- and TiO2-based materials. PZC is one of the most important parameter, which describes the acidity of oxide material in aqueous environments. PZC values of several plasma sprayed oxides were determined using mass titration method. Studies were performed for initial spray powders and plasma sprayed coating materials. In addition, mass titration experiments were performed for water-washed and nonwashed samples. It was found that mass titration is a suitable method to estimate the surface acidity of relatively coarse sample powders. It was found for most of the studied materials that the limiting pH values (assumed to be close PZC) were close to those reported in literature for the PZC values of traditionally manufactured oxide materials. On the other hand, mass titration curves of some oxide samples showed unexpected deviation in curve shapes and limiting pH. These deviations were probably due to selective dissolution of sample contaminations or sample material.     

Electrostatic surface charge at aqueous/alpha-Al2O3 single-crystal interfaces as probed by optical second-harmonic generation

Second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy was used to characterize the pH-dependent electrostatic charging behavior of (0001) and (102) crystallographic surfaces of corundum (alpha-Al2O3) single-crystal substrates. The pH value of the point of zero charge (pH(pzc)) for each surface was determined by monitoring the SH response during three consecutive pH titrations conducted with 1, 10, and 100 mM NaNO3 carbonate-free aqueous solutions. The crossing point of the three titration curves, which corresponds to the pH(pzc), occurs at pH 4.1 +/- 0.4 for the (0001) surface and pH 5.2 +/- 0.4 for the (102) surface. SHG measurements that were recorded as a function of NaNO3 concentration at fixed pH values were found to corroborate the pH(pzc) values identified in the pH titrations. A comparison of the SHG results with surface protonation constants calculated using a simple electrostatic model suggests that surface relaxation and bonding changes resulting from surface hydration do not account for differences between experimental observations and model predictions. The measured pH(pzc) values for the alpha-Al2O3 single-crystal surfaces are significantly more acidic than published values for Al-(hydr)oxide particles which typically range from pH 8 to 10. This discrepancy suggests that the charging behavior of Al-(hydr)oxide particles is determined by surface sites associated with defects assuming that differences in surface acidity reflect differences in the coordination environment and local structure of the potential-determining surface groups.     

Electrosurface properties of tungsten(VI) oxide in electrolyte solutions

Electrosurface characteristics of tungsten oxide in solutions of 1: 1 electrolytes are studied in a wide range of concentration and pH values. The dependence of the position of isoelectric point on the concentration of background electrolyte and the cation nature is revealed. The equilibrium constants of surface reactions, adsorption potentials of ions, specific surface conductivities, and degrees of dissociation of surface groups in the point of zero charge are calculated.     

Effect of heterovalent substitution on the electrical and optical properties of ZnO(M) thin films (M = Ga,In)

Films of undoped ZnO and zinc oxide doped with gallium and indium (ZnO(Ga) and ZnO(In)) have been prepared by the spin-coating method with the subsequent annealing at 500°C. Phase composition, microstructure, conductivity, and optical properties of the films have been investigated depending on the content of gallium and indium in them.     

On derivatives of surface charge curves of minerals

Surface titrations of minerals in aqueous electrolyte solutions are used as building blocks for surface complexation modelling. However, these potentiometric data may contain less model relevant information than previously and presently assumed. In the literature, derivative analyses have been applied to experimental surface charge versus pH curves and four or more pK values were extracted for goethite or aluminium oxide. Derivative analysis of specific surface charge versus pH curves calculated for various published model variants for goethite shows that not more than the net-zero proton surface charge condition can be extracted from computer generated data. Generated data can be produced in density and precision superior to experimental data, but yield only relatively little output from such derivative analysis compared to what has previously been extracted from derivatives of experimental data. For the generated goethite data and for all model variants only the point of zero could be extracted. For the various goethite model variants tested a nearly symmetrical peak appeared at the point of zero charge in the derivative curve. A different pattern could be obtained for generic models, for which two sites with unequal sites densities and different pK values were assumed. Variation of these parameters could result in derivatives of the charging curves with two maxima or one maximum and a broad tailing. In the literature, curves with features nearly identical to these generated curves have been interpreted by up to four pK values (i.e., four different sites within a 1-pK model). It is concluded that the interpretation of the generated data is in all cases hampered by the overwhelming electrostatic contributions to the free energy of proton ad/desorption. In no case except for the one-site 1-pK model was it possible to extract the input pK value(s) from the derivatives. Plausible explanations for the discrepancy between generated data and published experimental data are discussed.     

The interfacial electrochemistry of goethite (α-FeOOH) especially the effect of CO2 contamination

The surface charge density/pH function of goethite is shown to be very similar to the surface charge density/surface potential functions reported for mercury. This finding differs from all other reports and we attribute the difference to the experimental method. This paper describes a method of titrating oxide suspensions which reduces pH drifts and suspension and stirring effects to negligible values and also a method for effectively removing CO₂ from oxide suspensions. When goethite which had been stored as a suspension in contact with air was titrated in N₂-purged NaI solution the point of zero charge (pzc) was within the range found by previous workers, i.e. pH 8.75 and the σ/pH function did not resemble reported σ/ψ₀ functions of mercury but when goethite from the same preparation was purged with N₂ for 2 months and then titrated in N₂-purged NaI the pzc was pH 9.3 and the σ/pH function did resemble the σ/ψ₀ function of mercury.     

Measurements and theoretical interpretation of points of zero charge/potential of BSA protein

The points of zero charge/potential of proteins depend not only on pH but also on how they are measured. They depend also on background salt solution type and concentration. The protein isoelectric point (IEP) is determined by electrokinetical measurements, whereas the isoionic point (IIP) is determined by potentiometric titrations. Here we use potentiometric titration and zeta potential (ζ) measurements at different NaCl concentrations to study systematically the effect of ionic strength on the IEP and IIP of bovine serum albumin (BSA) aqueous solutions. It is found that high ionic strengths produce a shift of both points toward lower (IEP) and higher (IIP) pH values. This result was already reported more than 60 years ago. At that time, the only available theory was the purely electrostatic Debye-Hu?ckel theory. It was not able to predict the opposite trends of IIP and IEP with ionic strength increase. Here, we extend that theory to admit both electrostatic and nonelectrostatic (NES) dispersion interactions. The use of a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation for a simple model system (a charge regulated spherical colloidal particle in NaCl salt solutions), that includes these ion specific interactions, allows us to explain the opposite trends observed for isoelectric point (zero zeta potential) and isoionic point (zero protein charge) of BSA. At higher concentrations, an excess of the anion (with stronger NES interactions than the cation) is adsorbed at the surface due to an attractive ionic NES potential. This makes the potential relatively more negative. Consequently, the IEP is pushed toward lower pH. But the charge regulation condition means that the surface charge becomes relatively more positive as the surface potential becomes more negative. Consequently, the IIP (measuring charge) shifts toward higher pH as concentration increases, in the opposite direction from the IEP (measuring potential).     

Determination of Point of Zero Charge of Tunisian Kaolinites by Potentiometric and Mass Titration Methods

This paper deals with determining points of zero charge of natural and Na⁺‐saturated mineral kaolinites using two methods: (1) acid‐base potentiometric titration was employed to obtain the adsorption of H⁺ and OH^? on amphoteric surfaces in solutions of varying ionic strengths in order to determinate graphically the point of zero net proton charge (PZNPC) defined equally as point of zero salt effect (PZSE); (2) mass titration curve at different electrolyte concentrations in order to estimate PZNPCs by interpolation and to compare with those determined by potentiometric titrations. The two methods involved points of zero charge approximately similar for the two kaolinites between 6.5‐7.8, comparable to those reported previously and were in the range expected for these clay minerals. The comparison of potentiometric surface titration curves obtained at 25 °C and those published in the literature reveals significant discrepancies both in the shape and in the pH of PZNPCs values.