Rate constant of free electron-hole recombination in thin cadmium sulfide films

The transient decay kinetics of electrons generated in thin cadmium sulfide films by short laser pulses was studied by the microwave photoconductivity method (9 and 36 GHz) at 295 K. The films were prepared by the pulverization method from thiocarbamide coordination compounds. At the high light intensity I ₀ > 10¹⁴ photon cm^–2 per pulse, the decay kinetics of photoelectrons corresponded to a reaction of the second order. Analysis of the kinetic data made it possible to determine the rate constant of recombination of free electrons and holes: k ₃ 2(±1)·10^–13 cm³ s^–1.     

Rate constant of the recombination of free electrons and holes in AgCl at 295 K

The transient kinetics of the loss of electrons generated by light pulses in powdered AgCl has been studied by the microwave photoconductivity method (36 GHz) at 295 K. At high light intensities,I ₀ > 10¹⁴ photon cm^–2 per pulse, the kinetics obeys the second-order law. The rate constant of the recombination of free electrons and holes is equal to 2·10^–12 cm³ s^–1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2234–2236, September, 1996.     

Experimental determination of the dependence of the free electron—hole recombination rate constant on the band gap in semiconductors of the AIIBVI and AIBVII types

A correlation between the recombination rate constant of free electrons and holes (k _r) and the band gap (E _g) of semiconductors (AgCl, AgBr, Cd_xZn_1−x S, CdSe, CdTe, and their solid solutions) at 295 K was found. The experimental data were obtained by the UHF photoconductivity (36 GHz) using current carrier generation by laser pulses (λ = 337 nm, pulse duration 8 ns). A decrease in E _g in a range of 1.5–3 eV increases k _r by 1.5 orders of magnitude according to the law close to exponential. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 856–860, May, 2007.     

Absolute rate constants of decay of aryl-substituted carbonyl oxides

The decay kinetics of a series of carbonyl oxides (CbO)—4-methylbenzophenone oxide, 2,5-dimethylbenzophenone oxide, 4-chlorobenzophenone oxide, 2-bromobenzophenone oxide, and acetophenone oxide—were studied by the pulse photolysis technique in acetonitrile, benzene,n-decane, andn-pentane. The absorption spectra were studied, and the absorption coefficients and absolute rate constants of CbO decay were determined. The absorption maxima observed in the spectra of carbonyl oxides range within 405±25 nm. The decay rate constant was found to depend on both the CbO structure and the medium. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 677–681, April, 1999.     

Effect of pH on kinetics of the decay of the radicals formed during photolysis of 2,2,4,6-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline in aqueous and micellar solutions

Kinetics of the decay of the transient radicals formed from 2,2,4,6-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (TMQ) in aqueous and micellar solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate were studied by flash photolysis as a function of pH. In aqueous and micellar solutions of TMQ the mechanism of the decay of the transient species and the reaction products are different from those in homogeneous organic solutions. The decay of the transient radicals follows first-order kinetics in the entire range of pH under consideration in both aqueous and micellar solutions. In aqueous solutions at pH 9–12, the decay rate constant decreases from 25.3 to 3.7 s⁻¹. In micellar solutions at different pH, different types of micellar catalysis were observed. At pH 1, the rate constant in a micellar solution is slightly lower than that in an aqueous solution. At pH 3–11, the decay rate constant increases (positive micellar catalysis). The apparent rate constant depends linearly on the concentration of TMQ in micelles. The rate constant for the reaction of the transient radical cation with TMQ was determined (200 L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). At pH>13, the decay rate constant in micelar solutions is lower than that in aqueous solutions (negative micellar catalysis). Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 703–708, April, 1997.     

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) scavenging reactions of o-vanillin: Pulse radiolysis and stopped flow studies

Reactions of peroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite with o-vanillin (2-hydroxy 3-methoxy benzaldehyde), a positional isomer of the well-known dietary compound vanillin, were studied to understand the mechanisms of its free radical scavenging action. Trichloromethylperoxyl radicals (CCl₃O ₂ ^· ) were used as model peroxyl radicals and their reactions with o-vanillin were studied using nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique with absorption detection. The reaction produced a transient with a bimolecular rate constant of approx. 10⁵ M⁻¹s⁻¹, having absorption in the 400–500 nm region with a maximum at 450 nm. This spectrum looked significantly different from that of phenoxyl radicals of o-vanillin produced by the one-electron oxidation by azide radicals. The spectra and decay kinetics suggest that peroxyl radical reacts with o-vanillin mainly by forming a radical adduct. Peroxynitrite reactions with o-vanillin at pH 6.8 were studied using a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. o-Vanillin reacts with peroxynitrite with a bimolecular rate constant of 3 × 10³ M⁻¹s⁻¹. The reaction produced an intermediate having absorption in the wavelength region of 300–500 nm with a absorption maximum at 420 nm, that subsequently decayed in 20 s with a first-order decay constant of 0.09 s⁻¹. The studies indicate that o-vanillin is a very efficient scavenger of peroxynitrite, but not a very good scavenger of peroxyl radical. The reactions take place through the aldehyde and the phenolic OH group and are significantly different from other phenolic compounds.     

Reduction of Cr(VI) Assisted by Sol-Gel Generated Electron-Hole Centers

We report an in-situ harvesting technique of electron-hole (e⁻-h⁺) carriers (e.g., the defect electrons in the O^{2 −} matrix and the self-trapped holes, Si–O⁻–Si) generated during sol-gel processing. In the absence of redox species, the e⁻-h⁺ centers created during room temperature sol-gel polycondensation steps are quickly annihilated and deactivated. However, when Cr(VI) ions are pre-dispersed in sol-gel solutions, the ejected electrons can be effectively harvested for the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) ions which are encapsulated in the silica gel matrix. The Cr(VI) ions, the possible intermediate oxidation states of chromium ions such as Cr(V) and/or Cr(IV), and the stable Cr(III)-hole complexes in the sol-gel matrix are investigated using uv-visible spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The chemical stability of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in sol-gel networks is compared to that in aqueous solutions. The results indicate that the utilization of e⁻-h⁺ carriers generated in the sol-gel can be an effective and selective means for investigating the redox process of Cr(VI) and encapsulating the stable Cr(III) ions in the confined sol-gel environments.     

1-(Bromoacetyl)pyrene,a novel photoinitiator for the copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile

A comparative study on photoinitiated solution copolymerization of Styrene (Sty), with acrylonitrile (AN) using pyrene, 1-acetylpyrene, and 1-(bromoacetyl)pyrene (BrPy) as initiators, showed that the introduction of a chromophoric moiety, bromoacetyl (–COCH₂Br), significantly increased the photoinitiating ability of pyrene. The kinetics and mechanism of copolymerization of Sty with AN (Sty–co–AN) using BrPy as photoinitiator has been studied in detail. The kinetic data, inhibiting effect of benzoquinone, and electron spin resonance (ESR) studies suggest that the polymerization proceeds via a free radical mechanism. The system followed non-ideal kinetics (R _p α[BrPy]^0.7[Sty]^1.09[AN]^1.01) and degradative solvent transfer reasonably explained these kinetic non-idealities. The co-monomer reactivity ratios calculated by using the Finemann–Ross and Kelen–Tudos models were r ₁ (Sty) = 0.39 and r ₂ (AN) = 0.05. The reactivity ratios strongly indicate that the two monomers enter in almost alternating arrangement along the copolymer chain.     

The photodynamics of the [Ru(bpy)<Subscript>3</Subscript>]<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ion dopant in a solvent exposed silica sol–gel thin film

The [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ ion was encapsulated in a silica based sol–gel thin film, and the luminescence decay time constant of the photo-excited ³MLCT (metal-ligand-charge-transfer) was examined when this thin film was immersed in water, methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and glycerol. The luminescence decays of the films in the methanol, 2-propanol, and glycerol were better explained by a KWW model, while the luminescence decay of film immersed in water and ethanol were both well explained by a single exponential decay. Intriguingly, the dynamics of the dopants immersed in water, ethanol as well as in sol–gel bulk deviated from a single exponential fit and began to better explained by the the KWW model as temperature increased. The energy gap, ΔE(sol–gel film) and ΔE(solution), between the lowest ³MLCT state and atom localized ³ dd state for dopants under the presence of all solvents tested in this study were extracted from the temperature dependence study of the luminescence decay time constant. Generally, the ΔE(sol–gel film) values of ethanol and water were reduced from ΔE(solution), and ΔE(sol–gel film) value in all solvents matched the value of ΔE for sol–gel bulk. The effect on the dynamics in solvent over three weeks was investigated, and the films immersed in water presented the most remarkable monotonic increase in relaxation rates finally approaching the asymptotic value observed in the water solution. This phenomenon was considered to correspond to a trapping environment change due to a hydrophilic interaction through sequential intrusion of water or ethanol solvent into sol–gel pores.     

Mesophilic Digestion Kinetics of Manure Slurry

Anaerobic digestion kinetics study of cow manure was performed at 35°C in bench-scale gas-lift digesters (3.78 l working volume) at eight different volatile solids (VS) loading rates in the range of 1.11–5.87 g l⁻¹ day⁻¹. The digesters produced methane at the rates of 0.44–1.18 l l⁻¹ day⁻¹, and the methane content of the biogas was found to increase with longer hydraulic retention time (HRT). Based on the experimental observations, the ultimate methane yield and the specific methane productivity were estimated to be 0.42 l CH₄ (g VS loaded)^–1 and 0.45 l CH₄ (g VS consumed)^–1, respectively. Total and dissolved chemical oxygen demand (COD) consumptions were calculated to be 59–17% and 78–43% at 24.4–4.6 days HRTs, respectively. Maximum concentration of volatile fatty acids in the effluent was observed as 0.7 g l^–1 at 4.6 days HRT, while it was below detection limit at HRTs longer than 11 days. The observed methane production rate did not compare well with the predictions of Chen and Hashimoto’s [1] and Hill’s [2] models using their recommended kinetic parameters. However, under the studied experimental conditions, the predictions of Chen and Hashimoto’s [1] model compared better to the observed data than that of Hill’s [2] model. The nonlinear regression analysis of the experimental data was performed using a derived methane production rate model, for a completely mixed anaerobic digester, involving Contois kinetics [3] with endogenous decay. The best fit values for the maximum specific growth rate (μ _m) and dimensionless kinetic parameter (K) were estimated as 0.43 day^–1 and 0.89, respectively. The experimental data were found to be within 95% confidence interval of the prediction of the derived methane production rate model with the sum of residual squared error as 0.02.     

Laser flash photolysis study of the decay kinetics of carbocations of 1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline in the porous glass in the presence of methanol

The efficiency of formation and the decay kinetics of carbocations formed under the photolysis of 1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline in methanol and in a porous glass filled with methanol or dried in air or in vacuo were studied by the laser flash photolysis techniques. In MeOH, the carbocations recombine via the second-order law in the reaction with the MeO⁻ anion formed in an equimolar amount and decay via the first-order law in the reaction with the solvent with rate constants of 3·10⁸ L mol⁻¹ s^{− 1} and 1.4·10³ s⁻¹, respectively. When the solution is placed into the porous glass, no recombination of the carbocations with MeO⁻ is observed, and the reaction with the solvent is somewhat inhibited (rate constant 8·10² s⁻¹). More than tenfold inhibition of the reaction of the carbocations with methanol is observed on going to a monolayer of MeOH on the surface. The main route of carbocation decay in the porous glass dried in vacuo is the geminate recombination with the SiO groups. The corresponding kinetics is described in terms of the model of freely diffusing reactants. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2239–2243, October, 2005.     

Adsorption of reactive brilliant red K-2BP on activated carbon developed from sewage sludge

Activated carbon was prepared from the sewage sludge of municipal wastewater treatment plant by chemical activation (activation reagent is ZnCl₂) and was used for the adsorption of dye (reactive brilliant red K-2BP). The impact of adsorbent amount, adsorption time and pH value on adsorption effect, the adsorption kinetics, and the adsorption thermodynamics were discussed according to batch adsorption tests. The results indicated that the activated carbon developed from sewage sludge (ACSS), which was mesoporous, possessed opened porous structures. The iodine number of the ACSS was 326 mg·g⁻¹. The rate of achievement was 51.31%. The BET surface area was 298 m²·g⁻¹ and the contents of heavy metals in the leachate didn’t exceed the contents limit. The adsorption kinetics of reactive brilliant red K-2BP on the ACSS was accorded with the two-step kinetics rate equation and pseudo-second-order kinetics equation. Compared to the Freundlich isotherm equation, the Langmuir isotherm equation showed better applicability for the adsorption. The adsorption which was favorable was an endothermic (enthalpy ΔH > 0) and spontaneous (free energy ΔG < 0) process and was accompanied by an increase in entropy (ΔS > 0). __________ Translated from Journal of Shandong University (Natural Science), 2007, 42(3): 64–70 [译自: 山东大学学报(理学版)]     

Thermal Oxidation Kinetics of Ni100–xPx Powders

The oxidation of Ni_100–xP_x(7.3 at%<x<25.0 at%) powders in air in the temperature range 350–450°C was determined by kinetics and X-ray diffraction. The isothermal kinetics was modeled using theGinstling–Brounstein equations. The oxidation process was found to be thermally activated with activation energy 127.8 kJ mol^–1 for x=7.3 at% to 157.7 kJ mol^–1 for x=25.0 at%. It was found that the rate constants for x=7.3 at% were approximately 100 times lower than those for x=25.0 at%. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Iron(III)–salen–H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> as a peroxidase model: electron transfer reactions with anilines

Abstract  

Iron(III)–salen complexes catalyze the H₂O₂ oxidation of various ring-substituted anilines in MeCN have been studied, and [O=Fe^IV(salen)]^+· is proposed as the active species. Study of the kinetics of the reaction by spectrophotometry shows the emergence of a new peak at 445 nm in the spectrum which corresponds to azobenzene. Further oxidation of azobenzene by H₂O₂ leads to the formation of azoxybenzene. ESI–MS studies also support the formation of these products. The rate constants for the oxidation of meta- and para-substituted anilines were determined from the rate of decay of oxidant as well as the rate of formation of azobenzene, and the reaction follows Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The rate data show a linear relationship with the Hammett σ constants and yield a ρ value of −1.1 to −2.4 for substituent variation in the anilines. A reaction mechanism involving electron transfer from aniline to [O=Fe(salen)]^+· is proposed. The presence of axial ligands modulates the activity of the complex.     

Electrooxidation of Chlorpromazine in Aqueous and Micellar Media and Spectroscopic Studies of the Derived Cationic Free Radical and Dication Species

Summary.  The electrochemical behaviour of chlorpromazine has been examined in phosphate buffers in aqueous as well as micellar media at a pyrolytic graphite electrode surface. Two oxidation peaks were obtained in linear sweep voltammetry of chlorpromazine. The first peak corresponds to the formation of the cationic free radical, which on further 1e⁻-oxidation gives a dication. The spectroscopic changes and kinetics of the cationic free radical and dication species generated during electrooxidation of chlorpromazine were investigated in both media. The decay of the dication was studied chronoamperometrically and was found to follow first-order kinetics with a half-life of ∼25 ms. Surfactants affect both E _p and i _p values. The anionic surfactant SDS has been found to catalyze the reaction of the free radical cation and the dication.     

Oxygen excess nonstoichiometry and thermodynamic quantities of La2NiO4?+?δ

The oxygen excess nonstoichiometry of La₂NiO_4 + δ is measured as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure (pO₂) by coulometric titration method. A positive deviation from the ideal dilution solution behavior is exhibited, and the partial molar thermodynamic quantities of La₂NiO_4 + δ are calculated from the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation for regular solution by introducing the activity coefficient of the charge carriers. The activity coefficient of holes is successfully calculated by using the Joyce–Dixon approximation of the Fermi–Dirac integral. The effective mass of holes ( m_\texth^* m_{\text{h}}^{{*}} ) is 1.27–1.29 times the rest mass (m _h), which indicate the action of band-like conduction and allow the effect of the small degree of polaron hopping to be ignored. The activity coefficient of holes calculated against the oxygen nonstoichiometry clearly illustrates the early positive deviation of the activity coefficient of holes from unit, leading to g_{\texth ^·} \gamma_{{{\text{h}}^{ \bullet }}}  ≈ 14 at δ ≈ 0.08, which is quite close to the literature value of g_{\texth ^·} \gamma_{{{\text{h}}^{ \bullet }}}  ≈ 10 at δ ≈ 0.08. All the evaluated thermodynamic quantities are in good agreement with the experimental literature values.     

Sulfurization of polymers

Polyethylene exhaustively sulfurized with elemental sulfur shows paramagnetic (spin concentration 2.7–9.7·10¹⁹ sp g⁻¹,g=2.0041–2.0045, ΔH=0.53–0.62 mT) and redox properties, which was demonstrated by both voltammetric and chemical methods (sodium reduction in liquid ammonia). The high concentration of unpaired electrons, the character of the electrochemical activity, and the chemical properties are in agreement with the presence in the polymers of polyconjugated ladder polythiophene and parquet polynaphtho-thienothiophene structures along with polyene-polysulfide blocks. The use of the polymers under consideration as an active cathode material in lithium batteries enables their repeated cycling with a specific charge capacitance of 150–340 mA hg⁻¹.     

Spectra of trapped electrons in irradiated rigid media

In the irradiated polar systems, the blue shifts of the absorption spectra of trapped electrons (e _t ⁻ ) have as yet been observed by pulse radiolysis in the milisecond time range. This fact has been ascribed to the reorientation of the matrix polar molecules under the influence of the coulombic electron field. In order to check whether the spectral changes of e _t ⁻ are limited to very short times only, the spectra of e _t ⁻ in frozen 8M NaOH, 95% ethylene glycol (EG), 95% methanol, 95% ethanol, 95% n-propanol, 95% isopropanol, 95% butanol (+5% H₂O) were examined at the liquid nitrogen temperature by applying the stationary γ-radiolysis. Except for 8M NaOH and 95% EG, in the remaining matrices the shifts of e _t ⁻ spectra towards the short wavelengths were observed within 24 hrs after irradiation. The less polar the matrix, the larger was the spectral shift. The observed effect seems to indicate that the reorientation process takes place in times much longer than these measured by pulse radiolysis. After the addition of scavengers the lowering of the initial absorption occured in all investigated systems. This was ascribed to the reaction of “dry” electrons with the scavengers. Moreover, the results obtained by the pulse radiolysis of ethanol indicate that the presence of scavengers accelerates the decay of the infrared part of the trapped electron spectrum. The “infrared electrons” (located in shallow traps) neither react with the scavenger nor deepen their traps by reorientation. Most probably in the presence of scavengers these electrons recombine with positive ions via tunneling.     

Galvanostatic investigation of electrochemical processes at the C/RbCu4Cl3I2 interface

The kinetics of electrochemical processes at a vitreous carbon electrode in contact with the solid electrolyte RbCu₄Cl₃I₂ has been investigated. In the range of potentials from zero up to the decomposition potential of the electrolyte (0.57 V), the rate of the reversible electrode reaction Cu⁺–e^–↔Cu²⁺ is controlled by slow diffusion of the electronic defects (Cu²⁺ ions or holes) in the electrolyte. The diffusion coefficient of these defects is equal to 1.5×10^–8 cm² s^–1. The exchange current density of the electrode reaction is equal to 20×10^–6 A cm^–2. Electronic Publication     

Effect of counterions on photoprocesses of thiacarbocyanine in a binary solvent blend

A model describing the effect of counterion X⁻ (X = Cl, I) on the deactivation kinetics of the S ₁ state of thiacarbocyanine Cy⁺X⁻ is presented. According to the model, the ion pair Cy⁺X⁻ in a binary solution is characterized by a distribution function f(r) over interatomic distances r, which depends on the composition of the mixture. The assumption of kinetically independent local states of the ion pair, which decay with the rate constants k _i(r)(i = 1–4 is the index of the decay channel), is made. The statistic analysis of the experimental data in terms of the model permitted us to find the functions f(r) and to estimate the parameters of the constants k _i(r).