Composite photocalysts based on the nanostructural titanium dioxide and zirconium phosphate

A series of composite photocatalysts based on titanium dioxide deposited on the surface of a zirconium phosphate support were synthesized under different synthesis and heat-treatment conditions. The study of the photodestruction kinetics of Rhodamine C showed that the synthesized composites possess high photocatalytic activity that is competitive with the activity of a commercial Hombikat UV100 photocatalyst. The composites based on zirconium phosphate treated with isopropanol at the precipitation stage whereupon heated at 550°C exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity after heating at 750°C. It was found that such zirconium phosphate support has the largest specific surface area (270 m²/g). After heating at 550°C, the surface becomes more stable to the subsequent heating to 750°C, which is necessary for the most complete crystallization of TiO₂ ensuring its high photocatalytic characteristics.     

Monochromatized x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the AM60 magnesium alloy surface after treatments in fluoride‐based Ti and Zr solutions

The behaviour of the 6% aluminium–magnesium alloy (AM60) surface in zirconium or titanium fluoride aqueous acid solutions was studied. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to investigate modifications in the surface chemistry with respect to the composition of the surface treatment solution. The surface film is composed of magnesium hydroxide and hydroxyfluoride, zirconium oxide, oxyhydroxide or oxyfluoride, titanium oxide and structural and adsorbed water. Optimal parameters leading to the formation of a zirconium‐ or titanium‐rich film were determined. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of zirconium‐ or titanium‐based films. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Humidity sensor using zirconium phosphates and silicates. Improvements of humidity sensitivity

Humidity-impedance characteristics were examined for amorphous and crystalline zirconium phosphate, their alkali salts as well as zircon samples calcined in the presence of phosphoric acid or monobasic alkali phosphates. The humidity-impedance characteristic was shown to be improved when the acidic protons of the sample were replaced with alkali cations. For calcined zircon, the impedance in a humid atmosphere was lowered when the sample was calcined with monobasic alkali phosphate as compared with the sample calcined with phosphoric acid, while the surface area hardly depended on the additives. In the case of amorphous zirconium phosphate-bases samples, replacing the acidic protons with alkali cations such as Na and K made the impedance lower and less dependent on the calcination temperature, while it decreased the surface area and the response time. Similar effects of alkali cations on impedance were also observed with crystalline zirconium phosphate.     

氧化锆层柱磷酸锆的制备及性能

考察了不同制备因素对形成氧化锆层柱磷酸锆的影响,发现适中的锆离子浓度,较低的反应温度及较长的反应时间有利于形成稳定的氧化锆层柱磷酸锆。样品经250℃焙烧后形成较为规整的层柱结构,氧化锆柱与层板间以P-O-Zr键相连,比表面为107～183m^2/g,孔径较集中地为2.5nm。层柱样品表面只存在L酸位,无B酸位。对异丙醇脱水反应和苯甲醛还原反应有较好的反应活性,其比活性优于纯的氧化锆,表明它具有良好的酸催化和酸碱双功能催化作用。     

Synthesis of mono and diesters using eco-friendly solid acid catalyst – zirconium titanium phosphate

Abstract

Amorphous zirconium titanium phosphate (ZTPA), an advanced inorganic ion exchanger of the class of tetravalent bimetallic acid (TBMA) salt, has been synthesized by sol gel route. ZTPA has been characterized by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), Thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The acid sites present in ZTPA indicate good potential to be explored as solid acid catalyst. The catalytic characteristics of ZTPA have been evaluated by determining surface area and surface acidity. The catalytic performance of ZTPA as a solid acid catalyst has been explored by studying esterification as a model reaction wherein mono and diesters have been synthesized. Crystalline zirconium titanium phosphate as well as amorphous and crystalline phases of zirconium phosphate and titanium phosphate have also been synthesized, characterized, and their catalytic performance investigated for comparative studies. TBMA salt exhibits enhanced catalytic activity compared to its single salt counterparts and amorphous phases exhibit higher catalytic activity compared to their crystalline phases.     

Effect of phosphate ion on filtration characteristics of solids generated in simulated high level liquid waste

The effect of phosphate ion on the filtration characteristics of solids generated in a high level liquid waste was experimentally examined. Addition of phosphate ion into the simulated HLLW induced the formation of phosphate such as zirconium phosphate and phosphomolybdic acid. The filtration rate of zirconium phosphate abruptly dropped in the midst of filtration because of a gel-cake formation on the filter surface. The denitration of the simulated HLLW contained zirconium phosphate improved the filterability of this gelatinous solid. The filtration rates of denitrated HLLW decreased with increase of the phosphate ion concentration, since the solids formed by denitration had irregular particle size and configuration in the simulated HLLW with phosphate ion. To increase the filtration rate of denitrated HLLW, a solid suspension filtration tester was designed. The solid-suspension accelerated the filtration rate only in the simulated HLLW with more than 1500 ppm phosphate ion concentration. Under this condition, the simple agitation can easily suspend the constituent solids of filter cake in the solution and a much higher filtration rate can be obtained because the filter cake is continuously swept from the filter surface by rotation of propellers.     

纳米银-磷酸锆复合膜修饰电极的制备和电化学

合成了新型纳米银-磷酸锆复合材料并用其修饰玻碳电极,用循环伏安法对修饰电极进行电化学研究.结果表明,此复合膜保持了银的纳米尺寸的微粒性质和磷酸锆对碱性染料的电位调制能力.复合膜中的纳米银提高了磷酸锆对中性红的吸附能力,增强了中性红的氧化还原反应活性.复合膜修饰电极表现出更灵敏的电化学响应.复合膜比单纯的磷酸锆膜表现出更好的机械强度,用其制备的修饰电极表现出更好的稳定性.     

Metal phosphonates applied to biotechnologies: a novel approach to oligonucleotide microarrays

A new process for preparing oligonucleotide arrays is described that uses surface grafting chemistry which is fundamentally different from the electrostatic adsorption and organic covalent binding methods normally employed. Solid supports are modified with a mixed organic/inorganic zirconium phosphonate monolayer film providing a stable, well-defined interface. Oligonucleotide probes terminated with phosphate are spotted directly on to the zirconated surface forming a covalent linkage. Specific binding of terminal phosphate groups with minimal binding of the internal phosphate diesters has been demonstrated. The mixed organic/inorganic thin films have also been extended for use arraying DNA duplex probes, and therefore represent a viable general approach to DNA-based bioarrays. Ideas for interfacing mixed organic/inorganic interfaces to other bioapplications are also discussed.     

Anisotropic thermal expansion behavior of thin films of polymethylsilsesquioxane, a spin-on-glass dielectric for high-performance integrated circuits

Thin films of poly(methylsilsesquioxane) (PMSSQ) are candidates for use as interdielectric layers in advanced semiconductor devices with multilayer structures. We prepared thin films of PMSSQ with thicknesses in the range 25.0-1151.0 nm by spin-casting its soluble precursor onto Si and GaAs substrates with native oxide layers and then drying and curing the films under a nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures in the range 250-400 degrees C. The out-of-plane thermal expansion coefficient alpha(perpendicular) of each film was measured over the temperature range 25-200 degrees C using spectroscopic ellipsometry and synchrotron X-ray reflectivity, while the in-plane thermal expansion coefficient alpha(parallel) of each film was determined over the temperature range 25-400 degrees C by residual stress analysis. PMSSQ films cured at higher temperatures exhibited reduced thermal expansion, which is attributed to the denser molecular packing and higher degree of cross-linking that arises at higher temperatures. Surprisingly however, all the PMSSQ films were found to exhibit very strong anisotropic thermal expansion; alpha(perpendicular) and alpha(parallel) of the films were in the ranges 140-329 ppm/ degrees C and 12-29 ppm/ degrees C respectively, depending on the curing temperature. This is the first time that cured PMSSQ thin films have been shown to exhibit anisotropic thermal expansion behavior. This anisotropic thermal expansion of the PMSSQ thin films might be due to the anisotropy of cross-link density in the films, which arises because of a combination of factors: the preferential orientation of methyl groups toward the upper film surface and the preferential network formation in the film plane that occurs during curing of the confined film. In addition, the film electron densities were determined using synchrotron X-ray reflectivity measurements and the film biaxial moduli were obtained using residual stress analysis.     

Orientation of crystallites in lightly crosslinked isotactic polypropylene crystallized from the melt under uniaxial compression

A lightly crosslinked polymer film was made from isotactic polypropylene by gammaray irradiation in an acetylene atmosphere. When the crosslinked polymer film was crystallized from the melt under uniaxial compression, a unique alignment of crystallites is found. The (040) crystal plane is preferentially oriented parallel to the film surface at relatively low degrees of compression, and the (110) and (130) crystal planes are oriented parallel to the film surface at higher degrees of compression. The origin of these orientations, analogous to that previously found in a lightly crosslinked polyethylene, is discussed.     

Zirconium phosphate dispersed on a cellulose fiber surface: preparation, characterization, and selective adsorption of Li+, Na+, and K+ from aqueous solution

Highly dispersed zirconium phosphate was prepared by reacting Cel/ZrO(2) (ZrO(2)=6.7 wt%; 0.56 mmol g(-1) of zirconium atom per gram of the material) with phosphoric acid. High power decoupling magic angle spinning (HPDEC-MAS)(31)P NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicated that HPO(2-)(4) is the species present on the fiber surface. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that zirconium hydrogen phosphate particles were amorphous and had an ion-exchange capacity, determined by ammonia gas adsorption, of 0.30 mmol g(-1). The ion-exchange capacities for Li(+), Na(+), and K(+) ions were determined from ion-exchange isotherms at 298 K and showed the following values (in mmol g(-1)): Li(+)=0.01, Na(+)=0.23, and K(+)=0.30. The higher affinity of the surface hydrogen phosphate particles for Na(+) and K(+) is due to its lamelar structure which permits easier diffusion of these two ions whose hydrated radii are smaller than that of Li(+).     

Zinc ions and zinc sulfide particles in sol-gel zirconium phosphate synthesis, thermal behavior and X-ray characterization

Zinc ions can be exchanged in sol-gel zirconium phosphate by using the batch or hydrothermal method. The zinc materials obtained that undergo thermal treatment after complete dehydration, can rehydrate fully or partially depending on whether half or all the zinc ions are exchanged. At high temperature syntherization is evident. By flowing sulfide acid over the zinc forms, zinc sulfide particles are formed and their amount depends on the length of time of the gas flow and on the state of hydration of the original material. This is not the case in the half exchanged zinc zirconium phosphate material. The decomposition temperature of the ZnS particles depends on their position in the exchanger: whether on the surface or between the layers of the host matrix. The XRD patterns of the materials obtained are similar to those of the sol-gel zirconium phosphate. The presence of ZnS particles is evident.     

High-yield sol-gel synthesis of well-dispersed, colorless ZrO(2) nanocrystals

A 93% high-yield synthesis of well-dispersed, colorless zirconium dioxide (ZrO(2)) nanocrystals is reported. In this synthesis, hydrolysis and condensation reactions of zirconium(IV) tert-butoxide in the presence of oleic acid (100 degrees C) formed ZrO(2) precursors. The ZrO(2) precursors were made of -Zr-O-Zr- networks surrounded by oleic acid molecules. Annealing (280 degrees C) the precursors dispersed in dioctyl ether caused crystallization of the -Zr-O-Zr- networks, thereby generating 4 nm ZrO(2) nanocrystals stabilized with oleic acid. The particles were highly crystalline and tetragonal phase. A dense ZrO(2) nanocrystal dispersion in toluene (280 mg/mL) showed a transmittance of about 90% (3 mm optical path length) in the whole visible region.     

Novel phosphate–phosphonate hybrid nanomaterials applied to biology

A new process for preparing oligonucleotide arrays is described that uses surface grafting chemistry which is fundamentally different from the electrostatic adsorption and organic covalent binding methods normally employed. Solid supports are modified with a mixed organic/inorganic zirconium phosphonate monolayer film providing a stable, well-defined interface. Oligonucleotide probes terminated with phosphate are spotted directly to the zirconated surface forming a covalent linkage. Specific binding of terminal phosphate groups with minimal binding of the internal phosphate diesters has been demonstrated. On the other hand, the reaction of a bisphosphonate bone resorption inhibitor (Zoledronate) with calcium deficient apatites (CDAs) was studied as a potential route to local drug delivery systems active against bone resorption disorders. A simple mathematical model of the Zoledronate/CDA interaction was designed that correctly described the adsorption of Zoledronate onto CDAs. The resulting Zoledronate-loaded materials were found to release the drug in different phosphate-containing media, with a satisfactory agreement between experimental data and the values predicted from the model.     

Heavy phosphate adsorption on amorphous ITO film electrodes: nano-barrier effect for highly selective exclusion of anionic species

We prepared an amorphous indium tin oxide (ITO) film and studied it with respect to its surface characterization and the effect of phosphate adsorption on its electrochemical properties. The film was deposited using RF sputtering under ambient low-oxygen conditions at room temperature. The XPS results revealed that the amount of phosphate adsorbed on the amorphous ITO film was more than 4.6 times greater than that adsorbed on commercially available polycrystalline ITO film in spite of the smaller microscopic surface area of the former. Electrochemical responses for anionic species such as L-ascorbic acid (AA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) on the phosphate-adsorbed ITO film electrodes were more effectively suppressed at the amorphous ITO film electrode than at the polycrystalline ITO film electrode when a phosphate-containing electrolyte was used. Such suppression could be attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between the anionic species and more heavily adsorbed phosphate on our amorphous ITO film electrode surface. This effect is made more pronounced by increasing the phosphate concentration to 1 mM. With 1 mM phosphate, the amorphous ITO film electrode showed the highest selectivity for dopamine (DA) against the anionic species, namely, 880 for DA/AA and 330 for DA/DOPAC, respectively. In contrast, the selectivity was 120 for DA/AA and 20 for DA/DOPAC with the polycrystalline ITO film electrode.     

Modification and intercalation of layered zirconium phosphates: a solid‐state NMR monitoring

Several layered zirconium phosphates treated with Zr(IV) ions, modified by monomethoxy‐polyethyleneglycol‐monophosphate and intercalated with doxorubicin hydrochloride have been studied by solid‐state MAS NMR techniques. The organic components of the phosphates have been characterized by the ¹³C{¹H} CP MAS NMR spectra compared with those of initial compounds. The multinuclear NMR monitoring has provided to establish structure and covalent attachment of organic/inorganic moieties to the surface and interlayer spaces of the phosphates. The MAS NMR experiments including kinetics of proton‐phosphorus cross polarization have resulted in an unusual structure of zirconium phosphate 6 combining decoration of the phosphate surface by polymer units and their partial intercalation into the interlayer space. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface complexation modeling of uranium(VI) sorbed onto zirconium oxophosphate versus temperature: thermodynamic and structural approaches

This work presents an investigation of the interaction mechanisms between uranyl ions and a solid phosphate, the zirconium oxophosphate: Zr2O(PO4)2. Both thermodynamic and structural points of view are developed. Indeed, prior to any simulation of the retention data, it is necessary to precisely characterize the system under study in order to gain information at a molecular scale. First, the intrinsic surface properties of this synthetic compound have been investigated for different temperatures ranging from 25 to 90 degrees C. Mass and potentiometric titrations show that the surface site density remains constant between 25 and 90 degrees C, while the experimental point of zero charge slightly decreases from 4.8 to 4.5 with an increasing temperature. The potentiometric titration data are simulated, for each temperature, using the constant capacitance model and taking into account two surface sites ([TRIPLE BOND]ZrO and [TRIPLE BOND]PO) with a total surface site density equal to 7.0 sites nm(-2). For both reactive sites, the intrinsic protonation constants do not change with the temperature, while the deprotonation ones increase. These results led to the determination of the associated enthalpy and entropy changes according to the van't Hoff relation. Second, the speciation of U(VI) at the solid/solution interface has been studied using two complementary spectroscopic techniques probing the sorbed uranyl ions: time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS). The substrate presents two different reactive surface sites against uranium retention, which are constituted by the oxygen atoms of the surface PO4 groups and the oxygen atoms linked to the zirconium atoms. Two inner-sphere complexes are thus present on the substrate, their relative proportion depending on the pH value of the suspension. The effects of the temperature (25-90 degrees C) on the surrounding uranium were checked using the TRLFS technique. The uranyl sorption constants onto the Zr2O(PO4)2 substrate were determined taking into account the structural investigation. The surface complexation modeling was performed using the constant capacitance model included in the FITEQLv4.0 code. The four adsorption edges obtained at 25, 50, 75, and 90 degrees C were simulated. The modeling of these experimental data was realized considering two surface complexes (([TRIPLE BOND]ZrOH)2UO(2+)2, ([TRIPLE BOND]PO)2UO2) according to the structural investigation. The constant value associated with the ZrO site does not change with the temperature, while the one corresponding to the PO site increases. Finally, the enthalpy and entropy changes associated with the uranyl sorption constants have been determined using the van't Hoff relation.     

Ion transport in MF-4SK cation-exchange membranes modified with acid zirconium phosphate

An MF-4SK cation-exchange membrane has been modified to obtain composite materials containing acid zirconium phosphate particles. It is demonstrated by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction that acid zirconium phosphate in the resulting membrane is in the crystalline state. As compared to the initial MF-4SK membrane, the modified membrane shows a somewhat lower diffusion permeability and a higher ion selectivity.     

Reactivity of secondary metallocene alkyls and the question of dormant sites in catalytic alkene polymerization

The reactivity of [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(n-butyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] (4), [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(sec-butyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] (5), and [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(polypropenyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] with propene, ethene, and hydrogen was studied by low-temperature (<-40 degrees C) 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy in toluene solutions. In contrast with previous suggestions that 2 degrees zirconium alkyl species such as 5 are dormant sites, these measurements demonstrate reactivity of 2 degrees zirconium alkyls with propene and ethene comparable to the 1 degrees zirconium alkyl species 4 and [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(polypropenyl)][MeB(C6F5)3]. Because 2,1-insertion of propene is an infrequent event, these results preclude significant accumulation of catalyst in the form of 2 degrees zirconium alkyls for this metallocene and counterion. The reactivity of 5 with hydrogen is at least 2 orders of magnitude faster than other 1 degrees zirconium alkyls. Such high reactivity accounts for the puzzlingly high fraction of butyl end groups in prior hydrooligomerization studies and implies that catalyst responsivity to H2 as a molecular weight control agent correlates with the regioselectivity of the catalyst.     

Facile tailoring of film morphology and release properties using layer-by-layer assembly of thermoresponsive materials

Layer-by-layer self-assembly was used to prepare thermoresponsive thin films of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) based on hydrogen bonding. The temperature of PNIPAAm adsorption was shown to significantly affect both the mass proportion of PNIPAAm in the film and the film surface morphology. When the adsorption was conducted at temperatures close to the lower critical solubility temperature of PNIPAAm, the amount of PNIPAAm in the film increased significantly (from 51 to 59%), and the total film mass increased by 30-40%. The films prepared at 30 degrees C also exhibited a lower surface roughness (1-2 nm) compared with 5-8 nm when prepared at 10 or 21 degrees C. The resulting multilayer films ([PAA/PNIPAAm]10) were capable of being reversibly loaded and unloaded with dye (Rhodamine B) by exposure to solutions at elevated temperatures. The rate of loading and release was shown to depend on both the solution temperature and film preparation temperature, leading to tunable loading/release properties.