Polyaniline-coated cellulose fibers decorated with silver nanoparticles

Cellulose fibers of 20 μm in diameter and aspect ratio of 2 or 10 were coated with protonated polyaniline (PANI) during the oxidation of aniline hydrochloride with ammonium peroxydisulfate in an aqueous medium. The presence of PANI has been proved by FTIR spectroscopy. The conductivity increased from 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁴ S cm⁻¹ to 0.41 S cm⁻¹ after coating the fibers with PANI. The percolation threshold in the mixture of original uncoated and PANI-coated fibers was reduced from 10 mass % PANI to 6 mass % PANI, as the aspect ratio changed from 2 to 10. The subsequent reaction with silver nitrate results in the decoration of PANI-coated cellulose fibers with silver nanoparticles of about 50 nm average size. The content of silver of up to 10.6 mass % was determined as a residue in thermogravimetric analysis. FTIR spectra suggest that the protonated emeraldine coating changed to the pernigraniline form during the latter process and, consequently, the conductivity of the composite was reduced to 4.1 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹, despite the presence of silver.     

Enhanced electrochemical properties of polyethylene oxide-based composite solid polymer electrolytes with porous inorganic–organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes as fillers

Solid composite polymer electrolytes consisting of polyethylene oxide (PEO), LiClO₄, and porous inorganic–organic hybrid poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4, 4′-sulfonyldiphenol) (PZS) nanotubes were prepared using the solvent casting method. Differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the characteristics of the composite polymer electrolytes. The ionic conductivity, lithium ion transference number, and electrochemical stability window can be enhanced after the addition of PZS nanotubes. The electrochemical impedance showed that the conductivity was improved significantly. Maximum ionic conductivity values of 1.5 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at ambient temperature and 7.8 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at 80 °C were obtained with 10 wt.% content of PZS nanotubes, and the lithium ion transference number was 0.35. The good electrochemical properties of the solid-state composite polymer electrolytes suggested that the porous inorganic–organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes had a promising use as fillers in SPEs and the PEO₁₀–LiClO₄–PZS nanotube solid composite polymer electrolyte might be used as a candidate material for lithium polymer batteries.     

Thermal conductivity enhancement of MWNTs on the PANI/tetradecanol form-stable PCM

We prepared PANI/tetradecanol/MWNTs composites via in-situ polymerization. DSC results indicated that the composites are good form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) with large phase change enthalpy of 115 J g⁻¹. The MWNTs were randomly dispersed in the composites and significantly enhanced the thermal conductivity of the PCMs from 0.33 to 0.43 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹. The form-stable PCMs won’t liquefy even it is heated at 80°C, so that the MWNTs were fixed in the composite and the phase separation of the MWNTs from PANI/tetradecanol/MWNTs composites won’t occur.     

Conductivity of flowing polyaniline suspensions in electric field

The formation of chain structures by polarized polyaniline (PANI) particles suspended in silicone oil in the electric field has been monitored by recording suspension conductivity in the course of time. For that purpose, three types of PANI particles differing in the conductivity (3.1 × 10⁻³, 1.7 × 10⁻¹, and 2.0 × 10⁻¹ S cm⁻¹) have been chosen out of a series of nine samples prepared by controlled protonation of PANI base in orthophosphoric acid solutions. Relaxation times reflecting this process and characterizing the rate of the response to the electric field decreased with particle conductivity, indicating a higher polarizability of particles. At the same time, the maximum conductivity of suspension increased as a consequence of the electric and shear forces acting on the particles. In the shear fields, shorter relaxation times appeared than at rest. The simultaneous measurement of the shear stress confirmed that the conductivity investigation can reliably characterize the development of electrorheological structures.     

A sensitive and simple flotation-spectrophotometric method for the determination of microgram amounts of silver using Schiff base 2-[(2-mercaptophenyliminio)methyl]phenol

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of microgram amounts of silver has been developed. The method is based on the flotation of the complex of Schiff base, 2-[(2-mercaptophenylimino)methyl]phenol (MPMP), and silver at the aqueous solution-chloroform interface. The complex was then separated and dissolved in 5 mL of methanol, and its absorbance was measured at 330 nm. The quantitative flotation of the complex was possible from 5–140 mL of the aqueous phase in the pH range of 1–5. For a 100-mL aliquot of the water sample, the Beer’s law was obeyed over the range from 1 × 10⁻⁷ to 5 × 10⁻⁶ M of silver. The Sandell’s sensitivity was 6.9 × 10⁻⁹ mol cm⁻² for a 0.001 absorbance unit. The method is simple, rapid, free from the interference of many cations and anions, and has a wide linear range. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of silver in tap water, well water, waste water in the mining industries, and a lead-concentrate reference material. The accuracy was assessed using either a recovery experiment and independent analysis with standard additions, or the analysis of certified reference materials. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Electrochemical methods for simultaneous determination of trace amounts of dopamine and uric acid using a carbon paste electrode incorporated with multi-wall carbon nanotubes and modified with α-cyclodextrine

In this work, we investigate the electrochemical activity of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) using both a bare and a modified carbon paste electrode as the working electrode, with a platinum wire as the counter electrode and a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) as the reference electrode. The modified carbon paste electrode consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (>95%) treated with α-cyclodextrine, resulting in an electrode that exhibits a significant catalytic effect toward the electro-chemical oxidation of DA in a 0.2-M Britton–Robinson buffer solution (pH 5.0). The peak current increases linearly with the DA concentration within the molar concentration ranges of 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ M and 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.9 × 10⁻⁴ M. The detection limit (signal to noise >3) for DA was found to be 1.34 × 10⁻⁷ M, respectively. In this work, voltammetric methods such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronocuolometry, differential pulse and square wave voltammetry, and linear sweep and hydrodynamic voltammetry were used. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the redox properties of the modified electrode at various scan rates. The diffusion coefficient (D, cm² s⁻¹ = 3.05 × 10⁻⁵) and the kinetic parameters such as the electron transfer coefficient (α = 0.51) and the rate constant (k, cm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ = 1.8 × 10³) for DA were determined using electrochemical approaches. By using differential pulse voltammetry for simultaneous measurements, we obtained two peaks for DA and UA in the same solution, with the peak separation approximately 136 mV. The average recovery was measured at 102.45% for DA injection.     

Electrochemical properties of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide melt containing water impurities

The effect of a water impurity (1.8–10 wt %) on the conductivity of the ionic liquid-H₂O binary system was studied in a wide temperature range. It was shown that the interaction between components is characteristic of this system, and the molar ratio of components 1: 1 is boundary between the structures of solution and melt. The basic kinetic features of electrochemical reduction of water of the BMImBr-H₂O binary system were determined by voltammetry with linear potential sweep. The transfer coefficient for the cathodic process (α = 0.46) and H₂O molecule diffusivities were determined depending on the water content ( $ D_{H_2 O} The effect of a water impurity (1.8–10 wt %) on the conductivity of the ionic liquid-H₂O binary system was studied in a wide temperature range. It was shown that the interaction between components is characteristic of this system, and the molar ratio of components 1: 1 is boundary between the structures of solution and melt. The basic kinetic features of electrochemical reduction of water of the BMImBr-H₂O binary system were determined by voltammetry with linear potential sweep. The transfer coefficient for the cathodic process (α = 0.46) and H₂O molecule diffusivities were determined depending on the water content ( = (0.2–1.3) × 10⁻¹⁰ cm²s⁻¹). Original Russian Text ? E.P. Grishina, A.M. Pimenova, L.M. Ramenskaya, O.V. Kraeva, 2008, published in Elektrokhimiya, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 11, pp. 1352–1358.     

Application of FTIR spectra for evaluating interfacial reactions in metal matrix composites

Manufacturing of Saffil/MgLi metal matrix composites by the melt infiltration process is accompanied by extensive interfacial redox reaction between δ-Al₂O₃ fibers (Saffil) and lithium. The present paper deals with the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy examination of Saffil fibers isolated from Mg–8 wt% Li alloy by the bromine/methylacetate agent focusing on the insertion of Li⁺ ions into δ-Al₂O₃ and their influence on water adsorption. Insertion of Li⁺ into δ-Al₂O₃ is monitored by gradual change of Al–O stretching bands (400–900 cm⁻¹) towards more simple patterns of a spinel-like product assigned as δ(Li) which transforms to LiAl₅O₈ during subsequent annealing. Rapid increase in the water adsorption with increase in Li content, indicated by the changes in H–O–H bending (about 1,650 cm⁻¹) and O–H stretching (about 3,500 cm⁻¹), is connected with the ionicity of the δ(Li) phase, which attracts polar water molecules.     

Temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of orthophosphoric acid in porous glass

Temperature dependence of the proton conductivity of a 85 wt % solution of orthophosphoric acid in a set of porous glasses with predominant channel radii of 4.5, 9, 19, and 74 nm was studied. A method for saturating a wide-pore glass with a dehydrated acid is suggested. This method provides a conductivity on the order of 10⁻⁴–10⁻³ ohm⁻¹ cm⁻¹ in the temperature range 373–473 K.     

Pressure Dependence of the Acid/Base Equilibria of Methyl Orange in Aqueous Solutions to 1000 bar at 20°C

The pressure dependence on the acid/base equilibria of methyl orange in aqueous solution was measured at 20 °C in the 1–1000 bar range with a newly designed flow-through spectrophotometric cell. Combined chemometric and thermodynamic analyses of the UV-Vis spectrophotometric data were used to extract the dissociation constants as well as the changes in molar volume and isothermal compressibility of methyl orange as a function of pressure. The results show that increasing the pressure promotes the deprotonation of methyl orange, with pK values ranging from 3.505 at 1 bar to 3.445 ± 0.002 at 1000 bar. Increasing the pressure also yields small negative changes in the molar volume ranging from –6.9 cm³·mol⁻¹ at 1 bar to −1.7 cm³·mol⁻¹ at 1000 bar. The isothermal compressibility of methyl orange in this pressure range was estimated using the second derivative of second and third order polynomial fits to the constants, and resulted in a constant value of –48.4 × 10⁻⁴ cm³·mol⁻¹·bar⁻¹ in the former case, but increasing values from –107 × 10⁻⁴ cm³·mol⁻¹·bar⁻¹ at 1 bar to 3.43 × 10⁻⁴ cm³·mol⁻¹·bar⁻¹ at 1000 bar in the latter case. Molar absorption coefficients for the protonated and deprotonated species were also shown to be only slightly effected by pressure changes and can be used to accurately predict the absorption spectra of methyl orange as a function of pressure.     

Selective detection of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid by use of glassy-carbon electrodes modified with both polyaniline film and multi-walled carbon nanotubes with incorporated β-cyclodextrin

A simple, sensitive, and reliable method based on a combination of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with incorporated β-cyclodextrin (β-CD-MWNTs) and a polyaniline (PANI) film-modified glassy-carbon (GC) electrode has been successfully developed for determination of dopamine (DA) in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). The PANI film had good anti-interference properties and long-term stability, because of the permselective and protective properties of the conducting redox polymer film. The acid-treated MWNTs with carboxylic acid functional groups promoted the electron-transfer reaction of DA and inhibited the voltammetric response of AA. Sensitive detection of DA was further improved by the preconcentration effect of formation of a supramolecular complex between β-CD and DA. The analytical response of the β-CD-MWNTs/PANI film to the electrochemical behavior of DA was, therefore, better than that of a MWNTs/PANI film, a PANI film, or a bare glassy-carbon (GC) electrode. Under the conditions chosen a linear calibration plot was obtained in the range 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–1.0 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹ and the detection limit was 1.2 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. Interference from AA was effectively eliminated and the sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and reproducibility of the electrodes was excellent for determination of DA.     

Structural analysis of reactive dye species retained by the basic alumina surface

The alumina-dye composites were prepared by treating the basic alumina with the water solutions of Reactive Red 120 (RR 120) and Reactive Blue 15 (RB 15) dyes. The bands of low intensities in the 1400–1600 cm⁻¹ region and at 783 cm⁻¹ in the IR spectra of these composites point out that the dye species is bound weakly to the surface. In the case of mechanochemical adsorption of dye molecules, the asymmetric and symmetric S(=O)₂ and the S-O-C stretching bands together with the vibrations of aromatic ring revealed that dye types under dry conditions interacted effectively with alumina surface. After the heating of the alumina dye complexes in the temperature range 150–350°C, the intensities of the IR and XRD peaks for adsorbed types decreased. The endothermic peaks over 200°C and the bigger total mass losses for the alumina-dye composites can be ascribed to the decomposition of dye species retained by the alumina surface. The mass losses on TG curves of the alumina-dye complexes up to ∼800°C exhibit the removal of black residues occurred by decomposition of first adsorbed products. The thermal analysis data also point out that the water molecules bonded strongly to the alumina surface and dye types compete to accommodate at the surface active sites.     

Determination of Zirconium (IV) and Aluminium (III) in Waste Water

 Zirconium (IV) was determined spectrophotometrically by reaction with quercetin as primary ligand and oxalate as secondary ligand. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as protective colloid to solubilize the formed zirconium quercetin oxalate ternary complex. The molar absorptivity of the 1:3:1 (zirconium–quercetin–oxalate) complex is 7.31 × 10⁴ L·mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 430 nm with a stability constant of 8.2 × 10²⁰ and its detection limit is 0.16 mg/L. Beer’s law is rectilinear up to 1.46 mg/L of zirconium (IV). The sensitivity index is 1.25 ng cm⁻². The reaction of aluminium (III) with quercetin in presence of PVP as a surfactant has been studied spectrophotometrically. The molar absorptivity of the 1:3 (aluminium–quercetin) complex is 8.09 × 10⁴ × L·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹ at 433 nm, its stability constant is 2.6 × 10¹³ with sensitivity index of 0.33 ng·cm⁻² and its detection limit is 0.08 mg/L. The optimal conditions for the quantitative determination of zirconium and aluminium were studied. The proposed methods are examined by statistical analysis of the experimental data. The methods are free from interference of most cations and anions. The proposed methods have been used to determine zirconium and aluminium in industrial waste water. Received May 30, 2001; accepted November 2, 2001; published online July 15, 2002     

Lithium-ion conduction in elastomeric binder in Li-ion batteries

This paper describes two kinds of elastomeric binders which are styrene–butadiene (ST–BD) copolymer and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate–acrylonitrile (2EHA–AN) copolymer for electrode materials of rechargeable Li-ion batteries. These elastomeric binders were swollen by electrolyte solution (EC/DEC=1/2, 1 M LiPF₆), and 2EHA–AN copolymer retained larger amount of electrolyte solution than ST–BD copolymer. The Li-ionic conduction behavior was investigated for both copolymer films swollen by electrolyte solution. The Li-ion conductivity of ST–BD copolymer was 9.45 × 10⁻⁸ S·cm⁻¹ and that of 2EHA–AN copolymer was 1.25 × 10⁻⁵ S·cm⁻¹ at room temperature, and the corresponding amounts of activation energy were 0.31 and 0.26 eV, respectively. Because the observed activation energy in elastomeric binder was different from that in the bulk of electrolyte solution (0.09 eV), Li-ion conduction of the bulk of elastomeric binder swollen by electrolyte was affected by the polymer structure of binders. Electrochemical performance of cathode material, LiCoO₂, was investigated with three kinds of binders: ST–BD copolymer, 2EHA–AN copolymer, and poly(vinylidene fluoride). The initial charge–discharge capacity of the LiCoO₂ electrode with 2EHA–AN copolymer showed highest capacity, suggesting that Li⁺-ion conduction inside of the elastomeric binder contributes to the enhancement of charging and discharging capacity. This result indicates that elastomeric binder with sufficient Li-ionic conductivity can be an attractive candidate for improving cathode of lithium-ion battery.     

Utilization of solid phase spectrophotometry for the determination of trace amounts of copper using 5-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline

A simple, selective, highly sensitive and accurate procedure for the determination of trace amounts of copper has been developed based on solid-phase spectrophotometry. Copper reacts with 5-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline (BTAHQ) to give a complex with high molar absorptivity (3.17 × 10⁷ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, 3.07 × 10⁸ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, 1.22 × 10⁹ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, and 1.80 × 10⁹ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹), fixed on a Dowex 1-X8 type anion-exchange resin for 10 mL, 100 mL, 500 mL, and 1000 mL, respectively. The absorbance at 667 nm and 800 nm packed in a 1.0 mm cell was measured directly. Calibration is linear over the range 0.2–3.7 μg L⁻¹ with RSD of < 1.28 % (n = 10). The detection and quantification limits of the 500 mL sample method are 79 ng L⁻¹ and 260 ng L⁻¹ when using 60 mg of Dowex 1-X8. For a 1000 mL sample, the detection and quantification limits are 67 ng L⁻¹ and 220 ng L⁻¹ using 60 mg of the exchanger. Increasing the sample volume can enhance the sensitivity. The proposed method was applied to the determination of copper in different environmental water samples (tap, pit, spring, and river), food products (rice, corn flour, and tea), and mushrooms, using the standard addition technique.     

Vertical inventories and fluxes of <Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb, <Superscript>228</Superscript>Ra and <Superscript>226</Superscript>Ra at southern South China Sea and Malacca Straits

Inventories and fluxes of ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra were determined in sediment cores collected at nine stations covering of the southern South China Sea and Malacca Straits with the thickness of water column between 42 and 83 m depth. The inventories of ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra were calculated range from 0.15–2.55 Bq cm⁻², 0.05–0.40 Bq cm⁻² and 6.83–83.63 Bq cm⁻², meanwhile the fluxes ranged from 0.005–0.079 Bq cm⁻² yr⁻¹, 0.009–0.048 Bq cm⁻² yr⁻¹ and 0.003–0.037 Bq cm⁻² yr⁻¹, respectively. The results show that the highest inventories and fluxes for ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra were found at station WC 01 and EC 05. Because there are additional sources of ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra, where water transport will brings more dissolved isotopes, influence of the transportation and deposition of suspended particles, fast rate of regeneration and greater production of those radionuclides and others.     

Voltammetric and Spectrophotometric Determination of Nizatidi ne in Pharmaceutical Formulations

 Two methods are described for quantitative determination of nizatidine. The first is a cathodic stripping voltammetric method which is based on the accumulation of the compound at the hanging mercury drop electrode. The adsorptive stripping response was evaluated with respect of accumulation time, potential, concentration, pH and other variables. A linear calibration graph was obtained over the range 3.0×10⁻⁸–1.0×10⁻⁶ M with a detection limit 3.0×10⁻⁸ M after a 20s accumulation time at −0.2 V accumulation potential. On the other hand, it was found that the detection limit could be lowered to 1.0×10⁻⁸ M after 180s accumulation time at −0.2 V accumulation potential. The relative standard deviation was in the range 1.2−2.0% for six measurements. The tolerance amounts of the common excipients have also been reported. The second is a spectrophotometric method which is based on the formation and extraction of the ion-pair complex formed between nizatidine and either bromocresol green or bromothymol blue. The extracted colored ion-pair complexes absorb at 416 nm. The effect of different factors such as: type of organic solvent, pH, reagent concentration, number of extraction times, shaking time, temperature and the tolerance amount of the common excipients have been reported. The calibration graph was linear in the range 6.0×10⁻⁷–1.8×10⁻⁵ M with a detection limit of 6.0×10⁻⁷ M and molar absorptivity of 2.1×10⁴ lċmol⁻¹ċcm⁻¹ when using bromocresol green, while the calibration graph was linear in the range 3.0×10⁻⁷–1.1×10⁻⁵ M with a detection limit of 3.0×10⁻⁷ M and molar absorptivity of 3.2×10⁴ lċmol⁻¹ċcm⁻¹ when using bromothymol blue. The spectrophotometric methods offer alternative methods with reasonable sensitivity, selectivity and accuracy with relative standard deviation in the range 2.1−6.0% and 1.2−4.7% (for six measurements) when using bromothymol blue and bromocresol green, respectively. The proposed two methods were applied for the determination of nizatidine in commercially available dosage forms. A comparison between the voltammetric and the extraction-spectrophotometric methods was also reported. Received April 19, 1999. Revision August 30, 1999.     

Anode performance of Mn-doped ceria–ScSZ for solid oxide fuel cell

The 70 wt.% Mn-doped CeO₂ (MDC)-30 wt.% Scandia-stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) composites are evaluated as anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in terms of chemical compatibility, thermal expansion coefficient, electrical conductivity, and fuel cell performance in H₂ and CH₄. The conductivity of MDC10 (10 mol.% Mn-doping), MDC20, and CeO₂ are 4.12, 2.70, and 1.94 S cm⁻¹ in H₂ at 900 °C. With 10 mol.% Mn-doping, the fuel cells performances improve from 166 to 318 mW cm⁻² in H₂ at 900 °C. The cell with MDC10–ScSZ anode exhibits a better performance than the one with MDC20–ScSZ in CH₄, the maximum power density increases from 179 to 262 mW cm⁻². Electrochemical impedance spectra indicate that the Mn doping into CeO₂ can reduce the ohmic and polarization resistance, thus leading to a higher performance. The results demonstrate the potential ability of MDC10–ScSZ composite to be used as SOFCs anode.     

Novel oxalate-bridged trinuclear FeIII-MII-FeIII (M = Cu and VO) complexes: synthesis and magnetism

Two new heterotrinuclear Fe^III-M^II-Fe^III oxalate-bridged complexes have been prepared, and characterized, namely M^II[(ox)Fe^III(Salen)]₂, [Salen = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminate), ox = oxalate, M = Cu (1) and VO (2)]. Based on elemental analysis, conductivity measurements and i.r. spectra, the complexes are proposed to have an oxalate-bridged structure. The magnetic susceptibilities of the complexes were measured over the 4.2–300 K range, giving the exchange integrals J _AB = −4.23 cm⁻¹, J _AA = −2.47 cm⁻¹ for (1) and J _AB = −5.42 cm⁻¹, J _AA = −1.55 cm⁻¹ for (2). These results revealed the operation of an antiferromagnetic spin-exchange interaction between the metal ions. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sulfurization of polymers

Polyethylene is exhaustively sulfurized by elemental sulfur at 160–365 °C to release hydrogen sulfide and form black lustrous powders (sulfur content ≈80%) that possess electric conductivity (10⁻⁶–10⁻⁸ S cm⁻¹ when doped with I₂). Elemental analysis data, IR spectra, X-ray patterns, DSC-TGA. derivatographic data, electric conductivity, and mass spectrometric characteristics of the polymers synthesized suggest the presence of fused polythienothiophene and polynaphthothienothiophene blocks in the polymers. For Part 1, see Ref. 1 Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 865–871, May, 2000.