Synthesis and characterization of porous chromia-pillared layered lanthanum niobic acid

The first chromia-pillared layered lanthanum niobic acid was prepared by an ion-exchange route, in which n-hexylamine-pre-expanded lanthanum niobate reacted with chromium(III) acetate [Cr(OAc)₃] aqueous solution under reflux condition, and the ion-exchanged product was calcined at 450 °C in air flow. The structure of the novel pillared material was examined by means of various analytical techniques, such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential analysis (TG/DTA), nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and transmission electron micrographs (TEM). The chromia-pillared layered lanthanum niobic acid exhibited a porous layered structure with a BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area of 89 m²·g^− 1 and an interlayer distance of 1.31 nm. The layered structure could be retained up to 550 °C.     

Synthesis and room temperature photoluminescence of ZnO/CTAB ordered layered nanocomposite with flake-like architecture

Flake-like ZnO/surfactant ordered layered nanocomposite has been synthesized by self-assembly at room temperature with the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB, CH₃(CH₂)₁₅N⁺(CH₃)₃Br⁻) surfactant. The procedure described in this study is attractive since it gives high yields of ordered layered nanocomposite with flake-like architecture. XRD results showed the formation of a layered structure with two layered spacings ca. 18.56 Å. SEM and FT-IR spectroscopy were used to further characterize ZnO/CTAB nanolayered composite. The ZnO/CTAB-ordered layered nanocomposite exhibits the room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) characteristics. It is inferred that the RTPL of ZnO/CTAB-layered nanocomposite might be induced by the interfacial effect between the ZnO and the surfactant.     

Structure and Thermal Stability of Polystyrene/Layered Silicate Nanocomposites

Polystyrene/layered silicates nanocomposites were prepared by intercalation in solution method, using CHCl₃ and CCl₄ as solvents. The clay used was organically modified by hexadecyltrimethyl–ammonium bromide (CTAB) at various surfactant loadings. It was found that intercalated nanocomposite structure was obtained using CHCl₃ as solvent while exfoliated or partially exfoliated was the predominant form in the case of CCl₄. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the nanocomposite morphology and thermal stability, respectively. Enhancement in thermal stability was observed for PS-nanocomposites compared to that of pristine polymer as indicated by TGA measurements. This increment was more prevalent for exfoliated nanocomposites prepared with carbon tetrachloride as solvent.     

Intercalation of [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions into layered sodium silicate magadiite: a useful method to enhance their stabilisation in a highly dispersed state

Al-free layered sodium silicate magadiite has been used as the host material for the stabilisation of [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ions via intercalation and/or ion-exchange reactions. The stabilisation of Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ions in between the layers of Na-magadiite was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), where increased decomposition temperatures were observed for the intercalated materials. The intercalation behaviour of Na-magadiite was evident from the significant uptake of Pt ions (22.2 wt%). When silica gel was used as the host matrix, negligible uptake of Pt ions (1.3 wt%) was noticed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed no appreciable change in the basal spacing of the intercalated materials. Nevertheless, the decrease in the intensity of the 001 peak with increasing Pt loadings (from 13.0 to 22.2 wt%) substantiated the intercalation of [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ions within the interlayer spaces of Na-magadiite. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the intercalated materials revealed that [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ions were homogeneously intercalated in the magadiite matrix, ranging from 2 to 3 nm. Subsequent calcination of the intercalated materials at 600 °C in air led to the formation of Pt nanoparticles supported on silica. The results of XRD and TEM indicated that Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the silica support and were in the range of 5–12 nm. Moreover, chemical analyses confirmed the high loading of Pt on silica in agreement with the TGA results.     

Ab initio study of sodium intercalation into metal oxides

Using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method, we have studied the effect of chemistry on the average intercalation voltage (AIV) caused by the Na ions intercalating into transition metal oxides. The effect of transition metal was systematically studied by varying M=Co, Ni and Mn in NaMO₂ and fixing the α-NaFeO₂ layered structure. The effect of the guest atoms into the host material is discussed in terms of the structural and electronic properties. Comparatively to Li intercalation, a significant electron transfer towards transition metal was found. This observation suggests that the transition metal contribute to the AIV determination and confirms the common assumption that intercalated electron reduces M⁴⁺ to M³⁺.     

Characterization, sintering and dielectric properties of nanocrystalline zinc oxide prepared by a citric acid-based combustion route

Nanosized zinc oxide has been synthesized through a novel single step solution combustion route using citric acid as fuel. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the synthesized ZnO nanopowder has the pure wurtzite structure. The phase purity of the nanopowder has been confirmed using differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The morphology and crystalline size of the as-prepared nanopowder characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the powder consisted of a mixture of nanoparticles and nanorods. The nanocrystalline ZnO could be sintered to ∼97% of the theoretical density at 1200 °C in 4 h. The dielectric constant (ε_r) and dielectric loss (ε_i) of sintered ZnO pellets at 5 MHz were 1.38 and 9×10⁻², respectively, at room temperature.     

Ultrasound-assisted fabrication of a new nanocomposite electrode of samaria and borazon for high performance supercapacitors

The fabrication of hetero structured materials with supercapacitor applications for industrial use remains a key challenge. This work reports a new supercapacitor material with high capacitance, comprising samaria and borazon (O₃Sm₂/BN) synthesized ultrasonically (40 ± 3 kHz, 200 W). The successful synthesis, probable interfaces between O₃Sm₂ and BN and thermal stability of the nanocomposite were studied by UV–Vis. and FT-IR spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo gravimetric analyses (TGA). The morphology of nanocomposite was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Elemental mapping analysis and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) confirmed the elements present in the material. This supercapacitor material shows a maximum discharge capacitance of 414 Fg⁻¹ at 0.25 Ag⁻¹ and an exceptional retention of specific capacitance (92.5%) in 5000 cycles. Such nanocomposite with better specific capacitance and charge/discharge rates makes it a right candidate as next generation supercapacitor, which certainly finds applications in various unconventional energy storage devices.     

Structure and electrical conductivity of a novel inorganic solid electrolyte: Na14.5[Al(PO4)2F2]2.5[Ti(PO4)2F2]0.5 (NATP)

A novel inorganic solid electrolyte with a layered framework structure stable up to 1043 K, Na_14.5[Al(PO₄)₂F₂]_2.5[Ti(PO₄)₂F₂]_0.5 (NATP), has been hydrothermally prepared and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction techniques, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, IR spectroscopic measurement, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA and DTA). NATP crystallizes in the acentric hexagonal space group P3 with a=10.448(2), b=10.448(2), , Z=1, containing a large number of Na⁺ cations in the interlamellar space and the cavities of its framework. There are six different crystallographic Na⁺ cationic sites, in which 8% Na(5) and 12% Na(6) sites are vacant. Electrical conductivity measurements show that Na⁺ cations exhibit a high mobility with two domains for the electrical conductivity versus temperature.     

Metatungstate and tungstoniobate-containing LDHs: Preparation, characterisation and activity in epoxidation of cyclooctene

Polyoxometalates (POMs) H₂W₁₂O₄₀⁶⁻ and W₄Nb₂O₁₉⁴⁻ have been intercalated between the brucite-like layers of Mg, Al and Zn, Al hydrotalcites by anion exchange, starting from the corresponding nitrate precursors. The solids have been characterised by Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption at −196 °C and thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA), and have been tested in the epoxidation of cyclooctene using H₂O₂ or t-BuOOH as oxidants. The results show that both anions are effectively located in the interlayer space maintaining their pristine structures without depolymerisation. Upon intercalation of such large anions microporosity is developed and subsequently an increase in the specific surface areas is also observed. In general, the prepared materials possess catalase and epoxidation activity, with ZnAl-intercalated H₂W₁₂O₄₀⁶⁻ giving the best results in terms of epoxide yield (17% at 24 h). Product selectivity is different for the intercalated and free POMs, the latter yielding 1,2-cyclooctanediol as the only product, whereas the former produces only the epoxide. The epoxidation reaction seems to be catalysed in homogeneous phase by the POM.     

Raman and IR spectra of K4Nb6O17and K4Nb6O17·3H2O single crystals

Polarised Raman and IR spectra of K₄Nb₆O₁₇ and K₄Nb₆O₁₇· 3H₂O single crystals were measured. The obtained spectra are discussed using the factor group approach for the orthorhombic P2₁nb space group and assignment of bands to the respective motions of atoms is proposed. In particular, we have shown that the bands above 770 cm⁻¹ can be attributed to the stretching modes of short niobium–oxygen bonds, which are present in this material due to the pronounced layered structure, whereas the potassium atoms contribute to the bands observed below 180 cm⁻¹. Our studies have revealed that intercalation of water molecules leads to shifts, broadening and changes in intensity of some bands. These changes have been attributed to slight changes in the bond lengths and angles, interactions of the water molecules with K atoms and structural disorder introduced by the intercalated water molecules. However, the main structural framework was preserved. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.