Reversible storage of molecular hydrogen by sorption into multilayered TiO2 nanotubes

The sorption of hydrogen between the layers of the multilayered wall of nanotubular TiO2 was studied in the temperature range of -195 to 200 degrees C and at pressures of 0 to 6 bar. Hydrogen can intercalate between layers in the walls of TiO2 nanotubes forming host-guest compounds TiO2 x xH2, where x < or = 1.5 and decreases at higher temperatures. The rate of hydrogen incorporation increases with temperature and the characteristic time for hydrogen sorption in TiO2 nanotubes is several hours at 100 degrees C. The rate of intercalate formation is limited by the diffusion of molecular hydrogen inside the multilayered walls of the TiO2 nanotube. 1H NMR-MAS and XRD data confirm the incorporation of hydrogen between the layers in the walls of TiO2 nanotubes. The nature and possible applications of the observed intercalates are considered.     

Newton–Raphson optimization of the explicitly correlated Gaussian functions for calculations of the ground state of the helium atom

Explicitly correlated Gaussian functions have been used in variational calculations on the ground state of the helium atom. The major problem of this application, as well as in other applications of the explicitly correlated Gaussian functions to compute electronic energies of atoms and molecules, is the optimization of the nonlinear parameters involved in the variational wave function. An effective Newton–Raphson optimization procedure is proposed based on analytic first and second derivatives of the variational functional with respect to the Gaussian exponents. The algorithm of the method and its computational implementation is described. The application of the method to the helium atom shows that the Newton–Raphson procedure leads to a good convergence of the optimization process. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Non-linear effects in acyclic amino acid-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reactions

Non-linear effects were observed in acyclic amino acid-catalyzed direct asymmetric intermolecular aldol reactions. The non-linear effects are due to the equilibrium solid-liquid phase behavior of amino acids. The results suggest that the phase behavior of amino acids linked to asymmetric catalysis may have implications to the evolution of homochirality.     

Protective properties of redox polymer film deposited on stainless steel

We propose a novel composite organic-inorganic coating in the form of a redox polymer film for protection of stainless steel against general corrosion in strong acid medium (2 M H₂SO₄). We utilize an anion exchange polymer, protonated poly(4-vinylpyridine), into which hexacyanoferrate anions have been introduced. Owing to the presence of Fe(CN)₆^3–/4– at the interface formed by the film and the steel, a sparingly soluble metal hexacyanoferrate (mostly Prussian blue, PB) is formed as an overcoating on the steels surface, presumably on the passive (metal oxide) layer. The redox polymer film on the steel seems to act as a composite three-dimensional bilayer-type coating in which hexacyanoferrate(III,II) anions (that are capable of effective charge storage) exist in the outer portions of the film, whereas the inner PB layer improves the systems overall adherence and stability. By analogy to a conducting polymer (e.g. polyaniline, polypyrrole), introduction of the redox polymer composite film leads to stabilization of the steel substrates potential within the passive range.Contribution to the 3rd Baltic Conference on Electrochemistry, Gdansk-Sobieszewo, Poland, 23–26 April 2003Dedicated to the memory of Harry B. Mark, Jr. (28 February 1934–3 March 2003)     

Membrane electrochemistry

Electrochemistry and biomembranes are interface science in that both are concerned with the phenomena at, as well as across, the interfaces. Membrane electrochemistry may be defined as the application of electrochemistry to biomembrane studies. Additionally, transport processes within the membrane are involved in biomembranes. Since biomembranes are diverse and are usually not amenable to probing by electrochemicophysical techniques, model membrane systems have been developed for their investigation.

The introduction of experimental bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) technique and its modifications have been instrumental in the development and testing of membrane transport concepts (carriers vs channels) and electronic processes in membranes. Instead merely viewing a biomembrane as a physical barrier containing carriers or channels to carry out ionic processes, an ultrathin lipid or biological membrane can also be considered as a complete ‘electrochemical cell’ with one membrane/solution interface reducing (as a cathode) and the other membrane/solution interface oxidizing (as an anode). It is now possible to understand energy transduction (charge generation, separation, and redox reactions) in terms of ultrathin lipid membranes separating two aqueous solutions.

In this paper, we shall discuss the basic principles of electrochemistry as they are applied to membrane studies. Emphasis will be on experimental bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) which have been extensively investigated as models of biomembranes.     

Spektrochemische Bestimmung von Spurenelementen in Eisen und Stahl

Zusammenfassung Ein zweites spektrochemisches Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Silber, Blei, Zinn, Wismut, Tellur, Arsen und Antimon in Eisen und Stahl wurde entwickelt. Auch hier wird die spektrographische Analyse nach Auflösen der Probe in Salpetersäure und Eindampfen der Lösung zur Trockne durchgeführt. Die leichtflüchtigen Elemente werden ohne Puffer durch Anwendung eines inhomogenen Magnetfeldes und einer zweckmäßigen Elektrodenform störungsfrei und mit guter Reproduzierbarkeit bestimmt. Dabei sind die unteren Bestünmungsgrenzen gleich oder niedriger als die anderer spektrochemischer Methoden, die bisher beschrieben wurden. Das Verfahren zeichnet sich durch Schnelligkeit und Einfachheit aus.

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Spectrochemical determination of trace elements in iron and steelPart II. determination of Ag, Pb, Sn, Bi, Te, As and Sb by using an inhomogeneous magnetic field

A second spectrochemical method for the determination of silver, lead, tin, bismuth, tellurium, arsenic and antimony in iron and steel has been developed. Here also the spectrographic analysis is to be carried out after dissolution of the sample in nitric acid and evaporation of the solution to dryness. Without buffer, the easily volatile elements are determined free of interferences and with good reproducibility by using an inhomogeneous magnetic field and electrodes of an appropriate form. The lower limits of determination are the same or lower than those obtained by any other spectrochemical method described. The method is characterised by rapidity and simplicity of procedure.

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Teil I: diese Z. 254, 16 (1971).     

The unrestricted natural orbital-restricted active space method: methodology and implementation

The full configuration interaction method in the space of fractionally occupied unrestricted natural orbitals (UNO-CAS method) is extended to excited states as well as to strongly correlated and reactive systems with large active spaces. This is accomplished by␣using restricted active space (RAS) wave functions introduced by Olsen et al. [(1988) J Chem Phys 89: 2185] and using the UNOs without the expensive orbital optimization step. In RAS, the space of active orbitals is subdivided into three groups: a group with essentially doubly occupied orbitals (RAS1), the usual CAS space (RAS2), and a space with weakly occupied active orbitals (RAS3). We select these spaces on the basis of the occupation numbers of the UNOs. All possible electron distributions are allowed in the usual CAS space, but the number of vacancies is limited in RAS1 and the number of electrons is limited in RAS3. We discuss an efficient algorithm for generating a RAS wave function. This is based on the Handy-Knowles determinantal expansion with an addressing scheme adopted for the restricted expansion. Results for both ground and excited states of azulene and free base porphyrin are presented. Received: 16 July 1998 / Accepted: 7 August 1998 / Published online: 19 October 1998     

Resonance Raman studies of beta-substituted porphyrin systems with unusual electronic absorption properties.

Zn(II) and Cu(II) porphyrins with beta-conjugated barbiturate functional groups have low-energy electronic transitions which are unusual in that there are two strong bands in the Soret region. Resonance excitation of the two bands shows that each has features characteristic of both the porphyrin and barbiturate groups, with some perturbation to these features caused by the interaction of the two chromophores. The resonance Raman (RR) spectrum (lambda(exc)=413.1 nm) of the 412 nm band shows two bands at 1722 and 1743 cm(-1) attributable to C==O stretches in the substituent. Changes in frequency of porphyrin core modes due to the differing metal centres are reproduced by density functional theory calculations. The Q band RR spectra show modes with anomalous polarization which may be attributed to A(2g) modes, however no overtone or combination bands are observed.     

Synthesis and oxygenation of a nickel(II) and zinc(II) dithiolate: an experimental and theoretical comparison

The diamino-dithiolato N2S2 ligand N,N'-bis-2-methyl-mercaptopropyl-N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine, H2bmmp-dmed), and its nickel (1) and zinc (2) complexes have been prepared and their reactivities with hydrogen peroxide investigated. Complex 1 yields a mixture of sulfenato (RSO-), 4, sulfinato (RSO2-), 3, and sulfonato (RSO3-), 5, products upon addition of H2O2. Products are separable by column chromatography. Stoichiometric addition of H2O2 to 2 yields an inseparable mixture. Excess peroxide addition results in oxygenation of the ligand to the disulfonate, 6, and decomplexation of zinc. Complexes 1, 2, and 3 and compound 6 have been investigated by X-ray crystallography, and their structures are reported. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of 1 and 2 reveal significant sulfur p character in the HOMO of each complex. However, 1 also shows significant metal d character that is pi-antibonding with respect to the sulfur p orbitals. Complex 2 shows little metal character in the HOMO. Implications of the HOMO with respect to S-centered reactivity and metal ligand distances in S-oxygenated products are provided.     

Vollständige und B-vollständige topologische Vektorgruppen Graphensätze und Open-Mapping Theorems

We are studying complete and B-complete topological vector groups. These Objects have been introduced by P. Kenderov [6] and D. A. Raikov [11]. They form a category TVG intermediate to the categories of topological Abelian groups and topological vector spaces and are close enough to the last one to give many useful applications to it. We first consider the problem of completion in the most used subcategories of TVG. A special functor allows to play back permanence property questions of completeness in locally convex vector groups to the same questions for locally convex vector spaces. Some examples of complete locally convex vector groups follow. We then unify some differently defined notions of B-completeness and generalize well known theorems concerning B-complete locally convex topological vector spaces to locally convex topological vector groups. Barrelledness concepts introduced in 9 and a special functor constructed in section 6 are used to formulate analogues of the closed graph and open mapping theorem for locally convex vector groups. The remainder of the note is left for applications to locally convex vector spaces. Many theorems about 1^p-sums of normed spaces are proved, as well as the B-completeness of a vast class of locally convex vector spaces including the spaces and of Köthe ([7], §13, No 5,6).