Rate coefficients at 297 K for proton transfer reactions with H2O. Comparisons with classical theories and exothermicity

Rate coefficients for proton transfer reactions of the type XH⁺ + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + X where X = H₂, CH₄, CO, N₂, CO₂ and N₂O and the type H₂O + X^? → XH + OH^? where X = H, NH₂ and C₂H₅NH have been measured at 297 K using the flowing afterglow technique. The results compare favourably with the predictions of the average-dipole-orientation theory. A trend is observed with exothermicity on a plot of (k_exp/k_ADO)_{298 K} versus ?ΔH_{298 K}⁰. The question is raised whether the relatively low probability observed for slightly exothermic proton transfer reactions is a consequence of reaction mechanism or results from the presence of a small activation energy barrier.     

Reaction kinetics of α-CuInSe2 formation from an In2Se3/CuSe bilayer precursor film

The reaction pathway and kinetics of α-CuInSe₂ formation from a glass/In₂Se₃/CuSe polycrystalline bilayer precursor film were investigated using time-resolved, in situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction. Bilayer glass/In₂Se₃/CuSe precursor films were deposited on thin glass substrates in a migration enhanced molecular beam epitaxial deposition system. These films were then temperature ramp annealed or isothermally soaked while monitoring the phase evolution. The initial In₂Se₃ and CuSe reactant phases were directly transformed to α-CuInSe₂ without any detectable intermediate phase. Kinetic parameters were estimated using the Avrami and parabolic diffusion controlled reaction models. The parabolic reaction model fitted the experimental data better than the Avrami model over the entire temperature range (230-290 °C) of the set of isothermal experiments, with an estimated activation energy of 162 (±5) kJ/mol.     

Combined in situ XRD and in situ XANES studies on the reduction behavior of a rhenium promoted cobalt catalyst

A 10% Co-4% Re/(2% Zr/SiO(2)) catalyst was prepared by co-impregnation using a silica support modified by 2% Zr. The catalyst was characterized by temperature programmed reduction (TPR), in situ XRD and in situ XANES analysis where it was simultaneously exposed to H(2) using a temperature programmed ramp. The results showed the two step reduction of large crystalline Co(3)O(4) with CoO as an intermediate. TPR results showed that the reduction of highly dispersed Co(3)O(4) was facilitated by reduced rhenium by a H(2)-spillover mechanism. In situ XRD results showed the presence of both, Co-hcp and Co-fcc phases in the reduced catalyst at 400 °C. However, the Co-hcp phase was more abundant, which is thought to be the more active phase as compared to the Co-fcc phase for CO hydrogenation. CO hydrogenation at 270 °C and 5 bar pressure produces no detectable change in the phases during the time of experiment. In situ XANES results showed a decrease in the metallic cobalt in the presence of H(2)/CO, which can be attributed due to oxidation of the catalyst by reaction under these conditions.     

The effects of fabrication and annealing on the structure and hydrogen permeation of Pd–Au binary alloy membranes

The addition of gold to palladium membranes produces many desirable effects for hydrogen purification, including improved tolerance of sulfur compounds, reduction in hydride phase formation, and, for certain compositions, improved hydrogen permeability. The focus of this work is to determine if sequential plating can be used to produce self-supported alloy membranes with equivalent properties to membranes produced by conventional metallurgical techniques such as cold-working.Sequential electroplating and electroless plating were used to produce freestanding planar Pd–Au membranes with Au contents ranging from 0 to 20 wt%, consisting of Au layers on both sides of a pure Pd core. Membranes were characterized by single-gas permeation measurements, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and high temperature, controlled-atmosphere XRD (HTXRD). Sequentially plated foils tested without any prior annealing had significantly lower H₂ permeabilities than either measured or literature values for homogeneous foils of equivalent composition. This effect appears to be due to the formation of stable gold-enriched surface layers. Pretreatment of membranes to 1023 K created membranes with hydrogen permeabilities equivalent to literature values, despite the fact that trace amounts of surface gold remained detectable with XRD.     

Bilayer-by-bilayer antiferroelectric ordering in freely suspended films of an achiral polymer-monomer liquid crystal mixture

Thin freely suspended films of a mixture of an achiral side-chain liquid crystal polymer and its monomer have been studied with depolarized reflected light microscopy. We observe that regions with an odd number of bilayers exhibit a net spontaneous polarization in the tilt plane of the molecules, while regions with an even number of bilayers have no net polarization. These odd-even effects are direct evidence that the tilted smectic bilayers are anticlinic at the polymer backbone and synclinic at bilayer interface and confirm that the phase is bilayer-by-bilayer antiferroelectric.     

Three-dimensional magnetic correlations in multiferroic LuFe2O4

We present single crystal neutron diffraction measurements on multiferroic LuFe(2)O(4). Magnetic reflections are observed below transitions at 240 and 175 K indicating that the magnetic interactions in LuFe(2)O(4) are three-dimensional in character. The magnetic structure is refined as a ferrimagnetic spin configuration below the 240 K transition. Below 175 K a significant broadening of the magnetic peaks is observed along with the buildup of a diffuse component to the magnetic scattering.