Bipolar Electrochemiluminescence Imaging: A Way to Investigate the Passivation of Silicon Surfaces

This work depicts the original combination of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and bipolar electrochemistry (BPE) to map in real-time the oxidation of silicon in microchannels. We fabricated model silicon-PDMS microfluidic chips, optionally containing a restriction, and monitored the evolution of the surface reactivity using ECL. BPE was used to remotely promote ECL at the silicon surface inside microfluidic channels. The effects of the fluidic design, the applied potential and the resistance of the channel (controlled by the fluidic configuration) on the silicon polarization and oxide formation were investigated. A potential difference down to 6 V was sufficient to induce ECL, which is two orders of magnitude less than in classical BPE configurations. Increasing the resistance of the channel led to an increase in the current passing through the silicon and boosted the intensity of ECL signals. Finally, the possibility of achieving electrochemical reactions at predetermined locations on the microfluidic chip was investigated using a patterning of the silicon oxide surface by etched micrometric squares. This ECL imaging approach opens exciting perspectives for the precise understanding and implementation of electrochemical functionalization on passivating materials. In addition, it may help the development and the design of fully integrated microfluidic biochips paving the way for development of original bioanalytical applications.     

Characterization of Functional Groups in Estuarine Dissolved Organic Matter by DNP-enhanced 15N and 13C Solid-State NMR

Estuaries are key ecosystems with unique biodiversity and are of high economic importance. Along the estuaries, variations in environmental parameters, such as salinity and light penetration, can modify the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Nevertheless, there is still limited information about the atomic-level transformations of DOM in this ecosystem. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy provides unique insights into the nature of functional groups in DOM. A major limitation of this technique is its lack of sensivity, which results in experimental time of tens of hours for the acquisition of ¹³C NMR spectra and generally precludes the observation of ¹⁵N nuclei for DOM. We show here how the sensitivity of solid-state NMR experiments on DOM of Seine estuary can be enhanced using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) under magic-angle spinning. This technique allows the acquisition of ¹³C NMR spectra of these samples in few minutes, instead of hours for conventional solid-state NMR. Both conventional and DNP-enhanced ¹³C NMR spectra indicate that the ¹³C local environments in DOM are not strongly modified along the Seine estuary. Furthermore, the sensitivity gain provided by the DNP allows the detection of ¹⁵N NMR signal of DOM, in spite of the low nitrogen content. These spectra reveal that the majority of nitrogen is in the amide form in these DOM samples and show an increased disorder around these amide groups near the mouth of the Seine.     

Phase separation and flux quantization in the doped quantum dimer model on square and triangular lattices

The doped two-dimensional quantum dimer model is investigated by numerical techniques on the square and triangular lattices, with significantly different results. On the square lattice, at small enough doping, there is always a phase separation between an insulating valence-bond solid and a uniform superfluid phase, whereas on the triangular lattice, doping leads directly to a uniform superfluid in a large portion of the resonating-valence-bond (RVB) phase. Under an applied Aharonov-Bohm flux, the superfluid exhibits quantization in terms of half-flux quanta, consistent with Q=2e elementary charge quanta in transport properties.     

Light scalars coupled to photons and non-newtonian forces

A particle phi coupling to two photons couples also radiatively to charged particles, like protons. If the particle is a light scalar, this induced coupling leads to spin-independent non-Newtonian forces. We show that the experimental constraints on exotic, fifth-type forces lead to stringent constraints on the phigammagamma coupling. We discuss the impact on the recent PVLAS results and the role of paraphoton models introduced to solve the PVLAS-CAST puzzle.     

Electrochemical behavior of silver thin films interfaced with yttria-stabilized zirconia

Thin silver films (100–800 nm) were deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD) on yttria-stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte. The electric percolation as a function of the film thickness was studied during deposition and annealing using a two-electrode in-situ resistance measurement technique. Electrical percolation was achieved in as-deposited films greater than 5.4?±?0.4 nm; however, thermal treatment (550 °C in air) resulted in film dewetting for Ag films as thick as 500 nm and formation of electronically isolated Ag nanoparticles, as was confirmed by SEM and XPS. In thermally treated samples, stable electronic conductivity associated with a continuous percolated network was only observed in samples greater than 600 nm in thickness. The effect of polarization on the electrochemical reactions at the three-phase (electrode-gas-electrolyte) and two-phase (electrode-electrolyte) boundaries of the electrode was investigated by solid electrolyte cyclic voltammetry (SECV) at 350 °C and P _O2?=?6 kPa. With the application of positive potential, silver oxide (Ag₂O) was found to form along the three-phase boundary and then extends within the bulk of the electrode with increasing anodic potentials. By changing the hold time at positive potential, passivating oxide layers are formed which results in a shift in favor of the oxygen evolution reaction at the working electrode. This oxide forms according to a logarithmic rate expression with thick oxides being associated with decrease in current efficiency for subsequent oxide formation.     

Harmonization and transferability of performance assessment: experience from four serum aluminum proficiency testing schemes

Proficiency testing schemes monitor laboratory performance and provide a stimulus for improvement in accuracy. Where several schemes operate in the same analytical sector, there are risks that assessments of performance may be in conflict. Performance assessment for the determination of trace elements such as aluminum in serum is particularly important due to the high risk of contamination and therefore erroneous results. The objectives of this work were (1) to compare several mathematical models to establish a predefined standard deviation for proficiency assessment and (2) to evaluate the influence of instrumental methods and proficiency testing scheme on the assessment of performance for serum aluminum measurements. For this purpose, three samples were sent to the participants of four proficiency testing schemes. Assigned values were calculated according to algorithm A according to ISO 13528 and standard deviation for proficiency assessment according to three methods based on individual variability, state of the art or previous proficiency testing results. The method based on individual variability produced a more stringent standard deviation compared to analytical imprecision based on the state of the art. The instrumental methods gave similar results, whereas significant differences were observed between the four proficiency testing schemes indicating that harmonization of the standard deviation for proficiency assessment fails to allow transferability from one proficiency testing scheme to another and that additional factor(s) contribute to variability in performance assessment.     

Controlled Generation of 9-Boratriptycene by Lewis Adduct Dissociation: Accessing a Non-Planar Triarylborane

A highly bent triarylborane, 9-boratriptycene, was generated in solution by selective protodeboronation of the corresponding tetra-aryl boron ate complex with the strong Brønsted acid HNTf₂. The iptycene core confers enhanced Lewis acidity to 9-boratriptycene, making it unique in terms of structure and reactivity. We studied the stereoelectronic properties of 9-boratriptycene by quantifying its association with small N- and O-centered Lewis bases, as well as with sterically hindered phosphines. The resultant Lewis adducts exhibited unique structural, spectroscopic, and photophysical properties. Beyond the high pyramidalization of the 9-boratriptycene scaffold and its low reorganization energy upon Lewis base coordination, quantum chemical calculations revealed that the absence of π donation from the triptycene aryl rings to the boron vacant p_z orbital is one of the main reasons for its high Lewis acidity.     

Evolution of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 surfaces under water immersion monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ absorbers were immerged in deionized water for different times, and specific chemical evolutions were monitored thanks to X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ related dissolution products were studied in water through induced coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. From those analyses, specific surface network disorganization was observed, with Cu migration towards the surface, leading to different kinetics of oxidation and dissolution for each element that could be quantified.     

Large Amplitude Torsions in Nitrotoluene Isomers Studied by Rotational Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemistry Calculations

Rotational spectra of ortho-nitrotoluene (2-NT) and para-nitrotoluene (4-NT) have been recorded at low and room temperatures using a supersonic jet Fourier Transform microwave (MW) spectrometer and a millimeter-wave frequency multiplier chain, respectively. Supported by quantum chemistry calculations, the spectral analysis of pure rotation lines in the vibrational ground state has allowed to characterise the rotational energy, the hyperfine structure due to the ¹⁴N nucleus and the internal rotation splittings arising from the methyl group. For 2-NT, an anisotropic internal rotation of coupled −CH₃ and −NO₂ torsional motions was identified by quantum chemistry calculations and discussed from the results of the MW analysis. The study of the internal rotation splittings in the spectra of three NT isomers allowed to characterise the internal rotation potentials of the methyl group and to compare them with other mono-substituted toluene derivatives in order to study the isomeric influence on the internal rotation barrier.