Comparable electrocatalytic performances of carbon- and Rh-loaded SrTiO3 nanoparticles

Both metallic Rh and nonmetallic carbon modifications can highly improve the electrocatalytic activity of SrTiO₃ nanoparticles. Carbon modifications was achieved by aerobic and anaerobic ethanol oxidation methods.     

金催化作用的结构敏感性

金催化是纳米催化的代表性体系,金催化作用表现出复杂的结构敏感性。这篇综述总结了金催化作用研究的文献结果和我们利用从单晶到纳米晶的模型催化剂研究金催化作用的进展。展示了NO分解,CO氧化,丙烯在氢气和氧气气氛中环氧化等反应中金催化作用的结构敏感性和金催化剂的活性结构,讨论了金纳米粒子几何结构和电子结构、金纳米粒子–氧化物载体相互作用对金催化作用的影响和金表面低温高催化活性的来源,并展望了金催化作用结构敏感性的未来研究方向。     

Selective Synthesis of Conjugated Chiral Macrocycles: Sidewall Segments of (−)/(+)-(12,4) Carbon Nanotubes with Strong Circularly Polarized Luminescence

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unusual physical properties that are valuable for nanotechnology and electronics, but the chemical synthesis of chirality- and diameter-specific CNTs and π-conjugated CNT segments is still a great challenge. Reported here are the selective syntheses, isolations, characterizations, and photophysical properties of two novel chiral conjugated macrocycles ([4]cyclo-2,6-anthracene; [4]CAn_2,6 ), as (−)/(+)-(12,4) carbon nanotube segments. These conjugated macrocyclic molecules were obtained using a bottom-up assembly approach and subsequent reductive elimination reaction. The hoop-shaped molecules can be directly viewed by a STM technique. In addition, chiral enantiomers with (−)/(+) helicity of the [4]CAn_2,6 were successfully isolated by HPLC. The new tubular CNT segments exhibit large absorption and photoluminescence redshifts compared to the monomer unit. The carbon enantiomers are also observed to show strong circularly polarized luminescence (g_lum≈0.1). The results reported here expand the scope of materials design for bottom-up synthesis of chiral macrocycles and enrich existing knowledge of their optoelectronic properties.     

Site- and surface species-dependent propylene oxidation with molecular oxygen on gold surface

A complete fundamental understanding of propylene oxidation with molecular O₂ on Au surface is achieved, in which site-and surface species-dependent reaction behaviors are revealed.     

Photo-depositing Ru and RuO2 on Anatase TiO2 Nanosheets as Co-catalysts for Photocatalytic O2 Evolution from Water Oxidation

TiO₂ nanosheets mainly exposed (001) facet were prepared through a hydrothermal process with HF as the morphology-directing agent. Ru and RuO₂ species were loaded by photo-deposition methods to prepare the photocatalysts. The structural features of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray di raction, transmission electron microscopy, inductively cou-pled plasma atomic emission spectrum, and H₂ Temperature-programmed reduction. The photocatalytic property was studied by the O₂ evolution from water oxidation, which was examined with respect to the in uences of Ru contents as well as the oxidation and reduction treatments, suggesting the charge separation effect of the Ru species co-catalysts on di erent facets of TiO₂ nanosheets. In contrast to Ru/TiO₂ and RuO₂/TiO₂ with the single deposited co-catalyst, the optimized catalyst 0.5%Ru-1.0%RuO₂/TiO₂ with dual co-catalysts achieved a much improved catalytic performance, in terms of the synergetic effect of dual co-catalysts and the enhanced charge separation effect.     

Proposal of a new physical model for Ohmic contacts

Ohmic contacts are crucial for both device applications and the study of fundamental physics. In this study, we propose a new physical model for Ohmic contacts based on the detailed considerations of a metal/semiconductor interface, such as charge neutrality level concept, with which it is possible to describe the real situation precisely. Our proposed model contains many defect energy levels that originate from vacancies and impurities located in the vicinity of the metal/semiconductor interface, within the energy range of the Schottky barrier height. Moreover, we calculate the current–voltage characteristics based on our model. Our calculated results show that our model reveals linear Ohmic I–V characteristics and dense defect energy level distribution in the energy range of the Schottky barrier height is crucial for obtaining Ohmic I–V characteristics.     

Effect of Calcination Temperature on Surface Oxygen Vacancies and Catalytic Performance Towards CO Oxidation of Co3O4 Nanoparticles Supported on SiO2

Co₃O₄/SiO₂ catalysts for CO oxidation were prepared by conventional incipient wetness impregnation followed by calcination at various temperatures. Their structures were char-acterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Both XRD and Raman spectroscopy only detect the ex-istence of Co₃O₄ crystallites in all catalysts. However, XPS results indicate that excess Co²⁺ ions are present on the surface of Co₃O₄ in Co₃O₄(200)/SiO₂ as compared with bulk Co₃O₄. Meanwhile, TPR results suggest the presence of surface oxygen vacancies on Co₃O₄ in Co₃O₄(200)/SiO₂, and XAFS results demonstrate that Co₃O₄ in Co₃O₄(200)/SiO₂ con-tains excess Co²⁺. Increasing calcination temperature results in oxidation of excess Co²⁺ and the decrease of the concentration of surface oxygen vacancies, consequently the for-mation of stoichiometric Co₃O₄ on supported catalysts. Among all Co₃O₄/SiO₂ catalysts,Co₃O₄(200)/SiO₂ exhibits the best catalytic performance towards CO oxidation, demon-strating that excess Co²⁺ and surface oxygen vacancies can enhance the catalytic activity of Co₃O₄ towards CO oxidation. These results nicely demonstrate the effect of calcination temperature on the structure and catalytic performance towards CO oxidation of silica-supported Co₃O₄ catalysts and highlight the important role of surface oxygen vacancies on Co₃O₄.     

Bifunctional TiO2 Catalysts for Efficient Cr(VI) Photoreduction Under Solar Light Irradiation Without Addition of Acids

Bifunctional TiO₂ photocatalysts co-doped with nitrogen and sulfur were prepared by the controlled thermal decomposition of ammonium titanyl sulfate precursor. They have both photocatalytic activity and Br?nsted acidity, and thus are active in the photoreduction of Cr(VI) under solar light irradiation without the addition of acids. The activity is superior to that of Degussa P25 in the acidified suspension at the same pH adjusted by H₂SO₄.     

Photocatalytic Activity of N-doped TiO2 Photocatalysts Prepared from the Molecular Precursor (NH4)2TiO(C2O4)2

We developed a novel approach for the preparation of N-doped TiO₂ photocatalysts by calcining ammonium titanium oxalate at different temperatures. The structures of N-TiO₂ were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope. The N-doped TiO₂ photocatalysts calcined below 700 oC are the pure anatase phase but that calcined at 700 oC is a mixture of anatase and rutile phases. The doped N locates at the interstitial site of TiO₂ which leads to the narrowing of bad gap of pure anatase N-TiO₂. Among all photocatalysts, N-TiO₂ photocatalysts calcined at 600 and 400 oC exhibit the best performance in the photodegradation of methyl orange under the UV light and all-wavelength light illuminations, respectively; however, because of the perfect crystallinity and the existence of anatase-rutile phase junctions, N-TiO₂ photocatalyst calcined at 700 oC exhibits the highest specific photodegradation rate, i.e., the highest quantum yield, under both the UV light and all-wavelength light illuminations.