Photothermal Oxidation of Cinnamyl Alcohol with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Gold Nanoparticle/Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Nanocrystals

Gold nanoparticles with different mean sizes were formed on antimony-doped tin oxide nanocrystals by the temperature-varied deposition-precipitation method (Au/ATO NCs). Au/ATO NCs possess strong absorption in the near-infrared region due to Drude excitation in addition to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNPs around 530 nm. Au/ATO NCs show thermally activated catalytic activity for the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to cinnamaldehyde by hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic activity increases with a decrease in the mean Au particle size (d_Au) at 5.3 nm≤d_Au≤8.2 nm. Light irradiation (λ_ex >660 nm, ∼0.5 sun) of Au/ATO NCs increases the rate of reaction by more than twice with ∼95 % selectivity. Kinetic analyses indicated that the striking enhancement of the reaction stems from the rise in the temperature near the catalyst surface of ∼30 K due to the photothermal effect of the ATO NCs.     

On the Relative Twist Formula of l-adic Sheaves

We propose a conjecture on the relative twist formula of l-adic sheaves, which can be viewed as a generalization of Kato—Saito's conjecture. We verify this conjecture under some transversal assumptions. We also define a relative cohomological characteristic class and prove that its formation is compatible with proper push-forward. A conjectural relation is also given between the relative twist formula and the relative cohomological characteristic class.     

移动加热器法生长碲锌镉晶体的组分输运与界面形貌研究

移动加热器法(THM)生长碲锌镉晶体时,界面稳定性对晶体生长的质量有很大影响。本文基于多物理场有限元仿真软件Comsol建立了THM生长碲锌镉晶体的数值模拟模型,讨论了Te边界层与组分过冷区之间的关系,对不同生长阶段的物理场、Te边界层与组分过冷区进行仿真研究,最后讨论了微重力对物理场分布的影响,并对比了微重力与正常重力下的生长界面形貌。模拟结果表明,Te边界层与组分过冷区的分布趋势是一致的,在不同生长阶段,流场中次生涡旋的位置会发生移动,从而导致生长界面的形貌随着生长的进行发生变化,同时微重力条件下形成的生长界面形貌最有利于单晶生长。因此,在晶体生长的中前期,对次生涡旋位置的控制和对组分过冷的削弱,是THM生长高质量晶体的有效方案。     

Biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Euphorbia milii leaf constituents: Characterization and improved photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under natural sunlight

A facile biosynthesis route was followed to prepare zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Euphorbia milii (E. milii) leaf constituents. The SEM images exhibited presence of spherical ZnO NPs and the corresponding TEM images disclosed monodisperse nature of the ZnO NPs with diameter ranges between 12 and 20 nm. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the ZnO NPs have specific surface area of 20.46 m²/g with pore diameter of 2 nm–10 nm and pore volume of 0.908 cm³/g. The EDAX spectrum exemplified the existence of Zn and O elements and non-appearance of impurities that confirmed pristine nature of the ZnO NPs. The XRD pattern indicated crystalline peaks corresponding to hexagonal wurtzite structured ZnO with an average crystallite size of 16.11 nm. The FTIR spectrum displayed strong absorption bands at 512 and 534 cm^?1 related to ZnO. The photocatalytic action of ZnO NPs exhibited noteworthy degradation of methylene blue dye under natural sunlight illumination. The maximum degradation efficiency achieved was 98.17% at an illumination period of 50 min. The reusability study proved considerable photostability of the ZnO NPs during photocatalytic experiments. These findings suggest that the E. milii leaf constituents can be utilized as suitable biological source to synthesis ZnO NPs for photocatalytic applications.     

Application of wake oscillators to two-dimensional vortex-induced vibrations of circular cylinders in oscillatory flows

A nonlinear time-domain simulation model for predicting two-dimensional vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a flexibly mounted circular cylinder in planar and oscillatory flow is presented. This model is based on the utilization of van der Pol wake oscillators, being unconventional since wake oscillators have typically been applied to steady flow VIV predictions. The time-varying relative flow–cylinder velocities and accelerations are accounted for in deriving the coupled hydrodynamic lift, drag and inertia forces leading to the cylinder cross-flow and in-line oscillations. The system fluid–structure interaction equations explicitly contain the time-dependent and hybrid trigonometric terms. Depending on the Keulegan–Carpenter number (KC) incorporating the flow maximum velocity and excitation frequency, the model calibration is performed, entailing a set of empirical coefficients and expressions as a function of KC and mass ratio. Parametric investigations in cases of varying KC, reduced flow velocity, cylinder-to-flow frequency ratio and mass ratio are carried out, capturing some qualitative features of oscillatory flow VIV and exploring the effects of system parameters on response prediction characteristics. The model dependence of hydrodynamic coefficients on the Reynolds number is studied. Discrepancies and limitations versus advantages of the present model with different feasible solution scenarios are illuminated to inform the implementation of wake oscillators as a computationally efficient prediction model for VIV in oscillatory flows.     

A novel scheme to acquire enhanced up-conversion emissions of Ho3+ and Yb3+ co-doped Sc2O3

A detailed investigation about the effect of Sc₂O₃: 1 mol%Ho³⁺/5 mol%Yb³⁺ co-doped with Ce⁴⁺ ions prepared by sol-gel methods was performed systematically. Under the excitation of 980 nm laser diode, both green emission (553 nm, ⁵F₄/⁵S₂→⁵I₈) and red emission (672 nm, ⁵F₅→⁵I₈) were both observed in the emission spectra of the samples, which were found to be two-photon process and sensitized by Yb³⁺ ions. With the increasing of Ce⁴⁺ ions, the up-conversion green emission intensity are increased by 6.52, 8.69, 10.85, 13.92 and 16.66 fold, corresponding to the Ce⁴⁺ ions concentrations from 5 mol% to 13 mol%, respectively. The number of photons are necessary to populate the upper emitting state decreases to 2 and the infrared absorption coefficient is reduced, when the Ce⁴⁺ ions concentration increase to 13 mol%. Ce⁴⁺ ions play an important role in tailoring the local crystal field around Ho³⁺ ions, lowering the highest phonon cut-off energy of matrix and reducing the infrared absorption coefficient, thus hindering the non-radiative processes, which contribute to the increased emission intensity. The excellent enhancement makes it a promising multifunctional optical luminescence material.     

Fabricating Dual-Atom Iron Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Heteroatom Modulator Approach

Understanding the thermal aggregation behavior of metal atoms is important for the synthesis of supported metal clusters. Here, derived from a metal–organic framework encapsulating a trinuclear Fe^III₂Fe^II complex (denoted as Fe₃) within the channels, a well-defined nitrogen-doped carbon layer is fabricated as an ideal support for stabilizing the generated iron nanoclusters. Atomic replacement of Fe^II by other metal(II) ions (e.g., Zn^II/Co^II) via synthesizing isostructural trinuclear-complex precursors (Fe₂Zn/Fe₂Co), namely the “heteroatom modulator approach”, is inhibiting the aggregation of Fe atoms toward nanoclusters with formation of a stable iron dimer in an optimal metal–nitrogen moiety, clearly identified by direct transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The supported iron dimer, serving as cooperative metal–metal site, acts as efficient oxygen evolution catalyst. Our findings offer an atomic insight to guide the future design of ultrasmall metal clusters bearing outstanding catalytic capabilities.     

Anti-Markovnikov Hydroamination of Racemic Allylic Alcohols to Access Chiral γ-Amino Alcohols

A ruthenium-catalyzed formal anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of allylic alcohols for the synthesis of chiral γ-amino alcohols is presented. Proceeding via an asymmetric hydrogen-borrowing process, the catalysis allows racemic secondary allylic alcohols to react with various amines, affording enantiomerically enriched chiral γ-amino alcohols with broad substrate scope and excellent enantioselectivities (68 examples, up to >99 % ee).     

Synthesis and characterization of VO–vanillin complex immobilized on MCM-41 and its facile catalytic application in the sulfoxidation reaction,and synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones and disulfides in green media

In this work, a vanillin complex is immobilized onto MCM-41 and characterized by FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and BET techniques. This supported Schiff base complex was found to be an efficient and recoverable catalyst for the chemoselective oxidation of sulfides into sulfoxides and thiols into their corresponding disulfides (using hydrogen peroxide as a green oxidant) and also a suitable catalyst for the preparation of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives in water at 90°C. Using this protocol, we show that a variety of disulfides, sulfoxides, and 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives can be synthesized in green conditions. The catalyst can be recovered and recycled for further reactions without appreciable loss of catalytic performance.