Mobility of Li+, Na+, and Cs+ cations in Nafion membrane,as studied by NMR techniques

The local mobility and diffusion of Li⁺, Na⁺, and Cs⁺ cations in Nafion 117 membrane were explored by ⁷Li, ²³Na, and ¹³³Cs spin relaxation and pulsed field gradient NMR techniques. It was shown that the macroscopic mass transfer of cations is controlled by ion motion near sulfonate groups. Lithium and sodium cations, whose hydrated energy is higher than the water hydrogen bond energy, are moving together with water molecules, but cesium cations possessing a low hydrated energy are jumping directly between the neighboring sulfonate groups.     

锰离子氧化沉淀法实现锂离子电池LiNi0.8Co0.05Mn0.15O2材料的回收和利用

以浓盐酸为浸出剂,以NaOH和NH₄HCO₃为沉淀剂,利用Mn²⁺在碱性条件下的氧化反应改变离子的沉淀次序进而分步回收的方案,探究了浓盐酸酸浸处理三元正极材料LiNi_0.8Co_0.05Mn_0.15O₂的最佳条件。在分步沉淀过程中,Mn²⁺被氧化为不溶于非还原性酸的MnO （OH）₂,并在酸性条件下回收。Ni、Co则在碱性条件下利用NaOH回收,而Li则利用NH₄HCO₃回收。该方法中Mn的回收率达到85.1%,产品纯度达到98.6%; Li的回收率达到95.0%,产品纯度达到99.3%。由回收材料重新合成的三元正极组装的软包电池的首圈放电比容量达到了175 mAh·g^-1,可以以超过99.5%的库仑效率稳定循环50圈。     

锂电池中的“锂键”效应

由于广泛存在,氢键在化学领域备受重视。“锂键”具有类似于氢键的一些性质,但锂的金属性和相对较大的原子半径,又使得“锂键”具有自己独特的一些特征。在氢键的基础上,介绍了“锂键”的概念、结构特点及其在锂电池中的应用,有助于人们深刻理解和应用“锂键”。考虑到“锂键”的新概念目前在化学教学中还较少涉及,期望今后可以适当增加“锂键”化学的相关知识,紧跟科技发展的潮流,进一步培养学生的科研创新意识。     

Ion transmission in an electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry interface using an S-lens

We present the design and performance of an in-house built electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) interface equipped with an S-lens ion guide. The ion source was designed specifically for our ion beam experiments to investigate the chemical reactivity and deposition of the clusters and nanoparticles. It includes standard ESI-MS interface components, such as nanoelectrospray, ion transfer capillary, and the S-lens. A custom design enables systematic optimization of all relevant factors influencing ion formation and transfer through the interface. By varying the ESI voltage and flow rate, we determined the optimal operating conditions for selected silica emitters. A comparison of the pulled silica emitters with different tip inner diameters reveals that the total ion current is highest for the largest tip, whereas a tip with the smallest diameter exhibited the highest transmission efficiency through the ESI-MS interface. Ion transmission through the transfer capillary is strongly limited by its length, but the loss of ions can be reduced by increasing the capillary voltage and temperature. The S-lens was characterized over a wide range of RF frequencies and amplitudes. Maximum ion current was detected at RF amplitudes greater than 50 V peak-to-peak (p/p) and frequencies above 750 kHz, with a stable ion transmission region of about 20%. A factor of 2.6 increase in total ion current is observed for 650 kHz as RF amplitudes reach 400 V p/p. Higher RF amplitudes also focus the ions into a narrow beam, which mitigates their losses when passing through the ion guide.     

Prussian Blue Modified Amperometric Hg2+ Ion Biosensor Based on Glucose Oxidase Inhibition

In this research a Hg²⁺ ion biosensor was developed by combining Prussian blue (PB) with glucose oxidase (GOx) – an enzyme that can be inhibited by Hg²⁺ ions. An application of PB in the design of Hg²⁺ ion biosensor enabled detecting changes in hydrogen peroxide reduction current at low operational potential of 0.2 vs Ag|AgCl,KCl_sat. The described Hg²⁺ ion biosensor exhibited wide linear range from 27 μM to 247 μM of Hg²⁺ and higher maximal detectable concentration of Hg²⁺ than other GOx inhibition-based biosensors, making it convenient for the analysis of samples with high concentration of Hg²⁺ ions.     

Radiation-sensitive nanogel-incorporated Fricke hydrogel dosimeters with reduced diffusion rates

Fricke gel dosimeters have great potential for three-dimensional (3D) dose verification in radiation therapy; however, they suffer from time-dependent ion diffusion after irradiation, severely affecting their stability and reliability. In this work, a pullulan-based amphiphilic molecule was synthesized, characterized, and self-assembled into nanogels. Nanogel structures were embedded into gel dosimeters to reduce the diffusion rates, and radiation-sensitive nanogel-incorporated Fricke hydrogel nanocomposites were prepared successfully. The results demonstrated that the diffusion coefficient of improved dosimeters was reduced to 0.125 ± 0.001 mm² h⁻¹, while maintaining the high optical dose sensitivity (0.0410 ± 0.0004 Gy⁻¹ cm⁻¹). It provides a powerful tool toward the practical application of 3D dosimeters.     

Experimental and Theoretical Structure Elucidation of the [2 : 1] Complex Ion of Carbo[n]helicene with n=6, 7 and 8 and Ag+

Gas-phase complexes of [n]helicenes with n=6, 7 and 8 and the silver(I) cation are generated utilizing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Besides the well-established [1 : 1] helicene/Ag⁺-complex in which the helicene provides a tweezer-like surrounding for the Ag⁺, there is also a [2 : 1] complex formed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations in conjunction with energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (ER-CID) experiments reveal that the second helicene attaches via π-π stacking to the first helicene, which is part of the pre-formed [1 : 1] tweezer complex with Ag⁺. For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of planar structure, the [2 : 1] complex with silver(I) is typically structured as an Ag⁺-bound dimer in which the Ag⁺ would bind to both PAHs as the central metal ion (PAH–Ag⁺–PAH). For helicenes, the Ag⁺-bound dimer is of similar thermochemical stability as the π-π stacked dimer, however, it is kinetically inaccessible. Coronene (Cor) is investigated in comparison to the helicenes as an essentially planar PAH. In analogy to the π-π stacked dimer of the helicenes, the Cor−Ag⁺−Cor−Cor complex is also observed. Competition experiments using [n]helicene mixtures reveal that the tweezer complexes of Ag⁺ are preferably formed with the larger helicenes, with n=6 being entirely ignored as the host for Ag⁺ in the presence of n=7 or 8.     

Effects of Charged Surfactants on Interfacial Water Structure and Macroscopic Properties of the Air-Water Interface

Surfactants are used to control the macroscopic properties of the air-water interface. However, the link between the surfactant molecular structure and the macroscopic properties remains unclear. Using sum-frequency generation spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, two ionic surfactants (dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide, DTAB, and sodium dodecyl sulphate, SDS) with the same carbon chain lengths and charge magnitude (but different signs) of head groups interact and reorient interfacial water molecules differently. DTAB forms a thicker but sparser interfacial layer than SDS. It is due to the deep penetration into the adsorption zone of Br⁻ counterions compared to smaller Na⁺ ones, and also due to the flip-flop orientation of water molecules. SDS alters two distinctive interfacial water layers into a layer where H⁺ points to the air, forming strong hydrogen bonding with the sulphate headgroup. In contrast, only weaker dipole-dipole interactions with the DTAB headgroup are formed as they reorient water molecules with H⁺ point down to the aqueous phase. Hence, with more molecules adsorbed at the interface, SDS builds up a higher interfacial pressure than DTAB, producing lower surface tension and higher foam stability at a similar bulk concentration. Our findings offer improved knowledge for understanding various processes in the industry and nature.     

偏硼酸锂-四硼酸锂熔融-电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱(ICP-AES)法测定石膏中多组分含量

石膏在我国储量丰富,应用广泛,快速准确分析其成分含量对石膏资源的综合利用具有重要意义。针对酸溶法无法测定SiO2,碱熔法无法测定K2O、Na2O的问题,本文建立一种偏硼酸锂-四硼酸锂熔融-电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法同时测定石膏中CaO、SO3、Al2O3、Fe2O3、MgO、TiO2、K2O、Na2O、SiO2含量。实验优化了熔剂用量、熔融温度,结果表明采用试样与偏硼酸锂-四硼酸锂混合熔剂质量比例1：5,在铂金坩埚中1000 ℃熔融10 min,在超声条件下,于50 mL 10 %盐酸中浸取熔融物,能够有效分解试样而浸取待测组分。向标准溶液系列中加入偏硼酸锂-四硼酸锂-盐酸基体溶液以消除基体对测试结果的影响。各待测组分的校准曲线的相关性系数均大于0.9990,方法检出限在3~292 μg/g范围内;采用实验方法分别对国家一级标准物质GBW03109a、GBW03110和实际样品进行测定,标准物质的5次平行测试的相对标准偏差在0.14 %~8.86 %之间,测定结果的相对误差在0.03~8.75 %之间,测试结果与标准值无显著性差异;实际样品中各成分测定值的RSD（n=5）为0.24~8.80 %。该方法操作简单、准确度高、精密度好、检出限低,可以同时测定石膏中的多组分含量,能够为石膏资源综合利用调查评价提供一定的技术支撑 。     

Adaptive Ion-Gel: Stimuli-Responsive,and Self-Healing Ion Gels

Ion gels are an emerging class of polymer gels in which a three-dimensional polymer network swells with an ionic liquid. Ion gels have drawn considerable attention in various fields such as energy and biotechnology owing to their excellent properties including nonvolatility, nonflammability, high ionic conductivity, and high thermal and electrochemical stability. Since the first report on ion gels (published ∼30 years ago), diverse functional ion gels exhibiting impressive physicochemical properties have been reported. In this review, recent developments in functional ion gels that can modulate their physical properties in response to environmental conditions are outlined. Stimuli-responsive ion gels that can adaptively undergo phase transitions in response to thermal and light stimuli are initially discussed, followed by an evaluation of diverse self-healing ion gels that can spontaneously mend mechanical damage through judiciously designed ion-gel networks.