A Novel Proton Transfer Self‐Associated Compound from Dipicolinic Acid and Guanidine and Its Cadmium(II) Complex: Synthesis,Characterization, Crystal Structure,and Solution Studies

A novel 1:2 proton transfer self‐associated compound LH₂ , (GH⁺)₂(pydc^2—), was synthesized from the reaction of dipicolinic acid, pydcH₂, (2, 6‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid), and guanidine hydrochloride, (GH⁺)(Cl^—). The characterization was performed using IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. LH₂ · H₂O crystallizes in the space group C2/c of the monoclinic system and contains eight molecules per unit cell. The unit cell dimensions are: a = 26.480(5)Å, b = 8.055(2)Å, c = 14.068(3)Å. The first coordination complex (GH)₂[Cd(pydc)₂] · 2H₂O, was prepared using LH₂ and cadmium(II) iodide, and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. The crystal system is triclinic with space group P1¯ with one molecule per unit cell. The unit cell dimensions are: a = 8.5125(7)Å, b = 11.0731(8)Å, c = 13.2404(10)Å. The cadmium(II) atom is six‐coordinated with a distorted octahedral geometry. The two pydc^2— units are almost perpendicular to each other. The protonation constants of the building blocks of the pydc‐guanidine adduct, the equilibrium constants for the reaction of pydc^2— with guanidine and the stoichiometry and stability of the Cd²⁺ complex with LH₂ in aqueous solution were accomplished by potentiometric pH titration. The solution studies strongly support a self‐association between pydc^2— and GH⁺ with a stoichiometry for the Cd^II complex similar to that observed for the isolated crystalline complex. In fact, the [Cd(pydc)₂]^2— complex was found as the most abundant species in solution (> 90 %) at a pH >5.     

Sol–Gel SiO2-ZrO2 Coatings for Optical Applications

SiO₂-ZrO₂ based nanostructured multilayers films have been prepared by sol–gel processing from metallorganic precursors by low temperature inorganic polymerization reactions. Simultaneous gelation of both precursors was realized. Homogeneous and transparent films were obtained at room temperature by dip- and spin-coating on glass and silicon wafer substrates. Samples with successively deposited layers (1–3 layers) and successive thermal treatments have been also studied. Each deposited layer was thermally treated for 1 h at 300°C. The coatings were characterized by XRD, spectroellipsometry (SE), UV-VIS spectroscopy and AFM methods. The influence of substrates, number of coatings and number of thermal treatments on the optical and structural properties of the films was established. The thickness of three deposited SiO₂-ZrO₂ layers is about 496 nm on glass substrates and 413 nm on the silicon wafer substrate. The films deposited on glass are more porous than those deposited on silicon. The properties of optical waveguide prepared from SiO₂-ZrO₂ layers on silicon substrates will be discussed.     

Bacteriorhodopsin as an Example of a Light-Driven Proton Pump

Apart from the long known visual pigments, another retinal protein complex exists in nature, viz. bacteriorhodopsin from halobacteria. In contrast to the visual pigments such as the rhodopsins, which act as light sensors in the eye, bacteriorhodopsin actually transforms light energy. This energy conversion is connected with the asymmetric incorporation of bacteriorhodopsin in the lattice structure of the purple membrane which forms patches on the cell surface of halobacteria. Alongside the chlorophyll system, the purple membrane system represents the second light energy conversion principle to be discovered in living nature. Bacteriorhodopsin acts as a light-driven proton pump or as the main component of such a pump system. Absorption of light triggers off a cycle of reactions coupled with the spatially oriented uptake and release of a proton. In the intact cell an electrochemical gradient is thus built up across the cell membrane of the bacterium in which part of the absorbed light energy is stored and which is not dependent upon redox processes as in the case of respiration or photosynthesis. This electrochemical gradient can supply the energy required for ATP synthesis in the cell; a reversible proton-translocating ATPase serves as catalyst system.     

燃料电池质子交换膜用新型磺化聚芳醚酮的合成和性能表征

报道了一种新型磺化聚芳醚酮材料的合成方法, 通过引入取代基对聚芳醚主链进行保护，用氯磺酸直接磺化方法在聚芳醚酮高分子侧基上引入磺酸功能基, 实现了聚合物磺化结构的可控定位合成, 得到了稳定性较好的磺化聚芳醚酮. 通过核磁共振(NMR)、 热重(TG)和凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)等分析方法对其结构及性能进行了表征. 用溶液浇膜法制备了质子交换膜, 考察了膜的各种性能, 并与商用Nafion膜进行了比较, 其导电性、 热稳定性和吸水性远优于Nafion膜, 抗氧化性、抗水解性和机械强度也达到了较高的指标.     

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/polyaniline composite proton-exchange membrane

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) was prepared by sulfonation of commercial Victrex^@ PEEK and degree of sulfonation was found to be about 44.5% by ¹H NMR. Sulfonated PEEK/polyaniline composite membranes, in order to prevent methanol crossover, were prepared by chemical polymerization of a thin layer of polyaniline (PANI) in the presence of a high oxidant concentration on a single face modification. FTIR and PANI coating density studies confirmed the loading of PANI in sulfonated PEEK membrane matrix. PANI composite membranes with different polymerization time were prepared and subjected to thermogravimetric analysis as well as electrochemical and methanol permeability study to compare with sulfonated PEEK and Nafion 117 membrane. Ion-exchange capacity, water uptake, proton transport numbers and proton conductivities for different PANI composite sulfonated PEEK (SPEEK) membranes were found to be dependent on the coating density of the PANI in the membrane matrix and were slightly lower than that of Nafion 117 membrane. Methanol permeability of these membranes (especially SPEEK/PANI-1.5) was about four times lower than Nafion 117 membrane. Among the all SPEEK membranes synthesized in this study, SPEEK-1.5 appears to be more suitable for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application considering optimum physicochemical and electrochemical properties, thermal stability as well as very low methanol permeability. Above all, the cost-effective and simple fabrication technique involved in the synthesis of such composite membranes makes their applicability quite attractive.     

Acoustooptic extension of the frequency tunability of CW CO2 lasers: New FIR lasers emissions from CH3OH and13CH3OH

We have increased the frequency tunability of our CW waveguide CO₂ lasers by means of an acoustooptic amplitude modulator, operating at the fixed frequency of 90 MHz. The up-shifted, or down-shifted, laser optical sideband can be generated independently by adjusting the orientation of the modulator. The efficiency is larger than 50%. The frequency tunability of the CO₂ laser around each laser line is thus increased by 180 MHz. To demonstrate the possibilities of this method, a source composed of the above modulator and of a CW, 300 MHz tunable waveguide CO₂ laser has been used for the search of new large offset FIR laser lines from optically pumped CH₃OH and¹³CH₃OH molecules. As a result 15 and 10 new large offset laser lines were discovered respectively. New assignments of some laser lines are also proposed. We have also measured the Stark effect, the offset, and the polarization of other already known lines. In particular a Stark effect frequency tuning of about 1 GHz is demonstrated for a laser line at 208.399 m.     

Study of adsorption of methylene blue and new methylene blue in liquid-solid interface by slab optical waveguide spectroscopy

A slab optical waveguide (SOWG) has been used for study of adsorption of both methylene blue (MB) and new methylene blue (NMB) in liquid–solid interface. Adsorption characteristics of MB and NMB on both bare SOWG and silanized SOWG by octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODS) were compared. Effect of pH on adsorption on MB and NMB was investigated. Binding rate constant analysis showed that both MB and NMB on bare SOWG demonstrates larger association constants than those on ODS-SOWG. Interactions of MB and NMB on bare SOWG and ODS-SOWG were analyzed by molecular mechanics calculation method. The binding energy change was in the following order: E_NMB–bare > E_MB–bare > E_NMB–ODS > E_MB–ODS.     

Optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy and FIR laser action on CH3Br using a waveguide CO2 laser

The optoacoustic spectrum of CH₃Br around 10 m band lines of a tunable cw waveguide CO₂ laser is investigated. Several new infrared absorptions are observed and most of the correspond ing molecular transitions are assigned. Far infra red laser action is reported by pumping with the same CO₂ laser: pump offsets are given using the Transferred Lambs dip (TLD) technique. A new FIR laser emission is obtained and assigned. An optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy technique is used to investigate off resonance infrared tran sitions.     

Can semi-empirical models describe HCl dissociation in water?

We discuss the failure of commonly used AM1 and PM3 semiempirical methods to correctly describe acid dissociation. We focus our analysis on HCl because of its physicochemical importance and its relevance in atmospheric chemistry. The structure of non-dissociated and dissociated HCl – (H₂O) _n clusters is accounted for. The very bad results obtained with PM3 (and also with AM1) are related to large errors in gas-phase proton affinity of water and gas-phase acidity of HCl. Indeed, estimation of pKa values shows that neither AM1 nor PM3 are able to predict HCl dissociation in liquid water since HCl is found to be a weaker acid than H₃O⁺. We have proposed in previous works a modified PM3 approach (PM3-MAIS) adapted to intermolecular calculations. It is derived from PM3 by reparameterization of the core–core functions using ab initio data. Since parameters for H–Cl and O–Cl core–core interactions were not yet available, we have carried out the corresponding optimization. Application of the PM3-MAIS method to HCl dissociation in HCl–(H₂O) _n clusters leads to a huge improvement over PM3 results. Though the method predicts a slightly overestimated HCl acidity in water environment, the overall agreement with ab initio calculations is very satisfying and justifies efforts to develop new semiempirical methods.     

Fluorenyl-containing sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s (SPFEEKK) for fuel cell applications

A series of fluorenyl-containing sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s (SPFEEKK) were synthesized via aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. The sulfonation content (SC) was controlled by the feed ratios of sulfonated and nonsulfonated monomers. Flexible and strong membranes in the sulfonic acid form were obtained from cast membranes in the sodium salt forms by treatment with acid. The thermal properties, water uptake, swelling ratio, water state, oxidative stability, proton conductivity and methanol permeability were investigated. All the polymers had proton conductivities greater than 1 × 10⁻² S/cm at room temperature, and the conductivity values of m-SPFEEKK-80 and p-SPFEEKK-80 were up to 1.86 × 10⁻¹ and 1.78 × 10⁻¹ S/cm at 100 °C. This series of polymers also possessed good dimensional stability in water and low methanol crossover.