Surface Properties of Anatase TiO2 Nanowire Films Grown from a Fluoride‐Containing Solution

Controlling the surface chemistry of nucleating seeds during wet‐chemical synthesis allows for the preparation of morphologically well‐defined nanostructures. Synthesis conditions play a key role in the surface properties, which directly affect the functional properties of the material. Therefore, it is important to establish post‐synthesis treatments to facilitate the optimization of surface properties with respect to a specific application, without losing the morphological peculiarity of the nanostructure. We studied the surface properties of highly crystalline and porous anatase TiO₂ nanowire (NW) electrodes, grown by chemical‐bath deposition in fluoride‐containing solutions, using a combined electrochemical and spectroscopic approach. As‐deposited films showed low capacity for catechol adsorption and a poor photoelectrocatalytic activity for water oxidation. Mild thermal annealing at 200 °C resulted in a significant improvement of the electrode photoelectrocatalytic activity, whereas the bulk properties of the NWs (crystal structure, band‐gap energy) remained unchanged. Enhancement of the functional properties of the material is discussed on the basis of adsorption capacity and electronic properties. The temperature‐induced decrease of recombination centers, along with the concomitant increase of adsorption and reaction sites upon thermal annealing are called to be responsible for such improved performance.     

Scanning Probe Microscopy beyond Imaging: A General Tool for Quantitative Analysis

A simple, fast and general approach for quantitative analysis of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) images is reported. As a proof of concept it is used to determine with a high degree of precision the value of observables such as 1) the height, 2) the flowing current and 3) the corresponding surface potential (SP) of flat nanostructures such as gold electrodes, organic semiconductor architectures and graphenic sheets. Despite histogram analysis, or frequency count (Fc), being the most common mathematical tool used to analyse SPM images, the analytical approach is still lacking. By using the mathematical relationship between Fc and the collected data, the proposed method allows quantitative information on observable values close to the noise level to be gained. For instance, the thickness of nanostructures deposited on very rough substrates can be quantified, and this makes it possible to distinguish the contribution of an adsorbed nanostructure from that of the underlying substrate. Being non‐numerical, this versatile analytical approach is a useful and general tool for quantitative analysis of the Fc that enables all signals acquired and recorded by an SPM data array to be studied with high precision.     

Waterproof Light-Emitting Metal Halide Perovskite–Polymer Composite Microparticles Prepared via Microfluidic Device

Waterproof light-emitting perovskite–polymer composite microparticles are synthesized by a continuous one-step microfluidic reactor, which enables in situ production of metal halide perovskite nanoparticles (MHP-NPs) by the ligand-assisted reprecipitation process (LARP) and the encapsulation of MHP-NPs by UV cross-linking polymerization in the microfluidic channel. Successful encapsulation of MHP-NPs in polymer microparticles is attributed to the co-dispersion of an LARP solution and UV polymerizable solution in an aqueous continuous phase within the microfluidic channel, in which N,N-dimethylformamide, in co-dispersion droplets, is continuously extracted to the aqueous medium upon UV polymerization. MHP-NPs–polymer composite microparticles show enhanced stability against air and moisture.     

Graphene‐Based Composite with γ‐Fe2O3 Nanoparticle for the High‐Performance Removal of Endocrine‐Disrupting Compounds from Water

Graphene is a 2D sp²‐hybridized carbon sheet and an ideal material for the adsorption‐based separation of organic pollutants. However, such potential applications of graphene are largely limited, owing to their poor solubility and extensive aggregation properties through graphene? graphene interactions. Herein, we report the synthesis of graphene‐based composites with γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle for the high‐performance removal of endocrine‐disrupting compounds (EDC) from water. The γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles partially inhibit these graphene? graphene interactions and offer water dispersibility of the composite without compromising much of the high surface area of graphene. In their dispersed form, the graphene component offers the efficient adsorption of EDC, whilst the magnetic iron‐oxide component offers easier magnetic separation of adsorbed EDC.     

Non-catalytic condensation of aromatic aldehydes with aniline in high temperature water

Abstract

The synthesis of diamino triphenyl methanes from aniline and aromatic aldehydes was conducted in near critical water and supercritical water. The reaction parameters, such as temperature, density, and reaction time, have been studied. Significant acceleration of the condensation reaction of aniline and aromatic aldehydes can be achieved by using high temperature water, especially near the critical point, in the absence of any acid catalysts. It has been demonstrated that high temperature water act effectively in the place of conventional acid catalysts.     

[bmim]HSO4: an efficient and reusable catalyst for one-pot three-component synthesis of 2,3-dihydro-4(1H)-quinazolinones

Abstract

Various di- and mono-substituted quinazolinones were synthesized by one-pot condensation of isatoic anhydride, aldehyde and amine, or ammonium carbonate using [bmim]HSO₄ as catalyst in aqueous medium. Water as a reaction media, recyclability of catalyst, shorter reaction time, and good yields (70–90%) are some of the salient features of the developed protocol.     

Promotion effect of adsorbed water/OH on the catalytic performance of Ag/activated carbon catalysts for CO preferential oxidation in excess H2

Activated carbon (AC) supported silver catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and their catalytic performance for CO preferential oxidation (PROX) in excess H₂ was evaluated. Ag/AC catalysts, after reduction in H₂ at low temperatures (≤200 °C) following heat treatment in He at 200 °C (He200H200), exhibited the best catalytic properties. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) results indicated that silver oxides were produced during heat treatment in He at 200 °C which were reduced to metal silver nanoparticles in H₂ at low temperatures (≤200 °C), simultaneously generating the adsorbed water/OH. CO conversion was enhanced 40% after water treatment following heat treatment in He at 600 °C. These results imply that the metal silver nanoparticles are the active species and the adsorbed water/OH has noticeable promotion effects on CO oxidation. However, the promotion effect is still limited compared to gold catalysts under the similar conditions, which may be the reason of low selectivity to CO oxidation in PROX over silver catalysts. The reported Ag/AC-S-He catalyst after He200H₂00 treatment displayed similar PROX of CO reaction properties to Ag/SiO₂. This means that Ag/AC catalyst is also an efficient low-temperature CO oxidation catalyst.     

Broad near‐infrared fluorescence properties of Nd‐doped PbClF crystals

Nd‐doped PbClF crystals were grown with modified Bridgman method. Broad and flat emission band at 1.0 μm was observed. The FWHM value of 0.0091 wt.% Nd³⁺‐doped PbClF crystal at 1064 nm reached up to 30 nm with the peak emission cross‐section of 1.05×10^‐19 cm². All the results indicated that Nd‐doped PbClF crystal should be a promising tunable and ultrafast laser material. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

毛细喷孔超高速水射流的脉动及破碎

水切割射流的动力学特性的诸多方面尚未得到认识和理解。本文对毛细喷孔产生的超高压水射流展开可视化研究,分析了常规压力及超高压条件下毛细水射流的液体破碎机制并对超高压毛细射流的脉动现象进行了讨论。常规条件下的毛细射流遵从经典的破碎模式;在超高压条件下,射流完整段呈瑞利模式,完整段以下呈雾化破碎模式,射流集束性呈现周期性变化。结果表明,传统理论不能够表达小孔径时超高速毛细水射流的破碎特性;喷孔内部流动情况如流动分离及空化成为该条件下射流破碎和脉动的重要原因。