Platinum Oxide Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution: Influence of Platinum Valence State

Electrochemical hydrogen generation is a rising prospect for future renewable energy storage and conversion. Platinum remains a leading choice of catalyst, but because of its high cost and low natural abundance, it is critical to optimize its use. In the present study, platinum oxide nanoparticles of approximately 2 nm in diameter are deposited on carbon nitride (C3N4) nanosheets by thermal refluxing of C3N4 and PtCl₂ or PtCl₄ in water. These nanoparticles exhibit apparent electrocatalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid. Interestingly, the HER activity increases with increasing Pt⁴⁺ concentration in the nanoparticles, and the optimized catalyst even outperforms commercial Pt/C, exhibiting an overpotential of only −7.7 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm⁻² and a Tafel slope of −26.3 mV dec⁻¹. The results from this study suggest that the future design of platinum oxide catalysts should strive to maximize the Pt⁴⁺ sites and minimize the formation of the less active Pt²⁺ species.     

Genetics in primary care: a USA faculty development initiative

The Genetics in Primary Care (GPC) project is a USA national faculty development initiative with the goal of enhancing the training of medical students and primary care residents by developing primary care faculty expertise in genetics. Educational strategies were developed for the project by an executive committee with input from an advisory committee, comprising individuals with primary care, medical education and genetics expertise. These committees identified the key issues in genetics education for primary care as (1) considering inherited disease in the differential diagnosis of common disorders; (2) using appropriate counseling strategies for genetic testing and diagnosis, and (3) understanding the implications of a genetic diagnosis for family members. The group emphasized the importance of a primary care perspective, which suggests that the clinical utility of genetic information is greatest when it has the potential to improve health outcomes. The group also noted that clinical practice already incorporates the use of family history information, providing a basis for discussing the application of genetic concepts in primary care. Genetics and primary care experts agreed that educational efforts will be most successful if they are integrated into existing primary care teaching programs, and use a case-based teaching format that incorporates both clinical and social dimensions of genetic disorders. Three core clinical skills were identified: (1) interpreting family history; (2) recognizing the variable clinical utility of genetic information, and (3) acquiring cultural competency. Three areas of potential controversy were identified as well: (1) the role of nondirective counseling versus shared decision-making in discussions of genetic testing; (2) the intrinsic value of genetic information when it does not influence health outcomes, and (3) indications for a genetics referral. The project provides an opportunity for ongoing discussion about these important issues.     

Off-center Li defects in KCl: Parameters for isolated Li+ as a function of hydrostatic pressure and evidence for other Li centers

Abstract

We have measured all three tunneling parameters for the KCl:Li system as a function of hydrostatic pressure; all increase with pressure. Our measurements show that the off-center tunneling model works exceedingly well for this system. Surprisingly, the pressure dependence of the electric dipole moment shows a sharp break near 900 bar. In some samples, additional lines indicate other Li centers are present, possibly Li pairs.     

Evidence for the Chain‐Growth Synthesis of Statistical π‐Conjugated Donor–Acceptor Copolymers

The synthesis of a series of dithienosilole–benzotriazole donor–acceptor statistical copolymers with various donor–acceptor ratios is reported, prepared by Kumada catalyst‐transfer polymerization. Statistical copolymer structure is verified by ¹H NMR and optical absorption spectroscopy, and supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The copolymers exhibit a single optical absorption band that lies between dithienosilole and benzotriazole homopolymers, which shifts with varying donor–acceptor content. A chain extension experiment using a partially consumed benzotriazole solution as a macroinitiator followed by addition of dithienosilole leads to the synthesis of a statistical dithienosilole–benzotriazole block copolymer from a pure benzotriazole block, demonstrating that both chain extension and simultaneous monomer incorporation are possible using this methodology.

     

Parallel single-cell optical transit dielectrophoresis cytometer

In this work, we present an optical transit DEP flow cytometer for parallel single-cell analysis. Each cell's dielectric property is inferred from velocity perturbations due to DEP actuation in a microfluidic channel. Dual LED sources facilitate velocity measurement by producing two transit shadows for each cell passing through the channel. These shadows are detected using a 256-pixel linear optical array detector. Massively parallel analysis is possible as each pixel of the detector can independently analyze the passing cells. A wide channel (∼18 mm) was employed to carry many particles simultaneously, and the system was capable of detecting the velocity of over 200 cells simultaneously. We have achieved analysis rates for 10 µm diameter polystyrene spheres response exceeding 250 per second. With appropriate calibration, this DEP cytometer can quantitatively measure the dielectric response. The dielectric response (Clausius–Mossotti factor) of viable CHO cells was measured over the frequency range of 100 kHz to 6 MHz, and the obtained response matches the previously measured values by our group. The DEP cytometer uses simple modular components to achieve high throughput label-free single-cell dielectric analysis and can begin analyzing particles within 10 s after starting to pump the sample into the channel.     

Ionic Liquid‐Based Routes to Conversion or Reuse of Recycled Ammonium Perchlorate

New, potentially green, and efficient synthetic routes for the remediation and/or re‐use of perchlorate‐based energetic materials have been developed. Four simple organic imidazolium‐ and phosphonium‐based perchlorate salts/ionic liquids have been synthesized by simple, inexpensive, and nonhazardous methods, using ammonium perchlorate as the perchlorate source. By appropriate choice of the cation, perchlorate can be incorporated into an ionic liquid which serves as its own electrolyte for the electrochemical reduction of the perchlorate anion, allowing for the regeneration of the chloride‐based parent ionic liquid. The electrochemical degradation of the hazardous perchlorate ion and its conversion to harmless chloride during electrolysis was studied using IR and ³⁵Cl NMR spectroscopies.     

The anti‐Specker property,positivity, and total boundedness

Working within Bishop‐style constructive mathematics, we examine some of the consequences of the anti‐Specker property, known to be equivalent to a version of Brouwer's fan theorem. The work is a contribution to constructive reverse mathematics (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Resonance absorption in the amorphous semiconductor Si12Ge10As30Te48

The complex permitivity of the amorphous semiconductor Si₁₂Ge₁₀As₃₀Te₄₈ has been measured at frequencies from 1 to 4 GHz and at temperatures from 13 to 42°C. The results show that there is resonace absorption at the resonace frequency of 1.6 GHz corresponding to a relaxation time of 2.45 × 10^?9 sec at 20°C, and that this resonance frequency increases with increasing temperature. On the basis of the model that the power loss is due to the transitions of dipoles between their equilibrium positions, the computed results are in good agreement with experimental ones. The size and the possible formation of such dipoles are also discussed.