Magnesium sulfate aerosols studied by FTIR spectroscopy: hygroscopic properties, supersaturated structures, and implications for seawater aerosols

Supersaturated MgSO4 aerosols and dilute MgSO4 solutions were studied by FTIR spectroscopic techniques (i.e., aerosol flow tube (AFT) and attenuated total reflection (ATR)). The hygroscopic properties of MgSO4 aerosols were investigated with results in good agreement with previous measurements by a scanning electrodynamic balance (SEDB). Well-defined spectral evolutions with changing relative humidity (RH) for the v3 band of SO4(2-) and the water O-H stretching envelope could be directly related to the observed hygroscopic properties of MgSO4 aerosols. When the RH decreased from approximately 55 to approximately 40%, the v1 band of SO4(2-) in supersaturated MgSO4 aerosols was observed to transform from a sharp peak at approximately 983 cm(-1) into a wide band at approximately 1005 cm(-1). The sharp peak at approximately 983 cm(-1) was mainly assigned to such associated complexes of Mg2+ and SO4(2-) as double solvent-separated ion pairs (2SIPs), solvent-shared ion pairs (SIPs), and simple contact ion pairs (CIPs) in supersaturated MgSO4 aerosols, while the wide band at approximately 1005 cm(-1) was due to polymeric CIPs chains, probably the main component of gels formed in MgSO4 aerosols at low RHs. Relating to this v1 band transformation, the peak position of the v(3) band was first shown to be a sensitive indicator of CIPs formation, spanning across approximately 40 cm(-1) on the formation of polymeric CIPs chains, which could also be supported by aerosol composition analysis in the form of water-to-solute molar ratios (WSR). In the water O-H stretching envelope, the absorbance intensities at 3371 and 3251 cm(-1) were selected to represent contributions from weak and strong hydrogen bonds, respectively. The absorbance intensity ratio changing with RH of 3371 to 3251 cm(-1) could be related to the previous observations with the v1 and v3 bands of SO4(2-). As a result, the formation of CIPs with various structures in large amounts was supposed to significantly weaken hydrogen bonds in supersaturated MgSO4 aerosols, while 2SIPs and SIPs were not expected to have similar effects even when occurring in abundance. In comparison with MgSO4 aerosols, the peak positions of the v3 band of SO4(2-) in artificial seawater aerosols implied that the MgSO4 component should be contained as gels or concentrated solutions in the fissures of microcrystals of sea salts for freshly formed seawater aerosols at low RHs.     

Voltammetric and spectroscopic investigations of 4-nitrophenylferrocene interacting with DNA

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) coupled with UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to probe the interaction of potential anticancer drug, 4-nitrophenylferrocene (NFC) with DNA. The electrostatic interaction of the positively charged NFC with the anionic phosphate of DNA was evidenced by the findings like negative formal potential shift in CV, ionic strength effect, smaller bathochromic shift in UV–vis spectroscopy, incomplete quenching in the emission spectra and decrease in viscosity. The diffusion coefficients of the free and DNA bound forms of the drug were evaluated from Randles–Sevcik equation. The binding parameters like binding constant, ratio of binding constants (K_red/K_ox), binding site size and binding free energy were determined from voltammetric data. The binding constant was also determined from UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy with a value quite close to that obtained from CV.     

New spectroscopic method for aqueous solutions: Raman xi-function dispersion for NaClO4 in water

A new Raman method is exemplified by xi identical with-RT[ partial differential ln(I(omega)I(REF)) partial differentialX(1)](T,P,n(2),n(3) ) for ternary NaClO(4)D(2)OH(2)O, or by xi identical with-RT[ partial differential ln(I(omega)I(REF)) partial differentialX(2)](T,P) for binary NaClO(4)H(2)O solutions. (Fundamental differences exist between xi and the chemical potential mu.) I(omega) is the Raman intensity at omega, I(REF) is the reference intensity, e.g., at the isosbestic frequency, X(2) is the H(2)O and X(1) the small D(2)O mol fraction, and n(2) and n(3) are constant mols of H(2)O and NaClO(4), respectively. Maxima (max) and minima (min) were observed in xi versus omega (cm(-1)); xi(max)-xi(min)=Deltaxi(max). Deltaxi(max)=8050+/-100 calmol H(2)O for the coupled, binary solution OH stretch, and Deltaxi(max)=4200+/-200 calmol H bond for the decoupled, ternary solution OD stretch. The perchlorate ion breaks the H bonds in water. 8050 calmol H(2)O corresponds to the maximum tetrahedral Deltaxi(max) value for two H bonds, i.e., Deltaxi(max)=4025 calmol H bond, in agreement with the HDO Deltaxi(max)=4200+/-200 calmol H bond. [Deltaxi(max) is not the H bond enthalpy (energy).] Minima occur in xi at the peak omega values corresponding to the HDOH(2)O and H(2)O ices, and maxima in xi at 2637+/-5 cm(-1) (OD) and 3575+/-10 cm(-1) (OH) correspond to the peak OD and OH stretching omega values from dense supercritical water. Enthalpy dispersion curves were also determined for saturated, binary, and ternary NaClO(4) solutions and for D(2)O in H(2)O. The xi-function method is shown to be applicable to infrared absorbance spectra.     

Infrared spectroscopic properties of sodium bromide aerosols

The infrared extinction spectra of aqueous NaBr aerosols at ambient temperature have been measured as a function of relative humidity. Submicron-sized aerosol particles atomized from aqueous NaBr solutions at various concentrations are dried and/or mixed with nitrogen at different humidities and spectroscopically monitored as they flow through an infrared absorption cell. Estimated dry particle median diameters range from 0.24 to 0.15 microm, as calculated from Mie extinction theory. Measured deliquescence and efflorescence relative humidities (35-40% and 25-30%, respectively) are in accordance with previously reported ones. Our results show that NaBr particles take up water only moderately over the deliquescence point, with a significant increase at relative humidities above 70%. The effect of particle size onto water uptake properties has been studied, indicating that smaller particles take up lower amounts of water, and only increase their size significantly at relative humidities near saturation. Particle composition and diameter growth factors have been calculated from spectral data and are shown to be consistent with those predicted from thermodynamic data and Kohler theory. Band centers of liquid water in NaBr aerosols relative to pure water are blue-shifted up to 50 cm-1 at low humidities. Particle structure and phase, together with atmospheric implications, are also discussed.     

N-1 Substituted ethyl 4-pyrazolecarboxylates: Synthesis and spectroscopic investigations

The synthesis of various N-1 substituted ethyl 4-pyrazolecarboxylates via reaction of ethyl 2-formyl-3-oxo-propionate (= ethoxycarbonylmalondialdehyde) with appropriately substituted hydrazines is described. Moreover, detailed nmr-spectroscopic investigations with the title compounds are presented.     

Calorimetric and spectroscopic investigations into the stability of SiCl4 and SnCl4 complexes.

The enthalpy values for the reaction of acetoacetanilides with SiCl₄ and SnCl₄ have been determined by solution calorimetry at 298 K in 1.2-dichloroethane. Stable compounds were isolated and identified by elementary analysis and spectroscopic methods.     

A V-shaped spectroscopic cell for FTIR measurements

A V-shaped spacroscopic cell（V-cell） was constructed using two CaF₂ optical plates for FTIR light transparent measurements in the range of 4000-1000 cm^-1.The spectrum of ethanol was characterized with the standard spectra,excellent fitting was achieved with a bottom-width correction method.The principle of the V-cell was discussed,giving equations for the data interpretation.It shows that the V-cell is an auto-focus type spectroscopic cell,which can effectively avoid absorption saturation with amplifications for weak absorption bands.The V-cell design is simple and effective,easy to operate,suitable for applications in liquid samples with high absorption bands,willing to have broad application prospects.     

Micro-Raman study on the conformation behavior of succinate in supersaturated sodium succinate aerosols

Micro-Raman spectra of supersaturated aerosols of sodium succinate were obtained. The conformation behavior of the succinate dianion as a function of relative humidity (RH) was investigated by combining micro-Raman spectroscopy with theoretical calculations. A shoulder at 968 cm(-1) of the v(C-CO(2)(-)) band on the rise in more concentrated droplets was believed indicative of conformation transformations. The intensity ratio (I(963)/I(997)) of the v(C-CO(2)(-)) band at 963 cm(-1) to the v(C-C) band at 997 cm(-1), versus the molar water-to-solute ratio (WSR), was used to fathom the equilibrium between gauche and trans conformations. Before saturation (WSR = 25.8) for the droplets, the ratio of I(963)/I(997) retains a value of approximately 2.6 independent of WSR, indicating that the equilibrium was not disturbed in the dilute droplets. In supersaturated droplets (WSR < 25.8), however, the ratio sharply decreases from approximately 2.6 to approximately 1.1 at WSR = 9.6, which was attributed to the formation of contact ion pairs (CIPs).     

Picosecond spectroscopic investigations of diphenylcarbene protonation

The details of the picosecond kinetic investigation of diphenylcarbene (Ph₂C:) protonation with H₂O, MeOH, EtOH and 2-propanol by optical absorption technique are presented. The protonation reactions were monitored by detection of the diphenylcarbenium ion (Ph₂C⁺H). Evidence of solvent induced alteration of the singlet-triplet energy level of Ph₂C:, and involvement of an excited carbene singlet state in the protonation of Ph₂C: diphenylcarbene with H₂O are presented.     

FTIR spectroscopic study of titanium-containing mesoporous silicate materials

The surface acidity of different mesoporous titanium-silicates, such as well-organized hexagonally packed Ti-MMM, Ti-MMM-2, Ti-SBA-15, and amorphous TiO(2)-SiO(2) mixed oxides (aerogels and xerogels), was studied by means of FTIR spectroscopy of CO adsorbed at 80 K and CD(3)CN adsorbed at 293 K. The surface hydroxyl groups of mesoporous titanium-silicates with 2-7 wt % Ti revealed a Br?nsted acidity slightly higher to that of pure silicate. TiO(2)-SiO(2) xerogels revealed the highest Br?nsted acidity among the titanium-silicates studied. CO adsorption revealed two additional sites on the surface in comparison to pure silicate, characterized by nu(CO) from 2185 (high pressure) to 2178 (low pressure) cm(-1) and from 2174 (high pressure) to 2170 (low pressure) cm(-1). These bands are due to CO adsorbed on isolated titanium cations in the silica surrounding or having one Ti(4+) cation in their second coordination sphere and due to CO interactions with Ti-OH groups, respectively. CD(3)CN adsorption similarly revealed the existence of two additional sites, which were not detected for pure silicate: at 2289 cm(-1) due to CD(3)CN interaction with titanol groups and from 2306 (low pressure) to 2300 (high pressure) cm(-1) due to acetonitrile interaction with isolated framework titanium cations with probably one Ti(4+) cation in their second coordination shell. The spectroscopic results are compared with computational data obtained on cluster models of titanium-silicate with different titanium content. According to the IR data, the Ti accessibility on the surfaces for mesoporous titanium-silicates with similar Ti loading (2 wt %) was found to fall in the order TiO(2)-SiO(2) aerogel approximately TiO(2)-SiO(2) xerogel > Ti-MMM approximately Ti-MMM-2 > Ti-SBA-15. This order (except TiO(2)-SiO(2) xerogel) correlates with the catalytic activity found previously for titanium-silicates in 2,3,6-trimethylphenol oxidation with H(2)O(2).     

FT-Raman and FTIR spectroscopic studies of N-octadecanoyl-L-alanine amphiphiles

FTIR spectroscopy is used to compare the difference in molecular structure between Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films (transferred at the surface pressure 40 mN/m with the vertical method and 0 mN/m with the horizontal method) and bulk sample of N-Octadecanoyl-L-alanine amphiphiles. The bulk sample possesses a very similar microstructure (intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction and triclinic chain packing) to the well-ordered LB films. Much information on molecular structure of the bulk sample is obtained using FT-Raman spectroscopy, and several weak Raman scattering peaks are assigned.     

NMR spectroscopic investigations with isatin guanylhydrazones

The synthesis of some novel (substituted) guanylhydrazones of isatin, 5-methylisatin and 1-methylisatin is decribed. Moreover, detailed nmr-spectroscopic studies (¹H-nmr, ¹³C-nmr) with these compounds and previously known congeners are presented.     

Raman spectroscopic studies on single supersaturated droplets of sodium and magnesium acetate

Raman spectroscopy was used to study structural changes, in particular, the formation of contact-ion pairs in supersaturated aqueous NaCH(3)COO and Mg(CH(3)COO)(2) droplets at ambient temperatures. The single droplets levitated in an electrodynamic balance (EDB), lost water, and became supersaturated when the relative humidity (RH) decreased. For NaCH(3)COO droplet the water-to-solute molar ratio (WSR) was 3.87 without solidification when water molecules were not enough to fill in the first hydration layer of Na(+), in favor of the formation of contact-ion pairs. However, the symmetric stretching vibration band (nu(3) mode) of free -COO(-) constantly appeared at 1416 cm(-1), and no spectroscopic information related to monodentate, bidentate, or bridge bidentate contact-ion pairs was observed due to the weak interactions between the Na(+) and acetate ion. On the other hand, the band of methyl deformation blue shifted from 1352 to 1370 cm(-1) (at RH = 34.2%, WSR = 2.43), corresponding to the solidification process of a novel metastable phase in the highly supersaturated solutions. With further decreasing RH, a small amount of supersaturated solution still existed and was proposed to be hermetically covered by the metastable phase of the particle. In contrast, the interaction between Mg(2+) and acetate ion is much stronger. When WSR decreased from 21.67 to 2.58 for the Mg(CH(3)COO)(2) droplet, the band of C-C-symmetric stretching (nu(4) mode) had a blue shift from 936 to 947 cm(-1). The intensity of the two new shoulders (approximately 1456 and approximately 1443 cm(-1)) of the nu(3) band of free -COO(-) at 1420 cm(-1) increased with the decrease of WSR. These changes were attributed to the formation of contact-ion pairs with bidentate structures. In particular, the small frequency difference between the shoulder at approximately 1443 cm(-1) and the nu(3) band of the free -COO(-) group (approximately 1420 cm(-1)) was proposed to be related to the formation of a chain structure based on the contact-ion pairs of bridge bidentate. The continuous formation of various contact-ion pairs started at higher WSR value (WSR = 15.5) greatly reduced the hygroscopic properties of Mg(CH(3)COO)(2) droplet, so that the WSR of Mg(CH(3)COO)(2) droplets was even lower than that of NaCH(3)COO in the RH range of 40-60%.     

FTIR spectroscopic studies of isotactic polypropylene films under stress

The results of dynamic stressing experiments on isotactic polypropylene film samples with draw ratios (λ) of 5 and 11.7 on the vibrational spectra are measured using FTIR spectroscopy up to a maximum applied stress of 29 kg mm⁻². The effects of stressing on the vibrational band wavenumbers are compared with results of previous work and it is concluded that both CC skeletal backbone stretching and helical uncoiling are involved in the mechanism of stressing at the molecular level.     

FTIR spectroscopic and NMR studies of hard elastic polypropylene

The variation of amorphous orientation and crystalline regularity of hard elastic polypropylene (HEPP) films during cyclic deformation and stress relaxation processes were studied using a FTIR spectrometer. The result proves entropic elasticity and shows the orientational hysteresis in the amorphous region or within the microfibrils, and also shows that the amorphous orientation increases, but that the crystalline regularity decreases with the increase of extension rate.Three spin-spin relaxation timesT _2f,T _2m, andT _2s and associated mass fractionsF _f,F _m, andF _s of HEPP fibers were measured with a solid echo of NMR method at different elongations and after relaxation or recovery for a long time A new possible interpretation was proposed that, while the microfibrils are formed in HEPP, the medium decay component should be ascribed to inner molecules of the microfibrils, and the slow decay component to the surface molecules of the microfibrils. According to this interpretation, the results implied that subfibrillation is the main process when HEPP is stretched up to 15% strain, and that at above 15% strain thinning and lengthening of the microfibrils become the main process. Thickening of the microfibrils was found in the recovery and relaxation processes.     

FTIR and Ab initio investigations of the MTBE-water complex

The infrared spectrum of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in liquid water has been studied using both FTIR absorption and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy in conjunction with ab initio calculations. Compared to the liquid MTBE IR spectrum, the C-O and C-C stretching vibrational frequencies of MTBE in water are found to shift to the red and blue by up to 26 and 9 cm (-1), respectively. Ab initio calculations suggest that these shifts are caused by complexation of the MTBE molecule with water molecules through hydrogen bonding. Our observation of the vibrational frequency shifts in the IR spectrum of MTBE in water provides the IR spectroscopic evidence of organics-water complexes in the diluted aqueous solution. The implication of the effect of the hydrogen bond in organics-water complexation on solvation and reactivity of the organic compound in aqueous chemical processes is discussed.     

Surface carboxylation of porous regenerated cellulose beads by 4-acetamide-TEMPO/NaClO/NaClO2 system

A commercial regenerated bead cellulose was suspended in water at pH 4.8, and oxidized with NaClO₂ used as a primary oxidant and catalytic amounts of NaClO and 4-acetamide-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl radical. Carboxylate groups were formed up to 1.87 mmol/g in the beads by the oxidation of C6 primary hydroxyls to carboxylates without significant weight losses or morphological changes. The spherical shapes, highly porous surface structures consisting of nano-sized fibrils, and the cellulose II crystal structure of the original beads were mostly maintained by the oxidation, indicating that the carboxylate groups formed are predominantly present on the fibril surfaces. Cation-exchange behavior of the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose beads was compared with carboxymethylated cellulose beads, showing that the former was characteristic and superior to the latter in terms of adsorption of metal ions and cationic polymers. Especially, the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose beads had high adsorption behavior of lead ion and high-molecular-weight cationic polymers.