SiO2/SnO2 and Sn/Sb-oxide/SiO2 gel-derived composites. Part 2: Thermal evolution and phase analysis

The thermal behaviour of samples with nominal composition 80/20=SiO₂/SnO₂, class B, 76.8/19.2/4.0=SiO₂/SnO₂/Sb₂O₅, class C₁, and 76.8/19.2/2.0/2.0=SiO₂/SnO₂/Sb₂O₅/Sb₂O₃, class C₂, is studied in the interval 25–1050°C by various instrumental methods. Results on these classes of samples, obtained from alkoxide precursors, are compared themselves and with samples of class A obtained from Si(OEt)₄ and SnCl₄. The segregation and crystallization of SnO₂ occurs at 400°C in the presence of microdomains of SnO₂·nH₂O in the SiO₂ gel matrix (class A), whereas it is observed at 700°C for samples B and C composed of Sn and Sb cations homogeneously dispersed in SiO₂. This fact implies different mechanisms of SnO₂ nucleation and growth. The crystallization of SiO₂ is observed at 1200°C for samples A, at 1050°C for B and at 800°C for C. For this latter, the presence of Sb-oxide/ SiO₂ reactive glass is invoked to the low-temperature crystallization of SiO₂. G. Carturan, R. Ceccato, R. Campostrini, G. Principi, and U. Russo, submitted to J. Sol-Gel Sci. Tech.     

Surface oxidation states in Si/SiO2 nanostructures prepared from Si/SiO2 mixtures

Silica nanospheres have been produced by a novel technique where surface Si oxidation states can be adjusted using the ratio of metalloid ions/metalloid atoms in the starting mixture. When the proportions of Si4+/Si0 are equal in the synthesis, the resulting solid is considerably more reactive than Cab-O-Sil toward the phenol hydroxylation reaction and the surface shows an average Si oxidation state of +3. On the other hand, those silica nanospheres, produced from a mixture of Si4+/Si0 = 0.25, showed a lower reactivity comparable to that of Cab-O-Sil which XPS demonstrates has a surprisingly low average Si oxidation state close to +1. We speculate that the silicon surface oxidation state and the number of surface silanol groups play important roles in determining the activity of the solid toward the phenol hydroxylation reaction. In expanding our earlier report4 on the copper-silica system, we establish that the surface chemistry of the silica nanospheres is apparently different from that of fumed, amorphous silica. These results suggest that we are developing a technique that can be generalized to create supported, mixed metal oxides having tunable average surface oxidation states.     

Analyses of eutectoid phase transformations in Nb-silicide in situ composites.

Nb-silicide in situ composites have great potential for high-temperature turbine applications. Nb-silicide composites consist of a ductile Nb-based solid solution together with high-strength silicides, such as Nb5Si3 and Nb3Si. With the appropriate addition of alloying elements, such as Ti, Hf, Cr, and Al, it is possible to achieve a promising balance of room-temperature fracture toughness, high-temperature creep performance, and oxidation resistance. In Nb-silicide composites generated from metal-rich binary Nb-Si alloys, Nb3Si is unstable and experiences eutectoid decomposition to Nb and Nb5Si3. At high Ti concentrations, Nb3Si is stabilized to room temperature, and the eutectoid decomposition is suppressed. However, the effect of both Ti and Hf additions in quaternary alloys has not been investigated previously. The present article describes the discovery of a low-temperature eutectoid phase transformation during which (Nb)3Si decomposes into (Nb) and (Nb)5Si3, where the (Nb)5Si3 possesses the hP16 crystal structure, as opposed to the tI32 crystal structure observed in binary Nb5Si3. The Ti and Hf concentrations were adjusted over the ranges of 21 to 33 (at.%) and 7.5 to 33 (at.%) to understand the effect of bulk composition on the phases present and the eutectoid phase transformation.     

Structure refinement of the spinel-related phases Li2Mn2O4 and Li0.2Mn2O4

The crystal structures of the lithium-rich and lithium-deficient spinel phases Li₂[Mn₂]O₄ and Li_0.2[Mn₂]O₄ have been determined by neutron-diffraction techniques. Structure refinements confirm earlier reports that the [Mn₂]O₄ framework of the Li[Mn₂]O₄ spinel remains intact during both lithium insertion and extraction, but demonstrate unequivocally that in Li₂[Mn₂]O₄ the Li⁺ ions reside in face-shared tetrahedra and octahedra of the cubic-close-packed oxygen-anion array; in Li_0.2[Mn₂]O₄ the Li⁺ ions are located randomly on only the tetrahedral sites of the spinel structure.     

Examining the role of surfactant packing in phase transformations of periodic templated silica/surfactant composites

In this work, we examine the role of curvature and surfactant packing in controlling the structure of periodic silica/surfactant composites by driving such materials through a transformation from a hexagonal to a lamellar phase. We focus on how the interplay of desired packing and volume constraints dictates the resulting structures. In general, surfactants expand in a complex way upon heating, and this can cause a change in the optimal packing geometry. However, the presence of a rigid silica framework may prevent surfactants from reaching this preferred volume and/or curvature. Real-time in situ X-ray diffraction is used to monitor the structural evolution of these materials heated under hydrothermal treatments. Because the thermal-driven disorder of the surfactant tails drives the phase transition, we examine four types of composites with varying tail density. Ordinarily, composites consist of surfactants with one 20-carbon tail and one positively charged ammonium headgroup. Tail density is varied by replacing a small amount (0-16%) of these single-tail, single-head surfactants with single-tail, double-head 'gemini' surfactants. A greater head--tail ratio indeed produces different results, causing the phase transition to occur at higher temperatures. Using simple geometric models to gain better understanding of our experimental results, we find that, while both unfavorable curvature and limited volume may exist for the surfactants in these composites, the constrained curvature appears to be the dominant effect in driving structural rearrangement.     

SnO2/SiO2 and Sn/Sb-oxide/SiO2 gel-derived composites. Part 1: Structural evolution from a Mössbauer study

The lasing photostability of the red perylimide dye (RPD) in various solid matrices was measured under frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser excitation. The RPD: composite glass laser intensity decayed to 50% of its initial value after approximately 20,000 pump pulses of 13 mJ/pulse. The output of RPD:ormosil glass and RPD:PMMA glass lasers decayed to 50% of their initial value after 1,200 and 1,000 pump pulses of the same energy, respectively. For rhodamine-6G:silica-gel and rhodamine-6G:ormosil glass lasers, the 50% decay occurred already after 1,000 and 300 pulses, respectively. The decay was non-exponential, suggesting that the dye bleaching was not a single-photon process. The average laser output decay rates increased linearly with the pump energy. Singlet-singlet excited state absorption of the RPD dye in the solid matrices was also measured between 550 and 730 nm. At ～600 nm the cross section was ～2×10^?16 cm²/molecule. The excited-state absorption competes with the lasing, and is a main factor that limits the laser efficiency.     

Oxidative Coupling of Methane over W‐Mn/SiO2 Catalyst

W‐Mn/SiO₂ catalyst has been developed in our laboratory (LICP), which is active, selective and stable for oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) in fixed bed and fluidized bed reactors. The research results have been reproduced at different reaction conditions by two groups of J. H. Lunsford (JH‐LL) from Texas A & M University and R. M. Lambert (RMLL) from University of Cambridge respectively. The basic research aspects on this catalyst systems, reaction performances, structure characterization and reaction mechanism were reviewed. A model on two active sites related to W^6+/5+ and Mn^3+/2+ has been suggested for activation of methane and oxygen respectively.     

The influence of CSH phase nuclei on Ca3SiO4Cl2 hydration

The influence of CSH phase nuclei on calcium chlorosilicate hydration has been studied by means of calorimetry, QXRD, DTA and TG methods.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels kalorimetrischen, QXRD-, DTA- und TG-Verfahren wurde der Einfluß von CSH Phasenkörpern auf die Hydratierung von Kalziumchlorosilikat untersucht.

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C=CaO, S=SiO₂, H=H₂O     

Thermodynamic properties of aqueous mixtures of LiCl and Li2SO4 at different temperatures

Emf measurements were made on the cell without liquid junction: Li?ISE LiCl(m₁), Li₂SO₄(m₂) Ag/AgCl. The performances of the electrode pairs constructed in our laboratory were tested and exhibited near-Nernstian behavior. The mean activity coefficients of LiCl for the system Li⁺?Cl^??SO ₄ ^2? ?H₂O have been investigated by the emf values at temperatures of 0, 15, 35°C and constant total ionic strengths of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 5.0 mol·kg^?1. The activity coefficients decrease with increasing temperature and the ionic strength fraction of Li₂SO₄ in the mixtures. The thermodynamic properties are interpreted by use of Harned's empirical equations and Pitzer's ion interaction approach including the contribution of higher order electrostatic terms. The experimental results obey Harned's rule and are described by using Pitzer equations satisfactorily. The activity coefficients of Li₂SO₄, the osmotic coefficients and the excess free energies of mixing for the system in the experimental temperature range were reported.     

Raman study of SO2 at high pressure: aggregation,phase transformations,and photochemistry

We report Raman measurements made on SO₂ in a diamond cell up to 75 kbar showing two new phases, solid II and solid III, which differ from known, zero-pressure solid I. Spectra indicate that SO₂ molecules aggregate in solid III to possibly form a cyclical trimer; solid III is shown to be photochemically active to blue radiation.     

Nucleation Phenomenon in Silica Xerogels and Pd/SiO2, Ag/SiO2, Cu/SiO2 Cogelled Catalysts

Pd/SiO₂, Ag/SiO₂ and Cu/SiO₂ xerogel catalysts have been synthesized by cogelation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and chelates of Pd, Ag and Cu with 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane (EDAS). It appears that, in cogelled samples, the metal complex acts as a nucleation agent in the formation of silica particles. The resulting catalysts are then composed of completely accessible metallic crystallites with a diameter of about 3 nm located inside silica porous particles with a monodisperse microporous distribution. Xerogels without metal synthesized with EDAS and TEOS (C. Alié, R. Pirard, A.J. Lecloux, and J.-P. Pirard, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 289, 88 (2001)) verify this hypothesis of nucleation by EDAS.     

Preparation of SiO2@polystyrene@polypyrrole sandwich composites and hollow polypyrrole capsules with movable SiO2 spheres inside

In this paper, we describe a flexible method for preparing conducting building blocks: SiO2@polystyrene@polypyrrole sandwich multilayer composites and hollow polypyrrole (PPy) capsules with movable SiO2 spheres inside. First, SiO2@polystyrene (PS) core/shell composites were synthesized, and then SiO2@PS@PPy sandwich multilayer composites were prepared by chemical polymerization of pyrrole monomer on the surface of SiO2@PS composites. Furthermore, hollow polypyrrole capsules with movable SiO2 spheres inside were obtained after removal of the middle PS layer. The diameter of sandwich multilayer composites could easily be controlled by adjusting the dosage of pyrrole monomer. The conductivities of composites increased with the increase of PPy content. After the insulating PS layer was selectively etched, the conductivities of hollow capsules with movable SiO2 spheres inside were much higher than those of the corresponding sandwich multilayer composites.     

Phase transformations and phase diagram at equilibrium in the Cu-Ni-Sn system

The Cu-Ni-Sn ternary phase diagram in the Cu rich side has not been experimentally determined or calculated at low temperatures. Two Cu9NixSn alloys with x=2 and 6 mass% Sn were studied. The precipitation sequence during the ageing and phases responsible for the strengthening were determined.     

Synthesis and phase transition of Li-Mn-O spinels with high Li/Mn ratio by thermo-decomposition of LiMnC2O4(Ac)

LiMnC₂O₄(Ac) precursor in which Li⁺ and Mn²⁺ were amalgamated in one molecule was prepared by solid-state reaction at room-temperature using manganese acetate, lithium hydroxide and oxalic acid as raw materials. By thermo-decomposition of LiMnC₂O₄(Ac) at various temperatures, a series of Li_1+y[Mn_2−xLi_x]_16dO₄ spinels were prepared with Li₂MnO₃ as impurities. The structure and phase transition of these spinels were investigated by XRD, TG/DTA, average oxidation state of Mn and cyclic voltammeric techniques. Results revealed that the Li-Mn-O spinels with high Li/Mn ratio were unstable at high temperature, and the phase transition was associated with the transfer of Li⁺ from octahedral 16c sites to 16d sites. With the sintering temperature increasing from 450 to 850 °C, the phase structure varied from lithiated-spinel Li₂Mn₂O₄ to Li₄Mn₅O₁₂-like to LiMn₂O₄-like and finally to rock-salt LiMnO₂-like. A way of determining x with average oxidation state of Mn and the content of Li₂MnO₃ was also demonstrated.     

Kinetic studies of the oxidative coupling of methane over the Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst

Oxidative coupling of methane is a direct way to obtain C2 hydrocarbon,and Mn-Na-W/SiO2 catalyst is the most promising among all the catalysts.The 2%Mn/5%Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst was prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method.A 7-step heterogeneous reaction model of the oxidative coupling of methane to C2 hydrocarbons was conducted by co-feeding methane and oxygen at a total pressure of 1 bar over the catalyst.The kinetic measurements were carried out in a micro-catalytic fixed bed reactor.The kinetic data were obtained at the appropriate range of reaction conditions (4 kPa＜Po2 ＜20 kPa,20 kPa＜PCZH4 ＜80 kPa,800℃＜T＜900℃).The proposed reaction kinetic scheme consists of three primary and four consecutive reaction steps.The conversions of hydrocarbons and carbon oxides were evaluated by applying Langrnuir-Hinshelwood type rate equations.Power-law rate equation was applied only for the water-gas shift reaction.In addition,the effects of operating conditions on the reaction rate were studied.The proposed kinetic model can predict the conversion of methane and oxygen as well as the yield of C2 hydrocarbons and carbon oxides with an average accuracy of ±15%.     

Influence of SiO2 nanoparticles on electro-optical and thermophysical properties of polyacrylate/liquid crystal composites

ABSTRACT

In this paper, SiO₂ nanoparticle-doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) lenses are made from a mixture of prepolymer, 5CB liquid crystal and SiO₂ nanoparticles by the polymerisation induced phase separation (PIPS) process. The effect of SiO₂ nanoparticles on the electro-optical properties of PDLC ?lms are studied. It is established that SiO₂ nanoparticles affect the microstructure of PDLC ?lms signi?cantly because of the formed agglomerates of SiO₂ nanoparticles. Results show an improvement in the electro-optical properties and a decrease in the response time for doped systems with small amount of SiO₂ nanoparticles. We also observe a shift of nematic–isotropic transition temperature as a function of SiO₂ nanoparticle contents. A good agreement between the electro-optical study and thermophysical properties is reached.     

Specifics of first-order phase transitions in 1,22-docosanediol and 1,44-tetratetracontanediol

A comparative analysis of phase transitions in diols with different chain lengths, (CH₂)₄₄(OH)₂ and (CH₂)₂₂(OH)₂, was performed using differential scanning calorimetry. The use of temperature hysteresis made it possible to reveal a number of new effects associated with the specifics of first-order phase transitions. The parameters of transitions were quantitatively analyzed in terms of the self-consistent field theory for diffuse (A-shaped) first-order transitions.     

Voltage decay for lithium-excess material of Li[Li1/5Co2/5Mn2/5]O2 during cycling analyzed via backstitch method

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Lithium-excess (LEX) materials of Li2MnO3?LiMO2 (M?=?Co, Ni, Fe, and so on) with large reversible capacities are promising positive...