Organic radicals in natural apatites according to EPR data: Potential genetic and paleoclimatic indicators

In a group of natural marine apatites Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F, OH), organic ?H₃, ?H₂—R, HO?HR, (CH₃)₂—?R, and —?_org radicals are identified by EPR. The relation between the EPR spectra of the observed organic radicals, the valence form, and the structural location of impurity vanadium ions (V⁴⁺ (VO²⁺) on the Ca²⁺ II site or V⁵⁺ (VO₄)^3- → (PO₄)^3-) is established. The structure of organic radicals correlates with the type of organic matter in the sample under analysis: sapropelic or humic, depending on the climatic conditions of mineral genesis.     

Revealing structure formation in PCPDTBT by optical spectroscopy

The low‐bandgap polymer poly{[4,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)‐cyclopenta‐(2,1‐b;3,4‐b′)dithiophen]‐2,6‐diyl‐alt‐(2,1,3‐benzo‐thiadiazole)?4,7‐diyl} (PCPDTBT) is widely used for organic solar cell applications. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the optical properties as a function of temperature for PCPDTBT in solution and in thin films with two distinct morphologies. Using absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy as well as Franck‐Condon analyses, we show that PCPDTBT in solution undergoes a phase transformation at 300 K from a disordered to a truly aggregated state on cooling. The saturation value of aggregates in solution is reached in PCPDTBT thin films at any temperature. In addition, we demonstrate that the photophysical properties of the aggregates in films are similar to those in solution and that a low percentage of thermally activated excimer states is present in the films at temperatures above 200 K. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1416–1430     

Study of natural coumarins by mass spectroscopy

Conclusions The mass spectra of six compounds have been obtained: kamolone, kamolol, [D₃]kamolone, [D]kamolol, kamolol acetate, and the terpene diol derived from kamolol. The fragmentation of these compounds under the action of electron impact have been discussed. The mass spectra of kamolone and kamolol agree well with the structures provided for them previously.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 296–300, 1970     

Blue,green,red upconversion luminescence and optical characteristics of rare earth doped rare earth oxide and oxysulfide

The cold isostatic press pretreatment process was adopted to prepare fine rare earth oxysulfide up-conversion phosphors with spherical shape, narrow size distribution and high luminescence efficiency. The upconversion optical characteristics and brightness of the blue (Y2O2SYb,Tm), green (Y2O2S: Yb,Er), red (Y2O3Yb,Er) emitter were also investigated, and a novel method was successfully developed for the brightness measurement of upconversion luminescence (UPL). It is shown that a white color can be obtained by the appropriate mixture of these primary blue, green and red emissions components. The Er3 ions exhibit different upconversion mechanism in Y2O2S and Y2O3 host materials. The rare earth oxysulfide is an efficient upconversion matrix. The UPL brightness of Y2O2S: Yb,Er is 6.5 times higher than that of Y2O3: Yb,Er, and Y2O2S: Yb,Er shows UPL brightness of 1100 cd/m2 under 5.56 W/cm2 power density using a 980 nm laser diode.     

Analysis of green copper pigments in illuminated manuscripts by micro-Raman spectroscopy

In the majority of the literature describing green coloured materials used on ancient painting layers (15th or 16th century), two copper greens are mainly cited: malachite [CuCOr3 x Cu(OH)2] and verdigris [Cu(CH3COO)2 x [Cu(OH)2]3 x 2H2O]. It is shown, by micro-Raman spectroscopy, that the artists were actually employing more than these two copper greens, in particular various copper sulfates, among which the most common pigment found is posnjakite [CuSO4 x 3Cu(OH)2 x H2O]. In contrast to the PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) technique, Raman spectroscopy is a technique of choice, able to distinguish not only a copper sulfate from a carbonate or acetate but also the different sulfates themselves; in this respect, we found that the high wavenumber region (2800-4000 cm(-1)), characteristic of H2O vibrations, is of particular interest. It is also shown that numerous green areas were created with mixtures of a copper sulfate mixed with other pigments, for instance to enhance the colour depth. Finally, in some cases, no green pigment is actually employed but the colour is obtained by intimately mixing yellow and blue pigments. All these results led to a new look at the pigments which were in use on the palettes of the ancient artists.     

Heterogeneous exciton dynamics revealed by two-dimensional optical spectroscopy

We show that optical two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy can recover ultrafast heterogeneous dynamics of closely spaced delocalized exciton states from a molecular exciton manifold characterized by a single absorption band. The complete experimental third-order nonlinear optical response from room-temperature J-aggregates in liquid phase is reproduced for the first time with self-consistent Frenkel exciton theory combined with modified Redfield theory. We show that exciton relaxation between the exciton states and nuclear-motion-induced exchange-narrowed energy fluctuations of individual delocalized exciton states can be distinguished because these two processes lead to a distinctively different evolution of the absolute 2D spectrum. Our technique also allows recovery of the variation of the exciton relaxation rates as well as the degree of exciton delocalization across the absorption band.     

Speciation of uranyl complexes in ionic liquids by optical spectroscopy

Uranyl complexes dissolved in room-temperature ionic liquids have diagnostic absorption and emission spectra which reflect the molecular symmetry and geometry. In particular, the characteristic vibrational fine structure of the absorption spectra allows identification of the molecular symmetry of a uranyl complex. The concept of speciation of uranyl complexes is illustrated for the hydrated uranyl ion, the tetrachloro complex [UO2Cl4]2-, the trinitrato complex [UO2(NO3)3]-, the triacetato complex [UO2(CH3COO)3]-, and the crown ether complex [UO2(18-crown-6)]2+ in imidazolium and pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids. The competition between 18-crown-6 and small inorganic ligands for coordination to the uranyl ion was investigated. The crystal structures of the hydrolysis product [(UO2)2(mu2-OH)2(H2O)6] [UO2Br4](18-crown-6)4 and imidazolium salt [C6mim]2[UO2Br4] are described.     

Probing electron correlations in molecules by two-dimensional coherent optical spectroscopy

The nonlinear optical signal generated in phenol by three femtosecond pulses with wavevectors k1, k2, and k3 in the phase-matching direction k1 + k2 - k3 is simulated. This two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy (2DCS) signal has a rich pattern containing information on double-excitation states. The signal vanishes for uncorrelated electrons due to interference among quantum pathways and, thus, provides direct signatures of correlated many-electron wavefunctions. This is illustrated by the very different 2DCS signals predicted by two levels of electronic structure calculations: state-averaged complete active space self-consistent field (SA-CASSCF) and multistate multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2).     

Characterization of large supported metal clusters by optical spectroscopy

Small sodium and silver particles were generated on dielectric substrates like LiF, quartz and sapphire under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The optical transmission spectra of the clusters were measured as a function of cluster size and shape, for low and high substrate temperatures as well as for s- and p- polarization of the incident light. Excitation of dipolar surface plasmon oscillations in the directions normal and parallel to the substrate surface could be identified. Furthermore, optical spectra for Na and Ag clusters were calculated with the classical Mie theory. The measured spectra vary strongly if the experimental conditions are changed and can be exploited, for example, to characterize the particles with regard to their size and shape. In particular, the axial ratio of the spheroidal clusters could be determined. Its value is considerably different for the two investigated metals and depends on the substrate material. Furthermore, the temperature of the substrate has a pronounced influence on the shape of the particles. At low temperature of T=100 K two-dimensional island growth is predominant. The particles extend only little in the direction perpendicular to the surface and coalesce readily at small coverage of metal atoms. In contrast, the clusters are truly three-dimensional at T=300 K. At this stage, sodium particles still exhibit a rather small axial ratio whereas silver clusters appear almost spherical. Thus, measurements of the optical spectra permit direct in situ monitoring of cluster growth during the nucleation of adsorbed atoms and of temperature induced shape variations. In addition to investigations of the shape of the particles, the quadrupolar surface plasmon mode was observed for Ag clusters.     

Elemental analysis of horse hair by optical emission spectroscopy

A spectrographic method is developed for the simultaneous determination of trace elements in horse hair. The quantitative estimates of elements Ag, Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Pb, Si, Ti, v, and Zn are reported and the precision of determination for some elements is given.     

Determination of total antioxidant capacity in green tea by near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate calibration

A principal component regression (PCR) model is built for prediction of total antioxidant capacity in green tea using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The modelling procedures are systematically studied with the focus on outlier detection. Different outlier detection methods are used and compared. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of the final model is comparable to the precision of the reference method.     

Investigation of lithium niobate composition by optical spectroscopy methods

Indirect methods of investigation of composition and defect structures of lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) single crystals with different compositions are discussed. The analysis of two methods for the determination of the Li/Nb ratio in the samples is carried out, viz., the fundamental UV absorption edge and IR vibrational spectra of the OH⁻ group defects. Intrinsic defect concentrations in lithium niobate crystals (lithium vacancies, $ V_{Li^ - } $ V_{Li^ - } and defects, $ Nb_{Li^{4 + } } $ Nb_{Li^{4 + } } ) as a function of the Li/Nb ratio in the samples are given. The results obtained can serve as an effective way of express non-destructive composition analysis in a mass production of parallel-plane plates.     

Multisignal calibration in optical emission spectroscopy

Summary The possibility of using more than one line for calibration in optical emission spectroscopy has been investigated. By means of principal component regression, sensitivity can be increased and part of noise can be removed. Thus, lower limits of detection can be obtained. The extent of improvement of sensitivity is considered theoretically and investigated by simulation. In the ideal case the sensitivity of the principal component regression for more than one line is calculated from the square root of the sum of squares of the sensitivities of the single lines. Practical applications in arcoptical emission spectroscopy and ICP-OES show that the theoretically expected improvements can almost be reached. The reduction in noise depends on the nature and source of noise.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Wilhelm Fresenius on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

An investigation of Prussian Blue analogues by Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility

The Mössbauer spectra and magnetic susceptibilities have been obtained for a series of Prussian Blue analogues of general formula M_j^A[M^B(CN)₆]_k·mH₂O where M^A and M^B are transition metal ions, j and k vary with the oxidation states of M^A and M^B and m typically has values from 8 to 14. The compounds were prepared from the hexacyano acids or with large quaternary ammonium counterions and are therefore not contaminated with alkali cations. In each analogue, A or B is iron and the second metal is Mn, Cu, Co, Cr or Ru. In each case it was possible to assign the site (A or B), oxidation state and spin state to each transition metal ion. This group of compounds are all class II mixed valence species from their colours, but do not show evidence of linkage isomerism or redox changes compared to the starting materials. The Mössbauer linewidths are consistent with the Ludi model of Prussian Blue.     

Rotamers of some radical-ions as evidenced by optical and ESR spectroscopy

Conformational isomerizations of radical-ions are studied both experimentally and theoretically. The representative systems of stilbenes, polyenes, and non-planar alicyclic compounds will be reviewed first. Then, the result of the study on the radical-cations of 1,4-dithiacyclohexane and ethane-1,4-dithiol will be presented. It is found that the former cation suffers a change from a chair form to a boat form and the latter from an anti- or a gauche-form to a cis form even in a rigid matrix. The conformational changes are manifested by drastic changes in the electronic absorption and ESR spectra. The strong “through-space” interaction between the lone pair orbitals of the sulfur atoms is responsible for the conformational changes. Ab initio MO calculations lend support to the analysis of the experimental results.     

Rotamers of some radical-ions as evidence by optical and esr spectroscopy

Conformational isomerizations of radical-ions are studied both experimentally and theoretically- The representative systems of stilbenes, polyenes, and non-planar alicyclic compounds will be reviewed first. Then, the result of the study on the radical-cations of 1,4-dithiacyclohexane and ethane-1,4-dithiol will be presented. It is found that the former cation suffers a change from a chair fore to a boat form and the latter from an anti- or a gauche-form to a cis form even in a rigid matrix. The conformational changes are manifested by drastic changes in the electronic absorption and ESR spectra- The strong “through-space” interaction between the lone pair orbitals of the sulfur atoms is responsible for the conformational changes. Ab initio óó'O calculations lend support to the analysis of the experimental results.     

Electronic interactions in a branched chromophore investigated by nonlinear optical and time-resolved spectroscopy

The third order nonlinear optical properties of a trimer branched chromophore system and its linear molecule analog are investigated. Two-photon absorption and degenerate four wave mixing measurements were carried out on both systems. An enhancement in the nonlinear optical effect is observed for the branched trimer molecule in comparison to the linear chromophore system. Ultrafast time-resolved measurements were carried out to probe the excited state dynamics in the branched structures. The time-resolved measurements suggest that the two important processes affecting the nonlinear optical properties in the trimer system, charge transfer stabilization and initial electronic delocalization, occur on two different time scales.