"Single sample concept": theoretical model for a combinatorial approach to solid-state inorganic materials

A theoretical model for a "single sample concept" (SSC) applied to the combinatorial chemistry of solid-state inorganic compounds is presented. The SSC is performed by reacting N starting materials (randomly mixed) in a single sample of approximately 1 cm(3). Combinatorial calculations demonstrate that the number of reasonably estimated phases to be found in the space of N components grouped into compounds (e.g. oxides, sulfides, or halogenides) containing up to q < or = 6 metallic elements is smaller than combinations set up by starting conditions for local reactions within the bulk of a single ceramic sample. Recently, the SSC proved to work in the case of synthesizing libraries of 3d metal oxides, from which magnetic particulate matter was extracted by a magnetic separation technique. The SSC may be applied in a first screening cycle followed by 2D approaches of combinatorial chemistry.     

以MOFs为前驱体的多孔金属氧化物催化剂研究进展

多孔金属氧化物具有高比表面积、大孔径、特殊的形貌和结构特性,广泛应用于催化、锂离子电池、太阳能电池、气敏传感器等领域。金属有机骨架材料(MOFs)是一类具有周期性网络结构的新型多孔晶体材料,在气体存储、气体分离、催化等领域具有重要的应用价值。近年来,以MOFs为前驱体制备多孔碳和多孔金属氧化物成为MOFs应用领域一个新的研究热点。本文主要综述了以MOFs为前驱体制备的多孔金属氧化物和多孔金属氧化物/碳复合物在CO氧化、催化产氢、异丁烷脱氢、环已烯氧化、醇直接氧化为酯、醛氧化酰胺化反应、光催化降解有机物和氧还原反应等方面的应用。     

Analysis of bulk and inorganic degradation products of stones,mortars and wall paintings by portable Raman microprobe spectroscopy

This work reports the use of a portable Raman microprobe spectrometer for the analysis of bulk and decaying compounds in carbonaceous materials such as stones, mortars and wall paintings. The analysed stones include limestone, dolomite and carbonaceous sandstone, gypsum and calcium oxalate, both mono- and dihydrated, being the main inorganic degradation products detected. Mortars include bulk phases with pure gypsum, calcite and mixtures of both or with sand, soluble salts being the most important degradation products. The pigments detected in several wall paintings include Prussian blue, iron oxide red, iron oxide yellow, vermilion, carbon black and lead white. Three different decaying processes have been characterised in the mortars of the wall paintings: (a) a massive absorption of nitrates that reacted with calcium carbonate and promoted the unbinding of pigment grains, (b) the formation of black crusts in the vault of the presbytery and (c) the thermodecomposition of pigments due to a fire.     

Phase separation in metal oxides

A fascinating phenomenon, recently found to occur in certain transition-metal oxides, is phase separation wherein pure, nominally monophasic oxides of transition metals with well-defined compositions separate into two or more phases over a specific temperature range. Such phase separation is entirely reversible, and is generally the result of a competition between charge-localization and -delocalization, the two situations being associated with contrasting electronic and magnetic properties. Coexistence of more than one phase, therefore, gives rise to electronic inhomogeneity and a diverse variety of magnetic, transport, and other properties, not normally expected of the nominal monophasic composition. An interesting feature of phase separation is that it covers a wide range of length scales anywhere between 1-200 nm. While cuprates and manganates, especially the latter, provide excellent examples of phase separation, it is possible that many other transition-metal compounds with extended structures will be found to exhibit phase separation.     

Lanthanum chromites partially substituted by calcium,strontium and barium synthesized by urea combustion

Because of their electrical, magnetic and catalytic properties rare earth and transition metal mixed oxides are important compounds. Lanthanum chromites have been extensively used as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) interconnect materials. In this work, lanthanum chromites partially substituted by alkaline earth metals were synthesized by the urea combustion process. TG and DSC techniques were used to evaluate the presence of the organic material in the powder after reaction on the hot plate. The powders were calcinated at 900°C and characterized by XRD and SEM. The results show that the particles have nanometric dimensions and the perovskite structure was formed.     

A polar corundum oxide displaying weak ferromagnetism at room temperature

Combining long-range magnetic order with polarity in the same structure is a prerequisite for the design of (magnetoelectric) multiferroic materials. There are now several demonstrated strategies to achieve this goal, but retaining magnetic order above room temperature remains a difficult target. Iron oxides in the +3 oxidation state have high magnetic ordering temperatures due to the size of the coupled moments. Here we prepare and characterize ScFeO(3) (SFO), which under pressure and in strain-stabilized thin films adopts a polar variant of the corundum structure, one of the archetypal binary oxide structures. Polar corundum ScFeO(3) has a weak ferromagnetic ground state below 356 K-this is in contrast to the purely antiferromagnetic ground state adopted by the well-studied ferroelectric BiFeO(3).     

Recent progress in investigations of surface structure and properties of solid oxide materials with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In this review, some of the latest research developments on the characterization of the structure and properties of oxide materials by applying solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), including the use of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR, ¹⁷O NMR combined with surface selective labeling and ³¹P NMR coupled with phosphorous-containing probe molecules, are discussed.     

Isomorphous Co(II) and Ni(II) antiferromagnets based on mixed azide- and carboxylate-bridged chains: metamagnetism and single-chain dynamics

Two isomorphous Co(II) and Ni(II) coordination polymers with azide and the 4-(4-pyridyl)benzoic acid N-oxide ligand (4,4-Hopybz) were synthesized, and structurally and magnetically characterized. They are formulated as [M(4,4-opybz)(N(3))(H(2)O)](n) (M = Co, 1 and Ni, 2). The compounds consist of 2D coordination networks, in which 1D coordination chains with (μ-N(3))(μ-COO) bridges are interlinked by the 4,4-opybz spacers, and the structure also features intra- and interchain O-HO hydrogen-bonding bridges between metal ions. Both compounds exhibit ferromagnetic interactions through the intrachain (μ-N(3))(μ-COO)(O-HO) bridges and antiferromagnetic interactions through the interchain O-HO bridges. The ferromagnetic chains are antiferromagnetically ordered, and the antiferromagnetic phases exhibit field-induced metamagnetic transition. It is found that 1 displays slow relaxation of magnetization, typical of single-chain magnets, while 2 does not. The difference emphasizes the great importance of large magnetic anisotropy for single-chain-magnet dynamics.     

Modern separation techniques for the efficient workup in organic synthesis

The shift of paradigm in combinatorial chemistry, from large compound libraries (of mixtures) on a small scale towards defined compound libraries where each compound is prepared in an individual well, has stimulated the search for alternative separation approaches. The key to a rapid and efficient synthesis is not only the parallel arrangement of reactions, but simple work-up procedures so as to circumvent time-consuming and laborious purification steps. During the initial development stages of combinatorial synthesis it was believed that rational synthesis of individual compounds could only be achieved by solid-phase strategies. However, there are a number of problems in solid-phase chemistry: most notably there is the need for a suitable linker unit, the limitation of the reaction conditions to certain solvents and reagents, and the heterogeneous reaction conditions. Further disadvantages are: the moderate loading capacities of the polymeric support and the limited stability of the solid support. In the last few years several new separation techniques have been developed. Depending on the chemical problem or the class of compounds to be prepared, one can choose from a whole array of different approaches. Most of these modern separation approaches rely on solution-phase chemistry, even though some of them use solid-phase resins as tools (for example, as scavengers). Several of these separation techniques are based on liquid-liquid phase separation, including ionic liquids, fluorous phases, and supercritical solvents. Besides being benign with respect to their environmental aspects, they also show a number of advantages with respect to the work-up procedures of organic reactions as well as simplicity in the isolation of products. Another set of separation strategies involves polymeric supports (for example, as scavengers or for cyclative cleavage), either as solid phases or as soluble polymeric supports. In contrast to solid-phase resins, soluble polymeric supports allow reactions to be performed under homogeneous conditions, which can be an important factor in catalysis. At the same time, a whole set of techniques has been developed for the separation of these soluble polymeric supports from small target molecules. Finally, miscellaneous separation techniques, such as phase-switchable tags for precipitation by chemical modification or magnetic beads, can accelerate the separation of compounds in a parallel format.     

LaMO3纳米复合钙钛矿氧载体化学循环重整甲烷制合成气

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了不同B位可变价离子的LaMO3 (M= Cr,Mn,Fe,Co)复合氧化物氧载体,采用X射线衍射、N2吸附-脱附、扫描电镜及CH4程序升温表面反应等手段对氧载体进行了表征,并用于直接选择氧化CH4的反应中.结果表明,Cr,Mn,Fe 和Co均能形成LaMO3纳米复合钙钛矿结构,其氧物种氧化能力大小...     

Identification of 2‐chloropyrazine oxidation products and several derivatives by multinuclear magnetic resonance

¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts were used to prove the structures of the products of 2‐chloropyrazine oxidation. It was shown that oxidation by hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid or m‐chloroperbenzoic acid leads to the N4‐oxide, whereas potassium persulfate in sulfuric acid gives the N1‐oxide as the main product. Additionally, the results of NMR measurements of products from the nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine atom by azide anion, yielding the respective azides, and ethylation reactions of both 2‐chloropyrazine N‐oxides leading to the N‐ethyl salts confirm the structures of both isomeric N‐oxides. Protonation studies of the compounds obtained are also reported. The favoured protonation site is found to be the N atom that is not hindered by any substituents, and in some cases probably the oxygen atom of the N‐oxide function. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oxalate-based soluble 2D magnets: the series [K(18-crown-6)]3[M(II)3(H2O)4{M(III)(ox)3}3] (M(III) = Cr, Fe; M(II) = Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu; ox = C2O4(2-); 18-crown-6 = C12H24O6)

The synthesis and magnetic properties of the oxalate-based molecular soluble magnets with general formula [K(18-crown-6)] 3[M (II) 3(H 2O) 4{M (III)(ox) 3} 3] (M (III) = Cr, Fe; M (II) = Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu; ox = C 2O 4 (2-)) are here described. All the reported compounds are isostructural and built up by 2D bimetallic networks formed by alternating M (III) and M (II) ions connected through oxalate anions. Whereas the Cr (III)M (II) derivatives behave as ferromagnets with critical temperatures up to 8 K, the Fe (III)M (II) present ferri- or weak ferromagnetic ordering up to 26 K.     

Magnetic extraction of superconducting grains from ceramic combinatorial syntheses

Basic experimental steps in the combinatorial synthesis of cuprate superconductors and magnetic separation of ceramic grains obtained within random reaction mixtures were elaborated. By use of two component grains (i/j) in the size range 80–100 μm, reaction conditions were provided which lead to necking in between adjacent grains. The originally introduced single sample concept (SSC) was thus expanded to a random neck synthesis (RNS). In situ demonstration of superconductivity for single grains down to 1 ppm of occurence in random reaction mixtures became possible. Application of AC magnetic fields (at 50 Hz) leads to arbitrary motions of superconducting grains which allowed to distinguish them from normal state matter. Separation was performed by a single Fe-wire magnetized parallel to gravity. Because no magnetic forces are acting in the horizontal direction, in situ inclination of the capturing wire made it possible to collect individual grains in a small container for taking them out of the setup after warming up. Suspensions in liquid oxygen of YBa₂Cu₃O_x were used to demonstrate the procedure from random neck synthesis to an X-ray and SQUID analyses of magnetically separated grains.     

Cellulose/iron oxide hybrids as multifunctional pigments in thermoplastic starch based materials

Cellulose/iron oxide hybrids were prepared by the controlled hydrolysis of FeC₂O₄ in the presence of vegetable and bacterial cellulose fibres as substrates. By varying the relative amount of FeC₂O₄ and NaOH, either hematite or magnetic iron oxides were grown at the cellulose fibres surfaces. This chemical strategy was used for the production of a number of materials, whose coloristic properties associated to their reinforcement role allowed their use as new hybrid pigments for thermoplastic starch (TPS) based products. The TPS reinforced materials were characterized by several techniques in order to evaluate: the morphology and the compatibility between the matrix and the fillers; the mechanical reinforcement effect of the cellulose/iron oxide pigments on TPS and the coloristic properties of the composites. All materials showed good dispersion and strong adhesion for the cellulose/iron oxide nanocomposites in the TPS matrix thus resulting in improved mechanical properties.     

A "green route" to propene through selective hydrogen oxidation

The pros and cons of oxidative dehydrogenation of propane are outlined and a new catalytic system based on metal-doped cerianite catalysts is introduced. These novel materials catalyze the selective combustion of hydrogen from a mixture of hydrogen, propane, and propene at 550 degrees C. This gives three key advantages: energy is supplied directly where needed, product separation is made easier, and the dehydrogenation equilibrium is shifted to the desired products. A set of eighteen doped cerianites was synthesized in parallel, characterized, and screened for activity, selectivity, and stability in a cyclic redox system. The best results were obtained with Ce(0.89)Cr(0.02)Fe(0.09)O(2), Ce(0.98)Sn(0.02)O(2), and Ce(0.96)Cu(0.02)Zn(0.02)O(2), which gave 98 %, 91 %, and 98 % selectivity, respectively. Ce(0.89)Cr(0.02)Fe(0.09)O(2) also shows excellent stability in over 120 cycles (66 h on stream at 550 degrees C). Importantly, these doped cerias are monophasic crystalline materials. The dopants are incorporated as solid solutions throughout the fluorite lattice. This means that these catalysts are very stable (they do not sinter during reduction) as opposed to traditional supported metal oxides. The results show that both activity and selectivity towards hydrogen combustion can be tuned (increased or decreased) by selecting the appropriate dopant. Furthermore, the trends in selectivity differ from those measured on supported oxides of the same elements, which indicates that these novel materials indeed contain unique active sites. The factors governing selectivity towards hydrogen oxidation and the nature of the active site are discussed.     

Role of bond strength on the lattice thermal expansion and oxide ion conductivity in quaternary pyrochlore solid solutions

Quaternary pyrochlore-type solid solutions, CaGdZrNb(1-x)Ta(x)O(7) (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1), were prepared by a high-temperature ceramic route. The pyrochlore phases of the compounds were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The crystallographic parameters of the pyrochlore compounds were accurately determined by Rietveld analysis of the powder XRD data. The isovalent substitution of Ta in place of Nb at the B site can reveal the effect of chemical bonding on lattice thermal expansion and oxide ion conductivity because both Nb and Ta have the same ionic radius (0.64 ?). Lattice thermal expansion coefficients of the samples were calculated from high-temperature XRD measurements, and it was found that the thermal expansion coefficient decreases with substitution of Ta. Oxide ion conductivity measured by a two-probe method also shows the same trend with substitution of Ta, and this can be attributed to the high bond strength of the Ta-O bond compared to that of the Nb-O bond. Microstructural characterization using scanning electron microscopy proves that the size of the grains has a small effect on the oxide ion conductivity. Our studies established the role of chemical bonding in deciding the conductivity of pyrochlore oxides and confirmed that the 48f-48f mechanism of oxide ion conduction is dominant in pyrochlore oxides.     

Processing of ZnO-Based Varistors Using Oxide, Alkoxide, Nitrato-Alkoxide and Carboxylato Precursors

We have investigated the preparation of ZnO varistors by different chemical solution routes with the aim of improving the homogeneity of the phases formed and to obtain a better control of microstructure. One conventional oxide mixing route and four solution chemical routes have been used to prepare the precursor materials. In all cases, the same composition (mol%) was used; ZnO (95.9), Bi₂O₃ (1), Sb₂O₃ (1), NiO (1), Co₂O₃ (0.5), MnO (0.5), Cr₂O₃ (0.1). The same sintering procedure was also applied. It was found that the precursor materials consisting of ZnO grains covered by a thin film of the additive oxides yielded smaller ZnO grains. Also the microstructure in the final compacts was improved, compared with that of compacts prepared from oxide mixing routes. The smaller ZnO grain size in the final compacts was attributed to the presence of spinel grains. The spinel grains are formed at lower temperatures and, when they reach a size of 1 μm, they hinder the growth of ZnO grains.     

Utilization of zirconia stationary phase as a tool in drug control

Zirconia-based stationary phases represent an interesting alternative to silica-based materials. Two zirconia-based stationary phases were studied as an option for use in drug analysis. The different properties of zirconia material, distinct from RP silica-columns, were employed for the development of a novel and rapid stability monitoring HPLC method. This method enables simultaneous control of possible degradation processes of active substance (ibuprofen) as well as antimicrobial excipients (methyl-and propylparaben). The separation of ibuprofen, its two main degradation products 2-(4-isobutyrylphenyl)propionic acid and 4-isobutylacetophenone, parabens, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as their degradation product was successfully accomplished on a Zr-CarbonC18 column using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-phosphate buffer (pH 4.8)-propan-2-ol (27:56:17, v/v/v). Detection was performed at 258 nm and the analysis was completed within 17 minutes.     

Electronic phase separation in correlated oxides: the phenomenon, its present status and future prospects.

Many transition metal oxide materials of high chemical purity are not necessarily monophasic. Thus, single crystals of chemically pure rare earth manganites and cobaltates of the general formula Ln(1-x)A(x)MO(3) (Ln=rare earth metal, A=alkaline earth metal, M=Mn, Co) exhibit the phenomenon of electronic phase separation wherein "phases" of different electronic and magnetic properties coexist. Such phase separation, the length scale of which can vary anywhere between a few nanometers to microns, gives distinct signatures in X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns, electrical and magnetic properties, as well as in NMR and other spectroscopies. While the probe one employs to investigate electronic phase separation depends on the length scale, it is noteworthy that direct imaging of the inhomogeneities has been accomplished. Some understanding of this phenomenon has been possible on the basis of some of the theoretical models, but we are far from unraveling the varied aspects of this new phenomenon. Herein, we present the highlights of experimental techniques and theoretical approaches, and comment on the future outlook for this fascinating phenomenon.     

Ultraparamagnetic Cells Formed through Intracellular Oxidation and Chelation of Paramagnetic Iron

Making cells magnetic is a long‐standing goal of chemical biology, aiming to enable the separation of cells from complex biological samples and their visualization in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Previous efforts towards this goal, focused on engineering cells to biomineralize superparamagnetic or ferromagnetic iron oxides, have been largely unsuccessful due to the stringent required chemical conditions. Here, we introduce an alternative approach to making cells magnetic, focused on biochemically maximizing cellular paramagnetism. We show that a novel genetic construct combining the functions of ferroxidation and iron chelation enables engineered bacterial cells to accumulate iron in “ultraparamagnetic” macromolecular complexes, allowing these cells to be trapped with magnetic fields and imaged with MRI in vitro and in vivo. We characterize the properties of these cells and complexes using magnetometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, biochemical assays, and computational modeling to elucidate the unique mechanisms and capabilities of this paramagnetic concept.