Phase stability and oxygen non-stoichiometry of SrCo0.8Fe0.2O3−δ measured by in situ neutron diffraction

The phase stability, oxygen stoichiometry and expansion properties of SrCo_0.8Fe_0.2O_3−δ (SCF) were determined by in situ neutron diffraction between 873 and 1173 K and oxygen partial pressures of 5 × 10^− 4 to 1 atm. At a pO₂ of 1 atm, SCF adopts a cubic perovskite structure, space group Pm3¯m, across the whole temperature range investigated. At a pO₂ of 10^− 1 atm, a two-phase region exists below 922 K, where the cubic perovskite phase coexists with a vacancy ordered brownmillerite phase, Sr₂Co_1.6Fe_0.4O₅, space group Icmm. A pure brownmillerite phase is present at pO₂ of 10^− 2 and 5 × 10^− 4 atm below 1020 K. Above 1020 K, the brownmillerite phase transforms to cubic perovskite through a two-phase region with no brownmillerite structure observed above 1064 K. Large distortion of the BO₆ (B = Co, Fe) octahedra is present in the brownmillerite structure with apical bond lengths of 2.2974(4) Å and equatorial bond lengths of 1.9737(3) Å at 1021 K and a pO₂ of 10^− 2 atm. SCF is highly oxygen deficient with a maximum oxygen stoichiometry, 3 − δ, measured in this study of 2.58(2) at 873 K and a pO₂ of 1 atm and a minimum of 2.33(2) at 1173 K and a pO₂ of 5 × 10^− 4 atm. Significant differences in lattice volume and expansion behavior between the brownmillerite and cubic perovskite phases suggest potential difficulties in thermal cycling of SrCo_0.8Fe_0.2O_3−δ membranes.     

Transport and equilibrium characteristics of γ-lithium vanadium bronze

The diffusion coefficient of Li⁺ in the γ-lithium vanadium bronze (Li_1+xV₃O₈) has been measured with the long-pulse galvanostatic technique. Values ranging from 1.7×10⁻⁷ cm²s⁻¹, at x=0.3, to 2.2×10⁻⁸ cm²s⁻¹, at x= 1.4, have been measured. The thermodynamic factors, d ln a/d ln c, determined from the OCV/x curve and from voltage relaxation after the current pulse, have a mean value of ∼15. The pseudo two-phase region observed in the OCV/x curve at high Li⁺ concentrations seems attributable to ordering of Li⁺ in specific sites and to alteration of the unit cell. This process is reversible as shown by X-ray diffractometry. Finally, from OCV/t plots at different x, the partial molar entropy of Li⁺ was determined. The values, on account of the large dE(x)/dt measured, are higher than those found for V₆O₁₃ or TiS₂.     

Improved performance of InGaZnO thin-film transistors with Ta2O5/Al2O3 stack deposited using pulsed laser deposition

Ta₂O₅/Al₂O₃ stacked thin film was fabricated as the gate dielectric for low-voltage-driven amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs). The Ta₂O₅/Al₂O₃ stacked thin film exhibits a combination of the advantages of Al₂O₃ and Ta₂O₅. The IGZO TFT with Ta₂O₅/Al₂O₃ stack exhibits good performance with large saturation mobility of 26.66 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, high on/off current ratio of 8 × 10⁷, and an ultra-small subthreshold swing (SS) of 78 mV/decade. Such small SS value is even comparable with that of submicrometer single-crystalline Si MOSFET.     

High-resolution measurements of the ν2 and 2ν2-ν2 bands of SO2

Infrared measurements have been made on SO₂ between 450 and 602 cm⁻¹ with a resolution of 0.005 cm⁻¹. The B-type bands due to the bending mode transitions 010-000 and 020-010 have been assigned and analyzed for the ³²S¹⁶O₂ molecule. A total of 3007 transitions were measured and fit for ³²S¹⁶O₂ with a standard deviation of 0.0004 cm⁻¹. Ro-vibrational constants are given that fit the current measurements and the pure rotational transitions reported in the literature.     

Conductivity and oxygen permeability of a novel oxide Pr2Ni0.8 − x Cu0.2FexO4 and its application to partial oxidation of CH4

Iron-doped Pr₂Ni_0.8Cu_0.2O₄ was studied as a new mixed electronic and oxide-ionic conductor for use as an oxygen-permeating membrane. An X-ray diffraction analysis suggested that a single phase K₂NiF₄-type structure was obtained in the composition range from x = 0 to 0.05 in Pr₂Ni_0.8 − xCu_0.2Fe_xO₄. It is considered that the doped Fe is partially substituted at the Ni position in Pr₂NiO₄. The prepared Pr₂NiO₄-based oxide exhibited a dominant hole conduction in the P_O2 range from 1 to 10^− 21 atm. The electrical conductivity of Pr₂Ni_0.8−xCu_0.2Fe_xO₄ is as high as 10² S cm^− 1 in the temperature range of 873–1223 K and it gradually decreased with the increasing amount of Fe substituted for Ni. The oxygen permeation rate was significantly enhanced by the Fe doping and it was found that the highest oxygen permeation rate (60 μmol min^− 1 cm^− 2) from air to He was achieved for x = 0.05 in Pr₂Ni_0.8 − xCu_0.2Fe_xO₄. Since the chemical stability of the Pr₂NiO₄-based oxide is high, Pr₂Ni_0.75Cu_0.2Fe_0.05O₄ can be used as the oxygen-separating membrane for the partial oxidation of CH₄. It was observed that the oxygen permeation rate was significantly improved by changing from He to CH₄ and the observed permeation rate reached a value of 225 μmol min^− 1 cm^− 2 at 1273 K for the CH₄ partial oxidation.     

Mixed conductivity and electrocatalytic performance of SrFeO3-δ–SrAl2O4 composite membranes

Oxygen-ionic and electronic transport in dense (SrFe)_1−x(SrAl₂)_xO_z composites, consisting of strontium-deficient Sr(Fe,Al)O_3-δ and SrAl₂O₄ phases, is determined by the properties of perovskite-like solid solution. Increasing the content of SrAl₂O₄, with a total conductivity as low as 5 × 10^− 7 −  10^− 5 S × cm^− 1 at 973–1273 K in air, results in the gradual decrease of the partial conductivities, but also enables the suppression of thermal expansion. Compared to single-phase SrFe_1−xAl_xO_3-δ, (SrFe)_1−x(SrAl₂)_xO_z composites exhibit enhanced thermomechanical properties, while the oxygen permeability of these materials has similar values. The composite membranes exhibit stable performance under air/(H₂–H₂O–N₂) and air/(CH₄–He) gradients at 973–1173 K. The oxidation of dry methane by oxygen permeating through (SrFe)_0.7(SrAl₂)_0.3O_z results in dominant total oxidation, suggesting the necessity to incorporate a reforming catalyst into the ceramic reactors for natural gas conversion.     

Protonic conduction and diffusion in the hydrous oxides V2O5·nH2O,Nb2O5·nH2O,Ta2O5·nH2O and CeO2·nH2O

Conductivity (ac and dc) measurements are reported for hydrous V₂O₅, Nb₂O₅, Ta₂O₅ and CeO₅ in the range 250<T/K<320. Ambient temperature conductivities increase with water content and (SEM) agglomerate size, the most highly conductive material being Ta₂O₅·3.92 H₂O (α₂₉₈=3×10⁻⁴S cm⁻¹). There is no simple composition dependence of conductivity activation energy. ¹H NMR relaxation time measurements in the range 170<t/K<330 are also reported. The data consistent with chemical exchange between a range of interparticle protonic environments, but there is no simple link with conductivities.     

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of water-soluble monosubstituted diruthenium compounds

The elusive monosubstituted diruthenium complexes [Ru₂Cl(DAniF)(O₂CMe)₃] (1), [Ru₂Cl(DPhF)(O₂CMe)₃] (2), [Ru₂Cl(D-p-CNPhF)(O₂CMe)₃] (3), [Ru₂Cl(D-o-TolF)(O₂CMe)₃] (4), [Ru₂Cl(D-m-TolF)(O₂CMe)₃] (5), [Ru₂Cl(D-p-TolF)(O₂CMe)₃] (6) and [Ru₂Cl(p-TolA)(O₂CMe)₃] (7) have been synthesized using for the first time ultrasound-assisted synthesis to carry out a substitution reaction in metal–metal bonded dinuclear compounds (DAniF⁻ = N,N′-bis(4-anisyl)formamidinate; DPhF⁻ = N,N′-diphenylformamidinate; D-p-CNPhF⁻ = N,N′-bis(4-cyanophenyl)formamidinate; D-o/m/p-TolF⁻ = N,N′-bis(2/3/4-tolyl)formamidinate; p-TolA⁻ = N-4-tolylamidate). This is a simpler and greener method than the tedious procedures described in the literature, and it has permitted to obtain water-soluble complexes with good yields in a short period of time. A synthetic study has been implemented to find the best experimental conditions to prepare compounds 1–7. Two different types of ligands, formamidinate and amidate, have been used to check the generality of the method for the preparation of monosubstituted complexes. Five new compounds (2–6) have been obtained using a formamidinate ligand, the synthesis of the previously described compound 1 has been improved, and an unprecedented monoamidate complex has been achieved (7). The crystal structures of compounds 3 and 7 have been solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. These compounds show the typical paddlewheel structure with three acetate ligands and one formamidinate (3) or amidate (7) bridging ligand at the equatorial positions. The axial positions are occupied by the chloride ligand giving rise to one-dimensional polymer structures that were previously unknown for monosubstituted compounds.     

Superconducting transitions from states with low normal conductivity in ceramic SrTi0.97Zr0.03O3

Broad superconducting transitions or commencements of transitions have been observed by electrical resistance and magnetic inductance measurements on polycrystalline speciments of SrTi_0.97Zr_0.03O₃ with resistivities above T_c between 3.7 × 10⁻³ Ωm and 1.7 × 10⁻¹ Ωm. Room temperature Hall measurements have been made on some samples and the current dependence of the resistivity and has been determined for one other sample.     

Mixed conductivity,stability and thermomechanical properties of Ni-doped La(Ga,Mg)O3−δ

Perovskite-type LaGa_0.65Mg_0.15Ni_0.20O_3−δ exhibiting oxygen transport comparable to that in K₂NiF₄-type nickelates was characterized as a model material for ceramic membrane reactors, employing mechanical tests, dilatometry, oxygen permeability and faradaic efficiency measurements, thermogravimetry (TG), and determination of the total conductivity and Seebeck coefficient in the oxygen partial pressure range from 10^− 15 Pa to 40 kPa. Within the phase stability domain which is similar to La₂NiO_4+δ, the defect chemistry of LaGa_0.65Mg_0.15Ni_0.20O_3−δ can be adequately described by the ideal solution model with oxygen vacancies and electron holes to be the only mobile defects, assuming that Ni²⁺ may provide two energetically equivalent sites for hole location. This assumption is in agreement with the density of states, estimated from thermopower, and the coulometric titration and TG data suggesting Ni⁴⁺ formation in air at T < 1150 K. The hole conductivity prevailing under oxidizing conditions occurs via small-polaron mechanism as indicated by relatively low, temperature-activated mobility. The ionic transport increases with vacancy concentration on reducing p(O₂) and becomes dominant at oxygen pressures below 10^− 7–10^− 5 Pa. The average thermal expansion coefficients in air are 11.9 × 10^− 6 and 18.4 × 10^− 6 K^− 1 at 370–850 and 850–1270 K, respectively. The chemical strain of LaGa_0.65Mg_0.15Ni_0.20O_3−δ ceramics at 1073–1123 K, induced by the oxygen partial pressure variations, is substantially lower compared to perovskite ferrites. The flexural strength determined by 3-point and 4-point bending tests is 167–189 MPa at room temperature and 85–97 MPa at 773–1173 K. The mechanical properties are almost independent of temperature and oxygen pressure at p(O₂) = 1–2.1 × 10⁴ Pa and 773–1173 K.     

Transport properties and structural stability of tetragonal CeNbO4+δ

The electrical properties of CeNbO_4+δ have been investigated at 1073–1223 K in the oxygen partial pressure range 10^− 17 to 0.36 atm. The conductivity and Seebeck coefficient behaviour indicates that, at oxygen chemical potentials close to atmospheric, tetragonal CeNbO_4+δ possesses a mixed ionic and p-type electronic conductivity. The ion transference numbers under the p(O₂) gradient of 0.93/0.21 atm, measured by the modified e.m.f. technique, are close to 0.4 decreasing in more reducing environments. The variations of partial ionic and electronic conductivities can be described in terms of the oxygen intercalation into the scheelite-type lattice, which results in increasing concentrations of both dominant charge carriers, oxygen interstitials and holes, when p(O₂) increases. Reduction leads to p(O₂)-independent electrical properties, followed by a drastic decrease in the conductivity at oxygen pressures below 10^− 15–10^− 9 atm due to a reversible transition into the monoclinic phase. Contrary to the zircon-type CeVO_4±δ, no traces of the parent binary oxides were detected in the reduced cerium niobate.     

Raman scattering investigations on Co-doped ZnO epitaxial films: Local vibration modes and defect associated ferromagnetism

Raman scattering spectroscopy has been performed on high quality Co-doped ZnO epitaxial films, which were grown on Al₂O₃ (0001) by oxygen-plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Raman measurements revealed two local vibration modes (LVMs) at 723 and 699 cm⁻¹ due to the substitution of Co²⁺ in wurtzite ZnO lattice. The LVM at 723 cm⁻¹ is found to be an elemental sensitive vibration mode for Co substitution. The LVM at 699 cm⁻¹ can be attributed to enrichment of Co²⁺ bound with oxygen vacancy, the cobalt–oxygen vacancy–cobalt complexes, in Zn_1−xCo_xO films associated with ferromagnetism. The intensity of LVM at 699 cm⁻¹, as well as saturated magnetization, enhanced after the vacuum annealing and depressed after oxygen annealing.     

High temperature x-ray powder diffractometric studies of the superconducting compound YBa2Cu3O7-x from room temperature to 1300 K in air

At room temperature, the compound YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x is orthorhombic, distorted perovskite, deficient in oxygen. X-ray powder diffractograms obtained for this compound over a range of temperatures between room temperature (298 K) and 1300 K in air reveal no change in X-ray diffraction pattern up to 1200 K except for slight shift in peak positions and variations in peak intensities because of thermal expansion and stoichiometry changes in oxygen or metal ion sub-lattices. At temperatures above ∼ 1250 K, the compund undergoes an irreversible transition to a new phase analogous to Y₂BaCuO₅ green phase which is an insulator. Temperature variation of lattice parameters shows an anisotropic expansion. Expansion along c-axis being maximum. Coefficients of linear thermal expansion along a and b axes are almost the same (δ_a≈δ_b≈7×10⁻⁶.K⁻¹) while along c-axis it is double (δ_c≈15×10^-6. K⁻¹) than that of a or b. Coefficient of volume thermal expansion of the unit cell (δ_v≈29×10⁻⁶.K⁻¹) obeys the relation δ_v≈δ_a+δ_b+δ_c for an orthorhombic symmetry in the range 298–1200K in air.     

Synthesis and characterization of (Bi2O3)1−x−y−z(Gd2O3)x (Sm2O3)y(Eu2O3)z quaternary solid solutions for solid oxide fuel cell

Sm₂O₃, Gd₂O₃, Eu₂O₃ triple-doped Bi₂O₃ based quaternary solid solutions were synthesized as a candidate electrolyte material using the solid-state reaction technique. The structural, thermal and electrical conductivity features of the ceramic samples were examined and compared by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetry/differantial thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and the four-point probe technique (4PPT). The result of XRD measurements indicated that the (Bi₂O₃)_{(1−x−y−z)}(Gd₂O₃)_x(Sm₂O₃)_y(Eu₂O₃)_z (x = 10/y = 10/z = 5, 15, 20 mol % and x = 10/y = 5, 10, 15, 20/z = 10 mol %) samples have a stable face-centered cubic δ-phase and mixed phase crystallographic structure. The phase stability was also checked by the DTA evaluations results. The temperature dependent electrical conductivity measurements showed that the highest electrical conductivity was observed for the sample of the (Bi₂O₃)_0.75(Gd₂O₃)_0.10(Sm₂O₃)_0.05(Eu₂O₃)_0.10 system which has a stable and δ-phase was found as 6.67 × 10⁻³ (Ω cm)⁻¹ at 650 °C. This sample can be used as an electrolyte material in the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) which is possible to operate at intermediate temperature ranges. The activation energy was also calculated at a low temperature range (350–650 °C) and high temperature range (above 650 °C). The values for the samples vary from 0.63 eV to 1.08 eV at low temperature and at high temperature they vary from 0.43 eV to 0.75 eV.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry,mixed valency and mixed conduction in (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O3−δ

Defect chemistry for a mixed conductor, La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3−δ was studied. Samples were treated under controlled oxygen partial pressure, P(O₂), conditions at 1273 K [10^− 11.1 ≤ P(O₂)/atm ≤ 1], and cooled to room temperature. Oxygen nonstoichiometry and valences of transition metal ions for the treated samples were evaluated by iodometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, respectively. With decreasing P(O₂), preferential reduction of Co³⁺ to Co²⁺ was observed, while iron preserved its higher valence above 3 under conditions studied. A dependency of its electrical conductivity on P(O₂) was discussed along with a change in concentration of oxygen vacancies and mixed valences.     

Mechanism and dynamic study of reactive red X-3B dye degradation by ultrasonic-assisted ozone oxidation process

The effectiveness of ozone combined with ultrasound techniques in degrading reactive red X-3B is evaluated. A comparison among ozone (O₃), ultrasonic (US), ozone/ultrasonic (O₃/US) for degradation of reactive red X-3B has been performed. Results show that O₃/US system was the most effective and the optimally synergetic factor reaches to 1.42 in O₃/US system. The cavitation of ultrasound plays an important role during the degradation process. It is found that 99.2% of dye is degraded within 6 min of reaction at the initial concentration of 100 mg·L⁻¹, pH of 6.52, ozone flux of 40 L·h⁻¹ and ultrasonic intensity of 200 W·L⁻¹. Ozonation reactions in conjunction with sonolysis indicate that the decomposition followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics but the degradation efficiencies are affected by operating conditions, particularly initial pH and ultrasonic intensity. A kinetic model is established based on the reaction corresponding to operational parameters. In addition, the main reaction intermediates, such as p-benzoquinone, catechol, hydroquinone, phthalic anhydride and phthalic acid, are separated and identified using GC/MS and a possible degradation pathway is proposed during the O₃/US process.     

Enhanced electrical transport in LiBrLiI mixed crystals and LiBrAl2O3 composites

LiBrLiI mixed crystals and LiBrAl₂O₃ composites have been studied by means of complex impedance analysis an conductivity, X-ray diffraction, DTA and SEM techniques. The substitution of wrong size I⁻ ions in LiBr increases the conductivity and decreases the migration energy of Li-ion vacancies. These results are consistent with those of the KBr-KI system and earlier predictions. LiBrAl₂O₃ composites exhibit a sharp increase in the conductivity. The highest conductivity obtained was ≈10⁻³ Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 302°C for LiBr + 10 m/o Al₂O₃.     

Conductivity of lithium gallium silicates

Lithium gallium silicates, Li_1−xGa_1−xSi_2+xO₆: 0.03 < x < 0.37, with a beta-spodumene structure, have a low Li⁺ ion conductivity, ca. 10⁻⁹ ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 400 K rising to ca. 10⁻³ ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ by 1000 K, that changes little with composition. The phase, LiGaSiO₄, with an alpha-eucryptite structure, exhibits mainly electronic conductivity, but at a low level, ca. 10⁻⁸ ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 600 K, rising to ca. 10⁻⁵ ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 1000 K.     

Fourier transform infrared spectra of the FO2 radical

Six infrared bands of FO₂ have been measured at high resolution using a fast-flow long-path absorption cell and a Fourier transform spectrometer. The bands have been analyzed to obtain accurate band origins, as well as rotational, centrifugal distortion, and spin-rotation parameters. In order of increasing wavenumber they are ν₃ at 579 cm⁻¹, ν₂ + ν₃ at 940 cm⁻¹, 2ν₃ at 1142 cm⁻¹, ν₁ at 1487 cm⁻¹, ν₂ + 2ν₃ at 1496 cm⁻¹, and 2ν₁ at 2948 cm⁻¹. Only ν₃ has been studied previously (by C. Yamada and E. Hirota, J. Chem. Phys. 80, 4694–4700 (1984)); the other bands are rotationally analyzed here for the first time. The ν₁ and ν₂ + 2ν₃ vibrations were found to be strongly mixed by Coriolis- and Fermi-type interactions and were thus analyzed simultaneously. 2ν₁ was also observed to be perturbed, but the perturbations were not analyzed. FO₂ now becomes one of the best-characterized unstable free radicals in terms of its rotation-vibration structure.     

Pressure-Broadened Linewidth Measurements in the ν2Band of the CH3Radical

Pressure broadening coefficients for an infrared transition of the methyl radical have been measured for the first time. CH₃radicals, generated by pyrolyzing di-tert-butyl peroxide in a flow of either N₂or Ar, were probed using a tunable diode laser and a multipass absorption cell. The Lorentz half-width of theQ(6,6) line of the ν₂band of CH₃at 607.024 cm⁻¹was measured as a function of pressure at 295 K. The broadening coefficients (HWHM) areb(Ar) = 0.0310 ± 0.0012 cm⁻¹atm⁻¹andb(N₂) = 0.0390 ± 0.0020 cm⁻¹atm⁻¹. These coefficients are lower than those for CH₄–Ar, N₂broadening. This may be due to a lower polarizability or smaller effective hard collision diameter for CH₃relative to CH₄.