Formation and properties of the new Al8V10W16O85 and Fe8?xAlxV10W16O85 phases with the M–Nb2O5 structure

A new, previously unknown phase Al₈V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ has been obtained from reaction taking place in the solid state. It forms continuous solid solution with Fe₈V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ of the Fe_8−x Al _x V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ general formula. All these phases are isostructural with M–Nb₂O₅ and (W_0.35V_0.65)₂O₅ and belong to a block structure phases with ReO₃ type blocks of 4 × 4×∞ dimensions. Al₈V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ is tetragonal and has the lattice constants a = b = 1.9487(1) nm and c = 0.36706(4) nm. It melts incongruently at 1,183 K depositing Al₂(WO₄)₃ and WO₃. The increase of the Al³⁺ ions content in the crystal lattice of Fe₈V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ causes the melting point increasing, and decreasing of a = b unit cell parameters with c being almost constant. IR spectra of Al₈V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ and Fe_8−x Al _x V₁₀W₁₆O₈₅ phases have been recorded.     

Acid-base properties of the surface of the α-Al2O3 suspension

The distribution of the acid-base centers on the surface of α-Al₂O₃ suspension particles was studied by potentiometric titration, and the corresponding pK spectra were constructed. It was inferred that the double electric layer created by the supporting electrolyte substantially affected the screening of the acid-base centers on the particle surface of the suspension.     

Study of the solubility of components in the NaClO3 · 2CO(NH2)2-NH2C2H4OH · CH3COOH-H2O system

The solubility of components in the NaClO₃ · 2CO(NH₂)₂-NH₂C₂H₄OH · CH₃COOH-H₂O system was studied by the visual polythermal method over wide temperature and concentration ranges. In the phase diagram, crystallization fields were determined for ice, urea, diurea sodium chlorate, acetic acid, monoethanolamine acetate, and the compound CO(NH₂)₂ · NH₂C₂H₄OH · CH₃COOH. The compound was identified by chemical, thermogravimetric, and X-ray powder diffraction analyses.     

Phase formation in the ZrO(NO3)2-H3PO4-RbF-H2O system: the PO 43? /Zr = 0.5 section

We studied phase formation in the ZrO(NO₃)₂-H₃PO₄-RbF-H₂O system along PO₄³⁻/Zr = 0.5 (mol/mol) and RbF/Zr = 1–5 (mol/mol) sections with 2–10 wt % ZrO₂ in the starting solution. We recovered amorphous rubidium oxofluorophosphatozirconate Rb₂Zr₃OF₆(PO₄)₂ · 2H₂O and the following fluorophosphatonitratozirconates: Rb₂ZrF₄(PO₄)_0.33NO₃, which forms large cubic system crystals; weakly crystallized RbZr₃OF₃(PO₄)₂(NO₃)₂ · 5H₂O; and amorphous Zr₃OF₃(PO₄)₂NO₃ · (7–8) H₂O. A shown by its IR spectrum, Rb₂ZrF₄(PO₄)_0.33NO₃ contains NO₃- and PO₄ groups that are not coordinated to zirconium, meaning that this is a triple salt ZrF₄ · Rb(PO₄)_0.33 · RbNO₃. The formula units of the RbZr₃OF₃(PO₄)₂(NO₃)₂ · 5H₂O and Zr₃OF₃(PO₄)₂NO₃ · (7–8)H₂O phases are only conventional. All compounds have been recovered for the first time.     

Modelling, refinement and analysis of the “Type III” δ-Bi2O3-related superstructure in the Bi2O3-Nb2O5 system

The structure of the “Type III” δ-Bi₂O₃-related superstructure phase in the system Bi₂O₃-Nb₂O₅ is presented. A starting model was constructed by considering the crystal-chemistry of the system in the context of symmetry constraints determined by electron diffraction. After applying initial distortions, this could be Rietveld-refined against a combination of synchrotron X-ray and time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction data. The undistorted starting model was independently optimized using solid-state ab initio energy calculations, giving a fully optimized structure in excellent agreement with that obtained by Rietveld refinement. This dual approach both validates the structure and demonstrates the value of combining accurate total energy calculations with traditional refinement techniques for the solution of complex structures using powder diffraction data. The structure (Bi₉₄Nb₃₂O₂₂₁, Z=1, (#119), a=11.52156(18), ) consists of interacting corner-connected strings of NbO₆ octahedra along 〈110〉_F directions of the FCC subcell, and can be described as a hybrid of fluorite and pyrochlore types.     

1H NMR refinement of the structure of the guest sublattice and molecular dynamics in the ultrathin channels of [Zn2(C8H4O4)2(C6H12N2)]·n(H3C)2NCHO

Localization and molecular mobility of the ligands ([C₈H₄O₄]²⁺ and [C₆H₁₂N₂]⁰) of the host lattice and (CH₃)₂NCHO dimethyl formamide guest molecules in the inclusion compound [Zn₂(C₈H₄O₄)₂(C₆H₁₂N₂)]·n(H₃C)₂NCHO were studied on the basis of ¹H NMR data. At room temperature, the longest axes of the dimethyl formamide guest molecules are ordered in parallel to the C ₄ symmetry axes, and the symmetry planes of these molecules are disordered, while preserving the tetragonal crystal system of the inclusion compound. At lower temperatures, a phase transition takes place in view of the ordering in the guest sublattice. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2009 by A. V. Sabylinskii, S. P. Gabuda, S. G. Kozlova, D. N. Dybtsev, and V. P. Fedin __________ Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 443–450, May–June, 2009.     

Solubility in the Na2CO3-NaHCO3-NaF-H2O system at 25°C

The solubility at invariant points in the Na₂CO₃-NaHCO₃-NaF-H₂O system at 25°C and the structure of its solubility diagram at this temperature were examined.     

Structure of the C17H20FN3O 32+ ·2HSO 4? · H2O compound

A new compound of C₁₇H₂₀FN₃O₃²⁺ · 2HSO₄⁻·H₂O [ciprofloxacindi-um bis(hydrosulfate) monohydrate], C₁₇H₁₈FN₃O₃ 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-(1-piperazinyl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid (CfH, ciprofloxacin) is obtained and its crystal structure is determined. The crystal contains CfH₃²⁺ and HSO₄⁻ ions and crystallization water molecules. Hydrogen (H3), which forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond with oxygen O2 of the carboxyl group, is attached to the carbonyl O1 atom. Hydrogen H4 of the carboxyl group is hydrogen bonded to the crystallization water molecule which links CfH₃²⁺ with two HSO₄⁻ groups by hydrogen bonds. Both H atoms at N3 of the piperazine ring form hydrogen bonds with two oxygen atoms of other HSO₄⁻ anions. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds of two types are present in the CfH₃²⁺ cation. One of them forms a six-membered ring, bonding O1 and O2 atoms, while the other, also enclosing a six-membered ring, links fluorine and carbon C14 atoms. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2009 by A. D. Vasiliev, N. N. Golovnev, and I. A. Baidina __________ Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 165–168, January–February, 2009.     

On the Double Salt Formation in the Systems Rb2SeO4=ZnSeO4=H2O andCs2SeO4=ZnSeO4=H2O at 25°C

 The solubilities in the systems Rb₂SeO₄=ZnSeO₄=H₂O and Cs₂SeO₄=ZnSeO₄=H₂O at 25°C were studied by the method of isothermal decrease of supersaturation. Comparatively wide crystallization fields of the double salts Rb₂Zn(SeO₄)₂ċ6H₂O and Cs₂Zn(SeO₄)₂ċ6H₂O are observed in the solubility diagrams. The double salts form monoclinic crystals which are isostructural with those of the corresponding rubidium and cesium zinc sulfate hexahydrates. TG and TDA measurements indicate that the double salts lose their crystallization water in one step in the temperature intervals of 50–160°C (rubidium salt) and 70–150°C (cesium salt).     

Effect of the medium on the reactivity of fullerene N60 with respect to the peroxide radicals RO2 ·. Chemiluminescence in the C60—AIBN—O2—C2H5Ph—PhH system

Chemiluminescence (CL), HLPC, and volumetry were used to demonstrate that fullerene N₆₀ exerts no inhibiting effect on the liquid-phase chain oxidation of hydrocarbons. Peroxide radicals RO₂ · do not add to N₆₀ in hydrocarbons with active C—H bond, because the reaction is suppressed by the competing addition of RO₂ · to the hydrocarbon. The addition of RO₂ · radicals to N₆₀ does occur in benzene (a solvent with strong C—H bonds) in the presence of low concentrations of the hydrocarbon oxidized. Fullerene N₆₀ is found to exhibit a new type of liquid_phase CL, which is presumably generated upon thermal decomposition of fullerene peroxides formed by adding peroxy radicals to fullerene in the C₆₀—AIBN—O₂—C₂H₅Ph—PhH system. The CL spectrum exhibits long-wavelength maxima at 645 and 685 nm. The supposed CL emitters are keto derivatives of fullerene N₆₀.     

Solubility in the NaClO3 · 2CO(NH2)2-NH2CH2CH2OH-H2O system

The solubility in the NaClO₃ · 2CO(NH₂)₂-NH₂CH₂CH₂OH-H₂O system was studied over the range from the complete solidification temperature (−54.8°C) to 60°C. A polythermal solubility diagram was constructed where the regions of crystallization of ice, carbamide, sodium dicarbamidochlorate, monoethanolamine dihydrate, monoethanolamine monohydrate, and anhydrous monoethanolamine were demarcated. The system is a simple eutonic.     

M?ssbauer study of the spatial distribution of the active species in Cs doped Fe2O3-V2O5 catalysts

From a Cs doped Fe₂O₃-V₂O₅ (Fe:V=1.4) catalyst exhibiting an inhomogeneous composition after calcination, three different fractions have been separated by visual inspection. One fraction has been found to consist of mainly -Fe₂O₃, another one of mainly FeVO₄. The third fraction (S1 in the text) is the catalytically most active fraction containing besides both of the former components an amorphous phase of Fe_xV_yO_z and also the dopant. By combining the results from transmission and conversion electron Mössbauer spectra it has been concluded that the amorphous component is enriched in the surface region of the crystallites of the catalyst. In addition, the formation of a thin surface layer of iron sulfide (Fe_1–xS) on the third fraction has been identified. This sulfide is assumed to be formed during calcination from Cs₂SO₄ used for the preparation of the catalyst.Dedicated to Professor Dr. H. Kriegsmann on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Kinetic model for the Bray-Liebhafsky process without the reaction IO3?+I?+2H+?HIO+HIO2

Oscillations in the concentration of intermediates were obtained when a model without reaction IO ₃ ^– +I^–+2H⁺HIO+HIO₂ was used for the simulation of the Bray-Liebhafsky process.     

A Raman spectroscopic study of the XeOF4/XeF2 system and the X-ray crystal structure of α-XeOF4·XeF2

The mixed oxidation state complexes, α-XeOF₄·XeF₂ and β-XeOF₄·XeF₂, result from the interaction of XeF₂ with excess XeOF₄. The X-ray crystal structure of the more stable α-phase shows that the XeF₂ molecules are symmetrically coordinated through their fluorine ligands to the Xe(VI) atoms of the XeOF₄ molecules which are, in turn, coordinated to four XeF₂ molecules. The high-temperature phase, β-XeOF₄·XeF₂, was identified by low-temperature Raman spectroscopy in admixture with α-XeOF₄·XeF₂; however, the instability of the β-phase precluded its isolation and characterization by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The Raman spectrum of β-XeOF₄·XeF₂ indicates that the oxygen atom of XeOF₄ interacts less strongly with the XeF₂ molecules in its crystal lattice than in α-XeOF₄·XeF₂. The ¹⁹F and ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectra of XeF₂ in liquid XeOF₄ at −35 °C indicate that any intermolecular interactions that exist between XeF₂ and XeOF₄ are weak and labile on the NMR time scale. Quantum-chemical calculations at the B3LYP and PBE1PBE levels of theory were used to obtain the gas-phase geometries and vibrational frequencies as well as the NBO bond orders, valencies, and NPA charges for the model compounds, 2XeOF₄·XeF₂, and XeOF₄·4XeF₂, which provide approximations of the local XeF₂ and XeOF₄ environments in the crystal structure of α-XeOF₄·XeF₂. The assignments of the Raman spectra (−150 °C) of α- and β-XeOF₄·XeF₂ have been aided by the calculated vibrational frequencies for the model compounds. The fluorine bridge interactions in α- and β-XeOF₄·XeF₂ are among the weakest for known compounds in which XeF₂ functions as a ligand, whereas such fluorine bridge interactions are considerably weaker in β-XeOF₄·XeF₂.     

The effect of phase composition on the transport properties of composites La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.7Ni0.3O3 ? δ-Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95

Full conductivity, diffusion and oxygen exchange processes in composites (100 − x)La_0.8Sr_0.2Fe_0.7Ni_0.3O_{3 − δ}−xCe_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 (x is the volume fraction, 0 ≤ x ≤ 71.1%) at 700°C over the oxygen partial pressure range from 0.2 to 3 × 10⁻³ atm are studied by the electrical conductivity relaxation method. The composites’ conductivity was shown to decrease monotonically with the increasing of Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 fraction, while the oxygen chemical diffusion coefficient increased. The oxygen exchange constant is higher for the composites than for the individual phases of La_0.8Sr_0.2Fe_0.7Ni_0.3O_{3 − δ} and Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95. Possible reason of the dependence of the parameters D _chem and k _chem on the temperature, oxygen pressure, and the composite composition is the effect of the interface on the oxygen transfer processes. Most effective oxygen transfer occurs in the composites whose composition approaches La_0.8Sr_0.2Fe_0.7Ni_0.3O_{3 − δ}-Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 (x = 71%).     

Reaction of tetrahydrofuran with H2S in the presence of Na+/γ-Al2O3

Modification of -Al₂O₃ by sodium hydroxide promotes the increase of surface basicity but does not exert a strong effect on catalytic activity in the reaction of thiolane production from tetrahydrofuran and H₂S. Introduction of NaOH to -Al₂O₃ in small concentration increases the number of Lewis acid centers but decreases their strength. The activity of Na/-Al₂O₃ referred to one Lewis acid center drops.     

High resolution and in situ neutron powder diffraction study of the crystal structure and the stability of Ba4CaCu3O8+δ

The crystal structure and stability of Ba₄CaCu₃O_8+δ have been investigated by neutron powder diffraction, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. It is found that the phase is not stable below 1065 K in p(O₂)=1 bar and decomposes according to the eutectoid reaction Ba₄CaCu₃O_8+δ+x O₂⇒Ba₂CuO_3.4+CaO+2BaCuO₂. However, the equilibrium with the outer gas is not reached for sintered ceramics so that Ba₄CaCu₃O_8+δ can be obtained in a metastable state after normal cooling conditions. In this case, the crystal structure is cubic (Im-3m, , δ=0.68, Z=2, R_wp=2.5%, R_Bragg=5.4%) as reported in the literature. In reduced oxygen partial pressure (p(O₂)<10⁻⁶ bar), Ba₄CaCu₃O_8+δ is stable down to room temperature and has a tetragonal structure with a significant lower oxygen content (P4/mmm, , , δ=-0.81, Z=2, R_wp=2.8%, R_Bragg=5.1%). The difference between the two crystal structures is discussed in terms of oxygen content, copper formal valence and cation coordination. The influence of the oxygen pressure on the stability of Ba₄CaCu₃O_8+δ is also discussed.     

On the catalytic mechanism of Pt 4+/? in the oxygen transport activation of N2O by CO

The two-state reaction mechanism of the Pt₄^+/− with N₂O (CO) on the quartet and doublet potential energy surfaces has been investigated at the B3LYP level. The effect of Pt₄ ⁻ anion assistance is analyzed using the activation strain model in which the activation energy (ΔΕ ^≠) is decomposed into the distortion energies (\Updelta E ¹ _\textdist ) (\Updelta E^{ \ne }_{\text{dist}} ) and the stabilizing transition state (TS) interaction energies (\Updelta E ¹ _\textint ) (\Updelta E^{ \ne }_{\text{int}} ) , namely \Updelta E ¹ = \Updelta E ¹ _\textdist + \Updelta E ¹ _\textint \Updelta E^{ \ne } = \Updelta E^{ \ne }_{\text{dist}} + \Updelta E^{ \ne }_{\text{int}} . The lowering of activation barriers through Pt₄ ⁻ anion assistance is caused by the TS interaction \Updelta E ¹ _\textint \Updelta E^{ \ne }_{\text{int}} (−90.7 to −95.6 kcal/mol) becoming more stabilizing. This is attributed to the N₂O π*-LUMO and Pt d HOMO back-donation interactions. However, the strength of the back-donation interactions has significantly impact on the reaction mechanism. For the Pt₄ ⁻ anion system, it has very significant back-bonding interaction (N₂O negative charge of 0.79e), HOMO has 81.5% π* LUMO(N₂O) character, with 3d orbital contributions of 10.7% from Pt₍₃₎ and 7.7% from Pt₍₇₎ near the ⁴TS4 transition state. This facilitates the bending of the N₂O molecule, the N–O bond weakening, and an O⁻(²P) dissociation without surface crossing. For the Pt₄ ⁺ cation system, the strength of the charge transfer is weaker, which leads to the diabatic (spin conserving) dissociation of N₂O: N₂O(¹∑⁺) → N₂(¹∑_g⁺) + O(¹D). The quartet to doublet state transition should occur efficiently near the ⁴TS1 due to the larger SOC value calculated of 677.9 cm⁻¹. Not only will the reaction overcome spin-change-induced barrier (ca. 7 kcal/mol) but also overcome adiabatic barrier (ca. 40.1 kcal/mol).Therefore, the lack of a thermodynamic driving force is an important factor contributing to the low efficiency of the reaction system.     

Influence of electrospraying parameters on the microstructure of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2F0.8O3−δ films for SOFCs

Ceramics can play a remarkable role in the engineering of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) capable of meeting the ambitious targets of reduced cost and improved lifetime. While mixed ionic-electronic conductors such as La_xSr_1−xCo_yFe_1−yO_3−δ are being used as volumic cathodes to increase the catalytic performance of these components, adequate microstructures are also an important requirement for optimal performance, particularly at lower operating temperatures. This work is devoted to the fabrication of La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3−δ films on Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2−δ substrates by electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) and to the characterization of the microstructural dependence on the deposition conditions. A wide variety of microstructures ranging from dense to porous, with particular features such as reticulation and micro-porosity, were obtained by varying the ESD deposition parameters: nozzle-to-substrate distance (15, 30, 43, 45, and 58 mm), solution flow rate (0.34 and 1.5 mL/h), and substrate temperature (300, 350, 400 and 450 °C). The correlation between deposition parameters and resulting microstructures was systematically studied and put into evidence.