Photochemical synthesis of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles

The formation of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles upon UV irradiation of aqueous solutions of cadmium thiosulfates was established on the basis of spectroscopic and macroscopic data. The yield and size of the cadmium sulfide nanoparticles depend on the ratio of cadmium to thiosulfate ions in solution, the concentration of the solution, and the irradiation duration. The cadmium sulfide nanoparticles with a diameter of 4 nm were obtained by the photolysis of solutions with a concentration of 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹ at the ratio S₂O₃ ²⁻: Cd²⁺ = 2: 1.     

Studies of the interaction between apigenin and bovine serum albumin by spectroscopic methods

The interaction between apigenin (Ap) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in physiological buffer (pH = 7.4) is investigated by fluorescence quenching technique and UV-vis absorption spectra. The results reveal that Ap could strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. The quenching mechanism of Ap for BSA varies with the change of Ap concentration. when Ap concentration is lower, it is a static quenching procedure, when Ap concentration is higher, a combined quenching (both static and dynamic) would operate. The apparent binding constants Ka and number of binding sites n of Ap with BSA are obtained by fluorescence quenching method. The thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (Δ_r H ^m and entropy change (Δ_r S ^m ), are calculated to be −15.382 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ < 0 and 104.888 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ > 0, respectively, which indicate that the interaction of Ap with BSA is driven mainly by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The distance r between BSA and Ap is calculated to be 1.89 nm based on F?rster’s non-radiative energy transfer theory. The results of synchronous fluorescence spectra show that binding of Ap with BSA cannot induce conformational changes in BSA.     

A sandwich anion receptor by a BODIPY dye bearing two calix[4]pyrrole units

A novel dicalix[4]pyrrolyl-substituted 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) dye I with an absorption peak at approximately 670 nm and an emission peak at about 690 nm was prepared. As an anion receptor, I displayed a red shift in absorption spectra and fluorescence quenching in varying degrees in the presence of F⁻, AcO⁻, H₂PO₄⁻, or Cl⁻. Compared with the parent calix[4]pyrrole, a representative anion receptor, I exhibited a stronger affinity to these anions due to the formation of a sandwich complex through multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions.     

Aqueous solutions of colloidal nickel: Radiation-chemical preparation, absorption spectra, and properties

Radiation-chemical reduction of Ni²⁺ ions in aqueous solutions of Ni(ClO₄)₂ containing sodium formate or isopropyl alcohol was studied, γ-Irradiation of deaerated solutions in the presence of polyethyleneimine, polyacrylate, or polyvinyl sulfate gives stable metal sols containing spherical particles 2–4 nm in diameter. The optical absorption spectra of nickel nanoparticles exhibit a band with a maximum at 215±5 nm (ε₂₁₅=4.7·10³ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) and a shoulder at 350 nm. A mechanism for the radiation-chemical reduction of Ni²⁺ ions by hydrated electrons and organic radicals (CO₂- radical anions in the case of HCOONa and Me₂C·OH radicals in the case of PrⁱOH). The redox potentials of the Ni²⁺/Ni⁰ and Ni⁺/Ni⁰ pairs (Ni⁰ is a nickel atom) are approximately −2.2 and −1.7 V, respectively. The nanoparticles are readily oxidized by O₂, H₂O₂, and other oxidants. The reactions of these species with silver ions yield relatively stable nanoaggregates containing both nickel and silver in addition to silver nanoparticles. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1733–1739, October, 2000.     

Interaction of alkaline solutions of cyanides with antimony sulfides

Behavior of antimomy(III, V) sulfides in systems Sb₂S₃-H₂O-OH⁻-CN⁻ and Sb₂S₅-H₂O-OH⁻-CN⁻ in the course of cyanidation and sorption leaching of gold was examined.     

Formation and characterization of Cu<Subscript>x</Subscript>S layers on polyethylene film using the solutions of sulfur in carbon disulfide

Results of the formation of copper sulfide layers using the solutions of elemental sulfur in carbon disulfide as precursor for sulfurization are presented. Low density polyethylene film can be effectively sulfurized in the solutions of rhombic (α) sulfur in carbon disulfide. The concentration of sulfur in polyethylene increases with the increase of the temperature and concentration of sulfur solution in carbon disulfide and it little depends on the duration of sulfurization. Electrically conductive copper sulfide layers on polyethylene film were formed when sulfurized polyethylene was treated with the solution of copper (II/I) salts. Cu_xS layer with the lowest sheet resistance (11.2 Ω cm⁻²) was formed when sulfurized polyethylene was treated with copper salts solution at 80°C. All samples with formed Cu_xS layers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. XPS analysis of obtained layers showed that on the layer’s surface and in the etched surface various compounds of copper, sulfur and oxygen are present: Cu₂S, CuS, CuO, S₈, CuSO₄, Cu(OH)₂ and water. The biggest amounts of CuSO₄ and Cu(OH)₂ are present on the layer’s surface. Significantly more copper sulfides are found in the etched layers.     

Electrochemical modification of Bi2S3 coatings in a nickel plating electrolyte

The electrochemical behavior of Bi₂S₃ coatings in Watts nickel plating electrolyte was investigated using the cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis methods. During the bismuth sulfide coating reduction in Watts background electrolyte in the potential region from −0.4 to −0.6 V, the Bi₂S₃ and Bi(III) oxygen compounds are reduced to metallic Bi, and the decrease in coating mass is related to the transfer of S²⁻ ions from the electrode surface. When the bismuth sulfide coating is reduced in Watts nickel plating electrolyte, the observed increase in coating mass in the potential region −0.1 to −0.4 V is conditioned by Ni²⁺ ions reduction before the bulk deposition of Ni, initiated by Bi₂S₃. In this potential region, the reduction of Bi(III) oxygen compounds can occur. After the treatment of as-deposited bismuth sulfide coating in nickel plating electrolyte at E = −0.3 V, the sheet resistance of the layer decreases from 10¹³ to 500–700 Ω cm. A metal-rich mixed sulfide Ni₃Bi₂S₂–parkerite is obtained when as-deposited bismuth sulfide coating is treated in Watts nickel plating electrolyte at a potential close to the equilibrium potential of the Ni/Ni²⁺ system and then annealed at temperatures higher than 120 °C.     

Ag+ ion transport studies in a polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer electrolyte system

Thick films of pure polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl alcohol doped with silver nitrate with different compositions have been prepared by solution cast technique. The FT-IR spectrum confirms the complexation process. The conductivity of the pure polyvinyl alcohol is of the order of 10⁻⁷ Sm⁻¹ at 90 °C, and its value increases by two orders of magnitude when doped with 20 wt% of AgNO₃. The activation energy, calculated from the Arrhenius plot for all compositions of the poly vinyl alcohol doped with silver nitrate, is between 0.24 and 0.35 eV. The migration energy for the ion in polymer electrolyte has been calculated from the modulus spectrum, and is in good agreement with the activation energy calculated from the Arrhenius plot. The modulus spectra indicate the non-Debye nature of the material.     

Cluster mechanism of the atmosphere ozone destruction by bromine ions

Interaction of bromine ions absorbed by water cluster with adsorbed oxygen and ozone molecules has been investigated by the molecular dynamics method. It was shown that the part of O₂ molecules was removed from the system by evaporating Br⁻ ions, while all O₃ molecules and Br ions were kept in the system during 25 ps. The increase the concentration of the Br⁻ ions in the clusters resulted in a reduction of the absorption intensity and emission in IR spectra at the presence of oxygen, whereas the absorption intensity in the appropriate IR spectra of ozone-containing systems increased with the growth of a number of the Br⁻ ions. Raman spectra of oxygen-containing systems were poorly sensitive to the concentration of the Br⁻ ions but the absorption intensity of Raman spectra for systems with ozone considerably decreased with the growth of a number of bromine ions.     

Characterization and electrochemical study of hemoglobin–carbon nanoparticles–polyvinyl alcohol nanoporous hybrid film

A hybrid film is fabricated by casting hemoglobin (Hb)–carbon nanoparticles (CNPs)–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) suspension on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The resulting film shows a three-dimensional nanoporous structure. In the hybrid film, the ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectra of Hb keep almost unchanged. The organic–inorganic hybrid material can promote the direct electron transfer of Hb. A pair of well-defined and quasireversible peaks with a formal potential of −0.348 V (vs saturated calomel electrode) is obtained, which is caused by the electrochemical reaction of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple of Hb. The electron transfer rate constant (k _s) is estimated to be 3.9 s⁻¹. The immobilized Hb exhibits high stability and excellent electrochemical catalysis to the reduction of oxygen (O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and nitrite (). The catalytic currents are linear to the concentrations of H₂O₂ and from 1.96 to 112 μM and from 0.2 to 1.8 mM, respectively. Therefore, the hybrid film may be a good matrix for protein immobilization and biosensor fabrication.     

Characteristics of copper sulfide nanoparticles obtained in the copper sulfate–sodium thiosulfate system

Stable hydrosols of copper sulfide nanoparticles are synthesized by heating aqueous solutions with different ratios of sodium thiosulfate and copper sulfate in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone and studied by a number of physicochemical methods in situ (optical spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering) and ex situ (transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). The main product is CuS covellite nanoparticles with some impurities of other phases (Cu₂S, Cu_1,8S, Cu₇S₄). With an increase in the initial molar ratio S₂O ^2?₃ / Cu from 0.2 to 5 the nanoparticle size increases from 1-5 nm to 30-50 nm and then decreases to 4 nm at a ratio of 10. A substantial increase in the intensity of plasmon absorption within 800-1500 nm is observed during the formation of planar nanoparticles with a lateral size of about 30 nm at S₂O ^2?₃:Cu = 5. A band gap obtained from both direct and indirect optical absorption spectra of sulfides (2.6 eV and 1.7 eV respectively) remains constant for all particles.     

UV Absorptance of Titanium Dioxide Thin Films by Plasma Enhanced Deposition from Mixtures of Oxygen and Titanium-Tetrakis-Isopropoxide

A low pressure radio frequency discharge was used to deposit films by mixtures of oxygen and titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) at powers of 200 W on films of polyethylene-terephthalat and samples of quartz glass. In the non-thermal plasma, films of rather pure TiO₂ could be deposited as revealed by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. Besides the film growth rate and the chemical composition, the spectral behaviour of the spectral transmittance of visually transparent films was determined in the range from 200 to 500 nm. Furthermore, the absorptance of films has been derived at characteristic spectral positions of the transmission spectra of the films. Accordingly, cut-off wavelength was found to increase with deposition time from 5 to 10 min as well as with the concentration of TTIP in a range below 1.7%. At 310 nm, the spectral absorption coefficient (extinction coefficient × concentration) was 12 μm⁻¹. While keeping other parameters constant, this coefficient decreased by 4 μm⁻¹ due to an increase of the concentration of TTIP from 1.7% to 8%. Simultaneously, the surface roughness increased as revealed by profilometry. Thus, since the chemical structure of films was found to change only marginally, a decrease of the film density is likely to cause the observed dependence of the absorption coefficient with increasing precursor concentration.     

Low temperature synthesis of cubic phase zinc sulfide quantum dots

In this study, we report on a new method for the synthesis of ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The synthesis was carried out at low temperature by a chemical reaction between zinc ions and freshly reduced sulfide ions in ethanol as reaction medium. Zinc chloride and elemental sulfur were used as zinc and sulfur sources, respectively and hydrazine hydrate was used as a strong reducing agent to convert elemental sulfur (S₈) into highly reactive sulfide ions (S²⁻) which react spontaneously with zinc ions. This facile, less toxic, inexpensive route has a high yield for the synthesis of high quality metal sulfide QDs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image analysis and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) reveal that ZnS QDs are less than 3 nm in diameter and are of cubic crystalline phase. The UV-Vis absorption spectrum shows an absorption peak at 253 nm corresponding to a band gap of 4.9 eV, which is high when compared to the bulk value of 3.68 eV revealing strong quantum confinement. PL emission transitions are observed at 314 nm and 439 nm and related to point defects in ZnS QDs.     

Absorption and fluorescence spectra of 9-anthrol and its chemical species in solution

The absorption, fluorescence, and fluorescence-excitation spectra of 9-anthrol (and/or anthrone) have been observed in various solvents, one of which includes a silicon-aluminium ester (diisobutoxyaluminium triethyl silane[(OBu)₂−Al−O−Si−(OEt)₃ SAE]). The fluorescence spectra of 9-anthrol shows peak wavelengths at 442 nm in benzene, 454 nm in methanol, 539 nm in triethylamine, and 550 nm in basic solution, which can be assigned to a neutral, a hydrogen-bonded neutral, an ion pair, and an anionic species of 9-anthrol, respectively. In ethanol solution including SAE, on the other hand, a new fluorescence peak appears at 473 nm. This new band originates from a complex formed between 9-anthrol and SAE. The excited-state ion pair is formed through the hydrogen-bonded form in water and the complex form in triethylamine. CNDO/S calculations support the experimental results.     

Regularities of photostimulated conversions in nanometer aluminum layers

The gravimetric and optical spectroscopic methods reveals that light irradiation with λ = 300–750 nm and intensity I = 6.9 × 10¹⁴–1.1 × 10¹⁶ quanta cm⁻² s⁻¹ for τ = 1–160 min in atmospheric conditions significantly changes the absorption and reflection spectra and mass of aluminum films (d = 2–200 nm). The kinetic curves of the degree of conversion versus aluminum film thickness are satisfactorily described in the inverse logarithmic and parabolic terms. The contact potential difference is measured for Al and Al₂O₃ films along with the photo-EMF of Al-Al₂O₃ systems. The suggested model includes the stages of generation and redistribution of nonequilibrium charge carriers in the contact field of Al-Al₂O₃ systems, oxygen adsorption, Al³⁺ diffusion, and Al₂O₃ formation.     

Photostimulated changes in WO3 nanosized films

During the irradiation of WO₃ films d = 7–160 nm thick by light at λ = 320 nm (I = (1.5–7) × 10¹⁵ quantum cm⁻² s⁻¹), absorption band at λ = 850 nm appeared along with absorption band edge shift to shorter waves. The subsequent irradiation of samples at λ = 850 nm caused the disappearance of the longwave absorption band. The intrinsic absorption edge of WO₃ films was determined (λ = 320 nm). The degree of transformations of WO₃ films increased under atmospheric conditions as the intensity of incident light and the time of irradiation (1–140 min) grew and as film thickness decreased. A mechanism of photochemical transformations of WO₃ films was suggested. This mechanism included the generation of electron-hole pairs, the recombination of part of nonequilibrium charge carriers, the formation of [eV_a²⁺e] centers, and the isolation of photolysis products.     

Separation of L-DOPA and four metabolites in plasma using a porous graphitic carbon column in capillary liquid chromatography

Summary A sensitive HPLC method with marbofloxacin (MAR) as internal standard and fluorescence detection is described for the analysis of ofloxacin (OFL) enantiomers in plasma samples. Plasma samples were prepared by adding phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1m), then extracted with trichloromethane.S-OFL,R-OFL, and the internal standard were separated on a reversed-phase column with water-methanol, 85.5∶14.5, as mobile phase. The concentrations ofS-OFL andR-OFL eluting from the column (retention times 7.5 and 8.7 min, respectively) were monitored by fluorescence detection withλ _ex = 331 andλ _em = 488 nm. The detection and quantitation limits were 10 and 20 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, forS-OFL and 11 and 21 ng mL⁻¹ forR-OFL. Response was linearly related to concentration in the range 10 to 2500 ng mL⁻¹. Recovery was close to 93% for both compounds. The method was applied to determination of the enantiomers of OFL in plasma samples collected during pharmacokinetic studies.     

Electrolytic iron sulfides for thin-layer lithium-ion batteries

Thin-layer electrolytic iron sulfides synthesized on stainless steel substrates were studied in prototype lithium and lithium-ion batteries with an electrolyte composed of ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, and 1 M LiClO₄. A two-volt lithium-ion system with electrolytic iron sulfide and LiCoO₂ as negative and positive electrodes, respectively, was suggested. The discharge capacity of the prototype system is 350–400 mA h g⁻¹ Fe sulfide.     

Radiation effects in physical aging of binary As–S and As–Se glasses

Radiation-induced physical aging effects are studied in binary As _x S_100−x and As _x Se_100−x (30 ≤ x ≤ 42) glasses by conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method. It is shown that γ-irradiation (Co⁶⁰ source, ~3 MGy dose) of glassy As _x S_100−x caused a measurable increase in glass transition temperature and endothermic peak area in the vicinity of glass transition region, which was associated with acceleration of structural relaxation processes in these materials. In contrast to sulfide glasses, the samples of As–Se family did not exhibit any significant changes in DSC curves after γ-irradiation. The observed difference in radiation-induced physical aging between sulfides and selenides was explained by more effective destruction-polymerization transformations and possible metastable defects formation in S-based glassy network.     

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) scavenging reactions of o-vanillin: Pulse radiolysis and stopped flow studies

Reactions of peroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite with o-vanillin (2-hydroxy 3-methoxy benzaldehyde), a positional isomer of the well-known dietary compound vanillin, were studied to understand the mechanisms of its free radical scavenging action. Trichloromethylperoxyl radicals (CCl₃O ₂ ^· ) were used as model peroxyl radicals and their reactions with o-vanillin were studied using nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique with absorption detection. The reaction produced a transient with a bimolecular rate constant of approx. 10⁵ M⁻¹s⁻¹, having absorption in the 400–500 nm region with a maximum at 450 nm. This spectrum looked significantly different from that of phenoxyl radicals of o-vanillin produced by the one-electron oxidation by azide radicals. The spectra and decay kinetics suggest that peroxyl radical reacts with o-vanillin mainly by forming a radical adduct. Peroxynitrite reactions with o-vanillin at pH 6.8 were studied using a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. o-Vanillin reacts with peroxynitrite with a bimolecular rate constant of 3 × 10³ M⁻¹s⁻¹. The reaction produced an intermediate having absorption in the wavelength region of 300–500 nm with a absorption maximum at 420 nm, that subsequently decayed in 20 s with a first-order decay constant of 0.09 s⁻¹. The studies indicate that o-vanillin is a very efficient scavenger of peroxynitrite, but not a very good scavenger of peroxyl radical. The reactions take place through the aldehyde and the phenolic OH group and are significantly different from other phenolic compounds.