Hydrothermal ethanol conversion on Ag,Cu, Au/TiO2

The effect UV irradiation and silver, copper, and gold ions (M ^z+) supported on titania (anatase) have on the activity of M/TiO₂ samples in ethanol conversion at 150–400°C is examined. After UV irradiation, the yields of acetaldehyde and ethylene increase for TiO₂ and Ag/TiO₂ samples, while the activity of Cu²⁺/TiO₂ decreases. The activation energy of ethanol dehydration declines in the order TiO₂ > Au³⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Ag⁺ and correlates linearly with a reduction in the radius of M ^z+ in crystal. The number of acidic sites on a M/TiO₂ surface titrated via pyridine adsorption grows upon the introduction of M. Unlike Cu²⁺/TiO₂, these sites are not activated after the irradiation of TiO₂, Ag⁺/TiO₂, and Au³⁺/TiO₂. According to IR spectral data on adsorbed pyridine, all samples contain Lewis and Brönsted acidic sites.     

EPR Studies of Photoreduction of Ni/TiO2 Catalysts

Irradiations of Ni/TiO₂ catalyst by UV in hydrogen at 77 K produced not only Ni⁺ ions on the catalyst surface, but also Ni³⁺ and Ti³⁺ species in bulk or near the interface between nickel and titania. These photo-generated species were detected and characterized by low temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Relative spin concentrations of the photogenerated paramagnetic species (Niⁿ⁺ and Ti³⁺) varied with the nickel content in titania. A high nickel content in the sample resulted in a high peak intensity ratio of Niⁿ⁺ to Ti³⁺. It was found that the photoinduced self-redox reaction of Ni²⁺ ions to form Ni⁺ and Ni³⁺ ions has a priority over the photoreduction of Ti⁴⁺ to Ti³⁺ ions. The characteristic EPR spectrum of the Ni³⁺ (3d⁷) ions with g₁ = 2.268, g₂ = 2.237, and g₃ = 2.045 indicates that the Ni³⁺ ions are most likely located in the substitutional sites of TiO₂, possibly near the surface rutile phase. The Ni⁺ species (3d⁹) with g₄ = 2.130 and g₁ = 2.063 are on the surface of TiO₂. Both Ni⁺ and Ni³⁺ ions are quite stable in hydrogen. The Ni³⁺ ions seem to be responsible for anchoring the nickel ions onto titania and stablizing the Ni⁺ species on the surface. The Ni⁺ ions are thus free from oxygen poisoning and still show a high activity toward olefin oligomerization.     

In situ study of electrochromic properties of self-assembled TiO2 nanotubes

Electrochromical properties of anodic self-assembled nanotubes were investigated. It was found that amorphous titania nanotubes were able to insert H⁺ ions in a highly reversible manner. Coloration of the TiO₂ nanotubes occurred at potentials below ?0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 1M (NH₄)₂SO₄ aqueous solution. The proton insertion reaction probably leads to the formation of a Ti³⁺/Ti⁴⁺ solid solution in the amorphous titania electrode, as was shown by the analysis of the derivative curve. The nanotubular titania electrode shows reasonable color efficiency when compared with other electrochromic materials and it is a promising candidate for the fabrication of low-cost interdigitated electrochromic devices.     

Visible and near-IR luminescence via energy transfer in rare earth doped mesoporous titania thin films with nanocrystalline walls

Selected photoluminescence in the wavelength range of 600-1540 nm is generated by energy transfer from a light-gathering mesostructured host lattice to an appropriate rare earth ion. The mesoporous titania thin films, which have a well-ordered pore structure and two-phase walls made of amorphous titania and TiO₂ nanocrystallites, were doped with up to 8 mol% lanthanide ions, and the ordered structure of the material was preserved. Exciting the titania in its band gap results in energy transfer and it is possible to observe photoluminescence from the crystal field states of the rare earth ions. This process is successful for certain rare earth ions (Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺, Yb³⁺, Nd³⁺, Er³⁺) and not for others (Tb³⁺, Tm³⁺). A mechanism has been proposed to explain this phenomenon, which involves energy transfer through surface states on titania nanocrystals to matching electronic states on the rare earth ions.     

Synthetic Hydroxyapatites as Inorganic Cation-Exchangers; Exchange Characteristics for Pb2+ and Sn2+ Ions in Acidic Solution

Abstract

The cation-exchange characteristics between Pb²⁺ ions of aqueous solutions containing counter-anions (F^?, C1^?) and Ca²⁺ ions of synthetic hydroxyapatite samples have been investigated in detail under the conditions of low pH values (3.0, 4.0 and 5.0) by a normal batch method. Even at the low pH value of 3.0 the apatite structure in a solution containing F^? or C1^? ions was maintained via a concurrent ion-exchange effect of Pb²⁺ ions together with F^? or C1^?ions, which are known to be exchangeable with OH- ions of the apatite. Moreover, it was found that Ca²⁺ ions in the apatite sample can easily be exchanged for Pb²⁺ ions almost without distinction between MI and M2 sites, assisted by the loosening effect of protons even at room temperature. Next, it was found that the hydroxyapatite samples are transformed into amorphous states by the reactions between Ca ²⁺ ions in the samples and Sn ²⁺ ions in the SnC1₂ acidic aqueous solutions with pH of 3.0 or below with a molar ratio of Sn²⁺/Ca²⁺ -1.0. The existence of hydroxyapatite as amorphism in acidic aqueous solutions such as SnC1₂ is quite interesting, because in general the hydroxyapatite has been found to be dissolved in acidic aqueous solutions. Moreover, the obtained amorphism are found to be stable up to at least 500 to 6OO°C but to be unstable in alkaline solutions. The characteristics of Sn²⁺ ions are found to have been found to form crystalline Pb ²⁺ apatite even in be quite different from those of homologous Pb²⁺ ions which have been found to form crystalline pb²⁺ apatite even in such an acidic atmosphere.     

Oxirane as a chemical ionization gas: Reactivity towards different classes of compounds

Oxirane chemical ionization (CI) gives numerous ions, including C₂H₃O⁺ and C₂H₅O⁺. These ions react with organic molecules through various specific ion–molecule reactions such as hydride abstraction, protonation, additions or cycloadditions. Oxirane CI allows discrimination between unsaturated compounds with [M + 43]⁺ and [M + 57]⁺ adduct ions and heteroatom functions with [M + 45]⁺ adduct ion. All are diagnostic ions. Oxirane CI permits selectivity during the ionization process of a mixture and discrimination of isomers.     

Amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide in pickling baths for copper and copper alloys by flow injection analysis

The hydrogen peroxide is oxidized at + 1.5 V vs. SCE at a glassy carbon electrode of the wall-jet type. The samples are diluted about 100 times in a dispersion coil before entering the amperometric detector. The calibration curve is linear from 10^?4 to 1 M H₂O₂, when 5-μl samples are used. With 50-μl samples the detection limit decreases to 10^?6 M H₂O₂. Neither metal ions (Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Al³⁺) up to 0.5 M nor changes in the sulfuric acid concentration of the samples between 0.1 and 1 M interfere with the hydrogen peroxide determination. About 75 samples can be analyzed per hour.     

The influence of dissolved transition metals on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol with TiO2

The influence of dissolved cupric and ferric ions on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous dispersions of titanium dioxide was investigated. At pH 3.5 both ion species enhanced the TiO₂ photocatalytic activity until an optimum metal concentration was reached (1×10^?3 M for Cu²⁺ and 7×10^?6 M for Fe³⁺). Beyond these values the activity was observed to decrease, what was mainly attributed to precipitation of metal derivatives. A mechanism based in the formation of a complex between the metal and the organic compound adsorbed onto the titania surface is proposed to explain the observed positive effect of copper and iron ions addition.     

Ion-molecule reactions observed for nitroaromatic compounds in negative ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Analyses of a series of nitroaromatic compounds using fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry are discussed. An interesting ion-molecule reaction leading to [M + O ? H]^? ions is observed in the negative ion FAB spectra. Evidence from linked-scan and collision-induced dissociation spectra proved that [M + O ? H]^? ions are produced by the following reaction: M + NO₂^? → [M + NO₂]^? → [M + O ? H]^?. These experiments also showed that M^?˙ ions are produced in part by the exchange of an electron between M and NO₂^? species. All samples showed M^?˙, [M ? H]^? or both ions in their negative ion FAB spectra. Not all analytes studied showed either [M + H]⁺ and/or M⁺˙ in the positive ion FAB spectra. No M⁺˙ ions were observed for ions having ionization energies above ～9 eV.     

Alloying in an Intercalation Host: Metal Titanium Niobates as Anodes for Rechargeable Alkali‐Ion Batteries

We discuss here a unique flexible non‐carbonaceous layered host, namely, metal titanium niobates (M‐Ti‐niobate, M: Al³⁺, Pb²⁺, Sb³⁺, Ba²⁺, Mg²⁺), which can synergistically store both lithium ions and sodium ions via a simultaneous intercalation and alloying mechanisms. M‐Ti‐niobate is formed by ion exchange of the K⁺ ions, which are specifically located inside galleries between the layers formed by edge and corner sharing TiO₆ and NbO₆ octahedral units in the sol‐gel synthesized potassium titanium niobate (KTiNbO₅). Drastic volume changes (approximately 300–400 %) typically associated with an alloying mechanism of storage are completely tackled chemically by the unique chemical composition and structure of the M‐Ti‐niobates. The free space between the adjustable Ti/Nb octahedral layers easily accommodates the volume changes. Due to the presence of an optimum amount of multivalent alloying metal ions (50–75 % of total K⁺) in the M‐Ti‐niobate, an efficient alloying reaction takes place directly with ions and completely eliminates any form of mechanical degradation of the electroactive particles. The M‐Ti‐niobate can be cycled over a wide voltage range (as low as 0.01 V) and displays remarkably stable Li⁺ and Na⁺ ion cyclability (>2 Li⁺/Na⁺ per formula unit) for widely varying current densities over few hundreds to thousands of successive cycles. The simultaneous intercalation and alloying storage mechanisms is also studied within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. DFT expectedly shows a very small variation in the volume of Al‐titanium niobate following lithium alloying. Moreover, the theoretical investigations also conclusively support the occurrence of the alloying process of Li ions with the Al ions along with the intercalation process during discharge. The M‐Ti‐niobates studied here demonstrate a paradigm shift in chemical design of electrodes and will pave the way for the development of a multitude of improved electrodes for different battery chemistries.     

Interfacial Impregnation Chemistry in the Synthesis of Cobalt Catalysts Supported on Titania

The interfacial chemistry of the impregnation step involved in the synthesis of cobalt catalysts supported on titania was investigated with regard to the mode of interfacial deposition of the aqua complex [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ on the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface, the structure of the inner‐sphere complexes formed, and their relative interfacial concentrations. Several methodologies based on the application of deposition experiments and electrochemical techniques were used in conjunction with diffuse‐reflectance spectroscopy and EPR spectroscopy. These suggested the formation of mononuclear/oligonuclear inner‐sphere complexes on deposition of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ions at the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface. The joint application of semiempirical quantum‐mechanical calculations, stereochemical considerations, and modeling of the deposition data revealed the exact structure of these complexes and allowed their relative concentrations at various Co^II surface concentrations to be determined. It was found that the interface speciation depends on the Co^II surface concentration. Mononuclear complexes are formed at the compact layer of the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface for low and medium Co^II surface concentrations. Formation of mono‐hydrolyzed Ti₂O–TiO and the dihydrolyzed TiO–TiO disubstituted configurations is very probable. In the first configuration one water ligand of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ion is substituted by a bridging surface oxygen atom and another by a terminal surface oxygen atom. In the second configuration two water ligands of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ion are substituted by two terminal surface oxygen atoms. Binuclear and trinuclear inner‐sphere complexes are formed, in addition to the mononuclear ones, at relatively high Co^II surface concentrations.     

Synthesis and characterization of 2, 4-dihydroxy-benzaldehydeoxime-formaldehyde polymers and their application as ion-exchangers

Polymers were prepared by the condensation of 2, 4-dihydroxybenzaldehydeoxime (2, 4-DBO) and formaldehyde (F) in the presence of oxalic acid as catalyst with varying molar ratios of reacting monomers. Polymers were characterized by their IR spectra, elemental analyses, TGA and M_n as determined by vapour pressure osmometry as well as by non-aqueous conductometric titrations. Viscosity measurements of the solutions of polymer samples were carried out in dimethylformamide. Chelation ion-exchange properties have also been studied employing the batch equilibration method. This method involved the measurement of distribution of a given metal between the polymer sample and a solution containing metal ions. The study was carried out over a wide pH range and in media of various ionic strengths. The polymer showed a higher selectivity for UO ₂ ²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions than for Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions.     

Using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to explore the interactions among polythymine oligonucleotides, ethidium bromide, and mercury ions

We have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to explore the binding of ethidium bromide (EthBr) to non-self-complementary polythymine (polyT) strands in the absence and presence of Hg²⁺ ions. In the gas phase, ESI-MS revealed that Hg²⁺ ions have greater affinity, through T-Hg²⁺-T coordination, toward polyT strands than do other metal ions. These findings are consistent with our fluorescence and CD results obtained in solution; they revealed that more T₃₃-EthBr-Hg²⁺ complexes existed upon increasing the concentrations of Hg²⁺ ions (from 0 to 50 μM). Surprisingly, the ESI-MS data indicated that the Hg²⁺ concentration dependence of the interaction between T₃₃ and EthBr is biphasic. Our ESI-MS data revealed that the T₃₃-EthBr-Hg²⁺ complexes formed with various stoichiometries depending on their relative concentrations of the components and the length of the DNA strand. When the concentrations of T₃₃/EthBr/Hg²⁺ were 5/5/2. 5 μM and 5/10/7. 5 μM, 1:1:1 and 1:1:2 T₃₃-EthBr-Hg²⁺ complexes were predominantly formed, respectively. Thus, Hg²⁺-induced DNA conformational changes clearly affect the interactions between DNA and EthBr.     

Isobutane chemical ionization mass spectra of unsaturated alcohols

Analysis of the isobutane chemical ionization mass spectra of hexenols, cyclohexenols and various syn/anti pairs of bicyclic and tricyclic homoallylic alcohols shows that: (i) the spectra of the allylic alcohols are dominated by [M + H – H₂O]⁺ and [M + C₄H₉–H₂O]⁺ ions and contain traces of [M + H]⁺ ions; (ii) [M + H]⁺ ions are prominent in the spectra of acyclic and certain cyclic homoallylic alcohols; and (iii) [M + H]⁺ ions dominate the spectra of other acyclic unsaturated alcohols. The [M + H]⁺ ions may result from either: (a) protonation of the hydroxyl group, followed by a very rapid intramolecular proton transfer from the protonated hydroxyl group to the carbon–carbon double bond or internal solvation of the protonated hydroxyl group by the carbon–carbon double bond; and/or (b) direct protonation of the carbon–carbon double bond with significant internal solvation of the resulting carbocation by the hydroxyl group, which may lead to carbon–oxygen bond formation to give a protonated cyclic ether. The consequences of placing various geometric constraints on the possible intramolecular interactions between the hydroxyl group and the carbon–carbon double bond in unsaturated alcohols are explored.     

N2 photoreduction and phenol and nitrophenol isomers photooxidation as examples of heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions

Two examples of photoreactions are reported in the present paper: namely the photoreduction of N₂ to NH₃ in the gas-solid regime and the complete photooxidation of phenol and nitrophenols in the gas-liquid-solid regime (aqueous oxygenated dispersions). Undoped pure and iron ion doped polycrystalline titania specimens were used as photocatalysts. The presence of the dopant, in the case of N₂ photoreduction, was essential for the occurrence of the photoprocess; it was, on the contrary, detrimental or indifferent in the case of phenol and nitrophenols photooxidation. The influence of several ions as Cl, SO₄ ²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ag⁺ and of a compound such as H₂O₂ added to the dispersion was also investigated and the different behaviour of TiO₂ (anatase) and TiO₂ (rutile) was ascribed to kinetic factors.     

Study of photocatalytic activity of Cd-doped mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 prepared at low temperature

Mesoporous nanocrystalline Cd-doped titania was firstly prepared at low temperature by a modified sol–gel method, using dodecylamine as a template. The template could be easily removed by refluxing samples in nitric acid ethanol solution. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), low-angle and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption–desorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy were used for the characterization of catalysts. The characteristic results clearly showed that Cd²⁺ ions were doped into the titania lattice, and the mesoporous architecture of Cd-doped TiO₂ was composed of mixed-phase crystal textures of anatase and brookite. The samples displayed high visible-light photocatalytic activity for photodegradating 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) solution. The high activities of samples were attributed to the bicrystalline framework, large BET surface area, small crystallite size, and Cd-doping.     

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry of halomethanes with tetramethylsilane as reagent gas

Chemical ionization mass spectra of halomethanes measured using tetramethylsilane as reagent gas exhibit three major peaks corresponding to [M + SiMe₃]⁺, [M − X]⁺ and (MeSi)₂X⁺ ions (X = Cl, Br or I). Dihalomethanes CH₂X₂ form the most stable silylated molecular ions, whereas in the mass spectra of tetrahalomethanes (CX₄) these ions have not been detected and the ions CX₃⁺ are the most abundant. Production of bistrimethylsilyl-halonium ions is the most pronounced process for haloforms (CHX₃).     

Feasibility of tetracycline,a common antibiotic,as chelating agent for spectrophotometric determination of UO2 2+ after cloud point extraction

A cloud point extraction (CPE) procedure was presented for the preconcentration of UO₂ ²⁺ ion in different water samples. Tetracycline (TC) is the second most widely used antibiotics in the world and is used as chelating agent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that an antibiotic is used as a chelating agent for CPE of UO₂ ²⁺. Besides, the use of TC as complexing agent provides excellent chelating features. TC molecule has large numbers of functional groups (adjacent hydroxyl oxygen atoms and cyclohexanone oxygen atoms, amide groups) which can form stable complex with UO₂ ²⁺. After complexation with TC, UO₂ ²⁺ ions were quantitatively recovered in Triton X-100 after cooling in the ice bath. 3.0 mL of acetate buffer was added to the surfactant-rich phase prior to its analysis by UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The influence of analytical parameters including pH, buffer volume, TC, Triton X-100 concentrations, bath temperature, incubation time were optimized. The effect of the matrix ions on the recovery of UO₂ ²⁺ ions was investigated. The limit of detection was 0.0746 μg mL^?1 along with enrichment factor of 14.3 with a R.S.D. of 3.6 %. The proposed procedure was applied to the analysis of various environmental water samples. On the other hand, the electronic distribution of TC molecule is investigated with their frontier molecular orbital density distributions.     

Fragmentation of protonated O,O-diethyl O-aryl phosphorothionates in tandem mass spectral analysis

The gas-phase ion chemistry of protonated O,O-diethyl O-aryl phosphorothionates was studied with tandem mass spectrometric and ab initio theoretical methods. Collision-activated dissociation (CAD) experiments were performed for the [M+H]⁺ ions on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Various amounts of internal energy were deposited into the ions upon CAD by variation of the collision energy and collision gas pressure. In addition to isobutane, deuterated isobutane C₄D₁₀ also was used as reagent gas in chemical ionization. The daughter ions [M+H?C₂H₄]⁺ and [M+H?2C₂H₄]⁺ dominate the CAD spectra. These fragments arise via various pathways, each of which involves γ-proton migration. Formation of the terminal ions [M+H?2C₂H₄?H₂O]⁺, [M+H?2C₂H₄?H₂S]⁺, [ZPhOH₂]⁺, [ZPhSH₂]⁺, and [ZPhS]⁺ [Z = substituent(s) on the benzene ring] suggests that (1) the fragmenting [M+H]⁺ ions of O,O-diethyl O-aryl phosphorothionates have protons attached on the oxygen of an ethoxy group and on the oxygen of the phenoxy group; (2) thiono-thiolo rearrangement by aryl migration to sulfur occurs; (3) the fragmenting rear-ranged [M+H]⁺ ions have protons attached on the oxygen of an ethoxy group and on the sulfur of the thiophenoxy group. To get additional support for our interpretation of the mass spectrometric results, some characteristics of three protomers of O,O-diethyl O-phenyl phosphorothionate were investigated by carrying out ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the RHF/3–21G* level of theory.     

Exploring LiZnNbO4 as a Host for New Colored Compounds: Synthesis,Structure, and Material Properties of NbZn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Mn,Co, Ni,Fe) and Nb1-ySby Zn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Co,Ni)

The non - centrosymmetric tetragonal inverse spinel structure of LiZnNbO₄ has been explored with a view to prepare new colored compounds. The substitution of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Cu²⁺ ions were attempted in the place of Zn²⁺ ions and Sb⁵⁺ ions in place of Nb⁵⁺ ions. The studies indicated that 0.75 Zn²⁺ ions in LiZnNbO₄ can be replaced by Co²⁺ ions and 0.5 Zn²⁺ ions in LiZnNb_0.5Sb_0.5O₄ compound. The substitution of Co²⁺ ions gives rise to different shades of blue color in Li(Zn_1-xCo_x)NbO₄ compounds and from ink blue to blue-green color in Li(Zn_1-xCo_x)(Nb_0.5Sb_0.5)O₄ compounds. The different colors observed in the present study were explained by the traditional allowed d-d transitions as well as the metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) transitions involving Nb⁵⁺ (4d⁰) ions and partially filled 3d electrons. The SHG studies indicate that the prepared compounds are SHG active. All the compounds exhibit reasonable dielectric behavior with low loss. The XPS studies confirm the oxidation states of the different substituted ions. Raman studies indicate variations in the bands due to the substitutions in the parent LiZnNbO₄ phase. Magnetic studies on the Co²⁺ ions substituted compounds suggest antiferromagnetic behavior.