Electrochemistry of fluorine production

The electronic properties of carbon-fluorine films (denoted C-F) formed on carbon electrodes in KF-2HF during fluorine evolution reaction were investigated in aqueous solution containing a redox couple and in mercury. It was shown that the passivating C-F films behave as electronic conductors. STM measurements have shown composition heterogeneities at the surface of fluorinated HOPG (conducting ans insulating areas). The influence of the amount of insulating graphite fluorides on the surface of the electrodes was demonstrated. Thus, the high anodic overvoltage observed during fluorine evolution on C/C-F anodes in KF-2HF is mainly attributed to the poor wettability of the electrodes by the melt, which results in a small electroactive area. A new model was proposed for representing the electrode/electrolyte interface; it includes the presence of a “fluidized” layer between the surface C-F film and the fluorine gas film. The “fluidized” layer is composed of liquid KF-2HF melt and dissolved fluorine gas. The influence of the mass transfer phenomenon occurring in that layer was pointed out mainly by impedance measurements. Finally, the contributions of the C-F film, η_C-F, and of the “fluidized” layer, η_fluid, to the total anodic overvoltage, η_T, were studied using a numerical calculation method. Both contributions must be taken into account for a global understanding of the fluorine evolution process.     

Role of elemental fluorine in nuclear field

The preparation of fluorine gas by Henri Moissan by electrolysis of molten fluorides can be considered as one of the most important discoveries during the last centuries. Indeed, in addition to its use in many industrial fields (microelectronic, surface cleaning, pharmacology, medicine, …), fluorine gas is strongly involved in nuclear field for the preparation of UF₆. The latter allows the natural uranium enrichment via the gaseous diffusion process. Due to the increase of the energy demand in industrialised and emergent countries, the production of UF₆ and consequently of F₂ should increase drastically during the next decades. The aim of this paper is to summarise the evolution of the process to produce fluorine from its discovery to the present process. Few aspects on the researches done for a better understanding of the fluorine evolution reaction are presented. The use of fluorine in the nuclear field is also discussed.     

Interfacial tension between a liquid crystalline polyesteramide and polypropylene obtained by dielectric spectroscopy

Dielectric spectroscopy is an unexplored technique in the elucidation of the morphology of polymer blends. Especially the appearance of interfacial polarization can reveal important information about the microstructure of a polymer blend. A model system of liquid crystalline polymer fibers lined up in a thermoplastic matrix was investigated. After heating above the melting temperature of both phases, the fibers developed distortions which grew with time. Dielectric spectroscopy was used to follow the change in shape of the distorted fibers. The use of only two frequencies made it possible to increase the number of relevant data points in the initial stages of the fiber breakup process. From these measurements it was possible to calculate the growth rate and hence the interfacial tension between the two polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 815–825, 1998     

Surface tension and viscosity measurements of liquids with the survismeter: a single instrumental unit

Surface tension (γ) and viscosity (η) data of aqueous solutions of the deoxyadenosine (DOA) and the deoxyribose (DOR) sugars have been measured with the survismeter, a new instrument, along with tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF), acetonitrile and dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) solvents. The same properties have also been measured with a stalagmometer and a viscosimeter, respectively, which afford the same information, albeit at the expense of a larger amount of chemicals and solvents. We obtain comparatively better accuracy in both kinds of measurements than with conventional methods. Therefore, the survismeter lends itself as a simple and reliable instrument.     

Impact of carbon dioxide on the surface tension of 1-hexanol aqueous solutions

Effects of carbon dioxide presence on the surface tension and adsorption kinetics of 1-hexanol solutions were investigated. Experiments were performed at a range of carbon dioxide vapor pressures and varying concentrations of 1-hexanol aqueous solution. Both dynamic and steady-state surface tensions of 1-hexanol aqueous solution were found to decrease with carbon dioxide pressure, and a linear relationship was observed between the steady-state surface tension and carbon dioxide pressure. To explain the experiments, adsorption and desorption of the two species (1-hexanol and carbon dioxide) from two sides of the vapor-liquid interface were considered. A modified Langmuir isotherm, the modified Langmuir equation of state and the modified kinetic transfer equation were developed. The resulting steady-state and dynamic surface tension data were modeled using the modified Langmuir equation of state and the modified kinetic transfer equation, respectively. Equilibrium constants and adsorption rate constants of 1-hexanol and carbon dioxide were evaluated through a minimization procedure for CO₂ pressures ranging from 0 to 690 kPa. From the steady-state modeling, the equilibrium parameters for 1-hexanol and carbon dioxide adsorption from vapor phase and liquid phase were found unchanged at different pressures of carbon dioxide. From the dynamic modeling, the adsorption rate constants for 1-hexanol and carbon dioxide from vapor phase and liquid phase were found to decrease with carbon dioxide pressure. Some fluctuations in the fitting parameters of the dynamic modeling (adsorption rate constants) were observed. These fluctuations may be due to experimental errors, or more likely the limitations of the model used. A major limitation of the model is related to large differences in adsorption/desorption between initial and final stages of the process, and a single set of property parameters cannot describe both initial and final states of the system. Variations may occur depending on which set of data, of initial or final states, is used in the model predictions over the entire time range.     

Aqueous guanidinium salts: Part II. Isopiestic osmotic coefficients of guanidinium sulphate and viscosity and surface tension of guanidinium chloride, bromide, acetate, perchlorate and sulphate solutions at 298.15 K

The molality dependence of isopiestic osmotic coefficients of aqueous guanidinium sulphate, Gn₂SO₄ has been reported at 298.15 and analysed by the Pitzer equations. The Pitzer coefficients obtained from the analysis of osmotic coefficients are employed to calculate the activity coefficients. The viscosity and surface tension of aqueous guanidinium chloride (GnCl), bromide (GnBr), acetate (CH₃COOGn), perchlorate (GnClO₄) and sulphate (Gn₂SO₄) have also been measured at 298.15 K. The order in which these salts increase the viscosity and surface tension of water is: Gn₂SO₄>CH₃COOGn>GnCl>GnBr>GnClO₄. The effect of Gn₂SO₄ and CH₃COOGn on the viscosity and surface tension is stronger than that of other guanidinium salts.     

Calculating the surface tension between a flat solid and a liquid: a theoretical and computer simulation study of three topologically different methods

We discuss three topologically different methods for calculating the surface tension between a flat solid and a liquid from theoretical and computer simulation viewpoints. The first method, commonly used in experiments, measures the contact angle at which a static droplet of liquid rests on a solid surface. We present a new analysis algorithm for this method and explore the effects of line tension on the contact angle. The second method, commonly used computer simulations, uses the pressure tensor through the virial in a system where a thick, infinitely extended slab of liquid rests on a solid surface. The third method, which is original to this paper and is closest to the thermodynamic definition of surface tension, applies to a spherical solid in contact with liquid in which the flat solid is recovered by extrapolating the sphere radius to infinity. We find that the second and third methods agree with each other, while the first method systematically underestimates surface tension values.     

Differentiating between hydrogen and fluorine on a diamond surface

We have computed the interaction energies for pyridine (C₅H₅N) and (CH₃)₃PO with H and F atoms on the surface of diamond(111) as a function of the type of neighboring surface atom. The pyridine-H and -F interaction energies differ by about 5 kcal/mol, which is only about one-third of that found for a one-dimensional model for the surface. The difference in the interaction energies for (CH₃)₃PO is larger. However, the (CH₃)₃PO-neighbor interaction energy is larger than for pyridine, so that the (CH₃)₃PO-H interaction becomes repulsive for six neighboring F atoms. Substituting CN for F dramatically increases the repulsion between the surface atoms and molecules. The repulsion is sufficiently large that H/CN does not appear to be better than H/F as a possible way to store data on a surface. While pyridine shows some potential as a possible probe to differentiate between H and F on a diamond surface, it is not ideal. Received: 7 April 1997 / Accepted: 20 May 1997     

Line tension and its influence on droplets and particles at surfaces

In this review we examine the influence of the line tension τ on droplets and particles at surfaces. The line tension influences the nucleation behavior and contact angle of liquid droplets at both liquid and solid surfaces and alters the attachment energetics of solid particles to liquid surfaces. Many factors, occurring over a wide range of length scales, contribute to the line tension. On atomic scales, atomic rearrangements and reorientations of submolecular components give rise to an atomic line tension contribution τ_atom (～1 nN), which depends on the similarity/dissimilarity of the droplet/particle surface composition compared with the surface upon which it resides. At nanometer length scales, an integration over the van der Waals interfacial potential gives rise to a mesoscale contribution |τ_vdW| ～ 1–100 pN while, at millimeter length scales, the gravitational potential provides a gravitational contribution τ_grav ～ +1–10 μN. τ_grav is always positive, whereas, τ_vdW can have either sign. Near wetting, for very small contact angle droplets, a negative line tension may give rise to a contact line instability. We examine these and other issues in this review.     

阴离子孪连表面活性剂的合成及其表/界面活性研究

合成了疏水链长度不同和连接基长度不同的7种系列阴离子孪连表面活性剂,研究了它们的表/界面活性。结果表明,它们有较低的表面张力和临界胶束浓度(CMC),有很好的表面活性。它们的CMC都在10-5~10-6mol/L之间,表面张力在26·5~34mN/m之间。它们有非常好的抗一价、二价盐的能力。除了C16-C2-C16在高于5%的NaCl溶液中会产生析出外,其余孪连表面活性剂都能耐盐20%以上。随着盐浓度的增加,孪连表面活性剂与烷烃间的界面张力逐渐降低,能达到10-3mN/m。与中原油田原油间的界面张力能降低到10-3~10-4mN/m,表明它们可应用于特高矿化度油藏提高采收率。     

Interfacial tension between water and high pressure CO2 in the presence of hydrocarbon surfactants

Interfacial tension of water–CO₂ interface was measured by pendant drop method in the presence of a surfactant of various concentrations. The surfactants used were three surfynols which are non-ionic blanched hydrocarbon with different length of the alkyl side chain. Prior to the interfacial tension measurements, the solubility of the surfynols in CO₂ were determined from cloud point method. The measured interfacial tensions indicated that an addition of small amount surfactant did reduce the interfacial tension. The interfacial activities of surfactants were evaluated from the slope of the interfacial tension reduction curve against the surfactant concentration and rationalized in terms of the molecular natures such as hydrophobic alkyl chain length.     

Electrocatalytic activity of sol-gel-prepared RuO2/Ti anode in chlorine and oxygen evolution reactions

Electrocatalytic properties of RuO₂/Ti anode with different coating masses, which are prepared by the alkoxide sol-gel procedure, are investigated in chlorine and oxygen evolution reactions by polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in H₂SO₄ and NaCl electrolytes. According to polarization measurements, the activity of anodes at overpotentials below 100 mV is independent of coating mass. However, impedance measurements above 100 mV reveal changes in the activity of anodes in chlorine evolution reaction for different coating masses. The diffusion limitations related to the evolved chlorine are registered in low-frequency domain at 1.10 V (SCE), diminishing with the increase in potential to the 1.15 V (SCE). The observed impedance behavior is discussed with respect to the activity model for activated titanium anodes in chlorine evolution reaction involving formation of gas channels within porous coating structure. Gas channels enhance the mass transfer rate similarly to the forced convection, which also increases the activity of anode. This is more pronounced for the anode of greater coating mass due to its more compact surface structure. The more compact structure appears to be beneficial for gas channels formation. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 1173–1179. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Retention characteristics of organic compounds on molten salt and ionic liquid-based gas chromatography stationary phases

The interest of using ionic liquids (ILs) as stationary phases in gas chromatography (GC) has increased in recent years. This is largely due to the fact that new classes of ILs are being developed that are capable of satisfying many of the requirements of GC stationary phases. This review highlights the major requirements of GC stationary phases and describes how molten salts/ILs can be designed to largely meet these needs. The retention characteristics of organic solutes will be discussed for ammonium, pyridinium, and phosphonium-based molten salts followed by imidazolium, pyridinium, pyrollidinium, and phosphonium-based IL stationary phases. The versatility of ILs allows for the development of stationary phases based on dicationic ILs, polymeric ILs, and IL mixtures. To aid in choosing the appropriate IL stationary phase for a particular separation, the reader is guided through the different types of stationary phases available to identify those capable of providing the desired separation selectivity of organic solutes while allowing for flexibility in ranges of temperature used throughout the separation.     

Prediction of surface tension and surface concentration of binary refrigerant system (R290/R600a) at various temperatures and pressures

The surface tension of a binary refrigerant mixture of R290(propane: C₃H₈) and R600a(isobutane:i-C₄H₁₀) has been calculated by using critical constants (P_c, V_c and T_c) and acentric factor (ω) at three isotherms of 278 K, 300 K and 320 K over the pressure range from 187.7 to 1540.2 kPa. In this paper, new formalism has been made by using simple mixing rule for modifying the predictive models: Brock–Bird, Pitzer, Hakim et al., Bolotin, Sastri–Rao and Zuo–Stenby. On comparing the computed values of surface tension with experimental data, satisfactory results have been observed. The average absolute deviation (AAD) obtained from the comparison of experimental and calculated surface tension values for six models is less than 1.9%. Finally, in a new approach, the extended Langmuir model (EL) was used to finding more information about the surface structure and surface concentration of binary refrigerant mixtures.     

Interfacial and aggregation properties of some anionic/cationic surfactant binary systems II. Mixed micelle formation and surface tension reduction effectiveness

Mixed micelle formation and surface tension reduction effectiveness (γ_cmc) were investigated for the following systems: triethanolammonium dodecylpoly(oxyethylene)sulfate (TADPS, containing about two ethylene oxide units)/dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TADPS/hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and TADPS/hexadecylpyridinium chloride. For all these anionic/cationic systems, the mixed critical micelle concentration (cmc) values reflect a strong synergism in mixed micelle formation, with β^M values ranging from −13.8 to −18.3. The mixed micelle composition is mixing-ratio dependent and, for equimolar mixtures, the mixed micelle is richer in the surfactant with the lower cmc. Precipitation is inhibited to a certain extent, thanks to the presence of ethylene oxide groups in the anionic species. The conditions for synergism in γ_cmc, differently expressed in the literature, can be derived from the surface tension equations established in our previous article. They can be conveniently described by a few characteristic constants: Γ _i ^∞ (saturated Gibbs excess), K _i (constant in the Szyszkowski equation), the cmc of the individual surfactants and the interaction parameters, β^S and β^M, of their mixtures. Excellent agreement between theoretically predicted and experimental results is obtained. With the increase in surfactant chain length, the β^M values decrease faster than the β^S ones and this can result in the loss of synergism in γ_cmc. Received: 11 June 2000 Accepted: 4 September 2000     

Study of molecular interactions between lipids and proteins using dynamic surface tension measurements: a review

Molecular interactions between small molecules and proteins, such as binding of lipids to proteins, are of fundamental importance in various biological processes. A recently-developed method based on dynamic surface tension measurement is efficient and versatile in detecting such molecular interactions: Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis (ADSA) provides a tool for measuring the surface tension (γ) response to surface area changes. Through the analysis of the γ response pattern, surface competitive adsorption between small organic molecules and protein molecules can be detected. Surface squeeze-out of small molecules by proteins can also be observed. Molecular binding of lipids to proteins manifests itself in a modification of the γ response which is not compatible with a simple superposition of the two individual patterns. The specific binding can be studied in terms of dose effects and specificity.     

Effect of temperature on the surface tension of diluted aqueous solutions of 1,2-hexanediol, 1,5-hexanediol, 1,6-hexanediol and 2,5-hexanediol

Surface tension of aqueous solutions of 1,2-hexanediol (1,2HD), 1,5-hexanediol (1,5HD), 1,6-hexanediol (1,6HD), and 2,5-hexanediol (2,5HD) was measured as a function of composition using the method of capillary rise at 283.15, 288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15 K with emphasis in the very dilute region.     

Interfacial and micellar properties of some anionic/cationic binary surfactant systems. 1. Surface properties and prediction of surface tension

The surface tension equations of binary surfactant mixtures are established by combining the Szyszkowski equation for pure surfactant solutions and extended nonideal theory for mixed adsorption. They are then successfully applied to two relatively long-chain anionic/cationic binary surfactant systems: triethanolammonium dodecylpoly(oxyethylene)sulfate, as an anionic species (containing about 2 ethylene oxide units), mixed with dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide or hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The composition of the mixed monolayer is mixing-ratio dependent and is slightly asymmetric: for overall equimolar mixtures, the larger mole fraction in the mixed monolayer is that of the more surface-active ion. The strong synergetic effects observed in the surface tension reduction efficiency are reflected by large negative β^s parameters, according to regular solution theory. They can be interpreted by the more negative adsorption free energy of each surfactant and the smaller area occupied by surfactant hydrocarbon chains in the mixed monolayer. Received: 20 April 1998 /Accepted in revised form: 27 August 1999