Time and spectrally resolved fluorescence of Xe2 molecules excited with synchrotron radiation

Time and energy resolved fluorescence of Xe has been investigated using pulsed synchrotron radiation. The radiative lifetime of the relaxed Xe*₂ (I_u) and its collisional mixing with Xe*₂ (O⁺_u) are measured. Rate constants for molecular formation are deduced. Different steps of the reaction kinetics are isolated by using various excitation wavelengths.     

Time resolved infrared absorption studies of geminate recombination and vibrational relaxation in OClO photochemistry

Ultrafast time-resolved infrared absorption studies of aqueous chlorine dioxide (OClO) photochemistry are reported. Following photoexcitation at 401 nm, the evolution in optical density at frequencies between 1000 to 1100 cm(-1) is monitored to investigate vibrational energy deposition and relaxation along the asymmetric-stretch coordinate following the reformation of ground-state OClO via geminate recombination of the primary photofragments. The measured kinetics are compared to two proposed models for the vibrational-relaxation dynamics along the asymmetric-stretch coordinate. This comparison demonstrates that the perturbation model derived from molecular dynamics studies is capable of qualitatively reproducing the observed kinetics, where the collisional model employed in previous UV-pump, visible probe experiments demonstrates poor agreement with experiment. The ability of the perturbation model to reproduce the optical-density evolution observed in these studies demonstrates that for aqueous OClO, frequency dependence of the solvent-solute coupling is important in defining the level-dependent vibrational relaxation rates along the asymmetric-stretch coordinate. The absence of optical-density evolution corresponding to the population of higher vibrational levels (n>8) along the asymmetric-stretch coordinate suggests that following geminate recombination, energy is initially deposited into a local Cl-O stretch, with the relaxation of vibrational energy from this coordinate providing for delayed vibrational excitation of the asymmetric- and symmetric-stretch coordinates relative to geminate recombination, as previously observed.     

Time resolved resonance Raman studies on triplet excited state of 2-methoxy-naphthalene by photo-sensitization

We report on the resonance Raman spectrum of the triplet excited state of 2-methoxy-naphthalene (3ROMe) generated by benzophenone (BP) triplet sensitization. A comparison of the time resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectra of 3ROMe obtained by energy transfer with that of the spectrum obtained in the absence of BP reveals no change in vibrational frequencies due to weak charge transfer interaction, as expected for a triplet exciplex. It is observed from our computational studies and the experimental data that the unpaired electron in the * orbital of triplet state is more localized on the aromatic ring attached to the methoxy group.     

Time and spectrally resolved fluorescence of Cl*2 and ArCl* in Cl2 doped Ar Under state selective pulsed photoexcitation with synchrotron radiation

Synchrotron Radiation is used to selectively excite chlorine and Cl₂ doped argon in the VUV region. Stationary fluorescence and excitation spectra of the 1¹Σ _u ⁺ , 2¹Σ _u ⁺ and 2³Πg Cl ₂ ^* states and of the ArCl*(B?X) transition are obtained. The excitation threshold of ArCl*(B) in Ar/Cl₂ system is found to be 1,285±5 Å and that of ArCl(C) at ～1,260 Å. The formation of ArCl* and Cl*₂(2³Πg) is discussed in terms of recent potential curves data. A detailed time resolved study is reported which allows us to determine precisely the radiative lifetime of ArCl*(B) state (5.2 ns) and numerous kinetic parameters of this system, to estimate theC state energy and to discuss the relaxation and mixing process of the ArCl*(B) and (C) states. A two ladder multilevel kinetic model is described which accounts for the experimental results and shows the difficulty of studying this particular ArCl* system as compared to the closely related XeCl* and KrCl* ones.     

Time and temperature resolved X-ray diffraction for studies of solid state reactions and phase transitions

Three examples for the application of time and temperature resolved X-ray diffraction for the investigation of solid state reactions and phase transitions are given. Samples were submitted to an isothermal temperature program or to stepwise heating/cooling, while diffraction patterns were measured continuously. The applications include the in situ identification of reaction products or phases, the determination of kinetic parameters, the observation of thermal expansion and the formation of layers.     

Time resolved absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopic studies of the oxidation of benzidine in aqueous solution

We report a time resolved resonance Raman study of transient radicals produced in the pulse radiolytic oxidation of benzidine in aqueous solution. The intense and structured transient absorption in the 400–470 nm region, observed at microsecond times in the acidic medium, is attributed to the benzidine radical cation. The Raman spectrum, observed by excitation in resonance with this absorption, exhibits eight prominent bands which are assigned to planar phenyl vibrations. The ring breathing mode (v₁) at 844 cm^-1 is most highly resonance enhanced, indicating an overall expansion of the ring CC bonds in the excited state. The interring CC bond, with partial double bond character, is characterized by an intense (v₁₃) Raman band at 1335 cm^-1. The frequency of the in-phase v_7a CN stretching vibration is 1540 cm^-1. These frequencies and the presence of weak bands attributable to non-planar phenyl vibrations indicate the radical to be slightly non-planar. The pK_a for the proton loss from the radical cation is 10.87, four units higher than for the aniline radical cation. At high pH the observed transient has a broad and structureless absorption at ∽ 380 nm. It is identified from its resonance Raman features as the 4(4′aminophenyl)anilino radical formed by proton loss from the radical cation. The interring CC bond is characterized by a Raman band at 1292 cm^-1, indicating it to be a single bond. The structure of this neutral radical is highly nonplanar, with little conjugation between the two ring systems so that electronic excitation is primarily confined to the anilino moiety. The acidic and basic forms of the radical react rapidly in second order processes to produce products which absorb strongly at, respectively, 360 and 410 nm.     

Order and disorder effects in nano-ZrO(2) investigated by micro-Raman and spectrally and temporarily resolved photoluminescence

Pure and europium (Eu(3+)) doped ZrO(2) synthesized by an oil-in-water microemulsion reaction method were investigated by in situ and ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), ex situ Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. Based on the Raman spectra excited at three different wavelengths i.e. 488, 514 and 633 nm and measured in the spectral range of 150-4000 cm(-1) the correlation between the phonon spectra of ZrO(2) and luminescence of europium is clearly evidenced. The PL investigations span a variety of steady-state and time resolved measurements recorded either after direct excitation of the Eu(3+) f-f transitions or indirect excitation into UV charge-transfer bands. After annealing at 500 °C, the overall Eu(3+) emission is dominated by Eu(3+) located in tetragonal symmetry lattice sites with a crystal-field splitting of the (5)D(0)-(7)F(1) emission of 20 cm(-1). Annealing of ZrO(2) at 1000 °C leads to a superposition of Eu(3+) emissions from tetragonal and monoclinic lattice sites with monoclinic crystal-field splitting of 200 cm(-1) for the (5)D(0)-(7)F(1) transition. At all temperatures, a non-negligible amorphous/disordered content is also measured and determined to be of monoclinic nature. It was found that the evolutions with calcination temperature of the average PL lifetimes corresponding to europium emission in the tetragonal and monoclinic sites and the monoclinic phase content of the Eu(3+) doped ZrO(2) samples follow a similar trend. By use of specific excitation conditions, the distribution of europium on the amorphous/disordered surface or ordered/crystalline sites can be identified and related to the phase content of zirconia. The role of zirconia host as a sensitizer for the europium PL is also discussed in both tetragonal and monoclinic phases.     

Time resolved spectroscopy on Pigment Yellow 101 in solid state

The photochemistry of the fluorescent Pigment Yellow 101 (P.Y.101) in the crystalline phase is investigated combining time resolved vibrational and electronic spectroscopy. The experiments reveal a complex reaction dynamics spanning several orders of magnitude in time and including excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) from the initial trans-diol conformer. Following photoexcitation and the subsequent wavepacket motion out of the Franck–Condon region two tautomers, an excited trans-diol and trans-keto state are formed. The cis–trans isomerization of the keto form, which was experimentally observed and theoretically confirmed in DFT calculations in studies on P.Y.101 in solution is obstructed in the solid state, consequently the formation of the cis conformer is not directly observed. In addition, a long lived photoproduct with red shifted vibrational frequencies is identified. The life time of this intermediate is determined to be 50 μs, although an unambiguous assignment to a specific molecular configuration cannot be given at present.     

Time resolved infrared spectroscopy: kinetic studies of weakly binding ligands in an iron-iron hydrogenase model compound

Solution photochemistry of (μ-pdt)[Fe(CO)(3)](2) (pdt = μ(2)-S(CH(2))(3)S), a precursor model of the 2-Fe subsite of the H-cluster of the hydrogenase enzyme, has been studied using time-resolved infrared spectroscopy. Following the loss of CO, solvation of the Fe center by the weakly binding ligands cyclohexene, 3-hexyne, THF, and 2,3-dihydrofuran (DHF) occurred. Subsequent ligand substitution of these weakly bound ligands by pyridine or cyclooctene to afford a more stable complex was found to take place via a dissociative mechanism on a seconds time scale with activation parameters consistent with such a pathway. That is, the ΔS(?) values were positive and the ΔH(?) parameters closely agreed with bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) obtained from DFT calculations. For example, for cyclohexene replacement by pyridine, experimental ΔH(?) and ΔS(?) values were determined to be 19.7 ± 0.6 kcal/mol (versus a theoretical prediction of 19.8 kcal/mol) and 15 ± 2 eu, respectively. The ambidentate ligand 2,3-DHF was shown to initially bind to the iron center via its oxygen atom followed by an intramolecular rearrangement to the more stable η(2)-olefin bound species. DFT calculations revealed a transition state structure with the iron atom almost equidistant from the oxygen and one edge of the olefinic bond. The computed ΔH(?) of 10.7 kcal/mol for this isomerization process was found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 11.2 ± 0.3 kcal/mol.     

Basis sets for ab initio periodic Hartree—Fock studies of zeolite/adsorbate interactions: He,Ne, and Ar in silica sodalite

Silica sodalite is an ideal model system to establish base-line computer requirements of ab initio periodic Hartree-Fock (PHF) calculations of zeolites. In this article, we investigate the effect of various basis sets on the structural and electronic properties of bulk silica sodalite. We also study the interaction of He, Ne, and Ar with the sodalite cage. Our work shows that basis-set superposition errors (BSSE) in calculations using STO-3G and 6-21G(*) basis sets are as large as the interaction energies, leading to poor confidence in the results. To cure this problem, we present high-quality basis sets for Si, O. He, Ne, and Ar, optimized for use with PHF methods, and demonstrate that the new basis set greatly reduces BSSE. The theoretical barriers for transfer of the rare gases between sodalite cages are 5.6, 13.2, and 62.1 kcal/mol for He, Ne, and Ar. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synchrotron X-ray, photoluminescence, and quantum chemistry studies of bismuth-embedded dehydrated zeolite Y

For the first time, direct experimental evidence of the formation of monovalent Bi (i.e., Bi(+)) in zeolite Y is provided based on the analysis of high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. Photoluminescence results as well as quantum chemistry calculations suggest that the substructures of Bi(+) in the sodalite cages contribute to the ultrabroad near-infrared emission. These results not only enrich the well-established spectrum of optically active zeolites and deepen the understanding of bismuth related photophysical behaviors, but also may raise new possibilities for the design and synthesis of novel hybrid nanoporous photonic materials activated by other heavier p-block elements.     

Time resolved X-ray diffraction studies of electric field induced layer motion in a chevron geometry smectic A liquid crystal device

Small angle time-resolved X-ray diffraction was used to monitor the behaviour of the smectic layers during the electric field induced planar to homeotropic transition in a smectic A cell possessing a chevron layer geometry. The liquid crystal material used was S3, from Merck Ltd, and was sandwiched in a 15 mum parallel plate device. The main features of the transition are the cooperative rotation of layers and the creation of an asymmetric chevron structure during the early stages of switching. The time scale for the planar-to-homeotropic transition in the device is approximately 5 s, at a temperature of 3 C below the nematic-to-smectic A phase transition and for an applied electric field of 2 V mum -1 (rms).     

FTIR spectroscopic and computational studies on hydrogen adsorption on the zeolite Li-FER

The interaction, at a low temperature, between molecular hydrogen and the zeolite Li-FER was studied by means of variable temperature infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations using a periodic DFT model. The adsorbed dihydrogen molecule becomes infrared active, giving a characteristic IR absorption band (H-H stretching) at 4090 cm(-1). Three different Li(+) site types with respect to H(2) adsorption were found in the zeolite, two of which adsorb H(2). Calculations showed a similar interaction energy for these two sites, which was found to agree with the experimentally determined value of standard adsorption enthalpy of DeltaH(0) = -4.1 (+/-0.8) kJ mol(-1). The results are discussed in the broader context of previously reported data for H(2) adsorption on Na-FER and K-FER.     

Time resolved sulphur and nutrient distribution in Norway spruce drill cores using ICP-OES

Methods were developed for detailed dendrochemical studies of low sulphur contents in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.). This tree species is the dominant conifer species in Northern and Central Europe and therefore predestined for a possible use as an environmental archive. Two independent digestion procedures were investigated with respect to their suitability for element determination and optimised for analysis of the low sulphur content in wood. A modified oxygen bomb combustion procedure and a microwave acid digestion procedure were evaluated with the goal to obtain sufficient detection limits in order to access low concentrated non-metals with an appropriate time resolution. Method development included evaluation of strategies preventing losses of volatile sulphur species. Digestion efficiency was demonstrated by recovery rates for various certified plant standard reference materials (NIST 1572, NIST 1547, RM 8436, BCR 101, NIST 1515, RM 8436, NIST 1573, NIST 1575) as well as self prepared standards with defined low sulphur content of 20 to 200 mg kg^?1, which are typical for Norway spruce wood samples. Ultra sonic nebulisation (USN) was evaluated with respect to signal enhancement for sample introduction to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The optimised procedure was applied to Norway spruce drill cores from locations with different environmental conditions in Switzerland, in order to investigate the anthropogenic impact of sulphur and the suitability of Norway spruce as an environmental archive for sulphur.     

Time resolved exciton migration in mixed naphthalene crystals: triplet and singlet critical concentrations

The contrasting temporal characteristics of the triple and singlet transport (below 4 K) correlate with dynamic and quasistatic percolation, respectively. They do not support an Anderson—Mott transition (AMT) for the triplet nor an AMT followed by a kinetic threshold for the singlet critical concentration. The triplet decay-time displays the critical exponent γ.     

ESR and optical studies of cationic silver clusters in zeolite rho

Silver cationic clusters formed in γ-irradiated AgCs-rho zeolites in hydrated and dehydrated forms have been studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. It was found that tetrameric silver clusters, Ag ₄ ³⁺ in dehydrated zeolites and Ag ₄ ²⁺ in hydrated samples, are stabilized at room temperature. Tetrameric silver is trapped inside octagonal prism of zeolite framework and does not show any noticeable decay as far as samples are evacuated.     

First EXAFS studies on aurophilic interactions in solution

EXAFS has been used to directly show the existence of Au...Au interactions in dissolved Au(I) complexes for the first time; the information has been used to understand the optical properties of these materials.     

Theoretical studies on the S-N interactions in sulfoximine

The potential energy surface of sulfoximines has been searched using ab initio MO and Density Functional Calculations. The electronic structures of the isomers of sulfoximine have been studied using HF/6-31+G*, MP2(full)/6-31+G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels. Final energies of these molecules have been calculated at the high accuracy G2 and CBS-Q levels. Though a formal SN double bond is generally considered between sulfur and nitrogen in these systems, theoretical studies do not show any π interaction between them. S-N rotational barriers, bond dissociation energies, atomic charge analysis, and NBO analysis all indicate only a single bond across S-N with a very strong ionic interaction.     

Electrokinetic separation of charged macromolecules in nanochannels within the continuum regime: effects of wall interactions and hydrodynamic confinements

In this paper, a detailed continuum-based theoretical model is proposed to investigate the effects of near-wall potentials and hydrodynamic confinement on separation of charged macromolecules in channels of nanoscale dimensions. These wall effects are primarily confined within a few nanometers from the channel wall, and hence have negligible influences in the conventional electrokinetic separation methods that are routinely performed in microchannels. However, in nanochannels, their zone of influence becomes significant in comparison to the channel height, thereby inducing certain nontrivial effects on the resultant separation characteristics. By executing a regular perturbation analysis, it is established that depending on the macromolecular size relative to the channel height and the extent of electrical double layer (EDL) interactions, the wall forces decide the speed of traverse and the extent of spreading (dispersion) of the macromolecular bands. These factors combine together to finally decide the separation characteristics (quantified by the resolution of separation) of the charged macromolecules in nanochannels. It is demonstrated that because of the near-wall effects, macromolecular pairs with less disparities in sizes give rise to higher values of resolution. Moreover, the wall-induced influences are shown to magnify the resolution for any given pair of macromolecules in the nanofluidic systems, thereby signifying greater separation efficiency.     

Conversion of ethanol on HZSM-5 modified zeolite, according to data from in situ spectrokinetic studies

The conversion of ethanol on zeolite catalysts is studied spectrokinetically in situ. Ethoxy groups and polyene structures (compaction products) are found to be key intermediates on the studied catalysts under reaction conditions. Ethoxy groups are shown to convert into diethyl ether by a bimolecular mechanism at relatively low temperatures in the presence of ethanol in the gas phase. The character of the conversion of ethoxy groups is found to change at temperatures above 200°C: they become a source for the formation of surface polyene structures, which in turn are converted into a complex combination of hydrocarbons.