Observation of the matrix effect due to the electron transfer in laser ablation plasma

We investigate the so-called “matrix effect” on the relative intensities of ions in mixed solutions of alkali salts by using femtosecond laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (fsLA-TOFMS). For the 1:1 mixed solution of sodium and potassium salts, the intensity ratio of cations (Na⁺/K⁺) decreases as the total concentration increases. From the measurement for the mixed solution of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium solutions, we find out significant dependence of each ion intensity on the total concentration. The results suggest that the electron transfer from neutral atoms to cations coexistent in the ablation plasma affects the relative ion intensities observed with TOFMS when the total ion concentration is high.     

Na<Superscript>+</Superscript>/K<Superscript>+</Superscript> selectivity in the formation of ion pairs in aqueous solutions

The integral equations of liquids (RISM) and molecular dynamics method were used to calculate the mean force potential for the SO₃ and COO hydrophilic groups and the CH₃ hydrophobic group in the acetate, methyl sulfonate, and hydrosulfate anions, which form ion pairs with sodium and potassium cations in water. The carboxyl group selectively binds sodium ions from solutions containing Na⁺ and K⁺ ions, in spite of their equal charges, because the potassium ion experiences stronger steric hindrances near this group compared with sodium. The biophysical consequences of the revealed selectivity are discussed.     

Infrared intensities of ion-water interactions in aqueous electrolyte solutions

The i.r. absorption intensities have been measured of the fundamental vibrations of water molecules in metal halide aqueous solutions. Pseudo-isosbestic points were observed in the regions of both the stretching and bending vibrations and interpreted in terms of two states of water molecules in the solutions. The intensities of the stretching vibrations of water molecules coordinated to the dissolved ions have been estimated. The intensities become stronger in the order, Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ for the cations and F^- > Cl^- > Br^- > I^- for the anions. These orders are consistent with the strengths of the ion-water interactions, which are related to the dynamical behavior of the water molecules in the primary hydration shell.     

Determination of the Association Constants of Macrocyclic Ethers by the Aid of 13C Dipole-dipole Relaxation Time Measurements. I.,: Li+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ complexes of 1,4,7,10-tetraoxacyclododecane

Abstract

The association constants of Li⁺, Ca⁺² and Mg⁺² ions complexing with 1, 4, 7, 10-tetraoxcyclododecane in DHO were determined by the aid of ¹³C dipole-dipole relaxation time measurements. To obtain the K_a, association constant, the T^O ₁ values of the stoichiometric complex solutions and the T₁₀ of the free molecules were applied to the equation derived, 1/K_a· A_o + 2 = 1/P + P, for the 1:1 ratio of the complexing and to the equation 1/2K_a·A_o + 3/2 = P + 1/2P for the 1:2 ratio of the complexing where P, is molar ratio of the crown complexed ions.

Accordingly we found that the binding ability of the macrocyclic ether towards to the cations is in the following order of Li⁺ < Mg⁺² ? Ca⁺² in DHO solutions.     

Librational spectra of pure and CCl4 diluted acetone measured by inelastic neutron scattering

Inelastic neutron scattering spectra of matrix-isolated and bulk acetone are reported. Acetone in frozen CCl₄ solutions shows a doubly split transition at 122 and 140 cm^–1, which is assigned to the methyl torsions of isolated individual molecules. In bulk acetone four peaks in the region of torsional transitions between 100 and 184 cm^–1 can be distinguished from low-lying phonons at 34, 51 and 70 cm^–1. The torsions are tentatively assigned to the methyl groups of coupled dimers of equivalent molecules in crystalline acetone. After co-condensation with argon and evaporation of the rare gas a highly perturbed metastable acetone solid is observed.-All assignments are based on the isotopic shifts observed in CD₃COCD₃. It is shown that the observed positions and splittings of the librations in bulk acetone are then consistent with the librations in bulk acetone are then consistent with the occurence of just one single tunnel transition at 96 MHz reported in [1].     

The role of potassium ions in the degradation of sodium β/β″-alumina

Fracture mechanics and radiographic experiments were undertaken to determine the role of K⁺ impurity in electrolyte degradation during Na⁺ electrolysis through Na β/β″ -Al₂O₃. The results indicate that potassium ions enhance the degradation. Radiographic results indicate that for current densities of ∽ 1 A cm⁻², K⁺ is reduced and precipitates in the ceramic microstructure. Spontaneous fracture of samples during electrolysis at high current densities was observed.     

Thermoluminescence and opitical absorption of BaF2 crystals

Abstract

Nominally pure and Dy-doped BaF₂ crystals were investigated concerning their optical absorption (OA) and thermoluminescence (TL) properties. Peaks at 120—150 and 200°C were observed for a heating rate of 1.7°C/s. The TL response for γ-rays and the TL emission spectra were obtained for these peaks. Except for the purest crystal, all BaF₂ crystals produced OA bands before irradiation typical of Ce³⁺ ions. After irradiation, Dy doped crystals showed bands due to Dy²⁺ ions. A nominally pure sample gave bands related to Ce²⁺ ions and photochromic centers of Ce³⁺ ions. and photochromic centres of Ce³⁺ ions. The correlation between some OA bands and TL peaks is discussed.     

Study of potassium-zinc borophosphate glasses

Potassium-zinc borophosphate glasses were prepared and studied in two compositional series xK₂O-(50−x)ZnO-10B₂O₃-40P₂O₅ and xK₂O-(50−x)ZnO-20B₂O₃-30P₂O₅ with x=0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mol% K₂O. The replacement of zinc by potassium decreases the density and increases the molar volume of these glasses, whereas glass transition temperature and chemical durability decrease with increasing potassium content. Structural changes were studied by ¹¹B and ³¹P MAS NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The observed changes in the spectra and the properties of the studied glasses can be ascribed to several reasons and namely to the differences in the space occupied by cations Zn²⁺ and 2K⁺, the differences in the electronegativity of zinc and potassium and a large difference in the field strength of Zn²⁺ and K⁺ cations and thus higher ionicity of K-O bonds in comparison with Zn-O bonds.     

Microhardness studies on melt-grown single-phase mixed (NaK)Cl and solution-grown two-phase NaClKCl crystals

Microhardness studies were carried out on melt-grown (NaK)Cl crystals. The quenching strains and the difference in the ionic sizes of the cations constituting the mixed system introduced large numbers of defects, viz. dislocations, grain boundaries, etc. The etching experiments and supplementary X-ray studies clearly revealed that the Na⁺ or K⁺ ions are precipitated at the dislocation sites. These phase particles strongly interact with dislocations so as to obstruct the mobility of the latter contributing to the hardening mechanism. Results are compared with solution-grown two-phase mixed NaClKCl pure NaCl and pure KCl crystals.     

Fragmentation Study of Globularin Through Positive and Negative ESI/MS,CID/MS,and Tandem MS/MS

Abstract

The structure of globularin was studied by a mass spectrometric methodology based on the combined use of positive and negative electrospray ionization, collision‐induced dissociation (CID), and tandem mass spectrometry. The mass spectrometry investigation was achieved through in‐source fragmentation of the deprotonated [M?H]^?, protonated [M+H]⁺, lithiated [M+Li]⁺, sodiated [M+Na]⁺, and potassium‐cationized [M+K]⁺ ions. This allowed collision‐induced dissociation spectra of the ionized molecular ions to be obtained to give valuable structural information regarding the nature of both the glycoside and the aglycone moieties and the effect of metal cationization on the CID spectra. Glycosidic fission and ring cleavages of both aglycone and sugar moieties were the major fragmentation pathways observed during collision‐induced dissociation, where the losses of small molecules, the cinnamoyl and the cinnamate parts were also observed. Alkali metal cationization offers additional fragmentation pathways involving cross rings cleavage under CID conditions. Unlike the dissociation of protonated molecular ions, that of metal‐cationized molecules also provides sugar fragments where the C₀ ⁺ fragment corresponding with the glucose ion was obtained as a major daughter peak for all the studied compounds. Even with low abundance, fragment ions coordinated to K⁺ were also observed from [M+K]⁺.     

Temperature effects on the diffusion of water and monovalent counterions in the hydrated montmorillonite

We investigate here the effect of temperature on the diffusion of water and cations in the Wyoming-type montmorillonite clay. The considered cations are monovalent compensating ions, such as Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ in one-, two- and three-hydration states. For this purpose, molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to obtain the dynamic behaviour regarding the interlayer ions and water molecules under a temperature range between 260 and 400 K. The diffusion coefficient of water and cations in different hydrated clays increases with temperature. The influence of temperature on the diffusion of water is much greater than that of cations in one-, two- or three-hydrated clay. The degree of hydration plays an important role on the diffusion behaviour of water and counterions. We found that the effect of temperature is negligible in weakly hydrated clay, whereas it became significant in highly hydrated one. Besides, the size and mass of cations’ hydrate also affect the diffusion behaviour of water and cations in the interlayer space of hydrated clay.     

Local structure analysis of YSZ by Y-89 MAS-NMR

The local coordination structure around Yttrium ions in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been investigated by ⁸⁹Y MAS-NMR. The NMR spectrum showed multiple peaks corresponding to yttrium ions in different coordination numbers. The compositional dependence of spectra was observed. Yttrium ions of different oxygen coordination number were quantified. The oxygen vacancy concentration around the cations was determined. It was found that the vacancies were distributed around Zirconium ions in lower Y₂O₃ concentrations, and the vacancy concentration located to Yttrium began increasing at concentrations above 10 mol% Y₂O₃. The local structure change was able to be directly observed by ⁸⁹Y NMR measurements.     

Optical and electrical properties of some sulphates doped with cobalt

Doubly ionized cobalt ion which has a ⁴F ground state exhibits several optical bands in orthorhombic sulphates. In view of the low symmetry, many degenerate states split and at low temperature (77°K) well resolved bands have been observed which enable the detailed calculation of the crystal field parameters in orthorhombic symmetry.Electrical conductivity measurements in pure potassium and ammonium sulphates show only the extrinsic unassociated region while in cobalt doped crystals, extrinsic as well as association regions are observed. Three distinct regions with slopes 0·86, 1·2 and 0·5 eV are obtained in cobalt doped K₂SO₄.X-irradiated pure crystals give two prominent bands at 2200 and 3300 Å which are attributed to SO₃^? and SO₂^?. Divalent cobalt doped crystals give additional bands at 2100 and 3100 Å. These bands are attributed to Co⁺ in different surroundings. Three ESR lines with ‘g’ values 2·042, 2·02 and 2·004 are obtained in support of the assignments.     

Gram-Schmidt Orthogonalization and Elimination of the Effect of Unwanted Component Spectra Applied to a Biological Mid-infrared Spectra Collection

Abstract

Near Infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is the most widely used technique for the analysis of major biochemical constituents in food products. The Mid-infrared range spectroscopy is also being more and more studied in the field of food analysis. This range was primarily applied to qualitative analysis of food components, but with the advent of new techniques such as Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) together with the possibility of combination with powerful micro-computers, MIR is now more and more used for quantitative analysis.

In addition to baseline deformations, interference by unwanted compounds are major sources of problems that are encountered in analyses.

We have previously proposed (Cadet et al., 1991) the use of multidimensional statistical analysis combined with Mid-FTIR spectroscopy for the prediction of sucrose concentrations in biological solutions containing three sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose.

In this paper, a least-squares method has been used to assess the elimination of the component spectra associated to the fructose (the unwanted components were first orthogonal zed and normalized by the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization method). This procedure permitted the automatic subtraction of discriminant spectral patterns representative of fructose concentration before application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Principal Component Regression (PCR). PCA was applied independently before and after spectral correction of the collections. It is found that when the factorial maps obtained before and after correction are compared, the elimination procedure improves significantly the classification of solutions according to their sucrose content. However the bias and standard deviation (SD) values that are associated with the sucrose content predicted values are not influenced by the correction method used: bias and SD are 3.62×10^?2 and 3.097×10^?1 before correction and after correction they were respectively 3.60×10^?2 and 3.104×10^?1. This could be explained by the fact that the presence of fructose in solution does not interfere with caracteristic absorption bands of sucrose and that sucrose and fructose concentrations are strongly correlated. The absorbtions bands of the spectral representation of the principal component, which is identified to be that associated with sucrose, are identical before and after correction.     

Spectroscopic Study of Some Alkali and Alkaline Earth Complexes with Benzo Crown Ethers in Ethanol Solution

The interaction between Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions and benzo crown ethers B15C5, DB18C6, DB21C7, DB24C8 and DB30C10 in ethanol solution has been studied spectrophotometrically at 25°C. The formation constants for 1:1 complexes were determined by computer fitting of the resulting UV-absorbance-mole ratio data. In the case of all crown ethers used, K⁺ ion was found to form the most stable complexes. The observed selectivities of different benzo crowns for the cations used are discussed in terms of the cavity-cation size ratio, number of the donating oxygens participating in the cation binding, conformations of the free and complexed ligands and ionic solvation.     

金刚石压腔结合拉曼光谱技术进行Pb掺杂对二氧化锡高压结构性能的影响研究

因稳定的分子结构和物理化学性质,近年来SnO2在光、电、磁等方面应用日益广泛。为拓宽SnO2应用范围,对高压条件下纯SnO2和Pb掺杂SnO2结构的相变行为和拉曼光谱活性振动模的变化进行了探究。实验采用水热法制备了纯SnO2和Pb掺杂量为10%的SnO2样品。扫描电子显微镜(SEM)图表明,上述制备样品由多个纳米棒从中心发散排列而成,整体成类花状。X射线衍射图谱表明,样品在常温常压下晶体结构为四方金红石型SnO2(空间群P 42)。采用Mao-Bell型金刚石压腔结合原位拉曼光谱探究了金红石型SnO2和Pb掺杂SnO2两种材料的高压相变过程。研究结果显示,两种材料加压至26 GPa过程中,纯SnO2和Pb掺杂的SnO2的活性拉曼振动模(B 1g,E g,A2g,B2g)均向高频移动。在14 GPa时,纯SnO2的E g峰分裂,563 cm-1处出现新峰,表明SnO2从常压四方金红石型结构向CaCl2型结构相变。Pb掺杂SnO2在常压拉曼谱图中出现了577 cm-1的拉曼峰。当加压至13 GPa时,B1g振动模向A g模转变,材料发生一级相变。上述对比表明Pb掺杂的SnO2具有更低的一级相变压力点13 GPa,结果归因于SnO2晶胞中Pb离子代替Sn离子,原子之间间距变小,离子大小不同造成掺杂后价态差异表面缺陷,导致SnO2结构稳定性降低,进而降低了相变压力。此外Pb掺杂SnO2在压力12 GPa时,晶体的对称性降低,577cm-1和639cm-1处特征峰宽化开始合并成包状峰,表明有部分晶体表面原子无序性程度增加,出现晶体向非晶的转变过程。继续加压至26 GPa,两种材料特征峰渐渐消失,并未观测到其他特征峰的出现。非静水压对相变压力也存在一定程度影响。非静水压条件下部分晶体更易趋向于非晶,晶界处存在较大的应力使纳米晶体在晶界处极易形成高压相成核点,导致相变发生,进而降低相变压力。本文研究不同条件下SnO2的相变行为,丰富了极端条件下SnO2的物理化学性质的多样性研究。     

Rietveld refinements and vibrational spectroscopic studies of Na1−xKxPb4(PO4)3 lacunar apatites (0≤x≤1)

Synthesis of apatites, Na_1−xK_xPb₄(PO₄)₃ 0≤x≤1, with anion vacancy was carried out using solid state reactions. The solid solution of apatite-type structure crystallizes in the hexagonal system, space group P6₃/m (No 176). Rietveld refinements showed that 75% of Pb²⁺ cations are located in the (6h) sites; the ninefold coordination sites (4f) are equally occupied by the other 25% lead cations and the K⁺ and Na⁺ monovalent ions.The structure can be described as built up from [PO₄]³⁻ tetrahedra and Pb²⁺ of sixfold coordination cavities (6h positions), which delimit void hexagonal tunnels running along [0 0 1]. These tunnels are connected by cations of mixed sites (4f) half occupied by Pb²⁺ and half by Na⁺/K⁺ mixed cations. The assignment of the observed frequencies in the Raman and infrared spectra is discussed on the basis of a unit cell group analysis and by comparison with other apatites. The Raman modes of all the compositions show some linear shifts of the frequencies as a function of the composition toward lower values due the substitutions of Na⁺ by K⁺ with a larger radius.     

INDIRECT METAL ION (K+, NA+, MG2+, AND CA2+) QUANTIFICATION FROM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we report the use of Mid-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with Partial Least Squares method for the quantitative determination of various alkaline and alkaline earth metals in aqueous solution owing to their interactions with sucrose. First of all, prediction equations that linked cation concentration to the spectral data were established independently for each ion (K⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺): very high correlation coefficient values between the two first axes and the chemical values were obtained. Moreover, a good prediction could be made whatever the nature of ion involved in interaction with sucrose. Then, all spectral data have been gathered for generating a common prediction equation. In this case, the predictions of metal ion concentration are almost as much accurate. For both regression models, Mg²⁺ appears to provide the best precision in quantification. Nevertheless, the different types of aqueous solution, regarding to ions, can be discriminated on the basis of their spectral data set up with the three mostly correlated axes of the PCA.     

Dependence of photovoltaic parameters on the size of cations adsorbed by TiO2 photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells

The effects of “pre-adsorbed cations” in photoanodes on the performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were studied using two different size cations (K⁺ and guanidine cation (G⁺)). While the DSSCs with optimized K⁺ ions pre-adsorbed photoanodes showed a maximum efficiency of 7.04%, the DSSCs with G⁺ ions pre-adsorbed photoanodes showed an efficiency of 6.73%. DSSCs fabricated with conventional photanodes (without pre-cation adsorption) showed an efficiency of 6.21%. Differences in efficiencies are very likely due to the cation pre-adsorption effects and could be due to a higher number of K⁺ cation adsorption per unit area of TiO₂ surface of the photoanode compared to a smaller number of G⁺ cation adsorption in TiO₂, due to their difference in sizes. This pre-cation adsorption technique can be used to improve the overall efficiency of a DSSC by about 14% fold over the conventional photoanodes use in DSSCs, specially using smaller cations.

     

Electronic excitations in ZnWO4 and ZnxNi1?xWO4 (x = 0.1 ? 0.9) using VUV synchrotron radiation

The photoluminescence spectra and luminescence excitation spectra of pure microcrystalline and nano-sized ZnWO₄ as well as the Zn _x Ni_1−x WO₄ solid solutions were studied using vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation. The samples were also characterized by x-ray powder diffraction. We found that: (i) the shape of the photoluminescence band at 2.5 eV, being due to radiative electron transitions within the [WO₆]⁶⁻ anions, becomes modulated by the optical absorption of Ni²⁺ ions in the Zn _x Ni_1−x WO₄ solid solutions; and (ii) no significant change in the excitation spectra of Zn_0.9Ni_0.1WO₄ is observed compared to pure ZnWO₄. At the same time, a shift of the excitonic bands to smaller energies and a set of peaks, attributed to the one-electron transitions from the top of the valence band to quasi-localized states, were observed in the excitation spectrum of nano-sized ZnWO₄.