Catalytic performance and characterization of Ni-CaO-ZrO2 catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Ni-CaO-ZrO₂ catalysts for CO₂ reforming of CH₄ were prepared by either co-precipitation or impregnation and characterized by means of N₂ adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature programmed (TP) techniques. It was found that the preparation procedure greatly influenced the physicochemical properties of catalysts, such as morphology, phase and surface structure. As a result, their activity in CO₂ reforming of CH₄ was determined by the dispersion of Ni and the co-precipitated catalysts showed a better stability. Furthermore, CO₂-TPD and transient pulse experiments suggested that the carbon formed over two co-precipitated catalysts was eliminated by different mechanisms, and redox properties and strong basicity were believed to be the key factor for the stability, respectively.     

Effect of phase transformation on optical and dielectric properties of zirconium oxide nanoparticles

Zirconium oxide nanoparticle (ZrO₂) is synthesized by the hydrothermal method at different calcination temperatures. The structural analysis is carried out by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra. The sample prepared at 400 °C and 1100 °C showed the cubic and monoclinic phase, respectively, and the sample calcined at 600 °C and 800 °C showed the mixed phase with co-existence of cubic and monoclinic phases. Furthermore, the morphology and particle size of these samples were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The band gap estimated from UV–Vis spectra of ZrO₂ (zirconia) nanocrystalline materials calcined at different temperatures from 400 °C to 1100 °C was in the range of 2.6–4.2 eV. The frequency dependence of dielectric constant and dielectric loss was investigated at room temperature. The low frequency region of dielectric constant is attributed to space charge effects.     

Surface chemistry and catalytic activity of Ni/Al2O3 irradiated with high-energy electron beam

The radiation effects induced effects by electron beam (EB) treatment on the catalytic activity of Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ were studied for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane with different EB energy and absorbed radiation dose. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to determine the change in structure and surface states of Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst before and after the EB treatment. Higher energy EB treatment is useful for increasing the proportion of the active sites (such as Ni⁰ and NiAl₂O₄-phase) on the surface. The increase of Ni/Al-ratio indicates that the Ni dispersion on the surface increased with the EB-treatment, resulting in an increase of the active sites, which leads to improving the catalytic activity. XPS measurement also showed a decrease of the surface carbon with EB dose. The maximum 20% increase in the conversion of CO₂/CH₄-mixture into CO/H₂ gas was observed for the catalyst treated with 2 MeV energy and 600 kGy dose of EB relative to untreated.     

表面桥氧空位对甲醛在二氧化钛表面吸附的影响

Oxygen vacancy (O_v) has significant influence on physical and chemical properties of TiO₂ systems,especially on surface catalytic processes.In this work,we investigate the effects of O v on the adsorption of formaldehyde (HCHO) on TiO₂(110) surfaces through firstprinciples calculations.With the existence of O_v,we find the spatial distribution of surface excess charge can change the relative stability of various adsorption configurations.In this case,the bidentate adsorption at five-coordinated Ti (Ti_5c) can be less stable than the monodentate adsorption.And HCHO adsorbed in O_v becomes the most stable structure.These results are in good agreement with experimental observations,which reconcile the long-standing deviation between the theoretical prediction and experimental results.This work brings insights into how the excess charge affects the molecule adsorption on metal oxide surface.     

DFT study on coupling reaction of carbon dioxide with ethylene oxide catalyzed by 1,4,6-triaza-bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-enium bromide (TBO.HBr)

ABSTRACT

Chemical fixation of CO₂ with epoxides catalyzed by organic-base salts were found to be efficient among the various catalysts tested due to synergetic effects of HBDs and halide-ions for ring-opening. In this study, 1,4,6-Triaza–bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-enium bromide catalyzed conversion of CO₂ and epoxide into cyclic-carbonate has been studied by using DFT method to understand the reaction mechanism and the catalytic performance of TBO.HBr. Two hypothetical reaction mechanisms were proposed for the coupling reaction. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were computed for each steps to determine the more favorable route. Mechanism II is more favorable path whereby Br^- ion first interacts with epoxide to form bromo-alcohol, which directed to form carbonate-ion and finally ring-closure step yielded cyclic-carbonate with catalyst-regeneration. Cyclization step is rate-determining step with reaction barrier of 22.696?kcal/mol in gas phase. Ensuing the favorable mechanism, solvent-effects on the reaction barrier has been investigated using water and THF. Mechanism II is still more favorable reaction path in both THF and water. However, the rate-determining step is found to be ring-opening of the epoxide with reaction barrier of 22.658?kcal/mol (wate) and 21.969?kcal/mol (THF). In this study, TBO.HBr exhibited good catalytic activity for the title reaction investigated in both gas phase and solvents.     

Implication of the role of oxygen anions and oxygen vacancies for methanol decomposition over zirconia supported copper catalysts

The interaction of methanol with Cu, monoclinic ZrO₂, and Cu/m-ZrO₂ catalysts has been investigated by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and reaction (TPRS) with the aim of understanding the nature of the surface sites and the mechanism involved in methanol decomposition. A synergetic effect has been detected since the combination of copper and ZrO₂ significantly facilitates the methanol decomposition with the facile evolution of H₂ and CO species at much lower desorption temperature. In conjunction with DRIFTS and H₂-TPD measurements of the Cu/ZrO₂ sample reduced at elevated temperatures, methanol decomposition over Cu/ZrO₂ is suggested to occur primarily on ZrO₂ with the aid of the presence of oxygen anions and oxygen vacancies generated by species-spillover between copper and zirconia. The interface between copper and zirconia is also evidenced to be crucial to the decomposition of methanol, with the main role of metallic Cu being to provide sites for H₂ removal by efficiently recombining the hydrogen atoms formed during the dehydrogenation of species located on zirconia.     

The effect of flux materials on the physical and optical properties of Eu-activated yttrium oxide phosphors

A flux fusion method was used to obtain the various sizes of Eu³⁺-activated Y₂O₃ red phosphors. The flux material was selected as an independent variable to control the physical properties of phosphor particles and their effects on the morphology and size distribution of phosphors were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The concentration of the flux materials and synthetic temperature were optimized for maximal photoluminescence intensity. Fluoride-based flux materials were found to work for the crystal formation of Eu³⁺-activated Y₂O₃. In particular, when a BaF₂ flux was used during the reaction at 1450 °C for 3 h, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of Eu³⁺-activated Y₂O₃ was 25% higher than that without a flux and spherical phosphors had a mean particle size of 4-5 μm. The morphology and size distribution of the synthesized Eu³⁺-activated Y₂O₃ phosphor were predominantly dependent upon the type and concentration of flux material and synthetic temperature.     

Effect of O-vacancy defects on the Schottky barrier heights in Ni/SiO2 and Ni/HfO2 interfaces

We perform first-principles density functional calculations to study the electronic structure of Ni/HfO₂ and Ni/SiO₂ interfaces and the effect of O-vacancy (V_O) defects on the Schottky barrier height and the effective work function. We generate two interface models in which Ni is placed on O-terminated HfO₂ (1 0 0) and α-quartz (1 0 0) surfaces. As the concentration of V_O defects at the interface increases, the p-type Schottky barrier height tends to increase in the Ni/HfO₂ interface, due to the reduction of interface dipoles, whereas it is less affected in the Ni/SiO₂ interface.     

Catalytic effect of water,water dimer,water trimer,HCOOH, H2SO4, CH3CH2COOH and HN(NO2)2 on the isomerisation of HN(NO2)2 to O2NNN(O)OH: a mechanism study

In this article, the isomerisation mechanisms of HN(NO₂)₂ to O₂NNN(O)OH without and with catalyst X (X = H₂O, (H₂O)₂, (H₂O)₃, HCOOH, H₂SO₄, CH₃CH₂COOH and HN(NO₂)₂) have been investigated theoretically at the CBS-QB3 level of theory. Our results show that the catalyst X (X = H₂O, (H₂O)₂, (H₂O)₃, HCOOH, H₂SO₄ and CH₃CH₂COOH) shows different positive catalytic effects on reducing the apparent activation energy of the isomerisation reaction processes. Such different catalytic effects are mainly related to the number of hydrogen bonds and the size of the ring structure in X (X = H₂O, (H₂O)₂ and (H₂O)₃)-assisted transition states, as well as different values of pK_a for H₂SO₄, HCOOH and CH₃CH₂COOH. Very interesting is also the fact that H₂SO₄-assisted reaction is the most favourable for the hydrogen transfer from HN(NO₂)₂ to O₂NNN(O)OH, due to the smallest pK_a (?3.0) value of H₂SO₄ than H₂O, HCOOH, H₂SO₄ and CH₃CH₂COOH, and also because of the largest ∠X???H???Y (the angle between the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor) involved in H₂SO₄-assisted transition state. Compared to the self-catalysis of the isomerisation mechanisms of HN(NO₂)₂ to O₂NNN(O)OH, the apparent activation energy of H₂SO₄-assisted channel also reduces by 9.6 kcal?mol^?1, indicating that H₂SO₄ can affect the isomerisation of HN(NO₂)₂ to O₂NNN(O)OH, most obvious among all the catalysts H₂O, (H₂O)₂, (H₂O)₃, HCOOH, H₂SO₄, CH₃CH₂COOH and HN(NO₂)₂.     

Measurement and computations for temperature dependences of self-broadened carbon dioxide transitions in the 30012←00001 and 30013←00001 bands

Using a Fourier transform spectrometer setup we have measured the self-broadened half width, pressure shift, and line asymmetry coefficients for transitions in the 30012←00001 and 30013←00001 vibrational bands of carbon dioxide for four different temperatures. A total of 46 pure CO₂ spectra were recorded at 0.008 and 0.009 cm⁻¹ resolution and at pressures varying from a few Torr to nearly an atmosphere. The individual spectral line profiles have been fitted by a Voigt profile and a speed-dependent Voigt profile, to which we have added dispersion profiles to account for weak line mixing. A comparison of the sets of results obtained for each band showed no vibrational dependence of the broadening coefficients. The self-broadening and self-shift coefficients are compared to semiclassical calculations based on the Robert-Bonamy formalism and were found to be in good agreement. The line asymmetry results are compared to line mixing calculations based on the Energy Corrected Sudden (ECS) and Exponential Power Gap models.     

The Effect of Supercritical CO2 on the Macromolecules Parallel Conformation and Its Relation to the Electrical Conductivity and Dielectric Behavior of Epichlorohydrin Terpolymer

The effect of supercritical CO₂ on the electrical conductivity of poly(epichlorohydrin–Ethylene oxide–Allyl glycidal ether) terpolymer is investigated using dielectric spectroscopy. Impedance measurements were carried out in the frequency range from 100–10 MHz and the temperature range of ?35–70°C with intervals of 5°C. The experimental results of the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss were fitted with the Cole–Cole equation to obtain the maximum relaxation frequencies of the different relaxation processes. As a result of the CO₂ treatment process, enhancement in the polymer chain mobility without noteworthy change in the glass transition temperature was determined. In addition, the level of the DC conductivity and the dielectric strength were increased. These effects were attributed to improvement in the chain dynamics, which arises from enhancement in the parallel conformation of macromolecules.     

The effect of Si surface nitridation on the interfacial structure and electrical properties of (La2O3)0.5(SiO2)0.5 high-k gate dielectric films

Thermal stability, interfacial structures and electrical properties of amorphous (La₂O₃)_0.5(SiO₂)_0.5 (LSO) films deposited by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on Si (1 0 0) and NH₃ nitrided Si (1 0 0) substrates were comparatively investigated. The LSO films keep the amorphous state up to a high annealing temperature of 900 °C. HRTEM observations and XPS analyses showed that the surface nitridation of silicon wafer using NH₃ can result in the formation of the passivation layer, which effectively suppresses the excessive growth of the interfacial layer between LSO film and silicon wafer after high-temperature annealing process. The Pt/LSO/nitrided Si capacitors annealed at high temperature exhibit smaller CET and EOT, a less flatband voltage shift, a negligible hysteresis loop, a smaller equivalent dielectric charge density, and a much lower gate leakage current density as compared with that of the Pt/LSO/Si capacitors without Si surface nitridation.     

N2- and O2-broadening of CO2 for the (301)III ← (000) band at 6231 cm

The N₂- and O₂-broadening effect have been investigated for 10 absorption lines of the CO₂ (30⁰1)_III ← (00⁰0) band centered at 6231 cm⁻¹, in the range from P(28) to R(28) by a near-infrared diode-laser spectrometer. We have analyzed the observed line profiles with the Galatry function, and determined the N₂- and O₂-broadening coefficients precisely. The air-broadening coefficients for these lines have been derived. The present results are compared with those of the previous studies for this band and with some of the other bands.     

First-principles calculations for the elastic properties of Ni-base model superalloys: Ni/Ni3Al multilayers

A model system consisting of Ni[001](100)/Ni3Al[001](100) multi-layers are studied using the density functional theory in order to explore the elastic properties of single crystal Ni-based superalloys. Simulation results are consistent with the experimental observation that rafted Ni-base superalloys virtually possess a cubic symmetry. The convergence of the elastic properties with respect to the thickness of the multilayers are tested by a series of multilayers from 2γ′+2γ to 10γ′+10γ atomic layers. The elastic properties are found to vary little with the increase of the multilayer’s thickness. A Ni/Ni3Al multilayer with 10γ′+10γ atomic layers (3.54 nm) can be used to simulate the mechanical properties of Ni-base model superalloys. Our calculated elastic constants, bulk modulus, orientation-dependent shear modulus and Young’s modulus, as well as the Zener anisotropy factor are all compatible with the measured results of Ni-base model superalloys R1 and the advanced commercial superalloys TMS-26, CMSX-4 at a low temperature. The mechanical properties as a function of the γ′ phase volume fraction are calculated by varying the proportion of the γ and γ′ phase in the multilayers. Besides, the mechanical properties of two-phase Ni/Ni3Al multilayer can be well predicted by the Voigt-Reuss-Hill rule of mixtures.     

Effect of C60 ion sputtering on the compositional depth profiling in XPS for Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2 electrodes

The performance of a Li-ion cell strongly depends on the solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) on electrodes. The depth distribution of composition in SEI is normally determined by means of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) via Ar ion sputtering. Recently, a new kind of ion gun using C60 ions as sputtering source was introduced. In this report, a comparison between the effects of these two kinds of ion guns on the quantification of Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O₂ electrodes was made. It was found that the C60 ion gun is more suitable for analyzing the composition and chemical state of Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O₂ electrode since that it causes lower chemical damage in the superficial layer.     

The use of direct recoil spectrometry (DRS) for the study of water vapor interactions on polycrystalline metallic surfaces—the H2O/U and H2O/Ti systems

Using direct recoil spectrometry (DRS), the shadowing of surface H atoms by neighboring O atoms can differentiate between full and partial dissociation routes of water molecules on the surface as well as point to the geometrical arrangements of hydroxyl surface groups. The H₂O/U and H₂O/Ti systems were compared. It has been found that different mechanisms control the water-surface interactions in these systems.For the H₂O/U system, a simple direct-collision (Langmuir-type) dissociative chemisorption controls the process. Two consecutive stages were identified: (i) below ∼70% monolayer coverage, a complete dissociation of water into oxygen ion and two H atoms, which chemisorb on the remaining unreacted metallic surface and (ii) above about 70% of a full layer coverage, three dimensional oxide islands start to form, causing partial dissociation of water and the formation of surface hydroxyls.For the H₂O/Ti system, a more complicated mechanism, which involves a precursor state, seems to control the process. In that case, two concurrent routes act simultaneously. In addition to the simple direct-collision mechanism, water precursor clusters (bound by hydrogen bonds), which partly dissociate, result in chemisorbed tilted hydroxyl clusters (even at low-coverage). The relative contributions of the precursor route and the direct-collision route are pressure dependent, with the former being dominant at higher exposure pressures.     

The effect of physical back-diffusion of 13CO2 tracer on the coupling between photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux in grassland

Pulse labelling experiments provide a common tool to study short-term processes in the plant–soil system and investigate below-ground carbon allocation as well as the coupling of soil CO₂ efflux to photosynthesis. During the first hours after pulse labelling, the measured isotopic signal of soil CO₂ efflux is a combination of both physical tracer diffusion into and out of the soil as well as biological tracer release via root and microbial respiration. Neglecting physical back-diffusion can lead to misinterpretation regarding time lags between photosynthesis and soil CO₂ efflux in grassland or any ecosystem type where the above-ground plant parts cannot be labelled in gas-tight chambers separated from the soil. We studied the effects of physical ¹³CO₂ tracer back-diffusion in pulse labelling experiments in grassland, focusing on the isotopic signature of soil CO₂ efflux. Having accounted for back-diffusion, the estimated time lag for first tracer appearance in soil CO₂ efflux changed from 0 to 1.81±0.56 h (mean±SD) and the time lag for maximum tracer appearance from 2.67±0.39 to 9.63±3.32 h (mean±SD). Thus, time lags were considerably longer when physical tracer diffusion was considered. Using these time lags after accounting for physical back-diffusion, high nocturnal soil CO₂ efflux rates could be related to daytime rates of gross primary productivity (R²=0.84). Moreover, pronounced diurnal patterns in the δ¹³C of soil CO₂ efflux were found during the decline of the tracer over 3 weeks. Possible mechanisms include diurnal changes in the relative contributions of autotrophic and heterotrophic soil respiration as well as their respective δ¹³C values. Thus, after accounting for physical back-diffusion, we were able to quantify biological time lags in the coupling of photosynthesis and soil CO₂ efflux in grassland at the diurnal time scale.     

Kinetics of the N2O-CO reaction on Rh(1 1 0)

Our recent studies of the steady-state kinetics of the N₂O-CO reaction on Rh(1 1 0) indicate that at CO excess, the reaction rate increases with increasing temperature. At N₂O excess, the reaction rate is nearly independent of temperature at T < 520 K and rapidly decreases with increasing temperature at T > 520 K. Our present analysis of the relevant data indicates that the latter feature seems to be related to surface-oxide formation. Following this line, we propose a mean-field kinetic model making it possible to describe and clarify the experiment.     

The simulation study for the nanometer-scale selective growth of Si islands on Si(0 0 1) windows in ultrathin SiO2 films

The nanometer-scale selective growth of Si islands on Si(0 0 1) windows in ultrathin SiO₂ films are studied using the kinetic Monte Carlo simulation. The growth of Si islands is reproduced in simulation where we assume that the migration barrier energy for Si adatom on SiO₂ film is far lower than that on the Si surface at the window.     

Analysis of the kinetics of N2O-CO reaction on Pd(1 1 0)

Experimental studies indicate that the N₂O-CO reaction occurring on Pd(1 1 0) under UHV conditions exhibits a first-order kinetic phase transition in the steady-state case and also transient kinetics strongly dependent on the initial state of the system. We construct a mean-field kinetic model describing these phenomena. With a minimal number of the fitting parameters, the model reasonably reproduces the special features of the reaction kinetics.