Transition metal oxides supported onto silica gel as visible light-driven photocatalysts

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Supported oxides of some transition metals have been prepared via incipient wetness impregnation of a mesoporous silica. Obtained compositions have been studied...     

Transition metal substituted polyoxometalates and their application in the direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol with hydrogen peroxide

A series of transition metal substituted polyoxometalates with a Keggin structure were prepared and utilized for the hydroxylation of benzene to phenol. Among the compounds tested, [(CH₃)₄N]₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀ exhibits the highest phenol yield (13.0%) and selectivity (90.6%) in acetic acid/acetonitrile. Vanadium peroxo is the active site of the reaction, and ammonium also plays an important role. The influence of various reaction parameters, such as solvent, reaction time, reaction temperature, and amount of hydrogen peroxide used were investigated to obtain the optimal reaction conditions.     

Oxidation of alcohols by metal nitrates supported on silica gel

Many metal nitrates, especially zinc(II) and copper(II) nitrates, supported on silica gel, oxidized secondary and benzylic alcohols to the corresponding ketones and aldehydes efficiently.     

Synthesis and rapid characterization of amine-functionalized silica

Amine-functionalized colloidal silica finds use in a variety of applications and fundamental investigations. To explore convenient methods of synthesis and characterization of research-grade materials in relatively large quantities, nearly monodisperse colloidal silica particles were prepared by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of reagent-grade tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) without the traditional time- and energy-consuming distillation step. Radius was varied reliably from 30 to 125 nm by changing the water/TEOS ratio. Asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) methods with online light scattering detection proved effective in assessing the uniformity of the various preparations. Even highly uniform commercial standards were resolved by AF4. The surface of the colloidal silica was decorated with amino groups using (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and spacer methyl groups from methyl-trimethoxysilane. The surface density of amino groups was quantified spectrophotometrically after reaction with ninhydrin; the nature of this analysis avoids interference from sample turbidity. As an alternative to the ninhydrin test, an empirical relationship between surface density of amino groups and zeta potential at low pH was found. The size of the colloidal silica was predictably decreased by etching with HF; this method will be effective for some preparations, despite a modest reduction in size uniformity.     

Energetics of protein adsorption on amine-functionalized mesostructured cellular foam silica

The energetics of lysozyme adsorption on aminopropyl-grafted MCF silica (MCF-NH2) are compared to the trends observed during lysozyme adsorption on native MCF silica using flow microcalorimetry (FMC). Surface modification on MCF silica affects adsorption energetics significantly. All thermograms consist of two initial exothermic peaks and one later endothermic peak, but the heat signal trends of MCF-NH2 are opposite from those observed for adsorption onto native MCF silica in salt solutions of sodium acetate and sodium sulfate. At low ionic strength (0.01 M), LYS adsorption onto MCF-NH2 was accompanied by a large exotherm followed by a desorption endotherm. With increasing ionic strength (0.1 and 3.01 M), the magnitude of the thermal signal decreased and the total process became less exothermic. Also a higher protein loading of 14 μmol g(-1) was obtained at low ionic strength in batch adsorption isotherm measurements. Taken together, the FMC thermograms and batch adsorption isotherms reveal that MCF-NH2 has the nature of an ion exchange adsorbent, even though lysozyme and the aminopropyl ligands have like net charges at the adsorption pH. Reduced electrostatic interaction, reduced Debye length, and increased adsorption-site competition attenuate exothermicity at higher ionic strengths. Thermograms from flow microcalorimetry (FMC) give rich insight into the mechanisms of protein adsorption. A two-step adsorption mechanism is proposed in which negatively charged surface amino acid side chains on the lysozyme surface make an initial attachment to surface aminopropyl ligands by electrostatic interaction (low ionic strength) or van der Waals interaction (high ionic strength). Secondary attachments take place between protruding amino acid side chains and silanol groups on the silica surface. The reduced secondary adsorption heat is attributed to the inhibitory effect of the enhanced steric barrier of aminopropyl group on MCF silica.     

Transition metal ion-substituted polyoxometalates entrapped in polypyrrole as an electrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide

A conducting polymer was used for the immobilization of various transition metal ion-substituted Dawson-type polyoxometalates (POMs) onto glassy carbon electrodes. Voltammetric responses of films of different thicknesses were stable within the pH domain 2-7 and reveal redox processes associated with the conducting polymer, the entrapped POMs and incorporated metal ions. The resulting POM doped polypyrrole films were found to be extremely stable towards redox switching between the various redox states associated with the incorporated POM. An amperometric sensor for hydrogen peroxide detection based upon the POM doped polymer films was investigated. The detection limits were 0.3 and 0.6 μM, for the Cu(2+)- and Fe(3+)-substituted POM-doped polypyrrole films respectively, with a linear region from 0.1 up to 2 mM H(2)O(2). Surface characterization of the polymer films was carried out using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.     

The synthesis of silica nanospheres doped with polyoxometalates

The hetero-polyoxometalate (POM) Na13[Eu(SiMoW10O39)2] displayed enhanced luminescence when coordinated to compounds with a common amine functionality. The POM was then doped into silica spheres and was found to be confined to the particle core when added with an amine-based polymer.     

Ce改性碳纳米管负载过渡金属磷化物用于电化学水分解

氢能是未来替代化石燃料的理想选择,可以通过电解水的半反应之一析氢反应制得,但其缓慢的反应动力学将会耗费大量的电池电压。因此,通过开发催化剂来降低电解槽的电压是解决这一问题的关键途径。本文经过简便的静电纺丝及碳化工艺得到Ce改性的碳纤维作为载体(Ce-CNFs),接着通过水热法及高温磷化法负载活性组分得到Co_x-Mo_y-P@Ce-CNFs,分别对催化材料的析氢反应(HER)和析氧反应(OER)电催化活性进行了研究。结果表明,在1mol/L KOH电解液中,仅需要160mV和323mV的过电位就能达到10mA/cm²的电流密度。将Co_x-Mo_y-P@Ce-CNFs作为阴极和阳极材料组装为整体水电解槽,在电流密度为10mA/cm²时,电解槽的电池电压为1.65V,在电化学耐久性测试中能够稳定保持8h。     

Transition metal clusters and supported species with metal-carbon bonds from first-principles quantum chemistry

We discuss the impact of density functional electronic structure calculations for understanding the organometallic chemistry of transition metal (TM) surface complexes and clusters. Examples will cover three types of systems, mainly of interest in the context of heterogeneous catalysis: (i) supported carbonyl complexes of rhenium on MgO and of rhodium in zeolites, (ii) TM clusters with CO ligands and adsorbates, and (iii) metal clusters exhibiting chemical bonds with atomic carbon. The first group of case studies promotes the concept that surface groups of oxide supports are bonded to TM complexes in the same way as common (poly-dentate) ligands are bonded in coordination compounds. The second group of examples demonstrates various “ligand effects” of TM clusters. Finally, we illustrate how carbido centers stabilize TM clusters and modify the propensity for adsorption at the surface of such clusters.     

Transition metal complexes on mesoporous silica nanoparticles as highly efficient catalysts for epoxidation of styrene

We have synthesized a series of catalysts for epoxidation of styrene by immobilizing salicylaldimine transition metal (copper, manganese, and cobalt) complexes on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with diameters of 120-150 nm. The prepared catalysts are characterized by infrared (IR) spectra, thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), CHN elemental analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These catalysts possess excellent catalytic efficiency in epoxidation of styrene when using tert-BuOOH (TBHP) as oxidant. Styrene shows a high conversion (～99%) as well as epoxide selectivity (～80%) over Cu-MSN catalysts, and high conversion (～99%) and moderate epoxide selectivity (～65%) over Mn-MSN and Co-MSN catalysts. The recycling experiment results indicate that these catalysts maintain catalytic activity even after being used for three cycles. Our results indicate that MSNs can serve as better catalyst supports.     

Transition metal substituted tungstophosphoric compound catalyzed oxidation of hexanol to hexanal with hydrogen peroxide

Summary The oxidation of hexanol in the presence of the Keggin-type heteropoly compounds (HPCs) H₃PMo_nW_12-nO₄₀ (denoted as PMo_nW_12-n, n=0,1) and Na₅PW₁₁ZO₃₉ (denoted as PW₁₁Z, Z = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) was carried out to produce hexanal and hexanoic acid. The reaction was conducted in tert-butanol (t-BuOH), using cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) salts of HPA and 15% aqueous H₂O₂ as oxidant under mild condition. The PMoW₁₁ catalyst showed higher hexanol conversion of 25%, the lowest selectivity to hexanal of 64.4% and an efficient utilization of H₂O₂ of 34%. Over the transition metal substituted PW₁₁Z catalysts decomposition of H₂O₂ was rapid. For these PW₁₁Z catalysts, the efficient utilization of H₂O₂ decreased to 9% or even lower. By means of IR, UV-visible and GC-MS techniques the catalysts were characterized.     

Uptake of curcumin by supported metal oxides (CaO and MgO) mesoporous silica materials

A series of LaMnO₃ perovskites as catalysts for selective reduction of NO by CO were synthesized using microwave and ultrasound assisted sol-gel method. The catalysts were characterized by BET area measurements, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. XRD results showed revealed the orthorhobic crystalline structure and with very high purity. SEM analyses proved lower particle size for ultrasound (US) assisted synthesized LaMnO₃. In addition, US assisted synthesized LaMnO₃ presented higher surface area respect to other catalysts, synthesized by the other methods. Results revealed that the ultrasound assisted synthesized catalyst determines the lowest crystallite size, the highest surface area and the highest concentration of O-vacancies and, as a consequence, the highest catalytic activity.

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Polymer approach to supported silica membranes

Polymeric silica sols were used to prepare membranes on commercial -Al₂O₃ supports with nominal support pore diameters of 4.0 nm. Aging of the silica sols was shown to be effective to form discrete membrane layers. He/N₂ selectivity factors exceeding ideal Knudsen values were observed when the sols were prepared under conditions in which the condensation rate was minimized. We propose that the average pore size of the membrane depends on the balance of capillary pressure and modulus during membrane deposition. The condensation rate might influence the breadth of the pore size distribution.     

Electrocatalytic study of an electrode modified with Reactive Blue 4 dye covalently immobilized on amine-functionalized silica

In the present work, we investigated the immobilization and electrochemical behavior of Reactive Blue 4 dye on 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica. The electrochemical behavior of the modified electrode and the electro-oxidation of dipyrone were studied by cyclic voltammetry. The modified electrode showed a well-defined redox coupling with a formal potential of 0.45 V (vs. saturated calomel reference electrode) assigned to anthraquinone/anthrahydroquinone redox process (pH?=?2). The modified electrode also demonstrated electrocatalytic activity and an increased peak current towards the oxidation of dipyrone at a reduced overall potential. The electrocatalytic process was found to be highly dependent on the pH of the supporting electrolyte. The voltammetric responses for dipyrone were linear in the concentration range of 49.9 to 440 μmol L^?1 at a pH of 2.0 with a detection limit and sensitivity of 22.0 μmol L^?1 and 0.0278 μA mmol L^?1, respectively.