Density functional theory study of the photosensitization mechanisms of indigo

The triplet excited state properties and photosensitization mechanisms of indigo were investigated based on density functional theory calculations. The solvent effects on the photosensitization mechanisms of indigo have also been considered. The thermodynamic feasibility of the possible ¹O₂ and O₂·⁻-photogeneration pathways by triplet excited state indigo in different solvents was explored, in order to gain some deeper insights into the photosensitization characters of the dye.      

The effect of calcium substitution on the afterglow of Eu2+/Dy3+ doped Sr4Al14O25

The effect of calcium substitution on the afterglow of tetrastrontium aluminate phosphors (Sr₄Al₁₄O₂₅:Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺) was investigated. A series of (Sr₁-_xCa_x)O⊎nAl₂O₃:Eu²⁺(1%), Dy³⁺(0.5%), with variation of calcium content (x = 0 − 1), were synthesized by a high temperature solid state reaction in a reducing atmosphere. The photoluminescence, persistent luminescence (afterglow), and lumen equivalents of these materials were studied and compared. It turned out that the afterglow properties of the phosphors were strongly dependent on the Sr/Ca ratio. As the Ca content increased, a phase transition and blue shift in emission spectra were observed.      

Low temperature synthesis and characterization of Mn3O4 nanoparticles

Heating hydrous manganese (II) hydroxide gel at 85 °C for 12 hours produces Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles. They were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The particle size estimated from the SEM and X-ray peak broadening is approximately 32 nm, showing them to be nanocrystalline. EPR measurements confirm a typical Mn²⁺signal with a highly resolved hyperfine structure.      

The binary system PbO - BiVO4

Phase equilibria established in the PbO - BiVO₄ system over the whole component concentration range up to 1000°C have been investigated. A phase diagram has been constructed using DTA and XRD.      

A hydroxyaminophosphane derived from 2-imidazolidone and its unusual structure in solution

A novel hydroxyamino phosphane was synthesised through the reaction of 2-imidazolidinone with ClPPh2 and subsequently reaction of the resulting bisphosphino derivative with the Grignard reagent BrMgC₅H₁₁. The interaction of the pentyl substituent with one of the two phosphino groups and the structure in solution is shown by multinuclear NMR-spectroscopy..      

Solar-driven electrochemically assisted semiconductor-catalyzed iodide ion oxidation. Enhanced efficiency by oxide mixtures

Oxidation of iodide ion from an air-saturated solution under natural sunlight (900±50 W m⁻²) on the surfaces of TiO₂, ZnO, Fe₂O₃, MoO₃ and CeO₂ enhances by 6 to 12-fold on application of a cathodic bias of −0.2 to −0.3 V (vs NHE) to the semiconductors; light, the semiconductor and dissolved oxygen are essential for iodine generation. The semiconductors under an anodic bias of +0.2 to +0.3 V (vs NHE) fail to oxidize iodide ion from air-saturated solution under sunlight. Under cathodic bias, semiconductor mixtures like TiO₂-ZnO, TiO₂-Fe₂O₃ and ZnO-Fe₂O₃ show enhanced photocatalytic activity, indicating improved charge separation in oxide mixtures. The mechanism of photocatalysis under cathodic bias is discussed.      

Subsolidus area of the system CdO - V2O5 - Fe2O3

Phase diagrams in the subsolidus area of the systems FeVO₄ - CdO and FeVO₄ - Cd₂V₂O₇ have been deduced using the results of XRD and DTA analyses. On the basis of these diagrams and some additional verifying research, a projection of the subsolidus area of the CdO - V₂O₅ - Fe₂O₃ system onto the plane that comprises the components’ concentration triangle has been presented. The H-type phase is the only phase formed in this system. It co-exists at equilibrium with other phases in six subsidiary subsystems.      

Synthesis of lead-based 1212 and 3212 superconductors by an aqueous sol-gel method

The aqueous sol-gel synthesis technique for the preparation of (Pb,Sr)Sr₂(Y,Ca)Cu₂O_7±x (Pb-1212) and (Pb₂,Cu)Sr₂(Y,Ca)Cu₂O_8±x (Pb-3212) superconductors using two different complexing agents, namely 1,2-ethanediol and tartaric acid was studied. The phase transformations, composition and micro-structural features in the polycrystalline samples were studied by powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis of the ceramic samples obtained by calcination of Pb-Sr-Y-Ca-Cu-O acetate-glycolate precursor gels in air, for 10 hours at 800°C and at 825°C, showed the presence of homogeneous Pb-1212 and Pb-3212 crystallites as major phases. The XRD patterns of the ceramics obtained from Pb-Sr-Y-Ca-Cu-O acetate-tartrate precursor gels, however, showed multiphasic character. The critical temperature of superconductivity (T_C (onset)) observed by resistivity measurements were found to be 91 K and 75 K for Pb-1212 and Pb-3212 samples, respectively.      

Ionic liquid promoted Diels-Alder Reaction between anthrone and maleimides

Ionic liquids (IL) are gaining importance as green solvents. Imidazolium ionic liquid [bmim]⁺[Cl]⁻, an environmentally benign solvent, was found to promote the Diels-Alder reaction between anthrone and maleimides at room temperature with excellent yields. The ionic liquid played a dual role as solvent and catalyst.      

A green chemical route for the synthesis of Mn3O4 nanoparticles

A novel environmental friendly, room temperature route using an ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide ([BMIM]OH) for the synthesis of Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles is presented. The product was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Phase purity was confirmed by XRD, and X-ray line profile fitting determined a crystallite size of 42 ± 11 nm. TEM analysis revealed various morphologies. EPR measurements have indicated the existence of long-range interactions, due to the wide range of particle sizes and morphologies observed.      

Dopamine and iron mediated fragmentation of galactocerebroside and cardiolipin in micelles

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) have been used to study dopamine and iron mediated free-radical transformation of lipids in their hydrophilic parts. It has been shown that the action of the dopamine/Fe²⁺ system on galactocerebroside or cardiolipin, which are the components of mixed micelles, results in formation of ceramide or phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylhydroxyacetone, respectively. These data, when combined with results obtained using the ascorbate/Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ oxidizing system with the same substrates, demonstrate that the formation of these products proceeds via an OH-radical induced fragmentation taking place in polar moiety of the starting lipids.      

Synthesis of novel mesoporous Al2O3 microspheres with flower-like structure

Using glucose as a structuring additive and aluminium nitrate as the Al precursor, a novel kind of mesoporous Al₂O₃ microspheres with flower-like structure were synthesized hydrothermally at 180°C for 20 h. When the synthesis temperature was lowered to 140°C, the carambola-like Al₂O₃ can be synthesized. This approach is convenient and simple, and flower-like Ce-Al₂O₃ and La-Al₂O₃ spheres have also been prepared in this way. It may be applied to synthesize other metal oxides when suitable precursor salts are used. From an analysis of the experimental results, a mechanism for the formation of the flower-like Al₂O₃ spheres has been proposed and discussed.      

Sol-gel bioactive glass-ceramics Part II: Glass-ceramics in the CaO-SiO2-P2O5-MgO system

Ceramics, with basic composition based on the CaO-SiO₂-P₂O₅-MgO system with different Ca+ Mg/P+Si molar ratio (R), were prepared via polystep sol-gel technique. The structure of the obtained ceramic materials has been studied by XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM. X-ray diffraction showed the presence of akermanite and HA for the sample with R = 1.68 and Mg substituted β-TCP and silicocarnotite for the sample with R = 2.16, after thermal treatment at 1200°C/2 h. The obtained results are in good agreement with FTIR. In vitro test for bioactivity in static condition proved that the carbonate containing hydroxyapatite (CO₃HA) can be formed on the surface of the synthesized samples. CO₃HA consisted of both A- and B-type CO₃²⁻ ions. SEM micrographs depicted different forms of HA particles, precipitated on the surface after soaking in 1.5 simulated body fluid (SBF).      

ZrOCl<Subscript>2</Subscript> · 8H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O: An efficient catalyst for rapid one-pot synthesis of 3-carboxycoumarins under ultrasound irradiation in water

In this report, a rapid, efficient and environmental friendly synthesis of 3-carboxycoumarins under ultrasound irradiation in water media is described. The Knoevenagel condensation of Meldrum’s acid with substituted benzaldehydes in the presence of zirconium oxide chloride (ZrOCl₂·8H₂O) and ultrasonic irradiation in water gave the corresponding 3-carboxycoumarins in good to excellent yields.      

Theoretical determination of the favorable mechanism of the reaction between AlX and HX (X = Br, Cl, and F)

The reaction mechanism between AlX and HX (X = Br, Cl, and F) have been characterized in detail using DFT as well as the ab initio method. The reaction yielding AlX₃ and molecular hydrogen was calculated to be highly exothermic. The present calculations also show that the possible routes to the trihalides species start more favorable with the primary insertion product AlX₂H than with the biadduct AlX(HX)₂ one.      

High surface area nano-sized La0.6Ca0.4MnO3 perovskite powder prepared by low temperature pyrolysis of a modified citrate gel

Single phase nanocrystalline La_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃ powder was synthesized by both the usual and a modified citrate gel precursor method, and the effects on the formation of homogeneous nano-sized powder with a perovskite structure were investigated. In the modified method, single phase La_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃ powder with an average particle size of 17.2 nm was obtained when the powder was pyrolyzed at 520°C for 2 h. Its specific surface area was 40.7 m² g⁻¹, about 4-fold larger than that of powder made by the usual citrate gel method.      

The study of cyclooctene oxidation with molecular oxygen catalyzed by VSi2

The catalytic effect of VSi₂ on initial stages of the liquid-phase oxidation of cyclooctene by molecular oxygen was studied. The vanadium disilicide influences on the oxidation process in the presence of hydroperoxide. VSi₂ takes part in a radical formation stage by catalysis of hydroperoxide decomposition reaction. The catalyst was investigated before and after reaction using FTIR spectroscopy. From the data obtained, the kinetic model of the catalytic oxidation process was proposed and the equation for the reaction rate was derived. The equation has described all observed dependences of reaction rate on the concentration of reactants and content of catalyst.      

Photo fenton like process Fe3+/(NH4)2S2O8/UV for the degradation of Di azo dye congo red using low iron concentration

Degradation of Congo Red (CR) a di azo dye in aqueous solution is investigated by a Photo Fenton like process using Fe³⁺ ions as the catalyst and peroxy disulfate as the oxidant. The influence of various reaction parameters like, concentration of Fe³⁺ ions, concentration of the dye, concentration of ammonium persulfate, pH of the solution and the presence of hydroxyl radical scavenger are studied and optimal conditions are reported. The degradation rate decreased at higher dye concentration and at higher pH. The rate constant (k), catalytic efficiency (k_c) and process efficiency (Φ) are evaluated for different concentration of Fe³⁺ ions. The degradation of CR by the photo Fenton like process leads to the formation of 4-Amino, 3-azo naphthalene sulphonic acid, dihydroxy substituted naphthalene, dihydroxy substituted biphenyl, phenol, quinol etc., as intermediates, based on which probable degradation mechanism is proposed. These results show that a photo Fenton like process could be useful technology for the mineralization of di azo dyes under lower concentration of iron in acidic conditions. The present process is advantageous as it lowers the sludge production resulting from the iron comple      

Removal of uranyl ions from UO2(NO3)2 solution by means of Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina algae

This paper deals with a study of the biosorption of UO₂ ²⁺ ions on two green algae: Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina. By investigating the retention degree versus contact time from Langmuir and Freundlich biosorption isotherms, kinetic investigations and FTIR spectra it was found that the biosorption process was greater for Chlorella vulgaris than for Dunaliella salina. A new kinetics method is proposed to establish the reaction order concerning the biosorption process of uranyl ions on these biomasses.      

Modeling and optimizing of sonochemical degradation of Basic Blue 41 via response surface methodology

The nanocatalyst-assisted sonodegradation of Basic Blue 41 (BB41) dye in aqueous medium was modeled and optimized using response surface method (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design. The studied variables included pH, initial dye concentration, H₂O₂ concentration and sonolysis time while each factor varied at three levels: Low level (−1), Medium level (0) and High level (+1). The ultrasound -assisted degradation was well described by developing quadratic model with correlation value squared (R²) of 0.9114. Factor effects along with interaction effects were evaluated. The graphical optimization step was conducted to achieve the best experimental condition in dye removal. pH, H₂O₂ concentration and initial dye concentration of the reaction were investigated. It was recognized that at lower pH values the dye removal rate decreased. However, dye removal rate increased (82.5%) by increasing the concentration of H₂O₂ and by lowering the initial dye concentration.