Uranyl-catalyzed chemiluminescent reaction of U4+ oxidation by dioxygen in aqueous HClO4 solution

Chemiluminescence (CL) accompanying the reaction of U⁴⁺ with O₂ in 0.0004–0.1M HClO₄ was studied. It was found that the electron-excited uranyl ion (UO₂ ²⁺)^* is the CL emitter. The fact that the reaction rate and the CL yield increase as the solution acidity decreases was explained by different reactivities of the U _aq ⁴⁺ aquation and the products of its stepwise hydrolysis, UOH³⁺ and U(OH)₂ ²⁺, toward O₂. Based on the results of analysis of the chain-radical mechanism of the reaction between U⁴⁺ and O₂, it was concluded that transfer of an electron from the UO₂ ⁺ ion to the oxidizing agent (a ·OH radical) is the most plausible elementary step of the reaction of (UO₂ ²⁺)^* formation. It was found that the reaction rate, as well as the CL yield, increase substantially in the presence of uranyl ion. Catalytic action of UO₂ ²⁺ was explained by the formation of a UO₂ ²⁺·UO₂ ⁺ complex, which reduces the rate of the UO₂ ⁺ disproportionation reaction (UO₂ ⁺ is an intermediate of the reaction and is involved in chain propagation), and by regeneration of the active center, UO₂ ⁺, in the reaction of UO₂ ²⁺ with U⁴⁺. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1522–1528, September, 2000.     

Osmotic Coefficients of the Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>B<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>+LiCl + H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O System at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>=273.15 K

Osmotic coefficients and water activities for the Li₂B₄O₇+LiCl+H₂O system have been measured at T=273.15 K by the isopiestic method, using an improved apparatus. Two types of osmotic coefficients, φ _S and φ _E, were determined. φ _S is based on the stoichiometric molalities of the solute Li₂B₄O₇(aq), and φ _E is based on equilibrium molalities from consideration of the equilibrium speciation into H₃BO₃,B(OH)₄⁻ and B₃O₃(OH)₄⁻. The stoichiometric equilibrium constants K _m for the aqueous speciation reactions were estimated. Two types of representations of the osmotic coefficients for the Li₂B₄O₇+LiCl+H₂O system are presented with ion-interaction models based on Pitzer’s equations with minor modifications: model (I) represents the φ _S data with six parameters based on considering the ion-interactions between three ionic species of Li⁺, Cl⁻, and B₄O₇²⁻, and model (II) for represents the φ _E data based on considering the equilibrium speciation. The parameters of models (I) and (II) are presented. The standard deviations for the two models are 0.0152 and 0.0298, respectively. Model (I) was more satisfactory than model (II) for representing the isopiestic data.     

Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic Coefficients and Pitzer Model Representation for the Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>B<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>+LiCl + H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O System at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>=298.15 K

Isopiestic molalities and water activities have been measured for the Li₂B₄O₇+LiCl + H₂O system at T=298.15 K using an improved isopiestic apparatus. Two types of osmotic coefficients, φ _S and φ _E, were determined, where φ _S is based on the stoichiometric molalities of the solute Li₂B₄O₇(aq) and φ _E is based on equilibrium molalities calculated by consideration of the equilibrium speciation of Li₂B₄O₇ to partially form H₃BO₃, B(OH)₄⁻ and B₃O₃(OH)₄⁻. The stoichiometric equilibrium constant K _m for the aqueous speciation reaction was estimated. Two representations of the osmotic coefficients of Li₂B₄O₇ + LiCl + H₂O were made with Pitzer’s ion-interaction model. Model (1) involved representing the φ _S values with six parameters based on considering the ionic interactions between Li⁺, Cl⁻, and B₄O₇²⁻; and model (2) involved representing the φ _E values based on the calculated equilibrium speciation. Reasonable agreements were obtained between the experimental osmotic coefficient data and those calculated using the above models, with standard deviations of 0.075 and 0.0229, respectively, for these two models. The thermodynamic osmotic coefficients for the complex system containing polymeric boron anions and lithium cation was modelled and explained by use of Pitzer’s ion-interaction model, with minor modifications in combination with speciation reaction equilibria.     

Generation of fullerenyl radicals and chemiluminescence in the (C<Subscript>60</Subscript>—R<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al)—O<Subscript>2</Subscript> system

Fullerenyl radicals (FR) RC₆₀ ^· and chemiluminescence (CL) are generated in the presence of O₂ in C₆₀—R₃Al (R = Et, Buⁱ) solutions in toluene (T = 298 K). The FR are formed due to the addition of the R^· radical, which is an intermediate of R₃Al autooxidation, to C₆₀. Mass spectroscopy and HPLC were used to identify Et_nC₆₀H_m (n, m = 1–6), Et_pC₆₀ (p = 2–6), and dimer EtC₆₀C₆₀Et as stable products of FR transformations. As found by ESR, the EtC₆₀ ^· radical (g = 2.0037) is also generated by photolysis of solutions obtained after interaction in the (C₆₀— R₃Al)—O₂ system. In the presence of dioxygen, the FR is not oxidized but yields complexes with O₂, which appear as broadening of the ESR signals. Chemiluminescence arising in the (C₆₀—R₃Al)—O₂ system is much brighter (I _max = 1.86·10⁸ photon s⁻¹ mL⁻¹) than the known background CL (I _max = 6.0·10⁶ photon s⁻¹ mL⁻¹) for the autooxidation of R₃Al and is localized in a longer-wavelength spectral region (λ_max = 617 and 664 nm). This CL is generated as a result of energy transfer from the primary emitter ³CH₃CHO* to the products of FR transformation: R_nC₆₀H_m, R_pC₆₀, and EtC₆₀C₆₀Et. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 205–213, February, 2007.     

Lithium insertion into manganese dioxide polymorphs in aqueous electrolytes

The electrochemical behaviour of the spinel-like LiMn₂O₄ was studied in non-aqueous and aqueous saturated alkali nitrate electrolytes in comparison with the layered manganese dioxide δ-MnO₂. The results obtained by galvanostatic and cyclic voltammetry techniques showed that the insertion of Li⁺/e^– or H⁺/e^– depends on both the host lattice and the type of electrolyte. The spinel-like LiMn₂O₄ preferably allowed the insertion of Li⁺/e^– in non-aqueous and aqueous saturated LiNO₃ electrolytes, as observed from the similarity of the electrochemical behaviour in these electrolytes and the stability of the structure. This was explained by the presence of a three-dimensional network of vacant tetrahedral and half-filled octahedral sites in LiMn₂O₄, which guarantee high mobility of Li⁺ ions. The layered manganese dioxide could be inserted by Li⁺/e^– only in non-aqueous electrolytes. The work described herein was carried out at the Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Technische Universit?t Berlin, Germany     

ZnAl2O4:Mn材料的制备及发光性能

以共沉淀法与煅烧法联用,成功制备了一系列ZnAl₂O₄:xMn样品。通过扫描电镜和X射线粉末衍射测试研究了样品的形貌和物相特征,结果表明尖晶石结构的ZnAl₂O₄中[AlO₆]的八面体位可以有效被Mn⁴⁺替代。通过荧光激发和发射光谱研究了样品的发光性能,发现Mn⁴⁺在ZnAl₂O₄体系中掺杂可以显示出明亮的红色发光(发射峰值位于680 nm处)。比较不同Mn⁴⁺浓度(Mn与Al的物质的量之比)掺杂样品的发光强度时发现,Mn⁴⁺最佳掺杂浓度为0.06%。通过德克斯特公式分析了发光强度与浓度关系,探究浓度猝灭机制,结果表明最邻近离子之间能量传递造成Mn⁴⁺浓度猝灭的发生。为了提高Mn⁴⁺的发光强度,选择了7种金属离子(Li⁺、Na⁺、K⁺、Ca²⁺、Sr²⁺、Sn²⁺和Ga³⁺)与Mn⁴⁺共掺杂进入ZnAl₂O₄基质中,其中效果较突出的为Li⁺和Ga³⁺,其共掺杂使Mn⁴⁺发光强度分别增强0.6倍和1倍。     

Inertness of C<Subscript>60</Subscript> fullerene toward RO<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>·</Superscript> peroxy radicals

The reactivity of fullerene C₆₀ toward peroxy radicals RO₂ ^· was tested by the chemiluminescence method. A comparison of the influence of C₆₀ and known inhibitors on the kinetics of liquid-phase chemiluminescence (CL) during oxidation of a series of hydrocarbons (ethyl-benzene, cyclohexane, n-dodecane, and oleic acid) shows that the fullerene does not react with the RO₂ ^· radicals. A sharp decrease in the CL intensity observed upon C₆₀ addition is caused by the quenching of CL emitters with fullerene but not by inhibition of hydrocarbon oxidation. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1808–1811, August, 2005.     

Thermoluminescence of photoirradiated petroleum luminophores of pyrolytic origin

Photothermoluminescence (PTL) of petroleum luminophores of pyrolytic origin was studied over a wide temperature range (−196 to 250°C). Problems related to the mechanism and stages of photochemical processes in petroleum luminophores are discussed. It was revealed that low-temperature PTL maximums at −165, −108, and −75°C are due to recombination of trapped electrons with radical cations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the freezing out of the motions of H, O₂, and R^·. High-temperature (relative to the luminophore freezing points) PTL maximums at 52, 105–120, and 130–140°C are due to processes associated with the oxidation of R^·, PAHs, and olefins by ³O₂ and ¹O₂.     

Composition of the gas phase over Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and the enthalpies of atomization of AlO,Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O,and Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The A1, O, AlO, A1₂O, Al₂O₂, WO₂, and WO₃, partial pressures in the vapor over Al₂O₃ in a tungsten Knudsen effusion cell between 2300 and 2600 K were derived from A1⁺, O⁺, AlO⁺, A1₂O⁺, Al₂O₂⁺, WO₂⁺, and WO₃⁺, ion intensities. The mass spectrometer was calibrated against the equilibrium constant of the WO₃(g) = WO₂(g) + O(g) reaction. Refined values of the ionization cross sections of AlO and A1₂O₂ were used in the partial pressure calculations. The enthalpies of atomization of aluminum suboxides were determined to be Δ_at H ^o(AlO, g, 0) = 510.7 ± 3.3 kJ mol⁻¹, Δ_at H ^o(Al₂O, g, 0) = 1067.2 ± 6.9 kJ mol⁻¹, and Δ_at H ^o(Al₂O₂, g, 0) = 1556.7 ± 9.9 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Influence of support acidity on electronic state of platinum in oxide systems promoted by SO4 2− anions

The electronic state of platinum supported on SO₄/ZrO₂, SO₄/TiO₂, SO₄/Al₂O₃, and SO₄/SiO₂ systems and on systems unpromoted by sulfur was investigated by diffuse-reflectance IR spectroscopy using CO as the probe molecule. The introduction of SO₄ ²⁻ anions increases the electron deficit on platinum particles. This suppresses the formation of bridging CO complexes with the metal, leads to the high-frequency shift of absorption maxima of CO adsorbed in the linear form, and stabilizes positively charged metal species (Pt^δ+ and Pt⁺) during the reduction process. The formation of the positively charged species includes the interaction between the acidic protons and the metal particles yielding [Pt−H]^δ+ adducts. The extent of the influence of the support on the electronic state of the metal increases in the series SO₄/SiO₂<SO₄/Al₂O₃<SO₄/TiO₂<SO₄/ZrO₂ in parallel with an increase in the strength of the acid sites in the system. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1094–1099, June, 1998.     

Effect of ionic interactions on the rates of reduction of Cu(II) with H2O2 in aqueous solutions

The rates of reduction of Cu(II) with H₂O₂ have been measured in NaCl and NaBr solutions and mixtures with NaClO₄ as a function of pH (6 to 9), temperature (5 to 45°C) and ionic composition (0.1 to 6M). The effect of pH on the rates was found to be independent of temperature and ionic composition. The rates increased as a function of [H⁺] raised to the power of 1.3 to 1.6. Speciation calculations indicate that this pH dependence can be attributed to Cu(OH)₂ being the reactive species. The rate constants in NaCl and NaBr and mixtures with NaClO₄ were independent of ionic strength, but proportional to the halide concentration raised to the power of 2.0 (0.2 to 2.6M). These results can be attributed to Cu(OH)₂Cl ₂ ²⁻ being the reactive species to reduction with H₂O₂. The Cu(I) halide complexes formed from the reduction are not easily oxidized with O₂ or H₂O₂. The faster rates in Br⁻ solutions, which form stronger complexes with Cu⁺, support this contention. Measurements made in NaCl with added NaHCO₃, NaB(OH)₄ EDTA, NTA and glycine were also made. These measurements indicate that the CuL complexes (L=B(OH) ₄ ⁻ , CO ₃ ²⁻ , EDTA, NTA, and glycine) are not very reactive to reduction with H₂O₂. The addition of Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺ caused the rates to increase due to the formation of MgL or CaL complexes and the resultant release of reactive Cu²⁺.     

Fullerene C<Subscript>60</Subscript> as a superefficient quencher of singlet exited states of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Quenching of fluorescence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), namely, naphthalene, anthracene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 9,10-dibromoanthracene by C₆₀ fullerene in ethylbenzene at 293 K was found and investigated. The phenomenon is characterized by abnormally high values of bimolecular rate constants for quenching (k _bim = (0.18–6.78)·10¹² L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) determined from the Stern—Volmer dependence of the PAH fluorescence intensity on the C₆₀ concentration and occurs through the inductive-resonance (dominant channel) and exchange-resonance (minor channel) energy transfer from ¹PAH* to C₆₀. The overlap integrals of the PAH fluorescence spectra with the C₆₀ absorption spectrum and the critical energy transfer distances were calculated. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 432–436, March, 2007.     

Continuous Determination of Trace Amounts of Humic Acid in Natural Water by Chemiluminescence Method

A chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of humic acid (HA) based on the oxidation of HA with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of formaldehyde in alkaline solution is described. This method is sensitive and selective for the determination of HA in natural water. HA produces strong CL in the oxidation of HA with MnO₄⁻, Br₂, ClO⁻, and Cr₂O₇²⁻, and the H₂O₂. HA-H₂O₂-HCHO system is suitable for the determination of HA because of its high sensitivity and high selectivity. The detection limit was 50 ppb and relative standard deviation for five measurements of 0.5 ppm (w/w) HA was 1.8%. Cations such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe3⁺ and anions such as PO₄³⁻, NO₃⁻, CO₃²⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻, and Y⁻ (EDTA-Na) did not interfere with the determination of HA. Addition of Mn(II) increased the CL intensity. The concentration of HA in natural water determined with this method is in good agreement with that determined by fluorometric analysis.     

Dysprosium-sensitized chemiluminescence reactions: Their mechanism and application to the determination of synthetic quinolone antibiotics

Dysprosium-sensitized chemiluminescence (CL) reactions have been suggested for the determination of enoxacin (ENX), fleroxacin (FLX), pefloxacin (PFX) and pipemidic acid (PPA). The CL conditions of Dy⁺³-ENX-MnO₄⁻-S₂O₃⁻²-HNO₃, Dy⁺³-FLX-MnO₄⁻-S₂O₃⁻²-H₆P₄O₁₃, Dy⁺³-PFX-MnO₄⁻-S₂O₃⁻²-HCl, and Dy⁺³-PPA-MnO₄⁻-S₂O₃⁻²-H₂SO₄ systems were investigated and optimized. The CL spectra are formed from the narrow characteristic emission of Dy⁺³ at 482 and 578 nm through the intermolecular energy transfer from the excited SO₂^* to analyte, followed by intramolecular energy transfer from analyte* to Dy⁺³. The calibration curves for the four analytes have good linearity. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) are in the range of 1.6–1.9% for 11 determinations of 6.0 × 10⁻⁸ g/mL of ENX, FLX, PFX, and PPA. The detection limits (3σ) are in the range of 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁰–6.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ g/mL. The proposed four CL-based methods have high sensitivity, precision and potential capability for the determination of residues of quinolone synthetic antibiotics in foods and biological samples.     

Electrochromism in Materials Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process

Electrochromism is defined as the persistent but reversible optical change (usually transmission) produced electrochemically. The preparation by the sol-gel process of thin films made of amorphous or crystalline nanoparticles of WO₃, V₂O₅, Nb₂O₅, TiO₂, CeO₂, Fe₂O₃ and mixed compounds such as WO₃−TiO₂, CeO₂−TiO₂, CeO₂−SnO₂, have opened remarkable new opportunities for obtaining electrochromic layers exhibiting large optical transmission variation in the UV, visible or infrared range and acceptable kinetics under H⁺ or Li⁺ insertion. In this paper we give an overview of what has been recently achieved in this field, with emphasis for cathodic electrochromic coatings of Nb₂O₅ and TiO₂ composition. Finally we stress the future developments in this fast growing field.     

Formation of different products during photo-catalytic reaction on TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> suspension in water with and without 2-propanol under diverse ambient conditions

Studies on photo-catalytic reduction of CO₂ using TiO₂ photo-catalyst (0.1%, w/v) as a suspension in water was carried out at 350 nm light. CO₂ from both commercially available source, as well as generated in situ through 2-propanol oxidation, was used for this study. The photolytic products such as hydrogen (H₂), carbon monoxide (CO) andmethane (CH₄) generated were monitored in TiO₂ suspended aqueous solution with and without a hole scavenger, viz., 2-propanol. Similar photolytic experiments were also carried out with varying ambient such as air, O₂, N₂ and N₂O. The yields of CO and CH₄ in all these systems under the present experimental conditions were found to be increasing with light exposure time. H₂ yield in N₂-purged systems containing 2-propanol was found to be more as compared to the without 2-propanol system. The rate of H₂ production in N₂-purged aqueous solutions containing 0.1% TiO₂ suspension were evaluated to be 0.226 and 5.8 μl/h, without and with 0.5 M 2-propanol, respectively. This confirmed that 2-propanol was an efficient hole scavenger and it scavenged photo-generated holes (h⁺), allowing its counter ion, viz., e⁻, to react with water molecule/H⁺ to yield more H₂. The formation of both CO and CH₄ in the photolysis of CO₂-purged aqueous solutions containing suspended TiO₂ in absence of 2-propanol reveal that the generation of CH₄ is taking place mainly through CO intermediate. In presence of air/O₂, the yield of H₂ in the system without 2-propanol was observed to be negligible as compared to the system containing 2-propanol in which low yield of H₂ was obtained with a formation rate of approx. 0.5 μl/h.     

Formation of secondary fullerene ozonides in the ozonolysis of C60 solutions and chemiluminescence upon their hydrolysis

The formation of secondary fullerene ozonides (SFOs) in the ozonolysis of C₆₀ solutions in CCl₄ has reliably been determined for the first time; SFOs are accumulated during the whole ozonolysis time as a suspension in CCl₄. Hydrolysis of the SFOs results in chemiluminescence (CL) (I _max = 2.65·10⁸ photon s⁻¹ mL⁻¹), whose spectra contain maxima at 558, 608, and 685 nm. The most probable CL emitters are excited fullerene polyketones. Hydrogen peroxide was identified as a stable hydrolysis product of the SFOs by the color reaction with diphenylcarbazide and CL arisen upon the addition of an aqueous solution of FeSO₄·9H₂O to the hydrolyzate of the SFO. Chemiluminescence upon hydrolysis is a selective test for SFOs and allows one to find them in a complex mixture of the ozonolysis products of C₆₀. The rate constant and activation energy of SFO hydrolysis were determined from the kinetic measurements of CL. For SFO hydrolysis several probable reactions were proposed, including the formation of the CL emitters, and their heat effects were estimated using the PM3/RHF and AM1/RHF semiempirical methods for one-and two-cage model structures of SFOs. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1322–1329, August, 2006.     

Protonation sites in methyl nitrate and the formation of transient CH4NO3 radicals. A neutralization—reionization mass spectrometric and computational study

Protonation sites in methyl nitrate (1) were evaluated computationally at the Gaussian 2(MP2) level of ab initio theory. The methoxy oxygen was the most basic site that had a calculated proton affinity of PA = 728–738 kJ mol⁻¹ depending on the optimization method used to calculate the equilibrium geometry of the CH₃O(H)-NO₂⁺ ion (2⁺). Protonation at the terminal oxygen atoms in methyl nitrate was less exothermic; the calculated proton affinities were 725, 722, and 712 kJ mol⁻¹ for the formation of the syn-syn, anti-syn, and syn-anti ion rotamers 3a⁺, 3b⁺, and 3c⁺, respectively. Ion 2⁺ was prepared by an ion-molecule reaction of NO₂⁺ with methanol and used to generate the transient CH₃O(H)-NO₂^. radical (2) by femtosecond collisional electron transfer. Exothermic protonation of 1 produced a mixture of 3a⁺–3c⁺ with 2⁺ that was used to generate transient radicals 3a–3c. Radical 2 was found to be unbound and dissociated without barrier to methanol and NO₂. Radicals 3a–3c were calculated to be weakly bound. When formed by vertical neutralization, 3a–3c dissociated completely on the 4.2 μs time scale of the experiment. The main dissociations of 3a–3c were formations of CH₃O^. + HONO and CH₃ONO + OH^.. The gas-phase chemistry of radicals 3a–3c and their dissociation products, as studied by neutralization—reionization mass spectrometry, was dominated by Franck—Condon effects on collisional neutralization and reionization. The adiabatic ionization energies of 3a–3c were calculated as 7.54, 7.57, and 7.66 eV, respectively.     

Thermal characterization of new complexes of Zn(II) and Cd(II) with some bipyridine isomers and propionates

New mixed ligand complexes of the following stoichiometric formulae: M(2-bpy)₂(RCOO)₂·nH₂O, M(4-bpy)(RCOO)₂·H₂O and M(2,4’-bpy)₂(RCOO)₂·H₂O (where M(II)=Zn, Cd; 2-bpy=2,2’-bipyridine, 4-bpy=4,4′-bipyridine, 2,4′-bpy=2,4′-bipyridine; R=C₂H₅; n=2 or 4) were prepared in pure solid-state. These complexes were characterized by chemical and elemental analysis, IR and conductivity studies. Thermal behaviour of compounds was studied by means of DTA, DTG, TG techniques under static conditions in air. The final products of pyrolysis of Cd(II) and Zn(II) compounds were metal oxides MO. A coupled TG/MS system was used to analyse of principal volatile products of thermal decomposition or fragmentation of Zn(4-bpy)(RCOO)2·H2O under dynamic air and argon atmosphere. The principal species correspond to: C⁺, CH⁺, CH₃ ⁺, C₂H₂ ⁺, HCN⁺, C₂H₅ ⁺ or CHO⁺, CH₂O⁺ or NO⁺, CO₂ ⁺, ¹³C¹⁶O₂ ⁺ and ¹²C¹⁶O¹⁸O⁺ and others; additionally CO⁺ in argon atmosphere.     

Preparation and characterization of nanotube Li-Ti-O by molten salt method

Nanotube Li-Ti-O compound with high surface (198.6 m²·g⁻¹) was prepared by a method involving the treatment of nanotube Na₂Ti₂O₅·H₂O in molten LiNO₃ and characterization by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectra (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG/DTG). Results show that the nanotube Li-Ti-O compound prepared by this method involves two crystal phases: spinel Li₂Ti₂O₄ and anatase Li_xTiO₂ (x < 0.1). Li⁺ exhibits different Li1s binding energy in the two crystal phases. In ambient air, the Li-Ti-O compound adsorbs water easily, and the chemically adsorbed water is difficult to remove below 400°C. Translated from Chinese Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2006, 22(12): 2135–2139 [译自: 无机化学学报]