High-resolution,near-infrared CW-CRDS,and ab initio investigations of N2O–HDO

We have investigated the N₂O–HDO molecular complex using ab initio calculations at the CCSD(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory and using cavity ring-down spectroscopy to probe an HDO/N₂O/Ar supersonic jet around 1.58 μm. A single a-type vibrational band was observed, 13 cm^?1 redshifted compared to the OH+OD excited band in HDO, and 173 vibration-rotation lines were assigned (T_rot ≈ 20 K). A weighted fit of existing microwave and present near infrared (NIR) data was achieved using a standard Watson's Hamiltonian (σ = 1.26), producing ground and excited states rotational constants. The comparison of the former with those calculated ab initio suggests a planar geometry in which the OD rather than the OH bond in water is almost parallel to NNO. The equilibrium geometry and dissociation energy (D_e = –11.7 kJ/mol) of the water–nitrous oxide complex were calculated. The calculations further demonstrate and allow characterising another minimum, 404 cm^?1 (ΔE₀) higher in energy. Harmonic vibrational frequencies and dissociation energies, D₀, were calculated for various conformers and isotopic forms of the complex, in both minima. The absence of N₂O–D₂O from dedicated NIR experiments is reported and discussed.     

High-resolution overtone spectra of molecular complexes

A high-resolution spectrum of the acetylene–water complex has been recorded in the overtone range. Two bands of C₂H₂–D₂O were analysed, corresponding to the overtone excitations of either the acetylene or the water units. The vibrational shifts and the upper states rotational constants were retrieved, demonstrating that the geometry of the complex is only slightly modified by the excitation. A larger linewidth was observed for the 2CH band than for the 2OD?+?DOD band, probably due to the direct coupling of the 2CH excitation with the dissociation coordinate.     

Infrared spectra of acetylene–water complexes: C2D2–H2O,C2D2–HDO,and C2D2–D2O

Infrared spectra of C₂D₂–water complexes are studied in the 4.1 μm region of the C₂D₂ ν₃ fundamental band using a tunable diode laser source to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet. Relatively large vibrational red shifts (?27.7 to ?28.0 cm^?1) are observed which are more easily interpretable than for the analogous C₂H₂ vibration thanks to the absence of Fermi resonance effects for C₂D₂. Noticeable homogeneous line broadening leads to estimates of upper state predissociation lifetimes of about 0.5, 0.9 and 1.1 ns for C₂D₂–H₂O, –HDO, and –D₂O, respectively. Transitions involving K_a = 0 and 1 levels are observed for C₂D₂–HDO, but there is a puzzling absence of K_a = 1 for C₂D₂–H₂O and C₂D₂–D₂O.     

Sensitive detection of CO2 concentration and temperature for hot gases using quantum-cascade laser absorption spectroscopy near 4.2 μm

Mid-infrared quantum-cascade laser (QCL) absorption spectroscopy of CO₂ near 4.2 μm has been developed for measurement of temperature and concentration in hot gases. With stronger absorption line-strengths than transitions near 1.5, 2.0, and 2.7 μm used previously, the fundamental band (00⁰1–00⁰0) of CO₂ near 4.2 μm provides greatly enhanced sensitivity and accuracy to sense CO₂ in high-temperature gases. Line R(74) and line R(96) are chosen as optimum pair for sensitive temperature measurements due to their high-temperature sensitivity, equal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), weak interference of H₂O transitions, as well as relatively strong line-strengths in high temperature and weak absorption in room temperature. The high-resolution absorption spectrum of the far wings of the R-branch (R56–R100) in the fundamental vibrational band of CO₂ is measured in a heated cell over the range 2,384–2,396 cm^?1 at different temperatures from 700 to 1,200 K. Taking three factors into consideration, including SNR, concentration detectability, and uncertainty sensitivity, the absorption line R(74) is selected to calculate CO₂ concentration. The tunable QCL absorption sensor is validated in mixtures of CO₂ and N₂ in a static cell for temperature range of 700–1,200 K, achieving an accuracy of ±6 K for temperature and ±5 % for concentration measurements.     

Comparison of trajectory models in calculations of N2-broadened half-widths and N2-induced line shifts for the rotational band of H216O and comparison with measurements

In this work, Complex Robert–Bonamy calculations of half-widths and line shifts were done for N₂-broadening of water for 1639 transitions in the rotational band using two models for the trajectories. The first is a model correct to second order in time, the Robert–Bonamy parabolic approximation. The second is the solution of Hamilton's equations. Both models use the isotropic part of the atom–atom potential to determine the trajectories. The present calculations used an intermolecular potential expanded to 20th order to assure the convergence of the half-widths and line shifts. The aim of the study is to assess if the difference in the half-widths and line shifts determined from the two trajectory models is greater than the accuracy requirements of the spectroscopic and remote sensing communities. The results of the calculations are compared with measurements of the half-widths and line shifts. It is shown that the effects of the trajectory model greatly exceed the needs of current remote sensing measurements and that line shape parameters calculated using trajectories determined by solving Hamilton's equations agree better with measurement.     

Line parameters of HDO from high-resolution Fourier transform spectroscopy in the 11 500-23 000 cm spectral region

This work presents new measurements of HDO line parameters in the near-infrared and visible regions (11 500-23 000 cm⁻¹). The measurements consist in high-resolution Fourier transform absorption spectra of H₂O/HDO/D₂O vapor mixtures, obtained using a long absorption path. Spectra with and without nitrogen as the buffer gas were recorded. Due to the simultaneous presence of the three isotopologues H₂O, D₂O, and HDO, the H₂O lines removal and the D₂O lines identification were two necessary preliminary steps to derive the HDO line parameters. The D₂O contribution was small and confined to the well-known 4ν₁ + ν₃ band. An extensive listing of HDO spectroscopic parameters was obtained, for the first time, by fitting some 3256 observed lines to Voigt line profiles. The list contains calibrated line positions, absorption cross-sections and, for many of the lines, N₂-broadening coefficients, as well as N₂-induced frequency shifts. As a result of the low HDO vapor pressures, it was not possible to retrieve the self-broadening parameters. The list is available on the http://www.ulb.ac.be/cpm website.     

Dielectric Measurements as a Function of Temperature of Sodium‐Lithium Phosphate Glasses Evaluated at 10 MHz and 9 GHz

Dielectric constant measurements can be performed at temperatures greater than room temperature; some techniques are shown in this work. The dielectric constant of phosphate glasses, measured in the X‐band microwave range, was determined using a microwave setup assembled to measure the shift in the standing wave pattern produced by the insertion of the sample inside the waveguide. The glass system 50P₂O₅ · 25Li₂O · 25Na₂O was chosen in this work due to its lower melting point and lower transition temperature (T_g) values. The dielectric constant of the glass studied in this work increases in the temperature range 25–330°C, as shown by the results at radio and microwave frequencies. The method of standing wave shift was applied, and it is shown to be a useful tool to estimate the T_g of glasses. This assumption was confirmed by differential thermal analysis technique. Measurements were compared to that at 10 MHz by impedancimetric methods.     

Absolute frequency measurements of N2O laser transitions

The absolute frequencies of 33 P- and R-branch lines of the N₂O, 00°1–10°0 laser band have been measured by heterodyning with known CO₂ laser frequencies of the 00°1 – 10°0 band in a tungsten-nickel diode. These measurements were used to calculate more precise values for the band centre and for the rotational constants.     

Isotope exchange studies of the oxidation and reduction of SrTiO3 single crystal surfaces by water and hydrogen

Thermal desorption studies of chemisorbed D₂ and D₂O on a reduced SrTiO₃(111) surface reveal that D₂ causes the reduction of the crystal, whereas D₂O causes its oxidation. Thermal desorption of H₂¹⁸O indicates that there is a 15% exchange between the oxygen in the adsorbed water molecules and the lattice oxygen.     

Line strength and collisional broadening coefficients of H2O at 2.7 μm for natural gas quality assurance applications

We employed tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy to measure the line strength, the methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆) and the propane (C₃H₈) broadening coefficients for the 523–422 H₂O transition at 3619.61 cm^?1. Water amount fractions generated by a stable and accurate humidity transfer standard, traceable to the SI units via the German national humidity standard, were used to calibrate the spectroscopic line strength measurements. We focus on the traceability of the measured line data to the SI and on uncertainty assessments following the guidelines of the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. We determined the line strength to be (8.42 ± 0.07)×10^?20 cm^?1/(cm^?2 molecule) corresponding to a relative uncertainty of ±0.8%. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first methane, ethane and propane broadening coefficients of (8.037 ± 0.056)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa, (9.077 ± 0.064)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa and (10.469 ± 0.073)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa for the 523–422 H₂O transition at 3619.61 cm^?1, respectively. The relative combined uncertainties of the stated CH₄, C₂H₆ and C₃H₈ broadening coefficients are in the ±0.7% range.     

Calculations of ozone line shifting induced by N2 and O2 pressure

Ozone line shifts by nitrogen and oxygen pressure are computed for the ν₁ + ν₃, 2ν₁ and 2ν₃ bands of the 5 μm spectral region by a semiempirical approach. The calculated values agree with measurements better than 0.001 cm^?1 atm^?1 for 98% of O₃–N₂ lines and 87% of O₃–O₂ lines. In contrast with the water molecule case, the polarization components of the interaction potential are shown to contribute to the line shift more efficiently than the electrostatic interactions. As intermediate results, the mean dipole polarizability and the components of the polarizability tensor for the vibrational states (101), (200), and (002) of ozone molecule are determined by least-squares fitting of theoretical shifts to some experimental values. The temperature exponents for the ν₁ + ν₃ band lines are also estimated.     

Stable isotopic and geochemical variability within shallow groundwater beneath a hardwood hammock and surface water in an adjoining slough (Everglades National Park,Florida, USA)

Data from a 10-month monitoring study during 2007 in the Everglades ecosystem provide insight into the variation of δ¹⁸O, δD, and ion chemistry in surface water and shallow groundwater. Surface waters are sensitive to dilution from rainfall and input from external sources. Shallow groundwater, on the other hand, remains geochemically stable during the year. Surface water input from canals derived from draining agricultural areas to the north and east of the Everglades is evident in the ion data. δ¹⁸O and δD values in shallow groundwater remain near the mean of?2.4 and?12 ‰, respectively. ¹⁸O and D values are enriched in surface water compared with shallow groundwater and fluctuate in sync with those measured in rainfall. The local meteoric water line (LMWL) for precipitation is in close agreement with the global meteoric water line; however, the local evaporation line (LEL) for surface water and shallow groundwater is δ D=5.6 δ¹⁸O+1.5, a sign that these waters have experienced evaporation. The intercept of the LMWL and LEL indicates that the primary recharge to the Everglades is tropical cyclones or fronts. δ deuterium to δ¹⁸O excess (D_ex values) generally reveal two moisture sources for precipitation, a maritime source during the fall and winter (D _ex>10 ‰) and a continental-influenced source (D _ex<10 ‰) in the spring and summer.     

High-pressure optical studies of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanoparticles

Abstract

The fluorescence spectra of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles have been measured under the pressure of up to 78 kbar at room temperature. In this pressure range, a red-shift of 0.02(1) nm/kbar^?1 is noticed for the 0–2 line (⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition). This shift is explained by the change of negative charge of the surrounding ligands. Compatibility between measured and calculated values for the 0–2 line position was obtained. The luminescence decay curves of the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition were studied up to 78 kbar and were found to behave exponentially for all pressures studied. The fluorescence lifetime τ for the 0–2 line (⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition) slowly decreased with pressure. The pressure effect on τ for the 0–2 line (⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition) was explained by a model which considers the pressure effect on the line position, inter-ionic distance, ion volume and polarizability, molecular volume and polarizability, molecular refractive index and the refractive index medium n _med of the surrounding hydrostatic medium. The fluorescence lifetime calculated by the present model is in close correspondence with the experimental values.     

An inelastic neutron scattering study of C2H2 adsorbed on type 13X zeolites

The inelastic neutron scattering spectra of C₂H₂ and C₂D₂ adsorbed on a Ag⁺ exchanged 13X zeolite (0–800 cm^?1) and of C₂H₂ on the Na⁺ form (0–300 cm^?1) have been obtained. For the Na-13X system no distinct vibrational modes were observed, however for the Ag-13X systems the low frequency intramolecular modes of the adsorbed gas and some of the vibrations of the adsorbed gas relative to the surface have been assigned. From the deuteration shifts it appears that C₂H₂ and C₂D₂, adsorbed on Ag-13X, are non-linear.     

Two-dimensional condensation of water and alcohols on NaF

On the surface of NaF the adsorption isotherms of H₂O, D₂O, CH₃OH, C₃H₃OH and 1-C₃H₇OH as well as the infrared spectra of H₃O, D₂O, dilute HDO, CH₃OH and CH₃OD were measured. The adsorption temperatures of H₃O (253–308 K) were within the phase transition region where two phases of low and high density coexist, while those of CH₃OH, C₂H₅OH and 1-C₃H₃OH were yet within a super-critical region. The entropy of the 2D condensed H₂O on NaF was found to be 14.0 cal K^?1 mol^?1, which suggests that the condensed phase of water on NaF is liquid-like. The OD stretching band of dilute HDO in the 2D condensed water gives a maximum adsorption at ca. 2530 cm^?1 with a half width of ca. 150 cm^?1, being in good agreement with that in liquid water. Comparison of the integrated absorbance of the D₂O bending mode with that of the OD stretching mode suggests that the cluster size of the 2D condensed water on NaF decreases with increasing temperature. The 2D critical temperature and the occupied areas of these adsorbates enable us to conclude that the compatibility of the molecular size with the surface lattice is not important in the occurrence of the 2D condensation of the hydrogen-bonding molecules on NaF and that adsorbed molecules are randomly oriented on the surface to the extent similar to that in 3D liquid state.     

Interactions of D2O with CO and CO2 molecules at cryogenic temperatures

On the basis of the matrix effect of secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), the intermolecular interactions between D₂O and hydrophobic molecules have been investigated at temperature of 15 K. The D⁺ yield is found to be enhanced markedly relative to the D₃O⁺ yield when the D₂O molecule forms a complex with the CO or CO₂ molecules on the surface. The CO molecules are incorporated in the inner pores of amorphous solid water and then cover the outermost surface facing to the vacuum, which is followed by the 3D-island growth on it. A similar result is obtained for the adsorption of the CO₂ molecule but the filling of the inner pores is not complete due to the lower mobility of the CO₂ molecule. The D₂O film grows on the CO₂ layer, but a pure D₂O film is hardly formed on the CO layer due to the occurrence of intermixing.     

Solvent‐dependent structural dynamics of 2(1H)‐pyridinone in light absorbing S4(ππ*) state

The B‐band resonance Raman spectra of 2(1H)‐pyridinone (NHP) in water and acetonitrile were obtained, and their intensity patterns were found to be significantly different. To explore the underlying excited state tautomeric reaction mechanisms of NHP in water and acetonitrile, the vibrational analysis was carried out for NHP, 2(1D)‐pyridinone (NDP), NHP–(H₂O)_n (n = 1, 2) clusters, and NDP–(D₂O)_n (n = 1, 2) clusters on the basis of the FT‐Raman experiments, the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) computations using PCM solvent model, and the normal mode analysis. Good agreements between experimental and theoretically predicted frequencies and intensities in different surrounding environments enabled reliable assignments of Raman bands in both the FT‐Raman and the resonance Raman spectra. The results indicated that most of the B‐band resonance Raman spectra in H₂O was assignable to the fundamental, overtones, and combination bands of about ten vibration modes of ring‐type NHP–(H₂O)₂ cluster, while most of the B‐band resonance Raman spectra in CH₃CN was assigned to the fundamental, overtones, and combination bands of about eight vibration modes of linear‐type NHP–CH₃CN. The solvent effect of the excited state enol‐keto tautomeric reaction mechanisms was explored on the basis of the significant difference in the short‐time structural dynamics of NHP in H₂O and CH₃CN. The inter‐molecular and intra‐molecular ESPT reaction mechanisms were proposed respectively to explain the Franck–Condon region structural dynamics of NHP in H₂O and CH₃CN.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1H NMR Study of Zeolite Water Structure and Broensted Acid Centers in Chabazite

The disordered structure of absorbed water in a highly porous zeolite chabazite Ca₂[Al₄Si₈O₂₄]·nH₂O (2 ≤ n ≤ 12.8) is studied from motionally narrowed ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra at room temperature. Concentration phase transitions were observed at n ≈ 8.3 and n ≈ 10.2. The transitions are accompanied by displacement of Ca²⁺ ions and variation of the Broensted acid centers at inner surface of zeolite pores.     

Experimental and theoretical study of N2-broadened acetylene line parameters in the ν1 + ν3 band over a range of temperatures

N₂-broadened line widths and N₂-pressure induced line shifts have been measured for transitions in the ν₁?+?ν₃ band of acetylene at seven temperatures in the range 213–333?K to obtain the temperature dependences of broadening and shift coefficients. For the room-temperature spectra the line mixing effects have been also investigated. The Voigt and hard-collision line profile models were used to retrieve the line parameters. All spectra were recorded using a 3-channel tuneable diode laser spectrometer. The line-broadening and line-shifting coefficients as well as their temperature-dependence parameters have been also evaluated theoretically, in the frame of a semi-classical approach based on an exponential representation of the scattering operator, an intermolecular potential composed of electrostatic quadrupole–quadrupole and pairwise atom–atom interactions as well as on exact trajectories driven by an effective isotropic potential.     

Enhancing the electrical conductivity and thermoelectric figure of merit of the p-type delafossite CuAlO2 by Ag2O addition

(CuAlO₂)_1-x(Ag₂O)_x specimens with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06 were prepared through the sintering of mixtures of CuO, Al₂O₃ and Ag₂O powders at 1373 K. Hall effect, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity measurements were subsequently employed to assess the electrical transport properties. The electrical conductivity of the as-sintered samples was found to increase with Ag₂O addition as a result of increases in the carrier density. Over the temperature range of 323–623 K, the transport properties can be attributed to thermally activated transitions from the acceptor state to the valence band. In contrast, the variable range hopping theory is applicable over the temperature range of 623–873 K. Ag₂O addition evidently reduces the defect binding energy in the electronic structure of the CuAlO₂. The addition of this compound also obstructs the formation of both a spinel phase and CuO, such that the oxygen off-stoichiometry value and the carrier density are increased with increasing Ag₂O levels. The presence of Ag metal has the main effect on thermal conductivity below 400 K, while above 400 K increases in the phonon concentration affect the conductivity. The highest value obtained for the figure of merit was 0.0044 at 573 K, from a sample containing 0.2 at.% Ag₂O.