Kβ X-Ray Emission Spectroscopic Study of a Second-Row Transition Metal (Mo) and Its Application to Nitrogenase-Related Model Complexes

In recent years, X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) in the Kβ (3p-1s) and valence-to-core (valence-1s) regions has been increasingly used to study metal active sites in (bio)inorganic chemistry and catalysis, providing information about the metal spin state, oxidation state and the identity of coordinated ligands. However, to date this technique has been limited almost exclusively to first-row transition metals. In this work, we present an extension of Kβ XES (in both the 4p-1s and valence-to-1s [or VtC] regions) to the second transition row by performing a detailed experimental and theoretical analysis of the molybdenum emission lines. It is demonstrated in this work that Kβ₂ lines are dominated by spin state effects, while VtC XES of a 4d transition metal provides access to metal oxidation state and ligand identity. An extension of Mo Kβ XES to nitrogenase-relevant model complexes shows that the method is sufficiently sensitive to act as a spectator probe for redox events that are localized at the Fe atoms. Mo VtC XES thus has promise for future applications to nitrogenase, as well as a range of other Mo-containing biological cofactors. Further, the clear assignment of the origins of Mo VtC XES features opens up the possibility of applying this method to a wide range of second-row transition metals, thus providing chemists with a site-specific tool for the elucidation of 4d transition metal electronic structure.     

Identification of a single light atom within a multinuclear metal cluster using valence-to-core X-ray emission spectroscopy

Iron valence-to-core Fe Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy (V2C XES) is established as a means to identify light atoms (C, N, O) within complex multimetallic frameworks. The ability to distinguish light atoms, particularly in the presence of heavier atoms, is a well-known limitation of both crystallography and EXAFS. Using the sensitivity of V2C XES to the ionization potential of the bound ligand, energetic shifts of ~10 eV in the ligand 2s ionization energies of bound C, N, and O may be observed. As V2C XES is a high-energy X-ray method, it is readily applicable to samples in any physical form. This method thus has great potential for application to multimetallic inorganic frameworks involved in both small molecule storage and activation.     

Properties of Zinc alloy electrodeposits produced from acid and alkaline electrolytes

Zinc–cobalt (Zn–Co) and zinc–nickel (Zn–Ni) alloy electrodeposits each prepared from acid and alkaline formulations were compared for their properties. Compared to alkaline baths, acid baths offer higher metal percent of the alloying element and higher current efficiency. In alkaline baths, the variation of metal percent in deposit with current density is less significant, but that of current efficiency with current density is more. Electrolyte pH does not change significantly in alkaline solutions compared to acid solutions. X-ray diffraction evaluation of Zn–Co deposits from both electrolytes indicated their presence in the η-phase, while Zn–Ni shows pure γ-phase for deposits obtained from alkaline solutions and the existence of γ-phase with traces of η-phase of zinc for deposits obtained from the acid electrolytes. Scanning electron microscope examination shows finer grain structure for deposits obtained from alkaline solutions, and atomic force microscope studies confirm their nanostructure with reduced surface roughness. Deposits obtained from the alkaline baths exhibited higher corrosion resistance probably due to their nanostructure.     

High-resolution X-ray emission spectroscopy of molybdenum compounds

High-resolution molybdenum K-edge X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) was used to characterize the K beta(4) and K beta' ' valence-to-core transition bands in the oxo-Mo compounds K(2)MoO(4), MoO(S(2)CNEt(2))(2), and MoO(2)(S(2)CNEt(2))(2). The K beta(4) and K beta' ' emission bands are attributed to transitions to the Mo 1s core hole from molecular orbitals possessing primarily molybdenum 4d and oxygen 2s character, respectively. This communication describes the first assignment of the K beta' ' interatomic band in the emission spectra of molybdenum complexes. Additionally, the K beta(4) and K beta' 'transitions are shown to be sensitive to the chemical and electronic environment of the metal, suggesting that high-resolution XES might be an effective method for elucidating the nature of the molybdenum centers in biological systems.     

New mixed tellurides of nickel and Group 13–14 metals Ni<Subscript>3−δ</Subscript>MTe<Subscript>2</Subscript> (M = Sn,In, Ga)

Three new mixed tellurides of nickel and group 13–14 metals Ni_3−δMTe₂ (M = Sn, In, Ga) were prepared by high-temperature ampoule synthesis and studied by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound Ni_3−δSnTe₂ was also studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structural model of this phase and two analogs was described as consisting of layers with nickel-main group metal bonds confined from the above by tellurium atoms. The van der Waals gap formed through contacts between the tellurium atoms of neighboring layers is partially occupied by nickel atoms. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1879–1881, October, 2007.     

Thermal Effects Associated with the Incorporation of Transition Metal Catalysts Inside Alumino-silicate Supports

Kaolinic and bentonitic-clays are selected to prepare transition metals, iron, cobalt and nickel catalysts. The metals are incorporated into two supports through new impregnation technique. The original clays and the prepared catalysts were subjected to different techniques. The crystallite size (X-ray diffraction analysis) increases from iron to cobalt then to nickel upon heating and the increase for bentonitic-catalysts is higher than that for kaolinic-ones. Infrared spectra show the appearance of bands signifying the presence of iron, cobalt and nickel bonded to OH group constituting the silica-silica tetrahedral sheets inside the clay structure. The enthalpy (ΔH) andentropy (ΔS) values (differential scanning calorimetric) are lower for bentonitic-catalysts than for kaolinic-catalysts. Thus, the incorporation of the metal hydroxide in the interlamella of the silicate-silicate bentonite clay structure facilitates the interaction between the unpaired electrons on the adjacent atoms and the support which enables the prepared catalysts to be more active for catalytic conversion. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The X-ray fluorescence determination of Cd, Ni, and Zn electrodeposited from aqueous solutions

The concentrations of cadmium, nickel, and zinc in standard solutions were determined by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis of deposits prepared by flow electrolysis on graphite cloth electrodes. Reduction of the metal species in solution was complete only if cadmium or zinc was the major constituent (80 or 90 mole%, respectively). Deposits of cadmium and zinc, and cadmium-rich Cd---Ni, Cd---Zn, and Cd---Ni---Zn deposits were analysed. For pure metals the detected X-ray intensity displayed a power-law relationship, Rn^p, for up to 10⁻⁴ moles. The enhancement effect of the cadmium on the nickel and zinc signals, and the absorption and enhancement effects between nickel and zinc, were corrected empirically. The absorption of cadmium X-rays by nickel and zinc was insignificant. Deposits of pure copper on heavier electrodes displayed similar fluorescent intensities.     

Efficient maximization of coloration by modification in morphology of electrodeposited NiO thin films prepared with different surfactants

In this paper, we report on the nickel oxide (NiO) thin films potentiostatically electrodeposited onto indium-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrates by using two types of organic surfactants: (1) non-ionic: polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and (2) anionic: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). An aqueous solution containing nickel sulfate precursor and potassium hydroxide buffer was used to grow the samples. The effect of organic surfactants on its structural, morphological, wettability, optical, electrochromic, and in situ colorimetry were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, contact angle, FT-IR spectroscopy, optical transmittance, cyclic voltammetry, and CIE system of colorimetry. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the films are polycrystalline, consisting of NiO cubic phase. A nanoporous structure with pore diameter of about 150–200 nm was observed for pure NiO. The films deposited with the aid of organic surfactants exhibits various surface morphological feature. PVP-mediated NiO thin film shows noodle-like morphology with well-defined surface area whereas, an ordered pore structure composed of channels of uniform diameter of about 60–80 nm was observed for PEG. A compact and smooth surface with nanoporous structure stem from SDS helps for improved electrochromic performance compared with that of NiO deposits from surfactant-free solution. Wetting behavior shows, transformation from hydrophilic to superhydrophilic nature of NiO thin films deposited with organic surfactant, which helps for much more paths for electrolyte access. The surfactant-mediated NiO produce high color/bleach transmittance difference up to 57% at 630 nm. On oxidation of NiO/SDS, the CIELAB 1931 2° color space coordinates show the transition from colorless to the deep brown state (L* = 84.41, a* = −0.33, b* = 4.41, and L* = 43.78, a* = 7.15, b* = 13.69), with steady decrease in relative luminance. The highest coloration efficiency of 54 cm² C⁻¹ with an excellent reversibility of 97% was observed for NiO/SDS thin films.     

Electrodeposition of Zn–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanocomposite films—effect of bath composition

Zn–TiO₂ nanocomposite films were prepared by pulsed electrodeposition from acidic zinc sulphate solutions on a Ti support. The influence on the composite structural and morphological characteristics of Zn²⁺ and TiO₂ concentrations in the deposition bath has been investigated. The characterisation of the samples was made by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). For all the obtained coatings, the anatase and rutile phases’ most intense diffraction lines were observed between 24° and 28° 2θ, confirming the formation of the Zn–TiO₂ nanocomposite. X-ray diffraction data show that the presence of the TiO₂ nanoparticles plays a remarkable influence on the preferred orientation of the metal matrix. For the more diluted solution, a dependence between the metallic matrix grain size and the concentration of TiO₂ in bath is observed. The grain size decreases with the increasing on the nanoparticle amounts. The SEM results for Zn and Zn–TiO₂ deposits indicate that the nanoparticles have a strong influence on the deposit surface morphology, which is caused by the changes on the deposition mechanism.     

Synthesis of Ni/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles for catalytic benzene hydrogenation

Nickel nanoparticles supported on silica were prepared by hydrazine reduction in aqueous medium. The obtained solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM), Electron Diffraction (ED), hydrogen chemisorption, and Temperature Programmed Desorption of hydrogen (H₂-TPD). The catalytic properties were evaluated for benzene hydrogenation in the temperature range 75–230 °C. XRD patterns reveal presence of the metallic nickel particles with fcc structure. Metal dispersion and hydrogen storage increase with decreasing metal particle size. The H₂-TPD profiles exhibit two domains, one due to desorption of hydrogen from Ni metal and another due to spillover from metal to the support. The catalytic activity strongly depends on the metal loading. It increases with decreasing metal loading. This is attributed to metal surface area, which also increases with decreasing metal loading. Kinetic studies of benzene hydrogenation on the Ni catalysts showed that the benzene partial order is around −2. This significant negative value is ascribed to a strong adsorption of benzene on the catalyst surface.     

Electrochemical study of spinel oxide systems with nominal compositions Ni1− x Cu x Co2O4 and NiCo2− y Cu y O4

Studies on the electrochemical behaviour of Ni_{1− x} Cu _x Co₂O₄ (x ≤ 0.75) and NiCo_{2− y} Cu _y O₄ (y ≤ 0.30) electrodes in 5 mol dm⁻³ KOH aqueous solutions are presented. The oxide layers have been prepared by thermal decomposition of aqueous nitrate solutions on nickel supports at 623 K. Powder samples were also prepared by thermal decomposition under the same conditions. The powder samples and the oxide layers were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction. The influence of the copper content on the voltammetric response of the electrodes and activity towards oxygen evolution reaction is analysed and correlated with the surface composition of the electrodes by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. The analysis of the results reveals that the presence of Cu affects the electrode behaviour and its influence depends on which cation has been replaced. Received: 22 February 1999 / Accepted: 26 October 1999     

Preparation,properties, and catalytic activity of platinum-modified plasma electrolytic oxide structures on aluminum

Catalytically active Pt-containing oxide composites on aluminum have been prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and by additional modification of the resulting coating by impregnation with an aqueous solution of chloroplatinic acid followed by calcination. The oxide film/metal composites have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The modified films contain the γ-Al₂O₃ and Pt crystalline phases. Platinum in the surface and subsurface layers is in the Pt⁰ state. There are platinum-rich areas on the surface of the PEO films. A higher catalytic activity in CO oxidation into CO₂ is shown by the samples whose oxide film contains nickel and copper along with platinum.     

Electrochemical corrosion behaviors and corrosion protection properties of Ni–Co alloy coating prepared on sintered NdFeB permanent magnet

In this study, a protective Ni–Co alloy coating was prepared on sintered NdFeB magnet applying electrodeposition technique. A pure nickel coating was also studied for a comparison. The microstructure, surface morphologies, and chemical composition of coatings were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The corrosion protection properties of coatings for NdFeB magnet in neutral 3.5 wt.% NaCl solutions were evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The microstructure and surface morphologies analysis showed that the addition of cobalt element into matrix metal Ni altered the preferential orientation of pure nickel coating from (2 0 0) crystal face for pure nickel coating to (1 1 1) crystal face for Ni–Co alloy coating, and made the surface morphologies more compact and uniform due to the grain-refining. The results of potentiodynamic polarization test showed that compared with pure nickel coating, Ni–Co alloy coating exhibited much nobler corrosion potential (E _corr) and lower corrosion current density (j _corr), indicating better anticorrosive properties. The long-term immersion test by dint of EIS indicated that the Ni–Co alloy coating still presented high impedance value of 1.9 × 10⁵ Ω cm² with the immersion time of 576 h indicating the excellent anticorrosive properties, and corrosion protection properties of nickel coating for NdFeB magnet practically disappeared with the immersion time of 144 h, which also indicated that the Ni–Co alloy coating provided better corrosion protection properties for the NdFeB magnet compared with nickel coating.     

The Unusual Thermodynamic Stability Order of the First-series Transition Metal Complexes with N,N,N′-tri(2-pyridylmethyl)glycinamide and the Crystal Structure of the Nickel(II) Complex

A new pentadentate tripodal peptide ligand N,N,N′-tri(2-pyridylmethyl)glycinamide (L) has been synthesized. The crystal structure of its nickel(II) complex, [NiL(H₂O)] · 1.17ClO₄ · 0.17H₃O · 0.03H₂O (1), has been determined by X-ray diffraction. In the complex, the deprotonated ligand L acts in a pentadentate fashion and coordinates to the nickel(II) ion through five nitrogen atoms, while the sixth position is occupied by a water molecule. The units of the complex are connected as a 3D honeycomb network by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The thermodynamic properties of the ligand L with the first-series transition metal ions Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been investigated by potentiometric titration and the results show that the order of their stability constants does not conform to the Irving–Williams serial. The reason why the stability constants of the Cu(II) complex are unconventionally small is proposed.     

High-Resolution X-ray Absorption and Emission Spectroscopy for Detailed Analysis of New CO2 Methanation Catalysts

A new approach for the characterization of CO₂ methanation catalysts prepared by thermal decomposition of a nickel MOF by hard X-ray photon-in/photon-out spectroscopy in form of high energy resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (HERFD-XANES) and valence-to-core X-ray emission (VtC-XES) is presented. In contrast to conventional X-ray absorption spectroscopy, the increased resolution of both methods allows a more precise phase determination of the final catalyst, which is influenced by the conditions during MOF decomposition.     

Nanoparticles and nanocrystals of a new bidentate nickel(II) complex of N-[ethyl(propan-2-yl)carbamothioyl]-4-nitrobenzamide: synthesis,characterization, and crystal structures

The nickel(II) complex of N-[ethyl(propan-2-yl)carbamothioyl]-4-nitrobenzamide has been synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry). The single-crystal X-ray structures of N-[ethyl(propan-2-yl)carbamothioyl]-4-nitrobenzamide (1) and bis[N-[ethyl(propan-2-yl)carbamothioyl]-4-nitrobenzamide]nickel(II) (2) have been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Loss of the N–H proton resonance and the N–H stretching vibration and the shift of the ν_C=O and ν_C=S stretching vibrations confirm formation of the metal complex. These studies show that the metal complex is neutral in cis-configuration. The complex has been used as a single-source precursor for the deposition of nickel sulfide nanocrystals by thermolysis. The nickel sulfide nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.     

Adsorption and catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons on nanosized gold particles immobilized on alumina

Gold and nickel particles immobilized on alumina were prepared by the metal vapor synthesis and anionic adsorption methods. The dispersion of metals was determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The activity of nanoparticles, tested in model catalytic reactions of CCl₄ addition to multiple bonds and allyl isomerization of allylbenzene, changes in a wide range (from 1 to 3000 (mole of product) (mole of Au)⁻¹ h⁻¹) and is parallel to the chromatographically measured heats of adsorption of the corresponding unsaturated substrates. The heat of adsorption of unsaturated hydrocarbons can serve as a criterion for the efficiency of the gold-containing catalyst in olefin conversion. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2215–2218, October, 2005.     

氮掺杂有序介孔碳-Ni纳米复合材料的制备及电化学性能

以F127为模板剂,Ni Cl2为镍源,尿素为氮源,间苯二酚甲醛原位聚合树脂为碳源,分别采用均相法和两相法制备Ni-NOMC-1,Ni-N-OMC-2纳米复合材料。X射线衍射(XRD)、激光拉曼以及透射电子显微镜(TEM)等测试结果表明,复合材料具有有序介孔结构,Ni以金属微粒形式嵌于碳骨架中,提高了有序介孔碳的石墨化程度。X射线光电子能谱测试(XPS)表明尿素热解后以4种形式存在:sp3杂化与C结合的N原子,吡啶N原子,sp2杂化与C结合的N原子以及quaternary-N原子。Ni-N的共改性改变了碳载体的理化性质,有利于Pt纳米粒子的负载与分散。均相法制备的Ni-N-OMC-1复合材料微波负载Pt后,氧还原极限电流密度为5.32 m A·cm-2,氢氧化电化学活性面积高达138.53 m2·g-1,电化学催化活性优于商业20%Pt/C材料(4.49 m A·cm-2,96.98 m2·g-1)。     

Avrami exponent of crystallization in tellurite glasses

Nucleation process and crystal growth for three samples of the (20-x)Li₂O–80TeO₂–xWO₃ glass system were studied using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. X-ray diffraction data confirmed the amorphous characteristic of the as-quenched samples and indicated the growth of crystalline phases formed due to the thermal treatment for annealed samples. These results reveal the presence of three distinct γ-TeO₂, α-TeO₂ and α-Li₂Te₂O₅ crystalline phases in the TL sample, and two distinct α-TeO₂ and γ-TeO₂ crystalline phases in the TLW5 and TLW10 samples. The activation energy and the Avrami exponent were determined from DSC measurements. The activation energy values X-ray diffraction data of the TLW10 glass sample suggest that γ-TeO₂ phase occur before the α-TeO₂. The results obtained for the Avrami exponent point to that the nucleation process is volumetric and that the crystal growth is two or three-dimensional.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the electronic structure of 5-fluorouracil compounds

We present a comparison between experimental and theoretical X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of 5-fluorouracil compounds, with an emphasis on the effects of the inclusion of nickel in the structure. By focusing on the 1s thresholds of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine it was possible to provide a complete picture of the occupied and unoccupied partial density of states of the 5-fluorouracil systems. Spectra calculated using density functional theory are compared to experimental results. Most experimental results agree well with our theoretical calculations for the XAS and XES of the compounds. All spectral features are assigned. Our results reveal that the nickel in the compound is coordinated with the nitrogen sites of the 5-fluorouracil ligands.