Low-temperature mechanochemical synthesis of nanosized silicon carbide

The methods of X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, synchronous thermal analysis, and adsorption are used to study the mechanochemical synthesis of silicon carbide through the reaction Si + C → β-SiC. The reaction is found to take place in several stages. At the first stage, i.e., at activation doses below approximately 5 kJ/g, the powders of the components are independently ground to increase the specific surface area of the mixture to 145 m²/g, graphite is amorphized, and the sizes of the coherent-scattering regions of silicon drastically diminish. At the second stage (doses of 5–15 kJ/g), dense Si/C aggregates are formed and two fractions (coarse and fine) with different particle sizes arise in silicon crystallites. As the activation dose is enhanced, the amount of the fine fraction rises, while the sizes of coherent-scattering regions decrease to 2–3 nm. When samples are heated at 800°C, the fine fraction of silicon interacts with carbon to yield silicon carbide with crystallite sizes of 3–4 nm, whereas the coarse fraction of silicon recrystallizes. At the third stage, i.e., at doses of higher than 15 kJ/g, the mechanochemical synthesis of SiC occurs through the following scheme: fine fraction Si + C → amorphous SiC → crystallization of SiC.     

“Inversion substitution” reactions with participation of molecular oxygen: ZH<Subscript>3</Subscript>I + O<Subscript>2</Subscript> → O<Subscript>2</Subscript>ZH<Subscript>3</Subscript> + I (Z = C,Si). The potential energy surface and rate constants

A new class of reactions of molecular oxygen O₂ + ZH₃I → O₂ZH₃ + I (Z = C, Si) proceeding by the mechanism of “inversion substitution” was investigated by quantum chemistry methods and the transition state theory (TST). The profiles of the potential energy surfaces (PES) along the reaction coordinate and the characteristics of transition states were calculated using the DFT approach with the B3LYP hybrid functional and the DZVP basis set. The characteristics of the transition states were then used for TST calculations of the rate constants for the direct and reverse “inversion substitution” reactions and their temperature dependences in the temperature interval 273–2000 K. The activation barriers to the substitution reactions under study were found to be substantially lower than the barriers to the abstraction reactions O₂ + ZH₃I → ZH₂I + HO₂ (by 16.3 kcal mol⁻¹ for Z = C and by 7.2 kcal mol⁻¹ for Z = Si). The results obtained show that the “inversion substitution” reactions dominate over the abstraction reactions in the interaction of molecular oxygen with carbon- and silicon-centered iodides as well as (probably) many other substrates. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1803–1807, September, 2008.     

The reactivity of ketyl and alkyl radicals in reactions with carbonyl compounds

A parabolic model of bimolecular radical reactions was used for analysis of the hydrogen transfer reactions of ketyl radicals: >C·OH+R¹COR²→>C=O+R¹R²C·OH. The parameters describing the reactivity of the reagents were calculated from the experimental data. The parameters that characterize the reactions of ketyl and alkyl radicals as hydrogen donors with olefins and with carbonyl compounds were obtained: >C·OH+R¹CH=CH₂→>C=O+R¹C·HCH₃; >R¹CH=CH₂+R²C·HCH₂R³→R²C·HCH₃+R²CH=CHR³. These parameters were used to calculate the activation energies of these transformations. The kinetic parameters of reactions of hydrogen abstraction by free radicals and molecules (adelhydes, ketones, and quinones) from the C−H and O−H bonds were compared. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2178–2184, November, 1998.     

Structure of (O→Si)-(acetoxymethyl)trifluorosilane in three phase states and in solutions

According to the IR spectroscopy data, the molecules of (O→Si)-(acetoxymethyl)trifluorosilane having in the liquid state and in polar media the intramolecular bond C=O→Si, exist in the gas phase in the temperature range 438–538 K in the equilibrium with the molecules with tetracoordinate silicon atom. This allowed to determine experimentally the enthalpy of formation of the intramolecular bond C=O→Si for the gas phase to be ΔH = 2.2±0.1 kcal mol⁻¹. In the solid state at 110 K and in the CS₂ solution, along with molecule with the C=O→Si bond, the dimers exist, which include both tetra- and pentacoordinate silicon atom. The data of quantum-chemical calculations (B3LYP/6-311G**) show that the shortest intermolecular bond Si-F→Si is realized in the associate formed by the molecules in the ap,sp- and sp,sp-forms, and the longest one, when both components are in the sp,sp-forms.     

Directivity of the intramolecular O→Si bond in pentacoordinate organosilicone compounds

According to the data of X-ray diffraction analysis and quantum chemical calculations, in the hypervalent silicon compounds where the coordination cycle is closed by the C=O→Si-F fragment, the O→Si interatomic distance is governed by the orientation of the silicon atom determined by the C=O→Si angle. This is an indication of a directivity of the coordination bond O→Si; a regular variation in the nature of the latter is reflected in the observed dependence of the O→Si distance on the C=O→Si angle.     

Activation energy of self-heating process Studied by DSC

In order to identify the kinetic process of self-heating in DSC experiment for Ti+3Al→TiAl₃ reaction, two approaches, linear-fitting approach developed from Semenov"s theory of spontaneous ignition and variation of Friedman method, were carried out with cylindrical Ti-75 at% Al samples. Following these approaches, two identical activation energies are obtained as 169±15 kJ mol^-1 and 170±5 kJ mol^-1, respectively. Compared with the activation energies of reactions and interdiffusions between Ti and Al, the possible rate-controlling process of self-heating in DSC experiment for Ti+3Al→TiAl₃ reaction is the interdiffusion between Ti and Al through TiAl₃-layer. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reaction of diphenyl[2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide with boron trifluoride etherate

Diphenyl[2-(trifluorosilyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide was synthesized by the reaction of diphenyl[2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide with boron trifluoride etherate. As shown by the ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F, ³¹P, ²⁹Si multinuclear NMR spectroscopy data, the silicon atom in the molecule is tetracoordinate. The absence of P=O→Si interaction in diphenyl[2-(trifluorosilyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide, as follows from the comparison of the calculated [GIAO B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p)] and experimental δ(²⁹Si) and δ(³¹P) values, is due to the formation of complex with BF₃ by the phosphoryl oxygen.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic properties of scandium (I) ion reacting with SCO in gas phase

Theoretical studies on the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the reactions of scandium (I) ion with the sulfur-transfer reagent SCO via the C-O bond activation pathway have been carried out over the temperature range of 200-1200 K using the DFT/B3LYP method, general statistical thermodynamics, and Eyring transition state theory with Wigner correction. The relevant reactions include reaction 1 ¹Sc⁺ + SCO → ¹IM1 → ¹TS1 → ¹IM2 (Step 1) → ¹TS2 → ¹IM3 → ¹ScO⁺ + ¹CS (Step 2), and reaction 2 ³Sc⁺ + SCO → ³IM1 → CP → ¹IM2 → ¹TS2 → ¹IM3 → ¹ScO⁺ +¹CS in which the spin multiplicity changes from the triplet state to the singlet state in the crossing region. It was concluded that the order of the equilibrium constants (K) and the reaction rate constants (k) are consistent with that of their corresponding exoergic energies, ΔE, and reaction barriers, respectively. Step 2 of reaction 1 is both thermodynamically and kinetically favored over the whole temperature range. Moreover, both Reaction 1 and reaction 2 are exothermic and spontaneous processes in which their entropy increases, and the magnitudes of their thermodynamic values all decrease with increasing temperature.      

Kinetic parameters and geometry of the transition state of acyl radical decarbonylation

Experimental data on acyl radical decomposition reactions (RC^·O → R^· + CO, where R = alkyl or aryl) are analyzed in terms of the intersecting parabolas method. Kinetic parameters characterizing these reactions are calculated. The transition state of methyl radical addition to CO at the C atoms is calculated using the DFT method. A semiempirical algorithm is constructed for calculating the transition state geometry for the decomposition of acyl radicals and for the reverse reactions of R^· addition to CO. Kinetic parameters (activation energy and rate constant) and geometry (interatomic distances in the transition state) are calculated for 18 decomposition reactions of structurally different acyl radicals. A linear correlation between the interatomic distance r ^#(C…C) (or r ^#(C…O)) in the transition state the enthalpy of the reaction (δH _e) is established for acyl decomposition reactions (at br _e = const). A comparative analysis of the enthalpies, activation energies, and interatomic distances in the transition state is carried out for the decomposition and formation of acyl, carboxyl, and formyl radicals.     

Synthesis and molecular and crystal structures of mono-and bis-chelate hypercoordinate silicon compounds containing the C,O-chelating 2,2-dimethyl-4-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1,3-oxazin-3-ylmethyl ligand

New mono-and bis-chelate hypercoordinate silicon complexes containing the monoanionic C,O-chelating 2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo-1,3-oxazin-3-ylmethyl (BonCH₂) ligand were synthesized starting from 2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo-1,3-oxazin-4-one (1) through its TMS derivative 2. The reactions of compound 2 with the chlorosilylmethylating agents ClCH₂SiMe₂Cl, ClCH₂SiMeCl₂, and (ClCH₂)₂SiCl₂ followed by the transformations of the initially formed chlorosilanes BonCH₂SiMe₂Cl (3), BonCH₂SiMeCl₂ (6), and [(BonCH₂)₂Si(Cl)]⁺Cl⁻ (8), respectively, into the target products afforded neutral monochelates, viz., monofluoride BonCH₂SiMe₂F (5) and difluoride BonCH₂SiMeF₂ (7), and the bis-chelate disiloxane cation-anion complexes {[(BonCH₂)₂Si]₂O}²⁺·Cl⁻·ClHCl⁻ (9) and {[(BonCH₂)₂Si]₂O}²⁺·2TfO⁻ (10). The reaction of ditriflate 10 with boron trifluoride etherate produced fluoride triflate (BonCH₂)₂Si(F)OTf (11). The X-ray diffraction study of compounds 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11, as well as of NH-heterocycle 1 and disiloxane (BonCH₂SiMe₂)₂O (4) studied earlier, demonstrated that the Si atoms in complexes 5, 7, 9, and 10 are pentacoordinate through the formation of an intramolecular O→Si bond. The coordination of silicon in fluoride triflate 11 can be described as 5+1. In disiloxane 4, one of two Si atoms is pentacoordinate. Dinuclear cation-anion complexes 9 and 10 contain the diastereomeric bis-silylium ions {[(BonCH₂)₂Si]₂O}²⁺, which differ in the configuration of the chiral bis-chelate fragments (BonCH₂)₂Si. In complex 9, these fragments have opposite configurations (ΛΔ); in ditriflate 10, the same configurations (ΛΛ). Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 446–458, March, 2007.     

Counter-ion effect in the nucleophilic substitution reactions at silicon: a G2M(+) level theoretical investigation

Three identity nucleophilic substitution reactions at tetracoordinated silicon atom with inversion and retention pathways: Nu + SiH₃Cl → Nu + SiH₃Cl[Nu = (1)Cl⁻, (2) LiCl, and (3) (LiCl)₂], are investigated using the G2M(+) theory. Our results show that changing the nucleophile can shift the mechanism (favorable pathway), stepwise from a single-well PES for reaction 1, via a double-well PES for reaction 2, to a triple-well PES for reaction 3, indicating the importance of steric and electronic effects on the S_N2@Si. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Radical addition reactions: factors determining the transition-state geometry

Interatomic distances in the reaction centers of the addition reactions of (i) H^· to the C=C, C=O, N≡C, and C≡C bonds, (ii) ^·CH₃ radical to the C=C, C=O, and C≡C bonds, and (iii) alkyl, aminyl, and alkoxyl radicals to olefin C=C bonds were determined using a new semiempirical method for calculating transition-state geometries of radical reactions. For all reactions of the type X^· + Y=Z → X— Y—Z^· the r ^# _X...Y distance in the transition state is a linear function of the enthalpy of reaction. Parameters of this dependence were determined for seventeen classes of radical addition reactions. The bond elongation, Δr ^# _X...Y, in the transition state decreases as the triplet repulsion, electronegativity difference between the atoms X and Y in the reaction center, and the force constant of the attacked multiple bond increase. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 894–902, April, 2005.     

Nuclear and atomic activation with heavy ion beams

Heavy ion activation has been studied as a method for determining hydrogen. The reactions used [e.g.¹H(⁷Li, n)⁷Be] are the “inverse” of well known reactions [e.g.⁷Li(p, n)⁷Be]. Nuclear activation parameters for the ion beams of interest (⁷Li²⁺,¹⁰B²⁺) have been studied. The analytical feasibility is demonstrated with the determination of hydrogen in titanium at the 100 and 30 ppm levels with relative precisions of 8 to 10%. Detection limits in titanium are in the 0.1 to 0.5 ppm range. Heavy ion bombardment is also accompanied by the emission of characteristic X-rays (“atomic” activation). The parameters governing X-ray emission and background production have been investigated. Experimental K and L X-ray yields from thick targets have been measured for many elements excited by Oⁿ⁺ beams of 0.5 to 7 MeV/amu and Kr⁷⁺ beams of 0.5 to 1 MeV/amu. The simultaneous determination of trace elements at levels of 10 to several 100 ppm in microsamples (∼10⁻⁵ g) is demonstrated on biological specimens. K and L X-ray yields and corresponding detection limits have also been measured with the⁷Li²⁺ and¹⁰B²⁺ beams used for the nuclear activation of hydrogen. With these beams (∼6 MeV/amu) simultaneous nuclear and atomic activation is possible, yielding an unusual multielement trace analysis capability covering hydrogen and medium and high Z elements.     

Formation of borosilicate glasses from silicon alkoxides and metaborate esters in dry non-aqueous solvents

The reaction of metaborate esters (RO)₃B₃O₃ [R = Me, Et, ClCH₂CH₂–, Cl₃CCH₂–, ClCH₂CH₂CH₂–, (ClCH₂)₂CH–] with Si(OR)₄ (R = Me, Et), either neat or in dry propan-2-one or dry THF at room temperature, led to gels which when dried and heated in air for 20 mins at 600°C afforded borosilicate glasses in high ceramic yields. The dried gels and glasses were characterized by elemental analysis, TGA, IR, and powder XRD, and solid-state MAS ²⁹Si and ¹¹B NMR. The gelling reaction was investigated by solution ¹¹B and ²⁹Si NMR. These NMR studies indicated B–O–Si reaction intermediates and a mechanism involving alkoxy exchange and various condensation/elimination reactions of the borosilicate esters have been proposed.     

Theoretical studies on the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with trimethylsilane and tetramethylsilane

The multiple-channel reactions OH + SiH(CH₃)₃ → products (R1) and the single-channel reaction OH + Si(CH₃)₄ → Si(CH₃)₃CH₂ + H₂O (R2) have been studied by means of the direct dynamics method at the BMC-CCSD//MP2/6-311+G(2d,2p) level. The optimized geometries, frequencies and minimum energy path are all obtained at the MP2/6-311+G(2d,2p) levels, and energy information is further refined by the BMC-CCSD (single-point) level. The rate constants for every reaction channels are calculated by canonical variational transition states theory (CVT) with small-curvature tunneling (SCT) contributions over the temperature range 200–2,000 K. The theoretical total rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental data, and the three-parameter expression k ₁ = 2.53×10⁻²¹ T ^3.14 exp(1, 352.86/T), k ₂ = 6.00 × 10⁻¹⁹ T ^2.54 exp(−106.11/T) (in unit of cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹) over the temperature range 200–2,000 K are given. Our calculations indicate that at the low temperature range, for reaction R1, H-abstraction is favored for the SiH group, while the abstraction from the CH₃ group is a minor channel. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Errors in activation analysis by nuclear recoil

The recoil energies of up to several MeV developed during nuclear reactions involving particle emission lead to the radionuclides used in the analysis being redistributed between adjacent materials. In aluminum irradiated by reactor neutrons,²⁴Na losses were observed up to a depth of 8·10⁻⁶ m; in the adjacent silicon, a²⁴Na penetration depth was observed up to 4·10⁻⁶ m. Similar results were obtained from reaction products deriving from irradiation of Ti, Ni, N, S and Cl. This means that the results of activation analysis investigations performed for the purpose of evaluating this type of reaction might contain significant errors if thin layers, boundary zones of very small sample volumes are examined. In the analysis of surface layers on silicon devices, completely erroneous results have been obtained in some cases due to the recoil phenomena described.     

Determination of Ca, P, Sr and Mg in the synthetic biomaterial aragonite by NAA

Implanted ⁷⁴Ge and ¹²⁰Sn concentrations in silicon (Si) layers were investigated by particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Slight differences were observed in the results obtained. It was shown that PIXE and INAA are as powerful as the traditional RBS and SIMS spectroscopy for the investigation of thin layered Si.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Solubilization of silica: Synthesis, characterization and study of penta-coordinated pyridine N-oxide silicon complexes

In an effort to design agents that could solubilize silica in water, under ambient conditions and pH, as takes place in nature, novel zwitterionic, penta-oxo-coordinated silicon compounds with siliconate cores have been prepared from 4-substituted pyridine N-oxides (H, OMe, morpholino, NO₂) as donor ligands, their structures established by¹H,¹³C and MS, and the coordination number of silicon, by²⁹Si NMR. The formation of complexes from pyridine N-oxides is noteworthy since they arise from interaction with a weakly nucleophilic oxygen centre. The ability of the pyridine N-oxides to enhance the solubilization of silica in water has been experimentally demonstrated. Possible rationalization of this observation on the basis of O → Si coordination via the oxygen atom of pyridine N-oxide is suggested Dedicated to Professor S Swaminathan on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Unusual molecular structure of (C=O→Si←O′=C′) bis(2-methyl-4-pyrone-3-oxy)difluoro(λ6)siliconium

X-ray diffraction is used to determine the crystal and molecular structure of spirocyclic (C=O→Si←O′=C′) bis(2-methyl-4-pyrone-3-oxy)difluoro(λ⁶)siliconium containing a hypervalent silicon atom and the previously unknown F₂SiO₄ coordination center. The coordination polyhedron of the silicon atom is a slightly distorted octahedron.     

Thermal behavior of the polyoxometalates derived from H3PMo12O40 and H4PVMo11O40

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of some monovalent counter-ions (NH₄ ⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺) on thermal behavior of polyoxometalates derived from H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ (HPM) and H₄PVMo₁₁O₄₀ (HPVM) by replacing the protons. The IR and UV-VIS-DRS spectra of some acid and neutral NH₄ ⁺, K⁺, Cs⁺ salts, which derived from HPM and HPVM, confirmed the preservation of Keggin units (KU) structure. The X-ray diffraction spectra clearly showed the presence of a cubic structure. The non-isothermal decomposition of studied polyoxometalates proceeds by a series of processes: the loss of crystallization water; the loss of O₂ accompanying with a reduction of V⁵⁺→V⁴⁺ and Mo⁶⁺→Mo⁵⁺; the loss of constitution water started at 360°C for HPVM salts and 420°C for HPM salts; the decomposition of ammonium ion over 420°C with NH₃, N² and H₂O elimination and simultaneous processes of reduction (V⁵⁺→ V⁴⁺ and Mo⁶⁺→ Mo⁵⁺ or Mo⁴⁺) associating with endothermic effects; reoxidation of Mo⁵⁺, Mo⁴⁺ and V⁴⁺with a strong exothermic effect; destruction of KU to the oxides: P₂O₅, MoO₃ and V₂O₅ and the crystallization of MoO₃. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.