Effect of thermal dehydration and rehydration on Na-magadiite structure

The effect caused by dehydration and rehydration of the synthetic Na-magadiite was investigated by TGA, XRD, SEM, and ²⁹Si NMR. Thermal analysis of Na-magadiite presented two well-defined loss mass stages between 20 and 150 °C and another between 270 and 310 °C, both related to the removal of interlayer water. The swelling behavior of Na-magadiite was studied by thermal dehydration data obtained at 150 and 300 °C, and respective rehydration by water addition. X-ray patterns showed that the dehydration of Na-magadiite at 150 and 300 °C provoked the basal spacing decrease. The XRD also showed that only the material treated at 150 °C returned to the original structure with the rehydration. ²⁹Si NMR spectra showed that after rehydration, the Q₃/Q₄ relationship presented the same value for Na-magadiite treated at 150 °C. However, this Q₃/Q₄ value decreased when the treatment was done at 300 °C. Kinetic studies of thermal decomposition showed that the dehydration of magadiite is based on a phase boundary-controlled reaction, caused by contracting areas. The exfoliation of lamellas with thermal treatment can explain this behavior, as observed in SEM images.     

Molecular imprinting in ultrathin titania gel films via surface sol-gel process

Recent progresses of molecular imprinting in metal oxide matrices were summarized. Application of the surface sol-gel process to mixtures of organic carboxylic acids and titanium alkoxide provides ultrathin layers of titania gel (10-20 nm thick), in which molecule-sized cavities are kept intact upon removal of the organic templates. The imprinted cavity reflects the structural and functional features of the template molecule, and the enantioselective imprinting of dipeptide isomers is observed. Robustness and flexibility of the ultrathin titania layer is demonstrated by the formation of interconnected titania hollow structures. Possible practical applications and unsolved problems of this technique are discussed.     

Effect of deuteration on the thermal dehydration of lithium sulfate monohydrate

Effects of deuteration on the thermal stability, enthalpy change and kinetic parameters for the thermal dehydration of Li₂SO₄·H₂O were examined by means of TG and DSC. The enthalpy change for the monohydrate was smaller by 1.63±0.75 kJ/mol than that for the monodeuterate. The rate constant for the monohydrate was a little larger than that for the monodeuterate. However, the thermal stability, activation energy and frequency factor were practically unaffected by deuteration of the hydrate. It is suggested that the activation entropy as well as the activation energy should be considered in explaining the kinetic deuterium isotope effect in the thermal dehydration of Li₂SO₄·H₂O.

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Zusammenfassung Die Wirkung der Deuterisierung auf die Thermostabilität, die Enthalpie-Änderungen und kinetischen Parameter der thermischen Dehydratisierung von Li₂SO₄·H₂O wurden durch TG und DSC untersucht. Die Enthalpie-Änderung für das Monohydrat wurde um 1.63±0.75 kJ/mol niedriger gefunden als für das Monodeuterat. Die Geschwindigkeitskonstante für das Monohydrat war etwas größer als für das Monodeuterat. Die Thermostabilität, die Aktivierungsenergie und der Frequenzfaktor wurden jedoch von der Deuterisierung des Hydrats praktisch nicht beeinflußt. Es wird vorgeschlagen, daß bei der Erklärung des kinetischen Deuterium-Isotop-Effekts bei der thermischen Dehydratisierung von Li₂SO₄·H₂O sowohl die Aktivierungsentropie als auch die Aktivierungsenergie berücksichtigt werden müssen.

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, Li₂SO₄·H₂O. 1.63+0.75 /. , . , , . , Li₂SO₄·H₂O.

     

二氧化钛溶胶凝胶的光致变色

通过钛酸丁酯在酸性醇溶液中的水解制备二氧化钛溶胶和凝胶。在中压汞灯的照射下,溶胶和凝胶由浅黄色变成蓝紫色。电子自旋共振谱(ESR)表明,变色的原因是由于…Ti－O－Ti－O…网络中Ti^4^+离子被还原成Ti^3^+离子。Ti^3^+离子又会被空气中的氧所氧化成Ti^4^+离子,个人成分吏家产凝胶由蓝紫色褪为浅黄色。和变色溶胶的吸收光谱不同,在变色凝胶的吸收光谱上出现了四个明显的吸收峰,这些吸收峰是由于处于一定结构中的Ti^3^+离子的3d轨道上电子的跃迁所引起。     

Effect of hydrolysis catalyst and thermal treatment on titania synthesis via sol-gel

The effect of acidic and basic catalysts and of thermal treatment on the preparation of TiO₂ by the sol-gel method has been studied. The resultant solids were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy. A displacement of the band due to a fundamental transition to lower energies was observed when acid catalysts were used.

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, TiO₂ - . . .

     

Explosive thermal dehydration of solids

Selected examples of dehydration, accompanied by violent disintegration or bloating of the decomposing solid substance are presented. This phenomenon has been explained as a specific case of internal decomposition of solids. A sealed box with compressed gaseous products is proposed as a model of the process. The practical applications of this phenomenon are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Es werden ausgewählte Beispiele für die Dehydratation, begleitet von heftiger Zersetzung oder Aufblähen der zersetzten Feststoffe dargelegt. Diese Erscheinung wird als ein Spezialfall der internen Zersetzung von Feststoffen beschrieben. Als Modell für diesen Prozeß wird ein abgeschlossener Behälter mit unter Druck stehenden gasförmigen Produkten vorgeschlagen. Praktische Anwendungen dieser Erscheinung werden diskutiert.

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Dedicated to Professor Dr. H. J. Seifert on the occasion of his 60^th birthday

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The work was financially supported by the Ministry of National Education, grant No P/03/257/90-z. The authors wishes to express his thanks to all who contributed to this support.     

Application of thermal analysis for determination of film pressure and film surface energy on silica gel surface

The results of dynamic and quasi-isothermal thermodesorption of water from a silica gel surface at low furnace heating rates in the temperature range 20–125° are presented. From the experimental results, the water film pressure π on silica gel surface, the activation energy ΔE and the evaporation heat ΔH were calculated. An interpretation of π changes in relation to the film thickness and wetting process has been proposed. It is concluded that the characteristic film pressure values correspond to the work of spreading, and immersional, adhesional and adhesional-cohesional wetting. From the determined film pressure values, the average value of the silica gel polar component, γ _s ^P , was calculated to be 114.67 mJ/m².     

Studies on thermal dehydration of hydrated chromic oxide

Hydrated chromic oxide was prepared by the reduction of potassium dichromate in an autoclave using sucrose. The thermal dehydration of the parent gel in different atmospheres was studied comparatively using the techniques of thermal gravimetry, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and gas adsorption. The results of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis show that the temperature at which the glow phenomenon occurs is dependent on the gaseous atmosphere in the heat-treatment process and increases in the following order: air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. When heated in CO(2), the parent gel is transformed into crystalline alpha-Cr(2)O(3) going through the phase of amorphous Cr(2)O(3). In air, however, it is decomposed directly into crystalline alpha-Cr(2)O(3) without going through the amorphous Cr(2)O(3) phase. It is also found that microcrystallites of alpha-Cr(2)O(3) have been formed before the glow phenomenon occurs at 390 degrees C in air and at 590 degrees C in CO(2), respectively. The mechanism for thermal dehydration in air and CO(2) is discussed.     

Effect of surface treatment on the photovoltaic properties of titania nanorods and MEHPPV nanocomposites

In this work, anatase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanorods (NRs) were synthesized by low-temperature hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and using oleic acid (OA) as capping agent. The OA-capped titania NRs were then processed using surface ligand exchange by pyridine (Py). The two types of NRs, with different capping agents hence obtained, were blended with poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-l,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEHPPV) to prepare hybrid organic–inorganic nanocomposites. In order to elucidate the changes caused by the surface modifications, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction were used to study the morphology. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirms that the ligands coordinated with the Ti center of TiO₂ NRs. The optical properties of the modified TiO₂ NRs are characterized by UV–Vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Photoluminescence lifetime studies were conducted to predict the capping agent more suitable for photovoltaic applications.     

Pinning mononuclear Au on the surface of titania

We have deposited Au atoms on the surface of titania without sintering or surface damage. Mass-selected Au+ atoms were deposited from the gas phase at room temperature with kinetic energies from <3 to 190+/-3.5 eV. Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals island formation following deposition at <3 eV, while mainly atomic features are observed for energies between approximately 35 and approximately 190 eV. A mixture of islands and atomic features is observed at a landing energy of 20+/-3.5 eV, suggesting a critical energy above which pinning occurs. Cluster size is also probed as a function of coverage in the deposition of Au+ with 100 eV of energy, revealing that sintering begins at a coverage of only 0.06 ML. These observations suggest a mechanism in which high-energy collision leads to the annealing of any impact-created surface damage and the pinning of Au atoms to the surface. We provide a new method of preparing isolated Au atoms on an oxide surface, which can serve as a platform for catalytic studies.     

Fabrication of titania nanotube arrays on curved surface

In this paper, well-ordered titania nanotube arrays were formed on curved surface provided by titanium wire via anodic oxidation. The morphology of the nanotube arrays was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that within the range of 360°, all the growing orientations of each nanotube keep correspondence with their outer electric fields. That is to say the surface shapes of anode play an important role on morphology of nanotube arrays. Compared with foils, by changing the anode shape, higher aspect ratio can be obtained. The nanotube arrays formed on wires can provide good understanding for the formation mechanism of the nanotube arrays. Furthermore, it can stimulate new thoughts in practical applications due to its ringed shaper.     

Effects of thermal treatment on the surface properties of a wide pore silica gel

A mesoporous silica gel Davidson 59 was thermally treated in vacuo, in the temperature range 20–1000°C. Effects of thermal treatment on the water contents, nitrogen surface areas, pore structure and heats of immersion in water were investigated and discussed. The temperatures selected were 20, 110, 200, 290, 380, 480, 510 and 1000°C. These temperatures were found to cover all the various textural changes resulting from the heat effect.It could be shown that the heats of immersion in water depend primarily on the water content of the sample and are proportional, at least qualitatively to the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface and their availability for interaction with liquid water. The interesting result obtained is that a second factors is involved, namely the pore structure of the adsorbent. A qualitative parallelism exists between the normalized heat of immersion per unit area, and the average pore radius. Apparently the packing of water molecules in narrow pores leads to a decrease in the heat of immersion due to repulsion between the permanent dipoles of the molecules. In narrower pores, the heat of immersion in water is smaller than in wide pores.     

Opal gel templated synthesis of oblate titania opal materials

Ordered arrays of oblate titania bodies were template synthesized using opal gel templates under uniaxial compression at ambient temperature during the favorable titania sol/gel process. The aspect ratio was controllable by the compression degree.     

Kinetics of the thermal dehydration of variscite and specific surface area of the solid decomposition products

The surface properties of active solids resulting from decomposition of AlPO₄ · 2 H₂O by thermal treatment in vacuum and in air are studied in connection with the parameter governing the kinetics of the dehydration process. The values obtained for the activation energies of decomposition under isothermal conditions agree acceptably well with those computed from TG curves by the Freeman and Carroll method. Kinetic results, which are analysed in terms of the Mampel theory, strongly suggest that the activation energy of the nucleation process determines the rate of surface formation, and justify the observed fact that the specific surface areas of samples treated in vacuum are higher than those of samples treated in air.

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Zusammenfassung Die Oberflächenbeschaffenheiten der aktiven Festkörper, welche bei der thermischen Behandlung im Vakuum oder in Luft als Zersetzungsprodukte von AlPO₄ · 2 H₂O entstehen, werden im Zusammenhang mit dem die Kinetik des Dehydratisierungsvorganges steuernden Parameter studiert. Die bei isothermen Bedingungen für die Aktivierungsenergien der Zersetzung erhaltenen Werte sind in befriedigender übereinstimmung mit denjenigen, welche mittels der Methode von Freeman und Carroll aus den TG-Kurven errechnet wurden. Die gemäß der Mampel-Theorie analysierten kinetischen Ergebnisse lassen darauf schließen, daß die Aktivierungsenergie der Nukleationsvorgänge die Geschwindigkeit der Oberflächen-Entstehung bedingt und rechtfertigen die Beobachtung, nach welcher die spezifische Oberfläche vakuumbehandelter Proben größer ist als die der luftbehandelten.

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Résumé On étudie les propriétés de surface des solides actifs provenant de la décomposition de AlPO₄ · 2 H₂O par traitement sous vide et dans l'air et on les rapporte aux paramètres gouvernant la cinétique du processus de déshydratation. Les valeurs obtenues en conditions isothermes pour les énergies d'activation de la décomposition sont en accord acceptable avec celles calculées à partir des courbes TG par la méthode de Freeman et Carroll. Les résultats cinétiques qui sont analysés dans le sens de la théorie de Mampel font conclure que c'est l'énergie d'activation du processus de nucléation qui détermine la vitesse de la formation de la surface; ils justifient le fait observé que la surface spécifique des échantillons traités sous vide est plus grande que celle des échantillons traités dans l'air.

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, Al ₄ · 2₂ , , . , , , . , , , , , , , , .

     

Effect of ultraviolet irradiation on crystallization behavior and surface microstructure of titania in the sol-gel process

Nanosized titania was prepared at various hydrolysis ratios (r=H₂O/Ti) by photo-assisted and conventional sol-gel methods. It was found that hydrolysis ratio and ultraviolet irradiation greatly affect the titania crystallization behavior. The introduction of photo-irradiation benefits anatase formation throughout a wide range of hydrolysis ratio. XPS results show that hydrolysis reaction was promoted by ultraviolet irradiation. In addition, photo-irradiation was also verified to be in favor of the generation of large specific surface area and high crystallinity, which resulted in relative high photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ prepared by a photo-assisted sol-gel method.     

Nano-alumina by gel combustion, its thermal characterization and slurry-based coating on stainless steel surface

Gel combustion method was used to prepare nano-alumina from aluminum nitrate and stoichiometric amount of glycine as fuel. The TG–DTA pattern of the as-prepared powder (combustion product) exhibited exotherms with peaks around 500 and 900 °C accompanied with loss of weight of 25 and 5 % attributed to burning away of carbon left behind and decomposition of residual reaction intermediates left behind, respectively. Even though mass stability is attained above 900 °C, the DTA exhibited an exotherm around 1,150 °C attributed to transformation of gamma to alpha form of alumina. The XRD studies revealed that the powder heated to 900 °C was chemically pure nano-crystalline alumina while that heated above 1,150 °C was crystalline alpha form. As nano-crystalline powders are sinter-active, the nano-crystalline alumina formed by calcination at 900 °C was used to form the coating. A morphological feature of the agglomerates of nano-alumina powders were evaluated using SEM. The powder was de-agglomerated by wet grinding method. The dispersion conditions to form slurry using 900 °C calcined powder for slurry-based coating was optimized using zeta-potential studies, and it was found to exhibit a maximum value of ?45 mV at a pH of 9. After 8 h of grinding, the median agglomerate size reduced to 2 μm. Rheological studies exhibited desired pseudoplastic behavior in the range of 10–20 vol.% of solid while the slurry with 15 vol.% only form crack free, dense, and adherent coating after heat treatment at 1,150 °C. The morphology of the coating was found to be uniform and dense.     

Influence of adding carbon nanotubes on photoelectric conversion properties of dye-doped titania gel

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into amorphous dye-doped titania gel by the sol?Cgel method at room temperature. The working electrodes were prepared by coating the ITO glass with the sol?Cgel titania precursor containing the dye and MWCNTs. The photoelectric conversion properties of the electrodes were examined by simple spectroscopic and electric measurements. The photocurrent spectrum originated from the absorption of the dye. The short circuit photocurrent was enhanced by adding a small amount of MWCNTs evenly to the amorphous dye-doped titania gel. The open circuit voltage was due to the semiconducting characteristics property of the titania gel. The experimental results indicated the electron transport from the dye excited states to the MWCNTs through the titania gel. The MWCNTs functioned as bridges between the titania and ITO. Steam treatment of the titania gel electrodes significantly increased the photoelectric performance due to crystallization of the titania and enhancement of the dye?Ctitania interaction forming the chelate complex on the titania particle surface.     

Processing characteristics and thermal stabilities of gel and sol of epoxidized natural rubber

The processing performances and aging behaviours of gel and sol separated from epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) using organic solvents were studied by using rubber processing analyzer (RPA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and difference FT-IR method. As the gel with intermolecular ether structure is formed by the ring-opening reactions of a part of epoxy groups during the preparation and storage of ENR, the molar percentage of epoxy groups of gel is lower than that of sol. The gel shows higher elastic moduli to temperature and frequency responses, lower tan δ to frequency and strain response and higher elastic torque to strain response as comparing to those of sol. Therefore, the formation of gel will reduce processing performance of ENR. When the aging behaviours of gel and sol were analyzed by different methods, the aging reactions and their degrees were different because of the differences of aging conditions. Compared to gel, the sol is easy to be crosslinked, leading to a higher Δtan δ from the RPA analysis and it is also easy to be oxidized into small molecules, leading to lower onset temperature and apparent activation energy when being analyzed by TGA. However, the variations of functional groups of gel are more obvious than those of sol when analyzed by difference FT-IR method. As the mechanical properties of ENR will be varied with the variations of molecular structures, the formations of gel during preparation and storage of ENR will reduce the oxidative aging resistance of ENR.     

Superhydrophobic surface by immobilization of polystyrene on vinyl-modified titania nanoparticles

Abstract  

The organic–inorganic nanocomposite films were fabricated by grafting polystyrene (PS) onto the vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) modified titanium dioxide nanopowders using free radical polymerization. The composition of the surfaces and the structure for the PS grafted titania (PS-g-TiO₂) were examined by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, and the rough surface was confirmed by the evaluation of the morphological characteristics of the coating using hybrid particles. The wetting properties of the VTEOS modified titania and PS-g-TiO₂ films were investigated, which show the maximum static water contact angles of 160° and 154°, and minimum sliding angles of 3° and 4°, respectively.     

Sol–gel routes for microporous zirconia and titania membranes

Zirconia and titania nanoparticle sols were prepared, using either ligand-based precursor stabilization or acid stabilization routes. These sols were used to prepare microporous coatings on γ-alumina substrates. The acetylacetonate-based particles have very small hydrodynamic diameters (1–2 nm), which lead to sol intrusion into the supports. As a result no appropriate membrane layer was formed. A microemulsion-based zirconia sol leads to a membrane that was selective in pervaporation dehydration of a water/n-butanol mixture. An optimized membrane showed stable separation performance for 120 days with a high selectivity toward water. Permporometry and gas permeation results on a titania membrane based on an acid-stabilized sol not only show microporosity, but also a significant contribution from defect flow.