Composition, structure, and luminescence of montmorillonites saturated with different aggregates of methylene blue

The distribution of various aggregates (dimers, trimers, and tetramers) of methylene blue (MB) formed in aqueous solution at various concentrations of dye has been calculated using the equilibrium aggregation constants betaq. Two montmorillonite samples with different cation exchange capacities, surface areas, and interlayer distances d001, Na-SWy, and Ca-Cheto, were saturated with methylene blue (MB) solutions with various ratios between monomers and higher aggregates of dye. The total amount of MB in the intercalated montmorillonite samples (MB-SWy and MB-Cheto) increases with increasing concentration of dye in water solutions, i.e., with increasing aggregates/monomers ratio of MB in water solution. In all intercalated montmorillonite samples with methylene blue except guest qth aggregate cations [MBqq+] low contents of Na+ (in MB-SWy) and Ca2+ (in MB-Cheto) cations were also determined. A very good positive correlation between the basal spacing d001 and the MB/montmorillonite molar ratio was revealed for saturated MB-montmorillonite samples. Structural analysis using a combination of diffraction data with molecular modeling revealed the differences in the interlayer arrangement of MB guests in MB-SWy and MB-Cheto intercalates. Also, fluorescence measurements showed the strong effect of the silicate layer charge on the spectroscopic behavior of MB guests intercalated in montmorillonite. Methylene blue exhibits a certain luminescence in MB-SWy samples with cation exchange capacity 0.80 meq g-1 and almost no luminescence in MB-Cheto samples with higher cation exchange capacity 1.50 meq g-1.     

Level decay and orientational kinetics of the rhodamine B monomer and dimer

The population kinetics and the rotational diffusion of the rhodamine B monomer and dimer were measured by using picosecond pulses from a mode-locked Nd : YAG laser to induce and time resolve the concentration-dependent transient absorption saturation of various aqueous solutions of this organic dye.     

The nature of the AgI...AgI interaction in different Ag(NH3)2 dimers embedded in supramolecular solids

An isolated silver(I) ammonia monomer, a dimer, and a novel dimer containing an intercalated water molecule have been embedded as guests in supramolecular frameworks, [Ag(NH3)2][(H2thpe)(H3thpe)].MeCN (1), [{Ag(NH3)2}2][(H2thpe)2]4.25 H2O (2), and [{Ag(NH3)2}-H2O-{Ag(NH3)2}][(H2thpe)(2)]benzene (3) (H3THPE=tris(hydroxyphenyl)ethane). The [{Ag(NH3)2}2]2+ dimer is not stable as an isolated entity, but is stabilized by hydrogen bonding in the supramolecular framework. The water-intercalated silver(I) ammonia dimer, which constitutes a novel species, is also subject by hydrogen bonding in concentrated solutions. The destabilization energy of the dimer relative to isolated monomers is calculated to be approximately 300 kJ mol(-1) by both perturbation methods and DFT theory. For the water-intercalated dimer it is calculated to be approximately 200 kJ mol(-1) according to the BSSE-corrected MP2 calculation. The different aggregate states show a dramatic variation of absorption and emission properties, in accordance with the concentration dependent red-shift observed in solutions. Natural-bond-orbital analysis shows that the disilver-ammonium-aquo "sandwich" cation in 3 is stabilized by interaction between the pi lone pair orbital on the oxygen atom of the water molecule and Ag(I)--N sigma antibonding molecular orbital.     

Spectral properties of rhodamine 3B adsorbed on the surface of montmorillonites with variable layer charge

Montmorillonite was thermally treated at several temperatures to reduce the charge density of its layer surface. Absorption and fluorescence (steady-state and time-resolved) spectroscopies are now applied to study the adsorption of rhodamine 3B (R3B) laser dye in reduced charge montmorillonites (RCMs) in aqueous suspensions. The decrease in the charge density increases the intermolecular distance between adsorbed R3B molecules, reducing the tendency of the dye to self-associate. H-type and J-type aggregates of R3B in RCMs are spectroscopically characterized, the fluorescent J-aggregates being more extensively formed by decreasing the charge density. Both the reduction in the dye aggregation and the formation of J-type aggregates enhance the fluorescence efficiency of R3B dye adsorbed in montmorillonite particles. Absorption with linearly polarized light reveals that the H-aggregates are more disposed toward the perpendicular of the clay surface than the monomer and J-aggregates species.     

Formation and dissociation of rhodamine 800 dimers in water: steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopic study

We investigated the fundamental photophysics and photochemistry of a cationic dye rhodamine 800 (R800) in water using steady-state and ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopies. In the ground state, the monomer and dimer coexist in equilibrium, which causes significant concentration dependence of UV-visible (vis) absorption spectra. We determined the equilibrium constant as well as the molar absorption spectra of the monomer and dimer from a global fitting analysis of the UV-vis spectra. The obtained pure dimer spectrum indicates that it is a nonparallel H-dimer. In contrast to the absorption spectra, the steady-state fluorescence spectra do not show any noticeable concentration dependence. The fluorescence lifetime was determined as 0.73 ns regardless of the concentration, and the fluorescence of R800 in water was solely attributed to the monomer. In femtosecond time-resolved absorption measurements, we observed the S(n) <-- S1 absorption bands of the monomer and the dimer, as well as the ground-state bleaching signals. It was found that the S1 dimer dissociates to produce the S1 monomer (and the S0 monomer) or relaxes to the S0 dimer with a time constant of as short as 3.0 ps, which brings about the absence of dimer fluorescence.     

Humidity-dependent reversible aggregation of rhodamine 6G dye immobilized within layered niobate K4Nb6O17

The spectroscopic behavior of rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye intercalated in layered hexaniobate K4Nb6O17 was investigated. R6G cations were intercalated into the niobate through displacement of preintercalated alkylammonium ions. Powder X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis indicated that the dye molecules were densely accommodated in the interlayer spaces of niobate. The spectroscopic behavior of intercalated R6G was characterized by humidity-dependent aggregation at room temperature. The dye molecules were present dominantly as monomers under humid conditions (93% relative humidity (RH)), while they formed dimers under relatively dry conditions (20% RH). The aggregation-deaggregation of dye occurred reversibly depending on the humidity. The reversible aggregation was not accompanied by a large alteration of the interlayer structure of the sample, because only a small amount of water was adsorbed/desorbed with a small change in the basal spacing of the intercalation compound during the humidity change.     

Use of intercalated clays in oxidation of organic dyes

Intercalated materials based on natural montmorillonite and Fe- and mixed Fe/Al-polyhydroxo complex were obtained and their texture properties were studied. The catalytic properties of these materials were examined in the reaction of oxidation of an organic dye, Direct Pure Blue, with hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions. The optimal conditions of oxidation of azo dyes in the presence of intercalated clays were determined. In these conditions, a 100% oxidation of dye solutions can be achieved, with the stability of catalysts preserved.     

Photophysics of the acid and base forms of rhodamine B

Fluorescence lifetime measurements of rhodamine B in ethanol solution have confirmed the presence of two distinct species dependent on acidity. Rotational diffusion times of these species are identical and we propose that they are the acid and base forms of the dye. Species having identical spectra to these forms have also been obtained in concentration dependent studies and we believe that here, too, the equilibrium is acid—base rather than monomer—dimer as had been suggested.     

静电自组装聚电解质/有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合膜

从构筑静电自组装聚电解质／有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合膜所必需 的基本纳米构件--有机染料插层蒙脱土光致变色纳米复合物的设计出发，制备了具有光致 变色功能的蒙脱土／阳离子偶氮染料（GTL）均插层纳米复合物现，插人蒙脱土层 间的GTL热稳定性大幅度提高．由于GTL在纳米受限空间的超分子有序结构共轭，使 偶氮基发生了高达91 nm的显著红移．使用该插层纳米复合物构件与阳离子聚电解 质（PDAC）通过静电自组装得到了生长均匀、排列规整有序的光致变色聚电解质／ 阳离子偶氮染料插层蒙脱土纳米复合膜.     

Dye aggregation and influence of pre-micelles on heterogeneous catalysis: A photophysical approach

Common cationic dyes used for laser and fluorescent probes present low solubility in water. In order to increase the dye concentration in aqueous solutions, anionic surfactant can be added. The strong interaction between anionic surfactant and cationic dye can affect drastically the dye absorption and fluorescence properties. Here we observed that the fluorescence of the species in aqueous solution is maximized at condition of complete micellization of surfactants at critical micelle concentration (CMC). In addition, combined measurements of absorption, emission and fluorescence lifetime provide fundamental information on the critical concentration of H-aggregates formation and monomer separation, induced by pre-micelles and homomicelles on different surfactant sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) concentration. The experimental results show how to find precisely the critical concentration of H-aggregates by optical method in two different xanthene-derived molecules: rhodamine 6G and rhodamine B. The adequate transference of electron from excited dye to the conduction band of semiconductor (TiO₂) promotes the creation of reactive species that provides the degradation of dye with advantage of use of irradiation in the visible region and strong photobleaching with direct exposure to the visible light irradiation in a scale of time of 10 min.     

The optical properties of molecules and chromogenic aggregates of xanthene dyes

The UV absorption spectra of rhodamine B and G molecules isolated from industrial dye samples were obtained. Two procedures were used. In one of them, rhodamine B molecules were displaced with water into a heptane layer from a solution of the dye in an alcohol-heptane mixture. The second procedure involved heating of the dye introduced into cellulose triacetate films. Individual rhodamine molecules (namely, dye cation-chlorine anion ion pairs) prepared by both methods did not absorb visible light. The spectra of individual rhodamine molecules coincided with the spectra of so-called pseudoleucobases of xanthene dyes reported in the literature. The conclusion was drawn that the chromaticity property in the series of xanthene dyes appeared because of the formation of supramolecular dimeric and larger aggregates, as was earlier established for triphenylmethane dyes (TPMDs) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc). At the same time, individual xanthene dye molecules, like TPMD and CuPc molecules, are not chromogens.     

Disrupting aggregation of tethered rhodamine B dyads through inclusion in cucurbit[7]uril

Hexano- and dodecano-tethered diesters of rhodamine B were prepared. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of these flexibly tethered dyads were compared with those of the rhodamine 3B ethyl ester. Increased J- and H-type dimer formation and decreased fluorescence emission were observed for the tethered dyads. Complexation of the cationic chromophoric units in cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) hosts decreased H-dimer aggregation, especially for the dodecano-tethered dyad. The monomeric dye and both dye dyads exhibited enhanced fluorescence upon addition of CB7.     

<Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR Study of Heteroassociation of Ethidium Homodimer and Propidium Iodide in Water

1D and 2D ¹H NMR spectroscopy (500 MHz) was used to study heteroassociation of the bifunctional intercalator ethidium homodimer (EBH) with a phenanthridine dye propidium iodide (PI) in an aqueous salt (0.1 mol/l NaCl). A physical model of equilibrium between various associated forms of ethidium homodimer and propidium in solution is suggested, the most probable forms being 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of PI with the EBH monomer and dimer. The chemical shifts of the EBH molecule in heterocomplexes, as well as the equilibrium constants and the thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy, entropy) of heteroassociations, were calculated from the concentration and temperature dependences of the proton chemical shifts. It is concluded that the propidium molecule is built (intercalated) into the EBH monomer and dimer to form 1:1 and 1:2 complexes mainly stabilized by dispersive and hydrophobic interactions.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by A. N.Veselkov, M. P. Evstigneev, S. A. Hernandez, O. V. Rogova, D. A. Veselkov, and D. B. Davies__________Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 837–843, September–October, 2004.     

Structure analysis of intercalated layer silicates: combination of molecular simulations and experiment

Na(+)-montmorillonite type Wyoming, cloisite Na(+) from Southern Clay Products, Inc., was intercalated (i) with octadecylammonium cations and subsequently intercalated with octadecylamine molecules, (ii) with dodecylamine molecules, and (iii) with octylamine molecules to determine the applicability of these intercalates for nanocomposite materials on the base of polymer/clay. The structures were determined on the basis of a combination of results from X-ray diffraction and molecular simulations. The calculated values of basal spacings are in good agreement with experimental basal spacings when experimental samples were prepared. The interlayer space of intercalated montmorillonite shows a monolayer or bilayer arrangement of alkyl chains in dependence on the concentration of the intercalation solution. The values of the total sublimation energy, interaction energy, and exfoliation energy were calculated for all investigated samples. Low values of exfoliation energies lead to better exfoliation of intercalated silicate layers and this material appears suitable for use as a precursor for polymer/clay nanocomposites. The values of exfoliation energy for the investigated samples show that montmorillonite intercalated with dodecylamine or octadecylamine molecules is suitable for exfoliation of silicate layers.     

Thermogravimetric analysis of different molar mass ammonium cations intercalated different cationic forms of montmorillonite

Different cationic forms of montmorillonite, mainly K-, Na-, Ca- and Mg-montmorillonites were intercalated in this study via ion exchange process with mono-, di-, and triethanolammonium cations. The developed samples were characterized by TG, XRD, and CHNS techniques. Thermogravimetric study of ammonium-montmorillonites shows three thermal transition steps, which are attributable to the volatilization of the physically adsorbed water and dehydration, followed by the decomposition of the intercalated ammonium cations and dehydroxylation of the structural water of the modified clay, respectively, while untreated and cationic forms of montmorillonite showed only two decomposition steps. The type of ammonium cation has affected both desorption temperature (Position) and the amount of the adsorbed water (intensity). XRD results show a stepwise change in the crystallographic spacings of montmorillonite with the molar mass of ammonium cation, reflecting a change in the structure of the clay. CHNS data confirm the intercalation of ammonium cations into the interlayer space of montmorillonite and corroborate the effect of the molar mass of ammonium cation on the amount adsorbed by the clay.     

Influence of the molecular structure and the nature of the solvent on the absorption and fluorescence characteristics of rhodamines

A study of the equilibrium of the molecular forms of rhodamine 19 in aqueous and ethanolic solution is carried out by determining the absorption and fluorescence characteristics of the zwitterionic and the cationic forms of the dye. The optical properties of rhodamine 19 are compared with those obtained for rhodamine 6G and also with those previously reported for rhodamine 3B and for the molecular forms of rhodamine B in water and ethanol. Different aspects of the molecular structure of the rhodamines and solvent effects are discussed, as well as their influence on the photophysical properties of the rhodamines. The aggregation of the molecular forms of rhodamine 19 is also studied in water and ethanol.     

Thermal Stability of Clay/organic Intercalation Complexes

The comparison of thermal stabilities of different organoclay intercalation complexes is presented in this work. Montmorillonite/monomer and montmorillonite/polymer intercalation complexes with similar basal spacings show a pronounced difference in changes of d ₀₀₁ values after 30 min heating. The hydrophilic and/or organophilic surface modification of the starting montmorillonite is an important factor affecting the intercalated amount of organic material and thus the expansion of the sheet silicate structure.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Photochemistry on surfaces: Fluorescence emission of monomers and dimers and triplet state absorption of acridine orange adsorbed on microcrystalline cellulose

Prompt fluorescence as well as delayed fluorescence emission of acridine orange was detected at room temperature from samples where this dye is adsorbed on microcrystalline cellulose. Ground state absorption studies provided evidence for dimer formation of the dye when adsorbed on cellulose, and the equilibrium constant for dimerisation was determined as 1.6±0.1 × 10⁶mol⁻¹g. At low loadings of acridine orange on cellulose (<1 μmol g⁻¹) the fluorescence emission is mainly due to the monomer and is similar to that observed in ethanolic solutions where little aggregation occurs, and peaks at 530 nm. A linear dependence of the fluorescence intensity on the amount of light absorbed by the dye was established for these “diluted” samples. However, at higher loadings (>20 μmol g⁻¹), the fluorescence intensity decreases, and the emission is broad with its maximum at 620 nm, and is mainly due to the dimer. By assuming that the excited monomer and dimer of acridine orange are the only emitting species, it was possible to determine the fluorescence quantum yields for these two species when adsorbed on microcrystalline cellulose as 0.95±0.05 and 0.40±0.10, respectively. Pulsed emission studies at room temperature in the millisecond time-range also revealed monomer and dimer emissions on this longer time-scale. These are shown to be due to thermally activated delayed fluorescence arising from the triplet states of monomer and dimer acridine orange as confirmed by diffuse reflectance transient absorption studies.     

EFFECT OF AGGREGATION ON THE HEMATOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PRODUCTION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN

Abstract— The hematoporphyrin-sensitized production of singlet molecular oxygen, O₂(¹Δ_g), has been investigated in methanol and in aqueous solution. The quantum yield for formation of O₂(¹Δ_g) (Φ_Δ) has been measured by both steady-state (oxygen consumption) and time-resolved (near-infrared luminescence) methods. In methanol, both techniques indicate that Φ_Δ= 0.76 and the value remains independent of sensitizer concentration over a wide range. This finding is consistent with the dye persisting in a monomelic form in methanol solution. In contrast, Φ_Δ decreases markedly with increasing sensitizer concentration in water due to dimerization of the dye. Analysis of the steady-state data indicates Φ_Δ values of 0.74 and 0.12, respectively, for monomer and dimer. It is further shown that the efficiency whereby quenching of the triplet state by O₂ results in generation of O₂(¹Δ_g) is substantially lower for the dimer than for the corresponding monomer. Because monomer and dimer possess quite different absorption spectral profiles, the efficacy for photodynamic action with hematoporphyrin exhibits a pronounced wavelength dependence.     

Femtosecond time-resolved electronic sum-frequency generation spectroscopy: a new method to investigate ultrafast dynamics at liquid interfaces

We developed a new surface-selective time-resolved nonlinear spectroscopy, femtosecond time-resolved electronic sum-frequency generation (TR-ESFG) spectroscopy, to investigate ultrafast dynamics of molecules at liquid interfaces. Its advantage over conventional time-resolved second harmonic generation spectroscopy is that it can provide spectral information, which is realized by the multiplex detection of the transient electronic sum-frequency signal using a broadband white light continuum and a multichannel detector. We studied the photochemical dynamics of rhodamine 800 (R800) at the air/water interface with the TR-ESFG spectroscopy, and discussed the ultrafast dynamics of the molecule as thoroughly as we do for the bulk molecules with conventional transient absorption spectroscopy. We found that the relaxation dynamics of photoexcited R800 at the air/water interface exhibited three characteristic time constants of 0.32 ps, 6.4 ps, and 0.85 ns. The 0.32 ps time constant was ascribed to the lifetime of dimeric R800 in the lowest excited singlet (S(1)) state (S(1) dimer) that is directly generated by photoexcitation. The S(1) dimer dissociates to a monomer in the S(1) state (S(1) monomer) and a monomer in the ground state with this time constant. This lifetime of the S(1) dimer was ten times shorter than the corresponding lifetime in a bulk aqueous solution. The 6.4 ps and 0.85 ns components were ascribed to the decay of the S(1) monomer (as well as the recovery of the dimer in the ground state). For the 6.4 ps time constant, there is no corresponding component in the dynamics in bulk water, and it is ascribed to an interface-specific deactivation process. The 0.85 ns time constant was ascribed to the intrinsic lifetime of the S(1) monomer at the air/water interface, which is almost the same as the lifetime in bulk water. The present study clearly shows the feasibility and high potential of the TR-ESFG spectroscopy to investigate ultrafast dynamics at the interface.