High-resolution analytical TEM of nanostructured materials

This paper briefly reviews the potential applicability of analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to elucidate both structural and chemical peculiarities of materials at high lateral resolution. Examples of analytical TEM investigations performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) are presented for different materials systems including metals, ceramics, and compound semiconductors. In particular, results are given of imaging the element distribution in the interface region between gamma matrix and gamma' precipitate in the nickel-based superalloy SC16 by energy-filtered TEM. For core-shell structured BaTiO(3) particles the chemical composition and even the chemical bonding were revealed by EELS at a resolution of about 1 nm. A sub-nanometer resolution is demonstrated by energy-selective images of the Ga distribution in the surrounding of (In,Ga)As quantum dots. Moreover, the element distribution in (Al,Ga)As/AlAs multilayers with linear concentration gradients in a range of about 10 nm was investigated by EDXS line-profile analyses and EFTEM.     

Hydrogen generation from methanolysis of sodium borohydride over Co/Al2O3 catalyst

Co/Al2O3 catalyst is prepared with an impregnation-chemical reduction method and used to catalyze the methanolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) for hydrogen generation.At solution temperature of 0 C,the methanolysis reaction can be effectively accelerated using Co/Al2O3 catalyst and provide a desirable hydrogen generation rate,which makes it suitable for applications under the circumstance of low environmental temperature.The byproduct of methanolysis reaction is analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).The characterization results indicate that methanol can be easily recovered after methanolysis reaction by hydrolysis of the methanolysis byproduct,NaB(OCH 3) 4.The catalytic activity of Co/Al2O3 towards NaBH 4 methanolysis can be further improved by appropriate calcination treatment.The catalytic methanolysis kinetics and catalyst reusability are also studied over the Co/Al2O3 catalyst calcined at the optimized temperature.     

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on anchored Co/Nb2O5/Al2O3 catalysts: the nature of the surface and the effect on chain growth

A series of Co/x%Nb2O5/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by anchoring niobia on an Al2O3 support at different niobia concentrations. Characterization of the structure and nature of surface active sites was attempted in order to correlate the CO hydrogenation activity of these systems with those of the Co/Al2O3 and Co/Nb2O5 catalysts. The effect of the reduction temperature on the CO hydrogenation activity and selectivity was studied, showing that interaction of cobalt and niobia surface species favored the selectivity for hydrocarbon chain growth. However, this effect is less pronounced on the niobia-promoted Co/Al2O3 compared to Co/Nb2O5 catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) results on Co/x%Nb2O5/Al2O3 showed prevailing amounts of Co2+ and Co3+ after calcination and reduction at 573 K, while, after reduction at 773 K, besides metallic cobalt, the Co2+ species still remains in contact with alumina, even for higher niobia loading. It seems that during this process formation and destruction of new interfaces involving Co0-NbOx sites takes place. Results suggest that Co0, Co0-Co2+, and Co0-NbOx are the active sites at the surface. The relative abundance of Co2+ species affects greatly the performance of the catalysts. DRIFTS and selectivity results suggest that these sites might be responsible for the reaction chain growth and therefore for the drastic change in the selectivity of CH4 and C5+ hydrocarbons mainly on the Co/Nb2O5 catalyst. DRIFTS results on Co/Nb2O5/Al2O3 showed the formation of -C=C- and -CH3- besides CHxO species. With increasing reduction temperature, the -C=C- species disappear while -CH3- fragments increased markedly, suggesting the formation of increasing amounts of hydrocarbons with higher chain length.     

Thermodynamic characteristics of praseodymium in the gallium–aluminum eutectic melt

The Ga–Al eutectic melt saturated with praseodymium was studied in the temperature range 572–1076 K by electromotive force (emf) method relative to the reference electrode (In_L + PrIn₃, where L is the liquid phase) in a LiCl–KCl–CsCl eutectic electrolyte. The partial molar thermodynamic functions (enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy) of praseo dymium in a Ga–Al eutectic melt were calculated. According to the emf measurements of the two-phase Pr–Ga–Al_L + intermetallic compound alloys equilibrated with the Ga–Al eutectic melt saturated with praseodymium, there are intermetallic compounds PrGa₆, PrGa₄, and Pr_0.22Ga_0.78(PrGa₂) in the temperature ranges 572–741, 741–883, and 883–1076 K, respectively.     

Al掺杂量对正极材料LiNi_(1/3)Co_(2/3-x)Al_xO_2结构和电化学性能的影响

以共沉淀法合成的前驱体Ni1/3Co2/3-xAlx(OH)2与低共熔锂盐0.38LiOH·H2O-0.62LiNO3制备了锂离子电池正极材料LiNi1/3Co2/3-xAlxO2(x=1/12,1/6,1/3,1/2,7/12).采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)和电化学性能测试对其结构、形貌和电化学性质进行表征.结果表明,LiNi1/3Co2/3-xAlxO2在1/12≤x≤1/3范围内可以保持单一的六方层状α-NaFeO2结构,当Al掺杂量(x)高于1/3时,会出现杂相.其中,LiNi1/3Co1/3Al1/3O2结晶程度最高,阳离子混排效应最小,并且颗粒小而均匀,振实密度可以达到2.88g·cm-3,首次放电容量为151.5mAh·g-1,循环50次后放电容量保持在91.4%,在1C和2C倍率下放电容量仍可达到133.7和120.9mAh·g-1.     

Growth Mechanism and Characterization of Single-crystalline Ga-doped SnO2 Nanowires and Self-organized SnO2/Ga2O3 Heterogeneous Microcomb Structures

Single-crystalline Ga-doped SnO2 nanowires and SnO2:Ga2O3 heterogeneous microcombs were synthesized by a simple one-step thermal evaporation and condensation method. They were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). FE-SEM images showed that the products consisted of nanowires and microcombs that represent a novel morphology. XRD, SAED and EDS indicated that they were single-crystalline tetragonal SnO2. The influence of experimental conditions on the morphologies of the products is discussed. The morphology of the product showed a ribbon-like stem and nanoribbon array aligned evenly along one or both side of the nanoribbon. It was found that many Ga2O3 nanoparticles deposited on the surface of the microcombs. The major core nanoribbon grew mainly along the 110 direction and the self-organized branching nanoribbons grew epitaxially along 1110 or 1110 orientation from the (110) plane of the stem. A growth process was proposed for interpreting the growth of these remarkable SnO2:Ga2O3 heterogeneous microcombs. Due to the heavy doping of Ga, the emission peak in photoluminescence spectra has red-shifted as well as broadened significantly.     

High electrocatalytic activity of non-noble Ni-Co/graphene catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells

The electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol is studied on the non-noble catalysts Ni-Co/graphene and Ni/graphene supported on glass carbon electrode (GCE) in alkaline medium. The synthesized materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The elements of Ni-Co/graphene and Ni/graphene catalysts are characterized using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic properties of Ni-Co/graphene and Ni/graphene for ethanol oxidation are investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and Tafel plot. Compared with Ni/graphene catalyst, Ni-Co/graphene has the higher electroactivity and better stability for ethanol oxidation. The rate constant (k _s) and charge-transfer coefficient (α) are calculated for the electron exchange reaction of the modified GCE. The results indicate that Co addition could promote the oxidation reaction at the Ni/graphene catalyst. Our study demonstrates that the low-cost electrocatalyst Ni-Co/graphene has a great potential for real direct ethanol fuel cells’ application.     

Ag2S/Al2O3纳米复合物的水热合成及表征

采用水热技术结合煅烧的方法,成功制备了Ag2S/Al2O3纳米复合物。 通过SEM、EDX、XRD等测试技术对产品进行了表征,证明得到的产品是Ag2S/Al2O3纳米复合物;无孔Al2O3和多孔Al2O3作反应模板得到的复合物的形态和分布不同。     

Room-Temperature Photoinduced Electron Transfer in a Prussian Blue Analogue under Hydrostatic Pressure

In from the cold: The Co(III) Fe(II) state of a CoFe Prussian blue analogue undergoes a Co(III) ?Fe(II) →(Co(II) ?Fe(III) )* electron transfer at room temperature when irradiated by visible light (532?nm; see scheme). This property was confirmed using energy-dispersive X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co and Fe K-edges of the piezo-induced Co(III) Fe(II) state.     

非磁性替代原子对Ce_2Co_(17)居里温度和饱和磁化强度的影响

用真空电弧熔炼法制备了Ce2 Co17-xMx(M =Ga ,Al和Si)化合物。通过X射线衍射和磁性测量手段 ,研究了非磁性替代原子Ga,Al和Si的加入对Ce2 Co17化合物的居里温度和饱和磁化强度的影响 ,其中Si在Ce2 Co17化合物中的固溶度最小 ,并使居里温度和饱和磁化强度下降幅度最大。     

合成温度对全梯度正极材料LiNi0.7Co0.15O2的结构和电化学性能影响

通过控制结晶法和浓度梯度进料的方式制备了Ni、Co和Mn三元素组分含量呈全梯度分布的类球形Ni_0.7Co_0.15Mn_0.15（OH）₂前驱体,与LiOH·H₂O均匀混合并焙烧后获得LiNi_0.7Co_0.15O₂正极材料,系统研究了不同焙烧温度对材料Ni、Co和Mn三元素扩散情况、晶体结构及电化学性能的影响规律。通过能谱仪（EDXS）分析不同焙烧温度下材料颗粒中Ni、Co、Mn三元素的扩散程度。研究结果表明,在800℃下焙烧得到的正极材料梯度分布特征明显且电化学性能最佳,首次放电比容量为186.1 mAh·g^-1（2.8~4.3 V,0.2C）,2C大倍率充放电条件下循环200次后容量保持率为90.1%。这种材料兼具高比容量及良好的循环稳定性,可以用作下一代高能量密度锂离子电池正极材料。     

Preparation of Pd/MgO-reduced graphene oxide hybrid catalyst and enhanced activity for methanol electrooxidation

Magnesium oxide modified reduced graphene oxide supported Pd nanocatalyst (Pd/MgO-RGO) was facilely prepared by a chemical approach. The as-prepared material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The electrocatalytic behavior of Pd/MgO-RGO for methanol oxidation was studied using cyclic voltammetric and chronoamperometric methods. The results indicated that Pd/MgO-RGO nanocatalyst exhibits higher electrocatalytic activity and better stability than Pd/RGO.     

Synthesis of triple-stranded complexes using bis(dipyrromethene) ligands

The reaction of an α-free, β,β'-linked bis(dipyrromethene) ligand with Fe(3+) or Co(3+) led to noninterconvertible triple-stranded helicates and mesocates. In the present context, a stable α-free ligand 2 has been developed and complexation of ligands 1 and 2 with diamagnetic Co(3+), Ga(3+), and In(3+) has been studied. The triple-stranded M(2)1(3) (M = Ga, In) and M(2)2(3) (M = Co, Ga, In) complexes were characterized using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight spectrometry, (1)H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Again, the (1)H NMR analysis showed that both the triple-stranded helicates and mesocates were generated in this metal-directed assembly. Consistent with our previous finding on coordinatively inert Co(3+) complexes, variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy indicated that the triple-stranded helicate and mesocate of labile In(3+) did not interconvert in solution, either. However, the diastereoselectivity of the M(2)2(3) complexes was found to improve with an increase in the reaction temperature. Taken together, this study complements the coordination chemistry of poly(dipyrromethene) ligands and provides further insight into the formation of helicates versus mesocates.     

K2[Ga(B5O10)].4H2O: the first chiral zeolite-like galloborate with large odd 11-ring channels

The first chiral zeolite-like galloborate, K2[Ga(B5O10)].4H2O, has been synthesized by a mild solvothermal method and characterized by Fourier transform IR, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic system with space group C2221. The structure possesses a 3D open framework constructed by B5O10 clusters and GaO4 units and contains large odd 11-ring channels.     

Trivalent atom contribution on solid-solid transformation of Ga13 polycation intercalated clay into sodalite investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Solid-solid transformation mechanism of Ga Keggin-type ion intercalated clay into sodalite has been clarified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-rayabsorption spectroscopy (XAS). To follow the structural evolution precisely by XANES and EXAFS, the XAS active element containing polycation [Ga13O4(OH)24(H2O)12]7+ was intercalated into montmorillonite (MMT). FT-IR and XAS spectra confirm that the formation of sodalite framework is initiated by the delocalized rearrangement between silicate networks and collapsed interlayered Ga species, and is followed by the incorporation of Al in the octahedral sheet of clay (MMT). According to the XAS studies, it is found that the formation of Ga(Al)-O-Si species is strongly influenced by the trivalent cations, which are rapidly changed in the environment, followed by reaction with the silicate network of clay during the solid-solid transformation.     

石墨烯氢氧化钴复合催化剂的一步合成及其对酸性橙的催化降解(英文)

用一步合成自组装法制备出了氢氧化钴与还原氧化石墨烯(Co(OH)2/rGO)的复合催化剂,并将其用于水中染料的催化降解实验.通过X射线衍射(XRD),激光拉曼(Raman)光谱,透射电镜(TEM),X射线能量色散谱(EDS)以及X射线光电子能谱(XPS)等一系列分析手段对催化剂的结构形貌进行了详细的表征,表征结果证实氢氧化钴很好地附着在还原石墨烯的表面.最后初步考察了催化剂催化单过硫酸钾(PMS)降解酸性橙(AO7)的性能.结果表明,催化剂显示出了高效的催化性能,酸性橙的色度可在12 min内完全去除,总有机碳(TOC)实验也表明染料降解的同时也可获得较高的矿化度.循环稳定性实验表明在进行到第三次实验时,催化剂仍能保持高的催化活性,将酸性橙在16 min内降解完毕.     

High-resolution analytical transmission electron microscopy of semiconductor quantum structures

Analytical transmission electron microscopy was applied to characterize the size, shape, real structure, and, in particular, the composition of different semiconductor quantum structures. Its potential applicability is demonstrated for heterostructures of III-V semiconducting materials and II-VI ones, viz. (In,Ga)As quantum wires on InP and (In,Ga)As quantum dots on GaAs both grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, and CdSe quantum dots on ZnSe grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The investigations carried out show that the element distribution even of some atomic layers can be detected by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, however, exhibiting a smeared profile. Contrary to that, sub-nanometre resolution has been achieved by using energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy to image quantum dot structures.     

Microwave synthesis of core-shell gold/palladium bimetallic nanoparticles

The microwave-assisted polyol reduction method was applied to the synthesis of core-shell gold/palladium bimetallic nanoparticles by the simultaneous reduction of the AuIII and PdII ions. The thickness of the palladium shell was calculated to be approximately 3 nm, and the gold core diameter is 9 nm. The structure and composition of the bimetallic particles were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy equipped with a nanoarea energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy attachment, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory of puckered ring structures of Group 13 metal-ethylenediamine

The ethylenediamine (en) complexes of Al, Ga, and In atoms were prepared in laser-vaporization supersonic molecular beams and studied with pulsed field ionization zero electron kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory. Several conformers of each metal complex are obtained by B3LYP calculations, and a five-membered cyclic structure is identified by combining the experimental measurements and theoretical calculations. Adiabatic ionization potentials, vibrational frequencies, and bond dissociation energies are determined for the ring structure. The ionization potentials of the Al, Ga, and In species are measured to be 32 784 (5), 33 324 (5), and 33 637 (7) cm(-1), respectively, and metal-ligand dissociation energies of the ionic and neutral complexes are calculated to be 60.2/16.2 (Al(+)/Al), 55.5/13.0 (Ga(+)/Ga), and 50.0/11.4 (In(+)/In) kcal mol(-1). Metal-ligand stretch and bend as well as a number of ligand-based vibrations are measured. Harmonic frequencies and anharmonicities of the M(+)-N (M=Al,Ga,In) stretch are determined for all three M(+)-en ions and the C-C-N bend of Ga(+)-en and In(+)-en. In comparison to monodentate methylamine, the bidentate binding of ethylenediamine leads to a significantly lower ionization potential and higher metal-ligand bond strength of the metal complexes.