Ionic conductivity of PVdF-co-HFP/LiClO4 in terms of free volume defects probed by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

ABSTRACT

Polymers based on ionic conducting materials have important interest because of their potential applications in polymer electrolytes and membranes for fuel cell application. PVdF-co-HFP poly(viniliden-co-hexafluoropropylene) was chosen as a polymer matrix because of its high ionic conductivity and better mechanical properties. Polymer matrix composites were prepared with various amounts of LiClO₄ salt by a solution casting method. The sample-ionic conductivity measurements were recorded by AC impedance analyzer at different frequencies from 0.1?Hz to 20?MHz and at different temperatures from 273 to 373?K.

The changes of nanoscopic free volume and free volume fraction in these materials were investigated in terms of temperature from 273 to 373?K using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) and Simha-Somcynsky (SS) Hole Theory. The free volume had a bump at about 3% in weight percentage of the salt and there is a slight increase after 10%. The effects of weight percentages of LiClO₄ and temperature were investigated. The mechanism of the ac ionic conductivity was presented in terms of the free volume models, however thermo-occupancy function justifies the best accurate representation of the data.     

Camouflaging Structural Diversity: Co‐crystallization of Two Different Nanoparticles Having Different Cores But the Same Shell

Two ligand‐protected nanoscale silver moieties, [Ag₄₆(SPhMe₂)₂₄(PPh₃)₈](NO₃)₂ and [Ag₄₀(SPhMe₂)₂₄(PPh₃)₈](NO₃)₂ (abbreviated as Ag₄₆ and Ag₄₀, respectively) with almost the same shell but different cores were synthesized simultaneously. As their external structures are identical, the clusters were not distinguishable and become co‐crystallized. The occupancy of each cluster was 50 %. The outer shell of both is composed of Ag₃₂S₂₄P₈, which is reminiscent of fullerenes, and it encapsulates a well‐studied core, Ag₁₄ and a completely new core, Ag₈, which correspond to a face‐centered cube and a simple cube, respectively, resulting in the Ag₄₆ and Ag₄₀ clusters. The presence of two entities (Ag₄₀ and Ag₄₆ clusters) in a single crystal and their molecular formulae were confirmed by detailed electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The optical spectrum of the mixture showed unique features which were in good agreement with the results from time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT).     

Binary and Ternary Copper(II) Complexes with NIPAAm/IA Copolymers and Aminoacids: Interpretation of UV‐Visible Spectra and Cyclic Voltammograms

The complex formations of homopolymers and copolymers of poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm), polyacrylamide (PAAm) and poly(itaconic acid) (PIA) with Cu(II) ions in aqueous solutions were studied by using UV‐visible spectra in the region of 200–1100 nm and cyclic voltammograms between ?0.800 V and 0.600 V. According to the optical and electrochemical spectra of the polymer‐ and copolymer‐Cu(II) complexes and their ternary complexes with alanine, i.e., absorptions and the shifts in the wavelength of the maximum absorptions, currents and potentials of the peaks in the pH range of 3–12, the intensities of anodic and cathodic peak currents of polymers containing IA groups decrease with increasing pH and they show maximum absorptions at lower wavelengths than do the homopolymers used in this work. The peak point of the visible band shifts from 800 to 650 nm, with increasing pH, while the intensity of the third anodic peak observed after pH=4 increases in the case of both Ala‐Cu(II) and its ternary solution with P(NIPAAm‐co‐IA, 9.8 mol%). Both the pH‐dependent shifts of maximum absorptions and the appearence of the third anodic peaks as the pH raised were interpreted as a presence of tetracoordinated Cu(II) complexes in the solution and on the electrode surface, involving combined carboxyl, amide and amine interaction.     

A new heuristic for learning Bayesian networks from limited datasets: a real-time recommendation system application with RFID systems in grocery stores

Bayesian networks (BNs) are a useful tool for applications where dynamic decision-making is involved. However, it is not easy to learn the structure and conditional probability tables of BNs from small datasets. There are many algorithms and heuristics for learning BNs from sparse datasets, but most of these are not concerned with the quality of the learned network in the context of a specific application. In this research, we develop a new heuristic on how to build BNs from sparse datasets in the context of its performance in a real-time recommendation system. This new heuristic is demonstrated using a market basket dataset and a real-time recommendation model where all items in the grocery store are RFID tagged and the carts are equipped with an RFID scanner. With this recommendation model, retailers are able to do real-time recommendations to customers based on the products placed in cart during a shopping event.     

DFT, FT-Raman and FT-IR investigations of 5-methoxysalicylic acid

FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 5-methoxysalicylic acid (5MeOSA) have been experimentally reported in the region of 4000–10 cm⁻¹ and 4000–50 cm⁻¹, respectively. The optimized geometric parameters, conformational equilibria, normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments of 5MeOSA (C₈H₈O₄) are theoretically examined by means of B3LYP hybrid density functional theory (DFT) method together with 6-31++G(d,p) basis set. Furthermore, reliable vibrational assignments have made on the basis of potential energy distribution (PED) calculated and the thermodynamics functions, highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO) of 5MeOSA have been predicted. Calculations are employed for different conformations of 5MeOSA, both in gas phase and in solution. Solvent effects are investigated using chloroform and dimethylsulfoxide. All results indicate that B3LYP method is able to provide satisfactory results for predicting vibrational frequencies and the structural parameters, vibrational frequencies and assignments, IR and Raman intensities of 5MeOSA are solvent dependent.     

Energetic and topological analysis of the reaction of Mo and Mo2 with NH3, C2H2, and C2H4 molecules

The Density functional theory has been applied to characterize the structural features of Mo(1,2)-NH(3),-C(2)H(4), and -C(2)H(2) compounds. Coordination modes, geometrical structures, and binding energies have been calculated for several spin multiplets. It has been shown that in contrast to the conserved spin cases (Mo(1,2)-NH(3)), the interaction between Mo (or Mo(2)) and C(2)H(4) (or C(2)H(2)) are the low-spin (Mo-C(2)H(4) and -C(2)H(2)) and high-spin (Mo(2)-C(2)H(4) and -C(2)H(2)) complexes. In the ground state of Mo(1,2)-C(2)H(4) and -C(2)H(2), the metal-center always reacts with the C-C center. The spontaneous formation of the global minima is found to be possible due to the crossing between the potential energy surfaces (ground and excited states with respect to the metallic center). The bonding characterization has been performed using the topological analysis of the Electron Localization Function. It has been shown that the most stable electronic structure for a pi-acceptor ligand correlates with a maximum charge transfer from the metal center to the C-C bond of the unsaturated hydrocarbons, resulting in the formation of two new basins located on the carbon atoms (away from hydrogen atoms) and the reduction of the number of attractors of the C-C basin. The interaction between Mo(1,2) and C(2)H(4) (or C(2)H(2)) should be considered as a chemical reaction, which causes the multiplicity change. Contrarily, there is no charge transfer between Mo(1,2) and NH(3), and the partners are bound by an electrostatic interaction.     

Second derivative spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of cobalt, nickel and iron using 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol

A simple, sensitive and rapid derivative spectrophotometric method using 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (5-Br-PADAP) has been developed for simultaneous determination of Co(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) which have very similar chemical behavior and appear together in many real samples. The complexes of all these metal ions with 5-Br-PADAP were formed immediately at pH 7.0 ammonium acetate buffered solution and were stable for at least 24 h. Second derivative spectra were selected for evaluation, because working wavelength determination was more precise and spectral overlap was less than in the ordinary and first derivative spectra. Three wavelengths at which the complexes exhibit extremum ²D values for Co(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) were selected as analytical wavelengths, i.e., 640, 600 and 740 nm, respectively. Calibration curves drawn with zero-to-peak values at mentioned wavelengths were linear between 80 and 2000 ng ml⁻¹ for each metal ion. Concentrations of Co(II) and Ni(II) were calculated from the total ²D values and the sum of the linear equations for these three cations at 640 and 600 nm, after Fe(II) assay by making use of the ²D value at 740 nm. Limits of detection (LOD) for Co(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) were 2.7, 13.9 and 3.0 ng ml⁻¹, respectively. The method has been applied to tool steel and heater resistance wire samples successfully.     

The Determination of Protonation Constants of Some Amino Acids and Their Esters by Potentiometry in Different Media

In this study, stoichiometric protonation constants of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, L-tryptophane, L-lysine, and L-histidine, and their methyl and ethyl esters in water and ethanol–water mixtures of 30, 50, and 70% ethanol (v/v), were determined potentiometrically using a combined pH electrode system calibrated as the concentration of hydrogen ion. Titrations were performed at 25^∘C and the ionic strength of the medium was maintained at 0.10 mol⋅L⁻¹ using sodium chloride. Protonation constants were calculated by using the BEST computer program. The effect of solvent composition on the protonation constants is discussed. The log₁₀ K₂ values of esters generally decreased with increasing ethanol content. However, the log₁₀ K₁ values of the esters of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, and L-tryptophane were found to increase with increasing ethanol content in contrast those of L-lysine and L-histidine esters.     

Synthesis and structural analysis of nonstoichiometric ternary fulleride K 1.5 Ba 0.25 CsC 60

The existence of cation-vacancy sites in fullerides might lead to long-range ordering and generate a new vacancy-ordered superstructure. The purpose of this work is to search whether or not long-range ordering of vacant tetrahedral sites, namely superstructure emerges in nonstoichiometric K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ fulleride. Therefore, K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ with cation-vacancy sites is synthesized using a precursor method to avoid inadequate stoichiometry control and formation of impurity phases within the target composition. For this purpose, first, phase-pure K ₆ C ₆₀ , Ba ₆ C ₆₀ and Cs ₆ C ₆₀ precursors are synthesized. Stoichiometric quantities of these precursors are used for further reaction with C ₆₀ to afford K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ . Rietveld analysis of the high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data of the precursors and K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ confirms that K ₆ C ₆₀ , Ba ₆ C ₆₀ and Cs ₆ C ₆₀ are single-phase and they crystallize in a body-centered-cubic structure ( Im 3) as reported in the literature. The analysis also shows that K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ phase can be perfectly modeled using a face-centered cubic structure. No new peaks appear which could have implied the appearance of a superstructure. This suggests that there is no long-range ordered arrangement of vacant tetrahedral sites in K _1.5 Ba _0.25 CsC ₆₀ .