Oxygen Reduction on Ag(100) in Alkaline Solutions—A Theoretical Study

Silver is much more reactive to oxygen than gold; nevertheless, in alkaline solutions, the rates of oxygen reduction on both metals are similar. To explain this phenomenon, the first, rate‐determining step of oxygen reduction on Ag(100) is determined by a combination of DFT, molecular dynamics, and electrocatalysis theory. In vacuum, oxygen is adsorbed on Ag(100), but in the electrochemical environment, the adsorption energy is offset by the loss of hydration energy as the molecule approaches the surface. As a result, the first electron transfer should take place in an outer‐sphere mode. Previously, the same mechanism for oxygen reduction on Au(100) has been predicted, and these calculations have been repeated by using a more advanced version of the electrocatalysis theory discussed herein to confirm previous conclusions. The theoretical results compare well with experimental data.     

The solid complex Zn(CF3)Br·2DMF as an alternative reagent for the preparation of both, trifluoromethyl and pentafluoroethyl copper, CuCF3 and CuC2F5

Trifluoromethylcopper and pentafluoroethylcopper are prepared conveniently via the reaction of the solid complex Zn(CF₃)Br·2DMF with copper(I) bromide in N,N-dimethylformamide. The reactions of both copper species with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, 4-iodonitrobenzene, 4-nitrobenzyl iodide, 4-bromobenzoic acid ethyl ester, 4-iodobenzoic acid ethyl ester, 2-iodopyridine and 2-iodopyrimidine have been studied. The structure of 2,4-dinitrotrifluoromethylbenzene has been elucidated.     

On mappings approximately preserving orthogonality

We answer a question posed by Chmieliński, whether a linear map which approximately preserves orthogonality must be close to an orthogonality preserving one. Furthermore, we give a short proof of the stability of the orthogonality equation on finite dimensional Hilbert spaces.     

Magnetic field control of elastic scattering in a cold gas of fermionic lithium atoms

We study elastic collisions in an optically trapped spin mixture of fermionic lithium atoms in the presence of magnetic fields up to 1.5 kG by measuring evaporative loss. Our experiments confirm the expected magnetic tunability of the scattering length by showing the main features of elastic scattering according to recent calculations. We measure the zero crossing of the scattering length at 530(3) G which is associated with a predicted Feshbach resonance at approximately 850 G. Beyond the resonance we observe the expected large cross section in the triplet scattering regime.     

High-speed in situ surface X-ray diffraction studies of the electrochemical dissolution of Au(001)

We present in situ X-ray surface diffraction studies of interface processes with data acquisition rates in the millisecond regime, using the electrochemical dissolution of Au(001) in Cl-containing solution as an example. This progress in time resolution permits monitoring of atomic-scale growth and etching processes at solid-liquid interfaces at technologically relevant rates. Au etching was found to proceed via a layer-by-layer mechanism in the entire active dissolution regime up to rates of ～20 ML/s. Furthermore, we demonstrate that information on the lateral surface morphology and in-plane lattice strain during the electrochemical process can be obtained.     

Collective excitations of a degenerate gas at the BEC-BCS crossover

We study collective excitation modes of a fermionic gas of (6)Li atoms in the BEC-BCS crossover regime. While measurements of the axial compression mode in the cigar-shaped trap close to a Feshbach resonance confirm theoretical expectations, the radial compression mode shows surprising features. In the strongly interacting molecular BEC regime, we observe a negative frequency shift with increasing coupling strength. In the regime of a strongly interacting Fermi gas, an abrupt change in the collective excitation frequency occurs, which may be a signature for a transition from a superfluid to a collisionless phase.