Ultrathin Fe‐N‐C Nanosheets Coordinated Fe‐Doped CoNi Alloy Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Water Splitting

The development of highly active and cost‐effective catalyst materials toward electrochemical water splitting is of great importance for converting and storing the intermittent solar energy in the form of hydrogen. Herein, for the first time, an ultrathin Fe and N‐co‐doped carbon nanosheet encapsulated Fe‐doped CoNi alloy nanoparticle (FeCoNi@FeNC) composite is obtained and applied as a bifunctional catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This catalyst exhibits prominent catalytic performances for both HER and OER, which only requires overpotentials of 102 and 330 mV, respectively, to reach a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 in alkaline media. The high catalytic activity is intrinsically associated with the presence of Fe in both nanosheets and nanoparticles, which has triggered the occurrence of coordinative effects between Fe‐N‐C and FeCoNi that are beneficial for HER and OER, as revealed by electrochemical techniques. In an overall water splitting electrolyzer, FeCoNi@FeNC is employed as both the cathode and anode catalysts, achieving 12 mA cm^?2 at 1.63 V for a duration of more than 12 h.     

Identification and quantification of diethylene glycol contamination in glycerine raw material

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was successfully used for quantitative determination of diethylene glycol in glycerin raw material. In addition to the pure samples of both diethylene glycol and glycerin, nine binary mixtures of the two components with mixing ratios ranging from (70 to 98)%wt were created and studied as a training set. Glycerine showed, thereby, characteristic infrared bands at 1110, 992, 974, and 922?cm^?1 while those of diethylene glycol appear at 1085, 887, and 881?cm^?1. The quantitative determination of diethylene glycol in binary mixtures with glycerin was achieved upon using the absorbance difference between the 992?cm^?1 and the 881?cm^?1 as well as between 1110 and 1085?cm^?1 bands. With an average %error of 0.60 and 1.74, respectively and a limit of detection down to 0.85%, the created calibration curves from the training set were applied successfully to determine the composition of another eight binary mixtures of the two materials representing a validation set. The method was also applied to aqueous solutions of diethylene glycol and glycerin that contains (25 and 50)%wt water. Once more, training and validation sets of mixtures with different diethylene glycol and glycerin ratios at the two water percentages were prepared and measured. Again, successful determination of diethylene glycol in these aqueous solutions was achieved with an average %error of 0.92 and 0.47, respectively.     

Nanosized metal deposits on titanium dioxide for augmenting gas-phase toluene photooxidation

The build-up of intermediate species on the surface of TiO₂ during gas-phase toluene (C₇H₈) photodegradation has been observed to deactivate the photocatalyst. Nanosized metallic deposits on the TiO₂ surface may enhance the photocatalytic process and improve photocatalyst performance. In this study, noble (Ag, Au) and platinum group (Pt, Pd, Rh) metals, at a nominal loading of 0.5 at.%, were deposited onto Degussa P25 TiO₂ to enhance photocatalyst performance and inhibit deactivation. Pd, Rh and Au deposits delayed photocatalyst deactivation by a factor of 2, while Pt deposits delayed photocatalyst deactivation by a factor of 20, when compared with neat TiO₂. Ag deposits did not improve photocatalyst activity. Metal deposit performance was related to the work function of each metal, however, the Pt finding suggested that these effects are not governed solely by this aspect, but factors such as deposit characteristics and/or thermal catalytic properties of the metals may be influential.     

Structural Determination of a Photochemically Active Diplatinum Molecule by Time‐Resolved EXAFS Spectroscopy

Metallica : A large contraction of the Pt? Pt bond in the triplet excited state of the photoreactive [Pt₂(P₂O₅H₂)₄]^4? ion is determined by time‐resolved X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (see picture). The strengthening of the Pt? Pt interaction is accompanied by a weakening of the ligand coordination bonds, resulting in an elongation of the platinum–ligand bond that is determined for the first time.

     

Theoretical diagnostic and prediction of physical properties of quaternary InGaAsP compound using artificial neural networks optimized by the Levenberg Maquardt algorithm

The quaternaries \(In_{1 - x} Ga_{x} As_{y} P_{1 - y}\) are the main promising elements for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices. The adjustment of their physical parameters is assumed by the change of the molar fraction \(x\) and \(y\). These parameters can be affected by the variation of temperature and pressure. To make the theoretical diagnosis of these materials, it is fundamental to know the energy gap ‘\(\varvec{E}_{\varvec{g}}\)’ and the lattice parameter ‘\(a\)’, over a wide range of chemical compositions \(0 \le x \le 0.47\) and \(0 \le y \le 1\), at different temperatures and pressures. We show that by using the Artificial Neural Network method optimized by the Levenberg Maquardt algorithm ANN-LM, it is possible to obtain results very close to the experiment. The scatter plot and error calculation show that the ANN-LM model provides more accurate values of the lattice parameter than those calculated by Vegard’s law. On the other hand, the energy gap values \(Eg (x, y, T)\) estimated, using the ANN-LM model, proved to be close to the experimental values that those calculated by the empirical equations. In addition, the ANN-LM method allowed us to estimate with great accuracy the values of the energy gap at different temperatures and pressures \(Eg (P, T)\). Our work provides crucial information on the physical properties of the quaternary without the use of approximations, and without taking into account the hypothesis of a perfect agreement between \(InGaAsP\) and \(InP\) substrate.     

Estimation of capsaicin through scanning densitometry and evaluation of different varieties of capsicum in India

Capsicum annuum L. (family: Solanaceae) possesses therapeutic benefits for the treatment of rheumatism, neuropathy, psoriasis, flatulence and so on. In this study fruits of four different varieties of C. annuum from four different geographical regions in India were evaluated based on their total content of capsaicin. Ethanol extracts of the fruits were used. HPTLC plates were developed in a mobile phase containing benzene, ethyl acetate and methanol (75:20:5). Densitometric scanning was performed at a wavelength of 283 nm in the absorbance mode. The calibration curve was described by the equation Y=393.587+3.836*X with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.99890. The content of capsaicin in Nagaland, Manipur, West Bengal and Shimla varieties was found to be 3.71%, 1.78%, 0.54% and 0.06%, respectively. The developed densitometric method was found to be specific, accurate and precise. A recovery study and precision showed low levels of %RSD values. The linearity range of the curve for capsaicin was found to be 300-900 ng per spot. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification values were determined to be 31 and 94 ng, respectively, proving the sensitivity of the method. Thus the method can be used to control the total content of capsaicin on an industrial scale.     

{W48} ring opening: Fe16-containing, Ln4-stabilized 49-tungsto-8-phosphateopen wheel [Fe16O2(OH)23(H2O)9(P8W49O189)Ln4(H2O)20]11-

Wheely: For the first time and very unexpectedly, a rupture of the very stable {P(8)W(48)} wheel was observed in aqueous solution at pH?4 and 80?°C in the presence of Fe(III), Eu(III)/Gd(III), and H(2)O(2). This inorganic ring opening is unprecedented in polyoxometalate chemistry.     

Restricted conformational flexibility of a triphenylamine derivative on the formation of host-guest complexes with various macrocyclic hosts

Herein, we report the host-guest-type complex formation between the host molecules cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and dibenzo[24]crown-8 ether (DB24C8) and a newly synthesized triphenylamine (TPA) derivative 1X(3) as the guest component. The host-guest complex formation was studied in detail by using (1)H?NMR, 2D NOESY, UV/Vis fluorescence, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy. The chloride salt of the TPA derivative was used for recognition studies with CB[7] and β-CD in an aqueous medium. The restricted internal rotation of the guest molecule on complex formation with either of these two host molecules was reflected in the enhancement of the emission quantum yield and the average excited-state lifetime for the triphenylamine-based excited states. Studies with DB24C8 as the host molecule were performed in dichloromethane, a medium that maximizes the noncovalent interaction between the host and guest fragments. The F?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process involving DB24C8 and 1(PF(6))(3), as the donor and acceptor fragments, respectively, was established by electrochemical, steady-state emission, and time-correlated single-photon counting studies.     

A Rational Approach Towards Determination of Optical Ionicity and Non-covalent Interactions in Fullerene-Calix[4]arene Host-Guest Complexes

The present article reports the host-guest complexation of a calix[4]arene derivative, namely 4-iso-propyl-calix[4]arene (1), with fullerenes (both C₆₀ and C₇₀) in toluene and benzonitrile solutions. It is observed that the charge-transfer (CT) absorption bands are located in the ground state for the C₆₀ and C₇₀ complexes of 1. By utilizing the CT absorption bands, various important physicochemical parameters like the oscillator strength, resonance energy, transition dipole moment, electronic coupling element and solvent reorganization energies have been estimated for the C₆₀-1 and C₇₀-1 complexes. The CT transition energy is very helpful for determining the vertical ionization potential of 1 in solution. Jobs method of continuous variation was used to establish 1:1 stoichiometry for the fullerene complexes of 1. The most fascinating feature of the present study is that 1 binds C₇₀ preferentially compared to C₆₀ as obtained from binding constant (K) data. The effect of solvent on the complexation of fullerenes (C₆₀ and C₇₀) with 1 is clearly observed from the trend in the K values: in toluene and whereas in benzonitrile, and . Molecular mechanics force field (MMMF) calculations reveal fascinating features regarding the binding pattern of fullerenes towards 1 in vacuo in terms of enthalpy of formation. MMMF calculations establish that during C₇₀-1 complexation, C₇₀ is directed in an end-on manner rather than the traditional side-on pattern.     

Synergetic effect of host-guest chemistry and spin crossover in 3D Hofmann-like metal-organic frameworks [Fe(bpac)M(CN)4] (M=Pt, Pd, Ni)

The synthesis and characterization of a series of three‐dimensional (3D) Hofmann‐like clathrate porous metal–organic framework (MOF) materials [Fe(bpac)M(CN)₄] (M=Pt, Pd, and Ni; bpac=bis(4‐pyridyl)acetylene) that exhibit spin‐crossover behavior is reported. The rigid bpac ligand is longer than the previously used azopyridine and pyrazine and has been selected with the aim to improve both the spin‐crossover properties and the porosity of the corresponding porous coordination polymers (PCPs). The 3D network is composed of successive {Fe[M(CN)₄]}_n planar layers bridged by the bis‐monodentate bpac ligand linked in the apical positions of the iron center. The large void between the layers, which represents 41.7 % of the unit cell, can accommodate solvent molecules or free bpac ligand. Different synthetic strategies were used to obtain a range of spin‐crossover behaviors with hysteresis loops around room temperature; the samples were characterized by magnetic susceptibility, calorimetric, Mössbauer, and Raman measurements. The complete physical study reveals a clear relationship between the quantity of included bpac molecules and the completeness of the spin transition, thereby underlining the key role of the π–π stacking interactions operating between the host and guest bpac molecules within the network. Although the inclusion of the bpac molecules tends to increase the amount of active iron centers, no variation of the transition temperature was measured. We have also investigated the ability of the network to accommodate the inclusion of molecules other than water and bpac and studied the synergy between the host–guest interaction and the spin‐crossover behavior. In fact, the clathration of various aromatic molecules revealed specific modifications of the transition temperature. Finally, the transition temperature and the completeness of the transition are related to the nature of the metal associated with the iron center (Ni, Pt, or Pd) and also to the nature and the amount of guest molecules in the lattice.