Highly efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution promoted by O–Mo–C interfaces of ultrafine β-Mo2C nanostructures

Optimizing interfacial contacts and thus electron transfer phenomena in heterogeneous electrocatalysts is an effective approach for enhancing electrocatalytic performance. Herein, we successfully synthesized ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanoparticles confined within hollow capsules of nitrogen-doped porous carbon (β-Mo₂C@NPCC) and found that the surface layer of molybdenum atoms was further oxidized to a single Mo–O surface layer, thus producing intimate O–Mo–C interfaces. An arsenal of complementary technologies, including XPS, atomic-resolution HAADF-STEM, and XAS analysis clearly reveals the existence of O–Mo–C interfaces for these surface-engineered ultrafine nanostructures. The β-Mo₂C@NPCC electrocatalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water. Theoretical studies indicate that the highly accessible ultrathin O–Mo–C interfaces serving as the active sites are crucial to the HER performance and underpinned the outstanding electrocatalytic performance of β-Mo₂C@NPCC. This proof-of-concept study opens a new avenue for the fabrication of highly efficient catalysts for HER and other applications, whilst further demonstrating the importance of exposed interfaces and interfacial contacts in efficient electrocatalysis.

Ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanostructures encapsulated in N-doped carbon capsules featuring O–Mo–C interfaces as the active sites for HER have been unveiled.     

Separation and gravimetric determination of cerium and lanthanum with N-m-tolyl-m-nitrobenzohydroxamic acid

Cerium and lanthanum were determined gravimetrically by selective precipitation with N-m-tolyl-m-nitrobenzohydroxamic acid and separated from several metal ions such as Ag(+), Be(2+) , Pb(2+) , Mn(2+) , Cu(2+), Zn(2+) , Cd(2+) , Hg(2+) , Pd(2+) , Ga(3+) A1(3+) , Bi(3+) , Sb(3+), Sn(4+), Ce(3+) , Pr(3+) , Nd(3+) , Ti(4+), Zr(4+), Th(4+), V(5+) , Mo(6+) and U(6+) . The precipitates were weighted directly after drying at 110 degrees . The analytical results indicated the composition of the complexes to be (C(14)H(11)N(2)O(4))(n)M.     

Corrosion inhibition of mild steel in hydrochloric acid using extract of glycine max leaves

Research on Chemical Intermediates - The activity of glycine max leaves extract against corrosion of mild steel in 0.5 M HCl solution has been investigated at different temperatures...     

Dynamics of phase transitions in a liquid crystal probed by Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectra of the Schiff 's base liquid crystalline compound 5O5, N-(4- n-pentyloxybenzylidene)-4'-n-pentylaniline, have been recorded as a function of temperature from 22 to 80°C in the 1140-1220 cm^-1 and 1550-1640 cm^-1 spectral regions. From careful deconvolution of the spectral features using Lorentzian profiles, precise values of peak positions, integrated intensities and linewidths of some selected Raman bands were obtained. The variations of the Raman spectral parameters with temperature are discussed in terms of changes in the molecular alignment and its effect on intra-/inter-molecular interactions at the Cr-G, G-SmF, SmF-SmC and SmA-N phase transitions. From a detailed study, it is inferred that the increased orientational/vibrational freedom of the alkyl chains, as well as the delocalization of the electron clouds, is responsible for the spectral anomalies at the Cr-G transition. Loss of positional ordering and twist around the -C₆H₄-N= bond takes place at the SmF-SmC transition. In the SmA-N transition, some evidence for the formation of cybotactic clusters was obtained.     

Water-Mediated Synthesis of Benzazole and Thiourea Motifs by Reacting Naturally Occurring Isothiocyanate with Amines

An efficient, green, and facile method has been developed for the synthesis of benzazole and thiourea analogues from naturally occurring erucin in moderate to good yields. The reaction was carried out in water without using any metal catalyst or base. The present method tolerated the various functional groups on aromatic rings and also applicable for other isothiocyanates.     

First principle electronic structure calculations of ternary alloys Hg1−xMnxTe in zinc-blende structure

We have investigated the structural, electronic, magnetic and optical properties of Hg_1?xMn_xTe in the zinc-blende phase for 0≤x≤1. The calculations were performed by using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbitals method within the framework of the density functional theory. The lattice constants of Hg_1?xMn_xTe at different Mn concentrations exhibit Vegard's law perfectly. For spin-up channel the Mn 3d bands are occupied and mixed with the Te 5p bands whereas for spin-down channel the Mn 3d bands are unoccupied. The values of the p–d exchange splitting energy, ?_x(pd) as produced by the Mn 3d states are given. The contribution of the valence band and the conduction band in the process of exchange and splitting is described by the exchange coupling constants N₀α and N₀β. Due to p–d hybridization the magnetic moment of the Mn atom reduces, which results in small local magnetic moments on the non-magnetic Hg and Te sites. The potential applications of Hg_1?xMn_xTe in infrared device have been discussed on the basis of its optical properties.     

Probabilistic analysis of redundant systems with human errors and common-cause failures

This paper presents two mathematical models representing three unit redundant systems with common cause failures and human errors. Reliability, steady state availability, mean time to failure (MTTF) and variance of time to failure formulas are developed for both models. Supplementary variables and Markov techniques were employed to obtain the resulting expressions. Reliability, availability, failure probability and MTTF plots are .shown     

Transition-Metal-Free Reverse Reactivity of (2-Alkynyl)-Arylaldimines: Assembly of Functionalized Amino-Indinones

Transition-metal-free regioselective synthesis of functionalized amino-indenones by the reaction of ortho-alkynylaldehydes with a broad range of primary amines by intramolecular cyclization has been described. The designed reaction proceeds through KOH-mediated Prins-type cyclization and DMSO-promoted oxidation of the cyclopent-2-en-1-one system. The proposed mechanism and role of solvent were well supported by control experiments. For the first time, we have disclosed the reverse reactivity of (2-alkynyl)-arylaldimines in a super basic system.