Pulse radiolysis study of the reaction of OH radicals with C2H4 over the temperature range 343–1173 K

The reaction of OH and OD radicals with ethylene in the presence of 1 atm argon and 6 Torr water vapor was studied in the temperature range 343–1173 K. The results reveal three kinetically separate temperature regions: (1) 343–563 K, where the disappearance of OH radical is dominated by the addition of OH to the double bond of ethylene; (2) 563–748 K, where concurrent reactions of addition, the reverse reaction of addition and H-atom abstraction is dominant; and (3) 748–1173 K, where H-atom abstraction is likely the main reaction. The rate for hydrogen abstraction is 2.4 × 10^?11 exp[(?2104 ± 125)/T] cm³/molec-s (for OD 2.1 × 10^?11 exp[(?2130 ± 172)/T] cm³/molec-s). There was no obvious pyrolysis of ethylene below 1073 K. The study of OD radical with ethylene shows a small isotope effect.     

Picosecond pulse radiolysis of aromatic solutes in cyclohexane: formation of solute triplet states

Evolution of the absorption spectra due to transient species produced by the pulse radiolysis of biphenyl, pyrene, diphenylamine, and naphthalene in cyclohexane was measured over 50 ps to 3 ns. The initial (50 ps) yield of triplet is only a small fraction of the yield (G ≈ 0.3) at 3 ns.     

Picosecond molecular relaxations during electron solvation in liquid alcohol and alcohol-alkane solutions

The time evolution of the solvated electron in a series of linear alcohols has been measured. A correlation between the time for monomer rotation τ₂ and the solvation time τ_s seems to hold for the series. The mechanism of solvation is discussed with reference to the experimental data.     

Electronic structure of the water oxidation catalyst cis,cis-[(bpy)2(H2O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(OH2)(bpy)2]4+, the blue dimer

The first designed molecular catalyst for water oxidation is the "blue dimer", cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(OH(2))(bpy)(2)](4+). Although there is experimental evidence for extensive electronic coupling across the μ-oxo bridge, results of earlier DFT and CASSCF calculations provide a model with magnetic interactions of weak to moderately coupled Ru(III) ions across the μ-oxo bridge. We present the results of a comprehensive experimental investigation, combined with DFT calculations. The experiments demonstrate both that there is strong electronic coupling in the blue dimer and that its effects are profound. Experimental evidence has been obtained from molecular structures and key bond distances by XRD, electrochemically measured comproportionation constants for mixed-valence equilibria, temperature-dependent magnetism, chemical properties (solvent exchange, redox potentials, and pK(a) values), XPS binding energies, analysis of excitation-dependent resonance Raman profiles, and DFT analysis of electronic absorption spectra. The spectrum can be assigned based on a singlet ground state with specific hydrogen-bonding interactions with solvent molecules included. The results are in good agreement with available experimental data. The DFT analysis provides assignments for characteristic absorption bands in the near-IR and visible regions. Bridge-based dπ → dπ* and interconfiguration transitions at Ru(III) appear in the near-IR and MLCT and LMCT transitions in the visible. Reasonable values are also provided by DFT analysis for experimentally observed bond distances and redox potentials. The observed temperature-dependent magnetism of the blue dimer is consistent with a delocalized, diamagnetic singlet state (dπ(1)*)(2) with a low-lying, paramagnetic triplet state (dπ(1)*)(1)(dπ(2)*)(1). Systematic structural-magnetic-IR correlations are observed between ν(sym)(RuORu) and ν(asym)(RuORu) vibrational energies and magnetic properties in a series of ruthenium-based, μ-oxo-bridged complexes. Consistent with the DFT electronic structure model, bending along the Ru-O-Ru axis arises from a Jahn-Teller distortion with ∠Ru-O-Ru dictated by the distortion and electron-electron repulsion.     

Self-ordering of colloidal particles in shallow nanoscale surface corrugations

The influence of nanoscale out-of-plane roughness on the ordering of submicron spheres during evaporative deposition from colloidal suspension was examined using shallow corrugated substrates possessing optical wavelengths and nanoscale amplitude. Under conditions in which spheres were embedded in a liquid layer with thickness on the order of the sphere diameter, it was observed that the spheres overwhelmingly deposited in the valleys of the surface corrugations rather than on their peaks. This behavior persisted to surprisingly shallow corrugation amplitudes, sometimes 100 times smaller than the sphere diameter. An analysis of the capillary forces on the spheres explains this behavior and also yields a critical corrugation amplitude below which a substrate will appear "flat" to depositing spheres. The observation that substrate features significantly smaller than the sphere diameter can influence deposition morphology may lead to simple methods to create large domains of order in colloidal crystals.     

A quick method for the determination of the Al/Si weight ratio in alumino-silicates using an Am-Be neutron source

An irradiation procedure with fast and thermal neutrons from a 5 Ci Am-Be isotopic neutron source irradiation facility in combination with a 3'3' NaI(Tl) detector system has been used to determine Al/Si weight ratios in alumino-silicates. Samples were irradiated with and without Cd cover for 10 minutes and counted for 10 minutes after a waiting time of 1 minute. The peak area analysis of the 1779 keV gamma-ray line of ²⁸Al product radionuclide produced via ²⁷Al(n,γ)²⁸Al and ²⁸Si(n,p)²⁸Al reactions in combination with the neutron flux parameter at the irradiation site and nuclear data were used to determine Al/Si ratios. Due to discrepancy in literature data, Am-Be neutron source spectrum averaged cross sections of (n,p) reactions on ²⁷Al, ²⁸Si and ⁵⁶Fe were determined by the activation technique using ¹¹⁵In(n,n')^115mIn as the fast neutron flux monitor reaction. The method was tested using mixtures of high-purity Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ with known weight ratios of Al/Si and validated by a certified reference material BCS-CRM 348 (Ball Clay). Results are presented for bentonite, kaolin, bauxite, feldspar and ball clay samples from Nigeria. The method is non-destructive, rapid and suitable for use in-situ for large-scale exploration works and industrial process control. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis and thermal characterization of NZP compounds Na1?xLixZr2(PO4)3 (x?=?0.00–0.75)

Sodium zirconium phosphate (NZP) composition Na_1−x Li _x Zr₂(PO₄)₃, x = 0.00–0.75 has been synthesized by method of solid state reaction method from Na₂CO₃·H₂O, Li₂CO₃, ZrO₂, and NH₄H₂PO₄, sintering at 1050–1250 °C for 8 h only in other to determine the effect on thermal properties, such as the phase formation of the compound. The materials have been characterized by TGA and DTA thermal analysis methods from room temperature to 1000 °C. It was observed that the increase in lithium content of the samples increased thermal stability of the samples and the DTA peaks shifted towards higher temperatures with increase in lithium content. The thermal stability regions for all the sample was observed to be from 640 °C. The sample with the highest lithium content, x = 0.75, exhibited the greatest thermal stability over the temperature range.