Ion/molecule reactions for detecting ammonia using miniature cylindrical ion trap mass spectrometers

Gaseous ammonia, a common toxic industrial compound, is not detected readily in ion trap mass spectrometers because its molecular ion falls below the low-mass cutoff (~m/z 40) normally used when examining organic compounds. Instead, reactions of ammonia with halobenzene radical cations were used with internal electron ionization in two cylindrical ion trap miniature mass spectrometers to create a characteristic product ion by which to identify and quantify ammonia. Ammonia showed a linear response over the concentration range studied (parts per million [ppm] to parts per billion [ppb]) with limits of detection of 17 ppm and 220 ppb for experiments involving direct introduction and thermal desorption after pre-concentration, respectively. These values are comparable to ammonia's permissible exposure limit (50 ppm) and odor threshold (5 ppm). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to describe the method sensitivity, the probability of true positives, and the false positive rate for ammonia. A customized reaction scan function was created to select the species available for the ion/molecule reaction and set the amount of time the product ion could be accumulated in the trap. Product ion identity was verified using tandem mass spectrometry. Similar reactions with methylamine, ethylamine and the two nitriles, acetonitrile and benzonitrile, were explored.     

Initiation and inhibition of dealloying of single crystalline Cu3Au (111) surfaces

Dealloying is widely utilized but is a dangerous corrosion process as well. Here we report an atomistic picture of the initial stages of electrochemical dealloying of the model system Cu(3)Au (111). We illuminate the structural and chemical changes during the early stages of dissolution up to the critical potential, using a unique combination of advanced surface-analytical tools. Scanning tunneling microscopy images indicate an interlayer exchange of topmost surface atoms during initial dealloying, while scanning Auger-electron microscopy data clearly reveal that the surface is fully covered by a continuous Au-rich layer at an early stage. Initiating below this first layer a transformation from stacking-reversed toward substrate-oriented Au surface structures is observed close to the critical potential. We further use the observed structural transitions as a reference process to evaluate the mechanistic changes induced by a thiol-based model-inhibition layer applied to suppress surface diffusion. The initial ultrathin Au layer is stabilized with the intermediate island morphology completely suppressed, along an anodic shift of the breakdown potential. Thiol-modification induces a peculiar surface microstructure in the form of microcracks exhibiting a nanoporous core. On the basis of the presented atomic-scale observations, an interlayer exchange mechanism next to pure surface diffusion becomes obvious which may be controlling the layer thickness and its later change in orientation.     

NIR‐Sensitized Activated Photoreaction between Cyanines and Oxime Esters: Free‐Radical Photopolymerization

Cyanines comprising either a benzo[e]‐ or benzo[c,d]indolium core facilitate initiation of radical photopolymerization combined with high power NIR‐LED prototypes emitting at 805 nm, 860 nm, or 870 nm, while different oxime esters function as radical coinitiators. Radical photopolymerization followed an initiation mechanism based on the participation of excited states, requiring additional thermal energy to overcome an existing intrinsic activation barrier. Heat released by nonradiative deactivation of the sensitizer favored the system, even under conditions where a thermally activated photoinduced electron transfer controls the reaction protocol. The heat generated internally by the NIR sensitizer promotes generation of the initiating reactive radicals. Sensitizers with a barbiturate group at the meso‐position preferred to bleach directly, while sensitizers carrying a cyclopentene moiety unexpectedly initiated the photosensitized mechanism.     

Temperature hysteretic effect and its influence on colossal magnetoresistance of La0.33Nd0.33Ca0.33MnO3

Electrical resistance (R) measurements of a bulk La_0.33Nd_0.33Ca_0.33MnO₃ perovskite in magnetic fields up to 40 kOe have revealed anomalous temperature hysteretic effects both in 0 Oe and 20 kOe magnetic fields. The sharp peak observed in the R vs. T plot indicates the occurrence of metal-to-insulator (M-I) transition at a temperature of T _MI=110 K and 140 K, for cooling and warming paths, respectively. An applied magnetic field of 20 kOe reduces the resistance and shifts T _MI to 160 K and 185 K for cooling and warming, respectively. We have observed a much higher resistance in the cooling path than in the warming path leading to the hysteretic resistance ratio (R _cool/R _warm) of 200 at 110 K and 1.8 at 160 K for 0 Oe and 20 kOe, respectively. Record values of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) have been achieved. The CMR value reaches nearly 99% in the temperature ranges of 90 K to 140 K and 90 K to 170 K for 20 kOe and 40 kOe magnetic fields in the cooling mode, respectively. The observed unusual behavior is attributed to the co-existence of La-rich and Nd-rich domains assumed to be distributed randomly in the compound.     

Spurenbestimmung von Thallium in Gesteinen durch Flammen oder flammenlose Atomabsorptions-Spektralphotometrie nach Vorkonzentrierung durch Extraktion

Zusammenfassung Die beschriebene Methode für die Bestimmung von Tl in Zement und dessen Ausgangsmaterialien eignet sich auch für die Spurenbestimmung in Gesteinen, Lösungen, usw. Spuren von Tl können aus großen Gehalten von Ca oder Fe durch Maskieren der Fremdelemente in mineralsaurer Lösung mit großen Mengen Citronensäure, Ascorbinsäure, wenn nötig auch mit KCN, und Extrahieren bzw. Konzentrieren des Tl als Diethyldithiocarbaminat-Komplex mit kleinen Mengen Methylisobutylketon bei pH 10,5 abgetrennt werden. Tl⁺ und auch Tl³⁺ werden erfaßt. Der Methylisobutylketon-Extrakt kann direkt in die Flamme eingesprüht werden. Die Empfindlichkeit ist in Methylisobutylketon-Lösung etwa um 30% besser als in rein wäßriger Lösung. Ein Zusatz von Cd, welches unter den gegebenen Bedingungen ebenfalls mitextrahiert wird, verbessert die Empfindlichkeit durch Interferenzeffekt nochmals um weitere 30 %. Wird eine Proben-Einwaage von 1 g zur Extraktion verwendet, so kann noch 0,1 ppm Tl im Ausgangsmaterial nachgewiesen werden. 60 untersuchte Kationen und etwa 20 Anionen stören in weiten Grenzen nicht. Mit der flammenlosen Atomisierung im Graphitrohrofen können noch 20–100mal kleinere Mengen Tl bestimmt werden, wenn das Tl im Methylisobutyl-Extrakt mit HNO₃ in die Nitratform gebracht und mit Alkohol verdünnt wird. Die Methoden wurden mit Standardgesteinen und Zementproben mit zugesetztem Tl überprüft.

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Trace determination of thallium in rocks by flame or flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry following pre-concentration by extraction

Summary A sensitive method for the trace analysis of Tl in cement raw materials, rocks and other samples by AAS is described. To the aqueous sample solutions, containing mainly Ca or Fe, large amounts of citric and ascorbic acid were added for masking interfering cations. Tl is extracted and concentrated as the diethyldithiocarbamate complex in methyl-isobutylketone at pH 10.5. This extract can directly be injected into the flame. The sensitivity was found to be 30% higher than for aqueous solutions and can be enhanced by another 30% by addition of some Cd. For a 1 g-sample the sensitivity is about 0.1 ppm Tl. Some 60 cations and 20 anions may be present in rather large amounts without disturbing the Tl-determination. A procedure for the flameless AAS is also described leading to a 20–100 times higher sensitivity. The methods were tested with standard rocks and with cement samples to which defined amounts of Tl had been added.

Für die Überprüfung des Manuskriptes möchte ich den Herren Dr. P. Baertschi und O. Antonsen herzlich danken.     

ac Conductivity of mixed spinel NiAl0.7Cr0.7Fe0.6O4

ac Conductivity measurements are carried out across the metal to insulator transition in NiAl_0.7Cr_0.7Fe_0.6O₄. The low frequency data is analyzed using Summerfield scaling theory for hopping conductivity. The exponent of the scaling behavior has significantly different values in the conducting and insulating regimes. The hopping frequency and the zero frequency conductivity are found to increase with temperature, slowly in the metallic regime and rapidly in the insulating regime.     

Implementation of DART and DESI ionization on a fieldable mass spectrometer

A recently developed prototype mobile laboratory mass spectrometer, incorporating an atmospheric pressure ionization (API) interface, is described. This system takes advantage of the small size, lower voltage requirements, and tandem MS abilities of the cylindrical ion trap mass analyzer. The prototype API MS uses small, low-power pumps to fit into a 0.1-m(3) self-contained package weighing <45 kg. This instrument has been adapted to allow rapid interfacing to electrospray ionization, desorption electrospray ionization, and direct analysis in real-time sources. Initial data indicate that these techniques provide rapid detection and identification of compounds for quality control, homeland security, and forensic applications. In addition, this instrument is self-contained and compact, making it ideally extensible to mobile laboratory and field analyses. Initial MS and MS/MS data for analyses of drugs, food, and explosives are presented herein.     

Transport in Nanoporous Materials Including MOFs: The Applicability of Fick’s Laws

Diffusion in nanoporous host–guest systems is often considered to be too complicated to comply with such “simple” relationships as Fick’s first and second law of diffusion. However, it is shown herein that the microscopic techniques of diffusion measurement, notably the pulsed field gradient (PFG) technique of NMR spectroscopy and microimaging by interference microscopy (IFM) and IR microscopy (IRM), provide direct experimental evidence of the applicability of Fick’s laws to such systems. This remains true in many situations, even when the detailed mechanism is complex. The limitations of the diffusion model are also discussed with reference to the extensive literature on this subject.     

NIR-Sensitized Activated Photoreaction between Cyanines and Oxime Esters: Free-Radical Photopolymerization

Cyanines comprising either a benzo[e]- or benzo[c,d]indolium core facilitate initiation of radical photopolymerization combined with high power NIR-LED prototypes emitting at 805 nm, 860 nm, or 870 nm, while different oxime esters function as radical coinitiators. Radical photopolymerization followed an initiation mechanism based on the participation of excited states, requiring additional thermal energy to overcome an existing intrinsic activation barrier. Heat released by nonradiative deactivation of the sensitizer favored the system, even under conditions where a thermally activated photoinduced electron transfer controls the reaction protocol. The heat generated internally by the NIR sensitizer promotes generation of the initiating reactive radicals. Sensitizers with a barbiturate group at the meso-position preferred to bleach directly, while sensitizers carrying a cyclopentene moiety unexpectedly initiated the photosensitized mechanism.