Photoluminescence spectroscopy of carbon nanotube bundles: evidence for exciton energy transfer

We investigate photoluminescence of nanotube bundles. Their spectra are explained by exciton energy transfer between adjacent tubes, whereby excitation of large gap tubes induces emission from smaller gap ones. The consequent relaxation rate is faster than nonradiative recombination, leading to enhanced photoluminescence of acceptor tubes.     

Incorporation of graphene in quantum dot sensitized solar cells based on ZnO nanorods

We demonstrate a novel architecture of solar cell by incorporating graphene thin film in a quantum dot sensitized solar cell. Quantum dot sensitized nanorods with a graphene layer exhibited a 54.7% improvement comparing a quantum dot sensitized ZnO nanorods without graphene layer. A fill factor as high as ～62% was also obtained.     

On the Exciton Coupling between Two Chlorophyll Pigments in the Absence of a Protein Environment: Intrinsic Effects Revealed by Theory and Experiment

Exciton coupling between two or more chlorophyll (Chl) pigments is a key mechanism associated with the color tuning of photosynthetic proteins but it is difficult to disentangle this effect from shifts that are due to the protein microenvironment. Herein, we report the formation of the simplest coupled system, the Chl a dimer, tagged with a quaternary ammonium ion by electrospray ionization. Based on action spectroscopic studies in vacuo, the dimer complexes were found to absorb 50–70 meV to the red of the monomers under the same conditions. First‐principles calculations predict shifts that somewhat depend on the relative orientation of the two Chl units, namely 50 and 30 meV for structures where the Chl rings are stacked and unstacked, respectively. Our work demonstrates that Chl association alone can produce a large portion of the color shift observed in photosynthetic macromolecular assemblies.     

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.

     

The gas-phase pyrolysis of alkyl nitrites. III. Isopropyl nitrite

The rate of decomposition of isopropyl nitrite (IPN) has been studied in a static system over the temperature range of 130–160°C. For low concentrations of IPN (1–5 × 10^?5M), but with a high total pressure of CF₄ (～0.9 atm) and small extents of reaction (～1%), the first-order rates of acetaldehyde (AcH) formation are a direct measure of reaction (1), since k₃ » k₂(NO): \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm IPN}\begin{array}{rcl} 1 \\ {\rightleftarrows} \\ 2 \\ \end{array}i - \Pr \mathop {\rm O}\limits^. + {\rm NO},i - \Pr \mathop {\rm O}\limits^. \stackrel{3}{\longrightarrow} {\rm AcH} + {\rm Me}. $\end{document} Addition of large amounts of NO (～0.9 atm) in place of CF₄ almost completely suppressed AcH formation. Addition of large amounts of isobutane – t-BuH – (～0.9 atm) in place of CF₄ at 160°C resulted in decreasing the AcH by 25%. Thus 25% of \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ i - \Pr \mathop {\rm O}\limits^{\rm .} $\end{document} were trapped by the t-BuH (4): \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ i - \Pr \mathop {\rm O}\limits^. + t - {\rm BuH} \stackrel{4}{\longrightarrow} i - \Pr {\rm OH} + (t - {\rm Bu}). $\end{document} The result of adding either NO or t-BuH shows that reaction (1) is the only route for the production of AcH. The rate constant for reaction (1) is given by k₁ = 10^{16.2±0.4–41.0±0.8}/θ sec^?1. Since (E₁ + RT) and ΔH°₁ are identical, within experimental error, both may be equated with D(i-PrO-NO) = 41.6 ± 0.8 kcal/mol and E₂ = 0 ± 0.8 kcal/mol. The thermochemistry leads to the result that \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \Delta H_f^\circ (i - {\rm Pr}\mathop {\rm O}\limits^{\rm .} ) = - 11.9 \pm 0.8{\rm kcal}/{\rm mol}. $\end{document} From ΔS°₁ and A₁, k₂ is calculated to be 10^10.5±0.4M^?1·sec^?1. From an independent observation that k₆/k₂ = 0.19 ± 0.03 independent of temperature we find E₆ = 0 ± 1 kcal/mol and k₆ = 10^9.8+0.4M^?;1·sec^?1: \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ i - \Pr \mathop {\rm O}\limits^. + {\rm NO} \stackrel{6}{\longrightarrow} {\rm M}_2 {\rm K} + {\rm HNO}. $\end{document} In addition to AcH, acetone (M₂K) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) are produced in approximately equal amounts. The rate of M₂K formation is markedly affected by the ratio S/V of different reaction vessels. It is concluded that the M₂K arises as the result of a heterogeneous elimination of HNO from IPN. In a spherical reaction vessel the first-order rate of M₂K formation is given by k₅ = 10^9.4–27.0/θ sec^?1: \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm IPN} \stackrel{5}{\longrightarrow} {\rm M}_2 {\rm K} + {\rm HNO}. $\end{document} IPA is thought to arise via the hydrolysis of IPN, the water being formed from HNO. This elimination process explains previous erroneous results for IPN.     

Interactions of the directed plasma from a cathodic arc withelectrodes and magnetic fields

Curved magnetic ducts are frequently used to remove macroscopic-sized droplets from the plasma stream of cathodic vacuum arcs. The plasma of a cathodic vacuum arc in a magnetic filter is characterized by a strongly directional ion velocity (corresponding to 20-100 eV) and magnetized electrons. In the first section of this paper the effects of these features on the I-V characteristic curves of planar probes are identified and explained using a simple model. This is then used to interpret the interaction of the plasma with the walls of a biased quarter torus duct. Two small electrodes placed on the outer and inner sections of the curved duct wall show that the I-V characteristic is determined primarily by the electron-ion current balance at the wall on the outside of the curve. The application of a bias to a planar electrode on the outer wall section was found to give the same increase in throughput as a positive bias applied to the entire duct with the advantage of a much smaller electron current being drawn by the biasing power supply. The improvement in duct throughput achievable with positive-biasing of the duct wall was found to depend on both the configuration and strength of the magnetic field in the quarter torus filter. The plasma density profile and potential were unaffected by the application of the bias     

The gas phase pyrolysis of alkyl nitrites. I. t-butyl nitrite

The rate of decomposition of t-butyl nitrite (TBN) has been studied in a static system over the temperature range of 120–160°C. For low concentrations of TBN (10^?5- 10^?4M), but with a high total pressure of CF₄ (～0.9 atm) and small extents of reaction (～1%), the first-order homogeneous rates of acetone (M₂K) formation are a direct measure of reaction (1), since k₃» k₂ (NO): TBN . Addition of large amounts of NO in place of CF₄ almost completely suppresses M₂K formation. This shows that reaction (1) is the only route for this product. The rate of reaction (1) is given by k₁ = 10^16.3–40.3/θ s^?1. Since (E₁ + RT) and ΔH are identical, both may be equated with D(RO-NO) = 40.9 ± 0.8 kcal/mole and E₂ = O ± 1 kcal/mole. From ΔS and A₁, k₂ is calculated to be 10^10.4M^?1 ·s^?1, implying that combination of t? BuO and NO occurs once every ten collisions. From an independent observation that k₂/k₂′ = 1.7 ± 0.25 independent of temperature, it is concluded that k₂′ = 10^10.2M^?1 · s^?1 and k₁′ = 10^15.9?40.2/θ s^?1; . This study shows that MeNO arises solely as a result of the combination of Me and NO. Since NO is such an excellent radical trap for t-Bu\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}${\rm Me\dot O}$\end{document}, reaction (2) may be used in a competitive study of the decomposition of t? Bu\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}${\rm Me\dot O}$\end{document} in order to obtain the first absolute value for k₃. Preliminary results show that k₃ (∞) = 10^15.7–17.0/θ s^?1. The pressure dependence of k₃ is demonstrated over the range of 10^?2?1 atm (160°C). The thermochemistry for reaction (3) implies that the Hg 6(³P₁) sensitised decomposition of t-BuOH occurs via reaction (m): In addition to the products accounted for by the TBN radical split, isobutene is formed as a result of the 6-centre elimination of HONO: TBN \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\mathop \to \limits^7 $\end{document} isobutene + HONO. The rate of formation of isobutene is given by k₇ = 10^12.9–33.6/θ s^?1. t-BuOH, formed at a rate comparable to that of isobutene–at least in the initial stages–is thought to arise as a result of secondary reactions between TBN and HONO. The apparent discrepancy between this and previous studies is reconciled in terms of the above parallel reactions (1) and (7), such that k + 2k₇ = 10^14.7–36.2/θ s^?1.