In Situ Polymerized 1,3-Dioxolane Electrolyte for Integrated Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Solid-state lithium batteries are promising and safe energy storage devices for mobile electronics and electric vehicles. In this work, we report a facile in situ polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane electrolytes to fabricate integrated solid-state lithium batteries. The in situ polymerization and formation of solid-state dioxolane electrolytes on interconnected carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and active materials is the key to realizing a high-performance battery with excellent interfacial contact among CNTs, active materials and electrolytes. Therefore, the electrodes could be tightly integrated into batteries through the CNTs and electrolyte. Electrons/ions enable full access to active materials in the whole electrode. Electrodes with a low resistance of 4.5 Ω □⁻¹ and high lithium-ion diffusion efficiency of 2.5×10⁻¹¹ cm² s⁻¹ can significantly improve the electrochemical kinetics. Subsequently, the batteries demonstrated high energy density, amazing charge/discharge rate and long cycle life.     

Efficient Near-Infrared Electroluminescence from Lanthanide-Doped Perovskite Quantum Cutters

Perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs) deliver size- and composition-tunable luminescence of high efficiency and color purity in the visible range. However, attaining efficient electroluminescence (EL) in the near-infrared (NIR) region from PeNCs is challenging, limiting their potential applications. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient NIR light-emitting diode (LED) by doping ytterbium ions into a PeNCs host (Yb³⁺ : PeNCs), extending the EL wavelengths toward 1000 nm, which is achieved through a direct sensitization of Yb³⁺ ions by the PeNC host. Efficient quantum-cutting processes enable high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of up to 126 % from the Yb³⁺ : PeNCs. Through halide-composition engineering and surface passivation to improve both PLQY and charge-transport balance, we demonstrate an efficient NIR LED with a peak external quantum efficiency of 7.7 % at a central wavelength of 990 nm, representing the most efficient perovskite-based LEDs with emission wavelengths beyond 850 nm.     

Palladium complexes with bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)amino ligands and their application as catalysts for the Heck reaction

Aminomethylphosphine (P–C–N) type ligands, (Ph₂PCH₂)₂NR R = –(CH₂)₃Si(OEt₃)₃ or –CH₂CH₂OH, and their Pd(II) complexes have been synthesized. All the compounds were characterized by ¹H-, ³¹P-NMR, and elemental analysis. The complexes are proposed to have a square planar geometry. They were investigated as catalysts for the Heck reaction of aryl halides (I, Br, Cl) with methyl acrylate. Both complexes showed high activity to give methyl cinnamate in good yields, with the best turnover numbers found for [PdCl₂(Ph₂PCH₂)₂N(CH₂)₃Si(OEt)₃].     

Adsorption and inhibitive properties of aminobiphenyl and its Schiff base on mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M HCl medium

Electrochemical measurements were performed to investigate the effectiveness and adsorption behaviour of aminobiphenyl (Aph) and 2-(3-hydroxybenzylideneamino)biphenyl (Aph-S), as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel (MS) in 0.5 M HCl solution. Potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization resistance (LP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques were applied to study the metal corrosion behaviour in the absence and presence of different concentrations of Aph and Aph-S. In order to gain more information about adsorption mechanism the AC impedance technique was used to evaluate the potential of zero charge (PZC) from polarization resistance (R_p) versus voltage (E) plot. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed that Aph act as cathodic type inhibitor where as Aph-S act mixed type. The inhibition efficiency (IE%) increases with increasing concentration of compounds and reached 92.6% for Aph and 97.2% for Aph-S at 5 × 10⁻³ M. Double layer capacitance (C_dl) and polarization resistance (R_p) values are derived from Nyquist plots obtained from AC impedance studies. The experimental data fit Langmuir isotherm for both Aph and Aph-S, and from the adsorption isotherm some thermodynamic data for the adsorption processes are calculated and discussed. The effect of exposure time on the corrosion behaviour of mild steel in the absence and presence of inhibitor over 168 h was also studied.     

Sol–gel processing of IrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> mixed metal oxides based on an iridium acetate precursor

Mixed IrO₂–TiO₂ oxides were prepared by the sol–gel method by adding an aqueous solution of an iridium(III) acetate precursor [Ir₃O(OAc)₆ (HOAc)₃]OAc, to titanium tetraethoxide in ethanol. By using an acetylacetonate modifier to stabilize the hydrolysed titanium alkoxide and by omitting a catalyst, gels were produced in all cases. Transmission electron microscopy and EDX analysis confirmed the high dispersion of iridium in the dried gel material on the nanometre scale. The images also show spherical cage features up to 20 nm in diameter. High mass losses of the gels in the TGA scans suggested low degrees of hydrolysis of the acetate precursor, but calcination gave a crystalline, mixed oxide (Ti_xIr_1–xO₂) solid solution. The precursor is also soluble in ethanol, which provides a slightly modified route to similar materials.     

A possible ethanol-catalyzed rearrangement of vitamin K(1) detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

We studied vitamin K(1)(20), vitamin K(1)(25), and vitamin K(1) epoxide in n-hexane and ethanol solutions by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) utilizing a DB-5 MS fused-silica capillary column. In ethanol solutions of K(1), we observed an extra peak eluting from the GC column with somewhat longer retention time than K(1)(20). A similar peak following K(1)(25) was also found. These peaks were not found in n-hexane solutions of K(1). A close examination of the mass spectra of these peaks indicated that they were vitamin K(1) variants containing a base peak at m/z 225 characteristic of the methylnaphthoquinone ring with a four-carbon side chain. In addition, they contained the molecular ions of K(1)(20) and K(1)(25), respectively. We conclude that K(1)(20) and K(1)(25), but not K(1) epoxide, might undergo rearrangements in ethanol involving an intramolecular proton transfer and a shift of the beta,gamma-double bond on the phytyl side chain toward the ring. The conjugation of the phytyl double bond with the quinone ring is probably the driving force of the rearrangement. We emphasize, however, that our conclusion is based only on mass spectral analysis and would require further investigation by other spectroscopic methods.     

Gold(I)-dithioether supramolecular polymers: synthesis, characterization, and luminescence

A series of discrete compounds and supramolecular polymers were synthesized by self-assembly of dithioether building blocks and HAuCl4.3H2O. In complexes 1 {[AuL(1-Me)Cl], where L(1-Me) is bis(methylthio)methane} and 2 {[Au2L(2-Ph)Cl2], where L(2-Ph) is 1,2-bis(phenylthio)ethane}, adjacent units are connected via aurophilic interactions. Complex 1, a one-dimensional (1D) supramolecular polymer, and complex 2, a two-dimensional supramolecular network, both feature nearly linear [Au-Au-](infinity) chains. Complexes 4a, 4b, and 4c, all of which contain 1,3-bis(phenylthio)propane (L(3-Ph)), are polymorphs having the composition [Au2L(3-Ph)Cl2]. Complex 3 {[Au2L(1-Ph)Cl2], where L(1-Ph) is bis(phenylthio)methane}and complexes 4a and 4b consist of nearly identical 1D supramolecular polymers formed through Au-Au interactions. The third polymorph, 4c, is a molecular complex, as it does not have metal-metal interactions. Complex 5 {[Au2L(4-Ph)Cl2], where L(4-Ph) is 1,4-bis(phenylthio)butane} is also molecular. UV-vis spectra showed that the absorption bands of these complexes are allowed ligand-centered transitions between 230 and 260 nm. Complexes 1, 2, and 6 {[AuL(3-Me)Cl], where L(3-Me) is 1,3-bis(methylthio)propane} exhibited solid-state luminescence at 5 K with vibronic progressions and band maxima at approximately 570 nm. It is suggested that complex 6 contains [Au-Au-](infinity) chains.     

Determination of the ground- and excited-state dipole moments of 4’-(hexyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile and 4-isothiocyanatophenyl 4-pentylbicyclo [2,2,2] octane-1-carboxylate nematic liquid crystals and their mixtures

The dipole moments of the ground and excited states of 4′-(hexyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile and 4-isothiocyanatophenyl 4-pentylbicyclo [2.2.2] octane-1-carboxylate nematic liquid crystals and their mixtures prepared in chloroform and dichloromethane were studied at room temperature. The dipole moments of the ground states of the all samples were calculated according to the Guggenheim–Smith method. The dipole moments of their excited states were determined with the help of the Lippert equation by measuring the absorption and fluorescence spectra, solvent polarity and refractive index values. It was determined that dipole moments of the excited states were higher than those of the ground states. Moreover, the dipole moments of the ground and excited states of two nematic liquid crystals were also estimated by using molecular mechanic method (Gaussian09 program (DFT/B3LYP 6-31G(dp)). The results obtained are interpreted in detail.     

Spinor Frenet Equations in Three Dimensional Lie Groups

In this paper, we study spinor Frenet equations in three dimensional Lie groups with a bi-invariant metric. Also, we obtain spinor Frenet equations for some special cases of three dimensional Lie groups.     

Regioselective synthesis of some novel pyrazoles,isoxazoles, pyrazolo[3,4‐d]pyridazines and isoxazolo[3,4‐d]pyridazines pendant to benzimidazole

2‐Acetyl‐1‐methyl‐1H‐benzimidazole reacts with dimethylformamide‐dimethyl‐acetal (DMF‐DMA) to afford the corresponding E‐1‐(1‐methyl‐1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)‐3‐N,N‐dimethylaminoprop‐2‐enone. The latter compound reacts regioselectively with some nitrilimines and nitrile oxides to afford the corresponding pyrazole and isoxazole derivatives, respectively. These reaction products react with hydrazine hydrate to give the novel pyrazolo[3,4‐d]pyridazine and isoxazolo[3,4‐d]pyridazine derivatives, respectively.