Structural and photocatalytic properties of silicon carbide powder and nanowires modified by gold nanoparticles

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Commercial bulk powder of SiC and SHS-synthesized SiC nanowires were studied. Gold nanoparticles were deposited onto a surface of both samples. Basic...     

Layer-by-layer deposition of a polythiophene/Au nanoparticles multilayer with effective electrochemical properties

Multilayers consisting of a water soluble polythiophene derivative and Au nanoparticles have been deposited onto different electrode substrates by means of layer-by-layer deposition technique. The assembly of the films has been performed by taking advantage of the electrostatic interactions between the positively charged imidazolic moiety of the polythiophene chain and the negative charges of citrate ions surrounding Au nanoparticles, as well of the affinity of S to Au. The nanoparticles result stably grafted to the organic matrix. The resulting modified electrodes have been characterised through electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical and microscopic techniques. The results evidenced that a high number of individual nanoparticles is present inside the multilayer. The presence of nanoparticles is of chief importance for most effective charge percolation through the multilayer, as suggested by the responses to electroactive probe species in solution. The electrocatalytic performances of the modified electrodes have been tested with respect to the oxidation of ascorbic acid.     

Discriminating alkylbenzene isomers with tandem mass spectrometry using a dielectric barrier discharge ionization source

Soft ambient ionization sources generate reactive species that interact with analyte molecules to form intact molecular ions, which allows rapid, sensitive, and direct identification of the molecular mass. We used a dielectric barrier discharge ionization (DBDI) source with nitrogen at atmospheric pressure to detect alkylated aromatic hydrocarbon isomers (C₈H₁₀ or C₉H₁₂). Intact molecular ions [M]^•+ were detected at 2.4 kV_pp, but at increased voltage (3.4 kV_pp), [M + N]⁺ ions were formed, which could be used to differentiate regioisomers by collision-induced dissociation (CID). At 2.4 kV_pp, alkylbenzene isomers with different alkyl-substituents could be identified by additional product ions: ethylbenzene and -toluene formed [M-2H]⁺, isopropylbenzene formed abundant [M-H]⁺, and propylbenzene formed abundant C₇H₇⁺. At an operating voltage of 3.4 kV_pp, fragmentation of [M + N]⁺ by CID led to neutral loss of HCN and CH₃CN, which corresponded to steric hindrance for excited state N-atoms approaching the aromatic ring (C-H). The ratio of HCN to CH₃N loss (interday relative standard deviation [RSD] < 20%) was distinct for ethylbenzene and ethyltoluene isomers. The greater the number of alkyl-substituents (C-CH₃) and the more sterically hindered (meta > para > ortho) the aromatic core, the greater the loss of CH₃CN relative to HCN was.     

Insights into the Formation and Structures of Molecular Gels by Diimidazolium Salt Gelators in Ionic Liquids or “Normal” Solvents

Insights are provided into the properties of molecular gels formed by diimidazolium salts both in “normal” solvents and ionic liquids. These materials can be interesting for applications in green and sustainable chemistry in which ionic liquids play a significant role, like catalysis and energy. In particular, two positional isomers of a diimidazolium cation have been examined with a wide range of anions for their ability to form gel phases. In particular, di‐, tri‐, and tetravalent anions bearing aliphatic or aromatic spacers were paired with the divalent cations. The properties of the organo‐ and ionogels formed have been analyzed by means of several different techniques, including calorimetry, rheology, resonance light scattering, UV/Vis absorption, polarizing optical microscopy, and powder X‐ray diffraction measurements. The investigations performed enabled us to obtain a wide range of conductive materials characterized by a high thermal stability and a low corrosiveness of the gelator (organogels) or of both gelator and solvent (ionogels). The information gained should be useful in the broader quest to identify and promote their applications.     

Thermodynamic Study of Cadmium Chloride in Aqueous Mixtures of 2-Butanol from Potential Difference Measurements

The standard molal potential differences (E_m∘) have been determined for the cell: CdHg_x(two phase) | CdCl₂(m), H₂O(1 − w), 2-butanol (w) | AgCl(s) | Ag(s) in aqueous mixtures of low mass fraction of 2-butanol (w_2-butanol = 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) by using the literature data for the stability constants of the chlorocadmium complexes and the present potentiometric data for this cell at five temperatures from (293.15 to 313.15) K and at 10 molalities of CdCl₂ from (0.002 to 0.02) mol-kg⁻¹. The resulting values of E∘_m have been used to calculate the standard thermodynamic quantities (Δ_rG^∘, Δ_rH^∘, and Δ_rS^∘) for the cell reaction, the stoichiometric mean molal activity coefficients (γ_±) of CdCl₂, and the standard thermodynamic functions for CdCl₂ transfer (Δ_t G∘, Δ_t H∘, and Δ_t S∘) from water to the examined aqueous mixtures of 2-butanol. The values obtained have been compared with the analogous literature data for aqueous mixtures of 2-butanone; standard thermodynamic quantities for transfer of CdCl₂ and HBr from water to mixtures containing the same mass fraction of 2-butanol have also been compared. For both electrolytes, these quantities show analogous trends with the alcohol content. This transfer process is nonspontaneous and endothermic. Enthalpy and entropy are evidently influenced by structural changes.     

Remarks on the use of the average occupation numbers in the SCF process for open shell systems

It is shown that the utilization of an average occupation number for open shell orbitals, having different occupation numbers in a degenerate wave function, tantamounts to disregard first order contributions in a CI -type expansion of the wave function. These contributions are taken into account in a SCF process that derives the differently occupied open shell orbitals as eigenfunctions of different Fock-type operators and accounts for the total symmetry.     

A study of the behaviour of 2,4-substituted thiosemicarbazides toward orthoesters: Formation of mesoionic compounds

The reactions beetwen 2,4-disubstituted thiosemicarbazides and orthoesters in refluxing xylene led to the formation of the 1,2,4-triazoline-5-thione ring and to the 1,2,4-triazolium-5-thiolate ring. The formation of the mesoionic componds is due to rearrangement of the easily available 2,4-disubstituted thiosemicarbazides to 1,4-disubstituted thiosemicarbazides under the reaction conditions adopted. This method can be usefully used for the synthesis of mesoionic compounds, especially in the case of the 2-methyl-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide.     

Electroanalytical Determination of Estrone in Seawater Samples Using Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

In this work, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with carboxylic groups (MWCNT−COOH) was used to determine the hormone estrone in seawater samples. Modification of the electrode was optimized using three successive 10-μL aliquots of the MWCNT−COOH dispersion in ethanol (1 : 5 mL). The cyclic voltammetry results showed an oxidation peak at 0.59 V with characteristics of an irreversible process, pH dependent and controlled by adsorption of species. The results of square-wave voltammetry showed that the intensities of peak currents for the MWCNT−COOH/GCE were about 2.5 times higher than for GCE. The calibration curve showed a linearity of 0.9981 and a sensitivity of 0.1521 μA/mol L⁻¹. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.117 and 0.392 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. The recovery obtained using seawater samples was 91%, indicating the applicability of the method in marine environments.