Thermodynamic clarification of the curious ferric/potassium ion exchange accompanying the electrochromic redox reactions of prussian blue, iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II)

The recent Glasser-Jenkins method for lattice-energy prediction, applied to an examination of the solid-state thermodynamics of the cation exchanges that occur in electrochromic reactions of Prussian Blue, provides incisive thermodynamic clarification of an ill-understood ion exchange that accompanies particularly the early electrochromic cycles. A volume of 0.246 +/- 0.017 nm(3) formula unit(-1) for the ferrocyanide ion, Fe(II)[(CN)(6)],(4-) is first established and then used, together with other formula unit-volume data, to evaluate the changes of standard enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy in those ion-exchange reactions. The results impressively show by how much the exchange of interstitial Fe(3+) ions by alkali metal ions, usually exemplified by K+, is thermodynamically favored.     

Synthesis and characteristion of Li(x)BC-hole doping does not induce superconductivity

The synthesis of Li(x)BC (x > 0.5) by high temperature Li deintercalation from LiBC is demonstrated by refinement of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data--contrary to theoretical expectation no superconductivity above 2K is observed in these materials.     

High temperature synthesis of a noncentrosymmetric site-ordered cobalt aluminophosphate related to the pollucite structure

A straightforward synthesis of a transition metal-loaded derivative of the pollucite structure is presented, with non-centric cation ordering over the tetrahedral sites.     

Visual spatial memory is enhanced in female rats (but inhibited in males) by dietary soy phytoestrogens

Background  

In learning and memory tasks, requiring visual spatial memory (VSM), males exhibit superior performance to females (a difference attributed to the hormonal influence of estrogen). This study examined the influence of phytoestrogens (estrogen-like plant compounds) on VSM, utilizing radial arm-maze methods to examine varying aspects of memory. Additionally, brain phytoestrogen, calbindin (CALB), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels were determined.     

Tuning the coordination chemistry of a Cu(II) complex at high-pressure

Application of pressure on the Cu-complex CuAsp causes Jahn-Teller Cu-O bonds to be compressed, increasing the coordination environment from [4 + 1] to [4 + 2], highlighted by a discontinuity on compression of these bonding interactions.     

Room temperature oxidation of methyl orange and methanol over Pt-HCa2Nb3O10 and Pt-WO3 catalysts without light

The layered semiconductor Pt-HCa(2)Nb(3)O(10) can catalyze room temperature air oxidation of methyl orange. It is also more effective than Pt-WO(3) in catalyzing reaction of methanol with air. Pt-HCa(2)Nb(3)O(10) could find wide application as a mild oxidizing catalyst.     

Probing magnetic order in heavily doped La2-xSrxNiO4+\delta with μSR

We report μSR measurements on a series of compounds with composition La_2-xSr_xNiO_4+\delta where the net hole concentration x+2\delta is greater than 0.4. A magnetic transition is found in all the samples studied which occurs at a composition‐dependent temperature T_M. Below T_M, clear precession signals are observed in zero applied magnetic field. The possible muon sites are discussed within the context of dipole‐field calculations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Framework functionalisation triggers metal complex binding

Post-synthetic derivatisation of a porous material produces a functionalized material that binds the metal complex V(O)acac2, in contrast to the unfunctionalized precursor, which is inactive for complex binding.