Comparative Studies on the Deactivation and Regeneration of TiO2 Nanoparticles in Three Photocatalytic Oxidation Systems: C7H16, SO2, and C7H16-SO2

Three photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) systems: C₇H₁₆-O₂, SO₂-O₂ and C₇H₁₆-SO₂-O₂ were carried out with the aid of UV-illuminated TiO₂ nanoparticles at room temperature in a batch reactor. In C₇H₁₆-O₂-TiO₂ system, no catalyst deactivation was observed, while for SO₂-O₂-TiO₂ and C₇H₁₆-SO₂-O₂-TiO₂ systems, the photocatalytic activity of used TiO₂ powder showed decreasing and eventually no activity after used consecutively. The reaction products such as sulfur trioxide or sulfuric acid adsorbed onto the surface of TiO₂ catalyst were poisoning species. Photocatalytic activity of the deactivated TiO₂ powder could be regenerated by sonicating treatment with water and methanol for the two systems, respectively.     

Effects of the structure and morphology of zinc glutarate on the fixation of carbon dioxide into polymer

Zinc glutarates were synthesized from zinc oxides with varying purities via different stirring routes. The particle size and structure of these zinc glutarates were determined by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and the laser particle size analyzer technique. The results demonstrated that the crystallinity and crystalline perfectness of zinc glutarate are the crucial factors that affect the catalytic activity for the copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and propylene oxide (PO). Additionally, the catalyst with a small particle size dramatically increased the yield of the copolymerization between CO₂ and PO. High‐molecular‐weight and regular molecular structure poly(propylene carbonate)s (PPC)s were obtained from CO₂ and PO with the synthesized zinc glutarates. Very high catalytic activity of 160.4 g polymer/g catalyst was afforded. The NMR technique revealed that the PPC copolymer exhibits an exact alternating copolymer structure. The relationships between the crystallinity and the particle size of catalyst with the catalytic activity are correlated and discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3579–3591, 2002     

Immobilization and direct electrochemistry of cytochrome <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">c</Emphasis> at a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified electrode

A single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-modified electrode was fabricated and characterized by SEM and ac impedance techniques. The direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c (Cyt c), which was adsorbed on the surface of the SWNT, was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The results from cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopy indicated that Cyt c remained in its original structure and did not undergo structural change after its immobilization on the SWNT. Further results demonstrated that the SWNT had promotional effects on the direct electron transfer of Cyt c and also indicated that the immobilized Cyt c retained its electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H₂O₂. This modified electrode might be used in development of new biosensors and the biofuel cells.     

Tris（2,2＇-bipyridyl） Ruthenium（Ⅱ） Doped Silica Film Modified Indium Tin Oxide Electrode and Its Electrochemiluminescent Properties

An approach was reported to synthesize silica hybridized ruthenium bipyridyl complex through amidation reaction by covalent attachment of bis（bipyridyl）-4,4＇-dicarboxy-2,2＇-bipyridyl-ruthenium to （3-aminopropyl）-triethoxysilane. The hybrid complex then was gelatinized through acid catalytic hydrolysis method and a sol-gel modified indium tin oxide electrode was prepared via spin coating technique. As prepared indium tin oxide electrode possesses good stability therein with excellent electrochemiluminescence behavior.     

Colominic acid: a novel chiral selector for capillary electrophoresis of basic drugs

Capillary zone electrophoresis was used for characterising nine samples of natural organic matter (NOM) using phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 7) and various modifiers; methanol (50 mM), acetonitrile (10%,v/v), dimethyl sulfoxide (5%,v/v), and urea (5 M). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine whether the electrophoretic profiles can be utilised as fingerprints for tracing the NOM samples to their source and/or type of location. It was found that all modifiers except methanol affect the electropherograms. Furthermore, it was found that the PCA analysis carried out on the electrophoretic profiles recorded in buffer solution modified by urea gave the best results for fingerprinting. The distribution of the fingerprints suggests a model for the humic substances in which all samples can be regarded as mixtures between two endmembers: autochtonous and allocthoneous NOM.     

Epoxide networks as model networks

Summary The equilibrium mechanical behaviour of weak diepoxide-monoepoxide-diamine networks, prepared with an excess of diamine and measured in the rubbery state, was compared with theoretical predictions obtained by using the theory of branching processes. The experimental equilibrium moduli fit well the shape of theoretical curves over a broad range of crosslinking density regardless of whether the contribution by trapped entanglements is considered or not. The data fit equally well the theoretical dependence for the front factor A = 1 without entanglement contribution and forA = (f _e - 2)/f _e , (f _e is the average effective functionality of a junction) with an entanglement contribution based on the contact probability between any two units within elastically active network chains (Langley).Dedicated to Prof. Dr.G. Rehage on the occasion of his 60th birthday.With 5 figures     

Synthesis,crystal structure and spectroscopic characterization of a hydrogen-bonded 1D copper(II) complex

Novel 1:2 and 1:1 (M:L) copper(II) complexes have been prepared from the tridentate ligand 2-(1-methyl-2-aza-5-oxapentyl)phenol (H₂L¹). The crystal structure of [Cu(HL¹)₂] (1) exhibits a noncentrosymmetric square-planar geometry with a slightly tetrahedral distortion. The Cu^II atom is coordinated by two amino N and two phenoxo O atoms of two (HL¹)^– ligands. The phenoxo and the alkoxy groups are involved in two strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The coordination moieties are further connected to a 1D linear structure by the action of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the alkoxyl and the amino groups. The importance of steric hindrance introduced by the methyl group in the molecular structure and the packing of the complex molecules has been demonstrated. The e.p.r. parameters of (1) have been obtained: g = 2.231, g = 2.005, g _iso = 2.080, A = 185.0 G, A _iso = 86.5 G, A = (3A _iso – A )/2 = 37.3 G. These results confirm a distorted square planar stereochemistry with a ( )¹ ground state.     

Clean Aerobic Liquid Oxidation of Aldehydes with Solid Catalyst

Clean liquid oxidation of aldehydes can be accomplished using solid catalyst in the presence of molecular oxygen at room temperature, which is a valuable alternative to traditional counterparts.     

Michael additions of benzoins versus Michael-Stetter additions of aldehydes

Triethylamine catalyzed Michael additions of benzoins to chalcone can prevail over the expected Michael-Stetter additions when certain thiazolium ion conjugate bases - prepared $\text{in situ}$ from the pertinent thiazolium salts and triethylamine- are used as catalysts.     

A unique cyanide-bridged three-dimensional (3-D) copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymer containing 1-D water tapes with cyclic pentamer units

A unique cyano-bridged copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymer, {[Cu(3)(CN)(4)(H(2)O)(3)](H(2)O)(2)}(n) (1), has been prepared and structurally determined by X-ray diffraction. The cyanide anions with (mu(2),eta(2)) and (mu(3),eta(2)) bridging modes connect the copper centers into a complicated zeolite-like 3-D network. Of further interest, coordinated and lattice water molecules in this structure form 1-D hydrogen-bonded water tapes consisting of linked cyclic pentamer clusters.