Synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles from [bis(2-hydroxyacetophenato)cobalt(II)] by thermal decomposition

[Bis(2-hydroxyacetophenato)cobalt(II)] was used as a new precursor to prepare cobalt (Co) and tricobalt tetraoxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles of 15–25 nm in average diameter by thermal decomposition. The different combinations of triphenylphosphine, and oleylamine were added as surfactants to control the particle size. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Time-dependent FT-IR studies indicate that oxidation of the as-synthesized cobalt nanoparticles in air is slow. The valence change of cobalt from the nanoparticle sample is not observed after it is kept in hexane under air for 30 days. The magnetic property was studied with vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The hysteresis loops of the obtained samples reveal the soft magnet behaviors the enhanced coercivity (H_c) and decreased saturation magnetization (M_s) in contrast to their respective bulk materials.     

Synthesis,X‐ray structure,characterization and catalytic activity of a polymeric manganese(II) complex with iminodiacetate

A polymeric manganese(II) complex with the general formula [Mn(O₂CCH₂NH₂CH₂CO₂)₂(H₂O)₂]_n from reaction of iminodiacetatic acid and manganese(II) perchlorate under nitrogen in water, was synthesized and characterized. The structure of the complex was determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR and UV‐vis spectra. This complex exhibited excellent catalytic activity and selectivity for oxidation of various alcohols and sulfides to the corresponding aldehydes/ketone and sulfoxides using urea hydrogen peroxide and oxone (2KHSO₅·KHSO₄·K₂SO₄), respectively, as oxidants under air at room temperature. The easy preparation, mild reaction conditions, high yields of the products, short reaction time, no over‐oxidation products, high selectivity and inexpensive system make this catalytic system a useful method for oxidizing various alcohols and sulfides. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local asymptotic laws for the Brownian convex hull

Summary We prove a general theorem for the precise rate at which the convex hull of Brownian motion gets created. The latter result relates large deviation theory to P. Lévy's geometric proof of Strassen's law of the iterated logarithm. This also answers a question of S. Evans. Moreover, we give a partial solution to a question of J. Hammersley and P. Lévy regarding the slowness of the growth of the hull process. Several examples, some classical and some new, are given to illustrate the theorems. Finally, we present applications to the convex hull of random walks ind dimensions.     

Exceptional times and invariance for dynamical random walks

Consider a sequence of i.i.d. random variables. Associate to each X _i (0) an independent mean-one Poisson clock. Every time a clock rings replace that X-variable by an independent copy and restart the clock. In this way, we obtain i.i.d. stationary processes {X _i (t)} _{t ≥0} (i=1,2,···) whose invariant distribution is the law ν of X ₁(0). Benjamini et al. (2003) introduced the dynamical walk S _n (t)=X ₁(t)+···+X _n (t), and proved among other things that the LIL holds for n↦S _n (t) for all t. In other words, the LIL is dynamically stable. Subsequently (2004b), we showed that in the case that the X _i (0)'s are standard normal, the classical integral test is not dynamically stable. Presently, we study the set of times t when n↦S _n (t) exceeds a given envelope infinitely often. Our analysis is made possible thanks to a connection to the Kolmogorov ɛ-entropy. When used in conjunction with the invariance principle of this paper, this connection has other interesting by-products some of which we relate. We prove also that the infinite-dimensional process converges weakly in to the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process in For this we assume only that the increments have mean zero and variance one. In addition, we extend a result of Benjamini et al. (2003) by proving that if the X _i (0)'s are lattice, mean-zero variance-one, and possess (2+ɛ) finite absolute moments for some ɛ>0, then the recurrence of the origin is dynamically stable. To prove this we derive a gambler's ruin estimate that is valid for all lattice random walks that have mean zero and finite variance. We believe the latter may be of independent interest. The research of D. Kh. is partially supported by a grant from the NSF.     

Simple Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nickel Hydroxide Flower-Like Nanostructures

α-Ni(OH)₂ flower-like nanostructures were successfully synthesized through one-step hydrothermal method with nickel acetate tetrahydrate, ethylene-1,2-diamine (en), hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as morphology-directing agents. Optimum conditions to obtain high yield and pure phase α-Ni(OH)₂ were identified by varying experimental parameters such as: en, HMT and CTAB concentration and reaction temperature. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analysis. These results indicated that the α-nickel hydroxide contains water molecules and anions. The hierarchical NiO nanostructures were obtained by the as-synthesized α-Ni(OH)₂ nanostructures annealed at 300 °C for 4 h.     

Synthesis,characterization, crystal structure and oxygen-evolution activity of a manganese(II) complex with 2,4,6-tris (2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine

The title complex [Mn(tptz)(CH₃COO)(OH₂)₂]NO₃ was synthesized through the reaction of tptz (2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine), nitric acid and manganese(II) acetate. The molecular structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, electrochemistry, EPR, IR, fluorescence and UV–Vis spectroscopy and its oxygen evolving activity has been studied. X-ray structure analysis shows that each Mn(II) ion is seven coordinated by a bidentate acetate, three nitrogen atoms of tptz and two oxygen atoms from two water ligands, which are coordinated in axial positions. The complex acts as an oxygen evolving complex with oxone (2KHSO₅·KHSO₄·K₂SO₄) as primary oxidant in aqueous solution with a turnover number of 1 (mol of O₂/mol of the complex). Kinetic studies revealed a first-order dependence on the complex and oxidant. The EPR spectrum shows that the mononuclear complex oxidize to a Mn^III,IV₂ di-μ-oxo by oxone.     

Dynamical percolation on general trees

Häggström et al. (Ann Inst H Poincaré Probab Stat 33(4):497–528, 1997) have introduced a dynamical version of percolation on a graph G. When G is a tree they derived a necessary and sufficient condition for percolation to exist at some time t. In the case that G is a spherically symmetric tree (Peres and Steif in Probab Theory Relat Fields 111(1):141–165, 1998), derived a necessary and sufficient condition for percolation to exist at some time t in a given target set D. The main result of the present paper is a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of percolation, at some time ${t\in D}H?ggstr?m et al. (Ann Inst H Poincaré Probab Stat 33(4):497–528, 1997) have introduced a dynamical version of percolation on a graph G. When G is a tree they derived a necessary and sufficient condition for percolation to exist at some time t. In the case that G is a spherically symmetric tree (Peres and Steif in Probab Theory Relat Fields 111(1):141–165, 1998), derived a necessary and sufficient condition for percolation to exist at some time t in a given target set D. The main result of the present paper is a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of percolation, at some time , in the case that the underlying tree is not necessary spherically symmetric. This answers a question of Yuval Peres (personal communication). We present also a formula for the Hausdorff dimension of the set of exceptional times of percolation. Research supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.     

Intersections of Brownian motions

This article presents a survey of the theory of the intersections of Brownian motion paths. Among other things, we present a truly elementary proof of a classical theorem of A. Dvoretzky, P. Erdős and S. Kakutani. This proof is motivated by old ideas of P. Lévy that were originally used to investigate the curve of planar Brownian motion.     

Shape control of nickel selenides synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reduction process

Nickel selenide (NiSe) nanoparticles were prepared from the reaction of a SeCl₄ aqueous solution with a NiCl₂·6H₂O aqueous solution in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a capping agent and hydrazine hydrate (N₂H₄·H₂O) as a reductant through a hydrothermal method. The size, morphology, chemical composition and purity of these nanoparticles depend on the capping agent, reductant, reaction temperature and time.     

A novel chelating acid-assisted thermolysis procedure for preparation of tin oxide nanoparticles

Pure tin dioxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles were synthesized via thermolysis of tin phthalate and tin oxalate in the presence of oleic acid (OA) as solvent. Oleic acid (OA) was employed as an organic solvent, which can be applied to control particle growth and to stabilize the particles. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The orthorhombic phase SnO₂ nanoparticles with average size about 12 nm were synthesized through thermolysis of tin phthalate in the presence of oleic acid.