Density functional theory study of water activation and COads + OHads reaction on pure platinum and bimetallic platinum/ruthenium nanoclusters

A density functional theory study of the elementary steps that lead to the removal of CO(ads(Pt)) over alloyed and sequentially deposited Pt/Ru bimetallic nanoclusters is presented. The reaction energies and activation barriers for the H2O(ads(Ru)) dissociation and CO(ads(Pt)) + OH(ads(Ru)) reaction are estimated in solid-gas interface and in a microsolvated environment to determine which surface morphology is more tolerant to COads poisoning. On the basis of the energetics, the sequentially deposited Pt/Ru nanocluster is predicted to be a much more promising anode catalyst than the alloy cluster surface in fuel cell applications.     

Interfacial properties of poly(maleic acid-alt-1-alkene) disodium salts at water/hydrocarbon interfaces

The interfacial properties of poly(maleic acid-alt-1-alkene) disodium salts at hydrocarbon/water interfaces are determined. In all the studied systems, the interfacial tension decreases markedly with the polyelectrolyte concentration as the side-chain length increases. The results of the standard free energy of adsorption, DeltaG(ads)(0), are a linear function of the number of carbon atoms in the polyelectrolyte side chain. The contribution to DeltaG(ads)(0) per mol of methylene group varies from -0.64 to -0.52 kJ/mol for the n-octane/water to n-dodecane/water interfaces. DeltaG(ads)(0) data also reveal that the adsorption process is mainly determined by adsorption efficiency. Comparatively, the adsorption effectiveness seems to play a less important role. The theoretical interaction energies calculated for the insertion of one hydrocarbon molecule into the space formed by two neighboring polyelectrolyte side chains are in good agreement with the experimental results. The latter results are consistent with van der Waals-type interactions between the hydrocarbon molecules and the polyelectrolyte side chains.     

Surface properties of poly(N-monoalkylmaleamic acid-alt-styrene) sodium salts: effect of the molecular weight and the side chain length

The surface properties of poly(N-monoalkylmaleamic acid-alt-styrene) sodium salts are studied as a function of the molecular weight and the size of the linear alkyl lateral chain of the polyelectrolyte. The experimental results are well described by the Gibbs-Szyszkowski treatment. Both the surface tension behavior and the standard free energy of adsorption depend on the polyelectrolyte side chain and on the average molecular weight, M(w). An M(w)-dependent contribution to the free energy of adsorption ranging from -1.21 to -1.05 kJ for mole of methylene groups is found. The area covered by monomer units increases with M(w) and the sizes of side chains are similar to those reported in small-molecule systems. The nature of the functional group amide in the side chain has practically no effect on the surface properties as compared with the ester group in this kind of polyelectrolytes.     

Autoradiography of mineral ions in green leaves and flowers,absorbed with and without synthetic fulvic acids

The disproportionation of pentavalent plutonium is traditionally represented by two inconsistent equations. The inconsistency puts the widely-accepted, fourth-power hydrogen-ion dependence of the reaction into question. The balanced reaction equation suggests that both the stoichiometry and the acid-dependence of Pu(V) disproportionation depend on the pH of the plutonium solution.Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.     

Copper-catalyzed anti-stereocontrolled ring-opening of azabicyclic alkenes with Grignard reagents

[Reaction: see text] The anti-stereocontrolled alkylative ring-opening reaction of azabicyclic alkenes is reported. N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl azabenzonorbornadiene reacts with Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of CuCN to afford, in good yields and excellent anti selectivity, the corresponding dihydronaphthalene-1-amines.