Enhanced lithium electrochemical performance and optical properties of CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanocomposite thin films by transition metal (TM: Ni,Mn, and Co) doping

Undoped and transition metal (TM: Ni, Mn, Co)-doped CeO₂–SnO₂ nanocomposite thin films were prepared by sol-gel dip coating (SGDC) technique. The grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) patterns indicated that CeO₂–SnO₂ film has a cubic structure of CeO₂ and the crystallinity deteriorated with incorporation of dopant. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the surface morphology of the films was affected by TM incorporation. The surface roughness and fractal dimensions of CeO₂–SnO₂ films increased with doping. The average transmittance of CeO₂–SnO₂ thin film is found nearly 80% in the visible region and increased with doping. The absorption edge revealed a blue shift toward shorter wavelengths after incorporation of TM ions. The compositional dependence of optical parameters such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, and optical conductivity were also investigated. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that ion storage capacity was decreased significantly with increasing scan rate. The undoped and doped CeO₂–SnO₂ films showed good reversible cycle of intercalation/deintercalation of Li⁺ ions. The ion storage capacity and electrochemical stability were enhanced with transition metal doping. The Mn-doped CeO₂–SnO₂ composite thin film had better ion storage capacity rather than other samples due to its special porous morphology. The Li diffusion toward electrode surface was described in terms of self-similar fractal dimension. A quenching in blue-green photoluminescence (PL) intensity of CeO₂–SnO₂ films was occurred by transition metal doping.

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The degradation products of aniline in the solutions with ozone and kinetic investigations

Aromatic compounds are extensively used in several industries and can cause pollution in water sources. This work aims at examining the degradability of aniline in aqueous solutions by ozone-induced cleavage, and at determining the kinetics of the cited cleavage reactions. Aniline was prepared in four different concentrations and the flow rate of ozone supplied to each solution was selected. Aniline solutions were ozonated at low and high pH, so as to compare both molecular and hydroxyl free radical mechanisms, respectively. The main identified aromatic by-products were nitrobenzene and azobenzene when the experiment was carried out at acidic pH. Formation of nitrobenzene, azobenzene, azoxybenzene and 2-pyridine carboxylic acid (picolinic acid) was observed when the ozonization was carried out at basic pH. All the aromatic by-products found were less toxic than the raw materials. The pseudo-first-order constants in aniline concentrations were calculated.     

Sample geometry and efficiency determination of bremsstrahlung radiation of 90Sr on gamma detection systems

Summary The bremsstrahlung radiation energy spectra were produced by hard beta-emitters the ⁹⁰Sr-⁹⁰Y contaminated tea sample sources placed in a copper cylinder (cylinder counting geometry) and encapsulated in two Cu discs (sandwich counting geometry). These energy spectra were directly measured by using two separate gamma-ray spectrometers with a coaxial 110% efficient HpGe detector and a 110 cm³ HpGe well-type detector. The minimum detectable activity and the absolute efficiency of beta-activity for the sandwich and cylinder geometries were found to be 23 Bq ^. kg^-1 and (1.67±0.04)% and 55 Bq ^. kg^-1 and (2.61±0.05)%, respectively. These results indicate that the bremsstrahlung radiation counting method can be applied to some environmental studies when high efficient HpGe detectors, especially well-type HpGe are used.     

Aza-Diels–Alder Reactions with Lanthanide Triflates: Syntheses of Quinoline and Phenanthridine Derivatives

The aza-Diels–Alder reactions of cyclopentadiene and cyclo-1,3-hexadiene with various substituted N-arylimines in the presence of Yb/Sc triflates as catalyst in MeCN at room temperature gave quinoline and phenanthridine derivatives in moderate to high yields. Some of the cycloaddition reactions were carried out in ionic liquid.     

Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of 2H-indazolo[2,1-b]phthalazine-1,6,11-trione Derivatives Catalyzed by Y(OTf)3

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - In this study, substituted 2H-indazolo[2,1-b]phthalazine-1,6,11-triones, that may possess biological activity, have been synthesized via one-pot...