The influence of water–organic solvent composition on the morphology and luminescent properties of CdS nanoparticles obtained by chemical precipitation

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles have been obtained by chemical precipitation onto the surface of single-crystalline silicon from an aqueous solution of ammonia, cadmium chloride (CdCl₂), and thiourea, as well as from water–DMSO and water–DMF mixtures with the same concentrations of the reagents. According to data of atomic force microscopy, the samples obtained from the aqueous solution consist of individual nanoparticles and agglomerates thereof with sizes of no larger than 1 µm. Materials obtained from the water–organic mixtures are distinguished by the aggregation of CdS nanoparticles into threadlike chains. The length of the formed curved chains and the size of CdS nanoparticles composing them depend on the nature and amount of an organic component of a mixture. Atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy data have shown that the average size of CdS nanoparticles is 2–2.5 nm depending on solvent composition.     

Electronic structure of the complexes of fullerene C60 with polyaromatic molecules

Electronic structure of the complexes of fullerene C₆₀ with triphenylene (TP) and 9,10-diphenylantracene (DPA) has been studied by an X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy. The C Kα spectrum of a complex was shown to be almost an additive sum of the C Kα spectra measured for fullerene and organic ligand. The quantum-chemical calculation of a DPA·C₆₀ structural unit using density functional theory (DFT) revealed a slight charge transfer from DPA molecule to the C₆₀ cage. The intermolecular interaction in the complex was found to proceed through quit energy deep molecular orbitals.     

Studies of bulk and supported Cu?Cr catalysts in a high-temperature X-ray chamber

Bulk and -Al₂O₃-supported Cu–Cr catalysts have been studied in a high-temperature X-ray chamber in air, inert (He) and reducing (He+5% H₂) media. The different course of solid-phase reactions is due to the gas phase composition and the presence of a support.

---

-Al₂O₃ , () (He+5%H₂) . , .

     

Joint X-ray spectroscopic and quantum-chemical study of the electronic structure of pentafluorophenylalkyl ethers

The high resolution X-ray emission O-Kα spectra of pentafluorophenylalkyl ethers C₆F₅OR (R=Et, Prⁱ, and Bu^t) exhibit differences related to a change in the electronic structure of the compounds as R is varied. The search for stable conformers was performed by the semiempirical PM3 method. The most probable structures of C₆F₅OR were determined by the comparison of the experimental and theoretical X-ray spectra plotted for each conformer usingab initio calculations in the 6–31 G basis set. Substituent R in pentafluorophenylalkyl ethers is situated outside of the ring plane. The fluorination of the benzene ring changes the energy level of the lone electron pair of oxygen relative to the levels of orbitals of the ring and substituent R and leads to an increase in the efficiency of interactions in the σ-system. Deceased. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2443–2450, December, 1998.     

Effect of the graphite oxide composition on the structure of products obtained by sulfuric acid treatment at elevated temperatures

The electronic structure and functional composition of products of the graphite oxide (GO) interaction with concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) are studied, depending on the oxygen content in the precursor and the treatment temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measured at the CK edge, and infrared spectroscopy are used to show the recovery of the π electron system of graphene planes at a temperature of 200 °C. Aggregation of functional groups in GO containing more than 40% of oxygen causes the formation of vacancy defects in the planes with treatment. When the GO treatment temperature rises to 280 °C, the oxidation of the basal plane π-regions occurs. The results can underlie the control of the functional composition, vacancy number, and size in graphite materials.     

Composites based on polyaniline and aligned carbon nanotubes

Composites based on aligned carbon nanotubes and polyaniline are prepared via the electrochemical polycondensation of aniline in a sulf uric acid solution. The structure of the composites and the character of interaction of polyaniline and the surface of carbon nanotubes are studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and IR and X-ra y photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that in the composites, electron density is transferred from the carbon nanotube to the polyaniline film. The occurrence of polyaniline on the surface of nanotubes increases the mean current in cyclic voltammograms of the composite material and leads to a marked increase in the calculated specific capacity of electrodes formed on its basis.     

Optimization of Parameters of Graphene Synthesis on Copper Foil at Low Methan Pressure

Graphene films on copper foils were synthesized using low-pressure (2200-2800 Pa) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from methane/hydrogen mixtures. The number of graphene layers is shown to be dependent on the composition of gas mixture and synthesis parameters. The annealing procedure of copper foils used as substrates was optimized to obtain high quality graphene. Atomic and electronic structures of graphene on copper and SiO₂/Si substrates were studied by Raman, X-ray photoelectron, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy methods.     

Structure and Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized with Catalysts Obtained by Decomposition of Co,Ni, and Fe Polyoxomolybdates Supported by MgO

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of methane at 900 °C using Co–Mo/MgO, Fe–Mo/MgO, and Ni–Mo/MgO catalysts. To obtain metallic nanoparticles, polyoxomolybdate clusters of Co, Ni, and Fe deposited on MgO were thermally decomposed at 700 °С, and the obtained oxides were heated in a carbon-containing atmosphere. The method of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) testified formation of one to ten walled CNTs with the average outer diameter depending on the catalyst used. Raman spectroscopy data confirmed the presence of single-walled CNTs in the samples obtained with Co–Mo/MgO and Fe–Mo/MgO catalysts. The electrochemical properties demonstrated by the obtained materials in supercapacitors are shown to be functions of their structural and compositional features.     

Electronic state of nitrogen incorporated into CNx nanotubes

CN_x nanotubes have been prepared by acetonitrile decomposition over Ni, Co and Ni/Co catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study on the samples revealed a change of nitrogen concentration and shape of N 1s line with variation of the catalyst used. Quantum-chemical calculations on tube fragments showed the energy of N 1s level depends on the atomic structure of carbon tube and kind of incorporated nitrogen. The largest binding energies were found to be characteristic of three-coordinated nitrogen atoms doping the zigzag and chiral carbon nanotubes.