The Role of Alkali Cation Intercalates on the Electrochemical Characteristics of Nb2CTX MXene for Energy Storage

The intercalation of cations into layered-structure electrode materials has long been studied in depth for energy storage applications. In particular, Li⁺-, Na⁺-, and K⁺-based cation transport in energy storage devices such as batteries and electrochemical capacitors is closely related to the capacitance behavior. We have exploited different sizes of cations from aqueous salt electrolytes intercalating into a layered Nb₂CT_x electrode in a supercapacitor for the first time. As a result, we have demonstrated that capacitive performance was dependent on cation intercalation behavior. The interlayer spacing expansion of the electrode material can be observed in Li₂SO₄, Na₂SO₄, and K₂SO₄ electrolytes with d-spacing. Additionally, our results showed that the Nb₂CT_x electrode exhibited higher electrochemical performance in the presence of Li₂SO₄ than in that of Na₂SO₄ and K₂SO₄. This is partly because the smaller-sized Li⁺ transports quickly and intercalates between the layers of Nb₂CT_x easily. Poor ion transport in the Na₂SO₄ electrolyte limited the electrode capacitance and presented the lowest electrochemical performance, although the cation radius follows Li⁺>Na⁺>K⁺. Our experimental studies provide direct evidence for the intercalation mechanism of Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺ on the 2D layered Nb₂CT_x electrode, which provides a new path for exploring the relationship between intercalated cations and other MXene electrodes.     

Chemical and physical characteristics of self-fabricated radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeter

Thermoluminescent dosimeters are widely applied in the measurement of radiation dose. Since the luminescent centers are not lost during the reading process, radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeters (RPLGDs) can be repeatedly readout. The aims of this study were to make RPLGD and to analyze its physical and chemical properties. This study used chemical compounds such as Na₃PO₄, AlPO₄, AgCl, AgNO₃, B₂O₃, H₃PO₄ and P₂O₅ as the main ingredients. Depending on the self-fabricated glass compounds, the melting temperatures were between 1100 and 1500 °C. When the 0.1 mol% of silver was added, the radiation detection of self-fabricated RPLGD reached to the highest sensitivity. However, when silver concentration was larger than 0.1 mol%, the radiation detection sensitivity plummets rapidly. Excess amounts of silver and aluminum decreased the penetrate capability of ultraviolet spectrum. Based on our study, we found that chemical compound concentrations and melting process, which all affect radiation sensitivity and stability of self-fabricated RPLGD.     

Synthesis and Herbicidal Activity of [(Substituted Phenoxyacetoxy) (Substituted Phenyl)Methyl](Methyl) Phosphinates Containing Fluorine

Abstract

A series of [(substituted phenoxyacetoxy)(substituted phenyl)methyl](methyl)phos- phinates containing fluorine were designed and synthesized. All the synthesized compounds were identified by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, mass spectrometry. O-methyl [(2-fluorophenoxyacetoxy)(2,4-dichlorophenyl)methyl](methyl)phosphinate was further analyzed by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. Their herbicidal activity against a set of weed species was examined. Some of the compounds showed potential herbicidal activity, which provided some indications for further studies on structure modification.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

The Investigation of Interaction Competition Between ATP and DIPP-Ala,Boc-Ala,or Ala by ESI-MS/MS and Theoretical Calculation

The interactions between ATP and N-(O,O-diisopropyl) phosphoryl-L-alanine (DIPP-Ala), N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-alanine (Boc-Ala), or L-alanine (Ala) were investigated by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The non-covalent complexes between ATP and Boc-Ala or DIPP-Ala were observed, while the complex between ATP and Ala was not found in the mass spectra. The affinity of DIPP-Ala for ATP was confirmed to be stronger than that of Boc-Ala by competition experiment. Through molecular modeling calculations, it was found that the non-covalent complexes were stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonds, and the affinity sequence for ATP was DIPP-Ala > Boc-Ala > Ala by comparing their binding energy, ?35.407 kcal/mol, ?15.634 kcal/mol, ?6.555 kcal/mol, respectively. The results implied that a phosphoryl group was a very important functional group to provide an interaction site between amino acids and ATP, and that N-phosphoryl amino acids can be used as a good model of protein in the studies of molecular recognition of ATP.     

Synthesis, crystal structures, and properties of inorganic-organic hybrid complexes constructed from copper(II) macrocyclic fragment

Reaction of a macrocyclic copper(II) complex [Cu(L)](ClO₄)₂ · 3H₂O (I) (L = 1,3,10,12,16,19-hexaazatetracyclotetracosane) with a hexapod carboxylate ligand H₆TTHA (H₆TTHA = 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine hexaacetic acid) and a tripod carboxylate ligand H₃TATB (H₃TATB = 4,4′,4″-S-triazine-2,4,6-triyl-tribenzoic acid) yielded two mononuclear copper(II) complexes [Cu(L)][H₄TTHA] · 4H₂O (II) and [Cu(L)][HTATB] · 4H₂O (III). The complexes I–III have been structurally characterized. The crystal structures of complexes II and III show the copper(II) ion has a distorted pentacoordinate square-pyramidal geometry with two secondary and two tertiary amines from the macrocyclic complex [Cu(L)]²⁺ and one oxygen atom from the carboxylate ligand group at the axial position. The UV-Vis spectra are utilized to discuss the hydrolysis of the complex II.     

Surfacial carbonized palygorskite as support for high-performance Pt-based electrocatalysts

Pt nanoparticles deposited on a low-cost, surfacial, carbonized palygorskite (Pt/C-PLS) prepared by carbonizing sucrose were evaluated as a methanol oxidation catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells. Transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transfrom infrared spectrophotometry analyses revealed that carbon was formed on the surface of PLS and that free silica presented in the C-PLS support. The catalytic activity of methanol oxidation of Pt/C-PLS was higher than that of Pt/C, and the former catalyst had better CO tolerance.     

Resonant-Mie-scattering of aggregates of phosphomolybdate and papaverine for measuring activities and screening inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes

A resonant-light-scattering (RLS) method was proposed to quantify phosphate for screening inhibitors of isozymes of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE). In acidified mixtures of phosphate, papaverine and molybdate, there were aggregates exhibiting micrometre sizes, no absorbance peaks over 360 nm but strong RLS peaks at 392 nm; Mie scattering thus accounted for the RLS signals. When papaverine was added before molybdate to acidified samples of phosphate, RLS signals at 392 nm were stable from 5 to 25 min since the addition of molybdate; after optimization, phosphate from 0.40 to 3.60 μM was quantifiable. This RLS method tolerated 60 mg L⁻¹ proteins besides common PDE inhibitors and dimethyl sulfoxide in acidified samples of phosphate; the integration of this RLS method with the coupled action of a phosphomonoesterase on PDE product was thus rational to measure PDE activities without the removal of proteins in samples. By quantifying activities of a truncated mutant of human PDE4B2 via this RLS method, Michaelis–Menten constant, inhibition constants of rolipram, papaverine and theophylline varied over three magnitudes and were consistent with those estimated by an improved malachite green assay of phosphate, respectively. Hence, this novel RLS method was promising for screening inhibitors of PDE isozymes.     

Computational Study of the Substitution Effect on the Mechanism for the Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Ring Expansions of Unactivated Alkynylcyclopropanes

The ring expansion reactions of unactivated alkynylcyclopropanes X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ → X‐C=C₄H₅ (X = H, F, Cl, Me, OMe, NMe₂, CMe₃) were examined using the density functional theory calculations. All of the structures were completely optimized at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. For clarify the effect of the cationic gold(I), we also added AuPH₃⁺ as the catalyst into the system and the structures for Au were calculated at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory. The main finding of this work is that the singlet‐triplet splitting of X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ play an important role in determining the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the unactivated ring expansion reactions. When X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ with a smaller singlet‐triplet splitting is utilized, the reaction has a smaller activation energy and a larger exothermicity.     

New Cytotoxic Triterpenoids from the Aerial Parts of Euphorbia sieboldiana

Phytochemical investigation of the EtOH extract of Euphorbia sieboldiana led to the isolation of four new oleanane‐type triterpenoids, (1β,2α,3β,19β)‐1,2,3,19‐tetrahydroxyolean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid, (1β,3β,19β)‐1,3,19‐trihydroxyolean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid, (1β,2α,3β,16β,19β)‐1,2,3,16,19‐pentahydroxyolean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid, and (1β,2α,3β,19β,23)‐1,2,3,19,23‐pentahydroxyolean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid, along with 16 known compounds. Their structures were established by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, as well as other spectral analyses. Biological evaluation of the four new triterpenoids revealed potent cytotoxic activities against HeLa and Hep‐G2 cells.