Organically modified montmorillonite and chitosan–phosphotungstic acid complex nanocomposites as high performance membranes for fuel cell applications

Nanocomposite membranes based on polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of chitosan/phosphotungstic acid (PWA) and different types of montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared as alternative membranes to Nafion for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed an electrostatically fixed PWA within the PEC membranes, which avoids a decrease in proton conductivity at practical condition. Various amounts of pristine as well as organically modified MMT (OMMT) (MMT: Cloisite Na, OMMT: Cloisite 15A, and Cloisite 30B) were introduced to the PEC membranes to decrease in methanol permeability and, thus, enhance efficiency and power density of the cells. X-ray diffraction patterns of the nanocomposite membranes proved that MMT (or OMMT) layers were exfoliated in the membranes at loading weights of lower than 3 wt.%. Moreover, the proton conductivity and the methanol permeability as well as the water uptake behavior of the manufactured nanocomposite membranes were studied. According to the selectivity parameter, ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability, the PEC/2 wt.% MMT 30B was identified as the optimum composition. The DMFC performance tests were carried out at 70 °C and 5 M methanol feed and the optimum membrane showed higher maximum power density as well as acceptable durability compared to Nafion 117. The obtained results indicated that owing to the relatively high selectivity and power density, the optimum nanocomposite membrane could be considered as a promising polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) for DMFC applications.     

The electrochemical behaviors of methylene blue on the surface of nanostructured NiWO4 prepared by coprecipitation method

A simple coprecipitation method was used for preparation of monoclinic nanostructured NiWO₄ from an aqueous solution at a fixed pH and temperature of 7.0 and 80 °C, respectively. The prepared material was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electrochemical measurements. Nano-NiWO₄ was incorporated into a carbon paste electrode and by means of cyclic voltammetry; the electrochemical behavior of methylene blue on the surface of nano-NiWO₄ was investigated. A mechanism on terms of obtained cyclic voltammograms showing one reduction peak and two sequential oxidation peaks was suggested by emphasizing on the stabilizing role of nano-NiWO₄ for semi-methylene blue. A diffusion coefficient of 5.30?×?10^?6 cm²/s was gained for methylene blue.     

A computational investigation of the electronic properties of Octahedral Al n N n and Al n P n cages (n = 12, 16, 28, 36, and 48)

Density functionla theory (DFT) calculations are performed to characterize geometric and electronic features of the octahedral Al _n N _n and Al _n P _n cages (n = 12, 16, 28, 32, and 48). Toward this aim, ¹⁵N, ²⁷Al, and ³¹P chemical shielding (CS) tensors as well as natural charge analyses are calculated for the optimized structures. CS parameters detect three distinct electronic environments for atoms within the Al _n N _n and Al _n P _n cages. The chemical shifts of N2 sites belonging to a hexagon and surrounded by three hexagons and a square obtained are different from those of N3 sites belonging to a hexagon that is surrounded only by hexagons—due to different curvatures exerted at the sites with different local structures. In addition, there is an increasing tendency in the Δσ values of the three local structures, Δσ (N1) > Δσ (N2) > Δσ (N3), N1 sites belonging to four-membered rings. The chemical shieldings of those Al and P sites belonging to a hexagon that is surrounded only by hexagons in the cages (360.7–366.7 and 496.5–514.7 ppm) are close to those previously reported for AlP nanotubes. Three distinct electrostatic environments around the N, Al, and P nuclei are also confirmed by the calculated natural charges. It should be noted that the positively charged Al atoms on the cages turn out to be the available sites for adsorption of H2 molecules.     

Simultaneous isocratic separation of phenolic acids and flavonoids using micellar liquid chromatography

The simultaneous isocratic separation of a mixture of five phenolic acids and four flavonoids (two important groups of natural polyphenolic compounds with very different polarities) was investigated in three different RPLC modes using a hydro‐organic mobile phase, and mobile phases containing SDS at concentrations below and above the critical micellar concentration (submicellar LC and micellar LC (MLC), respectively). In the hydro‐organic mode, methanol and acetonitrile; in the submicellar mode methanol; and in the micellar mode, methanol and 1‐propanol were examined individually as organic modifiers. Regarding the other modes, MLC provided more appropriate resolutions and analysis time and was preferred for the separation of the selected compounds. Optimization of separation in MLC was performed using an interpretative approach for each alcohol. In this way, the retention of phenolic acids and flavonoids were modeled using the retention factors obtained from five different mobile phases, then the Pareto optimality method was applied to find the best compatibility between analysis time and quality of separation. The results of this study showed some promising advantages of MLC for the simultaneous separation of phenolic acids and flavonoids, including low consumption of organic solvent, good resolution, short analysis time, and no requirement of gradient elution.     

One-pot efficient synthesis of disulfides from alkyl halides and alkyl tosylates using thiourea and elemental sulfur without contamination by higher polysulfides

An efficient and odorless synthesis of disulfides from alkyl halides using thiourea and elemental sulfur in the presence of sodium carbonate in wet polyethylene glycol (PEG 200) at 40 °C without contamination by higher polysulfides has been developed. This procedure was then extended to preparation of disulfides from alkyl tosylates at 70 °C.     

New 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde S-ethylisothiosemicarbazone and its mixed-ligand Cu(II) complex with imidazole: synthesis, characterization and DFT calculation

A new Schiff base ligand of 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde S-ethyl-isothiosemicarbazone (H₂L) was synthesized and its mixed-ligand Cu(II) complex was also prepared by reaction of Cu(NO₃)₂·3H₂O with H₂L and imidazole. Their structures were fully characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, molar conductivity and UV-Vis methods. The analytical data suggest that the metal, H₂L and imidazole ratios in the Schiff base complex are 1:1:1. Single crystal diffraction was also used to better understand the molecular structure of the Cu(II) complex. The results of physico-chemical analyses of the Schiff base complex reveal the coordination geometry around the central atom is square planar. The H₂L ligand (NNO donor) is coordinated to the metal center as a tridentate bionegatively agent. Another position of the square planar geometry is occupied by the imidazole ligand. Furthermore, computational studies of the new complex were performed by carrying out DFT calculations. Geometry optimization and natural band analysis of the complex is discussed in further detail.      

Carbon nanotube-ionic liquid nanocomposite modified carbon-ceramic electrode for determination of dopamine in real samples

Room temperature 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetraflouroborate ([BMIM][BF₄]) ionic liquid was employed for dispersion of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the formation of nanocomposite on the surface of a carbon-ceramic electrode. The surface of the modified electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The modified electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical activity to oxidation of dopamine (DA); whereas electro oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) was not seen and electro oxidation of uric acid (UA) appeared at a more positive potential than DA. The multi walled carbon nanotube-ionic liquid nanocomposite modified carbon-ceramic electrode was used for the selective determination of DA in the presence of high levels of AA and UA using differential pulse voltammetry. The calibration curve for DA was linear in the range of 3.00 to 130 µM with the detection limit (S/N=3) of 0.87 µM. The present electrode was successfully applied to the determination of DA in some commercial pharmaceutical samples and human blood serum.      

A selective electromembrane extraction of uranium (VI) prior to its fluorometric determination in water

A novel method for the selective electromembrane extraction (EME) of U⁶⁺ prior to fluorometric determination has been proposed. The effect of extraction conditions including supported liquid membrane (SLM) composition, extraction time and extraction voltage were investigated. An SLM composition of 1% di-2-ethyl hexyl phosphonic acid in nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) showed good selectivity, recovery and enrichment factor. The best performance was achieved at an extraction potential of 80 volts and an extraction time of 14 minutes Under the optimized conditions, a linear range from 1 to 1000 ng mL⁻¹ and LOD of 0.1 ng mL⁻¹ were obtained for the determination of U⁶⁺. The EME method showed good performance in sample cleanup and the reduction of the interfering effects of Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cl⁻ and PO₄³⁻ ions during fluorometric determination of uranium in real water samples. The recoveries above 54% and enrichment factors above 64.7 were obtained by the proposed method for real sample analysis.     

A New and Simple Electrocatalyst for Formaldehyde Oxidation; Nickel/poly(o‐Anisidine)/Film Modified Ionic Liquid Carbon Paste Electrode

In present work, the ionic liquid, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide was incorporated in the carbon paste electrode as the binder (IL‐CPE). O‐anisidine (OA) monomer is electropolymerized in the presence of an aqueous acidic solution onto IL‐CPE (POA/IL‐CPE). The as‐prepared substrate is used as a porous matrix for dispersion of Ni(II) ions by immersing the modified electrode in a nickel(II) nitrite solution. The modified electrodes are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical methods. The POA/IL‐CPE was applied successfully to highly efficient (current density of 18.2 mA cm^?2) electrocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde in alkaline medium. Finally, the rate constant for chemical reaction between formaldehyde and redox sites of the electrode was calculated.