Three-body collisions as a particle formation mechanism in silver nanoparticle synthesis

Silver nanoparticles were prepared in a tubular flow reactor using an evaporation-condensation technique. The size distribution of the particles was measured using standard aerosol instruments and electron microscopy. A comparison with results obtained by a discrete population balance model with molecule-by-molecule resolution suggest that the particles probably nucleate kinetically through a dimerization process instead of a thermodynamic pathway over a free energy barrier, as is typically described by classical nucleation theory. Furthermore, the kinetic rate of dimerization seems to be accompanied by a correction term, associated with the requirement of energy and momentum conservation in molecule-molecule collisions. This energy conservation requires the presence of three-body collisions at the very initial step of particle formation.     

Speciation of activators in electroluminescent thin films: an EXAFS study of cerium and terbium doped strontium sulfide

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) was used to determine the local structure of the luminescent centers in Tb³⁺ and Ce³⁺ -doped strontium sulfide thin films deposited by Atomic Layer Epitaxy (ALE). The rare earths were observed to enter mainly the substitutional sites but at the same time a part of the atoms form RES clusters (RE = rare earth). The presence of both substitutional sites and RES clusters has been observed for the first time in this study for rare earths in II–VI compounds.     

Solid-contact ion-selective electrodes for aromatic cations based on pi-coordinating soft carriers

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) based on pi-coordinating carriers were prepared and investigated as potentiometric sensors for aromatic cations, using N-methylpyridinium as a model aromatic cation. Derivatives of tetraphenylborate were studied as charged carriers in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes. Furthermore, neutral compounds containing pi-coordinating anthryl groups were studied as neutral carriers. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate (DOS) and 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE) were used as non-polar and polar plasticizer, respectively. ISEs were constructed by using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as solid-contact material. Conventional ISEs with internal filling solution were used for comparison. The potentiometric responses of the ISEs were investigated using N-methylpyridinium as primary ion. The results show that the selectivity of the ISEs is influenced significantly by both the plasticizer and the charged carriers, while the neutral carriers studied have only a minor influence on the selectivity. The role of cation-pi interactions between aromatic cations and the membrane components is discussed.     

Capillary electrophoretic separation of dicarboxylic acids in atmospheric aerosol particles

2,3-Pyrazinedicarboxylic acid (PZDA), 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDA) and 2,3-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (QUIN) solutions were studied as background electrolytes (BGEs) in the capillary electrophoretic analysis of dicarboxylic acids in aerosol particles with indirect UV detection. The BGEs were selected on the basis of similarity in structure with the analytes so that mobilities would be compatible. Optimised pH values for PZDA, PDA and QUIN solutions were 10.6, 11.0 and 10.2, respectively. Myristyltrimethylammonium hydroxide and myristyltrimethylammonium bromide were added to reverse the electroosmotic flow in the solutions in the direction of anode to enable fast anion detection. Separation was obtained for nine dicarboxylic acids (C₂–C₁₀) differing in the number of CH₂ groups in their skeleton. The electrophoretic mobilities were determined to lie in the range 3.0×10⁻⁴–7.0×10⁻⁴ cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for the absolute migration times of the analytes were mostly less than 0.5% (n=6) in PZDA solution. In PDA solution the within-day and day-to-day RSD values for migration were less than 1% and between 2 and 4%, respectively. Peak heights and areas mostly deviated between 1 and 15% in both PZDA and PDA solutions. Detection limits ranged between 1 and 5 mg/l. Methods were applied to the analysis of dicarboxylic acids isolated from aerosol particles.     

Conformational isomerization of formic acid by vibrational excitation at energies below the torsional barrier

Photoinduced conformational isomerization of formic acid has been studied in a low-temperature argon matrix. It is found that conformational isomerization occurs when the photon energy is below the energy barrier for this process. The quantum yield for the process near the top of the barrier is comparable with the quantum yield above the barrier and drops at lower energies. The isomerization takes place via a tunneling mechanism.     

Matrix isolation and ab initio studies of the H2S---CO complex

The structure, energetics, and vibrational properties of complexes formed between H₂S and CO have been investigated by matrix isolation FTIR spectroscopy and ab initio molecular orbital theory. Two stable computational minima were found representing nearly linear hydrogen bonds between the subunits. The H₂S---CO and H₂S---OC species were calculated to be bound by 5.22 and 1.54 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The computational results were reproduced by experimental assignments for the carbon attached complex. The stretching vibrations of the complex subunits were found to be similarly perturbed upon complexation both experimentally and computationally.     

Structures of bisphosphonate metal complexes: zinc and cadmium complexes of clodronate and its partial ester derivatives

Four new zinc and cadmium bisphosphonates [{NaZn(Cl2CP2O6H)(H2O)5}]n (1), [{Cd2(Cl2CP2O6)(H2O)4}.H2O]n (2), [{Zn(Cl2CP2O6Pri2)(H2O)3}.H2O]n (3), and [{Cd2(Cl2CP2O6Pri2)2(MeOH)2(H2O)2}.H2O]2 (4) have been prepared and their crystal structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. Two bisphosphonate ligands were used: clodronate, (dichloromethylene)bis(phosphonate) and its symmetrical P,P'-diisopropyl ester derivative. The structure of the Zn complex 1 is three-dimensional, consisting of one-dimensional Zn-clodronate chains connected to the three-dimensional network by Na+ ions. The structure of Cd complex 2 consists of double layers, and a unique bond was found between the Cd2+ cation and a Cl atom of clodronate. Zn complex 3 consists of one-dimensional chains, but the binding of the bisphosphonate ligands is unique: in 3 the bisphosphonate ligand is only bidentate. Compound 4 is a tetramer, and hydrogen bonds hold the tetramers together, forming a layered structure.     

Architecture dependence on the steric constrains of the ligand in cyano-bridged copper(I) and copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymer compounds containing diamines: crystal structures and spectroscopic and magnetic properties

A family of cyano-bridged copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymers containing diamine ligands of formula [Cu(pn)(2)][Cu(2)(CN)(4)] (1, pn = 1,2-propanediamine), [Cu(2)(CN)(3)(dmen)] (2, dmen = N,N-dimethylethylenediamine), and [Cu(3)(CN)(4)(tmen)] (3, tmen = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) have been prepared with the aim of analyzing how their architecture may be affected by steric constraints imposed by the diamine ligands. In the absence of diamine and with use of the voluminous NEt(4)(+) cation, the copper(I) polymer [NEt(4)][Cu(2)(CN)(3)] (4) forms. The structure of 1 consists of a three-dimensional diamond-related anionic framework host, [Cu(2)(CN)(4)](2-), and enclathrated [Cu(pn)(2)](2+) cations. The structure of 2 is made of neutral corrugated sheets constructed from fused 18-member nonplanar rings, which contain three equivalent copper(I) and three equivalent copper(II) centers bridged by cyanide groups in an alternative form. The 3D structure of 3 consists of interconnected stair-like double chains built from fused 18-member rings, which adopt a chairlike conformation. Each ring is constructed from two distorted trigonal planar Cu(I) centers, two bent seemingly two-coordinated Cu(I) centers, and two pentacoordinated Cu(II) atoms. The structure 4 is made of planar anionic layers [Cu(2)(CN)(3)](n)(n-) lying on mirror planes and NEt(4)(+) cations intercalated between the anionic layers. From the X-ray structural results and calculations based upon DFT theory some conclusions are drawn on the structure-steric factors correlation in these compounds. Compound 1 exhibits very weak luminescence at 77 K with a maximum in the emission spectrum at 520 nm, whereas compound 4 shows an intense luminescence at room temperature with a maximum in the emission spectrum at 371 nm. Polymers 2 and 3 exhibit weak antiferromagnetic magnetic exchange interactions with J = -0.065(3) and -2.739(5) cm(-1), respectively. This behavior have been justified on the basis of the sum of two contributions: one arising from the pure ground-state configuration and the other one from the charge-transfer configuration Cu(I)-CN-Cu(II)-CN-Cu(II) that mixes with the ground-state configuration.