Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of C.I. Basic Violet 2 using TiO2-SiO2 composite nanoparticles

In this report, TiO(2) -SiO(2) composite nanoparticles were prepared by the thermal hydrolysis method using titanium tetrachloride and tetraethylorthosilicate as TiO(2) and SiO(2) precursors, respectively. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), nitrogen adsorption/desorption and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results indicated that, in comparison with pure TiO(2), TiO(2)-SiO(2) composite nanoparticles had a higher thermal stability, which prevents phase transformation from anatase to rutile. In addition, the TiO(2)-SiO(2) nanoparticles had a higher specific surface area, larger pore volume, greater band gap energy and smaller crystallite size. Thus, the surface area of TiO(2)-40% SiO(2) composite nanoparticles was about 17 times higher than that of pure TiO(2) nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of TiO(2)-SiO(2) composite nanoparticles in the photodegradation of C.I. Basic Violet 2 was investigated. The photodegradation rate of Basic Violet 2 using TiO(2)-40% SiO(2) nanoparticles calcined at 600°C was much faster than that using pure TiO(2) and Degussa P25 TiO(2) by 10.9 and 4.3 times, respectively. The higher photoactivity of the TiO(2)-SiO(2) composite nanoparticles was attributed to their higher surface area, larger pore volume, greater band-gap energy and smaller crystallite size compared with pure TiO(2).     

Grafting of poly(sodium styrenesulfonate) onto gold surface from NaNO<Subscript>3</Subscript> solution

The chemical grafting of thiol terminated poly(sodium styrenesulfonate)(HS-PSSS) chains from sodium nitrate (NaNO_3) salt solution to a gold surface was investigated with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) in different salt concentrations.It was found that at low salt concentration grafting density of HS-PSSS was low and the grafted chains adopted a mushroom conformation.With the increase of salt concentration polyelectrolyte chains underwent a transition toward coiled stat...     

Transfer, amplification, and inversion of helical chirality mediated by concerted interactions of C3-supramolecular dendrimers

The synthesis, structural, and retrostructural analysis of two libraries containing 16 first and second generation C(3)-symmetric self-assembling dendrimers based on dendrons connected at their apex via trisesters and trisamides of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid is reported. A combination of X-ray diffraction and CD/UV analysis methods demonstrated that their C(3)-symmetry modulates different degrees of packing on the periphery of supramolecular structures that are responsible for the formation of chiral helical supramolecular columns and spheres self-organizable in a diversity of three-dimensional (3D) columnar, tetragonal, and cubic lattices. Two of these periodic arrays, a 3D columnar hexagonal superlattice and a 3D columnar simple orthorhombic chiral lattice with P222(1) symmetry, are unprecedented for supramolecular dendrimers. A thermal-reversible inversion of chirality was discovered in helical supramolecular columns. This inversion is induced, on heating, by the change in symmetry from a 3D columnar simple orthorhombic chiral lattice to a 3D columnar hexagonal array and, on cooling, by the change in symmetry from a 2D hexagonal to a 2D centered rectangular lattice, both exhibiting intracolumnar order. A first-order transition from coupled columns with long helical pitch, to weakly or uncorrelated columns with short helical pitch that generates a molecular rotator, was also discovered. The torsion angles of the molecular rotator are proportional to the change in temperature, and this effect is amplified in the case of the C(3)-symmetric trisamide supramolecular dendrimers forming H-bonds along their column. The structural changes reported here can be used to design complex functions based on helical supramolecular dendrimers with different degree of packing on their periphery.     

Thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube-polyamide-6,6 nanocomposites: reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations

The thermal conductivity of composites of carbon nanotubes and polyamide-6,6 has been investigated using reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations in a full atomistic resolution. It is found, in line with experiments, that the composites have thermal conductivities, which are only moderately larger than that of pure polyamide. The composite conductivities are orders of magnitude less than what would be expected from nai?ve additivity arguments. This means that the intrinsic thermal conductivities of isolated nanotubes, which exceed the best-conducting metals, cannot be harnessed for heat transport, when the nanotubes are embedded in a polymer matrix. The main reason is the high interfacial thermal resistance between the nanotubes and the polymer, which was calculated in addition to the total composite thermal conductivity as well as that of the subsystem. It hinders heat to be transferred from the slow-conducting polymer into the fast-conducting nanotubes and back into the polymer. This interpretation is in line with the majority of recent simulation works. An alternative explanation, namely, the damping of the long-wavelength phonons in nanotubes by the polymer matrix is not supported by the present calculations. These modes provide most of the polymers heat conduction. An additional minor effect is caused by the anisotropic structure of the polymer phase induced by the nearby nanotube surfaces. The thermal conductivity of the polymer matrix increases slightly in the direction parallel to the nanotubes, whereas it decreases perpendicular to it.     

Melamine-(H_2SO_4)_3 and PVP-(H_2SO_4)_n as solid acids:Synthesis and application in the first mono-and di-nitration of bisphenol A and other phenols

Melamine and poly vinylpyrrolidone（PVP） reacted with neat sulfuric acid readily to form two new organic solid acids namely melamine-（H₂SO₄）₃ and PVP-（H₂SO₄）_n.These solid acids were used for the first nitration of bisphenol A as well as other phenols in the presence of NH₄NO₃.Mono- and di-nitro bisphenol A have been characterized with IR and ¹H NMR techniques.     

P-Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid(DBSA),a Brфnsted acid-surfactant catalyst for Biginelli reaction in water and under solvent free conditions

We report herein the use of p-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid(DBSA) as a catalyst for a one-pot Biginelli reaction to afford 3,4- dihydropyrimidinone derivatives in good to excellent yields.This reaction proceeds efficiently in water and under solvent free conditions.Comparisons of results indicate that although the yields are high and comparable for both methods,the reaction times are considerably shorter under solvent free conditions.     

Efficient Multi‐component Synthesis of Highly Substituted Imidazoles Utilizing P2O5/SiO2 as a Reusable Catalyst

Phosphorus pentoxide supported on silica gel (P₂O₅/SiO₂) has been used as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the one‐pot pseudo four‐component synthesis of 2,4,5‐trisubstituted imidazoles from benzil or benzoin, aldehydes, and ammonium acetate. It was also used for four‐component preparation of 1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles from benzil or benzoin, aldehydes, primary amine, and ammonium acetate under thermal solvent‐free conditions. The remarkable features of this new procedure are high conversions, cleaner reaction, simple experimental and work‐up procedures and also the catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture and reused several times without any loss of its activity.     

Nanoporous carbons as promising novel methane adsorbents for natural gas technology

Nanoporous carbons were synthesized using furfuryl alcohol and sucrose as precursors and MCM-41 and mordenite as nanoporous templates.The produced nanoporous carbons were used as adsorbent for methane storage.The average pore diameter of the samples varied from 3.9 nm to 5.9 nm and the BET surface area varied from 320m2/g to 824m2/g.The volumetric adsorption experiments revealed that MCM-41 and sucrose had better performance compared with mordenite and furfuryl alcohol,correspondingly.Also,the effect of precursor to template ratio on the structure of nanoporous carbons and their adsorption capacities was investigated.The nanoporous carbon produced from MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve partially filled by sucrose shows the best methane adsorption capacity among the tested samples.