Potentiometric determination of the 'formal' hydrolysis ratio of aluminium species in aqueous solutions

The ‘formal’ hydrolysis ratio (h = C(OH⁻)_added/C(Al)_total) of hydrolysed aluminium-ions is an important parameter required for the exhaustive and quantitative speciation-fractionation of aluminium in aqueous solutions. This paper describes a potentiometric method for determination of the formal hydrolysis ratio based on an automated alkaline titration procedure. The method uses the point of precipitation of aluminium hydroxide as a reference (h = 3.0) in order to calculate the initial formal hydrolysis ratio of hydrolysed aluminium-ion solutions. Several solutions of pure hydrolytic species including aluminium monomers (AlCl₃), Al₁₃ polynuclear cluster ([Al₁₃O₄(OH)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂]⁷⁺), Al₃₀ polynuclear cluster ([Al₃₀O₈(OH)₅₆(H₂O)₂₆]¹⁸⁺) and a suspension of nanoparticulate aluminium hydroxide have been used as ‘reference standards’ to validate the proposed potentiometric method. Other important variables in the potentiometric determination of the hydrolysis ratio have also been optimised including the concentration of aluminium and the type and strength of alkali (Trizma-base, NH₃, NaHCO₃, Na₂CO₃ and KOH). The results of the potentiometric analysis have been cross-verified by quantitative ²⁷Al solution nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁷Al NMR) measurements. The ‘formal’ hydrolysis ratio of a commercial basic aluminium chloride has been measured as an example of a practical application of the developed technique.     

Removal of Zn(II) Ions from Aqueous Solution Using BPHA‐Impregnated Polyurethane Foam

Zn(II) ions sorption onto N‐Benzoyl‐N‐Phenylhydroxylamine (BPHA) impregnated polyurethane foam (PUF) has been studied extensively using radiotracer and batch techniques. Maximum sorption (～98%) of Zn(II) ions (8.9 × 10^?6 M) onto sorbent surface is achieved from a buffer of pH 8 solution in 30 minutes using 7.5 mg/mL of BPHA‐impregnated polyurethane foam at 283 K. The sorption data follow Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin‐Radushkevich (D‐R) isotherms. The Langmuir constants Q = 18.01 ± 0.38 μ mole g^?1 and b = (5.39 ± 0.98) × 10³ L mole^?1 have been computed. Freundlich constants 1/n = 0.29 ± 0.01 and C_m = 111.22 ± 12.3 μ mole g^?1 have been estimated. Sorption capacity 31.42 ± 1.62 μ mole g^?1, β = ?0.00269 ± 0.00012 kJ² mole^?2 and energy 13.34 ± 0.03 kJ mole^?1 have been evaluated using D‐R isotherm. The variation of sorption with temperature yields ΔH = ?77.7 ± 2.8 k J mole^?1, ΔS = ?237.7 ± 9.3 J mole^?1 K^?1 and ΔG = ?661.8 ± 117.5 k J mol^?1 at 298 K reflecting the exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption. Cations like Fe(III), Ce(III), Al(III), Pb(II) and Hg(II) and anions, i.e., oxalate, EDTA and tartrate, reduce the sorption significantly, while iodide and thiocyanate enhanced the sorption of Zn(II) ions onto BPHA‐impregnated polyurethane foam.     

Reductive Dehalogenation of Arylhalides and Alkylhalides with Zinc in THF Saturated Aqueous Ammonium Chloride

A low‐cost and highly effective zinc/THF‐saturated aqueous ammonium chloride has been developed for dehalogenation of arylhalides and alkylhalides in aqueous systems.     

Carbazyl RAFT agents synthesized by an improved aqueous phase method and their applications in RAFT polymerization

A series of carbazyl dithiocarbamates as RAFT agents, i.e. benzyl 9H-carbazole-9-carbodithioate (B), 1-phenylethyl 9H-carbazole-9-carbodithioate (C), cumyl 9H-carbazole-9-carbodithioate (D) and tert-butyl 9H-carbazole-9-carbodithioate (E), were successfully synthesized by an improved aqueous phase method based on a nucleophilic substitution reaction between sodium carbazole-9-carbodithioate (A) and alkyl halides at room temperature. Furthermore, the optimum reaction conditions and synthetic technology were sought. Compared with the traditional oil-phase method, the expected high-purity RAFT agents were obtained in the form of crystal that was precipitated and separated from the aqueous solution, so that vast organic solvents for purification were avoided. The activities of the carbazyl dithiocarbamates obtained as RAFT agents for the polymerizations of both styrene and methyl methacrylate were determined. The results show that all of the RAFT agents above mentioned are of significant activity in the RAFT polymerization of styrene, but only D has obvious activity in the RAFT polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Therefore, both the novel synthetic method and the carbazyl dithiocarbamates obtained possess potential application in the RAFT polymerization.     

A comparative study of the volumetric properties of dilute aqueous solutions of 1-propanol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,2,3-propanetriol at various temperatures

Excess molar volumes and partial molar volumes were determined for dilute aqueous solutions of 1-propanol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,2,3-propanetriol, at temperatures of (283.15, 288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, and 308.15) K from density measurements. The infinite dilution partial molar volumes of alcohols in aqueous solution were obtained by extrapolation at each temperature. The volumetric behavior of aqueous alcohol and polyol solutions is discussed in terms of the relationship between polar and non-polar groups and its effect on water structure.     

The highly efficient Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction using cyclopalladated N-alkylferrocenylimine as a catalyst in aqueous medium at room temperature under ambient atmosphere

A series of N-alkyl-substituted cyclopalladated ferrocenylimines were used in palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides in room temperature and CH₃OH/H₂O media under aerobic conditions. As for the catalysts, the length of N-alkyl chains has no significant effect on the catalytic activity. Using 0.01 mol% of dimer 3a in the presence of K₂CO₃ as base offered excellent yields in the reaction of activated and non-activated aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid.     

Reactivity of metal oxides: Thermal and photochemical dissolution of MO and MFe2O4 (M=Ni, Co, Zn)

Dissolution rates of NiO, CoO, ZnO, α-Fe₂O₃ and the corresponding ferrites in 0.1 mol dm⁻³ oxalic acid at pH 3.5 were measured at 70 °C. The dissolution of simple oxides proceeds through the formation of surface metal oxalate complexes, followed by the transfer of surface complexes (rate-determining step). At constant pH, oxalate concentration and temperature, the trend in the first-order rate constant for the transfer of the surface complexes (k_Me; Me=Ni, Co, Zn, Fe) parallels that of water exchange in the dissolved metal ions (k_−w). Thus, the most important factor determining the rates of dissolution of metal oxides is the lability of Me-O bonds, which is in turn defined by the electronic structure of the metal ion and its charge/radius ratio. UV (384 nm) irradiation does not increase significantly the dissolution rates of NiO, CoO and ZnO, whereas hematite is highly sensitive to UV light. For ferrites, the reactivity order is ZnFe₂O₄>CoFe₂O₄?NiFe₂O₄. Dissolution is congruent, with rates intermediate between those of the constituent oxides, Fe₂O₃ and MO (M=Co, Ni, Zn), reflecting the behavior of very thin leached layers with little Zn and Co, but appreciable amounts of Ni. The more robust Ni²⁺ labilizes less the corresponding ferrite. The correlation between log k_M and log k_−w is somewhat blurred and displaced to lower k_M values. Fe(II), either photogenerated or added as salt, enhances the rate of Fe(III) phase transfer. A simple reaction mechanism is used to interpret the data.     

四元硫化物Cu2Zn(Ti,Zr, Hf)S4:一类新颖光伏材料

采用第一性原理电子结构方法研究了四价过渡金属Ti, Zr和Hf替代Cu₂ZnSnS₄(CZTS)中Sn原子以及Se替代S原子所得到的四元硫族化合物的电子结构、光学性质和晶体结构的稳定性. 实验上用Se替代CZTS中部分S得到的Cu₂ZnSnS_4-xSe_x(CZTSSe)作为光吸收材料, 可以进一步提高光伏效率. 我们计算表明用Se替代S后, CZTSe的价带顶明显下移, 并接近Cu(In, Ga) Se₂ (CIGS)价带顶位置. 与CZTSe的电子结构特征一样, Cu₂Zn(Ti, Zr, Hf)S₄四元硫化物的价带顶与母体材料CZTS相比也向低能移动, 并接近CIGS价带顶位置. 由于高光伏效率要求窗口材料ZnO、缓冲层材料和光吸收材料的价带顶和带隙满足一定的渐进的变化关系, 因此可以预见用Cu₂Zn(Ti, Zr, Hf)S₄作光吸收材料可以有效地提高甚至接近CIGS的光伏效率. 通过计算弹性常数和声子谱, 以及有限温度下第一性原理分子动力学模拟, 发现Cu₂Zn(Ti, Zr, Hf)S₄的结构稳定性与CZTS相近. 进一步计算Cu₂Zn(Ti, Zr, Hf)S₄与不同缓冲层间和窗口材料与缓冲层间的反射系数, 并讨论了ZnSe, In₂S₃, ZnS作为缓冲层材料和TiO₂作为窗口材料对光伏效率可能的影响.     

助剂前体ZnSO_4浓度对苯选择加氢制环己烯Ru-Zn催化剂性能的影响

共沉淀法制备了Ru-Zn催化剂,在ZrO_2作分散剂下考察了助剂前体ZnSO_4浓度对苯选择加氢制环己烯Ru-Zn催化剂性能的影响.并用X-射线衍射(XRD)、X-射线荧光光谱(XRF)、N_2-物理吸附、透射电镜(TEM)和X-射线光电子能谱(XPS)等手段对催化剂进行了表征.结果表明,当ZnSO_4前体浓度低于0.10 mol/L时,Ru-Zn催化剂中Zn以ZnO形式存在,在加氢过程中ZnO可以与反应修饰剂ZnSO_4反应生成(Zn( OH)_2)_3(ZnSO_4)(H_2O)_3盐.继续增加ZnSO_4前体浓度,催化剂中Zn以ZnO和NaZn_4(SO_4)(Cl)(OH)_6·6H_2O盐存在,在加氢过程中ZnO和NaZn_4(SO_4)(Cl)(OH)_6·6H_2O盐可以与反应修饰剂ZnSO_4反应生成(Zn( OH)_2)_3(ZnSO_4)(H_2O)_5.(Zn( OH)_2)_3(ZnSO_4)(H_2O)_x(x=3或5)盐的Zn~(2+)可以转移金属Ru的部分电子.因此,随ZnSO_4前体浓度的增加,(Zn( OH)_2)_3(ZnSO_4)(H_2O)_x的量逐渐增加,金属Ru失电子越多,催化剂活性越低,环己烯选择性越高.0.08 mol/L ZnSO_4前体制备Ru-Zn催化剂给出了59.1%的环己烯收率,而且该催化剂具有良好的重复使用性能和稳定性.     

阿拉伯树胶修饰的纳米Ru-Zn催化剂上苯选择加氢制环己烯

用共沉淀法制备了纳米Ru-Zn催化剂,考察了阿拉伯树胶修饰对苯选择加氢制环己烯催化剂性能的影响,并用X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电镜(TEM)、N_2-物理吸附、X射线光电能谱(XPS)和X射线荧光光谱(XRF)等手段对催化剂进行了表征。结果表明,阿拉伯树胶的用量可以调变Ru-Zn催化剂的粒径。最高环己烯收率随粒径的增大呈火山型变化趋势。当阿拉伯树胶与RuCl_3·x H_2O的质量比为0.033时,Ru-Zn催化剂的最佳粒径为4.0 nm,最高环己烯收率达59.6%。且该催化剂具有良好的重复使用性能。