共存牺牲剂对染料敏化TiO_2纳米晶体系电子传输的影响

采用卟啉染料敏化TiO2纳米晶在可见光条件下(λ390 nm)进行水分解制氢.考察了不同牺牲剂———甲醇(MeOH)、三乙醇胺(TEOA)及其混合物对体系析氢效率的影响.通过荧光猝灭及光电化学性能分析发现,激发态染料与TiO2之间的电子转移极大地受到添加的牺牲剂的影响,而体系的pH值对其影响不大.     

硫化钴装饰BiVO4光阳极提升其光电化学水分解性能

太阳能驱动的光电化学(PEC)水分解可以有效地将太阳能转化为化学能,作为解决环境排放和能源危机最具前景的途径之一,已经引起了科学界的广泛关注.PEC水分解系统由两个半反应组成:在光阳极上的析氧反应(OER)和光阴极上的析氢反应(HER).PEC系统的太阳能转化效率主要由光阳极/电解质界面的OER过程所决定,这是一个非常复杂且涉及质子偶联的多步四电子转移过程.钒酸铋(BiVO₄)是应用于PEC水分解的典型且具有实际应用前景的光阳极材料之一.然而,由于不良的表面电荷转移、电荷在光阳极/电解质结面处的表面复合以及缓慢的OER动力学等因素,导致BiVO₄的PEC性能受到严重限制.本文开发了一种新颖有效的解决方案,以低成本、高电导率和具有快速电荷转移能力的硫化钴装饰来提升BiVO₄光阳极的PEC活性,X射线多晶衍射(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)等表征,研究结果表明CoS成功装饰于BiVO₄表面.采用紫外-可见吸收光谱(UV-VisDRS)研究了BiVO₄和复合光阳极CoS/BiVO₄的光学性质,结果表明,与纯的BiVO₄相比,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极在可见光范围内光吸收能力有所增强.将制备的BiVO₄和CoS/BiVO₄光阳极应用于PEC分解水实验中,结果表明,相对于1.23 V可逆氢电极,在光照下,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极的光电流密度显著提升,可高达3.2 m Acm^-2,是纯BiVO₄的2.5倍以上.与纯BiVO₄相比,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极的起始氧化电位显示出负向偏移0.2 V,表明析氧过电势得到有效减小.入射光子转换效率(IPCE)测试结果表明,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极的入射光子转换效率在500 nm之前的可见光范围内得到明显提升,其中,CoS/BiVO₄的IPCE值在380 nm处达到最大.此外,由于CoS的装饰作用,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极的电荷注入效率和电荷分离效率均得到较大的提升,分别达到75.8%(相较于纯BiVO₄光阳极的36.7%)和79.8%(相较于纯BiVO₄光阳极的66.8%).电化学阻抗谱(EIS)测试结果表明,通过CoS的装饰,CoS/BiVO₄光阳极的界面电荷转移电阻得到有效降低,证明其界面电荷转移动力学得到有效提升.光致发光光谱测试结果表明,CoS的装饰显著提高了BiVO₄的光生电子-空穴对的分离效率,进一步证明BiVO₄表面的CoS装饰在其PEC分解水中起着非常积极的作用.本文为通过表面修饰设计应用于PEC水分解的有效的光阳极提供了新思路.     

The Charge Transfer Complex between 2, 3-diamino-5-bromopyridine and Chloranilic acid: Preparation,Spectroscopic Characterization,DNA binding,and DFT/PCM analysis

A charge transfer hydrogen bonded complex was prepared and experimentally explored in an acetonitrile (ACN) medium between the proton acceptor (electron donor) 2, 3-Diamino-5-bromopyridine and the proton donor (electron acceptor) chloranilic acid. The stoichiometry of the charge transfer complex is 1:1. The Benesi-Hildebrand equation is used to calculate the molar absorptivity (ε_CT), association constant (K_CT) and other spectroscopic physical characteristics. The solid compound was synthesized and studied using several spectroscopic methods. The presence of charge and proton transfers in the resultant complex was supported by ¹H NMR, FT-IR and SEM-EDX investigations. The complex DNA binding ability was investigated using electron absorption spectroscopy, and the CT complex binding mechanism is intercalative. The intrinsic binding constant (K_b) value is 5.2 × 10⁶M?1. The good binding affinity of the CT complex makes it potentially suitable for usage as a pharmaceutical in the future. Molecular docking calculations have been performed between CT complex and DNA (ID = 1BNA) to study the CT-DNA interaction theoretically. To corroborate the experimental findings, calculations based on DFT were carried out in the gas and PCM analysis where the existence of charge and hydrogen transfers. Finally, good agreement between experimental and theoretical computations was observed confirming that the basis set used is appropriate for the system under examination.     

Suppression of charge imbalance via Li+-Mn4+ co-incorporated Sr2YSbO6 red phosphors for warm w-LEDs

Mn⁴⁺-activated double perovskite phosphors with composition diversity have presented excellent luminescent performances. However, the charge imbalance between Mn⁴⁺ and matrix cations would increase non-radiative recombination and reduce the structural stability. Here, novel high-efficiency stable Li⁺/Mn⁴⁺ co-incorporated Sr₂YSbO₆ red phosphors are successfully synthesized via a solid-state reaction method for warm w-LEDs, where the Li⁺ ions have the effect of charge balance for Sr₂YSbO₆:Mn⁴⁺ and reduce the non-radiative energy transfer among Mn⁴⁺ ions. It is demonstrated that the substitution of Li⁺–Mn⁴⁺ pairs for Sb⁵⁺ can enhance the bonding with low-shifted diffraction peaks and high emission intensity, and prolong the decay lifetime, compared with those of Mn⁴⁺ single-doped ones. Impressively, the thermal stability is enhanced to 89.72% from 84.61% at the original value of 303 K. Finally, a w-LED device based on the optimal phosphor Sr₂YSbO₆:0.01Mn⁴⁺/0.01Li⁺ red component exhibits a correlated color temperature of 4487 K and color rendering index of 80.2. Therefore, the incorporated Li⁺ ions serve as both charge compensator and co-activator in Mn⁴⁺-activated double perovskite phosphors with the aim of high luminescent performance and thermal stability.     

Facile preparation of MgAl2O4/CeO2/Mn3O4 heterojunction photocatalyst and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Novel Mn₃O₄-promoted double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was constructed by one-step synthesis method and two-step synthesis method. The X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical and photoluminescence demonstrated that the MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized by the two-step synthesis method comprehends a high crystallinity, charge carrier migration and separation efficiency, and relatively low optical absorption coefficient. The MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalysts were efficiently used as simulated sunlight-driven n-n and p-n double junction photocatalyst for the simultaneous degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The continuous double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunctions strengthened the function of single n-n or p-n junction and guided the charge carrier migration and separation direction; thus, the oxidation and reduction reactions occur at the active site of spatial separation and prevent the recombination of electrons and holes. The results suggest that the continuous double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunctions are very promising candidate material for enhancing the photocatalytic activity in the photocatalytic degradation of MB dye.     

The first representative of a new class of charge transfer complexes in o-quinone series for organic semiconductors

The first representative of a new class of charge transfer complexes for organic semiconductors was synthesized. The reaction of p-nitroaniline (PNA) with [1,10]-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (PD) results in the formation of a stable molecular charge transfer (CT) complex PNA₃-PD₂ in a ratio of 3:2. The structure of the molecular CT complex PNA₃-PD₂ was established by X-ray diffraction studies. Using the density functional theory method, it is shown that several types of intermolecular interactions are realized in the complex: between the PNA amino group and the nitro group of another PNA molecule, carbonyl groups, and PD nitrogen atoms. Complex PNA₃-PD₂ is stable only in solid form. The diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectrum of PNA₃-PD₂ crystal powder is characterized by the intense weakly structured long-wavelength absorption band up to 650 nm. Quantum chemical calculations of the electronic structure have shown that the complex PNA₃-PD₂ is a straight-band semiconductor with a band gap of 2.11 eV.     

Exciplex Formation in Lipid-bound Escherichia coli Flavohemoglobin

Flavohemoglobins have the particular capability of binding unsaturated and cyclopropanated fatty acids as free acids or phospholipids. Fatty acid binding to the ferric heme results in a weak but direct bonding interaction. Ferrous and ferric protein, in presence or absence of a bound lipid molecule, have been characterized by transient absorption spectroscopy. Measurements have been also carried out both on the ferrous deoxygenated and on the CO bound protein to investigate possible long-range interaction between the lipid acyl chain moiety and the ferrous heme. After excitation of the deoxygenated derivatives the relaxation process reveals a slow dynamics (350 ps) in lipid-bound protein but is not observed in the lipid-free protein. The latter feature and the presence of an extra contribution in the absorption spectrum, indicates that the interaction of iron heme with the acyl chain moiety occurs only in the excited electronic state and not in the ground electronic state. Data analysis highlights the formation of a charge-transfer complex in which the iron ion of the lipid-bound protein in the expanded electronic excited state, possibly represented by a high spin Fe III intermediate, is able to bind to the sixth coordination ligand placed at a distance of at 3.5 Å from the iron. A very small nanosecond geminate rebinding is observed for CO adduct in lipid-free but not in the lipid-bound protein. The presence of the lipid thus appears to inhibit the mobility of CO in the heme pocket.     

SARS-CoV-2 virion physicochemical characteristics pertinent to abiotic substrate attachment

The structure, size, and main physicochemical characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virion with the spike transmembrane protein corona were discussed. Using these data, diffusion coefficients of the virion in aqueous media and in air were calculated. The structure and dimensions of the spike protein derived from molecular dynamic modeling and thorough cryo-electron microscopy measurements were also analyzed. The charge distribution over the molecule was calculated and shown to be largely heterogeneous. Although the stalk part is negatively charged, the top part of the spike molecule, especially the receptor binding domain, remains positively charged for a broad range of pH. It is underlined that such a charge distribution promotes the spike corona stability and enhances the virion attachment to receptors and surfaces, mostly negatively charged. The review is completed by the analysis of experimental data pertinent to the spike protein adsorption at abiotic surfaces comprising nanoparticle carrier particles. It is argued that these theoretical and experimental data can be used for developing quantitative models of virus attachment to surfaces, facilitating adequate analysis of future experimental results.     

Recent advances in BiOBr-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation

The efficient utilization of solar energy through photocatalysis is ideal for solving environmental issues and the development sustainable future. BiOBr-based semiconductors possess unique narrowed bandgaps and layered structures, thereby widely studied as photocatalysts for environmental remediation. However, a little has been focused on the comprehensive reviewing of BiOBr despite its extensive and promising applications. In this review, the state-of-the-art developments of BiOBr-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation are summarized. Particular focus is paid to the synthetic strategies for the control of the resulting morphologies, as well as efficient modification strategies for improving the photocatalytic activities. These include boosting the bulk phase by charge separation, enhancing the spatial charge separation, and engineering the surface states. The environmental uses of BiOBr-based photocatalysts are also reviewed in terms of purification of pollutants and CO₂ reduction. Finally, future challenges and opportunities of BiOBr-based materials in photocatalysis are discussed. Overall, this review provides a good basis for future exploration of high-efficiency solar-driven photocatalysts for environmental sustainability.     

理论研究晶体场效应和电荷转移效应对Co2+的2p电子X射线L2,3吸收边光谱的影响

运用多重态计算方法研究了在正八面体对称性的晶体场中Co²⁺离子的2p电子X射线L_2,3吸收边光谱, 研究了Co²⁺离子和周围的配位离子之间的正八面体(O_h)晶体场效应和相应的电荷转移效应对于吸收光谱的影响. 系统讨论了在多重态计算中起作用的所有物理参数对CoO和CoCl₂的X射线吸收光谱特性的特定影响及其物理机制. 将计算得出的光谱数据和同样具有O_h对称性结构Co²⁺离子的CoO和CoCl₂实验光谱数据进行了对比, 在实验光谱数据中发现的特征被确定为来自不同自旋态, 并且光谱强度的变化与晶体场的强度相关, 揭示了其中包含的电荷转移效应. 本文为低对称性复杂系统的多重态计算提供了一个基础的参考标准, 可以适用于含有钴元素或其它过渡金属的复杂体系的X射线吸收光谱的理论计算.