One‐Pot Synthesis of Nitrogen‐doped TiO2 Nanowires with Enhanced Photocurrent Generation

A nitrogen‐doped TiO₂ (N‐TiO₂) nanowire film was synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal method using triethylamine as nitrogen source. The effect of the concentration of the triethylamine on the films was evaluated. In addition, the N‐TiO₂ nanowires were characterized using field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. A 3.2× enhancement of the photocurrent for N‐TiO₂ (0.6) was achieved over the as‐prepared TiO₂ nanowire, under AM1.5G solar illumination. This was due to nitrogen doping, which could narrow the bandgap of titania to extend the adsorption of the catalyst to the visible light region.     

Structures and stability of N9, N9 − and N9 + clusters

 Ab initio molecular orbital calculations for N₉, N⁻ ₉ and N⁺ ₉ isomers were carried out at the HF/ 6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G* and MP2/ 6-31G* levels of theory. Stable equilibrium geometric structures were determined by harmonic vibrational frequency analyses at the HF/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels of theory. The most stable free-radical N₉ cluster is structure 1 with C _{2 v} symmetry and that of anion N⁻ ₉ is structure 3 with C _s symmetry. Only one stable structure of the N⁺ ₉ cation with C _{2 v} symmetry was predicted. Their potential application as high-energy-density materials has been examined. Received: 15 June 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999 / Published online: 14 March 2000     

Comparing a selenium accumulator plant (Brassica juncea) to a nonaccumulator plant (Helianthus annuus) to investigate selenium-containing proteins

Selenoproteins have been identified in a diverse range of organisms, including bacteria and animals. Their occurrence and role in the plant kingdom are, however, less well-understood. This work investigated the water-soluble selenium-containing proteins extracted from a selenium-accumulating plant species (Brassica juncea) and a nonaccumulator species (Helianthus annuus) exposed to varying forms and concentrations of selenium. Firstly, protein extracts were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; specific detection was achieved by monitoring characteristic isotopes. Then, proteolytic digests of the plant extracts were analyzed by reversed phase chromatography coupled to ICP–MS in order to investigate selenoamino acid and selenopeptide content. Selenomethionine was observed to be the primary constituent of the proteins of the nonaccumulator plant, while selenocystine and selenomethionine were found in the same proportion in the accumulator extract. One main selenium-containing species was present at higher levels in the root digests than in the leaf digests; levels were greater in the nonaccumulator than in the accumulator plant.     

CVD synthesis of nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes using ferrocene/aniline mixtures

Nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) have been synthesized by the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) floating catalyst method using either 4-ferrocenylaniline or mixtures of varying concentrations of ferrocene/aniline together with toluene as added carbon source. The N-CNTs produced are less stable (thermal gravimetric analysis measurements), less graphitic and more disordered (transmission electron microscope measurements) than their undoped counterparts. The ratio of the Raman D- and G-band intensities increase with the nitrogen concentration used during the CNT growth. Furthermore, the transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies reveal that the CNTs are multi-walled (MW), and that the diameters of the N-MWCNTs can be controlled by systematically varying the concentrations of the nitrogen source. The TEM analysis also revealed that when ferrocenylaniline and ferrocene/aniline reactions are compared at similar Fe/N ratios, higher N doping levels are achieved (ca. 2-5×) when ferrocenylaniline is the catalyst.     

Monitoring of NO2 in the ambient air with passive samplers before and after a road reconstruction event

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations were used to evaluate the air quality before and after the infrastructural change of an important traffic artery in Mortsel, Antwerp (Belgium). During the reconstruction works two pairs of traffic lanes were reduced to one in each direction. Two sampling campaigns were conducted: the first one before the works in 2003 and the second one in 2005, after the road works were finished. Sampling was performed on a weekly base with the use of passive diffusion tubes on the streets, and also indoors in nearby houses. The samples were analyzed by ion chromatography, from which data the NO₂ concentrations in air could be calculated. These results were compared with NO₂ values from the air monitoring station 42R801 of the Flemish Environment Agency in Borgerhout, Antwerp. On the base of different NO₂ concentrations, correlated well with the traffic density, sampling locations were classified into three groups as follows: 1) ‘heavily polluted’ (heavy traffic); 2) ‘moderately polluted’ (medium traffic); or 3) ‘less polluted’ (low traffic density). Sampling sites located further from the road works, enclosed to the group ‘less polluted’, showed the lowest NO₂ concentrations. The highest NO₂ level was found for the locations close to reconstruction works, which belonged to the group ‘heavily polluted’. The contribution of NO₂ was at the same level before and after the road works. During the first campaign it ranged from 30 ± 7 µg/m³ to 71 ± 11 µg/m³ and during the second sampling it was between 36 ± 17 µg/m³ and 73 ± 17 µg/m³. These modernization works had no impact on preventing the traffic-related pollutant as NO₂ and as a consequence no significant effect on the air quality in the studied region. It has been proven that the impact of traffic on the air quality is unmistakably high and simply reduction of the number of the traffic lanes, intended to discourage the traffic flow, had apparently no environmentally advantageous effect.     

Surface modification of date palm activated carbonaceous materials for heavy metal removal and CO2 adsorption

In this study, high surface area activated carbon (AC) was prepared from a local palm tree (Phoenix Dactylifera) using a variety of metal carbonates activators and finally achieved an excellent S_BET of 2700 m²/g when Cs₂CO₃ was used as an activating agent at a temperature of 600 °C. Surface modification of AC was carried out using various nitrogen transporting agents, resulting in N-doped ACs with nitrogen content varying from 4.0 to 11.4 %, depending on the functionalizing agents and activators used. The bimodal (presence of micro- as well as meso-porosity) ACs with such excellent surface properties were studied for their CO₂ uptake capacity at two different temperatures (0 and 25 °C) by isotherms recorded at pressure 1 bar and showed a remarkable uptake ability of 3.52 mmol/g (at 25 °C) and 5.6 mmol/g (at 0 °C), respectively. Also, batch experiments with variable pH, contact time, adsorbate concentrations, adsorbent dose, and temperatures were evaluated to understand the mechanism of sorption phenomena of Cr(VI) and Pb(II) achieving > 99.9 % removal capacity by the prepared ACs. Depending on the heavy metal ions being investigated, it was revealed that the pH of the solution and the amount of adsorbent had a direct impact on the total adsorption ability. Nitrogen atoms doped into the carbon frameworks were found to enhance the adsorption in the case of Pb(II) while the removal of Cr(VI) appeared to be unaffected. Maximum adsorption for Cr(VI) was observed at pH 2 and was determined to follow Freundlich isotherm while that of Pb(II) was observed at pH 7 and follows Langmuir isotherm. Best adsorption was found at an adsorbate concentration of 10 ppm and an adsorbent dose of 10 g/L. Kinetic modeling parameters showed the applicability of pseudo-second-order model perfectly.     

Electrosynthesis of α-Amino Acids from NO and other NOx species over CoFe alloy-decorated Self-standing Carbon Fiber Membranes

The conversion of industrial exhaust gases of nitrogen oxides into high-value products is significantly meaningful for global environment and human health. And green synthesis of amino acids is vital for biomedical research and sustainable development of mankind. Herein, we demonstrate an innovative approach for converting nitric oxide (NO) to a series of α-amino acids (over 13 kinds) through electrosynthesis with α-keto acids over self-standing carbon fiber membrane with CoFe alloy. The essential leucine exhibits a high yield of 115.4 μmol h⁻¹ corresponding a Faradaic efficiency of 32.4 %, and gram yield of products can be obtained within 24 hours in lab as well as an ultra-long stability (>240 h) of the membrane catalyst, which could convert NO into NH₂OH rapidly attacking α-keto acid and subsequent hydrogenation to form amino acid. In addition, this method is also suitable for other nitrogen sources including gaseous NO₂ or liquidus NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻. Therefore, this work not only presents promising prospects for converting nitrogen oxides from exhaust gas and nitrate-laden waste water into high-value products, but also has significant implications for synthetizing amino acids in biomedical and catalytic science.     

Bio-Inspired Aerobic-Hydrophobic Janus Interface on Partially Carbonized Iron Heterostructure Promotes Bifunctional Nitrogen Fixation

Competition from hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions and low solubility of N₂ in aqueous systems limited the selectivity and activity on nitrogen fixation reaction. Herein, we design an aerobic-hydrophobic Janus structure by introducing fluorinated modification on porous carbon nanofibers embedded with partially carbonized iron heterojunctions (Fe₃C/Fe@PCNF-F). The simulations prove that the Janus structure can keep the internal Fe₃C/Fe@PCNF-F away from water infiltration and endow a N₂ molecular-concentrating effect, suppressing the competing reactions and overcoming the mass-transfer limitations to build a robust “quasi-solid–gas” state micro-domain around the catalyst surface. In this proof-of-concept system, the Fe₃C/Fe@PCNF-F exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance for nitrogen fixation (NH₃ yield rate up to 29.2 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹_cat. and Faraday efficiency (FE) up to 27.8 % in nitrogen reduction reaction; NO₃⁻ yield rate up to 15.7 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹_cat. and FE up to 3.4 % in nitrogen oxidation reaction).     

A kinetic study of methane conversion by a dinitrogen microwave plasma

Conversion of CH₄ with a N₂ microwave plasma (2.45 GHz) is studied. The experiments cover the absorbed microwave power range 300–700 W with 17–62% of methane in the gas mixture, with pressures of 10–40 mbar and flow rates of 140–650 ml· min^–1. The yields of C₂ hydrocarbons and dihydrogen are analyzed by gas chromatography. The distance of methane addition downstream of the plasma plays an important role on the composition and the concentration of the products obtained. This distance mainly determines the energy concentrated in the active species of the plasma when they react with methane. Different behaviors for acetylene formation, on the one hand, and for ethane and ethene formation, on the other hand, have been observed, and this finding allows us to propose a kinetic mechanism for the decay of methane and for the formation of C₂ hydrocarbons.     

Manipulating the surface properties of polyacrylamide with nitrogen plasma

Polyacrylamide (PAL) was physically adsorbed onto a hydroxylated silicon surface to form a uniform PAL film and the up-top PAL thin film was treated by nitrogen (N₂) plasma for surface modification. The atomic composition of the modified surface of the PAL film adsorbed on silicon substrate was analyzed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface energy of PAL film was calculated from the data of contact angle of three-probe liquid. The FTIR results show an increase of peak intensity at 1214 cm⁻¹ (NH₂ stretch vibration) after the nitrogen plasma treatment, which confirms that the nitrogen was grafted to the PAL surface in the process of N₂-plasma treatment. The XPS results show that the ratio of relative intensity of N1s to O1s increases with increasing the plasma treatment time, which further affirms the formation of the amine groups on the PAL surface after the nitrogen plasma treatment. The surface tension increases with increasing the plasma grafting time. However, the surface energy decreases rapidly at the early stage when stored in air and approaches to an equilibrium value. It suggests that some physically-adsorbed ions and alkyl radicals on PAL surface can rapidly lose their activities. The increase of the surface tension of the plasma treated PLA films is due to the amine groups covalently grafted to PAL surface.