Are measured values of the Auger parameter always independent of charging effects?

In x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) the Auger parameter is often used to study the electronic properties of elements, particularly in insulator materials, because this parameter is assumed to be independent of charging effects. In this paper we report on subtle differences in sample structure and experimental conditions for which the sample potential may not remain constant during the measurements for some spectrometers or experimental arrangements; for such conditions the Auger parameter is not independent of charging. We compare a series of measurements with insulating plate substrates of Al₂O₃ on which different amounts of SnO₂ and Au were deposited. X‐ray photoelectron spectra were collected for different conditions of the sample that was placed either grounded or left floating on a metallic sample holder during measurement. It is found that the Auger parameter is independent of the experimental conditions for Au but substantial differences were found for deposited SnO₂. Surprisingly, measurement artifacts due to charging appeared in the Auger parameter for Sn when the sample holder was grounded but not when it was left floating. In the grounded samples differences up to 0.6 eV in the Auger parameter for Sn were found with respect to the actual value of this parameter measured with substrates where charging effects were not significant. Because no differences in peak broadening have been observed under different measurement conditions, it has been assumed that the shift was not caused by a conventional differential charging phenomenon. Considering the different response of the substrate and the deposited layer on stabilizing the charge when the sample is grounded, we have worked out a possible explanation to account for the observed artifacts. Instrumental specifications should be optimized very carefully, especially if (as here) relatively high charging shifts point to a non‐optimum self‐biasing of the surface potential at the insulating samples. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal decomposition of copper(II) and zinc carbonate hydroxides by means of TG-MS

Summary For the quantitative analyses of evolved CO₂and H₂O during the thermal decomposition of solids, calibration curves, i.e. the amounts of evolved gases vs. the corresponding peak areas of mass chromatograms measured by TG-MS, were plotted as referenced by the reaction stoichiometry of the thermal decomposition of sodium hydrogencarbonate NaHCO₃. The accuracy and reliability of the quantitative analyses of the evolved CO₂and H₂O based on the calibration curves were evaluated by applying the calibration curves to the mass chromatograms for the thermal decompositions of copper(II) and zinc carbonate hydroxides. It was indicated from the observed ratio of evolved CO₂and H₂O that the compositions of copper(II) and zinc carbonate hydroxides examined in this study correspond to mineral malachite, Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂, and hydrozincate, Zn₅(CO₃)₂(OH)₆, respectively. Reliability of the present analytical procedure was confirmed by the fairly good agreement of the mass fraction of the evolved gases calculated from the analytical values with the total mass-loss during the thermal decompositions measured by TG.     

S‐Nitrosoglutathione‐Based Nitric Oxide‐Releasing Nanofibers Exhibit Dual Antimicrobial and Antithrombotic Activity for Biomedical Applications

The novel use of nanofibers as a physical barrier between blood and medical devices has allowed for modifiable, innovative surface coatings on devices ordinarily plagued by thrombosis, delayed healing, and chronic infection. In this study, the nitric oxide (NO) donor S‐nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is blended with the biodegradable polymers polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polylactic acid (PLA) for the fabrication of hemocompatible, antibacterial nanofibers tailored for blood‐contacting applications. Stress/strain behavior of different concentrations of PHB and PLA is recorded to optimize the mechanical properties of the nanofibers. Nanofibers incorporated with different concentrations of GSNO (10, 15, 20 wt%) are evaluated based on their NO‐releasing kinetics. PLA/PHB + 20 wt% GSNO nanofibers display the greatest NO release over 72 h (0.4–1.5 × 10^?10 mol mg^?1 min^?1). NO‐releasing fibers successfully reduce viable adhered bacterial counts by ≈80% after 24 h of exposure to Staphylococcus aureus. NO‐releasing nanofibers exposed to porcine plasma reduce platelet adhesion by 64.6% compared to control nanofibers. The nanofibers are found noncytotoxic (>95% viability) toward NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts, and 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole and phalloidin staining shows that fibroblasts cultured on NO‐releasing fibers have improved cellular adhesion and functionality. Therefore, these novel NO‐releasing nanofibers provide a safe antimicrobial and hemocompatible coating for blood‐contacting medical devices.     

Leaching of zinc and germanium from zinc oxide dust in sulfuric acid-ozone media

A new process of leaching zinc oxide dust by ozone oxidation in a sulfuric acid system was studied. The main factors affecting the leaching rate, such as ozone time, leaching temperature, initial acidity, leaching time, and liquid/solid mass ratio, were comprehensively investigated. The results show that leaching efficiency depends on all the above factors. The optimum conditions for leaching Zn and Ge from zinc oxide dust are as follows: ozone time 10 min, leaching temperature 90 ℃, initial acidity 160 g/L, leaching time 60 min, and liquid/solid mass ratio 7:1. Under the optimum conditions, the leaching rates of Zn and Ge are 95.79% and 93.65%, respectively. The leaching rates of zinc and germanium in the ozone leaching are 4.05% and 10.49% higher than those of the atmospheric leaching, respectively. Therefore, it is determined that ozone in solution plays a key role in rapidly oxidizing sulfide and releasing encapsulated germanium. Sulfuric acid-ozone media can efficiently extract Zn and Ge from zinc oxide dust.     

Pd(II)/Lewis Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Oxidative C−H Amination to Construct Carbazoles with Dioxygen

Transition-metal-catalyzed oxidative C−H amination reactions are among the most attractive topics in organic synthesis to construct nitrogen-containing motifs. The challenge is that most of these reactions employed stoichiometric oxidants to achieve satisfied catalytic efficiencies. Herein, we report a Pd(II)/LA-catalyzed (LA: Lewis acid) oxidative C−H amination reaction of 2-acetaminobiphenyls to construct carbazoles by using dioxygen balloon as the sole oxidant source, and the presence of LA sharply improved the catalytic efficiency of Pd(OAc)₂. Remarkably, in certain cases, the deacetylation of the annulation product happened under standard conditions to afford free carbazoles as the final product. The H/D exchange studies confirmed the reversibility of C−H activation and also disclosed multiple C−H activation sites by using −NAc and −NTs as the directing groups. In addition, the palladacycle compound was identified through ¹H NMR characterizations and proved to be the intermediate prior to the carbazole formation.     

Variations of structures on changing the ratios of metal ions in rare Ca(II)–Zn(II) hetero-metallic self-assembled coordination polymers of hexamethylenetetramine and benzoate

Two rare hetero-metallic calcium(II)-zinc(II) complexes [CaZn₄(OBz)₁₀(μ₂-hmt)₂]_n (1) and [Ca₂Zn₄(OBz)₁₂(μ₂-hmt)₂]_n (2) have been synthesized using basic zinc carbonate, benzoic acid (HOBz), hydrated calcium chloride and hexamethylenetetramine (hmt) by varying the molar ratio of the reactants. Both the complexes have been analyzed by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The complex 1 is a 1D polymer which contains one calcium ion and four zinc atoms in the asymmetric unit together with ten benzoates and two hmts. The polymer has been constructed by the alternate joining of paddle-wheel Zn₂(OBz)₄ units and Zn₂Ca trinuclear species by μ₂-hmt bridging molecules connecting Zn²⁺ ions. Zinc atoms have five coordinate square pyramidal geometries and four coordinate tetrahedral geometries in Zn₂(OBz)₄ and Zn₂Ca moieties, respectively, whereas calcium atoms have six-coordinate distorted octahedral geometry. Complex 2 is also a 1D polymer but unlike complex 1, it contains four independent zinc and two independent calcium atoms in the asymmetric unit together with twelve benzoates and two hmts. By contrast, the polymeric structure of complex 2 has been formed by the connection of Zn₂Ca trinuclear species via μ₂ hmt bridging molecules at Zn centers. Complex 2 is also a 1D polymer but unlike complex 1, it contains four independent zinc and three independent calcium atoms in the asymmetric unit together with twelve benzoates and two hmts. All four zinc atoms are four coordinate with tetrahedral environments and the calcium atoms are six coordinated (two are located on a center of symmetry) exhibiting a distorted octahedral geometry.     

Study of kinetics and mechanism of the acid dissociation of copper(II) complex of novel C-functionalized macrocyclic dioxotetraamines

The kinetics of the acid dissociation of copper(II) complexes of novel C-functionalized macrocyclic dioxotetraamines has been studied by means of a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. The acid dissociation rate follows the law V_d = C_comkK₁K₂H ²/(1+K₁H+K₁K₂H ²). From the experimental facts we have obtained, the dissociation kinetics are interpreted by a mechanism involving the negatively charged carbonyl oxygen of the complex being rapidly protonated in a pre-equilibrium step, the rate-determining step being intramolecular hydrogen (enolic tautomer) migration (to imine nitrogen). The dissociation rate reached a plateau in the strongly acidic solution. By means of temperature coefficient method, ΔH ^φ, ΔS ^φ of the pre-equilibrium step and ΔH ^≠, ΔS^≠ of the rate-determining step were obtained. The results of 13-membered macrocyclic dioxotetraamines have been discussed. The influence of the substituents to the acid dissociation rates has also been discussed. The Bronsted type linear free energy relationships do also exist in these C-functionalized dioxotetraamine copper(II) complexes.     

Light-induced cis/trans isomerization of cis-[Pd(L-S,O)2] and cis-[Pt(L-S,O)2] complexes of chelating N,N-dialkyl-N′-acylthioureas: key to the formation and isolation of trans isomers

Irradiation cis-[M(Lⁿ-S,O)₂] complexes (M = Pt^II, Pd^II) derived from N,N-dialkyl-N′-benzoylthioureas (HLⁿ) with various sources of intense visible polychromatic or monochromatic light with λ < 500 nm leads to light-induced cis?→?trans isomerization in organic solvents. In all cases, white light derived from several sources or monochromatic blue-violet laser 405 nm light, efficiently results in substantial amounts of the trans isomer appearing in solution, as shown by ¹H NMR and/or reversed-phase HPLC separation in dilute solutions at room temperature. The extent and relative rates of cis/trans isomerization induced by in situ laser light (λ = 405 nm) of cis-[Pd(L²-S,O)₂] was directly monitored by ¹H NMR and ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR spectroscopy of selected cis-[Pt(L-S,O)₂] compounds in chloroform-d; both with and without light irradiation allows the δ(¹⁹⁵Pt) chemical shifts cis/trans isomer pairs to be recorded. The cis/trans isomers appear to be in a photo-thermal equilibrium between the thermodynamically favored cis isomer and its trans counterpart. In the dark, the trans isomer reverts back to the cis complex in what is probably a thermal process. The light-induced cis/trans process is the key to preparing and isolating the rare trans complexes which cannot be prepared by conventional synthesis as confirmed by the first example of trans-[Pd(L-S,O)₂] characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, deliberately prepared after photo-induced isomerization in acetonitrile solution.     

Highly photoluminescent MoOx quantum dots: Facile synthesis and application in off-on Pi sensing in lake water samples

Molybdenum oxide (MoO_x) is a well-studied transition-metal semiconductor material, and has a wider band gap than MoS₂ which makes it become a promising versatile probe in a variety of fields, such as gas sensor, catalysis, energy storage ect. However, few MoO_x nanomaterials possessing photoluminescence have been reported until now, not to mention the application as photoluminescent probes. Herein, a one-pot method is developed for facile synthesis of highly photoluminescent MoO_x quantum dots (MoO_x QDs) in which commercial molybdenum disulfide powder and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) are involved as the precursor and oxidant, respectively. Compared with current synthesis methods, the proposed one has the advantages of rapid, one-pot, easily prepared, environment friendly as well as strong photoluminescence. The obtained MoO_x QDs is further utilized as an efficient photoluminescent probe, and a new off-on sensor has been constructed for phosphate (Pi) determination in complicated lake water samples, attributed to the fact that the binding affinity of Eu³⁺ ions to the oxygen atoms from Pi is much higher than that from the surface of MoO_x QDs. Under the optimal conditions, a good linear relationship was found between the enhanced photoluminescence intensity and Pi concentration in the range of 0.1–160.0 μM with the detection limit of 56 nM (3σ/k). The first application of the photoluminescent MoO_x nanomaterials for ion photochemical sensing will open the gate of employing MoO_x nanomaterials as versatile probes in a variety of fields, such as chemi-/bio-sensor, cell imaging, biomedical and so on.     

Phase behavior and Li+ Ion conductivity of styrene‐ethylene oxide multiblock copolymer electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolytes are attractive materials for use as battery separators. Here, a molecular weight series of polystyrene–polyethylene oxide (PEO) multiblock copolymers was synthesized by the thiol–norbornene click reaction. The subsequent materials were characterized both neat and with a lithium bis‐(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide salt loading [(Li)/(EO)] of 0.1. In general, neat samples demonstrated crystallinity scaling with PEO content. Lithium ion‐containing samples had broad scattering peaks, half of which displayed disordered scattering, even at the lowest block molecular weights (polystyrene = 1 kg/mol, PEO = 1 kg/mol). Fitting of disordered scattering data, using the random phase approximation, yielded χ_RPA and R_g values that were compared with recent predictive work by Balsara and coworkers. The predictions were accurate near the volume fraction f_PEO = 0.5 but deviated symmetrically with volume fraction asymmetry. Samples were also analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for their potential to conduct lithium ions. Samples with f_PEO ≥ 0.5 demonstrated robust conductivity, whereas samples below this volume fraction conducted very poorly, with one exception (f_PEO = 0.24). This work expanded upon our recently reported approach to multiblock copolymer synthesis, demonstrating the improved access of materials to further our fundamental understanding of multiblock copolymers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.