Infrared Evidence for Hoffman Reaction During Calcination of Surfactant-Templated Silica Films and Analysis of the Resulting Surface Sites

Fourier Transform Infrared transmission spectroscopy is used to characterize surfactant-templated silica films on glass. The calcination process is followed in situ and evidence for the removal of the surfactant along the Hoffman reaction is given. Once calcined, the surface of the pores of the mesoporous films is proven by deuteration experiment to be hydroxylated. Bands are attributed to isolated and hydrogen-bonded silanols. Silylation reaction with hexamethyldisilazane only occurs with isolated silanol groups.     

Indene and pseudoazulene discotic liquid crystals: a synthetic and structural study

Several new liquid-crystalline indene and pseudoazulene systems are reported. These molecules give rise to either columnar hexagonal mesophases and/or columnar plastic phases. The unique nature of these compounds stems from their non-classical discotic structure. Although the molecules have rigid aromatic cores, they lack terminal tails and instead the polarizable atoms (S, halogens) or polar groups (CN, CO) act as unusual soft parts. On the basis of many structurally related materials, we conclude that for this type of compound molecular stacking in the solid state is a prerequisite for the appearance of a columnar mesophase, although other intermolecular interactions within the layers are also important in establishing liquid-crystalline order. The behavior reported for these mesomorphic molecules opens up new possibilities in the search for related molecular interactions that might be useful for the construction of supramolecular architectures with particular properties.     

Silica-Based and Transition Metal-Based Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Materials—A Comparison

Organically substituted metal alkoxides can be prepared by reaction of the parent alkoxides with complexing organic compounds. The chemical and structural consequences of such substitutions are discussed in this article. Examples are given showing how functional organic moieties, such as polymerizable groups, can be incorporated into sol-gel materials via the complexing ligands. Major structural differences between silica-based and metal-based hybrid materials originate from the different charge/coordination number ratios of silicon and most metals. This results in a high tendency for the molecular building blocks to aggregate. In many cases, metal oxide clusters are formed which are capped by the organic ligands. Such surface-modified clusters are themselves very valuable condensed matter units for materials syntheses.     

LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 / MWNTs复合物超级电容器电极材料的研究

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were used as the conductive additive in the electrode materials. The electrochemical properties of supercapacitors based on LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ / MWNTs composite and LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂/acetylene black composite and MWNTs in 1.0 mol·L^-1 LiClO₄ / EC+DEC [V(EC)∶V(DEC)=1∶1] electrolyte were investigated by means of constant charge/discharge current tests, respectively. The experimental results show that the LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ / MWNTs composite has better performance than that of others, and the maximum specific capacitance of the supercapacitor can reach 271.6 F·g^-1, while the energy density is up to 339.5 Wh·kg^-1. Furthermore, it is remarkable that the performance of MWNTs is better than that of acetylene black as the conductive additive.     

Ultra-trace analysis of U,Th, Ca and selected heavy metals in high purity refractory metals with isotope dilution mass spectrometry

A method for the determination of trace impurities (U, Th, Ca, Fe, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Cd) in the refractory metals molybdenum and tungsten with isotope dilution mass Spectrometry (IDMS) has been developed. This method enables determinations of uranium and thorium down to the lowest pg/g level with high precision and accuracy. Selective chromatographic, extractive and electrolytic methods for the trace-matrix separation were combined with positive thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Different samples of high purity (4N) and of ultra high purity (UHP) materials for advanced technologies were analysed. The detection limits reached are (in ng/g): U 0.006, Th 0.008, Ca 10, Fe 19, Cr 0.5, Ni 0.6, Cu 2.7, and Cd 0.12. A comparison of results with other sensitive analytical methods (ICP-MS, GDMS, SIMS) makes obvious the urgent necessity of a reliable calibration method like IDMS because the analytical results obtained by the other methods often spread over a wide range.     

触头用银合金粉末的氧化性能和氧化后的组织结构

通过热重实验和扫描电子显微等方法，研究了４种触头用银合金粉末的氧化性能及氧化后的组织结构。发现Ａｇ－Ｓｎ－ＲＥ合金粉末氧化以后，在粉末表层形成一层纯银层，其组织结构理想；它的氧化性能最好，适于制备触头材料。Ａｇ－Ｓｎ－ＲＥ合金粉末的优良氧化性能与其氧化后理想的组织结构有关。稀土元素可以降低合金粉末的氧化温度，其它影响作用有待于进一步研究。     

A study of the formation of silica-supported mixed magnesium-manganese spinel oxides from multicomponent gels

The effects of thermal treatment on composite materials prepared by the gelation of sols comprising large concentrations of metal oxide precursor salts have been investigated, in order to determine the compositional and thermal requirements for forming spinel magnesium manganates in such systems. The preparative technique has been found to give rise to derived gel materials in which the metal oxide phase, in the form of regular spherical particles, is dispersed throughout a continuous silica matrix. Silica-supported mixed magnesium and manganese spinel oxide phases were obtained for systems comprising at least 30 wt% metal nitrate after heating to temperatures between 700 and 850°C, but not without concomitant formation of Mn₂O₃ and modification of the silica network by magnesium.     

The role of various binding materials for trace elemental analysis of powder samples using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Study of various binding materials like potassium bromide, poly(vinyl alcohol), starch, silver and aluminum has been carried out using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The role of matrix effects using these five binders on LIBS signal intensity was investigated for better performance of LIBS technique as a quantitative analytical tool. For comparative study of different binders, the signal intensity of different Mg lines at 518.3, 517.2, 383.8 and 279.5 nm wavelengths were recorded for pellets prepared with known concentrations of Mg in these binders. The influence of laser energy on ablated mass under different binding materials and its correlation with LIBS signal intensity has been explored. Optical scanning microscopy images of the ablated crater were studied to understand the laser ablation process. The study revealed that the binding material plays an important role in the generation of LIBS signal. The relative signal intensity measured for a standard Mg line (at 518.3 nm) were 735, 538, 387, 227 and 130 for potassium bromide, starch, poly(vinyl alcohol), silver and aluminum as binders, respectively. This indicates clearly that potassium bromide is better as a binder for LIBS studies of powder samples.     

Organic phase conversion of bulk (wurtzite) ZnO to nanophase (wurtzite and zinc blende) ZnO

We describe the all-organic phase conversion of bulk commercial ZnO in the wurtzite modification to sub-30 nm ZnO that we find to be partially in the zinc blende [, a=4.568(3) Å] modification. The conversion involves refluxing ZnO in 2,4-pentanedione (acetylacetone) at 413 K to form the zinc 2,4-pentanedionate, which is decomposed by heating at 573 K in an appropriate high-temperature solvent such as dibenzylether to form nanophase ZnO. This nanophase, partially zinc blende ZnO can also be obtained in a single step by heating commercial zinc 2,4-pentanedionate in refluxing dibenzylether. Thermodiffractometry suggests that the conversion of zinc blende ZnO to wurtzite ZnO commences near 650 K.