Optical and electrical properties of lithium doped nickel oxide films deposited by spray pyrolysis onto alumina substrates

Non-doped and lithium doped nickel oxide crystalline films have been prepared onto quartz and crystalline alumina substrates at high substrate temperature (600 °C) by the pneumatic spray pyrolysis process using nickel and lithium acetates as source materials. The structure of all the deposited films was the crystalline cubic phase related to NiO, although this crystalline structure was a little bit stressed for the films with higher lithium concentration. The grain size had values between 60 and 70 nm, almost independently of doping concentration. The non-doped and lithium doped films have an energy band gap of the order of 3.6 eV. Hot point probe results show that all deposited films have a p-type semiconductor behavior. From current–voltage measurements it was observed that the electrical resistivity decreases as the lithium concentration increases, indicating that the doping action of lithium is carried out. The electrical resistivity changed from 10⁶ Ω cm for the non-doped films up to 10² Ω cm for the films prepared with the highest doping concentration.     

H-type aggregation of functional metal ion sensing phthalocyanines: Synthesis,characterization and electrochemistry

We report, in this study, the preparation and physical characterization of the peripherally functionalized ionophore ligand, 4,5-bis(6-hydroxyhexan-3ylthio)-1,2-dicyanobenzene (1) and its branched thioalcohol-substituted phthalocyanines, 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octakis{6-hydroxyhexan-3-ylthio)-metal (II) or (III) phthalocyanines {M{Pc[SCH(C₃H₇)(C₂H₅OH)]₈} {M = Pb(II) (2), Zn(II) (3), Cu(II) (4), Co(II) (5) and Mn(III), X = Cl⁻ (6)} which can selectively bind soft-metal ions such as silver (I) and palladium (II). It was observed by means of UV–Vis absorption spectrophotometry that the aggregates formed lead to a low solubility of the phthalocyanines in protic solvents, such as low molecular alcohols. However, the addition of AgNO₃ and Na₂PdCl₄ into a THF–MeOH solution of {M{Pc[SCH(C₃H₇)(C₂H₅OH)]₈X} {M = Pb(II) (2), Zn(II) (3), Cu(II) (4), Co(II) (5) and Mn(III), X = Cl⁻ (6)} induced optical changes, which indicated the formation of twisted H-type dimers (blue shift, face-to-face fashion) of {M{Pc[SCH(C₃H₇)(C₂H₅OH)]₈} complexes, bound by four PdCl₂ and AgNO₃ units in THF solution. Elemental analysis data, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS), FT-IR, ¹H, ¹³C NMR, and UV–Vis spectral data were used as complementary techniques. Voltammetry and in situ spectroelectrochemistry of the complexes were performed on Pt in DMSO/TBAP. The first reduction and oxidation processes of 5 were found to be split due to the presence of facile equilibria between the species coordinated differently at axial positions. The Mn(III)Pc(−2)X⁻ complex (6) displayed well-defined colour changes during its reduction processes. The redox behaviour of the Mn(III)Pc(−2)X⁻ complex was observed to be affected significantly by the existence of oxygen in solution due to the formation of μ-oxo MnPc species, Mn(III)Pc–O–PcMn(III). This effect was clarified well by in situ spectroelectrochemical measurements.     

Synthesis and characterization of metal complexes of N-alkyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamates

Ammonium N-ethyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate (L¹) and N-butyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate (L²), and their group 12 metal complexes formulated as Zn₂L¹₄, CdL¹₂, HgL¹₂, Zn₂L²₄, CdL²₂, HgL²₂ have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of the zinc complexes (Zn₂L¹₄ and Zn₂L²₄) are also reported. Single crystal analyses of the two complexes revealed the presence of distorted trigonal bipyramidal and tetrahedral coordination geometry about the metal ions. The dithiocarbamate acts as bidentate chelating and bidentate bridging ligands between the metal ions giving centrosymmetric dimeric molecules. The apparent substitution of the ethyl substituents in L¹ by the butyl groups in L² results in profound change in structure.     

Significance of data treatment and experimental setup on the determination of copper complexing parameters by anodic stripping voltammetry

Different procedures of voltammetric peak intensities determination, as well as various experimental setups were systematically tested on simulated and real experimental data in order to identify critical points in the determination of copper complexation parameters (ligand concentration and conditional stability constant) by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). Varieties of titration data sets (Cu_measuredvs. Cu_total) were fitted by models encompassing discrete sites distribution of one-class and two-class of binding ligands (by PROSECE software). Examination of different procedures for peak intensities determination applied on voltammograms with known preset values revealed that tangent fit (TF) routine should be avoided, as for both simulated and experimental titration data it produced an additional class of strong ligand (actually not present). Peak intensities determination by fitting of the whole voltammogram was found to be the most appropriate, as it provided most reliable complexation parameters.Tests performed on real seawater samples under different experimental conditions revealed that in addition to importance of proper peak intensities determination, an accumulation time (control of the sensitivity) and an equilibration time needed for complete complexation of added copper during titration (control of complexation kinetics) are the keypoints to obtain reliable results free of artefacts.The consequence of overestimation and underestimation of complexing parameters is supported and illustrated by the example of free copper concentrations (the most bioavailable/toxic specie) calculated for all studied cases. Errors up to 80% of underestimation of free copper concentration and almost two orders of magnitude overestimation of conditional stability constant were registered for the simulated case with two ligands.     

Highly sensitive electrochemical stripping detection of hepatitis B surface antigen based on copper-enhanced gold nanoparticle tags and magnetic nanoparticles

On the basis of copper-enhanced gold nanoparticle tags as an amplification approach, we introduced, in this paper, magnetic nanoparticles for further improving performance of electrochemical immunoassay by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at a glassy-carbon electrode. Due to the use of antibody-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles, the immunoreaction between antibody and antigen takes place in a homogeneous bulk solution phase. Compared with traditional solid interface reaction, the proposed strategy can provide some advantages such as easy of separation, shorter analytical time, wider linear range, and lower detection limit. It was also successfully applied to HBsAg determination in a linear range of 0.1-1500 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 87 pg mL⁻¹. The proposed analytical strategy holds good selectivity, sensitivity and repeatability and also great promise for the extended application in the fields of clinical diagnosis, bio-affinity assay and environmental monitoring.     

Synthesis, H- or J-type aggregations,electrochemistry and in situ spectroelectrochemistry of metal ion sensing lead(II) phthalocyanines

We report, in this study, peripherally 3- and 4-substituted functionalized ionophore ligands (1–3) and their α- and β-tetra polyalcohol substituted lead(II) phthalocyanines M{Pc[S–CH(C₃H₇)(C₂H₅OH)]₄} (7, 9 and 11) and M{Pc[S–C₆H₁₂(OH)]₄} (8, 10 and 12) which are a mixture of different isomers. The complexes have been fully characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS (MALDI-TOF) and UV–Vis spectral data. These complexes induced H-type (face-to-face fashion) or J-aggregate (edge-to-edge) dimers when titrated with AgNO₃ or Na₂PdCl₄ in a THF–MeOH solution. Cyclic and square wave voltammetry studies showed that the complexes gave three one-electron ligand-based reductions and two one-electron oxidation couples having diffusion controlled mass transfer character. Assignments of these redox couples were confirmed by spectroelectrochemical measurements. The observation of split Q bands, which are characteristic spectral behavior of metal-free phthalocyanines, indicates demetallization of the complexes during the spectroelectrochemical measurement under the applied potentials. The types of the substituents on the ring of the phthalocyanines affect the demetallization process of the complexes.     

Diffusion coefficients of metal acetylacetonates in supercritical carbon dioxide

Binary diffusion coefficients, D₁₂, of the metal acetylacetonates, palladium(II) acetylacetonate and cobalt(III) acetylacetonate, were measured from 308.2 to 343.2 K over the pressure range from 9 to 40 MPa at infinite dilution in supercritical carbon dioxide using the chromatographic impulse response method. The effects of pressure, temperature, density, and viscosity on D₁₂ values were examined. It was observed that the D₁₂ values of palladium(II) acetylacetonate and cobalt(III) acetylacetonate were larger than those of lipids with similar molecular weights, such as arachidonic acid and monoolein, respectively. Furthermore, the measured D₁₂ data of each metal acetylacetonate were well correlated by the hydrodynamic equation D₁₂/T as a function of carbon dioxide viscosity.     

Magnetic properties of MgO-based RE-TM perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

We fabricated a series of perpendicularly magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs) of the structures Si/Ti/GdCoFe/Mg(0 or 0.4 nm)/MgO(x)/Mg(0 or 0.4 nm)/TbCoFe/Ti with various MgO barrier thicknesses. The effect of inserting Mg layers was investigated through high resolution transmission electron microscopy and hysteresis loop measurement. Experimental results show that for the case of thinner MgO barrier (1.0 nm) the insertion of Mg layers on both sides can help crystallization of MgO. For thicker MgO layer (2.0 nm) the interfaces were improved with the Mg insertion and led to the increase of coercivity and loop squareness. The results of annealing treatment show that the insertion of Mg layers can assist the junctions in keeping perpendicular anisotropy at higher annealing temperature.     

Relations of electronic energies and magnetic moments of tetra-3d metal (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) nitrides calculated using a plane-wave basis method

Geometrical optimization of tetra-3d metal nitrides (Mn₄N, Fe₄N, Co₄N, and Ni₄N) has been performed and the relations of their energies (E) and their total magnetic moments (M) are obtained by plane-wave-basis density-functional calculations without any assumption of specific spin arrangement. The E vs. M relations obtained for Fe₄N and Mn₄N have a bimodal character. The ground state of Fe₄N is a high-spin state, which would correspond to the ferromagnetic character, while that of Mn₄N is a low-spin state, which would correspond to the observed ferrimagnetic character. Lattice constants and total magnetic moments of these tetra-3d metal nitrides are almost accurately predicted. From the spin-polarized densities of states curves, Co₄N would have the largest spin polarization ratio of 0.88, which suggests Co₄N can be a candidate material for ferromagnetic electrodes for spin-injection.     

Effects of oxygen vacancy on adhesion of incoherent metal/oxide interface by first-principles calculations

We investigate effects of oxygen vacancies on adhesion behavior of incoherent Ni/MgO(0 0 1) interface with large misfit, based on the density functional theory. We demonstrate that oxygen vacancies at any local atomic configuration of the incoherent geometry enhance the image-chargelike interaction between the ions in MgO and the ion-induced images in Ni, and stabilize adhesion of the Ni/MgO(0 0 1) interface. The adhesion energy of the defective interface is remarkably larger than that of the perfect interface. We also show that force constants of the adhesive interactions near the oxygen vacancies are comparable to the Ni-Mg bond at the perfect interface. The vacancy-induced enhancement of the image electron accumulation hardly contributes to the interfacial stiffness, while it is reduced by losing the covalent Ni-O interaction due to an ontop oxygen vacancy.