Photocatalytic Synthesis of Oxygenates from Gaseous CO2 and CH4 over Semiconductor

Photoinduced synthesis of CO2 and CH4 was investigated using a batch reaction system on several photoactive materials supported on silicon dioxide. Single semiconductor showed higher selectivity to C1 compounds. The production of C2-C3 oxygenates took place preferentially on composite semiconductor photocatalysts. In particular, it was found that acetone was the primary product over Cu/CdS-TiO2/SiO2.     

Gradient‐enhanced one‐dimensional pulse schemes for quaternary and methylene carbon detection

Gradient‐enhanced pulse schemes are presented for the detection of quaternary and methylene carbons. The new pulse schemes permit the detection of quaternary and methylene (—CH₂) carbons or CH₂ carbons alone from a single experiment. Efficient suppression of CH and CH₃ carbons in all the pulse schemes is achieved by creating their antiphase magnetization and then dephasing using gradients. In the pulse schemes for detection of only CH₂ carbons, the quaternary carbons are also suppressed either by dephasing using gradients or by rendering them unobservable by retaining in longitudinal order. The experimental results of the gradient pulse schemes are demonstrated on cholesteryl acetate and cyclosporin A. These one‐dimensional techniques, because of their simplicity and the ease of performing the experiments, can be important for routine chemical applications. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Alternating copolymerization of carbon dioxide and epoxide by manganese porphyrin: The first example of polycarbonate synthesis from 1-atm carbon dioxide

The first successful example of the formation of polycarbonate from 1-atm carbon dioxide and epoxide was demonstrated by the alternating copolymerization of carbon dioxide and epoxide with manganese porphyrin as a catalyst. The copolymerization of carbon dioxide and cyclohexene oxide with (porphinato)manganese acetate proceeded under the 1-atm pressure of carbon dioxide to give a copolymer with an alternating sequence. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3549–3555, 2003     

Thickness decrease of a grafted polyelectrolyte membrane exposed to shear flow

The effect of the shear flow on the thickness change of a polyelectrolyte membrane grafted onto a glass substrate was directly investigated with a flow cell combined with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The membrane thickness decreased proportionally to an increase in the shear stress of the flow when the shear rate exceeded a critical value of 1 s^?1. The higher the ionic strength was of the fluid, the greater the thinning effect was. The correlation between the critical shear rate and the relaxation of the polymer in the gel membrane was examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2808–2815, 2003     

同步辐射小角x射线散射方法研究由城市固体垃圾制备的活性炭

应用同步辐射小角x射线散射方法研究了由不同城市固体垃圾制备而成的活性炭的孔结构-结果发现利用木类、纸张、塑料这三类典型垃圾组分的热解残余物为原料制备中孔发达的活性炭是可行的-活性炭的形态和结构取决于垃圾热解残余物的组分和热解程度等因素- 关键词： 小角x射线散射 活性炭 分形维数 平均孔径     

CO_2 Reforming of CH_4 over Ni/CeO_2-ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 Prepared by Hydrothermal Synthesis Method

The Ni/CeO2-ZrO2-Al2O3 catalyst with different Al2O3 and NiO contents were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis method. The catalytic performance for CO2 reforming of CH4 reaction, the interaction among components and the relation between Ni content and catalyst surface basicity were investigated. Results show that the interaction between NiO and Al2O3 is stronger than that between NiO and CeO2-ZrO2.The addition of Al2O3 can prevent the formation of large metallic Ni ensembles, increase the dispersion of Ni, and improve catalytic activity, but excess Al2O3 causes the catalyst to deactivate easily. The interaction between NiO and CeO2 results in more facile reduction of surface CeO2. The existence of a small amount of metallic Ni can increase the number of basic sites. As metallic Ni may preferentially reside on the strong basic sites, increasing Ni content can weaken the catalyst basicity.     

On the dynamic electromechanical loading of dielectric elastomer membranes

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have received considerable attention recently due to large voltage-induced strains, which can be over 100%. Previously, a large deformation quasi-static model that describes the out-of-plane deformations of clamped diaphragms was derived. The numerical model results compare well with quasi-static experimental results for the same configuration. With relevance to dynamic applications, the time-varying response of initially planar dielectric elastomer membranes configured for out-of-plane deformations has not been reported until now. In this paper, an experimental investigation and analysis of the dynamic response of a dielectric elastomer membrane is reported. The experiments were conducted with prestretched DEAs fabricated from 0.5 mm thick polyacrylate films and carbon grease electrodes. The experiments covered the electromechanical spectrum by investigating membrane response due to (i) a time-varying voltage input and (ii) a time-varying pressure input, resulting in a combined electromechanical loading state in both cases. For the time-varying voltage experiments, the membrane had a prestretch of three and was passively inflated to various predetermined states, and then actuated. The pole strains incurred during the inflation were as high as 25.6%, corresponding to slightly less than a hemispherical state. On actuation, the membrane would inflate further, causing a maximum additional strain of 9.5%. For the time-varying pressure experiments, the prestretched membrane was inflated and deflated mechanically while a constant voltage was applied. The membrane was cycled between various predetermined inflation states, the largest of which was nearly hemispherical, which with an applied constant voltage of 3 kV corresponded to a maximum polar strain of 28%. The results from these experiments reveal that the response of the membrane is a departure from the classical dynamic response of continuum membrane structures. The dynamic response of the membrane is that of a damped system with specific deformation shapes reminiscent of the classical membrane mode shapes but without same-phase oscillation, that is to say all parts of the system do not pass through the equilibrium configuration at the same time. Of particular interest is the ability to excite these deformations through a varying electrical load at constant mechanical pressure.     

Modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by carboxy groups and determination of the degree of functionalization

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were modified by carboxy groups. Four independent methods for the determination of the degree of functionalization of the surface were proposed: ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, titrimetry, and fluorimetry. The first two methods show the total content of carboxy groups in the sample, and the latter two methods give information about the content of the surface groups only. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 291–295, February, 2008.