Enhancing the Water Stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐NH2 via Postsynthetic Modification

The resistance of metal–organic frameworks towards water is a very critical issue concerning their practical use. Recently, it was shown for microporous MOFs that the water stability could be increased by introducing hydrophobic pendant groups. Here, we demonstrate a remarkable stabilisation of the mesoporous MOF Al‐MIL‐101‐NH₂ by postsynthetic modification with phenyl isocyanate. In this process 86 % of the amino groups were converted into phenylurea units. As a consequence, the long‐term stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh in liquid water could be extended beyond a week. In water saturated atmospheres Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh decomposed at least 12‐times slower than the unfunctionalised analogue. To study the underlying processes both materials were characterised by Ar, N₂ and H₂O sorption measurements, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and chemical analysis as well as solid‐state NMR and IR spectroscopy. Postsynthetic modification decreased the BET equivalent surface area from 3363 to 1555 m² g^?1 for Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh and reduced the mean diameters of the mesopores by 0.6 nm without degrading the structure significantly and reducing thermal stability. In spite of similar water uptake capacities, the relative humidity‐dependent uptake of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh is slowed and occurs at higher relative humidity values. In combination with ¹H‐²⁷Al D ‐HMQC NMR spectroscopy experiments this favours a shielding mechanism of the Al clusters by the pendant phenyl groups and rules out pore blocking.     

Recent Progress on Nickel-Based Oxide/(Oxy)Hydroxide Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Developing clean and sustainable energies as alternatives to fossil fuels is in strong demand within modern society. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the efficiency-limiting process in plenty of key renewable energy systems, such as electrochemical water splitting and rechargeable metal–air batteries. In this regard, ongoing efforts have been devoted to seeking high-performance electrocatalysts for enhanced energy conversion efficiency. Apart from traditional precious-metal-based catalysts, nickel-based compounds are the most promising earth-abundant OER catalysts, attracting ever-increasing interest due to high activity and stability. In this review, the recent progress on nickel-based oxide and (oxy)hydroxide composites for water oxidation catalysis in terms of materials design/synthesis and electrochemical performance is summarized. Some underlying mechanisms to profoundly understand the catalytic active sites are also highlighted. In addition, the future research trends and perspectives on the development of Ni-based OER electrocatalysts are discussed.     

Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Microwave and Conventional Heated Almond Shells Using Phosphoric Acid Activation

Activated carbon production from almond shells using phosphoric acid activation agent was achieved by applying both conventional heating and microwave heating in succession. The morphology and surface properties of activated carbon were studied using thermogravimetric and differential gravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. A surface area of 1128 m²/g was achieved by optimizing the microwave power (500?W), microwave application time (15?minutes), conventional heating time (45?minutes), conventional heating temperature (500?°C), and the phosphoric acid:sample ratio (0.7:1). An adsorption capacity of methylene blue of 148?mg/g and an iodine value of 791?mg/g was obtained for the prepared activated carbon.     

Revealing and comparing different excited-state intramolecular proton transfer processes for 3-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-1-(4-fluoro-2-hydroxy-phenyl)-propenone and 3-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-1-(4-fluoro-2-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-propenon

Two novel 2′-hydroxychalcone derivatives (i.e., M1 and M2) are explored in this work. We mainly focus on investigating the effects of photoexcitation on hydrogen bonds and on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. On the basis of calculations of electrostatic potential surface and intramolecular interactions, we verify the formation of hydrogen bond O1 H2···O3 in both S₀ and S₁ states. Exploring the ultraviolet–visible spectra in the liquid phase, our simulated results reappear in the experimental phenomenon. Analyzing molecular geometry and infrared stretching vibrational spectra, we confirm O1 H2···O3 is strengthened for both M1 and M2 in the S₁ state. We further confirm that charge redistribution facilitates ESIPT tendency. Constructing potential energy curves, we find the ultrafast ESIPT behavior for M1, which is because of the deficiency of side hydroxyl moiety comparing with M2. This work makes a reasonable affiliation of the ESIPT mechanism for M1 and M2. We wish this paper could facilitate understanding these two novel systems and promote their applications.     

含气率对PTS时压力容器内流动与传热的影响

本文对反应堆压力容器紧急安注时的流动与传热特性在1/10的模型上进行了流动可视化、局部传热系数以及混合函数的试验研究。针对三个热冲击敏感区域的部分测点,比较了环腔流速为0.5m/s、安注流速为1～30 m/s时不同含气率对下降环腔内流动与传热特性的影响,得出并分析了不同测点传热系数、混合函数的变化规律。研究结果表明:随着含气率增大,安注流体与环腔流体的混合增强;下降环腔内的含气率对小安注流速时的流动与传热影响显著,而对大安注流速时影响较小。     

Character of the thermal motion of water molecules according to the data on quasielastic incoherent scattering of slow neutrons

The paper discusses the applicability of quasi-crystalline approximation to describing the thermal motion of water molecules in their normal and supercooled states. The problem is subjected to the critical analysis of experimental data on incoherent scattering of slow neutrons based on theories developed by Singwi-Sjolander [1] and Oskotsky [2] modified to duly take into account the limited applicability range of diffusion approximation. The applicability conditions of quasi-crystalline approximation are shown to be consistently satisfied only when water is in supercooled state and within a narrow temperature range above the melting temperature.     

双掺(Tm3+,Tb3+)LiYF4激光器1.5 μm波长激光阈值分析

由速率方程推出了双掺（Tm^3 ,Tb^3 ）离子准四能级系统的激光阈值解析式，讨论了Tm^3 和Tb^3 离子之间的相互作用。分析了1.5μm波长附近的激光阈值和Tm^3 、Tb^3 离子的掺杂原子数分数及晶体长度的关系。结果表明，对于对应Tm^3 离子^3H4→^3F4跃迁的约1.5μm波长的激光，激活离子Tm^3 的掺杂原子数分数过大时，交叉弛豫作用将使系统阈值迅速增加。Tb^3 离子的加入，一方面能抽空激光下能级，起到降低阈值的作用；另一方面亦减少了激光上能级的寿命，使阈值升高。故Tb^3 离子有最佳掺杂原子数分数。对于Tm原子数分数为y=0.01的Tm:LiYF4晶体，Tb^3 离子的最佳掺杂原子数分数为0.002左右，同时表明，激光阈值与晶体长度有关。最佳晶体长度与Tm^3 、Tb^3 离子的掺杂原子数分数以及晶体的衍射损耗和吸收损耗有关。     

Thermal gradient induced sidebranching in directional solidification

The polycrystalline perovskitelike manganese oxides La_1-xA_xMnO (A = Na, and K, ) have been fabricated by sol-gel technique. For all the compositions explored in this work, the average manganese oxidation state is practically constant, at for A = Na, and for A = K, respectively. A close relationship is confirmed to hold between the Curie temperature (T_c) and the bond distance of Mn-O. Results of magnetic measurements show that these materials can be utilized as suitable candidates for magnetic refrigerants with wide applied temperature span, for their significant entropy change and the easily tuned Curie temperature. Received: 12 September 1997 / Revised: 18 December 1997 / Accepted: 21 January 1998     

Studies on basicity of alkali metal catron exchanged β and X zeolites by pyrrole-IR spectroscopy

The strength of basic sites has been measured by pyrrole-IR on alkali metal cation exchanged β and X zeolites, as well as NaOH loaded Naβ. The influence of cation type and the structure of zeolites on their basicity has been studied. The acidic and basic properties of the samples were investigated by NH3-TPD and isopropanol reaction. It was shown that the strength of basic sites on samples could be characterized by the shift of vNH band in the pyrrole-IR spectra. The framework oxygen charges were calculated from the Sanderson electronegativity. The changes in basic properties with various alkali metal cation are consistent with the changes of local oxygen charges of the zeolite framework.