Modeling of H2 and H2/CH4 Moderate-Pressure Microwave Plasma Used for Diamond Deposition

One-dimensional transport models of moderate-pressure H ₂ and H ₂ /CH ₄ plasmas obtained in a diamond deposition microwave reactor are presented. These models describe the plasma as a thermochemically nonequilibrium flow with three different energy modes. The solution of the one-dimensional plasma transport equations enabled the estimation of plasma species concentrations and temperatures on the axis of the reactor. As far as pure H ₂ plasmas are concerned, results showed that the model predictions of gas and vibration temperatures are in good agreement with experimental measurements. The model also yields a relatively good qualitative prediction of the variations of H-atom mole fraction with the power density absorbed by the plasma. The results obtained for H ₂ /CH ₄ discharges showed that the model prediction on the variations of H-atom mole fraction with methane percentage in the discharge is in good qualitative agreement with experimental results. They also showed that methane is rapidly converted to acetylene before reaching the discharge zone. The concentrations of neutral hydrocarbon species in the reactor are mainly governed by thermal chemistry. The addition of methane strongly affects the ionization kinetics of the plasma. Three major ions are generally obtained in H ₂ /CH ₄ plasmas: C ₂ H ₂ ⁺ , C ₂ H ₃ ⁺ , and C ₂ H ₅ ⁺ . The relative predominance of these ions depends on the considered plasma region and on the discharge conditions. The ionic species concentrations are also mainly governed by chemistry, except very near the substrate surface. Finally the use of this transport model along with the surface chemistry model of Goodwin ⁽¹⁾ enabled us to estimate the diamond growth rate for several discharge conditions.     

Zinc-catalyzed Williamson ether synthesis in the absence of base

Zinc powder was found to be a highly efficient catalyst for the synthesis of aromatic ethers using microwave heating in the presence of N,N-dimethylformamide as well as under stirring in an oil-bath using tetrahydrofuran as solvent without any inorganic base. This method can be used for selective mono-, di- or tri-O-alkylations.     

Diamond paste-based electrodes for determination of Cr(III) in pharmaceutical compounds

A new class of monocrystalline diamond paste-based electrodes is proposed for the determination of chromium(III) at trace levels in vitamins. Three types of monocrystalline diamond—natural diamond 1 (natural diamond), synthetic diamond 50 (synthetic-1), and synthetic diamond 1 (synthetic-2)—were used for electrode construction. The linear concentration ranges are between 10^–10 and 10^–8; 10^–9 and 10^–7, and 10^–10 to 10^–8 mol L^–1, with limits of detection of 10^–12, 10^–12, and 10^–11 mol L^–1, when natural diamond, synthetic-1, and synthetic-2, respectively, are used as electrode materials. For electrodes based on natural diamond and synthetic-1 it was found that Cr(III) yields a peak at about +0.275±0.015 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) within a predetermined positive potential range situated between +0.4 and +0.2 V, while for the electrode based on synthetic-2 the peaks are found at +0.300±0.015 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The proposed method is reliable for the determination of chromium(III) at trace levels in two vitamin tablets (RSD<0.2%).     

Catalytic Active Site for NO Decomposition Elucidated by Surface Science and Real Catalyst

Comprehensive studies combining surface science and real catalyst were performed to get further insight into catalytic active site and reaction mechanism for NO decomposition over supported palladium and cobalt oxide-based catalysts. On palladium single-crystal model catalysts, adsorption, dissociation and desorption behavior of NO was found to be closely related to the surface structures, the stepped surface palladium being active for dissociation of NO. In accordance with this result, the activity of powder Pd/Al₂O₃ catalysts for NO decomposition was directly related to the number of step sites exposed on the surface, suggesting that the step sites act as the catalytic active site for NO decomposition on Pd/Al₂O₃. NO decomposition over cobalt oxide was found to be significantly promoted by addition of alkali metals. Surface science study and catalyst characterization led to the same conclusion that the interface between the alkali metal and Co₃O₄ serves as the catalytic active site. From the results of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and isotopic transient kinetic analysis, a reaction mechanism was proposed in which the reaction is initiated by NO adsorption onto alkali metals to form NO₂⁻ species and then NO₂⁻ species react with the adsorbed NO species to form N₂ over the interface between the alkali metal and Co₃O₄.     

The Crystal Structure of Trimethyl Borate by Neutron and X‐ray Powder Diffraction

The crystal structure of one of the simplest organoboron compounds, trimethyl borate does not appear to have been determined hitherto. The compound is of interest for the study of π‐donor ligands and their interaction with the π‐acceptor behavior of trigonal boron and the consequences of such interactions on molecular structure. We used powder neutron (with isotopically labeled material) and X‐ray diffraction to determine the crystal structure of trimethyl borate at 15 K and 200 K (neutron) and 200 K (X‐ray). The material is hexagonal (Z = 2) with a = b = 6.950(8) Å and c = 6.501(3) Å at 15 K. The unit cell volume is 272.00(1) ų. The space group is P6₃/m (SG 176) at 15 K and 200 K. This is the first crystal structure solved on the Neutron Powder Diffractometer (NPDF) at the Lujan Center.     

掺硼多晶金刚石膜的电化学性能研究

采用EACVD(Electron Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition)方法制备了掺硼金刚石膜, 并用扫描电镜、拉曼光谱及霍尔效应等测试方法对其表面形貌、生长特性、载流子浓度以及导电性能进行了分析. 测试结果表明, 掺硼金刚石膜是由微米级晶粒组成的多晶膜, 其载流子浓度为4.88×1020 cm-3, 电阻率为0.03 Ω·cm, 是高品质金刚石膜. 用该金刚石膜制作电化学电极, 利用循环伏安法分别测量了金刚石膜电极在氯化钾空白底液、亚铁氰化钾溶液和左旋半胱氨酸溶液中的循环伏安曲线, 发现该金刚石膜电极在水溶液中具有宽的电化学窗口(约为3.7 V)和接近零的背景电流, 在生物制剂的检测中具有很高的灵敏度和良好的稳定性, 是一种理想的电化学电极材料.     

Selective Detection of Dopamine and Its Metabolite,DOPAC, in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid Using Diamond Electrode Modified by the Polymer Film

The surface of boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode is modified by the polymer film for the first time. The cationic polymer film of N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) is electrochemically deposited on BDD electrode surface. This polymer (PDMA) film‐coated BDD electrode is used as a sensor which selectively detect dopamine (DA) in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). This electrode also can detect both DA and its metabolite, 3,4‐dihydroxy phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) in the presence of AA in the range of the physiological concentrations of these species. Favorable ionic interaction (i.e., electrostatic attraction) between the PDMA film and AA or DOPAC lowers their oxidation potentials and enhances the current response for AA and DOPAC compared to that at the bare electrode. The PDMA film also shows a hydrophobic interaction with DA and DOPAC. In cyclic voltammetric measurements, the PDMA film‐coated electrode can successfully separate the oxidation potentials for AA and DA coexisting in the same solution and the separation is about 200 mV. AA oxidizes at more negative potential than DA. In square‐wave voltammetry, the sensitivity of the PDMA film‐coated BDD electrode for DA in the presence of higher concentration of AA is higher than that of the PDMA film‐coated glassy carbon electrode. The hydrodynamic amperometric experiments confirm that the oxidation of AA is not affected by the oxidized product of DA and vice versa. So, unlike the bare electrode the catalytic oxidation of AA by the oxidized DA is eliminated at the PDMA film‐coated BDD electrode. The sensitivities of the modified electrode for AA, DA and DOPAC, which are present in the same solution with their physiological concentration ratios, are calculated to be 0.070, 0.363 and 0.084 μA μM^?1, respectively. The modified electrode exhibits a stable and sensitive response to DA.     

Synthesis of non-equilibrium PtxOs1−x Solid solutions. Crystal structure of [Pt(NH3)4][OsCl6]

Several non-equilibrium solid solutions belonging to the platinum-osmium systems Os_0.9Pt_0.1, Os_0.8Pt_0.2, Os_0.5Pt_0.5, Os_0.7Pt_0.3, Os_0.75Pt_0.25 are prepared and studied. The thermal decomposition of [Pt(NH₃)₄][OsCl₆] in the hydrogen and helium atmosphere is investigated. It is found that the Pt_0.5Os_0.5 solid solution develops through the formation of (NH₄)₂[OsCl₆] and a metallic phase based on Pt. The crystal structure of a double complex salt [Pt(NH₃)₄][OsCl₆] is studied (X8-APEX Bruker, 1508 independent reflections, R = 2.04%). Crystal data for PtOsN₄Cl₆H₁₂ are: a = 11.6216(5) Å, b = 11.0016(5) Å, c = 10.3819(5) Å, V = 1327.4(1) ų, space group Cmca, Z = 4, d _x = 3.333 g/cm₃. The coordination polyhedron around Os is octahedral: 〈Os-Cl〉 2.357 Å, ∠Cl-Os-Cl 89.5–90.5°, while around Pt it is square-planar: Pt-N 2.046 Å, ∠ N-Pt-N 89.59° and 90.41°.     

纳米级TiO2粉体的制备研究——Ⅱ.絮凝剂及其浓度的影响

采用溶胶-凝胶-超临界流体干燥(SCFD)法制备纳米级TiO₂超细粉，详细考察了不同絮凝剂及其浓度对TiO₂织构和结构性质的影响。结果表明，利用强碱溶液作为絮凝剂，浓度为5 mol·L^-1是制备大孔高比表面TiO₂超细粉较为适宜的条件。     

Untersuchungen im System LaI2/H2: Phasenverhältnisse und Fehlordnung

Investigation of the LaI₂/H₂ System: Phase Relations and Stacking Disorder Heating of LaI₂ under 1 bar hydrogen pressure to 650 °C leads to light gray LaI₂H_0.95(3), accompanied by a structural change from tetragonal to hexagonal. Sharp reflections in the XRD pattern can be indexed in P6₃/mmc with a = 4.2158(7)Å and c = 15.508(3)Å, however, diffuse reflections indicate the presence of stacking faults in the structure, which correspond to a polytypic intergrowth of MoS₂ and NbS₂ type structural fragments. Increasing the reaction temperature to 730 °C results in a better defined diffraction pattern with the peak positions close to those of the 2H‐NbS₂ structure type. An X‐ray powder study of the samples LaI₂H_n proved the miscibility gap between LaI₂ and LaI₂H_n (0 ≤ n ≤ 0.5) in agreement with previous results. With decreasing H‐content of the homogeneous phase the lattice parameters change in opposite direction, a increasing to 4.236(1)Å and c decreasing to 15.39(2)Å for the lower limit.