Rotational dependences of line half-widths for CO and CO2 confined in SiO2/Al2O3 xerogel

The absorption spectra of CO and CO₂ confined in nanopores of SiO₂/Al₂O₃ xerogel have been measured using a Bruker IFS-125 HR Fourier spectrometer. Dependences of the half-width values on rotational quantum numbers and the line shift mean values are studied and compared with the data available in literature. Possible causes which can affect the rotational dependences are discussed.     

SiO2 Xerogel: A Suitable Inert Support for Microbial Growth

A silica xerogel was prepared at pH 2 by the hydrolysis-condensation reactions of the sol-gel method. Silica xerogel was used as a support for the growth of two filamentous fungi: Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium A594. In both cases, an apparent abundant mycelia growth (5.5 mg biomass/g dry xerogel and 4.7 mg biomass/g dry xerogel respectively) was observed. A phase of rapid consumption of glucose which lasted until 96 h of culture with sugar consumption rate of 0.075 mg sugar/g support h and 0.042 mg sugar/g support h respectively, was also observed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a superficial colonisation of both strains even in the occasional imperfections and crevices of the xerogel. This novel application of sol-gel metallic oxide systems suggests the potential use of an inert and versatile support which could be valuable, for example for solid state fermentation fundamental studies.     

Strong Fluorescent Smart Organogel as a Dual Sensing Material for Volatile Acid and Organic Amine Vapors

An L ‐phenylalanine derivative ( C12PhBPCP ) consisting of a strong emission fluorophore with benzoxazole and cyano groups is designed and synthesized to realize dual responses to volatile acid and organic amine vapors. The photophysical properties and self‐assembly of the said derivative in the gel phase are also studied. C12PhBPCP can gelate organic solvents and self‐assemble into 1 D nanofibers in the gels. UV/Vis absorption spectral results show H‐aggregate formation during gelation, which indicates strong exciton coupling between fluorophores. Both wet gel and xerogel emit strong green fluorescence because the cyano group suppresses fluorescence quenching in the self‐assemblies. Moreover, the xerogel film with strong green fluorescence can be used as a dual chemosensor for quantitative detection of volatile acid and organic amine vapors with fast response times and low detection limits owing to its large surface area and amplified fluorescence quenching. The detection limits are 796 ppt and 25 ppb for gaseous aniline and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), respectively.     

Influence of Sol-Gel Synthesis Parameters on the Microstructure of Particulate Silica Xerogels

The influence of key sol-gel synthesis parameters on the pore structure of microporous silica xerogels was investigated. The silica xerogels were prepared using an acid-catalyzed aqueous sol-gel process, with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the silicon-containing precursor. At high H2O : TEOS ratios, sols synthesized at pH 2–3 yielded minimum values of mean micropore diameter and micropore volume. Analysis of the resulting Type I nitrogen adsorption isotherms and the equilibrium adsorption of N(C4F9)3 indicated micropore diameters for these xerogels of less than approximately 10 Å.Xerogel micropore volumes corresponding to sols prepared at pH 3 and an H2O : TEOS ratio of r = 83 were consistent with nearly close packing of silica spheres in the xerogel. Xerogel microstructure was only weakly dependent upon H2O : TEOS ratio during sol synthesis for r > 10. Xerogel micropore volume increased rapidly with sol aging time during an initial induction period of particle formation. However, the xerogel microstructure changed only slowly with time after this initial period, suggesting potential processing advantages for the particulate sol-gel route to porous silica materials.Surface adsorption properties of the silica xerogels were investigated at ambient temperature using N2, SF6, and CO2. CO2 adsorbed most strongly, SF6 also showed measurable adsorption, and N2 adsorption was nearly zero. These results were consistent with the surface transport of CO2, and to a lesser extent SF6, observed in gas permeation studies performed through thin membrane films cast from similarly prepared silica sols.     

Synthesis of VO2 (B) nanorods for Li battery application

Vanadium dioxide nanorods were synthesized through a hydrothermal reaction from V₂O₅ xerogel, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄). The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical discharge–charge cycling in lithium battery. SEM images reveal the nanorods to have dimensions on the order of 1–3 μm in length and 10–50 nm in diameter. The measured initial discharge capacity of the lithium battery with a cathode made of VO₂ (B) nanorods was 152 mA h/g.     

含有3H-苯并吡喃-2-酮骨架化合物的液晶性和凝胶性能研究

在化合物1-n凝胶性能研究结果的基础上,对其化学结构进行了修饰,在烷氧链一侧增加了1个苯环,从而合成了4-烷氧基-双苯基-4′-羧酸酯(4-alkoxy-biphenyl-4′-carboxy-lates,2-n）化合物。 研究了化合物2-n的液晶性和凝胶性能,与化合物1-n相比,化合物2-n显示互变的向列相,并且能够同多种有机溶剂形成凝胶。 测试了凝胶剂在各种溶剂中的临界凝胶浓度。 扫描电子显微镜观察结果表明,干凝胶呈纤维状三维网络结构。 在凝胶的形成中,由于3H-苯并吡喃-2-酮衍生物的内酯骨架具有较大的宽度和偶极矩,因而引起偶极作用。 偶极作用是3H-苯并吡喃-2-酮衍生物具有凝胶性能的原因。     

Hybrid materials based on vanadium pentoxide intercalation complexes

Neutral macrocyclic compounds (crown ethers and cryptands) and charged molecular species (alkylammonium iodides) were intercalated into vanadium oxide xerogel (V₂O₅ · nH₂O) to study their influence on the electrical behaviour of this inorganic 2D host lattice. Treatment with alkyl or arylammonium iodide solutions produced the intercalation of organic cations accompanied by the reduction of a fraction of V (V) to V (IV). Characterisation by different techniques allowed the postulation of the interlayer arrangement of the guest species. The study of electrical behaviour at different temperatures indicated that the properties of the hybrid materials can be mainly related to the nature of guest species, the degree of host lattice reduction, the interlayer water content, and the␣presence of metal ions deliberately introduced in the system. Received: 23 January 2001 Accepted: 5 April 2001     

Organically modified xerogels as supports for solid-phase chemistry

Organically modified xerogels (OMX_NH2) can be used as an easy to handle and chemically stable support in solid-phase chemistry and are compatible with enzymatic transformations.     

Synthesis of Alumina and Silica-Containing Alumina Xerogel Hosts

Using the sol-gel process, we prepared two types of xerogels. Thin, transparent, crack-free alumina disks were prepared from aluminum tri-secondary butoxide (ASB). Addition of partially hydrolyzed tetraethylortho-silicate (TEOS) to such alumina sols produced translucent, warped silica-containing alumina xerogels. While the pure alumina xerogels were water soluble, addition of silica improved their durability. To understand the change in water solubility, we investigated the chemical and structural changes that occurred when silica was added. Characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal analysis, nitrogen sorption analysis and ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy.     

New polyfunctional silicon-containing amines C6[CH2CH2SiMe(OCH2CH2NR2)2]6 (R = H,Me) and their reactions with cobalt(ii) chloride and dicobalt octacarbonyl

Hexakis[bis(2-aminoethoxy)methylsilylethyl]benzene and hexakis[bis(N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethoxy)methylsilylethyl]benzene C₆[(NR₂CH₂CH₂O)₂SiMeCH₂CH₂]₆ (4, R = H; 5, R = Me) were prepared from hexakis(methyldichlorosilylethyl)benzene C₆(Cl₂MeSiCH₂CH₂)₆ and 2-aminoethanol or N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethanol, respectively. Compounds 4 and 5 react with anhydrous cobalt (ii) chloride to give poorly soluble dodecachloro{hexakis[bis(2-aminoethoxy)methylsilylethyl]benzene}hexacobalt and dodecachloro{hexakis[bis(N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethoxy)methylsilylethyl]benzene}hexacobalt {Co₆[(NR₂CH₂CH₂O)₂SiMeCH₂CH₂]₆C₆}Cl₁₂ (R = H or Me), respectively. Polyfunctional amine 4 reacts with dicobalt octacarbonyl to produce hexakis[bis(2-aminoethoxy)methylsilylethyl]benzenedicobalt(ii) tetrakis(tetracarbonylcobaltate) {Co₂[(NH₂CH₂CH₂O)₂SiMeCH₂CH₂]₆C₆}[Co(CO)₄]₄. N,N-Dimethyl-substituted polyfunctional amine 5 is lowly reactive in the reaction with Co₂(CO)₈, whereas the simplest model of this compound, viz., bis(N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethoxy)dimethylsilane (NMe₂CH₂CH₂O)₂SiMe₂, slowly reacts with Co₂(CO)₈ to give tris[bis(N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethoxy)dimethylsilane]cobalt(ii) bis(tetracarbonylcobaltate) {Co[(NMe₂CH₂CH₂O)₂SiMe₂]₃}[Co(CO)₄]₂. Thermal decomposition and transformations of the resulting complexes under the action of oxygen and water were studied.