Chemical versus Electrochemical Synthesis of Carbon Nano‐onion/Polypyrrole Composites for Supercapacitor Electrodes

The development of high‐surface‐area carbon electrodes with a defined pore size distribution and the incorporation of pseudo‐active materials to optimize the overall capacitance and conductivity without destroying the stability are at present important research areas. Composite electrodes of carbon nano‐onions (CNOs) and polypyrrole (Ppy) were fabricated to improve the specific capacitance of a supercapacitor. The carbon nanostructures were uniformly coated with Ppy by chemical polymerization or by electrochemical potentiostatic deposition to form homogenous composites or bilayers. The materials were characterized by transmission‐ and scanning electron microscopy, differential thermogravimetric analyses, FTIR spectroscopy, piezoelectric microgravimetry, and cyclic voltammetry. The composites show higher mechanical and electrochemical stabilities, with high specific capacitances of up to about 800 F g^?1 for the CNOs/SDS/Ppy composites (chemical synthesis) and about 1300 F g^?1 for the CNOs/Ppy bilayer (electrochemical deposition).     

Small Noncytotoxic Carbon Nano‐Onions: First Covalent Functionalization with Biomolecules

Small carbon nano‐onions (CNOs, 6–8 shells) were prepared in high yield and functionalized with carboxylic groups by chemical oxidation. After functionalization these nanostructures were soluble in aqueous solutions. 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2 tetrazolium (MTS) tests showed excellent cytocompatibility of all CNOs analyzed at 30 and 300 μg mL^?1, so these carbon nanostructures can be safely used for biological applications. The first covalent functionalization of oxidized CNOs (ox‐CNOs) with biomolecules, by using biotin–avidin interactions is reported here. Multilayers were prepared on a gold surface by layer‐by‐layer assembly and the process was monitored by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Covalent binding of molecules to the short amine‐terminated organosulfur monolayers was assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using total attenuated reflactance mode (FT‐IR/HATR).     

Preparation and Characterization of Carbon Nano‐Onion/PEDOT:PSS Composites

Composites of unmodified or oxidized carbon nano‐onions (CNOs/ox‐CNOs) with poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are prepared with different compositions. By varying the ratio of PEDOT:PSS relative to CNOs, CNO/PEDOT:PSS composites with various PEDOT:PSS loadings are obtained and the corresponding film properties are studied as a function of the polymer. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization is performed for pristine and ox‐CNO samples. The composites are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry studies. The electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites are determined and compared. Doping the composites with carbon nanostructures significantly increases their mechanical and electrochemical stabilities. A comparison of the results shows that CNOs dispersed in the polymer matrices increase the capacitance of the CNO/PEDOT:PSS and ox‐CNO/PEDOT:PSS composites.     

Determination of tin in environmental samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Summary Methods for the determination of total Sn in environmental samples (waters, animal tissue, plant material, sediments and coal fly ash), by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have been developed and evaluated.Noble metals (Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Rh) under reducing conditions were studied as matrix modifiers for the determination of Sn by GFAAS. The maximum ashing temperature (1400°C), highest sensitivity and the best absolute detection limit (4 pg) were achieved when Pd was used in the presence of hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The achievable sensitivity depended strongly on the chemical composition of the matrix.Both GFAAS and ICP-MS appeared to be equally sensitive techniques for the direct determination of Sn in waters, though ICP-MS was a more convenient and sensitive technique for the determination of Sn in digested biological and geological materials.

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Bestimmung von Zinn in Umweltproben durch Graphitrohr-AAS und ICP-MS

     

Ionen-Einfang bei der kationischen Polymerisation

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Zinc-catalyzed cycloisomerizations. Synthesis of substituted furans and furopyrimidine nucleosides

5-Endo-dig cycloisomerization of 1,4- and 1,2,4- mostly aryl-substituted but-3-yn-1-ones in the presence of a catalytic amount of zinc chloride etherate (10 mol %) in dichloromethane at room temperature gave 2,5-di- and 2,3,5-trisubstituted furans in high yields (85-97%). DSC studies confirmed that a solely thermal process does not take place. A relevant catalytic process, employing mu-oxo-tetranuclear zinc cluster Zn4(OCOCF3)6O, yielded bicyclic furopyrimidine nucleosides, when starting from acetyl-protected 5-alkynyl-2'-deoxyuridines (85-86%). Furopyrimidine was deprotected or simultaneously converted into pyrrolopyrimidine nucleoside. The time/concentration dependence for the reaction of 1-phenyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)butynone to 2-(4-methylphenyl)-5-phenylfuran displayed first-order kinetics with the rate dependent on catalyst concentration. The plot of ln k(obs) versus ln[ZnCl2] indicated first-order cycloisomerization, as referred to ZnCl2 concentration, using both NMR and UV-vis reaction monitoring. The crystal structure of propyl furopyrimidine nucleoside (orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a/b/c = 5.684(2)/6.682(2)/36.02(2) A, Z = 4) shows C2'- endo deoxyribose puckering, and the base is found in the anti position in crystalline form.