Textural,structural and catalytic behavior of low specific area silica-supported copper catalysts: effect of preparation method

Supported copper catalysts on low surface area silica were prepared by several methods and characterized by AAS, XRD, N₂ adsorption, SEM, H₂-TPR, N₂O titration, TGA-DTA, UV–Vis techniques. Their hydrogenating properties were examined in the gas-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde. The analysis of characterization results revealed that the choice of preparation method affected the texture, composition, and structure of the calcined and reduced Cu/SiO₂ catalysts. The dispersion and size distribution of copper species was present in different forms in the catalysts that exhibited low specific surface areas. In gas-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde to benzyl alcohol, the catalysts tested at the reaction temperatures of 160 and 200 °C were stable and conducted to a good catalytic activity and benzyl alcohol selectivity ranging between 5 and 39 µmol min^?1 g^?1 and 0–95%, respectively. The activity of the catalysts in gas-phase hydrogenation also depended on the particle size and the nature of copper species formed on low surface area silica.     

Design of a New Non‐enzymatic Sensor Based on a Substituted A2BO4+δ Perovskite for the Voltammetric Detection of Glucose

Instant determination of glucose levels is necessary to monitor the treatment of diabetes. The next generation of electrochemical sensors aims to eliminate the use of enzymes because of their lack of stability and the complex procedure to immobilize them on the electrode. In this paper Pr_1.92Ba_0.08Ni0.₉₅Zn_0.05O_4+δ perovskite, a A₂BO_4+δ type, was tested, for the first time for non enzymatic detection of glucose. It was synthesized by a sol‐gel method. The obtained crystallized powder was structurally characterized by XRD, morphologically characterized by SEM and EDX and electrochemically characterized. A monoclinic crystallographic system was formed. The presence of Pr₂O₃ during synthesis and calcination is in agreement with the formation of defects in the crystalline network and the disproportionation of Ni^III sites into Ni^II and Ni^IV, due to the substitution of Pr by Ba. The oxido‐reduction of Ni^II sites is observed by cyclic voltammetry. The electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose through the electrooxidized Ni^II site was observed on a gold electrode, at 481 mV. The analytical performance of this glucose sensor is good in comparison to previously published ABO₃ perovskite modified electrodes, in terms of dynamic range (1.5 μM–7000 μM) and detection limit (0.5 μM). Its application to human serum shows that there is no interference for glucose detection.     

Synthesis and characterization of Mg–M (M: Al,Fe, Cr) layered double hydroxides and their application in the hydrogenation of benzaldehyde

Layered double hydroxides or hydrotalcite-like compounds with different kinds of metal ions (Mg–Al, Mg–Fe and Mg–Cr) in the brucite-like sheets were prepared by a co-precipitation method with Mg/M³⁺ molar ratio of ~2. The hydrotalcites were characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, temperature programmed reduction, SEM microscopy, and specific surface area measurements. The activity is evaluated for benzaldehyde reaction. The selectivity to benzyl alcohol is always 90 % even though benzaldehyde conversion depends on the nature of the metal active phase and reaction conditions.     

Selective gas-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde in the presence of Ni-, Co- and Fe-doped BaCuO2 delafossites: effect of metal substituent on the production of benzyl alcohol

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Delafossite mixed metal oxides of the form BaCuO2 and BaCu1M1?xO2 (M?=?Ni, Fe and Co) were successfully synthesized following a sol–gel...     

An enzyme biosensor based on beta-galactosidase inhibition for electrochemical detection of cadmium (II) and chromium (VI)

The focus of this article is the development and optimisation of a simple, sensitive, selective biosensor for the detection of heavy metals, through inhibition of β-galactosidase (β-gal) from Aspergillus oryzae after its immobilisation on an electrochemical transducer by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The inhibition of β-gal by Cd(II) and Cr(VI) was demonstrated by the decrease of β-gal activity monitored by the conductometric signal. Under optimal conditions, the developed voltammetric and impedimetric biosensor, based on the specific interaction of metallic ions with beta-galactosidase that increases the electron transfer of the redox probe, presented a wide range of linearity. Detection limits of 3.12 × 10^–10 M (91.7 ng/L) were obtained, using both techniques, for Cr(VI). For Cd(II) detection limits were 2.85 × 10^–8 M (6.95 µg/L) using EIS and 3.22 × 10^–11 M (7.61 ng/L) using square wave voltammetry (SWV).