Alkaline oxygen evolution: exploring synergy between fcc and hcp cobalt nanoparticles entrapped in N-doped graphene

Herein, we report a Mott-Schottky catalyst by entrapping cobalt nanoparticles inside the N-doped graphene shell (Co@NC). The Co@NC delivered excellent oxygen evolution activity with an overpotential of merely 248 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^–2 with promising long-term stability. The importance of Co encapsulated in NC has further been demonstrated by synthesizing Co nanoparticles without NC shell. The synergy between the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) Co plays a major role to improve the OER activity, whereas the NC shell optimizes the electronic structure, improves the electron conductivity, and offers a large number of active sites in Co@NC. The density functional theory calculations have revealed that the hcp Co has a dominant role in the surface reaction of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution, whereas the fcc phase induces the built-in electric field at the interfaces with N-doped graphene to accelerate the H⁺ ion transport.     

57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic study of (25−x)MnO–xZnO–15Fe2O3–60B2O3 glasses

The ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer technique has been used to investigate the effect of zinc oxide substitution in (25???x)MnO–xZnO–15Fe₂O₃–60B₂O₃ glass system (x?=?0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mol% of ZnO ). Mössbauer absorption spectra for all the samples recorded at room temperature suggest the existence of the two paramagnetic quadrupole doublets. The observed variations in hyperfine parameters have been explained on the basis of cations distribution and exchange interaction at the lattice sites and it is concluded that B–B interaction increases while the metal–metal interaction decreases due to replacement of manganese oxide by zinc oxide. These results suggest that the present glass system exhibits a paramagnetic behaviour that changes towards the weak paramagnetic when manganese oxide was replaced with zinc oxide.     

Stabilization of valence fluctuations in the cerium solid by the time-dependent collision approach

The collision-generated hybridization which has been found responsible for the on-site mixing of the atomic-likef-state and the band-liked states in mixed valence solids has been studied for the cerium solid. A practical expression which depends on the lattice constant and temperature has been obtained for the collision-generated hybridization. Numerical calculations show that the valence varies continuously with lattice constant and that temperature makes the transition smoother. The collision-generated hybridization is found to be of significant strength in the intermediate valence regime; but over a wide range of the valence near 3.5 it varies rather slowly without preferring a particular valence. Factors which can assist the collision-generated hybridization in stabilizing the mixed valence phase at a particular lattice constant are discussed.     

Electrical breakdown of anodic aluminum oxide

Results are presented from a study of electrical breakdown of anodic aluminum oxide in a constant field with a platinum pressure electrode. Statistical breakdown parameters and their dependence on the magnitude and polarity of the applied voltage are obtained. Field and temperature dependences of breakdown delay time over the interval 10^–6–10³ sec are determined. It is shown that the experimental (E) curves can be rectified (in two segments) in the coordinates log E^–1. This indicates a possible contribution to the breakdown mechanism by both tunnel injection of electrons from the cathode and subsequent avalanche multiplication of electrons within the dielectric.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 25–29, April, 1990.In conclusion, the authors thank T. V. Shmidt and E. Ya. Khanin for assistance in the study.     

Mechanism of the formation of complexes of trimethylchlorosilane with some nitrogen donors in nitrobenzene

Reactions of trimethylchlorosilane (Me ₃SiCl) with some nitrogen donors viz. pyridine, 2-, 3- and 4-picolines, quinoline and isoquinoline in nitrobenzene have been studied conductometrically. The conductivities of the solutions during these reactions have been interpreted in terms of the formation of (Me ₃Si.D)⁺, (Me ₃SiCl₂)^? andMe ₃SiCl.D (D=N-donor molecule) species.