Thermodynamics of the Laminar Donnan System

Thermodynamic quantities of a polyelectroyte immersed in salt solution are derived modeling the polyelectrolyte by a sequence of charged parallel flat plates. The starting point for the analysis is the derivation of the Gibbs free enthalpy in its canonic variables pressure (p) and temperature (T), i.e., as a thermodynamic potential. From this, further thermodynamic quantities such as Helmoltz free energy, entropy, internal energy, compressibility, isobar and isochor heat capacities, and expansive force are derived in analytical expressions by differentiation. All these formulas contain the parameter plate surface charge density (sigma) that provides a measure of the discontinuity of the polymer charge distribution that can be used to fit the theory to experimental data. Thermodynamic quantities are also known from the classical Donnan equilibrium that treats the polyelectroyte charge network as a charge continuum. A limiting process is used to perform the transition from the laminar Poisson- Boltzmann model to the continuous Donnan equilibrium. In general, the expressions of the Donnan system are recovered for plate charge density sigma-->0, number of plates Z-->infinity, and sigma Z=constant. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

On the role of dissociative ionization in the formation of argon dimer ions

The formation of Ar ₂ ⁺ ions has been investigated by means of the threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) technique. Two pathways for the formation of Ar ₂ ⁺ ions are important. One is a direct path via excitation of Rydberg states of Ar₂ with consecutive autoionization. The other path is dissociative ionization of larger argon clusters, in this case argon trimers. These two pathways lead to Ar ₂ ⁺ ions with different internal energy. The pathways are easily distinguished in the TPEPICO-TOF spectra by the kinetic energy released (KER) in the dissociative ionization. The KER for the reaction Ar ₃ ⁺ → Ar ₂ ⁺ + Ar was measured as a function of the photon energy and compared to the KER expected from statistical theory. The agreement is satisfying and confirms that Ar ₃ ⁺ ions do indeed dissociate at the thermochemical threshold. At higher photon energy the excited²Π(3/2)g state of Ar ₃ ⁺ is also detected from a second component in the KER. By applying a kinetic energy discrimination it is possible to measure cluster ion spectra in the presence of larger clusters but essentially without interference from the latter.     

On Aging of Acid-Catalyzed Silica Sols—A Dynamic Light Scattering Study

Dynamic light scattering experiments in acid-catalyzed silica sols are discussed. It is shown that in spite of limited parameter accuracy and limited absolute knowledge of the particle sizes, the scattering data from various experiments are comparable with one another and give information about structural differences. Measurements at various angles indicate changes between non-spherical and nearly spherical particles and allow the estimation of gelling times before gelation.     

Deformation Induced Micro-Twins in CdTe?

Room- and high-temperature micro-indentation experiments have been performed to answer the question if, concerning a material with very low stacking-fault energy like CdTe, deformation induced twinning occurs in these substances during or shortly after growth. Micro-twins appear in consequence of room-temperature deformation only, whereas microindentation at 565°C does not produce any twins, but leads to widely expanded dislocation glide-figures, due to dislocation climbing and/or cross-gliding.     

Synthesis, coordination and catalytic use of 1-(diphenylphosphino)-1'-carbamoylferrocenes with pyridyl-containing N-substituents

Ferrocene phosphinocarboxamides, 1-(diphenylphosphino)-1'-{N-[(2-pyridyl)methyl]carbamoyl}ferrocene (1) and 1-(diphenylphosphino)-1'-{N-[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]carbamoyl}ferrocene (2) were prepared from 1-(diphenylphosphino)-1'-ferrocenecarboxylic acid and studied as ligands for palladium. Starting with [PdCl2(cod)], the reactions at a 2 : 1 ligand-to-metal ratio gave uniformly the bis-phosphine complexes [PdCl2(L-kappaP)2] (3, L = 1; 4, L = 2) whereas those performed at a 1 : 1 ratio yielded distinct products: [PdCl2(1-kappa(2)P,N)] (5) with 1 coordinating as a trans-spanning P,N-donor, and the symmetric, P,N-bridged dimer [(micro-2-N,P)2{PdCl2}2] (6), respectively. The crystal structures of 1, 2, 4.4CHCl3, 5.AcOH, and 6.8CHCl3 as determined by X-ray diffraction showed the compounds to form well defined solid-state assemblies through hydrogen bonds. Testing of the phosphinocarboxamides in the palladium-catalysed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction revealed 1 and 2, combined with Pd(OAc)2 to form efficient catalysts for the reactions of aryl bromides while aryl chlorides coupled only when activated with electron-withdrawing groups.     

Freezing and Melting of Water Confined in Silica Nanopores

In nanosized pores, liquid water can be thermodynamically stable down to temperatures well below the limit of homogeneous nucleation of bulk water (～235 K). Studies of water in such pores therefore offer an opportunity to reveal the anomalous behavior of deeply supercooled water. Herein we focus on recent studies of the limits of freezing and melting of water in the cylindrical pores of ordered mesoporous silicas with pore diameters in the range of 2–10 nm, based on vapor sorption measurements, calorimetric studies, NMR spectroscopy and cryoporometry, and neutron diffraction studies.