Fabricating Dual-Atom Iron Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Heteroatom Modulator Approach

Understanding the thermal aggregation behavior of metal atoms is important for the synthesis of supported metal clusters. Here, derived from a metal–organic framework encapsulating a trinuclear Fe^III₂Fe^II complex (denoted as Fe₃) within the channels, a well-defined nitrogen-doped carbon layer is fabricated as an ideal support for stabilizing the generated iron nanoclusters. Atomic replacement of Fe^II by other metal(II) ions (e.g., Zn^II/Co^II) via synthesizing isostructural trinuclear-complex precursors (Fe₂Zn/Fe₂Co), namely the “heteroatom modulator approach”, is inhibiting the aggregation of Fe atoms toward nanoclusters with formation of a stable iron dimer in an optimal metal–nitrogen moiety, clearly identified by direct transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The supported iron dimer, serving as cooperative metal–metal site, acts as efficient oxygen evolution catalyst. Our findings offer an atomic insight to guide the future design of ultrasmall metal clusters bearing outstanding catalytic capabilities.     

零维到三维结构中三核铜自旋阻挫簇单元的磁构关系和反对称交换

量子自旋液体是最近几年刚被人们证实除铁磁体、反铁磁体之外的第三种磁性类型,因其有望解释高温超导的运行机制、改变计算机硬盘信息存储方式而在物理、材料等领域备受关注。自旋阻挫作为量子自旋液体的最小单元可能是解开量子自旋液体诸多问题的钥匙,所以在磁学、电学研究领域再一次成为人们研究的热点。基于文献报道的三核铜配合物[Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ-OPz)3(NO3)2(H2O)2]·CH3OH(1),我们合成了三维金属有机框架配合物{[Ag(HOPz)Cu3(μ3-OH)(NO3)3(OPz)2Ag(NO3)]·6H2O}n(2)(HOPz=甲基(2-吡嗪基)酮肟),并从自旋阻挫的角度对二者磁性质进行对比和详细分析。磁化率数据表明自旋间有很强的反铁磁相互作用和反对称交换。通过包含各向同性和反对称交换的哈密顿算符对两者磁学数据进行拟合并研究其磁构关系,所获最佳拟合参数为:配合物1:Jav=-426 cm^-1,g⊥=1.83,g∥=2.00;配合物2:Jav=-401 cm^-1,g⊥=1.85,g∥=2.00。     

pH-Sensitive Oscillatory Motion of a Urease Motor on the Urea Aqueous Phase

A self-propelled object coupled with an enzyme reaction between urease and urea was investigated at the air/aqueous interface. A plastic object that was fixed to a urease-immobilized filter paper was used as a self-propelled object, termed a urease motor, placed on an aqueous urea solution. The driving force of the urease motor is the difference in the surface tension around the object. Oscillatory motion or no motion was triggered depending on the initial pH of the urea solution. Both the frequency and maximum speed of the oscillatory motion varied depending on the initial pH of the water phase. The mechanisms underlying the oscillatory motion and no motion were discussed in relation to the bell-shaped enzyme activity of urease in the enzyme reaction and the surface tension around the urease motor.     

Microstructural stability and age-hardening behavior of Re-added dual two-phase Ni3Al and Ni3V intermetallic alloys

The effect of Re addition on the microstructure and hardening behaviour of the dual two-phase Ni₃Al (L1₂) and Ni₃V (D0₂₂) intermetallic alloy was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Vickers hardness test. The two-phase eutectoid microstructure accompanying the Re-rich precipitates were observed in the channel region of the alloys in which Re substituted for Ni but not in those in which Re substituted for Al and V. The concomitant addition of Nb (or Ta) with Re more stabilized the two-phase eutectoid microstructure and consequently more induced the fine precipitates in the channel region. The annealing at temperatures below the eutectoid temperature was necessary to induce the fine precipitates in the channel region and thereby result in the precipitation hardening. The fine precipitation in the channel region and related hardening was attributed to the alloying feature so that Re is soluble in the A1 (fcc) phase at high temperatures and becomes less soluble in the two intermetallic phases decomposed from the A1 phase at low temperatures.     

Surface of room temperature ionic liquid [bmim][PF6] studied by polarization- and experimental configuration-dependent sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy

Understanding and control of the surface properties such as molecular orientations are of great importance in numerous applications of ionic liquids. However, there remain discrepancies among the previous experimental and theoretical studies on the surface orientation and structures of room temperature ionic liquids(RTIL) systems. In this article, the orientation of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium([bmin]) cation at the air/liquid interface of a characteristic RTIL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([bmim][PF6]), was investigated by the sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy(SFG-VS). Detailed polarization and experimental configuration analyses of the SFG-VS spectra showed the possibility of a small spectral splitting in the CH3 symmetric stretching region, which can be further attributed to the probable existence of multiple orientations for the interfacial [bmim] cations. In addition, the(N)–CH3 vibrations were absent, ruling out the prediction by several recent molecular dynamics simulations which state that portions of the [bmim] cations orient with a standing-up(N)–CH3 group at the ionic liquid surface. Hence, new realistic theoretical models have to be developed to reflect the complex nature of the ionic liquid surface.     

Surface of Ru/Fe2O3 catalysts used in water-gas shift reaction studied by auger electron spectrometry

Summary Carbon deposits on the surface ofRu/Fe₂O₃ catalysts used in the water-gas shift reaction have been investigated by Auger Electron Spectrometry. A correlation has been found between the thickness of the carbon deposit and the catalytic activity in WGSR. The carbon deposit covers the metallic active centers and blocks their contact with reagents. The dotting of the iron oxide support with sodium has been found to reduce the amount of carbon deposit. .      

Temperature effects on surface activity and application in oxidation of toluene derivatives of CTAB-SDS with KMnO4

The γ_cmc values of CTAB-SDS decrease from 63.67 mN/m at 10‡C to 36.38 mN/m at 90‡C, slightly lower than those of either CTAB or SDS. Correspondingly, the CMC of CTAB-SDS decreases almost by half. The increase of surface activity of CTAB-SDS can be attributed to the relatively weak electrostatic interaction at high temperature, which is supported by the increase of solubility of CTAB-SDS with rise in temperature. Catalytic effect on oxidation of toluene derivatives with potassium permanganate follows the order CTAB-SDS > SDS > CTAB. This is not caused by the dissociative effect of CTAB-SDS with low surface activity at low temperature, as seen from the fact that almost all oxidative products can be retrieved for different toluene derivatives and surfactants by mimicking the conditions of reaction. In the emulsifications of toluene derivatives at 90‡C, the time that turbid water layers of surfactant solutions take to become clear is the same as that of the catalytic effect on oxidation of toluene derivatives. Thus, it can be inferred that surfactants can improve the oxidation yields of toluene derivatives by increasing the contact between two reacting phases.     

An Efficient Selective Oxidation of Alcohols with Potassium Permanganate Adsorbed on Aluminum Silicate under Solvent-free Conditions and Shaking

A new procedure for the selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones with potassium permanganate supported on aluminum silicate at room temperature under solvent-free conditions and shaking is reported.     

Analysis on X-Ray Laser Generation with EM-Wave Wiggler

The possibility of realizing SASE Free Election Laser in x-ray waveband with EM-wave wiggler is studied in this paper. SASE effect including saturation length, saturation power and nonlinear process is explored through a 3-D simulation code. A utilization of seed light from laser plasma x-ray is also analyzed, which demonstrates the feature of shortening the interaction length for saturation. The results show that sizeable output power of x-ray laser would be generated with a middle energy electron beam.