Application of novel SIMS technique for imaging the active sites of oxygen reduction at the SOFC cathode/electrolyte interfaces

The oxygen reduction active sites were visualized around the O₂/SOFC cathode/electrolyte triple phase boundaries (TPB) by the¹⁶O/¹⁸O exchange techniques and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis. The higher¹⁸O concentration is observed on the cathode top surfaces (La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃-mesh, Au-mesh, and Ag-porous), which suggested the promotion of oxygen adsorption and oxygen surface exchange at the cathode. The oxygen diffusion through the bulk of cathode occurred at the La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃-mesh and the Ag-porous cathodes, not at the Au-mesh cathode. On the YSZ surfaces after removing the cathode, the active sites for oxygen incorporation were analyzed by SIMS. The active sites for oxygen incorporation were at the La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃/YSZ interface as well as the TPB. On the other hand, the active sites for oxygen incorporation are limited to the TPB in the case of the Au-mesh removed YSZ surface. From the SIMS analysis, the expansion of the active sites for oxygen incorporation is less than a few μm from the TPB lines. Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16–22, 2001.     

Pressure effects on the phase transition of urea adducts withn-paraffins and polyethylene

The decomposition of urea adducts with hydrocarbons is treated as a first-order phase transition and the pressure dependence is studied up to 0.7 GPa for several kinds of adducts. The thermodynamic quantities at the decomposition of the adduct can be analysed as a sum of those quantities of the component materials. The transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal form of the adduct with polyethylene is also investigated by X-ray diffraction and the pressure dependence of the lattice parameters is measured for the adducts. The results are compared with the phase transition in the pure paraffin.     

Synthesis and dehydrative condensation of square-planar mono- and dinuclear hydroxopalladium complexes with the hydrotris(3,5-diisopropylpyrazolyl)borato ligand (TpiPr2), TpiPr2(Py)Pd-OH,and (mu-OH)2[PdTpiPr2(H2O)]2

Mono- and dinuclear hydroxopalladium complexes (kappa 2-TpiPr2,X)(py)Pd-OH (1; X = H, Br) and (mu-OH)2[Pd(kappa 2-TpiPr2)(H2O)]2 (2) are prepared by base hydrolysis of the corresponding chloride complexes (kappa 2-TpiPr2,X)(py)Pd-Cl (3) and (mu-Cl)2[Pd(kappa 3-TpiPr2)]2 (4), respectively. Functionalization of the OH part in 1 is effected via dehydrative condensation with protic substrates (H-A) to give a series of substituted products, (kappa 2-TpiPr)(py)Pd-A (5), and treatment of the dinuclear complex 2 with excess acetic acid affords the mononuclear diacetato complex 6, (kappa 2-TpiPr2-H)Pd(OAc)2(HOAc). Complexes 1-4 and 6 have been characterized crystallographically, and it is revealed that complexes 2 and 6 involve cyclic hydrogen-bonding interaction among the nitrogen atom of the pendent noncoordinated pyrazolyl group, the hydrogen atom in the protic part of the ligand (OH, AcOH), and, in the case of 2, an external water molecule.     

Template-directed synthesis of macrocyclic aminopyridines: azacalix[n](2,6)pyridines (n = 3, 4)

Template-induced synthetic routes for azacalix[n](2,6)pyridines (n = 3, 4) have been elaborated. The proton and nickel ion served as the efficient template for the cyclization reactions, and the presence of the templates preferentially afforded the cyclic trimers and tetramers in moderate to good yields, respectively. The compatibility of the cyclic tetramer with nickel ion was also confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Extremely Photostable Electron-Deficient Phthalocyanines that Generate High Levels of Singlet Oxygen

A robust lead-mediated synthetic procedure for the generation of phthalocyanines substituted with electron-withdrawing groups has been developed. The free-base phthalocyanine and various metal complexes were prepared without discernible degradation of the peripheral electron-withdrawing substituents. Upon irradiation with red light, some of the thus-obtained metal complexes generated high levels of singlet oxygen. In particular, a palladium complex exhibited attractive photostability upon exposure to singlet oxygen as a bleaching agent. The photostability of such complexes that may manifest concomitantly to the generation of high levels of singlet oxygen was attributed to the presence of the electron-withdrawing groups, which results in energetically low-lying highest occupied molecular orbitals.     

Synthesis and Reactions of 1-Phenylbenzo[b]thiophenium Salts

1-Phenylbenzo[b]thiophenium salts are prepared and reacted under thermal and photochemical conditions. The chemical behaviors are discussed.     

Tris(porphyrinyl-oxinato)Ga Complexes as a Photosynthetic Antenna Miniature

Two oxinylporphyrins, 5-(8-hydroxy-5-quinolinyl)-10,15,20-( p -tolyl)- porphyrin ( 1 ) and 5,15-bis(8-hydroxy-5-quinolinyl)-10,20-bis( n -heptyl)-porphyrin ( 2 ), were prepared and coordinated with Ga(III) to afford tris(oxinato) complex 3 and poly(oxinato) complex 4 , respectively. The structure of 3 was analyzed by variable temperature NMR study with referring to tris(8-hydroxy-5-quinolinyl)Ga(III) complex 5 to be in a meridional form. Oxinato ligands of 3 and 5 were exchanged with one another, with keeping the meridional structure. UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra of tris(oxinato)complex 3 and poly(oxinato)complex 4 were compared with each monomeric compound 1 and 2 . The absorption spectra showed only a slight broadening of the Soret band, suggesting trivial electronic and excitonic interactions. The fluorescence intensity was increased significantly compared with each monomeric compound 1 and 2 . At the same time, efficient excitation energy transfer among three porphyrins has been observed.     

Synthesis of 3′-allylindoline spirobenzopyrans derived from 3-allyl-3H-indoles

In this study, 8 new spirobenzopyrans were synthesized. A novel, three-step, facile route for the synthesis of 3′-allylindoline spirobenzopyrans via 3-allyl-3H-indoles was developed. The newly synthesized spirobenzopyrans were evaluated for their photochromic properties. The presence of an allyl moiety at the 3′ position did not disturb the photochromic response. The steric effects of the diallyl groups at the 3′ position affected the interconversion between colored and colorless forms. Therefore, the allyl chain in 3′-allylindoline spirobenzopyrans can be utilized to attach these compounds to a molecular matrix. Consequently, this synthetic methodology could be readily applied to the creation of new photo-switchable materials.