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.     

Methyl orange degradation enhanced by hydrogen spillover onto platinum nanocatalyst surface

Following a thermal reduction method, platinum nanoparticles were synthesized and stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone. The colloidal platinum nanoparticles were stable for more than 3 months. The micrograph analysis unveiled that the colloidal platinum nanoparticles were well dispersed with an average size of 2.53 nm. The sol–gel‐based inverse micelle strategy was applied to synthesize mesoporous iron oxide material. The colloidal platinum nanoparticles were deposited on mesoporous iron oxide through the capillary inclusion method. The small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis indicated that the dimension of platinum nanoparticles deposited on mesoporous iron oxide (Pt‐Fe₂O₃) was 2.64 nm. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data showed that the binding energy on Pt‐Fe₂O₃ surface decreased owing to mesoporous support–nanoparticle interaction. Both colloidal and deposited platinum nanocatalysts improved the degradation of methyl orange under reduction conditions. The activation energy on the deposited platinum nanocatalyst interface (2.66 kJ mol^?1) was significantly lowered compared with the one on the colloidal platinum nanocatalyst interface (40.63 ± 0.53 kJ mol^?1).     

Formation and hydrogenation of p(2 × 2)-N on Pt(1 1 1)

The formation of a well-ordered p(2 × 2) overlayer of atomic nitrogen on the Pt(1 1 1) surface and its reaction with hydrogen were characterized with reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The p(2 × 2)-N overlayer is formed by exposure of ammonia to a surface at 85 K that is covered with 0.44 monolayer (ML) of molecular oxygen and then heating to 400 K. The reaction between ammonia and oxygen produces water, which desorbs below 400 K. The only desorption product observed above 400 K is molecular nitrogen, which has a peak desorption temperature of 453 K. The absence of oxygen after the 400 K anneal is confirmed with AES. Although atomic nitrogen can also be produced on the surface through the reaction of ammonia with an atomic, rather than molecular, oxygen overlayer at a saturation coverage of 0.25 ML, the yield of surface nitrogen is significantly less, as indicated by the N₂ TPD peak area. Atomic nitrogen readily reacts with hydrogen to produce the NH species, which is characterized with RAIRS by an intense and narrow (FWHM ∼ 4 cm⁻¹) peak at 3322 cm⁻¹. The areas of the H₂ TPD peak associated with NH dissociation and the XPS N 1s peak associated with the NH species indicate that not all of the surface N atoms can be converted to NH by the methods used here.     

Interaction of indigo carmine dye with silica modified with humic acids at solid/liquid interface

Two distinct humic acids, one extracted from Brazilian peat soil, HA_PS, and another one obtained from commercial source, HA_FL, were attachment onto silica gel modified with aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, producing two material named SiHA_PS and SiHA_FL, respectively. The ability of these materials in removing indigo carmine dye from aqueous solution was followed through series of adsorption isotherms adjusted to modified Langmuir equation. The maximum number of moles adsorbed gave 6.82 ± 0.12 × 10⁻⁴ and 2.15 ± 0.17 × 10⁻⁴ mol g⁻¹ for SiHA_PS and SiHA_FL, respectively. Same interactions were calorimetrically followed and the thermodynamic data showed endothermic enthalpic values: 12.31 ± 0.55 and 24.69 ± 1.05 kJ mol⁻¹ for SiHA_PS and SiHA_FL surfaces, respectively. Gibbs free energies for two adsorption processes of indigo carmine dye presented negative values, reflecting dye/surface interactions must be accompanied by an increased in entropy values, which are 65 ± 3 and 98 ± 5 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ for SiHA_PS and SiHA_FL materials, respectively. The adsorption processes for both materials were spontaneous in nature although they presented an endothermic enthalpy for the interaction, resulting in an entropically favored process.     

Overloaded elution band profiles of ionizable compounds in reversed‐phase liquid chromatography: Influence of the competition between the neutral and the ionic species

The parameters that affect the shape of the band profiles of acido‐basic compounds under moderately overloaded conditions (sample size less than 500 nmol for a conventional column) in RPLC are discussed. Only analytes that have a single pK_a are considered. In the buffer mobile phase used for their elution, their dissociation may, under certain conditions, cause a significant pH perturbation during the passage of the band. Two consecutive injections (3.3 and 10 μL) of each one of three sample solutions (0.5, 5, and 50 mM) of ten compounds were injected on five C₁₈‐bonded packing materials, including the 5 μm Xterra‐C₁₈ (121 Å), 5 μm Gemini‐C₁₈ (110 Å), 5 μm Luna‐C₁₈(2) (93 Å), 3.5 μm Extend‐C₁₈ (80 Å), and 2.7 μm Halo‐C₁₈ (90 Å). The mobile phase was an aqueous solution of methanol buffered at a constant _W^WpH of 6, with a phosphate buffer. The total concentration of the phosphate groups was constant at 50 mM. The methanol concentration was adjusted to keep all the retention factors between 1 and 10. The compounds injected were phenol, caffeine, 3‐phenyl 1‐propanol, 2‐phenyl butyric acid, amphetamine, aniline, benzylamine, p‐toluidine, procainamidium chloride, and propranololium chloride. Depending on the relative values of the analyte pK_a and the buffer solution pH, these analytes elute as the neutral, the cationic, or the anionic species. The influence of structural parameters such as the charge, the size, and the hydrophobicity of the analytes on the shape of its overloaded band profile is discussed. Simple but general rules predict these shapes. An original adsorption model is proposed that accounts for the unusual peak shapes observed when the analyte is partially dissociated in the buffer solution during its elution.     

Mesoporous nanotube aggregates obtained from hydrothermally treating TiO2 with NaOH

Nanotube aggregates with high porosity were prepared from hydrothermal treatment of TiO₂ particles in NaOH at 130 °C, followed by HCl rinsing to different pH values. Pore structure of the aggregates, which were mainly mesoporous, was characterized by analyzing the N₂ sorption isotherm with different methods including the t-plot and density function theory. The surface area, pore volume and mean pore size of the aggregates increased with the rinsing acidity to reach a maximum (e.g. 400 m²/g in surface area) at pH 1.6 and then decreased with further increase of the acidity. The crystalline phase and composition of the aggregates were, as well, significantly affected by the acidity of the post-treatment rinsing. Large-surface area aggregates were of loosely-attached nanotubes, composed of both anatase TiO₂ and H₂Ti₂O₅·H₂O, obtained under a mildly acidic rinsing condition, while basic or highly acidic conditions resulted in the formation of closely coagulated dense structures consisting of different crystalline phases.     

Human insulin and desamido human insulin isotherms in ethanol-water reversed phase systems

The multi-component isotherms for human insulin (HI) and desamido human insulin (dHI) over reversed phase packing (C18) and with 29.8% (w/w) ethanol-water as mobile phase have been determined experimentally. The isotherms of HI in ethanol-water differ from those obtained with the more commonly applied methanol-water and acetonitrile-water mobile phase, as described in this paper. The isotherm exhibits anti Langmuirian behavior and can be very well modeled by an anti Langmuir isotherm presented in this paper. The HI and dHI anti Langmuir isotherm are determined as: qHI = (8.4C(HI) + 3C(HI)CdHI)/(1 - 0.05C(HI) - 0.14CdHI + 0.04C(HI)CdHI) and qdHI = (11.4CdHI + 2C(HI)CdHI)/ (1 - 0.05C(HI) - 0.14CdHI + 0.04C(HI)CdHI)     

Changes in the physicochemical properties of transferrin upon chemical derivatization with ceramides

The interaction of native and derivatized transferrin with lecithin, cholesterol and their mixtures was studied using monomolecular layers of phospholipids. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameters corresponding to these interactions: the mixing excess free energy, interaction energy, and interaction parameter were also calculated.The ability of these two proteins to insert into monolayers was studied working at constant area.The formation of aggregates or secondary structures in solution was determined by the fluorescence and polarization values of ANS (anilinonaphthalene sulfonate), measured at different protein/ANS relationships.Abbreviations TF Transferrin - DTF derivatized transferrin - PC lecithin - CHOL cholesterol - CER ceramides - ANS anilinonaphthalene sulfonate - TNBS trinitro benzenesulfonate method     

Preparation and characterization of nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalyst in different acid environments

Nitrogen-doped TiO₂ powders were successfully prepared by a wet method, i.e., a micro-emulsion-hydrothermal method, in different acid environments. Several characterization techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra, were combined to determine the crystal phase, concentration and chemical states of the nitrogen doped in TiO₂. The high photocatalytic activity of the nitrogen-doped TiO₂ was evaluated through the decomposition of rhodanmine B under visible light irradiation. It was suggested that the doped nitrogen formed oxynitride (NO) and produced impurity states at higher above the valence band of TiO₂. Therefore, the nitrogen doping could enhance the response of photocatalyst to the visible light and improve the photocatalytic activity because of the narrowing of band gap of TiO₂.     

Concentrations of Active Species in the Flowing Afterglow of a Nitrogen Microwave Plasma

Measurements of nitrogen atom density, by means of NO chemical titration, along with an evaluation of the densities of some excited species N ₂ (B, v=11), N ₂ (B, v=2), N ₂ (C, v=0), and N ₂ ⁺ (B,v=0), by means of a spectroscopic study of some bands of dinitrogen, are achieved along the flowing afterglow of a dinitrogen microwave plasma (2450 MHz) for several pressures. The concentrations obtained are in the following range: [N]10 ⁺¹⁵ , [N ₂ (B, 2)]10 ⁺⁹ –10 ⁺¹⁰ , [N ₂ (B, 11)]10 ⁺⁸ –10 ⁺⁹ , [N ₂ (C, 0)]10 ⁺⁶ –10 ⁺⁷ , [N ₂ ⁺ (B,0)]10 ⁺⁶ -10 ⁺⁸ (cm^-3). From a kinetic study of the formation and decay of excited and charged species, an estimation of N ₂ (A, v), N ₂ (X, v, and N ₂ ⁺ (X) densities can be derived: [N ₂ (A, v)]10 ⁺¹² , [N ₂ (X, v6)]10 ⁺¹⁵ –10 ⁺¹⁶ , [N ₂ (X, v12)]10 ⁺¹⁴ –10 ⁺¹⁵ , [N ₂ ⁺ (X)]10 ⁺¹⁰ (cm ^-3 ).