Search

The electronic conductivity of the metal oxides is generally increased by hybridization of highly conductive carbon supportive materials. In this present work, we have demonstrated a novel one-pot preparation of cerium niobate (CeNbO 4 ) nanoparticles embedded with graphene oxide (GO/CeNbO 4 ) composite, for ultrasensitive detection of the photographic developing agent, metol (MTL). The as-prepared GO/CeNbO 4 was analyzed by various characterization techniques. The intensive characterization techniques were used to affirm the detailed structural moiety, size, morphology, and surface area of GO/CeNbO 4. The GO/CeNbO 4 modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) affords a superior electrocatalytic activity toward MTL. The obtained amperometric response on the GO/CeNbO 4 /GCE holding an extremely low level detection of 10 nM and superior sensitivity of 10.97 µA µM -1 cm -2 toward MTL detection. Besides, the GO/CeNbO 4 /GCE also gives excellent selectivity, stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. We achieved excellent recovery results in real photographic solution and river water samples analysis with great accuracy. This work offers a novel insight into the growth of the carbon-based niobate family with electrochemical sensor applications., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Different reaction pathways of the carboxylic group in a brown coal model were investigated by applying density function quantum chemical theory, examining the possible cross-linking and decomposition reactions between the hydrogen bonded carboxylic group-carboxylic group and the carboxylic group-hydroxyl group during the thermal pyrolysis process. The results show that bimolecular dehydration and decarboxylation of hydrogen bonded carboxylic groups have distinctly lower activation barriers and therefore, proceed preferentially at low temperature. The esterification reaction between the hydrogen bonded carboxylic group and hydroxyl group, together with unimolecular decarboxylation of isolated single carboxylic groups were also possible at moderate temperature. Aryl-aryl coupling is thought to occur via radical pyrolysis and recombination at relatively high temperature.

A mass spectrometric method has been developed for the identification of carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups, as well as for counting the functional groups, in previously unknown protonated bifunctional oxygen-containing analytes. This method utilizes solution reduction before mass spectrometric analysis to convert the carbonyl groups to hydroxyl groups. Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of the protonated reduced analytes with neutral trimethylborate (TMB) in a FT-ICR mass spectrometer give diagnostic product ions. The reaction sequence likely involves three consecutive steps, proton abstraction from the protonated analyte by TMB, addition of the neutral analyte to the boron reagent, and elimination of a neutral methanol molecule. The number of methanol molecules eliminated upon reactions with TMB reveals the number of hydroxyl groups in the analyte. Comparison of the reactions of the original and reduced analytes reveals the presence and number of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in the analyte., (Copyright 2010 American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Willemite (Zn(2)SiO(4)) ceramics were prepared by sintering the willemite green compacts. The effects of sintering temperature on the linear shrinkage, porosity and mechanical strength of the ceramics were examined. With the sintering temperature increased, the linear shrinkage of the ceramics increased and the porosity decreased. When sintered at 1,300 degrees C, willemite ceramics showed mechanical properties of the same order of magnitude as values for human cortical bone, as measured by bending strength (91.2 +/- 4.2 MPa) and Young's modulus (37.5 +/- 1.5 GPa). In addition, the adhesion and proliferation of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on willemite ceramics was investigated. The results showed that the ceramics supported cell adhesion and stimulated the proliferation. All these findings suggest that willemite ceramics possess suitable mechanical properties and favorable biocompatibility and might be a promising biomaterial for bone implant applications.

Large-size and high-quality ReCa(4)O(BO(3))(3) (ReCOB, Re = rare earth) single crystals were grown by the Czochralski pulling method. In this work, the electrical properties were investigated at room temperature and elevated temperature for YCa(4)O(BO(3))(3) (YCOB). The dielectric permittivity, piezoelectric strain coefficient, and electromechanical coupling were found to be on the order of 11, 6.5 pC/N, and 12.5%, respectively, with a high piezoelectric voltage coefficient around 0.067 Vm/N. The electrical resistivity of YCOB was found to be 2 x 10(8) Ohm.m at 800 degrees C, with Q values of 4,500 at 950 degrees C. The frequency/temperature coefficient of YCOB was found to be -75 to -85ppm/K in the temperature range of 30 to 950 degrees C, depending on the crystal orientations. Together with their temperature-independent properties, ReCOB crystals are promising candidates for sensing applications at elevated temperatures.

Na(x)Nd((2-x)/3)TiO(3) solid solutions possess tetragonal or orthorhombic perovskite structure, where the A-sites are characterized by 2 kinds of cations (Na(+), Nd(3+)) and vacancies. We have measured microwave dielectric properties of Na(x)Nd((2-x)/3)TiO(3) solid solutions (x = 0.05 to 0.5) to investigate an effect of the compositional ordering in the A-sites of the perovskite structure. According to powder x-ray diffraction, the A-site is disordered in the composition range of x = 0.29 to 0.5. A compositional ordering (Na(+), vacancy / Nd(3+)) in A-sites appeared when x = 0.05 to 0.2. The quality factor (Q x f), where Q is the inverse of dielectric loss and f is frequency, was found to be slightly improved with decreasing Na content in the range of x = 0.05 to 0.2, suggesting that the Q x f of the Na(x)Nd((2-x)/3)TiO(3) solid solutions depends on the compositional ordering in A-sites.

This paper will report on the measurements of the thermal coefficients of expansion and density of langasite (LGS), langanite (LGN), and langatate (LGT). The data were obtained by fabricating cubes with X, Y, and Z faces with nominal dimensions of 1 cm on a side for each material under test. The techniques used for measurement of density and thermal coefficients of expansion (TCE) of the materials are discussed. The data sets obtained and the extracted coefficients are presented.

The chemistry in a supersonic plasma source flow was studied as a laboratory model for interstellar chemical evolution. It is important to match the similarity parameters for cosmic and laboratory conditions, which connect the temporal and spatial scales of the two cases. The apparatus simulated the conditions in a molecular cloud with respect to molecular-ionic reaction fraction, temperature, and non-equilibrium kinetics. The plasma flow was found to be cold enough, by the radical expansion, to produce polyatomic molecules. From the simple atomic plasma as reactant, cyanopolyyne and unsaturated hydrocarbons were synthesized in the present experiment. These molecules are also inherent in molecular clouds. The reaction mechanism is discussed.