Facile Microwave Synthesis of Hierarchical Porous Copper Oxide and Its Catalytic Activity and Kinetics for Carbon Monoxide Oxidation.

The synthesis of copper oxide (CuO)-based nanomaterials has received a tremendous deal of interest in recent years. Particularly, the design and development of novel CuO structures with improved physical and chemical properties have attracted immense attention, especially for catalysis applications. We report on a rational, rapid, and surfactant-free microwave synthesis (MWS) of hierarchical porous copper oxide (HP-CuO) with a three-dimensional (3D) sponge-like topology using an MWS reactor.

Microwave-Assisted Solvothermal Synthesis of Mo-Doped TiO with Exceptional Textural Properties and Superior Adsorption Kinetics.

Assigned to their outstanding physicochemical properties, TiO-based materials have been studied in various applications. Herein, TiO doped with different Mo contents (Mo-TiO) was synthesized via a microwave-assisted solvothermal approach. This was achieved using titanium (IV) butoxide and molybdenum (III) chloride as a precursor and dodecylamine as a surface directing agent.

CO Oxidation at Near-Ambient Temperatures over TiO-Supported Pd-Cu Catalysts: Promoting Effect of Pd-Cu Nanointerface and TiO Morphology.

Significant improvement of the catalytic activity of palladium-based catalysts toward carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation reaction has been achieved through alloying and using different support materials. This work demonstrates the promoting effects of the nanointerface and the morphological features of the support on the CO oxidation reaction using a Pd-Cu/TiO catalyst. Pd-Cu catalysts supported on TiO were synthesized with wet chemical approaches and their catalytic activities for CO oxidation reaction were evaluated.

Natural clay-supported palladium catalysts for methane oxidation reaction: effect of alloying.

The catalytic combustion of methane (CCM) has been extensively studied owing to the wide use of methane in motor vehicles and power generation turbines. However, the absence of polarizability and the high C-H bond strength are considered to be the main drawbacks that limit its oxidation by traditional catalytic converters. Palladium-based catalysts are recognized as the benchmark catalysts for methane oxidation, especially under oxidizing conditions, and their activity is dependent on different parameters such as size, dispersion, and the nature of the support.

Combustion Synthesis of Non-Precious CuO-CeO₂ Nanocrystalline Catalysts with Enhanced Catalytic Activity for Methane Oxidation.

In this study, xCuO-CeO₂ mixed oxide catalysts (Cu weight ratio x = 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6 and 15 wt.

On the encapsulation of Olsalazine by β-cyclodextrin: A DFT-based computational and spectroscopic investigations.

In this work, the supramolecular host-guest interaction of the prodrug Olsalazine (OLZ) and β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) was examined experimentally and computationally. Experimentally, employing the UV-Vis spectroscopic method in aqueous media at various pH's, results obtained using the Benesi-Hilderbrand approach demonstrated that OLZ can form supramolecular inclusion complex with β-CD with stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. Furthermore, these results revealed that the formation of OLZ: β-CD complexes exhibited insignificant pH dependency in the range 5-8 with an average binding constant (K) of approximately 1×10M.

Probing the Solute-Solvent Interaction of an Azo-Bonded Prodrug in Neat and Binary Media: Combined Experimental and Computational Study.

Preferential solvation has significant importance in interpreting the molecular physicochemical properties of wide spectrum of materials in solution. In this work, the solute-solvent interaction of pro-drug Sulfasalazine (SSZ) in neat and binary media was investigated experimentally and computationally. The solute-solvent interactions of interest were spectrophotometrically probed and computationally investigated for providing insights concerning the molecular aspects of SSZ:media interaction.

Computational exploration of the effect of molecular medium on the tautomerization of azo prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid.

The characterization of potential tautomerization of pharmaceutical materials has significant importance. Sulfasalazine (SSZ) is a prodrug that bears 5-aminosalicylic acid and pyridylamino-sulfonyl-phenyl moieties bridged by the azo group. SSZ may be present in various tautomeric forms, where dual tautomerization may occur; namely, amide↔imide and azo↔hydrazone tautomerization through the pyridylamino-sulfonyl-phenyl and salicylic acid moieties, respectively.

Tailoring the reducibility and catalytic activity of CuO nanoparticles for low temperature CO oxidation.

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles have received considerable interest as active and inexpensive catalysts for various gas-solid reactions. The CuO reducibility and surface reactivity are of crucial importance for the high catalytic activity. Herein, we demonstrate that the reducibility and stability of CuO nanoparticles can be controlled and tailored for the high catalytic activity of CO oxidation.

Silver Nanoparticles-Decorated Titanium Oxynitride Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Solar Fuel Generation.

We demonstrate, for the first time, the synthesis of highly ordered titanium oxynitride nanotube arrays sensitized with Ag nanoparticles (Ag/TiON) as an attractive class of materials for visible-light-driven water splitting. The nanostructure topology of TiO, TiON and Ag/TiON was investigated using FESEM and TEM. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirm the formation of the oxynitride structure.

Analytical progresses of the World Anti-Doping Agency Olympic laboratories: a 2016 update from London to Rio.

The 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the biggest event in human sports, was held in Rio de Janeiro with more than 10,500 athletes from 206 countries over the world competing for the highest of sports honors, an Olympic medal. With the hope that the Olympic ideal accompanies all aspects of the XXXI Olympiad, WADA accredited antidoping laboratories use the spearhead of analytical technology as a powerful tool in the fight against doping. This review summarizes the main analytical developments applied in antidoping testing methodology combined with the main amendments on the WADA regulations regarding analytical testing starting from the 2012 London Olympics until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

TiO2 nanotubes with ultrathin walls for enhanced water splitting.

We demonstrate, for the first time, the synthesis of titania nanotubes with ultrathin (3-5 nm) wall thickness. As revealed by the incident photon-to-current collection efficiency (IPCE) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements, the ultrathin walls, less than the charge carrier diffusion length, were essential to ensure fast and efficient charge carrier collection.

Spectroscopic investigation of the donor-acceptor interaction between o-phenylenediamine and tetracyanoethylene in dichloromethane.

The interaction between the electron donor o-phenylenediamine (o-phendn) and the pi-acceptor tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) has been investigated spectrophotometrically in dichloromethane at 25 degrees C. The results indicate that the reaction proceeds via two major steps. The formation of the 1:2 charge-transfer complex [(o-phendn)2, (TCNE)4] in which two o-phenylenediamine molecules undergoes slow N-substitution by one TCNE forming the final reaction product 2,2-di-o-aminoaniline-1,1-dicyanoethylene and 2HCN molecules.