Composites of Titanium-Molybdenum Mixed Oxides and Non-Traditional Carbon Materials: Innovative Supports for Platinum Electrocatalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells.

TiO-based mixed oxide-carbon composite support for Pt electrocatalysts provides higher stability and CO tolerance under the working conditions of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells compared to traditional carbon supports. Non-traditional carbon materials like graphene nanoplatelets and graphite oxide used as the carbonaceous component of the composite can contribute to its affordability and/or functionality. TiMoO-C composites involving these carbon materials were prepared through a sol-gel route; the effect of the extension of the procedure through a solvothermal treatment step was assessed.

Carbon Microsphere-Supported Metallic Nickel Nanoparticles as Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts and Their Application for the Reduction of Nitrophenol.

Nickel nanoparticles are gaining increasing attention in catalysis due to their versatile catalytic action. A novel, low-cost and facile method was developed in this work to synthesize carbon microsphere-supported metallic nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NP/C) for heterogeneous catalysis. The synthesis was based on carbonizing a polystyrene-based cation exchange resin loaded with nickel ions at temperatures between 500 and 1000 °C.

Solid-Phase "Self-Hydrolysis" of [Zn(NH)MoO@2HO] Involving Enclathrated Water-An Easy Route to a Layered Basic Ammonium Zinc Molybdate Coordination Polymer.

An aerial humidity-induced solid-phase hydrolytic transformation of the [Zn(NH)]MoO2HO (compound 2HO) with the formation of [(NH)HZn(OH)(MoO)] (x = 0.92-0.94) coordination polymer (formally NHZn(OH)MoO, compound ) is described.

Solid-Phase Quasi-Intramolecular Redox Reaction of [Ag(NH)]MnO: An Easy Way to Prepare Pure AgMnO.

Two monoclinic polymorphs of [Ag(NH)]MnO containing a unique coordination mode of permanganate ions were prepared, and the high-temperature polymorph was used as a precursor to synthesize pure AgMnO. The hydrogen bonds between the permanganate ions and the hydrogen atoms of ammonia were detected by IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Under thermal decomposition, these hydrogen bonds induced a solid-phase quasi-intramolecular redox reaction between the [Ag(NH)] cation and MnO anion even before losing the ammonia ligand or permanganate oxygen atom.

Temperature-Limited Synthesis of Copper Manganites along the Borderline of the Amorphous/Crystalline State and Their Catalytic Activity in CO Oxidation.

Copper manganese oxides (CMO) with CuMnO composition are well-known catalysts, which are widely used for the oxidative removal of dangerous chemicals, e.g., enhancing the CO to CO conversion.

(MeNH)[H-Dodecatungstate] polymorphs: dodecatungstate cages embedded in a variable dimethylammonium cation + water of crystallization matrix.

Two polymorphs and a solvatomorph of a new dimethylammonium polytungstate-decakis(dimethylammonium) dihydrogendodecatungstate, (MeNH)(WO)·HO ( = 10 or 11)-have been synthesized. Their structures were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solid-phase NMR methods. The shape of the dodecatungstate anions is essentially the same in all three structures, their interaction with the cations and water of crystallization, however, is remarkably variable, because the latter forms different hydrogen-bonded networks, and provides a highly versatile matrix.

Development of Flame-Retarded Nanocomposites from Recycled PET Bottles for the Electronics Industry.

Recycled polyethylene-terephthalate (rPET) nanocomposites of reduced flammability were prepared by combining aluminum-alkylphosphinate (AlPi) flame retardant (FR) and natural montmorillonite (MMT), in order to demonstrate that durable, technical products can be produced from recycled materials. During the development of the material, by varying the FR content, the ratio and the type of MMTs, rheological, morphological, mechanical and flammability properties of the nanocomposites were comprehensively investigated. Related to the differences between the dispersion and nucleation effect of MMT and organo-modified MMT (oMMT) in rPET matrix, analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), mechanical properties of the nanocomposites changed differently.

Unexpected Sequential NH/HO Solid/Gas Phase Ligand Exchange and Quasi-Intramolecular Self-Protonation Yield [NHCu(OH)MoO], a Photocatalyst Misidentified before as (NH)Cu(MoO).

[NHCu(OH)MoO] as active photocatalyst in the decomposition of Congo Red when irradiated by UV or visible light has been prepared in an unusual ammonia/water ligand exchange reaction of [tetraamminecopper(II)] molybdate, [Cu(NH)]MoO. [Cu(NH)]MoO was subjected to moisture of open air at room temperature. Light blue orthorhombic [Cu(NH)(HO)]MoO was formed in 2 days as a result of an unexpected solid/gas phase ammonia-water ligand exchange reaction.

Core-Shell Processing of Natural Pigment: Upper Palaeolithic Red Ochre from Lovas, Hungary.

Ochre is the common archaeological term for prehistoric pigments. It is applied to a range of uses, from ritual burials to cave art to medications. While a substantial number of Palaeolithic paint mining pits have been identified across Europe, the link between ochre use and provenance, and their antiquity, has never yet been identified.

Rietveld refinement in the routine quantitative analysis of famotidine polymorphs.

Accurate, precise and reliable X-ray powder diffraction method was developed for the quantitative determination of famotidine polymorphic forms in their binary mixtures, which slightly outperforms the previously established Raman method. The study highlights the advantage of focused beam transmission geometry in diminishing the effect of preferred orientation in general, and the straightforward transmission foil sample preparation technique in facilitating high-throughput measurements in particular. This combination can provide good quality data for Rietveld refinement which assures more reliable quantitative results than utilizing intensity ratios of selected single reflections.

Combined SEM/EDX and micro-Raman spectroscopy analysis of uranium minerals from a former uranium mine.

Samples of the secondary uranium minerals collected in the abandoned uranium mine at Pecs (Hungary) were investigated by two micro-techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS). They were applied to locate U-rich particles and identify the chemical form and oxidation state of the uranium compounds. The most abundant mineral was a K and/or Na uranyl sulphate (zippeite group).

Nanocomposite bulk of mechanically milled Al-Pb samples consolidated pore-free by the high-energy rate forming technique.

It is shown that pore-free bulk samples were produced by the high-energy rate forming axis-symmetrical powder compaction method for different application purposes in case of the very different, immiscible Al and Pb metal pair. The starting Al-Pb nanocomposites were made by mechanical milling of atomized Al and Pb powders either in a SPEX 9000 or a Fritsch Pulverisette 4 mill. Due to the conditions that milling was carried out in air, the PbO layer, originally existing at the surface of the atomized Pb powder, ruptured and was also dispersed in the composite.