Surface cleaning and sample carrier for complementary high-resolution imaging techniques.

Nowadays, high-resolution imaging techniques are extensively applied in a complementary way to gain insights into complex phenomena. For a truly complementary analytical approach, a common sample carrier is required that is suitable for the different preparation methods necessary for each analytical technique. This sample carrier should be capable of accommodating diverse analytes and maintaining their pristine composition and arrangement during deposition and preparation.

Fast Degradation for High Activity: Oxygen- and Nitrogen-Functionalised Carbon Nanotubes in Solid-Acid Fuel-Cell Electrodes.

Similar to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, the widespread application of solid acid fuel cells (SAFCs) has been hindered partly by the necessity of the use of the precious-metal catalyst Pt in the electrodes. Here we investigate multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for their potential catalytic activity by using symmetric cell measurements of solid-acid-based electrochemical cells in a cathodic environment. For all measurements, the carbon nanotubes were Pt free and subject to either nitrogen or oxygen plasma treatment.

Structure and Bonding in Nickel-Thiolate-Iodine Charge-Transfer Complexes.

The dinuclear nickel complexes [Ni L(μ-O CR)](ClO ) [R=Me (4), R=OMe (6)], where L is a 24-membered macrocyclic N S ligand, react readily with excess I in MeCN solution at 4 °C to form stable mono-(I ) and bis-(I ) charge-transfer (CT) adducts of the type [Ni L(μ-O CR)(I ) ] (n=1 or 2) containing linear RS-I-I linkages. Three new CT compounds, namely, [Ni L(OAc)(I )](I )(I ) (5), [Ni L(O COMe)(I )](I )⋅MeCN (7⋅MeCN), and [Ni L(O COMe)(I ) ](I )⋅MeCN (8⋅MeCN) as well as the triiodide salt [Ni L(OAc)](I ) (9) were synthesized and fully characterized. A common feature of the CT adducts is a polyiodide matrix, which surrounds the individual complex molecules, stabilized by secondary I⋅⋅⋅I interactions with the CT linkages.

High quality reduced graphene oxide flakes by fast kinetically controlled and clean indirect UV-induced radical reduction.

This work highlights a surprisingly simple and kinetically controlled highly efficient indirect method for the production of high quality reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flakes via UV irradiation of aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide (GO), in which the GO is not excited directly. While the direct photoexcitation of aqueous GO (when GO is the only light-absorbing component) takes several hours of reaction time at ambient temperature (4 h) leading only to a partial GO reduction, the addition of small amounts of isopropanol and acetone (2% and 1%) leads to a dramatically shortened reaction time by more than two orders of magnitude (2 min) and a very efficient and soft reduction of graphene oxide. This method avoids the formation of non-volatile species and in turn contamination of the produced rGO and it is based on the highly efficient generation of reducing carbon centered isopropanol radicals via the reaction of triplet acetone with isopropanol.

How fast is the reaction of hydrated electrons with graphene oxide in aqueous dispersions?

Understanding the mechanism of the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) is a key-question in graphene related materials science. Here, we investigate the kinetics of the reaction of radiolytically generated hydrated electrons with GO in water. The electron transfer proceeds on the ns time scale and not on the ps time scale, as recently reported by Gengler et al.

Mechanistic aspects of the radiation-chemical reduction of graphene oxide to graphene-like materials.

Purpose: The aim of the work was to investigate mechanistic details of the preparation of graphene-like materials (GLM) via reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous dispersions by electron beam (EB) generated reducing free radicals.

Materials And Methods: A 10 MeV linear accelerator was employed to irradiate aqueous GO dispersions at ambient temperatures. The kinetics of GO reduction was followed using UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Dimethylselenide as a probe for reactions of halogenated alkoxyl radicals in aqueous solution. Degradation of dichloro- and dibromomethane.

Using pulse radiolysis and steady-state gamma-radiolysis techniques, it has been established that, in air-saturated aqueous solutions, peroxyl radicals CH 2HalOO (*) (Hal = halogen) derived from CH 2Cl 2 and CH 2Br 2 react with dimethyl selenide (Me 2Se), with k on the order of 7 x 10 (7) M (-1) s (-1), to form HCO 2H, CH 2O, CO 2, and CO as final products. An overall two-electron oxidation process leads directly to dimethyl selenoxide (Me 2SeO), along with oxyl radical CH 2HalO (*). The latter subsequently oxidizes another Me 2Se molecule by a much faster one-electron transfer mechanism, leading to the formation of equal yields of CH 2O and the dimer radical cation (Me 2Se) 2 (*+).

Reactions of halogenated hydroperoxides and peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals from isoflurane in aqueous solution.

Model systems, based on aqueous solutions containing isoflurane (CHF(2)OCHClCF(3)) as an example, have been studied in the presence and absence of methionine (MetS) to evaluate reactive fates of halogenated hydroperoxides and peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals. Primary peroxyl radicals, CHF(2)OCH(OO*)CF(3), generated upon 1-e-reduction of isoflurane react quantitatively with MetS via an overall two-electron oxidation mechanism to the corresponding sulfoxide (MetSO). This reaction is accompanied by the formation of oxyl radicals CHF(2)OCH(O*)CF(3) that quantitatively rearrange by a 1,2-hydrogen shift to CHF(2)OC*(OH)CF(3).

Ozonolysis of vinyl compounds, CH2=CH-X, in aqueous solution--the chemistries of the ensuing formyl compounds and hydroperoxides.

Reactions of ozone with some vinyl compounds of the general structure CH2=CH-X were studied in aqueous solution. Rate constants (in brackets, unit: dm3 mol-1 s-1) were determined: acrylonitrile (670), vinyl acetate (1.6 x 10(5)), vinylsulfonic acid (anion, 8.