Color Change of Indole Squaraine between Blue and Yellow with Golden Luster.

Color change of materials by external stimulus has attracted much attention for various applications. We synthesized 1,3-bis(3,3-dimethyl-2-methylene indolenine)squaraine (ISQ), which was a yellow powder with golden luster (ISQ(gold)) and whose color changed to blue (ISQ(blue)) by being ground using mortar and pestle. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that ISQ(gold) consisted of laminated plate-like crystals with a large flat surface, which was attributable to (2 0-2) facets of monoclinic crystals.

Kinetic Studies of WO-Based Photochromism in Polyvinyl Alcohol Film.

Tungsten oxide (WO) has been extensively studied for various photochromic applications. Blue coloration of WO is explained in terms of the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transition of electrons between W and W. However, various absorption spectra with different shapes have been reported.

Photochromism of TiO Nanoparticles Doped with Molybdenum Ions: Neutral Color Change from Colorless to Black via Gray.

Transition metal oxide nanoparticles have been extensively studied for the development of smart windows which are expected to be a promising technology to save energy in buildings. However, most of them turn blue under UV irradiation. Since the blue coloration affects the color of objects through the windows, the development of materials with a neutral color which hardly disturbs the view is more beneficial.

Determination of W(V) in WO Photochromism Using Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Ag Nanoparticles.

A reversible color change of WO has been widely studied to develop new energy-saving technologies such as smart windows, rewritable paper, and information displays. A blue coloration arises from the intervalence charge transfer between W(VI) and W(V), which is partially formed by the reduction of WO under UV light or an applied voltage. This means that WO has a mixed-valence state of W(V) and W(VI) upon the reduction.

One-Pot Synthesis of Long Rutile TiO Nanorods and Their Photocatalytic Activity for O Evolution: Comparison with Near-Spherical Nanoparticles.

Rutile TiO nanorods with lengths greater than 600 nm and aspect ratios greater than ca. 16 were synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal method using lactic acid (LA) as a structure-directing agent. Under the hydrothermal treatment at 200 °C, the LA concentration higher than 1.

Visible light responsive TiO photocatalysts for degradation of indoor acetaldehyde.

Photocatalysis is a promising technique for developing sustainable and environmentally friendly materials to improve indoor air quality. Visible-light-responsive TiO has been widely investigated but there are inconsistent results because photocatalytic properties depend strongly on synthetic methods. Herein, we synthesize TiO doped with 10 different metal ions (M-TiO) by conducting a dialysis in a sol-gel method to obtain the best photocatalyst for the degradation of acetaldehyde under LED irradiation.

Effect of Dispersants on Photochromic Behavior of Tungsten Oxide Nanoparticles in Methylcellulose.

Tungsten oxide-based photochromic films that change reversibly in air between colorless-transparent in the dark and dark blue under UV irradiation were prepared by using methylcellulose as a film matrix and various dispersants. Alpha-hydroxyl acid such as glycolic acid (GA) or glyceric acid (GlyA) is the best dispersant because it can make the film transparent by adding a small quantity much less than that of 3-hydroxypropionic acid or ethylene glycol. Fourier-transform infrared spectra and Raman spectra indicate that a strong interaction exists between WO and GA or GlyA.

Effect of Mixed Valence States of Platinum Ion Dopants on the Photocatalytic Activity of Titanium Dioxide under Visible Light Irradiation.

Titanium dioxide doped with the Pt ion (Pt-TiO) was synthesized by a sol-gel method using only water as the solvent and conducting dialysis. The photocatalytic activity for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) on Pt-TiO was not affected by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area under visible light (VL) irradiation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure measurements revealed that only the Pt(IV) ion existed in the TiO bulk and both Pt(II) and Pt(IV) were present near the Pt-TiO surface.

Kinetics of Coloration in Photochromic Tungsten(VI) Oxide/Silicon Oxycarbide/Silica Hybrid Xerogel: Insight into Cation Self-diffusion Mechanisms.

Silicon oxycarbide/silica composites with well-dispersed tungsten(VI) oxide (WO3) nanoparticles were obtained as transparent hybrid xerogels via an acid-catalyzed sol-gel process (hydrolysis/condensation polymerization) of 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TESPMA) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The self-diffusion mechanism of alkali-metal cations and the kinetics of the photochromic coloration process in the WO3/TESPMA/TEOS hybrid xerogel systems have been systematically investigated. Under continuous UV illumination, a gradual color change (colorless → blue) corresponding to the reduction of W(6+) into W(5+) states in WO3 nanoparticles can be confirmed from the WO3/TESPMA/TEOS hybrid xerogels containing alkali-metal sulfates, although no coloration of the hybrid xerogel without alkali-metal sulfate was observed.

Photochromic Properties of Tungsten Oxide/Methylcellulose Composite Film Containing Dispersing Agents.

Tungsten oxide-based photochromic films which changed reversibly in air between colorless- transparent in the dark and dark blue under UV irradiation were prepared by using methylcellulose as a film matrix and polyols such as ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), and glycerin (Gly) as dispersing agents. Influence of the dispersing agents and water in the films on the photochromic behavior was systematically studied. Under UV irradiation, absorption bands around 640 and 980 nm increased and the coloring rate was the following order: Gly > EG > PG.

Mechanism of peripheral substituent effects on adsorption-aggregation behaviors of cationic porphyrin dyes on tungsten(VI) oxide nanocolloid particles.

The adsorption and aggregation behaviors of the cationic porphyrin derivatives such as 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)porphyrin [TPyP], 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin [TMPyP], 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(N-ethyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin [TEPyP], and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(N-n-propyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin [TPPyP] (hereafter called "TPyP derivatives") in the tungsten(VI) oxide (WO3) colloid aqueous solution at weak acidic pH were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy. The TPyP derivatives were strongly adsorbed as monolayer onto the WO3 surface via the electrostatic interaction between their peripheral cationic substituents and negatively surface-charged WO3 colloid particles, and most of the ones adsorbed eventually formed J-type dimers aligned in the head-to-tail fashion. These different dimerization states were effectively analyzed by the change of ratios among the intensities of exciton split Soret bands (H- and J-bands).

Surface-enhanced photochromic phenomena of phenylalanine adsorbed on tungsten oxide nanoparticles: a novel approach for "label-free" colorimetric sensing.

The enhanced photochromic behaviors of the L-phenylalanine (Phe)-tungsten(VI) oxide (WO3) colloid binary aqueous solution have been investigated by means of UV-vis absorption spectrometry. The phenomena provided a potential use of the WO3 nanoparticles as a colorimetric probe for sensitive "label-free" detection of Phe.

Photocatalytic degradation of chlorinated ethanes in the gas phase on the porous TiO(2) pellets: effect of surface acidity.

The photocatalytic degradation of chlorinated ethanes was studied in a tubular photoreactor packed with TiO(2) pellets prepared by sol-gel method. The steady-state condition was not obtained, but the deterioration in the photocatalytic activity was observed during the irradiation. Effects of mole fractions of water vapor, O(2), and C(2)H(5)Cl or C(2)H(4)Cl(2) and reaction temperature on the photodegradation of C(2)H(5)Cl or C(2)H(4)Cl(2) were examined, and these data were compared with those obtained by the photodegradation of chlorinated ethylenes.

Controllable adsorption and ideal H-aggregation behaviors of phenothiazine dyes on the tungsten oxide nanocolloid surface.

The monomer-aggregate equilibrium of four phenothiazine (PN) dyes, containing thionine (TH), methylene blue (MB), new methylene blue (NMB), and 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMB), in the tungsten(VI) oxide (WO(3)) nanocolloid solution has been investigated by means of UV-vis spectroscopy. Addition of PN dye into the WO(3) nanocolloid solution brought about significant changes in the absorption spectrum, suggesting the formation of H-type (face-to-face fashion) trimer on the WO(3) nanocolloid surface. The adsorptivity of PN dyes onto the WO(3) nanocolloid surface was diminished by the raising the ionic strength, indicating the evidence of the electrostatic interaction between cationic PN dye and negatively charged WO(3) nanocolloids.

Enhanced photodegradation of organic dyes adsorbed on a clay.

The interaction of three photoactive organic dyes, Rhodamine B, Rhodamine 6G and a stilbazolium derivative 4'-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium with synthetic sodium-saponite has been examined by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. In all cases, bathochromic shifts and the reduction of peak absorbance for the dyes were observed in the absorption spectra at a low dye concentration (25% adsorption of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the clay), although the shape and the width of their absorption bands were similar to those in aqueous solution. This absorption behavior indicates that the organic dye molecules adsorbed onto the surface of the negatively charged clay particles and the adsorbed molecules were well dispersed.