A new hydrogen-bonded supramolecular framework is reported, consisting of ammonium pentaborate, containing poly(ethylene-glycol) chains extending down tubular cavities in the structure. The crystal architecture is templated by the presence of the polyether chains, analogous to template synthesis of zeolites and metal organic frameworks. The ammonium pentaborate is formed by the thermolysis of ammonia borane, followed by hydrolysis of the dehydrogenation products by ambient water. This structure represents the first known example of a borate-based polymer inclusion compound.
Herein, we demonstrated that a polycrystalline cobalt oxide/borate (CoO-Bo) hybrid catalyst prepared by coprecipitation followed a simple annealing process with a viable boron source of less hazardous ammonium borate, an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The borate species in the crystalline cobalt oxide lattice provides a tunable polycrystalline morphology with a defect-rich lattice and numerous grain boundaries in the CoO-Bo hybrid electrocatalyst, which significantly boosts the OER activity compared to the crystalline counterparts of CoO and precious IrO in a harsh alkaline electrolyte (1 M KOH). The borate modulated CoO-Bo achieves a 10 mA/cm geometrical current density for the OER with a very low overpotential (η) of 271 mV and small Tafel slope of 34 mV dec, in an inert glassy carbon (GC) support, while only requiring η of 267 and 32 mV dec in a 3D nickel foam (NF) support at the same current density.
Heavy metals and organic pollutants are prevalent in water bodies, causing great damage to the environment and human beings. Hence, it is urgent to develop a kind of adsorbent with good performance. Anion interlacing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a promising adsorbent for the sustainable removal of heavy metal ions and dyes from wastewater.
This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of nine boron derivatives against biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria. The effect of boron derivatives (CMB, calcium metaborate; SMTB, sodium metaborate tetrahydrate; ZB, zinc borate; STFB, sodium tetra fluorine borate; STB, sodium tetraborate; PTFB, potassium tetra fluor borate; APTB, ammonium pentabo-rate tetrahydrate; SPM, sodium perborate monohydrate; Borax, ATFB, ammonium tetra fluorine borate) on bacteria isolated from blood culture was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. Then, biofilm formation potentials on microplates, tubes, and Congo red agar were examined.
In this study, ammonium borate was used as an additive to inhibit lignin softening during the pyrolysis process, and the influence on the pyrolysis process and product characteristics were investigated with potential mechanism being explored in depth. Results showed that with boron addition, glassy transition temperature and thermal stability of lignin increased, and the yield of gas and liquid decreased, while the content of CO, CO and H increased. Simultaneously, liquid oil showed higher content of simple phenols, especially the diphenols which the maximum reached 80% with 3%BN at 650 ℃, while the yield of heavy components (300 ∼ 400 Da) decreased.
This study delves deeply into the effect of different borates (lithium tetraborate, sodium tetraborate, calcium metaborate, ammonium pentaborate) on the production and fundamental characteristic features of nanoscale hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) structure with the assistant of standard characteristic measurement methods, namely, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The hBN samples are synthesized by reaction of powder urea, boron oxide, and different kinds of borates via the modified O'Connor method (performed at a relatively lower main heat treatment temperature of 1,100°C). All the results obtained show that the usage of borates affects positively the formation of nanoscale hBN structure.
