X-ray absorption fine structure of artificial antigens for cadmium

Development of copper nanoflowers based dispersive solid-phase extraction method for cadmium determination in shalgam juice samples using slotted quartz tube atomic absorption spectrometry

In this work, dispersive solid-phase extraction procedure was developed for trace cadmium determination before flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) measurement. Copper(II) based nanoflowers were synthesized to utilize as adsorbent for preconcentration of cadmium. The detection power of the spectrometric system was enhanced by placing a slotted quartz tube (SQT) onto the flame burner which increases the residence time of the analyte atoms in the flame region. The analytical performance of the developed system was evaluated with and without SQT equipment and the enhancement in detection power was calculated by the ratio of detection limits of CuNF-DSPE-FAAS (copper nanoflower based dispersive solid phase extraction-flame atomic absorption spectrometry) and FAAS system. Enhancement was determined as 73 and 104.3 times for CuNF-DSPE-FAAS and CuNF-DSPE-SQT-FAAS (CuNF-DSPE-slotted quartz tube-FAAS), respectively. Percent recovery results indicated the applicability of the developed method for the determination of trace cadmium.

Spectroscopic studies of heat-treated FeNxCy/C involved in electrochemical oxygen reduction under acid media

Carbon-incorporated FeNx electrocatalysts (FeNC/C-T) have been synthesized by carbonizing a nitrogen-containing specie and iron precursor on carbon blacks at various heat-treated temperatures. The catalyst properties (crystalline structure, surface chemical states, oxidation state and co-ordination geometry) and their formation scheme of FeNC/C-T have been thoroughly examined by X-ray based spectroscopies such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The electrochemical performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol tolerance were also investigated by rotating disk electrode tests in 0.5M H2SO4. By combined results from XPS and XAS spectroscopies, the catalysts carbonized at 1073K possess higher surface Fe/C and N/C atomic ratios with formation of carbons incorporated FeN4 species were found to have the optimal electrocatalytic properties.