FT-IR Study of Carbon Monoxide Adsorption on Li-Exchanged Zeolite X

Long-Range π-π Stacking Brings High Electron Delocalization for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity in Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework

Unlike many studies that regulate transport and separation behaviour of photogenerated charge carriers through controlling the chemical composite, our work demonstrates this goal can be achieved through simply tuning the molecular π-π packing from short-range to long-range within hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) without altering the building blocks or network topology. Further investigations reveal that the long-range π-π stacking significantly promotes electron delocalization and enhances electron density, thereby effectively suppressing electron-hole recombination and augmenting the charge transfer rate. Simultaneously, acting as a porous substrate, it boosts electron density of Pd nanoparticle loaded on its surfaces, resulting in remarkable CO2 photoreduction catalytic activity (CO generation rate: 48.1 μmol/g/h) without the need for hole scavengers. Our study provide insight into regulating the charge carrier behaviours in molecular assemblies based on hydrogen bonds, offering a new clue for efficient photocatalyst design.

Effect of competing amines on the removal of tetramethylammonium hydroxide from solution using ion exchange

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH, TMA(+)) has been widely used as the photoresist developer in semiconductor and thin film transistor liquid crystal display manufacturing. In this study, TMAH-containing wastewater was treated by ion exchange method. Strong acid cation exchange resin was used. A kinetics study revealed that the ion exchange reaction reached equilibrium within 20 min and it could be described by a pseudo-second-order model. To assess the effects of competing ions, wastewater was spiked with three different amines, namely ethylamine (EA(+)), diethylamine (DEA(+)), and triethylamine (TEA(+)). TMAH uptake decreased when in the presence of amines, and it decreased in the order EA(+) < DEA(+) < TEA(+). It could be attributed to different proton affinity (PA) and the strength of affinity between amine molecules and resin matrix, as found from the ab initio calculation values and Langmuir isotherm parameters. However, the interaction energy between sulphonic acid groups and interfering amines in solution using density functional theory (DFT) calculation resulted in a different trend compared with that of PA. The difference might be caused by stabilization of amines by resin matrix and different molecular structures.

Probing zeolites by vibrational spectroscopies

This review addresses the most relevant aspects of vibrational spectroscopies (IR, Raman and INS) applied to zeolites and zeotype materials. Surface Brønsted and Lewis acidity and surface basicity are treated in detail. The role of probe molecules and the relevance of tuning both the proton affinity and the steric hindrance of the probe to fully understand and map the complex site population present inside microporous materials are critically discussed. A detailed description of the methods needed to precisely determine the IR absorption coefficients is given, making IR a quantitative technique. The thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process that can be extracted from a variable-temperature IR study are described. Finally, cutting-edge space- and time-resolved experiments are reviewed. All aspects are discussed by reporting relevant examples. When available, the theoretical literature related to the reviewed experimental results is reported to support the interpretation of the vibrational spectra on an atomic level.

Conversion of carbon disulfide in air by non-thermal plasma

Carbon disulfide (CS2), a typical odorous organic sulfur compound, has adverse effects on human health and is a potential threat to the environment. In the present study, CS2 conversion in air by non-thermal plasma (NTP) was systematically investigated using a link tooth wheel-cylinder plasma reactor energized by a DC power supply. The results show that corona discharge is effective in removing CS2. The CS2 conversion increases with the increase of specific input energy (SIE). Both short-living (e.g. O, OH radicals) and long-living species contribute to the CS2 conversion, but the short-living species play a more important role. Both gaseous and solid products are formed during the conversion of CS2. Gaseous products mainly include CO, CO2, OCS, SO2, SO3 and H2SO4. The yields of CO and CO2 increase, the yields of OCS and SO2 follow bell curves while the sum yield of SO3 and H2SO4 remains constant as SIE increases. The solid products, consisting of CO3(2-), SO4(2-) and possible polymeric sulfur, deposit on the inner wall and electrodes of the plasma reactor.