Globular pattern formation of hierarchical ceria nanoarchitectures

Dissipative structures often appear as an unstable counterpart of ordered structures owing to fluctuations that do not form a homogeneous phase. Even a multiphase mixture may simultaneously undergo one chemical reaction near equilibrium and another one that is far from equilibrium. Here, we observed in real time crystal seed formation and simultaneous nanocrystal aggregation proceeding from CeIV complexes to CeO2 nanoparticles in an acidic aqueous solution, and investigated the resultant hierarchical nanoarchitecture. The formed particles exhibited two very different size ranges, resulting in further pattern formation with opalescence. The hierarchically assembled structures in solutions were CeO2 colloids, viz. primary core clusters (1-3 nm) of crystalline ceria and secondary clusters (20-30 nm) assembled through surface ions. Such self-assembly is widespread in multi-component complex fluids, paradoxically moderating hierarchical reactions. Stability and instability are not only critical but also complementary for co-optimisation around the nearby free energy landscape prior to bifurcation.

A HNO3 -Responsive Aqueous Biphasic System for Metal Separation: Application towards CeIV Recovery

An acidic aqueous biphasic system (AcABS) presenting a desired and reversible phase transition with HNO₃ concentration and temperature was developed herein as an integrated platform for metal separation. The simple, economical, and fully incinerable (C,H,O,N) AcABS composed of tetrabutylammonium nitrate ([N₄₄₄₄ ][NO₃ ])+HNO₃ +H₂ O was characterized and presented an excellent selectivity towards Ce^IV against other rare earth elements and transition metals from both synthetic solutions and nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery leachates. The acid-driven self-assembly of AcABS bridges the gap between traditional ABS and liquid-liquid extraction whilst retaining their advantageous qualities, including compatibility with highly acidic solutions, water as the primary system component, the avoidance of organic diluents, rapid mass transfer, and the potential integration of the leaching and separation steps.

Structural insights into the multinuclear speciation of tetravalent cerium in the tri-n-butyl phosphate–n-dodecane solvent extraction system

Macroscopic phase behaviors in the liquid–liquid extraction are explained by microscopic, reverse micellar fluid structures containing tetranuclear Ce(iv) clusters revealed by use of X-ray spectroscopy and scattering of the light and dense organic phases.

Trapped in the coordination sphere: nitrate ion transfer driven by the cerium(iii/iv) redox couple

The electrochemical transfer of nitrate anions between oil and water phases—driven by the reduction and oxidation of cerium coordination complexes in oil phases—provides a new entry into chemical separations where an electrode potential tunes solute transfer between phases by ‘trapping’ the migrating anion on the cerium cation.

Experimental (FT-IR and FT-RS) and theoretical (DFT) studies of molecular structure and internal modes of [Mn(NH3)6](NO3)2

Fourier-transform Raman and infrared spectra of [Mn(NH(3))(6)](NO(3))(2) were recorded and interpreted by comparison with respective theoretical spectra calculated using DFT method. The [Mn(NH(3))(6)](2+) cation equilibrium geometry with C(1) symmetry, harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared and Raman scattering intensities were determined using B3LYP/LAN2LTZ+/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. The band assignment was based on potential energy distribution (PED) of normal modes. The computations of NO(3)(-) anion frequencies were performed under assumption of D(3h) symmetry, using 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. In order do draw a comparison, additional calculations were performed separately for the [Cd(NH(3))(6)](NO(3))(2) and [Ni(NH(3))(6)](NO(3))(2). The computations were also carried out using selected modern exchange-correlation functionals. A sufficient general agreement between the theoretical and the experimental spectra has been achieved.