Novel synthesis of highly active Pt/C cathode electrocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cell

A 40 wt% Pt/C cathode electrocatalyst with controlled Pt particle size of similar to 2.9 nm showing better performance than commercial catalyst for direct methanol fuel cell was prepared by a polyol process with water but without using stabilizing agent.

Preparation of highly active Pt/C cathode electrocatalysts for DMFCs by an improved aqueous impregnation method

An improved aqueous impregnation method was used to prepare 40 wt% Pt/C electrocatalysts. TEM analysis of the samples showed that the Pt particles impregnated for a short time have a very narrow size distribution in the range of 1-4 nm with an average size of 2.6 nm. UV-vis spectroscopy measurements verified that the redox reaction between PtCl62- and formaldehyde took place with a slow rate at ambient temperature via a two-step reaction path, where PtCl42- serves as an intermediate. The use of the short-time-impregnated 40 wt% Pt/C as cathode electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cells yields better performance than that of commercial 40 wt% Pt/C electrocatalyst. Experimental evidence provides clues for the fundamental understanding of elementary steps of the redox reactions, which helps in guiding the design and preparation of highly dispersed Pt catalyst for fuel cells.

Fabrication and characterization of SERS-active silver clusters on glassy carbon

In this article, a novel technique for the fabrication of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active silver clusters on glassy carbon (GC) has been proposed. It was found that silver clusters could be formed on a layer of positively charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium) (PDDA) anchored to a carbon surface by 4-aminobenzoic acid when a drop containing silver nanoparticles was deposited on it. The characteristics of the obtained silver clusters have been investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), SERS and an SERS-based Raman mapping technique in the form of line scanning. The AFM image shows that the silver clusters consist of several silver nanoparticles and the size of the clusters is in the range 80-100 nm. The SERS spectra of different concentrations of rhodamine 6G (R6G) on the silver clusters were obtained and compared with those from a silver colloid. The apparent enhancement factor (AEF) was estimated to be as large as 3.1 x 10(4) relative to silver colloid, which might have resulted from the presence of 'hot-spots' at the silver clusters, providing a highly localized electromagnetic field for the large enhancement of the SERS spectra of R6G. The minimum electromagnetic enhancement factor (EEF) is estimated to be 5.4 x 10(7) by comparison with the SERS spectra of R6G on the silver clusters and on the bare GC surface.

Synthesis and chirooptical properties of optically active poly(ester imide)s based on axially asymmetric 1,1 '-binaphthyls

A series of optically active poly(ester imide)s (PEsI's) has been synthesized by the polycondensation reactions of new axially asymmetric dianhydrides, that is, (R)-2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxybenzoyloxy)-1,1'-binaphthyl dianhydride and (S)-2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxybenzoyloxy)-1,1'-binaphthyl dianhydride, and various diamines with aromatic, semiaromatic, and aliphatic structures. The polymers have inherent viscosities of 0.45-0.70 dL/g, very good solubility in common organic solvents, glass-transition temperatures of 124-290 degreesC, and good thermal stability. Wide-angle X-ray crystallography of these polymers shows no crystal diffraction. In comparison with model compounds, an enhanced optical rotatory power has been observed for the repeat unit of optically active PEsI's based on aromatic diamines, and it has been attributed to a collaborative asymmetric perturbation of chiral 1,1'-binaphthyls along the rigid backbones.

Synthesis and properties of optically active polyquinolines containing 1, 1 '-binaphthyl unit

Optically active 2,2'-dimethoxy-6,6'-diacetyl-1,1'-binaphthyl (DMDABN) was prepared from 2,2'-dimethoxy-1,1'-binaphthyl, and its structure was comfirmed by elemental analysis, NRM, IR and MS. Optically active polyquinolines were synthesized with DMDABN and 4,4'-diamino-3,3'-dibenzoyldiphenyl ether by Friedlander reaction. These polyquinolines showed high glass transition temperatures (474-578 K), high decomposition temperatures (703-770 K), insolubility in many common organic solvents and strong chiral activity.

Synthesis and characterization of optically active aromatic polyimides derived from 2,2 '-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1,1 '-binaphthyl and aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides

Optically active 2,2'-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1,1'-binaphthyl and its corresponding racemate were prepared by a nucleophilic substitution reaction of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with 2-chloro-5-nitrotrifluorotoluene and subsequently by the reduction of the resulting dinitro compounds. a series of optically active and optically inactive aromatic polyimides also were prepared therefrom, These polymers readily were soluble in common organic solvents such as pyridine, N,N'-dimethylacetamide, and m-cresol and had glass-transition temperatures of 256 similar to 278 degrees C. The specific rotations of the chiral polymers ranged from 167 similar to 258 degrees, and their chiroptical properties also were studied. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons Inc.

New optically active aromatic polyimides II: Synthesis and properties of optically active aromatic polyimide based on (R)-(+)-2,2 '-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1,1 '-binaphthyl

Optically active (R)-(+)-2, 2'-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1, 1'-binaphthyl was prepared from 1, 1'-bi-2-naphthol. The optically active aromatic polyimide was also successfully synthesized. This new polymer has good solubility, thermal stability etc. Its specific rotation was found to be +174 degrees, and its chiroptical property was also studied.

Synthesis and properties of optically active poly(amide-imide)s containing axially dissymmetric 1,1 '-binaphthyl moieties

Novel optically active aromatic poly(amide-imide)s (PAIs) containing 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl units in the main chain were prepared by polycondensation reactions of newly synthesized dianhydride, 2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxylzenzamido)-1,1'-binaphthyl dianhydride[(S)-BN-DADA and (+/-)-BNDADA], with diamines, The properties of the resulted PAIs were fully characterized by a combination of investigations on inherent viscosity, thermal properties(DSC and TGA), specific rotation, CD and UV-Vis absorbance. These PAIs showed good solubilities, thermal properties and optical stabilities. Interesting UV-Vis absorption behavior of films casted from these PAIs was observed and analyzed.

Synthesis and properties of optically active aromatic polyimides derived from optically pure 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol

A series of new optically active aromatic polyimides containing axially dissymmetric 1,1'-binaphthalene-2,2-diyl units were prepared from optically pure (R)-(+)-or (S)-(-)-2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)-1,1'-binaphthalene dianhydrides and various aromatic diamines via a conventional two-step procedure that included ring-opening polycondensation and chemical cyclodehydration. The optically pure isomer of dianhydride was prepared by a nucleophilic substitution of optically pure (R)-(+)or (S)-(-)1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with 4-nitrophthalonitrile in aprotic polar solvent and subsequent hydrolysis of the resultant tetranitrile derivatives, followed by the dehydration of the corresponding tetracarboxylic acids to obtain the dianhydrides. These polymers were readily soluble in common organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and m-cresol, etc., and have glass transition temperatures of 251-296 degrees C, and 5% weight loss occurs not lower than 480 degrees C. The specific rotations of the optically active polyimides ranged from +196 degrees to +263 degrees, and the optical stability and chiroptical properties of them were also studied. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Electropolymeric generation of optically active polypyrrole

The facile synthesis of optically active polypyrrole has been achieved via the enantioselective electropolymerization of pyrrole on indium-tin-oxide-coated glass electrodes in aqueous solution containing D-(+) or L-(-) tartaric acid, (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid and L-lactic acid. The dark films of conducting polypyrroles salt formed under electrostatic conditions (+0.65V vs. Ag/AgCl) exhibited strong circular dichroism (CD) spectra typical of polymers possessing helical chirality. The quantitative reversal of the CD spectrum of the salt grown in (+)-tartaric acid as opposed to (-)-tartaric acid suggests that electropolymerization is highly enantioselective, with one helical screw of the polymer chain being preferentially produced depending on the hand of the tartaric anion incorporated. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Electrochemical study of the interfacial characteristics of redox-active viologen thiol self-assembled monolayers

The electrochemical behavior of the electroactive self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiol-functionalized viologen, CH3(CH2)(9)V2+(CH2)(8)SH, where V2+ is a viologen group, on the gold electrodes is examined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical a.c. impedance. A monolayer of viologen is immobilized on the gold electrode surface via the Au-S bond and the normal potentials corresponding to the two successive one-electron transfer processes of the viologen active centers are -310 mV and -652 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 0.1 mol l(-1) phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.96) respectively. These results suggest that the viologen SAMs are stable and well-behaved monolayers. The experimental impedance data corresponding to different forms of viologen group have been fitted to equivalent electrical circuits, and the surface capacitances and resistances have been given. The heterogenous electron transfer rates of the first and the second redox processes are 7.57 s(-1) and 1.49 s(-1) respectively through a.c. impedance.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPELLER-PROPELLER TRANSITION OF OPTICALLY-ACTIVE POLY(DIPHENYL-O-TOLYLMETHYL METHACRYLATE)

Diphenyl-o-tolylmethyl methacrylate (DPTMA) was synthesized and polymerized using initiators of organolithium complexes with (+) - (2S,3S) -dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino) butane (DDB) and (-) -sparteine (Sp) as the chiral ligands. DDB was suitable for its complex effective to prepare optically active poly(diphenyl-o-tolylmethyl methacrylate) (PDPTMA) with one-handed helical conformation, whereas only low-molecular weight polymer was formed when Sp was used as ligand due to the repulsive hindrance between the triarylmethyl group and the ligand. A new mutarotation, propeller-propeller transition, was observed for PDPTMA from the optical rotation curves and CD spectra in THF solution. The equivalent period of PDPTMA was estimated to be 14 angstrom based on the x-ray diffraction. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPELLER PROPELLER TRANSITION OF OPTICALLY-ACTIVE POLY(DIPHENYL-O-METHOXYPHENYLMETHYL METHACRYLATE)

Diphenyl-o-methoxyphenylmethyl methacrylate was polymerized with several organolithium complexes of chiral ligand such as (-)-sparteine (Sp) and (S,S)-(+)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butane (DDB). (+)-DDB was effective in preparing a polymer of high optical rotation, whereas (-)-Sp only gave oligomers with low optical rotation for the repulsive hindrance between the bulky ester group and the rigid ligand. The optical rotation of the polymer decreased rapidly to a constant value due to the propeller-propeller transition, which has been demonstrated by H-1 n.m.r. and circular dichroic spectra.