ABSTRACT
In this work, we study the electrochemical oxidation of methyl red, a dye present in textile industrial effluents, which is selected as the model for the degradation of Contaminants of Emerging Concern. The influence of the initial pollutant concentration (1-5 mg dm-3), applied current density (2-15 mA cm-2), and the coupling of ultraviolet or ultrasound radiation have been studied using a titanium plate as anode. The results show that electrochemical oxidation is able to efficiently remove methyl red, and the process efficiency decreases with the initial pollutant concentration. At high applied current densities, efficiency drastically decreases due to a less effective mass transfer of the pollutant on the anodic surface. On one hand, the coupling of ultrasound entails an antagonistic effect on the process efficiency, which is probably due to a massive formation of oxidant radicals followed by a fast recombination process. On the other hand, the coupling of ultraviolet radiation increases the process efficiency. Concomitantly to the oxidation processes, titanium electrode produces rising TiO2-anatase nanoparticles, boosting the mineralization process. This new finding sets up a significant improvement over conventional photocatalysis treatments using TiO2-anatase as a catalyst due to synergistic effects coming from the coupling of the electrochemical oxidation and photocatalysis process with Ti anode.
ABSTRACT
Multiferroic materials exhibit two or more ferroic orders and have potential applications as multifunctional materials in the electronics industry. A coupling of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism is hereby particularly promising. We show that the synthetic melanostibite mineral Mn2 FeSbO6 (R3â¾ space group) with ilmenite-type structure exhibits cation off-centering that results in alternating modulated displacements, thus allowing antiferroelectricity to occur. Massive magnetoelectric coupling (MEC) and magnetocapacitance effect of up to 4000 % was detected at a record high temperature of 260â K. The multiferroic behavior is based on the imbalance of cationic displacements caused by a magnetostrictive mechanism, which sets up an unprecedented example to pave the way for the development of highly effective MEC devices operational at or near room temperature.
ABSTRACT
Cation ordering in ABO3 perovskites adds to their chemical variety and can lead to properties such as ferrimagnetism and magnetoresistance in Sr2 FeMoO6 . Through high-pressure and high-temperature synthesis, a new type of "double double perovskite" structure has been discovered in the family MnRMnSbO6 (R=La, Pr, Nd, Sm). This tetragonal structure has a 1:1 order of cations on both A and Bâ sites, with A-site Mn(2+) and R(3+) cations ordered in columns and Mn(2+) and Sb(5+) having rock salt order on the Bâ sites. The MnRMnSbO6 double double perovskites are ferrimagnetic at low temperatures with additional spin-reorientation transitions. The ordering direction of ferrimagnetic Mn spins in MnNdMnSbO6 changes from parallel to [001] below TC =76â K to perpendicular below the reorientation transition at 42â K at which Nd moments also order. Smaller rare earths lead to conventional monoclinic double perovskites (MnR)MnSbO6 for Eu and Gd.
ABSTRACT
The perovskite polymorph of Mn(2)CrSbO(6) compound has been synthesized at 8 GPa and 1473 K. It crystallizes in the monoclinic P21/n space group with cell parameters a = 5.2180 (2) Å, b = 5.3710(2) Å, c = 7.5874(1) Å and ß = 90.36(1)°. Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements show the simultaneous antiferromagnetic ordering of Mn(2+) and Cr(3+) sublattices below TN = 55 K with a small canting. Low temperature powder neutron diffraction reveals a commensurate magnetic structure with spins confined to the ac-plane and a propagation vector κ = [1/2 0 1/2]. The thermal treatment of this compound induces an irreversible phase transition to the ilmenite polymorph, which has been isolated at 973 K and crystallizes in R3[combining macron] space group with cell parameters a = 5.2084 (4) Å and c = 14.4000 (11) Å. Magnetic susceptibility, magnetization and powder neutron diffraction data confirm the antiferromagnetic helical ordering of spins in an incommensurate magnetic structure with κ = [00 0.46] below 60 K, and the temperature dependence of the propagation vector up to κ = [00 0.54] at about 10 K.
ABSTRACT
The BiCr(0.5)Ni(0.5)O(3) perovskite has been obtained at high pressure. Neutron and synchrotron diffraction data show a Pnma orthorhombic structure with a = 5.5947(1) Å, b = 7.7613(1) Å, and c = 5.3882(1) Å at 300 K and random B-site Cr/Ni distribution. Electron diffraction reveals an incommensurate modulation parallel to the b axis. The combination of either Cr-O-Ni (J > 0) or Cr-O-Cr/Ni-O-Ni (J < 0) nearest-neighbor spin interactions results in a random-bond spin-glass configuration. Magnetization, neutron diffraction, and muon-spin-relaxation measurements demonstrate that variations in the local bonding and charge states contribute to the magnetic frustration.
ABSTRACT
The ordered double perovskite Pb2NiReO6 has been prepared at 6 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1273 to 1373 K. Its crystal structure determined by X-ray powder diffraction and selected area electron diffraction shows monoclinic symmetry with centrosymmetric space group I2/m (a = 5.6021(1) Å, b = 5.6235(1) Å, c = 7.9286(1) Å and ß = 90.284°(1)). High angle annular dark field microscopy studies reveal the existence of compositional microdomains. The compound displays a re-entrant spin-glass transition from a ferrimagnetic ordering below T(N) ~ 37 K between the Re(+5) and Ni(+3) (high spin configuration) magnetic sublattices to a spin-glass configuration. Magnetic field dependent magnetization measurements revealed wasp-waisted hysteresis loops at 5 K. These shaped features originate from the antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic (AFM/FM) competing interactions.
ABSTRACT
The CdCr(2)O(4) spinel transforms to a 10.6% denser new polymorph of the CaFe(2)O(4)-type structure at 10 GPa and 1100 degrees C. This new polymorph has a honeycomb-like structure because of double rutile-type chains formed by [Cr-O(6)] edge-shared octehedra. This crystal structure is prone to be magnetically frustrated and presents low-dimensional antiferromagnetism at 25 K < T < 150 K, accompanied by more complex interactions as the temperature decreases. These transitions are evidenced by magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements. We also discuss a possible structural mechanism for the transformation.
ABSTRACT
The perovskite "PbCrO(3)" was synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Its magnetic properties have been investigated by means of magnetization, specific heat, and resistivity measurements. Earlier workers had concluded it to have a G-type antiferromagnetic structure. However, our measurements suggest a rather more complex situation: first, a weak ferromagnetic transition of the Cr(IV) spins occurs at 245 K; this is followed by a temperature-driven spin reorientation starting at 185 K and ending at 62 K. Since zero-magnetic-field spin reorientation in the "PbCrO(3)" perovskite should not be expected, an intrinsic "magnetoelectric effect", associated with the lone-pair Pb electrons, seems to be responsible for the observed smooth rotation of the Cr-spins.
