ABSTRACT
We examined the deep UV 229 nm photochemistry of NaNO(3) in solution and in the solid state. In aqueous solution excitation within the deep UV NO(3)¯ strong π â π* transition causes the photochemical reaction NO(3)¯ â NO(2)¯ + O·. We used UV resonance Raman spectroscopy to examine the photon dose dependence of the NO(2)¯ band intensities and measure a photochemical quantum yield of 0.04 at pH 6.5. We also examined the response of solid NaNO(3) samples to 229 nm excitation and also observe formation of NO(2)¯. The quantum yield is much smaller at â¼10(-8). The solid state NaNO(3) photochemistry phenomena appear complex by showing a significant dependence on the UV excitation flux and dose. At low flux/dose conditions NO(2)¯ resonance Raman bands appear, accompanied by perturbed NO(3)¯ bands, indicating stress in the NaNO(3) lattice. Higher flux/dose conditions show less lattice perturbation but SEM shows surface eruptions that alleviate the stress induced by the photochemistry. Higher flux/dose measurements cause cratering and destruction of the NaNO(3) surface as the surface layers are converted to NO(2)¯. Modest laser excitation UV beams excavate surface layers in the solid NaNO(3) samples. At the lowest incident fluxes a pressure buildup competes with effusion to reach a steady state giving rise to perturbed NO(3)¯ bands. Increased fluxes result in pressures that cause the sample to erupt, relieving the pressure.
Subject(s)
Nitrates/chemistry , Photochemistry , Solutions , Spectrum Analysis, Raman , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
We measured the 229 nm absolute ultraviolet (UV) Raman cross-sections of the explosives trinitrotoluene (TNT), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (RDX), the chemically related nitroamine explosive HMX, and ammonium nitrate in solution. The 229 nm Raman cross-sections are 1000-fold greater than those excited in the near-infrared and visible spectral regions. Deep UV resonance Raman spectroscopy enables detection of explosives at parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations and may prove useful for stand-off spectroscopic detection of explosives.
ABSTRACT
Acetaminophen is known to crystallize in three polymorphic forms. Thermally induced transformations between the crystalline forms and the super-cooled liquid have been observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), but the assignment of calorimetric transitions to specific polymorphic transformations remains challenging, because the transition temperatures for several transformations are close to one another, and the characteristics of the observed transitions depend on experimental variables that are often poorly controlled. This paper demonstrates the simultaneous application of DSC and Raman microscopy for the observation of thermally driven transitions between polymorphs of pharmaceutical materials. Raman detected differential scanning calorimetry (RD-DSC) has been used to monitor the DSC thermograms of super-cooled liquid acetaminophen and confirms the assignment of two exothermic transitions to specific polymorphic transformations. Principal component analysis of the Raman spectra have been used to determine the number of independent components that participate in the phase transformations, and multivariate regression has been used to determine transition temperatures from the spectral data. The influence of the laser excitation source on measured DSC thermograms has also been investigated, and it has been demonstrated that a baseline shift occurs in RD-DSC when a polymorphic transformation occurs between crystalline and amorphous forms. RD-DSC has been used to examine the influence of sample aging and sample pan configuration on the observed polymorphic transformations, and both of these variables were found to influence the thermal behavior of the sample. The results demonstrate the advantage of simultaneous Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry for the unambiguous assignment of thermally driven polymorphic transformations.
