Uniform Core-Shell Microspheres of SiO2@MOF for CO2 Cycloaddition Reactions.

A SiO2@MOF core-shell microsphere for environmentally friendly applications was introduced in this study. Several types of metal-organic framework core-shell microspheres were successfully synthesized. To achieve high stability and favorable catalytic performance, modification and coating methods were necessary for optimization. The improved SiO2@MOF core-shell microspheres were used in the cycloaddition reaction of carbon dioxide and propylene oxide. Dispersion ability was enhanced by the addition of core-shell microspheres, which also produced high catalytic activity. Accompanied with tetrabutylammonium bromide as a co-catalyst, SiO2@ZIF-67 had a maximum conversion of 97%, and the results revealed that SiO2@ZIF-67 could be used for 5 reaction cycles while maintaining high catalytic performance. This recycling catalyst was also reacted with a series of terminal epoxides to form corresponding cyclic carbonates with high conversion rates, indicating that SiO2@MOF core-shell microspheres exhibit promise in the field of catalysis.

Fluorescence Quenching Investigation of Methyl Red Adsorption on Aluminum-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The adsorption of methyl red (MR) isomers (ortho, meta, and para) on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was investigated by using a fluorescence quenching technique. All three MR isomers were found to quench the fluorescence of MOFs effectively. Nonlinear fluorescence quenching trends were observed in Stern-Volmer plots. A modified nonlinear Stern-Volmer equation with the concepts of multiple adsorption sites, adsorption strength, and quencher accessibility was successfully adopted to fit the fluorescence quenching data. The fitted parameters were correlated with the structural properties of MRs and MOFs. The order of quenching efficiency was found to be m-MR > p-MR > o-MR for all MOFs. This indicates that MR molecules not only adsorb via carboxylate-metal bonding but also adsorb through π-π interactions between the aromatic rings of MR and linker molecules in MOFs. The position of the carboxylate group in MRs and the structure of the linkers in MOFs are the key factors affecting the fluorescence quenching efficiency.

Observation of Surface Coverage-Dependent Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering and the Kinetic Behavior of Methylene Blue Adsorbed on Silver Oxide Nanocrystals.

We report the study of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and photocatalytic reactions of methylene blue (MB) adsorbed on cubic silver oxide (c-Ag2O) nanocrystals. The SERS activities of MB observed on c-Ag2O are surface coverage-dependent. According to the SERS selection rules, the strong intensities of the C-S-C and C-N-C bending modes imply that the MB molecules are adsorbed on the c-Ag2O surface with a near-perpendicular position. On the other hand, if these modes are weak, MB assumes a near-parallel position to the c-Ag2O surface. Under the "perpendicular" condition, the photocatalytic reaction rate of MB observed on c-Ag2O surfaces is first order at a high surface coverage, whereas under the "parallel" condition, the observed rate is zero order at a low surface coverage. The SERS intensity trends and the kinetic behavior of MB on c-Ag2O are correlated.

Fluorescence and Raman study of pH effect on the adsorption orientations of methyl red on silver colloids.

We report the fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis of methyl red (MR) isomers (o-MR, m-MR, p-MR) on silver (Ag) colloids at different pH conditions. The changes in simultaneous fluorescence quenching around 400 nm accompanied by enhancement around 540 nm with pH are closely related to energy transfer efficiency and the interaction between the carboxylic group and the Ag surface. The change of SERS signals with pH values can be ascribed to different adsorption orientations of MR on the Ag surface, from near flat (o-MR) to near perpendicular (p-MR).

Poly(divinylbenzene-alkyl methacrylate) monolithic stationary phases in capillary electrochromatography.

In this study, a series of poly(divinylbenzene-alkyl methacrylate) monolithic stationary phases, which were prepared by single step in situ polymerization of divinylbenzene and various alkyl methacrylates (butyl-, octyl-, or lauryl-methacrylate), were developed as separation columns of benzophenone compounds for capillary electrochromatography (CEC). In addition to the presence of plenty of benzene moieties, the stationary phases contained long and flexible alkyl groups on the surface. With an increase in the molecular length of alkyl methacrylate, the polymeric monolith, which had higher hydrophobicity, effectively reduced the peak tailing of benzophenones, but a weaker retention was observed. The unusual phenomenon was likely due to the pi-pi interaction between the aromatic compound and the polymeric material. The usage of longer alkyl methacrylate as reaction monomer limited the retention of aromatic compounds on the stationary phase surface, thus the pi-pi interaction between them was possibly reduced. Consequently, the retention time of aromatic compounds was markedly decreased with an increase in carbon length of alkyl methacrylate that was carried on the polymeric monolith. Compared to previous reports on polystyrene-based columns in which the peak-tailing problem was reduced by decreasing the benzene moieties on the stationary phase, this study demonstrated that the undesirable retention (peak-tailing) could also be improved by the inclusion of long alkyl methacrylate to the polystyrene-based columns.

Analyses of sulfonamide antibiotics by CEC using poly(divinylbenzene-1-octadecene-vinylbenzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) monolithic columns.

In this study, a series of novel polymeric monolithic columns prepared by single-step in situ copolymerization of 1-octadecene (OD), divinylbenzene (DVB) and/or styrene (S), were developed as separation columns for the sulfonamide analyses. On the CEC method, the composition of monomer mixtures (i.e. the ratio of S versus OD), content of charge-bearing monomer (vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium chloride) and volume fraction ratio of ACN in the mobile phase, was found to be the predominant influences for sulfonamide separation. Furthermore, an online sample concentration step, field-amplified sample injection, was used to enhance the detection sensitivity of sulfonamides. Sample matrix's pH had a significant effect on the sulfonamide sensitivity. For the eight sulfonamides, the proposed poly(DVB-OD) monolithic stationary phase coupled with field-amplified sample injection step could achieve a reproducible baseline separation within 15 min and LODs in the range of 8.1-28.2 microg/L.

Determination of eight penicillin antibiotics in pharmaceuticals, milk and porcine tissues by nano-liquid chromatography.

This study describes the ability of nanoscale liquid chromatography (nano-LC) coupled with UV or mass spectrometry (MS) for the simultaneous determination of eight common penicillin antibiotics (amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin G, penicillin V, oxacillin, cloxacillin, nafcillin and dicloxacillin) in commercial samples (pharmaceuticals, milk, porcine tissues (liver and kidney)) for the first time. Material types of the on-column polymeric frits (polystyrene-based and polymethacrylate-based monoliths) and the packed stationary phase materials (C8 and C18 particles of 3 microm) used in the nano-LC for the influence of penicillin separation were evaluated. The nano-LC and MS parameters such as the composition and flow rate of mobile phase, capillary voltage and temperature of dry gas were examined in order to acquire high separation resolution and detection sensitivity for penicillin analyses. Furthermore, a home-made in-line filter (a nylon membrane of 0.2 microm pore size), was first used to connect with the flow cell of high sensitivity UV detector or the nanoelectrospray needle in MS detection. The result indicated it could effectively improve the reproducibility of penicillin mass signals or prolong the lifetime of the flow cell. The nano-LC methods provided good quantitative precisions in the range of 89.5-111.2% for UV detection at 0.5 microg/mL penicillins, and 83. 1-94.9% for MS detection at 5 mcirog/L penicillins), respectively, as well as offered stable retention repeatabilities (the relative standard deviation (RSD) of retention time was lower 0.30% in both the UV and MS detections). Compared to other LC-MS methods, the proposed nano-LC systems provided better detection sensitivity for these penicillins (the limits of detection (LOD) was of 2.27-4.06 microg/L for UV mode, and 0.01-0.51 microg/L for MS mode) when either UV or MS detector was employed.

Optical emission study of radio-frequency excited toluene plasma.

UV-visible emission spectra of radio-frequency (rf) excited toluene plasma were studied. Benzyl radicals as well as toluene monomer and excimer were observed in toluene plasma. It was found that the intensities, peak positions, and linewidths of monomer and excimer emission bands exhibit strong dependence on rf power and plasma processing time. This can be ascribed to photochemical reactions in plasma. Gas-chromatographic analysis of the deposition products from toluene plasma indicated that the main component was bibenzyl. Spectroscopic evidence has shown that the bibenzyl molecule was formed by the coupling reaction between two benzyl radicals in plasma. The spectroscopic characteristics of toluene monomer and excimer are correlated with a kinetic model in plasma.

Sample stacking for the analysis of catechins by microemulsion EKC.

In this study, an on-line concentration method, ASEI (anion-selective exhaustive injection)-sweeping technology which was coupled with microemulsion EKC (MEEKC), was used to analyze and detect six catechins ((-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin, and (-)-gallocatechin). In addition to the effects of the buffer pH and electrolyte concentration on stacking, the compositions of microemulsion (types of oil phase, and types and levels of cosurfactant) also dominated the stacking effect of catechins. In MEEKC, the effect of the type of oil in microemulsion on separation mechanism is often unclear. This study had demonstrated that the oil type in microemulsion indeed altered the affinity of oil droplets with analytes. Finally, this proposed ASEI-sweeping MEEKC method was able to detect trace level of catechins in food products that was not previously possible by a normal MEEKC method.

Analyses of benzophenones by capillary electrochromatography using methacrylate ester-based monolithic columns.

In this study, eight benzophenones, which are commonly used as UV filters in various cosmetics and plastics, were analyzed by capillary electrochromatography with a methacrylate ester-based monolithic column. The effects of the composition and pH of mobile phase, porogenic solvent ratio, and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) content on benzophenone separations were examined. For all benzophenones, separation performances were markedly improved in monolithic columns with larger 1-propanol ratio and higher AMPS content. Furthermore, a twofold increase in AMPS content almost reduced the separation time in half when a monolithic column had an adequately high surface area, i.e. monolithic column was produced in a higher ratio of 1-propanol. As well, the retention behaviors of these analytes in the monolithic column were strongly influenced by the level of acetonitrile in the mobile phase, and the pH of the mobile phase also had an apparent influence on separation resolution.