Phase transitions and microwave dielectric behaviors of the (Bi1−xLi0.5xY0.5x)(V1−xMox)O4 ceramics

Microwave dielectric ceramics with intrinsic low sintering temperatures are potential candidates for low temperature co-fired ceramics technology. In the present work, the (Li_0.5Y_0.5)MoO₄ ceramic with tetragonal scheelite structures was selected to improve microwave dielectric properties of BiVO₄ ceramics. As proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, scheelite structured solid-solution ceramics were formed with x value ≤0.1 in the (Bi_1−xLi_0.5xY_0.5x)(V_1−xMo_x)O₄. In situ XRD results further confirmed that the addition of (Li_0.5Y_0.5)MoO₄ also lowered transition temperature from distorted monoclinic to tetragonal scheelite structure. When x value increased further, zircon phase was detected by XRD. Room and high-temperature Raman spectra also supported the XRD results. Differences of thermal expansion coefficients of both monoclinic and tetragonal scheelite phases lead to an abnormality at phase transition temperature. Good microwave dielectric properties with permittivity above 70 and Qf (Q = quality factor = 1/dielectric loss and f = frequency) value above 8000 GHz were obtained in the (Bi_1−xLi_0.5xY_0.5x)(V_1−xMo_x)O₄ solid-solution ceramics with x value ≤0.1 sintered below 800°C. However, permittivity peak values at phase transition temperatures lead to large positive or negative temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, and this needs to be modified via composite technologies in the future.     

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Decorated with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Novel High-Performance Biomimetic Electrochemical Sensing Platform for Paracetamol Detection

Design and development of new generation smart sensors for medical applications have gained considerable interest of research community in the recent past. In this work, we propose the fabrication of highly sensitive paracetamol sensors-based iron oxide nanoparticles intercalated with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) (GCN) via insitu chemical synthesis. Structural features of the composites were analyzed through SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, and UV-Visible spectroscopic techniques. Presence of iron oxide nanoparticles in GCN, significantly improved the conductivity bare GCN from 16 to 125 S cm^?1 due to extended π–π conjugation and large surface area in the composite system. The GCN-Iron oxide (GCN-FO) nanocomposite has been employed as an electrochemical sensing platform for non-enzymatic detection of paracetamol. The electrochemical studies and cyclic voltammetry (CV) results shows that the GCN-FO composite exhibit superior electrochemical properties due to their lower values of the oxidation and reduction potentials. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies indicate decreased charge-transfer resistance for iron oxide doped GCN composite in compare to base GCN. The improved electrochemical sensing performance of modified GCN-FO composite electrode is attributed to the formation heterojunctions between iron oxide nanoparticles and GCN. The modified GCN-FO electrodes were employed for non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of PR. The GCN-FO composite electrode shows excellent sensitivity towards PR with a LOD 0.3 μM. Furthermore, the modified GCN-FO electrodes show excellent reproducibility, selectivity, stability and anti-interference performance. Due to its low-cost fabrication, superior electrochemical sensing performance, these modified GCN-FO electrodes could be a promising material for the detection of paracetamol at low concentrations.

     

A Robust Molecular Porous Material for C2H2/CO2 Separation

A molecular porous material, MPM-2, comprised of cationic [Ni₂(AlF₆)(pzH)₈(H₂O)₂] and anionic [Ni₂Al₂F₁₁(pzH)₈(H₂O)₂] complexes that generate a charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded network with pcu topology is reported. The packing in MPM-2 is sustained by multiple interionic hydrogen bonding interactions that afford ultramicroporous channels between dense layers of anionic units. MPM-2 is found to exhibit excellent stability in water (>1 year). Unlike most hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks which typically show poor stability in organic solvents, MPM-2 exhibited excellent stability with respect to various organic solvents for at least two days. MPM-2 is found to be permanently porous with gas sorption isotherms at 298 K revealing a strong affinity for C₂H₂ over CO₂ thanks to a high (ΔQ_st)_AC [Q_st (C₂H₂) − Q_st (CO₂)] of 13.7 kJ mol⁻¹ at low coverage. Dynamic column breakthrough experiments on MPM-2 demonstrated the separation of C₂H₂ from a 1:1 C₂H₂/CO₂ mixture at 298 K with effluent CO₂ purity of 99.995% and C₂H₂ purity of >95% after temperature-programmed desorption. C-H···F interactions between C₂H₂ molecules and F atoms of AlF₆³⁻ are found to enable high selectivity toward C₂H₂, as determined by density functional theory simulations.