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At least 109 records · Page 6

Heterotrimetallic Mixed‐Valent Molecular Precursors Containing Periodic Table Neighbors: Assignment of Metal Positions and Oxidation States

Abstract A known trinuclear structure was used to design the heterobimetallic mixed‐valent, mixed‐ligand molecule [Co II (hfac) 3 −Na−Co III (acac) 3 ] ( 1 ). This was used as a template structure to develop heterotrimetallic molecules [Co II (hfac) 3 −Na−Fe III (acac) 3 ] ( 2 ) and [Ni II (hfac) 3 −Na−Co III (acac) 3 ] ( 3 ) via isovalent site‐specific substitution at either of the cobalt positions. Diffraction methods, synchrotron resonant diffraction, and multiple‐wavelength anomalous diffraction were applied beyond simple structural investigation to provide an unambiguous assignment of the positions and oxidation states for the periodic table neighbors in the heterometallic assemblies. Molecules of 2 and 3 are true heterotrimetallic rather than a statistical mixture of two heterobimetallic counterparts. Trinuclear platform 1 exhibits flexibility in accommodating a variety of di‐ and trivalent metals, which can be further utilized in the design of molecular precursors for the NaMM′O 4 functional oxide materials.

Han, Haixiang↗

The Oxidation State of Tungsten in Iron Bearing and Iron Free Silicate Glasses: Results from W L-Edge Xanes Measurements

Tungsten is important in constraining core formation of the Earth because this element is a moderately siderophile element (depleted approx. 10 relative to chondrites) and, as a member of the Hf-W isotopic system, it is useful in constraining the timing of core formation. A number of previous experimental studies have been carried out to determine the silicate solubility and metal-silicate partitioning behavior of W, including its concomitant oxidation state. However, results of previous studies (figure 1) are inconsistent on whether W occurs as W(4+) or W(6+).

Danielson, Lisa R.↗

Relationship between siderophilic-element content and oxidation state of ordinary chondrites.

The concentrations of Ni and Ir have been determined by neutron activation in a suite of ordinary chondrites for which accurate ferromagnesian-mineral compositional data were available. Although hiatus between the individual groups exist, the trends within the groups are in keeping with the hypothesis that the ordinary chondrites form a continuous fractionation sequence. A significant negative correlation is observed between the abundance of Ni or Ir and the Fe content of the ferromagnesian minerals in the H and L groups, and for Ir in the LL group, as expected if the metal-silicate fractionation and the variation in oxidation states were produced by the same or related processes. The Ir/Ni ratio decreases by a factor of 1.2 between the H and LL groups. This fractionation must have occurred at an early stage in the condensation phase of the solar nebula.

Mueller, O.↗

Microfluidic In-Situ Spectrophotometric Approaches to Tackle Actinides Analysis in Multiple Oxidation States

The study and development of present and future processes for the treatment/recycling of spent nuclear fuels require many steps, from design in the laboratory to setting up on an industrial scale. In all of these steps, analysis and instrumentation are key points. For scientific reasons (small-scale studies, control of phenomena, etc.) but also with regard to minimizing costs, risks, and waste, such developments are increasingly carried out on milli- or microfluidic devices. The logic is the same for the chemical analyses associated with their follow-up and interpretation. Due to this, over the last few years, opto–microfluidic analysis devices adapted to the monitoring of different processes (dissolution, liquid–liquid extraction, precipitation, etc.) have been increasingly designed and developed. In this work, we prove that photonic lab-on-a-chip (PhLoC) technology is fully suitable for all actinides concentration monitoring along the plutonium uranium refining extraction (plutonium, uranium, reduction, extraction, or Purex) process. Several PhLoC microfluidic platforms were specifically designed and used in different nuclear research and development (R&D) laboratories, to tackle actinides analysis in multiple oxidation states even in mixtures. The detection limits reached (tens of µmol·L −1 ) are fully compliant with on-line process monitoring, whereas a range of analyzable concentrations of three orders of magnitude can be covered with less than 150 µL of analyte. Finally, this work confirms the possibility and the potential of coupling Raman and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopies at the microfluidic scale, opening the perspective of measuring very complex mixtures.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

The Importance of Decarbonylation Mechanisms in the Atomic Layer Deposition of High-Quality Ru Films by Zero-Oxidation State Ru(DMBD)(CO) 3

Achieving facile nucleation of noble metal films through atomic layer deposition (ALD) is extremely challenging. To this end, η 4 -2,3-dimethylbutadiene ruthenium tricarbonyl (Ru(DMBD)(CO) 3 ), a zero-valent complex, has recently been reported to achieve good nucleation by ALD at relatively low temperatures and mild reaction conditions. Here, we study the growth mechanism of this precursor by in situ quartz-crystal microbalance and quadrupole mass spectrometry during Ru ALD, complemented by ex situ film characterization and kinetic modeling. These studies reveal that Ru(DMBD)(CO) 3 produces high-quality Ru films with excellent nucleation properties. This results in smooth, coalesced films even at low film thicknesses, all important traits for device applications. However, Ru deposition follows a kinetically limited decarbonylation reaction scheme, akin to typical CVD processes, with a strong dependence on both temperature and reaction timescale. The non-self-limiting nature of the kinetically driven mechanism presents both challenges for ALD implementation and opportunities for process tuning. By surveying reports of similar precursors, we suggest that the findings can be generalized to the broader class of zero-oxidation state carbonyl-based precursors used in thermal ALD, with insight into the design of effective saturation studies.

chemical vapor deposition↗

Plutonium Speciation and Oxidation State Distributions in the Presence of Citrate

We explored the speciation and kinetics of the Pu(VI)-citrate and Pu(III)-citrate systems (pH m = 2.5–11.0, I = 0.1 M NaCl, T = 23 °C, O 2 (g) < 2 ppm) using ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared (UV–vis–NIR) spectrophotometry, solvent extraction, and PHREEQC modeling. Formation constants were determined for PuO 2 (HcitH)(aq) (log K° 1,1 = 1.09 ± 0.05) and PuO 2 (HcitH)(citH) 3– (log K° 1,2 = -0.20 ± 0.07), and evidence for (PuO 2 ) m (citH –k ) n (OH) x 2m(3+k)n–x was identified under alkaline conditions. Pu(VI) species were found to be less stable in the presence of citrate than in the absence of citrate (t ≤ 168 days); the rate of reduction increased with increasing pH. Further, the direct reduction of Pu(VI) to Pu(IV) was required to fit experimental data in the presence of citrate but did not improve the fit for Pu in the absence of citrate. We also observed increased Pu(III) stability in the presence of citrate (t ≤ 293 days), with higher concentrations of Pu(III) favored at lower pH. Finally, we provide evidence of a radiolysis-driven mechanism for the citrate-mediated reduction of plutonium that involves electron transfer from the oxidative breakdown of citrate. Our work highlights the need to investigate the redox effect of organic ligands on plutonium oxidation states under repository-relevant conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Efficient Control of Atom Arrangement in Ternary Metal Chalcogenide Nanoparticles Using Precursor Oxidation State

Controlling both the concentration and the distribution of elements in a given material is often crucial to extracting and optimizing synergistic properties of the various constituents. An interesting class of such multielement materials is metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, which exhibit a wide range of composition-dependent optoelectronic properties including both bandgap-mediated processes and localized surface plasmon resonance properties, each of which is useful in applications ranging from energy conversion to sensing. Because metal chalcogenide nanoparticles can support several different metal elements in a variety of chalcogen lattices, this material class has particularly benefited from the ability to control both atom concentration and atom arrangement to tailor final particle properties. The primary method to access complex, multimetallic chalcogenide particles is via a postsynthetic cation exchange strategy. One-pot syntheses have been less explored to access these complex particles, although this route is desirable for economy and scalability. In this work, we compare the composition and morphology outcomes from cation exchange and one-pot preparation approaches using a Cu/Ag/Se system, which is already known to exhibit both binary and ternary metal chalcogenide phases. We show that at similar concentrations of the two metal cations, initial reaction conditions for the one-pot method yield multicomponent nanoparticles, whereas cation exchange yields homogeneous ternary metal chalcogenide structures. We then show that by tuning the precursor oxidation state for the one-pot method, this approach can be used to access homogeneous ternary metal chalcogenide particles that are similar in atom arrangement to the particles obtained using cation exchange. Taken together, our results demonstrate reliable synthetic methods that yield a variety of controlled compositions and composition morphologies in the Cu/Ag/Se system. Importantly, we demonstrate that this entire collection of architectures can all be accessed via a one-pot method simply by modifying metal precursor chemistry. The mechanistic insights gained and the resulting streamlined syntheses outlined indicate pathways to easily scaled, highly tailorable syntheses for rapid translation into downstream technologies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Mantle redox evolution and the oxidation state of the Archean atmosphere

Current models predict that the early atmosphere consisted mostly of CO2, N2, and H2O, along with traces of H2 and CO. Such models are based on the assumption that the redox state of the upper mantle has not changed, so that volcanic gas composition has remained approximately constant with time. We argue here that this assumption is probably incorrect: the upper mantle was originally more reduced than today, although not as reduced as the metal arrest level, and has become progressively more oxidized as a consequence of the release of reduced volcanic gases and the subduction of hydrated, oxidized seafloor. Data on the redox state of sulfide and chromite inclusions in diamonds imply that the process of mantle oxidation was slow, so that reduced conditions could have prevailed for as much as half of the earth's history. To be sure, other oxybarometers of ancient rocks give different results, so the question of when the mantle redox state has changed remains unresolved. Mantle redox evolution is intimately linked to the oxidation state of the primitive atmosphere: A reduced Archean atmosphere would have had a high hydrogen escape rate and should correspond to a changing mantle redox state; an oxidized Archean atmosphere should be associated with a constant mantle redox state. The converses of these statements are also true. Finally, our theory of mantle redox evolution may explain why the Archean atmosphere remained oxygen-deficient until approximately 2.0 billion years ago (Ga) despite a probable early origin for photosynthesis.

NASA Discipline Number 52-30↗

Reduction-oxidation state and protein degradation in skeletal muscle of fasted and refed rats

Redox state and protein degradation were measured in isolated muscles of fasted (up to 10 d) and refed (up to 4 d) 7- to 14-wk-old rats. Protein degradation in the extensor digitorum longus muscle, but not in the soleus muscle, was greater in the fasted rats than in weight-matched muscle from fed rats. The NAD couple was more oxidized in incubated and fresh extensor digitorum longus muscles and in some incubated soleus muscles of fasted rats than in weight-matched muscle from fed rats. In the extensor digitorum longus muscle of refed or prolonged fasted rats, protein degradation was slower and the NAD couple was more reduced than in the fed state. Therefore, oxidation of the NAD couple was associated with increased muscle breakdown during fasting, whereas reduction of the NAD couple was associated with muscle conservation and deposition.

Fagan, Julie M.↗

Li + /H + Exchange in Solid-State Oxide Li-Ion Conductors

Understanding the moisture stability of oxide Li-ion conductors is important for their practical applications in solid-state batteries. Unlike sulfide or halide conductors, oxide conductors generally better resist degradation when in contact with water but can still undergo topotactic Li + /H + exchange (LHX). Here, we combine density functional theory (DFT) calculations with a machine-learning interatomic potential model to investigate the thermodynamic driving force of the LHX reaction for two representative oxide Li-ion conductor families: garnets and NASICONs. Li-stuffed garnets exhibit a strong driving force for proton exchange due to their high Li chemical potential. In contrast, NASICONs demonstrate a higher resistance against proton exchange due to the lower Li chemical potential and the lower O–H bond covalency for polyanion-bonded oxygens. Our findings reveal a critical trade-off: Li stuffing enhances conductivity but increases moisture susceptibility. This study underscores the importance of designing Li-ion conductors that possess both high conductivity and high stability in practical environments.

Li, Zhuohan [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory↗

The oxidation state of the surface of Venus

We present experimental results showing that basalt is oxidized in CO-CO2 gas mixtures having CO number densities close to those (approximately 2 times higher) at the surface of Venus. The results suggest that the red color observed by Pieters et al at the Venera 9 and 10 landing sites is due to subaerial oxidation of Fe(2+)-bearing basalt on the surface of Venus, and that hematite, instead of magnetite, is present on the surface of Venus. Well-characterized basalt powder was iosthermally heated in 1000 ppm CO-CO2 gas mixtures at atmospheric pressure for several days. The starting material and reacted samples were analyzed by Mossbauer spectroscopy to determine the amount of Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) in the samples. X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy were also used to characterize samples. The basalt oxidation occurs because the CO and CO2 do not equilibrate in the gas mixture at the low temperatures used. Thus, the basalt reacts with the more abundant CO2 and is oxidized. We propose that the red color of the surface of Venus is due to failure of CO and CO2 to equilibrate with one another in the near-surface atmosphere of Venus, leading to subaerial oxidation of erupted Fe(2+)-bearing basalts. Our interpretation is supported by our studies of magnetite oxidation, which show that synthetic magnetite powders are oxidized to hematite in CO-CO2 gas mixtures inside the magnetite stability field, by our studies of pyrite decomposition, and by independent work on CO-CO2 equilibration in furnace gases.

Fegley, B., Jr.↗

Geochemical Constraints on the Oxidation States of the Europan Ocean and Mantle

We present observational, meteoritic, and physical-chemical arguments for an oxidized Fe-metal free mantle and an oxidized sulfate-carbonate rich ocean on Europa. The ocean should be out of equilibrium even with oxidized igneous rocks at the oceanic floor. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Zolotov, M. Yu.↗

Shinkolobweite, from the Shinkolobwe Mine, Democratic Republic of Congo: A New Mineral Containing Uranium in the Rare Pentavalent Oxidation State

ABSTRACT Shinkolobweite, Pb1.333[U5+O(OH)(UO2)5O4.67(OH)5.33](H2O)5, is a new lead uranyl oxide-hydroxide hydrate mineral containing hexavalent and pentavalent uranium from the Shinkolobwe mine, Democratic Republic of Congo. Crystals of shinkolobweite are dark reddish-brown prisms up to 0.5 mm in length, occurring on a matrix of massive uraninite associated with fourmarierite, rutherfordine, soddyite, and sklodowskite. Crystals are translucent with subadamantine luster and light bronze-yellow streak, are flattened on {010}, are elongated on [001], and exhibit the forms {100}, {010}, {101}, and . The mineral is non-fluorescent under both longwave and shortwave ultraviolet illumination. It has a Mohs hardness of ∼2 and exhibits brittle tenacity with perfect cleavage on {010}, imperfect cleavage on {100}, and even fracture. The calculated density is 5.853 g/cm3 based on the empirical formula. Electron probe microanalysis provided the empirical formula Pb1.290U6+4.876U5+1.166O27H16.633 based on 27 O apfu and U5+:U6+ determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Shinkolobweite is orthorhombic, superspace group Pnnm(0b0)000, a = 14.4808(4), b = 7.0681(8), c = 11.9423(3) Å, V = 1222.32(15) Å3, modulation wave vector [0 1/3 0], and Z = 2. The structure was refined from 8959 reflections to a final R1 = 0.0736 for all reflections. Uranyl oxide-hydroxide sheets in shinkolobweite adopt the β-U3O8 topology and possess (3 + 1) commensurately modulated ordering that results from the long-range ordering of U5+ and U6+ in the sheet, as well as the position and occupancy of interlayer Pb2+ cations. Observations of a topological transition between α-U3O8 and β-U3O8 type sheets in shinkolobweite supplements our understanding of U5+ mineral oxidation and stability.

Mineralogy↗

The -SiH vibrational stretch as an indicator of the oxidation state of silicon in a cometary or asteroidal regolith

It has been experimentally shown that the position of the -SiH fundamental vibrational stretch is very sensitive to the chemical environment surrounding the Si atom. Si in an oxidizing environment will display an -SiH feature near 4.4 microns, whereas Si in a reducing grain could be responsible for a feature at 4.74 microns. It is further shown that, as an oxidized grain is reduced, the -SiH fundamental shifts to longer wavelengths through a series of intermediate bands.

Nuth, Joseph A., III↗