Fourier-transform Spectroscopy Research Articles

Unveiling the gas phase H2NCO radical: Laboratory rotational spectroscopy and interstellar searches in the direction of IRAS16293-2422

The carbamoyl radical ( H2NCO ) is believed to play a central role in the ice-grain chemistry of crucial interstellar complex organic molecules such as formamide and acetamide. Yet, little is known about this radical, which remains elusive in laboratory gas-phase experiments. In order to enable interstellar searches of H2NCO we have undertaken a mandatory laboratory characterisation of its pure rotational spectrum. We report the gas-phase laboratory detection of H2NCO produced by H-atom abstraction from formamide, using pure rotational spectroscopy at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths. Millimetre-wave data were acquired using chirped-pulse Fourier-transform spectroscopy, while submillimetre-wave ones were obtained using Zeeman-modulated spectroscopy. Experimental measurements were guided by quantum-chemical calculations at the omega B97X-D/cc-pVQZ level of theory. Interstellar searches for the radical have been undertaken in the Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS) towards the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293–2422. From the assignment and fit of experimental transitions up to 660\,GHz, reliable spectroscopic parameters for H2NCO in its ground vibrational state have been derived, enabling accurate spectral predictions. No transitions of the radical were detected in the PILS survey. The inferred upper limit shows that the H2NCO abundance is at least times below that of formamide and 160 times below that of HNCO in this source; a value that is in agreement with predictions from a physico-chemical model of this young protostar.

Enhanced CO2 methanation over LaNiO3/CeO2 derivative catalyst with high activity and stability

The conversion of CO2 into synthetic natural gas offers a promising approach for the long-term storage of renewable energy, addressing the challenge of its intermittent supply. This study successfully developed a catalyst comprised of LaNiO3 supported by CeO2, synthesized via a citric acid-aided impregnation method. This catalyst demonstrated efficiency and stability as a precursor for the CO2 methanation reaction. Upon reduction, it transforms into a Ni–La2O3/CeO2 configuration, featuring dispersed Ni nanoparticles. Characterization through hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) revealed that this catalyst exhibits enhanced reducibility and smaller particle sizes, which promote hydrogen activation at lower temperatures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis further clarified that the increased catalytic activity results from electron transfer interactions between Ni, CeO2, and La2O3. Moreover, the catalyst displayed an augmented count of weak to medium basic sites, which, along with improved hydrogen activation, elevated the CO2 conversion rate to 83.8% within the kinetic control region. The collaborative effect of Ni, La2O3, and CeO2 substantially outperformed the conventional Ni/CeO2 catalyst in CO2 methanation efficiency. Additionally, in-situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analysis revealed that the methanation process predominantly follows the HCOO* pathway. Notably, the LaNiO3/CeO2 catalyst exceeded the performance of Ni–La/CeO2 in CO2 adsorption, HCOO* intermediate decomposition, and CHO* conversion, significantly enhancing low-temperature methanation activity.

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

Space exploration presents vast prospects for scientific, industrial, and economic progress. This paper introduces the MeSat mission as a pioneering approach to Mars exploration. The MeSat aims to deepen our understanding of Martian conditions and resources by employing an optimized Earth-to-Mars trajectory, enabling a comprehensive study of the Martian atmosphere and surface. The mission comprises a cargo microsatellite hosting three 6U CubeSats and two 3U CubeSats, deployed into four separate Mars orbits to form a constellation. Each CubeSat carries distinct payloads: a THz radiometer for Martian water vapor atmospheric observation, a high-resolution surface camera, a high-tech spectrometer, and a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for wind speed readings. This paper includes the majority of the key parameters; however, we focus our discussion more on two aspects of this pioneering mission: the first aspect contains the proposal of four distinct payloads for the study of Mars’ atmosphere and the second aspect proposes an optimal mission design algorithm that analyzes a fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectory from Earth to Mars. Regarding the payloads, the THz radiometer requires a specific design; hence, we explain this payload in more depth; the rest of the payloads, we suggest utilizing commercially available elements for the cost-effective manufacture of a whole system. For mission trajectory optimization, the study employs a dual-step hybrid optimization algorithm (PSO-homotopy) to analyze fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectories from Earth to Mars, incorporating the ephemeris dynamics model to account for gravitational perturbations in the entire Solar System. In practical mission design, crucial factors like hyperbolic excess velocity, diverse opportunities for Earth launch and Mars rendezvous, varied propulsion systems, and time of flight (TOF) play vital roles in trajectory optimization. In summary, for the MeSat mission, we propose a comprehensive Mars environmental mission design. We consider all aspects of the mission from trajectory design to engineering detail design, since we would like to inspire future Mars missions with a complete report.

Facile synthesis of Ni-phyllosilicate assisted by polyacrylamide at room temperature for CO2 hydrogenation to methane

To elucidate the effect of solution viscosity on the synthesis of Ni-phyllosilicate, polyacrylamide was incorporated to create a viscous aqueous medium containing of sodium metasilicate, nickel nitrate and NH4F. The enhanced viscosity promotes the dispersion of the initial formed crystal seeds and the growth of Ni-phyllosilicate, culminating in a Ni-rich NiPs-RT-6 of a high Ni content of up to 55.2 wt%. Residual polyacrylamide elimination was accomplished via calcination, concurrently enhancing metal-support interaction. The as-synthesized samples display a nanoflower morphology with nanospheres overlaid with numerous thin nanosheets. The relatively small Ni particles around 5.7 nm were obtained after reduction even at a very high Ni loading, owing to its strong metal-support interaction. NiPs-RT-6 achieves a CO2 conversion of 75.9% at 450 °C, 0.1 MPa, 60 L·g–1·h–1, which closely approximates thermodynamic equilibrium. The turn over frequency for CO2 (TOFCO2) was substantial, calculated at 3.7 × 10–3 s–1, accompanied by activation energy (Ea) of 80.6 kJ·mol–1. In-situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) further disclosed that m-HCOO– serves as a crucial intermediate following a formate reaction pathway. With its high Ni content, finely distributed Ni particles, and strong metal-support interaction, NiPs-RT-6 demonstrates promising catalytic activity in CO2 methanation.

Silicon Nitride Surface Enabled Propane Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Supported Organozirconium.

Mesoporous silicon nitride (Si3N4) is a nontraditional support for the chemisorption of organometallic complexes with the potential for enhancing catalytic activity through features such as the increased Lewis basicity of nitrogen for heterolytic bond activation, increased ligand donor strength, and metal-ligand orbital overlap. Here, tetrabenzyl zirconium (ZrBn4) was chemisorbed on Si3N4, and the resulting supported organometallic species was characterized by Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-enhanced Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (DNP-SSNMR), and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Based on the hypothesis that the nitride might enable facile heterolytic C-H bond activation along the Zr-N bond, this material was found to be a highly active (1.53 molpropene molZr-1 h-1 at 450 °C) and selective (99% to propylene) catalyst for propane dehydrogenation. In contrast, the homologous silica supported complex exhibited negligible activity under these conditions.

Control of the unscreened modes in AlGaN/GaN terahertz plasmonic crystals

Unscreened (ungated) plasmons in large-area grating-gate AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were studied experimentally by Fourier-transform spectroscopy. Special attention was paid to the recently discovered THz plasmonic crystal modes observed at totally depleted gated regions when plasma oscillations were localized only in ungated parts of the grating-gate structures. The frequency of these modes is still gate voltage-dependent in the limited range due to the depletion of the ungated parts located close to the gate edges. Double gate structures with an additional bottom gate were fabricated and studied to improve the gate voltage tunability of the unscreened plasmons. Since this gate is located deep below the channel, the plasmons behaved as ungated ones, but their frequency still could be tuned by this bottom gate. We show that the combined effect of the top and bottom gates allows the efficient tuning of terahertz frequencies of unscreened modes in the grating-gate AlGaN/GaN plasmonic crystals.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction of CuO-Zn1-xCuxO (ZCO)/Ti3C2Tx MXene heterojunctions with enhanced interfacial charge transfer

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) synthesis of recycled fuel is a promising pathway to assist the mitigating fossil fuel depletion. Finding efficient and inexpensive high performance CO2RR semiconductor photocatalysts is a giant challenge in the field of photocatalytic reduction. This work constructs the novel-designed interfacial Schottky junction of CuO-Zn1-xCuxO (ZCO)/Ti3C2Tx via electrostatic spinning and electrostatic self-assembly techniques. The catalysts exhibit tight contact heterogeneous interface companies with enhanced CO2 chemisorption capability and proved by various characterizations for efficient carrier separation and migration capacity. The optimized ZCO/Ti3C2Tx nanosheet composites significantly improved their photocatalytic performance. The best samples yielded 5.855 and 2.518 μmol g−1 h−1 of CO and CH4, which are 6 and 1.73 times higher than the conversion of ZCO, respectively, and maintain stability after four cycles without the use of sacrificial agents. In addition, the mechanism and reaction pathways of the photocatalytic process are proposed through In-situ diffuse reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (In-situ DRIFTS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis. This work provides a new semiconductor/co-catalyst system for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 and demonstrates that Ti3C2Tx MXene is a hopeful and inexpensive co-catalyst.

Laboratory and astronomical discovery of cyanothioketene, NCCHCS, in the cold starless core TMC-1

We present the detection of cyanothioketene, NCCHCS, in the laboratory and toward TMC-1. This transient species was produced through a discharge of a gas mixture of CH$_2$CHCN and CS$_2$ using argon as carrier gas, and its rotational spectrum between 9 and 40 GHz was characterized using a Balle-Flygare narrowband-type Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer. A total of 21 rotational transitions were detected in the laboratory, all of them exhibiting hyperfine structure induced by the spin of the N nucleus. The spectrum for NCCHCS was predicted in the domain of our line surveys using the derived rotational and distortion constants. The detection in the cold starless core TMC-1 was based on the QUIJOTE$^1$ line survey performed with the Yebes 40m radio telescope. Twenty-three lines were detected with $K_a$=0, 1, and 2 and $J_u$=9 up to 14. The derived column density is (1.2pm 0.1)times 1011 cm$^ $ for a rotational temperature of 8.5pm 1\,K. The abundance ratio of thioketene and its cyano derivative, H$_2$CCS/NCCHCS, is 6.5pm 1.3. Although ketene is more abundant than thioketene by sim 15 times, its cyano derivative NCCHCO surprisingly is not detected with a 3sigma upper level to the column density of 3.0times 1010 $, which results in an abundance ratio H$_2$CCO/NCCHCO \,$>$\,430. Hence, the chemistry of CN derivatives seems to be more favored for S-bearing than for O-bearing molecules. We carried out chemical modeling calculations and found that the gas-phase neutral-neutral reactions CCN + H$_2$CS and CN + H$_2$CCS could be a source of NCCHCS in TMC-1.

Direct Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets Using Imaging Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

Space-based direct imaging provides prospects for detection and spectral characterization of exoplanets at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. Integral field spectrographs (IFS) have been historically baselined for these mission concepts. However, multiple studies have revealed that detector noise is a serious obstacle for such instruments when observing extremely faint targets such as Earth-like planets. Imaging Fourier transform spectrographs (iFTS) are generally less sensitive to detector noise, and have several other compelling features such as simultaneous imaging and spectroscopy, smaller-format detector requirements, and variable spectral resolving power. To date, they have not been studied as options for such missions. Here, we compare the capabilities of IFS and iFTS for directly obtaining spectra from an Earth-like planet using both analytic and numerical models. Specifically, we compare the required exposure times to achieve the same signal-to-noise ratio with the two architectures over a range of detector and optical system parameters. We find that for a 6 m telescope, an IFS outperforms an iFTS at optical wavelengths due to the effects of distributed photon noise. In the near-IR, the relative efficiency of an IFS and iFTS depends critically on the instrument design and detector noise. An iFTS will be more efficient than an IFS if the readout noise of the near-IR detector is above ∼2–3 e− pix−1 frame−1 (t frm = 1000 s), which correspond to half to one-third of the state-of-art detector noise. However, if the readout noise is reduced below this threshold, the performance of an IFS will experience a substantial improvement and become more efficient. These results motivate consideration of an iFTS as an alternative option for future direct imaging space missions in the near-IR.

FT-UV emission spectroscopy of the [formula omitted] progression bands of the [formula omitted] system of [formula omitted]C[formula omitted]O[formula omitted]

We report an experimental investigation of the 0−ν′′ progression bands of the First-Negative (B2Σ+−X2Σ+) system of 12C16O+. The ultraviolet wavelength emission spectrum of CO+ was generated using an air-cooled stainless steel hollow-cathode discharge lamp filled with a mixture of CO2 and Ne. The study includes four bands, i.e. 0−0, 0−1, 0−2 and 0−3, observed in emission with a high-resolution Fourier-transform spectrometer in the 38,500−46,000 cm−1 region. In total, 541 ro-vibronic transitions have been measured with an absolute accuracy of 0.005−0.010 cm−1. The experimental data were analyzed using the PGOPHER program, wchich resulted in a set of high accuracy molecular constants and ro-vibronic level positions for the X2Σ+, ν=0−3 and B2Σ+, ν=0 levels. The current values of the band origins have been compared with historical data, including the most recent results obtained by Ventura et al. (2020) and the discrepancies pointed out by the authors were explained.

Furfural adsorption on V2O5 surface: A combined experimental-theoretical study

The adsorption of furfural on the V2O5 surface was investigated using experimental and theoretical methods. In situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy results show the presence of physi- and chemi-sorption phenomena, where trans-furfural is mostly chemisorbed at the beginning of the adsorption process. These results are in agreement with theoretical DFT results, as the most thermodynamically favored configurations corresponds to the chemisorbed trans-furfural (T1) and cis-furfural (C1) with binding energies of −1.83 and −2.05 eV.

Validation of Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

Abstract. The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) is currently providing the only measurements of vertically resolved chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22) from space. This study assesses the ACE-FTS HCFC-22 v5.2 product in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, as well as simulations of HCFC-22 from a 39-year specified dynamics run of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM39) in the same region. In general, ACE-FTS HCFC-22 observations tend to agree with subsampled CMAM39 data to within ±5 %, except for between ∼ 15 and 25 km in the extratropical regions where ACE-FTS exhibits a negative bias of 5 %–30 % and near 6 km in the tropics where ACE-FTS exhibits a bias of −15 %. When comparing against correlative satellite, aircraft, and balloon data, ACE-FTS typically exhibits a low bias on the order of 0 %–10 % between ∼ 5 and 15 km and is within ±15 % between ∼ 15 and 25 km. ACE-FTS, CMAM39, and surface flask measurements from the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory's surface air-sampling network all exhibit consistent tropospheric HCFC-22 trends ranging between 6.8 and 7.8 ppt yr−1 (within 95 % confidence) for 2004–2012 and between 3.1 and 4.7 ppt yr−1 (within 95 % confidence) for 2012–2018. Interhemispheric differences (IHDs) of HCFC-22 were also derived using ACE-FTS, NOAA, and CMAM39 data, and all three yielded consistent and correlated (r≥0.42) IHD time series, with the results indicating that surface IHD values decreased at a rate of 2.2 ± 1.1 ppt per decade between 2004 and 2018.

Baseline estimation using optimized asymmetric least squares (O-ALS)

Baseline drift widely exists in the spectral measurements due to instrumental nonlinearity. It negatively affects the qualitative or quantitative analysis of chemical and physical parameters, thus, an accurate baseline estimation is needed. An improved algorithm, optimized asymmetric least squares smoothing (O-ALS), is designed based on the traditional ALS algorithm to achieve effective estimation. First, an appropriate smooth factor is selected according to the number of second-order concave points (NSCP) of a measured spectrum. Then, the asymmetric penalty factor is adaptively optimized in each iteration based on the differences between the estimated baseline and the measured spectrum. Various simulated and real measured data, including Fourier Transform Spectrometer spectrum, chromatogram, and ion mobility spectroscopy, have been used for evaluation. All results achieve a high precision, which suggests that our algorithm is effective, flexible, and robust.

Identification of Two Stable Side-Chain Orientations of Valine Methyl Ester by Microwave Spectroscopy.

The rotational spectra of two valine methyl ester (ValOMe) conformers have been measured using a cavity-based Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer in the range of 9-18 GHz. Ten conformers of ValOMe were modeled using the ωB97XD/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, and separate spectra arising from two lowest-energy conformations were observed and assigned. 44 rotational transitions were assigned to conformer I, the lowest-energy configuration, and were fit to Watson's A-reduced Hamiltonian: A = 2552.0145(5) MHz, B = 1041.8216(3) MHz, and C = 938.54890(22) MHz. 14N nuclear quadrupole hyperfine splittings were resolved, and 231 hyperfine components were fit to χaa = -4.187(7) MHz, and χbb-χcc = 1.269(5) MHz. The spectrum of conformer I also reveals tunneling splittings arising from the methyl rotor. XIAM was used to fit the barrier to the internal rotation of the methyl rotor, and the best-fit V3 barrier was found to be 401.64(19) cm-1. 47 rotational transitions were assigned for conformer II (ΔE = 2.08 kJ mol-1), and the fitted rotational constants are A = 2544.2837(3) MHz, B = 1092.3654(15) MHz, and C = 896.3131(12) MHz. 264 hyperfine components were fit to χaa = -4.187(7) MHz and χbb-χcc = 1.518(6) MHz, and the best-fit V3 barrier was found to be 409.74(16) cm-1.

A multi-decadal time series of upper stratospheric temperature profiles from Odin-OSIRIS limb-scattered spectra

Abstract. A new upper stratospheric (35–60 km) temperature data product has been produced using Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) limb-scattered spectra that now spans over 22 years. Temperature is calculated by first estimating the Rayleigh scattering signal and then integrating hydrostatic balance combined with the ideal gas law. Uncertainties are estimated to be 1–5 K, with a vertical resolution of 3–4 km. Correlative comparisons with the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) and the Microwave Limb Sounder on Aura (MLS) are consistent with these uncertainty estimates and generally have no regions of statistically significant drift. The data product has been publicly released as part of the nominal OSIRIS v7.3 processing.

Ultra-broadband spectroscopy using a 2–11.5 µm IDFG-based supercontinuum source

Supercontinuum sources based on intrapulse difference frequency generation (IDFG) from mode-locked lasers open new opportunities in mid-infrared gas spectroscopy. These sources provide high power and ultra-broadband spectral coverage in the molecular fingerprint region with very low relative intensity noise. Here, we demonstrate the performance of such a light source in combination with a multipass cell and a custom-built Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for multispecies trace gas detection. The light source provides a low-noise, ultra-broad spectrum from 2–11.5 µm with ∼3 W output power, outperforming existing mid-infrared supercontinuum sources in terms of noise, spectral coverage, and output power. This translates to an excellent match for spectroscopic applications, establishing (sub-)ppb sensitivity for molecular hydrocarbons (e.g., CH4, C2H4), oxides (e.g., SO2, NOx), and small organic molecules (e.g., acetone, ethyl acetate) over the spectral range of the supercontinuum source with a measurement time varying from seconds to minutes. We demonstrate a practical application by measuring the off-gas composition of a bioreactor containing an acidic ammonia-oxidizing culture with the simultaneous detection of multiple nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2, N2O, etc.). As the different species absorb various parts of the spectrum, these results highlight the functionality of this spectroscopic system for biological and environmental applications.

Zirconium-based hydrophobic-MOFs as innovative electrode modifiers for flibanserin determination: Exploring the electrooxidation mechanism using a comprehensive spectroelectrochemical study.

Threedifferent types of Zr-based MOFs derived from benzene dicarboxylic acid (BDC) and naphthalene dicarboxylic acid as organic linkers (ZrBDC, 2,6-ZrNDC, and 1,4-ZrNDC) were synthesized. They were characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature was investigated via contact angle measurements; ZrBDC MOF was hydrophilic and the other two (ZrNDC) MOFs were hydrophobic. The three MOFs were combined with MWCNTs as electrode modifiers for the determinationof a hydrophobic analyte, flibanserin (FLB), as a proof-of-concept analyte. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a significant enhancement in the oxidation peak current of FLB was observed when utilizing 2,6-ZrNDC and 1,4-ZrNDC, being the highest when using 1,4-ZrNDC. Furthermore, a thorough investigation of the complex oxidation pathway of FLB was performed by carrying out simultaneous spectroelectrochemical measurements. Based on the obtained results, it was verified that the piperazine moiety of FLB is the primary site for electrochemical oxidation. The fabricated sensor based on 1,4-ZrNDC/MW/CPE showed an oxidation peak of FLB at 0.8V vs Ag/AgCl. Moreover, it showed excellent linearity for the determinationof FLB in the range 0.05 to 0.80μmol L-1 with a correlation coefficient (r) = 0.9973 and limit of detection of 3.0nmol L-1. The applicability of the developed approach was demonstrated by determinationof FLB in pharmaceutical tablets and human urine samples with acceptable repeatability (% RSD values were below 1.9% and 2.1%, respectively) and reasonable recovery values (ranged between 97 and 103% for pharmaceutical tablets and between 96 and 102% for human urine samples). The outcomes of the suggested methodology can be utilized for the determinationof other hydrophobic compounds of pharmaceutical or biological interest with the aim of achieving low detection limits of these compounds in various matrices.

The practical utility of ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide-supported platinum catalysts for room-temperature oxidative removal of formaldehyde from the air

Formaldehyde (FA), a carcinogenic oxygenated volatile organic compound, is present ubiquitously in indoor air. As such, it is generally regarded as a critical target for air quality management. The oxidative removal of FA under dark and room-temperature (RT) conditions is of practical significance. A series of ternary nickel–cobalt-manganese oxide–supported platinum catalysts (Pt/NiCoMnO4) have been synthesized for FA oxidative removal at RT in the dark. Their RT conversion values for 50 ppm FA (XFA) at 5,964 h−1 gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) decrease in the following order: 1 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (100 %) > 0.5 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (25 %) > 0.05 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (14 %) > NiCoMnO4 (6 %). The catalytic performance of 1 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 has been examined further under the control of various process variables (e.g., catalyst mass, flow rate, relative humidity, FA concentration, time on stream, and molecular oxygen content). The catalytic oxidation of FA at low temperatures (e.g., RT and 60 °C) is accounted for by Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism (single-site competitive-adsorption), while Mars van Krevelen kinetics is prevalent at higher temperatures. In situ diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy reveals that FA oxidation proceeds through a series of reaction intermediates such as DOM, HCOO–, and CO32–. Based on the density functional theory simulations, the unique electronic structures of the nearest surface atoms (platinum and nickel) are suggested to be responsible for the superior catalytic activity of Pt/NiCoMnO4.

Constructing 2D/2D g-C3N4/BiOCl Z-scheme heterojunction for synthesis of imines via photocatalytic coupling of benzylamine

Here, 2D/2D Z-scheme heterojunctions, BiOCl/g-C3N4 (CN-B), are successfully prepared for the photocatalytic coupling of benzylamine (BA) to N-benzylidenebenzylamine (NBA) in air atmosphere under visible light. The high conversion (96.1 %) of BA can be achieved over the optimal catalyst (CN-B-1.6), with a selectivity of NBA (95.2 %). The interface charges are redistributed on CN-B because of the strong interaction between BiOCl and g-C3N4, benefiting to the activation of substrates. The results of In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS), Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) reveal that O2 and BA molecules can be activated via coordinating on the interface of CN-B, thus improving the photocatalytic performance. The migrated pathway of photogenerated carriers follows the mechanism of Z-scheme heterojunction, improving the utilization of electrons-holes. Finally, we put forward a possible mechanism at a molecular scale to explain the photocatalytic pathway. This work emphasizes how to create an effective heterojunction photocatalyst for the photocatalytic organic synthesis.

Monolithic thin-film lithium niobate broadband spectrometer with one nanometre resolution

Miniaturised optical spectrometers are attractive due to their small footprint, low weight, robustness and stability even in harsh environments such as space or industrial facilities. We report on a stationary-wave integrated Fourier-transform spectrometer featuring a measured optical bandwidth of 325 nm and a theoretical spectral resolution of 1.2 nm. We fabricate and test on lithium niobate-on-insulator to take full advantage of the platform, namely electro-optic modulation, broad transparency range and the low optical loss achieved thanks to matured fabrication techniques. We use the electro-optic effect and develop innovative layouts to overcome the undersampling limitations and improve the spectral resolution, thus providing a framework to enhance the performance of all devices sharing the same working principle. With our work, we add another important element to the portfolio of integrated lithium-niobate optical devices as our spectrometer can be combined with multiple other building blocks to realise functional, monolithic and compact photonic integrated circuits.