TiO2-doped resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) polymer and carbon gels with photocatalytic activity

Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) polymer gels offer a relatively easy and versatile route for incorporating metals into a carbon aerogel matrix. The hybrid materials thus obtained are ideal candidates for applications involving enhanced adsorption or catalysis. This paper presents a detailed study of Ti-doped RF and carbon aerogels. The metal was introduced into the system at three different stages of the preparation process: during polymerization, by impregnation of the RF gel, or by impregnation of the carbon gel. The structure and morphology of the samples are compared using low temperature N2 adsorption, SEM, and small and wide angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) methods. The TiO2-doped carbon aerogels display photocatalytic activity in breaking down aromatic compounds

Structure and thermal decomposition of ammonium metatungstate

The structure and morphology of ammonium metatungstate (AMT), (NH 4)6[H2W12O40] ·4H2O, and its thermal decomposition in air and nitrogen atmospheres were investigated by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TG/DTA-MS. The cell parameters of the AMT sample were determined and refined with a full profile fit. The thermal decomposition of AMT involved several steps in inert atmosphere: (i) release of crystal water between 25 and 200 °C resulting in dehydrated AMT, (ii) formation of an amorphous phase between 200 and 380 °C, (iii) from which hexagonal WO3 formed between 380 and 500 °C, and (iv) which then transformed into the more stable m-WO3 between 500 and 600 °C. As a difference in air, the as-formed NH3 ignited with an exothermic heat effect, and nitrous oxides formed as combustion products. The thermal behavior of AMT was similar to ammonium paratungstate (APT), (NH4)10[H2W12O 42]·4H2O, the only main difference being the lack of dry NH3 evolution between 170 and 240 °C in the case of AMT. © 2013 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary

Coating and functionalization of high density ion track structures by atomic layer deposition

In this study flexible TiO 2 coated porous Kapton membranes are presented having electron multiplication properties. 800 nm crossing pores were fabricated into 50 m thick Kapton membranes using ion track technology and chemical etching. Consecutively, 50 nm TiO 2 films were deposited i nto the pores of the Kapton membranes by atomic layer deposition using Ti( i OPr) 4 and water as precursors at 250 °C. The TiO 2 films and coated membranes were studied by scanning electro n microscopy (SEM), X - ray diffraction (XRD) and X - ray reflectometry (XRR). Au metal electrod e fabrication onto both sides of the coated foils was achieved by electron beam evaporation. The electron multipliers were obtained by joining 3 two coated membranes separated by a conductive spacer. The results show that electron multiplication can be achie ved using ALD - coated flexible ion track polymer foils