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Here, we elucidate nonclassical multistep crystallization pathways of transition metal phosphates from aqueous solutions. We followed precipitation processes of M-struvites, NH4MPO4·6H2O, and M-phosphate octahydrates, M3(PO4)2·8H2O, where M = Ni, Co, or NixCo1–x, by using in situ scattering and spectroscopy-based techniques, supported by elemental mass spectrometry analyses and advanced electron microscopy. Ni and Co phosphates crystallize via intermediate colloidal amorphous nanophases, which change their complex structures while agglomerating, condensing, and densifying throughout the extended reaction times. We reconstructed the three-dimensional morphology of these precursors by employing cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). We found that the complex interplay between metastable amorphous colloids and protocrystalline units determines the reaction pathways. Ultimately, the same crystalline structure, such as struvite, is formed. However, the multistep process stages vary in complexity and can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on the selected transition metal(s), their concentration, and the Ni/Co ratio.
This talk explores the intricate connections between scientists, focusing on the networking dynamics within the realm of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The study delves into the collaborative networks formed among scientists, shedding light on the synergistic relationships that contribute to advancements in MOF research.
Mechanochemistry has become a compelling method for producing (new) molecule s and mate-rials, but the inner workings of the milling jars remain a fascinating mystery. Advances in this field include tailor-made chemical systems and real-time revelations using techniques such as XRD and Raman spectroscopy.
This talk will discuss our recent progress in using X-ray diffraction and sophisticated spectros-copy to observe reactions in various material systems during ball milling and extrusion in real-time.
The complexity of mechanochemical reactions spans multiple scales and requires a holistic ap-proach. The categorisation of reactions by investigative methods precedes the exploration of real-time analysis that reveals macroscopic processes using synchrotron techniques.
During this exploration, one resounding realisation remains: We are on the threshold of under-standing. The complexity of mechanochemistry requires a collective effort, drawing on the ex-pertise of a diverse community. As we unravel the web of mechanochemical phenomena, we acknowledge the collaborative nature of this ongoing journey.
Mechanochemistry emerges as a potent, environmentally friendly, and straightforward approach for crafting novel multicomponent crystal systems. Various milling parameters, including milling frequency, time, filling degree of the milling jar, ball diameter, vessel size, degree of milling ball filling, and material of jars, are recognized influencers on the mechanisms and rates of product formation. Despite the growing interest in mechanochemistry, there exists a gap in understanding the mechanistic aspects of mechanochemical reactivity and selectivity. To address this, diverse analytical methods and their combinations, such as powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, NMR, Raman spectroscopy, and thermography, have been developed for real-time, in situ monitoring of mechanochemical transformations.
This discussion centers on our recent findings, specifically investigating the formation of (polymorphic) cocrystals and metal-organic frameworks. Through these studies, we aim to unravel the impact of milling parameters and reaction sequences on the formation mechanism and kinetics. Notably, in the mechanochemical chlorination reaction of hydantoin, normalizing kinetic profiles to the volume of the milling ball unequivocally demonstrates the conservation of milling reaction kinetics. In this ball-milling transformation, physical kinetics outweigh chemical factors in determining reaction rates. Attempting to interpret such kinetics solely through chemical terms poses a risk of misinterpretation. Our results highlight that time-resolved in situ investigations of milling reactions provide a novel avenue for fine-tuning and optimizing mechanochemical processes.
Investigating the mechanism and kinetics of the mechanochemical synthesis of multi-component systems
(2023)
Mechanochemistry is a promising and environmentally friendly approach for synthesizing (novel) multicomponent crystal systems. Various milling parameters, such as milling frequency, milling time, and ball diameter have been shown to influence the mechanisms and rates of product formation. Despite increasing interest in mechanochemistry, there is still limited understanding of the underlying reactivity and selectivity mechanisms.
Various analytical techniques have been developed to gain insight into the mechanochemical transformations, including powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray adsorption spectroscopy, NMR, Raman spectroscopy and thermography. Using these techniques, we have studied the formation of (polymorphic) cocrystals, organometallic compounds and salts, and elucidated the influence of milling parameters and reaction sequences on the formation mechanism and kinetics.
For example, our study of the mechanochemical chlorination reaction of hydantoin revealed that normalisation of the kinetic profiles to the volume of the grinding ball clearly showed that physical kinetics dominate the reaction rates in a ball-milling transformation. Attempts to interpret such kinetics in purely chemical terms risk misinterpretation of the results.
Our results suggest that time-resolved in situ investigation of milling reactions is a promising way to fine-tune and optimise mechanochemical processes.
Mechanochemistry emerges as a potent, environmentally friendly, and straightforward approach for crafting novel multicomponent crystal systems. Various milling parameters, including milling frequency, time, filling degree of the milling jar, ball diameter, vessel size, degree of milling ball filling, and material of jars, are recognized influencers on the mechanisms and rates of product formation. Despite the growing interest in mechanochemistry, there exists a gap in understanding the mechanistic aspects of mechanochemical reactivity and selectivity. To address this, diverse analytical methods and their combinations, such as powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, NMR, Raman spectroscopy, and thermography, have been developed for real-time, in situ monitoring of mechanochemical transformations.
This discussion centers on our recent findings, specifically investigating the formation of (polymorphic) cocrystals and metal-organic frameworks. Through these studies, we aim to unravel the impact of milling parameters and reaction sequences on the formation mechanism and kinetics. Notably, in the mechanochemical chlorination reaction of hydantoin, normalizing kinetic profiles to the volume of the milling ball unequivocally demonstrates the conservation of milling reaction kinetics. In this ball-milling transformation, physical kinetics outweigh chemical factors in determining reaction rates. Attempting to interpret such kinetics solely through chemical terms poses a risk of misinterpretation. Our results highlight that time-resolved in situ investigations of milling reactions provide a novel avenue for fine-tuning and optimizing mechanochemical processes.
Mechanochemistry is an effective, environmentally benign, and facile method for the synthesis of new multicomponent crystal systems. Different milling parameters are known to affect the mechanisms and rates of product formation: milling frequency, milling time, filling degree of the milling jar, ball diameter and vessel size, degree of milling ball filling, and material of jars. The increasing interest in mechanochemistry is contrasted by a limited mechanistic understanding of the mechanochemical reactivity and selectivity.
Different analytical methods and their combinations have been developed for the time resolved in situ monitoring of mechanochemical transformations, including powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray adsorption spectroscopy, NMR, Raman spectroscopy, and thermography.
Here we will discuss our recent results investigating the formation of (poly-morphic) cocrystals[1,3], metal-organic compounds, and salts, thereby elucidating the influence of milling parameters and reaction sequences on the formation mechanism and kinetics. For the mechanochemical chlorination reaction of hydantoin normalizing the kinetic profiles to the volume of the milling ball showed clearly that milling reaction kinetics are conserved. Here physical kinetics dominate reaction rates in a ball-milling transformation. Attempting to interpret such kinetics in purely chemical terms risk misinterpreting the results.
Our results indicate that time-resolved in situ investigation of milling reactions offer a new approach to tune and optimize mechanochemical processes.
We show that mechanochemically driven polymorphic transformations can require extremely long induction periods, which can be tuned from hours to days by changing ball milling energy. The robust design and interpretation of ball milling experiments must account for this unexpected kinetics that arises from energetic phenomena unique to the solid state. Detailed thermal analysis, combined with DFT simulations, indicates that these marked induction periods are associated with processes of mechanical activation. Correspondingly, we show that the pre‐activation of reagents can also lead to marked changes in the length of induction periods. Our findings demonstrate a new dimension for exerting control over polymorphic transformations in organic crystals. We expect mechanical activation to have a much broader implication across organic solid‐state mechanochemistry.
Due to their favorable properties and high porosity, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have recently received much limelight for key technologies such as energy storage, optoelectronics, sensorics, and catalysis. Despite widespread interest in these materials, fundamental questions regarding the zinc coordination environment remain poorly understood. By focusing on zinc(II)2-methylimidazolate (ZIF-8) and its tetrahedrally coordinated analogues with Br-, Cl-, and H-substitution in the 2-ring position, we aim to clarify how variations in the local environment of Zn impact the charge distribution and the electronic properties of these materials. Our results from densityfunctional theory confirm the presence of a Zn coordinative bond with a large polarization that is quantitatively affected by different substituents on the organic ligand. Moreover, our findings suggest that the variations in the Zn coordination induced by the functionalization have a negligible effect on the electronic structure of the considered compounds. On the other hand, halogen terminations of the ligands lead to distinct electronic contributions in the vicinity of the frontier region which ultimately reduce the band gap size by a few hundred millielectron volts. Experimental results obtained from X-ray absorption spectroscopy (Zn K-edge) confirm the trends predicted by theory and, together with them, contribute to a better understanding of the structure−property relationships that are needed to tailor ZIFs for target applications.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most promising alternative green energy technologies that deliver high energy density without CO2 emissions. The proton conductivity of proton exchange membranes (PEM) contributes to the overall efficiency of a PEMFC. Materials being used as PEMs must exhibit high proton conductivity at the working conditions of the targeted PEMFC. To date, Nafion and Nafion-like polymers with acidic functionality are widely used as membrane materials due to their high proton conductivity in the range of 10-1 to 10-2 Scm-1 at higher relative humidity. However, these materials suffer from high costs, hazardous production process, and poor performance at high temperatures, limiting their versatility.
In this context, crystalline porous materials are recognized as promising proton conductors for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) in fuel cell technology, owing to their tunable framework structure. However, it is still challenging bulk synthesis for real-world applications of these materials. Herein, we present mechanochemical gram-scale synthesis of series of mixed ligand metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (MHOFs) using phenylene diphosphonic acid and 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid with different bipyridyl type of ligands, respectively. In all cases, the existence of extensive hydrogen bonds with amphiprotic uncoordinated phosphonate hydroxyl and oxygen atoms, the frameworks exhibited high proton conductivity. The study demonstrates the potential of green mechanosynthesis for preparations of framework-based proton conducting materials in bulk scale for green energy generation.
Mechanochemistry has proven to be a highly effective method for the synthesis of organic compounds. We studied the kinetics of the catalyst-free Knoevenagel reaction between 4-nitrobenzaldehyde and malononitrile, activated and driven by ball milling. The reaction was investigated in the absence of solvents (neat grinding) and in the presence of solvents with different polarities (liquid-assisted grinding). The reaction was monitored using time-resolved in situ Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Our results indicate a direct relationship between solvent polarity and reaction kinetics, with higher solvent polarity leading to faster product (2-(4-nitrobenzylidone)malononitrile) formation. For the first time, we were able to isolate and determine the structure of an intermediate 2-(hydroxy(4-nitrophenyl)methyl)malononitrile based on PXRD data.
The precipitation of struvite, a magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH₄PO₄ · 6H₂O) mineral, from wastewater is a promising method for recovering phosphorous. While this process is commonly used in engineered environments, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of struvite crystals remains limited. Specifically, indirect evidence suggests the involvement of an amorphous precursor and the occurrence of multi-step processes in struvite formation, which would indicate non-classical paths of nucleation and crystallization. In this study, we use synchrotron-based in situ x-ray scattering complemented by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to obtain new insights from the earliest stages of struvite formation. The holistic scattering data captured the structure of an entire assembly in a time-resolved manner. The structural features comprise the aqueous medium, the growing struvite crystals, and any potential heterogeneities or complex entities. By analysing the scattering data, we found that the onset of crystallization causes a perturbation in the structure of the surrounding aqueous medium. This perturbation is characterized by the occurrence and evolution of Ornstein-Zernike fluctuations on a scale of about 1 nm, suggesting a non-classical nature of the system. We interpret this phenomenon as a liquid-liquid phase separation, which gives rise to the formation of the amorphous precursor phase preceding actual crystal growth of struvite. Our microscopy results confirm that the formation of Mg-struvite includes a short-lived amorphous phase, lasting >10 s.
The lattice enthalpies and monotropic relationship of two dehydroepiandrosterone (DEHA) polymorphs (forms I and II) were evaluated through a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), isothermal solution microcalorimetry, and drop-sublimation Calvet microcalorimetry experiments. The standard molar enthalpy of transition between both forms was determined as ΔtrsHom (II→I, 298.15 K) = - 0.90 ± 0.07 kJ mol-1 and ΔtrsHom (II→I, 417.8 K) = - 1.7 ± 1.0 kJ mol- 1, from measurements of standard molar enthalpies of solution in dimethyl sulfoxide and enthalpies of fusion, respectively. Drop-sublimation Calvet microcalorimetry experiments on form I led to ΔsubHom (cr I, 298.15 K) = 132.0±3.3 kJ mol - 1. This result, when combined with the more precise ΔtrsHom (II→I) value obtained by solution calorimetry, afforded ΔsubHom (cr II, 298.15 K) = 131.1±3.3 kJ mol - 1. The overall data indicate that on enthalpic grounds form I is more stable than form II from 298.15 K up to fusion. This conclusion, and the fact that DSC experiments indicated that form I has also a considerably higher temperature fusion, namely, Tfus(cr I)= 422.5±0.2 K and Tfus(cr II) = 413.1±0.2 K, suggest that the two polymorphs are monotropically related.
Physical adsorption at cryogenic temperature (cryoadsorption) is a reversible mechanism that can reduce the pressure of conventional compressed gas storage systems. Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials are remarkable candidates due to the combination of high specific surface area and density which, in some cases, provide a high volumetric storage capacity. However, such extensive use of MOFs for this application requires the selection of affordable structures, easy to produce and made from feasible metallic and organic components. Herein, we introduce a MOF database detailing the crystallographic and porous properties of 3600 existing MOFs made from industrially relevant metals and their organic composition. The comparison of the available minimum costs of linkers allowed the creation of a database to select affordable structures with high potential for volumetric hydrogen storage by cryoadsorption, considering their composition based on individual or mixed building blocks. A user interface, available online, facilitates the selection of MOFs based on the properties or names of structures and linkers.
An amorphous Lewis-acidic zirconium chlorofluoride as HF shuttle: C–F bond activation and formation
(2023)
An exceptional HF transfer reaction by C–F bond activation of fluoropentane and a subsequent hydrofluorination of alkynes at room temperature is reported. An amorphous Lewis-acidic Zr chlorofluoride serves as heterogeneous catalyst, which is characterised by an eightfold coordination environment at Zr including chlorine atoms. The studies are seminal in establishing sustainable fluorine chemistry.
Mechanical flexibility in molecular crystals is a fascinating behavior with potential for developing advanced technologies. However, the phenomenon of mechanical bending is poorly understood. We explore for the first time the atomistic origin of elastic bending in a single component organic crystal using a combination of μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ab initio simulation.
Crystallization is a complex phenomenon with farreaching implications for the production and formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Understanding this process is critical for achieving control over key physicochemical properties that can affect, for example, the bioavailability and stability of a drug. In this study, we were able to reveal intricate and diverse dynamics of the formation of metastable intermediates of paracetamol crystallization varying with the choice of solvent. We demonstrate the efficacy of our novel approach utilizing an objective function-based non-negative matrix factorization technique for the analysis of time-resolved Raman
spectroscopy data, in conjunction with time-lapse photography.
Furthermore, we emphasize the crucial importance of integrating Raman spectroscopy with supplementary experimental instrumentation for the mathematical analysis of the obtained spectra.
New insights into pertinent Fe-complexes for the synthesis of iron via the instant polyol process
(2023)
Chemically synthesized iron is in demand for biomedical applications due to its large saturation magnetization compared to iron oxides. The polyol process, suitable for obtaining Co and Ni particles and their alloys, is laborious in synthesizing Fe. The reaction yields iron oxides, and the reaction pathway remains unexplored. This study shows that a vicinal polyol, such as 1,2-propanediol, is suitable for obtaining Fe rather than 1,3-propanediol owing to the formation of a reducible Fe intermediate complex. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis reveals the ferric octahedral geometry and tetrahedral geometry in the ferrous state of the reaction intermediates in 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol, respectively. The final product obtained using a vicinal polyol is Fe with a γ-Fe2O3 shell, while the terminal polyol is favourable for Fe3O4. The distinct Fe–Fe and Fe–O bond lengths suggest the presence of a carboxylate group and a terminal alkoxide ligand in the intermediate of 1,2-propanediol. A large Fe–Fe bond distance suggests diiron complexes with bidentate carboxylate bridges. Prominent high-spin and low-spin states indicate the possibility of transition, which favors the reduction of iron ions in the reaction using 1,2-propanediol.
Transition metal phosphates (TMPs) have attracted interest as materials for (electro-) catalysis, and electrochemistry due to their low-cost, stability, and tunability. In this work, an automated synthesis platform was used for the preparation of transition metal phosphate crystals to efficiently explore the multidimensional parameter space, determining the phase selection, crystal sizes, shapes. By using X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy-based methods and electron microscopy imaging, a complete characterization of the phase stability fields, phase transitions, and crystal morphology/sizes was achieved. In an automated three-reactant synthesis, the individual effect of each reactant species NH4+, M2+, and PO43- on the formation of transition metal phosphate phases: M-struvite NH4MPO4·6H2O, M-phosphate octahydrate M3(PO4)2·8H2O with M = Ni, Co and an amorphous phase, was investigated. The NH4+ concentration dictates the phase composition, morphology, and particle size in the Ni-system (crystalline Ni-struvite versus amorphous Ni-PO4 phase), whereas in the Co-system all reactant species - NH4+, Co2+, and PO43- - influence the reaction outcome equivalently (Co-struvite vs. Co-phosphate octahydrate). The coordination environment for all crystalline compounds and of the amorphous Ni-PO4 phase was resolved by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, revealing matching characteristics to its crystalline analogue, Ni3(PO4)2·8H2O. The automated synthesis turned out to be significantly advantageous for the exploration of phase diagrams due to its simple modularity, facile traceability, and enhanced reproducibility compared to a typical manual synthesis.
With increasing demand and environmental concerns, researchers are exploring new materials that can perform as well or better than traditional materials while reducing environmental impact. The BAMline, a real-life sample materials research beamline, provides unique insights into materials’ electronic and chemical structure at different time and length scales. The beamline specializes in x-ray absorption spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and tomography experiments. This enables real-time optimization of material properties and performance for various applications, such as energy transfer, energy storage, catalysis, and corrosion resistance. This paper gives an overview of the analytical methods and sample environments of the BAMline, which cover non-destructive testing experiments in materials science, chemistry, biology, medicine, and cultural heritage. We also present our own synthesis methods, processes, and equipment developed specifically for the BAMline, and we give examples of synthesized materials and their potential applications. Finally, this article discusses the future perspectives of the BAMline and its potential for further advances in sustainable materials research.
In this study, we propose the use of nondestructive, depth-resolved, element-specific characterization using grazing exit X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (GE-XANES) to investigate the corrosion process in compositionally complex alloys (CCAs). By combining grazing exit X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (GE-XRF) geometry and a pnCCD detector, we provide a scanning-free, nondestructive, depth-resolved analysis in a sub-micrometer depth range, which is especially relevant for layered materials, such as corroded CCAs. Our setup allows for spatial and energy-resolved measurements and directly extracts the desired fluorescence line, free from scattering events and other overlapping lines. We demonstrate the potential of our approach on a compositionally complex CrCoNi alloy and a layered reference sample with known composition and specific layer thickness. Our findings indicate that this new GE-XANES approach has exciting opportunities for studying surface catalysis and corrosion processes in real-world materials.
Crystalline porous materials are recognized as promising proton conductors for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) in fuel cell technology owing to their tunable framework structure. However, it is still a challenging bulk synthesis for real-world applications of these materials. Herein, we report the mechanochemical gram-scale synthesis of two isostructural metal hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (MHOFs) of Co(II) and Ni(II) based on 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid (HEDPH4) with 2,2′-bipyridine (2,2′-bipy): Co(HEDPH3)2(2,2′-bipy)·H2O (1) and Ni(HEDPH3)2(2,2′-bipy)·H2O (2). In situ monitoring of the mechanochemical synthesis using different synchrotron-based techniques revealed a one-step mechanism – the starting materials are directly converted to the product. With the existence of extensive hydrogen bonds with amphiprotic uncoordinated phosphonate hydroxyl and oxygen atoms, both frameworks exhibited proton conduction in the range of 10–4 S cm–1 at room temperature under humid conditions. This study demonstrates the potential of green mechanosynthesis for bulk material preparation of framework-based solid-state proton conductors.
Mechanically flexible single crystals of molecular materials offer potential for a multitude of new directions in advanced materials design. Before the full potential of such materials can be exploited, insight into their mechanisms of action must be better understood. Such insight can be only obtained through synergistic use of advanced experimentation and simulation. We herein report the first detailed mechanistic study of elasto-plastic flexibility in a molecular solid. An atomistic origin for this mechanical behaviour is proposed through a combination of atomic force microscopy, μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ab initio simulation, and computed elastic tensors. Our findings suggest that elastic and plastic bending are intimately linked and result from extensions of the same molecular deformations. The proposed mechanism bridges the gap between contested mechanisms, suggesting its applicability as a general mechanism for elastic and plastic bending in organic molecular crystals.
We present how mesoporosity can be engineered in transition metal phosphate (TMPs) materials in a template-free manner. The method involves the transformation of a precursor metal phosphate phase, called M-struvite (NH4MPO4·6H2O, M = Mg2+, Ni2+, Co2+, NixCo1−x2+). It relies on the thermal decomposition of crystalline M-struvite precursors to an amorphous and simultaneously mesoporous phase, which forms during degassing of NH3 and H2O. The temporal evolution of mesoporous frameworks and the response of the metal coordination environment were followed by in situ and ex situ scattering and diffraction, as well as X-ray spectroscopy. Despite sharing the same precursor struvite structure, different amorphous and mesoporous structures were obtained depending on the involved transition metal. We highlight the systematic differences in absolute surface area, pore shape, pore size, and phase transitions depending on the metal cation present in the analogous M-struvites. The amorphous structures of thermally decomposed Mg-, Ni- and NixCo1−x-struvites exhibit high surface areas and pore volumes (240 m2 g−1 and 0.32 cm−3 g−1 for Mg and 90 m2 g−1 and 0.13 cm−3 g−1 for Ni). We propose that the low-cost, environmentally friendly M-struvites could be obtained as recycling products from industrial and agricultural wastewaters. These waste products could be then upcycled into mesoporous TMPs through a simple thermal treatment for further application, for instance in (electro)catalysis.
Optimizing the Green Synthesis of ZIF-8 by Reactive Extrusion Using In Situ Raman Spectroscopy
(2023)
We report the scale-up of a batch solid synthesis of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) for reactive extrusion. The crystalline product forms in the extruder directly under the mixture of solid 2-methylimidazole and basic zinc carbonate in the presence of a catalytic amount of liquid. The process parameters such as temperature, liquid type, feeding rate, and linker excess were optimized using the setup specifically designed for in situ Raman spectroscopy. Highly crystalline ZIF-8 with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 1816 m2 g–1 was quantitatively prepared at mild temperature using a catalytic amount of ethanol and a small excess of the linker. Finally, we developed a simple and comprehensive approach to evaluating the environmental friendliness and scalability of metal–organic framework (MOF) syntheses in view of their large-scale production.
Ananion-dopedaluminiumchlorofluoride AlCl0.1F2.8(OTeF5)0.1(ACF-teflate) was synthesized.The material contains pentafluor-oorthotellurate(teflate)groups, which mimic fluoride ions electronically, but are sterically more demanding. They are embedded into the amorphous structure. The latter was studied by PDF analysis, EXAFS data and MAS NMR spectroscopy. The mesoporous powder is a Lewis superacid, and ATR-IR spectra of adsorbed CD3CN reveal a blue-shift of the adsorption band by73 cm-1, which is larger than the shift for SbF5. Remarkably,ACF-teflate catalyzes dehydrofluorination reactions of mono-fluoroalkanes to yield olefins in C6D6. In these cases,no Friedel-Crafts products were formed.
We present how mesoporosity can be engineered in transition metal phosphate (TMPs) materials in a template-free manner. The method involves a transformation of a precursor metal phosphate phase, called M-struvite (NH4MPO4·6H2O, M = Mg2+, Ni2+, Co2+, NixCo1-x2+). It relies on the thermal decomposition of crystalline M-struvite precursors to an amorphous and simultaneously mesoporous phase, which forms while degassing of NH3 and H2O. The temporal evolution of mesoporous frameworks and the response of the metal coordination environment were followed with in-situ and ex-situ scattering and diffraction, as well as X -ray spectroscopy. Despite sharing the same precursor struvite structure, different amorphous and mesoporous structures were obtained depending on the involved transition metal. We highlight the systematic differences in absolute surface area, pore shape, pore size, and phase transitions depending on a metal cation present in the analogous M-struvites. The amorphous structures of thermally decomposed Mg-, Ni- and NixCo1-x-struvites exhibit high surface areas and pore volumes (240 m²g-1 and 0.32 cm-3 g-1 for Mg and 90 m²g-1 and 0.13 cm-3 g-1 for Ni). We propose that the low-cost, environmentally friendly M-struvites could be obtained as recycling products from industrial and agricultural wastewaters. These waste products could be then upcycled into mesoporous TMPs through a simple thermal treatment for further applications, for instance, in (electro)catalysis.
Soda lakes of the East African Rift Valley are hyperalkaline, hypersaline lakes extremely enriched in Na+, K+, Cl−, CO32−, HCO3−, and SiO2. In this paper, we investigate the chemical evolution in these lakes and the production of chemical sediments by salt precipitation via evaporation. Water samples from tributary springs and three lakes (Magadi, Nasikie Engida and Natron) have been experimentally studied by in-situ X-ray diffraction during evaporation experiments to characterize the sequence of mineral precipitation. These data are complemented by ex-situ diffraction studies, chemical analyses and thermodynamic hydrochemical calculations producing detailed information on the activity of all solution species and the saturation state of all minerals potentially generated by the given composition. Major minerals precipitating from these samples are sodium carbonates/bicarbonates as well as halite. The CO3/HCO3 ratio, controlled by pH, is the main factor defining the Na‑carbonates precipitation sequence: in lake brines where CO3/HCO3 > 1, trona precipitates first whereas in hot springs, where CO3/HCO3 ≪ 1, nahcolite precipitates instead of trona, which forms later via partial dissolution of nahcolite. Precipitation of nahcolite is possible only at lower pH values (pCO2 higher than −2.7) explaining the distribution of trona and nahcolite in current lakes and the stratigraphic sequences. Later, during evaporation, thermonatrite precipitates, normally at the same time as halite, at a very high pH (>11.2) after significant depletion of HCO3− due to trona precipitation. The precipitation of these soluble minerals increases the pH of the brine and is the main factor contributing to the hyperalkaline and hypersaline character of the lakes. Villiaumite, sylvite, alkaline earth carbonates, fluorapatite and silica are also predicted to precipitate, but most of them have not been observed in evaporation experiments, either because of the small amount of precipitates produced, kinetic effects delaying the nucleation of some phases, or by biologically induced effects in the lake chemistry that are not considered in our calculations. Even in these cases, the chemical composition in the corresponding ions allows for discussion on their accumulation and the eventual precipitation of these phases. The coupling of in-situ and ex-situ experiments and geochemical modelling is key to understanding the hydrogeochemical and hydroclimatic conditions of soda lakes, evaporite settings, and potentially soda oceans of early Earth and other extraterrestrial bodies.