@article{BastianYudeGuerenuKurganovaetal.2020, author = {Bastian, Philipp U. and Yu, Leixiao and de Guere{\~n}u Kurganova, Anna Lopez and Haag, Rainer and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {Bioinspired confinement of upconversion nanoparticles for improved performance in aqueous solution}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, volume = {124}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, number = {52}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington, DC}, issn = {1932-7447}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c09798}, pages = {28623 -- 28635}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The resonance energy transfer (RET) from NaYF4:Yb,Er upconverting nanoparticles (UNCPs) to a dye (5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)) was investigated by photoluminescence experiments and microscale thermophoresis (MST). The dye was excited via RET from the UCNPs which was excited in the near-infrared (NIR). The change of the dye diffusion speed (free vs coupled) was investigated by MST. RET shows significant changes in the decay times of the dye as well as of the UCNPs. MST reveals significant changes in the diffusion speed. A unique amphiphilic coating polymer (customized mussel protein (CMP) polymer) for UCNP surface coating was used, which mimics blood protein adsorption and mussel food protein adhesion to transfer the UCNP into the aqueous phase and to allow surface functionalization. The CMP provides very good water dispersibility to the UCNPs and minimizes ligand exchange and subsequent UCNP aging reactions because of the interlinkage of the CMP on the UCNP surface. Moreover, CMP provides N-3-functional groups for dick chemistry-based functionalization demonstrated with the dye 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA). This establishes the principle coupling scheme for suitable biomarkers such as antibodies. The CMP provides very stable aqueous UCNP dispersions that are storable up to 3 years in a fridge at 5 degrees C without dissolution or coagulation. The outstanding properties of CMP in shielding the UCNP from unwanted solvent effects is reflected in the distinct increase of the photoluminescence decay times after UCNP functionalization. The UCNP-to-TAMRA energy transfer is also spectroscopically investigated at low temperatures (4-200 K), revealing that one of the two green Er(III) emission bands contributes the major part to the energy transfer. The TAMRA fluorescence decay time increases by a factor of 9500 from 2.28 ns up to 22 mu s due to radiationless energy transfer from the UCNP after NIR excitation of the latter. This underlines the unique properties of CMP as a versatile capping ligand for distinctly improving the UCNPs' performance in aqueous solutions, for coupling of biomolecules, and for applications for in vitro and in vivo experiments using UCNPs as optical probes in life science applications.}, language = {en} } @article{BekirJelkenJungetal.2021, author = {Bekir, Marek and Jelken, Joachim and Jung, Se-Hyeong and Pich, Andrij and Pacholski, Claudia and Kopyshev, Alexey and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Dual responsiveness of microgels induced by single light stimulus}, series = {Applied physics letters}, volume = {118}, journal = {Applied physics letters}, number = {9}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0003-6951}, doi = {10.1063/5.0036376}, pages = {6}, year = {2021}, abstract = {We report on the multiple response of microgels triggered by a single optical stimulus. Under irradiation, the volume of the microgels is reversibly switched by more than 20 times. The irradiation initiates two different processes: photo-isomerization of the photo-sensitive surfactant, which forms a complex with the anionic microgel, rendering it photo-responsive; and local heating due to a thermo-plasmonic effect within the structured gold layer on which the microgel is deposited. The photo-responsivity is related to the reversible accommodation/release of the photo-sensitive surfactant depending on its photo-isomerization state, while the thermo-sensitivity is intrinsically built in. We show that under exposure to green light, the thermo-plasmonic effect generates a local hot spot in the gold layer, resulting in the shrinkage of the microgel. This process competes with the simultaneous photo-induced swelling. Depending on the position of the laser spot, the spatiotemporal control of reversible particle shrinking/swelling with a predefined extent on a per-second base can be implemented.}, language = {en} } @article{BouaklineSaalfrank2021, author = {Bouakline, Foudhil and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Seemingly asymmetric atom-localized electronic densities following laser-dissociation of homonuclear diatomics}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, volume = {154}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, number = {23}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/5.0049710}, pages = {10}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Recent experiments on laser-dissociation of aligned homonuclear diatomic molecules show an asymmetric forward-backward (spatial) electron-localization along the laser polarization axis. Most theoretical models attribute this asymmetry to interference effects between gerade and ungerade vibronic states. Presumably due to alignment, these models neglect molecular rotations and hence infer an asymmetric (post-dissociation) charge distribution over the two identical nuclei. In this paper, we question the equivalence that is made between spatial electron-localization, observed in experiments, and atomic electron-localization, alluded by these theoretical models. We show that (seeming) agreement between these models and experiments is due to an unfortunate omission of nuclear permutation symmetry, i.e., quantum statistics. Enforcement of the latter requires mandatory inclusion of the molecular rotational degree of freedom, even for perfectly aligned molecules. Unlike previous interpretations, we ascribe spatial electron-localization to the laser creation of a rovibronic wavepacket that involves field-free molecular eigenstates with opposite space-inversion symmetry i.e., even and odd parity. Space-inversion symmetry breaking would then lead to an asymmetric distribution of the (space-fixed) electronic density over the forward and backward hemisphere. However, owing to the simultaneous coexistence of two indistinguishable molecular orientational isomers, our analytical and computational results show that the post-dissociation electronic density along a specified space-fixed axis is equally shared between the two identical nuclei-a result that is in perfect accordance with the principle of the indistinguishability of identical particles. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.}, language = {en} } @article{ChemuraHaubitzPrimusetal.2020, author = {Chemura, Sitshengisiwe and Haubitz, Toni and Primus, Philipp A. and Underberg, Martin and H{\"u}lser, Tim and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {Europium-doped Ceria-Gadolinium mixed oxides}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {124}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {24}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.0c03188}, pages = {4972 -- 4983}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Gadolinium-doped ceria or gadolinium-stabilized ceria (GDC) is an important technical material due to its ability to conduct O2- ions, e.g., used in solid oxide fuel cells operated at intermediate temperature as an electrolyte, diffusion barrier, and electrode component. We have synthesized Ce1-xGdxO2-y:Eu3+ (0 <= x <= 0.4) nanoparticles (11-15 nm) using a scalable spray pyrolysis method, which allows the continuous large-scale technical production of such materials. Introducing Eu3+ ions in small amounts into ceria and GDC as spectroscopic probes can provide detailed information about the atomic structure and local environments and allows us to monitor small structural changes. This study presents a novel approach to structurally elucidate europium-doped Ce1-xGdxO2-y:Eu3+ nanoparticles by way of Eu3+ spectroscopy, processing the spectroscopic data with the multiway decomposition method parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis. In order to perform the deconvolution of spectra, data sets of excitation wavelength, emission wavelength, and time are required. Room temperature, time-resolved emission spectra recorded at lambda(ex) = 464 nm show that Gd3+ doping results in significantly altered emission spectra compared to pure ceria. The PARAFAC analysis for the pure ceria samples reveals a high-symmetry species (which can also be probed directly via the CeO2 charge transfer band) and a low-symmetry species. The GDC samples yield two low-symmetry spectra in the same experiment. High-resolution emission spectra recorded under cryogenic conditions after probing the D-5(0)-F-7(0) transition at lambda(ex) = 575-583 nm revealed additional variation in the low-symmetry Eu3+ sites in pure ceria and GDC. The total luminescence spectra of CeO2-y:Eu3+ showed Eu3+ ions located in at least three slightly different coordination environments with the same fundamental symmetry, whereas the overall hypsochromic shift and increased broadening of the D-5(0)-F-7(0) excitation in the GDC samples, as well as the broadened spectra after deconvolution point to less homogeneous environments. The data of the Gd3+-containing samples indicates that the average charge density around the Eu3+ ions in the lattice is decreased with increasing Gd3+ and oxygen vacancy concentration. For reference, the Judd-Ofelt parameters of all spectra were calculated. PARAFAC proves to be a powerful tool to analyze lanthanide spectra in crystalline solid materials, which are characterized by numerous Stark transitions and where measurements usually yield a superposition of different contributions to any given spectrum.}, language = {en} } @article{DoeringGrigorievTapioetal.2022, author = {Doering, Ulrike and Grigoriev, Dmitry and Tapio, Kosti and Bald, Ilko and B{\"o}ker, Alexander}, title = {Synthesis of nanostructured protein-mineral-microcapsules by sonication}, series = {Soft matter}, volume = {18}, journal = {Soft matter}, number = {13}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {London}, issn = {1744-6848}, doi = {10.1039/d1sm01638e}, pages = {2558 -- 2568}, year = {2022}, abstract = {We propose a simple and eco-friendly method for the formation of composite protein-mineral-microcapsules induced by ultrasound treatment. Protein- and nanoparticle-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions loaded with different oils are prepared using high-intensity ultrasound. The formation of thin composite mineral proteinaceous shells is realized with various types of nanoparticles, which are pre-modified with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and subsequently characterized by EDX, TGA, zeta potential measurements and Raman spectroscopy. Cryo-SEM and EDX mapping visualizations show the homogeneous distribution of the densely packed nanoparticles in the capsule shell. In contrast to the results reported in our previous paper,(1) the shell of those nanostructured composite microcapsules is not cross-linked by the intermolecular disulfide bonds between BSA molecules. Instead, a Pickering-Emulsion formation takes place because of the amphiphilicity-driven spontaneous attachment of the BSA-modified nanoparticles at the oil/water interface. Using colloidal particles for the formation of the shell of the microcapsules, in our case silica, hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate nanoparticles, is promising for the creation of new functional materials. The nanoparticulate building blocks of the composite shell with different chemical, physical or morphological properties can contribute to additional, sometimes even multiple, features of the resulting capsules. Microcapsules with shells of densely packed nanoparticles could find interesting applications in pharmaceutical science, cosmetics or in food technology.}, language = {en} } @article{EbelBald2022, author = {Ebel, Kenny and Bald, Ilko}, title = {Low-energy (5-20 eV) electron-induced single and double strand breaks in well-defined DNA sequences}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry letters / American Chemical Society}, volume = {13}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry letters / American Chemical Society}, number = {22}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1948-7185}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c00684}, pages = {4871 -- 4876}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Ionizing radiation is used in cancer radiation therapy to effectively damage the DNA of tumors. The main damage is due to generation of highly reactive secondary species such as low-energy electrons (LEEs). The accurate quantification of DNA radiation damage of well-defined DNA target sequences in terms of absolute cross sections for LEE-induced DNA strand breaks is possible by the DNA origami technique; however, to date, it is possible only for DNA single strands. In the present work DNA double strand breaks in the DNA sequence 5'-d(CAC)(4)/5'd(GTG)(4) are compared with DNA single strand breaks in the oligonucleotides 5'-d(CAC)(4) and 5'-d(GTG)(4) upon irradiation with LEEs in the energy range from 5 to 20 eV. A maximum of strand break cross section was found around 7 and 10 eV independent of the DNA sequence, indicating that dissociative electron attachment is the underlying mechanism of strand breakage and confirming previous studies using plasmid DNA.}, language = {en} } @article{ErlerRiebeBeitzetal.2020, author = {Erler, Alexander and Riebe, Daniel and Beitz, Toralf and L{\"o}hmannsr{\"o}ben, Hans-Gerd and Grothusheitkamp, Daniela and Kunz, Thomas and Methner, Frank-J{\"u}rgen}, title = {Characterization of volatile metabolites formed by molds on barley by mass and ion mobility spectrometry}, series = {Journal of mass spectrometr}, volume = {55}, journal = {Journal of mass spectrometr}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1076-5174}, doi = {10.1002/jms.4501}, pages = {1 -- 10}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The contamination of barley by molds on the field or in storage leads to the spoilage of grain and the production of mycotoxins, which causes major economic losses in malting facilities and breweries. Therefore, on-site detection of hidden fungus contaminations in grain storages based on the detection of volatile marker compounds is of high interest. In this work, the volatile metabolites of 10 different fungus species are identified by gas chromatography (GC) combined with two complementary mass spectrometric methods, namely, electron impact (EI) and chemical ionization at atmospheric pressure (APCI)-mass spectrometry (MS). The APCI source utilizes soft X-radiation, which enables the selective protonation of the volatile metabolites largely without side reactions. Nearly 80 volatile or semivolatile compounds from different substance classes, namely, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, substituted aromatic compounds, alkenes, terpenes, oxidized terpenes, sesquiterpenes, and oxidized sesquiterpenes, could be identified. The profiles of volatile and semivolatile metabolites of the different fungus species are characteristic of them and allow their safe differentiation. The application of the same GC parameters and APCI source allows a simple method transfer from MS to ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), which permits on-site analyses of grain stores. Characterization of IMS yields limits of detection very similar to those of APCI-MS. Accordingly, more than 90\% of the volatile metabolites found by APCI-MS were also detected in IMS. In addition to different fungus genera, different species of one fungus genus could also be differentiated by GC-IMS.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerSaalfrank2021, author = {Fischer, Eric W. and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Ground state properties and infrared spectra of anharmonic vibrational polaritons of small molecules in cavities}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, volume = {154}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, number = {10}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/5.0040853}, pages = {18}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Recent experiments and theory suggest that ground state properties and reactivity of molecules can be modified when placed inside a nanoscale cavity, giving rise to strong coupling between vibrational modes and the quantized cavity field. This is commonly thought to be caused either by a cavity-distorted Born-Oppenheimer ground state potential or by the formation of light-matter hybrid states, vibrational polaritons. Here, we systematically study the effect of a cavity on ground state properties and infrared spectra of single molecules, considering vibration-cavity coupling strengths from zero up to the vibrational ultrastrong coupling regime. Using single-mode models for Li-H and O-H stretch modes and for the NH3 inversion mode, respectively, a single cavity mode in resonance with vibrational transitions is coupled to position-dependent molecular dipole functions. We address the influence of the cavity mode on polariton ground state energies, equilibrium bond lengths, dissociation energies, activation energies for isomerization, and on vibro-polaritonic infrared spectra. In agreement with earlier work, we observe all mentioned properties being strongly affected by the cavity, but only if the dipole self-energy contribution in the interaction Hamiltonian is neglected. When this term is included, these properties do not depend significantly on the coupling anymore. Vibro-polaritonic infrared spectra, in contrast, are always affected by the cavity mode due to the formation of excited vibrational polaritons. It is argued that the quantized nature of vibrational polaritons is key to not only interpreting molecular spectra in cavities but also understanding the experimentally observed modification of molecular reactivity in cavities.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerSaalfrank2021, author = {Fischer, Eric W. and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {A thermofield-based multilayer multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree approach to non-adiabatic quantum dynamics at finite temperature}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, volume = {155}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, number = {13}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/5.0064013}, pages = {15}, year = {2021}, abstract = {We introduce a thermofield-based formulation of the multilayer multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method to study finite temperature effects on non-adiabatic quantum dynamics from a non-stochastic, wave function perspective. Our approach is based on the formal equivalence of bosonic many-body theory at zero temperature with a doubled number of degrees of freedom and the thermal quasi-particle representation of bosonic thermofield dynamics (TFD). This equivalence allows for a transfer of bosonic many-body MCTDH as introduced by Wang and Thoss to the finite temperature framework of thermal quasi-particle TFD. As an application, we study temperature effects on the ultrafast internal conversion dynamics in pyrazine. We show that finite temperature effects can be efficiently accounted for in the construction of multilayer expansions of thermofield states in the framework presented herein. Furthermore, we find our results to agree well with existing studies on the pyrazine model based on the pMCTDH method.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerWertherBouaklineetal.2020, author = {Fischer, Eric W. and Werther, Michael and Bouakline, Foudhil and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {A hierarchical effective mode approach to phonon-driven multilevel vibrational relaxation dynamics at surfaces}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, volume = {153}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistry}, number = {6}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/5.0017716}, pages = {15}, year = {2020}, abstract = {We discuss an efficient Hierarchical Effective Mode (HEM) representation of a high-dimensional harmonic oscillator bath, which describes phonon-driven vibrational relaxation of an adsorbate-surface system, namely, deuterium adsorbed on Si(100). Starting from the original Hamiltonian of the adsorbate-surface system, the HEM representation is constructed via iterative orthogonal transformations, which are efficiently implemented with Householder matrices. The detailed description of the HEM representation and its construction are given in the second quantization representation. The hierarchical nature of this representation allows access to the exact quantum dynamics of the adsorbate-surface system over finite time intervals, controllable via the truncation order of the hierarchy. To study the convergence properties of the effective mode representation, we solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation of the truncated system-bath HEM Hamiltonian, with the help of the multilayer extension of the Multiconfigurational Time-Dependent Hartree (ML-MCTDH) method. The results of the HEM representation are compared with those obtained with a quantum-mechanical tier-model. The convergence of the HEM representation with respect to the truncation order of the hierarchy is discussed for different initial conditions of the adsorbate-surface system. The combination of the HEM representation with the ML-MCTDH method provides information on the time evolution of the system (adsorbate) and multiple effective modes of the bath (surface). This permits insight into mechanisms of vibration-phonon coupling of the adsorbate-surface system, as well as inter-mode couplings of the effective bath.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerAndersSaalfrank2022, author = {Fischer, Eric Wolfgang and Anders, Janet and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Cavity-altered thermal isomerization rates and dynamical resonant localization in vibro-polaritonic chemistry}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, volume = {156}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, number = {15}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville, NY}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/5.0076434}, pages = {16}, year = {2022}, abstract = {It has been experimentally demonstrated that reaction rates for molecules embedded in microfluidic optical cavities are altered when compared to rates observed under "ordinary" reaction conditions. However, precise mechanisms of how strong coupling of an optical cavity mode to molecular vibrations affects the reactivity and how resonance behavior emerges are still under dispute. In the present work, we approach these mechanistic issues from the perspective of a thermal model reaction, the inversion of ammonia along the umbrella mode, in the presence of a single-cavity mode of varying frequency and coupling strength. A topological analysis of the related cavity Born-Oppenheimer potential energy surface in combination with quantum mechanical and transition state theory rate calculations reveals two quantum effects, leading to decelerated reaction rates in qualitative agreement with experiments: the stiffening of quantized modes perpendicular to the reaction path at the transition state, which reduces the number of thermally accessible reaction channels, and the broadening of the barrier region, which attenuates tunneling. We find these two effects to be very robust in a fluctuating environment, causing statistical variations of potential parameters, such as the barrier height. Furthermore, by solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation in the vibrational strong coupling regime, we identify a resonance behavior, in qualitative agreement with experimental and earlier theoretical work. The latter manifests as reduced reaction probability when the cavity frequency omega(c) is tuned resonant to a molecular reactant frequency. We find this effect to be based on the dynamical localization of the vibro-polaritonic wavepacket in the reactant well.}, language = {en} } @article{FriessLendleinWischke2021, author = {Frieß, Fabian and Lendlein, Andreas and Wischke, Christian}, title = {Switching microobjects from low to high aspect ratios using a shape-memory effect}, series = {Soft matter}, volume = {17}, journal = {Soft matter}, number = {41}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {London}, issn = {1744-6848}, doi = {10.1039/d1sm00947h}, pages = {9326 -- 9331}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Spherical particles from shape-memory polymers (SMP) can be stretched to ellipsoids with high aspect ratio (AR) and temporarily stabilized. They can switch back to low AR upon thermal stimulation. Here, the creation of an alternative shape-switching capability of particles from low to high AR is introduced, where a SMP matrix from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is used to create crosslinked high AR particles and to program the embedded micrometer-sized particles from a second SMP (oligo(epsilon-caprolactone) micronetworks, MN) with a low switching temperature T-sw. This programming proceeds through shape-recovery of the PVA matrix, from which the MN are harvested by PVA matrix dissolution. The use of a dissolvable SMP matrix may be a general strategy to efficiently create systems with complex moving capabilities.}, language = {en} } @article{GaebelBeinMathaueretal.2021, author = {Gaebel, Tina and Bein, Daniel and Mathauer, Daniel and Utecht, Manuel and Palmer, Richard E. and Klamroth, Tillmann}, title = {Nonlocal STM manipulation of chlorobenzene on Si(111)-7 x 7}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, volume = {125}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, number = {22}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1932-7447}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c02612}, pages = {12175 -- 12184}, year = {2021}, abstract = {We use quantum chemical cluster models together with constrained density STM Ph CI functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) for open system to simulate tip and rationalize nonlocal scanning tunneling microscope (STM) manipulation experiments for Philh ci chlorobenzene (PhCl) on a Si(111)-7 X 7 surface. We consider three different processes, namely, the electron-induced dissociation of the carbon-chlorine bond for physisorbed PhCl molecules at low temperatures and the electron- or hole-induced desorption of chemisorbed PhCl at 300 K. All processes can be induced nonlocally, i.e., up to several nanometers (nm) away from the injection site, in STM experiments. We rationalize and explain the experimental findings regarding the STM-induced dissociation using constrained DFT. The coupling of STM-induced ion resonances to nuclear degrees of freedom is simulated with AIMD using the Gadzuk averaging approach for open systems. From this data, we predict a 4 fs lifetime for the cationic resonance. For the anion model, desorption could not be observed. In addition, the same cluster models are used for transition-state theory calculations, which are compared to and validated against time-lapse STM experiments.}, language = {en} } @article{HaubitzDrobotTsushimaetal.2021, author = {Haubitz, Toni and Drobot, Bj{\"o}rn and Tsushima, Satoru and Steudtner, Robin and Stumpf, Thorsten and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {Quenching mechanism of uranyl(VI) by chloride and bromide in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {125}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {20}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.1c02487}, pages = {4380 -- 4389}, year = {2021}, abstract = {A major hindrance in utilizing uranyl(VI) luminescence as a standard analytical tool, for example, in environmental monitoring or nuclear industries, is quenching by other ions such as halide ions, which are present in many relevant matrices of uranyl(VI) speciation. Here, we demonstrate through a combination of time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry that coordinating solvent molecules play a crucial role in U(VI) halide luminescence quenching. We show that our previously suggested quenching mechanism based on an internal redox reaction of the 1:2-uranyl-halide-complex holds also true for bromide-induced quenching of uranyl(VI). By adopting specific organic solvents, we were able to suppress the separation of the oxidized halide ligand X-2(center dot-) and the formed uranyl(V) into fully solvated ions, thereby "reigniting" U(VI) luminescence. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations show that quenching occurs through the outer-sphere complex of U(VI) and halide in water, while the ligand-to-metal charge transfer is strongly reduced in acetonitrile.}, language = {en} } @article{HaubitzFudickarLinkeretal.2020, author = {Haubitz, Toni and Fudickar, Werner and Linker, Torsten and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {pH-sensitive fluorescence switching of pyridylanthracenes}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {124}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {52}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.0c09911}, pages = {11017 -- 11024}, year = {2020}, abstract = {9,10-substituted anthracenes are known for their useful optical properties like fluorescence, which makes them frequently used probes in sensing applications. In this article, we investigate the fundamental photophysical properties of three pyridyl-substituted variants. The nitrogen atoms in the pyridinium six-membered rings are located in the ortho-, meta-, and para-positions in relation to the anthracene core. Absorption, fluorescence, and transient absorption measurements were carried out and were complemented by theoretical calculations. We monitored the photophysics of the anthracene derivatives in chloroform and water investigating the protonated as well as their nonprotonated forms. We found that the optical properties of the nonprotonated forms are strongly determined by the anthracene chromophore, with only small differences to other 9,10-substituted anthracenes, for example diphenyl anthracene. In contrast, protonation leads to a strong decrease in fluorescence intensity and lifetime. Transient absorption measurements and theoretical calculations revealed the formation of a charge-transfer state in the protonated chromophores, where electron density is shifted from the anthracene moiety toward the protonated pyridyl substituents. While the para- and ortho-derivatives' charge transfer is still moderately fluorescent, the meta-derivative is affected much stronger and shows nearly no fluorescence. This nitrogen-atom-position-dependent sensitivity to hydronium activity makes a combination of these fluorophores very attractive for pH-sensing applications covering a broadened pH range.}, language = {en} } @article{HollandMoritzGraupnerMoelleretal.2018, author = {Holland-Moritz, Henry and Graupner, Julia and M{\"o}ller, Wolfhard and Pacholski, Claudia and Ronning, Carsten}, title = {Dynamics of nanoparticle morphology under low energy ion irradiation}, series = {Nanotechnology}, volume = {29}, journal = {Nanotechnology}, number = {31}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0957-4484}, doi = {10.1088/1361-6528/aac36c}, pages = {7}, year = {2018}, abstract = {If nanostructures are irradiated with energetic ions, the mechanism of sputtering becomes important when the ion range matches about the size of the nanoparticle. Gold nanoparticles with diameters of similar to 50 nm on top of silicon substrates with a native oxide layer were irradiated by gallium ions with energies ranging from 1 to 30 keV in a focused ion beam system. High resolution in situ scanning electron microscopy imaging permits detailed insights in the dynamics of the morphology change and sputter yield. Compared to bulk-like structures or thin films, a pronounced shaping and enhanced sputtering in the nanostructures occurs, which enables a specific shaping of these structures using ion beams. This effect depends on the ratio of nanoparticle size and ion energy. In the investigated energy regime, the sputter yield increases at increasing ion energy and shows a distinct dependence on the nanoparticle size. The experimental findings are directly compared to Monte Carlo simulations obtained from iradina and TRI3DYN, where the latter takes into account dynamic morphological and compositional changes of the target.}, language = {en} } @article{IhlenburgMaiThuenemannetal.2021, author = {Ihlenburg, Ramona and Mai, Tobias and Th{\"u}nemann, Andreas F. and Baerenwald, Ruth and Saalw{\"a}chter, Kay and Koetz, Joachim and Taubert, Andreas}, title = {Sulfobetaine hydrogels with a complex multilength-scale hierarchical structure}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, volume = {125}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, number = {13}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1520-6106}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10601}, pages = {3398 -- 3408}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Hydrogels with a hierarchical structure were prepared from a new highly water-soluble crosslinker N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-N,N'-bis(2-ethylmethacrylate)-propyl-1,3-diammonium dibromide and from the sulfobetaine monomer 2-(N-3-sulfopropyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium)ethyl methacrylate. The free radical polymerization of the two compounds is rapid and yields near-transparent hydrogels with sizes up to 5 cm in diameter. Rheology shows a clear correlation between the monomer-to-crosslinker ratio and the storage and loss moduli of the hydrogels. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering show that the gels have a hierarchical structure with features spanning the nanometer to the sub-millimeter scale. The NMR study is challenged by the marked inhomogeneity of the gels and the complex chemical structure of the sulfobetaine monomer. NMR spectroscopy shows how these complications can be addressed via a novel fitting approach that considers the mobility gradient along the side chain of methacrylate-based monomers.}, language = {en} } @article{KleinpeterKoch2021, author = {Kleinpeter, Erich and Koch, Andreas}, title = {Quantification of sigma-acceptor and pi-donor stabilization in O, S and Hal analogues of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) on the magnetic criterion}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {125}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {33}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.1c05257}, pages = {7235 -- 7245}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The spatial magnetic properties, through-space NMR shieldings (TSNMRSs), of stable O, S and Hal analogues of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been calculated using the GIAO perturbation method employing the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) concept and the results visualized as iso-chemical-shielding surfaces (ICSSs) of various sizes and directions. The TSNMRS values (actually the anisotropy effects measurable in H-1 NMR spectroscopy) are employed to qualify and quantify the position of the present mesomeric equilibria (carbenes <-> ylides). The results are confirmed by geometry (bond angles and bond lengths), IR spectra, UV spectra, and C-13 chemical shifts of the electron-deficient carbon centers.}, language = {en} } @article{KleinpeterKoch2019, author = {Kleinpeter, Erich and Koch, Andreas}, title = {The 13 C chemical shift and the anisotropy effect of the carbene electron-deficient centre}, series = {Magnetic resonance in chemistry}, volume = {58}, journal = {Magnetic resonance in chemistry}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0749-1581}, doi = {10.1002/mrc.4979}, pages = {280 -- 292}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Both the C-13 chemical shift and the calculated anisotropy effect (spatial magnetic properties) of the electron-deficient centre of stable, crystalline, and structurally characterized carbenes have been employed to unequivocally characterize potential resonance contributors to the present mesomerism (carbene, ylide, betaine, and zwitter ion) and to determine quantitatively the electron deficiency of the corresponding carbene carbon atom. Prior to that, both structures and C-13 chemical shifts were calculated and compared with the experimental delta(C-13)/ppm values and geometry parameters (as a quality criterion for obtained structures).}, language = {en} } @article{LiebigSarhanPrietzeletal.2018, author = {Liebig, Ferenc and Sarhan, Radwan Mohamed and Prietzel, Claudia Christina and Th{\"u}nemann, Andreas F. and Bargheer, Matias and Koetz, Joachim}, title = {Undulated Gold Nanoplatelet Superstructures}, series = {Langmuir}, volume = {34}, journal = {Langmuir}, number = {15}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0743-7463}, doi = {10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b02898}, pages = {4584 -- 4594}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Negatively charged flat gold nanotriangles, formed in a vesicular template phase and separated by an AOT-micelle-based depletion flocculation, were reloaded by adding a cationic polyelectrolyte, that is, a hyperbranched polyethylenimine (PEI). Heating the system to 100 degrees C in the presence of a gold chloride solution, the reduction process leads to the formation of gold nanoparticles inside the polymer shell surrounding the nanoplatelets. The gold nanoparticle formation is investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic light scattering measurements in combination with transmission electron microscopy. Spontaneously formed gold clusters in the hyperbranched PEI shell with an absorption maximum at 350 nm grow on the surface of the nanotriangles as hemispherical particles with diameters of similar to 6 nm. High-resolution micrographs show that the hemispherical gold particles are crystallized onto the {111} facets on the bottom and top of the platelet as well as on the edges without a grain boundary. Undulated gold nanoplatelet superstructures with special properties become available, which show a significantly modified performance in SERS-detected photocatalysis regarding both reactivity and enhancement factor.}, language = {en} } @article{MayerPicconiRobinsonetal.2022, author = {Mayer, Dennis and Picconi, David and Robinson, Matthew S. and G{\"u}hr, Markus}, title = {Experimental and theoretical gas-phase absorption spectra of thionated uracils}, series = {Chemical physics : a journal devoted to experimental and theoretical research involving problems of both a chemical and physical nature}, volume = {558}, journal = {Chemical physics : a journal devoted to experimental and theoretical research involving problems of both a chemical and physical nature}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0301-0104}, doi = {10.1016/j.chemphys.2022.111500}, pages = {9}, year = {2022}, abstract = {We present a comparative study of the gas-phase UV spectra of uracil and its thionated counterparts (2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil and 2,4-dithiouracil), closely supported by time-dependent density functional theory calculations to assign the transitions observed. We systematically discuss pure gas-phase spectra for the (thio)uracils in the range of 200-400 nm (similar to 3.2-6.4 eV), and examine the spectra of all four species with a single theoretical approach. We note that specific vibrational modelling is needed to accurately determine the spectra across the examined wavelength range, and systematically model the transitions that appear at wavelengths shorter than 250 nm. Additionally, we find in the cases of 2-thiouracil and 2,4-dithiouracil, that the gas-phase spectra deviate significantly from some previously published solution-phase spectra, especially those collected in basic environments.}, language = {en} } @article{MorgnerBennemannCywińskietal.2017, author = {Morgner, Frank and Bennemann, Mark and Cywiński, Piotr J. and Kollosche, Matthias and G{\´o}rski, Krzysztof and Pietraszkiewicz, Marek and Geßner, Andr{\´e} and L{\"o}hmannsr{\"o}ben, Hans-Gerd}, title = {Elastic FRET sensors for contactless pressure measurement}, series = {RSC Advances : an international journal to further the chemical sciences}, volume = {7}, journal = {RSC Advances : an international journal to further the chemical sciences}, publisher = {RSC Publishing}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c7ra06379b}, pages = {50578 -- 50583}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Contactless pressure monitoring based on Forster resonance energy transfer between donor/acceptor pairs immobilized within elastomers is demonstrated. The donor/acceptor energy transfer is employed by dispersing terbium(III) tris[(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-2-aminoethyl] amine complex (LLC, donor) and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD655, acceptor) in styrene-ethylene/buthylene-styrene (SEBS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The continuous monitoring of QD luminescence showed a reversible intensity change as the pressure signal is alternated between two stable states indicating a pressure sensitivity of 6350 cps kPa(-1). Time-resolved measurements show the pressure impact on the FRET signal due to an increase of decay time (270 ms up to 420 ms) for the donor signal and parallel drop of decay time (170 mu s to 155 mu s) for the acceptor signal as the net pressure applied. The LLC/QD655 sensors enable a contactless readout as well as space resolved monitoring to enable miniaturization towards smaller integrated stretchable opto-electronics. Elastic FRET sensors can potentially lead to developing profitable analysis systems capable to outdo conventional wired electronic systems (inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic and photoelectric sensors) especially for point-of-care diagnostics, biological monitoring required for wearable electronics.}, language = {en} } @article{NoechelReddyWangetal.2015, author = {N{\"o}chel, Ulrich and Reddy, Chaganti Srinivasa and Wang, Ke and Cui, Jing and Zizak, Ivo and Behl, Marc and Kratz, Karl and Lendlein, Andreas}, title = {Nanostructural changes in crystallizable controlling units determine the temperature-memory of polymers}, series = {Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Materials for energy and sustainability}, volume = {16}, journal = {Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Materials for energy and sustainability}, number = {3}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {2050-7488}, doi = {10.1039/c4ta06586g}, pages = {8284 -- 8293}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Temperature-memory polymers remember the temperature, where they were deformed recently, enabled by broad thermal transitions. In this study, we explored a series of crosslinked poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] networks (cPEVAs) comprising crystallizable polyethylene (PE) controlling units exhibiting a pronounced temperature-memory effect (TME) between 16 and 99 °C related to a broad melting transition (∼100 °C). The nanostructural changes in such cPEVAs during programming and activation of the TME were analyzed via in situ X-ray scattering and specific annealing experiments. Different contributions to the mechanism of memorizing high or low deformation temperatures (Tdeform) were observed in cPEVA, which can be associated to the average PE crystal sizes. At high deformation temperatures (>50 °C), newly formed PE crystals, which are established during cooling when fixing the temporary shape, dominated the TME mechanism. In contrast, at low Tdeform (<50 °C), corresponding to a cold drawing scenario, the deformation led preferably to a disruption of existing large crystals into smaller ones, which then fix the temporary shape upon cooling. The observed mechanism of memorizing a deformation temperature might enable the prediction of the TME behavior and the knowledge based design of other TMPs with crystallizable controlling units.}, language = {en} } @article{PerovicQinOschatz2020, author = {Perovic, Milena and Qin, Qing and Oschatz, Martin}, title = {From molecular precursors to nanoparticles}, series = {Advanced functional materials}, volume = {30}, journal = {Advanced functional materials}, number = {41}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1616-301X}, doi = {10.1002/adfm.201908371}, pages = {21}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Nanoporous carbon materials (NCMs) provide the "function" of high specific surface area and thus have large interface area for interactions with surrounding species, which is of particular importance in applications related to adsorption processes. The strength and mechanism of adsorption depend on the pore architecture of the NCMs. In addition, chemical functionalization can be used to induce changes of electron density and/or electron density distribution in the pore walls, thus further modifying the interactions between carbons and guest species. Typical approaches for functionalization of nanoporous materials with regular atomic construction like porous silica, metal-organic frameworks, or zeolites, cannot be applied to NCMs due to their less defined local atomic construction and abundant defects. Therefore, synthetic strategies that offer a higher degree of control over the process of functionalization are needed. Synthetic approaches for covalent functionalization of NCMs, that is, for the incorporation of heteroatoms into the carbon backbone, are critically reviewed with a special focus on strategies following the concept "from molecules to materials." Approaches for coordinative functionalization with metallic species, and the functionalization by nanocomposite formation between pristine carbon materials and heteroatom-containing carbons, are introduced as well. Particular focus is given to the influences of these functionalizations in adsorption-related applications.}, language = {en} } @article{RietzeTitovGranuccietal.2020, author = {Rietze, Clemens and Titov, Evgenii and Granucci, Giovanni and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Surface hopping dynamics for azobenzene photoisomerization}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, volume = {124}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, number = {48}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1932-7447}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c08052}, pages = {26287 -- 26295}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Azobenzenes easily photoswitch in solution, while their photoisomerization at surfaces is often hindered. In recent work, it was demonstrated by nonadiabatic molecular dynamics with trajectory surface hopping [Titov et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 3591-3596] that the experimentally observed suppression of trans -> cis isomerization yields in azobenzenes in a densely packed SAM (self-assembled monolayer) [Gahl et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 1831-1838] is dominated by steric hindrance. In the present work, we systematically study by ground-state Langevin and nonadiabatic surface hopping dynamics, the effects of decreasing packing density on (i) UV/vis absorption spectra, (ii) trans -> cis isomerization yields, and (iii) excited-state lifetimes of photoexcited azobenzene. Within the quantum mechanics/ molecular mechanics models adopted here, we find that above a packing density of similar to 3 molecules/nm(2), switching yields are strongly reduced, while at smaller packing densities, the "monomer limit" is quickly approached. The UV/vis absorption spectra, on the other hand, depend on packing density over a larger range (down to at least similar to 1 molecule/nm(2)). Trends for excited-state lifetimes are less obvious, but it is found that lifetimes of pi pi* excited states decay monotonically with decreasing coverage. Effects of fluorination of the switches are also discussed for single, free molecules. Fluorination leads to comparatively large trans -> cis yields, in combination with long pi pi* lifetimes. Furthermore, for selected systems, also the effects of n pi* excitation at longer excitation wavelengths have been studied, which is found to enhance trans -> cis yields for free molecules but can lead to an opposite behavior in densely packed SAMs.}, language = {en} } @article{SchildeKellingUmbreenetal.2016, author = {Schilde, Uwe and Kelling, Alexandra and Umbreen, Sumaira and Linker, Torsten}, title = {Crystal structures of three bicyclic carbohydrate derivatives}, series = {Acta crystallographica Section E ; Crystallographic communications}, volume = {72}, journal = {Acta crystallographica Section E ; Crystallographic communications}, number = {12}, publisher = {IUCR}, address = {Chester}, issn = {2056-9890}, doi = {10.1107/S2056989016018727}, pages = {1839 -- 1844}, year = {2016}, abstract = {The title compounds, [(1R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-4,5-bis(acetyloxy)-7-oxo-2-oxabicyclo- [4.2.0]octan-3-yl]methyl acetate, C14H18O8, (I), [(1S,4R,5S,6R)-5-acetyloxy-7- hydroxyimino-2-oxobicyclo[4.2.0]octan-4-yl acetate, C11H15NO6, (II), and [(3aR,5R,6R,7R,7aS)-6,7-bis(acetyloxy)-2-oxooctahydropyrano[3,2-b]pyrrol-5- yl]methyl acetate, C14H19NO8, (III), are stable bicyclic carbohydrate derivatives. They can easily be synthesized in a few steps from commercially available glycals. As a result of the ring strain from the four-membered rings in (I) and (II), the conformations of the carbohydrates deviate strongly from the ideal chair form. Compound (II) occurs in the boat form. In the five-membered lactam (III), on the other hand, the carbohydrate adopts an almost ideal chair conformation. As a result of the distortion of the sugar rings, the configurations of the three bicyclic carbohydrate derivatives could not be determined from their NMR coupling constants. From our three crystal structure determinations, we were able to establish for the first time the absolute configurations of all new stereocenters of the carbohydrate rings.}, language = {en} } @article{SchimkaKlierdeGuerenuetal.2019, author = {Schimka, Selina and Klier, Dennis Tobias and de Guerenu, Anna Lopez and Bastian, Philipp and Lomadze, Nino and Kumke, Michael Uwe and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Photo-isomerization of azobenzene containing surfactants induced by near-infrared light using upconversion nanoparticles as mediator}, series = {Journal of physics : Condensed matter}, volume = {31}, journal = {Journal of physics : Condensed matter}, number = {12}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0953-8984}, doi = {10.1088/1361-648X/aafcfa}, pages = {9}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Here we report on photo-isomerization of azobenzene containing surfactants induced during irradiation with near-infrared (NIR) light in the presence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) acting as mediator. The surfactant molecule consists of charged head group and hydrophobic tail with azobenzene group incorporated in alkyl chain. The azobenzene group can be reversible photo-isomerized between two states: trans- and cis- by irradiation with light of an appropriate wavelength. The trans-cis photo-isomerization is induced by UV light, while cis-trans isomerization proceeds either thermally in darkness, or can be accelerated by exposure to illumination with a longer wavelength typically in a blue/green range. We present the application of lanthanide doped UCNPs to successfully switch azobenzene containing surfactants from cis to trans conformation in bulk solution using NIR light. Using Tm-3(+) or Er-3(+) as activator ions, the UCNPs provide emissions in the spectral range of 450 nm < lambda(em) < 480 nm (for Tm-3(+), three and four photon induced emission) or 525 nm < lambda(em) < 545 nm (for Er-3(+), two photon induced emission), respectively. Especially for UCNPs containing Tm-3(+) a good overlap of the emissions with the absorption bands of the azobenzene is present. Under illumination of the surfactant solution with NIR light (lambda(ex) = 976 nm) in the presence of the Tm-3(+)-doped UCNPs, the relaxation time of cis-trans photo-isomerization was increased by almost 13 times compared to thermally induced isomerization. The influence of thermal heating due to the irradiation using NIR light was shown to be minor for solvents not absorbing in NIR spectral range (e.g. CHCl3) in contrast to water, which shows a distinct absorption in the NIR.}, language = {en} } @article{SchuermannNagelJuergensenetal.2022, author = {Sch{\"u}rmann, Robin and Nagel, Alessandro and Juergensen, Sabrina and Pathak, Anisha and Reich, Stephanie and Pacholski, Claudia and Bald, Ilko}, title = {Microscopic understanding of reaction rates observed in plasmon chemistry of nanoparticle-ligand systems}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, volume = {126}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces}, number = {11}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1932-7447}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c00278}, pages = {5333 -- 5342}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an effective and widely used technique to study chemical reactions induced or catalyzed by plasmonic substrates, since the experimental setup allows us to trigger and track the reaction simultaneously and identify the products. However, on substrates with plasmonic hotspots, the total signal mainly originates from these nanoscopic volumes with high reactivity and the information about the overall consumption remains obscure in SERS measurements. This has important implications; for example, the apparent reaction order in SERS measurements does not correlate with the real reaction order, whereas the apparent reaction rates are proportional to the real reaction rates as demonstrated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. We determined the electric field enhancement distribution of a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) monolayer and calculated the SERS intensities in light-driven reactions in an adsorbed self-assembled molecular monolayer on the AuNP surface. Accordingly, even if a high conversion is observed in SERS due to the high reactivity in the hotspots, most of the adsorbed molecules on the AuNP surface remain unreacted. The theoretical findings are compared with the hot-electron-induced dehalogenation of 4-bromothiophenol, indicating a time dependency of the hot-carrier concentration in plasmon-mediated reactions. To fit the kinetics of plasmon-mediated reactions in plasmonic hotspots, fractal-like kinetics are well suited to account for the inhomogeneity of reactive sites on the substrates, whereas also modified standard kinetics model allows equally well fits. The outcomes of this study are on the one hand essential to derive a mechanistic understanding of reactions on plasmonic substrates by SERS measurements and on the other hand to drive plasmonic reactions with high local precision and facilitate the engineering of chemistry on a nanoscale.}, language = {en} } @article{vonZanderSaalfrank2020, author = {von Zander, Robert Edler and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {On the borate-catalyzed electrochemical reduction of phosphine oxide}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {124}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {49}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.0c07805}, pages = {10239 -- 10245}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Recently, Nocera and co-workers (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 13711) demonstrated that triaryl borate Lewis acids facilitate the direct electrochemical reduction of triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) to triphenylphosphine (TPP). In the present contribution, we report a quantum chemical study unravelling details of the reaction, which also supports the proposed ECrECi mechanism. Alternative electrochemical routes to TPPO reduction facilitated by other Lewis acids (CH3+), or by photocatalysis at semiconductor surfaces, are also briefly discussed.}, language = {en} } @article{WojcikBrinkmannZduneketal.2020, author = {Wojcik, Michal and Brinkmann, Pia and Zdunek, Rafał and Riebe, Daniel and Beitz, Toralf and Merk, Sven and Cieslik, Katarzyna and Mory, David and Antonczak, Arkadiusz}, title = {Classification of copper minerals by handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and nonnegative tensor factorisation}, series = {Sensors}, volume = {20}, journal = {Sensors}, number = {18}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1424-8220}, doi = {10.3390/s20185152}, pages = {17}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysers are becoming increasingly common for material classification purposes. However, to achieve good classification accuracy, mostly noncompact units are used based on their stability and reproducibility. In addition, computational algorithms that require significant hardware resources are commonly applied. For performing measurement campaigns in hard-to-access environments, such as mining sites, there is a need for compact, portable, or even handheld devices capable of reaching high measurement accuracy. The optics and hardware of small (i.e., handheld) devices are limited by space and power consumption and require a compromise of the achievable spectral quality. As long as the size of such a device is a major constraint, the software is the primary field for improvement. In this study, we propose a novel combination of handheld LIBS with non-negative tensor factorisation to investigate its classification capabilities of copper minerals. The proposed approach is based on the extraction of source spectra for each mineral (with the use of tensor methods) and their labelling based on the percentage contribution within the dataset. These latent spectra are then used in a regression model for validation purposes. The application of such an approach leads to an increase in the classification score by approximately 5\% compared to that obtained using commonly used classifiers such as support vector machines, linear discriminant analysis, and the k-nearest neighbours algorithm.}, language = {en} } @article{YestePrimusAlcantaraetal.2020, author = {Yeste, Maria Pilar and Primus, Philipp-Alexander and Alcantara, Rodrigo and Cauqui, Miguel Angel and Calvino, Juan Jose and Pintado, Jos{\´e} Mar{\´i}a and Blanco, Ginesa}, title = {Surface characterization of two Ce0.62Zr0.38O2 mixed oxides with different reducibility}, series = {Applied surface science : a journal devoted to applied physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces}, volume = {503}, journal = {Applied surface science : a journal devoted to applied physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0169-4332}, doi = {10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144255}, pages = {9}, year = {2020}, abstract = {This paper presents a study of the surface properties of two Ce/Zr mixed oxides with different reducibility, obtained by applying distinct thermal ageing treatments to an oxide with the composition Ce0.62Zr0.38O2. The surface composition was investigated by XPS. Chemical reactivity of the surface was studied by adsorption of the probe molecules CO2, D-2 and methanol. Nanostructural characterization was carried out by XRD, Raman and high-resolution Eu3+ spectroscopy (FLNS). The characterization showed only slight variations in surface composition and bulk Ce-Zr distribution, but hardy differences concerning the type and strength of acidic surface centres, as well as strong differences in the ability to dissociate hydrogen. Structural variations between both samples were identified by comparing the optical spectra of Eu3+ in surface doped samples.}, language = {en} }