Alwin Friedrich

In Situ Synthesis of an Imidazolate‐4‐amide‐5‐imidate Ligand and Formation of a Microporous Zinc–Organic Framework with H2‐and CO2‐Storage Ability

In Situ Synthesis of an Imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate Ligand and Formation of a Microporous Zinc-Organic Framework with H-2-and CO2-Storage Ability

Surprisingly high, bulk liquid-like mobility of silica-confined ionic liquids.

Mesoporous silica monoliths were prepared by the sol-gel technique and filled with 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium [Emim]-X (X=dicyanamide [N(CN)2], ethyl sulfate [EtSO4], thiocyanate [SCN], and triflate [TfO]) ionic liquids (ILs) using a methanol-IL exchange technique. The structure and behavior of the ILs inside the silica monoliths were studied using X-ray scattering, nitrogen sorption, IR spectroscopy, solid-state NMR, and thermal analysis. DSC finds shifts in both the glass transition temperature and melting points (where applicable) of the ILs. Glass transition and melting occur well below room temperature. There is thus no conflict with the NMR and IR data, which show that the ILs are as mobile at room temperature as the bulk (not confined) ILs. The very narrow line widths of the NMR spectra suggest that the ILs in our materials have the highest mobility reported for confined ILs so far. As a result, our data suggest that it is possible to generate IL/silica hybrid materials (ionogels) with bulk-like properties of the IL. This could be interesting for applications in, e.g., the solar cell or membrane fields.

Poly(ethylene imine)-controlled calcium phosphate mineralization

The current paper shows that poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) is an efficient template for the fabrication of spherical calcium phosphate (CaP)/polymer hybrid particles at pH values above 8. The polymer forms spherical entities, which contain one or a few CaP particles with diameters of ca. 6 nm. The samples contain up to 20 wt % polymer, which appears to be wrapped around the small CaP particles. The particles form via a mineralization-trapping pathway, where at the beginning of the precipitation small CaP particles form. Further particle growth is then prevented by precipitation of the PEI onto these particles at pH values of ca. 8. Stabilization of the particles is provided by the re-protonation of the PEI, which is adsorbed on the CaP particles, during the remainder of the mineralization process. At low pH, much larger particles form. They most likely grow via heterogeneous nucleation and growth on existing, polymer-modified CaP surfaces.

Tuning the phase behavior of ionic liquids in organically functionalized silica ionogels

We have synthesized mesoporous silica monoliths functionalized with 2-(4-pyridylethyl)triethoxysilane 1 and N,N-dimethyl-pyridine-4-yl-(3-triethoxysilyl-propyl)-ammonium iodide 2. The organically modified silica monoliths were characterized via IR spectroscopy, nitrogen sorption, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), thermogravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), and acid-base titration. The degree of functionalization can be changed by the ratio of the functional silane to the silica precursor tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS). The functionalized silica monoliths were filled with 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium [Emim]-X (X = dicyanamide [N(CN)2] or triflate [TfO]) ionic liquids (ILs) using an established methanol-IL exchange technique. The phase behavior of the resulting ionogels was investigated via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC curves show that the modification of the silica pore walls with organic groups strongly affects the phase behavior of the confined ILs. Modification with silane 1 completely suppresses the glassy state of [Emim][TfO] previously observed in unmodified silica monoliths (Göbel et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2009, 11, 3653). In contrast, modification with silane 2 leads to the appearance and disappearance, respectively, of a presumed additional phase in [Emim][TfO] and [Emim][N(CN)2] with varying degree of monolith functionalization. The data thus show that organic modification of silica matrix materials could be a viable approach for the tuning of ionogel properties.

CuO Nanoparticles from the strongly hydrated ionic liquid precursor (ILP) tetrabutylammonium hydroxide: evaluation of the ethanol sensing activity.

The sensing potential of CuO nanoparticles synthesized via precipitation from a water/ionic liquid precursor (ILP) mixture was investigated. The particles have a moderate surface area of 66 m(2)/g after synthesis, which decreases upon thermal treatment to below 5 m(2)/g. Transmission electron microscopy confirms crystal growth upon annealing, likely due to sintering effects. The as-synthesized particles can be used for ethanol sensing. The respective sensors show fast response and recovery times of below 10 s and responses greater than 2.3 at 100 ppm of ethanol at 200 °C, which is higher than any CuO-based ethanol sensor described so far.

Unprecedented, low cytotoxicity of spongelike calcium phosphate/poly(ethylene imine) hydrogel composites.

Covalently crosslinked PEI hydrogels are efficient templates for calcium phosphate mineralization in SBF. In contrast to the PEI hydrogels, non-crosslinked PEI does not lead to calcium phosphate nucleation and growth in SBF. The precipitate is a mixture of brushite and hydroxyapatite. The PEI/calcium phosphate composite material exhibits a sponge like morphology and a chemical composition that is interesting for implants. Cytotoxicity tests using Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae show that both the non-mineralized and mineralized hydrogels have a very low cytotoxicity. This suggests that next generation PEI hydrogels, where also the degradation products are non-toxic, could be interesting for biomedical applications.

An isoreticular family of microporous metal-organic frameworks based on zinc and 2-substituted imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate: syntheses, structures and properties.

We report on a new series of isoreticular frameworks based on zinc and 2-substituted imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate (IFP-1-4, IFP = imidazolate framework Potsdam) that form one-dimensional, microporous hexagonal channels. Varying R in the 2-substitued linker (R = Me (IFP-1), Cl (IFP-2), Br (IFP-3), Et (IFP-4)) allowed the channel diameter (4.0-1.7 Å), the polarisability and functionality of the channel walls to be tuned. Frameworks IFP-2, IFP-3 and IFP-4 are isostructural to previously reported IFP-1. The structures of IFP-2 and IFP-3 were solved by X-ray crystallographic analyses. The structure of IFP-4 was determined by a combination of PXRD and structure modelling and was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and (1)H MAS and (13)C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy. All IFPs showed high thermal stability (345-400 °C); IFP-1 and IFP-4 were stable in boiling water for 7 d. A detailed porosity analysis was performed on the basis of adsorption measurements by using various gases. The potential of the materials to undergo specific interactions with CO(2) was investigated by measuring the isosteric heats of adsorption. The capacity to adsorb CH(4) (at 298 K), CO(2) (at 298 K) and H(2) (at 77 K) at high pressure were also investigated. In situ IR spectroscopy showed that CO(2) is physisorbed on IFP-1-4 under dry conditions and that both CO(2) and H(2)O are physisorbed on IFP-1 under moist conditions.

Modular thiol-ene chemistry approach towards mesoporous silica monoliths with organically modified pore walls.

The surface modification of mesoporous silica monoliths through thiol-ene chemistry is reported. First, mesoporous silica monoliths with vinyl, allyl, and thiol groups were synthesized through a sol-gel hydrolysis-polycondensation reaction from tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) and vinyltriethoxysilane, allyltriethoxysilane, and (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane, respectively. By variation of the molar ratio of the comonomers TMOS and functional silane, mesoporous silica objects containing different amounts of vinyl, allyl, and thiol groups were obtained. These intermediates can subsequently be derivatized through radical photoaddition reactions either with a thiol or an olefin, depending on the initial pore wall functionality, to yield silica monoliths with different pore-wall chemistries. Nitrogen sorption, small-angle X-ray scattering, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and redox titration demonstrate that the synthetic pathway influences the morphology and pore characteristics of the resulting monoliths and also plays a significant role in the efficiency of functionalization. Moreover, the different reactivity of the vinyl and allyl groups on the pore wall affects the addition reaction, and hence, the degree of the pore-wall functionalization. This report demonstrates that thiol-ene photoaddition reactions are a versatile platform for the generation of a large variety of organically modified silica monoliths with different pore surfaces.

Voltammetric and Potentiometric Studies on the Stability of Vanadium(IV) Complexes. A Comparison of Solution Phase Voltammetry with the Voltammetry of Microcrystalline Solid Compounds

Formal potentials of non-oxo vanadium complexes obtained by the cyclic voltammetry of solutions and of solid microcrystalline compounds are compared with potentiometrically determined stability constants of the corresponding oxovanadium(IV) complexes. The stability constants show a qualitative correlation with the formal potentials. The non-oxo complexes exhibit a reversible one-electron system VIV/VIII as well as VIV/VV in dichloromethane solution whereas the oxo complexes only show the transition between VIV and VV. Generally, the oxidation of non-oxo vanadium(IV) complexes proceeds at higher potentials than that of the corresponding oxovanadium(IV) species. The shift of the formal potentials is clearly correlated with the structure of the compounds.

Polymer Hydrogel/Polybutadiene/Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Hybrid Actuators for the Characterization of NiTi Implants

One of the main issues with the use of nickel titanium alloy (NiTi) implants in cardiovascular implants (stents) is that these devices must be of very high quality in order to avoid subsequent operations due to failing stents. For small stents with diameters below ca. 2 mm, however, stent characterization is not straightforward. One of the main problems is that there are virtually no methods to characterize the interior of the NiTi tubes used for fabrication of these tiny stents. The current paper reports on a robust hybrid actuator for the characterization of NiTi tubes prior to stent fabrication. The method is based on a polymer/hydrogel/magnetic nanoparticle hybrid material and allows for the determination of the inner diameter at virtually all places in the raw NiTi tubes. Knowledge of the inner structure of the raw NiTi tubes is crucial to avoid regions that are not hollow or regions that are likely to fail due to defects inside the raw tube. The actuator enables close contact of a magnetic polymer film with the inner NiTi tube surface. The magnetic signal can be detected from outside and be used for a direct mapping of the tube interior. As a result, it is possible to detect critical regions prior to expensive and slow stent fabrication processes.