Veronika K. Laurinavichyute

A hybrid halobismuthate light-harvesting material with an optical band gap of 1.70 eV

A new organic–inorganic hybrid material (C15H14N4)BiBr5·H2O with an optical band gap of 2.24 eV, having 1-D chains of bromobismuthate anions in its composition, has been obtained from an aqueous solution and characterized. The partial replacement of Br by I resulted in the formation of a thermally stable (<155 °C) black compound (C15H14N4)BiBrI4·H2O with an optical band gap of 1.70 eV, which can be proposed as a promising light-harvesting material for dye-sensitized solid-state solar cells. Further replacement of Br by I results in the formation of red-orange colored (C15H14N4)BiI5 with a band gap of 2.10 eV.

The role of anion adsorption in the effect of electrode potential on SPR response

Surface plasmon resonance, being widely used in bioanalytics and biotechnology, is influenced by the electrical potential of the resonant gold layer. To evaluate the mechanism of this effect, we have studied it in solutions of various inorganic electrolytes. The magnitude of the effect decreases according to the series: KBr>KCl>KF>NaClO4 . The data were treated by using different models of the interface. A quantitative description was obtained for the model, which takes into account the local dielectric function of gold being affected by the free electron charge, diffuse ionic layer near the gold/water interface, and specific adsorption of halides to the gold surface with partial charge transfer. Taking into account that most biological experiments are performed in chloride-containing solutions, detailed analysis of the model at these conditions was performed. The results indicate that the chloride adsorption is the main mechanism for the influence of potential on the surface plasmon resonance. The dependencies of surface concentration and residual charge of chloride on the applied potential were determined.

Speciation in strongly acidic metastable solutions of oxotungstate(vi) compounds

The ionic composition of long-lived metastable aqueous solutions of oxo compounds of tungsten(IV) with pH ≤ 1 was studied by spectrophotometry. The nature of some isopolytung-states formed in these solutions in the presence of various inorganic acids (HCl, HClO4, HNO3, H2SO4, and H2SeO4) was established.

Determining the integral dissolution rate of two-phase alloys in cryolite-alumina melts

Electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis are used in studying Cu-Fe and Ni-Fe-Al alloys upon their anodic polarization in a cryolite-alumina melt, thus, clarifying the regularities of their dissolution and the formation of oxide coatings. Based on the results obtained, a technique of determining the integral corrosion rate of the alloys is proposed.

Electrodeposition of Fe x Se y films from acidic solutions

Iron selenide (FexSey) thin films were electrodeposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface under constant potential and pulse potential modes. The deposition mechanism was investigated using cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical processes at room temperature are accompanied by adsorption of selenium on the electrode surface and complicated by chemical reactions in the solution bulk. Several approaches to control the film stoichiometry were applied: varying of electrodeposition potential; the use of elevated temperatures (60–80°C) to decrease the electrode passivation and electrodissolution of interfering elements under pulse mode. The composition of FexSey thin films was analyzed using an energy dispersive X-rays (EDX) analysis.