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Abstract: Brannerite glass-ceramic composites have been suggested as suitable wasteform materials for high-actinide content wastes, but the formation of glass-ceramic composites containing stoichiometric uranium brannerite (UTi2O6) has not been well-studied. Uranium brannerite glass-ceramic composites were synthesised at by a one-pot cold-press and sinter route from the component oxides. As a comparison, two further samples were produced using an alkoxide-nitrate route. A range of compositions with varying molar ratios of uranium and titanium oxides (from 1:2 to 1:3.20) were synthesised, with a range of different heat treatments (1200 °C for 12–48 h, and 1250 °C for 12 h). All compositions were analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray near-edge spectroscopy, and found to contain UTi2O6 as the majority crystalline phase forming within a glass matrix of nominal stoichiometry Na2AlBSi6O16. In compositions with UO2:TiO2 ratios of 1:2 and 1:2.28, particles of UO2 were observed in the glass matrix, likely due to dissolution of TiO2 in the glass phase; this was prevented by the addition of excess TiO2. This work demonstrates the suitability of this system to produce highly durable wasteforms with excellent actinide waste loading, even with a simple one-pot process. Some grains of brannerite consist of a UO2 particle encapsulated in a shell of UTi2O6, suggesting that brannerite crystallises around particles of UO2 until either the UO2 is fully depleted, or the kinetic barrier becomes too large for further diffusion to occur. We propose that the formation of brannerite within glass-ceramic composites at lower temperatures than that for pure ceramic brannerite is caused by an increase in the rate of diffusion of the reactants within the glass.

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Abstract: Defects of various types in crystalline and nanocrystalline materials govern a range of electrical, optical and mechanical properties. In particular, they are at the heart of translational ion dynamics in solid electrolytes. One of the most prominent examples revealing a drastic increase in ionic conductivity σDC by several orders of magnitude when going from an ordered crystalline matrix to a structurally disordered one is lithium tantalate. Here, structurally disordered, nanocrystalline LiTaO3 served as a model substance to shed light on the question to what extent the degree of disorder decreases upon annealing an originally defect-rich oxide. Disorder can be introduced by high-energy ball milling of LiTaO3 crystallites with diameters in the μm range. Broadband conductivity spectroscopy, EXAFS and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy were used to correlate ion transport properties with interatomic distances, bond distortions and positron lifetimes. It turned out that milling times of only 30 min are sufficient to generate a highly defective oxide. Upon annealing at temperatures of T = 200 °C the defects can almost be preserved. Annealing at 750 °C for 1 h is needed to induce healing of the defects. Although we observe a recovery of the original interatomic distances and an increase in activation energy Ea for ionic transport from 0.75 eV to 0.81 eV, the initial transport properties of the unmilled sample (0.97 eV) cannot be fully restored. Most interestingly, the change in Ea is accompanied by a change of the entropy-controlled Arrhenius pre-factor governing the temperature dependence of σDCT. Moreover, positron lifetimes remain high in the annealed samples. Hence, our results point to samples with fewer distortions but still rich in vacancy-type defects. Altogether, the combination of ball milling and annealing helps adjust ionic conductivities in LiTaO3 to vary over 4 to 5 orders of magnitude.

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Abstract: The activation of C–H bonds for carbon–carbon coupling reactions remains a challenge in organic synthesis. Visible light photocatalysis offers a unique opportunity to sustainably perform these reactions in a single-step, without the need for caustic reagents, and under ambient operating conditions. We utilize non-noble metals in the form of hybrid cobalt-based zeolitic imidazole frameworks, for the first time, to explore the structure–property correlations leading to the photocatalytic formation of C–C bonds. Combining in situ spectroscopy and theoretical simulations we can rationalize the photocatalytic efficacy of different frameworks. This led to an improved understanding of the nature of the photocatalytic active sites and associated reaction pathway.

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Abstract: Materials that display strong capabilities for lithium insertion without significant change in unit cell size on cycling are of considerable importance for electrochemical applications. Here, we present V2O3(SO4)2 as a host for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemically, 2.0 Li+ ions can be inserted, giving Li2V2O3(SO4)2 with an oxidation state of V4+, as determined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The capacity of V2O3(SO4)2 can be increased from 157 mA h g−1 to 313 mA h g−1 with the insertion of two additional Li+ ions which would drastically improve the energy density of this material, but this would be over a wider potential range. Chemical lithiation using n-butyllithium was performed and characterisation using a range of techniques showed that a composition of Li4V2O3(SO4)2 can be obtained with an oxidation state of V3+. Structural studies of the lithiated materials by X-ray diffraction showed that up to 4.0 Li+ ions can be inserted into V2O3(SO4)2 whilst maintaining its framework structure.

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Abstract: Ru(II) compounds are widely used in catalysis, photocatalysis and medical applications. They are usually obtained in reductive environment as molecular O 2 can oxidize Ru(II) to Ru(III) and Ru(IV). Here we report the design, identification and evolution of an air‐stable surface ‐[bipy‐Ru(II)(CO) 2 Cl 2 ] site that is covalently mounted onto a polyphenylene framework. Such Ru(II) site was obtained by reduction of ‐[bipy‐Ru(III)Cl 4 ] ‐ with simultaneous ligand exchange from Cl ‐ to CO. This structural evolution was witnessed by a combination of in situ X‐ray and infrared spectroscopy studies. The ‐[bipy‐Ru(II)(CO) 2 Cl 2 ] site enables oxidation of CO with a turnover frequency of 0.73 × 10 ‐2 s ‐1 at 462 K, while the Ru(III) site is completely inert. This work contributes to the studies of structure‐activity relationship by demonstrating a practical control over both geometric and electronic structures of single‐site catalysts at molecular level, which can be further applied in other single site catalyst researches.