Franco Cataldo

• Habilitated Ordinary Professor General Chemistry
• Managing Director and Founder at Actinium Chemical Research Institute, Rome, Italy

Sensitized radiation-induced polymerization of indene monomer was achieved at a dose rate of 3 kGy/h. The sensitizer (1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane or TCE) leads to higher polyindene yields and faster polymerization kinetics with respect to bulk radiation-induced polymerization of indene. The radiation chemical yield Gp was found to increase with the d...

Sensitized radiation-induced polymerization of indene monomer was achieved at a dose rate of 3 kGy/h. The sensitizer (1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane or TCE) leads to higher polyindene yields and faster polymerization kinetics with respect to bulk radiation-induced polymerization of indene. The radiation chemical yield Gp was found to increase with dose...

Dimer and trimer acids are interesting viscous liquids produced from fatty acids derived from renewable sources. The chemical structures of dimer and trimer acids are known and quite complex and are presented here, discussed and further elucidated through electronic absorption spectroscopy, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Dimer and trimer acids have...

The chain scission radiation chemical yield G(S) of irradiated PLLA films has been calculated directly from the ketone absorption band of its FT-IR spectra recorded at different absorbed dose. The maximum value G(S) = 2.85 ± 0.1 scission/100 eV was determined at 100 kGy, in excellent agreement with previously reported G(S) but determined from CO2 a...

Dimer and trimer acids are interesting viscous liquids produced from fatty acids derived from renewable sources. The chemical structures of dimer and trimer acids are known and quite complex and are presented here and discussed and further elucidated through the electronic absorption spectroscopy, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Dimer and trimer acid...

Dimer and trimer acids are interesting viscous liquids produced from fatty acids derived from renewable sources. The chemical structures of dimer and trimer acids are known and quite complex and are presented here and discussed and further elucidated through the electronic absorption spectroscopy, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Dimer and trimer acid...

After a survey on polymer plasticization theories and conventional criteria to evaluate polymer-plasticizer compatibility through the solubility parameter, an attempt to create a polymer-plasticizer polarity scale through solvatochromic dyes has been made. Since Reichardt's E T (30) dye is insoluble in rubber hydrocarbon polymers like polyisoprene,...

The RNA world hypothesis suggests that early cellular ancestors relied solely on RNA molecules for both genetic information storage and cellular functions. RNA, composed of four nucleosides—adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, and uridine—forms the basis of this theory. These nucleosides consist of purine nucleobases, adenine and guanine, and pyrimidine...

The essay examines the defects in the structure of fullerenes associated with the presence of seven-membered rings in terms of chemistry, geometry, topology and group theory. KEYWORDS Generalized Stone–Wales transformations; Stone–Wales waves; fullerenes; heptagonal rings; bondons, entangled rotation groups

After a survey on polymer plasticization theories and conventional criteria to evaluate polymer-plasticizer compatibility through the solubility parameter, an attempt to create a polymer-plasticizers polarity scale through solvatochromic dyes has been made. Since the Reichardt’s ET(30) dye is insoluble in rubber hydrocarbon polymers like polyisopre...

The radiation-induced polymerization of indene with a γ radiation source was studied at different dose rates (1, 2, 4, 6 kGy/h) and absorbed doses up to 400 kGy. The polymerization rate was determined through the thermogravimetric analysis and the spectrophotometric analysis of the irradiated indene solutions. With the two complementary methods the...

The nucleobases, namely the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines cytosine, thymine, and uracil, are the key monomers of the information polymers DNA and RNA. All the nucleobases were recently detected in the analysis of certain meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. The concentration of the nucleobases found in meteorites is smalle...

Through a nucleophilic substitution reaction made on C60Br24 a new cyanofullerene derivative has been synthesized. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has led to the following stoichiometry for the new compound: [C60(CN)7]–[Bu4N]⁺ which was further confirmed both with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectrosc...

The thermal decomposition of C60Br24•2Br2 has been studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) at different heating rates. Depending from the heating rate, the thermal decomposition peak occurred between 163 °C and 201 °C with an activation energy E# = 108.6 kJ/mol. The decomposition products are C60 (assessed by FT-IR) and molecular bromine...

The vulcanization of rubber compounds is an exothermal process. A carbon black-filled and natural rubber-based (NR) formulation was mixed with different levels of sulfur (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 phr) and studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for the determination of the vulcanization enthalpy. It was found that the vulcanization e...

The vulcanization of rubber compounds is an exothermal process. A carbon black-filled and natural rubber-based (NR) formulation was mixed with different levels of sulfur (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 phr) and studied with Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for the determination of the vulcanization enthalpy. It was found that the vulcanization e...

Bonding agents (BA) are key compounding ingredients for the correct formulation of composite solid rocket propellants (CSRP). In particular, the addition of BA is essential to achieve suitable mechanical properties of CSRP in terms of adequate tensile strength and elongation at the break. It is shown that the polarity of each conventional BA as wel...

Bonding agents (BA) are key compounding ingredients for the correct formulation of composite solid rocket propellants (CSRP). In particular, the addition of BA is essential to achieve suitable mechanical properties of CSRP in terms of adequate tensile strength and elongation at break. It is shown that the polarity of each conventional BA as well as...

A light hydrogenation process involving the dissolution of zinc dust in diluted formic acid was developed to study the early hydrogenation stages of [Li@C60]⁺PF6⁻ and C60. The hydrogenation of the two substrates was followed through the electronic absorption spectroscopy and it was found that the metallofullerene reacts with hydrogen at least 2.4 t...

The asphaltenes isolated from a heavy petroleum fractions were subjected to radiation damage using either neutron bombardment (corpuscular radiation simulating cosmic rays) or γ-rays (high energy electromagnetic radiation). The purpose was to study how the radiation damage changes the spectral, thermal properties and other properties of the asphalt...

Alanine and other five proteinogeninc amino acids produced quite easily in exogenous and/or endogenous prebiotic processes, that is, valine, serine, proline, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid (Ala, Val, Ser, Pro, Glu, and Asp, respectively) were studied in the mid- and far-infrared spectral range. This work is an extension of the previous one where...

A series of naturally occurring bitumen samples from Central-South Italy (Maiella and Rivello) as well as from Sicily (Ragusa and Modica area), were purified and analyzed by thermal analysis (TGA-DTG-DTA) and FT-IR spectroscopy. The asphaltene fraction of these bitumen samples was isolated and analyzed by thermal analysis and by FT-IR spectroscopy....

Squalene, a model compound of polyisoprene or natural rubber, was employed as solvent to study the reaction between ozone and a series of N,N′‐substituted‐p‐phenylenediamines (PPDs) and other secondary aromatic amines. In all cases, it was found that nitroxyl radicals were formed nearly quantitatively by the action of ozone on the squalene solution...

The Unidentified Infrared bands (UIBs or UIRs) known also as Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs) represent a series of discrete infrared emission bands detected in numerous and very different astrophysical objects. The carriers of these infrared bands have not yet unambiguously identified. The MAONs model proposes that the carriers of the UIBs could be...

Combinatorial techniques are outlined through generalization Sheehan’s version of Pόlya’s theorem extended to all irreducible representations of the dihedral point group aimed at applications to nanotube enumerations. Furthermore we invoke the Euler Totem function for a cylindrical nanotube of any length and circumference. General expressions for t...

A low power carbon arc (12–18 W) struck between two graphite electrodes submerged in n-hexane has produced selectively vinylacetylene as the main product. Vinylacetylene was identified through its electronic absorption spectrum, the HPLC-DAD analysis and its precipitation as silver vinylacetylide. The HPLC analysis has revealed that the main by-pro...

A selection of five proteinogenic amino acids-glycine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan-were studied in the mid-infrared and in the far-infrared with the purpose to facilitate the search and identification of these astrobiologically and astrochemically relevant molecules in space environments. The molar extinction coefficients (ɛ...

The equilibrium constant of the PLLA-C70 complex was determined spectrophotometrically and found at 1084 M⁻¹, a value fully comparable with the equilibrium constant of the PLLA-C60 complex 956 M⁻¹. In fact, both C60 and C70 share practically the same electron affinity and both are able to form charge-transfer complex with poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)...

On the Optical Activity of Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) Oligomers and Polymer: Detection of Multiple Cotton Effect on Thin PLLA Solid Film Loaded with Two Dyes

Optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) is a beautiful analytical technique for the study of chiral molecules and polymers. In this study, ORD was applied successfully to follow the degree of polycondensation of l-(+)-lactic acid toward the formation of poly(lactic acid) oligomers (PLAO) and high molecular weight poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) in a simple es...

Pyrolytic carbon black (CBp) from truck tire pyrolysis is a heterogeneous material with relatively high ash content and a relatively high level of volatile bituminous matter (VBM) due to rubber pyrolysis residues coating the CBp surface. It is shown a method to volatilize and trap the VBM into an activated charcoal collector (Orbo-32 large) during...

A selection of five proteinogenic amino acids, namely glycine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan were studied in the mid-infrared and in the far-infrared with the purpose to facilitate the search and identification of these astrobiological and astrochemical relevant molecules in space environments. The molar extinction coefficients...

Coronavirus is a virus with an external protective membrane known as pericapsid and composed essentially by a double layer of phospholipids (PPL) and other components. The destabilization or the decomposition of this pericapsid means the certain inactivation of the coronavirus. The purpose of this work is to show that ozone is able to oxidize easil...

Combinatorial techniques based on Sheehan’s modification of Pόlya’s theorem and Mȍbius inversion technique together with character cycle indices are applied to face colorings of giant fullerenes. These techniques are applied to icosahedral fullerenes, C80 with a chamfered dodecahedron structure, a chiral fullerene C140, icosahedral C180 and C240 wi...

The virgin CBp produced from scrap truck tires pyrolysis was analyzed both under N2 and under air flow with thermogravimetric analysis coupled with differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA). Complementary information was derived from the two analysis. The rubber pyrolytic residues present on virgin CBp are better determined quantitatively by TGA-DTA...

The petroleum and coal models of the unidentified infrared emissions (UIE), sometimes referred also as unidentified infrared bands (UIBs) has been reviewed mainly based on the work of the authors with the inclusion of unpublished results. It is shown that the petroleum and coal model of the UIE converges and merges quite well with the MAON (Mixed A...

The petroleum and coal models of the unidentified infrared emissions (UIE), sometimes referred also as unidentified infrared bands (UIBs) has been reviewed mainly based on the work of the authors with the inclusion of unpublished results. It is shown that the petroleum and coal model of the UIE converges and merges quite well with the MAON (Mixed A...

Fullerenes are made by the intersection of twelve pentagonal nanocones. This note deals with an innovative isomeric mechanism, based on a sequence of Stone-Wales rotations, for moving the pentagonal face on the cusp of the nanocone. The modified nanocone is the seed for creating new fullerenes with different symmetry and size. Present results may h...

PLLA forms a charge-transfer (CT) complex with iodine in trichloromethane solution with Keq = 24.8 ± 1.8 M⁻¹, much higher than the Keq = 0.75 M⁻¹ measured with the model compound ethyl lactate-iodine in CHCl3. The higher equilibrium constant of the PLLA-I2 complex suggests a special polymer-iodine interaction which was confirmed by optical rotatory...

C60 fullerene forms an association complex with poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) in dichloromethane solution. The equilibrium constant of the complex was determined spectrophotometrically and found K’ = 956 M⁻¹. A new band in the ultraviolet, i.e., at 230 nm was assigned to the charge-transfer interaction between PLLA and C60, whereas the former acts as...

Astronomical infrared spectral features at ∼6.6, 9.8 and 20 µm have recently been suggested as being due to the planar graphene form of C24 carbon cluster. Here, we report density functional theory and coupled cluster calculations on wavefunctions stability, relative energies and infrared spectra of four different types of C24 isomers, including th...

Astronomical infrared spectral features at ~6.6, 9.8 and 20 micronm have recently been suggested as being due to the planar graphene form of C24 carbon cluster. Here we report density functional theory and coupled cluster calculations on wavefunctions stability, relative energies, and infrared spectra of four different types of C24 isomers, includi...

Any space exploration outside the protective shield of the Earth's magnetic field is a deep space mission. Thus, for example, a manned mission to the Moon or Mars as well as the permanence in a base on Moon or Mars is a deep space mission. The key problem in deep space missions is the crew's exposure to solar wind, solar particle events (SPE), and...

The molar extinction coefficient ε and the integrated molar absorptivity ψ values of all the mid-infrared and far-infrared absorption bands of [Li@C60]⁺PF6⁻ were determined in comparison to those of C60. The dependence from temperature of all the infrared absorption bands of [Li@C60]⁺PF6⁻ was measured in the temperature range comprised from 523 K a...

A commercially available pyrolytic carbon black (CBp) produced from the pyrolysis of used tires was analysed by TGA-DTA showing that the effective carbon black content about 70% by weight, while about 14% are ashes and about 16% rubber pyrolysis residues adsorbed on the surface. GC-MS analysis of the latter fraction has permitted to identify at lea...

It is shown that ozone reacts with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution producing hydrotrioxide groups on the PVA chain. Such groups are relatively stable and can be detected in aqueous solution even after a week from their synthesis. Thermal treatment of the PVA ozonized solution at 70℃ leads to the slow decomposition of the hydrotrioxides wit...

The γ-radiolysis of fullerenes (C60 and C70) was performed to investigate the role of fullerenes as a carbon source in building organic molecules in astrophysical ice analog media. Mass spectrometric analyses and the sequential collision-induced dissociation processes enabled us to determine the plausible chemical structure of new products originat...

The endohedral fullerene [Li@C60]⁺PF6⁻ was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), by electronic absorption spectroscopy in the spectral range from 195 to 800 nm and by FT-IR and far-infrared spectroscopy. [Li@C60]⁺PF6⁻ shows a sharp melting point with the onset at 86 °C and peak at 90 °C and melting enthalpy of 9.5 kJ/mol. The el...

A castable polyurethane (PUR) with soft segment made by polytetrahydrofuran polyol (or polytretramethylene ether glycol = PTMEG) derived from renewable sources was used as polymer matrix to prepare neutron shields. The PUR polymer matrix was filled with 20.4% of amorphous boron or with 20.9% by weight of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The PUR comp...

Linear α-olefins (LAO) with good selectivity toward linear olefins (LO) can be synthesized from widely available fatty acids (lauric, decanoic, miristic, palmitic and stearic acids) in high yield using a Ni(II) complex: Ni(Ph3P)2Cl2 in liquid triphenylphosphine (TPP). It is shown spectrophotometrically, in liquid triarylphosphine that Ni(Ph3P)2Cl2...

Linear α-olefins (LAO) with good selectivity toward linear olefins (LO) can be synthesized from widely available fatty acids (lauric, decanoic, miristic, palmitic and stearic acids) in high yield using a Ni(II) complex: Ni(Ph 3 P) 2 Cl 2 in liquid triphenylphosphine (TPP). It is shown spectrophotometrically, in liquid triarylphosphine that Ni(Ph 3...

The thermal neutron radiation shielding effectiveness of polyurethane (PUR) composites loaded with 20.9% by weight of boron carbide or by 20.4% graphite micronized fillers was evaluated. As expected, the former composite was found very effective in thermal neutron radiation shielding, and its performances were compared with those of other PUR compo...

Toluene pyrolysis in a submerged carbon arc produced at least 72 different molecular species as detected by gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The most abundant products found were bibenzyl (1,2-diphenylethane), naphthalene and biphenylene. Furthermore, also diethynylbenzene isomers, fluorene, diphenymethane, indene and biph...

Ozone is a pollutant at the ground level derived from the anthropogenic activities such as combustion and volatile organic compounds release in the environment. The ozone concentration at the ground level passed from <10 ppb in pre-industrial era to 50 ppb of the present time. Ozone concentration at ground level is growing at a rate of 1% per year....

Landfill leachate derived from the landfilling practice of the municipal wastes is a problem affecting all countries and continents. Even after the shutdown of a landfill site, the leachate production continues for decades. In this work a solution for the landfill lea chate treatment has been proposed based on three fundamental steps: the pre-ozono...

The RNA nucleosides, namely adenosine, cytidine, guanosine and uridine were γ-radioyzed in solid state and in vacuo at room temperature to a total dose of 3.2 MGy. Through electronic absorption spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and through polarimetry and optical rotatory dispersion spectroscopy, it was found that the purine-based nuc...

The complete acene series from naphthalene to anthracene, tetracene and pentacene were carbonized directly in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) special crucible heating up to 700 °C under autogenous pressure. In these conditions the carbonization of all the acenes was detected as an endothermal process occurring above 550 °C. The resulting...

The complete acene series from naphthalene to anthracene, tetracene and pentacene were car-bonized directly in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) special crucible heating up to 700 C under autogenous pressure. In these conditions the carbonization of all the acenes was detected as an endothermal process occurring above 550 C. The resulting c...

The carbon arc in liquid benzene produces carbon dust in addition to phenylacetyene and a number of other molecular products. The carbon dust was analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, revealing that it consists of a highly structured carbon black with high surface area. The carbon dust from...

The KMnO 4 oxidation reaction of C 60 or C 70 fullerenes in benzene solution proceeds smoothly and almost quantitatively in presence of the crown ether 18-crown-6 as phase-transfer agent. The oxidation reaction was followed spectrophotometrically from the early stages to the completion. Essentially fullerenols or polyhydroxylated fullerenes were pr...

The carbon arc in liquid benzene produces carbon dust in addition to phenylacetyene and a number of other molecular products. The carbon dust was analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, revealing that it consists of a highly structured carbon black with high surface area. The carbon dust from...

The standard enthalpy of formation DH f and the free energy of formation DG f were calculated using group increment approach on graphyne (called benzographyne in this work) and on graphdiyne (benzographdiyne) and higher homologues. The DH f and DG f values were compared with those reported in literature and obtained by quantum chemical calculations...

Currently, about 100 carbon-containing molecules have been detected in interstellar and circumstellar environments, and this list includes isomeric substances. In most cases, the minimum energy principle is able to explain the ratio of abundances of the isomeric compounds but in some cases is not. Trying to rationalize the questions unsolved within...

Far-infrared spectroscopy is a powerful tool complementing the potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy for the search and identification of organic molecules in space. The far-infrared spectra of a total of 29 amino acids are reported in this study. In addition to the spectra of 20 common proteinogenic amino acids, spectra of a selection of nine non...

The solvatochromism of the ozone Hartley band was studied in 21 different liquids divided in 16 solvents and 5 acids. In all the liquids studied, ozone shows a positive solvatochromism, i.e. a red shift or batochromic shift as function of the polarity of the solvents. In fact, correlations were found between the shift of the ozone band and the pola...

Trimethyl phosphate (TMP) is a typical simulant of the CWA nerve agents and its adsorption on pristine and ozonized ACF has been studied by FT-IR and ESR spectroscopy. The FT-IR analysis is effective in putting in evidence the strong interaction of TMP with the ACF surfaces through the P = O stretching band shift toward lower frequencies after adso...

Intriguing micro-currents in the graphenic oxide flakes obtained from the cracked fullerenes ozopolymers were predicted from their Raman spectra. They are interpreted with the aid of the bondonic theory combined with the inverse information for the quantum observed vs. quantum free evolution ratio, respectively. The peculiar quantum dots of the bon...

Stable polyynes chains terminated with biphenyl end groups ({\alpha},{\omega}-biphenylpolyynes) were synthesized using the Cadiot-Chodkiewicz reaction conditions. The {\alpha},{\omega}-biphenylpolyynes were separated through HPLC analysis and identified by means of their electronic absorption spectra. The {\alpha},{\omega}-biphenylpolyynes were stu...

Abstract: Carbon can form many allotropes. Because of the Carbon’s valence and due to the atom arrange- ments in lattices, some of the allotropes can adopt different shapes and spatial conformations like planar sheets (graphene sheets), nanocones, nanotubes, nanobuds, nanoribbons, nanocages (pseudospheres or spheroids – fullerenes). Their extraor...

Physical-chemical considerations suggest that the diene rubber olefinic double bonds protection by N,N′-substituted p-phenylenediamines (PPDs) antiozonants (AOZs) is due to their very low ionization potential in comparison to the ionization potential of the olefinic double bonds. Thus, the ozone scavenging action exerted by PPDs AOZs is due to one...

Fullerene Black (FB) and Extracted Fullerene Black (EFB) were used in modified screen-printed electrodes producing electrochemical transducers (FB-SPEs and EFB-SPEs). A complete electrochemical study was performed and the best results are obtained working with FB-SPEs, especially in terms of: 1. improved electron-transfer kinetic mechanisms and 2....

Stable polyyne chains terminated with biphenyl end groups (α,ω-biphenylpolyynes) were synthesized in a single step through a simple procedure by using the Cadiot-Chodkiewicz reaction conditions. The α,ω-biphenylpolyynes were separated through HPLC analysis and identified by means of their electronic absorption spectra. The α,ω-biphenylpolyynes were...

Adsorption of dinitrogen tetroxide on activated carbon fabric derived from novolacs All authors Ornella Ursini http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4544-3871, Giancarlo Angelini & Franco Cataldo http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2607-4414 https://doi.org/10.1080/1536383X.2017.1353975 Published online 31 July 2017 Activated carbon fabric (ACF) obtained from novol...

The reaction products of the submerged carbon arc between graphite electrodes in liquid benzene were analyzed by gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The carbon arc in liquid benzene produces carbon soot and phenylacetyene, biphenyl, diethynylbenzene and the polyyne octatetrayne H-(C≡C)4-H as the major reaction products. Styre...

Boron carbide B12C3 microcrystals were neutron irradiated at four different fluences, namely at 1.09, 2.19, 3.28 and 4.38× 10¹⁶ n cm⁻². The structural properties were studied by means of Raman spectroscopy, revealing that the neutron induced structural defects are focused toward the interstitial chains of B12C3. The morphology of the B12C3 samples...

Two LED-UV based photochemical flow reactors have been compared. One was a commercially available LED-UV flow reactor designed for water disinfection or sterilization and the other one was a home-made LED-UV flow reactor designed for analogous purposes. The photochemical performances of two mentioned flow reactors working both at about 275 nm were...

Alkylnaphthalenes are not able to form Diels-Alder adducts with C70 fullerene but sselected alkylnaphthalenes are able to yield a weak charge-transfer complex (CTC) with C70. More in detail, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-ethylnaphthalene, and pure naphthalene are not able to produce neither Diels-Alder adducts with C70 fullerene nor CTC. Instead, 1,4-dime...

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was neutron damaged at an integral flux of 2.40 × 10¹² n cm⁻² s⁻¹ for 1, 2, 3 and 4 h. The h-BN samples undergo a transition from sp² to sp³ hybridization as a consequence of the neutron induced damage with the formation of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) spots, as suggested both by FT–IR and Raman spectroscopy. In additio...

Boron carbide B4C or, which is the same, B12C3, was neutron-bombarded at four different doses, namely at 1.09, 2.19, 3.28 and 4.38×10¹⁶ n cm⁻². The radiation-damage was studied by FT-IR, ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) and by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry). It is shown that both FT-IR and ESR are useful techniques to monitor the radiation-da...

Lithium bis(oxalato) borate (LiBOB) was neutron bombarded with a flux of 2.40 × 1012 n cm−2 s−1 for 1, 2, 3 and 4 h. The neutron damaged LiBOB was studied by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy as well as by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry). It is shown that the neutron bombardment causes the radiolysis of the oxalate ligand of LiBOB producing bori...

When dissolved in ethyl oleate secondary ozonide, both C60 and C70 fullerenes undergo a series of epoxidation reactions. The pseudofirst order kinetic rate constants of this process were determined spectrophotometrically at various temperatures and the activation energy for C60 epoxidation through ethyl oleate ozonide was found at 25.9 kcal/mol. Fu...

A series of alkylnaphthalenes, namely 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, 2,6-diethylnaphthalene, 2-ethylnaphthalene and pure naphthalene are not able to form Diels-Alder adducts with C60 fullerene but produce a series of 1:1 charge-transfer complexes (CTC) where the aromatic compounds act as donor and C60 as acceptor. The spectrophotometric analysis of these...

Recent advances in graphene studies deal with the influence of structural defects on graphene chemical, electrical, magnetic and mechanical properties. Here the complex mechanisms leading to the formation of clusters of vacancies in 2D honeycomb HD lattices are described by a pure topological point of view, aiming to correlate the variation of spec...