Identification and Quantification of Technetium Species in Hanford Waste Tank AN-102.

Technetium-99 (Tc), a high yield fission product generated in nuclear reactors, is one of the most difficult contaminants to address at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford, Savannah River, and other sites. In strongly alkaline solutions typifying Hanford tank waste, Tc exists as pertechnetate (TcO4-) (oxidation state VII) as well as in reduced forms (oxidation state < VII), collectively known as non-pertechnetate (non-TcO4-) species. Designing strategies for effective Tc management, including separation and immobilization, necessitates understanding the molecular structure of the non-TcO4- species and their identification in actual tank waste samples. Identification of non-TcO4- species would facilitate the development of new treatment technologies effective for dissimilar Tc species. Toward this objective, a spectroscopic library of the Tc(I) [fac-Tc(CO)3]+ and Tc(II, IV, V, VII) compounds was generated and applied to the characterization of the actual Hanford AN-102 tank waste supernatant, which was processed to adjust Na concentration to ∼5.6 M and remove 137Cs by spherical resorcinol-formaldehyde (sRF) ion-exchange resin. Post 137Cs removal, the cesium-loaded sRF column was eluted with 0.45 M HNO3. As-received AN-102, Cs-depleted effluent, and sRF eluate fractions were comprehensively characterized for chemical composition and speciation of Tc using 99Tc nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. It was demonstrated for the first time that non-TcO4- Tc present in the AN-102 tank waste is composed of several low-valent Tc species, including the Tc(I) [fac-Tc(CO)3]+ and Tc(IV) compounds. This is the first demonstration of multiple non-TcO4- species co-existing in the Hanford tank waste, highlighting their importance for the waste processing.

Mechanisms of Plutonium Redox Reactions in Nitric Acid Solutions.

Plutonium (Pu) exhibits a complex redox behavior in aqueous solutions. This is due to the ability of the element to adapt a wide range of oxidation states typically from +3 to +6 and the tendency for dynamic interconversion between the oxidation states that primarily depend upon acid concentration and presence of coordinating ligands. This work interrogates the Pu redox behavior in aqueous nitric acid via a combination of voltammetry and in situ vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry under controlled potentials to map the interconversion between the various Pu oxidation states. The NIR-spectroelectrochemistry studies used to complement the visible spectroscopy bring a new and more complete perspective into the plutonium redox transformations. This allows elucidation of the mechanisms of the involved redox reactions facilitating an in-depth understanding of the relative stability of the Pu oxidation states as a function of redox potentials and nitric acid concentrations. It is observed that oxidation of Pu(III) results in generation of Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) (the latter as PuO22+), bypassing the Pu(V) oxidation state. Further, with increasing acid concentrations, the formation of the Pu(VI) species progressively decreases so that the dynamic equilibrium between the Pu(III) and Pu(IV) oxidation states dominates. These findings have significant implications for developing separation processes for used nuclear fuel reprocessing and treatment.

Probing the Sorption of Perfluorooctanesulfonate Using Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks from Aqueous Solutions.

One approach to reduce increasing concentrations of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) involves the capture of PFAS from aqueous media using porous materials. The use of highly porous, tunable metal organic framework (MOF) materials is appealing for targeted liquid phase sorption. In this work, we demonstrate the excellent capture of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) using both the chromium and iron analogs of the MIL-101 framework. Experimental characterization of PFOS uptake reveals unique differences in sorption properties between these two analogs, providing key implications for future PFOS sorbent design. Specifically, STEM-EDS and IR spectroscopy show definitive proof of sorption. Furthermore, XPS analysis shows evidence of a strong interaction between sulfur atoms of the polar headgroup of PFOS and the metal center of the framework in addition to the fluorinated nonpolar tail. Additionally, in situ 19F NMR reveals higher PFOS affinity for Cr-MIL-101 versus Fe-MIL-101 based on sorption kinetics. Surprisingly, at these relatively high PFOS concentrations, activated acetylene black carbon is severely outperformed by both MOFs.

Method for the in situ Measurement of pH and Alteration Extent for Aluminoborosilicate Glasses Using Raman Spectroscopy.

Characterization of long-term processes occurring during alteration of aluminoborosilicate glasses is relevant for natural as well as man-made materials. Static dissolution tests are a common setup for such studies, but the obtained results and related errors are impacted by the frequency and protocol of samplings performed to determine release via solution analysis, e.g., ICP-OES. A noninvasive method was developed to continuously monitor glass alteration based on in situ Raman spectrometry of the solution contained in the alteration vessel. The alteration of a benchmark glass, the environment assessment (EA) glass, for 7 days at 90 °C showed that the pH and boron concentration results obtained from solution monitoring and ICP-OES quantification were similar to the pH and boron results obtained from chemometric modeling of the Raman spectra and within error of previously published results in similar conditions. The errors on altered amounts of glass based on B release were similar for both in situ Raman and ICP-OES. The new Raman method provides a more detailed picture of real time monitoring of an alteration experiment, with intervals between monitoring times as short as dozens of seconds. The in situ Raman method also helps to reduce perturbation to experiments caused by the physical sampling of aliquots (including temperature excursions, re-equilibration with atmosphere, volume variation, and potential chemical contamination) by limiting their number and frequency.

Spectroscopic Characterization of Aqua [ fac-Tc(CO)3]+ Complexes at High Ionic Strength.

Understanding fundamental Tc chemistry is important to both the remediation of nuclear waste and the reprocessing of nuclear fuel; however, current knowledge of the electronic structure and spectral signatures of low-valent Tc compounds significantly lags behind the remainder of the d-block elements. In particular, identification and treatment of Tc speciation in legacy nuclear waste is challenging due to the lack of reference data especially for Tc compounds in the less common oxidation states (I-VI). In an effort to establish a spectroscopic library corresponding to the relevant conditions of extremely high ionic strength typical for the legacy nuclear waste, compounds with the general formula of [ fac-Tc(CO)3(OH2)3- n(OH) n]1- n (where n = 0-3) were examined by a range of spectroscopic techniques including 99Tc/13C NMR, IR, XPS, and XAS. In the series of monomeric aqua species, stepwise hydrolysis results in the increase of the Tc metal center electron density and corresponding progressive decrease of the Tc-C bond distances, Tc electron binding energies, and carbonyl stretching frequencies in the order [ fac-Tc(CO)3(OH2)3]+ > [ fac-Tc(CO)3(OH2)2(OH)] > [ fac-Tc(CO)3(OH2)(OH)2]-. These results correlate with established trends of the 99Tc upfield chemical shift and carbonyl 13C downfield chemical shift. The lone exception is [ fac-Tc(CO)3(OH)]4 which exhibits a comparatively low electron density at the metal center attributed to the µ3-bridging nature of the -OH ligands causing less σ-donation and no π-donation. This work also reports the first observations of these compounds by XPS and [ fac-Tc(CO)3Cl3]2- by XAS. The unique and distinguishable spectral features of the aqua [ fac-Tc(CO)3]+ complexes lay the foundation for their identification in the complex aqueous matrixes.

Theoretical Modeling of (99)Tc NMR Chemical Shifts.

Technetium-99 (Tc) displays a rich chemistry due to its wide range of accessible oxidation states (from -I to +VII) and ability to form coordination compounds. Determination of Tc speciation in complex mixtures is a major challenge, and (99)Tc nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is widely used to probe chemical environments of Tc in odd oxidation states. However, interpretation of (99)Tc NMR data is hindered by the lack of reference compounds. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations can help to fill this gap, but to date few computational studies have focused on (99)Tc NMR of compounds and complexes. This work evaluates the effectiveness of both pure generalized gradient approximation and their corresponding hybrid functionals, both with and without the inclusion of scalar relativistic effects, to model the (99)Tc NMR spectra of Tc(I) carbonyl compounds. With the exception of BLYP, which performed exceptionally well overall, hybrid functionals with inclusion of scalar relativistic effects are found to be necessary to accurately calculate (99)Tc NMR spectra. The computational method developed was used to tentatively assign an experimentally observed (99)Tc NMR peak at -1204 ppm to fac-Tc(CO)3(OH)3(2-). This study examines the effectiveness of DFT computations for interpretation of the (99)Tc NMR spectra of Tc(I) coordination compounds in high salt alkaline solutions.

Highly Selective Colorimetric and Luminescence Response of a Square-Planar Platinum(II) Terpyridyl Complex to Aqueous TcO4(-).

Molecular recognition of an aqueous pertechnetate (TcO4(-)) anion is fundamentally challenging partly due to the charge-diffuse nature of this anion, which hampers design of new technologies for its separation and detection. To address this gap, simple salts of transition metal complexes that undergo a distinct spectroscopic change upon exposure to aqueous anions were explored. The Pt(II) complex [Pt(tpy)Br]SbF6 (tpy = 2,2';6',2″-terpyridine) undergoes a dramatic color change and intense luminescence response upon TcO4(-) uptake due to concomitant enhancement of Pt···Pt interactions. The spectroscopic response was highly selective and quantitative for aqueous TcO4(-) among other competing anions. Complementary Raman spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, structural determination, and theoretical methods were employed to elucidate the mechanism of this response at the molecular level.

Ruthenium bis-diimine complexes with a chelating thioether ligand: delineating 1,10-phenanthrolinyl and 2,2'-bipyridyl ligand substituent effects.

Despite the high π-acidity of thioether donors, ruthenium(II) complexes with a bidentate 1,2-bis(phenylthio)ethane (dpte) ligand and two chelating diimine ligands (i.e., Ru(diimine)2(dpte)(2+)) exhibit room-temperature fluid solution emission originating from a lowest MLCT excited state (diimine = 2,2'-bipyridine, 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline, 5-bromo-1,10-phenanthroline, 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). Crystal structures show that the complexes form 2 of the 12 possible conformational/configurational isomers, as well as nonstatistical distributions of geometric isomers; there also are short intramolecular π-π interactions between the diimine ligands and dpte phenyl groups. The photoinduced solvolysis product, [Ru(diimine)2(CH3CN)2](PF6)2, for one complex in acetonitrile also was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Variations in the MLCT energies and Ru(III/II) redox couple, E°'(Ru(3+/2+)), can be understood in terms of the influence of the donor properties of the ligands on the mainly metal-based HOMO and mainly diimine ligand-based LUMO. E°'(Ru(3+/2+)) also is quantitatively described using a summative Hammett parameter (σT), as well as using Lever's electrochemical parameters (EL). Recommended parametrizations for substituted 2,2'-bipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthrolinyl ligands were derived from analysis of correlations of E°'(Ru(3+/2+)) for 99 homo- and heteroleptic ruthenium(II) tris-diimine complexes. This analysis reveals that variations in E°'(Ru(3+/2+)) due to substituents at the 4- and 4'-positions of bipyridyl ligands and 4- and 7-positions of phenanthrolinyl ligands are significantly more strongly correlated with σp(+) than either σm or σp. Substituents at the 5- and 6-positions of phenanthrolinyl ligands are best described by σm and have effects comparable to those of substituents at the 3- and 8-positions. Correlations of EL with σT for 1,10-phenanthrolinyl and 2,2'-bipyridyl ligands show similar results, except that σp and σp(+) are almost equally effective in describing the influence of substituents at the 4- and 4'-positions of bipyridyl ligands. MLCT energies and d(5)/d(6)-electron redox couples of the complexes with 5-substituted 1,10-phenanthroline exhibit correlations with values for other d(6)-electron metal complexes that can be rationalized in terms of the relative number of diimine ligands and substituents.

Electrochemistry and Spectroelectrochemistry of europium(III) chloride in 3LiCl-2KCl from 643 to 1123 K.

The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behavior of europium(III) chloride in a molten salt eutectic, 3LiCl-2KCl, over a temperature range of 643-1123 K using differential pulse voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, potential step chronoabsorptometry, and thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry is reported. The electrochemical reaction was determined to be the one-electron reduction of Eu(3+) to Eu(2+) at all temperatures. The redox potential of Eu(3+/2+) shifts to more positive potentials, and the diffusion coefficient for Eu(3+) increases as temperature increases. The results for the number of electrons transferred, redox potential, and diffusion coefficient are in good agreement between the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques. This research extends our ability to develop a spectroelectrochemical sensor for lanthanides and actinides into molten salt media.

Photophysics and luminescence spectroelectrochemistry of [Tc(dmpe)3](+/2+) (dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane).

The ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited state luminescence of [Tc(dmpe)3](2+) (dmpe is 1,2-bis-(dimethylphosphino)ethane) has been measured in solution at room temperature and is compared to its Re analogue. Surprisingly, both [M(dmpe)3](2+)* (M = Re, Tc) species have extremely large excited-state potentials (ESPs) as oxidants, the highest for any simple coordination complex of a transition metal. Furthermore, this potential is available using a photon of visible light (calculated for M = Tc; E°'* = +2.48 V versus SCE; λmax = 585 nm). Open shell time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations support the assignment of the lowest energy transition in both the technetium and rhenium complexes to be a doublet-doublet process that involves predominantly LMCT (dmpe-to-metal) character and is in agreement with past assignments for the Re system. As expected for highly oxidizing excited state potentials, quenching is observed for the excited states of both the rhenium and technetium complexes. Stern-Volmer analysis resulted in quenching parameters for both the rhenium and technetium complexes under identical conditions and are compared using Rehm-Weller analysis. Of particular interest is the fact that both benzene and toluene are oxidized by both the Re and Tc systems.

X-ray and synchrotron diffraction studies of 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline in the role of ligand for two copper polymorphs or hydrogen bonded with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidinium hexafluorophosphate.

Different extended packing motifs of dichlorido[2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline]copper(II), [CuCl2(C17H11N3)], are obtained, depending on the crystallization conditions. A triclinic form, (I), is obtained from dimethylformamide-diethyl ether or methanol, whereas crystallization from dimethylformamide-water yields a monoclinic form, (II). In each case, the Cu(II) centre is in a five-coordinate distorted square-pyramidal geometry. The extended packing for both forms can be described as a highly offset π-stacking arrangement, with interlayer distances of 3.674 (3) and 3.679 (3) Šfor forms (I) and (II), respectively. The reaction of diprotonated Pt(tmpip2NCN)Cl [tmpip2NCN = 2,6-bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidylmethyl)benzyl] with AgPF6 under acidic conditions, followed by the addition of 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline, results in a hydrogen-bonded cocrystal, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidinium hexafluorophosphate-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (1/1), C9H18NO(+)·PF6(-)·C17H11N3, (III). The extended packing maximizes π-π interactions in a parallel face-to-face arrangement, with an interlayer stacking distance of 3.4960 (14) Å.

Development of 225Ac Production from Low Isotopic Dilution 229Th.

The promise of 225Ac targeted alpha therapies has been on the horizon for the last two decades. TerraPower Isotopes are uniquely suited to produce clinically relevant quantities of 225Ac through the decay of 229Th. Herein, a rapid processing scheme to isolate radionuclidic and radioisotopically pure 225Ac in good yield (98%) produced from 229Th that contains significant quantities of 228Th activity is described. The characterization of each step of the process is presented along with the detailed characterization of the resulting 225Ac isotopic starting material that will support the cancer research and development efforts.

Platinum(II) diimine complexes with halide/pseudohalide ligands and dangling trialkylamine or ammonium groups.

A series of platinum(II) complexes with the formulas Pt(diimine)(pip(2)NCNH(2))(L)(2+) [pip(2)NCNH(2)(+) = 2,6-bis(piperidiniummethyl)phenyl cation; L = Cl, Br, I, NCS, OCN, and NO(2); diimine = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (NO(2)phen), and 5,5'-ditrifluoromethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dtfmbpy)] were prepared by the treatment of Pt(pip(2)NCN)Cl with a silver(I) salt followed by the addition of the diimine and halide/pseudohalide under acidic conditions. Crystallographic data as well as (1)H NMR spectra establish that the metal center is bonded to a bidentate phenanthroline and a monodentate halide/pseudohalide. The pip(2)NCNH(2)(+) ligand with protonated piperidyl groups is monodentate and bonded to the platinum through the phenyl ring. Structural and spectroscopic data indicate that the halide/pseudohalide group (L(-)) and the metal center in Pt(phen)(pip(2)NCNH(2))(L)(2+) behave as Brønsted bases, forming intramolecular NH···L/NH···Pt interactions involving the piperidinium groups. A close examination of the 10 structures reported here reveals linear correlations between N-H···Pt/L angles and H···Pt/L distances. In most cases, the N-H bond is directed toward the Pt-L bond, thereby giving the appearance that the proton bridges the Pt and L groups. In contrast to observations for Pt(tpy)(pip(2)NCN)(+) (tpy = 2,2';6',2"-terpyridine), the electrochemical oxidation of deprotonated adducts, Pt(diimine)(L)(pip(2)NCN), is chemically and electrochemically irreversible.

A highly sensitive, easy-and-rapidly-fabricable microfluidic electrochemical cell with an enhanced three-dimensional electric field.

An NP-µFEC is a reusable, novel microfluidic electrochemical cell with multiple non-planar interdigitated microelectrode arrays, minimal sample volume, and enhanced electric field penetration for highly sensitive electrochemical analysis. (i) The NP-µFEC features spatial 3-electrode architecture, and a small sample volume (∼4 µL). (ii) Here, [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- redox couple are used as an electrochemical reporter. The effects on the electrochemical properties of NP-µFEC due to the change in the reference electrode (RE) and counter electrode (CE)'s position with respect to the working electrode (WE) position are analyzed. For NP-µFEC, the position of the RE with respect to the WE does not affect the CV, DPV electrochemical profiles. However, the spacing between the CE and WE plays a significant role. (iii) The enhanced three-dimensional electric field penetration in NP-µFEC is validated by finite element analysis simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics. (iv) Without electrode surface modifications, NP-µFEC shows a detection limit (DL) of ∼2.54 × 10-6 M for aqueous [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- probe. (v) The DL for Cu2+, Fe3+, and Hg2+ are 30.5±9.5 µg L-1, 181±58.5 µg L-1, and 12.4±1.95 µg L-1, respectively, which meets the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s water contamination level for Cu, Fe, and is close to that for Hg (EPA limits are 1300 µg L-1, 300 µg L-1, and 2 µg L-1, respectively). (vi) Further, using a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to form the channel and create the NP-µFEC configuration simplifies the manufacturing process, making it cost-effective and allowing for rapid adoption in any research lab. NP-µFEC is used to detect heavy metal ions in water. This demonstrates that cost-effective, easy-to-fabricate NP-µFEC can be a new sensitive electrochemical platform.

A microfluidic electrochemical cell for studying the corrosion of uranium dioxide (UO2).

We have developed a specialized microfluidic electrochemical cell that enables in situ investigation of the electrochemical corrosion of microgram quantities of redox active solids. The advantage of downscaling is the reduction of hazards, waste, expense, and greatly expanding data collection for hazardous materials, including radioactive samples. Cyclic voltammetry was used to monitor the oxidation-reduction cycle of minute quantities of micron-size uraninite (UO2) particles, from the formation of hexavalent uranium (U(vi)), U3O7 and reduction to UO2+x . Reaction progress was also studied in situ with scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical measurements matched those obtained at the bulk-scale and were consistent with ex situ characterization of the run products by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy; thus, demonstrating the utility of the microfluidic approach for studying radioactive materials.

Optical sensing of aqueous nitrate anion by a platinum(II) triimine salt based solid state material.

Selective and quantitative measurement of aqueous nitrate (NO3-) anion is achieved using solid [Pt(Cl-4-tpy)Cl]ClO4 salt (Cl-4-tpy = 4-chloro-2,2':6'2''-terpyridine), and as the salt supported on controlled porous glass. This detection method relies on the color change of the Pt(II) complex from yellow to red and intense luminescence response upon ClO4- exchange with NO3- due to concomitant enhancement of Pt⋯Pt interactions. The spectroscopic response is highly selective for NO3- over a large range of halides and oxoanions.

Semi-infinite linear diffusion spectroelectrochemistry on an aqueous micro-drop.

We report a technique for conducting semi-infinite diffusion spectroelectrochemistry on an aqueous micro-drop as an easy and economic way of investigating spectroelectrochemical behavior of redox active compounds and correlating spectroscopic properties with thermodynamic potentials on a small scale. The chemical systems used to demonstrate the aqueous micro-drop technique were an absorbance based ionic probe [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) and an emission based ionic probe [Re(dmpe)(3)](2+/+). These chemical systems in a micro-drop were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible absorbance and luminescence spectroscopies.

Luminescence-based spectroelectrochemical sensor for [Tc(dmpe)3]2+/+ (dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) within a charge-selective polymer film.

A spectroelectrochemical sensor consisting of an indium tin oxide (ITO) optically transparent electrode (OTE) coated with a thin film of partially sulfonated polystyrene-blockpoly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SSEBS) was developed for [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) (dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane). [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) was preconcentrated by ion-exchange into the SSEBS film after a 20 min exposure to aqueous [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) solution, resulting in a 14-fold increase in cathodic peak current compared to a bare OTE. Colorless [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) was reversibly oxidized to colored [Tc(dmpe)(3)](2+) by cyclic voltammetry. Detection of [Tc(dmpe)(3)](2+) was accomplished through emission spectroscopy by electrochemically oxidizing the complex from nonemissive [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) to emissive [Tc(dmpe)(3)](2+). The working principle of the sensor consisted of electrochemically cycling between nonemissive [Tc(dmpe)(3)](+) and emissive [Tc(dmpe)(3)](2+) and monitoring the modulated emission (λ(exc) = 532 nm; λ(em) = 660 nm). The sensor gave a linear response over the concentration range of 0.16-340.0 µM of [Tc(dmpe)(3)](2+/+) in aqueous phase with a detection limit of 24 nM.

Electronic and molecular structures of trans-dioxotechnetium(V) polypyridyl complexes in the solid state.

The structures of novel Tc(V) complexes trans-[TcO(2)(py)(4)]Cl·2H(2)O (1a), trans-[TcO(2)(pic)(4)]Cl·2H(2)O (2a), and trans-[TcO(2)(pic)(4)]BPh(4) (2b) were determined by X-ray crystallography, and their spectroscopic characteristics were investigated by emission spectroscopy and atomic scale calculations. The cations adopt a tetragonally distorted octahedral geometry, with a trans orientation of the apical oxo groups. trans-[TcO(2)(pic)(4)]BPh(4) has an inversion center located on technetium; however, for trans-[TcO(2)(py)(4)]Cl·2H(2)O and trans-[TcO(2)(pic)(4)]Cl·2H(2)O, a strong H bond formed by only one of the oxo substituents introduces an asymmetry in the structure, resulting in inequivalent trans Tc-N and Tc═O distances. Upon 415 nm excitation at room temperature, the complexes exhibited broad, structureless luminescences with emission maxima at approximately 710 nm (1a) and 750 nm (2a, 2b). Like the Re(V) analogs, the Tc(V) complexes luminesce from a (3)E(g) excited state. Upon cooling the samples from 278 to 8 K, distinct vibronic features appear in the spectra of the complexes along with increases in emission intensities. The low temperature emission spectra display the characteristic progressions of the symmetric O═Tc═O and the Tc-L stretching modes. Lowest-energy, triplet excited-state distortions calculated using a time-dependent theoretical approach are in good agreement with the experimental spectra. The discovery of luminescence from the trans-dioxotechnetium(V) complexes provides the first opportunity to directly compare fundamental luminescence properties of second- and third-row d(2) metal-oxo congeners.

ESSENCE - A rapid, shear-enhanced, flow-through, capacitive electrochemical platform for rapid detection of biomolecules.

The rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of target analytes using electrochemical sensors is challenging. ESSENCE, a new Electrochemical Sensor that uses a Shear-Enhanced, flow-through Nanoporous Capacitive Electrode, overcomes current electrochemical sensors' response limitations, selectivity, and sensitivity limitations. ESSENCE is a microfluidic channel packed with transducer material sandwiched by a top and bottom microelectrode. The room-temperature instrument less integration process allows the switch of the transducer materials to make up the porous electrode without modifying the electrode architecture or device protocol. ESSENCE can be used to detect both biomolecules and small molecules by simply changing the packed transducer material. Electron microscopy results confirm the high porosity. In conjunction with the non-planar interdigitated electrode, the packed transducer material results in a flow-through porous electrode. Electron microscopy results confirm the high porosity. The enhanced shear forces and increased convective fluxes disrupt the electric double layer's (EDL) diffusive process in ESSENCE. This disruption migrates the EDL to high MHz frequency allowing the capture signal to be measured at around 100 kHz, significantly improving device timing (rapid detection) with a low signal-to-noise ratio. The device's unique architecture allows us multiple configuration modes for measuring the impedance signal. This allows us to use highly conductive materials like carbon nanotubes. We show that by combining single-walled carbon nanotubes as transducer material with appropriate capture probes, NP-µIDE has high selectivity and sensitivity for DNA (fM sensitivity, selective against non-target DNA), breast cancer biomarker proteins (p53, pg/L sensitivity, selective against non-target HER2).