Quantitative in situ and real-time monitoring of mechanochemical reactions

Faraday Discuss. 2014:170:203-21. doi: 10.1039/c4fd00013g.

Abstract

An experimental technique for in situ and real-time monitoring of mechanochemical reactions in a shaker ball mill was recently described, which utilises highly penetrating X-ray radiation available at the ID15B beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Herein, we describe the first attempts to perform such reaction monitoring in a quantitative fashion, by introducing an internal X-ray diffraction standard. The use of silicon as an internal standard resolved the issue with variations of the amount of the sample in the X-ray beam due to the non-uniform distribution of the sample in the reaction jar and allowed, via Rietveld analysis, the first quantitative estimate of the amorphous phase content in a mechanochemical reaction as it is being milled. We also highlight problems associated with the non-ideal mixing of the reaction mixture.

MeSH terms

  • Imidazoles / chemistry*
  • Silicon / chemistry
  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Zinc Oxide / chemistry*

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • imidazole
  • Zinc Oxide
  • Silicon