Novel amine- or ammonium-terminated carbosilane dendrimers of type nG-[Si{OCH2(C6H3)-3,5-(OCH2CH2NMe2)2}]x, nG-[Si{O(CH2)2N(Me)(CH2)2NMe2}]x and nG-[Si{(CH2)3NH2}]x or nG-[Si{OCH2(C6H3)-3,5-(OCH2CH2NMe3 +I-)2}]x, nG-[Si{O(CH2)2N(Me)(CH2)2NMe3 +I-}]x, and nG-[Si{(CH2)3NH3 +Cl-}]x have been synthesized and characterized up to the third generation by two strategies: 1) alcoholysis of Si--Cl bonds with amino alcohols and subsequent quaternization with MeI, and 2) hydrosilylation of allylamine with Si--H bonds of the dendritic systems and subsequent quaternization with HCl. Quaternized carbosilane dendrimers are soluble in water, although degradation is apparent due to hydrolysis of Si--O bonds. However, dendrimers containing Si--C bonds are water-stable. The biocompatibility of the second-generation dendrimers in primary cell cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and erythrocytes have been analyzed, and they show good toxicity profiles over extended periods. In addition, we describe a study on the interactions between the different carbosilane dendrimers and DNA oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) and plasmids along with a comparative analysis of their toxicity. They can form complexes with DNA ODNs and plasmids at biocompatible doses via electrostatic interaction. Also a preliminary transfection assay has been accomplished. These results demonstrate that the new ammonium-terminated carbosilane dendrimers are good base molecules to be considered for biomedical applications.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is thought to occur via a four-step mechanism with *O, *OH, and *OOH as adsorbed intermediates. Linear scaling of the *OH and **OOH adsorption energies is proposed to limit the oxides' efficiency as OER catalysts, but the use of simple descriptors to screen candidate materials neglects potentially important water−water interactions. Here, we use a combination of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), Xray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM), and density functional theory (DFT)-based computations to show that highly stable HO−H 2 O dimer species form at the (11̅ 02) facet of hematite; a promising anode material for photoelectrochemical water splitting. The UHVbased results are complemented by measurements following exposure to liquid water and are consistent with prior X-ray scattering results. The presence of strongly bound water agglomerates is generally not taken into account in OER reaction schemes but may play a role in determining the required OER overpotential on metal oxides.

Atomic-scale investigations of metal oxide surfaces exposed to aqueous environments are vital to understand degradation phenomena (e.g. dissolution and corrosion) as well as the performance of these materials in applications. Here, we utilize a new experimental setup for the UHV-compatible dosing of liquids to explore the stability of the Fe 3 O 4 (001)-(√2 × √2)R45°surface following exposure to liquid and ambient pressure water. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) data show that extensive hydroxylation causes the surface to revert to a bulk-like (1 × 1) termination. However, scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) images reveal a more complex situation, with the slow growth of an oxyhydroxide phase, which ultimately saturates at approximately 40% coverage. We conclude that the new material contains OH groups from dissociated water coordinated to Fe cations extracted from subsurface layers, and that the surface passivates once the surface oxygen lattice is saturated with H because no further dissociation can take place. The resemblance of the STM images to those acquired in previous electrochemical STM (EC-STM) studies lead us to believe a similar structure exists at the solid-electrolyte interface during immersion at pH 7.

Earth-abundant oxides are promising candidates as effective and low-cost catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media, which remains one of the bottlenecks in electrolysis and artificial photosynthesis. A fundamental understanding of the atomic-scale reaction mechanism during OER could drive further progress, but a stable model system has yet to be provided. Here we show that Fe3O4 single crystal surfaces, prepared in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) are stable in alkaline electrolytein the range pH 7–14 and under OER conditions in 1 M NaOH. Fe3O4(001) and Fe3O4(110) surfaces were studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and scanning tunneling microscopy in UHV, and atomic force microscopy in air. Fe3O4(110) is found to be more reactive for oxidative water splitting than (001)-oriented magnetite samples. Magnetite is electrically conductive, and the structure and properties of its major facets are well understood in UHV. With these newly obtained results, we propose magnetite (Fe3O4) as a promising model system for further mechanistic studies of electrochemical reactions in alkaline media and under highly oxidizing conditions.

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