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A new nanoporous material consisting of nano-ZnO particles bridged by –O–Si–O–Si–O– units has been synthesized and characterized. The two-step synthesis involves a precipitation of zinc oxide from a 1 mol l−1 methanolic zinc acetate solution with methanolic KOH in the presence of alkoxyalkylsilanes as coating agents and a UV irradiation of the obtained material in aqueous suspension with air supply. This procedure leads to a nanoscale ZnO network with a high surface area (130 m2 g−1), a better chemical stability than other types of ZnO and a remarkable photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic mineralization of tetrachloroethylene occurs in the presence of this material at pH = 8 even faster than with the well known and most appreciated nano-TiO2 (anatase).

Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been widely utilized in organic electronics, actuators, electrochromic devices, and sensors. Many potential applications demand the formation of thin polymer films, which can be generated by electrochemical polymerization. Electrochemical methods are quite powerful and versatile and can be utilized for investigation of ICPs, both for educational purposes and materials chemistry research. In this study, we show that potentiodynamic and potentiostatic techniques can be utilized for generating and characterizing thin polymer films under the context of educational chemistry research and state-of-the-art polymer research. First, two well-known bifunctional monomers (with only two linking sites)—aniline and bithiophene—and their respective ICPs—polyaniline (PANI) and polybithiophene (PBTh)—were electrochemically generated and characterized. Tests with simple electrochromic devices based on PANI and PBTh were carried out at different doping levels, where changes in the UV-VIS absorption spectra and color were ascribed to changes in the polymer structures. These experiments may attract students’ interest in the electrochemical polymerization of ICPs as doping/dedoping processes can be easily understood from observable color changes to the naked eye, as shown for the two polymers. Second, two new carbazole-based multifunctional monomers (with three or more linking sites)—tris(4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPTCzSiOH) and tris(3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPHxCzSiOH)—were synthesized to produce thin films of cross-linked polymer networks by electropolymerization. These thin polymer films were characterized by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) experiments and nitrogen sorption, and the results showed a microporous nature with high specific surface areas up to 930 m2g−1. PTPHxCzSiOH-modified glassy carbon electrodes showed an enhanced electrochemical response to nitrobenzene as prototypical nitroaromatic compound compared to unmodified glassy carbon electrodes.

An inexpensive self-made apparatus for photochemical experiments was developed and has been tested to facilitate the inclusion of photoreactions in undergraduate teaching laboratories despite budget constraints. The core setup allowing the selection of defined wavelengths in the visible and UV regions is made of commercially available components for less than $500, including an enclosure providing a high safety standard. By choice of the reaction glassware, both reactions on micro scale as well as on preparative scale can be conducted easily in an appropriate time frame. In the Supporting Information, ideas for further optional equipment expanding the setup and enhancing its applicability are presented.

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Z‐diazocine, synthesized as described by Tellkamp, has been photochemically converted into E‐diazocine by irradiation of its solution at λ=365 nm. After purification, single crystals of E‐diazocine were obtained by recrystallization at −18 °C from n‐pentane. The title compound was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. For its thermal isomerization into the more stable Z‐isomer, the thermal half‐life was determined by UV/Vis absorption studies. Furthermore, the photochemical behaviour of the compound in the solid state has been investigated.

The x-ray L absorption spectra were measured for the atomic rare-earth elements Ce, Sm, Gd, and Er. From the energy positions of well resolved absorption lines at threshold in comparison to the corresponding solid-state spectra the atom-to-metal shifts of the core-level binding energies have been determined. For Sm and Er which undergo a valence charge on formation of the solid the shifts differ by more than 6 eV from those of Ce and Gd which have the same configuration in the atom and the solid.

We present a demonstration involving the oxidative photobleaching of a raspberry juice dye under visible laser light irradiation using the semiconductor titanium dioxide. A plausible interpretation of the phenomenon is discussed that aids in the understanding of semiconductor energetics and the nature of light.