Chan, Mui. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Abstract (Chinese) --- p.iii / Declaration --- p.v / Acknowledgement --- p.vi / Table of Contents --- p.viii / List of Tables --- p.xiv / List of Figures --- p.xv / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Soft-Chemistry --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Sol-Gel Method --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Co-precipitation --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Microemulsion --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3 --- Application of Hydrothermal/Solvothermal Methods in Materials Synthesis --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Fundamentals of Hydrothermal and Solvothermal Methods --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Advantages of Hydrothermal/Solvothermal Methods in contrast to Conventional Synthetic Approaches --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Hydrothermal and Solvothermal Preparation of Materials --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4 --- Application of Transition Metal Oxides As Functional Materials --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5 --- Aim and Scope of Work --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6 --- References --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Solvothermal and Hydrothermal Template Free Synthesis of ZnO Microspheres / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2 --- Experimental Section --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Synthesis of ZnO Microspheres by Solvothermal Method --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Synthesis of ZnO Microspheres by Hydrothermal Method --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Doping ZnO Microspheres with Silver or Gallium by Solvothermal Method --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Characterization --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Measurement of Photocatalytic Activity --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- X-Ray Diffraction Analysis --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1.1 --- ZnO-HT and ZnO-ST --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1.2 --- ZnO-ST: Effect of Different Concentrations of Zinc Acetate --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.1.3 --- Doping ZnO-ST with Silver or Gallium --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- SEM study --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- ZnO-HT and ZnO-ST --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- ZnO-HT-Different Volume Ratios of Ethylene Glycol to Water --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.2.3 --- ZnO-ST --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.2.3.1 --- Different Volume Ratios of Benzyl Alcohol to Ethylene Glycol --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.2.3.2 --- Different Concentrations of Zinc Acetate --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.2.3.3 --- Different Concentrations of Urea --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- TEM Study --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- TEM and HRTEM of ZnO-HT --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- TEM and HRTEM of ZnO-ST --- p.45 / Chapter 2.3.3.3 --- TEM Images of Ga-Doped ZnO-ST --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3.3.4 --- TEM Images of Ag-Doped ZnO-ST --- p.49 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Nitrogen Adsorption and Desorption --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3.5.1 --- XPS Study of ZnO-ST --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3.5.2 --- XPS Study of ZnO-HT --- p.54 / Chapter 2.3.5.3 --- XPS Study of Silver Doped ZnO-ST --- p.56 / Chapter 2.3.5.4 --- XPS Study of Gallium Doped ZnO-ST --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- FR-IR Spectra --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.7 --- Photocatalytic Activity on Degradation of Methylene Blue --- p.61 / Chapter 2.3.8 --- Proposed Formation Mechanism for ZnO-ST --- p.64 / Chapter 2.3.9 --- Proposed Formation Mechanism for ZnO-HT --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.10 --- Optical Property of ZnO Microspheres --- p.69 / Chapter 2.4 --- Conclusion --- p.73 / Chapter 2.5 --- References --- p.74 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Synthesis of Hierarchical Porous Lithium Niobate Submicrometer Rods / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experimental Section --- p.81 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Characterization --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- X-Ray Diffraction Analysis --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- SEM Study --- p.86 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Surfactants Dependent Morphologies Change --- p.86 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Concentrations of CTAB --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Time Dependent Morphologies Change --- p.88 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- TEM Study --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- XPS Analysis --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- BET Analysis --- p.96 / Chapter 3.3.7 --- Proposed Formation Mechanism --- p.97 / Chapter 3.3.7.1 --- Effect of Microemulsion --- p.97 / Chapter 3.3.7.2 --- Effect of CTAB --- p.98 / Chapter 3.3.7.3 --- Ostwald Ripening --- p.99 / Chapter 3.3.7.4 --- Formation of LiNi3O8 --- p.101 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5 --- References --- p.103 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Flower-Like α-Nickel Hydroxide synthesized by hydrothermal method / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.106 / Chapter 4.2 --- Experimental Section --- p.108 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Synthesis of Nickel Hydroxide by Hydrothermal Method --- p.108 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Characterization --- p.109 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.111 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- X-Ray Diffraction Analysis --- p.111 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- SEM Study --- p.115 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- TEM and HRTEM Study --- p.116 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- XPS Analysis --- p.117 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- FT-IR Analysis --- p.119 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- BET analysis --- p.120 / Chapter 4.3.7 --- Proposed Formation Mechanism of the Flower like α-Ni(OH)2 --- p.122 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusion --- p.123 / Chapter 4.5 --- References --- p.124 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Conclusions and Future Work / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusions --- p.127 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future work --- p.129

A series of dihydroxy bridged copper(II) complexes of the type [(L)Cu(OH)₂Cu(L)]x₂ * nH₂0, where L is 2,2'-bipyridine, 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline, x is a counter ion, and n is the number of water molecules, was synthesized. In the case of monohydroxy bridged copper(II) complexes, we have found a new method of synthesis for [ (L)₂Cu(OH)Cu(L)₂ ] (ClO₄)₃, where L is 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline. We have synthesized five new monohydroxy bridged copper(II) complexes, thus increasing the number of monohydroxy bridged copper(II) complexes to nine. All complexes have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, magnetic moments, and elemental analysis. The electron spin resonance results establish that the fulvic acids contain organic free radicals as an internal part of their molecular structure. The concentration of unpaired electrons will increase by increasing the pH. The unpaired electron in fulvic acid interacts with the unpaired electron on copper(II) through the Π system, and this will decrease the spin concentration of fulvic acid complexed with copper(II). The displacement of titration curve from a free ligand (fructose-1,6-diphosphate, ribulose-1,5-diphosphate, phospherine, phosphothreonine, and 3-phosphoglyceric acid, to a ligand plus copper(II) (1:1 ratio) shows there is a strong interaction between copper(II) and the corresponding ligand. All complexes absorb UV-visible at 250-300 nm. The absorption intensity changes as a function of pH. Copper (II) forms a complex with fructose-1,6-diphosphate, ribulose-1,5-diphosphate, phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, and 3-phosphoglyceric acid by the ratio of 1:3, 1:3, 1:1, 1:1, and 1:2, respectively.