This work focuses on tracking formic acid adsorption as formate onto polycrystalline gold and its subsequent catalyzed oxidation to carbon dioxide. Formic acid oxidation is notoriously dependent on supporting electrolyte composition, a dependency that is little characterized. Additionally, the mechanism of oxidation is in disagreement in the literature. As such, the two preceding topics are the primary focus of this work, and are studied in HClO4 and H2SO4 solutions. Cyclic voltammetry experiments supplemented by mathematical modelling and fitting of data were used. Solution pH and adsorption of supporting electrolyte anions onto Au(poly) were very influential factors in determining formate coverages on Au(poly). This alone explains the effect of supporting electrolyte on this reaction. The coverage of adsorbed formate was found to be singularly responsible for determining the rate of formic acid oxidation. This implies a chemical rate limiting step for oxidation, leaving the oxidation rate constant independent of potential. Another segment of this work focuses on the statistical mechanics of lattice gases, namely the role of sites available for adsorption on the activity. This topic is central to the modelling of multiple adsorbing species in competition for the same adsorption sites. Activity for interaction-free lattice gases in the thermodynamic limit was found to be coverage of adsorbates over coverage of sites available for adsorption. This relationship was exploited to simulate coadsorption of two species, the first obeying the Langmuir isotherm and the second following the hard hexagon isotherm. This system was originally considered as a possible model for coadsorption of formate and sulfate in H2SO4 solutions, but did not match with data. / Graduate / 0494 / jstrobl@uvic.ca

Thesis (M.Ag.Sci.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Animal Sciences, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-79).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, 1918. / "Private edition, distributed by the University of Chicago Libraries." Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, 1918. / "Private edition, distributed by the University of Chicago Libraries." Includes bibliographical references.

Formic acid and nitric acid have been found to contribute to aerosol formation and are key components of acidity in the troposphere. Tropospheric measurements of these species are often limited, resulting in major uncertainties when assessing their effects on the climate. Current global chemistry-transport models significantly under-predict formic acid concentrations, particularly in the mid-to-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Furthermore, large discrepancies exist in the role played by dinitrogen pentoxide on nitric acid production between two recently documented models assessing the global nitric acid budget. In order to accurately constrain the budget of these acids in the mid-to-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, it is crucial that these uncertainties are addressed. In this work, airborne measurements of formic acid, nitric acid and dinitrogen pentoxide are presented from across different regions of the Northern Hemisphere to investigate direct and indirect sources contributing to the formic acid and nitric acid regional budgets. Measurements were collected using a Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (CIMS) fitted to the Facility for Atmospheric Airborne Measurements (FAAM) BAe-146 aircraft. Formic acid measurements within the European Arctic during March and July 2012 would indicate ocean sources dominate over terrestrial sources irrespective of seasonality. CH2I2 photolysis and oxidation was hypothesised as a marine source of formic acid. Modelled estimates would indicate the CH2I2 reaction route may represent a significant summer marine source of formic acid within the Fenno-Scandinavian Arctic. Additionally, low altitude aircraft measurements taken within the Fenno-Scandinavian Arctic over regions occupied by wetlands in August 2013 were used to calculate a formic acid surface flux. Results would suggest formic acid emission from wetlands may represent up to 37 times greater than its globally inferred estimate. A flux measurement conducted over a comparable region in September 2013 observed a negative flux, indicating a change of this region from a net source to a net sink of formic acid. The inconsistency of this regional wetland source confirms the need for in-depth studies on formic acid emission from wetlands, in order to better understand its contribution to the regional and global formic acid budget. In a separate study, significant daytime elevations of N2O5 and HNO3 concentrations were observed within identified biomass burning plumes off the eastern coast of Canada. In-plume correlations between N2O5 and HNO3 concentrations observed within these environments suggest N2O5 was acting as additional daytime source of gaseous HNO3 when subjected to photolytically-limited conditions. This result has important implications to ozone production and provides evidence for an additional daytime source of nitric acid, which must be included in chemistry models calculating the global nitric acid budget.

The decomposition of formic acid proceeds via two principal reaction pathways: dehydration and dehydrogenation. Mechanisms and reaction ratios depend on the nature of the catalysts used. This work provides mechanistic insight into the decomposition of formic acid on Co(0001) and a highly stepped cobalt surface. The catalytic systems were studied in ultra-high vacuum by XPS and temperature programmed desorption. On both surfaces, an overall reaction (1) was observed: 2 HCOOH→H_2 O+CO+H_2+CO_2 (1) The surfaces had differing reaction intermediates, reaction temperatures, and activation energies. On Co(0001), formate, carbon, and hydroxyl are intermediates and the reaction has an activation energy of 44.3 ± 0.6 kJ/mol, pre-exponential factor of 0.7 ± 0.05 mbar/s. On highly stepped cobalt, formate and formyl are intermediates and the reaction has an activation energy of 147.2 ± 2.0 kJ/mol and pre-exponential factor of 1011.3 ± 0.2 mbar/s. Desorption energies of observed species and mechanisms of observed reactions are reported. A detailed description and proof of concept of a PM-IRRAS reactor designed for this thesis is also presented.

Appropriate solubilization of membrane proteins can be achieved by incorporating detergents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Unfortunately, SDS interferes with liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS). This thesis presents “MS-friendly’ alternatives to solubilize membrane proteins and provides an evaluation of current protocols for SDS removal. Considering the limitation of SDS in a proteome analysis workflow, fluorinated surfactants have previously been proposed. Our results showed that APFO similar proteome solubilization to that of SDS. Unfortunately, APFO was only marginally more tolerable to LC and MS than SDS. Nonetheless, an important advantage of using APFO is that it can be easily removed from the sample by evaporation. The efficiency of precipitation protocols was explored. Our results demonstrate that high recovery is possible. Quantitative re-solubilization of membrane proteins following precipitation was made possible through addition of 80% formic acid. This solvent system may present a promising pathway for top-down MS analysis.

This work consisted of an experimental investigation of the formic acid (HCOOH) molecule's rotational spectrum. Measurements of line widths were obtained for J = 5, 12, 13, 19, and 20 for a pressure range from 1 to 10 microns. A linear behavior between Av and p was observed as predicted by theory. The line width parameter Avp was observed to depend on the quantum number J. Hard sphere collision diameters b1 were calculated using the obtained AvP values. These deduced hard sphere values were found to be larger than the physical size of the molecule. This result was found to be in general agreement with other investigation in which long range forces (dipole-dipole) dominate.

Ritmos biológicos são regulados por mecanismos homeostáticos que asseguram a confiabilidade funcional do relógio fisiológico independentemente de mudanças de temperatura no ambiente. Compensação de temperatura, ou a independência do período oscilatório em relação à temperatura, é conhecida por exercer um papel central em muitos ritmos biológicos, mas um fenômeno raro em osciladores químicos. Estudou-se nessa dissertação a influência da temperatura na dinâmica oscilatória durante a oxidação catalítica de ácido fórmico sobre eletrodo de platina policristalina. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em cinco temperaturas diferentes de 5 à 25 ºC, e as oscilações foram estudadas sob controle galvanostático. Resultados experimentais foram comparados a um novo modelo proposto para a eletro-oxidação de ácido fórmico, considerando formato como intermediário ativo e a desidrogenação da água em altos potenciais. Sob condições oscilatórias apenas comportamento anti-Arrhenius foi observado. Sobre-compensação com coeficiente de temperatura (q10, definido como a razão entre a constante de velocidade à temperatura T + 10 ºC e em T) < 1 é achada para a maioria dos casos, exceto em altas correntes aplicadas onde compensação de temperatura, q10 ~ 1 predomina. O comportamento do período e amplitude resulta de uma combinação complexa entre a temperatura e corrente aplicada ou, equivalentemente, a distância do equilíbrio termodinâmico. Altas energias de ativação aparente foram obtidas em condições voltamétricas, não-oscilatórias, as quais implicam que o comportamento anti-Arrhenius observado sob regime oscilatório resulta de um acoplamento entre as rotas reacionais em vez de uma fraca dependência da temperatura nas etapas elementares. Mecanisticamente, os experimentos e o modelo matemático sugerem que o período em regime de (sobre)compensação de temperatura durante a eletro-oxidação de ácido fórmico sobre platina é governado pelo acoplamento entre as taxas reacionais de formação/remoção de monóxido de carbono e formato em condições oscilatórias. / Biological rhythms are regulated by homeostatic mechanisms that assure that physiological clocks function reliably independent of temperature changes in the environment. Temperature compensation, i.e. the independence of the oscillatory period on temperature, is known to play a central role in many biological rhythms, but it is rather rare in chemical oscillators. It was studied in this master thesis the influence of temperature on the oscillatory dynamics during the catalytic oxidation of formic acid on a polycrystalline platinum electrode. The experiments are performed at five temperatures from 5 to 25 ºC, and the oscillations studied under galvanostatic control. Experimental results are compared to a new model proposed for formic acid electro-oxidation, which includes formate as an active intermediate and water dehydrogenation at high potentials. Under oscillatory conditions only non-Arrhenius behavior is observed. Over-compensation with temperature coefficient (q10, defined as the ratio between the rate constants at temperature T + 10 ºC and at T) < 1 is found in most cases, except that temperature compensation with q10 ~ 1 predominates at high applied currents. The behavior of the period and the amplitude result from a complex interplay between temperature and applied current or, equivalently, the distance from thermodynamic equilibrium. High, positive apparent activation energies were obtained under voltammetric, non-oscillatory conditions, which implies that the non-Arrhenius behavior observed under oscillatory conditions results from the interplay among reaction steps rather than from a weak temperature dependence of the individual steps. Mechanistically, the experiments and the mathematical model suggest that the period in temperature (over)compensation regime during electro-oxidation of formic acid at platinum is governed by the coupling among the reaction rates of formation/removal of carbon monoxide and formate coverage in oscillatory conditions.

超臨界水中的溶解和化學反應受到一系列因素的影響，如溶解能，熵以及溶液密度等，是決定化學平衡的基本熱力學量，同時這些又受到溫度和壓強的控制。爲了解釋這些因素的影響，有必要把量子化學的靜態優化與分子動力學模擬相結合和比較。通過量子化學可以得到0K下的優化結構，而分子動力學模擬可以提高實際時間的勢能面。本論文的研究，主要圍繞在氣態下甲醛分子HCHO和甲酸分子HCOOH跟不同數目水分子H2O結合的水合簇結構，以及在常溫水溶液和超臨界水溶液中，甲醛HCHO和甲酸HCOOH的溶解結構和溫度所帶來的熱效應，最後研究甲酸HCOOH在水催化下的離解反應機理。 / 使用化學計算軟件Gaussian03和密度泛函理論方法，用6-311++G(d,p)基組來計算和研究氣態下甲醛分子和甲酸分子的水簇合物。通過不同數目的水分子所得到的最穩定簇合物的結構和能量，來研究甲醛分子HCHO，甲酸根離子HCOO⁻以及甲酸分子HCOOH與水分子相互結合時的氫鍵作用力強弱和簇合物的穩定性。同時，也考慮了甲酸酸解后的水簇合物結構，通過與沒有酸解的水簇合物的比較，為進一步瞭解水溶解中甲酸的酸解離情況提供寶貴的信息。 / 使用基於贗勢和平面波基組，以及密度泛函理論的從頭計算分子動力學軟件VASP，來模擬和研究甲醛分子HCHO和甲酸分子在水溶液中的溶解情況。根據對半徑關聯函數PRDF的統計結果，可以觀察出溶質的溶解結構，以及溶劑分子之間，或者溶質與溶劑分子之間的氫鍵作用。通過水合數目可以看出氫鍵作用力隨著溫度的提升而減弱。水溶液的溫度在臨界點之上時，其結果證實了甲酸的酸解反應受到嚴重的抑制，與常溫水的結果相反。 / 使用從頭計算分子動力學軟件CPMD中基於Car-Parrinello分子動力學方法的Metadynamics方法對甲酸的反應機理進行系統的研究，包含脫水反應和脫氫反應。解離反應分別包含不同數目的分子，通過對比來研究反應中水分子所起的潛在的催化作用。除此之外，通過300K和700K這兩種不同溫度下的結果對比，來解釋超臨界水溶解中甲酸快速解離的原因。自由能曲面和自由能壘揭示了在不同環境下甲酸的主要解離途徑。 / Solvation and chemical reactions in supercritical water are affected by a number of factors. Solvation energy, entropy, and densities are the basic thermodynamic quantities that determine the chemical equilibriums, which can be controlled by temperature and pressure. To account for these factors, static optimization leading to zero-temperature structures should be combined and compared with molecular dynamics simulation in real time. In my thesis, the solvation structures are studied in gas phase and aqueous phase, to understand the properties of solvent water and the thermal effect on the reactions. / The hydrated clusters of formaldehyde and formic acid in gas phase are explored computationally by density functional theory (DFT) with a basis set 6-311++G(d,p). Investigation on the structures and energies of hydrated HCHO, HCOO⁻ and HCOOH solvated by a number of water molecules is important for understanding the hydrogen bond interactions as the number of water molecules increases. Comparisons between non-dissociated and dissociated clusters of hydrated formic acid provide valuable information on the acidic dissociation of formic acid in aqueous solution. / The solvations of formaldehyde and formic acid in aqueous solution are simulated by density functional theory based ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) method with pseudopotentials and a plane wave basis set using Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP). The pair radial distribution function is obtained to elucidate the solvation structure and the hydrogen bond interaction among solvent molecules, and between solute and solvent. The hydration number indicates the weakening of the hydrogen bond with increasing temperature. The results at the temperatures above the critical point of water show that the acid dissociation of formic acid is greatly depressed which is different from the results in ambient water. / The mechanisms for the dissociations of formic acid in the gas phase and in aqueous solution are studied by Car-Parrinello (CP)-based metadynamics (MTD) method, implemented in the Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics (CPMD) program. The two main dissociations channels of dehydration and dehydrogenation, including zero, one, two and bulk water molecules, respectively, are simulated with a biased external potential to examine the potential catalytic role of water. In addition, the thermal effects at two different temperatures are included to account for the rapid dissociation of formic acid in supercritical water. The free energy surfaces are reconstructed and the barriers are calculated to show the main dissociation pathway of formic acid in different environments. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Chen, Qiubo. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-194). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / TITLE PAGE --- p.i / ABSTRCACT (ENGLISH) --- p.ii / (CHINESE) --- p.v / AKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.viii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.xiv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xxiv / Chapter Chapter ONE --- Background / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction of green chemistry --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Green chemistry --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Supercritical fluid (SCF) and supercritical water (SCW) --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Formaldehyde and formic acid in supercritical water --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Formaldehyde --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Formic acid --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3 --- Scope of this thesis --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter TWO --- Theories and Calculation Methods / Chapter 2.1 --- General background --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Schrödinger equation --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Born-Oppenheimer approximation --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2 --- Hartree-Fock (HF) approximation and post-Hartree-Fock (post-HF) approximation --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3 --- Density functional theory (DFT) --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Kohn-Sham (KS) scheme --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Local density approximation (LDA) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Generalized gradient approximation (GGA) --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Hybrid functionals --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4 --- Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Molecular dynamics --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Ab initio molecular dynamics --- p.36 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Plane waves --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Pseudopotentials (PP) --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Periodic boundary condition (PBC) --- p.48 / Chapter 2.5 --- Metadynamics (MTD) method --- p.48 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- The Algorithm --- p.49 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Lagrangian metadynamics and the choice of V(t,s) --- p.52 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- The choice of CVs --- p.53 / Chapter Chapter THREE --- Structures of the Hydrated Clusters of Formaldehyde and Formic Acid / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2 --- Computational details --- p.56 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and discussions --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Studies of HCHO(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~4 --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- The structures of HCHO(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~4 --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- The energies of HCHO(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~4 --- p.63 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Studies of HCHO⁻(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~6 --- p.65 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- The structures of HCHO⁻(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~4 --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- The energies of HCHO⁻(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0~4 --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Studies of HCOO⁻(H2O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 5 and 6 --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Studies of HCOOH⁻(H2O)[subscript n] and HCOO⁻(H₃O)⁺(H₂O)[subscript n-1] clusters --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Results of cis-HCOOH(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters and trans-HCOOH(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n = 0 ~ 4 --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Results of trans-HCOOH(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters, n > 4 --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Comparisons of non-dissociated trans-HCOOH(H₂O)[subscript n] clusters with dissociated ion pair HCOO⁻(H₃O)⁺(H₂O)[subscript n-1] clusters --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.87 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- Ab initio Molecular Dynamics Studies on the Solvations of Formaldehyde HCHO and Formic Acid HCOOH in Water Solution at Different Temperatures / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.90 / Chapter 4.2 --- Computational details --- p.93 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and discussions --- p.94 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- The solvation of water solution --- p.94 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- The solvation of pure water solution at T = 300 K, 600 K, 700 K and 2000 K --- p.95 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- The solvation of proton H⁺ in water solution at T = 300 K and 700 K --- p.101 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- The solvation of formaldehyde HCHO in water solution at T = 300 K, 500 K, 700 K and 900 K --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- The solvation of formate ion HCOO⁻ in water solution at T = 300 K, 500 K, 700 K and 900 K --- p.109 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- The solvation of formic acid HCOOH in water solution at T = 300 K, 500 K, 700 K and 900 K --- p.117 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.125 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- The Reactions of Formic Acid HCOOH: Insights from Car-Parrinello Based Metadynamics (MTD) Method / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.128 / Chapter 5.2 --- Computational details --- p.130 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results and Discussions --- p.132 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The intrinsic rotation of a single formic acid molecule HCOOH in gas phase at T = 300 K and T = 700 K --- p.132 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- The dehydration of formic acid in gas phase at T = 300 K and T = 700 K --- p.140 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- The dehydration of a single formic acid molecule trans-HCOOH --- p.140 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- The dehydration of formic acid molecule trans-HCOOH with one water molecule --- p.147 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- The dehydration of formic acid molecule trans-HCOOH with two water molecules --- p.152 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- The dehydrogenation of formic acid in gas phase at T = 300 K and T = 700 K --- p.158 / Chapter 5.3.3.1 --- The dehydrogenation of a single formic acid molecule cis-HCOOH --- p.158 / Chapter 5.3.3.2 --- The dehydrogenation of formic acid molecule cis-HCOOH with one water molecule --- p.163 / Chapter 5.3.3.3 --- The dehydrogenation of formic acid molecule cis-HCOOH with two water molecule --- p.167 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- The dissociations of formic acid in water solution at T = 300 K and T = 700 K --- p.171 / Chapter 5.3.4.1 --- The acid dissociation of formic acid in water solution --- p.173 / Chapter 5.3.4.2 --- The dehydration of formic acid in water solution --- p.175 / Chapter 5.3.4.3 --- The dehydrogenation of formic acid in water solution --- p.178 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.181 / References --- p.185