Succinite, Baltic Amber:A Chemical Masterpiece of Nature

Succinite,Baltic amber,is one of the most appreciated fossil resins.Its beauty has fascinated people since prehistoric times.It is a substance,and also gemstone,whose uniqueness is due to its compelling,though still not fully understood,physicochemical nature.In this article,some facts about the physical and chemical properties of succinite in order to find an answer for questions about the unique properties of this resin,such as color,transparency,texture etc.,are discussed.These properties are among the factors that determine the choice of Baltic amber as a gemstone.Commonly known properties of succinite,but also some less obvious features,have been linked to the organic and inorganic chemical composition and structural factors,including the sophisticated supramolecular structure masterfully created by nature.Changes of the properties of succinite used as a jewelry stone are discussed as a reflection of changes in its physicochemical nature.In this light,some methods that can be used to identify succinite(i.e.,infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy)and their relevance to the classification of fossil resins are briefly discussed.This article highlights an important point:only by understanding the chemical and physical nature of the material we able to identify,modify and effectively use the goods that have been given to us by mother nature.

Fabrication and Significant Photoelectrochemical Activity of Titania Nanotubes Modified with Thin Indium Tin Oxide Film

Ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes （TiOaNTs） modified with indium tin oxide （ITO） films were obtained via magnetron sputtering, in which ITO plate was used as a target, onto the as-anodized titania support followed by the calcination process. The morphology of fabricated material with deposited oxide was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopies were utilized to characterize crystalline phase and optical properties of prepared samples, whereas X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy allowed determining the binding energy of present elements. In the case of titanium, three various oxidation states were identified and also the presence of indium and tin was confirmed. The electrochemical test carried out when the sample was exposed to light allows for selection of the most photoactive material. The highest photocurrent was registered when only 5-nm ITO layer was sputtered, and it equals 256 and 133 μA cm^-2 for the electrode material immersed in 0.5 M KOH and K2SO4 electrolytes, respectively, that is accordingly 3.5 and 4.4 times higher than the one observed for pristine titania. Furthermore, ITO-modified titania exhibits excellent photostability upon prolonged illumination that is of key importance for possible application in light-driven processes.