**6. Methods for testing the applications of chalcogen materials**

Most of organic and inorganic compound or ions adsorb radiation in the ultraviolet and visible region (UV-Vis) (180–750 nm). Part of chalcogen materials also produces electronic spectra that show shape of molecules or crystal as a result of the frequency absorption bands from ligands, especially for the bands near the visible region as expected [60, 61]. Furthermore, the electronic transition in *d-*orbitals also provides strong evidence for complex compounds containing transition metals. Examples of similar complex metal chalcogenides follow the same principles for different shapes of molecules, together with analysis of magnetic susceptibility, which suggests the shape of environment of the central metal ions with the presence

One other important analytical method for both characterization as well as application of chalcogen materials is electrochemistry [74]. The role of electrochemistry in synthesis, development, as well as characterization, up to applications, is obvious. This method is based on electron transfer in chemical reactions, in which metals have the most possible elements for electron storage systems. In photo-electrochemical systems, in which electron from the reac-

Characterization of magnetic properties is also important in the study of chalcogen materials. Before, vibrating sample magnetometer was used to get information about the magnetization of samples when vibrated in a uniform magnetizing field. Magnetization is therefore induced, the product of magnetic susceptibility and the applied magnetic field provide chemical information of the materials. The specific techniques include: magnetic separation, magnetic spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility measurement, magneto-relaxometry, magnetic particle spectroscopy, and rotating magnetic field. Some magnetic properties can be changed due to

Dynamics in chalcogen materials is also trending in the field since it is crucial to describe the desired properties of the materials. In addition, the dynamics of materials are now core in understanding conductivity and diffusivity of the materials [76]. Materials with ion dynamics of different substructures enable phonon scattering process in their solid state. Actually, NMR relaxation and diffusion experiments are powerful tools used to describe molecular mobility, no matter what the nuclei probe is [77, 78]. The same method can be applied to characterize

Since computer is involved in most of the modern chemical analysis, the chalcogen bonds in protein are one example in this field [79]. The computational analysis needs some unfamiliar tools and methods; however, it provides a lot of information about how molecules bind together naturally. Sulfur, selenium and tellurium are the probes of energetically favorable trends in the synthesis of chalcogen complex structures [29], following modeling by computational analysis. In addition, while there are more types of interaction occurring together in the biomolecules, which one cannot resolve them one by one, nonionic and noncovalent bonds are usually resolved by computational calculation. The intramolecular forces between sulfur and oxygen was also reported as the chalcogen bonds which is responsible for many bond formations in bigger molecules [52] is often being modeled by

tion is to be stored as energy or used for the next reaction.

chalcogen substitution to metal iron complexed compounds [55, 75].

chalcogen materials as well as metal chalcogenides.

means of computation.

of chalcogen ligands.

16 Chalcogen Chemistry

The method of applications will depend on the field of applications. The difficult part of it is to find a probe or indicator for the desired properties needed to be performed by the materials. This includes more analytical chemistry, with biological capacity or computer calculations. Suitable characterization is also essential to correlate the application and the properties of the materials.

Application of many types of chalcogen materials for environmental purposes employs infrared sensing for chalcogenides fibers [72] and also extended to other signal in infrared region can be utilized for environmental sensors. The manufacturing and testing of optical fiber sensors made from transparent chalcogen compounds for environmental can also be an alternative device for use in infrared spectroscopy [80].

For agricultural or medicinal application, bioassay is mostly used. New materials for antimicrobial properties are tested using qualitative or quantitative microbial assay [60, 61], in which pathogenic microbials were used to test the biological potentials of the compounds synthesized, as seen from disc diffusion method. The cultured microorganism in petri dishes would give clear inhibition zones around a spot of medium impregnated with stock solution of the synthesized complexes during incubation under certain conditions. Potential antibacterial activity can be further traced quantitatively. Usually, several methods are used together for the specific area of applications. Moreover, many methods can be compared one to other



**7. More accounts on development of chemistry now and for the** 

It is clear that there is an increasing demand for modern materials for various industry applications [67]. Therefore, modern analysis is needed to ensure that the synthesis of these newly made materials complies with quality attributes and satisfy their purposes. With the emergence of new devices, information technology and materials for big data handling, demand in the field of health and the pharmaceutical sector, as well as materials for application in science and the environment, are all factors bound to accelerate research to produce more types of new materials. At this point in time, chemistry is the key in technological and engineering developments, as everything can be manipulated from molecular [87] to structural levels. Chemistry education has the perspective of chemistry contextualization to socio-scientific orientation [88]. Awareness of chemistry concepts and also biochemistry is crucial in chemistry teaching, since the chemistry content alone is not enough to shape up the scientific attitude. When technology reigns, without good attitude of the chemist behind that, then the society as well as the future as a whole is in danger. So, it is clear here, that chemistry education is important for the right technology for the

Modern Analytical Chemistry Methods for Chalcogen Materials Analysis and Characterization

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77989

19

Last but not the least, material science is a new fascinating area of interest attracting more and more scientists around the world. The need of raw materials leading to earth exploration and exploitation especially in mining has shifted the natural equilibrium to some extent and in turn will move as a self-reorganization phenomenon which in the context of human and other living being is categorized as a disaster. In this case, scientist must work within the scope of ethics since any changes from structural level, from chemistry level can develop up to environmental level. The idea of green chemistry has been developed due to new awareness of imbalancing nature by human activity. Chemistry education has to be more "eco-reflexive"

One of the main problems analytical chemist has to face is the lack of compositional and structural information concerning chalcogens and related chemical compounds and materials. The development of efficient procedures for the synthesis, extraction, and characterization or structural determination of this class of compounds is bottleneck of each analysis, for both characterization as well as optimization and applications. Thus, the analytical protocol for such analysis usually performed with the use of a wide range of techniques, both single and hyphenated, should be designed on the basis of the need to provide required knowledge about translocation of the metal and character of its interactions with examined chalcogen materials or compounds toward establishing goal oriented method. Method development as well as validation is, therefore, crucial in shaping future technology development and application of chalcogen and chalcogenides. Analytical chemistry premised on new ideas out of human creativity is set to shape future technology

[89] and technology must develop the environment with responsibility.

**future**

benefit of mankind.

**8. Conclusion**

for chalcogen materials.

**Table 1.** Chalcogen (including oxygen) materials analysis using available analytical techniques.

since some treatments are meant to be complementary to others. Method validation between more than one approach would be important. **Table 1** presents some available analytical methods for characterization and testing the applications.

In modern information technology, new challenges come from big data handling too. Most recent development in the handling of chemistry data, qualitative and quantitative can provide more information about the materials. Chemometrics has also become an important analytical chemistry tool in many disciplines including chemistry and other applied chemistry fields (e.g., biochemistry and bioinorganic chemistry). The data analysis gives trends, and this hypothetical analysis creates continuity in the investigation. Thus, the challenges of analytical chemistry are real, yet exalting!
