A sensor based on incorporating Ni2+ into ZnO nanoparticles-multi wall carbon nanotubes-poly methyl metacrylat nanocomposite film modified carbon paste electrode for determination of carbohydrates

The ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were synthesized with gelatin as stabilizer via the sol-gel method and were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). An electrochemical sensor based on ZnO nanoparticles-multi wall carbon nanotubes-poly methyl metacrylat (ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA) composite film was developed by incorporating Ni²⁺ into the ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA film modified carbon paste electrode (Ni²⁺/ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA/CPE). The electrochemical activity of Ni²⁺/ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA/CPE was illustrated in 0.10 M NaOH using cyclic voltammetry. The Ni²⁺/ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA/CPE exhibits the characteristic of improved reversibility and enhanced current responses of the Ni(III)/Ni(II) couple. Ni²⁺/ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA/CPE also show good electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of carbohydrates (glucose, fructose and sorbitol). The Ni²⁺/ZnONPs-MWCNT-PMMA/CPE gives a good linear range with a detection limit of 8, 6, and 9 μM towards the determination of glucose, fructose and sorbitol, respectively by amperometry. Furthermore, the modified sensor was successfully applied to the sensitive determination of carbohydrates in real samples.     

Carbon nanotubes induced poly(vinylidene fluoride) crystallization from a miscible poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blend

Different contents of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced into a miscible poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend. The interfacial affinity between CNTs and components of the blend was evaluated by calculating the interfacial tension. The dispersion and microstructure of CNTs in the nanocomposites were investigated through scanning electron microscope and rheological measurement. The effect of CNTs on the crystallization of PVDF was comparatively investigated through nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization processes. The results showed that CNTs exhibited stronger interfacial affinity to PMMA. Homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in the nanocomposites was achieved. Largely enhanced crystallization temperature and increased crystallinity of PVDF were obtained by adding CNTs during the nonisothermal crystallization process. The results obtained from the isothermal crystallization process proved that CNTs induced the concentration fluctuation in the sample, which resulted in the formation of spherulites with different types, i.e., the banded spherulites and compact spherulites. Furthermore, both the crystallization temperature and the content of CNTs exhibited great influence on the crystalline morphology of PVDF.     

Ion beam irradiation of ZnS dispersed in PMMA and its photocatalytic application

ZnS nanoparticles implanted with 45 keV O⁵⁺ ion beam exhibited 83.6 % degradation of methyl blue in 2 h. This idea was utilized to fabricate nanocomposite system of ZnS and PMMA where ZnS nanoparticles were immobilized in PMMA film and irradiated with 45 keV O⁵⁺ ion beam at particle fluence of 2.5 × 10¹⁵, 1 × 10¹⁶ and 4 × 10¹⁶ particles/cm². These irradiated batches of ZnS nanoparticle immobilized in PMMA batches revealed formation of porous structure characterized by scanning electron microscopy and these batches exhibited 54 % photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue in 80 min which was higher as compared to the pristine ZnS nanoparticles.     

Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of Azo-functionalized carbon nanotubes: a grafting from approach

After oxidation of carbon nanotubes (CNT), its carboxyl groups were subsequently converted to acyl chloride and hydroxyl functionalities. Subsequently, 4,4′-azobis (4-cyanopentanoic acid) (ACPA) was attached to the hydroxyl groups of nanotubes by an esterification reaction to yield azo initiator-anchored nanotubes (CNTAzo). Then, grafting from reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of CNTAzo in different weight percents was carried out. Appearance of N_1s band in the spectrum of CNTAzo originates from the covalent attachment of ACPA on CNT. Successful functionalization of CNT with EG, ACPA, and PMMA was also proved by FTIR. SEC results show that molecular weight and PDI values of the attached chains are higher. XRD and Raman spectroscopy were used to study the structural characteristics of the CNTs. Graft density of modifier and PMMA in various CNTs was evaluated by TGA. Finally, morphology of the CNTs was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopies.     

Miscibility and crystallization behaviors of stereocomplex-type poly(l- and d-lactide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Stereocomplex-poly(l- and d-lactide) (sc-PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends were prepared by solution blending at PMMA loadings from 20 to 80 mass%. The miscibility and crystallization behaviors of the blends have been studied in detail by differential scanning calorimeter. The single-glass transition temperatures (T _g) of the blends demonstrated that the obtained system was miscible in the amorphous state. It was observed that the crystallization peak temperature of sc-PLA/PMMA blends was marginally lower than that of neat sc-PLA at various cooling rates, indicating the dilution effect of PMMA on the sc-PLA component to restrain the overall crystallization process. In the study of isothermal crystallization kinetics, the reciprocal value of crystallization peak time ( \( t_{\text{p}}^{ - 1} \) ) decreased with increasing PMMA content, indicating that the addition of non-crystalline PMMA inhibited the isothermal crystallization of sc-PLA at an identical crystallization temperature (T _c). Moreover, the negative value of Flory–Huggins interaction parameter (χ ₁₂ = ?0.16) of the blend further indicated that sc-PLA and PMMA formed miscible blends.     

Facile formation of stimuli-responsive,fluorescent and magnetic nanoparticles based on cellulose stearoyl ester via nanoprecipitation

In comparison to stimuli-responsive, multi-functional nanoparticles (NPs) from synthetic polymers, such NPs based on sustainable, naturally occurring polysaccharides are still scarce. In the present study, stable stimuli-responsive, fluorescent and magnetic NPs were fabricated using cellulose stearoyl esters (CSEs) consisting of cellulose and stearoyl groups. The multifunctional NPs with the average diameters between 80 and 250 nm were obtained after facile nanoprecipitation using CSE solutions containing Fe₃O₄-NPs. Using the aqueous solution of fluorescent rhodamine B as precipitant, NPs with rhodamine B on NP surface were obtained. Rhodamine B could be released depending on the temperature. In comparison, stearoylaminoethyl rhodamine B can be encapsulated in CSE-NPs, which renders obtained NPs reversible fluorescence in response to UV illumination and heat treatment.     

Impact of PS/SiO2 morphologies on the SERS activity of PS/SiO2/Ag nanocomposite particles

To understand the relationship between the morphology of carboxyl-functionalized polystyrene/silica (PS/SiO₂) nanocomposite microspheres and the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance of PS/SiO₂/Ag nanocomposite particles, core-shell and raspberry-like PS/SiO₂ composite microspheres were used as templates to prepare PS/SiO₂/Ag nanocomposite particles. The core-shell and raspberry-like structured PS/SiO₂ templates were prepared via in situ sol-gel reaction by hydrolysis tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in alkali solution. Silver nanoparticles (10–50 nm) were loaded on the PS/SiO₂ templates’ surface by chemical reduction. The morphology and structure of the PS/SiO₂/Ag particles were characterized by TEM, SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Rhodamine 6G (R6G) was selected as a model chemical to study the enhancement performance of substrate constructed by PS/SiO₂/Ag nanocomposite. Results indicated that the PS/SiO₂/Ag nanocomposite prepared based on the core-shell templates showed higher SERS activity. The beneficial effect was associated with a lower specific area of core-shell structure and the larger average diameter of nanosilvers than that of the raspberry-like templates.     

Heat of reaction and curing of epoxy resin

The heat of reaction and kinetics of curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) type of epoxy resin with catalytic amounts of ethylmethylimidazole (EMI) have been studied by differential power-compensated calorimetry as a part of the program for the study of process monitoring for composite materials. The results were compared with those from 1∶1 and 1∶2 molar mixtures of DGEBA and EMI. A method of determination of heat of reaction from dynamic thermoanalytical instruments was given according to basic thermodynamic principles. The complicated mechanism, possibly involving initial ionic formation, has also been observed in other measurements, such as by time-domain dielectric spectroscopy. The behavior of commercially available DGEBA resin versus purified monomeric DGEBA were compared. The melting point of purified monomeric DGEBA crystals is 41.4 °C with a heat of fusion of 81 J/g. The melt of DGEBA is difficult to crystallize upon cooling. The glass transition of purified DGEBA monomer occurs around ?22 °C with aΔC _p of 0.60 J/K/g.     

PMMA films refractive index modulation via TiO2 nanoparticle inclusions and corona poling

The present study is focused on the characterization of optical properties of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films and the possibilities of modulation and fine tuning of their refractive index by the inclusion of different concentrations of nano-sized titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles (less than 33 nm) and corona poling. The samples are prepared by the “spin coating” method and they are charged in a conventional point-to-plain corona system. The transparent PMMA/TiO₂ films exhibit good optical properties in the visible range. An investigation of the film’s surface refractive index by two wavelengths laser refractometry utilizing the disappearing diffraction pattern method is carried out. The refractive index increases with increasing the TiO₂ content in the nanocomposite films. The corona poling increases the refractive index values for all samples regardless of the polarity and concentration of TiO₂ nanoparticles. The results show that the prepared nanocomposite films have a potential application for optical devices.     

Structural and thermal properties of HDPE/n-AlN polymer nanocomposites

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) containing various volume fractions (0–20 vol%) of aluminum nitride nanoparticles (n-AlN) is prepared by melt mixing. Structural and morphological characterizations of the prepared composites are carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermal stability and degradation kinetics of HDPE/AlN (nano) composites are investigated by Thermogravimetric analysis (TG). HR-TEM micrographs confirm fairly uniform dispersion of AlN nanoparticles, as well as the existence of long interconnected chain-like aggregates. AFM images also confirm homogeneous dispersion of n-AlN in the polymer matrix. Roughness analysis from the AFM data indicates the presence of substantial undulation from the mean surface level. Thermogravimetric data indicate small improvement in the thermal stability of the composites. Kinetic parameters, viz., the activation energy (E _a), frequency factor (A), and reaction order (n) are estimated using the isoconversional methods of Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), KAS, and Friedman. Activation energies (E _a) calculated by the above four models display nearly similar features and are enhanced by the presence of AlN nanoparticles. Kinetics of degradation of HDPE-AlN (nano) composites follows a first-order reaction.     

SDS 800 — The new data system for quantitative depth profiling of inhomogeneous samples by SIMS

More than 13 years of SIMS application field experience of numerous users of the ATOMIKA Ionmicroprobes have been the basis for the new SIMS Data System SDS 800. The hardware and software concept of the SDS 800, therefore, pays special attention to the following requirements:

1. Convenient set-up, modification and re-use of the measuring parameter sets for easy, time-saving operation.
2. Individual parameter selection from the very broad range of SIMS measuring parameters for optimum SIMS data quality.
3. Multitasking operation for simultaneous handling of SIMS measurement, data processing, data output and of auxiliary techniques.
4. Simultaneous depth profile/ion image acquisition and processing to enhance data quality and to validate data interpretation.
5. User-friendly data processing and output.

     

The role of octanol in the extraction of hydrochloric acid by trilaurylamine dissolved in benzene

The extraction of hydrochloric acid by trilaurylamine (TLA) dissolved in benzene was studied in the presence and in absence of n-octanol. The extraction of HCl was found to be enhanced by the addition of octanoi to the organic phase. In order to explain this effect by means of the law of mass action, the systems TLA-HCL-benzene and n-octanol-HCl-benzene as well as TLA-octanol-benzene were also studied. It was found that TLA reacts with octanol to form a complex, TLAROH, while the octanol itself associates in benzene to form dimers and tetramers, although it does not extract HCl alone from the dilute solutions used in the present study. The enhancement of the extraction of HCl by TLA upon the addition of n-octanol could be described by the formation of the species TLA·ROH·HCl and its stability constant was determined.     

Polyoxotungstate nanoclusters supported on silica as an efficient solid-phase microextraction fiber of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

A highly porous silica-supported tungstophosphoric acid (PW) nanocluster was prepared for use in solid-phase microextraction (SPME) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The PWs represent a class of discrete transition metal-oxide nanoclusters and their structures resemble discrete fragments of metal-oxide structures of definite size and shape. Transition metal-oxide nanoclusters display large structural diversity, and their monodisperse sizes can be tuned from several Ångstroms up to 10 nm. The highly porous silica-supported tungstophosphoric acid nanocluster material is found to be capable of efficiently extracting PAHs from aqueous sample solutions. The nanomaterial was immobilized on a stainless steel wire for fabrication of the SPME fiber. Following thermal desorption, the PAHs were quantified by GC-MS. Analytical merits include limits of detection that range from 0.02 to 0.1 pg mL^?1 and a dynamic range as wide as from 0.001 to 100 ng mL^?1. Under optimum conditions, the repeatability for one fiber (n?=?3), expressed as the relative standard deviation, is between 4.3 % and 8.6 %. The method is simple, rapid, and inexpensive. The thermal stability of the fiber and the high relative recovery make this method superior to conventional methods of extraction.

The highly porous silica-supported tungstophosphoric acid nanocluster material is found to be capable of efficiently extracting PAHs from aqueous sample solutions. The prepared nanomaterial was immobilized onto a stainless steel wire for fabrication of the SPME fiber. Following thermal desorption, the PAHs were quantified by GC-MS.     

On synthesis of Fe2SiO4/SiO2 and Fe2O3/SiO2 composites through sol–gel and solid-state reactions

Major processing factors in forming Fe₂SiO₄/SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃/SiO₂ powders via sol–gel synthesis followed by solid-state reactions are investigated. The results clearly indicate that the chemical compositions of the precursors, the ratio of the precursors, the nature of the catalyst used, and the gas atmosphere during solid-state reactions can all affect the outcome of the reaction product(s). The formation of Fe₂SiO₄/SiO₂ is enhanced by using the precursor iron(III) acetylacetonate as the Fe source with the precursor ratio of iron(III) acetylacetonate to tetraethyl orthosilicate being 1:1 and the addition of formic acid. Otherwise, crystalline Fe and Fe₃C are formed in place of Fe₂SiO₄. By altering the gas atmosphere during solid-state reactions from argon to oxygen, the reaction products change from Fe₂SiO₄/SiO₂ to Fe₂O₃/SiO₂. All of the observed phenomena can be rationalized via the degree of mixing of the Fe–O and Si–O domains at the molecular level in the gel network during sol–gel reactions and the presence of a reducing or oxidizing atmosphere during the solid-state reaction.     

Graft copolymers via combination of cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization and their phase separation into spherical/worm-like nanostructures

Poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PMMA) and poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PBzMA) graft copolymers with asymmetric branches are synthesized via the combination of cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The process involves first, the preparation of poly(p-chloromethyl styrene) (PCMS-CH₂Cl) macroinitiator without any cross-linking or side reactions through pendant benzyl chloride (?CH₂Cl) functionality by cationic polymerization using a simple FeCl₃-based initiating system at 25 °C. The as-synthesized PCMS-CH₂Cl, without any transformation, is then used as the macroinitiator to graft PMMA and PBzMA branches by ATRP to produce PCMS-g-PMMA and PCMS-g-PBzMA graft copolymers of varying compositions with controlled molecular weight and moderately narrow polydispersities (M _w/M _n?≤?1.32). The resulting PCMS₂₁ -g-PMMA₂₃₂ graft copolymer in thin film form phase separates into spherical morphology with an average diameter of 170?±?72 nm. Whereas the PCMS₂₁ -g-PBzMA₁₅₆ graft copolymer gives worm-like nanostructures with an average length of 94 nm and width of 31 nm due to phase separation as visualized through atomic force microscopy. On the other hand, the phase-separated morphology is not very well-defined for other graft copolymers (PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PMMA₂₂₇ and PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PBzMA₁₅₄) thin films containing longer PCMS chains. This approach represents a rapid and convenient route to prepare unique spherical/worm-like polymer nanostructures. Figure

Well-defined poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PMMA) and poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PBzMA) graft copolymers with asymmetric branches are synthesized by the combination of living cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The resulting PCMS₂₁ -g-PMMA₂₃₂ and PCMS₂₁ -g-PBzMA₁₅₆ graft copolymers phase separate into nanostructured spherical and worm-like morphologies, respectively, in thin film form. The phase-separated morphology is not very well-defined for graft copolymers (PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PMMA₂₂₇ and PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PBzMA₁₅₄) thin films containing longer PCMS chains.     

Angular dependent post-collision interaction in auger processes

We have reformulated the theory of post-collision interaction (PCI) for Auger-decay following inner-shell photoionisation in order to take the time into account with the Auger-electron need to overtake the slow electron. The energy-shift of the Auger-electron due to PCI is calculated by solving in a reasonable approximation the classical equation of motion for the Auger electron. In contrast to the theory of Russek and Mehlhorn we derive analytical expressions for the transition amplitude, the line shape and the line shift of the Auger-electrons. If in our model the Auger electron and the slow electron are treated uncorrelated in direction our analytical expressions agree well with the numerical results of Russek and Mehlhorn. However if we account for directional electron-electron correlations, we show that deviations from the theory of Russek and Mehlhorn are to be expected. The possibility of detecting these deviations is discussed.     

Largely enhanced molecular orientation and mechanical property of injection-molded high-density polyethylene parts via the synergistic effect of polyamide 6 in situ microfibrillar and intense shear flow

The high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/polyamide 6 (PA6) in situ microfibrillar composites (HAM-C) were fabricated by the “extrusion-hot stretch-quenching” technique, in which PA6 microfibrillar had diameters lying in the range 0.55 to 1.05 μm. Then the HAM-C and pure HDPE were processed by multi-melt multi-injection molding (MMMIM). The effect of PA6 in situ microfibrillar and secondary melt penetration on the crystalline morphologies and mechanical properties was investigated using a variety of characterization techniques including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheological experiments, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), synchrotron two-dimensional small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and tensile testing. It was found that PA6 microfibrillar not only acted as a heterogeneous nucleation agent, but also prolonged the relaxation time of HDPE matrix by suppressing the mobility of HDPE molecular chains. It was revealed, from observing the morphologies, that the presence of PA6 microfibrillar not only facilitated the formation of transcrystalline superstructures on its surface, but also induced much more oriented crystals nearby as a result of the amplified local shear field. Furthermore, SAXS results confirmed that the degree of orientation of the injection-molded HAM-C part (HAM-M) was largely enhanced. Finally, the tensile testing showed that the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the HAM-M sample were enhanced by 38.8 and 54.6 %, respectively, when compared with pure HDPE parts. This work provides a promising way to tailor the crystalline structure of the injection-molded parts.     

Isolation and purification of biopolymers by affinity chromatography. VI. Preparation and properties of an affinity adsorbent with a polysaccharide spacer for the purification of proteolytic enzymes

A new affinity sorbent has been synthesized — soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI)-amylopectin-hydrazidosuccinyl-Sepharose — and its properties have been studied in comparison with those of an analogous adsorbent without the spacer STI-Sepharose. The STI-amylopectin-hydrazidosuccinyl-Sepharose adsorbent has been used for the purification of trypsin from porcine pancreas and of callicrein from human blood plasma.     

Fluorescent protein-based FRET sensor for intracellular monitoring of redox status in bacteria at single cell level

Monitoring of intracellular redox status in a bacterial cell provides vital information about the physiological status of the cell, which can be exploited in several applications such as metabolic engineering and computational modeling. Fluorescent protein-based genetically encoded sensors can be used to monitor intracellular oxidation/reduction status. This study reports the development of a redox sensor for intracellular measurements using fluorescent protein pairs and the phenomenon of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). For the development of the sensor, fluorescent proteins Citrine and Cerulean were genetically modified to carry reactive cysteine residues on the protein surface close to the chromophore and a constructed FRET pair was fused using a biotinylation domain as a linker. In oxidized state, the FRET pairs are in close proximity by labile disulfide bond formation resulting in higher FRET efficiency. In reducing environment, the FRET is diminished due to the increased distance between FRET pairs providing large dynamic measurement range to the sensor. Intracellular studies in Escherichia coli mutants revealed the capability of the sensor in detecting real-time redox variations at single cell level. The results were validated by intensity based and time resolved measurements. The functional immobilization of the fluorescent protein-based FRET sensor at solid surfaces for in vitro applications was also demonstrated. Graphical Abstract

Schematic representation of FRET-based redox sensor