Selective wetting in the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide aqueous solution-<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-xylene-solid system

The advancing and receding contact angles in the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide aqueous solution-p-xylene-glass system are determined. The adsorption of surfactant at the water-p-xylene interface is studied by the scintillating phase method and the assumption of the possible formation of microemulsion phase at the interface is made. Surfactant distribution over a solid surface in selective wetting is investigated by autoradiography. It is established that selective wetting differs substantiallyfrom wetting in air; possible reasons for the observed differences are discussed.     

Obtaining surface tension from contact angle data by the individual representation approach

Young equation is the fundamental equation of wetting theory in which the connection among the surface tensions, \(\gamma _{{\varphi \psi }} \) and the contact angle, θ _L, are given. The surface tension of solid surfaces, however, cannot be obtained directly from the Young equation. In this paper, the application of the individual representation theory is demonstrated for the determination of surface tensions of solids (or any phase pair) using experimentally obtained contact angle data. According to this approach, the state of the interfacial layers depends upon, by definition, the properties of the bulk phases in every heterogeneous system, and thus, it complements the traditional capillary theory.     

On the applicability of Young–Laplace equation for nanoscale liquid drops

Debates continue on the applicability of the Young–Laplace equation for droplets, vapor bubbles and gas bubbles in nanoscale. It is more meaningful to find the error range of the Young–Laplace equation in nanoscale instead of making the judgement of its applicability. To do this, for seven liquid argon drops (containing 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, or 2000 particles, respectively) at T = 78 K we determined the radius of surface of tension R_s and the corresponding surface tension γ_s by molecular dynamics simulation based on the expressions of R_s and γ_s in terms of the pressure distribution for droplets. Compared with the two-phase pressure difference directly obtained by MD simulation, the results show that the absolute values of relative error of two-phase pressure difference given by the Young–Laplace equation are between 0.0008 and 0.027, and the surface tension of the argon droplet increases with increasing radius of surface of tension, which supports that the Tolman length of Lennard-Jones droplets is positive and that Lennard-Jones vapor bubbles is negative. Besides, the logic error in the deduction of the expressions of the radius and the surface tension of surface of tension, and in terms of the pressure distribution for liquid drops in a certain literature is corrected.     

Selective wetting of heterogeneous surfaces by solutions of surfactants

Selective wetting of dimethyldichlorosilane-modified glass plates by solutions of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TDTAB), a cationic surfactant, in p-xylene has been studied. When surfactant concentrations are lower than the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the contact angles under selective wetting conditions increase with increasing hydrophobic surface fraction. When surfactant concentrations are higher than CMC, contact angles are the same on all substrates studied. The adsorption of the surfactant on hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of heterogeneous surfaces and the stability of wetting films are taken into account in interpreting the results.     

Sorption separation of Eu and As from single-component systems by Fe-modified biochar: kinetic and equilibrium study

The utilization of carbonaceous materials in separation processes of radionuclides, heavy metals and metalloids represents a burning issue in environmental and waste management. The main objective of this study was to characterize the effect of chemical modification of corncob-derived biochar by Fe-impregnations on sorption efficiency of Eu and As as a model compounds of cationic lanthanides and anionic metalloids. The biochar sample produced in slow pyrolysis process at 500 °C before (BC) and after (IBC) impregnation process was characterized by elemental, FTIR, SEM-EDX analysis to confirm the effectiveness of Fe-impregnation process. The basic physico-chemical properties showed differences in surface area and pH values of BC- and IBC-derived sorbents. Sorption processes of Eu and As by BC and IBC were characterized as a time- and initial concentration of sorbate-dependent processes. The sorption equilibrium was reached for both sorbates in 24 h of contact time. Batch equilibrium experiments revealed the increased maximum sorption capacities (Q _max) of IBC for As about more than 20 times (Q _max BC 0.11 and Q _max IBC 2.26 mg g^?1). Our study confirmed negligible effect of Fe-impregnation on sorption capacity of biochar for Eu (Q _max BC 0.89 and Q _max IBC 0.98 mg g^?1). The iron-impregnation of biochar-derived sorbents can be utilized as a valuable treatment method to produce stable and more effective sorption materials for various xenobiotics separation from liquid wastes and aqueous solutions.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of tetraacetylethylenediamine and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(2-ammoniumethyl)carbamate

Two ethylenediamine derivatives—N-(2-ammoniumethyl)carbamate HN(COO^?)CH₂CH₂N⁺H₃ (I) and tetraacetylethylenediamine (H₃CC(O))₂NCH₂CH₂N(C(O)CH₃)₂ (II) (synthesized for the first time)—have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Compounds I and II are isolated as minor admixtures upon an attempt to synthesize ethylenediamine complexes of lanthanum and neodymium nitrates, respectively. The crystals of I and II are monoclinic: a = 7.778 Å, b = 8.060 Å, c = 7.568 Å, β = 95.73°, Z = 4, space group P2₁/c (I); a = 5.946, b = 10.255, c = 9.343 Å, β = 95.72°, Z = 2, space group P2₁/c (II). The bond lengths and bond angles lie within the corresponding standard values. Compounds I and II have different conformations of the N-C-C-N ethylenediamine moiety: gauche in I and trans in II, and the corresponding torsion angles are equal to 66.6° and 180°, respectively.     

A family of four-step trigonometrically-fitted methods and its application to the schrödinger equation

In this article we present a singularly almost P-stable exponentially-fitted four-step method for the approximate solution of the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation. More specifically we present a method that is singularly almost P-stable (a concept later introduced in this article) and also integrates exactly any linear combination of the functions {1, x, exp ( ±I v x) , x exp ( ±I v x) , x ² exp ( ±I v x)}. The numerical experimentation showed that our method is considerably more efficient compared to well known methods used for the approximate solution of resonance problem of the radial Schrödinger equation.     

Reduction kinetics of glycinate complexes of palladium(II) on a dropping-mercury electrode in acid perchlorate solutions

Polarograms for the reduction of glycinate complexes of palladium(II) (5 × 10^?5 M) are obtained in equilibrium solutions of pH 0.8–3.0 with different protonated-glycine concentrations c _Hgly (supporting electrolyte, 0.5 M NaClO₄). It is established that the irreversible wave of reduction of complexes Pd(gly)₂ corresponds to the diffusion limiting current I _d ⁽²⁾ . A similar wave at pH 1.5 and c _Hgly = 0.005 M, as well as at pH 1.0 and c _Hgly = 0.05–0.5 M is preceded by the diffusion limiting current I _d ⁽¹⁾ . Values of the I _d ⁽²⁾ /I _d ⁽¹⁾ ratio are close to the ratio between equilibrium concentrations of Pd(gly)₂] and [Pdgly⁺], calculated using the step stability constant for Pd(gly)₂. This fact testifies to the reduction of complexes Pdgly⁺ in the vicinity of I _d ⁽¹⁾ and complexes Pd(gly)₂, in the vicinity of I _d ⁽²⁾ . At pH 0.8–1.2 and [H₂gly⁺] = 1 × 10^?4 to 5 × 10^?3 there is observed the diffusion-kinetic limiting current of the first wave I ₁ ⁽¹⁾ , which increases with increasing [H⁺] and decreasing [H₂gly⁺]. The nature of the slow preceding chemical stage that occurs during the reduction of complexes Pdgly⁺ is discussed.     

A nonparametric scaling equation of state for liquids

A new nonparametric scaling equation of state is suggested. The equation correctly describes the p-ρ-T data and heat capacities of liquids close to the critical vaporization points. It was obtained with the use of the S spinodal and the mixing of scaling fields as a first approximation (asymmetric and nonasymptotic terms were ignored). The new equation was used to approximate the data on ⁴He, C₂H₄, and H₂O in the critical region. The results showed that it correctly described the critical behavior of thermodynamic functions, including isochoric heat capacity, not only in the asymptotic but also over a fairly wide density region at the critical point. The suggested equation of state describes the p-ρ-T data with the same error as the Schofield parametric equation of state. The new equation, however, better reproduces the behavior of heat capacities and is much simpler to use. As distinct from the Schofield equation, the new equation, like classic equations of state, allows the spinodal to be determined from the (?p/?v) _T = 0 condition at T < T _c .     

Synthesis and structure of bis(1,2-diaminoethane) copper(II) bis(<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-hydroxybenzoate) monohydrate and <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-diaquabis(1,2-diaminoethane)copper(II) bis(<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-aminobenzoate)

X-ray structural analysis has been performed for two complex compounds: Cu(en)₂(o-HB)₂H₂O (I) (a = 16.873(4) Å, b = 8.713(2) Å, c = 14.803(3) Å, β = 91.15(2)°, V = 2175.8(8) ų, C2/c, Z = 4, R(F) = 0.0263, 1516 reflections with I > 3σ (I)) and [Cu(en)₂(OH₂)₂]²⁺(o-AB^?)₂ (II) (a = 7.488(5) Å, b = 22.122(8) Å, c = 7.856(5) Å, β = 118.77(2)°, V = 1140.7(11) ų, P2₁/n, Z = 2, R(F) = 0.0432, 1684 reflections with I > 3σ(I)) synthesized under identical conditions (en is ethylenediamine, o-HB is o-hydroxybenzoate, and o-AB is o-aminobenzoate). Although the compounds were assumed to have similar structures and the Cu-Lig bond lengths and the cis and trans angles are acceptable for an octahedral structure, the geometric parameters of o-HB suggest that the copper atom has a plane square environment.     

Structural Features of [{MoO<Subscript>2</Subscript>(L<Subscript>bi</Subscript>)}<Subscript>2</Subscript>(μ-O)] Based Oxomolybdenum(VI) Complexes with Five-Coordinate Molybdenum(VI)

Structural features of eight binuclear complexes with the general formula [{MoO₂(L _bi ⁿ )}₂(μ-O)] (I–VIII) (L_bi is a bidentate chelate ligand, n = 1–8), in which the coordination number of Mo atoms is five, are considered. The parameter τ = (A–B)/60, where A and B are the greatest bond angles among the ten bond angles at the Mo atoms in coordination pentahedra, can be used as a criterion characterizing the coordination polyhedron of the molybdenum atom in complexes I–VIII. The parameter τ is zero for an ideal square pyramid and unity for an ideal trigonal bipyramid.     

Liquid—liquid equilibria of ternary systems of 1-hexene/hexane and extraction solvents

Olefins and paraffins are important basic chemical raw materials with so similar molecular structure and volatility that their separation is a difficult and energy-consuming process. Liquid—liquid equilibrium (LLE) data were determined for ternary systems of: 1-hexene + hexane + solvent at 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C, and N-formylmorpholine (NFM), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), and 1-methylimidazole (1-MEI) as the solvents studied. Liquid—liquid equilibrium data for each system were correlated to the NRTL (Non-Random Two Liquid) equation and the interaction parameters presented. The calculated results agree well with the experimental data.     

To the theory of wetting

Young’s equation is considered as applied to describe the behavior of ideal systems in thermodynamic equilibrium with the classification of the solid bodies into bodies having low-energy and high-energy surfaces. This classification verifies the validity of categorizing real systems into wetting and nonwetting ones with the wetting boundary lying at the contact angle having a value of θ = 90° and allows the nonwetting systems to be represented by three ranges of manifestation of contact angles, namely: a nonwetting range with contact angles of θ > 106°, an equilibrium wetting range (74° < θ < 106°), and a nonequilibrium incomplete wetting range (θ < 74°).     

(Liquid + liquid) equilibria of methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methy <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl ether quaternary system at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> = 303.15 K

Tie line data of {methanol + methyl tert-butyl ether + isooctane} ternary systems were obtained at T = 303.15 K, while data for {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane} were taken from literature. The ternary system {methanol + methyl tert-butyl ether + ethylbenzene} and {methyl tert-butyl ether + ethylbenzene + isooctane} were completely miscible. A quaternary system {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methyl tert-butyl ether} was also studied at the same temperature. In order to obtain equilibium data of the quaternary system, four quaternary sectional planes with several methyl tert-butyl ether/methanol ratios were studied. The effect of the addition of methyl tert-butyl ether on the liquid-liquid equilibrium data of {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane} ternary system has been investigate at the same temperature. The distribution curves for ternary and quaternary system was analysed. For the quaternary system {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methyl tert-butyl ether}, experimental data demonstrated that the distribution coefficient of ethylbenzene between the hydrocarbon and methanol phase on a methyl tert-butyl ether–free basis slightly increases with the increase of methyl tert-butyl ether/methanol ratio. Ternary experimental results were correlated with the UNIQUAC and NRTL equation. The NRTL equation is more accurate than the UNIQUAC equation for the ternary systems studied here. The equilibrium data of three ternary systems were used for determining interactions parameters for the UNIQUAC equation. The UNIQUAC equation fitted to the experimental data appeared to be more accurate than the UNIFAC method for the same quaternary system.     

Conformational analysis of 2,4,5-trimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborinane individual stereoisomers

The study of the conformational isomerization of cis- and trans-isomers of 2,4,5-trimethyl-1,3-dioxaborinane I by means of RHF//STO-3G, 3-21G and 6-31G(d) quantumchemical methods led to the conclusion that its route includes equilibrium between sofa conformers with a different steric orientation of substituents at the C-4 and C-5 ring atoms. These conformers are interconverted through the maxima, the conformations of equatorial and axial 2,5-twist-forms. A comparison between experimental ¹H NMR and theoretical vicinal spin-spin coupling constants was used to determine the quantitative conformational composition of stereoisomers and a value of ΔG ⁰ for conformational equilibrium.     

Thermodynamics of the solubility of sulfamethoxydiazine in organic solvents in the range 293.15–323.15 K

The solubilities of sulfamethoxydiazine in methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetone, and chloroform have been determined in the range 293.15–323.15 K by a static equilibrium method. The calculated results show that the correlation of the Apelblat equation for measured systems has less deviation than that of the λh equation. The positive Δ_sol H and Δ_sol S for each system revealed that sulfamethoxydiazine being dissolved in each solvent was an entropy-driven process.     

Equilibrium contact angles of liquid droplets on ideal rough solids

This work proposes a theoretical model for predicting the apparent equilibrium contact angle of a liquid on an ideal rough surface that is homogeneous and has a negligible body force, line tension, or contact angle hysteresis between solid and liquid. The model is derived from the conservation equations and the free-energy minimization theory for the changes of state of liquid droplets. The work of adhesion is expressed as the contact angles in the wetting process of the liquid droplets. Equilibrium contact angles of liquid droplets for rough surfaces are expressed as functions of the area ratios for the solid, liquid, and surrounding gas and the roughness ratio and wetting ratio of the liquid on the solid for the partially and fully wet states. It is found that the ideal critical angle for accentuating the contact angles by the surface roughness is 48°. The present model is compared with existing experimental data and the classical Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models and agrees with most of the experimental data for various surfaces and liquids better than does the Wenzel model and accounts for trends that the Wenzel model cannot explain.     

Factors influencing the contact angle value. The contact angle,as a characteristic of the properties of solid surfaces

A survey of publications concerning the properties of solids in relation to wetting phenomena is presented. Factors influencing the contact angle value as well as problems of objective approach to research into wetting phenomena are discussed. Peculiarities of the direct and reverse processes during the formation of the solid—liquid—vapor three-phase contact and the inevitability of contact angle hysteresis for polar solids and liquids are analyzed. It is suggested that contact angle hysteresis is due to high energy of the interaction between the liquid and the solid and hence a long relaxation time of the three-phase contact system. Specific features of the response of a solid surface to all surface processes (“chemomechanics”) is discussed. Cleaning of solid surfaces as well as surface preparation for repeated measurements is considered. It is shown that good reproducibility of results is possible if conditions for sample preparation are met. The results of determination of the activation energy for wetting of glass surface with water are presented. The influence of the structure of solids (their hardness) on the contact angle values is demonstrated. Inevitability of the presence of different-type active sites characterized by different dissociation constants (pK_a) on the surface of solids is discussed. The pK_a values and content of these surface sites obtained from potentiometric titration and wetting data are estimated. The estimates thus obtained are in reasonable agreement with each other and can thus be used in practical applications. However, potentiometric titration is currently inappropriate for evaluating the content of individual surface sites as well as the surface charge.     

Effect of the activation of a graphite-epoxy composite electrode and the buffer capacity of a solution on the reversibility of the hydroquinone electrode reaction

Peak potentials and the kinetics of hydroquinone oxidation at an electrode from a graphite-epoxy composite in activated and passivated states were studied in supporting electrolytes of different buffer capacities and pH varying from 0.1 to 8.8, using methods of direct-current and cyclic voltammetry. The electrode was activated before its polarization by mechanically cutting a 0.2–4-μm surface layer directly in a test solution. The electrode was passivated by storing in air for two or more days. The behavior of hydroquinone in its oxidation at the passivated and activated electrodes was compared using diagnostic criteria for the following functions: I _a?v ^1/2, logI _a?logv, I _a/v ^1/2?v ^1/2, and I _a/c, where v is the rate of the potential sweep and c is the volumetric concentration of hydroquinone. The potential difference of anodic and cathodic peaks in cyclic voltammograms indicated the reversibility of the electrode reaction in all supporting electrolytes.     

Enzymeless determination of cholesterol using gold and silver nanoparticles as electrocatalysts

We present the results of synthesis and study of the electrocatalytic activity of gold and silver nanoparticles of different composition (individual metals, core–shell particles, nanoalloys, and particles synthesized electrochemically), immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode, with respect to cholesterol. A surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) is selected to create an aqueous–organic emulsion of cholesterol. It is demonstrated that nanoparticles with a gold core and a silver shell with the regression equation of I = 1.4 × 10^–5 c _chol + 5.8 × 10^–5 (R ² = 0.97) and silver nanoparticles synthesized electrochemically with the regression equation of I = 1.0 × 10^–5 c _chol + 3.0 × 10^–4 (R ² = 0.95) possess optimal electrocatalytic characteristics.