Critical Role of Spherulite Structure on Behavior of Stabilizers in Poly(propylene) Stabilization

Summary: We found that the spherulite structure of polypropylene (PP) significantly influences the stability of PP by affecting the behavior of stabilizers. Smaller spherulites resulted in more homogeneous dispersion of stabilizers and their slower release into air, so as to elongate the lifetime of PP. Moreover, chemically and physically weak spherulite boundaries were selectively oxidized in the presence of stabilizers. The significance to control higher order structures on the stabilization of PP is reported.     

Application of high‐resolution ESI and MALDI mass spectrometry to metabolite profiling of small interfering RNA duplex

We investigated the application of a high‐resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source and a matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometer to the metabolite profiling of a model small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplex TSR#34 and compared their functions and capabilities. TSR#34 duplex was incubated in human serum in vitro, and the duplex and its metabolites were then purified by ion exchange chromatography in order to remove the biological matrices. The fraction containing the siRNA duplex and its metabolites was collected and desalted and then subjected to high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a reversed phase column. The siRNA and its metabolites were separated into single strands by elevated chromatographic temperature and analyzed using the ESI‐Orbitrap or the MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer. Using this method, the 5' and/or 3' truncated metabolites of each strand were detected in the human serum samples. The ESI‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer enabled differentiation between two possible RNA‐based sequences, a monoisotopic molecular mass difference which was less than 2 Da, with an intrinsic mass resolving power. In‐source decay (ISD) analysis using a MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer allowed the sequencing of the RNA metabolite with characteristic fragment ions, using 2,4‐dihydroxyacetophenone (2,4‐DHAP) as a matrix. The ESI‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer provided the highest mass accuracy and the benefit of on‐line coupling with HPLC for metabolite profiling. Meanwhile, the MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer, in combination with 2,4‐DHAP, has the potential for the sequencing of RNA by ISD analysis. The combined use of these methods will be beneficial to characterize the metabolites of therapeutic siRNA compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Association Model and Its Representation of Phase Equilibria and Excess Enthalpies of Alcohol, Aniline, and Acetonitrile Mixtures

An association model is presented to describe vapor–liquid equilibria,liquid–liquid equilibria, and excess enthalpies of binary and ternary liquid solutionscontaining alcohols, aniline, and/or acetonitrile using the concepts of linearself-association of associated components and of solvation between unlike molecules.Calculated results also show that the model works well in representing thethermodynamic properties for alcohol + aniline, alcohol + acetonitrile, andalcohol + alcohol mixtures.     

Preparation of monodispersed polymer-modified colloidal silica particles of less than 50 nm diameter

The preparation of monodisperse, ultrafine polymermodified colloidal silica, 11 or 42 nm in diameter, were studied. The reaction of the colloidal silica with polymeric silane coupler in 1,2-dimethoxyethane and removal of the unreacted polymer with granular silica gel (10–20 mesh) in acetone gave a suspension of monodisperse composite particles.     

Development of an experimental database of EUV spectra from highly charged ions of medium to high Z elements in the Large Helical Device plasmas

We are developing an experimental database of extreme ultraviolet spectra from highly charged ions using optically thin high-temperature plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device. Spectra from a variety of elements with atomic numbers ranging from 36 to 83 have been systematically recorded in the range of 1–20 nm by a grazing incidence spectrometer. For higher Z elements from tin onward, discrete or quasicontinuum spectral features from n=4 (N-shell) ions are mainly observed depending upon the plasma temperature, which leads to some new experimental identifications of spectral lines. On the other hand, major emitters are n=3 (M-shell) ions for medium Z elements from krypton to ruthenium. The calculated wavelengths for Δn≠0 transitions agree well with the measurements and the calculated wavelengths are systematically shifted to shorter wavelengths for Δn=0 transitions associated with inner-subshell excited configurations.     

NIES certified reference materials for arsenic speciation

 The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) recently prepared two candidate certified reference materials (CRMs) for arsenicals to meet the growing demand for the quality assurance of arsenic speciation analysis. The NIES candidate CRM No. 14 Brown Alga was prepared from Hijiki seaweed for the certification of inorganic arsenic content, and No. 15 Scallop was prepared from adductor muscle of scallop for the certification of arsenobetaine content. The preparation of the candidate CRMs is briefly described. Cooperative analyses for total arsenic content of the candidate CRMs have been underway. The preliminary speciation analysis at NIES revealed difficulty in establishing suitable conditions for extracting arsenic species from the materials. Chromatograms of arsenic species by a high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection system are presented to provide information about arsenic species present in these candidate CRMs.     

Drying dissipative structures of Chinese black ink on a cover glass and in a dish

Macroscopic and microscopic dissipative structural patterns are formed in the course of drying a suspension of Chinese black ink on a cover glass and in a dish. The time for the drying and the pattern area increased as the particle concentration increased. The broad ring patterns of the hills accumulated with the particles formed around the outside edges on a macroscopic scale. The height and the width of the broad ring increased as the particle concentration increased. The spokelike patterns of the rims accumulated with particles were also formed on a macroscopic scale. Microscopic patterns of colloidal accumulation were observed over the whole region of the pattern area. Various types of convection cells were observed on a cover glass and in a dish at 25–80 °C. A time-resolved observation of the drying process was also made. The convections of water and the colloidal particles at different rates under gravity and the translational and rotational Brownian movement of the particles were important for the macroscopic pattern formation. Microscopic patterns were determined by the translational Brownian diffusion of the particles and the electrostatic and the hydrophobic interactions between the particles and/or between the particles and the cell wall in the course of the solidification of the particles.