Effect of Cr(III) passivation layer on surface modifications of zinc-nickel coatings in chloride solutions

Surface chemical and morphological modifications of as-plated and Cr(III)-passivated monophasic zinc-nickel coatings induced by corrosion in chloride solutions are demonstrated. The passivated samples showed slower anodic dissolution, less significant de-alloying, smaller surface dezincification and lower coating cracking, as demonstrated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) of the surface and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy solution analysis. Surface characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDS indicated simonkolleite as the main corrosion product for both, as-plated and Cr(III)-passivated coatings. In contrast, only for as-plated coating, which experienced higher cracking, new Ni containing phases (metallic Ni and NiO) were evidenced. The phase transition via selective dissolution of zinc is supposed to increase the concentration of the structural defects and could explain cracking in the non-passivated Zn-Ni coating.

     

Buckling and postcritical behaviour of the elastic infinite plate strip resting on linear elastic foundation

In this paper the von Kármán model for thin, elastic, infinite plate strip resting on a linear elastic foundation of Winkler type is studied. The infinite plate strip is simply-supported and subjected to evenly distributed compressive loads. The critical values of bifurcation parameters and buckling modes for given frequency of longitudinal waves are found on the basis of investigation of linearized problem. The mathematical nonlinear model is reduced to operator equation with Fredholm type operator of index 0 depending on parameters defined in corresponding Hölder spaces. The Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction and the Crandall-Rabinowitz bifurcation theorem (gradient case) are used to examine the postcritical behaviour of the plate. It is proved that there exists maximal frequency of longitudinal waves depending on the compressive load and the stiffness modulus of foundation.     

Determination of Fe(II)-Fe(III) and Fe(III)-Ni(II) by the two-component potentiometric complexometric titration

Summary The two-component complexometric potentiometric titration has been applied to the simultaneous determination of Fe(III) and Fe(II), and of Fe(III) and Ni(II) in solution. In each case the two analytes were determined by reading the end-points directly from the titration curve. The end-points are determined in a sense arbitrarily, but they are repeatable and easy to be detected precisely. However, the apparent (found) analytical results are biased. They are effectively corrected with the use of a set of two calibration equations (uncomplete second degree polynomials), which approximate the relationship between found endpoints and true concentrations of analytes in solution. The regression coefficients in the equations are determined on the basis of titration data obtained for standard solutions whose compositions correspond to a 2² factorial. Permanent address: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow     

Recent progress in biodegradable polymers and nanocomposite-based packaging materials for sustainable environment

Plastic-based materials are frequently used in packaging and can be seen universally in both the developed and developing societies. At present, most of the currently used food packaging materials are nondegradable and are creating serious environmental problems. New technologies are being explored and developed to study the complex interaction between the food packaging materials and food. For example, nanocomposite of cellulose constitutes environmentally friendly packaging, which is easily recycled by combustion and requires low power consumption in production. There are several such biodegradable materials which are available at a low price, have good mechanical properties and allow disposal in the soil. This is advantageous because biological degradation produces only carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic compounds to name a few. It has also been discovered that biodegradable plastics made of such materials can be disposed of together with organic waste. The widespread use of biopolymers in the place of standard plastics would help to reduce the weight of waste. Therefore, biodegradable materials take part in the natural cycle “from nature to nature” and play an important role for environmental sustainability. So, in this article, we briefly summarize the different characteristic of biodegradable polymers being used in food packaging applications.     

Effect of metal ionic radius and chelate ring alternation motif on stabilization of trivalent nickel and copper in binuclear complexes with double cis-oximato bridges

Oxime ligands are able to form stable binuclear species with copper(II) ions in aqueous solution. They also have a strong tendency to decrease the Mn+/(n-1)+ redox potentials of the central ions. Ligands possessing the hydroxyimino groups together with other powerful sigma-donor groups can be very efficient chelating agents able to facilitate the stabilisation of high oxidation states of 3d-metals. Here we report the synthesis, structural characterization and redox behaviour of mononuclear and binuclear complexes based on hydroxyiminoamide tetradentate open-chain ligands. In all mononuclear anionic complexes the central atom is situated in a square-planar surrounding of four nitrogen atoms. This pseudo-macrocyclic conformation is due to the presence of short intramolecular hydrogen bonds uniting the cis-oximate oxygen atoms. The square-planar surrounding of the strong sigma-donors facilitates efficient stabilization of the trivalent state of copper and nickel ions. In cyclic voltammetry studies the quasi-reversible processes M2+-->M3+ can be observed. In the binuclear complexes the coordinatively saturated octahedral ion M[prime or minute] is bound to the two oxygen atoms of the bridging oximate groups and the four nitrogen atoms of the tetradentate ligand tren. Two metal ions (M and M') are linked by the double cis-oximate bridge and are incorporated in a six-membered bimetallic chelate ring. Metallamacrocycle formation leads to certain changes in the structural parameters of the binuclear complexes as compared to those observed in the mononuclear species. Also the study of the electrochemical activity of binuclear complexes has shown important differences in their redox behaviour as compared to their mononuclear precursors.     

Synthesis of Aryl(hetero)methylene-1,3-indandione Based Molecular Glasses

Summary. Novel glass-forming 2-(1-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-6-ylmethylene)-1,3-indandione derivatives were synthesized and their thermal properties were studied. The results of a preliminary investigation of the photoelectric properties of amorphous films of the title compounds are briefly reported. The ionization potential of these molecular glasses is ca. 5.6 eV and the hole drift mobility exceeds 10⁻⁸ cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at strong electric fields.     

Determination of cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime in cerebrospinal fluid by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A microfluidic analytical system for the separation and detection of organic peroxides, based on a microchip capillary electrophoresis device with an integrated amperometric detector, was developed. The new microsystem relies on the reductive detection of both organic acid peroxides and hydroperoxides at -700 mV (vs. Ag wire/AgCl). Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. The integrated microsystem offers rapid measurements (within 130 s) of these organic-peroxide compounds, down to micromolar levels. A highly stable response for repetitive injections (RSD 0.35-3.12%; n = 12) reflects the negligible electrode passivation. Such a "lab-on-a-chip" device should be attractive for on-site analysis of organic peroxides, as desired for environmental screening and industrial monitoring.