Impedimetric DNA E-biosensor for multiplexed sensing of Escherichia coli and its virulent f17 strains

Microchimica Acta - This review (with 106 references) summarizes the latest progress in the synthesis, properties and biomedical applications of gold nanotubes (AuNTs). Following an introduction...     

Synthesis of poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐b‐poly(styrene sulfonate) block copolymers by controlled radical polymerizations

Block copolymers based on poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and a series of poly(aromatic sulfonate) sequences were synthesized from controlled radical polymerizations (CRPs). According to the aromatic monomers, appropriate techniques of CRP were chosen: either iodine transfer polymerization (ITP) or atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) from PVDF‐I macromolecular chain transfer agents (CTAs) or PVDF‐CCl₃ macroinitiator, respectively. These precursors were produced either by ITP of VDF with C₆F₁₃I or by radical telomerization of VDF with chloroform, respectively. Poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐b‐poly(sodium styrene sulfonate), PVDF‐b‐PSSS, block copolymers were produced from both techniques via a direct polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) monomer or an indirect way with the use of styrene sulfonate ethyl ester (SSE) as a protected monomer. Although the reaction led to block copolymers, the kinetics of ITP of SSS showed that PVDF‐I macromolecular CTAs were not totally efficient because a limitation of the CTA consumption (56%) was observed. This was probably explained by both the low activity of the CTA (that contained inefficient PVDF‐CF₂CH₂? I) and a fast propagation rate of the monomer. That behavior was also noted in the ITP of SSE. On the other hand, ATRP of SSS initiated by PVDF‐CCl₃ was more controlled up to 50% of conversion leading to PVDF‐b‐PSSS block copolymer with an average number molar mass of 6000 g·mol^?1. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

A rapid ultrasound-promoted Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction for the preparation of ferrocene derivatives. Application to ferrocene-modified ITO electrodes

The Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction of ferrocenecarboxaldehyde with various phosphonate-stabilized carbanions has been performed under ultrasound irradiation. The reaction time at ambient temperature was considerably shortened (5–15 min) compared to nonsonicated conditions requiring often refluxing for 6–24 h. Control of the reaction time can be achieved by tuning the base strength in different solvents. This method was successfully applied to the preparation of various 2-substituted vinylferrocenes. The as-prepared (E)-2-ferrocenylvinylphosphonic acid was used to modify ITO electrodes to form redox-active functionalized ITO electrodes which have been characterized by means of electrochemical techniques.     

Elliptic problem involving diffuse measure data

In this paper, we study a suitable notion of solution for which a nonlinear elliptic problem governed by a general Leray-Lions operator is well posed for any diffuse measure data. In terms of the paper (Brezis et al., 2007, [10]), we study the notion of solution for which any diffuse measure is “good measure”.     

The structural transformation of monoclinic [(R)-C5H14N2][Cu(SO4)2(H2O)4]·2H2O into orthorhombic [(R)-C5H14N2]2[Cu(H2O)6](SO4)3: crystal structures and thermal behavior

Single crystals of [(R)-C₅H₁₄N₂][Cu(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₄]·2H₂O (1) were grown through the slow evaporation of a solution containing H₂SO₄, (R)-C₅H₁₂N₂ and CuSO₄·5H₂O. These crystals spontaneously transform to [(R)-C₅H₁₄N₂]₂[Cu(H₂O)₆](SO₄)₃ (2) over the course of four days at room temperature. The same single crystal on the same mounting was used for the determination of the structure of (1) and the unit cell determination of (2). A second single crystal of the transformed batch has served for the structural determination of (2). Compound 1 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P2₁ (No. 4) and consists of trimeric [Cu(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₄]^2? anions, [(R)-C₅H₁₄N₂]²⁺ cations and occluded water molecules. Compound 2 crystallizes in P2₁2₁2 (No. 18) and contains [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺ cations, [SO₄]^2? anions and occluded water molecules. The thermal decompositions of compounds 1 and 2 were studied by thermogravimetric analyses and temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction.     

Effect of Si doping on optical and thermal properties of MOVPE GaN thin layers

Photothermal deflection spectroscopy is used to investigate thermal and optical properties of MOVPE grown GaN thin layers deposited on sapphire substrate. The effects of Si doping on absorption spectrum and gap energy are revealed. Also, doping-induced free carrier absorption is extracted from absorption in the sub-gap region. Moreover, the variations of photothermal signal versus modulation frequency are used to determine thermal properties of these films. The measured thermal conductivity is clearly decreased by Si doping, the main reason should be the phonon scattering on point defects.     

Computation of the electronic structure and direct-gap absorption spectra in Ge-rich Si<Subscript>1−x</Subscript> Ge<Subscript>x</Subscript>/Ge/Si<Subscript>1−x</Subscript>Ge<Subscript>x</Subscript> type-I quantum wells

This paper presents the results of conduction band discontinuities calculation for strained/relaxed Si_1?x Ge _x /Si_1?y Ge _y heterointerfaces in Γ _15C , Γ _2′C and L upper bands minima, as well as the room-temperature strained (vs. relaxed) band gaps deduced from the classical model-solid theory. Based upon the obtained data, we propose a type-I W-like Si_1?y Ge _y /Si_1?x Ge _x /Ge/Si_1?x Ge _x /Si_1?y Ge _y quantum wells heterostructure optimized in terms of compositions and thicknesses. Electronic states and wave functions are found by solving Schrödinger equation without and under applied bias voltage. An accurate investigation of the optical properties of this heterostructure is done by calculating the energies of the interband transitions and their oscillator strengths. Moreover, a detailed computation of the bias-voltage evolution of the absorption spectra is presented. These calculations prove the existence of type-I band alignment at Γ _2′C point in compressively strained Ge quantum wells grown on relaxed Ge-rich Si_1?y Ge _y buffers. The strong absorption coefficient (> 8 × 10³ cm^-1) and the large Stark effect (0.1 eV @ 2 V) of the Γ _2′C transitions thresholds open up perspectives for application of these heterostructures for near-infrared optical modulators.     

Determination of free-carrier and phonon-assisted absorptions for Si-doped GaSb thin layers

Photothermal deflection spectroscopy is used in order to investigate near- and sub-band gap absorption of Si-doped GaSb epilayers deposited by MBE on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The optical absorption spectra show an extra absorption on the transparency region below the bandgap due to free-carrier absorption. However, for energies above the gap, we notice a linear behavior of the square root of the absorption coefficient versus the heating beam energy, which is attributed to phonon-assisted absorption. From interpolation of the phonon absorption to low energies we have determined the free-carrier absorption that is found to follow the Drude law.     

‘ClickCarb’: modular sugar based ligands via click chemistry

Reported is a modular approach for the synthesis of a number of structurally diverse ligands derived from carbohydrates. The use of the highly functional hydroxy amino azide 1 derived from glucosamine allows the synthesis of a number of useful ligands for organic and organometallic catalyses. The key step of the approach is the Huisgen cycloaddition of the anomeric sugar azide and diverse alkynes.