Direct introduction of amine groups into cellulosic paper for covalent immobilization of tyrosinase: support characterization and enzyme properties

Tyrosinase is used to eliminate phenolic compounds from wastewater. Therefore, its immobilization is important to enhance catalytic efficiency. Papery materials are of particular interest for use as support for enzyme immobilization since the porous microstructure of fiber networks in papers can provide a suitable reaction environment, especially in flow-type catalytic reactions. However, immobilization of protein onto papery structure needs chemical modifications in severe conditions. To overcome this challenge, a cellulosic paper was directly amine-functionalized in moderate conditions and used for tyrosinase immobilization. The support was pretreated with HCl (0.5 N) solution and then sequentially immersed in ethylenediamine (EDA), glutaraldehyde solution (2% v/v) and the crude enzyme. In comparison with the untreated one, the immobilized enzyme on the EDA-treated support offered a 3.7-fold increase in activity. The FTIR spectra as well as EDX analysis proved the presence of amine groups in the cellulosic paper and also covalent immobilization of tyrosinase on the modified support. When considering the effect of pH on the activity at 25 °C, a maximum relative activity of 134% at pH 6 was revealed. Similarly, evaluating the effect of temperature on the activity at pH 7 displayed a maximum relative activity of 152% at 35 °C. The immobilized enzyme was suitable for use for more than four cycles to degrade a phenolic compound at severe pH and temperature conditions. Additionally, the immobilized enzyme was active after treatment of the surface at different pHs and temperatures for 105 min. The chemically modified cellulosic paper can be used as a support for enzyme immobilization.     

Double/single phase segregation and vertical stratification induced by crystallization in all‐crystalline tri/diblock copolymers and homopolymer blends of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) and poly(ethylene glycol)

Distinct stratified and non‐stratified morphologies were developed in poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based homopolymer blends and diblock and triblock copolymer systems. By applying X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, only a double‐percolation mechanism including assembling of P3HT chains into the nanofibers in solution aging process with a marginal solvent like p‐xylene as well as crystallization of PEG phase in the cast thin films resulted in vertical stratification and networked fibrils. In cast thin films whose PEG phase, due to low molecular weight or being constrained between two rigid P3HT blocks in triblock copolymers was not crystallized, a non‐stratified discrete fibrillar morphology was acquired. Crystallization of PEGs in the thin films mainly participated in networking and expelling pre‐organized P3HT fibrils to the film surface. By performing the solution aging step in a good solvent such as o‐dichlorobenzene, the P3HTs remained in a coily‐like conformation, and casting the corresponding thin films reflected the non‐stratified discrete granular and featureless morphologies. Assembling the P3HT chains in the presence of PEG phase in cast films at most led to the low‐crystalline granules instead of highly crystalline nanofibrils. No significant crystallization in either homopolymer blends or block copolymer systems conduced to a featureless morphology with homogeneous distribution of existed materials. The surface morphology and ordering in various morphologies were studied employing atomic force microscopy, grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction, and ultraviolet–visible analyses. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regio- and stereo-controlled isomerization of 1,2-diaroyl-3-aryl aziridines to the corresponding N-((Z)-1-oxo-1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-2-yl) benzamide

Regio- and stereo-controlled isomerization of 1,2-diaroyl-3-aryl aziridines to the corresponding N-((Z)-1-oxo-1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-2-yl) benzamide in the presence of diethyl thiourea in room temperature is described. A plausible mechanism has been proposed. The structures of the products were confirmed by X-ray analysis.     

Preparation and electrochemical performance of graphene–Pt black nanocomposite for electrochemical methanol oxidation

This work reports the preparation, characterization, and electrocatalytic characteristics of a new metallic nanocatalyst. The catalyst, Pt black–graphene oxide (Pt-GO), was prepared by deposition of Pt black on the surface of graphene oxide nanosheet and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and voltammetry. The Pt-graphene (Pt-GR) composite modified glassy carbon electrode (Pt-GR/GCE) was prepared with cyclic voltammetric scanning of Pt-GO/GCE in the potential range from ?1.5 to 0.2 in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at 50 mV·s^?1 for 5 cycles. The electrocatalytic properties of the Pt-GR/GCE for methanol (CH₃OH) oxidation have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV); high electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-GR/GCE can be observed. This may be attributed to the high dispersion of Pt catalyst and the particular properties of GR support. The long-term stability of Pt-GR composite was investigated in 0.05 M CH₃OH in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ solution. It can be observed that the peak current decreases gradually with the successive scans. The loss may result from the consumption of methanol during the CV scan. It also may be due to the poisoning organic compounds. The results imply that the Pt-GR composite has good potential applications in fuel cells.     

A Catalyst Platform for Unique Cationic (Co)Polymerization in Aqueous Emulsion

Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (DBSNa) surfactants, with a polydisperse and hyperbranched structure, combined with different rare earth metal salts generate highly water‐dispersible Lewis acid surfactant combined catalysts (LASCs). This platform of new complexes promotes fast, efficient cationic polymerization of industrially relevant monomers in direct emulsion at moderate temperature. The process described here does not require high shearing, long polymerization time, or large catalyst content. It allows the reproducible generation of high‐molar‐mass homopolymers of pMOS, styrene, and isoprene, as well as random or multiblock copolymers of the latter two, in a simple and straightforward one‐pot reaction.     

NONLINEAR AND QUASI-LINEAR BEHAVIOR OF A CURVED CARBON NANOTUBE VIBRATING IN AN ELECTRIC FORCE FIELD; AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH

The nonlinear vibrational model of a slightly curved single-walled carbon nanotube （SWCNT） resting on a Winkler-type elastic foundation is developed using nonlocal Euler- Bernoulli elastic theory. The SWCNT is assumed to vibrate under an external harmonic electric force field and an analytical solution is proposed to obtain the nonlinear resonant frequencies. The results show good agreement with the numerical simulation and the obtained analytical frequency is com- pletely related to the curvature of the nanotube. Our model predicts that although the model is nonlinear in nature, the curved SWCNT could behave linearly in a certain amount of curvatures and this quasi-linear vibrational behavior of curved SWCNT is a function of aspect ratio, nonlocal parameter, and stiffness of the foundation.     

Numerical study of aerosol particle deposition in simple and converging-diverging micro-channels with a slip boundary condition at the wall

The design of micro-devices involving aerosol transport requires the study of the deposition of aerosols in micro-channels. In this study, the slip and no-slip boundary conditions for the gas flow regime were applied to the Navier-Stokes equations to obtain the particle deposition in simple and converging-diverging micro-channels. The equation of particle motion included inertial, viscous, Brownian, and gravity terms. It was found that the ratio of gravity to inertial effects controls the deposition of particles with diameters of 0.1-1 μm, and the ratio of diffusion to inertial effects controls the deposition of particles with diameters of 0.01-0.001 i~m. Comparison between the no-slip and slip flow regimes showed that the deposition of 0.1- to 1-μm-diameter particles was less and the deposition of 0.01- to 0.001-1μm-diameter particles was greater for the slip flow regime. There was no significant difference between slip and no-slip flow regimes for the deposition of 0.01- to 0.1-μm-diameter particles. Finally, it was shown that the stagnated gas in the corners of the converging-diverging micro-channel produced similar gas velocity profiles under the slip and no-slip flow regimes.     

Synthesis of Polyfunctional Aromatic Ring Systems (Phloroglucide Analogs) under Microwave Irradiation

An efficient and rapid synthesis of phloroglucide analogs under microwave irradiation is described. The solid‐phase condensation reaction of the 4‐halo‐2,6‐bis(hydroxymethyl)phenols 1a , b with other substituted phenols in the presence of ZnCl₂ afforded the target molecules in much higher yields than by classical solution‐phase synthesis and allowed us to prepare new phloroglucide analogs possessing sensitive functional groups difficult to access by established means.