Interaction between sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) investigated with forward and reverse component addition protocols employing tensiometric, conductometric, microcalorimetric, electrokinetic, and DLS techniques

The interaction between polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) after the procedure of addition of the surfactant to polymer and the reverse procedure of addition of polymer to SDS micelles has been studied by tensiometric, conductometric, and microcalorimetric methods. The results have been analyzed and correlated with reference to SDS interfacial adsorption, association, and binding to PVP. Two aggregation states of SDS in presence of PVP have been found. The enthalpies of formation of SDS aggregates/micelles and their binding to the polymer have been evaluated. The interaction of PVP with SDS at concentrations below its critical micellar concentration (CMC) and above have evidenced distinctions. The forward addition protocol (FAP, SDS addition to PVP) and reverse addition protocol (RAP, PVP addition to SDS) have shown similarities and differences. Electrokinetic measurements have evidenced the interacted (SDS–PVP) colloidal products to possess negative zeta potential in the range of −39 to −65 mV. The hydrodynamic diameters of the PVP–SDS dispersion obtained from DLS measurements have ranged between 60 and 160 nm. Both zeta potential and hydrodynamic diameter have depended on [SDS] showing a maximum for the former at twice the critical micellar concentration of SDS.     

Electrochemical and chemical polymerization of acrylamide

The electrochemical and chemical polymerization of acrylamide (AA) has been studied. The electrolysis of the monomer in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing (C₄H₉)₄NClO₄ as the supporting electrolyte leads to polymer formation in both anode and cathode compartments. The cathodic polymer dissolves in the reaction mixture and the anodic polymer precipitates during the course of polymerization. A plausible mechanism for the anodic and cathodic initiation reaction has been given. The chemical polymerization of acrylamide that has been initiated by HClO₄ is analogous to its anodic polymerization. The polymer yield increases with an increase in concentration of the monomer and HClO₄. Raising the reaction temperature also enhances the polymerization rate. The overall apparent activation energy of the polymerization was determined to be ca. 19 kcal/mole. The copolymerization of acrylamide was carried out with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in a solution of HClO₄ in DMF. The reactivity ratios are r₁ (AA) = 0.25 and r₂ = 2.50. The polymerization with HClO₄ appears to be by a free radical mechanism. When the polymerization of acrylamide is carried out with HClO₄ in H₂O, a crosslinked water-insoluble gel formation takes place.     

PROTECTION OF CHLOROPHYLL a BY CAROTENOID FROM PHOTODYNAMIC DECOMPOSITION

Abstract— The order of inhibition of the photooxidation of chlorophyll a in ethanol and ethanol-benzene is as follows: β-carotene, α-tocopherol, benzoquinone, DABCO, menadione, cholesterol and KI. The quenching of singlet oxygen by β-carotene occurs by a collisional quenching mechanism with a diffusion-controlled rate of 1.7 × 10¹⁰ M ^-1 s^-1. Photodecomposition of Chi a is faster in ethanol-D₂O than in ethanol-H₂O. Photoirradiation (660 nm) of the peridinin-Chl a -protein complex, a photosynthetic light-harvesting pigment isolated from marine dinoflagellates, did not show any photo-decomposition of its Chi a in H₂O or D₂O, even after an extended period (12 h) of irradiation. However, the carotenoid, peridinin, in the photosynthetic antenna pigment was photobleached (ca. 10%) during the irradiation. We conclude that the singlet oxygen formed as a result of the Chi photosensitization is immediately quenched by the low-lying triplet state of four peridinin molecules (per Chl a ) bound within the same protein crevice. The carotenoid thus effectively protects Chl a from photodynamic damage, providing a direct proof for the protective role of carotenoids in the photosynthetic pigment complex.     

Porous Tungsten Oxide: Recent Advances in Design,Synthesis, and Applications

Tungsten oxide (WO₃) has received ever more attention and has been highly researched over the last decade due to its being a low-cost transition metal semiconductor with tunable, yet widely stable, band gaps. This minireview briefly highlights the challenges in the design and synthesis of porous WO₃ including methods, precursors, solvent effects, crystal phases, and surface activities of the porous WO₃ base material. These topics are explored while also drawing a connection of how the morphology and crystal phase affect the band gap. The shifts in band gap not only impact the optical properties of tungsten but also allow tuning to operate on different energy levels, which makes WO₃ highly desirable in many applications such as supercapacitors, batteries, solar cells, catalysts, sensors, smart windows, and bioapplications.     

Multi-choice stochastic transportation problem involving extreme value distribution

In this paper a multi choice stochastic transportation problem is considered where the supply and demand parameters of the constraints follow extreme value distribution. Some of the cost coefficients of the objective function are multi-choice type. At first all the probabilistic constraints are transformed into deterministic constraints. Further using the binary variables, multi-choice type cost coefficients are handled. Then the transformed problem is considered as a deterministic multi-choice transportation problem. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the solution procedure.     

Studies on the Polarographic Reduction of Poly-m-xylylviologen Dibromide in Water

Polarographic studies on aqueous solutions of the redox polyelectrolyte poly-m-xylylviologen dibromide were carried out in the 1.70–7.90 pH range. The compound revealed two well-defined, diffusion-controlled cathodic waves with half-wave potentials of -0.482 and -0.906 V vs SCE. The electrode processes were found to be irreversible and independent of pH. The system did not conform to the protonation equilibrium (PXVBr₂ + H⁺?PXVBr₂H⁺) in contrast to its ortho and para isomeric compounds. A suitable mechanism for the reduction processes is suggested.     

Host–Guest Chemistry between Perylene Diimide (PDI) Derivatives and 18‐Crown‐6: Enhancement in Luminescence Quantum Yield and Electrical Conductivity

Perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives exhibit a high propensity for aggregation, which causes the aggregation‐induced quenching of emission from the system. Host–guest chemistry is one of the best‐known methods for preventing aggregation through the encapsulation of guest molecules. Herein we report the use of 18‐crown‐6 (18‐C‐6) as a host system to disaggregate suitably substituted PDI derivatives in methanol. 18‐C‐6 formed complexes with amino‐substituted PDIs in methanol, which led to disaggregation and enhanced emission from the systems. Furthermore, the embedding of the PDI ? 18‐C‐6 complexes in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films generated remarkably high emission quantum yields (60–70 %) from the PDI derivatives. More importantly, the host–guest systems were tested for their ability to conduct electricity in PVA films. The electrical conductivities of the self‐assembled systems in PVA were measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the highest conductivity observed was 2.42×10^?5 S cm^?1.