Magnetic and electronic properties of the antiferromagnetic YbFe4Al8 compound

The magnetic, electrical and electronic properties of the tetragonal ternary YbFe₄Al₈ compound have been investigated. This compound was supposed to be an antiferromagnetic superconductor due to the negative magnetization signal appearing at a low field of the field cooling mode, however, based on the measurements of the temperature dependence of magnetization and resistivity we do not confirm the presence of superconductivity in this material and we ascribe the negative magnetization to the complicated non-collinear magnetic structure. A switch to the antiferromagnetic order at about 150 K has been visible both on the M(T) and ρ(T) curves. The valence state of the Yb ions has been studied by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The valence band spectrum at the Fermi level exhibits the domination of the hybridized Yb(4f) and Fe(3d) states.     

Comparative study on the distribution of ovalbumin glycoforms by capillary electrophoresis.

Two commercial turkey egg ovalbumins (TEOs) with different quantities of mannose, were further purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for either of the purified glycoproteins showed one big wide band and one close small band. Capillary electrophoresis was used for the investigation of the separation of glycoforms of both glycoproteins. The best resolution of the glycoforms was obtained, reproducibly, with 100 mM borate, 1.8 mM 1,4-diaminobutane and pH 8.6 electrophoretic buffer. At least 13 glycoform peaks could be separated for either of the two glycoproteins. Their glycoform patterns were highly similar except for the conspicuous decrease in quantity of four glycoforms in the ovalbumin containing less mannose, compared to that of the other with more mannose. Coinjection electrophoresis of the two glycoproteins indicated that almost every glycoform peak of the former exactly overlapped with its corresponding glycoform peak of the latter. These results clearly indicated that the two TEOs possessed the same glycoform patterns but differed in quantity at least four glycoforms. It was found that the glycoform patterns were remarkably different between TEO and chicken egg ovalbumin.     

Thermal stability of V-loaded AlPO4-5 materials

A progressive sintering of the porosity of both V-free and V-loaded AlPO₄-5 samples is observed upon calcination in air at increasing temperatures. This sintering leads to the coexistence of porous AlPO₄-5 and dense tridymite. As established by cristallinity and pore volume measurements. the presence of vanadium decreases by 100 to 300°C the threshold temperature at which this sintering begins, in spite of the low V amount in the samples (V/(V+Al+P) atomic ratio of 0.5–1%). This threshold temperature depends on the method used to introduce V (by hydrothermal synthesis, under static conditions or agitation, and/or by grinding vanadia with a V-free AlPO₄-5) and on the morphology of the AlPO₄-5 crystals as observed by scanning electron microscopy. These factors are related to the dispersion of the V species within the porosity. Since only very small amounts of intraporosity V^IV species (V^IV/V_T<1%) are detected by ESR, whatever the extent of the Sintering which generates tridymite, it is concluded that the thermal stability of V-loaded AlPO₄-5 is determined by the dispersion of V^v species within the porosity. This conclusion is in line with earlier propositions made to explain the thermal behaviour of V-loaded zeolites and V-contamined FCC catalysts.     

Near‐infrared electrochromic poly(aryl ether)s based on isolated electroactive tetraphenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine moieties

A series of near‐infrared (NIR) electrochromic aromatic poly(aryl ether)s containing N,N,N′,N′‐tetraphenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (TPPA) moieties in the backbone were prepared from the high‐temperature polycondensation reactions of a biphenol monomer, 2,5‐bis(diphenylamino)hydroquinone, with difluoro compounds. The obtained polymers were readily soluble in many organic solvents and showed useful levels of thermal stability associated with high glass‐transition temperatures (182–205 °C) and high char yields (higher than 40% at 800 °C in nitrogen). The polymer films showed reversible electrochemical oxidation with high contrast ratio both in the visible range and NIR region, and also exhibited high coloration efficiency (CE), low switching time, and stability for electrochromic operation. The polyether TPPA‐a thin film revealed good CE in visible (CE = 217 cm²/C) and NIR (CE = 192 cm²/C) region with reversible electroactive stability (over 500 times within 5% loss relative to its initial injected charge). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5378–5385, 2009     

Highly efficient primary amine organocatalysts for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction in brine

Organocatalytic systems made up of six primary amine organocatalysts, derived from natural primary amino acids, in combination with 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) have proven to be efficient in the presence of brine without further addition of organic solvents. The system formed by 1f and DNP was the most efficient one; it can catalyze the direct aldol reaction with a broad range of ketones and aromatic aldehydes, giving the corresponding aldol products in high yields with up to nearly perfect diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 99/1 syn/anti, >99% ee).     

Design and fabrication of a TiO2/nano-silicon composite visible light photocatalyst

Nano-silicon (nc-Si) was utilized as the charges generator to promote the photocatalytic and super-hydrophilic reactivity of TiO₂ film under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic ability of TiO₂/nc-Si composite photocatalyst was evaluated by a set of experiments to photodecompose 100 ppm methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. And the super-hydrophilic property was characterized by measuring the water droplet contacts angle, under visible light irradiation in atmospheric air and at room temperature. Under 100 mW/cm² visible light irradiation, the droplet contact angles were reduced to 0° within 4 h with nc-Si charge generator. Additionally, the rate constant of MB photo-degradation was promoted 6.6 times.