Depolarizing a ferroelectric film by ac fields of diminishing amplitude

In this paper, we demonstrate that a sol-gel-derived lead zirconate titanate film can be depolarized by the application of ac fields of diminishing amplitude, and we explain the phenomenon based on the concept of the Preisach model. The amplitude of the ac fields is decreased from 19.5 MV/m to 0.2 MV/m in eight steps. The observed piezoelectric coefficient of the film decreases after each step and finishes with almost the same value as that of an as-deposited film. Our results also reveal the existence of a distribution of coercive fields in the microdomains (Preisach dipolar units), and that the P–E loop of each microdomain is shifted by interaction fields so that the magnitudes of its switch-up and switch-down fields are not necessarily the same. PACS 77.22.Ej; 77.70.+a; 77.90.+k     

Measurement of in-duct acoustic properties by using a single microphone with fixed position

Acoustic properties of sound absorption materials and other acoustic structures can be measured in an impedance tube using the well-established two-microphone method to resolve the two traveling wave components of a standing wave pattern. The accuracy of such measurements depends crucially on the calibration of the two microphones placed in close proximity. To eliminate such calibration, the one-microphone method [Chu, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 80, 555-560 (1986)] uses the same microphone to probe at two positions sequentially using the voltage driving the loudspeaker as a reference signal. A variant of this method is introduced in this study in which the microphone is fixed at one position while a rigid end plate moves between two positions to resolve the standing wave. The sound source is installed as a side branch, and its driving signal is also used as a reference in the two-step measurement. Close agreement is found with the established two-microphone method, and factors which might affect the accuracy of the new technique are discussed. As a demonstration of the robustness of the method, a low-budget electret microphone is used and the result also matches well with those obtained by the two-microphone method with high-quality condenser type microphones.     

Riesz representation theorem and weak compactness

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Preparation of Polyester Polyol from Epoxidized Palm Olein

In this work, polyester polyols with high weight average molecular weight (M_w) (M_w?10000–15000) were prepared from epoxidized palm olein (EPO_o) and a series of dicarboxylic acids (C₆–C₁₂) at elevated temperature under non‐catalyzed condition. The optimal reaction conditions were determined as 180°C for 4 h. Longer carbon chain length of dicarboxylic acids was more reactive when reacted with EPO_o. The physical appearance of the product was observed as liquid at room temperature. This palm oil‐based polyester polyol is proposed as starting material for flexible polyurethane. For reaction monitoring purposes, FTIR was used while ¹H NMR analysis was carried out to characterize the important functional groups of the products. The effects of reaction time and temperature on the M_w of the reaction mixture were also studied by GPC.     

Single and multicomponent equilibrium studies for the adsorption of acidic dyes on carbon from effluents

The ability of activated carbon to adsorb three acidic dyes, namely, Acid Blue 80 (AB80), Acid Red 114 (AR114), and Acid Yellow (AY117), from wastewater has been studied at 20 degrees C. The three single-component systems and the three binary equilibrium systems have been measured experimentally. The three single-component isotherms were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Sips equations. The Redlich-Peterson equation gave the lowest errors using the sum of the squares of the errors closely followed by the Sips and Langmuir equations; the Freundlich fits were significantly worse. The three bisolute experimental equilibrium sets of data were analyzed by incorporating the previous four single-component isotherm equations into the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST). The solution methods for each of the four isotherm equations are presented in the paper, and the predicted results for the three bisolute systems, using the four isotherm equations, are compared. For the three bisolute systems (AB80 + AR114, AB80 + AY117, and AR114 + AY117), the Redlich-Peterson isotherm gives the best correlation with the experimental isotherm data.     

Determination of catechins and catechin gallates in biological fluids by HPLC with coulometric array detection and solid phase extraction

Tea polyphenols are well known for their beneficial health effects that involve their anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-pathogenic and anti-oxidative properties. The main polyphenols of green tea are favan-3-ols (catechins) and their corresponding gallate compounds, which constitute about one-third of the dry weight of tea leaves. Their main ingredients are (+)-catechin (C), (−)-epicatechin (EC), (−)-gallocatechin (GC), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (−)-catechin gallate (CG), (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (−)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG) and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Each has slightly different biological properties. We have developed a method to simultaneously analyze all these compounds in plasma and urine. The samples were first incubated with β-d-glucuronidase and sulfatase to release the catechin residues from their corresponding conjugates for subsequent extraction by selective solid phase column, Waters Oasis HLB extraction cartridges. The extracted molecules were resolved by reversed phase HPLC and monitored by coulometric chemical detection on a CoulArray detector. All eight catechin compounds were analyzed in a single chromatogram within 25 min. For plasma and urine analyses, good linearity (>0.9950) was validated in the range 10-2000 and 10-5000 ng/ml, respectively. The coefficients of variance (CV) were less than 5%. Absolute recovery was greater than 85% and detection limit was 5 ng/ml. The chromatogram exhibited minimal interference as a result of the highly selective solid phase extraction and CoulArray detection.     

Charge dynamics in solar cells with a blend of π-conjugated polymer-fullerene studied by transient photo-generated voltage

The biphasic feature of transient photo-generated voltage (TPV) is investigated in organic solar cells (OSCs) with a blend active layer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The positive and negative components in biphasic TPV are explained through PCBM only and P3HT only devices. The negative and positive components are ascribed to the dipole formation at the buried interface of P3HT/indium tin oxide (ITO) and PCBM/ITO respectively. Based on these findings, two fundamental phenomena are revealed as follows: (1) interfacial modification on the buried interface inverts the negative component in biphasic TPV to a positive component, which prevents the leakage current channel in the conventional OSC structure; and (2) the solvent chosen transforms the positive component in biphasic TPV into a negative signal, which blocks the leakage current channel in the inverted OSC structure. Consequently, the study of TPV polarity provides the justification of the interaction at the buried interface. Besides, the decay of TPV is found to be bi-exponential, which can be used as a tool to estimate the degree of charge balance in OSCs.     

Stacking and separation of enantiomers by acetonitrile-salt mixtures in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

The feasibility of employing the "acetonitrile stacking" method in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) for the on-line preconcentration and separation of enantiomers is demonstrated for the first time. The effects of various experimental parameters on the stacking and separation of three different pairs of optical isomers, i.e., two substituted naphthyl enantiomers and one dansylated-DL-amino acid, were examined. In particular, the effectiveness of the addition of acetonitrile and salt in the sample matrix to induce narrowing of the analyte bands was investigated in the presence of sodium cholate as the chiral surfactant micelle in the separation buffer. For example, it was found that the presence of both acetonitrile and 1% NaCl in the sample matrix (volume ratio = 2:1) led to a significant improvement of the peak height and resolution for the MEKC separation of a pair of R(-)/S(+)-1,1'-binaphthyl diyl hydrogen phosphate enantiomers when the injection sample size was relatively large (e.g., 12% capillary volume). Furthermore, the feasibility of combining salting-out solvent extraction (off-line) and acetonitrile stacking (on-line) as a novel approach for sample preconcentration in capillary electrophoresis was also demonstrated.     

Evidence of two-dimensional superconductivity in the single crystalline nanohybrid of organic-bismuth cuprate

A coordination compound of HgI(2)(pyridine)(2) can be successfully intercalated into a single crystalline Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(y) high-T(c) superconductor through an interlayer complexation reaction between pyridine molecules and bismuth cuprate pre-intercalated with mercuric iodide. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopic results clearly demonstrate that the single crystalline nature of the pristine bismuth cuprate remains unchanged even after the intercalation of organic complex as well as those of iodine and mercuric iodide. According to the angle-dependent dc magnetization measurements, the intercalation of bulky organic molecules completely blocks superconductive currents along the c-axis, whereas a superconducting transition along the in-plane direction still occurs in the organic intercalate. In the case of the iodine or mercuric iodide intercalates with smaller lattice expansions, an out-of-plane diamagnetic transition is not wholly quenched but significantly depressed by the intercalation, confirming the reduction of interlayer interaction. The present finding can provide straightforward evidence of the two-dimensionality of high temperature superconductivity in the present cuprate-based nanohybrid material.     

Biodegradable Inorganic Nanovector: Passive versus Active Tumor Targeting in siRNA Transportation

The biodegradable inorganic nanovector based on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) holds great promise for gene and drug delivery systems. However, in vivo targeted delivery of genes through LDH still remains a key challenge in the development of RNA interference therapeutics. Here, we describe in vivo and in vitro delivery system for Survivin siRNA (siSurvivin) assembled with passive LDH with a particle size of 100 nm or active LDH conjugated with a cancer overexpressing receptor targeting ligand, folic acid (LDHFA), conferring them an ability to target the tumor by either EPR‐based clathrin‐mediated or folate receptor‐mediated endocytosis. When not only transfected into KB cells but also injected into xenograft mice, LDHFA/siSurvivin induced potent gene silencing at mRNA and protein levels in vitro, and consequently achieved a 3.0‐fold higher suppression of tumor volume than LDH/siSurvivin in vivo. This anti‐tumor effect was attributed to a selectively 1.2‐fold higher accumulation of siSurvivin in tumor tissue compared with other organs. Targeting to the tumor with inorganic nanovector can guide and accelerate an evolution of next‐generation theranosis system.