Surface layer self diffusion in icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals

The self diffusion of Mn and Pd in a single grain icosahedral Al_69.9Pd_20.5Mn_9.6 quasicrystal has been determined by low energy ion scattering (LEIS). The diffusion was determined by depositing different elements (Pd, Mn) on the surface and measuring the rate of change in surface composition as a function of temperature by LEIS. The surface composition was monitored over the temperature range of 355-575 K for Mn and 440-745 K for Pd and compared to model calculations to allow the activation energy for diffusion to be determined. Activation energies of 0.20 ± 0.01 eV for Mn and 0.64 ± 0.03 eV for Pd have then been measured for self diffusion in i-Al-Pd-Mn, respectively. No deviation from Arrhenius behavior was detected in the temperature range covered by the present experiments. From the low values of activation energy we propose that this range of diffusion is phason related, reflecting the specific nature of the icosahedral structure.     

Excess Molar Volumes of (Methyl Ethanoate + 1-Chlorooctane + an n-Alkane) Ternary Mixtures and Their Constituent Binaries at 25°C

Excess molar volumes, at the temperature 25°C and atmospheric pressure over the whole composition range, are reported for the following binary mixtures: methyl ethanoate + (n-octane, n-decane); methyl ethanoate + 1-chlorooctane; 1-chlorooctane + (n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-decane); and for the ternary mixtures methyl ethanoate + 1-chlorooctane + (n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-decane). The values of excess molar volumes were calculated from density and composition results. The excess volumes were utilized to test the multiproperty group-contribution model of Nitta et al. using parameter sets available in the literature. Experimental results from ternary mixtures have also been compared to predictions from several empirical and semiempirical models, which utilize, exclusively, results from binary mixtures.     

Comparative investigations on nano and micro titania photocatalysts in degradation and mineralization: Use of turbidity in kinetic studies

An attempt was made to investigate the potential of two widely used commercial nano and micro TiO₂ photocatalysts in degradation and mineralization of a typical azo dye “ect blue 71” in water. A special circulating up-flow reactor with an UV-C-150 W lamp was employed and the influence of the operational parameters was investigated. The results showed that both the photolysis and photocatalysis cause decomposition simultaneously. Despite a half concentration, the nano TiO₂ particles provide a nearly twice efficiency, and for the vital case of mineralization 98% reduction in COD after 120 min irradiation. The influence of turbidity of catalyst particles was determined with a novel method and was taken into account in kinetic studies. It was found that the bulk degradation by the OH radicals has a major role in the photocatalysis process.     

Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric investigation of different equilibria of a recently synthesized Schiff base with the aid of chemometric methods

In this study ground and excited states acidic dissociation constants of a recently synthesized Schiff base was obtained in a DMF:water mixture of 30:70 (v/v) using absorption and fluorescent spectra of the Schiff base in different pH values with the aid of chemometric methods. In addition, the fluorescent of the two kinds of tautomers of this Schiff base was investigated and the rate of tautomerization was obtained using rank annihilation factor analysis (RAFA). The effect of different kinds of surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and Triton X-100 on fluorescence spectrum of the Schiff base in a DMF:water mixture of 2:98 (v/v) was investigated. CTAB increased the fluorescence intensity of the Schiff base while SDS and Triton X-100 had no significant effect on it. β-Cyclodextrin increased the fluorescence intensity of the Schiff base. Also the sensing behavior of this Schiff base toward metal ions was studied in DMF and ethanol by fluorescence spectroscopy. The Schiff base showed prominent fluorescent signal in the presence of Zn²⁺, whereas other metal ions failed to induce response and ground-state dissociation constant of the complex was determined by direct fluorimetric titration as a function of Zn²⁺ concentration.     

Green and mild laccase-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of benzenediol derivatives with various sodium benzenesulfinates

The oxidative coupling reaction between hydroquinone or catechols and various sodium benzenesulfinates was investigated using the laccase from Trametes versicolor, in the presence of O₂ in a phosphate buffer solution at room temperature to afford sulfonyl benzenediols in 75–95% yield.     

Synthesis,characterization and heterogeneous catalytic application of a nickel(II) Schiff base complex immobilized on MWCNTs for the Hantzsch four-component condensation

A nickel(II) Schiff base complex immobilized on multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) surface as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst was synthesized and characterized by IR, X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma, elemental analysis, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Then a facile and environmentally benign procedure was developed for synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives via Hantzsch one-pot condensation reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 1,3-diones, ethyl acetoacetate, and ammonium acetate in the presence of above synthesized catalyst under solvent-free conditions. This protocol has the advantages of stability, easy availability, recyclability and eco-friendly nature of catalyst, simple experimental and work-up procedure, and also high to excellent yields. Considering the solvent-free condition and also temperature, time, and yield of the model reaction, the nanocatalyst reported here is among the best catalysts reported so far for synthesis of polyhydroquinolines.     

Measurement and Modeling the Excess Molar Volumes and Refractive Index Deviations of Binary Mixtures of 2-Propanol, 2-Butanol and 2-Pentanol with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Propylamine

The densities, ρ, and refractive indices, n _D, of 2-alkanols (C₃–C₅) with N-propylamine have been measured for the whole range of composition at temperatures from (298.15–328.15) K at 10 K intervals and ambient pressure of 81.5 kPa, using an Anton Paar DMA 4500 oscillating tube densimeter and an Anton Paar Abbemat 500 automatic refractometer. From the experimental data, excess molar volumes \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \) partial molar volumes \( \bar{V}_{i} \) apparent molar volumes V _?i and refractive index deviations Δn _D the binary systems consisting of N-propylamine + 2-alkanols (2-propanol, 2-butanol, 2-pentanol) were calculated and \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \) and Δn _D values were correlated with the Redlich–Kister polynomial. The effect of temperature and the chain length of the alcohol on the excess molar volumes and refractive index deviations are discussed in terms of molecular interaction between unlike molecules. The excess molar volumes are negative and refractive index deviations are positive over the entire composition range, which indicates strong hydrogen bonding between molecules of the mixtures. A comparative study has been made of the refractive indices obtained experimentally and those calculated by means of the Lorentz–Lorenz, Weiner and Arago–Biot relations. The perturbed chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT), simplified PC-SAFT and Prigogine–Flory–Patterson theory were also applied to correlate and predict the density and excess molar volumes of the mixtures.     

Properties of lipophilic nucleoside monolayers at the air–water interface

The capability of self-assembly and molecular recognition of biomolecules is essential for many nanotechnological applications, as in the use of alkyl-modified nucleosides and oligonucleotides to increase the cellular uptake of DNA and RNA. In this study, we show that a lipophilic nucleoside, which is an isomer mixture of 2′-palmitoyluridin und 3′-palmitoyluridin, forms Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir–Blodgett films as a typical amphiphile, though with a smaller elasticity. The nucleoside may be incorporated into dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) monolayers that serve as a simplified cell membrane model. The molecular-level interactions between the nucleoside and DPPC led to a remarkable condensation of the mixed monolayer, which affected both surface pressure and surface potential isotherms. The morphology of the mixed monolayers was dominated by the small domains of the nucleoside. The mixed monolayers could be deposited onto solid substrates as a one-layer Langmuir Blodgett film that displayed UV–vis absorption spectra typical of aggregated nucleosides owing to the interaction between the nucleoside and DPPC. The formation of solid films with DNA building blocks in the polar heads may open the way for devices and sensors be produced to exploit their molecular recognition properties.     

Preconcentration and spectrophotometric determination of low concentrations of malachite green and leuco-malachite green in water samples by high performance solid phase extraction using maghemite nanoparticles

A novel and sensitive extraction procedure using maghemite nanoparticles (γ-Fe₂O₃) modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), as an efficient solid phase, was developed for removal, preconcentration and spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of malachite green (MG) and leuco-malachite green (LMG). Combination of nanoparticle adsorption and easily magnetic separation was used to extraction and desorption of MG and LMG. The adsorption capacity was evaluated using both the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. Maghemite nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method and their surfaces were modified by SDS. The size and properties of the produced maghemite nanoparticles was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and BET analysis. MG and LMG became adsorbed at pH 3.0. LMG was oxidized to MG by adsorption on maghemite nanoparticles. The adsorbed MG was then desorbed and determined spectrophotometrically. The calibration graph was linear in the range 0.50-250.00 ng mL⁻¹ of MG and LMG with a correlation coefficient of 0.9991. The detection limit of the method for determination of MG was 0.28 ng mL⁻¹ and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for 10.00 and 50.00 ng mL⁻¹ of malachite green was 1.60% (n = 3) and 0.86% (n = 5), respectively. A preconcentration factor of 50 was achieved in this method. The Langmuir adsorption capacity (q_max) was found to be 227.3 mg g⁻¹ of the adsorbent. The method was applied to the determination of MG in fish farming water samples.     

Excess molar volume,viscosity, and refractive index study for the ternary mixture {2-methyl-2-butanol (1) + tetrahydrofuran (2) + propylamine (3)} at different temperatures. Application of the ERAS-model and Peng–Robinson–Stryjek–Vera equation of state

Densities, viscosities, and refractive indices of the ternary mixture consist of {2-methyl-2-butanol (1) + tetrahydrofuran (THF) (2) + propylamine (3)} at a temperature of 298.15 K and related binary mixtures were measured at temperatures of (288.15, 298.15, and 308.15) K at ambient pressure. Data were used to calculate the excess molar volumes and the deviations of the viscosity and refractive index. The Redlich–Kister and the Cibulka equations were used for correlating binary and ternary properties, respectively. The ERAS-model has been applied for describing the binary and ternary excess molar volumes and also Peng–Robinson–Stryjek–Vera (PRSV) equation of state (EOS) has been used to predict the binary and ternary excess molar volumes and viscosities.