Surface properties of Reactive Yellow 2 immobilised pHEMA and HEMA/chitosan membranes: characterisation of their selectivity to different proteins

Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, and a composite pHEMA/chitosan networks were synthesized in the membrane form via UV initiated photo-polymerisation in the presence of an initiator ,′-azoisobutyronitrile. Reactive Yellow 2 (RY-2) was covalently immobilised as a dye–ligand onto both membranes. The polarity and surface energy of the investigated membranes were determined by contact angle measurement. The incorporation of chitosan in the pHEMA networks produced more hydrophilic surface, as indicated by contact angle analysis. The binding characteristics of lysozyme, γ-globulins, human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to pHEMA-RY-2 and pHEMA/chitosan-RY-2 affinity membranes have been investigated from aqueous solution and their dye–ligand free forms were used as control systems. When chitosan was incorporated in the pHEMA network as a cationic polymer led to higher adsorption capacity for the lysozyme. Selective adsorption behaviour was also observed in the case of pHEMA/chitosan-RY-2 membrane for the lysozyme. The non-specific adsorptions of the lysozyme on the pHEMA and pHEMA/chitosan membranes were about 1.9 and 7.2 mg/ml, respectively. These were negligible for all others investigated proteins. The lysozyme adsorption data was analysed using the first-order and the second-order models. The first-order equation in both affinity membrane systems is the most appropriate equation to predict the adsorption capacities of the adsorbents. The adsorption isotherms well fitted the combined Langmuir–Freundlich model. A theoretical analysis has been conducted to estimate the thermodynamic contributions (changes in enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy) for the adsorption of lysozyme to both dye–ligand immobilised membranes. The adsorption capacities of both dye–ligand immobilised membranes increased with increasing the temperature while decreased with increasing the NaCl concentration. Both affinity membranes are stable when subjected to sanitization with sodium hydroxide after repeated separation–elution cycles.     

Thermodynamics of phenylated polyphenylene between 0 and 340 K

In an adiabatic vacuum calorimeter, the temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p of phenylated polyphenylene and initial comonomer 1,4-bis(2,4,5-triphenylcyclopentadienone-3-yl)benzene was studied between 6 and 340 K with an uncertainty of about 0.2%. In a calorimeter with a static bomb and an isothermal shield their energies of combustion DUcomb were measured. From the experimental data, the thermodynamic functions C _p ⁰ (T), H ⁰(T)-H ⁰(0), S ⁰(T)-S⁰(0), G ⁰(T)-H ⁰(0) were calculated from 0 to 340 K, and standard enthalpies of combustion ΔH _comb ⁰ and thermodynamic parameters of formation-enthalpies ΔH _f ⁰, entropies ΔH _f ⁰, Gibbs functions ΔG _f ⁰ - of the substances studied were estimated at T=298.15 K at standard pressure. The results were used to calculate the thermodynamic characteristics (ΔH _f ⁰ ,ΔS _f ⁰, ΔG _f ⁰) of phenylated polyphenylene synthesis in the range from 0 to 340 K. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of polypropylene random copolymer

The mechanical properties of polypropylene random copolymer (PP-R) with different processing parameters were studied. Special attention is devoted to the investigation of the influence of masterbatch addition on the variation in the mechanical properties of injection moulded PP-R. Tensile, instrumented Charpy impact, Shore D hardness, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and Vicat softening temperature (VST) tests were conducted on the test samples containing different colour masterbatches varying from 0.5 to 10 wt%. The observed changes in the mechanical behaviour are explained by the type and level of masterbatch content. The natural UV weathering performance of the PP-R material was studied from the masterbatch type point of view. The effect of processing parameters on material performance was studied on samples which were directly obtained from extruded pipes and on injection moulded samples.

Finally, the effects of storage time on the polymer properties were investigated.     

Analysis of long-term distributions of calibration parameters and calibration intervals for an atomic absorption spectrophotometer

 A combination of "black box" and "calendar-time" methods for the determination of calibration intervals of an analytical measuring instrument is discussed. Since the methods require information on the distributions of the calibration parameters, such information is described for an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, as an example. The hypotheses on the normal distribution of the calibration parameters are tested using the ω²-criterion and accepted at 0.90–0.95 levels of confidence. Corresponding control charts are designed for indication of warning and action limits of the calibration parameters, and diagnoses of outliers in further calibrations. Control charts indicate also when the calibration should be done according to the full program of the equipment manufacturer. Received: 15 April 2000 / Accepted: 24 July 2000     

Analysis on absorption spectra of Nd in poly(methyl methacrylate)

The absorption spectrum of neodymium (III) (Nd³⁺ doped in poly(methyl methacrylate) was measured. The Nephlauxetic effect was found in the spectrum compared to other spectra of Nd³⁺ doped in various matrices. The experimental data used, Slater-Condon parameters (F₂,F₄,F₆) and Lander parameter (ζ_4f) were calculated by the Taylor series expansion based on the assumption that the energy separation between J-levels of the 4fⁿ-configuration is a function of F₂,F₄,F₆ and ζ_4f. The Judd-Ofled intensity parameters (Ω₂,Ω₄,Ω₆) were also calculated. Analysis of the Nephlauxetic effect and the parameters variation on the host matrices was carried out.     

Polarographic Behaviour and Determination of Kinetic Parameters of Lead-Pamoate Complex in Dimethyl Sulfoxide

The polarography of lead ion in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was investigated in the DMSO concentration range 0–80 vol.%. The complex species identified were Pb₂(DMSO)⁴⁺₃, Pb(DMSO)²⁺₃ and Pb(DMSO)²⁺₆ in [DMSO]<10 vol.%, 10< [DMSO]<43 vol.% and [DMSO]>43 vol.%, respectively. In the presence of pamoic acid, the reduction of lead ion in DMSO was two-electron reversible diffusion-controlled at pH≤6.0, but it became irreversible at pH>6.0. The complex species identified was Pb(D_m)₂(P_m)₃(OH)^6? at pH>6.0. The rate constants of electro-reduction and electro-oxidation, activation energies were determined. The hydrolysis constants of lead ion in dimethyl sulfoxide concentration 40–70 vol.% at pH 4.5–6.0 were found to be of the order of 10^?6. The stability constants of the Pb(DMSO)²⁺₃ and Pb(DMSO)²⁺₀ were also determined to be of the orders of 10¹ and 10⁵, respectively.     

Thermodynamic parameters ΔΔH and ΔΔS as probes for the transition state in the reaction of N-phenyltriazolinedione with alkenes in nucleophilic solvents

The thermodynamic parameters, ΔΔH^# and ΔΔS^#, were determined for the interception of an intermediate, with the structural characteristics of an aziridinium imide, by nucleophilic solvents during the reaction of 2-methyl-2-butene with N-phenyltriazolinedione. The experimentally measured parameters were found to be in favor of an S_N2-‘like’ transition state and showed strong dependence on the bulkiness of the incoming molecule of the nucleophile-solvent.     

Influence of molecular weight on the thermal decomposition of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene

Thermogravimetric analysis of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and its fractions of different molecular weights separated by preparative GPC shows two major stages of weight loss of different nature in a nitrogen atmosphere. The first stage is primarily depolymerisation, cyclisation and crosslinking of molecules and the second stage is mainly the decomposition of the residue from the first stage. The kinetic parameters, viz. activation energy E and pre-exponential factor A using four different non-isothermal integral equations show a systematic increase with increase in molecular weight for the first stage, whereas for the second stage, the effect of molecular weight on E and A values is not prominent. The increase in E and A values for the first stage is attributed to the formation of greater number of cyclised and crosslinked products from molecules of higher dimensions. Quantitative correlations between the kinetic constants and the molecular weight parameters were derived for the first stage as a quadratic curve following the equation: E or ln A = K₁ − K₂/M (where K₁ and K₂ are empirical constants whose values are different for the different molecular weight averages, viz. M_n, M_w and M_z and for the different equations).     

Study of geometrical parameters in N-H...N type of hydrogen bonds

Geometrical parameters associated with N-H ... N types of hydrogen bonds have been analysed using crystal structure data on nucleic acids, amino acids and related compounds. Histograms depicting the frequency distribution of N-H ... N length (l) and H-N ... N angle (θ) have been drawn and conclusions on the favoured geometry of such bonds have been arrived at. The distribution ofl shows a pronounced maximum in the range between 2.9? and 3.0? with an overall average of 2.98 ?. The θ distribution shows a pronounced maximum for the hydrogen bond angle in the range 0°-10°, with a rapid fall-off in frequency for nonlinear hydrogen bonds. The frequency shows a cos⁶θ dependence as compared to cos²θ dependence term used earlier to predict the angular dependence of hydrogen bond potential energy in proteins and polypeptides.     

Equations describing lamellar structure parameters and melting points of polyethylene-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-(butene/octene)s

Time- and temperature-dependent SAXS-experiments were used to determine the effect of octene and butene co-units on the lamellar structure and the melting properties of polyethylene. As expected, melting points decrease with increasing co-unit content, but crystal thicknesses are not affected and depend on the crystallization temperature only. Results can be cast into some simple equations which describe the dependence: