Self-assembly of amphiphilic hexapyridinium cations at the air/water interface and on HOPG surfaces.

Mono- and multilayers of a novel amphiphilic hexapyridinium cation with six eicosyl chains (3) are spread at the air/water interface as well as on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). On water, the monolayer of 3 is investigated by recording surface pressure/area and surface potential/area isotherms, and by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Self-organized tubular micelles with an internal edge-on orientation of molecules form at the air/water interface at low surface pressure whereas multilayers are present at high surface pressure, after a phase transition. Packing motifs suggesting a tubular arrangement of the constituting molecules were gleaned from atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers being transferred on HOPG at different surface pressures. These LB film structures are compared to the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3 formed via adsorption from a supersaturated solution, which is studied by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). On HOPG the SAM of 3 consists of nanorods with a highly ordered edge-on packing of the aromatic rings and an arrangement of alkyl chains which resembles the packing of molecules at the air/water interface at low surface pressure. Additional details of the molecular packing were gleaned from single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of the hexapyridinium model compound 2b, which possesses methyl instead of eicosyl residues.     

EPR spin probe and spin label studies of some low molecular and polymer micelles

The rotational mobility of spin probes of different shape and size in low molecular and polymer micelles has been studied. Several probes having nitroxide fragment localized either in the vicinity of micelle interface or in the hydrocarbon core have been used. Upon increasing the number of carbon atoms in hydrocarbon chain of detergent from 7 to 13 (sodium alkyl sulfate micelles) or from 12 to 16 (alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles) the rotational mobility of spin probes is decreased by the factor 1.5–2.0. The spin probe rotational mobility in polymer micelles (the complexes of alkyltrimethylammonium bromides and polymethacrylic or polyacrylic acids) is less than mobility in free micelles of the same surfactants. The study of EPR-spectra of spin labeled polymethacrylic acid (PMA) indicated that formation of water soluble complexes of polymer and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in alkaline solutions (pH 9) does not affect the polymer segmental mobility. On the other hand, the polymer complexes formation in slightly acidic water solution (pH 6) breaks down the compact PMA conformation, thus increasing the polymer segmental mobility. Possible structures of polymer micelles are discussed.     

5-Hydroxytryptamino-induced calcium sparks in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells

With the imaging fluorescence probe of Ca2+ (fluo-3) and a laser scanning confocal micro-scope, the spontaneous localized calcium release event was first discovered in resting rat cardiac myocytes by Cheng[1] in 1993. A mathematical simulation is developed with computer in order to reveal the effect, which is immediately suggested that these events are likely to reflect the local-ized release of Ca2+ from a small cluster of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels in sar-coplasmic reticulum …     

Scanning force microscopy based rapid force curve acquisition on supported lipid bilayers: experiments and simulations using pulsed force mode.

In situ pulsed force mode scanning force microscopy (PFM-SFM) images of phase separated solid-supported lipid bilayers are discussed with the help of computer simulations. Simultaneous imaging of material properties and topography in a liquid environment by means of PFM-SFM is severely hampered by hydrodynamic damping of the cantilever. Stiffness and adhesion images of solid-supported membranes consisting of cholesterol, sphingomyelin, and 1,2-dioleyl-phosphatidylcholine obtained in aqueous solution exhibit contrast inversion of adhesion and stiff. ness images depending on parameters such as driving frequency, amplitude, and trigger setting. Simulations using a simple harmonic oscillator model explain experimental findings and give a deeper insight into the way PFM-SFM experiments have to be performed in order to obtain interpretable results and hence pave the way for reliable material contrast imaging at high speed.     

吡咯-IR法测定铝化β沸石的碱性

The basicities of aluminated zeolites βhave been investigated by FTIR spectra of chemisorbed pyrrole. The NH-stretching frequency of pyrrole adsorbed on the samples shifts towards lower wavenumber as the St/Al ratio is decreased and correlates well with the negative charge on the framework oxygen calculated from the Sanderson electronegativity equalization principle, revealing zeolite β to possess a stronger overall basicity after alumination and, therefore, the alumination to be an effective method to improve the basicity. It is also found that the heterogeneity of basic strength occurs and some stronger basic sites appear after alumination.     

离子液体的酸性测定及其催化的二苯醚／十二烯烷基化反应

 采用乙腈探针红外光谱法测定了［bmim］Cl／AlCl3类离子液体的酸性．结果表明，乙腈可以区分离子液体的酸类型（Bronsted酸或Lewis酸），同时可以指示离子液体的Lewis酸强度．使用［bmim］Cl／AlCl3类离子液体催化二苯醚与十二烯的烷基化反应，研究了离子液体的酸强度、反应温度和醚烯比对反应的影响，并与AlCl3催化体系进行对比．结果发现，该离子液体对二苯醚与十二烯烷基化反应的催化活性明显高于AlCl3．使用离子液体作催化剂显著提高了烷基化反应的产率，简化了产物的分离与提纯，且对环境友好．当控制反应温度为80℃，原料醚烯摩尔比为7，并采用酸强度适中的离子液体时，目标产物单十二烷基二苯醚的产率接近90％．     

荧光探针法研究可聚合有机分子(BMDM)/二苯醚的凝胶化过程

用荧光素作荧光探针 ,研究了可聚合凝胶因子 4,4′ 二 (α 甲基丙烯酰氧基 1 ,3 亚乙氧基羰基丙酰氨基 )二苯甲烷 (BMDM)在二苯醚的凝胶化过程中的聚集状态 .研究结果发现 ,与荧光素在二苯醚溶液中的荧光光谱相比 ,在凝胶中出现了 1 0～2 5nm的红移 ;而且发现分子凝胶的凝胶化时间随着BMDM浓度的增加而减小 .偏振荧光法研究分子凝胶的取向发现 ,该分子凝胶的形成过程是从各向同性的溶液(P0 =0 )向各向异性的溶胶 (P>0 )转变 ,再向各向同性的凝胶 (Pgel≈ 0 )转变的过程     

Electronic state of Fe used as Mössbauer probe in the perovskites LaMO3 (M=Ni and Cu)

For the first time a comparative study of rhombohedral LaNiO₃ and LaCuO₃ oxides, using ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer probe spectroscopy (1% atomic rate), has been carried out. In spite of the fact that both oxides are characterized by similar crystal structure and metallic properties, the behavior of ⁵⁷Fe probe atoms in such lattices appears essentially different. In the case of LaNi_0.99Fe_0.01O₃, the observed isomer shift (δ) value corresponds to Fe³⁺ (3d⁵) cations in high-spin state located in an oxygen octahedral surrounding. In contrast, for the LaCu_0.99Fe_0.01O₃, the obtained δ value is comparable to that characterizing the formally tetravalent high-spin Fe⁴⁺(3d⁴) cations in octahedral coordination within Fe(IV) perovskite-like ferrates. To explain such a difference, an approach based on the qualitative energy diagrams analysis and the calculations within the cluster configuration interaction method have been developed. It was shown that in the case of LaNi_0.99Fe_0.01O₃, electronic state of nickel is dominated by the d⁷ configuration corresponding to the formal ionic “Ni³⁺-O²⁻” state. On the other hand, in the case of LaCu_0.99Fe_0.01O₃ a large amount of charge is transferred via Cu-O bonds from the O:2p bands to the Cu:3d orbitals and the ground state is dominated by the d⁹L configuration (“Cu²⁺−O” state). The dominant d⁹L ground state for the (CuO₆) sublattice induces in the environment of the ⁵⁷Fe probe cations a charge transfer Fe³⁺+O⁻(L)→Fe⁴⁺+O²⁻, which transforms “Fe³⁺” into “Fe⁴⁺” state. The analysis of the isomer shift value for the formally “Fe⁴⁺” ions in perovskite-like oxides clearly proved a drastic influence of the 4s iron orbitals population on the Fe−O bonds character.