Synthesis of ZnO–SnO2 nanocomposites: impact of polyethylene glycol on morphological,luminescence and photocatalytic properties

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Zinc oxide-doped tin dioxide (ZnO–SnO2) nanomaterials were prepared by a sol–gel method with and without different amounts (0.5, 1.0 and...     

Four-electron oxygen reduction by brominated cobalt corrole

The carbon-supported cobalt(III) complex of β-pyrrole-brominated 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole [Co(tpfc)Br(8)/C] is introduced as a nonplatinum alternative for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction in aqueous solutions. Through systematic work, the basic kinetic parameters of this reaction were studied, using rotating ring disk electrode electrochemical methods in the pH range of 0-11. Pronounced catalytic activity was detected in acid solutions along with shifts of the Co(II)/Co(III) and O(2) redox couples to more positive values (onset of 0.56 V at pH 0). A series of independent measurements have been used to prove that the dominant mechanism for oxygen reduction by Co(tpfc)Br(8)/C catalysis is the direct four-electron pathway to water.     

Electrochemical,In Situ Spectroelectrochemical,In Situ Electrocolorimetric and Electrocatalytic Characterization of Metallophthalocyanines Bearing Four Dioctylaminocarbonyl Biphenyloxy Substituents

This study describes the electrochemical, in situ spectroelectrochemical, in situ electrocolorimetric and electrocatalytic characterization of metallophthalocyanines bearing four dioctylaminocarbonyl biphenyloxy groups (MPc's). While CoPc gives both metal‐based and ring‐based redox processes, ZnPc and CuPc show only ring‐based reduction and oxidation processes. In‐situ electrocolorimetric method was applied to investigate color of the electrogenerated anionic and cationic forms of the complexes. Perchloric acid titrations monitored by cyclic voltammetry and spectrophotometry represent possible electrocatalytic activities of the complexes for hydrogen evolution reaction. CuPc having inactive metal center incorporated into a Nafion film on GCE decreases overpotential of the electrode for H⁺ reduction in aqueous solution.     

A study of surface diffusion of ternary (Cu-Ag-Zr) adatoms clusters for applications in thin film formation

This study presents the diffusion of heterogeneous ternary (Cu-Ag-Zr) adatoms clusters on Ag(111) using molecular dynamics techniques which could be important for the surface phenomena's and helpful for the ternary cluster's growth and formation of ternary alloy-based thin films. The mechanism of nanoscale surface diffusion is investigated for 1Cu-1Ag-1Zr, 2Cu-2Ag-2Zr, 3Cu-3Ag-3Zr, and 4Cu-4Ag-4Zr clusters at temperatures 300, 500, and 700 K. The diffusion mechanism displays that the diffusion of trimer cluster exhibits hopping, sliding, and shearing at 300 K, whereas for hexamer, nonamer, and decamer, the diffusion rate is low; however, breathing, anchoring, and concentrated motion dominates. At 500 K, trimer and hexamer show the process of atomic exchange; however, the atomic exchange is not observed in the case of nonamer and decamer diffusion. The atomic exchange mechanism of Cu and Zr adatoms dominates at 700 K for all size clusters, except Ag adatoms, where Zr adatoms show a relatively more tendency. Separation and rejoining of the one and two adatoms (likely Zr adatom) are also witnessed at high temperature. The pop-up of Ag adatoms also occurs in very short intervals over the remaining adatoms of clusters. Interestingly, during trimer diffusion, the adsorption of the Zr- or Cu-adatom among the trimer cluster into the substitutional site is found. At 700 K, vacancy generation, filling of vacancies, and migration of vacancy, in the neighborhood of the adatoms cluster, also observed. Moreover, the rate of diffusion decreases with the size increase of the clusters and increases with the increase in temperature.     

α-glucosidase inhibitors isolated from Mimosa pudica L.

The aim of the study was to isolate digestive enzymes inhibitors from Mimosa pudica through a bioassay-guided fractionation approach. Repeated silica gel and sephadex LH 20 column chromatographies of bioactive fractions afforded stigmasterol, quercetin and avicularin as digestive enzymes inhibitors whose IC₅₀ values as compared to acarbose (351.02 ± 1.46 μg mL^?1) were found to be as 91.08 ± 1.54, 75.16 ± 0.92 and 481.7 ± 0.703 μg mL^?1, respectively. In conclusion, M. pudica could be a good and safe source of digestive enzymes inhibitors for the management of diabetes in future.     

Effect of selected residual Ziegler-Natta and metallocene catalysts on the UV-induced degradation of unstabilized ethylene homopolymer films

Catalyst creates new grades of polyethylenes while their degradation phenomena determine the resulting application profiles. The resins and the end-products eventually contain residual catalysts. Therefore, the effects of the following two residual catalysts—one Ziegler-Natta [PQ Silica/Bu₂Mg/^tBuCl/TiCl₄], and the other metallocene [PQ Silica/MAO/(ⁿBuCp)₂ZrCl₂]—on the UV-induced degradation of the resulting unstabilized ethylene homopolymer films were studied. The MetCat HomoPE film was found to be more susceptible to UV-induced degradation degradation than the Z-N HomoPE one despite the residual Zr level was 1/15th of the Ti content. Therefore, the zirconocene residual catalyst better (i) facilitated the UV-initiated reaction, and (ii) decreased the activation energy required for the decomposition of the resulting hydroperoxide. These findings were explained from the differences in (i) electronic configuration and atomic radius, and (ii) surface chemistry and solid-state electronic environment of these catalyst systems. In both films, T_pm and T_pc did not significantly vary with the exposure time. The change of % crystallinity showed to be irregular and disturbed. As a function of carbonyl index, T_pm and T_pc,varied in a similar fashion in the MetCat HomoPE film. However, they significantly differed for the Z-N HomoPE film. Here, T_pm did not appreciably change whereas T_pc initially increased very mildly; then it did not essentially differ.     

Stokes vector determination of polarized light propagation in turbid medium

We report a two dimensional Stokes vector imaging technique for transamination measurements of the polarization state of scattering medium. Measurement of the depth resolved Stokes parameters allows determination of the degree of polarization, birefringence, retardation, optical activity and characterization of the medium. The polarized light preserved and degree of polarization very with scatterer concentration. The transmitted intensity patterns by varying a polarization state of the incident laser light (λ = 632.8 nm) and changing analyzer configuration provides a useful information about concentration, orientation, and shape of the sample under investigation. The results are important for the understanding of polarization phenomenon in turbid media, like biological tissues.     

Isolation and characterization of novel antibacterial compound from an untapped plant,Stereospermum fimbriatum

Abstract

Stereospermum fimbriatum or locally known as “Chicha” is traditionally used for itchy skin, earache, stomachache and postpartum treatments. This study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of S. fimbriatum’s stem bark against 11 pathogens and isolate its bioactive compound. Successive soxhlet extraction was conducted using n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol. Disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration (MIC & MBC) assays were done to examine the antimicrobial activity. Bioassay-guided isolation was conducted on S. fimbriatum’s extract. The DCM extract of stem bark (DS) was the most potent extract followed by n-hexane extract of the stem bark (NS). A novel compound was isolated and coded as C1 which demonstrated potent antibacterial effects with the MIC values as low as 3.13?µg/mL to 6.25?µg/mL, against S. epidermidis, MRSA and S. aureus. Thus, S. fimbriatum could be a potential source of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of skin infections, specifically, MRSA.