Adsorption of polyvinylimidazole onto kaolinite

The adsorption of polyvinylimidazole (PVI) onto kaolinite from aqueous solutions has been investigated systematically as a function of parameters such as calcination temperature of kaolinite, pH, ionic strength, and temperature. According to the experimental results, the adsorption of PVI increases with pH from 8.50 to 11.50, temperature from 25 to 55 degrees C, and ionic strength from 0 to 0.1 mol L(-1). The kaolinite sample calcined at 600 degrees C has a maximum adsorption capacity. Adsorption isotherms of PVI onto kaolinite have been determined and correlated with common isotherm equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Langmuir isotherm model appeared to fit the isotherm data better than the Freundlich isotherm model. The physical properties of this adsorbent are consistent with the parameters obtained from the isotherm equations. Furthermore, the zeta potentials of kaolinite suspensions have been measured in aqueous solutions of different PVI concentrations and pH. From the experimental results, (i) pH strongly alters the zeta potential of kaolinite; (ii) kaolinite has an isoelectric point at about pH 2.35 in water and about pH 8.75 in 249.9 ppm PVI concentration; (iii) PVI changes the interface charge from negative to positive for kaolinite. The study of temperature effect has been quantified by calculating various thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy changes. The dimensionless separation factor (RL) has shown that kaolinite can be used for adsorption of PVI from aqueous solutions.     

Syntheses and modifications of bisdiazonium salts of 3,8-benzo[c]cinnoline and 3,8-benzo[c]cinnoline 5-oxide onto glassy carbon electrode and the characterization of the modified surfaces

The goal of this study was to prepare novel glassy carbon electrode surfaces using two similar bis-diazonium salts, 3,8-benzo[c]cinnoline (3,8-BCC-BDAS) and 3,8-benzo[c]cinnoline 5-oxide (3,8-BCCNO-BDAS) at the glassy carbon (GC) surface. These diazonium salts were reduced electrochemically and covalently electrografted onto the glassy carbon electrode surface to form modified electrodes. Electrochemical reduction of 3,8-BCC-BDAS and 3,8-BCCNO-BDAS salts on the electrode surface yielded a compact and stable film. The existence of BCC moieties on the GC surface was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reflectance-adsorption infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, ellipsometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The stability and working potential range of the novel modified electrodes were also studied. The possibility of analytical application of these novel surfaces for inorganic cations and especially selectivity to copper ions was investigated. 3,8-diaminobenzo[c]cinnoline (3,8-DABCC) and its 5-oxide derivative (3,8-DABCCNO) were synthesized from the reductive cyclization of 2,2′-dinitrobenzidine and prepared their bisdiazonium salts via the tetrazotization reactions of the diamines with NaNO₂. The structures of 3,8-DABCC and 3,8-DABCCNO and their corresponding bisdiazonium salts are confirmed by spectral analysis.     

Synthesis,Characterization, Electronic and Gas‐Sensing Properties towards H2 and CO of Transparent,Large‐Area,Low‐Layer Graphene

Low‐layered, transparent graphene is accessible by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique on a Ni‐catalyst layer, which is deposited on a <100> silicon substrate. The number of graphene layers on the substrate is controlled by the grain boundaries in the Ni‐catalyst layer and can be studied by micro Raman analysis. Electrical studies showed a sheet resistance (R_sheet) of approximately 1435 Ω per □, a contact resistance (R_c) of about 127 Ω, and a specific contact resistance (R_sc) of approximately 2.8×10^?4 Ω cm² for the CVD graphene samples. Transistor output characteristics for the graphene sample demonstrated linear current/voltage behavior. A current versus voltage (I_ds–V_ds) plot clearly indicates a p‐conducting characteristic of the synthesized graphene. Gas‐sensor measurements revealed a high sensor activity of the low‐layer graphene material towards H₂ and CO. At 300 °C, a sensor response of approximately 29 towards low H₂ concentrations (1 vol %) was observed, which is by a factor of four higher than recently reported.     

Specific features of the optical spectra in Tl2In2S3Se layered single crystals

The optical properties of Tl₂In₂S₃Se layered single crystals have been studied by means of transmission and reflection measurements in the wavelength range of 450‐1100 nm. The analysis of the absorption data revealed the presence of both optical indirect and direct transitions with energy band gaps of 2.16 and 2.42 eV, respectively. The observed coexistence of indirect and direct energy band gaps is related to the anisotropy of the Tl‐containing layered crystals. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the Wemple‐DiDomenico single‐effective‐oscillator model. The refractive index dispersion parameters: oscillator energy, dispersion energy, oscillator strength and zero‐frequency refractive index were found to be 4.78 eV, 43.58 eV, 13.18 × 10¹³ m^–2 and 3.18, respectively. From X‐ray powder diffraction study, the parameters of monoclinic unit cell were determined. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Ink‐Jet Printing of Luminescent Ruthenium‐ and Iridium‐Containing Polymers for Applications in Light‐Emitting Devices

Summary: Defined films of luminescent ruthenium(II ) polypyridyl‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and iridium(III ) polypyridyl‐polystyrene (PS) copolymers could be prepared by ink‐jet printing. The copolymers were deposited on photoresist‐patterned glass substrates. Films as thin as 120 nm could be printed with a roughness of 1 to 2%. In addition, the film thickness could be varied in a controlled way through the number of droplets deposited per unit area. The topography of the ink‐jet printed films was analyzed utilizing an optical profilometer. The absorbance and emission spectra were measured using fast parallel UV‐vis and fluorescence plate reader.

Photo of the solutions of luminescent ruthenium (left) and iridium (right) containing polymers in a glass microtiter plate (top). The subsequently prepared films using ink‐jet dispensing techniques are shown below.     

Double frictional receding contact problem for an orthotropic layer loaded by normal and tangential forces

With the increasing research in the field of contact mechanics, different types of contact models have been investigated by many researchers by employing various complex material models. To ascertain the orthotropy effect and modeling parameters on a receding contact model, the double frictional receding contact problem for an orthotropic bilayer loaded by a cylindrical punch is taken into account in this study. Assuming plane strain sliding conditions, the governing equations are found analytically using Fourier integral transformation technique. Then, the resulting singular integral equations are solved numerically using an iterative method. The weight function describing the asymptotic behavior of the stresses are investigated in detail and powers of the stress singularities are provided. To control the trustworthiness and correctness of the analytical formulation and to compare the resulting stress distributions and contact boundaries, a numerically efficient finite element method was employed using augmented Lagrange contact algorithm. The aim of this paper is to investigate the orthotropy effect, modeling parameters and coefficients of friction on the surface and interface stresses, surface and interface contact boundaries, powers of stress singularities, weight function and to provide highly parametric benchmark results for tribological community in designing wear resistant systems.

     

Phytochemical Profiling and Evaluation of the Hepatoprotective Effect of Cuscuta Campestris by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection

Plant-derived antioxidant compounds have the potential to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. As a holoparasitic plant, Cuscuta campestris Yuncker is being valorized for treatment of liver injury and cancer prevention in traditional medicine. The main purpose of this present study is to elucidate the antioxidant- and anticancer-associated contents of C. campestris by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. Diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, n-butanol, and water were used as extraction solvents to reach a wide range of secondary metabolites synthesized by this plant. Antioxidant potentials of these extracts were characterized by (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl)-free radical scavenging activity. Their anticancer activities were evaluated on SNU-398 hepatocellular carcinoma cells and controlled on the normal adult human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) cells. Their phenolic compounds were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector to illuminate the responsible anticancer agent(s). The ethyl acetate extract revealed the most significant antioxidant effect. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were found to be cytotoxic on the SNU-398 cell lines with CC₅₀ values of 18.7 and 19.6?µg?mL^?1, respectively, whereas these extracts were not cytotoxic to the adult hDFs cells. Due to their abundance in the extracts, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin may have caused this anticancer activity. Methanol extract has the highest concentration of phenolic compounds. Based on chromatographic analyses, we propose that these anticancer effects were positively correlated with plant phenolic compounds. The results showed that this plant is worth further study for its therapeutic uses.     

Reactivity of substituted charged phenyl radicals toward components of nucleic acids

Reactions of differently substituted phenyl radicals with components of nucleic acids have been investigated in the gas phase. A positively charged group located meta with respect to the radical site was employed to allow manipulation of the radicals in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. All of these electrophilic radicals react with sugars via exclusive hydrogen atom abstraction, with adenine and uracil almost exclusively via addition (likely at the C8 and C5 carbons, respectively), and with the nucleoside thymidine by hydrogen atom abstraction and addition at C5 in the base moiety (followed by elimination of (*)CH(3)). These findings parallel the reactivity of the phenyl radical with components of nucleic acids in solution, except that the selectivity for addition is different. Like HO(*), the electrophilic charged phenyl radicals appear to favor addition to the C5-end of the C5-C6 double bond of thymine and thymidine, whereas the phenyl radical preferentially adds to C6. The charged phenyl radicals do not predominantly add to thymine, as the neutral phenyl radical and HO(*), but mainly react by hydrogen atom abstraction from the methyl group (some addition to C5 in the base followed by loss of (*)CH(3) also occurs). Adenine appears to be the preferred target among the nucleobases, while uracil is the least favored. A systematic increase in the electrophilicity of the radicals by modification of the radicals' structures was found to facilitate all reactions, but the addition even more than hydrogen atom abstraction. Therefore, the least reactive radicals are most selective toward hydrogen atom abstraction, while the most reactive radicals also efficiently add to the base. Traditional enthalpy arguments do not rationalize the rate variations. Instead, the rates reflect the radicals' electron affinities used as a measure for their ability to polarize the transition state of each reaction.     

Synthesis and characterization of 2,3-bis(hydroxyimino)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine and its nickel(II), cobalt(II), copper(II), palladium(II), cadmium(II) and cobalt(III) complexes

Summary 2,3-Bis(hydroxyimino)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine (H₂L), prepared from 2,3-diaminopyridine and cyanogen-di-N-oxide has been converted into nickel(II), palladium(II), copper(II), cobalt(II), and cobalt(III) complexes (H₂L) with a 12 metal:ligand ratio. The ligands coordinate through the two N atoms, as do most vicinal dioximes. [(LH)Cl(H₂O)Cd], contains a six-membered chelate ring. [Co(HL)₂(L)Cl] has also been prepared using triphenylphosphine, triphenylarsine, thiophene and chloride as axial ligands. The structure of thevic-dioxime and its complexes are proposed on the basis of elemental analysis, i.r.,¹H-n.m.r. and uv-visible measurements.