Evaluation of Photocatalytic Activity of Transparent Anatase Nanocrystals-Dispersed Silica Films Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process with Hot Water Treatment

Anatase nanocrystals were precipitated mainly at the surface of the silica-titania gel films with hot water treatment, whereas the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the films led to the dispersion of anatase nanocrystals in the whole of the films after the treatment. Both films with and without PEG showed high photocatalytic activities for acetaldehyde, NO _x and stearic acid in the gas-solid system, and for methylene blue and potassium iodide in the liquid-solid system. The addition of PEG improved the photocatalytic activities of the resultant films due to the smaller anatase crystallites and the porous film structure. The residual silica under-layer of the superficially anatase-precipitated films is expected to act as a protective one for an organic polymer substrate against the photocatalytic degradation.     

Syntheses of Two Potential Ligands for Tc-99m Labeling as Diagnosis Agents of Alzheimer''''s Disease

Two types of ligands-biphenyl and stilbene derivatives, whichcan be labeled with Tc-99m for the diagnosis of Alzheimer'sdisease (AD) have been synthesized successfully. The key stepsin these two syntheses involved Suzuki reaction and Wittig reac-tion respectively. The new discovered debromination reactionmay be expanded to the compounds with double or triple bondadjacent to the carbon atom bearing the bromine atoms. Thesetypes of syntheses provide a route to a series of biphenyl andstilbene derivatives that will benefit the search of new imagingagents for AD.     

Influence of nonionic emulsifier included inside carboxylated polymer particles on the formation of multihollow structure by the alkali/cooling method

The influence of nonionic emulsifier, included inside styrene-methacrylic acid copolymer [P(S-MAA)] particles during emulsion copolymerization, on the formation of multihollow structure inside the particles via the alkali/cooling method (proposed by the authors) was examined in comparison to emulsifier-free particles. It was clarified that the nonionic emulsifier included inside the P(S-MAA) particles eased the formation of multihollow structure.Part CCL of the series studies on suspension and emulsion     

Synthesis of New Lithium Ionic Conductor Thio-LISICON—Lithium Silicon Sulfides System

The new lithium ionic conductors, thio-LISICON (LIthium SuperIonic CONductor), were found in the ternary Li₂S-SiS₂-Al₂S₃ and Li₂S-SiS₂-P₂S₅ systems. Their structures of new materials, Li_4+xSi_1−xAl_xS₄ and Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ were determined by X-ray Rietveld analysis, and the electric and electrochemical properties were studied by electronic conductivity, ac conductivity and cyclic voltammogram measurements. The structure of the host material, Li₄SiS₄ is related to the γ-Li₃PO₄-type structure, and when the Li⁺ interstitials or Li⁺ vacancies were created by the partial substitutions of Al³⁺ or P⁵⁺ for Si⁴⁺, large increases in conductivity occur. The solid solution member x=0.6 in Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ showed high conductivity of 6.4×10^-4 S cm⁻¹ at 27°C with negligible electronic conductivity. The new solid solution, Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄, also has high electrochemical stability up to ∼5 V vs Li at room temperature. All-solid-state lithium cells were investigated using the Li_3.4Si_0.4P_0.6S₄ electrolyte, LiCoO₂ cathode and In anode.     

Preparation of Titania Nanosheet-Precipitated Coatings on Glass Substrates by Treating SiO2-TiO2 Gel Films with Hot Water Under Vibrations

Titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings have been prepared by treating SiO₂-TiO₂ gel films on glass substrates with hot water at 90°C under vibration. Longitudinal vibrations at about 6 Hz during the treatment enhanced the formation of titania nanosheet. The titania nanosheet consisted of several layers with a spacing of about 0.6 nm and was identified as hydrated titania with a lepidocrocite-type structure. The morphology of the titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings is probably achieved by lowering of the concentration of hydrolyzed titania species at the surface due to rapid water flow driven by the vibrations. The coatings were transparent in the visible range and showed high photocatalytic activity and antifogging property.     

Photo-initiated base-formation in a polymer matrix

It was found that amines were formed efficiently by the photolysis of O-acyloximes followed by hydrolysis in polystyrene films and the relationship between structures of O-acyloximes and yields of amines were investigated. O-phenylacetyl acetophenone oxime (PaApO), O-pivaloyl acetophenone oxime (PApO), and O-benzoyl acetophenone oxime (BApO) as monofunctional O-acyloximes and O,O′-succinyl diacetophenone oxime (SDApO) and O,O′-glutaryl diacetophenone oxime (GDApO) as bifunctional O-acyloximes were examined. The yields of amines for PaApO and SDApO under N₂ were ca. 70%, which was the highest among O-acyloximes examined in this experiment. On the other hand, the yields for PApO, BApO, and GDApO were less than 15% and it was verified that the hydrogen abstraction by imino radicals via 6-membered cyclic intermediates resulted in the lowering of yields. Although the effect of oxygen under photolysis on the yields of amine for PaApO was negligible under 50% conversion of PaApO, the yield decreased with further increase in the conversion and was 50% at 90% conversion. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Electron-transfer reactions and functionalization of cytochrome P450cam monooxygenase system in reverse micelles

Enzyme-based electron-transfer reactions involved in the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system were investigated in nanostructural reverse micelles. A bacterial flavoprotein, putidaredoxin reductase (PdR), was activated and shown to be capable of catalyzing the electron transport from NADH to electron-carrier proteins such as cytochrome b5 (tCyt-b5) and putidaredoxin (Pdx) in reverse micelles. Ferric tCyt-b5 in reverse micelles was effectively converted to its ferrous form by the exogenous addition of separately prepared reverse micellar solution harboring PdR and NADH. The fact that direct interactions of macromolecular proteins should be possible in the reverse micellar system encouraged us to functionalize a multicomponent monooxygenase system composed of the bacterial cytochrome P450cam (P450cam), putidaredoxin (Pdx), and PdR in reverse micelles. The successful camphor hydroxylation reaction catalyzed by P450cam was significantly dependent on the coexistence of Pdx, PdR, and NADH but not H2O2, suggesting that the oxygen-transfer reactions proceeded via a "monooxygenation" mechanism. This is the first report of a multicomponent cytochrome P450 system exhibiting enzymatic activity in organic media.     

Sol-Gel Preparation and Photoelectrochemical Properties of Fe2TiO5 Thin Films

Polycrystalline Fe₂TiO₅ films were prepared on nesa silica glass substrates by the sol-gel method, and their photoanodic properties were measured in a three-electrode wet cell with an aqueous buffer solution of pH = 7. Gel films were crystallized into Fe₂TiO₅ when fired at 500°C. The photoanodic current significantly increased when the films were fired at 700°C, and then decreased with increasing firing temperature. Thicker films obtained by repeating the gel film deposition and firing showed smaller photocurrent, and the 50 nm thick film prepared via non-repetitive deposition exhibited the maximum photocurrent. Although the photoresponse was extended to wavelengths near 500 nm, the maximum quantum yield was as low as 0.12 at a wavelength of 340 nm.