Pre-irradiation induced grafting of styrene into crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films for polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications. II: Characterization of the styrene grafted films

Crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films (RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films, respectively) were irradiated by γ-ray and then grafted with styrene in liquid phase. Microscope FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, solid state ¹³C CP/MAS and high resolution HS/MAS NMR spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) study were used to get the structural information of the styrene grafted RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films. From microscope FT-IR spectra of the grafted RX-PTFE films, the “grafting front mechanism” was proved. TGA analysis showed that the grafted films have a small degradation step and two main degradation steps. In the ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra of the non-grafted films, there are no signal due to the absence of the hydrogen atom. While in the spectra of the grafted films, there are signals attributed to the polystyrene grafts. In the ¹³C HS/MAS NMR spectra of the grafted films, the relative intensity of the peaks attributed to the polystyrene grafts increased while the relative intensity of the peak attributed to PTFE matrix decreased with the increase in the DOG. From WAXD patterns, the intensity of the crystalline peak decrease with the increase in the DOG. The grafted films were sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid and the results of highest IEC value exceeded 3.0. Those results will be reported in the near future.     

Dynamics of order formation by colloidal adsorption onto a substrate studied with Brownian dynamics

Colloidal adsorption and spontaneous ordering of adsorbed particles on a substrate was simulated using a three-dimensional simulation model for colloidal dispersion system with an adsorptive surface under a specified bulk concentration, where the particle-particle and particle-substrate interactions were modeled on the DLVO theory. The key process for order formation is considered to be the adsorption of a particle that induces the transition from incomplete order to perfect order, and is found to involve a stochastic nature due to an energy barrier which must be overcome for the system to reach ordered state. Also, a model was developed to predict the energy barrier for order formation based on direct observation of the key process. Further, a model to describe the stochastic nature of the process was developed and its quantitative validity was demonstrated. Through the examination of the key process, it is concluded that the mechanism of the order formation is composed of two successive processes and the rate-determining step varies depending on the ionic strength.     

Gold electrodes from recordable CDs for mercury quantification by flow injection analysis

The development of a new methodology for the construction of very efficient flow cells for mercury detection by potentiometric stripping analysis, employing the thin gold layer of recordable CDs as working electrode is reported. This new source of electrodes (CDtrodes) show very attractive performance, similar to that obtained with commercial gold electrodes, with superior versatility. The low cost of this new source of "gold electrodes" allows a frequent replacement of the electrode, avoiding cumbersome clean-up treatments. Various experimental parameters have been optimized to yield low detection limits (0.25 ng/mL of mercury for 5 min deposition at 0.3 V) and good precision (standard deviation of 1.9% was obtained for 15 repetitive measurements using 10 ng/mL of mercury). Standard curves were found to be linear over the range of 0.5-100 microg L(-1) of mercury. The flow cells developed were used for the quantification of mercury in oceanic and tap water.     

Conversion of endohedral <Superscript>133</Superscript>Xe-fullerene to endohedral <Superscript>133</Superscript>Xe-fullerenol to be used in nuclear medicine

Summary Hydrophilic endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenols, [¹³³Xe@C₆₀(OH)_xand ¹³³Xe@C₇₀(OH)_x], were synthesized from hydrophobic endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenes. The yield of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenols extracted in water was about 40% and 23% for C₆₀and C₇₀, respectively. The products stored in 0.9% NaCl solution at 20 °C were stable enough to be used in nuclear medicine.     

Interaction of cubosomes with plasma components resulting in the destabilization of cubosomes in plasma

Cubosomes are novel dispersed nanoparticles with bicontinuous cubic phases of monoolein in their interior. We investigated their disintegration process in plasma by in vitro and in vivo studies. Cubosomes were incubated with whole plasma or plasma components such as HDL, LDL, and albumin. The lypolysis study indicated lipolytic activity of whole plasma towards cubosomes. Gel filtration chromatography revealed that HDL, LDL and albumin interacted with cubosomes. HDL affected cubosomes’ integrity and gave rise to smaller particles which contained the components of both cubosomes and HDL. Upon incubation with LDL, cubosomes fused with LDL. Albumin was shown to take up monoolein out of the particles. Cubosomes were disintegrated by whole plasma as a result of the interaction with plasma components. It was concluded that in vivo observation of a long circulation time of a hydrophobic substance in cubosomes was due to the sustained behavior of cubosome remnant particles.     

Crystal structure of poly(p-benzamide)

Redetermination of the crystal structure of poly(p-benzamide) was made by using newly collected intensity data. The molecular conformation is TCTC, where the internal rotation angles about the N? C bond of the amide group and about the virtual bond of N-phenyl-C are T (trans) and C (cis) conformations, respectively. Two molecular chains pass through a rectangular unit cell with dimension, a = 7.75 Å, b = 5.30 Å, c (fiber axis) = 12.87 Å, and the space group, P2₁2₁2₁-D. The reflection observed at the spacing of 010 may be attributed to the reflection due to another crystal polymorph or the diffuse scattering due to disorder. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Phase-death mode in two-coupled chemical oscillators studied with reactors of different volume and by simulation

The behavior of the phase-death mode (cessation of oscillations and transition to a steady state) in the two-coupled Belousov–Zhabotinsky reactions is studied in the asymmetric coupling. In an experiment, the types of synchronized modes and their regions were investigated as an extension of our previous study. This experiment is compared to a simulation using the two-coupled three-variable Oregonator models. The results confirm that the phase-death mode changes from “bistable” to “monostable” and reveal the stable region of the latter.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-fluoroalkenes directed to peptide isosteres: copper mediated reaction of trialkylaluminum with 4,4-difluoro-5-hydroxyallylic alcohol derivatives

Copper mediated alkyl-transfer reaction of trialkylaluminum (R₃Al) with (E)-4,4-difluoro-5-hydroxyallylic alcohol derivative smoothly proceeded to give the corresponding 2-alkylated 4-fluoro-5-hydroxyhomoallylic alcohol derivative with completely Z and 2,5-syn selective manner. Regio- and stereoselective conversion of the C5-hydroxyl group of the fluoroolefin thus obtained to amino group could be achieved through one-pot mesylation and azidation reaction.     

Determination of chemical form of antimony in contaminated soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure.

Only limited information is available about the behavior of antimony (Sb) in contaminated soils. However, understanding the behavior of Sb in contaminated soils is important, because the toxicity or solubility of this element depends on its chemical state. In this study, we investigated the levels of Sb and the chemical forms of Sb in the soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra. The highest Sb concentration in the contaminated soil was 2900 mg/kg dry soil. According to Sb-K edge X-ray absorption near edge (XANE) spectra, the Sb in the soil was in the form of Sb(V) compounds. The similarity of extended XAFS (EXAFS) spectra suggests that Sb speciation was independent of the sampling site, which indicates that Sb or Sb2O3 emitted from the smelter was converted into Sb(V) compounds in the soil.     

Photocyclization of n-[ω-(cycloalken-1-yl)alkyl]-and n-[ω-(inden-3-yl)alkyl]phthalimides : Synthesis of spiro-nitrogen multicyclic systems

Photolysis of the N-[ω-(cycloalken-1-yl)alkyl]phthalimides 6b-$\text{e}$ in each case gave a pair of stereoisomers of spiro-nitrogen multicyclic systems (9b-$\text{e}$) in moderate yields, whose stereochemistry was determined by means of chemical and spectroscopic analyses. Similarly, in N-[ω-(inden-3-yl)alkyl]-phthalimides (8), spiro-nitrogen macrocycles up to 13-membered 13a-$\text{c}$ were obtained in good yields