Stokes flow in a junction of two-dimensional orthogonal channels

The purpose of this study is to calculate Stokes flow structures in relation to flow rate distribution in a junction of four orthogonal channels. Particular attention was paid to the existence of recirculation flow inside the channels for low Reynolds numbers. The presence of this recirculation flow may be observed, but only when the flow rate is relatively low in at least one of the branches.     

Gas collection efficiency of annular denuders: A spreadsheet-based calculator

Denuders are widely used for atmospheric analysis. Annular denuders are especially well-suited for preconcentration of trace gases compared to simpler single tube designs. While traditionally coated annular denuders have both bounding surfaces that behave as sinks, annular denuders/membrane-based scrubbers with the same basic geometric design and with only one of the annular surfaces functioning as sink (e.g., a membrane tube whose outer surface behaves as a sink disposed within an inert jacket tube) have become common. However, the gas collection efficiency of such devices cannot be expressed as a simple equation with fixed constants and there is no presently available tool to a priori determine the denuder performance or to design denuders with specific removal efficiencies at specific sampling rates. This paper presents a simple to use “spreadsheet calculator” for concentric annular denuders of any dimension based on known solutions to analogous heat transfer problems. The results from the present spreadsheet calculator are compared with results from a commercial computational fluid dynamics package (Fluent™; this takes significant expertise and development effort to run)—the two approaches produce essentially the same results. The present spreadsheet calculator can be used easily and simply without training and will be a useful tool for denuder users and designers.     

Exact Formula for Currents in Strongly Pumped Diffusive Systems

We analyze a generic model of mesoscopic machines driven by the nonadiabatic variation of external parameters. We derive a formula for the probability current; as a consequence we obtain a no-pumping theorem for cyclic processes satisfying detailed balance and demonstrate that the rectification of current requires broken spatial symmetry.     

Hydration of phosphatidyl serine multilayers and its modulation by conformational change induced by correlated electrostatic interaction.

Hydration of the various residues of phospholipids was inferred from the shift in the wave number of their vibration bands, obtained from the amplitudes of their positive and negative peaks in the difference spectra between those of the hydrated and the dry phospholipid multibilayers. The effect of aligned phospholipid layers on the orientation of their hydrating water molecules was inferred from the dichroic ratio of the OH stretching band, measured by polarized attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) with a germanium prism, as a function of the water-to-lipid ratio in the surface film. The results indicate that about seven water molecules are oriented by one phosphatidyl serine molecule in the surface film. About 8 to 11 additional water molecules contribute to the hydration of the polar residues as revealed by the effect on the difference spectra. The hydration appears to be cooperative. A water molecule that initiates hydration of a site facilitates access of additional water molecules, until the hydration of the whole site composed of many different interacting polar residues is completed.     

Monomeric Copper(II) Sites Supported on Alumina Selectively Convert Methane to Methanol

Monomeric Cu^II sites supported on alumina, prepared using surface organometallic chemistry, convert CH₄ to CH₃OH selectively. This reaction takes place by formation of CH₃O surface species with the concomitant reduction of two monomeric Cu^II sites to Cu^I, according to mass balance analysis, infrared, solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance, X‐ray absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies. This material contains a significant fraction of Cu active sites (22 %) and displays a selectivity for CH₃OH exceeding 83 %, based on the number of electrons involved in the transformation. These alumina‐supported Cu^II sites reveal that C?H bond activation, along with the formation of CH₃O‐ surface species, can occur on pairs of proximal monomeric Cu^II sites in a short reaction time.     

Convenient and easy access to 2-hydroxycyclopent-2-enones from acylcyanohydrins

A convenient access to 2-hydroxycyclopentenones was designed from acylcyanohydrins, by using titanacyclopropane complexes as nucleophilic partners and an intramolecular aldol condensation in basic conditions. The development of a one-pot procedure allows a step- and atom-economic process, and the use of Grignard reagents other than ethylmagnesium bromide provided valuable 3,4-disubstituted 2-hydroxycyclopentenones. The utility of the hydroxy group was illustrated by further functionalization of the α-position using palladium-mediated cross-coupling reactions.