Large-scale separation of metallic and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes

In the applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), it is extremely important to separate semiconducting and metallic SWNTs. Although several methods have been reported for the separation, only low yields have been achieved at great expense. We show a separation method involving a dispersion-centrifugation process in a tetrahydrofuran solution of amine, which makes metallic SWNTs highly concentrated to 87% in a simple way.     

Conformational Studies on Polytripeptides as a Model of Collagen

To study the role of glycine residues in stabilizing the collagen triple helix, the glycine residues in the polytripeptide (Pro-Ala-Gly)_n were partially replaced by alanine. The proline content was kept constant. The stability of the helical conformation of these polypeptides was studied by IR- and X-ray measurements in the solid state and by ORD, CD and viscometry in solution. The renaturation was followed as a function of time. All the polytripeptides studied, with the exception of (-Pro-Ala-Ala-)_n attained the polyproline II conformation. However the stability decreased with increasing alanine content. Obviously the molecules of (-Pro-Ala-Gly-) are highly associated by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and one may therefore suppose that a triple-stranded helix aggregation occurs. The results of the refolding process show that the stability of the helices seems to also affect the refolding rate in terms of the optical rotation, Two transitions appeared: the first one is responsible for a rapid reversible change in conformation and the second one for a further slow and irreversible change in the hydrodynamic shape. The latter seems to be due to the partial helical nature, leading to higher chain mobility.     

Proof of the Fukui conjecture via resolution of singularities and related methods. II $$^{\star}$$

The present article is a direct continuation of the first part of this series. We reduce a proof of the Fukui conjecture (concerning the additivity problem of the zero-point vibrational energies of hydrocarbons) to that of a proposition related to the theory of algebraic curves, so that we can focus on the key mechanism of the additivity phenomena. Namely, by establishing what is called the Basic Piecewise Monotone Theorem (BPMT), we reduce a proof of the Fukui conjecture to that of a proposition, called the Local Analyticity Proposition, Version 1 (LAP1), which admits a proof via resolution of singularities. By LAP1, the essential part of the mechanism of the asymptotic linearity phenomena is extracted and is elucidated by using tools from the mathematical theory of algebraic curves, whose language is of vital importance in analyzing the crux of the additivity mechanism. Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Kenichi Fukui (1918–1998).     

Preparation and characterization of silicalite-1 membranes prepared by secondary growth of seeds with different crystal sizes

MFI-type zeolite particles of 0.1–1 μm in diameter were prepared by adjusting tetra-n-propylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) and water contents in synthesis mixtures. Using those particles as seeds, MFI-type zeolite membranes were prepared on the surface of a porous mullite tube by secondary growth. The membranes were formed as polycrystalline zeolite layers on and inside the porous support, and the membranes were composed of the [h 0 h]-oriented crystallites. The membrane consisting of a-oriented crystallites could be also prepared. However, the a-oriented zeolite layers were not active on the permeation properties of butanes. Rather the size and loaded amount of the seed particles influenced on the permeation properties through the membranes. As a result, the n-C₄H₁₀/i-C₄H₁₀ permselectivity could be increased to 220 by adjusting the size and the loaded amount of particles. These results suggest that the number of loaded particles affects on the permeation properties through the membranes.     

Characterization of molecular transport in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannels for electrophoresis fabricated with synchrotron radiation-lithography and UV-photolithography

In the present paper, a study was undertaken of molecular transport in ploy(dimethylsiloxane) microchannels that were fabricated by ultraviolet (UV)-photolithography and synchrotron radiation (SR)-lithography characterized and compared for microchip capillary electrophoresis by evaluating in-channel molecular dispersion. A fluorescent tag, sulforhodamine B was used as the probing molecule. It was found that microchannels made by SR-lithography fabrication were superior to those made by UV-photolithography fabrication in terms of molecular transport performance. A deep insight into surface conditions characterized by scanning electron microscopy suggested it was related to the difference in surface roughness. Chromatographic retention in electropherograms further supported such a conclusion, which depended on the phase ratio of the channel surface. The results revealed for PDMS microchannels in this work were in good agreement with the phenomenon found for glass microchannels in the literature.     

Side chain-directed assembly of triangular molecular panels into a tetrahedron vs. open cone

Despite their structural similarity, triangular tetradentate ligands 2b and 2c experience different assembly pathways on complexation with (en)Pd(NO3)2 to give M8L4 tetrahedral (3) and open cone (4) structures, respectively, due to steric restriction by side chains at the corner or on the edge of the ligands.     

New Proof of the Fukui Conjecture by the Functional Asymptotic Linearity Theorem

The present article provides a new proof of the Fukui conjecture concerning the additivity problem of the zero-point vibrational energies of hydrocarbons. This conjecture played a prominent role in the initial development of the repeat space theory (RST), and continues to be of vital significance in the recent development of the theory of the generalized repeat space X _r (q,d). The new proof of the Fukui conjecture has been given here by establishing the functional version of the Asymptotic Linearity Theorem (ALT), the Functional ALT. This enhanced version of the ALT directly implies the validity of the Fukui conjecture; it easily unifies, in a broad perspective, a variety of additivity phenomena in physico-chemical network systems having many identical moieties, and efficiently solves some interpretational problems of the empirical additivity formulae from experimental chemistry. The proof of the functional version of the ALT is based on a new method transferable to the extended theoretical framework of the generalized repeat space X _r (q,d).     

Infrared spectroscopic study on the reaction mechanism of CO hydrogenation over Pd/CeO2

In situ infrared spectroscopy was applied to elucidate the reaction mechanism of CO hydrogenation over Pd/CeO₂. Instead of direct dissociation of CO, a new reaction pathway is proposed for methane formation, involving geminal dicarbonyl intermediates and (HCO)₂(a) intermediates, which may be located on the surface of Pd covered with thin layers of reduced ceria (SMSI effect). Transformation of methane formation sites into methanol formation ones by the oxidation with water vapor formed during the CO?H₂ reaction is proposed, which may be located on the Pd (111) planes adjacent to ceria support.     

Polyhydrazides. III. N-methylated polyhydrazides by ring-opening of poly-p-phenylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole

A new ring-opening reaction of 1,3,4-oxadiazole by methylating reagents was developed in fuming sulfuric acid or polyphosphoric acid and then, by applying this reaction to poly-p-phenylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole, a high molecular weight poly-N-methylterephthalylhydrazide was obtained. Various methylating reagents were investigated as ring-opening reagents. The degrees of ring-opening in polymers were estimated and related to the properties of the polymers.     

Interaction between peroxide ion and phenol group which are coordinated to the same iron(III) ion

We have prepared several new iron(III) complexes with ligands which contain a phenol group; these are tetradentate [(X-phpy)H, X and H(phpy) represent the substituents on the phenol ring and N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)amine, respectively] and pentadentate ligands [(R-enph-X)H; R=ethyl(Et) or methyl(Me) derivative and H(Me-enph) denotes N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N″-methyl-N″-(2″-hydroxyl-benzylamine)ethylenediamine] and have determined the crystal structures of Fe(phpy)Cl₂, Fe(5-NO₂-phpy)Cl₂, and Fe(Me-enph)ClPF₆, which are of a mononuclear six-coordinate iron(III) complex with coordination of one or two chloride ion(s). These compounds are highly colored (dark violet) due to the coordination of phenol group to an iron(III) atom. When hydrogen peroxide was added to the solution of the iron(III) complex, a color change occurs with bleaching of the violet color, indicating that oxidative degradation of the phenol moiety occurred in the ligand system. The bleaching of the violet color was also observed by the addition of t-butylhydroperoxide. The rate of the disappearance of the violet color is highly dependent on the substituent on the phenol ring; introduction of an electron-withdrawing group in the phenol ring decreases the rate of bleaching, suggesting that disappearance of the violet band should be due to a chemical reaction between the phenol group and a peroxide adduct of the iron(III) species with an η¹-coordination mode and that in this reaction the peroxide adduct acts as an electrophile towards phenol ring. The intramolecular interaction between the phenol moiety and an iron(III)-peroxide adduct may induce activation of the peroxide ion, and this was supported by several facts that the solution containing an iron(III) complex and hydrogen peroxide exhibits high activities for degradation of nucleosides and albumin.