Evaluation of measurement uncertainty in EA–IRMS: for determination of δ 13C value and C-4 plant sugar content in adulterated honey

In this study, the method for determining the stable carbon isotope ratio value was validated. Measurement uncertainty of stable carbon isotope ratio value of whole honey and its extracted protein derived from repeatability, reference gas, reference standards and calibration curve was calculated by applying the “bottom-up” approach according to Eurachem/CITAC guide. The expanded uncertainties for all results ranged from 0.14 to 0.19 ‰, with most of them between 0.15 and 0.16 ‰ (the coverage factor k = 2, the level of confidence p is approximately 95 %). The percentage contribution of each source to the relative combined uncertainty was calculated. The data indicated that calibration curves have more contribution to the relative combined uncertainty than repeatability and reference standards. On the other hand, the measurement uncertainty of C-4 sugar content in honey was estimated. Based on these results, 58 honey samples, such as acacia, chaste, Northeast China black bee, flowers and jujube honey, have been gathered to determine the C-4 plant sugar content adulteration in honey by elemental analyzer with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. It can be found that all honey samples were not adulterated by C-4 plant sugar.     

Raman spectroscopy measurement of levofloxacin lactate in blood using an optical fiber nano‐probe

Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were time‐consuming and expensive as the main methods for the drug analysis at present, and the samples must be pretreated. The Raman spectroscopy measurement methods were fast and simple, so the Raman spectroscopy methods for the drug analysis were explored in this paper. An optical fiber nano‐probe coated with gold nanoparticles was fabricated and used with surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to measure levofloxacin lactate. The resulting SERS spectra of levofloxacin lactate in mouse blood that was detected by the optical fiber nano‐probe clearly showed the characteristic wave numbers of levofloxacin lactate, indicating that optical fiber nano‐probes can be used with spectral techniques to analyze drugs in vitro or potentially even in vivo. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nickel Phosphate Nanorods for High‐Performance Flexible Asymmetric All‐Solid‐State Supercapacitors

Ni₂₀[(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₆][(HPO₄)₈(PO₄)₄]·12H₂O nanorods are successfully synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal reaction. A high‐performance flexible asymmetric all‐solid‐state supercapacitor based on the obtained Ni₂₀[(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₆][(HPO₄)₈(PO₄)₄]·12H₂O nanorods (positive electrode) and graphene nanosheets (negative electrode) is successfully assembled. It is the first report of this nanomaterial applied for all‐solid‐state supercapacitors. Interestingly, a maximum volumetric energy density of 0.446 mW h cm^?3 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm^?2 and a maximum power density of 44.1 mW cm^?3 at a current density of 6.0 mA cm^?2 are achieved by the as‐assembled device. What's more, the device also shows excellent mechanical flexibility and little capacitance change after over 5000 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA cm^?2.     

Flame retardancy and smoke suppression of silicone foams with microcapsulated aluminum hypophosphite and zinc borate

The flame‐retardant microcapsules were successfully fabricated with an aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) core. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to verify that AHP was encapsulated in the microcapsules, and thermogravimetry analysis showed that microencapsulated AHP (MAHP) possessed higher thermal stability than that of AHP. Then, a flame‐retardant and smoke suppression system for silicone foams (SiFs) was obtained through a synergistic effect of MAHP and zinc borate (2ZnO·3B₂O₃·3.5H₂O). The mechanical properties, flame retardance, and smoke suppression of SiFs with MAHP and zinc borate were tested using the tensile test, limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, UL‐94 test, and cone calorimeter test. The mechanical properties indicated that the tensile strength and elongation at break of SiFs could evidently improve with the incorporation of MAHP. Compared with pure SiF, SiF8 with 4.5‐wt% MAHP and 1.5‐wt% zinc borate could achieve an LOI value of 30.7 vol% and an UL‐94 V‐0 rating, the time to ignition amplified almost six times, the peak heat release rate and total heat release were 51.10% and 46.00% less than that of pure SiF, respectively, the fire performance index increased nearly 13 times, and the fire growth index value was only 13.18% of pure SiF. Moreover, the partial substitution of zinc borate imparted a substantial improvement in both flame retardancy and smoke suppression. Especially, the peak smoke production rate and total smoke production of SiF8 were merely 38.46% and 38.84% of pure SiF.     

On the Role of Symmetry in Vibrational Strong Coupling: The Case of Charge‐Transfer Complexation

It is well known that symmetry plays a key role in chemical reactivity. Here we explore its role in vibrational strong coupling (VSC) for a charge‐transfer (CT) complexation reaction. By studying the trimethylated‐benzene–I₂ CT complex, we find that VSC induces large changes in the equilibrium constant K_DA of the CT complex, reflecting modifications in the ΔG° value of the reaction. Furthermore, by tuning the microfluidic cavity modes to the different IR vibrations of the trimethylated benzene, ΔG° either increases or decreases depending only on the symmetry of the normal mode that is coupled. This result reveals the critical role of symmetry in VSC and, in turn, provides an explanation for why the magnitude of chemical changes induced by VSC are much greater than the Rabi splitting, that is, the energy perturbation caused by VSC. These findings further confirm that VSC is powerful and versatile tool for the molecular sciences.     

Chemical constituents isolated from stems of Schisandra chinensis and their antifeedant activity against Tribolium castaneum

Abstract

One new sesquiterpene (α-iso-cubebenol acetate, 8), together with 9 known compounds (1-7, 9, 10) were isolated from the stems of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. by repeated silica gel column chromatography. Based on the results of MS, NMR spectra and comparing with literature data, the six dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans were identified as schizandrin A to C (1-3), schizandrin (4), schisantherin A (5) and gomisin J (6), the two sesquiterpenes were identified as α-iso-cubebenol (7) and α-iso-cubebenol acetate (8), while the two triterpenic acids were identified as ganwuweizic acid (9) and kadsuric acid (10). The antifeedant activity of the 10 compounds against Tribolium castaneum adults was tested. Gomisin J (6) exhibited activity at 1500?ppm concentration with 40.3% antifeeding index percentages. As for the dibenzocyclooctene lignans (compounds 1–3, 6), the number of methylenedioxies and the position of hydroxyl groups were the main factors to affect their antifeedant activities.     

Host-Guest Chemistry of Truncated Tetrahedral Imine Cages with Ammonium Ions

Three shape-persistent [4+4] imine cages with truncated tetrahedral geometry with different window sizes were studied as hosts for the encapsulation of tetra-n-alkylammonium salts of various bulkiness. In various solvents the cages behave differently. For instance, in dichloromethane the cage with smallest window size takes up NEt₄⁺ but not NMe₄ ^{+ ,} which is in contrast to the two cages with larger windows hosting both ions. To find out the reason for this, kinetic experiments were carried out to determine the velocity of uptake but also to deduce the activation barriers for these processes. To support the experimental results, calculations for the guest uptakes have been performed by molecular mechanics’ simulations. Finally, the complexation of pharmaceutical interested compounds, such as acetylcholine, muscarine or denatonium have been determined by NMR experiments.     

Stepwise Assembly of Turn-on Fluorescence Sensors in Multicomponent Metal–Organic Frameworks for in Vitro Cyanide Detection

The controlled synthesis of multicomponent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) allows for the precise placement of multiple cooperative functional groups within a framework, leading to emergent synergistic effects. Herein, we demonstrate that turn-on fluorescence sensors can be assembled by combining a fluorophore and a recognition moiety within a complex cavity of a multicomponent MOF. An anthracene-based fluorescent linker and a hemicyanine-containing CN⁻-responsive linker were sequentially installed into the lattice of PCN-700. The selective binding of CN⁻ to hemicyanine inhibited the energy transfer between the two moieties, resulting in a fluorescence turn-on effect. Taking advantage of the high tunability of the MOF platform, the ratio between anthracene and the hemicyanine moiety could be fine-tuned in order to maximize the sensitivity of the overall framework. The optimized MOF-sensor had a CN⁻-detection limit of 0.05 μm , which is much lower than traditional CN⁻ fluorescent sensors (about 0.2 μm ).