In–out asymmetry and interference effects in plasmon excitation by swift charged particles traversing a surface

We investigate the excitation of plasmons by a fast charged particle moving in the vicinity or traversing the surface of a solid along an arbitrary trajectory. We use both quantum‐mechanical and semiclassical dielectric formulations to study how the particle couples with the bulk and surface excitations. We pay special attention to the differences and similarities between incoming and outgoing trajectories, finding some novel oscillatory structures that can be ascribed to an interference effect between direct and reflected plasmon excitations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interactions between apolar,basic and acidic model oils and a calcite surface

Abstract

In this study, the atomic force microscopy colloidal probe technique was employed to investigate the interaction between apolar, basic and acidic model oil probes and a calcite surface in solutions containing different concentrations of NaCl, CaCl₂ and Na₂SO₄. In the presence of SO₄^2?, hydration and structural forces were observed between apolar model oil probes and a calcite surface on approach. Relatively low adhesion forces were observed between the basic model oil probes and the calcite surface, while higher adhesion forces were observed between the acidic model oil probes and the calcite surface. Furthermore, the adhesion forces between the basic model oil probes and the calcite surface significantly increased in the presence of SO₄^2?, while the adhesion force between the acidic model oil probes and the calcite surface decreased in the presence of Ca²⁺ or SO₄^2?. The differences in the adhesion forces are related to electrostatic attraction and ion bridging forces between the model oil probes and the calcite surface.     

Preparation and characterization of a polystyrene/bovine serum albumin nanoparticle‐coated capillary for chiral separation using open‐tubular capillary electrochromatography

Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles coated by BSA, hereafter denoted as PS/BSA, were prepared and chemically immobilized for the first time onto a capillary inner wall for open‐tubular CEC (OTCEC). EOF and scanning electron micrography were used to characterize the prepared nanoparticle‐coated capillaries. To investigate the performance of the prepared columns in OTCEC, chiral separation of d ,l ‐tryptophan (dl ‐Trp) was performed in monolayer BSA‐modified capillary and PS/BSA nanoparticle‐coated columns. The results indicated that the nanoparticle‐modified column afforded a higher resolution compared with the monolayer type. Rapid enantioseparation of dl ‐Trp (within 3 min) was achieved with the PS/BSA‐immobilized column using an electroosmotic pump‐assisted CEC. Enantiomer separations of other compounds like dl ‐tyrosine and warfarin were also achieved with the column. Besides, run‐to‐run and column‐to‐column repeatabilities of the PS/BSA‐coated column in the chiral separation were systematically introduced.     

Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Pt3Co/Fe3O4 Nanocomposites

Bimagnetic Pt₃Co/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite is synthesized in aqueous solution. The nanoparticles are characterized with TEM, FTIR, and magnetic measurements. The as‐synthesized nanocomposite exhibits ferromagnetic properties at room temperature due to the exchange coupling between Pt₃Co and Fe₃O₄. Magnetic properties of Pt₃Co/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle can be tuned by varying of the molar ratio of iron to platinum. Pt₃Co/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles exhibit higher saturation magnetization when the molar ratio of iron to platinum is 1.     

Micellar Effects on Alkaline Hydrolysis of 3,5-Dinitro-2-chloro Benzotriflouride and 2,4-Dinitrochloro Benzene in Aqueous-Acetonitrile Mixtures

Reaction rate for alkaline hydrolysis of the substrates 3,5-dinitro-2-chloro benzotriflouride (DNCBTF) (1) at 30°C and 2,4-dinitrochloro benzene (DNCB) (2) at 50°C separetely with NaOH as nucleophile is carried out spectrophotometrically in mixed aqueous-acetonitrile solvents. In each system, cationic surfactant as dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DoTAB), or anionic one as sodium dodecyle sulfate (SDS) is used in wide range of concentrations to study the effect of micelle on the reaction rate. The micellar effect is explained in term of modified pseudo phase ion exchange model. Pseudo first order rate constant, k_obs is obtained for each of the nucleophile and for both substrates 1 and 2 at all range of X_AN · k_obs at given [OH^?] and in presence of any substrate is found to increase with the increase of DoTAB,while decrease with the increase of SDS as micellar phases. Critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) in similar trend are observed to increase in DoTAB while decrease in SDS systems by increasing acetonitrile (AN) content. Micellar binding constant (K_S) between any type of given substrate and the formed micelle, is found to decrease in presence of DoTAB and increase in SDS micellar phases by increasing AN content. Finally, the ratios between pseudo first order rate constants for hydrolysis in micellar phase k_M to that in the bulk phase k_w for DoTAB and SDS systems are found to be greater than and smaller than unity respectively at any given X_AN where the data indicated for (1) is always higher than those for (2). The results concluded that micelle DoTAB is working as a catalyst for the reaction rate, while that for SDS is considered as an inhibitor.     

Conjugate Addition of a Silyl Ketene Acetal to α,β‐Unsaturated Lactones

Abstract

Conjugate addition of a silyl ketene acetal [Me₂C?C (OMe)OSiMe₃] to α,β‐unsaturated lactones (namely, 5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one, 2(5H)‐furanone as Michael acceptor) occurs efficiently at room temperature in the presence of a nucleophilic catalyst, tetra‐n‐butyl ammonium bibenzoate (TBABB), in THF as well as Lewis acid catalysts such as Yb(OTf)₃ and I₂ in CH₂Cl₂, giving the corresponding 1,4‐adducts in excellent yields.     

Efficient Synthesis of the Cyanofluoromethylated Ketones: Michael Reaction of the Cyanofluoromethyl Anion Species to Unsaturated Ketones

Abstract

Synthesis of cyanofluoromethylated ketones is discussed. The Michael addition of α‐cyano‐α‐fluoromethyl anion species to α,β‐unsaturated ketones is investigated.     

Synthesis of Dimedone-Annelated Heterocycles: Regioselective Heterocyclization of 2-(Cyclohex-2′-enyl)-5,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy cyclohex-2-enone

Abstract

2-(Cyclohex-2′-enyl)-5,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxycyclohex-2-enone undergoes regioselective heterocyclization to give bridged heterocycles 5a,b and 7 on treatment with pyridine hydrotribromide or hexamethylenetetramine hydrotribromide (1 h); or elemental bromine (7 h); N-iodosuccinimide in acetonitrile at 0–5°C (1 h) and conc. H₂SO₄ at 0–5°C (2 h), respectively.     

On the determination of the point of fracture initiation by the load separation criterion in J-testing of ductile polymers

The application of an experimental approach based on the load separation criterion for the determination of the point of fracture initiation in a fracture test on a ductile polymer was critically examined. To this aim, the fracture process outlined by the application of this method was related to that described by the visual analysis of the fracture surfaces obtained in fracture tests on nominally identical specimens, in which different levels of crack extension were produced. The material examined was an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin, and the fracture tests were performed at low loading rate on single-edge notched in bending specimens.The results demonstrated that this load separation criterion based methodology is a promising approach for the determination of the point of fracture initiation, and for material fracture resistance, J_Ic, evaluation. The method also has experimental simplicity and a high degree of repeatability.