Comparative analysis of refrigerant performance between LPG and R134a under subtropical climate

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this investigation, a series of experiments were conducted to explore the effects of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) mixture of 60% propane and 40%...     

Two-Dimensional Supramolecular Polymerization of a Bis-Urea Macrocycle into a Brick-Like Hydrogen-Bonded Network

We report on a dendronized bis-urea macrocycle 1 self-assembling via a cooperative mechanism into two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets formed solely by alternated urea-urea hydrogen bonding interactions. The pure macrocycle self-assembles in bulk into one-dimensional liquid-crystalline columnar phases. In contrast, its self-assembly mode drastically changes in CHCl₃ or tetrachloroethane, leading to 2D hydrogen-bonded networks. Theoretical calculations, complemented by previously reported crystalline structures, indicate that the 2D assembly is formed by a brick-like hydrogen bonding pattern between bis-urea macrocycles. This assembly is promoted by the swelling of the trisdodecyloxyphenyl groups upon solvation, which frustrates, due to steric effects, the formation of the thermodynamically more stable columnar macrocycle stacks. This work proposes a new design strategy to access 2D supramolecular polymers by means of a single non-covalent interaction motif, which is of great interest for materials development.     

Dually Electroactive Disulfide‐Confined Aryldiazonium Salt Used as a Linker Molecule for Preparing Immunosensor Platforms

A new electroactive disulfide‐confined aryl diazonium (DSAD) salt was synthesized and used as a linker for biomolecules immobilization to prepare two kinds of immunoassay platforms. DSAD was electrodeposited on ITO electrode surfaces by cyclic voltammetry. Disulfide group of DSAD attached on the surfaces were electrochemically oxidized into thiosulfinate or thiosulfonate groups. For the first work, a detection of rabbit antigen was performed on ITO microelectrodes array by spatially‐selective approach. In the second work, DSAD was deposited on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide‐modified ITO surfaces, which were used as a platform for electrochemical sandwich immunoassay for detecting mouse antigen.     

Production of textile filaments from carboxymethylated cellulosic pulps

Cellulose - Textile filaments were fabricated from a solution obtained from carboxymethylated cellulose dissolved in aqueous NaOH solution, by wet spinning in an acid coagulation bath. Spinning is...     

磁性壳聚糖复合微球的制备及其Cu~(2+)吸附性能

以球磨后的粉煤灰磁珠(MS)颗粒为磁核,通过溶胶凝胶法和反相微乳液法依次包覆SiO_2和壳聚糖(CS),制备了MS@SiO_2@CS磁性微球。利用扫描电镜及能量色散谱仪、热重分析仪、红外光谱仪、X射线衍射仪、振动样品磁强计对所得样品的结构和磁性进行了系统表征。结果表明,磁珠颗粒表面实现了逐层包覆,较均匀的分散于壳聚糖基体中,MS@SiO_2@CS微球的比饱和磁化强度可达7.04 emu·g~(-1)。Cu~(2+)离子吸附实验表明,所得磁性壳聚糖微球对Cu~(2+)具有良好的吸附能力,最大吸附量可达11.08 mg·g~(-1);而且可通过磁选法高效固液分离。吸附动力学研究表明,MS@SiO_2@CS微球对Cu~(2+)离子的吸附符合准二级动力学模型,以化学吸附为主。     

Furan-containing conjugated polymers for organic solar cells

Development of organic semiconductors is one of the most intriguing and productive topics in material science and engineering. Many efforts have been made on the synthesis of aromatic building blocks such as benzene, thiophene and pyrrole due to the facile preparation accompanied by the intrinsic environmental stability and relatively efficient properties of the resulting polymers. In the past, furan has been less explored in this field because of its high oxidation potential. Recently, furan has attracted obsession due to its weaker aromaticity, the greater solubilities of furan-containing π-conjugated polymers relative to other benzenoid systems and the accessibility of furan-based starting materials from renewable resources. This review elaborates the advancements of organic photovoltaic polymers containing furan building blocks. The uniqueness and advantages of furan-containing building blocks in semiconducting materials are also discussed.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of ion imprinted polymer for nitrate detection

Molecular imprinting is an approach to synthesize receptors with specific molecular recognition properties. A computational method was carried out to study interaction between template and monomer in prepolymerization mixture. The functional monomer and template complexes were optimized, at the minimum energy confirmation using Austin Model 1 semi empirical method within Restricted Hartree Fock formalism. The theoretical results showed that allylthiourea (functional monomer) has the largest interaction energy towards template (sodium nitrate) with the mole ratio of 4 : 1; functional monomer : template. The resulting polymers were characterized using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Rebinding experiments were carried out to evaluate binding capacity of the polymer. The adsorption data of ion imprinted polymer (IIP) were fitted with Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm model. Pseudo-second order kinetic model was used to describe the kinetic adsorption behavior of IIP. The experimental binding result showed good agreement with theoretical computation and the IIP was further used for nitrate ion detection. The results of membrane optimization indicated that the sensor, which composed of 30% polyvinylchloride, 60% nitrophenyl octyl ether as a plasticizer, 2% sodium tetraphenyl borate, and 10% IIP as ionophore exhibited an almost Nernstian slope with the limit of detection 3.9 × 10^-6 M. The fabricated sensor had shown good potential in nitrate detection with wide linear range, low limit of detection and found to have good selectivity towards nitrate ion over other anion.     

Geometrical structure and nonlinear response variations of metal (M = Ni2+, Pd2+, Pt2+) octaphyrin complex derivatives: A DFT study

Nonlinear optical response of designed organometallic complexes of Ni²⁺, Pd²⁺, and Pt²⁺ metal ions with octaphyrin (OP) as ligand were explored by using DFT at CAM-B3LYP/6–311G++(d, p)/LANL2DZ/DEF2SV level of theory. The geometries of these organometallic complexes were studied in terms of effect on molecular framework by metal ion and substituent groups. The optimized geometry of free ligand displays that one of the four pyrrole rings orients out of plane to reduce the steric hindrance. The effect of the substituents on the geometry was found more prominent in the Ni²⁺-OP complexes. The calculations reveal enhancement in the values of dipole moment and hyperpolarizability on introducing electron withdrawing and electron donating groups in ligand framework with maximum enhancement in case of Pt²⁺-OP derivatives. In this study no regular trend was observed for the HOMO and LUMO energies with the second-order hyperpolarizability of M²⁺-OP complexes. However, we have observed that the excited-state properties calculated by using TD-DFT correlate well with the second-order hyperpolarizability values and the dependence was rationalized in terms of two-level model. Thus, from overall calculations we have observed that the designed organometallic complexes display higher polarizability and hyperpolarizability values and can be effective candidates for nonlinear response.     

Ornamental Plant Efficiency for Heavy Metals Phytoextraction from Contaminated Soils Amended with Organic Materials

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) by ornamental plants (OPs) from contaminated agriculture soils is a unique technique that can efficiently reduce the metal load in the food chain. Amaranthus tricolor L. has attractive characteristics acquiring a higher growth rate and large biomass when grown at heavy metal contaminated soils. Site-specific detailed information is not available on the use of A. tricolor plant in metal phytoremediation from the polluted sites. The study aimed to enhance the uptake of HMs (Pb, Zn, and Cu) via amending poultry litter extract (PLE), vinasse sugarcane (VSC), and humic acid (HA) as natural mobilized organic materials compared to ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), as a common mobilized chemical agent by A. tricolor plant. The studied soils collected from Helwan, El-Gabal El-Asfar (Cairo Governorate), Arab El-Madabeg (Assiut Governorate), Egypt, and study have been conducted under pot condition. Our results revealed all organic materials in all studied soils, except EDTA in EL-Gabal El-Asfar soil, significantly increased the dry weight of the A. tricolor plant compared to the control treatment. The uptake of Pb and Zn significantly (p > 0.05) increased due to applying all organic materials to the studied soils. HA application caused the highest uptake as shown in Pb concentration by more than 5 times in Helwan soil and EDTA by 65% in El-Gabal El-Asfar soil while VSC increased it by 110% in El-Madabeg soil. Also, an increase in Zn concentration due to EDTA application was 58, 42, and 56% for Helwan, El-Gabal El-Asfar, and El-Madabeg soil, respectively. In all studied soils, the application of organic materials increased the remediation factor (RF) than the control. El-Madabeg soil treated with vinasse sugarcane gave the highest RF values; 6.40, 3.26, and 4.02% for Pb, Zn, and Cu, respectively, than the control. Thus, we identified A. tricolor as a successful ornamental candidate that, along with organic mobilization amendments, most efficiently develop soil health, reduce metal toxicity, and recommend remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. Additionally, long-term application of organic mobilization amendments and continued growth of A. tricolor under field conditions could be recommended for future directions to confirm the results.