Curvilinear coordinates in the scaling theory of tricritical points

We demonstrate the existence of homogeneity properties of the singular part of the free energy at the tricritical point of a soluble magneto-elastic model. The free energy is only homogeneous when viewed as a function of the appropriate curvilinear coordinates in the space of independent thermodynamic variables. It is not homogeneous as a function of the linear coordinates of either Griffiths of Riedel. The implications of this result for the general scaling theory of tricritical points are discussed.     

Antiplasmodial prenylated flavanonols from Tephrosia subtriflora

The CH₂Cl₂/MeOH (1:1) extract of the aerial parts of Tephrosia subtriflora afforded a new flavanonol, named subtriflavanonol (1), along with the known flavanone spinoflavanone B, and the known flavanonols MS-II (2) and mundulinol. The structures were elucidated by the use of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of the flavanonols was determined based on quantum chemical ECD calculations. In the antiplasmodial assay, compound 2 showed the highest activity against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum reference clones (D6 and 3D7), artemisinin-sensitive isolate (F32-TEM) as well as field isolate (KSM 009) with IC₅₀ values 1.4–4.6 μM without significant cytotoxicity against Vero and HEp2 cell lines (IC₅₀ > 100 μM). The new compound (1) showed weak antiplasmodial activity, IC₅₀ 12.5–24.2 μM, but also showed selective anticancer activity against HEp2 cell line (CC₅₀ 16.9 μM).     

Synthesis and characterization of isomeric diphenylphosphatoisosorbide acrylates

Abstract

Isosorbide is a diether diol readily available from starch, an abundant, renewable biomaterial. Because of its structure and functionality, it may serve as a base for the development of nontoxic polymer additives, particularly flame retardants. Conversion of one of the hydroxyl groups to a diphenylphosphato moiety followed by conversion of the other to an acrylate affords isomeric vinyl monomers suitable for copolymerization with a variety of monomers to generate flame-retardant polymers.     

Exactly soluble magnetoelastic lattice with a magnetic phase transition

We examine the soluble magnetoelastic Ising model developed by Baker and Essam and give a detailed discussion of its thermodynamic properties. Particular attention is devoted to the properties of the magnetic phase transition at zero field, which is found to be either first order or second order, depending on whether the experiment is performed at negative or positive pressure.Part of this work was done while L. G. was visiting Tel Aviv University. Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. GP. 16025 to L. G.     

Bose-Einstein condensation in one- and two-dimensional gases

We show that the one- and two-dimensional ideal Bose gases undergo a phase transition if the temperature is lowered at constant pressure. At the pressure-dependent transition temperature T_c (P) and in their thermodynamic limit the specific heat at constant pressure c_p and the particle densityn diverge, the entropyS and specific heat at constant volumec _v fall off sharply but continuously to zero, and the fraction of particles in the ground state N₀/N jumps discontinuously from zero to one. This Bose-Einstein condensation provides a remarkable example of a transition which has most of the properties of a second-order phase transition, except that the order parameter is discontinuous. The nature of the condensed state is described in the large but finiteN regime, and the width of the transition region is estimated. The effects of interactions in real one- and two-dimensional Bose systems and recent experiments on submonolayer helium films are discussed briefly.     

Effects of A1 site occupation on dielectric and ferroelectric properties of Sr4CaRTi3Nb7O30（R=Ce,Eu） tungsten bronze ceramics

Sr4Ca RTi3Nb7O30（R = Ce, Eu） tungsten bronze ceramics are prepared by a standard solid state reaction method. The effects of A1 site occupation on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of Sr4 Ca RTi3Nb7O30（R = Ce, Eu） tetragonal tungsten bronzes are investigated. The Sr4 Ca Ce Ti3Nb7O30 shows a normal transition behavior due to the closer size ion occupation in A1 sites, which could suppress the distortion of B2 octahedra effectively. Sr4 Ca Eu Ti3Nb7O30 ceramic exhibits two dielectric anomalies, which might be related to the fact that the large radius difference between Ca^2＋ and Eu^3＋ could lead to the uneven distribution of Ca^2＋ and Eu^3＋ in A1 sites and form two slightly different kinds of compositions with different transition temperatures in the structure. Our results indicate that the ionic radius difference in A1 sites plays an important role in determining the dielectric and ferroelectric natures of the filled tungsten bronze ceramics. Polarization–electric field（P–E） curves are evaluated at room temperature and both of them show hysteresis loops. Sr4 Ca Ce Ti3Nb7O30 shows a fat hysteresis loop, indicating the long-range ferroelectric order in the ceramic. The current density–electric field（J–E） curves are measured at room temperature with a largest leakage current density of ～ 10^-6A/cm^2, indicating that their leakage currents are rather low.     

Random external fields

The various theoretical considerations for the effects of quenched random fields (RF) on second-order transitions as well as the experimental situation are briefly reviewed. Some of the physical realizations of the RF models are discussed, with an emphasis on solid-state first-order transitions in impure systems. The physical arguments for the RF effects in the bulk as well as on phase interfaces are discussed. In the latter case it is suggested that scattering experiments can probe the details of the interface fluctuations. The role of long relaxation times and metastability in Ising RF systems is emphasized.Research at Tel Aviv University partially supported by the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), Jerusalem, Israel.     

Insights into the Oxidative Degradation Mechanism of Solid Amine Sorbents for CO2 Capture from Air: Roles of Atmospheric Water

Direct air capture (DAC) processes for extraction of CO₂ from ambient air are unique among chemical processes in that they operate outdoors with minimal feed pretreatments. Here, the impact of humidity on the oxidative degradation of a prototypical solid supported amine sorbent, poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) supported on Al₂O₃, is explored in detail. By combining CO₂ adsorption measurements, oxidative degradation rates, elemental analyses, solid-state NMR and in situ IR spectroscopic analysis in conjunction with ¹⁸O labeling of water, a comprehensive picture of sorbent oxidation is achieved under accelerated conditions. We demonstrated that the presence of water vapor can play an important role in accelerating the degradation reactions. From the study we inferred the identity and kinetics of formation of the major oxidative products, and the role(s) of humidity. Our data are consistent with a radical mediated autooxidative degradation mechanism.     

Energy Transport in Dichroic Metallo-organic Crystals: Selective Inclusion of Spatially Resolved Arrays of Donor and Acceptor Dyes in Different Nanochannels**

In this study, the precise positioning and alignment of arrays of two different guest molecules in a crystalline host matrix has been engineered and resulted in new optically active materials. Sub-nm differences in the diameters of two types of 1D channels are sufficient for size-selective inclusion of dyes. Energy transport occurs between the arrays of different dyes that are included in parallel-positioned nanochannels by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The color of individual micro-sized crystals are dependent on their relative position under polarized light. This angular-dependent behavior is a result of the geometrically constrained orientation of the dyes by the crystallographic packing of the host matrix and is concentration dependent.