An optimization study using response surface methods on the decolorization of Reactive Blue 19 from aqueous solution by ultrasound

The decolorization of reactive dye C.I. Reactive Blue 19 from aqueous solution was studied by using ultrasound, activated carbon and combined ultrasound/activated carbon. The combined effects of independent variables, such as ultrasound power, temperature, time, activated carbon concentration, dye concentration and initial pH were investigated on the decolorization by using the central composite design. The decolorization of RB 19 was modelled statistically and optimized by means of the Matlab computer software. The decolorization were accomplished at optimum conditions by using ultrasound, activated carbon and combined ultrasound/activated carbon as 36%, 91% and 99.9%, respectively. The application of ultrasonic irradiation was found to be beneficial for decolorization of RB 19 from aqueous solution by adsorption.     

Synthesis and solvent dependence of the photophysical properties of [60]fullerene-sugar conjugates

A method for the synthesis of optically pure C₆₀ derivatives containing one or two d-galactose or d-glucose units is described. It involves the synthesis of sugar-malonate derivatives followed by a cyclopropanation reaction with C₆₀. The solvent dependence of the photophysical properties of the methano[60]fullerene-sugar derivatives was studied using nanosecond laser flash photolysis coupled with kinetic UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved singlet oxygen luminescence measurements. The triplet properties of these fullerenes, including transient absorption spectra, molar absorption coefficients and quantum yield for the photosensitised production of ¹O₂ were determined in toluene, benzonitrile and acetonitrile solutions. The transient absorption spectral profiles are solvent independent although small differences are observed in the transient absorption maximum: 720±5 nm for toluene, 710±5 nm for benzonitrile and 700±5 nm for acetonitrile. Triplet state molar absorption coefficients (ε_T) of C₆₀ derivatives vary from 9456±2090 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹, for compound 10 in toluene, and 15,272±4462 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹, for compound 6 in acetonitrile. Triplet state lifetimes (τ_T) for methano[60]fullerene-sugar derivatives, under our experimental conditions, are similar in toluene or benzonitrile solutions (47.5±1.1 μs≤τ_T≤51.4±2.0 μs) but are lower in acetonitrile solutions (31.8±0.6 μs≤τ_T≤43.0±1.1 μs). Toluene and benzonitrile solutions of C₆₀ derivatives have Φ_Δ close to unity.     

Synthesis and properties of urethane-modified polyimides

The synthesis and properties of thermoplastic urethane-modified polyimides, based on different isocyanates, with different concentrations of hard segments and different ratios of imide and urethane groups, were studied. The effect of catalysts, isocyanates, and temperature was investigated on model reactions leading to formation of monoimides, bisimides, and polyimides. A polymer based on 2,4-TDI, poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol of 1000 molecular weight and pyromellitic dianhydride, with 75% of imide in the hard segments, retained about 50% of the original tensile strength at 120°C and about 30% at 150°C. Increasing the temperature up to 150°C had very little effect on the elongation of this copolymer. In general, increasing the imide concentration in the polymer structure provided better retention of stress-strain properties at elevated temperatures.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of fullerene-phthalocyanine-porphyrin triads and pentads

The synthesis and photophysical properties of several fullerene-phthalocyanine-porphyrin triads (1-3) and pentads (4-6) are described. The three photoactive moieties were covalently connected in an one-step synthesis through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to C(60) of the corresponding azomethine ylides generated in situ by condensation reaction of a substituted N-porphyrinylmethylglycine derivative and an appropriated formyl phthalocyanine or a diformyl phthalocyanine derivative, respectively. ZnP-C(60)-ZnPc (3), (ZnP)(2)-ZnPc-(C(60))(2) (6), and (H(2)P)(2)-ZnPc-(C(60))(2) (5) give rise upon excitation of their ZnP or H(2)P components to a sequence of energy and charge-transfer reactions with, however, fundamentally different outcomes. With (ZnP)(2)-ZnPc-(C(60))(2) (6) the major pathway is an highly exothermic charge transfer to afford (ZnP)(ZnP(.+))-ZnPc-(C(60)(.-))(C(60)). The lower singlet excited state energy of H(2)P (i.e., ca. 0.2 eV) and likewise its more anodic oxidation (i.e., ca. 0.2 V) renders the direct charge transfer in (H(2)P)(2)-ZnPc-(C(60))(2) (5) not competitive. Instead, a transduction of singlet excited state energy prevails to form the ZnPc singlet excited state. This triggers then an intramolecular charge transfer reaction to form exclusively (H(2)P)(2)-ZnPc(.+)-(C(60)(.-))(C(60)). A similar sequence is found for ZnP-C(60)-ZnPc (3).     

Synthesis of [60]fullerene-based α-amino acid derivatives

N-(2-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[60]fullero[1,2-g]quinazolin-4-yl)-α-amino acid derivatives were obtained by Diels-Alder addition of adequately substituted pyrimidine ortho-quinodimethanes to C₆₀. One of the new compounds is a l-lysine derivative were both the amino and the carboxyl groups are free; this compound is suitable to be incorporated in peptides.     

Wide minimal binary linear codes from the general Maiorana–McFarland class

Designs, Codes and Cryptography - Minimal linear codes form a special class of linear codes that have important applications in secret sharing and secure two-party computation. These codes are...     

Reliability of biospeckle image analysis

 This paper presents an analysis of the time history of speckle patterns (THSP) that is one of the most used procedures to evaluate the biological activity by biospeckle images. THSPs generated by numerical simulations, obtained in a controlled drying of paint experiment and in dead and alive bean seeds under laser illumination were evaluated. We used first- and second-order statistics of the dynamic speckle patterns for different time and spatial amounts of data. We have tested both square and rectangular windows in the space time domain. The results show the agreement with a theoretical curve and comparisons between different window sizes.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of phosphorus in-situ doping of germanium epitaxial layers

We investigate phosphorus in-situ doping characteristics in germanium (Ge) during epitaxial growth by spreading resistance profiling analysis. In addition, we present an accurate model for the kinetics of the diffusion in the in-situ process, modeling combined growth and diffusion events. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor for phosphorus (P) diffusion are determined to be 1.91 eV and 3.75 × 10^?5 cm²/s. These results show that P in-situ doping diffusivity is low enough to form shallow junctions for high performance Ge devices.