Bethe-Salpeter equation for non-self conjugate mesons in a power-law potential

We develop an approach to the solution of the spinless Bethe-Salpeter equation for the different-mass case. Although the calculations are developed for spinzero particles in any arbitratry spherically symmetric potential, the non-Coulombic effective power-law potential is used as a kernel to produce the spin-averaged bound states of the non-self-conjugate mesons. The analytical formulas are also applicable to the self-conjugate mesons in the equal-mass case. The flavor-independent case is investigated in this work. The calculations are carried out to the third-order correction of the energy series. Results are consistent with those obtained before.     

Accumulation of uranium by filamentous green algae under natural environmental conditions

The capacity of algae to concentrate uranium under natural environmental conditions is measured by a-spectrometry. Spirogyra, a filamentous green fresh-water alga, has concentrated uranium from a surface concrete ponds with elevated uranium levels (140-1140 ppb). The concentration factors (CFs) ranged from 8.9-67 with an average value of 22.Cladophora spp, a filamentous green marine alga has concentrated uranium from the marine water with a concentration factor ranged from 220–280. The average concentration factor was 250. The factors affecting the sorption process are discussed in detail. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mobilization and fractionation of137Cs in calcareous soils

Mobility of¹³⁷Cs was investigated in columns of calcareous loam and clay soils leached under river water, NH₄OAc, KCl, CaCl₂, and EDTA. Fractionation of Cs into ten sequential fractions was accomplished in the leached soils as well as in soil samples received carrier-free¹³⁷Cs and incubated for 60 d. At the end of 90 d of leaching with river water and CaCl₂, the bulk of Cs applied (>97%) was found to remain in the upper 1 cm of soil columns. On the other hand, the reduction in Cs concentration was approximately 30% with NH₄OAc, 18% with KCl, and 10 to 25% with EDTA. The major soil constituents appeared to be responsible for retaining Cs were clay, silt, and Fe oxides. The leaching consistently increased the magnitude of fractions bound to clay minerals and in most cases decreased the fractions of water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate, and organic matter.     

Spontaneous adsorption of ferrocenes on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite edges

The spontaneous adsorption of ferrocene and eight derivatives have been examined electrochemically on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite edges. All compounds give surface coverages of ca. 2×10^?8 mol/cm². Three of the adsorbed compounds give oxidation waves significantly more negative than their solution counterparts, in contrast with the other six derivatives.     

Solution-based chemical synthesis of boehmite nanofibers and alumina nanorods

This article reports an easy chemical method of synthesizing boehmite nanofibers by a modified sol-gel process involving aluminum isopropoxide precursor. Nanorods of gamma-alumina have been successfully prepared after dehydration of the viscous sol at 600 degrees C for 4 h in air. The boehmite nanofibers and gamma-alumina nanorods were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for surface chemistry and functional groups, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction, and energy-dispersed spectroscopy for morphology and structure identification. The length of the boehmite nanofibers was found to be more than 10 mum with a crystalline lattice structure. The mechanism of formation of the boehmite nanofibers included the preferential growth along the longitudinal axis due to interaction between the solvent molecules and the surface OH- groups of hydrogen bonds. It is also suggested that the boehmite nanofibers may have formed due to the inherent instability of the planar structure of the boehmite lattice. The diameter of the gamma-alumina nanorods was found to be less than 10 nm with a varying length in the range of 50-200 nm. Boehmite to gamma-Al2O3 transformation was attributed to the loss of water molecules by internal condensation of protons and hydroxyl ions.     

Investigations into the parallel kinetic resolution of 2-phenylpropanoyl chloride using quasi-enantiomeric oxazolidinones

The resolution of 2-phenylpropanoyl chloride using an equimolar combination of quasi-enantiomeric oxazolidinones is discussed. The levels of diastereoselectivity were found to be dependent upon the structural nature of the metallated oxazolidinone, temperature and metal counter-ion.     

Modification of the resistance of two epoxy resins to accelerated weathering using calcium sulfate as a photostabilizer

Epoxy-timber composites have received increasing attention during the last decades because there are many advantages related to their uses as construction materials in applications such as timber bridges. However, the durability of epoxy-timber composites under outdoor conditions has become a concern for many epoxy resins. This study evaluated the chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of two cured epoxies, the product of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A with 2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine (DGEBA-TMDA) and the analogous resin prepared with the hydrogenated diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (HDGEBA-TMDA), each mixed with 2?wt. % calcium sulfate (CS). We hypothesized that the use of CS, as an inorganic UV absorber, could decrease undesirable effects arising from exposure to UV light, moisture, and extreme temperatures.

An accelerated aging chamber simulated natural weathering for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6?months. Chemical changes in cured epoxy systems over time in the presence and absence of CS fillers were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Thermal degradation profiles before and after exposure to accelerated weathering were followed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The glass transition temperatures (T_g) before and after accelerated weathering were measured, and the effect of accelerated weathering on the surface morphology of the epoxy systems was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the presence of CS, after 6?months accelerated weathering the tensile strength of DGEBA-TMDA reduced by 23.8?±?2.4%, compared to 46.5?±?5.5% in its absence, while the corresponding values for HDGEBA-TMDA were 21.4?±?2.1% and 28.7?±?1.8%.     

P(i-BuNCH2CH2)3N: an efficient promoter for the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of aryl fluorides with aryl TBDMS (or TMS) ethers

[reaction: see text]. The nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction between electron-deficient aryl fluorides and aryl TBDMS (or TMS) ethers has been shown to be efficiently promoted by proazaphosphatranes such as P(i-BuNCH(2)CH(2))(3)N (3). Excellent yields of diaryl ether products were obtained under unusually mild conditions.     

A theoretical study of aqueous solvation of K comparing ab initio, polarizable, and fixed-charge models

The hydration of K(+) is studied using a hierarchy of theoretical approaches, including ab initio Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics, a polarizable force field model based on classical Drude oscillators, and a nonpolarizable fixed-charge potential based on the TIP3P water model. While models based more directly on quantum mechanics offer the possibility to account for complex electronic effects, polarizable and fixed-charges force fields allow for simulations of large systems and the calculation of thermodynamic observables with relatively modest computational costs. A particular emphasis is placed on investigating the sensitivity of the polarizable model to reproduce key aspects of aqueous K(+), such as the coordination structure, the bulk hydration free energy, and the self diffusion of K(+). It is generally found that, while the simple functional form of the polarizable Drude model imposes some restrictions on the range of properties that can simultaneously be fitted, the resulting hydration structure for aqueous K(+) agrees well with experiment and with more sophisticated computational models. A counterintuitive result, seen in Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics and in simulations with the Drude polarizable force field, is that the average induced molecular dipole of the water molecules within the first hydration shell around K(+) is slightly smaller than the corresponding value in the bulk. In final analysis, the perspective of K(+) hydration emerging from the various computational models is broadly consistent with experimental data, though at a finer level there remain a number of issues that should be resolved to further our ability in modeling ion hydration accurately.     

Effects of pyrolysis temperatures on the textural,magnetic, morphology,and catalytic properties of supported nickel nanoparticles

The development of base metal catalysts for industrially important reactions continues to be an important goal of catalysis research. Herein, the effects of pyrolysis temperature on the textural, structural, surface, magnetics properties and catalytic properties of silica-supported nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) were thoroughly investigated. Mono-dispersed NiNPs encapsulated in graphitic shells were first successfully obtained and were characterized using a variety of methods such as BET surface area measurement, CO-pulse chemisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurement. The findings showed that all catalysts’ properties were considerably altered with change in pyrolysis temperature. Hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene was then selected as the model reaction for the evaluation of the catalytic performance of the graphitic-shelled NiNPs. After testing, pyrolysis of a nickel at 800 °C (catalyst A) displayed tremendous activity and selectivity to produce >94% of stilbene with selectivities of 99% for the Z-isomer.