Magneto resistance due to domain wall scattering and magneto size effect of thin Ni and Co films at low temperatures

Nickel and cobalt films illustrate alternative Bloch lines with cap switches. The strip magnetic domains become zigzag and bubbling cells for Ni and Co films, respectively, under an external field of 1.5 T. The magnetoresistances (MR) for currents parallel (CIW) to the domain walls is 15% less than those of the perpendicular (CPW) case. We also studied the magneto size effect by applying the magnetic field normal to the surface, from which the Sondheimer oscillation appears attributing to periodic striking of the surface for electrons traveling in circular motion on a plane canting to the surface. The experiments can be expressed by the magneto size effect inherited with very small specularity parameters.     

Pervaporation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures using ion-exchange membrane containing copper ions

The sorption, diffusion, and pervaporation (PV) properties of benzene/cyclohexane (Bz/Cx) mixtures on cation-exchange membranes containing copper ions (Cu(II)) were investigated. The equilibrium sorption isotherms of pure vapors in the membranes and the partial solubility of binary solutions in the membranes were described using the UNIQUAC model. The τ_iM and τ_Mi values were 0.978 and 0.591 for Bz, and 0.922 and 0.475 for Cx. The transient regimes of vapor sorption were employed to calculate the concentration-dependent diffusion coefficients. Long’s model sufficiently explained the diffusivity of Bz and Cx in the membranes. The pre-exponential factors were 3×10⁻¹³ m²/s and the plasticization factors were 3.0 and 3.6 for Bz and Cx, respectively. Excellent agreement was found with the experimental results applying the solubility and diffusivity data to simulate the pervaporation performance (flux and selectivity) using the modified Maxwell–Stefan equation. The membrane containing Cu(II) demonstrates better facilitating capability for Bz transport than that with Na(I), mainly due to its preferential sorption property toward Bz. Replacing Na(I) with Cu(II) into a Neosepta membrane resulted in better separation efficiency and higher Bz flux throughout the entire Bz concentration range.     

PHYCOBILIPROTEINS: COMPARISON OF SOLUTION AND SINGLE CRYSTAL FLUORESCENCE FOR C-PHYCOCYANIN AND B-PHYCOERYTHRIN*

Abstract— Trimeric and hexameric solution forms of C-phycocyanin (CPC) from the cyanophyte Agme-nellum quadruplicatum have been isolated and their spectral properties compared to those obtained from single crystals. Although the absorbance peak of a suspension of small C-phycocyanin crystals is red-shifted only 7 nm relative to the solution forms, the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted 60 nm relative to the solution forms. The crystal fluorescence spectrum exhibits a single peak at LD_max= 708 nm when excited at 514.5 or 530.9 nm and two peaks (LD_max= 661 and 708 nm) when excitation occurs at 568.2 nm. Fluorescence depolarization measurements indicate that extensive energy transfer could occur for both solution and crystal forms with the latter being dependent upon the relative orientation of the crystal with respect to the excitation dipole. Similar results were obtained with B-phycoerythrin (BPE) from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum where the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted =50nm relative to the solution spectra with two peaks (LD_max= 583 and 617 nm) observed whose relative intensities are dependent on the excitation wavelength (LD_max– 514.5 and 530.9 nm). Single crystal fluorescent lifetimes exhibited considerable shortening relative to that observed for the solution forms. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to the possible relationships of the crystalline structures to the assembly forms present within phycobilisomes.     

Freezing and folding behavior in simple off-lattice heteropolymers

We have performed parallel tempering Monte Carlo simulations using a simple continuum heteropolymer model for proteins. All 10 heteropolymer sequences which we have studied have shown first-order transitions at low temperature to ordered states dominated by single chain conformations. These results are in contrast with the theoretical predictions of the random energy model for heteropolymers, from which we would expect continuous transitions to glassy behavior at low temperatures.     

Intein-mediated biotinylation of proteins and its application in a protein microarray

We report here the first example using an intein-mediated expression system to generate biotinylated proteins suitable for immobilization onto avidin-functionalized glass slides. With this novel array, proteins are site-specifically immobilized on the glass surface and are able to retain their native activity. The advantage of the avidin/biotin linkage over his-tag/Ni-NTA strategies for protein immobilization is highlighted by its ability to withstand a variety of chemical conditions, which makes this new protein array compatible with most biological assays.     

Ambient-pressure vapor deposition of octanethiol self-assembled monolayers

Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to characterize self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octanethiol on Au(111), created using vapor deposition at elevated temperatures and ambient pressure. Monolayers contained large, close-packed ( radical3 x radical3)R30 degrees domains with sizes considerably larger than those typically formed from conventional solution-phase preparation and with crystallographically straight domain boundaries. New striped surface phases were also observed, including a 13 x radical3 phase with a density that was 69% of the close-packed density; these striped phases appeared topographically higher in STM images than close-packed monolayers.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study on ionic liquids of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium salts

Chemical shifts of ¹H and ¹³C NMR of series of methylimidazolium salts (MIM⁺, X=Br⁻, BF₄⁻ and PF₆⁻) function on the length of alkyl groups on the ring, type of solvents and the concentration. The bromides series demonstrate more chemical shift variation on H2 upon the change of solvents and concentration. Unexpected H-D exchange reactions were also observed in the MIM⁺Br⁻ by using CD₃OD and D₂O. The exchange rates strongly depend on the length of the alkyl group, which could cause more steric factor to reduce the interaction between deuterium atom from solvent and C2 of the ring.     

A Novel Synthesis of tert- Alkyl Sulfides

tert- Alkyl sulfides are conveniently prepared from α-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)alkyl sulfides by displacement of the 1H-benzotriazol-1-yl group with Grignard reagents. The 1-[α-(alkylthio)alkyl]- and 1-[α-(arylthio)alkyl]-1H-benzotriazole intermediates are easily available by several routes: (i) displacement of the halogen from appropriate halides by sodium salts of thiols, (ii) condensation of 1H-benzotriazole and thiols with carbonyl compounds, or (iii) lithiation of N-substituted 1H-benzotriazoles and subsequent treatment with electrophiles.     

Ultra-lightweight cellulose foam material: preparation and properties

Ultra-lightweight cellulose foams were prepared by regeneration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/cellulose/NaOH/urea blend solution via mechanical agitation and then freeze-drying. The morphology and properties of the blend solutions and foams were investigated via optical microscope, rheometer, BET and SEM. As a result, it was found that the inclusion complex structure between cellulose macromolecules and the solvent molecules was not destroyed. Moreover, the bubbles were about 20–50 μm in the solutions and larger (>100 μm) in the foams. Not only the micropores (bubbles) but also the nanopores could be observed in the wet and dried foams. The cellulose foams possessed ultra-low density of about 30 mg/cm³ and high specific surface area. The result of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the cellulose foams were transited from cellulose I to cellulose II after dissolution and gelation. Bubbles inside the wet foams weakened the mechanical properties, but inversely increased the mechanical properties in the dried foams. Typical “J”-shaped curves were observed during the mechanical test, which revealed good compressive strength of dried foams. In this work, cellulose foams with ultra-lightweight and good mechanical properties were obtained, which exhibited great potentials for further development and comprehensive utilization of cellulose.