A Scanning Electron Microscopy study of water in soil

Cold stage Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with a rapid cooling technique makes it possible to investigate the water phase within unsaturated porous media. It is thought that this technique preserves the main features of the micromorphology of the water menisci as it exists in the liquid phase in soils. Saddle-shaped elements, as well as pendular rings of water, were observed with concave and convex curvatures of the water-air interface. The hydraulic conductivity of an unsaturated soil may be inferred from SEM photographs. Observations of isolated water menisci indicate the existence of an immobile water domain. The surface geometry of the water menisci was analyzed quantitatively and surface tension and capillary pressure were determined.     

Improvement of the properties of polyarylate reinforced with liquid crystalline polymers

Blends of polyarylate of bisphenol A, PAr, with two commercial main chain liquid crystalline polymers, Vectra A950 and Vectra B950, are studied. From dynamic viscoelastic measurements it is deduced that both systems (PAr/Vectra A950 and PAr/Vectra B950) are immiscible and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs show the presence of spherical domains of the liquid crystalline polymer when PAr constitutes the matrix. Extrusion capillary measurements reveal that, under conditions of temperature and shear rate similar to those of processing, the viscosity is reduced to approximately 10% of its value when the content of liquid crystalline polymer is only 20%. This great improvement of the rheological properties is observed in both PAr/Vectra A950 and PAr/Vectra B950 blends. The effect of draw ratio on Young's modulus for different compositions is also analyzed, pointing out the reinforcing action of both liquid crystalline polymers on polyarylate: for instance, 20% of Vectra B950 in the blend gives rise to a 700% increase of the modulus of fibres prepared at a draw ratio of 50. SEM of the extrudates reveals that the spherical domains are elongated at the entrance of the capillary giving rise to a microfibrillar morphology which is related to the excellent rheological and mechanical properties of the blends.     

A family of alkynylgold(III) complexes [AuI(mu-{CH2}2PPh2)2Au(III)(C triple bond CR)2] (R = Ph, tBu, Me3Si): facile and reversible comproportionation of gold(I)/gold(III) to digold(II)

The symmetric digold(II)dichloride bis(ylide) complex [Au2Cl2(mu-{CH2}2PPh2)2] reacts with acetylides to form the asymmetric heterovalent gold(I)/gold(III) complexes [AuI(mu-{CH2}2PPh2)2AuIII(CCR)2] [R = Ph, tBu, and SiMe3], the phenyl analogue of which was characterized by X-ray crystallography. These compounds represent the first examples of gold(III) complexes containing two acetylide ligands. [AuI(mu-{CH2}2PPh2)2AuIII(CCPh)2] undergoes a reversible comproportionation reaction upon treatment with [Ag(ClO4)tht] to give the symmetric digold(II) cationic complex [Au2(tht)2(mu-{CH2}2PPh2)2](ClO4)2. If this complex is treated with phenylacetylene in the presence of base, the heterovalent gold(I)/gold(III) complex is re-formed. This reversible interconversion between binuclear gold(I)/gold(III) and digold(II) bis(ylide) complexes is unprecedented.     

A novel synthesis of 3-cyanoindoles and a new route to indole-3-carboxylic acid derivatives

2-Alkyl-3-cyanoindoles are obtained when 1-alkylmethyl-2-chloro-(or 2-phenylsulfonyl)-3-phenylsulfonylindoles are reacted with excess azide ion (90°/DMF). The reaction is considered to occur by a fragmentation recombination process in which the Schiff's base $\text{12}$ is of central importance. This proposal is supported by the formation of 2-substituted indole-3-carboxylates $\text{17}$ from aldehydes and the α-phenylsulfonyl-$\text{o}$-aminophenylacetic acid ester derivative $\text{16}$.     

Photodynamic activity of dibiotinylated aluminum sulfophthalocyanine in vitro and in vivo

The photodynamic activity of dibiotinylated aluminum sulfophthalocyanine was studied in vitro and in vivo. Dibiotinylated aluminum sulfophthalocyanine provided enhanced phototoxic action on OAT-75 cell monolayers as compared with the parent drug. Photodynamic therapy of mice with Ehrlich carcinoma using dibiotinylated aluminum sulfophthalocyanine (0.25 mg/kg) resulted in enhanced inhibition of tumor growth, pronounced vascular damage (thrombosis and destruction of vascular walls) and eventual tumor necrosis.     

Synthesis and optical properties of thiol-stabilized PbS nanocrystals

Thiol-capped water-soluble PbS nanocrystals (NCs) stabilized with 1-thioglycerol, dithioglycerol, or a mixture of 1-thioglycerol/dithioglycerol (TGL/DTG) were prepared via one-stage synthesis at room temperature. We found that NCs stabilized with a TGL/DTG mixture show efficient and stable infrared photoluminescence centered in the second "biological window" (1050-1200 nm). Under optimized conditions, full width at half-maximum of the PL emission peak was from 70 to 100 nm. PbS NCs were stable to precipitation and aggregation for the time period from 2 to 3 months when stored in the dark under room temperature. Room-temperature photoluminescence quantum efficiency of NCs was from 7 to 10%. When NCs were stored at 37 degrees C, their PL emission red-shifted, consistent with the NC growth.     

Biocatalytic synthesis of polymers. III. Formation of a high molecular weight polyester through limitation of hydrolysis by enzyme-bound water and through equilibrium control

Enzyme-catalyzed preparation of polymers offers several potentially valuable advantages over the usual polymerization procedures and has been studied for several years. A significant limitation on the polyesters prepared to date has been the low molecular weights achieved. The present studies have established that, in the polycondensation of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) glutarate with 1,4-butanediol using porcine pancreatic lipase as the catalyst, this limitation arises from at least two sources: hydrolysis of activated ester end groups by water introduced along with the enzyme and the polymerization's reaching equilibrium despite using the poorly nucleophilic 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol as the leaving group. Evidence is also developed that the presence of trifluoroethanol accelerates the release of the enzyme-bound water which hydrolyzes the activated ester end groups. The hydrolysis could be avoided by choosing a relatively high-boiling solvent, such as bis(2-ethoxyethyl) ether, then removing the trifluoroethanol by placing the reaction mixture under vacuum periodically or by drying the enzyme rigorously. The vacuum method also removed the limitation on molecular weight resulting from the reaction's reaching equilibrium. A further improvement in the molecular weight to nearly 40,000 daltons, well within the range that is technically interesting, was achieved by using 1,2-dimethoxybenzene or 1,3-dimethoxybenzene as the polymerization solvent. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Microfluidics: from dynamic lattices to periodic arrays of polymer disks

We used coupling of flow and geometric confinement to assemble emulsion droplets in two-dimensional gliding lattices with a high degree of order and symmetry. Highly monodisperse discoid droplets with circular shapes were generated in a microfluidic flow-focusing device. Originally, close-packed lattices formed from these circular discoid droplets. Progressive confinement led to the gradual deformation of the circular disks: first, they elongated in the direction parallel to the direction of flow and then transformed into hexagons. Assembly driven by the combination of flow and confinement also allowed for the formation of lattices from droplets with a bimodal size distribution. We used photopolymerization of the monomer droplets to trap the lattice structure in the solid state and produce highly periodic arrays of solid polymer disks.