Synthesis of PbTiO3 ceramics using mechanical alloying and solid state sintering

The pressure-less sintering behavior of PbTiO₃ powders synthesized by mechanical alloying TiO₂ and PbO was investigated using dilatometry and Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns. As-synthesized, the powders are nanocrystalline with a mean particle size of 20 nm. Pressure-less sintering in the range 500-1050°C gives single phase ceramics with densities of 85-90% and crystallite sizes in the range 80-400 nm. Cracking due to the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition was not observed in samples sintered below 700°C due to the small crystallite size whereas macroscopic cracks formed in samples sintered above 700°C. Rietveld analysis indicates the formation of Pb vacancies in samples sintered and held for 24 h at intermediate temperatures (600-1000°C) which gives some insight into the mechanism of Pb loss and second phase formation in this system.     

Electrochemical Detection of a Cancer Biomarker mir‐21 in Cell Lysates Using Graphene Modified Sensors

In the present study, the voltammetric and impidimetric detection of microRNA‐21, mir‐21 from cell lysates was investigated for the first time by using graphene modified disposable pencil graphite electrodes (GME). The surface characterization of GME was performed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Upon passive adsorption of inosine substituted antimicroRNA‐21, antimir‐21 probe, InP, onto the surface of GME and then solid phase hybridization of InP with mir‐21, the target, the electrochemical detection was performed by using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) and EIS techniques. This developed biosensor, GME has presented a 2.77 times lower detection limit of 2.09 µg/mL (3.12 pmol) with respect to unmodified pencil graphite electrode (GE). Moreover it is capable of analyzing mir‐21 in the cell lysates of mir‐21 positive breast cancer cell line (MCF‐7) contrast to mir‐21 negative hepatoma cell line (HUH‐7). The proposed electrochemical yes‐no system does not require any purification and/or amplification step prior to fast detection of mir‐21 from real samples.     

Synthesis,structural characterization,and anion interactions of new triazole-linked urea derivative fully substituted cyclotriphosphazene compounds

Three novel fully substituted urea derivative cyclotriphosphazene compounds 5–7 were synthesized by alkyne-azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of propargyl substituted ureas 2–4 with hexaazide substituted cyclotriphosphazene 1 in the presence of Cu(I) catalyst. All compounds were characterized with spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. Also, the usefulness of compounds 5–7 as anion carriers was investigated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. For this purpose, ¹H NMR spectra of compounds 5–7 were recorded in the presence of tetrabutylammonium fluoride in DMSO-d₆. It was determined, that the urea protons in the compounds interact with fluoride.     

An electrochemical chiral sensor based on electrochemically modified electrode for the enantioselective discrimination of D-/L-tryptophan

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Chirality is a universal characteristic of natural systems and discrimination of enantiomers of a chiral molecule plays a major role particularly in...     

Monoclinic PZN‐8%PT [Pb(Zn0.3066Nb0.6133Ti0.08)O3] at 4 K

The structure of the relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Zn_0.3066Nb_0.6133Ti_0.08)O₃ (lead zinc niobium titanium trioxide), known as PZN‐8%PT, was determined at 4 K from very high resolution neutron powder diffraction data. The material is known for its extraordinary piezoelectric properties, which are closely linked to the structure. Pseudo‐cubic lattice parameters have led to considerable controversy over the symmetry of the structure. We find the structure to be monoclinic in the space group Cm (No. 8), with the Zn, Nb and Ti cations sharing the octahedrally coordinated B site (site symmetry m, special position 2a) and Pb occupying the 12‐coordinate A site (site symmetry m, special position 2a). O atoms occupy a disorted octahedron around the B site (site symmetry m and special position 2a, and site symmetry 1 and general position 4b). Atomic coordinates have been determined for the first time, allowing the direction of spontaneous polarization to be visualized.     

Alkali Phosphonate Metal–Organic Frameworks

A new family of porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely alkali phosphonate MOFs, is reported. [Na₂Cu(H₄TPPA)] ⋅ (NH₂(CH₃)₂)₂ ( GTUB-1 ) was synthesized using the tetratopic 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[p-phenylphosphonic acid] porphyrin ( H₈-TPPA ) linker with planar X-shaped geometrical core. GTUB-1 is composed of rectangular void channels with BET surface area of 697 m² g⁻¹. GTUB-1 exhibits exceptional thermal stability. The toxicity analysis of the ( H₈-TPPA ) linker indicates that it is well tolerated by an intestinal cell line, suggesting its suitability for creating phosphonate MOFs for biological applications.