Composite polymeric electrolytes based on PMMA-LiCF3SO3-SiO2

Preliminary results on the mechanical, optical and electrical properties of composite gel electrolytes (CGEs) with fumed silica (SiO₂) as a filler added to gel polymeric electrolyte (GPE) based on PMMA, LiCF₃SO₃ and PC are presented in this paper. Added fumed silica is seen to enhance the mechanical properties of the GPE without changing the conductivity significantly. The high ionic conductivity (×10⁻³ S/cm), high transmission in the visible region and nominal variance of conductivity and viscosity over a wide temperature window show that these CGEs are potential electrolytes for electrochromic windows (ECWs).     

Teleparallel versions of Friedmann and Lewis–Papapetrou spacetimes

This paper is devoted to investigating the teleparallel versions of the Friedmann models as well as the Lewis–Papapetrou solution. We obtain the tetrad and the torsion fields for both spacetimes. It is shown that the axial-vector vanishes for the Friedmann models. We discuss the different possibilities for the axial-vector, depending on the arbitrary functions ω and ψ in the Lewis–Papapetrou metric. The vector related to spin has also been evaluated.     

Identification of extracellular nanoparticle subsets by nuclear magnetic resonance

Exosomes are a subset of secreted lipid envelope-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs) of 50–150 nm diameter that can transfer cargo from donor to acceptor cells. In the current purification protocols of exosomes, many smaller and larger nanoparticles such as lipoproteins, exomers and microvesicles are typically co-isolated as well. Particle size distribution is one important characteristics of EV samples, as it reflects the cellular origin of EVs and the purity of the isolation. However, most of the physicochemical analytical methods today cannot illustrate the smallest exosomes and other small particles like the exomers. Here, we demonstrate that diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method enables the determination of a very broad distribution of extracellular nanoparticles, ranging from 1 to 500 nm. The range covers sizes of all particles included in EV samples after isolation. The method is non-invasive, as it does not require any labelling or other chemical modification. We investigated EVs secreted from milk as well as embryonic kidney and renal carcinoma cells. Western blot analysis and immuno-electron microscopy confirmed expression of exosomal markers such as ALIX, TSG101, CD81, CD9, and CD63 in the EV samples. In addition to the larger particles observed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) in the range of 70–500 nm, the DOSY distributions include a significant number of smaller particles in the range of 10–70 nm, which are visible also in transmission electron microscopy images but invisible in NTA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that hyperpolarized chemical exchange saturation transfer (Hyper-CEST) with ¹²⁹Xe NMR indicates also the existence of smaller and larger nanoparticles in the EV samples, providing also additional support for DOSY results. The method implies also that the Xe exchange is significantly faster in the EV pool than in the lipoprotein/exomer pool.

Diffusion and xenon NMR based methods to determine a very broad range of sizes and sub-sets of extracellular vesicles.     

Bioaccumulation study of acrylates in algae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorella kessleri</Emphasis>) by Py-GC and Py-GC/MS

Acrylate monomers methylmethacrylate (MMA) and cyclohexylmethacrylate (CHMA) bioaccumulation has been determined in aquatic organism, algae (Chlorella kessleri). Algae were collected in amount of 0.4 mg and directly injected to the pyrolytical cell. In algae bodies accumulated monomers were analysed by pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC) and pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Traces of the accumulated monomers in algae body can be determined after 1-, 2-, 3-weeks of incubation. Maximum content of MMA was determined after 3-week of experiment, contrariwise in the case of CHMA after 2-week exposition. Relationship with pyrolysis temperature has also been studied.     

Rate and Computational Studies for Pd-NHC-Catalyzed Amination with Primary Alkylamines and Secondary Anilines: Rationalizing Selectivity for Monoarylation versus Diarylation with NHC Ligands

The relative rates of arylation of primary alkylamines with different Pd-NHC catalysts have been measured, as have the relative rates of arylation of the secondary aniline product in an attempt to understand the key ligand design features necessary to have high selectivity for the monoarylated amine product. As the substituents on the N-aryl ring of the NHC increase in size, selectivity for monoarylation increases and this is further enhanced by chlorinating the back of the NHC ring. Computations have been performed on the catalytic cycle of this transformation in order to understand the selectivity obtained with the different catalysts.     

Regression and ANN models for estimating minimum value of machining performance

Surface roughness is one of the most common performance measurements in machining process and an effective parameter in representing the quality of machined surface. The minimization of the machining performance measurement such as surface roughness (R_a) must be formulated in the standard mathematical model. To predict the minimum R_a value, the process of modeling is taken in this study. The developed model deals with real experimental data of the R_a in the end milling machining process. Two modeling approaches, regression and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), are applied to predict the minimum R_a value. The results show that regression and ANN models have reduced the minimum R_a value of real experimental data by about 1.57% and 1.05%, respectively.     

Studies on Melamine Modified Polyesteramide as Anticorrosive Coatings from Linseed Oil: A Sustainable Resource

Melamine modified polyester amide (MPEA) was synthesized by the reaction of linseed oil fatty amide. The resin was further cured at room temperature by polystyrene co‐maleic anhydride (SMA) in different phr (30–80) to obtain MPEA coatings. The probable structure of MPEA was confirmed by FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopic techniques. The physico‐chemical characterization of these resins viz. iodine value, saponification value, refractive index, inherent viscosity were carried out by standard methods. MPEA (40 wt%) solution in ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) was applied on a mild steel strip of standard sizes to study their physico‐mechanical and chemical resistance properties. It was found that coatings of MPEA with 60 parts per hundred of the resin (phr) of SMA showed the best performance in physico‐mechanical and alkali resistance properties. Thermal stability and curing behavior were studied by Thermo Gravimetric Analyses (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), respectively.