A transient experiment to measure the diffusive permeability of hollow fiber membranes

A precise and rapid transient diffusion experiment has been developed to measure the diffusive permeability of hollow fibers. In this experiment a sealed hollow fiber containing a radioactive solute is exposed sequentially to several well-stirred solute-free reservoirs. This method was used to measure the diffusive permeability of collagen and Cuprophan hollow fibers in an isotonic saline solution for a spectrum of ¹⁴C labelled solutes: urea, sucrose and polyethylene glycol (PEG). To study the effect of environment on membrane permeability, collagen membranes were investigated with urea, sucrose and tritiated water in the following solutions with varying ionic strength and hydrogen ion concentration: pH2 HCl, distilled water and pH2 HCl with 0.8 M NaCl.In each environment, the membranes showed the expected decreases in diffusive permeaability with increasing molecular weight. Collagen membranes ranged from 4 (urea) to 40 (PEG) times the permeability of Cuprophan membranes. The Cuprophan data are consistent with results obtained elsewhere using scaled-down dialyzers. In response to environmental changes, the diffusive permeability of collagen membranes changed overall by a factor of 3 with the following rank: pH 2 HCl > distilled water > pH2 HCl and 0.8 M NaCl. The hydraulic permeability of these membranes changed by a factor of 2 but in a different order pH2 HCl > pH2 HCl and 0.8 M NaCl > distilled water. These permeability changes can be explained in terms of the known environmental dependence for the structure of collagen membranes and have been shown to be consistent with trends predicted by simple transport models.     

A simple method to synthesize NiO fibers

Nickel oxide fibers with diameters 1-2 μm and lengths up to 100 μm were synthesized by a simple pyrolytic decomposition method in NaCl flux with NiSO₄ as precursor. X-Ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were used to characterize these fibers. They have single-crystal structure, large aspect ratios and macroscopic quantity. Suitable precursor and molten NaCl environment are conjectured to be key factors in this method.     

A new simple method to prepare hollow PES microspheres

A new simple method for the formation of hollow polyethersulfone (PES) microspheres was reported in this paper. Coaxial electrospraying equipment and nonsolvent precipitating bath were used to produce hollow microspheres in one step. The properties of the core solution affected the formation of hollow PES microspheres. To form hollow microspheres in one step, the core solution should be removed directly by a nonsolvent. Additionally, the core solution should also be used to occupy the internal space of microspheres and form a supporting layer at the interface between the core solution and the shell solution. The supporting layer formed by the micro-phase that was caused by the phase separation of the core or shell solution was the key factor for the formation of hollow PES microspheres. The performance of hollow microspheres produced by this method was excellent. This method provided a new simple way to form hollow polymer microspheres and can be extended to other polymers to prepare hollow microspheres in one step.     

A simple method to synthesize sea urchin-like polyaniline hollow spheres

Oxidative polymerization of aniline diffusing out from polystyrene hollow spheres with ferric chloride results in the formation of sea urchin-like polyaniline composite hollow spheres, which provide a simple chemical way to assemble conducting polymer nanofibers into complex structure under mild condition.     

Surface orientation effect of asymmetric polyimide hollow fibers on their gas transport properties

In this study, we focused on the shear stress effects within a spinneret during hollow fiber spinning on the formation of the hollow fibers and their gas transport properties. We fabricated asymmetric polyimide hollow fibers with a completely defect-free thin skin layer using a dry/wet phase inversion process. The apparent calculated skin layer thickness of the hollow fiber was 280 nm and the O₂ permeance was 2.9×10⁻⁵ cm³ (STP)/(cm² s cmHg). Interestingly, the skin layer thickness was reduced at the high shear rate. In addition, the gas permeances and selectivities of the hollow fibers increased with the increasing shear rate. We concluded that the oriented skin layer of the hollow fiber induced by shear stress had a significant influence on the formation of the skin layer and its gas transport properties. From the ATR-IR spectra results, it was clear that the surface skin layer of the hollow fiber was parallel oriented.     

A new simple instrument for thermomagnetometry. Applications to simultaneous thermomechanical measurements

A new instrument has been set up to study magnetic materials. Curie points measured by means of this simple apparatus are in perfect agreement with those given by a conventional magnetic balance. The apparatus may be used alone, but also combined with an electronic thermodilatometer. Curie points are emphasized simultaneously by the thermodilatometric and impedance curves. It appears that the sensitivity and reliability of the apparatus demonstrate magnetic phenomena of very low intensity such as the order point of α-Fe₂O₃.     

A simple method to prepare titania nanomaterials of core-shell structure, hollow nanospheres and mesoporous nanoparticles

A simple method to prepare titania nanomaterials of core-shell structure, hollow nanospheres and mesoporous nanoparticles has been developed. The core-shell nanostructures with NH4Cl as core and TiO2·xH2O-NH4Cl as shell were prepared in nonaqueous system by the deposition on the surface of the aggregated NH4Cl crystals, which could be transformed into mesoporous anatase nanoparticles or hollow nanospheres by calcination at 500℃ or extraction with methanol, respectively. The hierarchical mesoporous nanostruc...     

A simple, short, and flexible synthesis of viridiofungin derivatives

Described herein is a simple, flexible, and efficient synthesis of the skeleton of the viridiofungins, a family of microbial secondary metabolites. The synthesis utilizes an asymmetric aldol reaction of a chiral oxazolidinone, a diastereoselective alkylation of a chiral 1,3-dioxolan-2-one, and a geometrically selective alkene cross-metathesis reaction as the key C-C bond-forming steps.     

A simple and rapid electrophoretic method to characterize simple phenols, lignans, complex phenols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids in extra-virgin olive oil

We have devised a simple and rapid capillary electrophoretic method which provides the analyst with a useful tool for the characterization of the polyphenolic fraction of extra-virgin olive oil. This method that uses a capillary with 50 microm id and a total length of 47 cm (40 cm to the detector) with a detection window of 100 x 200 microm, and a buffer solution containing 45 mM of sodium tetraborate pH 9.3 offers valuable information about all the families of compounds present in the polar fraction of the olive oil. The detection was carried out by UV absorption at 200, 240, 280, and 330 nm in order to facilitate the identification of the compounds. Concretely, the method permits the identification of simple phenols, lignans, complex phenols (isomeric forms of secoiridoids), phenolic acids, and flavonoids in the SPE-Diol extracts from extra-virgin olive oil in a short time (less than 10 min) and provides a satisfactory resolution. Peak identification was done by comparing both migration time and spectral data obtained from olive oil samples and standards (commercial or isolated (by HPLC-MS) standards), with spiked methanol-water extracts of olive oil with HPLC-collected compounds and commercially available standards at several concentration levels, studying the information of the electropherograms obtained at several wavelengths and also using the information previously reported.     

Purification of amino acids and small peptides with hollow fibers

Permeation through hollow fibers made of a perfluorinated ionomer membrane of the Nafion type is shown to be a possible way to separate amino acids and small peptides. The fiber has a surface area to volume ratio of 56 cm² cm^?3. Twenty-six different amino acids and small peptides with up to six amino acid units were used for permeation studies. The results show that the bulk pH is the essential parameter acting on the permeation rates and diffusion coefficients through the tubing wall. The cationic forms of the solutes, at a pH lower than their isoelectric points, were highly retained by the cation-exchange membrane. The anionic forms of the solutes, at a pH higher than the isoelectric point, were less retained. The zwitterionic and non-ionic forms had the highest permeation rates, reaching 2.2 × 10^?3 s^?1. The effect of methanol addition was studied. The permeation rates increased, but the selectivity decreased     

Influence of interfacial interactions on the mechanical behavior of hybrid composites of polypropylene / short glass fibers / hollow glass beads

Ternary composites of Polypropylene (PP)/Short Glass fibers (GF)/Hollow Glass Beads (HGB), with varying total and relative GF/HGB contents and using untreated and aminosilane-treated HGB compatibilized with maleated-PP, were prepared by direct injection molding of pre-extrusion compounded GF and HGB concentrates. The mechanical strength properties (tensile, flexural and Izod impact) were correlated with theoretical model predictions for hybrid composites, which identified synergistic gains over the rule of hybrid mixtures, depending upon the degree of interfacial interactions between the components of the hybrid composite. SEM analysis of cryofractured composites surfaces revealed that the presence of untreated HGB particles induces fiber-polymer interfacial decoupling under mechanical loading of the hybrid composites at much lower stress levels than in the presence of treated HGB particles. Higher storage modulus (E′) and lower mechanical damping (tan δ) from DMTA established the importance of strong polymer-hybrid reinforcement interfacial interactions in the development of lightweight/high strength PP syntactic foams.     

The simple model and linear stability analysis of the electrode process with the NDR region caused by the potential-dependent convective transport

In our earlier report on the experimental studies of convection coupled with electrochemical processes of Hg ions at the mercury electrode we showed that the potential-dependent onset and decay of this convection can give rise to the N-shaped negative differential resistance (NNDR) in the current–potential characteristics. As a consequence, the presence of appropriate serial ohmic resistance in the electric circuit caused bistability. Since the rather poorly reproducible nature of this convection makes the precise experimental studies difficult, we elaborated the simple model which extracts the basic dynamical properties of the system under study. The model involves the electrode potential and the Nernst layer thickness for the convective diffusion as the dynamical variables. Using linear stability analysis we derived the stability criteria and constructed the bifurcation diagram, showing bistability, in accordance with the experimental data, but not predicting the oscillatory behavior.     

A fast low-pressure transport route to large black phosphorus single crystals

Black phosphorus, a promising candidate for lithium battery electrodes, can be prepared by a low-pressure transport reaction route representing the first effective and scalable access to this element modification. Crystal sizes larger than 1 cm were obtained at low-pressure conditions in silica ampoules. X-ray phase analyses, EDX, ICP-MS and optical microscopy were applied to characterize the resulting black phosphorus. The present method drastically improves the traditional preparation ways like mercury catalysis, bismuth-flux or high-pressure techniques and represents an easy, non-toxic, fast and highly efficient method to achieve black phosphorus. In contrast to a previously reported low-pressure route the present transport reaction allows an up-scaling to higher masses of starting materials, a larger black phosphorus yield and faster reaction time under retention of the high product crystallinity.     

Cyanogen chloride N-oxide cycloadditions. A simple,short route to AT-125.

Addition of AgNO₃ to dichloroformaldoxime in the presence of alkenes provides an efficient procedure for the preparation of 3-chloroisoxazolines including AT-125.     

Higher terpenes from lower terpenes: A short,simple and versatile route to bisabolane sesquiterpenoids

An efficient procedure for the elaboration of abundantly available monoterpenes to bisabolane sesquiterpenes utilising catalysed ene addition as the key reaction is described.     

Effects of long-range dispersive interaction on the electron transport in short single strands of guanine bases

We study the effects of the long-range dispersive interaction on the electron transport in short single strands of guanine bases (G)_s employing the density functional theory combined with non-equilibrium Green's function method. Effects of contacting position are considered by connecting atomic gold chain electrodes on different positions to adapt to possible realistic measurements. The dispersive interaction can modify the stacking structure and enhance the helicity of the molecules. The corresponding change in the electronic structure may result in much-increased conductance and the rectification effect. The dispersive interaction may also be the key to the realization of first-principles simulation of some systems.     

利用探针分子红外光谱识别和表征铂族金属基单原子催化剂

单原子催化是提高贵金属利用率的有效手段,而表征单原子催化剂是理解单原子催化的基础.探针分子红外光谱可用于识别和定量催化剂样品中孤立的Pt族金属物种的浓度,从而得到负载的孤立的Pt族金属物种的局部几何形状、稳定性、活性及其分散性.本文讨论了该技术用于识别和表征含负载型孤立的Pt族金属原子催化剂的效能、应用、以及未来的发展方向.     

Large enhancement of single molecule fluorescence by coupling to hollow silver nanoshells

We investigated the effect of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence using hollow silver nanoshells and observed enhancement of a single probe's fluorescence up to a factor of 3 orders of magnitude. The enhancement of the quantum efficiency is attributed to enhanced absorption and increased radiative decay rate.     

A simple Monte Carlo program for simulation of X-ray transport

A Monte Carlo-based program for treatment of photon transport, restricted to photon energies used in medical diagnostics, is developed. Only the photoabsorption and Compton scattering of photons are taken into account, a justifiable assumption for the energies involved. We can simply separate contributions of reflection events with one, two, three, or more successive collisions of X-rays with electrons of the target. This gives us insights and information about photon transport which otherwise would be inaccessible.     

A novel approach for electromembrane extraction based on the use of silver nanometallic-decorated hollow fibers

A novel approach based on the use of nanometallic-decorated hollow fibers to assist electromembrane extraction is proposed. Microporous polypropylene hollow fibers, on which nanometallic silver was deposited, have been used for the first time as liquid membrane support in electromembrane extraction (EME). Different methods for the generation/deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were studied. The best results were obtained with chemical reduction of silver nitrate using NaBH₄ in aqueous solution followed by direct deposition on the hollow fibers. The extraction performance of the new supports was compared with a previously developed EME procedure used for the extraction of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), resulting in an increase in the extraction ratio by a factor of 1.2–2 with a 30% reduction in the extraction time. The new nanometallic-decorated supports open new possibilities for EME due to the singular properties of nanometallic particles, including chemical fiber functionalization.