Preparation, Properties and Mechanism of Inhomogeneous Calcium Alginate Ion Cross-linking Gel Microspheres

Inhomogeneous calcium alginate ion cross-linking gel microspheres,a novel ion absorbent,were prepared by dropping a sodium alginate solution to a calcium chloride solutioin via an electronic droplet generator.Calcium alginate microspheres have uniform particle sizes.a smooth surface and a microporous structure.The electrode probe reveals the inhomogeneous distribution of calcium ions with the highest concentration on the surface,and the lowest concentration in the cores of the spheres.As a novel ion adsorbent,calcium alginate gel microspheres have a lower limiting adsorption mass concentration,a higher enrichment capacity and a higher adsorption capacity for Pb^2 than usual ion exchange resins.The highest percentage of the adsorption is 99.79%.The limiting adsorption mass concentration is 0.0426mg/L.The adsorption capacity for Pb^2 is 644mg/g,Calcium alginate gel microspheres have a much faster ion exchange velocity than D418 chelating resin and D113 polyacrylate resin.The moving boundary model was employed to interpret the ion exchange kinetics process,which indicates that the ion exchange process is controlled by intraparticle diffusion of adsorbable ions.So the formation of inhomogeneous gel microspheres reduces the diffusion distance of adsorbable ions within the spheres and enhances the ion exchange velocity.Alginate has a higher selectivity for pb^2 than for Ca^2 and the selectivity coefficient KCa^Pb is 316. As an ion cross-linking gel,calcium alginate inhomogeneous microspheres can effectively adsorb heavy metal Pb^2 at a higher selectivity and a higher adsorption velocity.It is a novel and good ion adsorbent.     

Aggregation and gelation of micellar casein particles

Micellar casein particles (submicelles) are formed by removing calcium phosphate from native casein. The submicelles aggregate and eventually form a gel with a rate that increases strongly with increasing temperature and casein concentration. At low casein concentrations the gel is very weak and collapses under its own weight so that a precipitate is formed. The structure of the aggregates is studied using light scattering and cryo-electron microscopy. It is found that the aggregates have a self-similar structure with fractal dimension 2. The viscoelastic properties of the gel are studied by frequency scans of the loss and storage moduli during the gelation process. The bonds between the submicelles probably involve calcium phosphate complexes.     

All-atom molecular dynamics analysis of kinetic and structural properties of ionic micellar solutions

All-atom molecular dynamics simulation results regarding aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions have been presented. Both salt-free solutions with different SDS concentrations and those containing calcium chloride additives have been studied. The simulation has shown that surface-active SDS ions form stable premicellar aggregates. The obtained molecular dynamics trajectories have been used to describe both the kinetic and structural properties of solutions containing SDS molecular aggregates and the properties of individual aggregates. Aggregation kinetics has been investigated, and the characteristic sizes of the aggregates have been calculated by different methods. It has been found that the size of a premicellar aggregate with aggregation number n = 16 in a salt-free solution virtually does not depend on surfactant concentration. Radial distribution functions (RDFs) of hydrogen and oxygen atoms of water molecules relative to the center of mass of an aggregate have no local maxima near the aggregate surface; i.e., the surface is incompletely wetted with water. Corresponding RDFs of carbon atoms have one, two or three maxima depending on the surfactant concentration and the serial number of a carbon atom in the hydrocarbon radical of the surface- active ion. The study of the potentials of mean force for the interaction of sodium and calcium ions with an aggregate having aggregation number n = 32 shows that only calcium ions can be strongly bound to such an aggregate.     

FTIR study of ion dissociation in PMMA based gel electrolytes containing ammonium triflate: Role of dielectric constant of solvent

The effect of dielectric constant of solvent on the presence of ion aggregates/undissociated salt and their dissociation with the addition of polymer has been studied by FTIR for polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) based gel electrolytes containing ammonium triflate (NH₄CF₃SO₃). Salt is fully dissociated in electrolytes containing dimethylacetamide (DMA)—a high dielectric constant solvent and some ion aggregates are also present whereas in electrolytes containing diethylcarbonate (DEC)—a low dielectric constant solvent, some undissociated salt is present. The conductivity behaviour of polymer gel electrolytes has been found to depend upon the dielectric constant of the solvent used. PMMA plays the role of a stiffener in electrolytes containing DMA and results in a small decrease in conductivity whereas in electrolytes containing DEC, the addition of PMMA results in an increase in conductivity which has been explained to be due to an increase in free ion concentration by the dissociation of undissociated salt and ion aggregates. The presence of free ions, ion aggregates, undissociated salt has also been examined by FTIR spectroscopy.     

Effect of Escherichia coliform on the biomineralization of calcium bilirubinate in mimic systems

The influence of Escherichia coliform (E. coli), especially the proteins it secretes, on the nucleation, growth and aggregation processes of calcium bilirubinate (CaBR) in different mimic systems, such as NaCl aqueous solution and model bile, is studied in this paper. The results show that in NaCl aqueous solution the morphology of calcium bilirubinate (CaBR) changes from amorphous sheet structure to a highly self-organized and highly self-replicated fractal structure that is accumulated by rhombic microcrystals after the addition of E. coli. In model bile with the existence of E. coli, CaBR also forms a fractal structure, but the fractal structure is staghorn-like. Meanwhile, the composition of the prepared CaBRs is nonstoichiometric, and the crystallization is greatly improved with the existence of E. coli. Besides, formation mechanism of CaBRs affected by E. coli is explored, showing that the proteins secreted by E. coli interact with the Ca(2+) ions to provide nucleation sites for CaBRs, and the conformation of the proteins becomes more ordered, resulting in the improvement of the crystalline of CaBRs. On the other hand, the interaction of proteins and the Ca(2+) ions also promote the aggregation state of the CaBRs.     

The behaviour of micro-bitumen drops in aqueous clay environments

This study summarises the rheological behaviour of emulsion bitumen drops in the presence of aqueous solutions of de-ionised or process water (DIW or PW) containing montmorillonite clays (M) and/or calcium ions (Ca++). The presence of calcium ions and montmorillonite clays resulted in the plastic behaviour of bitumen drops. In a DIW+M+Ca++ system, increasing temperature and calcium ion concentration resulted in an increase in the number and degree of plastic bitumen drops. In the presence of considerable amounts of Ca++ ions and/or at higher experimental temperature, bitumen drops in a PW+M system exhibited no significant overall plasticity of their surfaces. Both calcium and sodium ions contained in process water compete with each other to occupy the montmorillonite clay surface. At the pH value of process water (pH congruent with8), increasing the temperature did not change the value of bitumen droplet zeta potential. Stability of bitumen-in-water emulsions at 22 degrees C showed that bitumen droplets coalesced upon contact in the DIW+M system. The addition of calcium ions (Ca++) led to the inhibition of coagulation and coalescence of bitumen droplets, which may indicate the formation of CaM aggregates at the bitumen-water interface.     

二维凝胶体系中碳酸钙分形结构的形成与机理研究

本文研究了二维琼脂凝胶圆盘体系中碳酸钙分形结构的形成过程,发现随着反应时间的增加,碳酸钙的形态经过了细小颗粒-枝晶结构-分形结构的转变过程,该分形结构实际上是由纳微米级碳酸钙晶粒聚集而成的。增加琼脂和反应物的浓度,碳酸钙微晶的形貌和尺寸发生了变化,呈现立方体与球形,由其构成的分形结构的尺寸也随着改变,但碳酸钙的晶型均为方解石型,无明显变化。二维凝胶体系中碳酸钙分形结构的形成主要与琼脂极性基团提供成核位点、多糖的网络结构、沉淀剂离子扩散受限有关。     

Comparative analysis of the structure of sterically stabilized ferrofluids on polar carriers by small-angle neutron scattering

Results of experiments on small-angle neutron scattering from ferrofluids on polar carriers (pentanol, water, methyl-ethyl-ketone), with double-layer sterical stabilization of magnetic nanoparticles, are reported. Several types of spatial structural organization are observed. The structure of highly stable pentanol-based samples is similar to that of stable ferrofluids based on organic non-polar carriers (e.g., benzene) with mono-layer covered magnetic nanoparticles. At the same time, the effect of the interparticle interaction on the scattering is stronger in polar ferrofluids because of the structural difference in the surfactant shell. The structure of the studied methyl-ethyl-ketone- and water-based ferrofluids essentially different from the previous case. The formation of large (>100 nm in size) elongated or fractal aggregates, respectively, is detected even in the absence of external magnetic field, which corresponds to weaker stability of these types of ferrofluids. The structure of the fractal aggregates in water-based ferrofluids does not depend on the particle concentration, but it is sensitive to temperature. A temperature increase results in a decrease in their fractal dimension reflecting destruction of the aggregates. In addition, in water-based ferrofluids these aggregates consist of small (radius approximately 10 nm) and temperature-stable primary aggregates.     

Fractal Study of Mesoporous Structure in Water Molecular Condensed System

Bis-(4-stearoylaminophenyl) ether (BSADE) can aggregate and self-assemble in water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the morphology of BSADE aggregates in water was entanglement and thin fiber-like, and that a three dimensional network structure was formed. Water molecules were entrapped in this three dimensional network structure and formed a new type of condensed system (so-called water molecular gel). Water molecular gel is a typical mesoporous material which can be characterized by the fractal dimension D. Using gas adsorption method along with measurement of porosity and specific surface area, the fractal dimension D of the complicated pores was 2.1-2.2 for this water molecular gel. Using viscosity method and the Cayley fractal tree, the fractal dimension D of the fiber-like three dimensional network was determined to be 1.98. The formation process of water molecular gel can be described as nucleation followed by a repeated growing and branching cycle.     

聚丙烯酰胺/醋酸铬与聚丙烯酰胺/酚醛胶态分散凝胶的纳米颗粒自组织分形结构

采用原子力显微镜 ,分别对无机交联体系聚丙烯酰胺 Cr3+ 和有机交联体系聚丙烯酰胺 酚醛胶态分散凝胶的微观结构进行了显微图像分析 .发现无论是在有机还是无机交联体系中 ,也无论聚丙烯酰胺和交联剂浓度如何变化 ,在微米尺度上最终形成的都是具有自相似性的树枝状分形图像 ,在更小尺度上则发现单个小树杈分形体都是由纳米级的颗粒紧密堆积而成 .在所研究的胶态分散凝胶体系中 ,树枝状分形结构的形成及其具体的形态取决于聚丙烯酰胺的浓度 ,而交联剂的有无及其多少只对树枝状凝胶分形的几何形态产生一定影响 .实验结果还表明纳米级 (≤ 10 0nm)的胶体颗粒构成的分形结构的凝胶其弹性模量G′比微米级的高出一个数量级 .且粒子尺度越小 ,则凝胶的力学稳定性越强     

Study of the Influence of Alkaline Ions (Li, Na and K) on the Structure of the Silicate Entities in Silico Alkaline Sol and on the Formation of the Silico-Calco-Alkaline Gel

The study of silico-calco-alkaline gel is essential to warn against the degradation of concrete due to the alkali-silica reaction. In the laboratory, those gels are simulated by the destabilization of a silico-alkaline sol by calcium ions. Their speed of formation depends on the alkali species. The influence of alkaline ions (Li, Na and K) on the structure of silicate entities in sol and on the gel formation has been studied. The state of polymerization of the silico-alkaline sol was determined by NMR and depends on the alkali species and the molar ratio (Rm = [SiO2]/[A2O] with A = Li, Na or K). It appears that lithium enhances the polymerization. By scattering techniques (SAXS and ELS), the evolution of size and number of scattering particles during gelation can be determined from scattering curves with Guinier approximation. The mechanism of gelation appears as a hierarchic structure composed of several discrete sizes.     

The distribution of stresses in rigid fractal-like aggregates in a uniform flow field

The distribution of stresses in rigid fractal-like aggregates moving in a uniform flow field was investigated for particle-cluster and cluster-cluster aggregates with fractal dimensions ranging from 1.7 to 2.3. The method of reflections was used to calculate the drag force on each monomer, while the internal inter-monomer interactions were calculated by applying force and torque balances on each primary particle. The stress distribution was found to be very dissimilar from that of the applied external forces. Although the highest external forces act on the monomers located at the periphery of the aggregate where the drag is more intense, the most stressed inter-monomer bonds are always located in the internal part of the aggregate. This phenomenon is a consequence of the structure of the studied fractal aggregates, which are made mainly of filaments of monomers: the stress generated by the external forces is propagated and progressively accumulated by such filaments up to their roots, which are situated in the inner part of the cluster. Such a behaviour is different from that exhibited by highly connected structures, in which the loads are absorbed locally by the structure and the largest stresses are normally found in the proximity of the highest applied external forces.     

二维琼脂凝胶体系中过渡金属离子对草酸钙晶体生长和周期性沉淀的影响

在二维凝胶圆盘体系中,研究过渡金属离子对草酸钙晶体生长和周期性环状沉淀的影响,并对其形成机理进行探讨.结果表明:在一定浓度的Fe3 存在下,体系中出现了周期性环状沉淀现象.同时发现在此条件下抑制了一水合草酸钙(COM)晶型生成.此外,加入Zn2 、Co2 、Ni2 体系中的晶体都以二水合草酸钙(COD)为主;而加Cu2 离子的圆盘中,三水合草酸钙(COT)占据了主要的成分,这说明不同的过渡金属离子对三种草酸钙晶型的生成影响不同.另外,还对出现的与尿结石有关的特殊现象(白斑和放射状的条纹)进行了探讨.     

Composites with a porous bipolar surface for ion chromatography

A method for the preparation of a bipolar ion-exchange surface was proposed; it consists in the dynamic arrangement of the nanoparticles of an ion-exchanger modifier in the macropores of a matrix ion exchanger of opposite polarity and the retention of these nanoparticles by Coulomb forces. The NACATEX analytical cation-exchange column with the separating surface of a new type was prepared, which is suitable for the separation of the mixtures of alkaline element and ammonium ions and also calcium and magnesium ions.     

Progress in the study on the composition and formation mechanism of gallstone

Our serial studies from 1970s on chemical composition, structure determination and formation mechanism of gallstones were reviewed. The chemical component investigation of brown-pigment gallstone demonstrated that it consists of macromolecules such as proteins, glyco-proteins, polysaccharides, bilirubin polymers and pigment polymers, and biomolecules such as cholesterol, bile salts, calcium salts of carbonate, phosphate, fatty acids and bilirubinate as well as various metal ions. The binding of metal ions with bile salts and bilirubin plays important roles in gallstone formation, i.e., calcium bilirubinate complex is the major constitute of brown-pigment gallstones, and copper bilirubinate complex is critical in the black color appearance of black-pigment gallstone. The cross section of many gallstones exhibits a concentric ring structure composed of various small particles with a fractal character. This is nonlinear phenomenon in gallstone formation. A typical model system of metal ions-deoxycholate (or cho     

Determination of magnesium and calcium ions in seawater by capillary zone electrophoresis

Capillary zone electrophoresis is proposed for the determination of magnesium and calcium ions in seawater. A carrier solution containing EDTA was adopted for the complexation of these ions and the effect of sodium chloride concentration in the sample solutions on the results was examined. It was found that magnesium and calcium ions could be determined without any pretreatment by injecting 100-fold diluted seawater samples. Linear calibration graphs were obtained for standard solutions containing up to 10.0 mg/l of calcium ion when both peak area and peak height were used. On the other hand, a linear calibration graph was obtained for standard solutions containing up to 20.0 mg/l of magnesium ion when the peak area was used, while a curved one was obtained when the peak height was used. Relative standard deviations were 0.8 and 1.2% when a standard solution containing 5.0 mg/l of magnesium and 8.0 mg/l of calcium ions was analysed 8 times using the peak area. Limits of detection for magnesium and calcium ions were 0.13 and 0.26 mg/l, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of magnesium and calcium ions in surface and bottom seawater samples.     

Structural characterization and chemical response of a Ag-coordinated supramolecular gel

Supramolecular gels exhibit potential applications in the areas of sensors, nanodevices, drug and catalyst carriers, and so on. To develop a novel organogel with a multiresponse, we designed a component molecule bearing a pyridyl group for metal coordination and an amide group for the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. A complex building block with a symmetrical structure was selectively constructed by the coordination of a silver cation to the organic component. The coordination existing in the complex and the hydrogen bonding existing between complexes were examined by IR, Raman, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The gel formation and phase transition were examined by viscosity and differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The selection of metal ions for the formation of a gel has proved to be crucial as only the complex of a binary coordinated metal ion, Ag+, was found to form a gel structure. From the band shift of the L1 solution with different amounts of silver ion, the binding ratio of silver ion to L1 was estimated to be 1:2 and the calculated stability constant was 3.6 x 10(8) M(-2). On the basis of the analysis of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results, we proposed a possible stacking structure of the complex in the fibrous aggregates. Of interest is that the organogel exhibits a 3-D network structure of a beltlike fiber composed of ordered lamellar arrangements of the coordinated complex and shows a rapid response to wide chemical stimulations such as anions I-, Br-, and Cl-, gases such as H(2)S and NH(3), and a change of pH.     

Formation of the aggregates of actinocin derivatives containing 4′-benzo-15-crown-5 radicals in amide groups and their interaction with a DNA molecule

Methods of spectrophotometry, spectropolarimetry, and viscometry are used to study the self-organization in the solution of crown-containing actinocin derivative (I) exhibiting antitumor activity and the interaction of the formed aggregates with a DNA molecule. The presence of the 4′-benzo-15-crown-5 radical in the structure of the studied compound determines the observed differences in its complexation with Na⁺ and K⁺ ions. The process of aggregation in the presence of K⁺ ions is accompanied by a shift of the long-wave band in the absorption spectrum to short-wave (the formation of H type aggregates) or long-wave (the formation of J type aggregates) regions depending on the K⁺ ion concentration in the solution. In the presence of Na⁺ ions, regardless of their concentration in the solution, J type aggregates form. A scheme of complex formation and their mutual transformations with changes in the ionic composition of the medium is proposed. A study of the interaction of this compound with DNA shows that in the presence of K⁺ ions it binds to the DNA molecule in the form of monomers and/or dimers without producing large supramolecular aggregates. The H and J structures formed in K⁺-containing solutions of compound I are broken in the interaction with DNA. If a solution of compound I is added to a DNA solution containing Na⁺ ions, the J type aggregates are formed directly on the surface of the DNA molecule. At the same type, the J structures originally formed in the Na⁺-containing solution of compound I practically do not interact with DNA. A study of this system shows that the introduction of the crown group in the compound molecule with a heterocyclic chromophore provides the opportunity to affect its affinity and binding to the DNA molecule by means of the ionic composition of the medium.     

红外光谱法研究离聚体中离子聚集状态

红外光谱法研究离聚体中离子聚集状态冯克，高洪涛，李卓美，阎荣江（中山大学高分子研究所，广州，５１０２７５）（中国科学院长春应用化学研究所）关键词离聚体，红外光谱，离子聚集离聚体是指含有１５ｍｏｌ％以下离子基团的聚合物，依离子含量高低，离子聚集状态分为...     

Synthesis of chromogenic crown ethers and liquid—liquid extraction of alkaline earth metal ions

New crown ether dyes carrying two pendent anionic side-arms were synthesized for the extraction-spectrophotometry of alkaline earth metal ions. In the extraction of alkaline earth metal ions by these dianionic reagents, size recognition by the crown ether ring was more remarkable than in the case of alkali metal ion extraction by a similar type of monoanionic reagents. Dramatic changes in metal selectivity were observed when the nature of the anionic side-arm was changed while the crown ether skeleton was kept the same. The structure/selectivity relationship is discussed in terms of “chelate” and “intramolecular ion-pair” formation. Typically, when the basicity of the pendent anions was relatively high and a six-membered chelate was structurally possible for the pendent anions and the crown-bound metal, the extraction of calcium was favored by up to a factor of 3000 in the ratio of the Ca/Ba extraction constants for reagents of the diaza-18-crown-6 type. In contrast, the reagents which had pendent anions with only poor coordination ability for metal ions seemed to form complexes of the ion-pair type, and calcium ion was 10⁵ times less extractable than barium ion for the same diaza-18-crown-6-skeleton. Strontium ion seemed to be extracted most effectively when the extracted complex assumed properties intermediate between the chelate and intramolecular ion-pair.