Effect of strontium substitution on the composition and microstructure of sol–gel derived calcium phosphates

Sr-doped calcium phosphates have been prepared by sol–gel chemistry. All samples exhibit two phases: hydroxyapatite (HAp) and tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). With respect to undoped sample, the Sr-doped samples exhibit higher proportion of β-TCP phase but the quantity appears to be quite independent of the doping level. To explain the mismatch with the nominal stoichiometry, the presence of amorphous CaO and SrO compounds have been postulated and their proportions evaluated. The insertion of Sr²⁺ ions in the two crystalline phases HAp and β-TCP is almost total for low doping levels but quite incomplete for the highest doping level. The majority of the inserted Sr²⁺ ions are in the β-TCP phase. Considering the acknowledged beneficial effect of Sr²⁺ on the bone regeneration process, the effective partial substitution of Sr in biphasic calcium phosphate makes these materials very interesting for clinical applications. The Sr-substituted HAp and β-TCP cell parameters agree fairly well with the Vegard’s law and Sr²⁺ ions substitute preferentially for Ca²⁺ in the Ca2 site for hydroxyapatite and in the Ca4 site for β-TCP. The microstructural parameters confirm the previous observation and give a new evidence of clear stabilizing effect of Sr²⁺ ions towards the β-TCP structure.     

Dielectric and energy storage properties of barium strontium titanate based glass–ceramics prepared by sol–gel method

Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ based glass–ceramics were prepared by sol–gel process. Influences of B–Si–O glass content on the microstructure, dielectric, and energy storage properties of the BST based glass–ceramics have been investigated. Perovskite barium strontium titanate phase was found at annealing temperature 800 °C. A secondary phase Ba₂TiSi₂O₈ was detected and lowered by declining the mole ratio of element Si (from 50 to 25 mol%) in glass additive. Microstructural observation indicated that the microstructure homogeneity can be improved by glass addition till 2 mol%, while worsened by excessive glass concentrations. Due to relatively homogeneous microstructure, the maximum discharged energy density and breakdown strength were also obtained in samples with 2 mol% glass additive, which were found to be 0.553 J/cm³ and 43.2 kv/mm, respectively. Microscopic observation of the breakdown area was performed and the mechanical failure, including the formation and accumulation of micro-cracks during the dielectric breakdown process, was considered to be the main cause of dielectric breakdown. Results of the charging and discharging energy densities show that the BST based glass–ceramics prepared by sol–gel method has a potential for pulse power applications.     

Production, quality control and pharmacokinetic studies of 177Lu–zoledronate for bone pain palliation therapy

A new dipeptide derivative, ethyl 2-(3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-(4-phenyl-5-((pyridin-4-ylamino)methyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylthio)acetamido)propanamido)-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)propanoate (EHPTIP) was successfully synthesized and radiolabeled with ¹²⁵I by the direct electrophilic substitution method. The non radiolabeled compound (EHPTIP) was tested as an antimicrobial agent and the radiolabeled derivative was tested as a new imaging agent. The study results showed a good antimicrobial activity of EHPTIP and a good in vitro and in vivo stability of ¹²⁵I-EHPTIP. The biodistribution of the radiolabeled compound showed a high brain uptake of 7.60 ± 0.01 injected activity/g tissue organ at 30 min post-injection and retention in brain remained high up to 1 h, whereas the clearance from the normal mice appeared to proceed via the renal system. Such brain uptake is better than that of currently used radiopharmaceuticals for brain imaging (^99mTc-ECD and ^99mTc-HMPAO). As a conclusion, EHPTIP is a newly synthesized dipeptide with a good antimicrobial activity and the radioiodinated EHPTIP which is labeled with ¹²³I could be used as a novel agent for brain SPECT.     

Calcium and strontium,and zinc (phenazine)−· species

Calcium and strontium react with phenazine in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at ca 20 ° C to yield red solutions containing paramagnetic species based on (phenazine)⁻· (ESR characterization). Zinc reacts in THF in the presence of zinc chloride or bromide, or without metal halide in pyridine, to yield green or red ESR-active solutions also based on (phenazine)⁻·, and then, for the reaction in pyridine, a brown paramagnetic solid of composition Zn(phenazine)(pyridine)₂.     

Bulk properties and hydration numbers of components of water–salt,water–urea,and water–urea–salt systems

With an increase in the concentration of additives, the hydration numbers of compounds decrease. Thus, in a saturated 54.6% solution, urea loses approximately 3/4 of the initial amount of water, forming an aquacomplex of the composition (NH₂)₂CO?H₂O. In a supersaturated 44% solution, the sodium chloride aquacomplex is dehydrated by 2/3, and in a supersaturated 67% solution, sodium sulfate is dehydrated by 5/6. The density of these solutions is 1.354÷1.360 g/cm³ (44% NaCl) and 1.800÷1.849 g/cm³ (67% Na₂SO₄). In a saturated urea solution, NaNO₃, NaCl, and Na₂SO₄ complexes lose 53÷55% of hydration water. It is shown that the interactions in the binary water–urea system somewhat increase the hydration number of the salts (structural hydration). The hydration water density, a structurally important characteristic, increases in the series of solutions of urea, NaNO₃, NaCl, and Na₂SO₄. In the same series of additives, the excess volume of binary water–urea and water–salt systems becomes more negative.     

Development and physicochemical characterization of doxorubicin-encapsulated hydroxyapatite–polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite for repair of osteosarcoma-affected bone tissues

Nowadays locoregional therapy for cancer treatment can be associated with nanocomposite drug delivery systems. Coated nanoparticles have versatile applications for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs to the targeted part of the body. In this study, a ceramic carrier like nanosized hydroxyapatite (HAp) was synthesized by the in situ precipitation method followed by coating with anticancer drug like doxorubicin (DOX) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. The physicochemical characterization of the prepared polymer-coated drug ceramic nanocomposite (DOX-HAp-PVA) was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron spectroscopy, and particle size distribution. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and the anticancer activity of the nanocomposite were explored by MTT assay study. Successfully synthesized DOX-HAp-PVA nanocomposite exhibited a remarkable cytotoxicity toward osteosarcoma cells (MG 63), which may be potentially used as an anticancer agent against osteosarcoma.     

Application of CE–ICP–MS and CE–ESI–MS in metalloproteomics: challenges,developments, and limitations

Application of capillary electrophoresis (CE) as a high-resolution separation technique in metalloproteomics research is critically reviewed. The focus is on the requirements and challenges involved in coupling CE to sensitive element and molecule-specific detection techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) or electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI–MS). The complementary application of both detection techniques to the structural and functional characterisation of metal-binding proteins and their structural metal-binding moieties is emphasised. Beneficial aspects and limitations of mass spectrometry hyphenated to CE are discussed, on the basis of the literature published in this field over the last decade. Recent metalloproteomics applications of CE are reviewed to demonstrate its potential and limitations in modern biochemical speciation analysis and to indicate future directions of this technique.     

Preparation of hollow titania and strontium titanate spheres using sol–gel derived silica gel particles as templates

A facile approach, based on polyelectrolyte-mediated electrostatic adsorption of a water-soluble titanium complex on colloidal templates and hydrothermal treatment, is presented for the formation of hollow titania (TiO₂) and strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) spheres. Monodispersed silica gel particles were prepared by the sol?Cgel method and adopted as core templates. Deposition of a water-soluble titanium complex, titanium (IV) bis(ammoniumlactato)dihydroxide (TALH), on the silica gel particles was carried out via the layer-by-layer assembly technique. Hollow spheres were successfully formed from the core?Cshell particles. The silica gel particles used as core templates dissolved during hydrothermal treatment because of the particles?? undeveloped siloxane network. In addition, the hydrothermal treatment induced crystallization of the hollow shells. Therefore, the hydrothermal treatment played two roles; removal of the silica templates and crystallization of the hollow shells. When deionized water was used, hollow TiO₂ spheres were obtained. Hollow SrTiO₃ spheres could also be formed when an aqueous solution of Sr(OH)₂ was used. The approach presented here could be exploited as a novel and sustainable approach for the fabrication of a range of different inorganic hollow spheres.     

Design,synthesis, and characterization of fullerene–peptide–steroid covalent hybrids

The present study reports the synthesis, spectral characterization, self-assembly properties, and preliminary in vitro study of antioxidant capacity of two triple covalent hybrids consisting of fullerene C₆₀, peptide, and steroidal moiety. Previously synthesized fulleropyrrolidinic acid and pregnenolone were connected by peptide linker using a multistep DCC/DMAP and/or EDC/HOBT esterification/amidation procedure. The hybrids were characterized by comparative analysis of spectroscopic data obtained from FTIR, UV–vis, HRMS, and extensive NMR experiments (¹H, ¹³C, COSY, HSQC, and HMBC). The self-assembling properties and morphology of triads samples prepared by drop-drying method were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Preliminary in vitro antioxidant activity was studied by Ferrous ion Oxidation-Xylenol orange (FOX) method.     

Electrodeposition,properties, and composition of rhenium–nickel alloys

The process of deposition of the Re–Ni alloy, its current efficiency, and the alloy composition are studied as a function of the current density and the solution temperature. The hydrogen content in the deposits, their surface morphology, internal structure, and properties as the cathodic material for HER are examined. It is assumed that besides the high rhenium content, the high catalytic activity of nickel–rhenium alloys is associated with the high degree of their structural disordering.     

Electrodeposition,Structure, and Properties of Iron–Tungsten Alloys

The electrodeposition, structure, and properties of Fe–W alloys are studied. Working current densitiesirange from 1 to 5 A dm^–2at 50°C. The W content (45 wt %) barely depends oni. The current efficiency is about 40%. Alloys obtained at ibelow 2 A dm^–2are crystalline oversaturated solid solutions of W in Fe and are magnetic. Higher current densities yield amorphous nonmagnetic alloys of the same composition. Either alloy has a very high resistivity (nearly 300 ohm cm) and, after a treatment at 500–600°C, transforms into a more equilibrium binary system comprising a saturated solid solution and an intermetallic compound.     

Solvothermal preparation,and characterization,of Cu–Ag nanoparticles

Cu–Ag nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by one-pot solvothermal treatment of a mixture of AgNO₃ and Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O in ethylene glycol solution at 180 °C for 10 h. The samples were characterized by UV–visible absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that Cu–Ag nanoparticles and a small amount of phase-separated Cu–Ag alloy nanoparticles with an average diameter of 100 ± 30 nm were synthesized by the solvothermal treatment procedure. The mechanism of formation is discussed.     

Synthesis,characterization, and systematic structure–property investigation of a series of carbazole–thiophene derivatives

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - A series of carbazole–thiophene oligomers linked at the 3,6-positions of the carbazole fragment of 4,4′-bis(carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl (CBP) and...     

Crystallographic dependency of waste cow bone,hydroxyapatite, and β-tricalcium phosphate for biomedical application

In this research, waste cow bone was chosen as a sustainable source of biomaterials in pure hydroxyapatite form and synthesized hydroxyapatite (HAP) was prepared as a biphasic HAP (hydroxyapatite and β-tricalcium phosphate phase) and subsequently pure β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). The samples were characterized by employing X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) instrumentation, and in-depth crystallographic analysis was performed by calculating crystallite size, lattice parameters, HAp percentage, the volume fraction of β-TCP, β-TCP percentage, crystallinity index, degree of crystallinity, microstrain, and dislocation density. Excellent results was noticed for biocompatible properties such as cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and antimicrobial (E. coli, S. aureus, and A. niger). A relationship was established among the synthesized products and the crystallographic parameters.     

Ion–electron transport in strontium ferrites: relationships with structural features and stability

The total electrical conductivity of strontium ferrites, including intergrowth Sr₄Fe₆O_13+δ, Sr₃Fe₂O_6+δ with a Ruddlesden–Popper structure, and SrFeO_2.5+δ where the cubic perovskite lattice transforms into vacancy-ordered brownmillerite at p(O₂)<10 Pa and T<850 °C, was measured at 650–1000 °C in the oxygen partial pressure range 10⁻¹⁵ Pa to 50 kPa. The data were used in order to determine partial ion, p- and n-type electron contributions in the vicinity of electron–hole equilibrium point. The ferrites with brownmillerite and Ruddlesden–Popper structures exhibit substantial ion transport due to thermally-activated disordering of oxygen vacancies and oxygen ions in the perovskite structural slabs, whereas the ion conductivity of Sr₄Fe₆O_13+δ remains below 0.01 S cm⁻¹ in the studied conditions. The bonding energy of oxygen ions, evaluated from the formation enthalpy of n-type charge carriers, increases in the sequence Sr₄Fe₆O_13+δ<SrFeO_3+δ<Sr₃Fe₂O_6+δ. These values correlate with thermodynamic stability of strontium ferrites at low p(O₂). The transition of SrFeO_2.5+δ brownmillerite into disordered cubic phase above 850 °C leads to higher stability in reducing atmospheres. The level of p-type conductivity is mainly governed by the concentration of electron holes, which was calculated from the oxygen content determined by coulometric titration technique. The hole mobility, which is quite similar for all strontium ferrites and has a temperature-activated character, varies in the range 0.005–0.05 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ indicative of small-polaron conduction mechanism.     

Synthesis and characterization of Sibunit-supported Pd–Ga,Pd–Zn,and Pd–Ag catalysts for liquid-phase acetylene hydrogenation

Pd/Sibunit and Pd–M/Sibunit (M = Ga, Zn, or Ag) catalysts have been synthesized, and their catalytic properties in liquid-phase acetylene hydrogenation have been investigated. Doping of the palladium catalyst with a metal M leads to the formation of the Pd₂Ga, PdZn, or Pd_0.46Ag_0.54 bimetallic compound. The bimetallic particles are much smaller (1.6–2.0 nm) than the monometallic palladium particles (4.0 nm). Doping with zinc raises the ethylene selectivity by 25% without affecting the activity of the catalyst. Specific features of the effect of each of the dopants on palladium are reported.     

Thermochemistry of Pd–In,Pd–Sn and Pd–Zn alloy systems

The standard enthalpy of formation of several Pd–M alloys (M = In, Sn and Zn) has been measured using a high temperature direct drop calorimeter. The reliability of the calorimetric results has been determined and supported by using different analytical techniques: light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with electron probe microanalysis (EPMA with EDS detector) and X-ray powder diffraction analysis. The values of Δ_fH (kJ/mol atoms) for the following phases were obtained for the formation in the solid state at 300 K: PdIn (49 at.%In): ?69.0 ± 1.0; Pd₂In₃ ?57.0 ± 1.0; Pd₃In₇: ?43.0 ± 1.0; PdSn₂: ?50.0 ± 1.0; Pd₂Zn₉ (77 at.%Zn): ?33.7 ± 1.0; Pd₂Zn₉ (78 at.%Zn): ?34.0 ± 1.0; Pd₂Zn₉ (80 at.%Zn): ?35.0 ± 1.0. The results show exothermic values which increase from the Pd–Zn to the Pd–Sn and Pd–In systems; the data obtained have been discussed in comparison with those available in literature.     

Structural Properties of Water–PEG–LiOH,NaOH, and KOH Solutions,According to Viscometry and Densimetry Data

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - The dynamic viscosity and density of water–PEG, water–PEG–LiOH, water–PEG–NaOH, and water–PEG–KOH systems are...     

Reinvestigation of the paracetamol–caffeine,aspirin–caffeine,and paracetamol–aspirin phase equilibria diagrams

Many drug candidates are poorly soluble. The formation of solid dispersion can improve their solubility, consequently their bioavailability. For this purpose, the use of eutectic mixtures is well known in the pharmaceutical field. At the eutectic composition, both components are in reduced particle size and well dispersed. In this work, we focus on the combination of paracetamol, aspirin, and caffeine, which is highly effective for the treatment of migraine headache pain. We have reinvestigated the paracetamol–caffeine, aspirin–caffeine, and paracetamol–aspirin phase equilibria diagrams taking into account the polymorphism of caffeine, paracetamol, and aspirin. The three phase diagrams are determined using X-ray diffraction and the differential scanning calorimetry from the binary mixtures. It is concluded that the paracetamol–caffeine and aspirin–caffeine systems are similar and exhibit two invariants, one eutectic and one metatectic. The paracetamol–aspirin phase diagram reveals the formation of one eutectic. The composition of the three eutectics formed is confirmed by the related Tamman’s triangles. No compound formation is found in the three systems.     

Formation,Phase, and Elemental Composition of Micro- and Nano-Dimensional Particles of the Fe–Ti System

X-ray fluorescence, X-ray phase analysis, and transmission Mössbauer and NGR spectrometry are used to study the formation, phase, and elemental composition of Fe–Ti particles. The interaction between Fe(III) ions and dispersed titanium in an aqueous solution containing chloride ions and HF is studied. It is shown that the resulting Fe–Ti samples are a set of core–shell microparticles with titanium cores coated with micro- and nanosized α-Fe nucleation centers with the thinness outer layer of iron(III) oxide characterized by a developed surface.