气体在无定型聚异戊二烯中扩散的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学模拟方法研究了多个温度下氧气、氮气及甲烷在无定型顺式1,4-聚异戊二烯中的扩散系数。在模拟过程中,使用COMPASS力场作为分子力场。应用COMPASS力场的势能函数,聚合物的密度及玻璃化转变温度的计算结果与实验值有较好吻合。在278-378 K的温度范围内,通过3或1.5 ns时长的正则系综动力学模拟,计算了不同温度下氧气、氮气及甲烷的扩散系数。结果表明,根据爱因斯坦关系式计算得到的扩散系数与实验结果比较接近。对气体扩散系数与温度的关系进一步研究,发现在278-378 K温度范围内,甲烷的扩散系数随温度变化的半对数曲线图是非线性的,而氧气和氮气的扩散系数随温度变化的半对数曲线图是线性的。本文研究结果有助于理解温度对气体扩散的影响机制,并为高温下气体在天然橡胶中扩散系数的测定及天然橡胶热氧老化建模分析提供依据。     

Accelerated aging and lifetime prediction: Review of non-Arrhenius behaviour due to two competing processes

Lifetime prediction of polymeric materials often requires extrapolation of accelerated aging data with the suitability and confidence in such approaches being subject to ongoing discussions. This paper reviews the evidence of non-Arrhenius behaviour (curvature) instead of linear extrapolations in polymer degradation studies. Several studies have emphasized mechanistic variations in the degradation mechanism and demonstrated changes in activation energies but often data have not been fully quantified. To improve predictive capabilities a simple approach for dealing with curvature in Arrhenius plots is examined on a basis of two competing reactions. This allows for excellent fitting of experimental data as shown for some elastomers, does not require complex kinetic modelling, and individual activation energies are easily determined. Reviewing literature data for the thermal degradation of polypropylene a crossover temperature (temperature at which the two processes equally contribute) of 83 °C was determined, with the high temperature process having a considerably higher activation energy (107–156 kJ/mol) than the low temperature process (35–50 kJ/mol). Since low activation energy processes can dominate at low temperatures and longer extrapolations result in larger uncertainties in lifetime predictions, experiments focused on estimating E_a values at the lowest possible temperature instead of assuming straight line extrapolations will lead to more confident lifetime estimates.     

DISTANCE-DEPENDENT FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING OF TRYPTOPHAN BY ACRYLAMIDE

Abstract We used GHz frequency-domain fluorometry to investigate the time-dependent intensity decays of N -acetyl -L-trytophanamide (NATA) when collisionally quenched by acrylamide in propylene glycol at 20°C. The intensity decays of NATA became increasingly heterogeneous in the presence of acrylamide. The NATA intensity decays were not consistent with the Collins-Kimball radiation boundary condition (RBC) model for quenching. The steady-state Stern-Volmer plots show significant upward curvature. At low temperature in vitrified propylene glycol (-60%), where translational diffusion cannot occur during the lifetime of the excited state, quenching of NATA by acrylamide was observed. The Smoluchowski and RBC quenching models do not predict any quenching in the absence of translational diffusion. Hence, these frequency-domain and steady-state data indicate a through-space quenching interaction between NATA and acrylamide. The rate for quenching of NAT A by acrylamide appears to depend exponentially on the fluorophore-quencher separation distance. Comparison of the time-resolved and steady-state data provides a sensitive method to determine the distance dependence of the fluorophore-quencher interaction. The distance-dependent rate of quenching also explains the upward curvature of the Stern-Volmer plot, which is often observed for quenching by acrylamide. These results suggest that the distance-dependent quenching rates need to be considered in the interpretation of quenching data of proteins by acrylamide.     

Determination of copper in milk powder by electrothermal atomic absorption and atomic emission spectrometry

Summary Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS) and atomic emission spectrometry (ETA-AES) have been applied to the determination of copper in powdered milk. A homogeneous dispersion procedure for the preparation of the milk powder is described which was found to be simple, rapid and less susceptible to contamination than dry ashing or wet digestion methods. Both ETA-AAS and ETA-AES techniques were found to provide satisfactory results using conventional tube wall atomisation only when the method of standard additions was employed. The application of graphite probe atomisation in ETA-AES and ETA-AAS allowed the development of direct methods for the determination of copper in milk powder using aqueous standard calibration curves. The accuracy of the probe ETA-AAS method was confirmed using new reference materials prepared by the EEC Community Bureau of Reference. Acceptable agreement was obtained for the other procedures using a commercial milk powder sample with a copper content of 6.0g g^–1.     

Tracking diffusion of conditioning water in single wheat kernels of different hardnesses by near infrared hyperspectral imaging

The combination of near infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics was used to follow the diffusion of conditioning water over time in wheat kernels of different hardnesses. Conditioning was attempted with deionised water (dH(2)O) and deuterium oxide (D(2)O). The images were recorded at different conditioning times (0-36 h) from 1000 to 2498 nm with a line scan imaging system. After multivariate cleaning and spectral pre-processing (either multiplicative scatter correction or standard normal variate and Savitzky-Golay smoothing) six principal components (PCs) were calculated. These were studied visually interactively as score images and score plots. As no clear clusters were present in the score plots, changes in the score plots were investigated by means of classification gradients made within the respective PCs. Classes were selected in the direction of a PC (from positive to negative or negative to positive score values) in almost equal segments. Subsequently loading line plots were used to provide a spectroscopic explanation of the classification gradients. It was shown that the first PC explained kernel curvature. PC3 was shown to be related to a moisture-starch contrast and could explain the progress of water uptake. The positive influence of protein was also observed. The behaviour of soft, hard and very hard kernels was different in this respect, with the uptake of water observed much earlier in the soft kernels than in the harder ones. The harder kernels also showed a stronger influence of protein in the loading line plots. Difference spectra showed interpretable changes over time for water but not for D(2)O which had a too low signal in the wavelength range used. NIR hyperspectral imaging together with exploratory chemometrics, as detailed in this paper, may have wider applications than merely conditioning studies.     

Interference caused by indium in the atomization of Ag, Bi, Cd, Sn, and Tl in ETA-AAS

The depression of the signals for Ag, Bi, Cd, Sn, and Tl trace determination by ETA-AAS, which occurs in the presence of hydrobromic acid (with or without indium present), has been investigated by use of a new combined atomization equipment, molecular absorption measurements and thermodynamic calculations. The results show that all these elements form easily volatile bromides and more or less stable diatomic molecules of MBr type. These diatomic molecules, formed in the gaseous phase, are removed from the observation volume by diffusion, before their dissociation is complete. These two effects-formation of easily volatile compounds and stable diatomic molecules-are the main reasons for the depression of the atomic-absorption signals.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of the dynamics of imidazolium ionic liquids with -CH2Si(CH3)3 vs -CH2C(CH3)3 substituents

Trimethylsilylmethyl (TMSiM)-substituted imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NTf(2)-), and tetrafluoroborate (BF(4)-) ionic liquids (ILs) have lower room-temperature viscosities by factors of 1.6 and 7.4, respectively, than isostructural neopentylimidazolium ILs. In an attempt to account for the effects of silicon substitution in imidazolium RTILs and to investigate the ion dynamics, we report nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of 1H (I = 1/2) and 19F (I = 1/2) spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) and self-diffusion coefficients (D) as a function of temperature for ILs containing the TMSiM group and, for comparison, the analogous neopentyl group. The 1H and 19F nuclei probe the dynamics of the cations and anions, respectively. The low-temperature line shapes were determined to be Gaussian, and the onset of the rigid lattice line width is correlated with the measured glass transition temperature. The spin-lattice relaxation data feature a broad T1 minimum as a function of inverse temperature for both nuclear species. The Arrhenius plots of the diffusion data for both nuclear species are found to exhibit Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher curvature. Analysis of the eta and D data generally show fractional Stokes-Einstein behavior D proportional to (T/eta)m. This is most prominent in the neopentylimidazolium BF(4)- IL with m approximately 0.66.     

Structure and Dynamics of Adsorbed Dopamine on Solvated Carbon Nanotubes and in a CNT Groove

Advanced carbon microelectrodes, including many carbon-nanotube (CNT)-based electrodes, are being developed for the in vivo detection of neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA). Our prior simulations of DA and dopamine-o-quinone (DOQ) on pristine, flat graphene showed rapid surface diffusion for all adsorbed species, but it is not known how CNT surfaces affect dopamine adsorption and surface diffusivity. In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the adsorbed structures and surface diffusion dynamics of DA and DOQ on CNTs of varying curvature and helicity. In addition, we study DA dynamics in a groove between two aligned CNTs to model the spatial constraints at the junctions within CNT assemblies. We find that the adsorbate diffusion on a solvated CNT surface depends upon curvature. However, this effect cannot be attributed to changes in the surface energy roughness because the lateral distributions of the molecular adsorbates are similar across curvatures, diffusivities on zigzag and armchair CNTs are indistinguishable, and the curvature dependence disappears in the absence of solvent. Instead, adsorbate diffusivities correlate with the vertical placement of the adsorbate’s moieties, its tilt angle, its orientation along the CNT axis, and the number of waters in its first hydration shell, all of which will influence its effective hydrodynamic radius. Finally, DA diffuses into and remains in the groove between a pair of aligned and solvated CNTs, enhancing diffusivity along the CNT axis. These first studies of surface diffusion on a CNT electrode surface are important for understanding the changes in diffusion dynamics of dopamine on nanostructured carbon electrode surfaces.     

Membrane curvature change induced by an antimicrobial peptide detected by 31P exchange NMR

The influence of an antimicrobial peptide, protegrin-1 (PG-1), on the curvature and lateral diffusion coefficient (D(L)) of phosphocholine bilayers is investigated using one- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) (31)P exchange NMR. The experiments utilize the fact that lipid lateral diffusion over the curved surface of vesicles changes the molecular orientation and thus the (31)P chemical shift anisotropy. This reorientation is manifested in 2D spectra as off-diagonal intensities and in 1D stimulated-echo experiments as reduced echo heights. The 2D spectra give information on the reorientation-angle distribution while the decay of the stimulated-echo intensity, which closely tracks the second-order correlation function in our experiments, yields the correlation times of the reorientation. The relationships among the 2D exchange spectra, stimulated-echo intensities, the correlation function, and reorientation-angle distributions are analyzed in detail. In the absence of PG-1, both dilaurylphosphotidylcholine (DLPC) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) vesicles show biexponential decays of the stimulated-echo intensities to equilibrium values of 0.20-0.25, suggesting that the curvature of the lipid vesicles has a bimodal distribution. The addition of PG-1 to DLPC vesicles increased the decay time constants, indicating that D(L) decreases due to peptide binding. In contrast, the addition of PG-1 to POPC vesicles decreased the decay constants by three to fivefold, indicating that the POPC vesicles are fragmented into smaller vesicles. On the basis of the changes in D(L) and the decay constants, we estimate that the radius of the POPC vesicles decreases by threefold due to PG-1 binding. Simulations of the 2D exchange spectra yielded quantitative reorientation-angle distributions that are consistent with the bimodal distributions of the vesicle curvature and the effects of the peptide on the two types of lipid bilayers. Thus, (31)P exchange NMR provides useful insights into the membrane morphological changes induced by this antimicrobial peptide.     

On the curvature in logarithmic plots of rate coefficients for chemical reactions

In terms of the reduced potential energy barrier ζ = ΔuTS/kT, the rate coefficients for chemical reactions are usually expressed as proportional to e-ζ. The coupling between vibrational modes of the medium to the reaction coordinate leads to a proportionality of the regularized gamma function of Euler Q(a,ζ) = Γ(a,ζ)/Γ(a), with a being the number of modes coupled to the reaction coordinate. In this work, the experimental rate coefficients at various temperatures for several chemical reactions were fitted to the theoretical expression in terms of Q(a,ζ) to determine the extent of its validity and generality. The new expression affords lower deviations from the experimental points in 29 cases out of 38 and it accounts for the curvature in the logarithmic plots of rate coefficients versus inverse temperature. In the absence of tunneling, conventional theories predict the curvature of these plots to be identically zero.     

Modification of Various Functions for Description of Periodic Dependences

The properties of coordination compounds are known to change with the metal or ligand nature. These changes are often recurred, discontinued, or exhibit jumps. Such dialectical dependences can be described by any appropriate function presented as periodic by omitting the integral part in the basic function dependent variable. This approach is illustrated with equations for enthalpies of formation (in the gas phase), ionization energies, absolute electronegativities and hardnesses in a spin-coupled state, and electronic effect constants of complexing metals, as well as for IR spectroscopic constants for metal carbonyl compounds. These equations were used to calculate the above parameters, which were previously unknown, and thus extended the possibilities of describing and predicting the chemical and spectroscopic properties of coordination compounds. Examples are given for various transition metals with H, CH₃, Hal, -Cp, CO, NO, PR₃, and other ligands.     

Use of NMR binding interaction mapping techniques to examine interactions of chiral molecules with molecular micelles

NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the association of four chiral molecules with the molecular micelle poly(sodium N-undecanoyl-l-leucylvalinate) (poly(SULV)). Adding poly(SULV) to the background electrolyte in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) allows enantiomeric resolution to be achieved because enantiomers interact differentially with the chiral centers on the micelle headgroups as they both move in the electric field. Pulsed field gradient diffusion experiments were used to measure molecular micelle association constants for enantiomers of each analyte. These association constants were consistent with EKC elution order for the compounds 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogen phosphate (BNP), 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BOH), and Troger's base. In addition, nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy, nuclear Overhauser effect difference, and intermolecular cross relaxation diffusion experiments were used to generate binding interaction maps for each chiral analyte. These maps showed that BNP and BOH inserted into the surfactant headgroup's major chiral groove and interacted predominately with the leucine chiral center. (+)-Troger's base was also found to insert into the major chiral groove. However, this compound instead interacted with the valine chiral atom. In diffusion experiments with long diffusion times, the linearized diffusion plots for each analyte-molecular micelle mixture showed curvature characteristic of intermolecular cross relaxation. The magnitude of this effect scaled linearly with the analytes' free energies of binding.     

A New Method for Standardless Analysis in ETA-AAS Applied to the Determination of Lead Associated with Air Aerosol

The analysis ofPbassociated with air aerosols by its accumulation through electrostatic precipitation directly in a graphite tube, which is subsequently used as an atomizer in electro thermal atomization-atomic absorption spectroscopy (ETA-AAS), has already been tested and found very convenient for its simplicity and speed. However, its use as a practical and useful method of analysis was hampered by the necessity of a laborious and difficult calibration with high risks of systematic errors. These difficulties can be bypassed by resorting to an absolute or standardless method of analysis. Standardless methods of analysis have been proposed for ETA-AAS measurements and recently applied toCdandHg.With the use of a new and more powerful power supply this method has been extended toPbso that a very easy, fast, and almost on line way of measuring the level ofPbin air aerosols is possible. The system presented in this paper is manually operated but its automation, in order to obtain an automatic control station, is only a matter of convenience.     

Genealogically directed syntheses (polymerizations): Direct evidence by electrospray mass spectroscopy

From a synthetic perspective, divergent dendrimer syntheses are often presented as idealized hyperbranched growth processes leading to perfect dendritic structures. Experimentally it has been found that in addition to ideal structures, varying amounts of structural errors are produced at each growth stage (generation). These defects (mutants) are created as a function of processing conditions and generation specific steric effects. This investigation focused on the divergent synthesis of Starburstr̀ polyamidoamine dendrimers** and the use of electrospray mass spectroscopy for appraising ideal structure/defect ratios as a function of generation. With this methodology, initial defect types and so called “defect propagation chains” have been identified and characterized. These hyperbranched mutation (defect) patterns provide ample evidence for the “genealogically directed” character of this divergent polymerization strategy.     

Photoactive materials based on semiconducting nanocarbons——A challenge opening new possibilities for photocatalysis

This perspective paper introduces the concept that nanocarbons and related materials such as carbon dots are an interesting intrinsic photocatalytic semiconducting material, and not only a modifier of the existing(semiconducting) materials to prepare hybrid materials. The semiconducting properties of the nanocarbons, and the possibility to have the band gap within the visible-light region through defect band engineering, introduction of light heteroatoms and control/manipulation of the curvature or surface functionalization are discussed. These materials are conceptually different from the "classical" semiconducting photocatalysts, because semiconductor domains with tuneable characteristics are embedded in a conductive carbon matrix, with the presence of various functional groups(as C=O groups) enhancing charge separation by trapping electrons. These nanocarbons open a range of new possibilities for photocatalysis both for energetic and environmental applications. The use of nanocarbons as quantum dots and photoluminescent materials was also analysed.     

The impact of surface area,volume, curvature,and Lennard–Jones potential to solvation modeling

This article explores the impact of surface area, volume, curvature, and Lennard–Jones (LJ) potential on solvation free energy predictions. Rigidity surfaces are utilized to generate robust analytical expressions for maximum, minimum, mean, and Gaussian curvatures of solvent–solute interfaces, and define a generalized Poisson–Boltzmann (GPB) equation with a smooth dielectric profile. Extensive correlation analysis is performed to examine the linear dependence of surface area, surface enclosed volume, maximum curvature, minimum curvature, mean curvature, and Gaussian curvature for solvation modeling. It is found that surface area and surfaces enclosed volumes are highly correlated to each other's, and poorly correlated to various curvatures for six test sets of molecules. Different curvatures are weakly correlated to each other for six test sets of molecules, but are strongly correlated to each other within each test set of molecules. Based on correlation analysis, we construct twenty six nontrivial nonpolar solvation models. Our numerical results reveal that the LJ potential plays a vital role in nonpolar solvation modeling, especially for molecules involving strong van der Waals interactions. It is found that curvatures are at least as important as surface area or surface enclosed volume in nonpolar solvation modeling. In conjugation with the GPB model, various curvature‐based nonpolar solvation models are shown to offer some of the best solvation free energy predictions for a wide range of test sets. For example, root mean square errors from a model constituting surface area, volume, mean curvature, and LJ potential are less than 0.42 kcal/mol for all test sets. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Gran plots and rigorous linear plots for weak acid titrations: the “chemical” rationale

Summary Linear plots suitable for treatment of single monofunctional weak acid titration data are critically surveyed. The chemical principles underlying approximate and corrected Gran plots are discussed. The relationships between Gran plots and other linear plots of the types commonly employed for the determination of binding constants (like the Hofstee, Scatchard, Lineweaver-Burk and Scott plots) are shown. The main features of the different kinds of plots and the effect of measurement errors on their performance with moderately strong and very weak acids are illustrated.     

The use of the temperature signal and its derivative in a TG-DTA simultaneous unit

Simultaneous TG-DTA units have a work station which allows plots to be made of temperature against time, as well as the conventional TG and DTA plots. These time-temperature plots and their derivatives can be used to show details of both exothermic and endothermic events. The melting behavior of zinc is used as illustrative of endothermic phase changes. Solid-solid transitions are exemplified by noting the transitions in quartz. Examples of chemical reactions being treated to temperature-time plots are the decomposition's of zinc oxalate in nitrogen (an endothermic event) and the oxidation of carbon black in air (a sustained exothermic event). This wide selection of exothermic and endothermic events serves to illustrate the details which can be drawn from any thermogravimetric plot irrespective of the other associated equipment present, which serves to reinforce the data presented in the present study.     

Non-linear perturbation functions in the study of electrode kinetics: I. Some theoretical aspects concerning the e., e.c. and catalytic mechanisms

The possibilities offered by the use of nonlinear perturbation functions in electrochemical measurements are presented using as examples the e., e.c. and catalytic reaction mechanisms. The solutions for the diffusion equations are given in particular for two current-time functions: one containing an arbitrary power of time, and the other an exponential function of time.