Partially positively charged silver nanoparticles prepared by p-benzoquinone

Partially positively charged silver nanoparticles were successfully prepared by interaction between p-benzoquinone and the surface of the nanoparticles. This result was primarily due to electron affinity of the carbonyl group in p-benzoquinone, as confirmed by FT-IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In this study, p-benzoquinone acted as both a stabilizer and a reducing agent for silver nanoparticles. UV–vis spectra showed the formation of silver nanoparticles. TEM micrographs confirmed that most of silver nanoparticles exist in sizes less than 7 nm, and the average size of particle aggregates is approximately 20 nm.     

Simultaneous Polarographic Determination of Lead (II) and TIN (II) by Multivariate Calibration

ABSTRACT

The polarographic waves of lead (II) and tin (II) overlap due to their similar reductive potentials and it is difficult to determine these two components simultaneously without a pre-separation. In this paper, differential pulse polarography (DPP) combined with multivariate calibration approaches, such as classical least squares (CLS), principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS), were successfully applied to the resolution of overlapping polarographic waves of these two components in the concentration range of 0.05-3.50 mg 1^?1. Satisfactory quantitative results were obtained.     

Electrochemical studies of berberine and jatrorubine by pulse polarography

The application of pulse polarography (PP) and differential pulse polarography (DPP) for the quantitative determination of berberine and Jatrorubine in aqueous, acidic solutions was investigated. The proposed methods could be successfully applied in the concentration range between 5·10^–7 (DPP) or 1·10^–6 (PP) and 5·10^–5 mol/dm³ of alkaloids.     

Preparation, characterization and hydrolytic degradation of poly[p-dioxanone-(butylene succinate)] multiblockcopolymer

A series of poly[p-dioxanone-(butylene succinate)] (PPDOBS) copolymers were prepared from p-dioxanone (PDO), 1,4-butanediol and succinate acids through a two-step process including the initial prepolymer preparation of poly(p-dioxanone)diol (PPDO-OH) and poly(butylene succinate)diol (PBS-OH) and the following copolymerization of the two kinds of prepolymers by coupling with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). The molecular structures of the prepared PPDO-OH, PBS-OH and PPDOBS were characterized by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). The crystallization of the copolymers was investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). It has been shown that the crystallization rate and the degree of crystallization increases with the increase of the weight fraction of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) blocks in the copolymers. In phosphate buffer solution with pH 7.4 at 37 °C for 18 weeks, the hydrolytic degradation behaviors of the copolymers were studied. The changes of retention weight, water absorption, pH value, and surface morphologies with the degradation time showed that the hydrolytic degradation rate of PPDOBS could be controlled by adjusting the weight fraction of poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO) and PBS blocks in the copolymers. The changes of the thermal properties of PPDOBS during the degradation were also investigated by DSC.     

Standardless multicomponent qNMR analysis of compounds with overlapped resonances based on the combination of ICA and PULCON

A fast and reliable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method for quantitative analysis of targeted compounds with overlapped signals in complex mixtures has been established. The method is based on the combination of chemometric treatment for spectra deconvolution and the PULCON principle (pulse length based concentration determination) for quantification. Independent component analysis (ICA) (mutual information least dependent component analysis (MILCA) algorithm) was applied for spectra deconvolution in up to six component mixtures with known composition. The resolved matrices (independent components, ICs and ICA scores) were used for identification of analytes, calculating their relative concentrations and absolute integral intensity of selected resonances. The absolute analyte concentrations in multicomponent mixtures and authentic samples were then calculated using the PULCON principle. Instead of conventional application of absolute integral intensity in case of undisturbed signals, the multiplication of resolved IC absolute integral and its relative concentration in the mixture for each component was used. Correction factors that are required for quantification and are unique for each analyte were also estimated. The proposed method was applied for analysis of up to five components in lemon and orange juice samples with recoveries between 90% and 111%. The total duration of analysis is approximately 45 min including measurements, spectra decomposition and quantification. The results demonstrated that the proposed method is a promising tool for rapid simultaneous quantification of up to six components in case of spectral overlap and the absence of reference materials. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal stability of p -xylene-formaldehyde resin and its derivatives

Nitrated and chlorinated derivatives ofp-xylene-formaldehyde resin were prepared and the resin samples were characterised by IR and NMR spectra. The average molecular weight of the resin samples was determined by vapour pressure osmometry. Kinetic parameters were determined from differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry using Chatterjee, Anderson-Freeman, Broido, Flynn and Wall, Reich and Kissinger methods.     

Components of the Net Current in Differential Pulse Polarography

As the modern (voltammetric) software packages offer ‘resolution’ of each individual net signal in differential pulse polarography (DPP) to its components, an attempt was made to test such a possibility on several model systems. Reversible and nonreversible reduction processes of simple metal ions (Cd²⁺, Eu³⁺) were included, together with some examples of the anion induced adsorption (Cd²⁺‐I^? and Pb²⁺‐Br^? systems) under conditions of partly or fully covered electrode surface. Taking into account that so called ‘backward’ current is in fact DC wave, it could be said that one technique is hidden within the other. Consequently, DPP measurements together with following of the ‘backward’ signals could give more information and save the time. ‘Forward’ component offers additional possibilities in data treatment, especially when its relationship to the ‘backward’ current (with respect to the potential and height) is taken into account. Such an approach seems promising, even when applied on a purely qualitative level, because some effects which cannot be observed if only the net signals are followed become obvious when their components are taken into consideration.     

On p -nilpotency and minimal subgroups of finite groups

We call a subgroup H of a finite group G c-supplemented in G if there exists a subgroup K of G such that G = HK and H ∩ K ≤ core(H). In this paper it is proved that a finite group G is p-nilpotent if G is S ₄-free and every minimal subgroup of P ∩ G ^N is c-supplemented in N _G(P), and when p = 2 P is quaternion-free, where p is the smallest prime number dividing the order of G, P a Sylow p-subgroup of G. As some applications of this result, some known results are generalized.     

Differential pulse polarographic study of thiamine (vitamin B1) in neutral and acidic aqueous solutions

The differential pulse (dp) polarograms of thiamine in neutral aqueous solutions exhibited six peaks at low depolarizer concentration (⋦10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³) and only three peaks at concentrations ≥10⁻³ mol dm⁻³. Only one of these was found to correspond to the diffusion-controlled reduction of this compound at the dme and this was shown to be an irreversible two-electron process. The kinetic parameters derived from the dp polarograms were found to be in good agreement with those calculated from classical polarograms and were:E _1/2=−1·261 Vvs SCE,an _a=0·54 andD≈3·5×10⁻⁶ cm² sec⁻¹ for 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³ thiamine in 0·1 mol dm⁻³ acetate buffer (pH 6·5). The reduction product has been identified as dihydrothiamine. The effect of pH on the dpp of thiamine was studied in the pH range 0–7. In the pH region 5·5 to 7·0 only one peak attributable to the B₁ ⁺ form of thiamine is present. In the pH region 3·5–5·5 another dpp peak attributable to the protonated form (B₁H²⁺) of thiamine was also observed. At pHs less than 3 only one peak was observed which could be attributed to the doubly protonated form (B₁ H₂ ³⁺) of thiamine. Surfactants like triton-X-100 and CTABr were found to inhibit the electroreduction of thiamine due to the strong adsorption of these compounds on the dme. Thiamine itself was found to have an inhibitory effect on its own electroreduction, although to a smaller extent.     

Electrochemical determination of muscle relaxant drug tetrazepam in bulk form,pharmaceutical formulation,and human serum

Tetrazepam dissolved in the Britton-Robinson universal buffer of various pH values (2.5–11.5) containing 10 vol. % of ethanol was reduced at the mercury electrode in a single 2-electron irreversible step due to reduction of the 4,5 C=N double bond of the seven-membered ring. Differential pulse polarography (DPP) and adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) techniques (Linear sweep LS, differential pulse DP and square-wave SW modes) for quantification of tetrazepam in bulk form and in myolastan tablets are presented. Moreover, the described linear sweep, differential pulse, and square-wave adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry was successfully applied in quantification of tetrazepam in spiked human serum without any prior extraction of the drug. The obtained results showed an increased sensitivity of the described electro-analytical procedures for the quantification of tetrazepam in the following order DPP, DP-AdCSV, LS-AdCSV, and SW-AdCSV, since the observed limits of tetrazepam quantitation by these electroanalytical techniques were 5 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, 3 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, 1 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹, and 3 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹, respectively.     

A study of biodegradation/γ-irradiation on the degradation of p-chloronitrobenzene

A microbial strain, Vagococcus sp. B32, was isolated and applied to degrade p-chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB) in aqueous solutions. Three degradation methods: biodegradation, direct γ-irradiation and ⁶⁰Co-γ pre-irradiation with biodegradation by B32 were carried out. The decrease of p-CNB and the net increase of Cl⁻ were investigated to evaluate the degradation efficiency. The preliminary results showed that the combined method of pre-irradiation with biodegradation of B32 was more effective than the two others.     

Determination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-nitrobenzene-azo-naphthol by an oscillating chemical reaction using the analyte pulse perturbation technique

A simple analytical method for the determination of p-nitrobenzene-azo-naphthol was proposed by a sequential perturbation with different amounts of p-nitrobenzene-azo-naphthol on an oscillating chemical system. The method involves a Cu(II)-catalysed oscillating reaction between hydrogen peroxide and sodium thiocyanate in alkaline medium with the aid of continuous-flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR). A good linear relationship between the changes, oscillation amplitude or/and period, and the concentration of p-nitrobenzene-azo-naphthol was obtained. The use of analyte pulse perturbation technique provides a possibility of sequential determination in a same oscillating system, due to a new steady state that reappeared rapidly after each perturbation. The calibration curve fits a linear equation very well when the concentration of p-nitrobenzene-azo-naphthol ranging from 5.2×10⁻⁷ to 3.3×10⁻³M. Influence of temperature, injection point, flow rate and reactants variables on this system were investigated in detail.     

铂纳米颗粒的可见光化学制备及其对p-硝基苯酚催化还原反应

在可见光照射下,以乙二醇（EG）作为还原剂和稳定剂,在多壁碳纳米管（MWCNTs）上一步合成了铂纳米颗粒,成功制备Pt/MWCNTs复合材料,并通过p-硝基苯酚（p-NP）的催化还原反应研究了Pt/MWCNTs的催化性能。用傅里叶变换红外光谱（FT-IR）、X射线衍射（XRD）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）和X射线光电子能谱（XPS）对所制备材料的形貌和晶体结构进行了表征。实验结果显示,可见光照射促进了EG水溶液中[PtCl₄]^2-前驱体的水解。通过金属界面的电子效应,铂前驱体被还原成了均匀分散的平均直径2.1 nm的超小颗粒Pt（Pt ultra-small particles,Pt UPs）。所制备的Pt/MWCNTs能有效地催化p-NP还原为p-氨基苯酚（p-AP）,表现出较高的催化性能,其表观速率常数为0.25 min^-1。Pt/MWCNTs多次使用后没有显著的活性损失,显示出了良好的稳定性。上述实验结果证明,除了传统的紫外光照射等手段以外,可见光照射也同样是制备铂金属催化剂非常有效的方法。而且,催化剂的形貌控制也完全可以通过简单而非复杂的实验条件加以实现。     

Synthesis, XRD structure and properties of diaqua(p-toluidine-N,N-di-3-propionato)copper(II) dihydrate [Cu(p-Tdp)(H2O)2]·2H2O

The copper(II) complex [Cu(p-Tdp)(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O, where p-Tdp is the anion of p-toluidine-N,N-di-3-propionic acid (or N,N-di(2-carboxyethyl)-p-toluidine), has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Three crystallographically independent [Cu(p-Tdp)(H₂O)₂] molecules have a similar structure. The Cu atoms have a square pyramidal environment (4+1) with a small trigonal bipyramidal distortion. The ortho-H atom of the benzene ring blocks up the sixth coordination position of the Cu polyhedron. The basal plane is formed by the donor atoms of the tridentate ligand and by the water molecule (average bond length Cu---N 2.03, Cu---O 1.93, Cu---O_w 2.00 Å), the apex is occupied by another water molecule (Cu---O_w 2.27 Å). The Cu atoms are located 0.20–0.30 Å out of the mean planes of the four basal atoms towards the apical O_w atom. The IR and electronic absorption spectra of p-Tdp and the title compound have been described. UV–Vis reflectance spectra shows that the complex has the same square pyramidal geometry in the crystal state and in solution. The protonation constants of the ligand log K₁=6.87(2), log K₂=3.75(2), log K₃=2.57(2) and stability constants log K_CuH(p-Tdp)=2.13(5), log K_Cu(p-Tdp)=6.38(3) were determined by pH-titration at 25.0 °C and I=0.1 M KNO₃.     

Comparison of differential pulse and alternating current polarography in the soft-modelling study of the complexation of Cd(II) by the fragment Cys-Gly and by the phytochelatin (γ-Glu-Cys)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Gly

A comparison of a differential pulse polarographic with a phase sensitive alternating current polarographic study of the Cd-Cys-Gly and Cd-PC₂ systems [PC₂ being a phytochelatin of general structure (γ-Glu-Cys) _n -Gly, with n = 2] has been performed. The chemometric multivariate curve resolution method with alternating least squares was applied in the experimental data analysis. The results obtained by both polarographic techniques have made it possible to find out the formation sequences of the complexes and their final stoichiometries. The alternating current polarograms compared with the differential pulse ones show some differences (a new signal and an important shift of peak potentials), which anyway are consistent with some of the conclusions obtained by differential pulse polarography. This fact implies that although the alternating current polarography results need some corrections before data treatment, they provide extra information that complements the conclusions achieved by differential pulse polarography. Figure Voltammograms at ACP(−10°), ACP(−65°) and corrected ACP during the titration of a 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ Cd(II) solution with PC₂ at pH 8.5 in 0.05 L⁻¹ Tris.     

Thermophysical properties for (diethyl carbonate + p-xylene + octane) ternary system

The density and speed of sound of the ternary mixture (diethyl carbonate + p-xylene + octane) have been measured at atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range T = (288.15 to 308.15) K. Besides, surface tension has been also determined for the same mixture at T = 298.15 K. The experimental measurements have allowed the calculation of the corresponding derived properties: excess molar volumes, excess isentropic compressibilities, and surface tension deviations. Excess properties have been correlated using Nagata and Tamura equation and correlation for the surface tension deviation has been done with the Cibulka equation. Good accuracy has been obtained. Based on the variations of the derived properties values with composition, a qualitative discussion about the intermolecular interactions was drawn.     

Laser Raman spectroscopic study of photoreaction dynamics in p -chloro cinnamic acid crystal

Raman phonon spectroscopy has been used to study photodimerization reaction inp-chloro cinnamic acid (pCCA) crystal. The β-form of the crystal yields the 4,4′-dichloro-β-truxinic acid dimer. Six distinct low frequency phonon bands are observed in thepCCA monomer crystal. On reaction progress, these bands show a monotonic shift to lower frequencies and broaden out. Finally, in the dimer crystal the phonon spectrum shows two weak broad bands. These results suggest that the reaction is homogeneous in the initial stages and, as the product concentration increases, the lattice becomes highly disordered. The reactant and the product were characterised by infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The disappearance of aliphatic C=C bond stretching vibration and appearance of cyclobutane ring deformation and cyclobutane ring-breathing vibrations on reaction confirm photodimerization by cyclobutane ring formation. The large Stoke's shift between the absorption and emission band suggest strong exciton-phonon coupling in the monomer lattice. This reaction seems to be phonon-mediated.     

Determination of propazine by differential pulse polarography in micellar and emulsified media

An electroanalytical study of the herbicide propazine's reduction process in micellar solutions and oil-in-water emulsions is reported. The anionic surfactant sodium pentanesulphonate was chosen as the most suitable. The differential pulse polarograms of micellar solutions had two reduction peaks below pH 2.0, whereas only one peak was obtained above pH 2.O. Ethyl acetate was chosen as the organic solvent to form propazine emulsions. Unlike in micellar solutions, the DPP polarograms of propazine emulsions showed only one peak even at pH < 2.0, suggesting that propazine hydrolysis was hindered in the emulsified medium. The limiting current is diffusion-controlled and the electrode process is irreversible. Propazine can be determined by differential pulse polarography over the 1.0 × 10^–1 – 1.0 × 10^–1moll^–1 and 1.0 × 10^–15 – 4.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 concentration ranges and the limit of detection was 2.8 × 10^–1 moll^–1. Of the potential interferents simazine, methoprotryne and terbutryn (alls-triazines), thiram (a dithiocarbamate), dinoseb (nitrophenolic), and heptachlor (chlorinated cyclo-diene herbicide), only the first two were significant (10% error for equimolar concentrations). The method was applied to the determination of propazine in spiked drinking water. At a concentration level of 2.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 a recovery of 94 ± 6% was obtained, after tenfold concentration on Sep-Pak.     

Aqueous sulfur species determination using differential pulse polarography

Sulfur species play pivotal roles in biogeochemistry; however, quantification remains difficult because such species are transitory. Our objective was to determine the utility of using differential pulse polarography (DPP) to characterize soluble sulfur species of potential interest in agriculture and environmental quality. Polarographic responses for sulfide, disulfide, pentasulfide, sulfite, thiosulfate, tetrathionate, pentathionate, cysteine, and glutathione were determined. Sulfur in the compounds was categorized as cysteine-S, thiosulfate-S, nonpurgeable or purgeable sulfide-S, or sulfite based on characteristic polarographic responses for each respective category. Nonpurgeable sulfide-S, cysteine-S, and thiosulfate-S were polarographically separated using a pH 8.0 phosphate buffer. Nitrate/bicarbonate (pH 10.0) and acetate (pH 5.0) buffers were used to determine purgeable sulfide-S and sulfite, respectively. Sulfur in water extracts from cysteine-amended soils was quantified using the developed DPP method. Cysteine-, thiosulfate-, and sulfide-S were measured from these extracts without interferences during a 16-d incubation period. The developed DPP method provides qualitative and quantitative information concerning sulfur species in aqueous solutions and is potentially applicable to soil and sediment extracts.     

对氨基苯磺酸两步法修饰多壁碳纳米管

用混酸处理多壁碳纳米管, 利用侧壁生成的羧酸基团, 在N,N-二环己基碳酰亚胺的作用下, 使对氨基苯磺酸接枝到碳纳米管表面. 以浓硫酸为磺化剂, 室温下制备了磺化聚醚醚酮(SPEEK). 然后采用溶液共混法制备了磺化聚醚醚酮/接枝多壁碳纳米管复合膜. 采用傅立叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、热重分析(TGA)、透射电镜(TEM)、拉曼光谱(Raman)等技术对碳纳米管的结构和性能进行了表征. 红外谱图表明对氨基苯磺酸上的氨基与碳纳米管表面的羧基发生了反应, 生成酰胺基团. 热重曲线表明碳管表面接枝的有机基团的比重达到40%. 拉曼光谱显示处理前后碳管的I_D/I_G值变化不大, 表明碳管的石墨结构的含量基本不变. 复合膜的力学性能测试结果表明, 对氨基苯磺酸接枝的碳管可以提高膜的拉伸强度.