Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopic study of a Neolithic waterlogged wood assemblage

The use of Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopy for characterising lignocellulosics has increased significantly over the last twenty years. Here, an FT-Raman spectroscopic study of changes in the chemistry of waterlogged archaeological wood of Pinus sp. and Quercus sp. from a prehistoric assemblage recovered from northern Greece is presented. FT-Raman spectral features of biodeteriorated wood were associated with the depletion of lignin and/or carbohydrate polymers at various stages of deterioration. Spectra from the archaeological wood are presented alongside spectra of sound wood of the same taxa. A comparison of the relative changes in intensities of spectral bands associated with lignin and carbohydrates resulting from decay clearly indicated extensive deterioration of both the softwood and hardwood samples and the carbohydrates appear to be more deteriorated than the lignin. The biodeterioration of the archaeological timbers followed a pattern of initial preferential loss of carbohydrates causing significant loss of cellulose and hemicellulose, followed by the degradation of lignin.     

Characterization of fossil Sequoioxylon wood using analytical instrumental techniques

In this study, fossil (Sequoioxylon) wood from the Oligocene–Miocene transition in İstanbul, Turkey was examined using non-destructive test methods to evaluate changes in anatomical and chemical structure. Molecular changes in the cell wall structure of the wood were determined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and FT-Raman spectroscopy, along with the comparison to recent wood [Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.)]. We found that the cell wall carbohydrates of the fossil wood were significantly more degraded compared with lignin; FT-Raman spectroscopy revealed the degradation in more detail compared with FTIR spectroscopy. FT-Raman spectra also demonstrated that hemicellulose and holocellulose were decreased in the fossil wood. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis confirmed that the mass loss was due to the decreased H and O content of the fossil wood sample and was caused by decomposition. Light microscopy also showed that fossil and recent woods have similar anatomic structures, and that the micro-morphological structure of the fossil wood was well-preserved.     

Rapid Characterization of Wood Pulp Lignin by Fourier Transform Raman Spectroscopy

FT-Raman spectroscopy is used for the rapid measurement of wood pulp lignin. A total of 23 western softwood pulp samples with known kappa numbers (10–38) are used. Each sample is divided into three portions and scanned separately. The integrated area of the lignin band at approximately 1600 cm⁻¹is ratioed against the integrated area of the cellulose bands in the 1200–1010 cm⁻¹region and correlated to known kappa numbers. The measured ratios behave linearly with the kappa number (r= 0.99) and can be reproducibly determined with an error of approximately 2% or less. The data are presented and discussed in view of the potential for at-line analysis of lignin associated with chemical delignification of wood pulp.     

Probing crystallinity of never-dried wood cellulose with Raman spectroscopy

The structure of wood cell wall cellulose in its native state remains poorly understood, limiting the progress of research and development in numerous areas, including plant science, biofuels, and nanocellulose based materials. It is generally believed that cellulose in cell wall microfibrils has both crystalline and amorphous regions. However, there is evidence that appears to be contrary to this assumption. Here we show, using 1064-nm FT-Raman spectroscopy, that (1) compared to the crystalline state, cellulose in the never-dried native state is laterally aggregated but in a less-than crystalline state wherein internal chains are water-accessible, (2) hydroxymethyl groups (CH₂OH) in cellulose exist not only in the tg conformation but also in the gt rotamer form, and (3) in native-state fibrils, low-frequency Raman bands due to cellulose crystal domains are absent, indicating the lack of crystallinity. Further evidence of the absence of crystallinity of the fibrils was the failure of the normal 64 % H₂SO₄ hydrolysis procedure to produce nanocellulose crystals from untreated wood. X-ray diffraction data obtained on wood, treated-wood, and wood-cellulose samples were consistent with the new finding and indicated that full-width-at-half-height of the X-ray diffractograms and lateral disorder in samples as measured by Raman were correlated (R² = 0.95).     

An expeditious synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinozoline-4(1H)-ones using graphene-supported sulfonic acid

Graphene-supported sulfonic acid (Gr@SO₃H) has been prepared by covalent grafting of (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane in the matrix of graphene followed by treatment with sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Gr@SO₃H has been successfully characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy, CP-MAS ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis. Gr@SO₃H served as a robust heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of bioactive 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones from anthranilamide and aryl aldehydes in ethanol. Recyclability experiments were executed successfully for six consecutive runs.     

长链烷基季铵盐插层氧化石墨的结构变化

基于改进的Hummers法制备氧化石墨(GO),并以长链烷基季铵盐(C_nTAB)对其进行插层处理;通过改变C_nTAB的链长、浓度,得到系列C_nTAB/GO插层复合物。采用XRD和元素分析对产物的最大底面间距及C_nTAB插入量进行表征。结果表明,随着C_nTAB链长的增长、C_nTAB浓度的增大,C_nTAB/GO插层复合物的最大底面间距逐渐增大。C_nTAB通过离子键作用和疏水键作用插入到GO层间,在GO片层上的吸附规律符合修正型(Modified)Langmuir模型,即C_nTAB以单分子层吸附在GO片层上。根据C_nTAB/GO插层复合物最大底面间距及C_nTAB插入量的变化规律分析,得出C_nTAB在GO层间的排布模式有单层平躺模式、类双层平躺模式、单层倾斜模式和单层直立模式。     

长链烷基季铵盐插层氧化石墨的结构变化

基于改进的Hummers法制备氧化石墨(GO),并以长链烷基季铵盐(CnTAB)对其进行插层处理;通过改变CnTAB的链长、浓度,得到系列CnTAB/GO插层复合物。采用XRD和元素分析对产物的最大底面间距及CnTAB插入量进行表征。结果表明,随着Cn TAB链长的增长、CnTAB浓度的增大,CnTAB/GO插层复合物的最大底面间距逐渐增大。CnTAB通过离子键作用和疏水键作用插入到GO层间,在GO片层上的吸附规律符合修正型(Modified)Langmuir模型,即CnTAB以单分子层吸附在GO片层上。根据CnTAB/GO插层复合物最大底面间距及CnTAB插入量的变化规律分析,得出CnTAB在GO层间的排布模式有单层平躺模式、类双层平躺模式、单层倾斜模式和单层直立模式。     

Fluorinated comblike homopolymers: The effect of spacer lengths on surface properties

A series of polyacrylate monomers with F‐alkylalkyl [F(CF₂)_n(CH₂)_n′] side groups were prepared by free‐radical polymerization. The effect of the chemical structure on the surface properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)s was evaluated by variations in the relative length of the fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon units in the side group. The resulting polymers were quite surface‐active in the solid state. The surface and bulk organization was investigated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. A strong correlation between the bulk organization and surface properties of the polymers was established. The outmost layer, formed from trifluoromethyl groups and some ester functions, suggests that the side chain is arranged irregularly in the polymer–air interface. The length of the lateral chain governs this organization: long fluorinated chains and short hydrocarbon spacers are essential elements of the molecular design for such low‐surface‐energy materials. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3737–3747, 2005     

Magnetically Encoded Luminescent Composite Nanoparticles through Layer‐by‐Layer Self‐Assembly

Sensitive and rapid detection of multiple analytes and the collection of components from complex samples are important in fields ranging from bioassays/chemical assays, clinical diagnosis, to environmental monitoring. A convenient strategy for creating magnetically encoded luminescent CdTe@SiO₂@n Fe₃O₄ composite nanoparticles, by using a layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly approach based on electrostatic interactions, is described. Silica‐coated CdTe quantum dots (CdTe@SiO₂) serve as core templates for the deposition of alternating layers of Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles and poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride), to construct CdTe@SiO₂@n Fe₃O₄ (n=1, 2, 3, …?) composite nanoparticles with a defined number (n) of Fe₃O₄ layers. Composite nanoparticles were characterized by zeta‐potential analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and transmission electron microscopy, which showed that the CdTe@SiO₂@n Fe₃O₄ composite nanoparticles exhibited excellent luminescence properties coupled with well‐defined magnetic responses. To demonstrate the utility of these magnetically encoded nanoparticles for near‐simultaneous detection and separation of multiple components from complex samples, three different fluorescently labeled IgG proteins, as model targets, were identified and collected from a mixture by using the CdTe@SiO₂@n Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.     

Comparative IR spectroscopic study of phosphorus-containing dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores

The FTIR spectra of four generations of phosphorus-containing dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores with terminal benzaldehyde and P–Cl groups have been recorded and analyzed. FT-Raman spectra of four generations of phosphorus dendrimers built of cyclotriphosphazene core with terminal benzaldehyde groups have been detected. Their spectral pattern is determined by the ratio T_n/R_n (T_n—number of terminal groups, R_n—number of repeating units). This ratio trends to r − 1 (r—branching functionality of repeating unit), and becomes constant, when the generation number is higher than 3. Experimental IR spectra of dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores are very closely similar. The dependence of band full width at half height in IR spectra on the number of dendrons is established. The possibility appears to separate the bands assigned to the core, repeating units and terminal groups of dendrimers by difference spectroscopy method.     

Variations in the chemical composition within pine (Pinus sylvestris) trunks determined by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

The feasibility of using DRIFT (diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform) spectroscopy combined with a multivariate analysis method (a PLS (projection to latent structures), regression) for predicting the distribution of the main organic constituents (cellulose, glucomannan, xylan, lignin, and extractives) within the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stemwood was examined. PLS calibrations were carried out to establish a mathematical correlation between the data sets of conventional (“wet-chemistry-based”) wood analysis and the DRIFT spectra of the corresponding wood samples. Based on this approach, different surface maps on variations in the content of the main organic constituents within the stemwood matrix were shown.     

The effect of different polymer length on water droplets of reverse AOT microemulsion

We study the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the dynamic and structure of water droplets at the reverse sodium bis-(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) microemulsion. The mixture of water and oil with anionic surfactant AOT can form microemulsion. The dynamic of microemulsion in the presence of PEG is investigated by photon correlation spectroscopy technique. We mainly focus on the variation of the translational diffusion behaviour as a function of the polymer concentration and polymer length scale. By increasing the content of the lowest PEG length scale (M_n = 285), the dynamic of microemulsion slows down. In addition, one relaxation process is distinguished for all polymer concentration. However, for the two higher polymer length scale (M_n = 2200 and 6000), two relaxations are observed and the dynamic of microemulsion speeds up. We used the small angle X-ray scattering technique to monitor the size and the polydispersity of the mixture system (AOT microemulsion/PEG).     

A Study of the Interaction Between Cucurbit[8]uril and Alkyl‐Substituted 4‐Pyrrolidinopyridinium Salts

The interaction between cucuribit[8]uril (Q[8]) and a series of 4‐pyrrolidinopyridinium salts bearing aliphatic substituents at the pyridinium nitrogen, namely 4‐(C₄H₈N)C₅H₅NRBr, where R=Et (g1), n‐butyl (g2), n‐pentyl (g3), n‐hexyl (g4), n‐octyl (g5), n‐dodecyl (g6), has been studied in aqueous solution by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, electronic absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and mass spectrometry. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction revealed the structure of the host–guest complexes for g1, g2, g3, and g5. In each case, the Q[8] contains two guest molecules in a centrosymmetric dimer. The orientation of the guest molecule changes as the alkyl chain increases in length. Interestingly, in the solid state, the inclusion complexes identified are different from those observed in solution, and furthermore, in the case of g3, Q[8] exhibits two different interactions with the guest. In solution, the length of the alkyl chain plays a significant role in determining the type of host–guest interaction present.     

Thermodynamics of Adsorption ofn-Alkanes on Maleated Wood Fibers by Inverse Gas Chromatography

The adsorption ofn-heptane,n-octane,n-nonane, andn-decane on untreated wood fiber and wood fiber treated with maleated polypropylene was studied by inverse gas chromatography (IGC) at infinite dilution or zero surface coverage. The specific retention volume increased with increasing probe chain length, decreased with increasing column temperature, and increased with increasing maleated polypropylene concentration. The enthalpy of adsorption increased with increasing chain length of the probe vapors. The enthalpy of adsorption remained constant after the treatment of wood fiber. The London dispersive component of the surface free energy decreased with the column temperature and showed no dependency with either the type of wood fiber or the maleated polypropylene concentration.     

Silver Microelectrode Arrays for Direct Analysis of Hydrogen Peroxide in Low Ionic Strength Samples

Silver microelectrode arrays are fabricated by photolithography for a one-step analysis of H₂O₂ in low ionic strength samples. The effects of electrode length, width, band-to-band separation, connection height, and adhesion layer are evaluated. The developed sensor shows excellent repeatability (RSD=1.20 % (n=5)) and reproducibility (RSD=1.12 % (n=5)) with the linear range of 0.0–10.0 mM, the sensitivity of 9.84±0.34 μA mM⁻¹, and the detection limit of 22.69 μM. The sensor has been successfully applied to detect H₂O₂ directly without the addition of supporting electrolyte in synthetic urine, tap water, drinking water, and milk samples.     

Pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of asphaltene fractions

Two n-heptane-precipitated asphaltene samples, characterized by elemental analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, were fractionated according to relative molecular size by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Both the whole asphaltene samples and their fractions were analysed by pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The data obtained from the pyrograms (average side-chain length, aromaticity index, sulphur compounds vs. aliphatic compounds, presence of SO₂ and CO₂) demonstrated that, in the case of asphaltenes, GPC fractionation results in the separation of different chemical structures ranging from lower molecular mass, highly aromatic and polar compounds to higher molecular mass, less polar and aromatic compounds.     

Radiation telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in tetrahydrofuran

According to DSC, DTG, and GPC data, H(CF₂CF₂)nC₄H₇O telomers with a chain length of n = 1−4 and T _b ≈ 170−200°C were formed during the radiolysis of a binary mixture of tetrafluoroethylene + tetrahydrofuran in a molar ratio of (0.37–2)/1 between the reactants at room temperature. IR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations demonstrated that telomerization occurred with chain transfer through the α-hydrogen of the furan ring.     

Atomic and molecular emission spectroscopy on an expanding argon/methane plasma

A supersonically expanding cascaded arc plasma in argon is analyzed axperimentally by emission spectroscopy. The thermal cascaded arc plasma is allowed to expand through a conically shaped nozzle in the arc anode into the vacuum vessel. In the nozzle monomers (C _n H _v ) are injected. The monomers are dissociated and ionized by the argon carrier plasma, and transported toward a substrate by means of the expansion. Emission spectroscopy is used to obtain temperatures and particle densities. By varying external parameters (e.g., arc power, gas flow rates) plasma parameters can be linked with (e.g. parameters (e.g., refractive index).     

Synthesis of Oligomeric Axially Bridged Ruthenium Phthalocyanines and 2,3-Naphthalocyanines

Bridged 2,3-naphthalocyaninatoruthenium oligomers {[MacRu(L)] _n } were synthesized and characterized using solid-state methods. For comparison, soluble t-butyl substituted phthalocyaninatoruthenium oligomers were prepared and their chain length examined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The powder conductivities of all bridged compounds ([MacRu(L)] _n ) were measured and the dependence of the conductivities on the bridging ligands is discussed.     

The quantitation of butyltin and cyclohexyltin compounds in the marine environment of British Columbia

A HPLC/GF AA procedure based on the use of C-18 columns is described for the quantitation of butyltin species in marine samples. When a mass spectrometer was used as detector (HPLC MS), evidence was obtained for the presence of other tin compounds in the samples. Extracts of samples were treated with CH₃MgBr and examined by using GC MS; the presence of Bu_nSnMe_4?n (n = 3–1, Bu = butyl) and Cy_nSnMe_4?n (n = 3,2, Cy = cyclohexyl) was confirmed in the derivatized seawater, bivalve flesh, and bivalve shell samples. Quantitative data are given for butyl- and cyclohexyl-tin species in seawater and the surface microlayer, and oyster flesh.