Directions in structure formation of oxyhydrate gels of zirconium and rare earth elements

The formation of oxyhydrate gel systems occurs under conditions that are far from equilibrium. Classical methods of synthesis lead to low reproducibility of the properties of these gels, which is due to principal irreproducibility of colloid systems. When special conditions of the synthesis are used (slow precipitation and prolonged aging at room temperature), directed structure formation takes place: self-similar helical structures are formed, variations of physicochemical characteristics of air-dry samples being insignificant. The directions in structure formation of oxyhydrate gels that lead to self-similar helical structures are discussed. Oligomeric gel moieties, the ratio between which determines the properties of the sample as a whole, have been revealed. The results of computer simulation of gel agglomerates are briefly outlined.     

Electron density redistribution accounts for half the cooperativity of alpha helix formation

The energy of alpha helix formation is well known to be highly cooperative, but the origin and relative importance of the contributions to helical cooperativity have been unclear. Here we separate the energy of helix formation into short range and long range components by using two series of helical dimers of variable length. In one dimer series two monomeric helices interact by forming hydrogen bonds, while in the other they are coupled only through long range, primarily electrostatic interactions. Using Density Functional Theory, we find that approximately half of the cooperativity of helix formation is due to electrostatic interactions between residues, while the other half is due to nonadditive many-body effects brought about by redistribution of electron density with helix length.     

聚合物水凝胶体积相变过程中自发生成的新图案

聚合物水凝胶在 p H、温度等外界条件变化之下可发生连续或不连续的体积相变[1～ 6] .近年来 ,国际学术界认识到 ,凝胶的体积变化并不总是均匀地发生 ,伴随着剧烈的体积相变过程 ,凝胶中往往会呈现丰富多彩的图案[7～ 10 ] .这些图案已引起国际高分子学术界、包括研究材料力学行为和水母等“透明状动物”的科学家的极大兴趣 [11] .已发现了凝胶膨胀过程中的准六方凸起 [7]、凝胶急剧收缩过程中的竹节状条纹等图案 [8] .本文首次报道了凝胶的螺旋状图案 .Fig.1　 Typical Bamboo-like patterns formed in hydrogelshrinking after immersed…     

A coarse-grained model for the formation of alpha helix with a noninteger period on simple cubic lattices

Periodicity is an important parameter in the characterization of a helix in proteins. In this work, a coarse-grained model for a homopolypeptide in simple cubic lattices has been extended to build an alpha helix with a noninteger period. The lattice model is based on the bond fluctuation algorithm in which bond lengths and orientations are altered in a quasicontinuous way, and the simulation is performed via dynamic Monte Carlo simulation. Hydrogen bonds are assumed to be formed between a virtual-carbonyl group in a residue and a downstream virtual-imino group in another residue. Consequently, the period of the formed alpha helix is a noninteger. An improved spatial correlation function has been suggested to quantitatively describe the periodicity of the helical conformation, by which helical period and helical persistent length can be calculated by statistics. The resultant periods are very close to 3.6 residues; the persistent length based upon the improved definition can be larger or smaller than the chain length and reflect the inherent regularity of a chain including one or multiple helical blocks. The simulation outputs agree with the calculation of the Zimm-Bragg theory based upon the associated nucleation parameter and propagation parameter as well.     

Helix formation in the polymer brush

This work considers the physics of a brush formed by polymers capable of undergoing a helix-coil transition. A self-consistent field approximation for strongly stretched polymer chains is used in combination with a lattice model of the interaction energy in helix-coil mixtures. Crowding-induced chain stretching stabilizes helix formation at moderate tethering densities while high tethering density causes sufficiently strong stretching to unravel segments of the helix, resulting in distinct layers of monomer density and helical content. Compared to a random-coil brush at low-to-moderate tethering density, a helicogenic brush is less resistant to compression in the direction perpendicular to stretching due to easy alignment of helices and fewer unfavorable interactions between helical segments. At higher tethering density, the abovementioned stretch-induced decrease in helical content resists further compression. The proposed model is useful for understanding an emerging class of biomaterials that utilize helix-forming polymer brushes to induce shape changes or to stabilize biofunctional helical peptide sequences.     

Synthesis and gel formation of amphiphilic semicarbazones containing saccharide units

The synthesis of 4-alkyl-semicarbazones derived from reducing sugars and semicarbazides is presented as a convenient route for the preparation of amphiphilic saccharides. This semicarbazone route allows to employ a large variety of reducing sugars as hydrophilic building block for saccharide tensides. The preparation of two series of amphiphiles based on D-maltose with non-methylated and mono-N-methylated semicarbazone units is described. Then-alkyl chains were varied fromn-octyl ton-hexadecyl. Various maltotriose derivatives have also been prepared. Critical micelle concentration (CMC) as well as critical gel concentration of the derivatives were studied in dependence of then-alkyl chain length. Both values decreased with increasing length of then-alkyl chain. Self-organization of the gels was studied by transmission electron microscopy of freeze-fractured samples. Due to the supramolecular organization of the amphiphiles, the gels consisted of twisted rope-like molecular assemblies with the same helical twist sense. The helical pitch depended on the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance. In contrast to gels onn-alkylgluconamides, the gels were formed in dilute aqueous solution and exhibited striking longevity without additional stabilization by surfactants. In the solid, the amphiphiles exhibited thermotropic transitions to partially disordered mesophases.     

Small angle x-ray scattering study of local structure and collapse transition of (1,3)-beta-D-glucan-chitosan gels

Scleroglucan is a (1,3)-beta-D-glucan polysaccharide produced by the fungus Sclerotium. Dissolved in water at room temperature it adopts a linear, rigid, triple helical structure. Gelation of scleroglucan can be obtained by Schiff-base formation between partly periodate oxidized scleroglucan and the primary amine groups of chitosan. The scleraldehyde-chitosan gels exhibit a collapse transition when exposed to volume fractions of isopropanol, Wp, larger than 65%. The aim of the present study is to provide structural information concerning the local polymer distribution and the collapse transition in (1,3)-beta-D-glucan-chitosan gels. Small angle x-ray scattering was used to investigate solutions and gels of scleroglucan in water, as well as in an aqueous mixture containing 65% isopropanol. The results reveal that in aqueous solution, the polysaccharide scleroglucan chains have an approximately cylindrical cross section of external diameter close to 17 A. The gels display the same local structure, but form clusters on a longer distance scale. For the collapsed gels in the water-isopropanol mixture, partial phase separation occurs in which ordered domains of approximate size of 110 A develop. This study indicates that local ordering in liquid-crystalline-type domains is a possible molecular mechanism contributing to the collapse of gels composed of semiflexible polymers. The triple helical structure of the molecule appears not to be conserved in the majority phase in this solvent, but it is conserved in the liquid crystalline domains.     

Regular microstructures in gel–surfactant complexes: Influence of water content and comparison with the surfactant structure in water

Interaction of slightly crosslinked hydrogels of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMACI) and of copolymer DADMACI/acrylamide (AAm) with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfate (SDBS) results in significant shrinking of the gels due to the formation of polymer-surfactant complexes. Jump-wise transitions in the collapsed state were observed for the networks with the content of cationic groups 100 and 75 mol %. The structure of complexes was studied by means of X-ray scattering method. The scattering curves for collapsed gels, where most chloride anions were replaced by anions of SDS, show a set of well-pronounced narrow diffraction maxima. Fully charged “wet” complexes studied at the equilibrium swelling conditions exhibit high degree of ordering, which diminishes upon drying with the simultaneous transition from hexagonal to lamellar type of ordering. In contrast to this, for DADMACl/AAm copolymer gels (75 mol % of DADMACl monomers in the initial polymerization mixture) the ordering is less pronounced in the “wet” state and becomes more perfect upon drying. The SDS aqueous solutions of the same concentration in the absence of gel do not show such high degree of ordering, while the system of SDS/neutral AAm gel exhibits lamellar ordering typical for low-temperature phases of SDS solutions. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The bacterial flagella and the flagellar protein flagellin

In comparison with the relatively complicated flagella of all nucleated organisms, most of the actively motile bacteria have very much simpler locomotion organelles. These flagella are long thin filaments with a helical superstructure, anchored at one end in the cell membrane. Helical waves pass along the flagella in the distal direction during locomotion. In the flagella, identical structural units of a single protein species, flagellin, are linked to one another by non-covalent bonds. The flagellin subunits can be separated from one another by mild methods, and their biochemistry as well as their structure and morphology can be investigated in the isolated state. Under certain conditions they can reaggregate in vitro to form polymorphous helical filaments, which are practically indistinguishable from intact flagella. In the flagellum, the elongated flagellin molecules have a layered arrangement in about ten parallel strands, which in turn form a hollow cylinder. Since this cylinder is deformed into a large helix, the individual chemically identical flagellin protomers and the protomer strands in the helical flagella are only quasi-equivalent. The conformation and bonding pattern of the individual longitudinal flagellin lines can presumably be controlled in vitro by the basal structures, so that movement within the flagellum could conceivably occur as follows. A cyclically induced change in the length of the individual strands could result in an apparent rotation of the helical flagellum. According to hydrodynamic calculations, the resulting forward thrust is sufficient to propel the bacteria at the observed speeds of up to 50 μm/s.     

Transformation of peptide nanotubes into a vesicle via fusion driven by stereo-complex formation

Two types of peptide nanotubes, one is prepared from an amphiphilic peptide having a right-handed helix segment and the other from that having a left-handed helix segment, are shown to transform the morphology into a vesicle by membrane fusion due to stereo-complex formation between these helical segments.     

Compound formation and solvent (dis)ordering in syndiotactic polystyrene/benzylmethacrylate systems

In-situ small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) experiments combined with Raman spectroscopy have been performed to study the phase behaviour of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) and benzylmethacrylate (BzMA). In the quenched gels, sPS adopts a helical conformation which is stabilised by the solvent molecules, in fact compound formation occurs. From the combined experimental data it was concluded that two different structural modifications exist within the solvent-included helical δ-phase, respectively the δ' phase in which the solvent molecules are intercalated and ordered between the phenyl rings of sPS and a δ” phase where this solvent ordering is lost.     

Effect of sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) on thermoreversible gelation of gelatin

The effect of an added polyanion, sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) (NaPSS), on the thermoreversible gelation and remelting of gelatin gels has been investigated by polarimetry and rheology. The presence of NaPSS can either enhance or reduce collagenlike helix formation, depending on the polymer concentration relative to that of gelatin and the gelation temperature. At temperatures < 20°C, the helical content is reduced by increasing the amount of added NaPSS, demonstrating the disruption of helical structure of gelatin by the polyanion. Synchronous measurements of optical rotation and modulus at 25°C, in both gelation and remelting, indicate that the optical rotation at the gel point for the pure gelatin is lowered on addition of NaPSS. At low frequency, the storage modulus of gelatin is increased by the addition of a small amount of NaPSS relative to that of gelatin, but decreased with excess NaPSS. The mechanical properties of gelatin with and without NaPSS will be discussed in light of the competition between network junction formation by strands of triple helices among gelatin chains and temporary ionic crosslinking between gelatin and the polyanion. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2287–2295, 1999     

Anion binding inhibition of the formation of a helical organogel

A chiral tris(urea) organogelator gels dmso-water and methanol-water mixtures at low weight percent. The formation of the helical gel fibres is partially inhibited by addition of chloride, which is bound by the gelator, resulting in fully crystalline material characterised by X-ray crystallography.     

The migration anomaly of DNA fragments in polyacrylamide gels allows the detection of small sequence-specific DNA structure variations

Curved DNA fragments have a reduced electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gels. The retardation in gels is extremely sensitive to small structural variations which influence the DNA helix axis. This gel assay can also be used to detect very small structural variations in DNA sequences which are not curved: The noncurved sequences of interest can be combined with curved stretches in phase with the helix turn. Using such sequence constructions, even subtle influences on the DNA helix axis can be detected. Experiments of this kind allow the determination of a relative order of sequence-specific DNA twist and wedge angles.     

Swelling-shrinking behavior of chemically cross-linked polypeptide gels from poly(α-L-lysine), poly(α-DL-lysine), poly(ɛ-L-lysine) and thermally prepared poly(lysine): effects of pH, temperature and additives in the solution

We synthesized the glutaraldehyde cross-linked hydrogels using four kinds of poly(lysine)s (PLs) and measured the equilibrium swelling ratio (Q) as a function of pH. Also measured was the temperature change of Q at a fixed pH (11.6) in the absence and presence of additives (LiBr, methanol and urea) that affect the secondary structure of PLs. The swelling data were examined using a force balance approach in which the repulsive and attractive interactions among the cross-linked PL chains were considered based on the conformational properties of PLs in aqueous solutions. It was found that the formation of the helical segments in the cross-linked chain has little effect in the gel collapse, but their association acts as the attractive interaction causing the gel to shrink. The formation of the beta-sheet structure within the network also acts as the attractive interaction. These attractive interactions are mainly due to the hydrogen bonding, but hydrophobic interactions between the lysine side chains should be considered. In addition, in the swelling behavior of all the PL gels the polyampholyte nature appears due to electrostatic interactions of the basic groups with the C-terminal carboxyl group.     

Inclusion phenomena in a system designed for exclusion—A cavitary problem and a model

The Sephadex gels were introduced for their molecular-sieve-like properties. For some types of solute, however, they exhibit affinity for which the presence of water seems mandatory. Partitioning in these gels has been attributed to steric exclusion, hydrophobic interactions, dispersion interactions, etc. but may be due to a common structural feature, possibly a cavitary structure. Structural and partitioning similarities between the Sephadex gels and the cycloamyloses support this concept. A simple cavitary model vicinal water shell (CVS) is proposed in which the selectivity of the gel depends essentially on internal partitioning between a two phase system consisting of a vicinal-matrix-perturbed water shell lining the cavity and a core of normal (bulk) water. The CVS model cannot be used as yet to predict K_d values from the physico-chemical properties of the gels alone. The starting point is a known K_d value in one gel and the K_d value of the same solute in another gel is then calculated using the physical-chemical properties. The model was tested on several solutes and yielded promising results. Its implications are discussed.     

Dépassement de la limite de réflexion de la lumière des cristaux liquides cholestériques : de Plusiotis resplendens aux gels à inversion d'hélicité

Beyond the reflectance limit of cholesteric liquid crystals: from Plusiotis resplendens to helicity-inversion gels. Due to its helical structure, a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) selectively reflects the light when its wavelength matches the helical pitch. The reflectance is limited to 50% of ambient, unpolarized light, because circularly polarized light of the same handedness as the helix is reflected. We report the elaboration procedure and the properties of a CLC gel for which the reflectance limit is exceeded in the infrared region. Photopolymerizable mesogens are introduced in the volume of a CLC exhibiting a thermally induced helicity inversion, and the blend is then cured with ultraviolet light when the helix is right-handed. The reflectance exceeds 50% when measured at the temperature assigned at a cholesteric helix with practically the same pitch, but a left-handed sense before reaction. From scanning electron microscopy investigations, it is shown that the organization of the mesophase is transferred onto the structure of the network. The gel structure is discussed as consisting of a polymer network with a helical structure containing two populations of LC molecules. Each of them was characterized by a band of circularly polarized light, which is selectively reflected. Novel opportunities to modulate the reflection over the whole light flux range are offered. Potential applications are related to the light and heat management for LC smart windows or reflective polarizer-free displays with a larger scale of reflectivity levels.     

Synthetic thermally reversible gel systems. V

Differential thermal analysis has been used to study the fusion of aqueous thermally reversible gels of gelatin and polyacrylylglycinamide (PAG). In the case of gelatin gels, endotherms close to the melting point are readily observed and these are sometimes preceeded by a small exothermic heat of gel reorganization. Calculations are presented to show that breaking of the gelatin gel network requires only a small fraction of the observed endothermic heat of fusion and that most of the heat is required for melting larger crystallites within gelatin aggregates and for perhaps a helix → coil transition. Failure to observe endotherms by DTA over the known temperature range of fusion of PAG gels is consistent with prior measurements and conclusions. The noncrystallinity of PAG gels and soluble aggregates together with a heat of crosslinking of only ?5 to ?10 kcal/mole of crosslinks places the heat of fusion of PAG gels outside the lower limits of DTA sensitivity.     

A Disulfide Switch Providing Absolute Handedness Control in Double Helices via Conversion from the Antiparallel to Parallel Helical Pattern

A strategy to reversibly switch the parallel/antiparallel helical conformation of aromatic double helices through the formation/breakage of a disulfide bond is presented. Single-crystal X-ray structures, NMR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrate that the double helices with terminal thiol groups favor an antiparallel helical arrangement both in the solid state and in solution, while the P/M bias of helicity induced by chiral segments from another extremity of the sequence is weak in this structural motif. The antiparallel helices can be rearranged to parallel helices through the disulfide connection of the sequences. This change enhances the bias of helical handedness and results in absolute chirality control of the double helices. The handedness-mediated process can be governed by the oxidation-reduction cycle, thereby switching the structural arrangement and the enhancement of chiral bias. In addition, we find that the sequences can dimerize into an intermolecular double helix with the disulfide connection. And the helical handedness is also fully controlled due to the head-to-head structural motif.     

NMR characterization of the formation kinetics and structure of di-O-benzylidene sorbitol gels self-assembled in organic solvents

The molecule 1,3:2,4-di-O-benzylidene sorbitol (DBS) is a common "gelator" that forms thermally reversible gels in diverse organic solvents. Solid-state (13)C and (1)H NMR techniques, along with electron microscopy, are utilized in an exploratory study of DBS in the gelled state where we consider both in situ and dried gels. The gels were formed in either acetone or benzene, with the former being a better solvent for DBS. We find the in situ or dried DBS gels to be composed of rigid twisted nanofibrils (～15 to 21 nm in diameter). The fibrils show local molecular ordering, but not crystalline order, and they contain no trapped solvent. The molecular mobility at the fibril surface is modestly enhanced, and all the free hydroxyl groups of the sorbitol moiety are involved in strong hydrogen bonding. We also attempted to find a truly crystalline form of DBS whose structure, as judged by the similarity of (13)C spectra, is close to that of the fibrils. We partially succeeded in this quest, employing melt crystallization followed by slow cooling. However, this sample was a mixed crystal having small domains, where only one type of domain was structurally similar to the fibrils. We also investigated the long-time evolution of the in situ DBS gel network. Specifically, high-resolution NMR kinetic studies were performed over periods of days where the residual concentration of DBS in acetone solution was monitored during and after gel formation. The DBS concentration on these long timescales evolved slowly, and we introduce a simple mathematical model and equation to describe this phenomenon.