Stability of the formation of the chevron structure

A simple model of the formation of the chevron structure and tilted layer structure in the smectic C liquid crystal phase from the bookshelf structure in the smectic A phase is considered. Energetic considerations of this system indicate that in the absence of layer pinning forces at the surface, a transition to the tilted structure is expected. However, combining the model with 'weak' surface positional anchoring effects allows the chevron structure to form.     

On the mechanism of the hofmeister effect

Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy was used to probe fatty amine monolayers spread on various electrolyte solutions. The spectra revealed ion specific changes in both monolayer ordering and water structure with the former following the Hofmeister series. Separate measurements of the surface potential as a function of ion tracked closely to changes in alkyl chain structure, but less closely to changes in water structure. The disruption of the monolayer ordering could be ascribed to the relative ability of the ions to penetrate past the hydrophilic surface of the monolayer's headgroups and into the more hydrophobic portion of the thin film. The corresponding trends observed in the surface water structure showed significant deviations from the Hofmeister series, leading to the conclusion that the changes in surface water structure, often credited with being the origin of Hofmeister effects, are probably not of primary importance. On the other hand, dispersion forces almost certainly play a large role in the order of the Hofmeister series.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation on the relative stability of the PdS2- and pyrite-type structures of PdSe2

Under ambient condition PdSe2 has the PdS2-type structure. The crystal structure of PdSe2 under pressure (up to 30 GPa) was investigated at room temperature by X-ray diffraction in an energy-dispersive configuration using a diamond anvil cell with a mixture of water/ethanol/methanol as a pressure transmitting medium. A reversible structural transition from the PdS2-type to the pyrite-type structure occurs around 10 GPa, and the applied pressure reduces the spacing between adjacent 2/proportional to [PdSe2] layers of the PdS2-type structure to form the three-dimensional lattice of the pyrite-type structure. First principles and extended Hückel electronic band structure calculations were carried out to confirm the observed pressure-induced structural changes. We also examined why the isoelectronic analogues NiSe2 and PtSe2 adopt structures different from the PdS2-type structure on the basis of qualitative electronic structure considerations.     

Silver-cemented frit formation for the stabilization of the packing structure in the microchannel of electrochromatographic microchips

A simple but effective frit formation technique was developed to stabilize the packing structure inside the microchannel of capillary electrochromatographic microchips, utilizing the electroless plating technique. A Ag(NH(3))(2)(+) solution was allowed to diffuse through the colloidal silica packing in the microchannel from the reservoir of the microchip for a limited amount of time, and then it was reduced by an excess amount of formaldehyde solution. A frit structure of ~70 μm in length was formed at the entrance of the microchannel without clogging when treated with 1mM Ag(NH(3))(2)(+) ion and formaldehyde for 30s and 150 s, respectively. The formation of the frit structure was confirmed by a scanning electron microscopy. The stability of the packing structure was tested rigorously and then confirmed by applying alternating electroosmotic flows back and forth with pulsed potential steps on both sides of the frit structure. The effect of the treatment on the electrochromatograms was evaluated after the microchips were repeatedly used and stored for a long period of time. The results indicated that the silver-cemented frit structure extended the lifetime of the fully packed CEC microchips distinctly.     

An alternative description of the paulingite structure

The paulingite structure can be described as an invariant transformation of the gismondine structure. Packets of a fourling construction of the gismondine structures, which is closely related to the merlinoite structure, are used to build the structure of paulingite as an interpenetrating sixling.     

State of the art in the electrochemical characterization of the surface structure of shape-controlled Pt,Au, and Pd nanoparticles

The application of shape-controlled metal nanoparticles in electrocatalysis has improved significantly the activity, selectivity, and even the stability of many relevant electrocatalytic reactions. It is well accepted that, by controlling the shape of the nanoparticles, it is possible to provide nanoparticles with a preferential surface structure. However, to fully understand the capabilities of these nanomaterials, it is extremely relevant to correlate shape, surface structure, and electrocatalytic reactivity. Particularly, establishing the correlations between surface structure and reactivity is the key point to be studied and understood. Consequently, having tools to characterize the surface structure of these nanoparticles is of critical importance. In this short review, we discuss about the progress in the in situ characterization of the surface structure of shaped Pt, Au, and Pd nanoparticles by electrochemical probes. The results here included clearly demonstrate the potentialities of the electrochemical tools to gain detailed information of the surface structure of these shaped nanomaterials.     

Characterization of the benzene-insoluble fraction of the hydrolyzate of phenyltrimethoxysilanes in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide

The insoluble fraction obtained from the hydrolysis and condensation of (4-dimethylamino-, 2-methyl-, and nonsubstituted)phenyltrimethoxysilanes in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide in benzene was characterized. IR, ¹H NMR, and ²⁹Si NMR suggested that the insoluble fraction was composed of RSi(O )₃, that is, a T³ structure. X-ray diffraction indicated the presence of a long-range ordered structure composed of a mixture of crystals. Raman spectroscopy strongly suggested a cage structure by the presence of a ring-opening vibration assignable to a cubic structure at 475–482 cm⁻¹. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4587–4597, 2004     

Influence of solvent structure on the conformation of the native DNA molecule

The investigation of the factors determining the formation and stability of the higher biopolymers structures is one of the most important trends of the development of molecular biophysics. A feature common to most macromolecular systems under physiological conditions is that they function in an aqueous environment. Thus, it is natural to assume that the peculiarities of biological macromolecules structures and their functional activity as well are closely related to the specific properties of such a unique solvent as water. The investigations of the conformational changes of biopolymer, induced by dehydration of the macromolecule, give information about the nature of the forces stabilizing its structure. The dehydration of the macromolecule in solution can be attained by addition of a nonaqueous cosolvent. Generally low-molecular-weight aliphatic alcohols, amides, and amines are used as a nonaqueous component. At present a vast number of experimental and theoretical data concerning the properties of water and aqueous systems are available. The specificity of water as a solvent arises primarily from the spatial hydrogen-bonded structure. The addition of a nonaqueous component exerts changes in this structure, which evolve to the singularities of the physical characteristics of water-nonelectrolyte mixtures. It is generally assumed that nonelectrolytes may be divided, according to their effect on the spatial water structure, largely into two basic classes: (1) the structure makers, i.e., the compounds of aliphatic alcohols type; (2) the structure breakers, i.e., the compounds of urea type. The agents belonging to the first class show a stabilizing effect in the range of low nonelectrolyte content. At a certain critical concentration, C_crit, characteristic of each substance, the nonaqueous solute molecules leave the cavities of the spatial water structure which leads to a disruption of the latter. The agents belonging to the second class exert a structure-breaking effect even in the range of extremely low concentrations, which arises from their high competitive ability for hydrogen bonding.     

Confirmation of the Structures of Lutein and Zeaxanthin

A series of new esters of lutein ( 1a ) have been prepared with the aim of confirming the structure of lutein via an X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis. Although well crystallized, only one of the derivatives, the (?)‐(1R)‐menthyl carbonate ( 1i ) proved to be useful for a complete structure analysis. The same derivative of zeaxanthin ( 2a ) also allowed its crystal structure to be determined. Both analyses represent the first successful X‐ray crystal structure analyses of the most important xanthophylls. At the same time, they confirm both the constitution and absolute configuration of 1a and 2a that had been deduced earlier by classical methods.     

X-ray spectroscopic and diffraction study of the structure of the active species in the Ni(II)-catalyzed polymerization of isocyanides.

The structure of the active complex in the Ni-catalyzed polymerization of isocyanides to give polyisocyanides is investigated. It is shown by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), including EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) and XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, to contain a carbene-like ligand. This is the first structural characterization of a crucial intermediate in the so-called merry-go-round mechanism for Ni-catalyzed isocyanide polymerization.     

A study of the globulins of cotton seeds XX. Stability of the quaternary structure of the 11S-globulin

The 11S-globulin has a complex stable quaternary structure in the formation of which three types of subunits participate. The aim of the work was to determine what forces form and stabilize the quaternary structure of this protein. The products of the maleylation and acetylation of the 11S-globulin and also the stability of the native 11S-globulin in the presence of ionic and nonionic detergents were investigated by disk electrophoresis. It was shown that hydrophobic interactions play a deciding role in the formation and stabilization of the quaternary structure of the 11S-globulin.     

Total synthesis of the putative structure of stemonidine: the definitive proof of misassignment

[structure: see text] The total synthesis of the putative structure of the Stemona alkaloid stemonidine has been completed. The key transformations include a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a chiral nitrone derived from (S)-prolinol and a spirolactonization process involving the generation of the critical stereocenter. The NMR data of the synthetic material do not match those reported for the natural product. It is concluded that the structure assigned to stemonidine is incorrect, and it must be reassigned as stemospironine.     

Features of the real structure of pseudoboehmites: Violations of the structure and layer packing caused by crystallization water

Rietveld structure refinement and simulation of the diffraction patterns of partially disordered materials are used to study the real structure of nanoscale pseudoboehmite samples obtained by different technologies. The effect of various violations in the structure of these nanomaterials on diffraction patterns is analyzed. The introduction of corrections for the Lorentz and polarization factors in the determination of the cell parameter b by the position of the 020 diffraction peak in the pattern is shown to be important. A model for the atomic structure of pseudoboehmite is proposed. The model involves additional water molecules as compared to the structure of boehmite. The water molecules in the interlayer space of the layered boehmite structure are found to violate its regularity, which results in a decrease in the size of crystallites.     

Untwisting of the helical superstructure in the cholesteric and chiral smectic C*phases of cross-linked liquid-crystalline polymers by strain

It is possible to untwist reversibly the helical superstructure of elastomers with cholesteric and chiral smectic C*phases by using strain. In that way a cholesteric structure can be transformed into a nematic structure and a chiral smectic C*into a smectic C structure. The latter case is especially interesting because a structure without a macroscopic polarization (chiral smectic C*) is transformed into one with a macroscopic polarization (smectic C like arrangement).     

First determination of volume changes and enthalpies of the high-pressure decomposition reaction of the structure H methane hydrate to the cubic structure I methane hydrate and fluid methane

Pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of the decomposition reaction of the structure H high-pressure methane hydrate to the cubic structure I methane hydrate and fluid methane were studied with a piston-cylinder apparatus at room temperature. For the first time, volume changes accompanying this reaction were determined. With the use of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation the enthalpies of the decomposition reaction of the structure H high-pressure methane hydrate to the cubic structure I methane hydrate and fluid methane have been calculated.     

Effect of polymorphism on the C?H stretching region of the infrared spectrum of polyethylene

A complex fine structure in the C? H stretching region of the infrared spectrum of deformed polyethylene single crystals is reported. The deformed crystals are shown to be transformed from the orthorhombic crystal form to a monoclinic structure. The previously deduced C_2/m monoclinic structure does not account for the appearance of the new bands. An alternative but similar monoclinic structure is proposed. The symmetry of this structure is consistent with the Fermi resonance interactions required for the observation of these bands.     

Langmuir-Blodgett膜超分子SM/DOPC/Chol三元脂系的原子力显微镜观察

用原子力显微镜研究了胆固醇(Chol)对鞘磷脂(SM)/1,2-二油酸甘油-3-磷脂酰胆碱(DOPC)二元脂系统结构的影响和神经酰胺对SM/DOPC/Chol三元脂系统结构的影响. 实验发现, 在SM/DOPC二元脂系统中, 胆固醇和带饱和脂肪酸链的磷脂发生相互作用形成微区结构, 随着胆固醇含量的增加, 微区的面积逐渐增大, 形成了稳定的片层结构. 当把神经酰胺加入到等摩尔配比的SM/DOPC/Chol三元脂系统中时, 随着神经酰胺比例的增加, 先形成紧密的聚集态结构, 然后逐渐演变成具有特定微区的网状结构. 研究结果表明, 微区的形成主要是由分子不同的官能团之间的相互作用所决定, 这可能在细胞信号传导等生理活动中起到重要的作用.     

分子探针法研究NiO-Cr2O3-SiO2和NiO-SiO2体系催化剂的表面结构

本文用分子探针法测定、研究了NiO-Cr₂O₃-SiO₂和NiO-SiO₂催化剂的表面吸附中心结构,且通过逐步溶解分析、X-衍射法、TPD、磁分析等测试方法证实用该法所得结论的正确。表明这是一种研究催化剂表面吸附中心结构的新的有效方法。其特点是能在接近实际的反应条件下,快速、方便地获得催化剂表面吸附中心的结构信息。