Formation of ring-shaped deposits as a result of evaporating droplets of dispersions of silver nanoparticles and study of their fine structure

Scanning electron microscopy is employed to study ring-shaped deposits formed at different time moments of evaporating droplets of silver colloidal solutions on a glass substrate. It is shown that, in addition to an external fringe, several rings are formed at intermediate stages of evaporation; these rings are, in the course of time, transformed into one dense fringe and a transition zone adjacent to its internal side. The time dependences of the height and width of the fringe are determined. It is established that an increase in the width and height of the fringe is due to the transfer of silver nanoparticles to this region, which play a key role in imparting specific structural organization to the fringe. It is noted that the height of the formed fringe may be qualitatively determined by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis.     

Study of the influence of concentration on the time for first appearance of crystallization of polyethylene from xylene

An experiment is reported in which a simple laser light-scattering technique is used to measure the time for a critical turbidity to appear during the crystallization of polyethylene in xylene. The effect is examined over the entire range of solution concentration, and it is found that the relation between this concentration and temperature is linear for all solutions, provided that the time for turbidity to develop is arranged to be the same in all cases. In the appendix it is reasoned that similar results could have been obtained if, instead, times had been measured to a given degree of crystallinity rather than of turbidity. Departures from this linearity at low concentrations are taken as indicating multimolecular nucleation for all concentrations greater than about 1%.     

Nonconservation of excitons as a mechanism of light-energy capturing

The analysis of nonstationary processes, taking place in exciton systems in consequence of the nonconservation of the number of elementary excitations, is presented and it is pointed out to a new possibility of light-energy capturing which exists in ecological systems due to the nonconservation of excitons. It is shown that, due to the nonconservation, the one-dimensional molecular chain is able to capture permanently the light energy of the order of 50 keV to 5 MeV. A part of the captured energy is expected to have a role in internal bioprocesses. It is also shown that the system is a seat where the processes of continuous creations and annihilations of pairs of excitons having opposite momenta take place with a probability of the order of 10^?4 to 10^?2. Further investigations would allow to identify biological phenomena caused by those processes.     

Dependence of the Rate of Electrodeposition of Metals at Mono- and Multielectrodes on Voltage in the Case of an Exaltation Mechanism of Mass Transport

Dependences of the rate of copper deposition on mono- and multielectrodes out of dilute solutions of acetic acid at voltages of 20–250 V are compared. It is established that the same rate of deposition in the case of a multielectrode (25 electrodes with a diameter of 0.1 mm) takes place at a voltage that is lower by 2.7 times than that in the case of a monoelectrode with a diameter of 0.5 mm and the same area. The same results are obtained during electrodeposition of cadmium and thallium. In order to explain this effect, a two-layered model of potential distribution is suggested. In accordance with this model, the resistance of electrolyte in the vicinity of a multielectrode is equal to the sum of the resistance of the layer nearest to the electrode (where it is determined by the sum of conductances to each microelectrode) and the external layer, where the potential distribution is close to hemispherical. It is shown that calculations in accordance with this model allow one to give an estimate of the effect's scale that agrees with experiment and to predict its possible limits following an increase in the number of electrodes that make up a multielectrode.     

Dynamical and statistical effects of the intrinsic curvature of internal space of molecules

The Hamilton dynamics of a molecule in a translationally and/or rotationally symmetric field is kept rigorously constrained in its phase space. The relevant dynamical laws should therefore be extracted from these constrained motions. An internal space that is induced by a projection of such a limited phase space onto configuration space is an intrinsically curved space even for a system of zero total angular momentum. In this paper we discuss the general effects of this curvedness on dynamics and structures of molecules in such a manner that is invariant with respect to the selection of coordinates. It is shown that the regular coordinate originally defined by Riemann is particularly useful to expose the curvature correction to the dynamics and statistical properties of molecules. These effects are significant both qualitatively and quantitatively and are studied in two aspects. One is the direct effect on dynamics: A trajectory receives a Lorentz-like force from the curved space as though it was placed in a magnetic field. The well-known problem of the trapping phenomenon at the transition state is analyzed from this point of view. By showing that the trapping force is explicitly described in terms of the curvature of the internal space, we clarify that the physical origin of the trapped motion is indeed originated from the curvature of the internal space and hence is not dependent of the selection of coordinate system. The other aspect is the effect of phase space volume arising from the curvedness: We formulate a general expression of the curvature correction of the classical density of states and extract its physical significance in the molecular geometry along with reaction rate in terms of the scalar curvature and volume loss (gain) due to the curvature. The transition state theory is reformulated from this point of view and it is applied to the structural transition of linear chain molecules in the so-called dihedral angle model. It is shown that the curvature effect becomes large roughly linearly with the size of molecule.     

Effect of solutes on the viscosity of supercritical solutions

This study shows that solutes can impart significant structure to supercritical solutions, resulting in unexpectedly high solution viscosity at pressures close to the critical value. The viscosity passes through a minimum as the pressure is increased, and this is accounted for by a solvation of the solutes leading to a decrease in solute-solute interactions. At high pressure, the solution viscosity is similar to that of the pure solvent as solvent-solvent interactions dominate. The increase in relative viscosity is modeled using a modified Dole-Jones equation, and it is shown that the change in relative viscosity is related to the volume fraction occupied by the solute. A general model is presented for simple solutes whereby the viscosity of a supercritical solution can be calculated from the molecular volume of the solute and the viscosity of the pure fluid. The higher than expected viscosity observed at low pressures is used to explain the variation of reaction rate constant with pressure.     

Investigation of the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with model molecules. IV. Catalysis of the esterification of ethylene glycol with benzoic acid and of the condensation of ethylene glycol monobenzoate

The esterfication of ethylene glycol (EG) with benzoic acid (BA) is an acid-catalyzed reaction which leads, as a first intermediate, to ethylene glycol monobenzoate (EGMB). This compound has an ? OH group which is more active towards carboxylic groups than the first ? OH group of EG. Moreover, it is a key intermediate in the formation of sideproducts containing diethylene glycol (DEG) moieties. The condensation reaction of EGMB was particularly studied in the presence of carboxylic acids or metal derivatives as catalysts. Titanium is the most active. Sb, which is widely used in the industrial synthesis of PET, needs to be present at a high level of concentration to show an activity. The presence of carboxylic groups in the reaction medium does not affect its activity, but it is necessary to remove the ethylene glycol as soon as it is formed in order to keep it active during the condensation reaction.     

渣油悬浮床加氢水溶性催化剂预硫化研究 Ⅱ 钼酸盐硫化产物的XPS分析

通过XPS分析法对钼酸盐的硫化行为进行了考察,分别考察了四价钼物种质量分数和硫钼元素的质量分数比，发现硫化产物的表面化学组成中四价钼质量分数和硫钼元素质量分数比不成正比，证实了该产物表面钼的硫化物不完全以MoS2形式存在。未经过临氢加热的硫化产物表面的四价钼物种的质量分数显著低于经过临氢加热的样品的质量分数，说明临氢加热在钼酸盐的硫化过程中起了重要作用。氯化铵是钼酸盐硫化过程中有效的助硫化剂，当它的用量增大时，硫化产物表面四价钼的质量分数也增大。以蒽为探针，使用化学探针法测定了硫化产物在渣油加氢过程中的催化活性，发现随着氯化铵用量的增加，产物的催化活性也相应提高，印证了XPS测定结果。     

Effects of structural properties of the Stern layer on the electrophoretic migration of a highly charged spherical macroion

The electrophoretic migration of a highly charged spherical macroion suspended in an aqueous solution of NaCl is studied using the molecular dynamic method. The objective is to examine the effects of the colloidal surface charge density on the electrophoretic mobility (μ) of the spherical macroion. The bare charge and the size of the macroion are varied separately to induce changes in the colloidal surface charge density. Our results indicate that μ depends on colloidal surface charge density in a nonmonotonic manner, but that this relationship is independent of the way the surface charge density is varied. It is found that an increase in colloidal surface charge density may lead to the formation of new sublayers in the Stern layer. The μ profile is also found to have a local maximum for a bare charge at which a new sublayer is formed in the Stern layer, and a local minimum for a bare charge at which the outer sublayer becomes relatively dense. Finally, the electrophoretic flow caused by the migration of the spherical macroion is studied to find that one decisive factor causing the electrophoretic flow is the ability of the macroion to carry anions in the electrolyte solution.     

掺杂剂对聚乙炔性质影响的理论研究

以多烯烃模拟聚乙炔链,用CNDO/2方法讨论了各种掺杂剂对聚乙炔性质的影响,掺杂剂使孤子宽度收缩变窄,且p型掺杂剂比n型掺杂剂的影响更大,掺杂剂影响聚乙炔链中的电荷密度波,使电荷主要集中分布于掺杂剂附近的碳原子上。掺杂碱金属时,掺杂剂原子的最高占据轨道与聚乙炔中孤子自旋轨道之间的作用由Li到K依次增强,解释了ESR实验结果。     

Detection of cavities in a set of interpenetrating spheres

A general topological procedure is described that is able to detect cavities of all shapes and sizes in a system of interpenetrating spheres. The procedure is coupled to an analytic algorithm for computing surface areas and volumes, but as such, involves only logical operations and is therefore not subject to numerical imprecision. Its application to the identification of internal cavities in molecular systems is illustrated.     

Stability of two-dimensional growth of a packed body of proteins on a solid surface

Adsorption of proteins from the bulk is at times accompanied by a rearrangement which leads to the formation of closed packed bodies, that may or may not be crystalline. Mass transfer of protein molecules on a surface is modeled. Forced diffusion by van der Waals and electrostatic forces leads to segregation, which is eventually a different phase that is assumed to be thermodynamically favored. The net effective force in two-dimensions has been modeled approximately and shown to be much stronger and more long ranged than in the bulk: that is, under the same conditions, the protein molecules may not aggregate in the bulk they may aggregate on a surface. These forces have been used only indirectly but equivalently as an adsorption-desorption step at the interline. Eventually, a linear stability analysis of the growing body shows it to be unstable and would give rise to whiskers that are one molecule thick. This is what is observed experimentally. The conditions that give rise to the instability have been determined. The reverse case of rinsing of the protein molecules has also been studied experimentally and has been analyzed using the same mechanisms. Here it is seen that thicker inroads into the packed body cause the interline to take on a spongy appearance. It is conjectured that eventually islands will appear as seen in the experiments.     

The kinetics and mechanism of the reduction of short-bond compounds in aqueous solutions of salts containing bivalent chromium

The kinetics of the reduction of acetylene and fumaric acid in aqueous and aqueous alcoholic solutions by chromous chloride have been investigated.Reversible formation of a complex of Cr²⁺ with acetylene has been observed, and this is apparently an intermediate product in the production of acetylene. The rate of the reduction reaction in both cases is proportional to the square of the chromous ion concentration, and to the concentration of the unsaturated compound. In the reduction of acetylene, the rate of the reaction is proportional to the concentration of the hydrogen ion; in the reduction of fumaric acid the action is somewhat retarded when hydrogen ion concentration is increased.A mechanism for the reaction is proposed, in which in the rate-determining stage hydrogen is transferred to the short bond in the complex made up of two ions of chromium and the unsaturated compounds.     

Recombination of ions of a dense ion plasma in a fluorine atmosphere

A new effect leading to the slowing of recombination in a weakly nonideal ion plasma is considered. The solvation of ions is included in the explanation of the results from studying a gas discharge afterglow in a fluorine atmosphere. It is shown that recombination in such a system is slowed in comparison to the standard relationships for ideal plasma. The formation and composition of cluster ions in such a medium are considered. The relationship between the variation in the kinetics of recombination and the course of the process according to a complicated mechanism with the intermediate formation of metastable cluster pairs is established. A quantitative model is built and a formula allowing us to describe the recombination rate over a wide range of parameters of the medium is obtained. It is shown that the proposed model is in good agreement with the experimental data.     

QSAR for acetylcholinesterase inhibition and toxicity of two classes of phosphoramidothioates

Methamidophos (Met) is a weak inhibitor of housefly head AChE but at the same time it is highly toxic to the common housefly. The lethality of Met is believed to be due to AChE inhibition. An extensive QSAR study may help in determining the mode of action of Met in vivo and in vitro and provide a rational for its high insecticidal toxicity. Acephate (Ace), like Met, is a poor inhibitor of AChE in vitro and has a comparable to Met insect toxicity in vivo. Contrary to Met, though, Ace has much lower mammalian toxicity. Understanding the structural properties which make insecticides toxic to insects but not to mammals is of great importance, since mammals (including humans) are inadvertently exposed to these compounds. Our results were consistent with the model in which both the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Met depends on the inhibition of the active center of AChE by the unchanged Met. An optimal susceptibility to hydrolysis is needed for Met and its analogs to have high insecticidal activity since in order to phosphorylate AChE they need to be hydrolyzed and at the same time their stability is of great importance in vivo for accumulating at the site of action. The insecticidal activity of Ace analogs may be due to direct interaction with the active center of the AChE. The mammalian toxicity of Ace analogs may be due to interaction with an 'allosteric' reaction center in the AChE.     

Neutron crystallographic and molecular dynamics studies of the structure of ammonia-cellulose I: rearrangement of hydrogen bonding during the treatment of cellulose with ammonia

The hydrogen bond arrangement in a complex of cellulose with ammonia has been studied using neutron crystallography in combination with molecular dynamics simulations. The O6 atom of the hydroxymethyl group is donor in a highly occupied hydrogen bond to an ammonia molecule. This rotating ammonia molecule is donor in partially occupied and transient hydrogen bonds to the O2, O3 and O6 atoms of the hydroxyl groups of other chains. The hydrogen atom bound to the O3 atom is disordered but it is almost always involved in some type of hydrogen bonding. It is donated in a hydrogen bond most of the time to the O5 atom on the same chain. However, it also rotates away from this O5 atom to be donated to an ammonia molecule part of the time. On the other hand the hydrogen atom bound to the O2 atom is free from hydrogen bonding most of the time. It is donated in a hydrogen bond to the O6 atom on a neighboring chain only with a relatively small probability. These results provide new insights into how hydrogen bonds are rearranged during the conversion of cellulose I to cellulose III_I by ammonia treatment.     

On the Neglect of the Philosophy of Chemistry

In this paper I present a historiography of the recent emergence of philosophy of chemistry. Special attention is given to the interest in this domain in Eastern Europe before the collapse of the USSR. It is shown that the initial neglect of the philosophy of chemistry is due to the unanimous view in philosophy and philosophy of science that only physics is a proper science (to put in Kant's words). More recently, due to the common though incorrect assumption that chemistry can in principle be reduced to physics, the neglect continued, even when interest in sciences such as biology and psychology entered more strongly in philosophy of science. It is concluded that chemistry is an autonomous science and is perhaps a more typical science than physics.     

Extension of the Theory of Volume Filling of Micropores to Adsorption in Supermicropores

An enhancement in characteristic energy of adsorption in large micropores is analyzed. The effect is due to the overlapping of potential fields from opposite walls of pores and to reduction of the surface adsorption film on filling the micropore volume. The effects of both factors are comparable in magnitude and dependent on the micropore size. This work is devoted to memory of the professor W. Schirmer     

Application of flow field-flow fractionation for the characterization of macromolecules of biological interest: a review

An overview is given of the recent literature on (bio) analytical applications of flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF). FlFFF is a liquid-phase separation technique that can separate macromolecules and particles according to size. The technique is increasingly used on a routine basis in a variety of application fields. In food analysis, FlFFF is applied to determine the molecular size distribution of starches and modified celluloses, or to study protein aggregation during food processing. In industrial analysis, it is applied for the characterization of polysaccharides that are used as thickeners and dispersing agents. In pharmaceutical and biomedical laboratories, FlFFF is used to monitor the refolding of recombinant proteins, to detect aggregates of antibodies, or to determine the size distribution of drug carrier particles. In environmental studies, FlFFF is used to characterize natural colloids in water streams, and especially to study trace metal distributions over colloidal particles. In this review, first a short discussion of the state of the art in instrumentation is given. Developments in the coupling of FlFFF to various detection modes are then highlighted. Finally, application studies are discussed and ordered according to the type of (bio) macromolecules or bioparticles that are fractionated.     

Thermodynamic parameters of solvation of nonelectrolytes in aqueous solutions of amides of carboxylic acids

Interaction and reorganization contributions to solvation enthalpies of nonelectrolytes in aqueous solutions of amides of carboxylic acids with different degree of N-substitution and N-methylpyrrolidone are calculated. The data are discussed using structurally thermodynamic characteristics of water-amide systems obtained by us previously. It is found that the type of concentration dependence of the solvation enthalpy of nonelectrolytes in all solutions investigated is determined by the type of reorganization component. It is shown that the highest solvation exothermicity of nonelectrolytes in water is due to the lowest value of the reorganization contribution in spite of that nonelectrolytes interact weaker with water than with non aqueous components.