Rheological and Electrokinetic Properties of Sodium Montmorillonite Suspensions

Because of their particular electric surface properties and crystal structure, most clay minerals possess a very high ion exchange capacity. Furthermore, the surface charge distribution is anisotropic: while faces of the laminar clay particles have a negative, pH-independent charge, edges may be positive or negative, depending on pH. In this work, we propose to contribute new data on particle-particle interaction and charge distribution, by means of measurements of the low-frequency dielectric dispersion (LFDD) of the clay suspensions. Because of the nonspherical shape of clay particles, there are no theoretical models capable of explaining the experimental relaxation spectra. Hence, we limit ourselves to obtaining indirect information by comparing LFDD spectra in different experimental conditions. The quantities of interest in LFDD are the value of the low-frequency dielectric constant, epsilon'(r)(0), and the characteristic or relaxation frequency, omega(cr). These two parameters were measured varying the weight fraction, straight phi, of clay (0.5, 1, and 1.5% w/v) and the pH of the dispersion medium (5, 7, and 9), while maintaining the ionic strength constant ([NaCl]=10(-4) M). It was found that the characteristic relaxation frequency of the dielectric constant was pH-dependent, with a significant minimum at pH 7 in all cases. The results are interpreted as the superposition of two independent relaxation phenomena, associated with edges and faces. With respect to the weight fraction influence, we have found a linear behavior of epsilon'(r)(0) with straight phi at pH 9, indicating the existence of no significant interaction between particles. However, at pH 7 a slight deviation of linearity is observed, and at pH 5 we observe a clearly nonlinear behavior, indicating a stronger degree of interaction between particles. This is in good agreement with the initial assumption that at acid pH values, the electric surface charge of faces is negative, whereas the edges possess a positive charge, thus favoring attractive face-to-edge interaction. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Preparation and sedimentation behavior in magnetic fields of magnetite-covered clay particles

This work is devoted to the preparation of magnetite-covered clay particles in aqueous medium. For this purpose, magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by a coprecipitation method. These magnetic particles are adhered to sodium montmorillonite (NaMt) particles in aqueous suspensions of both materials, by appropriate control of the electrolyte concentrations. The best condition to produce such heteroaggregation corresponds to acid pH and approximately 1 mol/L ionic strength, when the electrokinetic potentials (zeta-potential) of both NaMt and Fe3O4 particles have high enough and opposite sign, as demonstrated from electrophoresis measurements. When a layer of magnetite re-covers the clay particles, the application of an external magnetic field induces a magnetic moment in clay-magnetite particles parallel to the external magnetic flux density. The sedimentation behavior of such magnetic particles is studied in the absence or presence of an external magnetic field in a vertical direction. The whole sedimentation behavior is also strongly affected by the formation of big flocculi in the suspensions under the action of internal colloidal interactions. van der Waals and dipole-dipole magnetic attractions between magnetite-covered clay particles dominate the flocculation processes. The different relative orientation of the clay-magnetite particles (edge-to-edge, face-to-edge, and face-to-face) are discussed in order to predict the most favored flocculi configuration.     

Maximum power point tracker based on maximum power point resistance modeling

This paper presents a new, simple, accurate, and inexpensive practical methodology and experimental solution for the modeling of conventional (domestic and commercial facilities) photovoltaic generators (PVG), so that they can work at their maximum power point (MPP). The PVG may be a panel, an array of panels, or a photovoltaic field. As a starting restriction (actual) it has to be assumed that it is not possible to isolate the PVG variables dependence (mainly current, voltage, and hence power) with solar radiation and temperature, because they are highly correlated. This methodology proposes the modeling facility on its MPP by its MPP resistance (R_MPP = V_MPP/I_MPP), being V_MPP and I_MPP the voltage and current of the PVG, respectively, at its MPP. The analysis shows, by simulation first and then experimentally, that R_MPP does not present significant temperature dependencies, at least in the usual range. This important result allows us to model the PVG only in terms of solar radiation. From a set of experimental data, different models to estimate R_MPP are proposed. The obtained results are very accurate. These models allow an immediate practical application that it is also developed in the paper: MPP tracker (MPPT) design by the calculation of the DC/DC converter duty cycle which places the PVG at its MPP directly and continuously. This new methodology and experimental system has been registered in the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office with the number P201530352. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tunable dual-wavelength fiber laser based on a polarization-maintaining fiber Bragg grating and a Hi-Bi fiber optical loop mirror

We demonstrate experimentally the operation of a linear cavity dual-wavelength fiber laser using a polarization maintaining fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG) as an end mirror that defines two closely spaced laser emission lines. The PM-FBG is also used to tune the laser wavelengths. The total tuning range is ∼8 nm. The laser operates in a stable dual-wavelength mode for an appropriate adjustment of the cavity losses for the generated wavelengths. The high birefringence (Hi-Bi) fiber optical loop mirror (FOLM) is used as a tunable spectral filter to adjust the losses. The FOLM adjustment was performed by the temperature control of the Hi-Bi fiber.     

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of poly-(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles containing violacein

Since violacein—an antibiotic, antiviral, and antiparasitic compound—exhibits poor solubility in water, polymeric poly-(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles containing this compound improved its solubility and biological activity. The nanoparticles were prepared by the nanoprecipitation method and characterized in terms of average diameter, zeta potential, drug loading, polymer recovery, in vitro release kinetic, and in vitro antibacterial activity. Nanoparticles with diameters between 116 and 139 nm and negative-charged outer surfaces were obtained. Drug-loading efficiency and polymer recovery were 87 and 93%, respectively. In vitro release kinetics assays showed that violacein loaded in these nanoparticles has sustained release behavior until 5 days. Both free and nanoparticles-loaded violacein exhibited in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and ATCC 25923 strains and exhibiting around two to five times lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) than free violacein, respectively. The encapsulated violacein was efficient against methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. No significant activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica was found.     

Optical Spectroscopy as a Method for Skin Cancer Risk Assessment

Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer, and its assessment remains a challenge for physicians. This study reports the application of an optical sensing method, elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS), coupled with a classifier that was developed with machine learning, to assist in the discrimination of skin lesions that are concerning for malignancy. The method requires no special skin preparation, is non‐invasive, easy to administer with minimal training, and allows rapid lesion classification. This novel approach was tested for all common forms of skin cancer. ESS spectra from a total of 1307 lesions were analyzed in a multi‐center, non‐randomized clinical trial. The classification algorithm was developed on a 950‐lesion training dataset, and its diagnostic performance was evaluated against a 357‐lesion testing dataset that was independent of the training dataset. The observed sensitivity was 100% (14/14) for melanoma and 94% (105/112) for non‐melanoma skin cancer. The overall observed specificity was 36% (84/231). ESS has potential, as an adjunctive assessment tool, to assist physicians to differentiate between common benign and malignant skin lesions.     

Wavelength dependence of the suppressed ionization of molecules in strong laser fields

We study ionization of molecules by an intense laser field over a broad wavelength regime, ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 μm experimentally and from 0.6 to 10 μm theoretically. A reaction microscope is combined with an optical parametric amplifier to achieve ionization yields in the near-infrared wavelength regime. Calculations are done using the strong-field S-matrix theory and agreement is found between experiment and theory, showing that ionization of many molecules is suppressed compared to the ionization of atoms with identical ionization potentials at near-infrared wavelengths at around 0.8 μm, but not at longest wavelengths (10 μm). This is due to interference effects in the electron emission that are effective at low photoelectron energies but tend to average out at higher energies. We observe the transition between suppression and nonsuppression of molecular ionization in the near-infrared wavelength regime (1-5 μm).     

Isolation,properties and association phenomena of alkaline salts and their crown complexes of a radical anion

The obtention of (tetradecachloro-4-oxidotriphenylmethyl)^–. M⁺ (M=Li, Na, K, n-Bu₄N) salts in ethereal solution and the isolation of some alkaline complexed salts (M=Li-12C4, Na-18C6, K-18C6, K(THF)₁–(H₂O)_3–4, n-Bu₄N) are described and discussed. The association phenomena of these salts has been studied by electronic spectroscopy, osmometry and electron spin resonance. Linear correlations between radii counterions and the position maxima of the electronic spectra bands permit the study of the species present in solution (free ions, ion pairs and quadrupolar aggregates).     

Screening and Production Study of Microbial Xylanase Producers from Brazilian Cerrado

Hemicelluloses are polysaccharides of low molecular weight containing 100 to 200 glycosidic residues. In plants, the xylans or the hemicelluloses are situated between the lignin and the collection of cellulose fibers underneath. The xylan is the most common hemicellulosic polysaccharide in cell walls of land plants, comprising a backbone of xylose residues linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. So, xylanolytic enzymes from microorganism have attracted a great deal of attention in the last decade, particularly because of their biotechnological characteristics in various industrial processes, related to food, feed, ethanol, pulp, and paper industries. A microbial screening of xylanase producer was carried out in Brazilian Cerrado area in Selviria city, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. About 50 bacterial strains and 15 fungal strains were isolated from soil sample at 35 °C. Between these isolated microorganisms, a bacterium Lysinibacillus sp. and a fungus Neosartorya spinosa as good xylanase producers were identified. Based on identification processes, Lysinibacillus sp. is a new species and the xylanase production by this bacterial genus was not reported yet. Similarly, it has not reported about xylanase production from N. spinosa. The bacterial strain P5B1 identified as Lysinibacillus sp. was cultivated on submerged fermentation using as substrate xylan, wheat bran, corn straw, corncob, and sugar cane bagasse. Corn straw and wheat bran show a good xylanase activity after 72 h of fermentation. A fungus identified as N. spinosa (strain P2D16) was cultivated on solid-state fermentation using as substrate source wheat bran, wheat bran plus sawdust, corn straw, corncob, cassava bran, and sugar cane bagasse. Wheat bran and corncobs show the better xylanase production after 72 h of fermentation. Both crude xylanases were characterized and a bacterial xylanase shows optimum pH for enzyme activity at 6.0, whereas a fungal xylanase has optimum pH at 5.0–5.5. They were stable in the pH range 5.0–10.0 and 5.5–8.5 for bacterial and fungal xylanase, respectively. The optimum temperatures were 55C and 60 °C for bacterial and fungal xylanase, respectively, and they were thermally stable up to 50 °C.     

The effect of the "inert" counteranions in the deprotonation of the dihydrogen complex trans-[FeH(eta 2-H2)(dppe)2]+: kinetic and theoretical studies

Kinetic studies indicate that trans-[FeH(H2)(dppe)2]+ reacts with an excess of NEt3 to form cis-[FeH2(dppe)2] in a single kinetic step. The second-order rate constant is strongly affected by the presence of added salts, an acceleration being observed with BF4- and PF6- salts and a deceleration with BPh4-. Theoretical calculations indicate that the role of the accelerating anions consists of the formation of ion pairs that provide a more effective reaction pathway for deprotonation. However, for the ion pair with the bulky BPh4- anion, steric crowding in the proximities of the dihydrogen ligand hinders the approach of the base, and the reaction is decelerated.