Surface plasmon resonance study of the interaction of a beta-cyclodextrin polymer and hydrophobically modified poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique is used to follow, both in real time and in situ, the association between a physically adsorbed polymer of beta-cyclodextrin (pbetaCD) and different hydrophobically modified poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) copolymers containing either adamantyl or dodecyl groups. This association is due to the complex formation between the hydrophobic groups and the betaCD cavities. Therefore, the adsorbed amount of PNIPAM onto the pbetaCD layer depends on the substituent and on its substitution level. The association and dissociation rate constants are evaluated from the kinetics of PNIPAM adsorption. An estimation of the association constants leads to values higher than 10(4) M(-1), reflecting the strong interaction between these polymers.     

La2Zr2O7催化剂结构相变对甲烷氧化偶联反应性能的影响

采用共沉淀法并通过改变焙烧温度制备了一系列具有不同晶相结构的La₂Zr₂O₇催化剂，在微型固定床反应器上评价其甲烷氧化偶联反应性能，并利用XRD、Raman、CO₂-TPD、XPS等表征手段，探究催化剂的物相结构、表面碱性以及表面氧物种的变化规律。结果表明，随着焙烧温度从700℃逐渐升高到1200℃，La₂Zr₂O₇催化剂结晶度不断提高，晶相发生明显变化，从无定形结构逐渐向缺陷萤石结构过渡，最终转变成烧绿石结构。焙烧温度提高促使La₂Zr₂O₇晶相转变过程中，催化剂表面的碱性强度减弱，中等碱性位数量以及具有催化活性的表面氧物种O₂^2-和O₂^-的相对含量不断减少，致使催化剂的CH₄转化率和C₂₊选择性不断降低。其中，无定形LZO-CP-700催化剂表现出最佳的甲烷氧化偶联反应性能。     

Utilization of an Hg(2+)-sensitive membrane-electrode in the complexometric determination of Bi(3+), Fe(3+) and Cr(3+)

The paper reports the results obtained in the complexometric determination of Bi(3+), Fe(3+) and Cr(3+) by using an Hg(2+)-sensitive membrane-electrode for the end-point indication. The determination of Bi(3+) and Fe(3+) is performed after addition of mercuric complexonate from which these cations release Hg(2+) by means of which the electrode senses the equivalence point. In the case of Cr(3+) an excess of complexone is added and the surplus is titrated with a standard solution of Hg(2+) in the presence of the Hg(2+)-sensitive membrane-electrode.     

Supercritical fluid extraction for liquid chromatographic determination of carotenoids in Spirulina Pacifica algae: a chemometric approach

An experimental design procedure was used to investigate the effects of some operating parameters on the supercritical fluid extraction of carotenoids beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin from Spirulina Pacifica algae, a carotenoid-rich dietary product. Variables tested were temperature and pressure of the supercritical fluid, dynamic extraction time and percentage of ethanol added as the modifier. Each variable was tested at three levels; 31 experiments were performed in random order. Analyses of the extracts were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV-Vis photodiode array detection. Analytical responses (chromatographic peak areas) were processed by using a stepwise multiple regression analysis, in order to find polynomial functions describing the relationships between variables and responses. For all the analytes the experimental conditions providing the highest extraction yield inside the experimental domain considered were found. Supercritical fluid extraction results obtained in these conditions were compared with those obtained by performing solvent extraction in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the supercritical fluid extraction procedure.     

Immunodetection by quartz crystal microbalance

Biodetection is one of the most important challenges for the twenty-first century: many fields are concerned, mainly environmental and medical. The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) may offer great possibilities for this purpose: a direct response signal, which characterizes the binding event between a sensitive layer, immobilized onto the surface transducer, and the analyte to be detected, can be obtained. However, for the detection of small biomolecules such as antigens, it is quite difficult to obtain an observable signal that corresponds directly to the binding event. In general, this is owing to the lack of mass sensitivity of the commonly used QCM, with 5- to 10-MHz quartz crystals. For improving this mass sensitivity, a 27-MHz quartz resonator was developed and incorporated in a flow-through microcell. Two biospecies, IgG rabbit and peroxidase enzyme, were studied with this ultra-sensitive QCM in terms of specificity, detection limit, and calibration curve.     

Effect of Deposition in Deep-Bed Filtration: Determination and Search of Rate Parameters

Particle deposition in deep-bed filters (porous media) is, by nature, an unsteady-state process and the extent of deposition plays an important role in determining filter performance. A general method of establishing the relationship between deposition rate and the extent of deposition from effluent concentration history of filters is presented. The efficacy of the method is examined and its utility demonstrated through its applications to certain experimental data. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Bamboo-shaped Ag-doped TiO2 nanowires with heterojunctions

Bamboo-shaped Ag-doped TiO2 nanowires with heterojunctions were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method. The diameter of the nanowires was about 50-100 nm, and they had a length of up to a few millimeters. The detailed structure of the heterojunction in the nanowire was also characterized.     

新型一维梯状双链配位聚合物{[Cu(malate)(2,2'-bipy)]•3H2O}∞的合成、晶体结构与表征

合成了铜(II)与羟基丁二酸和2,2'-联吡啶形成的配位聚合物{[Cu(malate)(2,2'-bipy)]•3H₂O}_∞ (其中malate＝羟基丁二酸根, 2,2'-bipy＝2,2'-联吡啶), 通过X射线衍射测定了单晶结构, 并进行了元素分析、红外光谱、紫外光谱、热分析等研究. 配合物属单斜晶系, 空间群P2(1)/c; 晶胞参数: a＝0.70132(10) nm, b＝1.9730(3) nm, c＝1.18998(16) nm, β＝94.551(3)°; Z＝2; 最终偏离因子R＝0.0483. 配合物中每个铜(II)原子与来自2,2'-联吡啶的两个氮原子和两个羟基丁二酸根的三个氧原子配位, 形成畸变的三角双锥结构单元. 每个羟基丁二酸根以R构型方式桥联两个三角双锥结构单元, 沿a轴方向无限延伸形成一维链. 两条平行链以面对面的方式重叠, 彼此吡啶环之间存在强的(-(相互作用, 加之C_吡啶环—H…O_羧基弱相互作用形成新颖的梯状双链结构, 比邻的梯状双链又通过分子间O_羟基-H…O_羧基氢键沿a轴方向共同构筑了具有隧道的三维结构.     

Characteristics of hyaluronate-hydroxyethyl acrylate blend gel and release of cationic amphiphilic solutes

Hyaluronate-hydroxyethyl acrylate blend gel (HA-PHEA) were prepared to modify the brittleness of hyaluronate gel (HA) and the characteristics of HA-PHEA gel were compared with those of HA and polyhydroxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) gels. These gels were high in water content and transparent. HA-PHEA gel was improved in viscoelastic properties due to the elasticity and the high affinity with water of PHEA, and the drying-swelling cycles became reversible. The effective charge densities theta of the gels estimated from membrane potentials were -0.002, -0.008 and 0 mol dm(-3) for HA-PHEA, HA and PHEA gels. Effects of electro- static and nonelectrostatic interactions on absorptions and releases were studied using sodium benzoate (NaBA) as an anionic solute, and methylene blue (MB), chlorpromazine (CPHCl) and benzethonium chloride (BZTCl) as cationic solutes, in which CPHCl and BZTCl are cationic amphiphilic solutes. The releases of MB, CPHCl and BZTCl from HA-PHEA and HA gels were suppressed comparing with those of NaBA. By adding salts, the releases of MB and CPHCl were enhanced but those of BZTCl were suppressed due to enhancement of the intra- and intermicelle formation. In the releases of the cationic solutes from HA-PHEA gel, electrostatic and nonelectrostatic interactions with HA were found to play important roles. Behaviors of the releases from HA-PHEA gel were found to possess the features of HA gel.     

Electrochemical behavior of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane-b-dimethylsiloxane) films

The electrochemical behavior of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PFDMS-b-PDMS) films deposited on a glassy carbon electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV). The influences of the solvent, film thickness, temperature, and PDMS block length in PFDMS-b-PDMS on the electrode process were discussed. It was found that in 0.1 M aqueous LiClO(4) the electrochemical processes of the films on a glassy carbon electrode were complex and have a low rate of electron transport and mass diffusion. The kinetic parameters obtained indicated that the electrode process was controlled by both the electrode reaction and mass diffusion.