Coated wire ion-selective electrode for palladium(II) and its application to catalyst analysis

The construction, performance and application of polymeric membrane (PME) and coated wire (CWE) palladium(II)-selective electrodes based on the ion pair between tetra bromopalladate(II) and hexadecylpyridinium cation (HDP⁺) in a poly(vinyl chloride) matrix, plasticized with o-NPOE are described. The influence of membrane composition, bromide ion concentration and pH on the potentiometric responses of electrodes were investigated. Nernstian responses were obtained for the two type of electrodes with low limits of detection (1.0×10⁻⁶ M for PME and 5.0×10⁻⁸ M for CWE). The potentiometric responses are independent of the pH of test solution in the range 3–8. The response time of electrodes are fast (30 s for PME and 10 s for CWE), and they can be used for at least 3 months without any considerable divergence in potentials. The proposed electrodes revealed good selectivity for palladium(II) respect to different cations and anions. They were used to the direct potentiometric determination of palladium(II) in silicon-alumina catalysts.     

One-pot synthesis of functionalized furamide derivatives via a three-component reaction between an amine, diketene and dibenzoylacetylene in the presence of triphenylphosphine

An effective route to functionalized furamide derivatives is described. This involves reaction of N-alkyl-3-oxobutanamides, derived from the addition of amines to the diketene, and dibenzoylacetylene in the presence of triphenylphosphoine. The reactive 1:1 intermediate obtained from the addition of triphenylphosphine to dibenzoylacetylene was trapped by OH-acids such as N-alkyl-3-oxobutanamide to produce functionalized furamide derivatives.     

Pretreatment of switchgrass by ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX)

The effects of ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) pretreatment of switch grass using its major process variables are reported. The optimal pretreatment conditions for switchgrass were found to be near 100°C reactor temperature, and ammonia loading of 1:1 kg of ammonia: kg of dry matter with 80% moisture content (dry weight basis [dwb]) at 5 min residence time. Hydrolysis results of AFEX-treated and untreated samples showed 93% vs 16% glucan conversion, respectively. The ethanol yield of optimized AFEX-treated switchgrass was measured to be about 0.2 g ethanol/g dry biomass, which is 2.5 times more than that of the untreated sample.     

Poly(vinyl chloride)-membrane ion-selective bulk optode based on 1,10-dibenzyl-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol for Cu and Pb ions

An ion-selective bulk optode (ISBO) for sensing Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions based on plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) containing 1,10-dibenzyl-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 (DBzDA18C6) as ionophore and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) as chromoionophore was prepared. The effects of DBzDA18C6/PAN and NaTPB/PAN mole ratios on the response behavior of the ISBO were investigated. The ISBO membrane shows enhanced selectivities for Cu²⁺ (at 530 nm) and Pb²⁺ (at 467 nm) over alkali, alkaline earth and other transition metal ions. The optical selectivity coefficients were measured using the separate solution method (SSM) in the two corresponding wavelengths at pH=5. The detection limit for Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ are 3.2×10⁻⁷ and 1.0×10⁻⁸ M, respectively.     

Studies on magnetic and calorimetric properties of double perovskites Ba2HoRuO6 and Ba2HoIrO6

Magnetic properties of double perovskite compounds Ba₂HoRuO₆ and Ba₂HoIrO₆ have been reported. Powder X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements show that these compounds have a cubic perovskite-type structure with the space group and the 1:1 ordered arrangement of Ho³⁺ and Ru⁵⁺ (or Ir⁵⁺) over the 6-coordinate B sites. Results of the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements show that Ba₂HoRuO₆ exhibits two magnetic anomalies at 22 and 50 K. Analysis of the temperature dependence of magnetic specific heat indicates that the anomaly at 50 K is due to the antiferromagnetic ordering of Ru⁵⁺ ions and that the anomaly at 22 K is ascribable to the magnetic interaction between Ho³⁺ ions. Neutron diffraction data collected at 10 and 35 K show that the Ba₂HoRuO₆ has a long range antiferromagnetic ordering involving both Ho³⁺ and Ru⁵⁺ ions. Each of their magnetic moments orders in a Type I arrangement and these magnetic moments are anti-parallel in the ab-plane with each other. The magnetic moments are aligned along the c-direction. On the other hand, Ba₂HoIrO₆ is paramagnetic down to 1.8 K.     

Morphological,rheological, and mechanical properties of ethylene propylene diene monomer/carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber/multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposites

Abstract

A hybrid nanocomposite based on ethylene propylene diene monomer/carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber (EPDM/XSBR) blend with different concentrations (0–7 phr) of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was prepared on a two-roll mill. The role of grafted maleic anhydride (EPDM-g-MA) as compatibilizer and the effect of different concentrations of MWCNT on mechanical properties, morphology, rheological and curing characteristics of nanocomposites were investigated. The curing behavior of the prepared nanocomposites was studied using a rheometer. Also, the microstructure of nanocomposites was observed using TEM. By increasing the MWCNT concentration in the compatible blends, the curing time and scorch time of the blends decreased, while the maximum and minimum torque increased. Failure surface morphology studies showed that the existence of EPDM-g-MAH compatibilizer improved the distribution of MWCNT within the polymer matrix and uniform distribution of MWCNT with a small amount of aggregation was obtained. On the other hand, the presence of MWCNT in the matrix led to a sharper surface of the fracture. Also, mechanical properties such as modulus, tensile strength, hardness, fatigue, resilience and elongation-at-break for compatible EPDM/XSBR nanocomposite showed better results than those for incompatible composite.     

Linear time optimal approaches for reverse obnoxious center location problems on networks

This paper is concerned with a reverse obnoxious (undesirable) center location problem on networks in which the aim is to modify the edge lengths within an associated budget such that a predetermined facility location on the underlying network becomes as far as possible from the existing customer points under the new edge lengths. Exact combinatorial algorithms with linear time complexities are developed for the problem under the weighted rectilinear norm and the weighted Hamming distance. Furthermore, it is shown that the problem with integer decision variables can also be solved in linear time.     

Multiwavelength spectrophotometric determination of acidity constants of some azo dyes

A multiwavelength spectrophotometric titration method was applied to study the acidity constants of some azo dyes in water. The UV-vis absorption spectra of azo dye solutions were recorded in the course of their pH-metric titration with a standard base solution. The protolytic equilibrium constants, spectral profiles, concentration diagrams and also the number of components have been calculated. The quantitative effects of the substituents on the acidity of the studied azo dyes were investigated by the linear free energy relationship (LFER) using Hammet sigma constant (sigma) and field and resonance effects of Kamlet and Taft (f and Re, respectively).     

New synthetic route towards 2,2‐dimethylchromene and synthesis of substituted 7‐(dimethylpropargyl)chromene

Trifluoromethansufonic acid (TFA) was found a proper reagent for regioselectively ring closure of resorcinol to afford 7‐hydroxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐2,3‐dihydrochromen‐4‐one 3 . The propargylation of 3 gave rise to 2,2‐dimethyl‐7‐(2‐methylbut‐3‐yn‐2‐yloxy)‐2,3‐dihydrochromen‐4‐one 4 . Condensation of 4 with substituted phenyl or benzyl Grignard reagents afforded substituted phenyl or benzylidene chromenes 6a‐d and 4‐(substitutedbenzylidene)‐3,4‐dihydro chromenes 8a‐e , respectively.     

Theoretical study of the structure, stability, and infrared spectra of hydrogen-bonded complexes of N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) with water molecules

A theoretical study of the interaction between the N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) molecule and one to five water molecules was performed at the B3LYP level using a large polarized basis set. The calculated complexation energies (corrected for BSSE and ZPVE) of NDELA with one, two, three, four, and five water molecules are ?4.62 kcal/mol, ?9.83 kcal/mol, ?15.29 kcal/mol, ?21.60 kcal/mol, and ?25.10 kcal/mol respectively at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level. In all complexes studied, there are red shifts in the vibrational frequencies of the O-Hs of NDELA and water molecules along with increases in the corresponding IR intensities.