Syntheses and characterization of Sr(OH)2 and SrCO3 nanostructures by ultrasonic method

The Sr(OH)₂ and SrCO₃ nanostructures were synthesized by reaction of strontium(II) acetate and sodium hydroxide or tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) via ultrasonic method. Reaction conditions, such as the concentration of the Sr²⁺ ion, aging time, power of the ultrasonic device and alkali salts show important roles in the size, morphology and growth process of the final products. The pure crystalline SrCO₃ were obtained by heating of product at 400 °C. The Sr(OH)₂ and SrCO₃ nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric (TG), differential thermal analyses (DTA) and the infrared spectroscopy (IR).     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the melting of aluminum nanoparticles

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to determine the melting points of aluminum nanoparticles of 55-1000 atoms with the Streitz-Mintmire [Phys. Rev. B 1994, 50, 11996] variable-charge electrostatic plus potential. The melting of the nanoparticles is characterized by studying the temperature dependence of the potential energy and Lindemann index. Nanoparticles with less than 850 atoms show bistability between the solid and liquid phases over temperature ranges below the point of complete melting. The potential energy of a nanoparticle in the bistable region alternates between values corresponding to the solid and liquid phases. This bistability is characteristic of dynamic coexistence melting. At higher temperatures, only the liquid state is stable. Nanoparticles with more than 850 atoms undergo a sharp solid-liquid-phase transition characteristic of the bulk solid phase. The variation of the melting point with the effective nanoparticle radius is also determined.     

On Constraint Qualifications and Sensitivity Analysis for General Optimization Problems via Pseudo-Jacobians

A nonsmooth and nonconvex general optimization problem is considered. Using the idea of pseudo-Jacobians, nonsmooth versions of the Robinson and Mangasarian–Fromovitz constraint qualifications are defined and relationships between them and the local error bound property are investigated. A new necessary optimality condition, based on the pseudo-Jacobians, is derived under the local error bound constraint qualification. These results are applied for computing and estimating the Fréchet and limiting subdifferentials of value functions. Moreover, several examples are provided to clarify the obtained results.     

A mathematical model of Panin’s prefracture zones and stability of subcritical cracks

Basic concept underlying Griffith’s theory of fracture of solids was that, similar to liquids, solids possess surface energy and, in order to propagate a crack by increasing its surface area, the corresponding surface energy must be compensated through the externally added or internally released energy. This assumption works well for brittle solids, but is not sufficient for quasi-brittle and ductile solids. Some new forms of energy components must be incorporated into the energy balance equation, from which the input of energy needed to propagate the crack and subsequently the stress at the onset of fracture can be determined. The additional energy that significantly dominates over the surface energy is the irreversible energy dissipated by the way of the plastic strains that precede the leading edge of a moving crack. For stationary cracks the additional terms within the energy balance equation were introduced by Irwin and Orowan. An extension of these concepts is found in the experimental work of V. Panin, who has shown that the irreversible deformation is primarily confined to the prefracture zones associated with a stationary or a slowly growing crack. The present study is based on the structured cohesive crack model equipped with the “unit step growth” or “fracture quantum”. This model is capable to encompass all the essential issues such as stability of subcritical cracks, quantization of the fracture process and fractal geometry of crack surfaces, and incorporate them into one consistent theoretical representation.     

Novel and Rapid Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) Homogeneous Liquid–Liquid Microextraction (HLLME) with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) Detection for the Determination of Copper in Vegetables

Novel and fast deep eutectic solvent (DES)-based homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction (HLLME) was applied for the extraction of copper from vegetable samples followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). 1,5-diphenyl carbazone (DPC) was used as the chelating agent, and a DES was used as the extraction media. The utilized DES was based on benzyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide and ethylene glycol in a 1:8?mole ratio. The phase separation phenomenon was occurred by changing of sample temperature. Several factors influencing the extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, an enhancement factor of 64 was obtained. The limit of detection, based on three signal-to-noise ratio, and limit of quantification were found to be 0.13?µg L^?1 and 5.0?µg L^?1, respectively. The calibration curve was linear within the range of 5.0–250?µg L^?1 with r² > 0.9957. Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (%) of 2.1% and 2.6% were obtained at the concentration of 25?µg L^?1. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by analyzing a tomato leaves certified reference material and the results were to be in agreement with the certified value. Finally, the feasibility of the method was successfully confirmed by determination of copper in spinach, lettuce, broccoli, potato, carrot and parsley samples.     

Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles–functionalized Cu(II) Schiff base complex with an imidazolium moiety as an efficient and eco-friendly bifunctional magnetically recoverable catalyst for the Strecker synthesis in aqueous media at room temperature

Cu(II) Schiff base complex supported on Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles was employed as a magnetic nanocatalyst (nanocomposite) with a phase transfer functionality for the one-pot preparation of α-aminonitriles (Strecker reaction). The desired α-aminonitriles were obtained from the reaction of aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes, aniline or benzyl amine, NaCN, and 1.6 mol% of the catalyst in water at room temperature and good to excellent yields were obtained for all substrates. The catalyst was characterized analytically and instrumentally including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric, nuclear magnetic resonance, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometry analysis, dynamic light scattering, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses. The reaction mechanism was investigated, in which the performance of the catalyst as a phase transition factor seems to be probable. The catalyst showed high activity, high turnover frequency (TOF)s, significant selectivity, and fast performance toward the Strecker synthesis. The nanocatalyst can be readily and quickly separated from the reaction mixture with an external magnet and can be reused for at least seven successive reaction cycles without significant reduction in efficiency.     

Trace determination of cadmium in rice samples using solidified floating organic drop microextraction based on vesicular supramolecular solvent followed by flow-injection analysis–flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In this work, a solidified floating organic drop microextraction was developed based on a vesicular supramolecular solvent consisting of decanoic acid and quaternary ammonium. The method was used for preconcentration of trace amount of cadmium in different rice samples followed by flow-injection analysis–flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Several parameters affecting the extraction efficiency including pH, concentration of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol as the chelating agent, sample and extraction solvent volume, stirring rate, extraction time, salt effect, and interfering ions were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, a preconcentration factor of 84 was achieved. LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.09 and 0.31 µg L^?1, respectively. The calibration curve was linear within the range of 5.0–700 µg L^?1 (r²?>?0.9978). Intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD% n?=?3) were estimated 2.7 and 3.9% at the concentration of 20 µg L^?1, respectively. The accuracy of the method was successfully validated by analysis of an SRM-1643f standard reference material. Relative recoveries were achieved within the range of 93–107% elucidating suitability of the method for determination of cadmium in rice samples.     

A double quantum (129)Xe NMR experiment for probing xenon in multiply-occupied cavities of solid-state inclusion compounds

A method is presented for detecting multiple xenon atoms in cavities of solid-state inclusion compounds using (129)Xe double quantum NMR spectroscopy. Double quantum filtered (129)Xe NMR spectra, performed on the xenon clathrate of Dianin's compound were obtained under high-resolution Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS) conditions, by recoupling the weak (129)Xe-(129)Xe dipole-dipole couplings that exist between xenon atoms in close spatial proximity. Because the (129)Xe-(129)Xe dipole-dipole couplings are generally weak due to dynamics of the atoms and to large internuclear separations, and since the (129)Xe Chemical Shift Anisotropy (CSA) tends to be relatively large, a very robust dipolar recoupling sequence was necessary, with the symmetry-based SR26 dipolar recoupling sequence proving appropriate. We have also attempted to measure the (129)Xe-(129)Xe dipole-dipole coupling constant between xenon atoms in the cavities of the xenon-Dianin's compound clathrate and have found that the dynamics of the xenon atoms (as investigated with molecular dynamics simulations) as well as (129)Xe multiple spin effects complicate the analysis. The double quantum NMR method is useful for peak assignment in (129)Xe NMR spectra because peaks arising from different types of absorption/inclusion sites or from different levels of occupancy of single sites can be distinguished. The method can also help resolve ambiguities in diffraction experiments concerning the order/disorder in a material.     

Vertical excitation energies for ribose and deoxyribose nucleosides

Vertical excitation energies for DNA and RNA nucleosides are determined with electron structure calculations using the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level for nucleoside structures optimized at the same level of theory. The excitation energies and state assignments are verified using B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level calculations. The nature of the first four excited states of the nucleosides are studied and compared with those of isolated bases. The lowest npi* and pipi* transitions in the nucleoside remain localized on the aromatic rings of the base moiety. New low-energy npi* and pisigma* transitions are introduced in the nucleosides as a result of bonding to the ribose and deoxyribose molecules. The effect on the low-lying excited state transitions of the binding to phosphate groups at the 5'- and 3',5'-hydroxyl sites of the uracil ribose nucleoside are also studied. Some implications of these calculations on the de-excitation dynamics of nucleic acids are discussed.     

Kinetic studies of the oxidative coupling of methane over the Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst

Oxidative coupling of methane is a direct way to obtain C2 hydrocarbon,and Mn-Na-W/SiO2 catalyst is the most promising among all the catalysts.The 2%Mn/5%Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst was prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method.A 7-step heterogeneous reaction model of the oxidative coupling of methane to C2 hydrocarbons was conducted by co-feeding methane and oxygen at a total pressure of 1 bar over the catalyst.The kinetic measurements were carried out in a micro-catalytic fixed bed reactor.The kinetic data were obtained at the appropriate range of reaction conditions (4 kPa＜Po2 ＜20 kPa,20 kPa＜PCZH4 ＜80 kPa,800℃＜T＜900℃).The proposed reaction kinetic scheme consists of three primary and four consecutive reaction steps.The conversions of hydrocarbons and carbon oxides were evaluated by applying Langrnuir-Hinshelwood type rate equations.Power-law rate equation was applied only for the water-gas shift reaction.In addition,the effects of operating conditions on the reaction rate were studied.The proposed kinetic model can predict the conversion of methane and oxygen as well as the yield of C2 hydrocarbons and carbon oxides with an average accuracy of ±15%.