Optimization of synthesis conditions and the study of magnetic and dielectric properties for MgFe2O4 ferrite

Nano-sized magnesium ferrites were synthesized by the sol-gel auto-combustion method using a variety of chelating/combustion agents: tartaric acid, citric acid, cellulose, glycine, urea and hexamethylenetetramine. The original purpose of this work was the synthesis of nano-sized magnesium ferrite by using, for the first time, cellulose and hexamethylenetetramine as chelating/combustion agents. Synthesized samples were subjected to different heat treatments at 773 K, 973 K and, respectively 1173 K in air. The disappearance of the organic phase and nitrate phase with the spinel structure formation was monitored by infrared absorption spectroscopy. Spinel structure, crystallite size and cation distribution were evaluated by X-ray diffraction data. The morphology of as-prepared powders was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The magnetic and dielectric properties were studied for the obtained samples.      

Customizable Biopolymers for Heavy Metal Remediation

Nanoscale materials have been gaining increasing interest in the area of environmental remediation because of their unique physical, chemical and biological properties. One emerging area of research has been the development of novel materials with increased affinity, capacity, and selectivity for heavy metals because conventional technologies are often inadequate to reduce concentrations in wastewater to acceptable regulatory standards. Genetic and protein engineering have emerged as the latest tools for the construction of nanoscale materials that can be controlled precisely at the molecular level. With the advent of recombinant DNA techniques, it is now possible to create ‘artificial’ protein polymers with fundamentally new molecular organization. The most significant feature of these nanoscale biopolymers is that they are specifically pre-programmed within a synthetic gene template and can be controlled precisely in terms of sizes, compositions and functions at the molecular level. In this review, the use of specifically designed protein-based nano-biomaterials with both metal-binding and tunable properties for heavy metal removal is summarized. Several different strategies for the selective removal of heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury are highlighted.     

En route to a carbohydrate-based vaccine against Burkholderia cepacia

We report a very high yielding first total synthesis of trisaccharide 5, alpha-D-Rhap-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-Rhap-(1 --> 4)-alpha-D-Galp, corresponding to the repeating unit 1 of an O-polysaccharide present in the lipopolysaccharide of clinical isolate of Burkholderia cepacia. The approach included two successive glycosylations, based on D-rhamnosyl trichloroacetimidate donors 12 and 14. The oligosaccharide 5 has been further functionalized by photochemical coupling or cross-metathesis with non-natural amino acid derivatives. Trisaccharidylamino acids 16 and 17 are now available, with the aim of preparing a novel synthetic carbohydrate-based vaccine.     

Analytical methods for selected emerging contaminants in human matrices—a review

Emerging contaminants are a broad category of chemicals, previously unknown or unrecognized as being of concern, but which, because of their potential health effects associated with human exposure, are under increasing scrutiny. To accurately measure their levels in biological matrices, specific and sensitive analytical methods have recently been developed. We have reviewed here the methods used for analysis of selected emerging organic contaminants, for example metabolites of organophosphate triesters, metabolites of new phthalates or phthalate substitutes, perchlorate, organic UV filters, and polycyclic siloxanes, in human matrices. Although the use of new techniques and approaches has been emphasized, we also acknowledge methods previously used for other contaminants and adapted for the emerging contaminants listed above. In all cases, chromatography and mass spectrometry were the techniques of choice, because of their selectivity and sensitivity for measurements at ng?g^?1 levels. Critical issues and challenges have been discussed, together with recommendations for further improvement in particular cases (e.g. metabolites of phthalates or their substitutes). In particular, the use of labeled internal standards, the availability of certified reference materials, and the need for interlaboratory comparison exercises are key aspects of further development of this field of research.

Thermooxidative stabilization of a MDI

Samples of flexible PU foam were prepared from a polyol (Elastoflex W 5516/115) and an isocyanate prepolymer (Iso 145/8), both commercial Elastogram products. For the thermooxidative stabilization, two phenolic compounds were used, separately or in mixture. These compounds were: 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methyl-phenol (non-reactive) (AO-1), 3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxy-benzyl alcohol (reactive, AO-2), used in total mass% of 0.3/1.5. The TG/DTG/DTA curves were drawn up in dynamic air, with a heating rate of 10 °C min⁻¹, until 500 °C. For the unstabilized sample a single thermodegradative TG step, with a maximum rate at 268–270 °C was observed, whereas for the stabilized samples, supplementary steps at higher temperature were observed. The changes in the TG/DTG/DTA parameters are not in a single relationship with the mass% of the stabilizator, due to the following: AO-1 is easily migrated out from PV, especially, at higher concentrations. AO-2 had positive effect at all studied concentrations. But the most remarkable effect is the synergetic effect of a 1:1 mixture of AO-1 and AO-2.     

Instability of spikes in the presence of conservation laws

We show that spikes are unstable in a class of scalar reaction–diffusion equations coupled to a general conservation law. Our class includes the Keller–Segel model for chemotaxis, phase-field models and models for chemical reactions in closed chemical reactors.     

Fast conversion algorithms for orthogonal polynomials

We discuss efficient conversion algorithms for orthogonal polynomials. We describe a known conversion algorithm from an arbitrary orthogonal basis to the monomial basis, and deduce a new algorithm of the same complexity for the converse operation.     

Synthesis of nanostructured metal-organic films: surface X-ray radiolysis of silver ions using a langmuir monolayer as a template

An application of the radiolysis method using an X-ray synchrotron beam is developed as a novel approach to the synthesis of metal-organic films with controlled shapes and thickness. We demonstrate that a Langmuir monolayer deposited onto a silver ion containing subphase, irradiated by an incident beam impinging below the critical angle for total reflection, induces the synthesis of a stable nanostructured silver-organic ultrathin film at the air-water interface. The X-ray scattering is also used to monitor in situ the structure of the silver layer during the synthesis process. The layer is observed by atomic force microscopy after its transfer onto a silicon substrate. One observes a film thickness of 4.6 nm, in good agreement with the X-ray penetration depth, about 4.5 nm. The silver structure is oriented by the initial organic film phase. This experiment demonstrates the considerable potential of this approach to produce various controlled metal-organic films with a surfactant self-assembly as a template.     

Layers in the Presence of Conservation Laws

We study standing layers in systems where a reaction-diffusion equation couples to a scalar conservation law. Our results give spectral stability and instability results depending only on relative monotonicity of the two components of the system. We also prove the robustness of layers and their stability properties. Our results classify stability properties of layers in most such systems. Our method is based on tracking the point spectrum during a homotopy to a simple, decoupled system. Main difficulty is the possibility of eigenvalues disappearing in a branch point of the essential spectrum. This phenomenon is investigated using a Lyapunov?CSchmidt reduction method on exponentially weighted spaces combined with a matching procedure for the far-field.