Modification of Surface and Structural Properties of Ordered Mesoporous Silicates

Two simple modification methods for ordered mesoporous silicas were examined and compared. MCM-41 molecular sieve was physically coated with 4-cyano-4-biphenyl [4(4-pentenyloxy)]benzoate (CBPB) and chemically modified using trimethylethoxysilane. The structural and surface properties of the obtained materials were characterized using elemental analysis, thermogravimetry and nitrogen adsorption over a wide pressure range.It was shown that the pore size of the MCM-41 material was not decreased significantly after the coating procedure, even for high loadings of CBPB. Moreover, low pressure adsorption measurements indicated that significant fractions of the MCM-41 surface were not covered by CBPB, even for high CBPB loadings, which suggests that the attained coverage may be very nonuniform. The chemical bonding procedure led to a marked decrease in the pore size and change of surface properties.It was demonstrated that nitrogen adsorption measurements provide a means of a thorough characterization of modified MCM-41 materials, allowing to estimate the surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution. Moreover, low pressure adsorption data can be used to qualitatively or semiquantitatively assess the surface coverage of the coated/bonded organic groups, which may be used to estimate the uniformity of the coverage and therefore, the usefulness of the modification procedure.     

Nitrogen Adsorption Study of MCM-41 Molecular Sieves Synthesized Using Hydrothermal Restructuring

Nitrogen desorption scanning hysteresis loops (DSHLs) for large-pore MCM-41 silicas (pore diameter from 4.0 to 6.5 nm) are reported for the first time. DSHLs for MCM-41 were compared with those of conventional mesoporous silicas and no appreciable differences were found, although hysteresis loops and DSHLs for the latter were usually broader. Since desorption behavior of conventional porous silicas is appreciably influenced by pore connectivity, the observed similarity in hysteresis behavior suggests single-pore blocking effects for MCM-41 due to variation of pore diameter along its nonintersecting channels. It was also shown that the steepness of nitrogen desorption branches at relative pressures close to 0.4 often results from proximity of the lower pressure limit of adsorption-desorption irreversibility and consequently it is not justified to consider it as an indication of narrow pore size distribution. Thus, application of desorption data in calculations of pore size distributions may be grossly misleading.     

Optical and X-ray emission spectroscopy of high-power laser-induced dielectric breakdown in molecular gases and their mixtures

Large-scale plasma was created in molecular gases (CO, CO2, N2, H2O) and their mixtures by high-power laser-induced dielectric breakdown (LIDB). Compositions of the mixtures used are those suggested for the early earth's atmosphere of neutral and/or mildly reducing character. Time-integrated optical spectra emitted from the laser spark have been measured and analyzed. The spectra of the plasma generated in the CO-containing mixtures are dominated by emission of both C2 and CN radicals. A vibrational temperature of approximately 10(4) K was determined according to an intensity distribution in a vibronic structure of the CN (B2Sigma(+)u-X2Sigma(+)g) violet band. For comparison, the NH3-CH4-H2-H2O mixture has been irradiated as a model of the strongly reducing version of the early earth's atmosphere. In this mixture, excited CN seems to be significantly less abundant than C2. The LIDB experiments were in the molecular gases carried out not only in the static cell but also using a large, double stream pulse jet (gas puff target) placed in the vacuum interaction chamber. The obtained soft X-ray emission spectra indicate the presence of highly charged atomic ions in the hot core of high-power laser sparks.     

Experimental and four‐component relativistic DFT studies of tungsten carbonyl complexes

We present a theoretical and experimental study of the structure and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters of the pentacarbonyltungsten complexes of η¹‐2‐(trimethylstannyl)‐4,5‐dimethylphosphinine, η²‐norbornene, and imidazolidine‐2‐thione. The three complexes have a pseudo‐octahedral molecular structure with the six ligands bonded to the tungsten atom. The η¹‐2‐(trimethylstannyl)‐4,5‐dimethylphosphinine‐pentacarbonyl tungsten complex was synthesized for the first time. For all compounds, we present four‐component relativistic calculations of the NMR parameters at the Dirac–Kohn–Sham density functional level of theory using hybrid functionals. These large‐scale relativistic calculations of NMR chemical shifts and spin–spin coupling constants were compared with available experimental data, either taken from the literature or measured in this work. The inclusion of solvent effects modeled using a conductor‐like screening model was found to improve agreement between the calculated and experimental NMR parameters, and our best estimates for the NMR parameters are generally in good agreement with available experimental results. The present work demonstrates that four‐component relativistic theory has reached a level of maturity that makes it a convenient and accurate tool for modeling and understanding chemical shifts and indirect spin–spin coupling constants of organometallic compounds containing heavy elements, for which conventional non‐relativistic theory breaks down. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dielectric Spectroscopy of Ferronematics Based on 6CHBT Liquid Crystal

In our study, the dielectric behaviour of the rod-like liquid crystal (6CHBT) doped with magnetic nanoparticles of spherical shape was investigated by means of dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range from 20 Hz to 2 MHz. A low frequency dielectric dispersion in the nematic and isotropic phases of the pure liquid crystal (LC) has been assigned to the space charge polarization. After doping the host LC with the magnetic nano particles, a nearly Debye-like relaxation process was observed with the temperature dependence obeying the Arrhenius law. Considering a possible electric double layer formation on the particle surfaces, the detected relaxation process in the doped LC can be associated with the electric double layer polarization. The experimental results point out that in the measured frequency range the space charge and interfacial effects constitute the main dielectric response. Any anchoring effects were not observed and are therefore expected to appear in higher frequencies.     

Structure-based study of antiamyloidogenic cyclic d,l-α-peptides

Protein misfolding and aggregation are the hallmarks of many devastating diseases. We have previously shown that cyclic d,l-α-peptide CP-2 reacts and stabilizes less toxic forms of amyloid β (Aβ), and protects the cells from Aβ-induced toxicity. Here, we performed extensive structure-based studies on CP-2 to elucidate the contribution of each residue to the total antiamyloidogenic activity and determine the interactions that are involved between CP-2 and Aβ. We showed that the hydrophobicity of CP-2 analogs correlates with their antiamyloidogenic potency, however, aromatic interactions are even more important for this activity. The antiamyloidogenic activity of CP-2 analogs also correlates with their ability to self-assemble, as shown by the critical micelle concentration measurements. The cell survival studies performed on rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells suggest that incorporation of an additional aromatic residue to the CP-2's sequence increases its protective effect against Aβ42-induced toxicity.     

Determination of aristolochic acid by capillary zone electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA) in dietary supplements and selected herbs is described. A clear separation of AA from other sample constituents was achieved within 5 minutes without any sample clean up. A mixture of 20 mM-morpholinethanesulphonic acid+10 mM-BisTrisPropane+0.2% hydroxyethylcelullose in 10% methanol serves as a background electrolyte. The linearity, accuracy, intra-assay and detection limit of the developed method are 200–6000 ng/mL, 95–103%, 3.5%, and 50 ng/ml, respectively. Ease of use, sufficient sensitivity and low running cost are the most important attributes of the CZE method. The proposed CZE method was compared with HPLC.     

Effects of finite size nuclei in relativistic four-component calculations of hyperfine structure

The effect of a finite size model for both the nuclear charge and magnetic moment distributions on calculated EPR hyperfine structure have been studied using a relativistic four-component method based on density functional theory. This approach employs a restricted kinetically balanced basis (mDKS-RKB) and includes spin-polarization using noncollinear spin-density exchange-correlation functionals in the unrestricted fashion. Benchmark calculations have been carried out for a number of small molecules containing Zn, Cd, Ag, and Hg. The present results are compared with those obtained at the Douglas-Kroll-Hess second order (DKH-2) method. The dependence of the results on the quality of the orbital and auxiliary basis sets has been studied. It was found that some basis sets contain irregularities that deteriorate the results. Especial care has to be taken also on the construction of the auxiliary basis for fitting the total electron and spin-densities.     

The geometry of two-dimensional symbols

We give a complex-analytic construction of the two-dimensional symbol of Parshin and Kato. Our approach leads to a new analytic formula for the symbol together with a direct proof of the reciprocity law it satisfies.     

Polynomial algorithms for (integral) maximum two-flows in vertex edge-capacitated planar graphs

In this paper we study the maximum two-flow problem in vertex- and edge-capacitated undirected ST₂-planar graphs, that is, planar graphs where the vertices of each terminal pair are on the same face. For such graphs we provide an O(n) algorithm for finding a minimum two-cut and an O(n log n) algorithm for determining a maximum two-flow and show that the value of a maximum two-flow equals the value of a minimum two-cut. We further show that the flow obtained is half-integral and provide a characterization of edge and vertex capacitated ST₂-planar graphs that guarantees a maximum two-flow that is integral. By a simple variation of our maximum two-flow algorithm we then develop, for ST₂-planar graphs with vertex and edge capacities, an O(n log n) algorithm for determining an integral maximum two-flow of value not less than the value of a maximum two-flow minus one.