Effect of oxygen on the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene

The effects of oxygen on the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene were studied at a temperature of 30°C.; the pressure was 400 kg./cm.², the dose rate was 1.9 × 10⁵ rad/hr.; and oxygen content was from 1–2000 ppm. The main product was solid polymer, and no liquid product was found. The gaseous products were hydrogen, acetylene, higher hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, aldehydes, and acids. Several kinds of carbonyls similar to those formed in γ-ray oxidized polyethylene were observed in the polymer. The polymer yield and the degree of polymerization decreased markedly with increasing oxygen content, while the amount of carbonyls in the polymer increased. The number of moles of polymer chain and the amounts of hydrogen and acetylene were found to be almost independent of the oxygen content. The polymerization of pure ethylene was not affected by carbon dioxide and formic acid. On addition of acetaldehyde, the polymer yield and the degree of polymerization decreased markedly, while the number of moles of polymer chain increased. In the polymerization of ethylene containing oxygen, both the rate of oxygen consumption and the carbonyl content of the polymer increased, while the inhibition period decreased by the addition of acetaldehyde. It was found that the degree of polymerization after the inhibition period is almost independent of the reaction time in the presence of acetaldehyde, while it increases with the time in the absence of acetaldehyde.     

Microdetermination of halogens in organic compounds

Summary Safford andStragand have described a method for the microdetermination of halogens using a silver-gauze-absorbent. The procedure is very simple, but unfortunately the results are not precise enough to enable the method to be recommended.The method has been modified. The sample is burned in an atmosphere of oxygen using a platinum catalyst, and the halogen formed is quantitatively absorbed on electrolytic silver wool in a special absorption-funnel, which is then weighed. The method is precise and accurate (standard deviation of the results: 0.12 per cent). Silver wool presents a much greater surface than silver-gauze and absorbs on an average 160 mg of chlorine per gram, i. e. forty or fifty times as much as a piece of silvergauze of the same dimensions. The charge in an absorption-funnel therefore has a long life for routine analysis of halogen compounds. The operating temperature range of the silver-wool is wide, so that precise control is not neccessary. The method compares favourably in accuracy, precision and simplicity with established methods.

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Zusammenfassung Safford undStragand veröffentlichten eine Methode zur Mikro-Halogenbestimmung mit Hilfe eines Silberdrahtnetzes als Absorptionsmittel. Dieses Verfahren ist sehr einfach, aber seine Resultate leider nicht genau genug, um es zu empfehlen. Die Methode wurde daher modifiziert. Die Substanz wird in einer Sauerstoff-Atmosphäre über einem Platinkontakt verbrannt, das Halogen quantitativ in einem besonderen Absorptionsröhrchen über elektrolytischer Silberwolle absorbiert und dann gewogen. Diese Methode ist genau und verläßlich (mittlere Abweichung der Resultate: 0,12%). Silberwolle bietet eine viel größere Oberfläche als Silberdrahtgeflecht und absorbiert durchschnittlich 160 mg Chlor pro Gramm, das heißt 40- bis 50mal mehr als Silberdrahtgeflecht gleichen Ausmaßes. Die Füllung eines Absorptionsr öhrchens reicht daher für viele Serienanalysen von Halogenverbindungen. Das geeignete Temperaturbereich für Silberwolle ist groß, eine genaue Kontrolle daher nicht nötig. Die Genauigkeit und Einfachheit der Methode ist auch im Vergleich mit bekannten Analysenverfahren durchaus zufriedenstellend.

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Résumé Safford etStragand ont décrit une méthode de microdosage des halogènes par fixation sur toile d'argent. La technique en est très simple mais elle ne permet pas d'obtenir des résultats de précision suffisante. Elle a été modifiée par les auteurs.La prise d'essai est brûlée en atmosphère d'oxygène en présence d'un catalyseur de platine et les halogènes formés sont quantitativement fixés sur de la laine d'argent électrolytique dans un tube d'absorption spécial qui est ensuite pesé. La méthode est précise et exacte (l'écart type des résultats est égal à 0,12 pour cent). La laine d'argent présente une surface beaucoup plus élevée que la toile d'argent et fixe en moyenne environ 160 mg de chlore par gramme, soit, pour le même encombrement, quarante à cinquante fois plus que la toile d'argent. Il en résulte une longue durée de la charge du tube d'absorption lors d'analyses en série des composés halogénés. La température de la laine d'argent peut varier dans un large domaine de sorte qu'il n'est pas nécessaire d'en assurer une régulation précise. La méthode se compare favorablement aux méthodes classiques quant à son exactitude, sa précision et sa simplicité.

     

STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF BROWN MEMBRANE BY X-RAY DIFFRACTION, CIRCULAR DICHROISM AND ABSORPTION SPECTRA

Abstract— Time course of formation and crystallization of bacteriorhodopsin upon the addition of retinal to brown apo-membrane has been studied by X-ray diffraction, circular dichroism (CD) spectra and absorption spectra. The rate of formation of bacteriorhodopsin decreases markedly at low pH (4.8) and low temperature (5°C). Furthermore, the formation of bacteriorhodopsin does not proceed in fully dried membranes. The half-time of the increase of exciton CD band is about 70s at 17°C and pH 7.0, and is comparable to that of the formation of bacteriorhodopsins (∼48s). The crystallization of bacteriorhodopsin proceeds to a large extent within 30 min at pH 7.0 and 5°C.
The bilobed CD band of the brown holo-membrane attributed to exciton coupling of bacteriorhodopsin molecules becomes negligibly small at pH 4.8, even though X-ray diffraction pattern indicates the lattice structure to be similar to that of the native purple membrane.     

Growth temperature dependence in molecular beam epitaxy of gallium arsenide

Epitaxial layers of GaAs were grown on GaAs(100) at substrate temperatures ranging from 400° to 600°C by molecular beam epitaxy. Surface structures of the substrate and the epitaxial layers were investigated by means of low-energy electron diffraction. Two new structures of c(4 × 4) and c(8 × 8) were observed from layers grown at the low temperature of 400°C. The electrical and optical properties of layers doped with Si were investigated by measurement of Hall effect and photoluminescence as a function of growth temperature. It is found that a semi-insulating layer is grown below a critical temperature, and the layer is useful as a buffer layer for GaAs FET's. Variation of carrier concentration was observed near the interface between layers grown at different temperatures under a constant Sn beam flux. The effect is attributed to defect-induced segregation of Sn.     

Measurement of neutrino oscillation with KamLAND: evidence of spectral distortion

We present results of a study of neutrino oscillation based on a 766 ton/year exposure of KamLAND to reactor antineutrinos. We observe 258 nu (e) candidate events with energies above 3.4 MeV compared to 365.2+/-23.7 events expected in the absence of neutrino oscillation. Accounting for 17.8+/-7.3 expected background events, the statistical significance for reactor nu (e) disappearance is 99.998%. The observed energy spectrum disagrees with the expected spectral shape in the absence of neutrino oscillation at 99.6% significance and prefers the distortion expected from nu (e) oscillation effects. A two-neutrino oscillation analysis of the KamLAND data gives Deltam(2)=7.9(+0.6)(-0.5)x10(-5) eV(2). A global analysis of data from KamLAND and solar-neutrino experiments yields Deltam(2)=7.9(+0.6)(-0.5)x10(-5) eV(2) and tan((2)theta=0.40(+0.10)(-0.07), the most precise determination to date.     

Coexistence of two different anion states in polyacene nanocluster anions

Two types of anion states are shown to coexist in nanometer-scale polyacene cluster anions. Naphthalene and anthracene nanoclusters having a single excess electron were produced in the gas-phase. Photoelectron spectra of size-selected cluster anions containing 2 to 100 molecules revealed that rigid "crystal-like" cluster anions emerge, greater than approximately 2 nanometers in size, and coexist with the "disordered" cluster anion in which the surrounding neutral molecules are reorganizing around the charge core. These two anion states appear to be correlated to negative polaronic states formed in the corresponding crystals.     

Oxidation-active flavin models: oxidation of alpha-hydroxy acids by benzo-dipteridine bearing metal-binding site in the presence of divalent metal ion and base in organic solvents.

The oxidizing ability of benzo-dipteridine bearing a bipyridin-6-ylmethyl moiety (4) was found to be increased with Zn(2+) by approximately 10(3)-fold for sulfite addition in MeOH and approximately 10(2)-fold for oxidation of an NADH model in MeCN. It was found for the first time that 4 is able to oxidize alpha-hydroxy acids to alpha-keto acids in the presence of a divalent metal ion such as Zn(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+) and an amine base in MeCN or t-BuOH, whereas benzo-dipteridine having a bipyridin-5-ylmethyl moiety (3) is unable to oxidize them under the same conditions. The oxidation reaction was kinetically investigated including the kinetic isotope effect for deuterated mandelic acids (k(H)/k(D) = 2.1-3.7) and the Hammett plots for substituted mandelic acids (V-shaped plots). In the reaction of alpha-substituted alpha-hydroxy acids such as alpha-methyl mandelic and benzylic acids with 4, novel oxidative decarboxylation was found to take place, giving acetophenone and benzophenone, respectively. The oxidation mechanism for mandelic acid was proposed to proceed via a ternary complex of 4.Zn(2+).PhCH(OH)CO(2)(-), in which alpha-oxyanion of mandelate attacks C(4a)-position of 4 to form an adduct followed by 1,2-elimination to afford benzoyl formate and 2e-reduced 4. The roles of the metal ion were proposed as follows; (i) activation of 4, (ii) substrate-binding site, and (iii) activation of the bound alpha-hydroxy acid by lowering pK(a)'s of alpha-OH and alpha-CH. This is a first example that a flavin model oxidizes alpha-hydroxy acids in the presence of a metal ion.     

Avoidance of the weighing problem arising from electrostatic charge

Summary A simple method for avoiding the difficulty of weighing an object carrying an electrostatic charge has been proposed by which the correct weight can be obtained.

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Zusammenfassung Ein einfaches Verfahren wird beschrieben, mit dessen Hilfe sich die beim Wägen elektrostatisch geladener Objekte ergebenden Schwierigkeiten vermieden und korrekte Gewichtsangaben ermittelt werden können.

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Résumé Pour éviter la difficulté de peser un objet portant une charge électrostatique, on a proposé une méthode simple qui permet d'obtenir le poids correct.

     

High pressure effect on the electrical properties of NiS2

A semiconductor-metal transition in the electrical resistance of NiS₂, which has been suggested to be a Mott transition, is observed with decreasing temperature under pressure up to 44 kbar. The transition temperature increases with pressure with a slope of $\text{dT}\text{dP}\text{= 6 ± 1 K/kbar}$. The activation energy in a semiconducting region is found to decrease with increasing pressure and to vanish at about 46 kbar. The critical pressure and temperature are predicted to be 46 ± 2 kbar and 350 ± 20 K.