Synthesis of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanotubes using different alkaline media and their applications in photocatalysis and DSSCs

TiO₂ nanotubes (TNTs) were successfully synthesized from different alkaline media (i.e., NaOH and KOH) by using a microwave hydrothermal process. The effects of different alkaline media on the formation of TiO₂ nanotubes and their physicochemical properties were investigated. The phases of different TiO₂ nanostructures were studied by using X-ray diffraction patterns. Morphologies of the nanostructures were observed with a transmission electron microscope. The optical properties of the nanostructures were evaluated through the absorption behavior using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the TiO₂ nanostructures were evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue aqueous dye solution under the simulated solar light irradiation. Similarly, the photovoltaic efficiencies of the prepared samples were investigated by making photo-anode layers in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). The results revealed that in comparison to the single layered TiO₂ nanostructures in the DSSC, creation of a double layer structure significantly enhanced the efficiency of DSSC.     

Increased stability and size of a bubble on a superhydrophobic surface

Computational and theoretical models of millimeter-sized bubbles placed on upright hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces are compared with experimental data here. Although the experimental data for a hydrophobic surface corroborated the computational and theoretical data, the case of a superhydrophobic surface showed the bubbles to be able to contain significantly larger volumes than predicted. This is attributed to the greater ability of the bubble contact line to advance compared with its tendency to detach from the surface because of buoyancy. We surmise that a static model therefore describes only an unstable equilibrium for these bubbles, which unless heavily isolated from external influences are more likely to assume a larger stable size.     

Benzene sorption complex of fully dehydrated fully Mn2+-exchanged zeolite Y (FAU) and its single-crystal structure

The single-crystal structure of a benzene sorption complex of fully dehydrated fully Mn²⁺-exchanged zeolite Y, |Mn_37.5(C₆H₆)₂₄|[Si₁₁₇Al₇₅O₃₈₄]-FAU, has been determined by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques in the cubic space group Fd $ \overline{3} $ m at 100(1) K. A fully dehydrated and fully Mn²⁺-exchanged zeolite Y (|Mn_37.5|[Si₁₁₇Al₇₅O₃₈₄]-FAU, Si/Al = 1.56) was treated with zeolitically dried benzene at 297(1) K for 3 days. The structure was refined using all intensities to the final error indices (using the 544 reflections for which F _o > 4??(F _o)) R ₁ = 0.050 (based on F) and wR ₂ = 0.147 (based on F ²). In this structure, Mn²⁺ ions occupy four crystallographic sites: 13.5 Mn²⁺ ions are at the centers of the double 6-rings; 4 Mn²⁺ ions are in the sodalite cavity opposite to the double 6-rings; the remaining 20 Mn²⁺ ions are found at two non-equivalent threefold axes in the sodalite cavity and supercage with occupancies of 2 and 18, respectively. The 24 benzene molecules are found at two distinct positions within the supercages. Eighteen benzene molecules are found on the threefold axes in the supercages where each interacts facially with one of site-II Mn²⁺ ions (Mn²⁺-benzene center = ca. 2.53 Å). The remaining six benzene molecules lie on the planes of the 12-rings where each is stabilized by multiple weak electrostatic and van der Waals interactions with framework oxygens.     

N-heterocyclic carbene-silver complexes: Potential conductive materials for silver pastes in electronic applications

New organosilver complexes, silver(I) tetraalkylbis(benzimidazolidene) halide [1a-3a] and silver(I) dimethyl-N,N′-hexyl(imidazolyl) bromide [4a], were synthesized and incorporated into electroconductive silver pastes. Complex 3a had a 15-fold higher conductivity than conventional silver salt pastes, specifically silver(I) hexanoate, and exhibited a smooth, homogeneous surface after reductive heat-treatment of the silver paste. While the conductivity of silver(I) hexanoate can be increased by up to 33% by the addition of a supporting silver source, such as Ag₂O, the conductivity of 3a was markedly decreased by Ag₂O treatment. Thus, 3a can be used in silver pastes with moderate conductivity and can reduce the amount of conventional silver supporting materials without loss of electroconductivity.     

Guiding, distribution, and storage of trains of shape-dependent droplets

We present a simple method of guiding, distributing, and storing of a train of shape-dependent droplets by using side flows, cavity guiding tracks, and storage chambers. The squeezing flow makes a train of flattened droplets to align to one side of the wall and the pushing flow guides it to one of the designated guiding tracks. Then the guided droplets move along the guiding track due to the lowered surface energy when they flow along the track. In addition, simultaneous droplet guiding and storing process has been demonstrated. An array of storage chambers placed in each track could store each train containing differently concentrated droplets. The proposed method will be useful for distribution of droplets for further processes or storing for multiplex, large-scale, dynamic assays over time.     

Existence of self-dual non-topological solutions in the Chern–Simons Higgs model

In this paper we investigate the existence of non-topological solutions of the Chern–Simons Higgs model in R². A long standing problem for this equation is: Given N vortex points and β>8π(N+1), does there exist a non-topological solution in R² such that the total magnetic flux is equal to β/2? In this paper, we prove the existence of such a solution if . We apply the bubbling analysis and the Leray–Schauder degree theory to solve this problem.     

Control of ZnO morphologies on carbon nanotube electrodes and electrocatalytic characteristics toward hydrazine

We controlled the morphologies of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures on single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes by an electrochemical deposition method and investigated the dependence of the electrocatalytic characteristics toward hydrazine on the different morphologies. ZnO nanorods provided high electrocatalytic activity with unique electrochemical behaviours, associated with the H(+) ion generated by the electro-oxidation of hydrazine.     

Functional Characterization of an Arabidopsis Profilin Protein as a Molecular Chaperone under Heat Shock Stress

Profilins (PFNs) are actin monomer-binding proteins that function as antimicrobial agents in plant phloem sap. Although the roles of Arabidopsis thaliana profilin protein isoforms (AtPFNs) in regulating actin polymerization have already been described, their biochemical and molecular functions remain to be elucidated. Interestingly, a previous study indicated that AtPFN2 with high molecular weight (HMW) complexes showed lower antifungal activity than AtPFN1 with low molecular weight (LMW). These were bacterially expressed and purified to characterize the unknown functions of AtPFNs with different structures. In this study, we found that AtPFN1 and AtPFN2 proteins have LMW and HMW structures, respectively, but only AtPFN2 has a potential function as a molecular chaperone, which has never been reported elsewhere. AtPFN2 has better protein stability than AtPFN1 due to its higher molecular weight under heat shock conditions. The function of AtPFN2 as a holdase chaperone predominated in the HMW complexes, whereas the chaperone function of AtPFN1 was not observed in the LMW forms. These results suggest that AtPFN2 plays a critical role in plant tolerance by increasing hydrophobicity due to external heat stress.