The direct pair correlation function of liquid indium

The static structure factor S(k) of liquid indium has been measured accurately down to $\text{k = 0.8}\text{A}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ using CuKα radiation with reflection geometry. The direct pair correlation function in k space is analyzed to demonstrate the utility of this technique in reducing errors in the resulting direct pair correlation function in configuration space.     

Synthesis and characterization of urethane polymers containing 2,2′-biimidazole

A heterocyclic nitrogen-containing system having substituent primary diol function, i.e., 1,1′-dihydroxethyl-2,2′-biimidazole ( I ), has been prepared and used to synthesize a series of new polyurethanes based on aromatic diisocyanates (TDI, MDI). Variation of solution polymerization parameters permitted the isolation and infrared, NMR, molecular weight, and thermal characterization of polymeric materials. Isolated polymers exhibit a linear structure and have T_g (150–170°C) and thermal stability (205–250°C for 20% weight loss) properties comparable to other typical urethane polymers. Zn²⁺ complexation was indicated by shifts in the imidazole ringmode infrared vibrational bands at 917 and 1133 cm^?1 to higher frequencies.     

Cavity ringdown laser absorption spectroscopy and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy of jet cooled platinum silicides

The cavity ringdown technique (CRLAS) has been employed to measure the gas phase absorption spectrum of the platinum silicide molecule in the 350 nm region. All nine of the measured rovibronic bands are assigned to a single 1 sigma-1 sigma electronic transition, with a ground state vibrational frequency of omega "e = 549.0(3) cm-1, and a bond length of r"0 = 2.069(1) angstroms. The results of this study are compared with experimental data for the coinage metal silicides. Additionally, time-of-flight mass spectrometric results indicate that a variety of polyatomic metal silicides are formed in our molecular jet expansion.     

Characterization of copolymer hydroxybutyrate/hydroxyvalerate from saponified vernonia,soybean, and "spent" frying oils

Poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) were biosynthesized by Ralstonia eutropha (formerly known as Alcaligenes eutrophus) by using saponified soybean, vernonia, and "spent" frying oils. These PHAs were isolated and characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1H NMR), and 2-dimensional homonuclear (1H-1H) correlation spectroscopy (COSY). The analytical results revealed that the PHAs produced from saponified vernonia and soybean oils were copolymers of hydroxybutyrate (HB) and hydroxyvalerate (HV), that is, P(HB/HV)s, whereas the saponified "spent" frying oil produced only poly(beta- hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) homopolymer. MALDI-MS, GC/MS, and NMR independently confirmed the composition of the PHAs. Saponified soybean oil and vernonia oil PHAs contained approximately 4 and 1% HV units, respectively. For comparison, commercial PHB and P(HB/HV), produced by R. eutropha by using glucose and a cosubstrate of glucose and propionic acid, respectively, as carbon sources, were similarly characterized.     

Fast mixing and reaction initiation control of single-enzyme kinetics in confined volumes

A device with femtoliter-scale chambers and controlled reaction initiation was developed for single-molecule enzymology. Initially separated substrate and enzyme streams were rapidly mixed in a microfluidic device and encapsulated in an array of individual microreactors, allowing for enzyme kinetics to be monitored with millisecond dead times and single-molecule sensitivity. Because the arrays of chambers were fabricated by micromolding in PDMS, the chambers were monodisperse in size, and the chamber volume could be systematically controlled. Microreactors could be purged and replenished with fresh reactants for consecutive rounds of observation. Repeated experiments with statistically identical initial conditions could be performed rapidly, with zero cross-talk between chambers in the array.     

A practical demonstration of electronic promotion in the reduction of ceria coated PGM catalysts

When ceria is deposited over supported PGM catalysts its reducibility is dependent on the work function of the underlying metal.     

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the dielectric constants, and their temperature dependences, of phosphate and tellurite glasses

Measurements of the pressure dependence of the static dielectric constant of tellurite (pure TeO₂ and 67%TeO₂ + 33%WO₃) and samarium phosphate (5%Sm₂O₃ + 95%P₂O₅ and 15%Sm₂O₃ + 85%P₂O₅) glasses at elevated pressures (0–70 kbar) for a range of temperatures (77–380 K) are reported. The electrical properties under pressure have been determined from the low-frequency complex plane analysis of glass discs contained within a Bridgman opposed anvil cell. The most notable observation is that the pressure dependence of the static dielectric constant, of all glasses studied, is positive, for example for vitreous TeO₂ ln ε/P is equal to 4.41 × 10⁻¹¹ (Pa⁻¹) at 293 K. Behaviour of this type is common to a number of materials (plastics and chalcogenide glasses) for which it is not possible to define any long-range order. It is in direct contrast with the behaviour of crystalline insulators, for which ε/P is usually negative. The effect of pressure on the dielectric constant has been analysed using two different approaches based on the macroscopic Clausius-Mossotti equation. The effects of high pressure on the dielectric constant have been correlated with the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant at atmospheric pressure.