Threshold switching effects in AgTlSe2 and CuTlSe2 films

Switching effects in AgTlSe₂ and CuTlSe₂ chalcopyrite semiconductors films have been investigated. The threshold switching voltage was found to increase linearly with the thickness, moreoverV _th increases exponentially with the temperature. The rapid transition between the highly resistive and conductive states was attributed to an electrothermal origin from Joule's heating of a current channel.     

The determination of thermodynamics of oxygen complexes of anions of sulfur dioxide and fluoronitrobenzenes using atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry

The thermodynamic properties of oxygen complexes of the negative ions of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB), 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DFDNB), and sulfur dioxide have been determined by measuring the temperature dependence of the pertinent ion ratios by using a mass spectrometer equipped with a⁶³Ni atmospheric pressure ionization source. The values of -H° and -S°are SO ₂ ^–(O₂), 101 ± 2.1 kJ mole¹ and 121 ± 3.8 J/K-mole; FDNB^–(O₂), 51.5 ±3.4 kJ mole^–1 ± 9.2 J/K-mole; and DFDNB^–(O₂), 65.7 ± 0.4 kJ mole^–2 and 110 ± 5.0 J/K-mole.     

Dielectric relaxation and AC conduction of an AgTlSe2 semiconductor in the solid and liquid states

Measurements of the dielectric properties of AgTlSe₂ in the solid and liquid states were carried out in a wide range of frequencies and temperatures. The material displayed dielectric dispersion, and a loss peak was observed. Cole-Cole diagrams have been used to determine the distribution parameter (a) and the molecular relaxation time (). The process of dielectric relaxation (loss) and ac conduction was attributed to the correlated barrier hopping model suggested by Elliott for amorphous solids, where two carriers simultaneously hop over a barrier between charged defectD ⁺ andD ^– states.     

Electrical properties of CuTlSe2 in the liquid state

The electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power of CuTlSe₂ have been investigated as a function of temperature up to 230 °C above its melting point. In the liquid state the experimental data are analyzed in terms of a model developed for the density of states and electrical transport in solid amorphous semiconductors (Mott, 1970). Positive thermoelectric power suggests a large predominance of holes in electrical conduction. It appears that the conduction is due to holes in extended states near the band edge. It is found that the energy gap has a large temperature coefficient =5.5×10^–4eV/K.     

Functionalization of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-ethylmethacrylamide) thermosensitive particles by phenylboronic acid

The synthesis of poly(N-ethylmethacrylamide) (NEMAM) thermosensitive particles functionalized with phenylboronic acid (PhBA) groups has been performed by emulsion/precipitation polymerization of NEMAM in water at 90 °C, using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as an hydrophobic crosslinker, phenylboronic acid methacrylamide (PhBAMA) as a functional monomer, and potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator. The influences of the PhBAMA concentration and mode of monomer addition (batch or shot-growth processes) have been examined both on the polymerization kinetics and on the physicochemical and colloidal properties of the final particles. Results have been discussed according to the ionogenic and hydrophobic nature of the functional monomer. We have directly and clearly provided evidence that PBA was successfully incorporated at the particle surface by using ESCA analysis, especially when using a shot-growth process, a result that was indirectly confirmed by investigating the electrophoretic mobility behavior of the various latexes as a function of pH.     

Sucrose cryo‐protection facilitates imaging of whole eye sections by MALDI mass spectrometry

Sucrose is used as a cryo‐preservation agent on large mammalian eyes post formalin fixation and is shown to reduce freezing artefacts allowing the collection of 12‐µm thick sections from these large aqueous samples. The suitability of this technique for use in MALDI imaging experiments is demonstrated by the acquisition of the first images of lipid distributions within whole sagittal porcine eye sections. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymer mediated peptide immobilization onto amino-containing N-isopropylacrylamide-styrene core-shell particles

Monodisperse cationic core-shell latex particles have been prepared using a shot polymerization process, with N-(3-aminopropyl)-methacrylamide-hydrochloride (APMH) as the functional monomer. The final latexes were characterized with respect to final polymerization conversion, water soluble polymer formation, particle size and size distribution, surface charge density and electrokinetic properties. Then the covalent grafting of maleic anhydride-alt-methyl vinyl ether (MAMVE) copolymer onto aminated latex particles was investigated. The most efficient conditions to obtain derivatised particles with no alteration of the colloidal stability were to control both polymer amount/latex particles concentration ratio and the mixing method of the two species. The charge inversion of the hydrolysed MAMVE functionalized particles was demonstrated by measuring the electrophoretic mobility as a function of pH. Finally, the covalent binding approach was implemented with peptide-MAMVE conjugates, confirming the great potential of this promising methodology for the preparation of reactive latex particles bearing peptides.     

Hofmeister effects on poly(NIPAM) microgel particles: macroscopic evidence of ion adsorption and changes in water structure.

The term Hofmeister effects is broadly used to refer to ionic specificities in many different physical, chemical and biological phenomena. The origin of this ionic specificity is sought in two interdependent microscopic sources: 1) the peculiarities of the solvent structure near surfaces and around the ions, and 2) specific ion adsorption-exclusion mechanisms near a surface. In this work, Hofmeister effects on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [poly(NIPAM)]-based microgels are examined. Poly(NIPAM) particles are thermally sensitive microgels exhibiting volume-phase transitions with temperature. This temperature-sensitive system seems to be suitable for the independent observation of the two microscopic sources of Hofmeister effects. On the one hand, volume-phase transition, evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), gives information about how the presence of ions changes the water structure around the poly(NIPAM) chains. On the other hand, electrokinetic studies show relevant data about ionic adsorption-exclusion phenomena at the polymer surface.     

Preformulation study of nicergoline solid dispersions

Nicergoline, a semisynthetic ergot derivative, which, in its crystalline state, is insoluble in water, was dispersed in polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30) to improve drug particle dissolution. Preformulation studies were carried out initially by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction in order to predict the conditions and the possibility to actually obtain solid dispersions by mixing the two components at different proportions. Solid dispersions were finally prepared by dissolving nicergoline and PVP K30 in chloroform that was next evaporated under reduced pressure. Under these conditions, an amorphous powder was recovered in every proportion of the two components. Nicergoline demonstrated to be physically and chemically stable for 1 year. The dissolution studies revealed a very high dissolution rate of nicergoline from solid dispersions only lower than the pure amorphous form. This is the consequence of the molecular dispersion of nicergoline in the polymer that enhances the rate of drug release from the polymer.