Kinetic studies on H<Superscript>+</Superscript>-catalysed aquation of chromium(III)-oxalato-asparaginato and chromium(III)-oxalato-histidinato complexes

Three chromium(III) complexes with asparagine (Asn) and histidine (His) of the [Cr(ox)₂(Aa)]²⁻ type, where Aa = N,O–Asn, N,O–His or N,N′–His, were obtained and characterized in solution. The complexes with N,O–Aa undergo acid-catalysed aquation to give a free amino acid and cis-[Cr(ox)₂(H₂O)₂]⁻, whereas the complex with N,N′–His undergoes parallel reaction paths: (1) isomerization to the N,O–His complex and (2) liberation of an oxalate ligand. Kinetics of the N,O–Aa complexes in HClO₄ media were studied spectrophotometrically under pseudo-first-order conditions. The absorbance changes were attributed to the chelate ring opening at the Cr–N bond. The linear dependence of rate constants on [H⁺] was established, and a mechanism for the chelate ring cleavage was postulated. The existence of a metastable intermediate with O-monodentate Aa ligand was proved experimentally. Effect of [Cr(ox)₂(Aa)]²⁻ on 3T3 fibroblasts proliferation was studied. The tests revealed low cytotoxicity of the complexes. Complexes with Ala, His and Cys are good candidates for biochromium sources.     

Crystal growth, structure, and physical properties of LnCu2(Al,Si)5 (Ln = La and Ce)

LnCu(2)(Al,Si)(5) (Ln = La and Ce) were synthesized and characterized. These compounds adopt the SrAu(2)Ga(5) structure type and crystallize in the tetragonal space group P4/mmm with unit cell dimensions of a ≈ 4.2 ? and c ≈ 7.9 ?. Herein, we report the structure as obtained from single crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, we report the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, resistivity, and specific heat capacity data obtained for polycrystalline samples of LnCu(2)(Al,Si)(5) (Ln = La and Ce).     

Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum in Non‐Uniform Electric Fields

The present paper discusses the effect of the geometrical structure of the electric fieldon the corrosion of aluminum cathodes by electrolysis of aqueous solutions of sodium chloride. A correlation between the mass of the aluminum dissolved from the cathode and the factors electric current density, distance between the electrodes, electrolysis time and sodium chloride concentration by electrolysis with direct current in electric fields of various geometries was found.     

On a Class of Lattice Ordered Inverse Semigroups

It is well known that the free group on a non-empty set can be totally ordered and, further, that each compatible latttice ordering on a free group is a total ordering. On the other hand, Saitô has shown that no non-trivial free inverse semigroup can be totally ordered. In this note we show, however, that every free inverse monoid admits compatible lattice orderings which are closely related to the total orderings on free groups.These orderings are natural in the sense that the imposed partial ordering on the idempotents coincides with the natural partial ordering. For this to happen in a lattice ordered inverse semigroup, the idempotents must form a distributive lattice. The method of construction of the lattice orderings on free inverse monoids can be applied to show that naturally lattice ordered inverse semigroups with a given distributive lattice E of idempotents can have arbitrary Green's relation structure. Analogous results hold for naturally -semilatticed inverse semigroups. In this case, there is no restriction on the semilattice E of idempotents.We also show that every compatible lattice ordering on the free monogenic inverse monoid is of the type considered here. This permits us to prove that there are precisely eight distinct compatible lattice orderings on this semigroup. They belong to two families, each of which contains four members, of conjuguate lattice orderings.     

Gold Nanoparticles as Effective ion Traps in Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Cross-Linked by Metal-Ligand Coordination

At this time, the development of advanced elastic dielectric materials for use in organic devices, particularly in organic field-effect transistors, is of considerable interest to the scientific community. In the present work, flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) specimens cross-linked by means of ZnCl₂-bipyridine coordination with an addition of 0.001 wt. %, 0.0025 wt. %, 0.005 wt. %, 0.04 wt. %, 0.2 wt. %, and 0.4 wt. % of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared in order to understand the effect of AuNPs on the electrical properties of the composite materials formed. The broadband dielectric spectroscopy measurements revealed one order of magnitude decrease in loss tangent, compared to the coordinated system, upon an introduction of 0.001 wt. % of AuNPs into the polymeric matrix. An introduction of AuNPs causes damping of conductivity within the low-temperature range investigated. These effects can be explained as a result of trapping the Cl⁻ counter ions by the nanoparticles. The study has shown that even a very low concentration of AuNPs (0.001 wt. %) still brings about effective trapping of Cl⁻ counter anions, therefore improving the dielectric properties of the investigated systems. The modification proposed reveals new perspectives for using AuNPs in polymers cross-linked by metal-ligand coordination systems.     

Optimization of Lipid Extraction from Spirulina spp. by Ultrasound Application and Mechanical Stirring Using the Taguchi Method of Experimental Design

The present study uses the Taguchi method of experimental design to optimize lipid extraction from Spirulina spp. by ultrasound application and mechanical stirring. A Taguchi L₉ orthogonal array was used to optimize various parameters, such as methanol: chloroform (M:C) ratio, biomass: solvent ratio, and extraction time for lipid extraction. The results were analyzed using the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The biomass: solvent ratio significantly influenced lipid content (p < 0.05) with 92.1% and 92.3% contributions to the lipid and S/N ratio data, respectively. The extraction time presented a contribution value of 5.0%, while the M:C ratio presented the most negligible contribution of 0.4% for S/N data. The optimum extraction conditions were: M:C ratio of 1:1, biomass: solvent ratio of 1:60, and extraction time of 30 min. The predominant fatty acids were palmitic acid (44.5%), linoleic acid (14.9%), and gamma-linolenic acid (13.4%). The confirmation experiments indicated a lipid content of 8.7%, within a 95% confidence interval, proving the Taguchi method’s effectiveness in optimizing the process parameters for lipid extraction.     

Surface Functionalization of Face Masks with Cold Plasma and Its Effect in Anchoring Polyphenols Extracted from Agri-Food

To improve the capability of non-woven polypropylene-based fabric (NWF-PP) used for face mask production to retain active biomolecules such as polyphenols, the surface functionalization of NWF-PP–directly cut from face masks–was carried out by employing cold plasma with oxygen. The nature/structure of the functional groups, as well as the degree of functionalization, were evaluated by ATR-FTIR and XPS by varying the experimental conditions (generator power, treatment time, and oxygen flow). The effects of plasma activation on mechanical and morphological characteristics were evaluated by stress–strain measurements and SEM analysis. The ability of functionalized NWF-PP to firmly anchor polyphenols extracted from cloves was estimated by ATR-FTIR analysis, IR imaging, extractions in physiological solution, and OIT analysis (before and after extraction), as well as by SEM analysis. All the results obtained converge in showing that, although the plasma treatment causes changes–not only on the surface–with certain detriment to the mechanical performance of the NWF-PP, the incorporated functionalities are able to retain/anchor the active molecules extracted from the cloves, thus stabilizing the treated surfaces against thermo-oxidation even after prolonged extraction.