Magneto-orientational properties of ionically stabilized aqueous dispersions of Ni(OH)2 nanoplatelets

Magnetic and orientational behavior of nickel hydroxide nanoplatelets ionically stabilized in a liquid matrix is studied. Under an applied field the platelets orient their faces normal to its direction. For characterization of the individual behavior of dispersed and non-interacting particles three techniques are used: SAXS, SQUID and magneto-optics. Analysis reveals that nickel hydroxide in a platelet phase is paramagnetic with a pronounced anisotropy of the intrinsic susceptibility, the major component of which (in the direction normal to platelet face) exceeds the minor one by about 25%.     

Transducers in medical ultrasound: Part Three. Transducer applications in echocardiology

A comparison is made between phased arrays and mechanical sector scanners in transcutaneous echocardiographic applications. Aspects such as contact area, beam control, side lobes, grating lobes and image quality are discussed in the context of transducer frequency. The incorporation of simultaneous acquisition of Doppler velocity information and display of M-mode signals is considered. Transoesophageal and intraoperative scanning systems for cardiology are also compared, in particular linear arrays, phased arrays and mechanical scanners, and their advantages and disadvantages in relation to the above mentioned aspects are discussed. The general conclusion is that electronic sector scanners may have a considerably improved cost/benefit ratio in the near future and thereby will become the leading systems for echocardiography.     

Über die Wahl der Lösungsmittelsysteme bei der papierchromatographischen Trennung organischer Verbindungen

Zusammenfassung An praktischen Beispielen wurde gezeigt, in welcher Weise die Trennung organischer Verbindungen mittels Papierchromatographie erzielt werden kann. Man ist nicht auf einige bewährte Lösungsmittel systeme allein angewiesen, sondern kann von Fall zu Fall systematisch neue und geeignete Systeme benützen. Es hat sich bewährt, sich nach den elementaren Löslichkeitsregeln für organische Stoffe zu richten, unter der Voraussetzung, daß die zu chromatographierende Verbindung in der stationären Phase gut, in der mobilen Phase dagegen weniger löslich ist. Durch Änderung der stationären Phase (Wasser, nicht wäßriges, polares Lösungsmittel, nicht polares Lösungsmittel) oder der Polarität und Zusammensetzung der mobilen Phase kann man das Wandern der Flecke am Chromatogramm beeinflussen, beliebige R_fWerte erhalten und in vielen Fällen auch eine beliebige Reihenfolge der Verbindungen am Chromatogramm erzielen.Da die Löslichkeit organischer Verbindungen von intermolekularen Kräften abhängig ist, erscheint das Problem im Zusammenhang mit strukturellen Einflüssen sehr kompliziert und muß für jeden Fall auf eigene Weise gelöst werden. Die Löslichkeitseigenschaften können weiter durch Benutzung reaktiver Lösungsmittel beeinflußt werden, die z. B. die Verbindungen in wasserlösliche Salze überführen können. Dabei ist an die möglichen Komplikationen, die bei ionisierbaren Verbindungen durch Dissoziation und Hydrolyse entstehen können, zu achten.Von den Hauptfaktoren, die eine Trennung ermöglichen können, seien die folgenden erwähnt: funktionelle Gruppen, ihre Anzahl, Polarität, gegenseitige Stellung, bzw. ihre Basizität oder Azidität, C-Atomanzahl in homologen Verbindungen, inter- und intramolekulare Wasserstoffbindungen, sterische Faktoren u. a. Es ist dann von der Art des gewählten Lösungsmittelsystems abhängig, welche der genannten Faktoren im Vordergrund stehen und welche beseitigt werden.Wenn die Löslichkeitsunterschiede der zu trennenden Stoffe zu gering sind, um gute Trennungen zu ermöglichen, ist es zweckmäßig, die Verbindungen in solche Derivate zu überführen, deren Strukturunterschiede größer sind.

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Summary Practical examples are given to show how organic compounds can be separated by means of paper chromatography. The operator is not limited to tested solvent systems, but can use new suitable systems as the occasion demands. It has been found best to abide by the elementary rules of solubility of organic compounds, provided the compound to be chromatographed is quite soluble in the stationary phase but less soluble in the mobile phase. By altering the stationary phase (water, nonaqueous, polar solvent, non-polar solvent) or the polarity and composition of the mobile phase, the migration of the stains in the chromatogram can be influenced, selectedR _f -values can be obtained, and in many cases it is also possible to secure a desired succession of the compounds on the chromatogram.Since the solubility of organic compounds depends on intermolecular forces, the problem in connection with structural influences appears very complicated and must be solved individually for each case. Moreover, the solubility characteristics can be affected by using reactive solvents; for instance, the compounds can be converted into water soluble salts. Under such circumstances, sight must not be lost of the complications which may arise because of the dissociation and hydrolysis of ionizable compounds. The following are among the chief factors, which may make a separation possible: functional groups, their number, polarity, relative position, their basicity or acidity, C-atom number in homologous compounds, inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds, steric factors, etc. It then depends on the type of solvent system selected, which of these factors are predominant and which can be neglected or eliminated.If the solubility differences are too slight to permit good separations, the compounds to be separated should, if possible, be converted into derivatives whose structural differences are more pronounced.

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Résumé Des exemples pratiques montrent comment il est possible d'effectuer la séparation de combinaisons organiques par Chromatographie sur papier. Il n'est pas uniquement fait appel à des systèmes de solvants éprouvés mais, dans certains cas, de nouveaux systèmes appropriés sont systématiquement utilisés.Il s'est avéré satisfaisant de faire appel aux règles élémentaires de solubilité des substances organiques sous réserve que la combinaison à chromatographier soit suffisamment soluble dans la phase stationnaire et moins soluble dans la phase mobile. En faisant varier la phase stationnaire (eau, solvant non aqueux, solvant polaire, solvant non polaire) ou la polarité et la composition de la phase mobile, il est possible d'influencer la migration des taches du chromatogramme, d'obtenir des valeurs deR _f désirées et, dans de nombreux cas, d'obtenir les combinaisons dans un ordre déterminé sur le chromatogramme.La solubilité des combinaisons organiques étant fonction des forces intermoléculaires il en résulte que le problème se complique considérablement dans la mesure où l'on considère les influences structurelles et que chaque cas particulier doit recevoir une solution qui lui est propre. Les propriétés de solubilité peuvent en outre être influencées par l'emploi de solvants réactifs qui peuvent transformer, par exemple les combinaisons en sels solubles dans l'eau. Il faut alors tenir compte des possibilités de complications qui peuvent apparaître par dissociation et hydrolyse des combinaisons ionisables.Parmi les principaux facteurs qui permettent une séparation, il convient de mentionner les suivants: les groupes fonctionnels, leur nombre, leur polarité, leur position relative, ou encore leur acidité ou leur basicité, le nombre d'atomes de carbone de combinaisons homologues, les liaisons hydrogène inter- et intramoléculaires, les facteurs stériques, etc. Suivant la nature du système solvant choisi pourront alors varier les facteurs dont l'effet est prépondérant et ceux dont l'effet est nul. Lorsque les différences de solubilité des substances à séparer sont trop faibles pour permettre des séparations satisfaisantes, il est commode de transformer les combinaisons en dérivés dont les différences de structure soient plus importantes.

     

Principles and recent developments in ultrasound contrast agents

The behaviour of gas bubbles and gas encapsulated spheres as echographic contrast agents is reviewed. Compared with rigid spheres, gas bubbles are superior scattering agents and they offer a number of useful properties which can be exploited in a variety of ways. The analysis of their velocity of sound, back-scatter intensity, second harmonic emission and resonant frequency opens up new perspectives in the development of contrast agents for echocardiographic research with potential clinical applications.     

The vibration-rotation spectrum of methinophosphide: l-Type doubling, l-type resonance and the ν2, 2ν2, and 3ν2 bands of H12CP; The ν1 and ν2 bands of H13CP

The vibration-rotation bands ν₂, 2ν₂, and several “hot” bands of H¹²CP have been recorded and assigned. The states with v₂ = 2, perturbed by l-type resonance and l-type doubling effects have been analyzed on the basis of the existing theory. The energy difference between the 02²0 and the 02⁰0 states was found to be 17.5095 (19) cm^?1. Because of insufficient data, the states with v₂ = 3 could not be corrected for l-type resonance interaction and therefore only an effective l-type doubling constant was obtained. The ν₁ and ν₂ bands of the H¹³CP isotopic molecule (present at natural concentration) were also identified and their spectroscopic constants obtained. The value of I_e for H¹²CP is found to be 25.18793 (26) amu Ų.     

Dye solar cells efficiency maps: a parametric study

In this work we present a numerical simulation of a dye solar cell efficiency using a drift-diffusion model for the complete cell. The physical parameters such as the active layer thickness, the electron mobility and the dye spectrum are varied systematically in a range of values individuated experimentally, in order to obtain efficiency maps that reveal interesting features in this kind of devices.     

Monitoring of the Proton Electrochemical Gradient in Reconstituted Vesicles: Quantitative Measurements of Both Transmembrane Potential and Intravesicular pH by Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes

Proteoliposomes carrying reconstituted yeast plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase in their lipid membrane or plasma membrane vesicles are model systems convenient for studying basic electrochemical processes involved in formation of the proton electrochemical gradient (Δμ_H ⁺) across the microbial or plant cell membrane. Δψ- and pH-sensitive fluorescent probes were used to monitor the gradients formed between inner and outer volume of the reconstituted vesicles. The Δψ-sensitive fluorescent ratiometric probe oxonol VI is suitable for quantitative measurements of inside-positive Δψ generated by the reconstituted H⁺-ATPase. Its Δψ response can be calibrated by the K⁺/valinomycin method and ratiometric mode of fluorescence measurements reduces undesirable artefacts. In situ pH-sensitive fluorescent probe pyranine was used for quantitative measurements of pH inside the proteoliposomes. Calibration of pH-sensitive fluorescence response of pyranine entrapped inside proteoliposomes was performed with several ionophores combined in order to deplete the gradients passively formed across the membrane. Presented model system offers a suitable tool for simultaneous monitoring of both components of the proton electrochemical gradient, Δψ and ΔpH. This approach should help in further understanding how their formation is interconnected on biomembranes and even how transport of other ions is combined to it.     

Temperature dependence of the Mössbauer spectra of amorphous and nanocrystallized Fe86Zr7Cu1B6

Mössbauer measurements have been performed on amorphous and nanocrystalline alloy ribbons of nominal composition Fe₈₆Zr₇Cu₁B₆. The nanocrystalline samples were obtained by annealing the as-quenched alloy at different temperatures in the range between 650 and 870 K. Mössbauer spectra of the as-quenched amorphous sample have been recorded at 77 K, room temperature and above the Curie temperature (330 K) at 360 K. We have also performed Mössbauer measurements at room temperature in the nanocrystalline alloys to characterize the phases that appear after the annealing and their relative concentration. The as-quenched sample spectra reveal the existence of two inequivalent sites for Fe. Such a feature is also observed in the remaining amorphous phase of the annealed samples. In the first steps of crystallization, -Fe precipitates and its concentration increases with the annealing temperature. The experimental results suggest that the composition of the whole amorphous phase does not suffer large changes during crystallization.