Electrochemical behaviour of an indium electrode in concentrated KOH solutions at different temperatures

Summary The electrochemical behaviour of pure indium in KOH solutions (1–4M) was studied at different temperatures (25–70°C) by potentiostatic techniques. Two anodic peaks corresponding to the formation of In(OH)₃ and In₂O₃ were observed. The heights of the two peaks increased with the increase of alkali concentration. An increase of temperature increased the peak currents and shifted their corresponding potentials to more negative values. The variation of the peak currents and peak potentials with scan rate suggested that the anodic dissolution of indium was a diffusion controlled process. In cyclic voltammetry, the reverse scan consistently showed one peak which was attributed to the reduction of anodic oxidation products into indium. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of In(OH)₃ at the first anodic peak, In(OH)₃ and In₂O₃ at the second anodic peak and In₂O₃ in the permanent passive region.

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Zum elektrochemischen Verhalten einer Indium-Elektrode in konzentrierter Kalilauge bei verschiedenen Temperaturen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde das Verhalten von reinem Indium in 1 – 4M KOH-Lösungen bei Temperaturen zwischen 25 und 70°C mittels potentiostatischer Methoden untersucht. Zwei anodische Peaks, entsprechend der Bildung von In(OH)₃ und In₂O₃, traten auf. Die Höhe der beiden Peaks wurde mit zunehmender Alkalikonzentration gesteigert. Eine Temperaturerhöhung verstärkte die Peakströme und verschob die entsprechenden Potentiale zu negativeren Werten. Die Abhängigkeit der Peakströme und Peakpotentiale von der Scangeschwindigkeit legte den Schluß nahe, daß die anodische Lösung von Indium in einem diffusionskontrollierten Prozeß stattfindet. Bei der cyclischen Voltammetrie zeigte der reverse Scan einheitlich einen Peak, der der Reduktion der anodischen Oxidationsprodukte zu Indium zugeschrieben wurde. Röntgendiffraktionsanalyse bestätigte die Präsenz von In(OH)₃ beim ersten anodischen Peak, In(OH)₃ beim zweiten Peak und In₂O₃ im permanent passiven Bereich.

     

Synthesis of thienothiazocinoisoindolediones and thienothiazinoisoindolones from mercaptothiophenes and chloromethylphthalimide

2-Thienylthiomethylphthalimides 3a,b were synthesized by action of Chloromethylphthalimide on 2-or 3-mercaptothiophene. Reduction of 3a,b and Wittig reaction using carbethoxycarbonyltriphenyl-phosphorane gave the corresponding acetic acids 5a,b which cyclized under Friedel and Crafts conditions to lead the thienothiazocinoisoindolediones 6a,b. Thienothiazinoisoindolones 7a,b were obtained from hydroxyisoindolones derivatives 4a,b in acid conditions via an acyliminium ion.     

Studies on extraction of beryllium by di-(2-ethyl hexyl)-phosphoric acid from hydrochloric acid solutions

The distribution of Be between aqueous HCl solutions and organic phases of di-(2-ethyl hexyl)-phosphoric acid, has been described. The dependence of extraction on aqueous acidity, metal and extractant concentration as also on the diluent type, was thoroughly examined. The possible mechanism of extraction has been discussed in the light of results obtained.     

Conversion of sugarcane bagasse to carboxylic acids using a mixed culture of mesophilic microorganisms

Using the MixAlco process, biomass can be converted into carboxylic acids, which can be chemically converted into mixed alcohol fuels. This study focused on the use of countercurrent fermentation to anaerobically convert sugarcane bagasse and chicken manure to mixed carboxylic acids using a mixed culture of mesophilic microorganisms from terrestrial and marine sources. Bagasse was pretreated with lime to increase digestibility. The continuum particle distribution model (CPDM) simulated continuous fermentors based on data collected from batch experiments. This model saves considerable time in determining optimum operating conditions. For an 80% bagasse/20% chicken manure fermentation with terrestrial inoculum at a volatile solids loading rate (VSLR) of 7.36 g/(L of liquid·d) and a liquid residence time (LRT) of 8.88 d, total carboxylic acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield were 2.49 g/(L of liquid·d), 0.581 g of total acid/g of VS digested, and 0.338 g of total acid/g of VS fed, respectively, at a concentration of 18.7 g of total acid/L. At the same VSLR and LRT, fermentation with marine inoculum gave higher total acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield than fermentation with terrestrial inoculum. For an 80% bagasse/20% chicken manure fermentation with marine inoculum at a VSLR of 3.83 g/(L of liquid·d) and an LRT of 12.1 d, total carboxylic acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield were 1.38 g/(L of liquid·d), 0.667 g of total acid/g of VS digested, and 0.359 g of total acid/g of VS fed, respectively, at a concentration of 16.2 g of total acid/L.     

Structural chemistry of amino acid complexes

Summary Complex formation between Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II and the amino acids (cysteine, cystine and methionine) in the solid state were investigated by elemental analyses, i.r. and electronic spectra, and magnetic susceptibilities     

Aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate catalyzed by copper metal and some of its compounds

The aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with sodium bisulfite as initiator was carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere with and without inorganic substances like copper metal, cupric and cuprous oxides, and cupric sulfide. It was also done in the presence of organocopper compounds like copper phthalocyanine and copper biphthalocyanine. The catalytic effect of these compounds was studied. Mildly heated cupric sulfide proved to have a small catalytic effect on the polymerization process that may be attributed to the retarding effect of the released elementary sulfur. The catalytic effect of the different copper compounds and the copper metal equivalent contained in them was studied. The polymerization process revealed that cuprous and cupric oxides possess the highest catalytic influence. An attempt was made to investigate the role of the different anions on the polymerization process. It was found that an increase on the concentration of the copper compounds leads to a corresponding increase in the catalytic effect. It was also observed that the behavior of insoluble copper catalysts is different from that of the soluble. The effect of these catalysts on the average molecular weight of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) produced was also examined.     

The use of Omega Chrome Fast Blue 2G in the microdetermination of some metals

Summary Omega Chrome Fast Blue 2G has been found to be a suitable indicator for the detection of the equivalence point of calcium, magnesium and manganese in the presence of cadmium, nickel, and aluminium, when they are masked by the addition of cyanide or triethanolamine. It is also a suitable indicator for the back titration of aluminium using calcium or magnesium as a back titrant.This dye has also been found to be a suitable reagent for the colorimetric determination of calcium, magnesium, manganese and thorium.     

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto fluorinated polymers. I. Kinetic study on the grafting onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) copolymer

Direct radiation-induced grafting of aqueous acrylic acid (AAc) onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) (ET) film has been studied. The effect of grafting conditions such as monomer concentration, exposure dose, dose rate, and film thickness on the grafting yield was investigated. The dependence of the grafting rate on monomer concentration was found to be 1.2 order. The dependence of the grafting rate on dose rate was found to be 0.6 order regardless of the film thickness. The relationship between the grafting rate and film thickness gave a negative first-order dependence. The results suggest that the grafting process is mainly controlled by monomer diffusion, and it was concluded that this grafting system proceeded by the front mechanism. The swelling behavior increases linearly with degree of grafting. The electrical conductivity and mechanical properties for the trunk and grafted polymer were investigated at different irradiation doses in air and under vacuum irradiations. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The determination of selenium concentration in blood and tumour tissues of breast cancer patients in Syria using instrumental neutron activation analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of selenium concentration in blood components and tumour tissues of breast cancer patients and healthy volunteers (control), in Syria, using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Red blood cells and serum selenium concentrations were determined in 50 healthy volunteers aged 25-70 years and 70 breast cancer patients aged 25-84 years. Selenium levels were also measured in malignant and adjacent normal tissues from breast cancer patients. The accuracy of the analysis was evaluated by co-analyses of international reference materials. The results showed that selenium concentration in serum and RBC was significantly lower among breast cancer patients compared to healthy volunteers (P<0.001). The results also showed that the selenium concentration was significantly higher in the cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues (P<0.001). We conclude that there is a good indication for selenium deviation in blood and malignant tissue of breast cancer patients compared to that of healthy volunteers. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.