Gas‐Phase Olefin Polymerization in the Presence of Supported and Self‐Supported Ziegler‐Natta Catalysts

The RPPFM is employed to describe the gas‐phase catalytic polymerization of ethylene in the presence of supported or self‐supported Z‐N catalysts. Numerical simulations are carried out to analyze the effect of the catalyst type on the polymerization rate, particle overheating and the average molecular polymer properties of the polyolefin. It is shown that non‐porous, self‐supported Ziegler‐Natta catalysts exhibit higher particle growth rates and lower particle overheating. The average molecular weight of polyethylene produced by both catalysts is almost identical. Depending on particle size and polymer crystallinity, the average monomer solubility and the effective monomer diffusivity can significantly vary.

     

The laser-induced discoloration of stonework; a comparative study on its origins and remedies

For understanding the phenomena associated with the discoloration observed in some cases of infrared laser cleaned stonework surfaces, a comparative study of three different types and morphologies of pollution encrustation and stone substrates was undertaken. Fragments originating from monuments with historic and/or artistic value, bearing homogeneous thin soiling on Pentelic marble (Athens, Greece), thick encrustation on Hontoria limestone (Burgos, Spain) and compact thin crust on gypsum decorations (Athens, Greece), have been studied on the basis of their composition and origin, together with the conditions that may induce yellowing effects upon their laser cleaning with IR wavelengths. While irradiation in the UV (i.e. at 355 nm) could not effectively remove the encrustations studied, irradiation at 1,064 nm was found efficient to remove all the studied pollution accumulations. Discoloration towards yellow was evident in all cases and at different levels, including the samples with intentional patination layer. To the limit of Raman detection no chemical alterations were detected on the irradiated areas while the presence of yellow polar compounds in all the pollution crusts studied supports the argument that the discoloration of the stone surfaces upon their IR irradiation may be due to the uncovering of existing yellow layers as result of the migration of these compounds inwards to the original stone surface. To correct and/or prevent such undesired coloration the use of IR and UV radiation both in sequential and synchronous mode was considered, with positive results.     

Effects of Organic Solvents on Immobilized Lipase in Pectin Microspheres

Lipase from Brevibacillus agri 52 was found stable up to 90% diethylenglycol (DEG), glycerol (GLY), and 1,2 propanediol (1,2 PRO) at 37 degrees C for 1 h and the stability was reduced only approximately 20% after 12 h incubation, but in 40% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), lipase activity was stable only for 1 h. Inhibition of the biocatalysts with dimethylformamide (DMF) was detected at 20% solvent concentration. In water immiscible systems, the stability of lipase in n-hexane, n-tetradecane and n-heptane resembles the water activity, but in the presence of isobutanol, 1-hexanol, and butylbutirate, the stability was significantly reduced. Lipase 52 precipitates in the presence of 50% acetone or ethanol/water mixtures, but enzymatic activity was partially recovered by adding 20% GLY, DEG, 1,2 PRO, or DMSO to the reaction mixture. Furthermore, by increasing DEG in 70% DMF/DEG mixtures, the lipase activity was protected. Encapsulation of lipase in pectin gels cross-linked with calcium ions brings three to four times more enzymatic activity in 70% water miscible organic solvents compared to aqueous systems.     

In Situ Functionalized Polymers for siRNA Delivery

A new method is reported herein for screening the biological activity of functional polymers across a consistent degree of polymerization and in situ, that is, under aqueous conditions and without purification/isolation of candidate polymers. In brief, the chemical functionality of a poly(acryloyl hydrazide) scaffold was activated under aqueous conditions using readily available aldehydes to obtain amphiphilic polymers. The transport activity of the resulting polymers can be evaluated in situ using model membranes and living cells without the need for tedious isolation and purification steps. This technology allowed the rapid identification of a supramolecular polymeric vector with excellent efficiency and reproducibility for the delivery of siRNA into human cells (HeLa‐EGFP). The reported method constitutes a blueprint for the high‐throughput screening and future discovery of new polymeric functional materials with important biological applications.     

Biologically Inspired C−H and C=C Oxidations with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Iron Coordination Complexes

The development of catalysts for the selective oxidation of readily available hydrocarbons or organic precursors into oxygenated products is a long‐standing goal in organic synthesis. In the last decade, some iron coordination complexes have shown the potential to fit this role. These catalysts can mimic the O?O activation mode of far more sophisticated iron oxygenase enzymes, generating powerful yet selective oxidants. In this review, we report state‐of‐the‐art C?H and C=C oxidations catalyzed by non‐heme iron complexes and H₂O₂ as the oxidant. Finally, we briefly describe some novel oxidative reactivity and the perspectives of this chemistry.     

Scaling in nonstationary voltammetry representations

Despite the widespread use of voltammetry for a range of chemical, biological, environmental, and industrial applications, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the functionality between the applied voltage and the resulting patterns in the current response. This is due to the highly nonlinear relation between the applied voltage and the nonstationary current response, which casts a direct association nonintuitive. In this Article, we focus on large-amplitude/high-frequency ac voltammetry, a technique that has shown to offer increased voltammetric detail compared to alternative methods, to study heterogeneous electrochemical reaction-diffusion cases using a nonstationary time-series analysis, the Hilbert transform, and symmetry considerations. We show that application of this signal processing technique minimizes the significant capacitance contribution associated with rapid voltammetric measurements. From a series of numerical simulations conducted for different voltage excitation parameters as well as kinetic, thermodynamic, and mass transport parameters, a number of scaling laws arise that are related to the underlying parameters/dynamics of the process. Under certain conditions, these observations allow the determination of all underlying parameters very rapidly, experiment duration typically相似文献   

Self-assembling of nanoscopic molecular rectangles, extended helicates and porous-like materials based on macrocyclic dicopper building blocks under fine supramolecular control

Upon reaction with a dicarboxylate linker, macrocyclic dicopper complexes encode for a selective supramolecular 2 + 2 self-assembly of nanoscopic rectangles, a new class of molecular helicates, and porous-like materials via fine structural control at three supramolecular levels.     

Preventive doping control analysis: liquid and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry for detection of designer steroids

A new combined doping control screening method for the analysis of anabolic steroids in human urine using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LCoaTOFMS) and gas chromatography/electron ionization orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCoaTOFMS) has been developed in order to acquire accurate full scan MS data to be used to detect designer steroids. The developed method allowed the detection of representative prohibited substances, in addition to steroids, at concentrations of 10 ng/mL for anabolic agents and metabolites, 30 ng/mL for corticosteroids, 500 ng/mL for stimulants and beta-blockers, 250 ng/mL for diuretics, and 200 ng/mL for narcotics. Sample preparation was based on liquid-liquid extraction of hydrolyzed human urine, and the final extract was analyzed as trimethylsilylated derivatives in GCoaTOFMS and underivatized in LCoaTOFMS in positive ion mode. The sensitivity, mass accuracy, advantages and limitations of the developed method are presented.     

Amphiphilic networks based on cross-linked star polymers: a small-angle neutron scattering study

Four different polymer model networks of identical molecular architecture based on cross-linked stars (CLSs) were investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). One of the model networks was a hydrophilic homopolymer CLS of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and the other three were amphiphilic copolymer CLS co-networks of DMAEMA and hydrophobic methyl methacrylate (MMA): one based on a star with random copolymer arms and the other two based on heteroarm star copolymers. For the homopolymer and random copolymer star networks, the scattering curves show shoulders at low values of the scattering vector, indicating very small compacted domains with radii of 1.0-1.3 nm, with the random copolymer star co-network having somewhat larger domains. For the heteroarm star co-networks, pronounced peak maxima are observed because of a much higher degree of microphase structuring than for the other two co-networks. The scattering patterns are described by the presence of well-defined hydrophobic domains with radii of 7.1 and 10.3 nm in the two heteroarm star co-networks, respectively, thereby proving pronounced microphase separation in these systems.