Hydrophobization of epoxy nanocomposite surface with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane for superhydrophobic properties

Nature inspires the design of synthetic materials with superhydrophobic properties, which can be used for applications ranging from self-cleaning surfaces to microfluidic devices. Their water repellent properties are due to hierarchical (micrometer- and nanometre-scale) surface morphological structures, either made of hydrophobic substances or hydrophobized by appropriate surface treatment. In this work, the efficiency of two surface treatment procedures, with a hydrophobic fluoropolymer, synthesized and deposited from 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane (PFOTS) is investigated. The procedures involved reactions from the gas and liquid phases of the PFOTS/hexane solutions. The hierarchical structure is created in an epoxy nanocomposite surface, by filling the resin with alumina nanoparticles and micron-sized glass beads and subsequent sandblasting with corundum microparticles. The chemical structure of the deposited fluoropolymer was examined using XPS spectroscopy. The topography of the modified surfaces was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The hydrophobic properties of the modified surfaces were investigated by water contact and sliding angles measurements. The surfaces exhibited water contact angles of above 150° for both modification procedures, however only the gas phase modification provided the non-sticking behaviour of water droplets (sliding angle of 3°). The discrepancy is attributed to extra surface roughness provided by the latter procedure.     

Photoacoustic infrared spectroscopic studies of silica gels with organically functionalized surface

The article shows the application of photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a tool for identification of signal characteristics of organic ligands immobilized at the silica gel. Each of the compounds studied had an alkyl chain. Therefore, the differences could be observed on the basis of the position (wavenumbers) and appearance of bands typical of the carbon–hydrogen stretching vibrations. However, an important observation was that depending on the organic unit at the silica surface, it was possible to easily distinguish between signals specific to the ligand. The only exception was the system with functional groups whose signals coincided with the bands typical of inorganic silica.     

The ?ojasiewicz exponent of nondegenerate surface singularities

We give some estimations of the ?ojasiewicz exponent of nondegenerate surface singularities in terms of their Newton diagrams. We also give an exact formula for the ?ojasiewicz exponent of such singularities in some special cases. The results are stronger than Fukui inequality?[8]. It is also a multidimensional generalization of the Lenarcik theorem?[13].     

Assessing interbank contagion using simulated networks

This paper presents a new approach to randomly generate interbank networks while overcoming shortcomings in the availability of bank-by-bank bilateral exposures. Our model can be used to simulate and assess interbank contagion effects on banking sector soundness and resilience. We find a strongly non-linear pattern across the distribution of simulated networks, whereby only for a small percentage of networks the impact of interbank contagion will substantially reducoe average solvency of the system. In the vast majority of the simulated networks the system-wide contagion effects are largely negligible. The approach furthermore enables to form a view about the most systemic banks in the system in terms of the banks whose failure would have the most detrimental contagion effects on the system as a whole. Finally, as the simulation of the network structures is computationally very costly, we also propose a simplified measure—a so-called Systemic Probability Index—that also captures the likelihood of contagion from the failure of a given bank to honour its interbank payment obligations but at the same time is less costly to compute. We find that the SPI is broadly consistent with the results from the simulated network structures.     

Study on platinum(II) induced formation of dithiiranes

The reaction of a series of stable alpha-chlorinated oligosulfanes 2 and 3 with [Pt(eta(2)-C(2)H(4))(Ph(3)P)2] 1 have been investigated. Starting with the alpha-chlorodisulfanes 2 a,b, the platinum dichloride complex 5 and the side-on bonded thioketone platinum complexes 6 a,b were formed. Complex 1 was treated with corresponding trisulfanes 3 a,b to give 5, 6 a,b and the dithiolatocomplexes 7 a,b. We assume that the {Pt(0)(Ph(3)P)2}-complex fragment inserted along the S--S bond to form the unstable intermediate G, which decomposed to form the products described above. We could prove that the sterically crowded 1,2,4-trithiolane 8 was not involved in the reaction pathway by treatment of 1 with 8 under the same conditions; after 24 h, 8 was found to be unreacted. X-ray structure analyses were performed on complexes 6 a, 7 a and 7 b.     

Flushing time and storage effects on the accuracy and precision of carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of sample using the Gasbench II technique

Continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry interfaced with a Gasbench II is used for automated and faster analyses of delta(13)C and delta(18)O in water, carbonate, and air samples that are accurate and highly precise. Prior to online chemistry and measurement using the Gasbench technique, rubber septa-capped glass vials are routinely flushed to remove air. Due to the small amounts of sample gas required for isotope analyses using current techniques, care should be taken to properly flush these vials to avoid contamination of sample gas with air. Our results indicate that isotopic composition of sample CO(2) gas remains constant when 10 mL vials are flushed (rate of 100 mL/min) for > or =600 s, whereas for vials flushed <600 s, the isotopic composition becomes substantially lighter with decreasing time of flushing, which affects the accuracy of analyses. This largely depends on the isotopic composition (and volume) of air that still remains after flushing. This effect is more pronounced on delta(18)O than on delta(13)C of sample CO(2) gas because there is very little carbon in the air. After 24 h storage in vials with punctured septa, both delta(13)C and delta(18)O of CO(2) become isotopically heavier compared with first day analyses, suggesting time-dependent changes in isotopic composition. The magnitude of shift depends on the concentration and the isotopic composition of CO(2) in laboratory air as well as on fractionation due to outflow of sample gas or inflow of air via punctured septa. Contamination of sample gas with air can be observed as a secondary peak on chromatograms that precedes sample peaks, and the intensity of these peaks depends on the amount of air. Such peaks are always present with short flushing times. For accuracy and better precision, irrespective of the magnitude of the secondary peaks, the analyses should be discarded if these appear in the chromatograms.     

Fragmentation and skeletal rearrangements of 2-arylylamino-5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles and their noncovalent complexes with cobalt cation and cyclodextrin studied by mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometric fragmentation pathways of title compounds were studied by electron ionization (EI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) as methods of ion generation. To explain the observed complex skeletal rearrangements, tandem mass spectrometry, accurate mass measurement and isotope labeling (compounds containing one 13C atom in oxadiazole ring) were used. Loss of CO, N2 and H atoms under EI conditions led to the formation of 9,10-dihydroacridine-type ions, loss of NH3 under ESI conditions yielded the 4-phenylphthalazinone-type ions and the loss of HNCO under ESI conditions produced N-arylamino-benzonitrilium ions; however, this process can be affected by the electron-donor/electron-withdrawing properties of groups substituted at the phenyl rings. The ESI was used to study the complexes of the compounds with cobalt as well as with cyclodextrin. It was found that the compounds studied tend to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrin of stoichiometry 1:1 and complexes of different stoichiometries with cobalt, although those of stoichiometry 6:1 and 4:1 are favored and the attachment of counter ion may stabilize the complexes 3:1 and 2:1.     

The effect of heating on background and radiation-induced EPR signals in tooth enamel

The presented study is a continuation of our work performed during participation in the Third International Intercomparison on EPR Tooth Dosimetry. During the process of samples preparation, all 22 enamel samples were accidentally exposed for about 30 min to 150 degrees C temperature. This considerably affected shape of their EPR spectra mainly due to substantial increase in the background signal, which approximately doubled its contribution to the spectra. These effects were studied closer under controlled conditions of the delivered dose and heating temperature using another enamel samples. The observed changes in the spectra shape partially faded within a few days after heating. The heating resulted also in a noticeable generation of a spectral component similar to the dosimetric signal induced in enamel by radiation. The temperature-induced dosimetric component in EPR spectra of the heated samples remained constant for 32 days. Deviations in calculated contributions of the dosimetric signal into total EPR spectra of irradiated sample varied from -12 to +15% of its initial contribution in the non-heated enamel, depending on type of the background spectrum applied in numerical processing of the spectra.