Survival paths for reaction dynamics in fluctuating environments

We study rate processes in general Gaussian fluctuating environments using a path integral formalism. We derive a variational equation for the dominant survival path when the fluctuations relax exponentially or according to a stretched exponential law. In the case of a slowly varying barrier, the equilibrium regression approximation which is used by Frauenfelder and coworkers emerges. In this approximation, the survival path follows the ordinary law of relaxation to equilibrium. If the rate coefficients vary rapidly with environmental variables, however, the dominant survival paths exhibit more complex behaviour. Many phenomena analogous to geometrical optics occur. These include reflection off of rapid variations in rate constant, as well as refraction, giving paths very different from the equilibrium relaxation properties. A model with a piece-wise linear rate exhibits the basic phenomena, and the survival path equation is exactly solved for the general stretched exponential relaxing environment.     

UV-blocking property of dumbbell-shaped ZnO crystallites on cotton fabrics

A facile process to prepare uniform dumbbell-shaped ZnO crystallites was presented. The evidence in this Article discovered a unique morphological effect on the UV-blocking property. The as-prepared ZnO crystallites were characterized by XRD, HRTEM, FESEM, UV-blocking, and Raman scattering spectra. Our tentative investigation created a breakthrough to both the ultrahigh "Ultraviolet protection factor" (UPF) and the overall-range of complete UV-radiation blocking. Therefore, the as-prepared structural material demonstrated a significant advance in protective functional treatment and provided a potential commercialization.     

One-Pot Formation of Carbonates from the Reactions of Carbonyl Compounds with Samarium Diiodide and Methyl Chloroformate

Treatment of carbonyl compounds with SmI₂ and methyl chloroformate in the presence of molecular sieves provides the cyclic carbonates or biscarbonates of pinacols. This one-pot reaction proceeds rapidly even with aliphatic ketones. The stereochemistry obtained by this procedure is different from that of conventional pinacolic couplings.     

Synthesis and analytical application of tribromocarboxyarsenazo as a new chromogenic reagent for zirconium

A new chromogenic reagent tribromocarboxyarsenazo has been synthesized and the chromogenic reaction of this reagent with zirconium studied. In the medium of 0.5 mol/1 HCl, a blue complex is formed by the reaction of zirconium with tribromocarboxyarsenazo. The maximum absorption of the complex is at 633 nm, and the apparent molar absorptivity is 4.8 x 10(4) 1/mol/cm. Beer's law is obeyed over the zirconium concentration range 0-18, mug/25 ml. The method has been applied to the determination of zirconium in aluminum, copper and magnesium alloys with satisfactory results.     

Dichloro bis(η5) molybdenum catalysed reduction of organic halides by sodium borohydride

Summary Dichloro bis(⁵) molybdenum catalyses the reduction of organic halides by sodium borohydride smoothly and selectively. The reactions with representative organic monohalides and polyhalides are investigated. The ease of reduction depends on the structure of the halide and the solvent used. alkoxycarbonyl and cyano groups are unattacked in the reaction. An oxidative addition-reductive elimination mechanism is tentatively suggested.     

Pushing the detectability of voltammetry: how low can we go?

The coupling of adsorptive accumulation with catalytic reactions results in remarkably low (sub-picomolar) detection limits. This review assesses various strategies for attaining such dual-amplification effects, that lead to the most sensitive voltammetric technique, adsorptive-catalytic stripping voltammetry (AdCtSV).     

Adsorption and interaction of ethylene on RuO2(110) surfaces

Ethylene (C2H4) adsorbed on the stoichiometric and oxygen-rich RuO2(110) surfaces, exposing coordinatively unsaturated Ru-cus and O-cus atoms, is investigated by applying high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy and thermal desorption spectroscopy in combination with isotope labeling experiments. On the stoichiometric RuO2(110) surface C2H4 adsorbs and desorbs molecularly. In contrast, on the oxygen-rich RuO2(110) surface ethylene adsorbs molecularly at 85 K and is completely oxidized through interaction with O-cus and O-bridge upon annealing to 500 K. The first couple of reactions are observed at 200 K taking place on Ru-cus: A change from pi- to sigma-bonding, formation of -C=O and -C-O groups, and dehydrogenation giving rise to H2O adsorbed at Ru-cus. Maximum reaction rate is reached for C2H4 chemisorbed at Ru-cus with O-cus neighbors on each side. A model for the first couple of reactions is sketched. For the final combustion, C2H4 reacts both with O-cus and O-bridge. Ethylene oxide is not detected under any circumstance.     

Photoinduced deformation of amphiphilic azo polymer colloidal spheres

Photoinduced shape deformation of colloidal spheres made of an amphiphilic azo polymer has been demonstrated in this work. The polymer contains the donor-and-acceptor-type azobenzene chromophores and can form uniform colloidal spheres by dropwise adding water into its THF solution. When the colloidal spheres obtained were exposed to the interfering p-polarized Ar+ laser beams (150 mW/cm2), the colloidal spheres changed to prolates (i.e., "rugby-balls"), "spindles", and finally "rods", depending on the irradiation times. The elongated direction of the spheres was observed to be the same as the polarization direction of the laser beam. The average major-to-minor ratio of the ellipsoids could be easily adjusted by controlling the irradiation time. The deformation effect observed in this work can offer a new way to prepare nonspherical colloids from colloidal spheres and will shed new light on the correlation between the photodriven shape deformation and photoinduced surface relief gratings for the same type of polymers.     

Study of the Fluorescence System of Europium–Enoxacin and its Applications

 This paper is the study of the fluorescence enhancement of Eu³⁺-1-ethyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1,8-naphthyridin-3-carbonic acid (enoxacin, EFLX) system by surfactants. It was found that sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) exhibits great enhancement on the fluorescence of the Eu-EFLX system. The molar ratio is 1:2:1 for Eu:EFLX: SDBS. Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity is a linear function of europium in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁸ ∼ 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L, the detection limit is 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol/L. The application of the Eu-EFLX-SDBS system for the determination of trace europium in rare earth samples gave satisfactory results. Received October 19, 2000. Revision August 10, 2001.