Evaluation of Energy Utilization Efficiencies for SO2 and NO Removal by Pulsed Corona Discharge Process

Pulsed corona discharge process was applied to the removal of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from simulated flue gas. The energy transfer efficiency of the pulse generation circuit and the energy utilization efficiencies for SO ₂ and NO removal are evaluated and discussed. When the pulse-forming capacitance was five times larger than the geometric capacitance of the reactor, the energy utilization efficiency was maximized, and the energy requirements for NO and SO ₂ removal could be lowered. With regard to radical utilization efficiency, producing small amounts of radicals frequently was found to be more advantageous than producing large amounts of radicals less frequently. Removal efficiency of SO ₂ increased with the applied peak voltage, but the energy utilization efficiency was nearly independent of the peak voltage when the peak field intensity was high enough to induce corona discharge (above 10 kV cm ^–1 in this system).     

An integrated submersible fluorometer/nephelometer/ transmissometer: design and testing at sea

This paper describes a new submersible instrument which makes simultaneous measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence, beam attenuation and wide-angle scattering using a single xenon flashlamp as the light source. Cross-calibration against single-parameter commercial instruments shows satisfactory linear correlations, comparable resolution and enhanced dynamic range. The instrument package includes microprocessor control of data acquisition and a rechargeable battery pack. It is capable of acquiring high-resolution vertical profiles when deployed from a ship, or bio-optical time series from moorings. Results are presented here from initial deployments in inshore waters and in a deck tank at sea.     

Dynamics of Simultaneous, Single Ion Transport through Two Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Observation of a Three-State System

The ability to actively manipulate and transport single molecules in solution has the potential to revolutionize chemical synthesis and catalysis. In previous work, we developed a nanopore platform using the interior of a single-walled carbon nanotube (diameter = 1.5 nm) for the Coulter detection of single cations of Li(+), K(+), and Na(+). We demonstrate that as a result of their fabrication, such systems have electrostatic barriers present at their ends that are generally asymmetric, allowing for the trapping of ions. We show that above this threshold bias, traversing the nanopore end is not rate-limiting and that the pore-blocking behavior of two parallel nanotubes follows an idealized Markov process with the electrical potential. Such nanopores may allow for high-throughput linear processing of molecules as new catalysts and separation devices.     

Structural and thermodynamic investigations on the aggregation and folding of acylphosphatase by molecular dynamics simulations and solvation free energy analysis

Protein engineering method to study the mutation effects on muscle acylphosphatase (AcP) has been actively applied to describe kinetics and thermodynamics associated with AcP aggregation as well as folding processes. Despite the extensive mutation experiments, the molecular origin and the structural motifs for aggregation and folding kinetics as well as thermodynamics of AcP have not been rationalized at the atomic resolution. To this end, we have investigated the mutation effects on the structures and thermodynamics for the aggregation and folding of AcP by using the combination of fully atomistic, explicit-water molecular dynamics simulations, and three-dimensional reference interaction site model theory. The results indicate that the A30G mutant with the fastest experimental aggregation rate displays considerably decreased α1-helical contents as well as disrupted hydrophobic core compared to the wild-type AcP. Increased solvation free energy as well as hydrophobicity upon A30G mutation is achieved due to the dehydration of hydrophilic side chains in the disrupted α1-helix region of A30G. In contrast, the Y91Q mutant with the slowest aggregation rate shows a non-native H-bonding network spanning the mutation site to hydrophobic core and α1-helix region, which rigidifies the native state protein conformation with the enhanced α1-helicity. Furthermore, Y91Q exhibits decreased solvation free energy and hydrophobicity compared to wild type due to more exposed and solvated hydrophilic side chains in the α1-region. On the other hand, the experimentally observed slower folding rates in both mutants are accompanied by decreased helicity in α2-helix upon mutation. We here provide the atomic-level structures and thermodynamic quantities of AcP mutants and rationalize the structural origin for the changes that occur upon introduction of those mutations along the AcP aggregation and folding processes.     

Efficient and stereoselective syntheses of DAB-1 and d-fagomine via chiral 1,3-oxazine

The concise, stereocontrolled syntheses of DAB-1 and d-fagomine were achieved utilizing chiral oxazine. The key features in these strategies are the stereoselective intramolecular oxazine formation catalyzed by palladium(0), and pyrrolidine and piperidine formation by catalytic hydrogenation of oxazine.     

Efficient and rapid synthesis of regioselective functionalized potassium 1,2,3-triazoletrifluoroborates via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

In this study, we present a previously unreported method of preparing regiospecific organo-[1,2,3]-triazol-1-aryl-trifluoroborates from haloaryltrifluoroborates via a one-pot 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. We found that the use of either electron-rich or electron-deficient haloaryltrifluoroborates led to the desired cycloaddition products with good to excellent yields. Furthermore, we successfully carried out the cross-coupling reactions of the obtained triazoles with various aryl halides by means of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction in the presence of 3 mol % of Pd(PPh₃)₄ catalyst in a 20% aqueous 1,4-dioxane solution at 100 °C; all these reactions yielded complete conversion to the corresponding products. Besides providing a high level of personnel safety, our highly versatile approach allows the preparation of functionalized organotrifluoborates containing 1,2,3-triazoles with retained functionality.     

Spatial imaging of individual vibronic states in the interior of single molecules

Selective excitations of specific vibronic modes in position space are realized in single naphthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on an ultrathin alumina film by a scanning tunneling microscope at low temperature. Distinct spatial distributions are imaged for the different vibronic modes, which are in accordance with spectra recorded over different points of the molecule and its orbital structure. These distinct vibronic images, together with the differential conductance images and calculated molecular orbitals, lead to vibrational excitations that are associated with the doubly degenerate lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO)--LUMO-α and LUMO-β. These results reveal the presence of different molecular conformations on the surface and the nature of the electron-vibrational coupling.     

The McConnell equation for E.S.R. spectra of symmetrical diazanaphthalenes

Electron spin resonance spectra of the six symmetrical diazanaphthalene anions in N,N-dimethylformamide have been measured. The anions were generated within the microwave cavity by electro-reduction of the parent compound. The McConnell equation a _H = Q _CC ^H ρ C has been tested for the diazanaphthalenes with ρ C values calculated by the Hückel method and by the Pariser-Parr-Pople S.C.F. method with variable resonance integrals.     

Removal of pertechnetate from aqueous solution using activated pyrolytic rubber char

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Low-cost adsorbents, synthesized by pyrolysis of waste rubber (CR) and activated with KOH (CRA), have shown the high removal ability of...