Formation of nanostructured tin oxide semiconductors by a simple thermal redox process

Nanostructured tin oxide have been synthesized in one‐step process by a novel simple thermal reduction‐oxidation route. The results show that tin oxide nanowires and nanorods could be synthesized via thermal treatment of a mixture of tin oxide and charcoal powder in air at 1000‐1250°C. At a relatively low temperature, 1000°C, and time, 30 min, the tin oxide structure was found to be a bundle of dense nanorods. By increasing the reaction time to 180 min at the same temperature (1000°C), the bundles separated to form liberated individuals nanowires with almost round cross sectional view. With the increase of temperature and time, the morphology of tin oxide nanostructures varied from nanowires to well‐defined tetragonal rods. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

How Carbon Nanotube Crushing can Improve Flame Retardant Behaviour in Polymer Nanocomposites?

Nanocomposites based on an ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (27 wt.‐% vinyl acetate) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been prepared by melt blending and their thermal degradation and flame retardant properties have been evaluated. Special attention has been paid to the influence of the nanotube nature on the flammability properties and more particularly on the time to ignition (TTI) as measured by cone calorimetry. It has been shown that there is a strong influence of the nature of carbon nanotubes on the fire behaviour of the composites, especially previous MWNTs crushing proved to substantially delay the TTI while maintaining much reduced heat release rate (HRR). Such a remarkable behaviour might be explained by the chemical reactivity of radical species present at the surface/extremities of crushed MWNTs during the combustion process.

     

Grain and Leaf Anthocyanin Concentration Varies among Purple Rice Varieties and Growing Condition in Aerated and Flooded Soil

Anthocyanins are a group of pigments responsible for the red-blue color in plant parts, and have potential for health benefits and pharmaceutical ingredients. To evaluate whether anthocyanin concentrations in five purple rice varieties could be varied by water condition, plants were grown in waterlogged and aerobic (well-drained) soil. Grain anthocyanin concentration and grain yield were measured at maturity, while leaf anthocyanin concentrations were measured at booting and flowering stages. Four varieties grown under the waterlogged condition had 2.0–5.5 times higher grain anthocyanin than in the aerobic condition. There was a positive relationship between grain and leaf anthocyanin at booting in the waterlogged condition (r = 0.90, p < 0.05), while grain and leaf anthocyanin were positively correlated at flowering in both the waterlogged (r = 0.88, p < 0.05) and aerobic (r = 0.97, p < 0.01) conditions. The results suggest that water management should be adopted as a practical agronomic tool for improving the anthocyanin concentration of purple rice for specialist markets, but the specific responses between rice varieties to water management should be carefully considered.     

Removal of Malachite Green Dye from Aqueous Solution by Catalytic Wet Oxidation Technique Using Ni/Kaolin as Catalyst

In this study, natural Algerian kaolin was used as a support and impregnated with nickel at different loading amounts (2 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 7 wt.%) in order to prepare a supported catalyst. The wet impregnation technique was used in this preparation; nickel oxide (NiO) was the active phase precursor of the catalyst, and the catalysts were designated as follows: 2%, 5%, and 7% Ni/kaolin. These catalysts were put to the test in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) for degrading the organic contaminant malachite green dye (MG). Analytical techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET, and X-fluorescence were used to examine the structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the support and the produced catalysts. Several parameters, including temperature, catalytic dose, metal loading, hydrogen peroxide volume, and kinetic model were systematically investigated. The combination of improved parameters resulted in a significant increase in the catalytic activity, achieving a high removal rate of MG dye of 98.87%.     

Novel bifunctional lanthanide‐centered nanophosphors for latent fingerprint detection and anti‐counterfeiting applications

Production of hybrid organic/inorganic complexes such as lanthanide phosphors in the nanodomain for human fingerprint visualization and anti‐counterfeiting ink under biocompatible UVA and blue light has not yet been studied that thoroughly. This paper presents the preparation of novel, bifunctional, green and red nanophosphors based on Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes with quinolinone ligand (H₂L). They have been prepared and characterized for latent fingerprint detection and anti‐counterfeiting ink applications. The analytical data confirm that the ligand acts in a monoanionic bidentate manner through OO donor sites, forming mononuclear complexes, formulated as [Ln(HL)₃(C₂H₅OH)₃] (Ln = Eu³⁺ or Tb³⁺; L = 1‐ethyl‐4‐hydroxy‐3‐(nitroacetyl)quinolin‐2‐(1H)‐one). The Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes have nanospherical morphologies with average particle sizes of 17 and 5 nm, respectively. Pure red and green photoluminescence with long lifetime values has been obtained from the Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes, respectively, under non‐harmful UVA and blue illumination. Latent fingerprint details, including their characteristic three levels, have been clearly identified from various forensic (non‐porous, semi‐porous, highly fluorescent porous) substrates using red (Eu³⁺) and green (Tb³⁺) nanophosphors. The green nanophosphor powder has a greater capability for visualizing latent fingerprints from highly fluorescent porous surfaces as compared to the red one. Both nanophosphor complexes have been used to develop luminescent ink for anti‐counterfeiting applications.     

Assessment of the NM-Lines Sensitivity for Measurement Errors

In this work we investigate the sensitivity of the recently proposed NM-lines technique with respect to the error in the angle measurement in comparison with the conventional M-lines technique. The obtained results show that the NM-lines technique allows us to reduce the effect of the measurement errors and thus obtain better results for a given angular resolution.     

Biologically active polymers. V. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate‐co‐2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) derivatives with quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts

Antimicrobial copolymers bearing quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts based on a copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate were synthesized. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate‐co‐2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) was modified for the introduction of chloromethyl groups by its reaction with chloroacetyl chloride. The chloroacetylated copolymer was modified for the production of quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts. The antimicrobial activity of the obtained copolymers was studied against gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sp., and Salmonella typhae), gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilus and B. cereus), and the fungus Trichophyton rubrum by the cut‐plug method. The results showed that the three copolymers had high antimicrobial activity. A control experiment was carried out on the main polymer without ammonium or phosphonium groups. The copolymer bearing quaternary salt made from tributyl phosphine was the most effective copolymer against both gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria and the fungus T. rubrum. The diameters of the inhibition zones ranged between 20 and 60 mm after 24 h. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2384–2393, 2002     

Synthesis of Some 1,3-Thiazole, 1,3,4-Thiadiazole, Pyrazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazine, and 1,2,4-Triazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazine Derivatives Based on the Thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole Moiety

3-(3-Methylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-oxopropionitrile was synthesized by refluxing ethyl 3-methylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole-2-carboxylate, acetonitrile, and sodium hydride. Treatment of 3-(3-methylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-oxopropionitrile with phenyl isothiocyanate, in the presence of KOH, furnished the corresponding potassium salt which was converted into thioacetanilide derivative upon neutralization. The thioacetanilide derivative reacts with α-chloroacetylacetone and ethyl α-chloroacetoacetate to give the 1,3-thiazole derivatives, while the reaction of the'thioacetanilide derivative with hydrazonyl chlorides gave 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives. On the other hand, 3-(3-methylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-oxopropionitrile reacted with the diazonium salt of both 3-phenyl-5-amino-(1H)-pyrazole and 5-amino-l,2,4-(1H)-triazole to afford the corresponding hydrazones. The latter hydrazones underwent an intramolecular cyclization upon boiling in pyridine to give pyrazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazine and 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazine derivatives. Moreover, the behavior of thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazol-3(2H)-one towards phenyl isothiocyanate followed by the reaction with α-chloroketones or hydrazonyl chlorides was investigated. Some of the latter compounds exhibited moderate effects against some bacterial and fungal species.     

Tetrapyrazolic tripods. Synthesis and preliminary use in metal ion extraction

The synthesis of two new tetrapyrazolic tripods with a side-arm bearing a functionalized donor-group is reported. The complexing properties of these compounds towards heavy metal ions (Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺) and alkaline metal ions (K⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺) was studied by a liquid-liquid extraction process and the extracted cation percentage was determined by atomic absorption measurements.