Gas-temperature imaging in a low-pressure flame reactor for nano-particle synthesis with multi-line NO-LIF thermometry

Multi-line NO-LIF temperature imaging was applied to measure two-dimensional gas-temperature fields in a low-pressure, premixed flat-flame nano-particle generator during nano-particles synthesis. It was the first time that this calibration-free technique was applied in a low-pressure combustion system. The laser fluence was limited to 4 kW/cm² in order to avoid saturation of the LIF signal, which influences the temperature results. While minimizing the elastically scattered light, the efficiency of the LIF detection system improved. This enables measurements with low tracer concentrations that do not influence the nano-particle generation process or the flame chemistry. An optimized scan range for excitation spectra was applied to measure flame temperatures between 600 and 1500 K in a 175×50 mm² field with an accuracy of ±2%. It was found that the TiO₂ nano-particle generation process does not influence the flame temperature under typical operating conditions. Pressure effects on the temperature distribution were investigated. The data is required for the simulation of nano-particle formation based on kinetic modeling. PACS 07.20.Dt; 42.62.Fi; 61.46.Df     

Anisotropic agarose gels

Agarose hydrogels deswell reversibly over a wide range of concentration. Two types of deswelling measurements are considered here, isotropic and uniaxial. We describe some of the properties of the gels observed in the deswollen state. In both the isotropic and uniaxial geometry, the swelling pressure varies approximately as the square of the concentration.     

Synthesis and Strong Solvatochromism of Push-Pull Thienylthiazole Boron Complexes

The solvatochromic behavior of two donor-π bridge-acceptor (D-π-A) compounds based on the 2-(3-boryl-2-thienyl)thiazole π-linker and indandione acceptor moiety are investigated. DFT/TD-DFT calculations were performed in combination with steady-state absorption and emission measurements, along with electrochemical studies, to elucidate the effect of two different strongly electron-donating hydrazonyl units on the solvatochromic and fluorescence behavior of these compounds. The Lippert–Mataga equation was used to estimate the change in dipole moments (Δµ) between ground and excited states based on the measured spectroscopic properties in solvents of varying polarity with the data being supported by theoretical studies. The two asymmetrical D-π-A molecules feature strong solvatochromic shifts in fluorescence of up to ~4300 cm⁻¹ and a concomitant change of the emission color from yellow to red. These changes were accompanied by an increase in Stokes shift to reach values as large as ~5700–5800 cm⁻¹. Quantum yields of ca. 0.75 could be observed for the N,N-dimethylhydrazonyl derivative in nonpolar solvents, which gradually decreased along with increasing solvent polarity, as opposed to the consistently reduced values obtained for the N,N-diphenylhydrazonyl derivative of up to ca. 0.20 in nonpolar solvents. These two push–pull molecules are contrasted with a structurally similar acceptor-π bridge-acceptor (A-π-A) compound.     

A study of alpha-helix hydration in polypeptides, proteins, and viruses using vibrational raman optical activity

A vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) study, supplemented by protein X-ray crystal structure data, of alpha-helices in polypeptides, proteins, and viruses has suggested that ROA bands in the extended amide III spectral region may be used to distinguish between two types of right-handed alpha-helix. One type, associated with a positive ROA band at approximately 1300 cm(-1), dominates in hydrophobic environments and appears to be unhydrated; the other, associated with a positive ROA band at approximately 1340 cm(-1), dominates in hydrophilic environments and appears to be hydrated. Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that unhydrated alpha-helix corresponds to the canonical conformation alpha(c) and hydrated alpha-helix to a more open conformation alpha(o) stabilized by hydrogen bonding of a water molecule or a hydrophilic side chain to the peptide carbonyl. Alpha-helical poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-ornithine) in aqueous solution and poly(L-alanine) in dichloracetic acid display both bands, but alpha-helical poly(l-glutamic acid) in aqueous solution and poly(gamma-benzyl L-glutamate) in CHCl(3) display only the approximately 1340 cm(-1) band and so may exist purely as alpha(o) due to enhanced stabilization of this conformation by particular side chain characteristics. The ROA spectrum of poly(beta-benzyl L-aspartate) in CHCl(3) reveals that it exists in a single left-handed alpha-helical state more analogous to alpha(o) than to alpha(c).     

Complexes of Click‐Derived Bistriazolylpyridines: Remarkable Electronic Influence of Remote Substituents on Thermodynamic Stability as well as Electronic and Magnetic Properties

2,6‐Bis(1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)pyridine (btp) ligands with substitution patterns ranging from strongly electron‐donating to strongly electron‐accepting groups, readily prepared by means of Cu‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition (the “click” reaction), were investigated with regard to their complexation behavior, and the properties of the resulting transition‐metal compounds were compared. Metal–btp complexes of 1:1 stoichiometry, that is, [Ru(btp)Cl₂(dmso)] and [Zn(btp)Br₂], could be isolated and were crystallographically characterized: they display octahedral and trigonal‐bipyramidal coordination geometries, respectively, and exhibit high aggregation tendencies due to efficient π–π stacking leading to low solubilities. Metal–btp complexes of 1:2 stoichiometry, that is, [Fe(btp)₂]²⁺ and [Ru(btp)₂]²⁺, could also be synthesized and their metal centers show the expected octahedral coordination spheres. The iron compounds exhibit quite a complex magnetic behavior in the solid state including spin crossover near room temperature, and hysteresis and locking into high‐spin states on tempering at 400 K, depending on the substituents on the btp ligands. Cyclic voltammetry studies of [Ru(btp)₂]²⁺ reveal strong modulation of the oxidation potentials by more than 0.6 V and a clear linear correlation to the Hammett constant (σ_para) of the substituent at the pyridine core. Isothermal titration calorimetry was used to measure the thermodynamics of the Fe^II–btp complexation process and enabled accurate determination of the complexation enthalpies, which display a linear relationship with the σ_para values for the terminal phenyl substituents. Detailed NMR spectroscopic studies finally revealed that in the case of Fe^II complexation, dynamics are rapid for all investigated btp derivatives in acetonitrile, while replacing Fe^II by Ru^II or changing the solvent to dichloromethane effectively slows down ligand exchange. The results nicely demonstrate the utility of substituent parameters, originally developed for linear free‐energy relationships to explain reactivity in organic reactions, in coordination chemistry, and to illustrate the potential to custom‐design btp ligands and complexes thereof with predictable properties. The fast equilibration of the [Fe(btp)₂]²⁺ complexes together with their tunable stability and interesting magnetic properties should enable the design of dynamic metallosupramolecular materials with advantageous properties.     

Anodic silver (II) oxides investigated by combined electrochemistry,ex situ XPS and in situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy

Silver (II) oxide layers (AgO) were prepared by anodic oxidation of pre‐oxidized, Ag₂O‐covered silver electrodes in 1 M NaOH (pH 13.8). The oxidized electrodes were investigated using a combination of electrochemical techniques, ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ surface‐sensitive grazing incidence X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) under full potential control. The application of these different techniques leads to a detailed, consistent picture of the anodic silver (II) oxide layer formation. The experiments have shown that the chemical composition of the AgO layer varies significantly with oxidation potential, revealing a decreasing oxygen deficiency with increasing anodization potential and oxidation time. XPS as well as EXAFS experiments support the interpretation of the oxide as a mixed valence Ag ⁺ Ag^{3 +} O₂ with different contributions of Ag ⁺ and Ag^{3 +} species, depending on potential and anodization time. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.