Numerical solution of hydraulic models based on the axially-dispersed plug flow model by Laplace transforms

The problem of solving hydraulic models based on the axially-dispersed plug flow model which are applicable for the mathematical modelling of different flow-through systems both in chemical analysis (e.g., chromatography, flow injection analysis) and chemical industry (e.g., different tubular reactors) is discussed. Methods for numerical inversion of the model solution in the Laplace domain by expanding it into series of orthogonal functions are compared. Best results with respect to precision and consumption of computation time are given by the methods employing Chebyshov polynomials of the first kind and Fourier sine series. These methods were found to be better in these respects than some other frequently used numerical inversion methods.     

Corrosion Protection by Self-Assembly

The inhibition effect and properties of adsorption layers formed by molecule series ,-diphosphono-alkane on iron surface are investigated. A significant difference is obtained in inhibition effect between compounds having alkyl chains with odd and even numbers of carbon atoms; better protection can be achieved by use of diphosphonates containing odd numbers of methylene groups. The best corrosion inhibition could be attained with 1,7-diphosphono-heptane (1,7-DPH). It is found that a certain threshold concentration of the diphosphonate (c > 4 × 10^–4 M) is necessary to ensure sufficient inhibition. The influence of solution concentration on inhibition effect can be interpreted with the layer formation properties and the surfactant nature of molecules. A significant effect of the diphosphonate is appeared on the kinetic of anodic iron dissolution process. Diphosphonates act as anodic inhibitors, the inhibitor layer formation results in a passivation of the metal surface. Well-ordered self-assembled layer with high corrosion protection effect is obtained in aqueous solution of ,-diphosphonic acids. The self-assembly process takes a longer time, few days are necessary to reach the optimal organization of adsorbed organic layer. It is found that aqueous conditions are preferred for the protective layer formation. It is supposed that with simple chemical surface modification, i.e. with immersion of iron into the solution of alkane-diphosphonates, a new surface pre-treatment could be developed.     

Inorganic-organic interpenetrating frameworks: 4,4'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide as a bridging hydrogen-bond acceptor

4,4'-Bipyridine N,N'-dioxide (L) acts as a hydrogen-bond acceptor in the compounds ([M(NO3)2(H2O)4].L2) (M = Co, Ni) to form doubly-interpenetrated framework materials with sixfold topological connectivity.     

Syntheses, structures, and surface aromaticity of the new carbaalane [(AlH)(6)(AlNMe(3))(2)(CCH(2)R)(6)] (R = Ph, CH(2)SiMe(3)) and a stepwise functionalization of the inner and outer sphere of the cluster

The reaction of the acetylene RC triple bond CH (R = Ph, CH(2)SiMe(3)) with an excess of AlH(3).NMe(3) in boiling toluene leads to the carbaalane [(AlH)(6)(AlNMe(3))(2)(CCH(2)R)(6)] (R = Ph 1, CH(2)SiMe(3) 2) in good yield. Treatment of 2 with BCl(3) under varying conditions gives the chlorinated products [(AlCl)(6)(AlNMe(3))(2)(CCH(2)CH(2)SiMe(3))(6)] 3 and [(AlCl)(6)(AlNMe(3))(2)(CCH(2)CH(2)SiMe(2)Cl)(6)] 4, respectively. The latter clearly demonstrates that the cluster can be stepwise functionalized within the inner and outer sphere. The X-ray single-crystal structures of 1, 2, and 4 have been determined. All compounds have in common that the central core consists of a cluster having eight aluminum and six carbon atoms. The bonding properties in this cluster are described as a new manifestation of three-dimensional surface aromaticity. Each Al(4)C fragment of the cube is formed by four bonds with three electron pairs, thus leading to a strong delocalization of the electrons. A phenomenological modeling using a three-dimensional Hückel scheme with fitted parameters to reproduce the energies from ab initio calculations revealed that the orbital scheme localized at one Al(4)C fragment possesses an orbital sextet with a large HOMO-LUMO gap. This is in line with the criteria of aromaticity. The idea of aromaticity was sustained also by qualitative valence bond reasons enumerating the different resonance structures by means of graph theoretical methods.     

Study of the toughening mechanism of crazing in rubber modified thermoplastics

Single crazes in transparent glassy thermoplastics are measured by means of optical interferometry. Applying numerical or analytical methods to measured creaze shapes, also their micromechanics has been evaluated. These data can be transferred to rubber-modified species of the respective thermoplastics to predict craze-governed toughening. Such predictions can be verified by comparison with results of electron microscopic investigations.Dedicated to Professor Hans-Henning Kausch on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Temperature measurements by H2-CARS in the reactive zone of a plasma test reactor for hydrocarbon synthesis

The application of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) to an electric are test reactor is described in which acetylene synthesis in analogy to the large-scale industrial process is .studied. We report on spatially resolved measurements of H₂-CARS spectra, the comparison with calculated spectra, and the determination of temperatures in the reaction zone.Dedicated to Prof. Rudolf Wienecke on the occasion of his 65 birthday.     

A natural 15N approach to determine the biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by biological soil crusts of the Negev Desert

Biological soil crusts are important cryptogamic communities covering the sand dunes of the north-western Negev. The biological crusts contain cyanobacteria and other free-living N(2)-fixing bacteria and are hence able to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N). This is why they are considered to be one of the main N input pathways into the desert ecosystem. However, up to now, in situ determinations of the N(2) fixation in the field are not known to have been carried out. We examined the natural (15)N method to determine the biological N(2) fixation by these soil crusts under field conditions. This novel natural (15)N method uses the lichen Squamarina with symbiotic green algae--which are unable to fix N(2)--as a reference in order to determine N(2) fixation. Depending on the sampling location and year, the relative biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen was estimated at 84-91% of the total N content of the biological soil crust. The cyanobacteria-containing soil lichen Collema had a fixation rate of about 88%. These fixation rates were used to derive an absolute atmospheric N input of 10-41 kg N ha(-1) year(-1). These values are reasonable results for the fixation of atmospheric N(2) by the biological crusts and cyanolichens and are in agreement with other comparable lab investigations. As far as we are aware, the results presented are the first to have been obtained from in situ field measurements, albeit only one location of the Negev with a small number of samples was investigated.     

Monitoring of the Viability of Cells Immobilized by Sol-Gel Process

Three different types of cells, Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain SP4 and plant cells Nicotiana tabacum L. BY-2, were immobilized by entrapment in tetramethoxysilane prepolymer (TMOS) gel or in composite gel containing prepolymer TMOS and alginate in various ratios. Their growth and viability were monitored by bioluminescence and 2-D fluorescence spectra, which are fast and do not need the dissolution of a matrix. The resulting biocomposite gels were obtained by gelation of the mixtures of TMOS prep. or TMOS/alginate sols and the particular cells in proper media on glass supports to provide films ～1 mm thick. The effect of the following parameters on the growth and viability of the cells was studied: (a) the composition of the biocomposites, (b) the preparation conditions of TMOS and (c) the conditions of the procedure of entrapment. All three types of cells were tested in TMOS gel and the composite TMOS/alginate = 1:1 (v/v). The sensitivity of the cells to the changes of conditions increased in the sequence: P. fluorescence HK44 < S. cerevisiae strain SP4 < N. tabacum L. BY-2. Cell viability decreased with the increasing content of Si in biocomposites. The entrapment into alginate–silica composites resulted in the leakage of microbial and yeast cells. However, it had positive effects on the growth and metabolic activity of plant cells.     

Efficient asymmetric synthesis of an azasugar in water

An extremely efficient asymmetric synthesis of a pyrrolidine azasugar was completed in only four steps in water, without the use of protecting groups and in 60% overall yield from a simple, achiral bis-electrophile.     

Understanding supported reactions in spherical compartments: a general algorithm to model and determine rate constants, diffusion coefficients, and spatial product distributions

A general algorithm allowing the numerical modeling of the time and space dependence of product formation in spherical reaction volumes is described. The algorithm is described by the complete set of mass balance equations. On the basis of these equations, the effects of the diffusion coefficient, reaction rate, bead size, reagent excess, and packing density of the resin beads on the overall reaction rates are determined for second-order reactions. Experimental data of reaction progress are employed to calculate reaction rates and diffusion coefficients in polymer-supported reactions. In addition, the conditions for shell-like product formation are determined, and various strategies for the radial patterning of resin beads are compared. The effect of diffusion on polymer-supported enzyme-catalyzed reactions of the Michaelis-Menten type is treated, as well. Finally, the effects of typical nonideal solid-phase phenomena, namely, the inhomogeneity of rate constants and the concentration dependence of diffusion coefficients, on overall rates are discussed.