The heterogeneous distribution of the liquid phase in partially filled porous glasses and its effect on self-diffusion

The spatial distribution of the liquid phase in a typical, partially filled, porous glass (VitraPor #5) has been examined with the aid of magnetic resonance microscopy and field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance diffusometry techniques. The correlation length of the material turned out to be long enough to permit the visualization of the microscopic heterogeneity of the material by magnetic resonance imaging. Contrasts are dominated by transverse relaxation depending on local filling degree, which in turn depends on local microstructure. The bimodal heterogeneity of the latter was also visualized by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of heterogeneity on an effective diffusion coefficient has been examined for polar (water) and nonpolar (cyclohexane) molecules.     

Study of thermal behaviour of some edible mushrooms

This paper is aimed to analyse the thermal behaviour in air of edible mushrooms through nonisothermal (TG, DTG, DTA) and calorimetric (Berthelot calorimeter) methods. The studied mushrooms were Pleurotus ostreatus spontaneously grown and from culture and Agaricus bisporus from culture, currently used in alimentation but insufficiently investigated from this point of view. The analysis of TG–DTG–DTA curves has indicated that the degradation mechanism is complex and characteristic to every species and major differences between the cap and the stipe of investigated mushrooms have not been recorded. These species are thermally stable in the range of 30–160 °C. The thermal stability in terms of initial degradation temperature (T _i °C) and the temperature corresponding to the conversion grade (T _α=0.03 °C) indicate that the stipe has a thermal stability close to the cap one and that the cultivated mushrooms are more thermally stable than those spontaneously grown. The obtained results concerning the combustion of the sample using Berthelot calorimeter are in accordance with the TG–DTG–DTA analysis. The residue obtained is a measure of the mineral content and is quantitatively close.     

Studies on thermal,spectral, magnetic and biological properties of new Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with a bismacrocyclic ligand bearing an aromatic linker

Novel complexes of M₂LCl₄·nH₂O type (M:Ni, n = 4; M:Cu, n = 3 and M:Zn, n = 0; L: ligand resulted from 1,4-phenylenediamine, 3,6-diazaoctane-1,8-diamine and formaldehyde one-pot condensation) were synthesized and characterised by microanalytical, ESI–MS, IR, UV–Vis, ¹H NMR and EPR spectra, magnetic data at room temperature and molar conductivities as well. The electrochemical behaviour of complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Simultaneous TG/DTA measurements were performed in order to evidence the thermal behaviour of the obtained complexes. Processes such as water elimination, fragmentation and oxidative degradation of the organic ligand as well as chloride elimination occurred during thermal decomposition. The antimicrobial assays demonstrate that the compounds exhibited good antibacterial activity, especially against S. aureus and E. coli strains, the most active being the copper(II) complex, which also exhibited the most prominent anti-biofilm effect, suggesting its potential use for the development of new antimicrobial agents. The biological activity was correlated with log P _ow values. All complexes disrupt the membrane integrity of HCT 8 tumour cells.     

Thermal behaviour of some novel antimicrobials based on complexes with a Schiff base bearing 1,2,4-triazole pharmacophore

A series of complexes of type [ML(CH₃COO)(OH₂)₂] (M: Co, Ni; HL: 2-[(E)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylimino)methyl]phenol)) and [M₂L₂(CH₃COO)₂(OH₂)_n] (M: Cu, n = 2; M: Zn, n = 0) were synthesised by template condensation. The compounds were characterised with microanalytical, ESI–MS, IR, electronic, EPR spectra and magnetic data at room temperature. Based on the IR and ESI–MS spectra, a dinuclear structure with the acetate as bridge was proposed for Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes. The dinuclear structure of Cu(II) complex is also consistent with both magnetic behaviour and EPR spectrum. The thermal analyses have evidenced processes as water elimination, acetate decomposition, as well as oxidative degradation of the Schiff base. The final decomposition product was the most stable metal oxide as indicated by powder X-ray diffraction. The cobalt and copper compounds exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity towards both planktonic and biofilm-embedded cells. The complexes exhibit a low cytotoxicity except for Cu(II) species that induces the early apoptosis for the HEp 2 cells.     

Thermal stability of the manganese-nickel mixed ferrite and iron phases in the Mn0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4/Fe composite/nanocomposite powder

The composite/nanocomposite powders of Mn_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/Fe type were synthesized starting from nanocrystalline Mn_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ (D = 7 nm) (obtained by ceramic method and mechanical milling) and commercial Fe powders. The composites, Mn_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/Fe, were milled for up to 120 min and subjected to heat treatment at 600 °C and 800 °C for 2 h. The manganese-nickel ferrite/iron composite samples were subjected to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) up to 900 °C for thermal stability investigations. The composite component phases evolution during mechanical milling and heat treatments were investigated by X-ray diffraction technique. The present phases in Mn_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/Fe composite are stable up to 400–450 °C. In the temperature range of 450-600 °C, the interdiffusion phenomena occurs leading to the formation of Fe_1?xMn_xFe₂O₄/Ni–Fe composite type. The new formed ferrite of Fe_1?xMn_xFe₂O₄ type presents an increased lattice parameter as a result of the substitution of nickel cations into the spinel structure by iron ones. Further increases of the temperature lead to the ferrite phase partial reduction and the formation of wustite-FeO type phase. The spinel structure presents incipient recrystallization phenomena after both heat treatments (600 °C and 800 °C). The mean crystallites size of the ferrite after heat treatment at 800 °C is about 75 nm. After DSC treatment at 900 °C, the composite material consists in Fe_1?xMn_xFe₂O₄, Ni structure, FeO, and (NiO)_0.25(MnO)_0.75 phases.     

Gold layers on untreated and plasma-treated substrates of quaternized polysulfones

Thin gold layers were sputtered on the quaternized polysulfones (containing different tertiary amines—N,N-dimethylethylamine and N,N-dimethyloctylamine, respectively) surfaces unmodified and modified by low-pressure and high-frequency plasma treatment. Adhesion and morphological aspects of complex structures were studied for different gold sputtering and plasma treatment times. Water contact angle, atomic force microscopy, and surface properties reveal that adhesion increases with gold sputtering and plasma treatment times. Values of the mean adhesion force between cantilever and the studied surfaces, measured from AFM investigation, were correlated with quaternized polysulfone structures, modification of hydrophobicity after plasma treatment, and gold deposition on polymer surfaces.     

Solvent‐Dependent Cation Exchange in Metal–Organic Frameworks

We investigated which factors govern the critical steps of cation exchange in metal–organic frameworks by studying the effect of various solvents on the insertion of Ni²⁺ into MOF‐5 and Co²⁺ into MFU‐4l. After plotting the extent of cation insertion versus different solvent parameters, trends emerge that offer insight into the exchange processes for both systems. This approach establishes a method for understanding critical aspects of cation exchange in different MOFs and other materials.     

Characterization of β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex with procaine hydrochloride by 1H NMR and ITC

The inclusion of local anesthetic drug procaine hydrochloride by β-cyclodextrin was investigated by 1D and 2D proton NMR spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) at 298 K. The stoichiometry of the complex was determinate by the method of continuous variation, using the chemical induced shift of both host and guest protons. The association constant K, of the obtained complex was calculated and found to be 293.17 M^?1. Rotating frame NOE spectroscopy, was used to ascertain the solution geometry of the host–guest complex. The result reveals that the procaine molecule penetrates into the β-cyclodextrin cavity with the aromatic ring. The energetics of complexation process is investigated by ITC technique. The analysis indicates that the complexation of procaine by β-CD is an exothermic process and show that both enthalpy and entropy contribute to the binding process. The obtained value for the association constant is in good agreement with that obtained from NMR.     

Co-electrolysis of CO2 and H2O: From electrode reactions to cell-level development

The electroreduction of CO₂ into value-added products (e.g. CO) constitutes an excellent means of decreasing this greenhouse gas emissions, but limited efforts have been devoted to the implementation of this reaction within the so-called co-electrolysis cells operating at process-relevant currents >> 100 mA·cm_geom^?2. Reaching such performances shall require a combination of gas-fed reactants and the corresponding diffusion electrodes, along with ion-exchange membranes and ionomers that set the operative pH at the cells' cathode and anode. The latter constitutes a key design parameter that must be combined with the need to minimize the crossover of reaction products and/or (bi)carbonate anions from the cathode to the anode, whereby their reoxidation to carbon dioxide leads to a decrease in the device's net CO₂ consumption.