A Study of Amorphous Precursors for PbZrO3-PbTiO3 Based Ceramic Materials

Amorphous precursors for PbZrO₃ and PbTiO₃ ceramics were prepared from lead acetate and the transition metaln-propoxide inn-propanol orn-butoxide inn-butanol and hydrolysed with an excess of water. According to GLC and TGA/EGA analyses, the type of alkoxide group influences distinctly the structure of heterometallic precursors, i.e., oxo or acetate bridging, and the amounts of hydroxyl and organic groups bound to the metal network. The local environments of metal atoms in the amorphous precursors were also studied by EXAFS. The analysis reveals that in Pb−Zr precursors alkoxide groups modify the coordination spheres of the zirconium atoms. Conversely, local environments of both lead and titanium atoms within the analysed range of 3.4 A depend weakly on the type of alkoxide used.     

Some features of solar wind protons, α particles and heavy ions behaviour: The Prognoz 7 and Prognoz 8 experimental results

The paper describes the results of investigations of the solar wind ions, carried out on board the high apogee Prognoz 7 and Prognoz 8 Earth's satellites with the aid of an SKS instrument (USSR) and a Monitor instrument (USSR-SSR). Behaviour of proton and that of components on the front of Earth's bow and interplanetary shock waves were compared by means of the energoanalysis and energy-mass analysis techniques. In several long-term periods of observation the solar wind heavy ions — oxygen, silicon and iron were determined. It enabled us to estimate the solar corona chemical composition and electron temperature.Presented at the 5th General Assembly IAGA/IAMAP August 5–17, 1985, Prague, Czechoslovakia.     

Method for measuring the electron distribution function in the low temperature plasma with a high time resolution

A hybrid method for measuring the electron distribution function in the low temperature plasma is described. The time resolution of the measurement is of the order of several sec.     

Simple functional-differential equations for the bound-state wave-function components

We present a new method of a direct derivation of differential equations for the wave-function components of identical-pariticles systems. The method generates in a simple manner all the possible variants of these equations. In some cases they are the differential equations of Faddeev of Yakubovskii. It is shown that the case of the bound states allows to formulate very simple equations for the components which are equivalent to the Schrödinger equation for the complete wave function. The components with a minimal antisymmetry are defined and the corresponding equations are derived.     

Indirect spectrophotometric determination of cyanide

A spectrophotometric method for cyanide based on its inhibition of the colour formation reaction between nickel(II) and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolylazo)-2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid has been developed, and allows the determination of down to 0.1 g of cyanide. Most of the interferences can be avoided by displacement of the hydrogen cyanide using an arsine generator.     

Rapid determination of ethylene glycol at toxic levels in serum and urine

The rapid gas chromatographic detection and determination of ethylene glycol in biological fluids is described. Phenylboronic acid in acetone was used for the esterification of glycol. The phenylboronates of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol are not separated on a packed column of medium polarity (OV-17), but they can be separated on a non-polar column (OV-101). In both instances, 1,3-propylene glycol can be used as an internal standard. The method requires only 100 microliters of serum or urine and is suitable for trace analysis in an emergency toxicological laboratory. The utility of the method is demonstrated on two cases of human intoxication with ethylene glycol.     

Reaction of mercury(II) and xylenol orange-I Effect of the buffering media

The influence of the buffering medium on the reaction of Hg(II) with Xylenol Orange has been studied. Amine-type compounds are complexed by Hg(II)/Xylenol Orange with a sharp hyperchromic effect on the reagent itself, at 590 nm, but complex formation of Hg(II)/Xylenol Orange in non-amine-type buffer, such as citric acid-phosphate, gives a hypochromic effect on Xylenol Orange at 580 nm. Hg(II) is determined at pH 7.5 in two ranges of concentration, 2-9 ppm in citrate buffer, measured at 580 nm ( = 2.50 x 10(4)), and 6-11 ppm in hexamine buffer, at 590 nm ( = 4.18 x 10(4)).     

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF PURINES—I. FACTORS AFFECTING THE FIRST EXCITED LEVELS OF PURINE*

Abstract— Studies of purine absorption and emission in seven solvents differing greatly in dielectric constant and hydrogen bonding potential, reveal a variety of solvent effects. For example, the resolution of structure in the absorption spectrum, the position and/or intensity of the X₂ absorption band, the intensity of fluorescence, the magnitude of the long wave-lenth tail, and the position of the X₁ absorption band are differentially affected—in the order listed—by the solvents tested. Even though it is possible to correlate the extent of decrease in the n-π* tail with increasing solvent dielectric constant, probably alterations in all of these spectroscopic parameters depend most critically upon the ability of the various solvents to form hydrogen bonds with the hydrogen on N9 and/for with the non-bonding electrons on the purine nitrogens: it is tentatively concluded that the probability of hydrogen bonding is directly correlated with the electronegativity of the aza nitrogens (N7 > N3 > N1). In solvents like isopropanol not all of the non-bonding electrons must be solvated maximally in most purine molecules since there is appreciable fluorescence under conditions where a long wavelength tail is readily observed in the absorption spectrum (alternatively some noa-bonding electrons may not te relevant to fluorescence quenching.) Decreases in fluorescence yield are associated with red shifts in the fluorescence maximum, and in the solvents of highest polarity the fluorescence yield is again small indicating that glycerol and water can enhance radiationless tunneling—presumably by altering Franck-Condon configurations and/or improving electronic-vibrational coupling between solute and solvent. The quantum yield is uniform throughout the atsorption band for a given solvent, but studies in aqueous buffers varying from pH 1 to 11 show that the fluorescence yield is greater for charged than for neutral molecules. Further, the fluorescence excitation peak is red shifted in powders. Since phosphorescence is the predominant emission at 777deg;K and increases in fluorescence can be correlated with the presumed solvation of non-bonding electrons, the singlet excited state of lowest energy in ‘unperturbed’ purine must be n-π* in nature. The shape of the phosphorescence band and the decay lifetime of ? 1 sec at 77°K lead to the conclusion that the emitting triplet is a π-π* state. The eight vibrational structures in phosphorescence emission can be readily grouped into two progressions: there is an average separation of about 1300 cm^-1 between peaks within a given progression, and the two sets are mutually displaced by about 500 cm-^l. Individual vibrational peaks are favoured in different solvents and the whole band may be shifted up to 500 cm^-l. Even larger shifts are observed in charged purine molecules and in powders (up to 3000 cm^-l) and the presumed 0–0 band is not observed.     

Determination of the pH of binary mobile phases for reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The measurement of pH in chromatographic mobile phases has been a constant subject of discussion during many years. The pH of the mobile phase is an important parameter that determines the chromatographic retention of many analytes with acid-base properties. In many instances a proper pH measurement is needed to assure the accuracy of retention-pH relationships or the reproducibility of chromatographic procedures. Three different methods are common in pH measurement of mobile phases: measurement of pH in the aqueous buffer before addition of the organic modifier, measurement of pH in the mobile phase prepared by mixing aqueous buffer and organic modifier after pH calibration with standard solutions prepared in the same mobile phase solvent, and measurement of pH in the mobile phase prepared by mixing aqueous buffer and organic modifier after pH calibration with aqueous standard solutions. This review discusses the different pH measurement and calibration procedures in terms of the theoretical and operational definitions of the different pH scales that can be applied to water-organic solvent mixtures. The advantages and disadvantages of each procedure are also presented through chromatographic examples. Finally, practical recommendations to select the most appropriate pH measurement procedure for particular chromatographic problems are given.