Separation of carbon nanotubes by frit inlet asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation

Flow field-flow fractionation (flow FFF), a separation technique for particles and macromolecules, has been used to separate carbon nanotubes (CNT). The carbon nanotube ropes that were purified from a raw carbon nanotube mixture by acidic reflux followed by cross-flow filtration using a hollow fiber module were cut into shorter lengths by sonication under a concentrated acid mixture. The cut carbon nanotubes were separated by using a modified flow FFF channel system, frit inlet asymmetrical flow FFF (FI AFIFFF) channel, which was useful in the continuous flow operation during injection and separation. Carbon nanotubes, before and after the cutting process, were clearly distinguished by their retention profiles. The narrow volume fractions of CNT collected during flow FFF runs were confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Experimentally, it was found that retention of carbon nanotubes in flow FFF was dependent on the use of surfactant for CNT dispersion and for the carrier solution in flow FFF. In this work, the use of flow FFF for the size differentiation of carbon nanotubes in the process of preparation or purification was demonstrated.     

Interleukin-1beta stimulates matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression via a prostaglandin E2-dependent mechanism in human chondrocytes

IL-1beta is known promote cyclooxygenase-2 (COX- 2) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression. This study focuses on the characterization of the signaling cascade associated with IL-1beta-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) regulation in human chondrocytes. The decrease in collagen levels in the conditioned media was prevented by a broad spectrum MMP inhibitor, suggesting that IL-1beta promotes the proteolytic process leading to MMP-2 activation. IL-1beta-related MMP-2 expression was found to be dependent on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In addition, the induction of COX-2 and MMP-2 was inhibited by the pretreatment of chondrocytes with a SB203580 or Ro 31-8220, indicating the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). However, there is no cross-talk between PKC and p38 MAPK in the IL-1beta-induced MMP-2 activation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that IL-1beta induces MMP-2 expression through the PGE2-dependent mechanism in human chondrocytes.     

Octasilsesquioxane Chemistry II. Hydrosilylation Reaction of Octa(hydrido)silsesquioxane with Unsaturated Substrates and Product Properties

The hydrosilylation reaction of octa(hydrido)silsesquioxane with ω‐halo‐1‐alkenes and other unsaturated substrates allows attachment of 8 long‐chain functionalized alkyls on the cubic Si₈O₁₂ skeleton. Pt/C and H₂PtCl₆ have been adopted as the catalysts, the yields being 74–98% for compounds 2–9 . For terminal alkenes, the hydrosilylation follows the anti‐Markonikov's rule. The morphological state of 2–9 ranges from viscous liquid to crystalline materials. The pyrolysis results indicate that 7 , a material of hard spherical core and soft flexible shell, may likely act as nanometer‐size ball bearings up to more than 400 °C. The X‐ray structure of 9 reveals that the molecule is required to possess a center of symmetry crystallographically. The linear arms on 9 , except for two of them, are virtually all‐trans in conformation, not counting the ω‐C‐Cl bond.     

Determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in environmental waters by derivative flame atomic absorption spectrometry using flow injection on-line preconcentration with double-microcolumn adsorption

The species of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in water samples were determined by flow injection on-line preconcentration and separation on two-microcolumn system-derivative flame atomic absorption spectrometry during a collaborative analysis for certification. The Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in water samples were retained on two microcolumns with ion exchange resin and were eluted directly to nebulizer by 15% HNO³ and 8% NH⁴NO³, respectively. The characteristic concentration (at the sensitivity grade of 2 mV min^?1 for 1 min of preconcentration time) for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were 0.130 and 0.0985 μg l^?1, in the order which were 332- and 431-fold better than those of FAAS, and 45- and 47-fold better than those of FI-FAAS, respectively. The relative standard deviations were 3.27% and 3.66% with corresponding detection limits (3σ) of 0.244 and 0.235 μg l^?1, respectively. The linear ranges of determinations for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were 0～100 μgm l^?1 with correlation coefficients of 0.9984 to 0.9996. The satisfactory recovery of 94.4%～106% for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) could be obtained from water samples.     

Fabrication and Characteristics of Sol-Gel Derived Fluorinated Hybrid Material Films

Fluorinated inorganic-organic hybrid materials (HYBRIMER) were successfully prepared from fluoroalkylsilanes (FASs) containing fluoro-alkyl functions and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) through a sol-gel process. The influence of concentration and fluoro-alkyl chain lengths of FASs on the physical characteristics of the fluorinated HYBRIMER films was examined. Larger fluorine contents lowered the refractive index within a range, which was closely dependent on the fluoro-alkyl chain lengths of FASs. Thermo-optic coefficients (TOC) were negative values, and the values grew with increasing fluorine contents and fluoro-alkyl chain lengths. Also, the thermal stability is enhanced by addition of fluorine in the HYBRIMER.     

Cu-Mg/Al复合氧化物催化碳颗粒物燃烧性能的研究

恒定二价与三价阳离子比为3(nM2+/nM3+=3),采用共沉淀法制备不同Cu含量的系列水滑石前驱物, 800 ℃焙烧4 h形成复合氧化物(CuO质量百分数分别为0％、5％、10％、15％、20％、30％、40％)用作柴油车排放碳颗粒物燃烧的催化剂,并采用XRD、BET、TG-DSC、FT-IR、TPR等表征手段研究了Cu、Mg含量对材料前驱物物化性能的影响及对其衍生复合氧化物催化碳颗粒物燃烧性能的影响．结果表明,Cu、Mg含量对材料的热稳定性、比表面和催化氧化活性有显著的影响. Mg有助于提高催化剂的热稳定性; Cu含量增加,催化剂比表面下降,但比表面不是影响催化剂活性的主要因素. CuO含量为15％时,催化剂具有最好的催化活性和稳定性,碳颗粒物的起燃温度(T10)和半转化温度(T50)分别为336 ℃和409 ℃.在CuO含量≤30％时可以形成结构完整的水滑石前驱物, CuO含量为40％时出现Cu(OH)2杂相; CuO含量< 20％时,经高温焙烧可得到均匀的复合氧化物, CuO含量≥20％时出现CuO偏析． TPR结果表明焙烧温度和复合氧化物的组成决定了材料的可还原性能．     

Synthesis of Novel Nucleoside Analog （3R）-2,3-Dideoxy-3-（N-hydroxy-N-methylamino）-L-arabinofuranosyl Uracil

The synthesis of novel nucleoside analog (3R)-2,3-dideoxy-3-(N-hydroxy-N-methylamino)-L-arabinofuranosyl uracil was studied. A twelve-step synthetic route, started from L-ascorbic acid, was designed, and the final product was obtained in 20.8% yield.     

含羧基的含氟嵌段共聚物的合成及表面性能研究

利用原子转移自由基聚合反应以及随后的大分子链中叔丁酯基团的水解反应,合成了一系列具有不同含氟量和羧基含量的二嵌段共聚物,并分别通过GPC, ¹H NMR和FT-IR对共聚物的组成和结构进行了表征.进一步考察了这些含羧基或羧酸钠基团的含氟嵌段共聚物在吡咯烷酮或水中的溶解性能、临界胶束浓度、表面活性、达到饱和吸附时每个分子在表面所占据的面积,以及成膜后的临界表面张力等性能.实验结果表明,此含氟嵌段共聚物能显著降低吡咯烷酮和水的表面张力,成膜后表现出与聚四氟乙烯极为接近的低表面能特性.     

从头计算方法比较TiSi_2的C54相和C49相

采用平面波超软赝势描述多电子体系,利用密度泛函理论和广义梯度近似,计算出C54相和C49相TiSi2的晶格常数、体弹性模量、形成能、电子态密度(DOS)和Mulliken电荷布居等性质.通过比较这两种物质的性质,发现尽管两者形成能很相近,但C49相结构对称性差、体弹性模量小、熔点低,Ti原子d轨道的反键强、离子性弱.这些性质上的差异和C49相TiSi2在固相反应中优先形成有关.     

Core-satellites assembly of silver nanoparticles on a single gold nanoparticle via metal ion-mediated complex

We report core-satellites (Au-Ag) coupled plasmonic nanoassemblies based on bottom-up, high-density assembly of molecular-scale silver nanoparticles on a single gold nanoparticle surface, and demonstrate direct observation and quantification of enhanced plasmon coupling (i.e., intensity amplification and apparent spectra shift) in a single particle level. We also explore metal ion sensing capability based on our coupled plasmonic core-satellites, which enabled at least 1000 times better detection limit as compared to that of a single plasmonic nanoparticle. Our results demonstrate and suggest substantial promise for the development of coupled plasmonic nanostructures for ultrasensitive detection of various biological and chemical analytes.