SAXS anti-peaks reveal the length-scales of dual positive-negative and polar-apolar ordering in room-temperature ionic liquids

Structural patterns that have the same spatial periodicity but a phase offset give rise to peaks and anti-peaks (negative-going peaks) at the same q value in the SAXS structure function S(q). As an example, in ionic liquids we often find charge alternation, and at the distance where one finds a density enhancement of charges of the same type one also finds a depletion of charges of opposite sign. Another such situation arises with polar-apolar densities. At distances where there is enhancement of same-type (polar-polar or apolar-apolar) densities there is also a depletion of opposite-type (polar-apolar) density. This gives rise to prepeaks and what we call same spatial periodicity anti-prepeaks.     

Binary α-Fe2O3–Co3O4 nanostructures for advanced oxidation process: Role of synergy for enhanced catalysis

Iron and its binary oxides are meticulously exploited for environmental remediations. However, only limited studies have been carried out on the degradation of industrial organics by advanced oxidation process. In this study, iron oxide, cobalt oxide, and iron–cobalt binary oxides were synthesized by a modified hydrothermal method as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from wastewaters. The oxide nanostructures were characterized by different analytical techniques. Studying the effects of various parameters such as catalyst dose, MB concentration, and H₂O₂ concentration, the reaction conditions were optimized to enhance the removal of MB dye. The results revealed that α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows much higher activity than both Co₃O₄ and α-Fe₂O₃ for the degradation of MB at room temperature and beyond. The binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows degradation efficiency of 96.4% at 65 °C within 60 min. Furthermore, the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst retains its activity for up to four successive cycles. A probable mechanism is also proposed, involving the generation of ‧OH radical as well as Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ or Co²⁺/Co³⁺ redox couple of the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst.     

Structures of three substituted pentacyclo[5.4.0.02, 6.03, 10.05, 9]undecanes and a computational analysis of bond lengths

5-Methyl-2-phenylpentacyclo[5.4.0.0^{2, 6}.0^{3, 10}.0^{5, 9}]undecane-8, 11-dione,5-methyl-2-phenylpentacyclo [5.4.0.0^2,6.0^3,10.0^5,9]undecane-8-one-11-ol,and 5-methyl-2-phenylpentacyclo[5.4.0.0^2,6.0^3,10.0^5,9]undecane-8,11-diol are three cage compounds which differ only in the oxidation state at C(8) and C(11). The three compounds contain a four-membered, a six-membered, and four five-membered rings fused into a cagelike structure. An X-ray structure analysis shows the C(1)-C(7) and C(9)-C(10) bonds in the diketo cage to be 1.606(2) and 1.586(2) Å, which are significantly longer than in the other two molecules. In order to assess the effects of strain, steric, and electronic factors in these compounds, we investigated the unsubstituted parent cage compounds and a series of derivatives by molecular mechanics (MM3), AMPAC (AM1), MOPAC (PM3), and GAUSSIAN 90 calculations. These data suggest that dipolar through space interactions are responsible for the bond elongation and not a _– ^* interaction, which has been postulated in parallel-systems originating from a common bond. A small degree of _– ^* through-bond interaction may contribute to the lengthening in the dimethylene cage analogues.     

Dilute solution properties of methyl methacrylate—acrylonitrile copolymer (MA2)

This article deals with studies of the dilute solution properties of methyl methacrylate-acrylonitrile (MMA-AN) copolymer of 0.415 mole fraction (mf) of acrylonitrile composition. Mark—Houwink parameters for this copolymer have been evaluated in acetonitrile (MeCN), 2-butanone (MEK), dimethyl formamide (DMF), and γ-butyrolactone (γ-BL). The Mark-Houwink exponent a in all four solvents at all temperatures is larger than the corresponding values of the parent homopolymers. The solvent power is in the order of DMF < γ–BL < MEK < MeCN; [η] decreases with an increase in temperature, which is behavior characteristic of polymers in good solvent. The unperturbed dimensions (K₀) values, obtained by the Stockmayer–Fixman method, are lower than those for the parent homopolymers and depend on solvent as well as temperature. The solute—solvent interaction parameter X₁ values are close to 0.5; X₁ is independent of temperature. The excess interaction parameter X_ABvalues are negative. The results for this copolymer system in regard to low second virial coefficient A₂, large X₁, and high a values suggest that the large extension of these copolymer chains is due to the unusual short-range interactions.