Distance-dependent fluorescence quenching ofN-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide by acrylamide

We examined the time-dependent intensity decays ofN-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide (NATA) when collisionally quenched by acrylamide in propylene glycol over a range of temperatures. The intensity decays of NATA became increasingly heterogeneous in the presence of acrylamide. The NATA intensity decays were not consistent with the Collins-Kimball radiation boundary condition (RBC) model for quenching. The steady-state Stern-Volmer plots show significant upward curvature, and quenching of NATA by acrylamide was observed even in vitrified propylene glycol, where translational diffusion cannot occur during the lifetime of the excited state. These frequencydomain and steady-state data indicate a through-space quenching interaction between NATA and acrylamide, and the results are consistent with a rate constant for quenching that depends exponentially on the fluorophore-quencher separation distance. The exponential distance-dependent rate of quenching also explains the upward curvature of the Stern-Volmer plot, and the steady-state data aid in determining the interaction distance between NATA and acrylamide. These results suggest that the distance-dependent quenching rates need to be considered in the interpretation of acrylamide quenching of proteins.     

Optical constants of thin oxide films on titanium

Thin oxide films on titanium formed by heating were studied by the ellipsometric method. To obtain the complex refractive index and film thicknesses, the ellipsometric measurements were performed by means of the immersing method: each sample was measured first in air and then in a liquid of known refractive index (in our case CCl₄). The optical constants and the oxide film thickness were computed by means of a computer from two pairs of ellipsometric values. To state the optical constants of clean titanium surface the graphic-computational method was proposed and applied. The measurements were carried out at two wavelengths on oxide films grown in air and dry oxygen by thermal oxidation at temperatures from 150 to 700 °C. It has been shown that when increasing the film thickness the refractive index of the film decreases, whereas the absorption coefficient is independent on the film thickness. Optical constants of oxide films growing in dry oxygen are smaller than those growing in air.     

Hydrophilic microsphere based mesoscopic-lens microscope (MMM)

By increasing the hydrophilicity of microsphere, the evaporation of liquid around the microsphere will be evidently eliminated, so that the droplet can remain stable, and it is more feasible to introduce the liquid immersed MMM system in practical utilizations that require long-time observation. Compared with the non-immersed one, the liquid immersed MMM system performs better in various aspects, and it is convenient to choose microspheres on a wider scale.     

Influence of oxygen concentration on optical properties of semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon films

Optical properties of semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon (SIPOS) films were investigated over the wide region of wavelengths. The vibrational modes of Si-O-Si and Si-Si bonds were studied by IR and Raman spectroscopy. A pronounced effect of oxygen content on the measured spectra was observed. Optical constants of SIPOS films have been compared with those of amorphous silicon and glassy silicon dioxide and their values have been successfully interpreted in terms of the theory of effective medium. The results have shown that the amorphous character prevails in the as-deposited SIPOS films.     

Self-diffusion of V-48 in the FeV σ-phase and in an Fe-47 wt.% V solid solution

Self-diffusion coefficients of vanadium in the FeV -phase and in the corresponding -solid solution (Fe-47 wt.% V) measured in the temperature ranges 1002–1115 °C (-phase) and 1230–1320 °C are reported. The found results differ fundamentally and significantly from the relations in ordered and disordered solid solutions [9]. The diffusivity in -phase at the transition temperature (T _/=1200 °C) is cca 14 times lower than the diffusivity in the b.c.c. solid solution, the chemical composition of which is the same. The lowering is caused by the different values of frequency factors,D _O=0.11 cm²/s andD _O=45 cm²/s. The effect of the corresponding activation enthalpiesH =252 kJ/mole andH =293 kJ/mole is small and quite opposite. The occurence of higher activation enthalpyH in the -solid solution at temperaturesT>T _/ may be attributed to a certain amount of the f.c.c. phase coexisting in the b.c.c. matrix at concentrationsc _v>27 wt.% at sufficiently high temperatures [7]. A comparison of vanadium self-diffusion characteristics measured in the -phase to the extrapolated values obtained on the basis of the previous measurements [1] in the Fe-V primary solid solutions ₁ shows that the diffusivity ratioD ₁/D (1473 K)=33 and that the activation enthalpyH is by about 3% higher than the valuesH ₁ (eq. (5)) measured in the uniphase b.c.c. solid solutions.     

Experimental and kinetic study of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and iso-octane in laminar flames

Laminar flame speeds of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene are investigated at equivalence ratios of 0.7–1.6, initial temperatures of 298–453 K and initial pressures of 0.1–0.5 MPa. The comparison between 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and iso-octane is also performed. Results show that 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene has faster laminar flame speed than iso-octane. Chemical kinetic models (Metcalfe model, Modified model I) were tested against the present experimental data. The laminar flame speeds are apparently over-estimated by the Metcalfe model and under-predicted by the Modified model I. Therefore, high-level quantum mechanical calculations were used to revise the Modified model I to obtain Modified model II and it can give fairly good prediction at various conditions on laminar flame speeds. In addition, the chemical kinetic analysis was conducted. The analysis indicates both thermal and kinetic effects result in the discrepancy of laminar flame speeds between 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and iso-octane. Furthermore, IC₄H₈ plays a dominant role in laminar flame speeds of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and iso-octane.     

сОДЕРжАНИь РАБОт, ОпУБлИкОВАННых тОлькО В ЧЕшскОМ ИжДАНИИ НАстОьЩЕгО жУРНАлА

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Abstracts of Papers which have appeared only in the Czech Edition of this Journal