Design of Smart Oligo(ethylene glycol)‐Based Biocompatible Hybrid Microgels Loaded with Magnetic Nanoparticles

This article reports a rational strategy for preparing smart oligo(ethylene glycol)‐based hybrid microgels loaded with high content of homogeneously distributed preformed magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) (up to 33 wt%). The strategy is based on the synthesis of biocompatible multiresponsive microgels by precipitation copolymerization of di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and oligo(ethylene glycol)diac­rylate. An aqueous dispersion of preformed magnetic NPs is straightforwardly loaded into the microgels. Robust monodisperse thermoresponsive magnetic microgels are produced, exhibiting a constant value of the volume phase transition temperature whatever the NPs content. The homogeneous microstructure of the initial stimuli‐responsive biocompatible microgels plays a crucial role for the design of unique well‐defined ethylene glycol‐based thermoresponsive hybrid microgels.

     

Aggregation and gelation of micellar casein particles

Micellar casein particles (submicelles) are formed by removing calcium phosphate from native casein. The submicelles aggregate and eventually form a gel with a rate that increases strongly with increasing temperature and casein concentration. At low casein concentrations the gel is very weak and collapses under its own weight so that a precipitate is formed. The structure of the aggregates is studied using light scattering and cryo-electron microscopy. It is found that the aggregates have a self-similar structure with fractal dimension 2. The viscoelastic properties of the gel are studied by frequency scans of the loss and storage moduli during the gelation process. The bonds between the submicelles probably involve calcium phosphate complexes.     

Study of isolated cubic GaN quantum dots by low-temperature cathodoluminescence

We report single dot spectroscopy of cubic GaN/AlN self-assembled quantum dots. Typical linewidths of the zero-phonon line between 2 and 8 meV are observed and interpreted in terms of charge fluctuations around a given quantum dot. The phonon sideband contribution in this emission, even at low temperature, reveals the importance of the acoustic phonon broadening mechanism which controls the exciton dephasing and may impose the real limits to the optical properties of GaN single QDs emission.     

The separation of copper,lead, cadmium and zinc from high purity uranium metal by ion exchange on cellulose phosphate and their determination by square wave polarography

A method has been developed for the determination of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in high purity uranium metal. Conditions are described for the separation of these elements from uranium(VI) and iron(III) by ion-exchange on cellulose phosphate and for their determination by square wave polarography using orthophosphoric acid as base electrolyte.The procedure has been shown to be applicable to metal containing less than 5 p.p.m, of each impurity and results are compared with those obtained by other methods.     

2'-Amino-alpha-chloroacetophenone as a valuable tool for the synthesis of conveniently-substituted alpha,beta-epoxychalcone derivatives

The synthesis of conveniently substituted 2'-amino-alpha,beta-epoxychalcones is described. They were obtained through Darzens condensation of 2'-amino-3',5'-dimethoxy-alpha-chloroacetophenone with benzaldehydes. The latter can undergo different cyclization possibilities and afford a variety of flavonoid analogs with biological potential.     

Stark spectrum simulation for X2Y4 molecules: application to the ν12 band of ethylene in a high-silica zeolite

The influence of an electric field of silicalite-1-zeolite on the FTIR vibrational absorption spectrum of ethylene has been simulated and compared to experimental spectra. The presence of silicalite-1 produces a global shift and a change of the structure of vibrational bands. To explain the global shift of the ν(12) band (CH(2) scissor mode) and therefore to estimate an effective average field produced by silicalite-1, Stark calculations were performed. These calculations were based on a tensorial formalism implemented in the D(2h)TDS-ST package [M. Sanzharov, M. Rotger, C. Wenger, M. Lo?te, V. Boudon, and A. Rouzée, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 112, 41 (2011)]. The value of the field obtained using tensorial formalism (8-11 GV/m) is compared with values obtained using ab initio calculations. A theory of the molecular alignment in the electric field using tensorial formalism is also developed to model the interaction of ethylene in contact with a zeolite environment.     

The isolation and x-ray crystal structure of a complex between sodium hexafluorophosphate and dibenzo-36-crown-12

The crystal structure of 2NaPF₆·dibenzo-36-crown-12 was determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The 2:1 (metal:ligand) complex crystallises in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/n with cell constants of a = 14.189(2), b = 9.372(1), c = 16.750(3) Å, and β = 108.98(1)°. The two NaPF₆ units are each coordinated through five oxygen atoms to opposite faces of the macrocycle in a centrosymmetric manner.