On-line packed magnetic in-tube solid phase microextraction of acidic drugs such as naproxen and indomethacin by using Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>@layered double hydroxide nanoparticles with high anion exchange capacity

The authors describe a 3-component nanoparticle system composed of a silica-coated magnetite (Fe₃O₄) core and a layered double (Cu-Cr) hydroxide nanoplatelet shell. The sorbent has a high anion exchange capacity for extraction anionic species. A simple online system, referred to as "on-line packed magnetic-in-tube solid phase microextraction" was designed. The nanoparticles were placed in a stainless steel cartridge via dry packing. The cartridge was then applied to the preconcentration acidic drugs including naproxen and indomethacin from urine and plasma. Extraction and desorption times, pH values of the sample solution and flow rates of sample solution and eluent were optimized. Analytes were then quantified by HPLC with UV detection. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection range from 70 to 800 ng L^?1, with linear responses from 0.1–500 μg L^?1 (water samples), 0.6–500 μg L^?1 (spiked urine), and 0.9–500 μg L^?1 (spiked plasma). The inter- and intra-assay precisions (RSDs, for n?=?5) are in the range of 2.2–5.4%, 2.8–4.9%, and 2.0–5.2% at concentration levels of 5, 25 and 50 μg L^?1, respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of the drugs in spiked human urine and plasma, and good results were achieved.

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Graphical abstract Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@CuCr-LDH magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized and packed in to a stainless steel column. The column was applied to solid phase microextraction of acidic drugs from biological samples.

     

Extraction and separation of zirconium from hafnium by using nano-structured supramolecular solvent microextraction method

In the present study, a simple versatile extraction method based on supramolecular solvent microextraction followed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry was developed for the extraction, separation and determination of zirconium (Zr) from hafnium (Hf). Zr and Hf were complexed with bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid, to obtain hydrophobic complex, and extracted into supramolecular solvent phase. The effective parameters on the supramolecular solvent microextraction efficiency were studied and optimized by using two different optimization methods: one variable at a time and central composite design. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range of 0.3–200.0 and 2.0–200.0 µg L^?1, detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.1 and 0.6 µg L^?1, and precisions (n = 5) of 3.2–4.9% and 3.0–5.1% were obtained for Zr and Hf, respectively. Finally, the proposed method has been successfully applied for the extraction and separation of these cations in zirconium ore sample.     

Improve Corrosion Resistance of Zircaloy by Copper–Graphene Nanocomposite Coatings

In this study, the corrosion behavior of Zircaloy was investigated in the presence and absence of copper–graphene nanocomposites coating. The coating was prepared employing Hummers’ and electrochemical reduction methods. The morphology of copper–graphene nanocomposites coating was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Corrosion behavior was investigated employing dynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests in a solution containing lithium hydroxide (LiOH), boric acid (H₃BO₃), and deionized water. The results showed that corrosion resistance of Zircaloy increased with introduction of copper–graphene nanocomposites coatings. The lowest corrosion rate was attained in the Zircaloy with copper–graphene nanocomposites coating (corrosion rate: 0.040 mm/year). An approximately 20 times decrease in the corrosion rate was observed in the Zircaloy with copper–graphene nanocomposites coating when compared to the un-coated Zircaloy (corrosion rate: 0.831 mm/year).

     

Practical method to make a discrete memristor based on the aqueous solution of copper sulfate

A new method to realize a discrete memristor is proposed. The device under study consists of a tube filled of aqueous saturated solution of copper sulfate which can be electrolyzed by using two asymmetric copper electrodes, one of which has a considerably smaller cross-sectional area than to the other one. It is shown both theoretically and experimentally that this device has exactly the properties of a memristor if it is designed such that the electrical field and the current density on the thinner electrode when it acts as anode are sufficiently large. Different aspects of the proposed discrete memristor, including pinched hysteresis loop, on-off resistance ratio and memory volatilization, are studied and experimental results are presented.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-substituted pyrrolidine-2-one containing piperazine derivatives

Synthesis of novel hybrid derivatives of two known scaffolds, pyrrolidine-2-one and piperazine, is described. Initially, the Ugi reaction of phenylglyoxal, aromatic amines, coumarin-3-carboxylic acid and isocyanides in methanol resulted in the formation of dihydrochromeno[3,4-c]pyrrole-3,4-diones. The obtained products were then treated with N-alkylpiperazines in dichloromethane to afford the novel N-substituted pyrrolidine-2-one containing piperazine derivatives in satisfactory yields. The proof of the structures was carried out by means of spectroscopic information and X-ray crystallography.     

High surface area nano-sized La0.6Ca0.4MnO3 perovskite powder prepared by low temperature pyrolysis of a modified citrate gel

Single phase nanocrystalline La_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃ powder was synthesized by both the usual and a modified citrate gel precursor method, and the effects on the formation of homogeneous nano-sized powder with a perovskite structure were investigated. In the modified method, single phase La_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃ powder with an average particle size of 17.2 nm was obtained when the powder was pyrolyzed at 520°C for 2 h. Its specific surface area was 40.7 m² g⁻¹, about 4-fold larger than that of powder made by the usual citrate gel method.      

An ultra-small heterostructure wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) with the ability to select two wavelengths from the s-band

In this article, a photonic crystal channel drop filter (CDF) based on \(2\times 3\) ring resonators is presented. At first, the effects of changing the radius of lattice rods and the lattice dielectric constant on the dropping efficiency of a 3-port CDF with one resonator are investigated. Then by developing this base structure, a new 4-port heterostructure CDF composed of two regions with rods made of silicone and germanium is presented, which can operate in the ‘S’ band of the communication window. The photonic crystal heterostructure CDF consists of a horizontal waveguide and two ring resonators that have been installed, in symmetry to the horizontal axis, in two regions with different refractive indices. These ring resonators act as energy couplers and capture at their resonant frequencies the electromagnetic energy which is propagated in the bus waveguide. For the analysis of transmission characteristics and the band structure of the filter, two methods have been employed: the two-dimensional Finite–difference time domain method and the Plane Wave Expansion method. In the final structure, dropping efficiencies of 97 and 89 % can be achieved at ports D and B, respectively, and also an acceptable quality factor can be obtained in the communication window. The overall size of this device is 174.14  \(\upmu \hbox {m}^{2}\) . Due to its small size, this structure can be used in Wavelength Division Multiplexer applications in the Optical Integrated Circuits.     

Catalytic application of sulfonic acid‐functionalized titana‐coated magnetic nanoparticles for the preparation of 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines and 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines via anomeric‐based oxidation

We have developed green, efficient and powerful protocols for the preparation of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines and 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines in the presence of Fe₃O₄@TiO₂@O₂PO₂(CH₂)₂NHSO₃H as a sulfonic acid‐functionalized titana‐coated magnetic nanoparticle catalyst under mild and solvent‐free reaction conditions. These protocols furnished the desired products in short reaction times with good to high yields (20–40 min and 80–86% in the case of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines; 15–90 min and 80–93% in the case of 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines). The final step of the mechanistic route in the synthesis of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines proceeds via an anomeric‐based oxidation. Also, the nanomagnetic core–shell catalyst can be recycled and reused in both cases of the scrutinized one‐pot multicomponent reactions with high turnover number and turnover frequency.