Self-diffusiophoresis of chemically active colloids

Chemically active colloids locally change the chemical composition of their solvent via catalytic reactions which occur on parts of their surface. They achieve motility by converting the released chemical free energy into mechanical work through various mechanisms, such as phoresis. Here we discuss the theoretical aspects of self-diffusiophoresis, which – despite being one of the simplest motility mechanisms – captures many of the general features characterizing self-phoresis, such as self-generated and maintained hydrodynamic flows “driven” by surface activity induced inhomogeneities in solution. By studying simple examples, which provide physical insight, we highlight the complex phenomenology which can emerge from self-diffusiophoresis.     

On a question of A. Kameyama concerning self-similar metrics

A. Kameyama introduced the concept of self-similar topological system and asked the following fundamental question: given a topological self-similar system (K,_{(fi)i∈{1,2,...,N}})$(K,{(f_i)}_{i\in \{1,2,...,N\}})$, does there exist a metric on K   comparable to the topology such that all the functions _fi$f_i$ are contractions? We modify Kameyama's question (which has a negative answer for an arbitrary topological self-similar system) by weakening the requirement that the functions in the topological self-similar system be contractions to requiring that they be φ  -contractions. More precisely we give an affirmative answer to the following question: given a topological self-similar system (K,_{(fi)i∈{1,2,...,N}})$(K,{(f_i)}_{i\in \{1,2,...,N\}})$ does there exist a metric δ on K   which is compatible with the original topology and a comparison function φ:[0,∞)→[0,∞)$\phi :[0,\infty )\to [0,\infty )$ such that all the functions _fi:(K,δ)→(K,δ)$f_i:(K,\delta )\to (K,\delta )$ are φ  -contractions? Consequently the iterated function system ((K,d),_{(fi)i∈{1,2,...,N}})$((K,d),{(f_i)}_{i\in \{1,2,...,N\}})$, where d is a metric on K compatible with the original topology on K, is φ-hyperbolic.     

An Efficient Strategy to Drive Nanoparticles into Carbon Nanotubes and the Remarkable Effect of Confinement on Their Catalytic Performance

Are you in? Bimetallic PtRu nanoparticles have been selectively confined inside or deposited outside carbon nanotubes (see picture). The confined nanoparticles display significantly higher selectivity and catalytic activity in hydrogenation reactions.

     

Large-scale synthesis of alkyne-linked tripodal porphyrins via palladium-mediated coupling conditions

Suzuki and Sonogashira couplings have been used in short and efficient sequences to give access to a new family of porphyrin trimers on a practical scale.     

Columnar self-assembled ureido crown ethers: an example of ion-channel organization in lipid bilayers

The self-assembly of ureido crown-ether derivatives has been examined in homogeneous solution, in the solid state, and in planar bilayer membranes. The self-assembly is driven by head-to-tail hydrogen bonding between the urea functional groups. Dimers and higher oligomers are formed in CDCl3 solution as assessed by the change in the ureido NH chemical shift as a function of concentration. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that an antiparallel association of the ureas produces columnar channels composed of face-to-face crown ethers. Powder X-ray diffraction studies also show the presence of a minor phase based upon a parallel urea association leading to an alternative columnar arrangement of the crown ethers. In bilayer membranes at low concentration of ureido crown ether added, membrane disruption is observed together with rare single-channel openings, but at higher concentration, a rich array of interconverting channel conductance states is observed. The channel results are interpreted as arising from discreet stacks of ureido crown ethers where the transport of cations would occur via the macrocycles, admixed with larger pores formed by association of the crown ether headgroups around a central large pore.     

Fine Densities for Excessive Measures and the Revuz Correspondence

Suppose that U is the resolvent of a Borel right process on a Lusin space X. If is a U-excessive measure on X then we show by analytical methods that for every U-excessive measure with the Radon–Nikodym derivative d/d possesses a finely continuous version. (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons and Getoor gave a probabilistic approach for this result.) We extend essentially a technique initiated by Mokobodzki and deepened by Feyel. The result allows us to establish a Revuz type formula involving the fine versions, and to study the Revuz correspondence between the -finite measures charging no set that is both -polar and -negligible (U being the potential component of ) and the strongly supermedian kernels on X. This is an analytic version of a result of Azéma, Fitzsimmons and Dellacherie, Maisonneuve and Meyer, in terms of additive functionals or homogeneous random measures. Finally we give an application to the context of the semi-Dirichlet forms, covering a recent result of Fitzsimmons.     

Photoluminescence of GeSi/Si(0 0 1) self-assembled islands with dome and hut shape

The photoluminescence spectra of GeSi/Si (0 0 1) self-assembled islands produced by solid source molecular beam epitaxy in a wide range (460–700°C) of growth temperatures were investigated. The results showed a blue shift of the island-related photoluminescence peak with a growth temperature lowering from 600°C to 550°C. The observed blue shift of the island photoluminescence peak is associated with a sharp decrease in the average height of the island, which occurs through a change of its shape from dome to hut as the growth temperature lowers from 600°C to 550°C.     

Design and DNA binding of an extended triple-stranded metallo-supramolecular cylinder

A new tetracationic triple-stranded supramolecular cylinder is prepared from a bis(pyridylimine) ligand containing a diphenylmethane and two ketimine groups in the spacer. The cylinder is longer and slightly wider than the corresponding cylinder containing just diphenylmethane spacers. Inter-strand CH...pi interactions are not observed and this affects the relay of the chiral information within the cylinder; a mixture of rac and meso isomers results, with the meso isomer being the dominant solution species and characterised in the solid state by crystallography. This new cylinder does bind to DNA as confirmed by induced circular dichroism signals in both the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) and in-ligand bands of the cylinder. Flow linear dichroism demonstrates that the cylinder binds to DNA in a specific orientation(s) and is consistent with (major) groove-binding as seen for the shorter cylinder. Some DNA bending/coiling is observed but the effect is much less dramatic than observed for the cylinder with diphenylmethane spacers confirming that coiling is not solely a consequence of the tetracationic charge, but rather is related to the precise size and shape of the cylinder.     

HPTLC and GC-MS for Separation and Identification of Eugenol in Plants

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Samples of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon have been extracted by maceration with ethanol for 24 h and with aqueous ethanol 48 h....