Organically modified montmorillonite and chitosan–phosphotungstic acid complex nanocomposites as high performance membranes for fuel cell applications

Nanocomposite membranes based on polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of chitosan/phosphotungstic acid (PWA) and different types of montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared as alternative membranes to Nafion for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed an electrostatically fixed PWA within the PEC membranes, which avoids a decrease in proton conductivity at practical condition. Various amounts of pristine as well as organically modified MMT (OMMT) (MMT: Cloisite Na, OMMT: Cloisite 15A, and Cloisite 30B) were introduced to the PEC membranes to decrease in methanol permeability and, thus, enhance efficiency and power density of the cells. X-ray diffraction patterns of the nanocomposite membranes proved that MMT (or OMMT) layers were exfoliated in the membranes at loading weights of lower than 3 wt.%. Moreover, the proton conductivity and the methanol permeability as well as the water uptake behavior of the manufactured nanocomposite membranes were studied. According to the selectivity parameter, ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability, the PEC/2 wt.% MMT 30B was identified as the optimum composition. The DMFC performance tests were carried out at 70 °C and 5 M methanol feed and the optimum membrane showed higher maximum power density as well as acceptable durability compared to Nafion 117. The obtained results indicated that owing to the relatively high selectivity and power density, the optimum nanocomposite membrane could be considered as a promising polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) for DMFC applications.     

One-pot synthesis of 1, 3-thiazolidin-4-one using Bi(SCH2COOH)3 as catalyst

A catalytic multi-component reaction involving aromatic amine,aromatic aldehydes,mercapto acid as substrates and Bi（SCH₂COOH）₃ as catalyst under solvent free conditions,afforded thiazolidin-4-one in good yields.The efficiency of the catalyst was proved with a variety of substrates,ranging from electrondeficient to electron-rich aldehydes.     

Non-covalently lactose imprinted polymers and recognition of saccharides in aqueous solutions

The aim of this work was to prepare lactose imprinted polymer and study of its selectivity for the recognition of different mono- and disaccharides. A series of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) against lactose were synthesized and their binding properties were compared with a Blank non-imprinted polymer. Methacrylamide (MAAM) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were used as functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. Dimethylsulfoxide was also applied as polymerization solvent. Different lactose:MAAM ratios were applied and optimized MIP was selected in a conventional batch adsorption study. The dissociation constant and maximum binding sites of polymer were determined using the Scatchard analysis. The selectivity of MIP for different mono- and disaccharides was also evaluated. The results indicated that the shape of cavity and orientation of functional monomers in binding sites and the spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups in saccharide structure were responsible for the selectivity of lactose imprinted polymer.     

Fe(NO3)3·9H2O as Efficient Catalyst for One‐pot Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Piperidines

Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O is used as an efficient and effective catalyst for the one‐pot three‐component synthesis of highly functionalized piperidines from aromatic aldehydes, anilines and b–ketoesters in ethanol at ambient temperature. This procedure includes some important aspects like the easy work‐up, no need to column chromatography, simple and readily available precursors, and good to high yields.     

Highly sensitive FRET-based fluorescence immunoassay for aflatoxin B1 using cadmium telluride quantum dots

We report on a competitive immunoassay for the determination of aflatoxin B1 using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from anti-aflatoxin B1 antibody (immobilized on the shell of CdTe quantum dots) to Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123-labeled aflatoxin B1 bound to albumin). The highly specific immunoreaction between the antibody against aflatoxin B1 on the QDs and the labeled-aflatoxin B1 brings the Rho 123 fluorophore (acting as the acceptor) and the QDs (acting as the donor) in close spatial proximity and causes FRET to occur upon photoexcitation of the QDs. In the absence of unlabeled aflatoxin B1, the antigen-antibody complex is stable, and strong emission resulting from the FRET from QDs to labeled aflatoxin B1 is observed. In the presence of aflatoxin B1, it will compete with the labeled aflatoxin B1-albumin complex for binding to the antibody-QDs conjugate so that FRET will be increasingly suppressed. The reduction in the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor correlates well with the concentration of aflatoxin B1. The feasibility of the method was established by the detection of aflatoxin B1 in spiked human serum. There is a linear relationship between the increased fluorescence intensity of Rho 123 with increasing concentration of aflatoxin B1 in spike human serum, over the range of 0.1–0.6 μmol·mL^?1. The limit of detection is 2?×?10^?11 M. This homogeneous competitive detection scheme is simple, rapid and efficient, and does not require excessive washing and separation steps.

Simple and Efficient Procedure for the Synthesis of Novel 1,3-Diphenyl-2-azaphenalene Derivatives via One-Pot Multicomponent Reactions

A new, one-pot multicomponent reaction of two molecules of aromatic aldehydes with 2,7-naphthalenediol and ammonium hydrogen phosphate is described as an efficient and direct procedure for the preparation of novel 1,3-diphenyl-2-azaphenalene derivatives in a mixture of EtOH-H₂O (3:1) under reflux conditions.     

Characterization of Chitosan/Alginate Self-Assembled Nanoparticles as a Protein Carrier

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the polymeric ratios on the characteristics of chitosan/alginate (ch/alg) self-assembled nanoparticles and their potential as protein delivery vehicle. The nanoparticles were prepared using proper mixing of polymers in presence or absence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein model. Three formulations of nanoparticles comprising ch/alg ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 were prepared. Size, shape and zeta potential of the formulations were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nanosizer instruments. FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) studies were performed to investigate polymer-polymer or polymer-protein interactions. Release profiles and entrapment efficiencies of the nanoparticles were determined by calorimetric technique using appropriate techniques. Entrapment efficiency was 70% for ch/alg ratio of 1:1, 65% for 1:2, and 60% for 2:1. The z-average size of the nanoparticles were 403, 205, and 318 nm for ch/alg ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2, respectively. Average zeta potentials were ?47, +15, ?25 mV for 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 as well. Considering the favorable features required for protein delivery systems, ch/alg (1:1) due to its smallest size, highest loading, and most homogenous shape was regarded as the best ratio.     

A quick and green ionic liquid-mediated approach for the synthesis of high-performance, organosoluble and thermally stable polyimides

Three diamine monomers with different derivatives of imidazole heterocyclic ring and meta-linked aryl ethers were synthesized and used in polycodensation reaction with various commercial dianhydrides for preparation of a series of novel poly(ether-imide) (PEI)s. The polycodensation reactions were carried out by using conventional method and in a green medium of ionic liquid (IL) without using NMP-pyridine-acetic anhydride. The PEIs were obtained in good yields (80% 96%) with moderate viscosity (0.48 0.66 dL/g) in a shorter reaction time (10 h) in IL as compared with the conventional method (36 h). All of the polymers were amorphous in nature, showed excellent solubility in amide-type polar aprotic solvents with ability to form tough and flexible films, and excellent thermal stability with Tgs in the range of 212 340 ℃ and 10% weight loss temperature (T10) up to 570℃ in N 2 and 528 ℃ in air.     

Graphene oxide reinforced polyamide nanocomposite coated on paper as a novel layered sorbent for microextraction by packed sorbent

ABSTRACT

In this work, a novel layered sorbent for microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was introduced, which has been prepared by coating graphene oxide/polyamide (GO/PA) nanocomposite (NC) onto cellulose paper through solvent exchange method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to investigate the surface characteristic and morphology of PA and GO/PA NC coated on cellulose paper. The prepared MEPS device was used for extraction of organophosphorous pesticides (OPPs) including chlorpyrifos, fenthion, fenithrothion, ethion, edifenphos and phosalone in environmental aqueous samples followed by detection using gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). Important parameters affecting the MEPS method including pH of sample solution, extraction draw-discard cycles, sorbent layers, desorption solvent volume and desorption draw-eject number were studied and optimised using central composite design (CCD). Based on the method validation, limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0.2–1 µg L^?1. The calibration graphs for chlorpyrifos, fenthion and edifenphos are linear in the concentration range of 1 to 500 µg L^?1; for ethion and phosalone are linear in the range of 1–1000 µg L^?1 and for fenithrothion is linear in the range of 3–1000 µg L^?1. The method precision (RSD %) with six replicates determinations was in the range of 3 to 9.4 % and 3.9 to 11.9% for distilled water and spiked river water sample, respectively, at the concentration level of 300 µg L^?1 . The developed method was applied successfully to determine OPP compounds in river, dam and tap water samples; accordingly, the relative recoveries (RR%) were obtained in the range of 77.8 to 113.3%.     

Highly Selective One-Pot Coupling Reaction of Indole,Aromatic Aldehydes,and 4-hydroxycoumarin Using Copper Octoate as a Homogeneous Catalyst

A facile protocol for the one-pot, multicomponent reaction of indole, 4-hydroxycoumarin, and aromatic aldehydes was developed using copper octoate as an inexpensive, commercially available, and efficient catalyst. This highly selective reaction eliminates the formation of homodimeric by-products (bisindoles and biscoumarins) and selectively results in the formation of heterodimeric adducts containing both indole and coumarin heterocycles.