Silane layers on silicon surfaces: mechanism of interaction, stability, and influence on protein adsorption

In this work the mechanism of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) interaction with silicon surfaces is investigated at the molecular level. We studied the influence of experimental parameters such as time, temperature, and concentration on the quality of the APTES layer in terms of chemical properties, morphology, and stability in aqueous medium. This was achieved using a highly sensitive IR mode recently developed, grazing angle attenuated total reflection (GA-ATR). This technique provides structural information on the formed APTES layer. The topography of this layer was investigated by atomic force microscopy in aqueous medium. The hydrophilicity was also studied using contact angle measurement. Combining these techniques enables discussion of the mechanism of silane grafting. Considerable differences were observed depending on the reaction temperature, room temperature or 90 °C. The data suggest the presence of two adsorption sites with different affinities on the oxidized silicon layer. This also allows the optimal parameters to be established to obtain an ordered and stable silane layer. The adsorption of proteins on the APTES layer was achieved and monitored using in situ quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and ex situ GA-ATR analyses.     

Comparison between approaches for the experimental determination of metastable zone width: A case study of the batch cooling crystallization of ammonium oxalate in water

In situ ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with in situ image acquisition measurements were used to determine the solubility curve and to investigate the metastable zone width (MSZW) of ammonium oxalate monohydrate (AO) aqueous solutions under polythermal conditions. The experimental data allowed estimating the MSZW and induction time of the system and the results were compared with published literature values for the same system [1]. “Pseudo” induction time estimation techniques based on polythermal methods showed that AO aqueous solutions exhibit two nucleation regimes depending on the cooling rates.Even though they are based on rough and questionable assumptions, induction time and MSZW estimation methods are often considered as essential for the development of industrial crystallization processes. However, both the relevancy and the physical meaning of the results provided by these methods are uncertain. In the actual industrial context where many advanced measurement techniques and modeling tools became available, the present paper intends to call into question the outcome of the notions of MSZW and induction time.     

Spectrophotometric Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Amlodipine Besylate and Atenolol in Their Tablet Dosage Form

Three simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods are developed for simultaneous determination of amlodipine besylate (AM) and atenolol (AT) in tablets. The first method is dual wavelength spectrophotometry (DW). The second method is ratio subtraction (RS) which depends on subtraction of the plateau values from the ratio spectrum, coupled to first derivative of ratio spectra (1DD). The third method applies bivariate calibration method using 210 and 225 nm as an optimum pair of wavelength for amlodipine and atenolol. The calibration curves are linear over the concentration range of 4～40 μg·mL-1 for both drugs. The specificity of the developed methods is investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures of the two drugs and their combined dosage form. The two methods are validated as per ICH guidelines and can be applied for routine quality control testing.     

Crystallographic and first-principles density functional theory study on the structure,noncovalent interactions,and chemical reactivity of 1,5-benzodiazepin-2-ones derivatives

The present work arose out of a desire to fundamentally understand the molecular geometry, weak interactions, electron density delocalization, and chemical reactivity features of 1,5-benzodiazepines-containing family. Herein, a complete X-ray crystallographic study, supported by trustworthy sets of computational approaches, has been reported for two organic crystals. Quantifying intramolecular and intermolecular interactions by Hirshfeld-Becke surfaces analysis conjointly with noncovalent interaction-reduced density gradient topological study revealed that supramolecular assemblies are stabilized by N-H ^… O (inter) and O-H ^… N (intra) hydrogen bonds, Cg ^… Cg (π ^… π) and C-H(O) ^… π intercontacts, as well as Van der Waals interactions and steric effects. The long-range-corrected functional wB97XD, which uses Grimme's D2 dispersion model, seems to be just right for our systems. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules analysis confirms that both significant O1-H1…N1 and N2-H2A…O2 H-bonds are weak and electrostatic in nature. Furthermore, global reactivity indices computed via the conceptual density functional theory framework allows these molecules to be classified as moderate electrophiles and marginal nucleophiles. The active sites favorable for nucleophilic/electrophilic attacks were also predicted based on local Parr functions. Finally, a comparative evaluation on the aromaticity character and π-π stacking ability has been done for different (pseudo) rings.     

Variations in Physicochemical Properties and Bioconversion Efficiency of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ulva lactuca</Emphasis> Polysaccharides After Different Biomass Pretreatment Techniques

Green macroalgae are an abundant and undervalued biomass with a specific cell wall structure. In this context, different pretreatments, namely ethanol organosolv (Org), alkaline, liquid hot water (LHW), and ionic liquid (IL) pretreatments, were applied to the green macroalgae Ulva lactuca biomass and then evaluated. Their effects on chemical composition, biomass crystallinity, enzymatic digestibility, and theoretical ethanol potential were studied. The chemical composition analysis showed that the Org and LHW pretreatments allowed the highest glucan recovery (80.8 ± 3.6 and 62.9 ± 4.4 g/100 g DM, respectively) with ulvan (80.0 and 99.1%) and hemicellulose (55.0 and 42.3%) removal. These findings were in agreement with both thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy results that confirm significant structural changes of the pretreated biomasses. It was found that the employed pretreatments did not significantly affect the cellulose crystallinity; however, they both increased the whole crystallinity and the enzymatic digestibility. This later reached 97.5% in the case of LHW pretreatment. Our results showed high efficiency saccharification of Ulva lactuca biomass that will constitute the key step of the implementation of a biorefinery process.     

Ordered nanostructures on a hydroxylated aluminum surface through the self-assembly of fatty acids

We investigate the mechanism of self-assembly of fatty acids (FA) and methyl oleate on an Al oxy-hydroxide surface with a view to deciphering the role and nature of interfacial processes (adsorption, chemical binding, molecular organization, etc.). For this purpose, we focus on parameters related to intrinsic properties of molecules, namely the level of unsaturation and the nature of the head group (carboxylic acid or ester). After the FA adsorption, the presence of coordinative bonded carboxylate species on the Al oxy-hydroxide surface is demonstrated by means of PM-IRRAS analysis. We observe that contact of methyl oleate with the surface leads to its chemical transformation through a saponification reaction. As a consequence, it binds to the surface in a manner similar to that for fatty acids. Through an innovative mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM), the organization of the adsorbed molecules is demonstrated. Our results reveal the existence of highly ordered nanostructures guided by the FA self-assembly. The size of these nanostructures was determined with accuracy, suggesting that it exceeds one FA monolayer. By contrast, no organization was observed with methyl oleate.     

Experimental and theoretical cooling velocity profile inside laser welded metals using keyhole approximation and Boubaker polynomials expansion

In this paper we are concerned with the t-dependent cooling velocity during laser welding sequences. The temperature profile has been yielded by using keyhole approximation for the melted zone and solving the heat transfer equation. A polynomial expansion has been adopted as a guide to determining the cooling velocity during welding cut-off stage. A thorough comparison with experimental results and recently published profiles has been carried out.     

Evaluation of the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Tomato Waste at Mesophilic Temperature

Sewage sludge is a hazardous waste, which must be managed adequately. Mesophilic anaerobic digestion is a widely employed treatment for sewage sludge involving several disadvantages such as low methane yield, poor biodegradability, and nutrient imbalance. Tomato waste was proposed as an easily biodegradable co-substrate to increase the viability of the process in a centralized system. The mixture proportion of sewage sludge and tomato waste evaluated was 95:5 (wet weight), respectively. The stability was maintained within correct parameters in an organic loading rate from 0.4 to 2.2 kg total volatile solids (VS)/m³ day. Moreover, the methane yield coefficient was 159 l/kg VS (0 °C, 1 atm), and the studied mixture showed a high anaerobic biodegradability of 95 % (in VS). Although the ammonia concentration increased until 1,864?±?23 mg/l, no inhibition phenomenon was determined in the stability variables, methane yield, or kinetics parameters studied.     

Nitration of Halterman porphyrin: a new route for fine tuning chiral iron and manganese porphyrins with application in epoxidation and hydroxylation reactions using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant

A methodology is reported for the regioselective nitration of the phenyl groups of Halterman porphyrin, using NaNO₂. These nitro-porphyrins can be reduced to aminoporphyrins and then N-dimethylated to give new optically active porphyrins. Applications to the asymmetric epoxidation of styrene derivatives by H₂O₂ to give optically active epoxides (ee up to 60%) and hydroxylation of alkanes to give optically active secondary alcohols (ee up to 69%) were carried out in organic solvents (dichloromethane/methanol) using chiral iron and manganese porphyrins as catalysts.