Aluminum electrodeposition from a non-aqueous electrolyte—a combined computational and experimental study

Electrodeposition of aluminum (Al) from an organic non-aqueous electrolyte of ethylbenzene containing aluminum bromide is demonstrated. It is offered as a simple method for the preparation of Al coatings. This work employs distinct electrochemical techniques and explores the effects of the experimental parameters on the kinetics of the process and the quality of the final coatings. The process presented here enables deposition of pure and crystalline Al at room temperature and facilitates the production of uniform Al coatings on various metallic substrates. Morphological studies establish that the growth of Al deposits follows an island mode, and thus, the most noteworthy effect of the substrate over the morphology of the deposits originates from its impact over the nucleation stage, and the density of islands. This study is complemented by theoretical modeling for the adsorption of Al atoms at the different surfaces. Corrosion evaluation determines the dissolution mechanisms of each of the studied substrates in the examined electrolyte. These findings further corroborate the claim that this electrolyte enables the reversible electrodeposition of Al.

     

Amine-Iodine Adducts as Simple but Effective Catalysts for the Synthesis of Organic Carbonates from Epoxides and CO2

Catalysis Surveys from Asia - New catalysts prepared by simple mixing of molecular iodine and inexpensive monodonor amines can efficiently catalyze the coupling of CO2 with different epoxides at...     

Interactions between mammalian cells and nano- or micro-sized wear particles: Physico-chemical views against biological approaches

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a more and more frequent approach for the treatment of end-stage osteoarthritis in young and active adults; it successfully relieves joint pain and improves function significantly enhancing the health-related quality of life. Aseptic loosening and other wear-related complications are some of the most recurrent reasons for revision of TJA. This review focuses on current understanding of the biological reactions to prosthetic wear debris comparing in vivo and in vitro results. Mechanisms of interactions of various types of cells with metal, polymeric and ceramic wear particles are summarised. Alternative views based on multidisciplinary approaches are proposed to consider physico-chemical, surface parameters of wear particles (such as: particle size, geometry and charge) and material (particle chemical composition and its nature) with biological effects (cellular responses).     

Success and failure of colloidal approaches in adhesion of microorganisms to surfaces

Biofilms are communities of cells attached to surfaces, their contributions to biological process may be either a benefit or a threat depending on the microorganism involved and on the type of substrate and environment. Biofilm formation is a complex series of steps; due to the size of microorganisms, the initial phase of biofilm formation, the bacterial adhesion to the surface, has been studied and modeled using theories developed in colloidal science. In this review the application of approaches such as Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, Overbeek (DLVO) theory and its extended version (xDLVO), to bacterial adhesion is described along with the suitability and applicability of such approaches to the investigation of the interface phenomena regulating cells adhesion. A further refinement of the xDLVO theory encompassing the brush model is also discussed. Finally, the evidences of phenomena neglected in colloidal approaches, such as surface heterogeneity and fluid flow, likely to be the source of failure are defined.     

Revisiting the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of Magnesium with Online Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

The electrochemical impedance of reactive metals such as magnesium is often complicated by an obvious inductive loop with decreasing frequency of the AC polarising signal. The characterisation and ensuing explanation of this phenomenon has been lacking in the literature to date, being either ignored or speculated. Herein, we couple electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with online atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC) to simultaneously measure Mg‐ion concentration and electrochemical impedance spectra during Mg corrosion, in real time. It is revealed that Mg dissolution occurs via Mg²⁺, and that corrosion is activated, as measured by AC frequencies less than approximately 1 Hz approaching DC conditions. The result of this is a higher rate of Mg²⁺ dissolution, as the voltage excitation becomes slow enough to enable all Mg²⁺‐enabling processes to adjust in real time. The manifestation of this in EIS data is an inductive loop. The rationalisation of such EIS behaviour, as it relates to Mg, is revealed for the first time by using concurrent AESEC.     

Letter: Nonlinear Gravitational-Electromagnetic Bending of the Rays of Weak Electromagnetic Waves in the Fields of Pulsars and Magnetars

The eikonal equation is constructed for a weak electromagnetic wave that propagates by the laws of parameterized post-Maxwellian electrodynamics of vacuum in the magnetic dipole and gravitational fields of pulsars and magnetars. An approximate solution has been found for the equation for the rays, along which two mutually perpendicular normal modes of electromagnetic wave are propagating. The ray bending angles and time delay of the first normal mode relatively the second normal mode of the electromagnetic waves polarization states are determined as resultant from the nonlinear effect of the gravitational and magnetic dipole fields of neutron stars on the rays.     

Electrochromic properties of Prussian blue–polypyrrole composite films in dependence on parameters of synthetic procedure

Composite materials of Prussian blue–polypyrrole (PB/PPy) on the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glasses were obtained via one-step chemical (redox) and one-stage electrochemical procedures in mixed solution of iron (III), hexacyanoferrate (III), and pyrrole with various concentration ratios of components in nitrate supporting electrolyte. Electrochemical stability of composite films depends on the amount of Py in synthetic solution, whereas color contrast coefficient values depend on the type of synthetic procedure. PB/PPy film electrochromic response (tested by spectroelectrochemical potentiodynamic measurements) was compared with response of both pure PB and pure PPy films. It was shown that degradation of composite films occurs due to PB component instability in Prussian white form. The highest value of color contrast coefficient and great electrochemical stability were revealed for composite films obtained via redox-synthesis procedure from solution with 0.1 mM [Fe³⁺ + Fe(CN)₆ ^3?] and 1.0 mM Ру (PB/PPy-Ch-1:1:10 system).     

Density functional theory study of the reaction mechanism of the DNA repairing enzyme alkylguanine alkyltransferase

The reaction mechanism of human O⁶-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) is studied using density functional theory. AGT repairs alkylated DNA by directly removing the alkyl group from the O6 position of the guanine. A quantum chemical model of the active site was devised based on the recent crystal structure of the AGT–DNA complex. The potential energy curve is calculated and the stationary points are characterized. It is concluded that the previously proposed reaction mechanism is energetically plausible. In this mechanism, His146 first acts as a water-mediated general base to activate Cys145, which then performs a nucleophilic attack to dealkylate the guanine base.