Rheological and Electrokinetic Properties of Sodium Montmorillonite Suspensions

Because of their particular electric surface properties and crystal structure, most clay minerals possess a very high ion exchange capacity. Furthermore, the surface charge distribution is anisotropic: while faces of the laminar clay particles have a negative, pH-independent charge, edges may be positive or negative, depending on pH. In this work, we propose to contribute new data on particle-particle interaction and charge distribution, by means of measurements of the low-frequency dielectric dispersion (LFDD) of the clay suspensions. Because of the nonspherical shape of clay particles, there are no theoretical models capable of explaining the experimental relaxation spectra. Hence, we limit ourselves to obtaining indirect information by comparing LFDD spectra in different experimental conditions. The quantities of interest in LFDD are the value of the low-frequency dielectric constant, epsilon'(r)(0), and the characteristic or relaxation frequency, omega(cr). These two parameters were measured varying the weight fraction, straight phi, of clay (0.5, 1, and 1.5% w/v) and the pH of the dispersion medium (5, 7, and 9), while maintaining the ionic strength constant ([NaCl]=10(-4) M). It was found that the characteristic relaxation frequency of the dielectric constant was pH-dependent, with a significant minimum at pH 7 in all cases. The results are interpreted as the superposition of two independent relaxation phenomena, associated with edges and faces. With respect to the weight fraction influence, we have found a linear behavior of epsilon'(r)(0) with straight phi at pH 9, indicating the existence of no significant interaction between particles. However, at pH 7 a slight deviation of linearity is observed, and at pH 5 we observe a clearly nonlinear behavior, indicating a stronger degree of interaction between particles. This is in good agreement with the initial assumption that at acid pH values, the electric surface charge of faces is negative, whereas the edges possess a positive charge, thus favoring attractive face-to-edge interaction. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Studium des gegenseitigen Einflusses der Bindungen in Thiocyanat-Kupfer(II)-Komplexen mit Methyl- und Dimethylpyridinen mittels Infrarotspektroskopie

The infrared spectra of thiocyanato-copper(II) complexes of the type Cu(NCS)₂ L ₂ with all isomeric picolines and lutidines (L) as well as those of the type Cu(NCS)₂ L ₃ withL=3- and 4-picoline, 3,4- and 3,5-lutidine were measured. The behaviour of the (CN) stretching vibrations of the Cu(NCS)₂ L ₂ complexes led to conclusions on the different kind of coordination of the NCS groups in dependence on the ligandL. The mutually conditioned strength of the Cu–NCS and Cu–N(L) bonds in the equatorial plane, especially in the presence of ligandsL with the steric effect, was determined from the frequency shift of the Cu–NCS and Cu–N(L) stretching vibrations with regard to the vibrations for Cu(NCS)₂(pyridine)₂.

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Nonlinear schrödinger equations and intermolecular interactions

Nonlinear time-independent Schr6dinger equations arise if the model Hamiltonian depends on the wave function. This may occur if certain interactions are accounted for in an averaged manner, for example, if a moleule is embedded into a polarizable medium. Arguments are given in favor of the perturbational solution which facilitate the treatment of nonlinearity effects. Two examples are discussed: the case of a polarizable environment and the effective correction of the basis set superposition error.     

The algorithm of substructure recognition in organic compounds by the artificial intelligence method on the basis of IR-spectra

An algorithm for identification of the IR-active substructures has been developed. In the algorithm, which recognizes about 100 substructures, the analysis is based on three parameters for a set of characteristic bands: position, intensity and arbitrarily chosen diagnostics. The algorithm provides two ways of identification: a. standard method, which compares an IR spectrum with the correlation tables contained in the algorithm, b. dynamic method advanced here which consists in that the recognized substructures cause blocking of their characteristic bands making them almost inaccessible for further analysis.     

Na-montmorillonite hydrates under ethane rich reservoirs: NPzzT and muPzzT simulations

Na-montmorillonite hydrates in presence of ethane molecules are studied by means of hybrid Monte Carlo simulations in the NP(zz)T and muP(zz)T ensembles. The NP(zz)T ensemble allows us to study the interlaminar distance as a function of water and ethane content. These data show clear plateaus for lower ethane contents and mainly for water contents consistent with the formation of a single water layer. In addition, from this ensemble the structure for some of these interlaminar compositions were analyzed. For systems containing few ethane molecules and water enough to complete a single layer, it was observed that ethane mainly situates close to the interlayer midplane and adopts a nearly parallel arrangement to the clay surface. On the other hand, the muP(zz)T ensemble allows us to determine the interlaminar distance and water-ethane content for any specific reservoir. Here, some important findings are the following: the partial exchange of water by ethane molecules that enhances for decreasing the water vapor pressure; the obtention of a practically constant interlaminar space distance as a function of the water vapor pressure; the conservation of ion solvation shells; the enhancement of the water-ethane exchange for burial conditions; and finally, the incapability for a dehydrated clay mineral to swell in a dry and rich ethane atmosphere.     

Experiences and practical hints on using the DDRP method,illustrated by the example of the H2 + H reaction

By using the dynamically defined reaction path (DDRP) method and starting from various initial polygons, the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) of the H₂ + H → H + H₂ reaction has been calculated. The numerical stability of the method is illustrated by the evolution phases of the reaction path. Techniques and experiences on the parameter choice and effects of the parameter values on the stability and computer time consumption are discussed. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Stochastic description of a reaction scheme with autocatalysis and saturation law

We apply the master equation and non-linear Fokker-Planck techniques to a model with autocatalysis and (Michaelis-Menten, Langmuir-Hinshelwood) saturation law and the minimal set of reactive steps for a well posed problem is given.     

Detection of conformational and net charge differences in DNA-protein complexes by quantitative electrophoresis on polyacrylamide-agarose copolymer gels

The Galactosidase repressor (GalR) of Escherichia coli modulates the expression of the gal operon by binding to two DNA operators, OE and O1. The OE and O1 elements are 16 bp pallindromic DNA sequences, differing in four of the base pairs. OE and O1 DNA fragments, both free and complexed with repressor, were analyzed by "quantitative gel electrophoresis". By the criteria of that method, applied to the linear Ferguson plots of both DNA fragments and the linear ranges of those of the DNA-GalR complexes, it was shown that the apparent size of DNA increases upon repressor binding. Moreover, this size increase is greater for the complex with the O1 operator than for the complex with the OE operator in the case that GalR is located in the center of a 155 bp DNA fragment. This is not the case when GalR is located in a peripheral position. By contrast with their size differences, the centrally located GalR-O1 and GalR-OE complexes appear to possess indistinguishable net surface charge densities as judged from the intercepts with the mobility axis. The larger size of the complex with centrally located O1 fragment, as compared with that bearing the OE fragment, is interpreted as being due to bending of the DNA-protein complex, since an authentically bent fragment of a plasmid with bent upstream activator sequence also exhibits a larger slope of the Ferguson plot, and thus the larger size, than predicted on the basis of its DNA chain length (bp).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Temperature induced structural changes of Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes and their thermal decomposition

The paper discusses the structural changes of some Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes during the heating and their influence upon the decomposition stoichiometry. The influence of the interactions inside of coordination polyhedra, bonding and stereochemical properties of the counter ions or molecules are discussed in this connection as well. The expressive influence of the plasticity or rigidity of the Cu(II) and Ni(II) coordination polyhedra, respectively, is emphasized.

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Zusammenfassung Es werden wÄrmebedingte StrukturverÄnderungen einiger Cu(II) bzw. Ni(II)-Komplexe sowie deren Einflu\ auf die Stöchiometrie der Zersetzung beschrieben. In diesem Zusammenhang wird auch ebenso der Einflu\ von Wechselwirkungen innerhalb des Koordinationspolyeders sowie von Bindungs- und stereochemischen Eigenschaften der Gegenionen oder -moleküle beleuchtet. Es wird der ausdrucksvolle Einflu\ der PlastizitÄt und HÄrte von Cu(II)- und Ni(II)-Koordinationspolyedern hervorgehoben.