Preparation and Characterization of Carbon Nano‐Onion/PEDOT:PSS Composites

Composites of unmodified or oxidized carbon nano‐onions (CNOs/ox‐CNOs) with poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are prepared with different compositions. By varying the ratio of PEDOT:PSS relative to CNOs, CNO/PEDOT:PSS composites with various PEDOT:PSS loadings are obtained and the corresponding film properties are studied as a function of the polymer. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization is performed for pristine and ox‐CNO samples. The composites are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry studies. The electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites are determined and compared. Doping the composites with carbon nanostructures significantly increases their mechanical and electrochemical stabilities. A comparison of the results shows that CNOs dispersed in the polymer matrices increase the capacitance of the CNO/PEDOT:PSS and ox‐CNO/PEDOT:PSS composites.     

Rapidly renewable silver amalgam annular band electrode for voltammetry and polarography

This work describes a novel type of working electrode for use in voltammetry and polarography — the renewable silver liquid amalgam film–modified silver solid amalgam annular band electrode (AgLAF–AgSAE). The electrode is produced by mechanically refreshing the silver liquid amalgam film (AgLAF) before each measurement. The main constituents of the electrode are: a specially constructed silver solid amalgam annular band electrode (AgSAE), two silicon O-rings, silver liquid amalgam and a polypropylene electrode body. Contaminants from the analyzed solution are removed and the AgSAE surface is covered with a thick layer of fresh amalgam while pulling the AgSAE into the sensor body. During movement in the reverse direction AgLAF is formed and homogenized. The time needed to refresh the film is less than 1 s. The electrode is characterized by excellent surface repeatability (～ 1%) and long-term stability (over ten thousand measurement cycles).     

Low-Temperature TLC-MS of Essential Oils from Five Different Sage (Salvia) Species

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - In a previous paper we discussed the possibility of fractionating the essential oils of different sage species by low-temperature...     

Synthesis and characterisation of coating polyurethane cationomers containing fluorine built-in hard urethane segments

Polyurethane cationomers were synthesised in the reaction of 4,4’-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) with polyoxyethylene glycol (M?= 2,000) or poly(tetrafluoroethyleneoxide-co-difluoromethylene oxide) α,ω-diisocyanate and N-methyl diethanolamine. Amine segments were built-in to the urethane-isocyanate prepolymer in the reaction with 1-bromobutane or formic acid, and then they were converted to alkylammonium cations. The obtained isocyanate prepolymers were then extended in the aqueous medium that yielded stable aqueous dispersions which were applied on the surfaces of test poly(tetrafluoroethylene) plates. After evaporation of water, the dispersions formed thin polymer coatings. ¹H, ¹³C NMR and IR spectral methods were employed to confirm chemical structures of synthesised cationomers. Based on ¹H NMR and IR spectra, the factors κ and α were calculated, which represented the polarity level of the obtained cationomers. The DSC, wide angle X-ray scattering and atom force microscopy methods were employed for the microstructural assessment of the obtained materials. Changes were discussed in the surface free energy and its components, as calculated independently according to the method suggested by van Oss–Good, in relation to chemical and physical structures of cationomers as well as morphology of coating surfaces obtained from those cationomers. Fluorine incorporated into cationomers (about 30%) contributed to lower surface free energy values, down to about 15 mJ/m². That was caused by gradual weakening of long-range interactions within which the highest share is taken by dispersion interactions.     

Determination of catechin and epicatechin in the peel of apple varieties resistant and non-resistant to apple scab

Catechin and epicatechin were analysed in the peel of six apple cultivars (three resistant and three non-resistant to apple scab). Two methods of analytical sample preparation following extraction were tested: solid phase extraction and column separation with Sephadex LH-20 coupled to a differential refractometric detector. Prior to GC and GC-MS analyses, these compounds were silylized. This permitted co-injection with standards and the comparison of retention values and mass spectra with those recorded for standards. The content of catechin and epicatechin in apple peel is discussed in relation to the resistance of apple trees to scab.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of phosphocarnitine enantiomers

Racemic phosphocarnitine 3 has been synthesized starting from diethyl 3-chloro-2-oxopropanephosphonate 4 in three steps involving reduction of 4 to the corresponding 2-hydroxyphosphonate 5, conversion of the latter to phosphonic acid 6, and final reaction with trimethylamine, affording the trimethylammonium salt of 3. Baker's yeast reduction of 4 and enzymatic kinetic resolution of (+/-)-5 afforded the enantiomerically pure precursors of phosphocarnitine, (R)-(+)-5 and (S)-(-)-5, which were converted to (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-phosphocarnitine 3, respectively.     

Numerical method of non-isothermal curve analysis by means of electrical resistance measurement during cooling

The temperature-dependence of the electrical resistance of Al-Zn 78 wt.% was measured during linear cooling of the samples in the range of eutectoidal decomposition. The resulting resistancevs. temperature curves were analysed by:

deriving the temperature-dependence of the volume fractionx(T) of theη precipitate;

fitting the theoretical functionx(T)=x _h (T)+x _c (T) following from numerical integration of the reaction rate equations for the simultaneously occurring homogeneous (H) and cellular (C) precipitation processes.

As a result, the activation energiesE _h andE _c , the JMA exponentsn _h andn _c , the rate constantsk _h andk _c , and the critical temperaturesT _o of the two processes were estimated.     

Comparison of Aqueous and 1-Octanol Solubility as well as Liquid–Liquid Distribution of Acyclovir Derivatives and Their Complexes with Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin

The aim of the presented work is the comparison of aqueous and 1-octanol solubilities of different acyclovir derivatives and their hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The solubility measurements were carried out at different temperatures over the range 25–45 °C using water, 1-octanol, water saturated with 1-octanol, 1-octanol saturated with water, buffered aqueous solutions (pH = 5.5 and 7.0) and buffered aqueous solutions containing cyclodextrin as solvents. The aqueous solubilities of the compounds are very low but may be enhanced by complexation with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, especially if the acyclovir derivatives have aromatic groups which may be included in the cyclodextrin cavity. The values of 1-octanol–water partition coefficients of acyclovir derivatives, obtained using extraction experiments, showed a similar sequence as the solubility results in 1-octanol. Additionally, some molecular mechanics and molecular dynamic calculations were performed to determine optimized structures of acyclovir derivative complexes with β-cyclodextrin treated as a model.     

Synthesis, crystal, molecular, and electronic structures of hydride carbonyl ruthenium(II) complexes with pseudohalide ligands

Two pseudohalide hydride carbonyl ruthenium(II) complexes with formulae: [RuH(N₃)(CO)(PPh₃)₃] (1) and [RuH(NCO)(CO)(PPh₃)₃] (2) have been synthesized by the reactions of [RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃] with sodium azide or sodium cyanate, respectively, and are compared with the previously described thiocyanate analog [RuH(NCS)(CO)(PPh₃)₃]. The molecular structures of the new compounds were determined by X-ray crystallography and their spectroscopic properties have been studied. Based on the crystal structures, computational investigations have been carried out in order to determine the electronic structures of the complexes. The electronic spectra were calculated with the use of time-dependent DFT methods, and the electronic spectra of the transitions were correlated with the molecular orbitals of the complexes.