Estimation of surface free energies and hamaker constants for fibrous solids by wetting force measurements

Wetting force at three-phase line was measured by the Wilhelmy technique using fibrous solids/liquid/liquid systems. Advancing and receding contact angles were calculated from the wetting forces during fiber immersion and emersion. The obtained results showed that contact angle hysteresis was due to the heterogeneity of the fiber surfaces. The dispersive and polar components of surface free energies of the fibers were determined from the advancing and receding contact angles, respectively. The Hamaker constants of the fibers were estimated from the dispersive components of their surface free energies.     

Synthesis of α‐alkylidene‐γ‐butyrolactones via Ring‐cleavage/recyclization of 2‐Amino‐4,5‐dihydro‐3‐furancarboxamides

The reactions of 2‐amino‐4,5‐dihydro‐3‐furancarboxarnides 1a,b with cyanomethylene compounds (such as alkyl cyanoacetates and malononitrile) gave the corresponding ring‐opened products 2a‐f. Compounds 2a‐d reacted with methanesulfonic acid to give the corresponding α‐alkylidene‐γ‐butyrolactones 3a‐d. On the other hand, treatment of 2e,f with methanesulfonic acid yielded 3‐pyridinecarbonitrile derivatives 4a,b.     

Dehydrogenation of methanol to formaldehyde over titanium alloys

The dehydrogenation of methanol to formaldehyde has been studied in the temperature range between 523 and 723 K over titanium alloys. The FeTi alloy showed a high selectivity for the formation of formaldehyde. Addition of zinc increased the specific rate of formaldehyde formation with a simultaneous decrease in its selectivity.

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523 723 K . FeTi . Zn .

     

Electronegative oligothiophenes fully annelated with hexafluorocyclopentene: synthesis, properties, and intrinsic electron mobility

Synthesis of hexafluorocyclopenta[c]thiophene-repeated oligothiophenes up to 6-mer has been accomplished. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of these oligomers unambiguously exemplify marked electronegative character without disrupting the effective conjugation. The combination of time-resolved microwave conductivity and transient optical spectroscopy measurements of the 6-mer revealed the intrinsic electron mobility to be as high as 2.0 x 10(-1) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).     

Formation of spectral intermediate G-C and A-T anion complex in duplex DNA studied by pulse radiolysis

The dynamics of electron adducts of 2'-deoxynucleotides and oligonucelotides (ODNs) were measured spectroscopically by nanosecond pulse radiolysis. The radical anions of the nucleotides were produced within 10 ns by the reaction of hydrated electrons (e(aq)(-)) and were protonated to form the corresponding neutral radicals. At pH 7.0, the radical anion of deoxythymidine (dT(*-)) was protonated to form the neutral radical dT(H)(*) in the time range of microseconds. The rate constant for the protonation was determined as 1.8 x 10(10) M(-1) s(-1). In contrast, the neutral radical of dC(H)(*) was formed immediately after the pulse, suggesting that the protonation occurs within 10 ns. The transient spectra of excess electrons of the double-stranded ODNs 5'-TAATTTAATAT-3' (AT) and 5'-CGGCCCGGCGC-3' (GC) differed from those of pyrimidine radicals (C and T) and their composite. In contrast, the spectra of the electron adducts of the single-stranded ODNs GC and AT exhibited characteristics of C and T, respectively. These results suggest that, in duplex ODNs, the spectral intermediates of G-C and A-T anions complex were formed. On the microsecond time scale, the subsequent changes in absorbance of the ODN AT had a first-order rate constant of 4 x 10(4) s(-1), reflecting the protonation of T.     

New C(28) steroidal glycosides from Tubocapsicum anomalum

Two new C(28) steroidal glycosides, tuboanosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the fruit of Tubocapsicum anomalum MAKINO. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction analysis of the p-bromobenzoyl derivative (4) of tuboanosigenin (3), the sapogenol derivative of these two glycosides. Tuboanosides have the structural peculiarity of an unusual side chain carrying an unusual linkage with a C-21 bound to C-25 on the lactone ring.     

Breaking time-resolution limits in pulse radiolysis

Pulse radiolysis, which is a time-resolved stroboscopic method based on ultrashort electron pulse and ultrashort analyzing light, is widely used for the study of the chemical kinetics and radiation primary processes or reactions. Although it has become possible to use femtosecond-pulse electron beam and femtosecond laser light in pulse radiolysis, the resolution is limited by the difference in group velocities of the electrons and the light in sample. In this contribution, we introduce a concept of equivalent velocity spectroscopy (EVS) into pulse radiolysis and demonstrate the methodology experimentally. In EVS, both the electron and the analyzing light pulses precisely overlap at every point in the sample and throughout the propagation time by rotating the electron pulse. The advance allows us to overcome the resolution degradation due to the different group velocity. We also present a method for measuring the rotated angle of the electron pulse and a technique for rotating the electron pulse with a deflecting cavity.     

Simultaneous measurement of velocity and temperature in high-temperature turbulent flows: a combination of LDV and a three-wire temperature probe

This paper deals with a simple and reliable technique for simultaneous measurement of velocity and temperature in high-temperature turbulent flows, including combustion. The technique is based on the combination of laser Doppler velocimetry and a digitally compensated fine-wire thermocouple. For temperature measurement, a two-thermocouple probe with a fine cold wire [Tagawa et al. (1998) Rev Sci Instrum 69: 3370–3378] is used, which enables in situ measurement of thermocouple time constants and accurate compensation of the thermocouple response. When tested in a turbulent wake behind a heated cylinder, the technique proves to be highly reliable and effective for investigating heat transport processes in various non-isothermal turbulent flows. Received: 24 June 1999/Accepted: 10 March 2000     

Direct evidence of positronium trapping in the cavity of crown ether

We report a new result on positron age–momentum correlation measurement in crown ethers. While the ortho-positronium lifetime shows good correlation with the cavity size of crown ethers, the intensity is seen to be dependent on the chemical structure. It is seen that a linear correlation of the momentum distribution of free-positron and o-Ps extracted from the AMOC spectra with the energy of the HOMO level evaluated using PM3 method. This correlation unambiguously suggests that positrons have a strong affinity for the ether ring and it provides direct experimental evidence for localization of positronium atom in the crown ether cavity.