Interaction of soil humic acids with herbicide paraquat analyzed by surface-enhanced Raman scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy on silver plasmonic nanoparticles

A study of the interaction between paraquat (methyl viologen) and humic acids, extracted from a soil amended over 30 years with crop residues, cow slurries and cattle manure, was carried out by two emission spectroscopies based on plasmonic effects: surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF). To carry out this study Ag nanoparticles were used. The complex formation was tested by analyzing the effect of the herbicide on humic acids, and by varying experimental parameters such as the pH and the laser excitation wavelength. The study of the vibrational bands led to infer information about the interaction mechanism of paraquat with humic acids and to find a correlation between this interaction and the humic acids structural modification induced by the different amendments added to soil.     

Influence of some characteristic parameters on the low frequency instability in bi-propellant rocket engines

Summary In the present report, it is examined low frequency oscillations built up in a bi-propellant rocket engine equipped with pressurized feeding system.Some of the main parameters having a predominant effect on the phenomenon are investigated and the obtained criteria is found useful for the engine design purposes.All graphs are presented in a non-dimensional form which leads to a generalized use of the above mentioned method.Numerical results were processed by means of a high speed digital computer of the calculation center of Politecnico di Milano.

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Sommario Nel presente articolo si studiano le oscillazioni a bassa frequenza nei motori a razzo bi-propellente, con sistema di alimentazione e pressurizzazione.Si sono rilevati i parametri fondamentali che influenzano il fenomeno e si sono ottenuti dei criteri di calcolo utili in sede di progettazione.Tutti i grafici sono riportati in forma adimensionale in modo da rendere generale il metodo di calcolo.I risultati numerici sono stati ottenuti con il calcolatore elettronico IBM7040 in dotazione del Centro di calcolo del Politecnico di Milano.

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Optically active heteroaromatic compounds IX. Preparation,absolute configuration and optical purity of some chiral 3-alkylindoles

The Fischer and Brunner reactions as well as the Grignard alkylation of isatin have been used to prepare (S)-3-sec-butyl- and (S)-3-(2-methylbutyl)indoles, respectively, starting from (S)-1-chloro-2-methylbutane. The stereospecificity of the synthetic sequences followed has been investigated and the stereochemical relationships of the title compounds have been established.     

Structural researches on organotin(iv) compounds. synthesis and structure of nitratotriphenyl(triphenylphosphine oxide)tin(iv)

A nitrato-complex of organotin(IV) containing triphenylphosphine oxide, Sn(C₆H₅)₃(NO₃) [(C₆H₅)₃PO], has been synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray structural analysis. The compound crystallizes in space group P 1¯, with a = 11.817(6), b = 11.086(6), c = 12.471(6), α = 99.6(1),β = 90.8(1), γ = 97.8(1), Z = 2. The structure has been solved from X-ray diffractometer data by Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by least-squares calculations to R = 6.4% for 4301 independent reflections. The structure consists of discrete monomer units in which tin shows trigonal bipyramidal geometry.     

Calorimetric study of blends of poly(butylene terephthalate) and a liquid crystalline polyester

The thermal properties of solution-prepared blends of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and liquid crystalline poly(biphenyl-4,4′-ylene sebacate) (PB8) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The smectic-to-isotropic (s → i) transition of the mesomorphic component is observed at temperatures slightly increasing with the PB8 content, in the 270–280°C range; on cooling, the mesophase formation (i → s transition) takes place at temperatures that decrease markedly with decreasing PB8 content. The temperatures of the crystal-to-smectic and smectic-to-crystal transitions of PB8 are almost invariant with blend composition. The melting and crystallization temperatures of the PBT phase decrease on increasing the content of the liquid crystalline component. These results, together with those of isothermal calorimetry of both the crystallization of the PBT component and the mesophase formation of the PB8 component of the blends, indicate that the two polymers are not immiscible in the isotropic state. In this latter state, however, the two polyesters undergo transesterification, which can be followed through changes in the DSC scans. The effect of the thermal history on the properties of the blends has been studied with particular attention. Both the dynamic and the isothermal calorimetric measurements provide evidence of an increase of the degree of crystallinity of PBT on addition of the liquid crystalline component up to about 35–50% by weight.     

Special bases forS N and GL(n)

The special basis in spaces of finite dimensional representation ofS _N and GL(n) is constructed and its properties are studied. Both authors are partially supported by the National Science Foundation.     

Speed of Light on Rotating Platforms

If is often taken for granted that on a rotating disk it is possible to operate a global 3+1 splitting of spacetime such that both lengths and time intervals are uniquely defined in terms of measurements performed by real rods and real clocks at rest on the platform. This paper shows that this assumption, although widespread and apparently trivial, leads to an anisotropy of the velocity of two light beams traveling in opposite directions along the rim of the disk, which in turn implies some recently pointed out paradoxical consequences undermining the self-consistency of the special theory of relativity (SRT). A correct application of the SRT solves the problem and recovers complete internal consistency for the theory. As an immediate consequence, it is shown that the Sagnac effect only depends on the nonhomogeneity of time of the platform and has nothing to do with any anisotropy of the speed of light along the rim of the disk, contrary to an incorrect but widely held idea.     

Electro-Optic Intensity Modulator for Broadband Optical Communications

An LiNbO 3 electro-optic grating modulator, composed of coplanar microstrip electrodes with periodic small fins and an airbridge structure, is presented. The small fins slow down the microwave propagating speed, while the effect of the airbridge is the reduction of the effective index. The modulator design has good performance in terms of wavelength selection and high-speed characteristics. The microwave and optical analysis are carried out using the three-dimensional finite difference method and coupled mode equations.