Microscopic and thermodynamic properties of the HFA134a-water interface: atomistic computer simulations and tensiometry under pressure

A combined computational and experimental approach is used to determine the interfacial thermodynamic and structural properties of the liquid 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA134a)-vapor and liquid HFA134a-water (HFA134a|W) interfaces at 298 K and saturation pressure. Molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations reveal a stable interface between HFA134a and water. The "10-90" interfacial thickness is comparable with those typically reported for organic-water systems. The interfacial tension of the HFA134a|W interface obtained from the pressure tensor analysis of the MD trajectory is in good agreement with the experimental value determined using in situ high-pressure tensiometry. These results indicate that the potential models utilized are capable of describing the intermolecular interactions between these two fluids. The tension of the HFA134a|W interface is significantly lower than those typically observed for conventional oil-water interfaces and similar to that of the compressed CO(2)-water interface, observed at moderate CO(2) pressures. The MD and tensiometric results are also compared and contrasted with the HFA134a|W and chlorofluorocarbon-water tension values estimated from a parametric relationship. This represents the first report of the interfacial and microscopic properties of the (propellant) hydrofluoroalkanes (HFA)|W interface. The results presented here are of relevance in the design of surfactants capable of forming and stabilizing water-in-HFA microemulsions. Reverse aqueous microemulsions in HFA-based pressurized metered-dose inhalers are candidate formulations for the systemic delivery of biomolecules to and through the lungs.     

Optical emission spectroscopy of benzyl radicals produced in a radio-frequency plasma

The benzyl radical was studied by optical emission spectroscopy in gas phase. This radical was produced in a radio-frequency (RF, 13.56 MHz) discharge, using benzyl alcohol (?CH(2)OH) as a precursor. The fluorescence from the first excited electronic state 1(2)A(2) to ground state 1(2)B(2) (450 nm) was studied as a function of several external parameters (pressure, RF power, electrodes and mixtures of the inert gases Ar, Ne, He, N(2), with the precursor). We also used a DC discharge to produce this radical but, in this case, the decomposition was fast. We observed changes in the electronic transitions of this radical, and found the best conditions to study it by optogalvanic spectroscopy.     

Functional polyisobutylenes via a click chemistry approach

1‐(ω‐Azidoalkyl)pyrrolyl‐terminated polyisobutylene (PIB) was successfully synthesized both by substitution of the terminal halide of 1‐(ω‐haloalkyl)pyrrolyl‐terminated PIB with sodium azide and by in situ quenching of quasiliving PIB with a 1‐(ω‐azidoalkyl)pyrrole. Azide substitution of the terminal halide was carried out in 50/50 heptane/DMF at 90 °C for 24 h using excess azide. The 1‐(ω‐haloalkyl)pyrrolyl‐PIB precursors included 1‐(2‐chloroethyl)pyrrolyl‐PIB, 1‐(2‐bromoethyl)pyrrolyl‐PIB, and 1‐(3‐bromopropyl)pyrrolyl‐PIB. In situ quenching involved direct addition of 1‐(2‐azidoethyl)pyrrole to quasiliving PIB initiated from 5‐tert‐butyl‐1,3‐di(1‐chloro‐1‐methylethyl)benzene (bDCC)/TiCl₄ at ?70 °C in hexane/CH₃Cl (60/40, v/v). ¹H NMR analysis of the quenched product revealed mixed isomeric end groups in which PIB was attached at either C₂ or C₃ of the pyrrole ring (C₂/C₃ = 0.40/0.60). SEC indicated the absence of coupled PIB under optimized conditions, confirming exclusive mono‐substitution on each pyrrole ring. 1‐(3‐Azidopropyl)pyrrolyl‐PIB was reacted in modular fashion with various functional alkynes, propargyl alcohol, propargyl acrylate, glycidyl propargyl ether, and 3‐dimethylamino‐1‐propyne, via a Huisgen 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition (Click) reaction, using Cu(I)Br/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine or bromtris(triphenylphosphine)Cu(I) as catalyst. The reactions were quantitative and produced PIBs bearing terminal hydroxyl, acrylate, glycidyl, or dimethylaminomethyl groups attached via exclusively four‐substituted triazole linkages. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2533–2545, 2010     

Strategy and Complexity of The Game of Squares

We introduce a game called Squares where the single player ispresented with a pattern of black and white squares and hasto reduce the pattern to white by making as few moves as possible.We present a method for solving the game, and show that thefollowing problem is NP-complete. PROBLEM 1 (Squares-Solvability). Given a pattern X and kN, canX be solved in k or less moves? We demonstrate a reduction to this problem from Not-All-Equal-3SAT.We also present another NP-complete problem that Squares-Solvabilitycan be reduced to. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 68Q25.     

Volumetric intensity dependence on the formation of molecular and atomic ions within a high intensity laser focus

The mechanism of atomic and molecular ionization in intense, ultra-short laser fields is a subject which continues to receive considerable attention. An inherent difficulty with techniques involving the tight focus of a laser beam is the continuous distribution of intensities contained within the focus, which can vary over several orders of magnitude. The present study adopts time of flight mass spectrometry coupled with a high intensity (8 x 10(15) Wcm(-2)), ultra-short (20 fs) pulse laser in order to investigate the ionization and dissociation of the aromatic molecule benzene-d1 (C(6)H(5)D) as a function of intensity within a focused laser beam, by scanning the laser focus in the direction of propagation, while detecting ions produced only in a "thin" slice (400 and 800 microm) of the focus. The resultant TOF mass spectra varies significantly, highlighting the dependence on the range of specific intensities accessed and their volumetric weightings on the ionization/dissociation pathways accessed.     

Fluorescence of acridinic dyes in anionic surfactant solution

The interaction of the cationic dyes acridine, 9-aminoacridine (9AA), and proflavine, with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was studied by electronic absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies. The dyes interact with SDS in the pre-micellar region leading in two cases to dimerization in dye-surfactant aggregates, but with distinct molecular arrangements. For proflavine, the observed red shift of the electronic absorption band indicates the presence of J-aggregate, which are nonfluorescent. In the case of 9AA, the aggregates were characterized as nonspecific (neither J- nor H-type is spectroscopically observed). The time-resolved emission spectra gives evidences of the presence of weakly bound dimers by the recovery of three defined decay times by global analysis: dye monomer (tau1 = 16.4 ns), dimer (tau2 = 7.1 ns), and a faster component (tau3 = 2.1 ns) ascribed to intracluster energy migration between monomer and dimer. Acridine has a weak interaction with SDS forming only an ion pair without further self-aggregation of the dye.     

Serendipity and design in the generation of new coordination polymers: an extensive series of highly symmetrical guanidinium-templated, carbonate-based networks with the sodalite topology

The serendipitous discovery of a 3D [Cu(CO(3))(2)(2-)](n) network with the topology of the 4(2)6(4) sodalite net in [Cu(6)(CO(3))(12)(CH(6)N(3))(8)].K(4).8H(2)O paved the way for the deliberate engineering of an extensive series of structurally related guanidinium-templated metal carbonates of composition [M(6)(CO(3))(12)(CH(6)N(3))(8)]Na(3-)[N(CH(3))(4)].xH(2)O, where the divalent metal M in the framework may be Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, or Cd. A closely related crystalline material with a [Ca(CO(3))(2)(2-)](n) sodalite-like framework, but containing K(+) rather than Na(+), of composition [Ca(6)(CO(3))(12)(CH(6)N(3))(8)]K(3)[N(CH(3))(4)].3H(2)O was also isolated. All of these compounds were obtained under the simplest possible conditions from aqueous solution at room temperature, and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Pairs of guanidinium cations are associated with the hexagonal windows of the sodalite cages, alkali-metal cations are associated with their square windows, and N(CH(3))(4)(+) ions are located at their centers. Structures fall into two classes depending on the metal, M(II), in the framework. One type, the BC type (Im3m), comprising the compounds for which M(2+) = Ca(2+), Mn(2+), Cu(2+), and Cd(2+), has a body-centered cubic unit cell, while the second type, the FC type (Fd3c), for which M(2+) = Mg(2+), Fe(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+), has a face-centered cubic unit cell with edges on the order of twice those of the BC structural type. The metal M in the BC structures has four close carbonate oxygen donors and four other more distant ones, while M in the FC structures has an octahedral environment consisting of two bidentate chelating carbonate ligands and two cis monodentate carbonate ligands.     

A study about the stabilization of anatase phase at high temperatures on sol-gel cerium and copper doped titania and titania-silica powders

Copper and cerium oxides doped titania samples, as well as silica-titania samples were prepared through sol-gel process by using titanium butoxyde as precursor. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The main objective of the proposed study is to promote the stabilization of anatase phase at high temperatures. The obtained experimental results show that cerium doped titania samples stabilizes the anatase phase until 800 °C, whereas copper doped samples calcinated at the same temperature are a mixture of anatase and rutile phases. So, CeO₂ is a better stabilizer for anatase phase than CuO. On the other hand, based on previously reported data it can be concluded that both, CeO₂ and CuO are better stabilizers for anatase phase than SnO₂. It is also verified that the total amount of silica in the titania-silica double oxide increases the temperature required for crystallization, and as a consequence, the anatase phase is stabilized at higher temperatures i.e. up to 1200 °C.