Adsorption and diffusion of molecular nitrogen in single wall carbon nanotubes

Using molecular simulation, the adsorption and self-diffusion of diatomic nitrogen molecules inside a single wall carbon nanotube have been studied over a range of nanotube diameters (8.61-15.66 A) and loadings at temperatures of 100 and 298 K. Nitrogen adsorption energy is found to increase as the nanotube diameter is reduced toward the molecular diameter of nitrogen. A discrete organization of the nitrogen into adsorbed layers is observed at high loadings that follows a regular progression determined primarily by geometric considerations. The formation of an adsorbate core at the center of the nanotube is found to increase the self-diffusion of nitrogen. A "wormlike" phase is found for the adsorbed nitrogen in the (15, 0) carbon nanotube at high loadings and at 100 K.     

Permanently oriented antibody immobilization for digoxin determination with a flow-through fluoroimmunosensor

This paper reports a new flow-through fluoroimmunosensor, the function of which is based on antibodies immobilized on an inmunoreactor of controlled-pore glass (CPG), for determination of digoxin, used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and artery disease. The immunosensor has a detection limit of 1.20 microg L(-1) and provides high reproducibility (RSD=4.5% for a concentration of 0.0025 mg L(-1), and RSD=6.7% for 0.01 mg L(-1)). The optimum working concentration range was found to be 1.2 x 10(-3)-4.0 x 10(-2) mg L(-1). The lifetime of the immunosensor was about 50 immunoassays; if stored unused its lifetime can be extended to three months. A sample speed of about 10-12 samples per hour can be attained. Possible interference from substances with structures similar to digoxin (morphine, heroin, tebaine, codeine, pentazocine and narcotine) was investigated. No cross-reactivity was seen at the highest digoxin: interferent ratio studied (1:100). The proposed fluoroimmunosensor was successfully used to determine digoxin concentrations in human serum samples.     

Neutron-neutron final state interactions in the reaction H(d, pp)2n

The reaction ²H(d, pp)2n has been studied at a bombarding energy of 12 MeV, detecting the two protons in coincidence at angles of ±20° as well as +20° and −15°. In both cases, a narrow band was observed in a three-dimensional plot of the yield versus the energies of the two detected protons. E1 and E2, with most of the yield concentrated in the area where E1 ≈ E2. This suggests a two-step sequential process of the type d + d → (2p) + (2n) → p + p + n + n. In a missing mass plot for the third, undetected “particle” a pronounced, narrow peak appears at low relative energies in the (nn) system.     

Modeling sound transmission through the pulmonary system and chest with application to diagnosis of a collapsed lung

A theoretical and experimental study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of using audible-frequency vibro-acoustic waves for diagnosis of pneumothorax, a collapsed lung. The hypothesis was that the acoustic response of the chest to external excitation would change with this condition. In experimental canine studies, external acoustic energy was introduced into the trachea via an endotracheal tube. For the control (nonpneumothorax) state, it is hypothesized that sound waves primarily travel through the airways, couple to the lung parenchyma, and then are transmitted directly to the chest wall. In contradistinction, when a pneumothorax is present the intervening air presents an added barrier to efficient acoustic energy transfer. Theoretical models of sound transmission through the pulmonary system and chest region to the chest wall surface are developed to more clearly understand the mechanisms of intensity loss when a pneumothorax is present, relative to a baseline case. These models predict significant decreases in acoustic transmission strength when a pneumothorax is present, in qualitative agreement with experimental measurements. Development of the models, their extension via finite element analysis, and comparisons with experimental canine studies are reviewed.     

Interatomic Lennard-Jones potentials of linear and branched alkanes calibrated by Gibbs ensemble simulations for vapor-liquid equilibria

We propose Lennard-Jones potential parameters for interatomic interactions of linear and branched alkanes based on matching the results of Gibbs ensemble simulations of vapor-liquid equilibria to experimental data. The alkane model is similar as in the OPLS-AA, but multiple atom types for carbon based on the number of covalently bonded hydrogen atoms are necessary to accurately reproduce liquid densities and enthalpies of vaporization with the errors of 2.1% and 3.3%, respectively, for hydrocarbons of various chain lengths and structures. We find that the attraction energies of the carbon atoms are almost proportional to the number of covalent hydrogen atoms with each increasing the carbon energy parameter by approximately 0.033 kcal/mol. Though the present force field outperforms the OPLS-AA force field for alkanes we studied, systematic deviations for vapor pressures are still observed with errors of 15%-30%, and critical temperatures are slightly underestimated. We think that these shortcomings are probably due to the inadequacy of the two-parameter Lennard-Jones potential, and especially its behavior at short distances.     

Quantum mechanics: a new tool for engineering thermodynamics

Computational quantum mechanics is leading to new, theoretically based methods for the prediction of thermodynamic properties and phase behavior of interest to engineers. Three such methods we have been working on are reviewed here. In the most direct and computational intensive form, computational quantum mechanics is used to obtain information on the multidimensional potential energy surface between molecules, which is then used in computer simulation to predict thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria. At present, this method is limited to the study of small molecules due to the computational resources available. The second method is much less computationally intensive and provides a way to improve group-contribution methods by introducing corrections based on the charge and dipole moment of each functional group that is unique to the molecule in which it appears. The final method we consider is based on the polarizable continuum model, in which the free energy of transferring a molecule from an ideal gas to a liquid solution is computed, leading directly to values of activity coefficients and phase equilibrium calculations.