Zirconium-loaded activated charcoal as an adsorbent for arsenic, selenium and mercury

The adsorption of arsenic, selenium and mercury from aqueous solutions onto zirconium-loaded activated charcoal was studied as a function of adsorption time, amount of adsorbent, pH, concentration of adsorbates, sample volume and the oxidation states of the adsorbates. The cross-interference of the analytes was also investigated. Loaded filters were measured by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and the amount of the unadsorbed analytes were determined by vapour generation atomic absorption spectrometry (VGAAS).     

On Banach spaces with few spreading models

If the set of spreading models of a Banach space is countable (up to equivalence), then it cannot contain a strictly increasing infinite chain of spreading models generated by normalized weakly null sequences. Moreover, such a space must have a spreading model which is `close' to or for some .

     

Underwater speech communications with a modulated laser

A novel speech communications system using a modulated laser beam has been developed for short-range applications in which high directionality is an exploitable feature. Although it was designed for certain underwater applications, such as speech communications between divers or between a diver and the surface, it may equally be used for air applications. With some modification it could be used for secure diver-to-diver communications in the situation where untethered divers are swimming close together and do not want their conversations monitored by intruders. Unlike underwater acoustic communications, where the transmitted speech may be received at ranges of hundreds of metres omnidirectionally, a laser communication link is very difficult to intercept and also obviates the need for cables that become snagged or broken. Further applications include the transmission of speech and data, including the short message service (SMS), from a fixed installation such as a sea-bed habitat; and data transmission to and from an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), particularly during docking manoeuvres. The performance of the system has been assessed subjectively by listening tests, which revealed that the speech was intelligible, although of poor quality due to the speech algorithm used. PACS 42.55.Px; 42.60.By; 42.62.-b     

Simple preparation of iron stabilized carboxonium ions. Concurrent complexation,rearrangement and alcohol addition to terminal acetylenes

CpFe(CO)₂[C(OEt)R]BF₄ complexes can be prepared by reaction of CpFe(CO)₂(isobutylene)BF₄ with monoalkylated acetylenes in methylene chloride/ethanol solutions. Methyl propiolate yields methyl trans-2-ethoxy-acrylate, in a reaction catalytic in CpFe(CO)₂(isobutylene)BF₄, and internal acetylenes can be transformed to CpFe(CO)₂(vinyl ether)BF₄ complexes.     

The diamagnetic susceptibilities of donors in quantum wells with anisotropic effective mass

The diamagnetic susceptibility of a hydrogenic donor placed in Si, Ge and GaAs quantum wells with infinite confinement potential which have different effective mass anisotropy parameters (γ=_m⊥/_m∥$\gamma =m_{\perp }/m_{\parallel }$) has been investigated as a function of the well sizes. The binding energies of the donor have also been computed using a trial wave function with two parameters in the framework of the effective mass approximation. It has been observed that the diamagnetic susceptibility of the donor in the anisotropic materials converges rapidly to the bulk limit as the well size increases.     

Quantum Chemical,Spectroscopic, and X-Ray Diffraction Studies of N-diphenylphosphino-4-methylpiperidine Selenide (1)

The title molecule, N-diphenylphosphino-4-methylpiperidine selenide(1), was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H-NMR, ³¹P-{¹H} NMR, IR, and X-ray single-crystal determination. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 2₁/c. In addition to the molecular geometry from X-ray determination, vibrational frequencies and gauge, including atomic orbital (GIAO) ¹H- and ³¹P-{¹H} NMR chemical shift values of the title compound (1) in the ground state, were calculated using the Hartree–Fock and density functional methods with the 6-31G(d, p) basis set. The calculated results show that the optimized geometries can well reproduce the crystal structures. Besides, the theoretical vibrational frequencies and chemical shift values show good agreement with experimental values. The predicted nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the title compound are greater than those of urea. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs), frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of the title compound were carried out at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory.     

Preparation and characterization of polyfuran/poly(2‐fluoroaniline) conducting composites

This article deals with the chemical synthesis and characterization of poly(2‐fluoroaniline) (P2FAn) and polyfuran (PFu) homopolymers and PFu/P2FAn and P2FAn/PFu composites. P2FAn and PFu homopolymers were synthesized using ammonium persulfate and antimony (III) chloride as catalyst, respectively. These homopolymers and composites were studied in the doped state using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, four‐probe conductivity technique, and Gouy Scale measurements. PFu/P2FAn and P2FAn/PFu composites were found to possess different thermal, conductivity, electronic, and morphological properties from each other when synthesis order of guest and host polymers was varied. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3359–3367, 2004     

Determination of Specific Heats Using Isothermal Microcalorimetry

The specific heat capacities (c_p) for the brain and muscle equivalent liquids were determined with isothermal heat conduction microcalorimetry (IMC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). IMC was found to afford an accurate technique to measure c_p for solid and liquid samples, when an appropriate reference is employed. The accuracy of obtained c_p values was estimated to be better than 0.7% with the equivalent liquids. Intercomparison with a conventional isoperibolic calorimeter showed an excellent agreement within the estimated uncertainty of the isoperibolic calorimeter (±3%). Additionally, suitability of different kinds of IMC sample vessels was tested, and the standard electrical calibration procedure of IMC was evaluated through the determination of c_p with and without a reference material. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The ion exchange of strontium on sodium titanate Na4Ti9O20.xH2O

The ion exchange behaviour of the exchanger Na₄Ti₉O₂₀.xH₂O was studied with particular emphasis on Sr²⁺ exchange. Titration of H₄Ti₉O₂₀.xH₂O with 0.1M [Sr/OH/₂+SrCl₂] solution yielded a strontium ion exchange capacity of 5.30 meq g^–1 corresponding well with the theoretical value. When strontium was absorbed on Na₄Ti₉O₂₀.xH₂O from neutral solutions, Sr₂Ti₉O₂₀.xH₂O was formed. This compound decomposed to SrTiO₃ and TiO₂ when heated to 870 °C. From alkaline solutions strontium was absorbed both as Sr/OH/⁺ and Sr²⁺ with the proportion of the former species increasing with pH. At pH 12.8 only exchange of Sr/OH/⁺ was observed and the exchanged form was Na₂/SrOH/₂Ti₉O₂₀.xH₂O. This compound decomposed to Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ and an unidentified strontium titanate when heated to 870 °C. Distribution coefficients were determined for alkali and alkaline earth metal ions as a function of pH. The selectivity sequence for alkaline earth metal ions was Ba>SrCa>Mg, and that for alkali metal ions was Cs>K>Li /pH 2–6/ and Li>Cs>K /pH 7/.