Attachment and motion of hydrogen in hydrogen (deuterium) molybdenum bronzes,DxMoO3

Ambient temperature ²D NMR spectra are reported for powder samples of the single phase hydrogen (deuterium) molybdenum bronzes, D_xMoO₃, with x=0.36 (blue orthorhombic), x=0.90 (blue monoclinic), x=1.68 (red monoclinic) and x=2.0 (green monoclinic). Spectra over a range of temperatures are also reported for the red monoclinic and green monoclinic phases. Translation of H-atoms between magnetically inequivalent sites leads to narrowed spectra for all four phases. A consistent interpretation of results from a range of experimental techniques can be given in terms of H-atom sites corresponding to attachment to O-atoms as part of coordinated-OH (hydroxyl) and/or -OH₂ (water) groups.     

A Convenient Synthesis and Resolution of R- and S- Atrolactic Acid in High Enantiomeric Purity

Although chiral atrolactic acid has been the subject of extensive studies by Prelog¹ and others,² there is no simple method to obtain either enantiomer in high purity. During the course of an investigation designed to assess the utility of chiral oxazolines³ as vehicles for asymmetric syntheses, we encountered an efficient technique to obtain either R or S atrolactic acid 4 from a single chiral precursor.     

The ExoMars rover locomotion subsystem

ExoMars is the European Space Agency (ESA) mission to Mars planned for launch in 2018, focusing on exobiology with the primary objective of searching for any traces of extant or extinct carbon-based micro-organisms. The on-surface mission is performed by a near-autonomous mobile robotic vehicle (also referred to as the rover) with a mission design life of 180 sols. The rover has a 6 × 6 × 6 with 6 wheel-walking drive configuration (all 6 wheels are driven, steered and have a ‘walking’ capability) and has flexible wheels providing enhanced traction compared to rigid wheels of the same diameter. The suspension is a passive ‘3-bogie’ system which offers the same 6 wheel contact on uneven ground and mobility performance as the NASA-JPL ‘rocker-bogie’ suspension used on previous Mars rovers, but permits elimination of the differential linkage present in that design. Mars presents several challenges to the rover locomotion subsystem with its rock-strewn surface, sand dunes, rocky outcrops, craters and slopes. The unknown nature of the terrain to be traversed imposes several constraints on the locomotion subsystem design that need to be evaluated and incorporated within the flight model for its successful operation on Mars. In addition, accommodation within the confines of the lander and successful egress from it over deflated airbags places stringent constraints on locomotion subsystem mass, stowage envelope, deployment and wheel design. This paper documents the evolution of the ExoMars rover vehicle locomotion configuration from an early design concept to the current mission baseline design. The discussion involves various tradeoffs supported by mechanical and terramechanical analyses, simulations and testing performed on full-scale locomotion breadboard models at single wheel level and system level.     

Flash calcination of kaolinite studied by DSC,TG and MAS NMR

The structural changes occurring during the dehydroxylation of kaolinite have been followed using flash calcination to produce kinetically frozen calcines. The percentage of dehydroxylation was varied by changing the furnace residence time or temperature and/or heating speed. These calcination conditions affected the reaction kinetics, but the products depended only on the extent of dehydroxylation.Changes in the position and enthalpy of the endothermic transformation to metakaolinite and the high temperature exothermic reaction of metakaolinite have been followed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry of the flash calcines and related to Thermogravimetry. ²⁷Al magic-angle-spinning NMR spectra, at high magnetic fields and spin rates, enabled the reaction of kaolinite to be monitored and provides new information on the nature of the species formed in the course of dehydration.We thank the Science and Engineering Council for supporting our studies of mineral transformations and. R. Meinhold thanks N.Z. D.S.I.R. chemistry, and H Atakul thanks Istanbul Technical University, for leave to undertake these studies. We thank Bruker Analytische for access to NMR spectrometers in their Karlsruhe laboratory.     

Glass transitions in starch,gluten and bread as measured

Dielectric Spectroscopy (DS) and Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) were used to identity the glass transition temperature (T _g) of native wheat starch, vital wheat gluten and a commercial bread, in response to changes in moisture content. An open-ended coaxial probe technique was used to measure the permittivity or dielectric constant (?′) and the loss factor (?″) as functions of moisture, for 2.45 GHz frequency, at constant density and temperature. Plots of ?′ and ?″ as functions of moisture content showed dramatic changes in mobility-based dielectric properties, which occur upon transition from the glassy solid to the rubbery liquid state. The modified TMA method can measure the change in viscoelastic properties aroundT _g. This study further confirms that synthetic polymer science principles can be applied to food systems.     

DSC analysis of starch thermal properties related to functionality in low-moisture baked goods

We describe an application of DSC as an analytical ‘fingerprinting’ method that has been used to characterize the thermal properties of wheat starch in low-moisture, wheat-flour-based baked products, including cookies, crackers, and pretzels. This use of DSC has enabled us to relate starch thermal properties, on the one hand, to starch structure, and on the other hand, to starch functionality, in terms of baking performance and finished-product quality.