Electrochemical modification of steel by platinum nanoparticles

The aim of this study was to synthesize low-concentration catalysts with a highly developed surface based on nanodispersed platinum deposited onto the steel surface electrochemically modified with the use of an ionic liquid. Sintered fibers of austenitic steel without pretreatment (steel 1) and etched with hydrochloric acid to remove surface oxides (steel 2) were used as substrates. 1-Butyl-4-methylimidazolium acetate [BMIM][Ac] ionic liquid was used. Variation of the current intensity and anodic treatment time leads to the formation of different structures at the steel surface. For steel 2, optimal conditions leading to self-organization, namely, formation of hexagonal structures, have been selected. It has been demonstrated that formation of nanostructures at the steel surface can occur without the participation of fluoride ions. Low-concentration (Pt/steel 2) catalysts with a uniform distribution of platinum nanoparticles over the surface were prepared via galvanostatic deposition from an aqueous solution of H₂PtCl₆.     

X-ray fluorescence method for determining the mass absorption coefficient in two-layer thin-film Ti/Ge and Ni/Ge systems

We propose a new method for determining the mass absorption coefficient in x-ray fluorescence analysis of two-layer thin-film Ti/Ge and Ni/Ge systems using easily made standardized film layers obtained by deposition of titanium or nickel on a polymer film substrate. We calculate correction factors taking into account absorption of primary emission from the x-ray tube and absorption of the analytical line for an element of the bottom layer in the top layer.     

Phase Diagrams of Semicrystalline Polymer–Crystalline Substances: Polyolefins–1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene

The full phase diagrams of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and isotactic polypropylene (i-PP) mixtures with 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (TeCB), including the solubility curve of TeCB in a solid polymer, were constructed by an optical method. The diagrams contain a eutectic point that corresponds to the situation when the crystallization of TeCB out of its solution in a polyolefin is accompanied by the crystallization of monomer units of the macromolecules. As a result, the polymer acquires a gel structure with crystallites as crosslinks and amorphous regions saturated with TeCB. It is demonstrated that the eutectic point position on the phase diagram can be used for ranking polymers with respect to their thermodynamic affinity to a solvent. For the studied systems, the affinity to TeCB was decreased in the order i-PP, HDPE, and LDPE. Direct experimental evidence was obtained that TeCB crystals can be dissolved in a solid polymer via a vapor phase mechanism, which leads to the polymer amorphization.     

Chiral effect in the sechenov parameters of argon solubility in aqueous α-valine and α-phenylalanine solutions

Data on the solubility of argon in water and aqueous solutions of L and D enantiomers of α-valine and α-phenylalanine at T = 283–328 K and partial pressure of argon p ₂ = 0.1 MPa are used to calculate the standard parameters of the Sechenov salt effect. Parameters of the solute-solute pair interaction are estimated within the formalism of the McMillan-Mayer theory. Evidence is provided for the presence of the chiral effect in the Sechenov parameters.     

Transition Metal Complexes of a Salen–Fullerene Diad: Redox and Catalytically Active Nanostructures for Delivery of Metals in Nanotubes

A covalently‐linked salen–C₆₀ (H₂L) assembly binds a range of transition metal cations in close proximity to the fullerene cage to give complexes [M(L)] (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd), [MCl(L)] (M=Cr, Fe) and [V(O)L]. Attaching salen covalently to the C₆₀ cage only marginally slows down metal binding at the salen functionality compared to metal binding to free salen. Coordination of metal cations to salen–C₆₀ introduces to these fullerene derivatives strong absorption bands across the visible spectrum from 400 to 630 nm, the optical features of which are controlled by the nature of the transition metal. The redox properties of the metal–salen–C₆₀ complexes are determined both by the fullerene and by the nature of the transition metal, enabling the generation of a wide range of fullerene‐containing charged species, some of which possess two or more unpaired electrons. The presence of the fullerene cage enhances the affinity of these complexes for carbon nanostructures, such as single‐, double‐ and multiwalled carbon nanotubes and graphitised carbon nanofibres, without detrimental effects on the catalytic activity of the metal centre, as demonstrated in styrene oxidation catalysed by [Cu(L)]. This approach shows promise for applications of salen–C₆₀ complexes in heterogeneous catalysis.     

Some Properties of Polycaprolactone Composites with Cellulose Nanocrystals

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - Composites of polycaprolactone with cellulose nanocrystals were produced, and their morphological, thermal, and strength characteristics were examined. It was...     

Erratum to: A Unified Approach to Disjoining Pressure in Liquid and Vapor Interlayer within the Framework of the Density Functional Theory

Colloid Journal - An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1061933X21330012     

Chitosan-dextran branched copolymers: Synthesis and properties

Chitosan-dextran branched copolymers have been synthesized, and the rheological properties of their aqueous acetic acid solutions have been studied. On the basis of the data of FTIR spectroscopy, the formation of chemical bonds between chitosan and dextran at the nitrogen atom has been confirmed. With the use of dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, the temperatures of relaxation transitions in the resulting branched copolymers have been determined. It is shown that, along with the formation of a branched copolymer, the chemical crosslinking of chitosan macrochains can occur. Mechanical properties of films formed from solutions of the obtained polymers have been studied.     

Model of the Electrophoretic Behavior of Complexes of Metals

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - A mathematical model is proposed to describe the behavior of complex compounds of metals during their separation via capillary zone electrophoresis. The...