Adsorption of thorium(IV) on magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The influences of pH, contact time, solid-liquid ratio, temperature and C60(C(COOH)2)n on Th(IV) adsorption onto the magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MMWCNTs) were studied by batch technique. The dynamic process showed that the adsorption of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs could reach equilibrium in 40 h and matched the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The adsorption of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs was significantly dependent on pH values, the adsorption ratio increased markedly at pH 3.0–5.0, and then maintained a steady state as pH values increased. At low pH, different C60(C(COOH)2)n content could enhance the adsorption content of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs, but restrained it at higher pH. Through simulating the adsorption isotherms by Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubini-Radushkevich models, it could be seen respectively that the adsorption pattern of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs was mainly surface complexation, and that the adsorption process was endothermic and irreversible.     

Studies on Carbohydrates X. A New Method for the Preparation of Isopropylidene Saccharides

Cabohydrates reacting with acetone in the presence of molecular sieve and p—toluene sulfonic acid provided a simple, convenient, high yield and good selective process for preparation of isopropylidene carbohydrates.     

The Synthesis and Biological Activities of [5-(4-Substituted Phenylsulfinyl/Sulfonyl)-1,3-Dimethyl-1H-Pyrazol-4-Yl]-Arylmethanones

Abstract

A novel series of pyrazole derivatives containing substituted phenylsulfinyl/sulfonyl group have been synthesized via the oxidation of intermediate pyrazole sulfoether with H₂O₂ in acetic acid. The novel compounds were characterized by melting point, ¹H NMR, FT-IR, MS, and elemental analysis or HRMS. The biological activity results showed that most of the title compounds exhibit significant fungicidal activities against Alternaria solani Sorauer, Phytophthora capsici, and Corynespora cassiicola.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements for the following free supplemental files: Additional text and figures.]     

A local damage detection approach based on restoring force method

Chain-like systems have been studied by many researchers for their simple structure and wide range of application. Previously, the damage in a chain-like system was detected by the reduction of the mass-normalized stiffness coefficient for certain elements as reported by Nayeri et al. (2008 [16]). However, some shortcomings exist in that approach and for overcoming them; an improved approach is derived and presented in this paper. In our improved approach, the mass normalized stiffness coefficients under two states (baseline state and potentially damaged state) are first estimated by a least square method, then these mass-stiffness coupled coefficients are decoupled to derive stiffness and mass relative change ratios for individual elements. These ratios are assembled in a vector, which is defined as damage indication vector (DIV). Each component in DIV is normalized individually to one to get multiple solutions. These solutions are averaged for estimating relative system changes, while abnormal solutions are discarded. The work of judging a solution as normal or abnormal is done by a cluster analysis algorithm. The most intriguing merit of this improved approach is that the relative stiffness and mass changes, which are coupled in the previous approach, can be separately identified. By this approach, the damage (single or multiple) extent and location can be correctly detected under operational conditions, meanwhile the proposed damage index has a clear physical meaning and is directly related to the stiffness reduction of corresponding structural elements. For illustrating the effectiveness and robustness of the improved approach, numerical simulation of a four floor building was carried out and experimental data from a structure tested at the Los Alamos National Laboratory was employed. Identified structural changes with both simulation and experimental data properly indicated the location and extent of actual structural damage, which validated the proposed approach.     

Analytical Solution to Subsurface Air Pressure in a Three-Layer Unsaturated Zone with Atmospheric Pressure Changes

In this study, a solution to one-dimensional vertical airflow induced by the time-dependent atmospheric pressure fluctuations is developed in a three-layer unsaturated zone. The discrete atmospheric pressure data are transformed into a continuous boundary condition using the Fourier series analysis. The solution is applied to interpret the field air pressure data in a three-layer unsaturated zone reported in previous studies. The new solution improves the previous solution by reducing the required data measurement and input. The new solution is found to be accurate enough for the purpose of this study by comparing with a numerical solution developed in COMSOL Multiphysics. Given the necessary hydrogeological parameters, the new solution is capable of calculating the air permeability of each layer above a specified depth where the air pressures are known. Sensitivity analysis of the new solution shows that location, thickness, and air permeability of the less permeable layer impose large influence on the propagation of the atmospheric pressure fluctuations. Variations of air-filled porosity in soil layers in/below the less permeable layer may lead to greater amplitude attenuation and phase lag of air pressure than those in soil layers above the less permeable layer.     

Development of a Sensitive Method for the Determination of 4‐(Methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanol in Human Urine Using Solid‐phase Extraction Combined with Ultrasound‐assisted Dispersive Liquid–liquid Microextraction and LC‐MS/MS Detection

An efficient and sensitive analytical method based on molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction (MISPE) and reverse‐phase ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (USA‐DLLME) coupled with LC–MS/MS detection was developed and validated for the analysis of urinary 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanol (NNAL), a tobacco‐specific nitrosamine metabolite. The extraction performances of NNAL on three different solid‐phase extraction (SPE) sorbents including the hydrophilic‐lipophilic balanced sorbent HLB, the mixed mode cationic MCX sorbent and the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) sorbent were evaluated. Experimental results showed that the analyte was well retained with the highest extraction recovery and the optimum purification effect on MIP. Under the optimized conditions of MIP and USA‐DLLME, an enrichment factor of 23 was obtained. Good linearity relationship was obtained in the range of 5‐1200 pg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9953. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.35 pg/mL. The recoveries at three spiked levels ranged between 88.5% and 93.7%. Intra‐ and inter‐day relative standard deviations varied from 3.6% to 7.4% and from 5.4% to 9.7%, respectively. The developed method combing the advantages of MISPE and DLLME significantly improves the purification and enrichment of the analyte and can be used as an effective approach for the determination of ultra‐trace NNAL in complex biological matrices.     

Bismuth Trichloride–Catalyzed C‐Alkylation of Pyrroles with Electron‐Deficient Olefins

The BiCl₃‐catalyzed reaction of pyrroles with electron‐deficient olefins generated the corresponding Michael adducts in high yields.     

Synthesis of monodisperse oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes with intense blue-emitting

New well-defined monodisperse oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes An-OCZn (n = 1, 2, 3) have been synthesized through Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of the brominated oligocarbazoles and 9,10-bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)anthracene. They show good solubility in organic solvents, including dichloromethane, chloroform, toluene, ethyl acetate, and tetrahydrofuran. It should be noted that, in the case of An-OCZn, the formation of the excimer based on anthracene unit is suppressed completely due to the introduction of oligocarbazoles in 9,10-position of anthracene so that an intense blue-emitting has been afforded. In addition, the obtained An-OCZn exhibit good electrochemical and thermal stabilities. Thus, the oligocarbazoles-functionalized anthracenes can be a class of promising candidates for novel blue-emitting materials employed in OLEDs or related devices.     

Synthesis of a novel sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant with a high molecular weight and its comparative study on antioxidant behavior in polypropylene with two commercial sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidants having relatively low molecular weight

A novel sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant with a high molecular weight of 2252 (OS-POSS), successfully synthesized via photoinitiated thiol-ene click reaction, was compared with two commercial sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidants on the stabilization of polypropylene (PP). The results of their oxidation induction time (OIT) via differential scanning calorimeter measurement (DSC) showed that the higher the molecular weight of secondary antioxidant is, the longer the OIT value, whether such sulfur-bearing antioxidant is used singly or in combination with primary antioxidant. The study of their long-term accelerated thermal aging in the air oven at 150 °C displayed that the molecular structure of sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant, besides molecular weight, is another highly important factor determining the antioxidant efficiency, i.e., physical loss of antioxidants with the relatively low molecular weight may determine antioxidant efficiency, whereas thioether groups having neighboring ester carbonyl moieties may decompose more hydroperoxides with quicker rate.