Analytical methods for airborne arsine,silane and dichlorosilane by adsorption sampling and AA spectrophotometry

Analytical methods for arsine, silane and dichlorosilane by adsorption sampling and elemental analysis with graphite furnace AA were studied to establish convenient methods for atmospheric contamination surveys. This study included the following five items: (1) primary selection of adsorbents applicable to adsorption sampling; (2) examination of the adsorption capacities of the adsorbents for the gases; (3) improvement of the adsorbents by chemical modification; (4) desorption of the gases adsorbed on the adsorbents with solvents; and (5) quantitative analysis of arsenic and silicon in the solutions. Experimental results showed that active carbon made from synthetic thermosetting resin beads contained no aresenic and little silicon as impurities. This active carbon by itself was proved to adsorb arsine and dichlorosilane, but not silane. Impregnation with sodium hydroxide of the active carbon improved the adsorption capacity for all three gases. Refined silica gel, free from arsenic contamination, did not adsorb arsine by itself but potassium permanganate impregnation produced an adsorption capacity for arsine. The adsorbed arsine on the active carbon was desorbed into a hot dilute nitric acid solution with high efficiency (over 90%), but arsine adsorbed on sodium hydroxide impregnated active carbon or on potassium permanganate impregnated silica gel was dissolved into various solutions only at lower efficiencies. Silane adsorbed on sodium hydroxide-impregnated active carbon was desorbed with hot water with an efficiency higher than 90%. Dichlorosilane adsorbed on the active carbon with or without sodium hydroxide impregnation was desorbed with a nitric acid solution with efficiency of 85%. The lower determination limit for arsine able to discriminate from background interference of arsenie was 0.005 ppm, and those for silane and dichlorosilane were each 0.05 ppm for 3-dm³ air samples.     

Reactions of 57Mn implanted into solid oxygen

The in-beam Mössbauer spectroscopy using a short-lived ⁵⁷Mn (T _1/2=1.5 min) beam was carried out to study the production of the exotic chemical species of ⁵⁷Fe atoms arising from ⁵⁷Mn implanted into solid oxygen. The obtained spectra can be analyzed by four components of doublets at least, which are assigned to be novel Fe species of FeO, Fe(O₂), (O₂)FeO₂, and Fe(O₂)₂, on the basis of ab initio molecular orbital calculations.     

Effect of molecular weight on the morphology of polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite particles prepared by the solvent evaporation method

The effect of molecular weight on the morphology of polystyrene (PS)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composite particles was investigated. PS/PMMA composite particles with different molecular weights (M*=MwPS+MwPMMA)/2 approximately 2x10(4)-1x10(6) g.mol(-1)) were prepared by the release of toluene (T) from PS/PMMA/T (1/1/24, w/w/w) droplets dispersed in an aqueous solution of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether nonionic surfactant (Emulgen 911). As T evaporated, the spherical droplets phase separated, resulting in snowmanlike composite particles with Janus morphology. The nonspherical shape was closely related to the morphology, which depended on M*. The interfacial tension between the phase-separated PS and PMMA phases increased with an increase in M*, and this would allow the formation of the snowmanlike shape to decrease the interfacial area between the PS and the PMMA phases.     

Chiral polyamides consisting of N‐α‐benzoyl‐L‐glutamic acid as a diacid component

Novel polyamide with chiral environment was obtained from aromatic diamine, 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane (DADPM), and N‐α‐protected L ‐glutamic acid, N‐α‐benzoyl‐L ‐glutamic acid (Benzoyl‐L ‐Glu‐OH). The optical rotation ([α]_D ) of the polyamide was determined to be 3.6° (c = 1.00 g/dL in DMF), implying that the optically active polyamide was obtained. The present polyamide gave a durable self‐standing membrane. The membrane selectively incorporated the D ‐isomer of Ac‐Trp from racemic mixture of Ac‐Trp. The adsorption selectivity toward Ac‐D ‐Trp was determined to be 1.95. It showed chiral separation ability by adopting potential difference as a driving force for membrane transport. The permselectivity was dependent on the potential difference, and at the applied potential difference of 3.0 V, the membrane selectively transported Ac‐D ‐Trp and the permselectivity toward Ac‐D ‐Trp was determined to be 1.84, which was close to the adsorption selectivity of 1.95. Contrary to this, the membrane showed opposite permselectivity at the applied potential difference of 2.0 V and the permselectivity toward the L ‐isomer reached 2.48. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2530–2538, 2009     

A single-cell drug efflux assay in bacteria by using a directly accessible femtoliter droplet array

Active efflux of drugs, such as antibiotics, from a cell is one of the major mechanisms that cause multi-drug resistance in bacteria. Here we report a method to assess drug efflux activity in individual Escherichia coli cells enclosed and isolated in a directly accessible femtoliter droplet array with a fluorogenic compound. The inhibitory effect of a chemical compound on an exogenously expressed efflux pump system from pathogenic bacteria was easily detected at the single-cell level. We also present a proof-of-principle experiment to screen for the gene encoding a drug efflux pump by collecting individual droplets containing single cells in which the drug efflux activity was restored after introduction of the exogenous gene from pathogenic bacteria. Our approach will be a useful tool to screen novel pump inhibitors and efflux pump genes, and to overcome infectious diseases caused by multi-drug-resistant bacteria.     

Nuclear spin maser and experimental search for 129 Xe atomic EDM

The present status of an active spin maser which is being developed for an experimental search for ¹²⁹Xe atomic electric dipole moment (EDM) is presented. In order to realize the long term stability of maser frequency, systematic effects for the spin maser operation were investigated. The correlations in the maser frequency with the solenoid current, the environmental field and the cell temperature were found. With the solenoid current and environmental field being stabilized and the cell temperature lowered, a frequency precision of 7.9 nHz has been achieved for the maser operation.     

4-factors in 2-connected star-free graphs

Let t≥3 be an integer. We show that if G is a 2-connected K_1,t-free graph with minimum degree at least (3t+1)/2, then G has a 4-factor.     

Surface-modification of anode carbon for lithium-ion battery using chemical vapor infiltration technique

To reduce the high irreversible capacity of the low crystalline carbon fiber for the anode material of lithium-ion battery, pyrolytic carbon (pyrocarbon) was coated at 950 °C from C₃H₈(30%)-H₂ gas system using pressure-pulsed chemical vapor infiltration. Carbon fiber was coated with the dense pyrocarbon film having the laminar texture and the low surface area of 1.9 m² g⁻¹. It was revealed from XRD and Raman spectroscopy that the crystallinity of pyrocarbon is higher than that of the core carbon. Electrochemical properties were measured in ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) base electrolytes. Irreversible capacity was reduced in EC-based electrolyte by coating with 8 mass% pyrocarbon, which would be attributed to the high crystallinity, laminar structure and low surface area of pyrocarbon. Irreversible capacity was also decreased in PC-based electrolyte. The crystallinity of pyrocarbon was not so high as PC-based electrolyte was decomposed in the case of the high crystalline graphite.     

Metallic Contaminant Detection using a High-Temperature Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices Gradiometer

We develop magnetic metallic contaminant detectors using high-temperature superconducting quantum interference devices （HTS-SQUIDs） for industrial products. Finding ultra-small metallic contaminants is an important issue for manufacturers producing commercial products such as lithium ion batteries. If such contaminants cause damages, the manufacturer of the product suffers a big financial loss due to having to recall the faulty products. Previously, we described a system for finding such ultra-smafi particles in food. In this study, we describe further developments of the system, for the reduction of the effect of the remnant field of the products, and we test the parallel magnetization of the products to generate the remnant field only at both ends of the products. In addition, we use an SQUID gradiometer in place of the magnetometer to reduce the edge effect by measuring the magnetic field gradient. We test the performances of the system and find that tiny iron particles as small as 50 × 50 μm^2 on the electrode of a lithium ion battery could be clearly detected. This detection level is difficult to achieve when using other methods.