Yet another optimal algorithm for 3-edge-connectivity

An optimal algorithm for 3-edge-connectivity is presented. The algorithm performs only one pass over the given graph to determine a set of cut-pairs whose removal leads to the 3-edge-connected components. An additional pass determines all the 3-edge-connected components of the given graph. The algorithm is simple, easy to implement and runs in linear time and space. Experimental results show that it outperforms all the previously known linear-time algorithms for 3-edge-connectivity in determining if a given graph is 3-edge-connected and in determining cut-pairs. Its performance is also among the best in determining the 3-edge-connected components.     

Inverse phase transfer catalysis. Kinetics of the pyridine 1-oxide-catalyzed reactions of dichlorobenzoyl chlorides and benzoate ions

The substitution reactions of 2,3-, 2,4-, 3,4-, or 3,5-dichlorobenzoyl chloride (Cl₂C₆H₃COCl) and 2,3-, 2,4-, 3,4-, or 3,5-dichlorobenzoate ion (Cl₂C₆H₅COO⁻) or benzoate ion (C₆H₅COO⁻) in a two-phase H₂O/CH₂Cl₂ medium using pyridine 1-oxide (PNO) as an inverse phase transfer catalyst were investigated. The reaction of Cl₂C₆H₃COCl and PNO in CH₂Cl₂ to produce the ionic intermediate, 1-(dichlorobenzoyloxy)-pyridinium chloride (Cl₂C₆H₃COONP⁺Cl⁻) is the rate-determining step. In the PNO-catalyzed two-phase reaction of Cl₂C₆H₃COCl and C₆H₅COONa, the order of reactivities of Cl₂C₆H₃COCl toward reaction with PNO is (2,3-, 2,4-)>3,5->3,4-2,6-Cl₂C₆H₃COCl, whereas it is 3,5->(2,3-, 3,4-)>2,4-Cl₂C₆H₃COCl in the PNO-catalyzed two-phase reaction of Cl₂C₆H₃COCl and the corresponding Cl₂C₆H₃COONa. The order of reactivities of Cl₂C₆H₃COO⁻ ions towards the reaction with 1-(benzoyloxy)-pyridinium (C₆H₅COONP⁺) ion is (3,4-, 3,5-)>(2,3-, 2,4-Cl₂C₆H₃COO⁻).     

A Theoretical Investigation of the Decomposition Reactions of Ethyl Formate in the S1 and T1 States

This study investigates the decomposition reactions of ethyl formate in the S₁ and T₁ states. The dissociation channels leading to HCOOH + C₂H₄, CH₃CH₂O + HCO, CH₃CH₂OCO + H, and CH₃CH₂ + HCO₂ were studied. The major reactions of ethyl formate in the S₁ and T₁ states are isomerization to the biradical CH₂CH₂OC(OH)H and dissociation to CH₃CH₂O + HCO. All the stationary and intersection points were optimized at the CAS(10,8) level of theory with the 6‐31G(d,p) and 6‐311G(2df,2pd) basis sets. Single‐point CASPT3 energy was calculated for each of the stationary and intersection points. Microcanonical rate constants were also calculated for each of the reactions by using the RRKM theory.     

Synthesis of Self‐Stabilized Poly(N‐(3‐Amidino)‐Aniline) Particles and their CO2‐Responsive Properties

Novel CO₂‐responsive conductive polymer particles based on poly(N‐(3‐amidino)‐aniline) (or PNAAN) are reported in this work. A CO₂‐responsive N‐(3‐amidino)‐aniline (NAAN) monomer is firstly synthesized with the pendant amidine group at the meta‐position of aniline (AN) and subsequently polymerized into the PNAAN polymer by chemical oxidation. Self‐assembly of PNAAN in turn forms the polymer particles. In the strong or weak acid media, the amidine group protonates into cationic amidinium and self‐stabilizes the PNAAN particles without the use of any stabilizers. The reaction media are found to affect the polymerization rate and self‐assembly of particles, and hence the size and size distribution of the resultant particles. The particles synthesized in strong basic media show CO₂‐responsvie properties since the H⁺ released by dissolved CO₂ (dCO₂) can protonate the amidine group into hydrophilic amidinium group and result in swelling of the PNAAN particles. Zeta‐potential measurements show the reversible change of particle surface charges in the presence and absence of dCO₂. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements show the particle size linearly changed with dCO₂ concentration in the range of 5 × 10^?4 and 2.5 × 10^?2 atm. This is the first reported CO₂‐responsive polyaniline (PANI) particles for dCO₂ sensing or reversible fixation of CO₂.     

Layered MoS2 grown on c ‐sapphire by pulsed laser deposition

Layered growth of molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) was successfully achieved by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method on c ‐plane sapphire substrate. Growth of monolayer to a few monolayer MoS₂, dependent on the pulsed number of excimer laser in PLD is demonstrated, indicating the promising controllability of layer growth. Among the samples with various pulse number deposition, the frequency difference (A_1g–E¹_2g) in Raman analysis of the 70 pulse sample is estimated as 20.11 cm^–1, suggesting a monolayer MoS₂ was obtained. Two‐dimensional (2D) layer growth of MoS₂ is confirmed by the streaky reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns during growth and the cross‐sectional view of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in‐plane relationship, (0006) sapphire//(0002)MoS₂and sapphire//MoS₂ is determined. The results imply that PLD is suitable for layered MoS₂ growth. Additionally, the oxide states of Mo 3d core level spectra of PLD grown MoS₂, analysed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), can be effectively reduced by adopting a post sulfurization process. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Applicability of a modified double lattice model for liquid-liquid equilibria of mixed-solvent polymer systems

Expanding upon a previous study, the modified double lattice model for mixed-solvent polymer systems was developed by employing new universal constants. The calculated results of the proposed model showed good agreement with Monte Carlo simulation results and hypothetically predicted Types 0 and 3 phase separations of the Treybal classification. To describe real systems, the chain length of the polymer and energy parameters were adjusted to fit experimental data. The proposed model correlated well with experimental data from real systems incorporating low to high molecular weight polymers (PEO 200, dextran 40 350, PS 300 000) using reasonable model parameters.     

Probing ore deposits formation: New insights and challenges from synchrotron and neutron studies

The understanding of the physico-chemical processes leading to the formation and weathering of ore deposits plays an increasingly important role in mineral exploration. Synchrotron, neutron, and nuclear radiation are contributing to this endeavour in many ways, including (i) support the modelling of ore transport and deposition, by providing molecular-level understanding of solvent–solute interaction and thermodynamic properties for the important metal complexes in brines, vapours, and supercritical fluids over the range of conditions relevant for the formation of ore deposits (i.e., temperature 25–600 °C; pressure 1–10⁹ Pa; and fluid compositions varying from hypersaline (e.g., >50 wt% NaCl) to volatile-rich (e.g., CO₂, CH₄, and H₂S)); (ii) track the fluids that travelled through rocks and predict their ore-forming potential by analysing hydrothermal minerals and remnants of those fluids trapped in these minerals as ‘fluid inclusions’; (iii) characterize the biochemical controls on metal mobility in soils to predict the geochemical footprint of a buried mineral deposit.X-ray fluorescence (XRF), particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) are the most common techniques used in support of mineral exploration. Analytical challenges are related to (i) the complexity of heterogeneous natural samples, which often contain only low concentrations of the elements of interest; (ii) beam sensitivity, especially for redox-sensitive elements in aqueous fluids or biological samples; (iii) extreme sample environments, e.g., in-situ study of fluids at high pressure and temperature. Thus, critical improvements need to be made on a number of fronts to: (i) develop more efficient detectors, able to map large areas in heterogeneous samples (e.g., 10⁶–10⁸ pixels per map), and also to collect a maximum number of photons to limit sample exposure and beam damage; (ii) integrate techniques (e.g., XRF, XAS, and X-ray diffraction (XRD)) on a single beamline, and promote synergy between neutron-, synchrotron-, and nuclear microprobe-based methods; (iii) advance the theory (e.g., quantitative XANES interpretation; X-ray extended range technique (XERT) measurements) to gain maximum information from the hard-won datasets.