The influence of titanium dioxides,alumina and calcium carbonate on the thermal stability of barium carbonate

Using static oxygen-bomb calorimetry, the standard enthalpies of combustion of the 2,4-and 2,6-isomers of dinitrophenol have been determined as ?2697.22 and ?2723.08 ± 3.18 kJ mole^?1, respectively. Standard enthalpies of formation have been calculated as ?235.50 and ?209.64 ± 3.27 kJ mole^?1, respectively.     

A Model for the Quasi-Static Growth¶of Brittle Fractures:¶Existence and Approximation Results

We give a precise mathematical formulation of a variational model for the irreversible quasi-static evolution of brittle fractures proposed by G. A. Francfort and J.-J. Marigo, and based on Griffith's theory of crack growth. In the two-dimensional case we prove an existence result for the quasi-static evolution and show that the total energy is an absolutely continuous function of time, although we cannot exclude the possibility that the bulk energy and the surface energy may present some jump discontinuities. This existence result is proved by a time-discretization process, where at each step a global energy minimization is performed, with the constraint that the new crack contains all cracks formed at the previous time steps. This procedure provides an effective way to approximate the continuous time evolution.     

Thermal stability of new complexes bearing both acrylate and aliphatic amine as ligands

This paper reports the investigation of the thermal stability of a series of new complexes with mixed ligands of the type [M(en)(C₃H₃O₂)₂]·nH₂O ((1) M=Ni, n=2; (2) M=Cu, n=0; (3) M=Zn, n=2; en=ethylenediamine and (C₃H₃O₂)=acrylate anion). The thermal behaviour steps were investigated in a nitrogen flow. The thermal transformations are complex processes according to TG and DTA curves including dehydration, ethylenediamine elimination as well as acrylate thermolysis. The final products of decomposition are the most stable metal oxides except for complex (2) that generates metallic copper.     

Copper(II) complexes with N,N-dimethylbiguanide

The N,N-dimethylbiguanide (HDMBG) complexes [Cu₂(HDMBG)₂Cl₄] (1) and respectively [Cu(HDMBG)₂]Cl₂·2H₂O (2) exhibit in vitro antimicrobial activity. The complexes were characterised by IR, electronic as well as EPR spectra. The IR spectra of complexes show the pattern of N,N-dimethylbiguanide coordinated as chelate. The electronic and EPR data are in agreement with a square pyramidal stereochemistry for (1) and a square planar one for (2). The in vitro qualitative and quantitative antimicrobial activity assays showed that the complexes exhibited variable antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter sp.) isolated from the hospital environment. The thermal analysis has evidenced the thermal intervals of stability and also the thermodynamic effects that accompany them. The thermal behaviour in nitrogen is complex according to TG and DTA curves including melting, dehydration as well as compounds decomposition.     

Recent advances in bioelectrochemical detection of E. coli bacteria in saline buffers and spiked real samples using traditional and nanostructured active substrates

A rapid and cost-effective method to specifically identify and quantify pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in aqueous samples and food products is highly recommended to avoid the degradation of human health that can unfortunately lead to fatal cases. To overcome these borderline situations, portable and easy-to-use screening devices are needed for the non-expert public and confirmed by medical personnel/physicians who can quickly guide/prescribe antibiotic treatments. In such a context, nanotechnologies are very promising and useful tools due to the remarkable optical, chemical and physical properties of biocompatible nanomaterials deposited or synthesized on traditional solid electrodes that greatly improve the detection limit and the selectivity of nanostructured-based biosensors. With this in mind, this review summarizes the latest advances in the bioelectrochemical detection of E. coli and its related products using different biosensor configurations in saline buffers and spiked real samples, namely food products (milk, fruits, vegetables), body fluids (blood, urine, swine feces) and river water.     

Ionic‐Radius‐Driven Selection of the Main‐Group‐Metal Cage for Intermetalloid Clusters [Ln@PbxBi14−x]q− and [Ln@PbyBi13−y]q− (x/q=7/4, 6/3; y/q=4/4, 3/3)

Reactions of the binary, pseudo‐homoatomic Zintl anion (Pb₂Bi₂)^2? with Ln(C₅Me₄H)₃ (Ln=La, Ce, Nd, Gd, Sm, Tb) in the presence of [2.2.2]crypt in ethane‐1,2‐diamine/toluene yielded ten [K([2.2.2]crypt)]⁺ salts of lanthanide‐doped semimetal clusters with 13 or 14 surface atoms. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy indicated the presence of the anions [Ln@Pb₆Bi₈]^3?, [Ln@Pb₃Bi₁₀]^3?, [Ln@Pb₇Bi₇]^4?, or [Ln@Pb₄Bi₉]^4? in single or double salts; the latter showed various ratios of the components in the solid state. The anions are the first ternary intermetalloid clusters comprising only elements of the sixth period of the periodic table, namely, Pb, Bi and lanthanides. This study, which was complemented by ESI mass spectrometry and ¹³⁹La NMR spectroscopy in solution, rationalizes a continuous development of the ratio of 13:14‐atom cages with the ionic radius of the embedded Ln³⁺ ion, which seems to select the most suitable cage type. Quantum chemical investigations helped to analyze this situation in more detail and to explain the observed subtle influence of the atomic radii. Magnetic measurements confirmed that the embedded Ln³⁺ ions keep their expected paramagnetic or diamagnetic nature.