An enhanced performance of hybrid supercapacitor based on polyaniline-manganese phosphate binary composite

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Manganese phosphate (Mn3(PO4)2) particles decorated polyaniline (PANI) have been proposed as a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. Mn3(PO4)2...     

Expanding Linker Dimensionality in Metal-organic Frameworks for sub-Ångstrom Pore Control for Separation Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials with high surface areas, which are acquiring rapid attention on an exponential basis. A significant characteristic of MOFs is their ability to act as adsorbents to selectively separate component mixtures of similar size, thereby addressing the technological need for an alternative approach to conventional distillation methods. Recently, MOFs comprising a 3-Dimensional (3D) linker have shown outstanding capabilities for difficult separations compared to the parent 2-Dimensional (2D) analogue. 3D-linkers with a polycyclic core are underrepresented in the MOF database due to the widespread preferred use of 2D-linkers and the misconceived high-cost of 3D linkers. We summarize the recent research of 3D-linker MOFs and highlight their beneficial employment for selective gas and hydrocarbon adsorption and separation. Furthermore, we outline forecasts in this area to create a platform for widespread adoption of 3D-linkers in MOF synthesis.     

Ortho-Alkoxy-benzamide Directed Formation of a Single Crystalline Hydrogen-bonded Crosslinked Organic Framework and Its Boron Trifluoride Uptake and Catalysis

Boron trifluoride (BF₃) is a highly corrosive gas widely used in industry. Confining BF₃ in porous materials ensures safe and convenient handling and prevents its degradation. Hence, it is highly desired to develop porous materials with high adsorption capacity, high stability, and resistance to BF₃ corrosion. Herein, we designed and synthesized a Lewis basic single-crystalline hydrogen-bond crosslinked organic framework (H_COF-50) for BF₃ storage and its application in catalysis. Specifically, we introduced self-complementary ortho-alkoxy-benzamide hydrogen-bonding moieties to direct the formation of highly organized hydrogen-bonded networks, which were subsequently photo-crosslinked to generate H_COFs. The H_COF-50 features Lewis basic thioether linkages and electron-rich pore surfaces for BF₃ uptake. As a result, H_COF-50 shows a record-high 14.2 mmol/g BF₃ uptake capacity. The BF₃ uptake in H_COF-50 is reversible, leading to the slow release of BF₃. We leveraged this property to reduce the undesirable chain transfer and termination in the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. Polymers with higher molecular weights and lower polydispersity were generated compared to those synthesized using BF₃ ⋅ Et₂O. The elucidation of the structure–property relationship, as provided by the single-crystal X-ray structures, combined with the high BF₃ uptake capacity and controlled sorption, highlights the molecular understanding of framework-guest interactions in addressing contemporary challenges.     

Omega-halonitriles: domino cyclizations to oxa- and carbocyclic nitriles

t-BuOK-induced deprotonation of omega-haloalkylnitriles generates remarkably stable potassiated nitriles. In situ deprotonation and alkylation of omega-chloroalkylnitriles with aldehyde electrophiles trigger sequential nucleophilic-electrophilic alkylations generating substituted tetrahydrofuranyl and tetrahydropyranyl nitriles. Redirecting the cyclization manifold with 5-iodopentanenitrile and a ketone causes a complementary electrophilic-nucleophilic cyclization to the corresponding carbonitrile. Collectively these cyclizations provide rapid assembly of five- and six-membered oxa- and carbocyclic nitriles demonstrating the utility of omega-halonitriles in domino alkylations.     

Surfactant driven flows overlying a hydrophobic epithelium: film rupture in the presence of slip

Both for tear films and along the airways within the lung, one has an extremely thin fluid layer overlying a biological substrate; in both cases surfactants either of natural origin, or artificially introduced, are important in driving fluid flows. There is evidence that slip can occur when hydrophilic liquids, similar to mucus or aqueous tear films, overlie hydrophobic epithelium. Utilizing results from recent experimental findings we examine the possible influence of slip upon tear film rupture, important in so-called dry eye, and upon surfactant-induced flows within the lung, used in surfactant replacement therapy.     

Interchange of infimum and integral

We prove a new interchange theorem of infimum and integral. Its distinguishing feature is, on the one hand, to establish a general framework to deal with interchange problems for nonconvex integrands and nondecomposable sets, and, on the other hand, to link the theorems of Rockafellar and Hiai-Umegaki with the one of Bouchitté-Valadier. We give an application to relaxation of nonconvex geometric integrals of Calculus of Variations.Received: 20 March 2002, Accepted: 12 March 2003, Published online: 16 May 2003     

Low-energy effects in brane worlds: Liennard–Wiechert potentials and Hydrogen Lamb shift

Testing extra dimensions at low-energies may lead to interesting effects. In this work a test point charge is taken to move uniformly in the 3D subspace of a (3 + n)-brane embedded in a (3 + n + 1)-space with n compact and one warped infinite spatial extra dimensions. We found that the electromagnetic potentials of the point charge match standard Liennard–Wiechert’s at large distances but differ from them close to it. These are finite at the position of the charge and produce finite self-energies. We also studied a localized Hydrogen atom and take the deviation from the standard Coulomb potential as a perturbation. This produces a Lamb shift that is compared with known experimental data to set bounds for the parameter of the model. This work provides details and extends results reported in a previous Letter. We are pleased to dedicate this work to Professor Octavio Obregón on occasion of his 60th birthday. H. A. Morales-Técotl is an associate member of the Abdus Salam ICTP, Trieste Italy.     

NIR spectroscopic properties of aqueous acids solutions

Acid content is one of the important quality attributes in determining the maturity index of agricultural product, particularly fruits. Despite the fact that much research on the measurement of acidity in fruits through non-destructive spectroscopy analysis at NIR wavelengths between 700 to 1,000 nm has been conducted, the same response towards individual acids is not well known. This paper presents NIR spectroscopy analysis on aqueous citric, tartaric, malic and oxalic solutions through quantitative analysis by selecting a set of wavelengths that can best be used to measure the pH of the solutions. The aquaphotomics study of the acid solutions has generated R2 above 0.9 for the measurement of all acids. The most important wavelengths for pH are located at 918-925 nm and 990-996 nm, while at 975 nm for water.