Voltammetric copper(II) determination with a montmorillonite-modified carbon paste electrode

The clay mineral montmorillonite has been tested as modifier for the carbon paste electrode with a novel electrode modification technique. The differential pulse voltammetric determination of copper(II) by means of this modified carbon paste electrode has been studied. A detection limit of 4×10^-8 mol/l has been achieved after 10 min preconcentration under open circuit conditions with subsequent anodic stripping voltammetry. The calibration curve for Cu(II) is linear in the range of 4×10^-8–8×10^-7 mol/l. Pb interferes in a 10-fold molar and Cd and Hg in a 100-fold molar excess. The interference by humic ligands is significant.     

Unitarization of Körner-Kuroda model of electromagnetic structure of octet 1/2+ baryons

The Körner-Kuroda model of the electromagnetic structure of octet 1/2⁺ baryons is restored on a more topical physical basis. Electromagnetic radii of baryons under consideration are calculated and compared with other model predictions. By an incorporation of a two-cut approximation of correct form factor analytic properties and nonzero vector-meson widths, the Körner-Kuroda model is unitarized, providing in this manner imaginary parts of the octet 1/2⁺ baryon form factors to be nonzero just starting from a branch point corresponding to the lowest threshold.     

Determination of the oxygen balance in oxide superconductors by a photometric method

Summary A photometric method is described for determining the oxygen balance in oxide superconductors. It is based on the oxidation of Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ by the superconductors and the following determination of the residual Fe²⁺ ions as complex with 1,10-phenanthroline. Hydrobromic acid is used for dissolving the samples. The method has been developed for 10 mg sample weights. Good reliability of the method was verified by comparison with the cerimetric determination using 80 mg samples.     

Half-linear equations and characteristic properties of the principal solution

The characteristic properties of the principal solution for half-linear differential equation

(a(t)Φ(x′))′+b(t)Φ(x)=0,     

Computer Study of the Association Behavior of Gradient Copolymers: Analysis of Simulation Results Based on a New Algorithm for Recognition and Classification of Aggregates

We present a computer study of the association behavior of copolymer chains with a gradient part and soluble tail of variable length. As a simulation method we use dynamic Monte Carlo simulation on a simple cubic lattice with pair interaction parameters. The solvent quality and selectivity is modeled by the variation of pair interaction parameters between nearest neighbors on the lattice. The role of the length of soluble part in the self‐assembly and its effect on the structure of aggregates was the main goal of this work. The size and structure of aggregates were analyzed using an improved topological classification method which has been developed and tested in the present study. The structure and association numbers of aggregates were compared with those of linear diblock copolymers.

     

Critical evaluation of microextraction pretreatment techniques – Part 1: Single drop and sorbent‐based techniques

Sample pretreatment techniques or preconcentration constitute a very important step before the analysis of environmental, clinical, pharmaceutical, and other complex samples. Thanks to extraction techniques it is possible to achieve higher method sensitivities and selectivities. Miniaturization microextraction methods make them more environmentally friendly and only small amounts of samples are required. In the past 30 years, a number of microextraction methods have been developed and used and are documented in thousands of articles. Many reviews have been written focusing on their use in specified professional fields or on the latest trends. Unfortunately, no uniform nomenclature has been introduced for these methods. Therefore, this review attempts to classify all the essential microextraction techniques and describes their advantages, disadvantages, and the latest innovations. The methods are divided into two main groups: single drop and sorbent‐based techniques according to the type of extraction phase.     

Vapour permeation and sorption in fluoropolymer gel membrane based on ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide

The emissions of hydrocarbons from fossil fuels into atmosphere entail both an economic loss and an environmental pollution. Membrane separations can be used for vapour recovery and/or vapour removal from the permanent gas stream, given that the appropriate membrane is identified. A neat poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) membrane is impermeable to both the representatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons and branched hydrocarbons, namely hexane and isooctane, whereas the permeation flux is enhanced by the presence of 80 mass % of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide in the membrane, as detailed in this work. The permeabilities of hydrocarbon vapours were determined from the binary mixture containing hydrocarbon and nitrogen to simulate the real input of an air stream containing a condensable hydrocarbon. The diffusion coefficient determined from sorption measurements was higher for hexane, as would be expected for a smaller molecule, whereas both the sorption isotherms and permeabilities of the hydrocarbons studied were found to be almost identical. It is possible that the sorption effect predominates in the transport mechanism for VOCs/N₂ separations.