Non-hyperelliptic curves of genus three over finite fields of characteristic two

Let k be a finite field of even characteristic. We obtain in this paper a complete classification, up to k-isomorphism, of non-singular quartic plane curves defined over k. We find explicit rational models and closed formulas for the total number of k-isomorphism classes. We deduce from these computations the number of k-rational points of the different strata by the Newton polygon of the non-hyperelliptic locus of the moduli space M₃ of curves of genus 3. By adding to these computations the results of Oort [Moduli of abelian varieties and Newton polygons, C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris 312 (1991) 385-389] and Nart and Sadornil [Hyperelliptic curves of genus three over finite fields of characteristic two, Finite Fields Appl. 10 (2004) 198-200] on the hyperelliptic locus we obtain a complete picture of these strata for M₃.     

Performance of group additivity methods for predicting the stability of uranyl complexes

Herein, we investigated the viability of two group additivity methods for predicting Gibbs energies of a set of uranyl complexes. In first place, we proved that both density functional theory (DFT)-based methods and Serezhkin's stereoatomic model provide equivalent answers in terms of stability. Moreover, we proposed a novel methodology based on Mayer's population analysis for estimating Serezhkin's empirical parameters theoretically. On the other hand, we showed that Cheong and Persson linear algebra methodology can be successfully applied to uranyl complexes, and analyzed its performance in connection with the chemical nature of the compounds employed in the model.     

Quantification from highly drifted and overlapped chromatographic peaks using second-order calibration methods

For determining low levels of pesticides and phenolic compounds in river and wastewater samples by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), solid phase extraction (SPE) is commonly used before the chromatographic separation. This preconcentration step is not necessarily selective for the analytes of interest and it may retain other compounds of similar characteristics as well. In this case, we present, humic and fulvic acids caused a large baseline drift and overlapped the analytes to be quantified. The inaccurate determinations of the area of the peaks of these analytes made it difficult to quantify them with univariate calibration. Here we compare three second-order calibration algorithms (generalized rank annihilation method (GRAM), parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS)) which efficiently solve this problem. These methods use second-order data, i.e., a matrix of responses for each peak, which is easily obtained with a high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). With these methods, the area does not need to be directly measured and predictions are more accurate. They also save time and resources because they can quantify analytes even if the peaks are not resolved. GRAM and PARAFAC require trilinear data. Biased and imprecise concentrations (relative standard deviation, %R.S.D. = 34) were obtained without correcting the time-shift. Hence, a time-shift correction algorithm to align the peaks was needed to obtain accurate predictions. MCR-ALS was the most robust to the time-shift. All three algorithms provided similar mean predictions, which were comparable to those obtained when sulfite was added to the samples. However, the predictions for the different replicates were more similar for the second-order algorithms (%R.S.D. = 3) than the ones obtained by univariate calibration after the sulfite addition (%R.S.D. = 13).     

Taking advantage of the radical character of tris(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl to synthesize new paramagnetic glassy molecular materials

This paper describes the synthesis of the novel bis[4-(N-carbazolyl)-2,6-dichlorophenyl](2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl radical (2*) and tris[4-(N-carbazolyl)-2,6-dichlorophenyl]methyl radical (3*). A Friedel-Crafts reaction on [4-(N-carbazolyl)-2,6-dichlorophenyl)bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl]methyl radical (1*), 2*, and 3* leads to the introduction of acyl chains in the 3- and 6-positions of the carbazolyl moiety without impairment of the radical character of the molecule to give radicals 5*, 6*, and 7*. All of these novel radical adducts are thermally stable, 5* and 6* being amorphous solids by differential scanning calorimetry. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of them show a multiplet at low temperature due to the electron-coupling with six aromatic hydrogens. They show electrochemical amphotericity being reduced and oxidized to their corresponding stable anionic and cationic species, respectively. These radical adducts have luminescent properties covering the red spectral band of the emission with high intensities.     

An in-depth correlation of perturbation of the organic-inorganic interface topology,electronic structure,and transport properties within beta''-(BEDT-TTF)(4) x (guest)(n) x [Re(6)Q(6)Cl(8)], (Q=S,Se)

An in-depth analysis of a set of 21 layered structures of metallic pseudopolymorphs of general formulation, beta'-(BEDT-TTF)(4) x (guest)(n) x [Re(6)Q(6)Cl(8)], (BEDT-TTF=bis-ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene; Q = S, Se; guest = H(2)O, 1,4-dioxane, THF, CCl(4), C(2)H(5)OH, CHCl(3), CH(2)ClI, CH(2)ClBr, CH(2)Cl(2), CH(2)OH-CH(2)OH, C(5)H(5)N, CH(3)COCH(3), 2-hydroxy-tetrahydrofuran, CH(3)CN, CS(2), C(6)H(6)), with diverse low-temperature behaviors, which differ solely by the nature of the cosolvent molecule selectively included during the electrocrystallization process, reveals a precise set of weak HO-H...Cl-mu-Re, (C-H)(BEDT-TTF)...Cl-mu-Re, C-H...O(guest), (C-H)(guest)...Cl-mu-Re hydrogen bonds at the organic-inorganic interface, none of which dominates any of the others and whose balance is adjusted upon substitution of one guest molecule by another. The electronic structure of the host adjusts to the weak perturbation imposed by exchanging the guest molecules and by balancing the former interfacial interactions; this correlates to a net activation of up to 0.1 eV of the energy of the HOMO level of one of the two donors, while keeping the pattern of HOMO-HOMO intermolecular interactions in the donor layer essentially unaltered. It is suggested that this controls the stability of the metallic state at low temperature or the occurrence of a metal-to-insulator phase transition for particular guests along the series. It is concluded that by allowing for numerous tiny modifications at the organic-inorganic interface within a single, robust host structure, one sees a concerted, inherently weak structural response of the system that is proportional to the magnitude of the underlying, equally weak activation of the HOMO energy of a fraction of the pi-donor molecules within the slabs; this has a sizeable influence on the macroscopic transport properties of the system.     

Nanoparticle size effects on methanol electrochemical oxidation on carbon supported platinum catalysts

The particle size effect observed on the performance of Pt/C electrocatalysts toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) has been investigated with differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). The investigation has been conducted under both potentiodynamic and potentiostatic conditions as research on methanol electrochemical oxidation is closely related to interest in direct methanol fuel cells. The particle size effect observed on the MOR is commonly regarded as a reflection of different Pt-CO and Pt-OH bond strengths for different particle sizes. This work focuses mainly on the mechanism of methanol dehydrogenation on platinum which is central to the problem of the optimization of the efficiency of methanol electro-oxidation by favoring the CO(2) formation pathway. It was found that the partitioning of the methanol precursor among the end products on supported platinum nanoparticles is strongly dependent on particle size distribution. Also, it is postulated that the coupling among particles of different sizes via soluble products must be considered in order to understand the particle size effects on the observed trends of product formation. An optimum particle size range for efficiently electro-oxidizing methanol to CO(2) was found between 3 and 10 nm, and loss in efficiency is mostly related to the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde on either too small or too large particles. The possible reasons for these observations are also discussed.     

A chirality-induced alpha phase and a novel molecular magnetic metal in the BEDT-TTF/tris(croconate)ferrate(III) hybrid molecular system

The novel paramagnetic and chiral anion [Fe(C5O5)3]3- has been combined with the organic donor BEDT-TTF (= ET = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene) to yield the first chirality-induced alpha phase and a paramagnetic metal.     

Electronic structure of the two-leg spin ladder (C5H12N)2CuBr4

A density functional theory study of the two-leg spin ladder (C(5)H(12)N)(2)CuBr(4) reveals antiferromagnetic interactions through the rungs and legs, although the latter are significantly smaller. Our work suggests interest in manipulating the physical behavior of this prototypical system by doping or chemical modifications.     

Singular crystalline beta'-layered topologies directed by ribbons of self-complementary amide...amide ring motifs in [EDT-TTF-(CONH(2))(2)](2)X (X = HSO(4)(-), ClO(4)(-), ReO(4)(-), AsF(6)(-)): coupled activation of ribbon curvature, electron interactions, and magnetic susceptibility

The deliberate design of a series of single crystals of conducting two-dimensional radical cation salts of o-bis(amide)-appended ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene, beta'-[EDT-TTF-(CONH(2))(2)](2)X (X = HSO(4)(-), ClO(4)(-), ReO(4)(-), or AsF(6)(-)) and of their parent monocomponent solid EDT-TTF-(CONH(2))(2) is demonstrated and allows us to reach a level of prediction of the structure of molecular conductors. Their conductivity is activated with a gap of 1650 K and a sizable room-temperature conductivity of 0.15 S.cm(-)(1) (for X = ClO(4)(-)) and a singular spin susceptibility for a beta'-type salt that, in addition, changes very remarkably with the anion. The key design element is that of a recurrent, puckered ribbon constructed out of self-complementary, hydrogen-bonded amide...amide ring motifs whose minute modulations of curvature and shape throughout the series have been shown to correlate to very remarkable differences in the intrastack beta(HOMO)(-)(HOMO) interaction energies and changes in the density of states at the Fermi level and on to important differences of spin susceptibility behavior in a system where electron correlations are significant. The coupled activation of structure, electron interactions, and magnetic susceptibility discovered and discussed throughout the paper is unprecedented and is seen as a genuine expression of interfacial hydrogen-bond interactions onto the collective electronic properties.     

Single crystalline commensurate metallic assemblages of pi-slabs and CdI2-type layers: synthesis and properties of beta-(EDT-TTF-I2)2[Pb5/6 square 1/6I2](3) and beta-(EDT-TTF-I2)2[Pb2/3+xAg1/3-2x square xI2]3, x = 0.05

The ability of I...I van der Waals interactions to direct the self-assembly of slabs of the radical cation of ethylenedithio-1,2-diiodo-tetrathiafulvalene, EDT-TTF-I(2), and polymeric lead iodide covalent anionic layers is demonstrated by the synthesis of single crystals of beta-(EDT-TTF-I(2))(2)(.+)[(Pb(5/6) square (1/6)I(2))(1/3-)](3), triclinic, P-1, a = 7.7818(8), b = 7.9760(8), c = 19.9668(2) A, alpha = 82.409(12), beta = 85.964(12), gamma = 61.621(11) degrees, V = 1080.76(19) A(3), R1, wR2 = 0.0459, 0.0947; and beta-(EDT-TTF-I(2))(2)(.+)[(Pb(2/3+x)Ag(1/3-2x)square(x)I(2))(1/3-)](3), x approximately 0.05, triclinic, P-1, a = 7.7744(8), b = 7.9193(8), c = 19.834(2) A, alpha = 87.189(12), beta = 83.534(12), gamma = 61.602(11) degrees, V = 1067.4(2) A(3), R1, wR2 = 0.0508, 0.0997. The state-of-the-art, combined microprobe and structural analysis of the metal site vacancies and occupancies patterns reveal a commensurate organic-inorganic interface and point out the importance of halogen.halogen van der Waals interactions to future studies aiming at directing interface topologies. The electronic structure, room-temperature metallic character and metal-insulator transition at ca. 70 K of the two-dimensional organic slabs are retained upon alloying of the inorganic sublattice with monocations. The room-temperature conductivity of the metallic lead-silver alloy is 2 orders of magnitude larger than that of beta-(EDT-TTF-I(2))(2)(.+)[(Pb(5/6) square (1/6)I(2))(1/3-)](3). This calls for the study of materials with diverse alloying patterns with metal cations of different nature and charge.