Spectroscopy and electrochemistry of cytochrome P450 BM3-surfactant film assemblies

We report analyses of electrochemical and spectroscopic measurements on cytochrome P450 BM3 (BM3) in didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) surfactant films. Electronic absorption spectra of BM3-DDAB films on silica slides reveal the characteristic low-spin FeIII heme absorption maximum at 418 nm. A prominent peak in the absorption spectrum of BM3 FeII-CO in a DDAB dispersion is at 448 nm; in spectra of aged samples, a shoulder at approximately 420 nm is present. Infrared absorption spectra of the BM3 FeII-CO complex in DDAB dispersions feature a time-dependent shift of the carbonyl stretching frequency from 1950 to 2080 cm(-1). Voltammetry of BM3-DDAB films on graphite electrodes gave the following results: FeIII/II E(1/2) at -260 mV (vs SCE), approximately 300 mV positive of the value measured in solution; DeltaS degrees (rc), DeltaS degrees , and DeltaH degrees values for water-ligated BM3 in DDAB are -98 J mol(-1) K(-1), -163 J mol(-1) K(-1), and -47 kJ mol(-1), respectively; values for the imidazole-ligated enzyme are -8 J mol(-1) K(-1), -73 J mol(-1) K(-1), and -21 kJ mol(-1). Taken together, the data suggest that BM3 adopts a compact conformation within DDAB that in turn strengthens hydrogen bonding interactions with the heme axial cysteine, producing a P420-like species with decreased electron density around the metal center.     

The future of focused electron beam-induced processing

A perspective is sketched for the field of focused electron beam-induced processing (FEBIP). The FEBIP lithography technique is compared to the very successful resist-based electron beam lithography (EBL) technique. The advantages of FEBIP over EBL are identified, the main advantage being its high spatial resolution. This will enable FEBIP to become an important lithography technique for the fabrication of devices with critical dimension in the range between 1 and 20 nm and serve as a complementary technique to EBL. It will be discussed what needs to be done to achieve this and what the potential applications are.     

Tetrachlorinated Tetraazaperopyrenes (TAPPs): Highly Fluorescent Dyes and Semiconductors for Air‐Stable Organic n‐Channel Transistors and Complementary Circuits

A range of 2,9‐perfluoroalkyl‐substituted tetraazaperopyrene (TAPP) derivatives ( 1 – 5 ) was synthesised by reacting 4,9‐diamino‐3,10‐perylenequinone diimine (DPDI) with the corresponding carboxylic acid chloride or anhydride in the presence of a base. The reaction of compounds 1 – 4 with dichloroisocyanuric acid (DIC) in concentrated sulphuric acid resulted in the fourfold substitution of the tetraazaperopyrene core, yielding the 2,9‐bisperfluoroalkyl‐4,7,11,14‐tetrachloro‐1,3,8,10‐tetraazaperopyrenes 6 – 9 , respectively. The optical and electrochemical data demonstrate the drastic influence of the core substitution on the properties. All compounds are highly luminescent (fluorescence quantum yields of up to Φ=0.8). The LUMO energies of the tetrachlorinated TAPP derivatives (determined by cyclic voltammetry and computed by DFT calulations) were found to be below ?4 eV. In the course of this work the performance of TAPP derivatives in organic thin‐film transistors (TFTs) was investigated, and their n‐channel characteristics with field‐effect mobilities of up to 0.14 cm² V^?1 s^?1 and an on/off current ratio of >10⁶ were confirmed. Long‐term stabilities of 3–4 months under ambient conditions of the devices were established. Complementary inverters and ring oscillators with n‐channel TFTs based on compound 8 and p‐channel TFTs based on dinaphtho‐[2,3‐b:2′,3′‐f]thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene (DNTT) were fabricated on a glass substrate.     

Spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ studies of solid oxide fuel cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are able to produce electricity and heat from hydrogen‐ or carbon‐containing fuels with high efficiencies and are considered important cornerstones for future sustainable energy systems. Performance, activation and degradation processes are crucial parameters to control before the technology can achieve breakthrough. They have been widely studied, predominately by electrochemical testing with subsequent micro‐structural analysis. In order to be able to develop better SOFCs, it is important to understand how the measured electrochemical performance depends on materials and structural properties, preferably at the atomic level. A characterization of these properties under operation is desired. As SOFCs operate at temperatures around 1073 K, this is a challenge. A spectroelectrochemical cell was designed that is able to study SOFCs at operating temperatures and in the presence of relevant gases. Simultaneous spectroscopic and electrochemical evaluation by using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is possible.     

Quantum interference between the third and fourth exciton states in semiconducting carbon nanotubes using resonance Raman spectroscopy

We exploit an energy level crossover effect [Haroz et al., Phys. Rev. B 77, 125405 (2008)] to probe quantum interference in the resonance Raman response from carbon nanotube samples highly enriched in the single semiconducting chiralities of (8,6), (9,4), and (10,5). UV Raman excitation profiles of G-band spectra reveal unambiguous signatures of interference between the third and fourth excitonic states (E(33) and E(44)). Both constructive and destructive responses are observed and lead to anomalous intensity ratios in the LO and TO modes. Especially large anomalies for the (10,5) structure result from nearly identical energies found for the two E(ii) transitions. The interference patterns demonstrate that the sign of the exciton-phonon coupling matrix elements changes for the LO mode between the two electronic states, and remains the same for the TO mode. Significant non-Condon contributions to the Raman response are also found.     

Reversible gas-phase redox processes catalyzed by Co-exchanged MFU-4l(arge)

Postsynthetic metal ion exchange in a benzotriazolate-based MFU-4l(arge) framework leads to a Co(II)-containing framework with open metal sites showing reversible gas-phase oxidation properties.     

Surface morphology of MgO (100) crystals implanted with MeV Al+ and Al2+ ions

MgO (100) single crystals are implanted with 1.50-MeV Al⁺ and 3.00-MeV Al₂ ⁺ ions at a fluence of 1×10¹⁵ Al  atoms  cm^-2 under high-vacuum conditions. The surface morphology of the substrate is measured in air using atomic force microscopy and X-ray reflectometry followed by computer-simulated spectrum analysis. The ion-irradiated areas are found to protrude to different heights on the nanometre scale. Small height differences are observed in the areas irradiated by Al⁺ and Al₂ ⁺ ions of comparable energy, dose rate and total fluence. The results indicate that protrusions are most likely caused by implantation-induced point defects (vacancies) generated in the crystal during implantation. Other possibilities for the cause of protrusions are discussed. Thermal treatment stimulates a partial recovery of the implantation damage and alters the topography of MgO surfaces. Received: 22 May 2001 / Accepted: 30 May 2001 / Published online: 25 July 2001     

Nonholonomic Mapping Principle for Classical and Quantum Mechanics in Spaces with Curvature and Torsion

I explain the geometric basis for the recently-discovered nonholonomic mapping principle which permits deriving laws of nature in spacetimes with curvature and torsion from those in flat spacetime, thus replacing and extending Einstein's equivalence principle. As an important consequence, it yields a new action principle for determining the equation of motion of a free spinless point particle in such spacetimes. Surprisingly, this equation contains a torsion force, although the action involves only the metric. This force makes trajectories autoparallel rather than geodesic, as a manifestation of inertia. A generalization of the mapping principle transforms path integrals from flat spacetimes to those with curvature and torsion, thus playing the role of a quantum equivalence principle. This generalization yields consistent results only for completely antisymmetric or for gradient torsion.     

Jeffreys fluids in forced elongation

In this paper we study existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions for the equations governing the forced elongation of fluids with differential constitutive law of Jeffreys type. These equations consist of nonlinear first-order hyperbolic equations in one spatial dimension. Forced elongation is imposed through velocity boundary conditions at the domain entry and exit. The existence result is based on the Schauder fixed point theorem and energy methods in the space of boundary-regular functions.