Preparation and formation mechanism of microporous spheric zinc phosphate

In this paper, we investigate the formation of microporous spheric zinc phosphate by anodization method. Zinc phosphate microporous spheres with diameters of 5–23 μm were prepared in H₃PO₄ and NH₄H₂PO₄ aqueous electrolyte when the applied voltage was 1 V. Microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Composition and crystal structure were confirmed through energy dispersive spectrum and X-ray diffraction analysis. The formation mechanism of this special structure was also discussed in this paper.     

Synthesis and growth mechanism of zirconia nanotubes by anodization in electrolyte containing Cl−

The formation and growth of a self-organized zirconia porous layer can be achieved directly by anodization of Zr in chloride containing electrolytes. The morphology of the porous layers is affected by electrochemical conditions such as Cl⁻ concentration. Zirconia nanotubes with diameters ranging from 250 to 300 nm and a length of 33 μm were formed under proper conditions. The nanotubes have smooth and straight walls. The composition of the nanotubes was characterized by using an energy dispersive spectrometer. Selected area electron diffraction investigation reveals that the as-anodized zirconia nanotubes have an amorphous structure. Crystal phase transition and structural stability of the ZrO₂ nanotubes after heat treatment were characterized. A possible growth mechanism is presented.     

Bioavailability of metallic impurities in carbon nanotubes is greatly enhanced by ultrasonication

Metallic impurities within carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered as the main cause of their toxicity. Ultrasonication is a common procedure used to purify and obtain homogeneous dispersions of CNTs as well as to mix them with other components for further processing into composites. Herein, the influence of ultrasonication upon the bioavailability of metallic impurities in CNTs was investigated. We showed that even ultrasonication times as short as 5?min significantly enhanced the bioavailability of metallic impurities, which can therefore interact more actively with biologically important molecules. These findings will have profound impact on the processing of CNTs as well as on nanotoxicity studies.     

Assessing calcareous sponges and their associated bacteria for the discovery of new bioactive natural products

An overview of the chemistry and microbiology of calcareous sponges (Calcispongiae) is provided, highlighting the potential of these sessile filter-feeding marine invertebrates and their associated bacteria for the discovery of new bioactive natural products. 103 compounds are presented and 116 references cited.     

Binary and ternary recombination of para-H3(+) and ortho-H3(+) with electrons: state selective study at 77-200 K

Measurements in H(3)(+) afterglow plasmas with spectroscopically determined relative abundances of H(3)(+) ions in the para-nuclear and ortho-nuclear spin states provide clear evidence that at low temperatures (77-200 K) para-H(3)(+) ions recombine significantly faster with electrons than ions in the ortho state, in agreement with a recent theoretical prediction. The cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy used here provides an in situ determination of the para/ortho abundance ratio and yields additional information on the translational and rotational temperatures of the recombining ions. The results show that H(3)(+) recombination with electrons occurs by both binary recombination and third-body (helium) assisted recombination, and that both the two-body and three-body rate coefficients depend on the nuclear spin states. Electron-stabilized (collisional-radiative) recombination appears to make only a small contribution.     

A new algorithm for the general quadratic programming problems with box constraints

In this paper, we propose a new branch-and-bound algorithm for the general quadratic problems with box constraints. We, first, transform the problem into a separable form by D. C. decomposition and Cholesky factorization of a positive definite matrix. Then a lower bounding technique is derived and a branch-and-bound algorithm is presented based on the lower bounding and rectangular bisection. Finally, preliminary computational results are reported.