Synthesis of Starch-Grafted Polymethyl Methacrylate via Free Radical Polymerization Reaction and Its Application for the Uptake of Methylene Blue

In this research, a new biodegradable and eco-friendly adsorbent, starch-grafted polymethyl methacrylate (St-g-PMMA) was synthesized. The St-g-PMMA was synthesized by a free radical polymerization reaction in which methyl methacrylate (MMA) was grafted onto a starch polymer chain. The reaction was performed in water in the presence of a potassium persulfate (KPS) initiator. The structure and different properties of the St-g-PMMA was explored by FT-IR, 1H NMR, TGA, SEM and XRD. After characterization, the St-g-PMMA was used for the removal of MB dye. Different adsorption parameters, such as effect of adsorbent dose, effect of pH, effect of initial concentration of dye solution, effect of contact time and comparative adsorption study were investigated. The St-g-PMMA showed a maximum removal percentage (R%) of 97% towards MB. The other parameters, such as the isothermal and kinetic models, were fitted to the experimental data. The results showed that the Langmuir adsorption and pseudo second order kinetic models were best fitted to experimental data with a regression coefficient of R² = 0.93 and 0.99, respectively.     

p-Substituted Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amines as Ligands for Highly Active ATRP Catalysts: Facile Synthesis and Characterization

A facile and efficient two-step synthesis of p-substituted tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) ligands to form Cu complexes with the highest activity to date in atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is presented. In the divergent synthesis, p-Cl substituents in tris(4-chloro-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA^3Cl) were replaced in one step and high yield by electron-donating cyclic amines (pyrrolidine (TPMA^PYR), piperidine (TPMA^PIP), and morpholine (TPMA^MOR)) by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The [Cu^II(TPMA^NR2)Br]⁺ complexes exhibited larger energy gaps between frontier molecular orbitals and >0.2 V more negative reduction potentials than [Cu^II(TPMA)Br]⁺, indicating >3 orders of magnitude higher ATRP activity. [Cu^I(TPMA^PYR)]⁺ exhibited the highest reported activity for Br-capped acrylate chain ends in DMF, and moderate activity toward C−F bonds at room temperature. ATRP of n-butyl acrylate using only 10–25 part per million loadings of [Cu^II(TPMA^NR2)Br]⁺ exhibited excellent control.     

Chemical sensing of Benzo[a]pyrene using Corchorus depressus fluorescent flavonoids

Plant phytochemicals, such as flavonoids are in use for the development of optical biosensor. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), is a pervasive environmental and dietary carcinogen. A fluorescent assay is developed using plant isolated flavonoid for the detection of B[a]P. High content saponins are excluded from the flavonoid-containing methanolic extract of Corchorus depressus by implying reduction of silver ions by saponins resulting in formation of silver nanoparticles. Isolated plant flavonoids are used to develop a spectrofluorometric assay for the detection of B[a]P. Decrease in the flavonoid fluorescence intensity by B[a]P is found to be based on both static and dynamic quenching. Specificity of the assay for B[a]P was tested for other carcinogens belonging to different classes of compounds. Flavonoids-mediated sensing can be implied for the development of new generation of nanoparticle-based biosensors that can be more sensitive and less susceptible to external factors, such as temperature and humidity.     

Photoluminescence emission behavior on the reduced band gap of Fe doping in CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite and photophysical properties

Fe/CeO₂-SiO₂ nanocomposite was synthesized via hydrothermal method. Bond length of nanocomposite was determined through FTIR analysis, while Raman analysis showed lattice relaxation of CeO₂ phase in Fe/CeO₂-SiO₂. TEM, XRD and DLS-PSA revealed an increase in size of Fe/CeO₂-SiO₂ as compared to CeO₂-SiO₂ which was attributed to have more oxygen vacancies in CeO₂ after doping of iron. Lattice contraction was also observed in some phases of CeO₂ in Fe/CeO₂-SiO₂ nanocomposite as compared to CeO₂-SiO₂ nanocomposite. This contraction was used for determination of Fe content incorporated in CeO₂ [1 1 1] phase. The band gap values of Fe/CeO₂-SiO₂ nanocomposite were found reduced after doping of Fe by factors of 0.62 and 0.55 eV, respectively. Photoluminescence study of the materials was carried out to study the different type of transitions occurring after absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Photoluminescence intensity at 2.12 eV was found enhanced after doping of Fe due to increased oxygen vacancy. Photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was studied with the degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide.     

Merging image databases as an example for information integration

Central European Journal of Operations Research - By integrating information we mean pulling information pieces from various sources together with as little loss of information and as little...     

Synthesis,characterization and antibacterial activity of palladium(II) bromide complexes of thioamides; X-ray structure of [Pd(tetramethylthiourea)<Subscript>4</Subscript>]Br<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Palladium(II) bromide complexes of thioamides having the general formulae [PdL₂Br₂] and [PdL₄]Br₂ where L = Thiourea (Tu), Methylthiourea (Metu), Dimethylthiourea (Dmtu), Tetramethylthiourea (Tmtu), Imidazolidine-2-thione (Imt), Mercaptopyridine (Mpy), Mercaptopyrimidine (Mpm) and Thionicotinamide (Tna) were prepared by reacting K₂[PdCl₄] with KBr and the corresponding thioamides. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and one of them, [Pd(Tmtu)₄]Br₂ (1) by X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of 1 shows a square-planar coordination environment around the Pd(II) atoms with the average cis and trans S–Pd–S bond angles of 90.0° and 180.0°, respectively. The synthesized complexes were screened for antibacterial effects, and the results showed that the complexes exhibit significant activities against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria.     

Influence of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) on the mechanical,optical and thermal properties of formulations for the industrial manufacture of radiation sterilizable medical disposables

Shelf life of the formulations designed for the industrial manufacture of radiation sterilizable syringes and other medical disposables is a very important issue world over. Radiation compatible formulations were developed earlier in the laboratory by the incorporation of primary and secondary antioxidants along with processing stabilizers in a random polypropylene copolymer. It has been reported in literature that the mobilizing agents namely hydrocarbons, greases, wax and the plasticizer, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) impart radiation resistance to the polypropylene by providing free volume. It was envisaged that the addition of DOP to the afore-mentioned formulation might favorably influence the mechanical, optical and thermal properties of our formulation. To study the influence of addition of DOP on the afore-mentioned properties, the addition of 1%, 2% and 3% of the mobilizer was made, followed by the irradiation of resulting heat pressed sheets to the industrial standard dose of 25 kGy. Two important characteristic mechanical properties to determine the suitability of the radiation sterilized materials comprise angle of breakage and the haze percent. After irradiation and even on accelerated ageing of the irradiated material, the angle of breakage of heat press sheets of formulations containing 1%, 2% and 3% of DOP was found to be 180°, demonstrating the role of DOP, in imparting additional radiation stability. In case of the irradiated control sample, the angle of breakage was much lower. In the heat pressed sheets containing the DOP, a remarkable retention in the tensile strength, percentage elongation at break, along with improved thermal stability was observed. The formulation devoid of DOP demonstrated poor retention of the afore-mentioned characteristic properties .The observed improvement in thermal stability of the formulations containing DOP hints at the likely possibility of reuse of these materials by autoclaving which is considered an additional attribute.     

Isolation and characterization of crotosparsamide, a new cyclic nonapeptide from Croton sparsiflorus

Crotosparsamide (1), a new cyclic nonapeptide, has been isolated from the n-butanol soluble sub-fraction of Croton sparsiflorus along with p-hydroxy methylcinnamate and kaempferol, which are reported for the first time from this species. Their structures were determined by chemical and spectral studies including ESIMS, and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data.     

A general repeat inspection plan for dependent multicharacteristic critical components

A component is critical if it causes disaster or a very high cost upon failure. Multicharacteristic critical components exist in many systems. Such components could be a part of an aircraft, space shuttle, a special weapon system or a gas ignition system. In many situations, characteristics’ failures of these components are statistically dependent. In this paper, a new inspection plan for such components is proposed. A mathematical model that depicts the plan is developed and an example demonstrating the results of the model is given. The advantage of this model over the other model where independence of the characteristics’ failure is assumed for the case of dependency is illustrated. The model resulted in an average of 32.4% reduction in cost compared to the situation where the dependency case is solved assuming statistical independence.