Analysis of plutonium oxide surrogate residue using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was used to determine the elemental composition of a CeO₂ composite powder for process control verification during lanthanide borosilicate glass fabrication. Cerium oxide is used as a surrogate for plutonium oxide, which along with other canister contents will be combined with frit to make glass. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy data for the composition of the CeO₂ batch containing concentrations of Ce, Cr, Si, Fe, Ta, Ni, Zn, Al Mg, Gd, and W were quantitatively determined from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra of both pellet and powder samples. The results of both forms were compared and it was determined that the pellet data gave slightly better precision than the powder sample.     

Preliminary evaluation of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for slurry samples

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to the analysis of simulant slurry samples used in the vitrification process of liquid radioactive wastes. A spectroscopic analysis was performed by two different detection systems: Czerny-Turner spectrometer coupled with intensified diode array detector (IDAD) and an Echelle spectrometer with intensified charge coupled device (ICCD). For the Czerny-Turner detection system, the normalized intensity method, which is the normalization of the atomic emission intensity by the released whole plasma emission area intensity, was employed to improve the reproducibility of LIBS signals. The Echelle detection system showed a high efficiency in simultaneous multi-element detection and determination of the physical quantities of the simulant.     

Robust identification of binding hot spots using continuum electrostatics: application to hen egg-white lysozyme

Binding hot spots, protein regions with high binding affinity, can be identified by using X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy to screen libraries of small organic molecules that tend to cluster at such hot spots. FTMap, a direct computational analogue of the experimental screening approaches, uses 16 different probe molecules for global sampling of the surface of a target protein on a dense grid and evaluates the energy of interaction using an empirical energy function that includes a continuum electrostatic term. Energy evaluation is based on the fast Fourier transform correlation approach, which allows for the sampling of billions of probe positions. The grid sampling is followed by off-grid minimization that uses a more detailed energy expression with a continuum electrostatics term. FTMap identifies the hot spots as consensus clusters formed by overlapping clusters of several probes. The hot spots are ranked on the basis of the number of probe clusters, which predicts their binding propensity. We applied FTMap to nine structures of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), whose hot spots have been extensively studied by both experimental and computational methods. FTMap found the primary hot spot in site C of all nine structures, in spite of conformational differences. In addition, secondary hot spots in sites B and D that are known to be important for the binding of polysaccharide substrates were found. The predicted probe-protein interactions agree well with those seen in the complexes of HEWL with various ligands and also agree with an NMR-based study of HEWL in aqueous solutions of eight organic solvents. We argue that FTMap provides more complete information on the HEWL binding site than previous computational methods and yields fewer false-positive binding locations than the X-ray structures of HEWL from crystals soaked in organic solvents.     

Studies on the Constituents from the Bark of Bauhinia Purpurea

In a previous paper, were ported a new stigmasteroyl glucoside derivative together with four known compounds. In addition to the above compounds, the isolation and identification of twenty‐four compounds from the same source are described here. Their structures were deter mined on the basis of spectral evidence as well as comparison with authentic samples. Those compounds included four waxes, four triterpenes, eight steroids, two glyceride, three flavonoids, and three phenylpropanoids. Some new compounds were found in mixtures of three alkyl ω‐hydroxyalkanoate, glyceride, and phenylpropanoids.     

Study of optical fibre structures by atomic force microscopy

A novel method using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study optical fibre structures at the fibre end-face has been successfully developed. The doping concentration profiles of fibres revealed by differential etching speeds in a saturated solution of ammonium bifluoride at room temperature (25°C) were obtained from AFM topographic images. The superior spatial resolution of AFM made it possible to resolve concentric structures a hundred times smaller than the feature, due to the difference in the known refractive index (n) of 1×10^-3. Fibres with small core diameters and anisotropic structures, such as polarization-maintaining fibres, were studied with ease.     

Holographic recording in LiNbO3 using various polarized lights

Holographic recordings in a LiNbO₃ crystal using ordinary and extraordinary light in transmission-type geometry were performed. The system parameters of storage capacity (M/#), sensitivity, and signal-to-noise ratio were measured. Although extraordinary light will induce stronger fanning light (nonlinear enhanced scattered light) in LiNbO₃, our experimental results indicate that the system using extraordinary light is superior to that using ordinary light. Our demonstrations and results can help to optimize the holographic recording in some applications of volume holographic optical element (VHOE), such as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) filters in optical communication.     

Novel Anionic Photoacid Generators (PAGs) and Corresponding PAG Bound Polymers

Summary: A new series of functionalized anionic photoacid generators (PAGs), and corresponding polymers were prepared in moderate to good yield and characterized. The thermostability of PAG bound polymers was superior to PAG blend polymers. The fluorine‐free PAG bound or blend polymers exhibited higher stability than fluorine‐substituted PAG bound or blend polymers. Although the acid generating efficiency of PAG blend polymers was higher than that of PAG bound polymers, yet it is anticipated that PAG incorporated into the polymer main chain may improve acid diffusion compared with the PAG blend polymers. This was demonstrated by preliminary electron beam lithography (EBL) results: the fluorine PAG bound polymer resist HE‐F4‐MBS‐TPS gave 35 nm 1:1 L/S and showed better resolution than the blend sample HE Blend F4‐IBBS‐TPS. The PAG bound resist showed the capability for higher resolution, since 30 nm 2:1 L/S patterned. Based on these preliminary EBL results, the PAG bound polymer samples are anticipated to have a resolution capability for the 32 nm node for EUVL.

Design of microstructures for EUV lithography.     

Constituents of the Whole Herb of Clinoponium laxiflorum

The isolation and identification of twenty‐two components (including one new compound) from the whole herb of Clinoponium laxiflorum (Hay) Matsum (Labiatae) are described. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral and chemical transformation. One new compound is methyl rosmarinate. The other twenty‐one compounds include three steroids (α‐spinasterol, α‐spinasteryl‐3‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside, and β‐sitosteryl‐3‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside), three triterpenes (oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, and betulinic acid), nine flavonoids (didymin, apigenin‐7‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside, luteolin‐7‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside, isosakuranetin, narigenin, apigenin, luteolin, narirutin, and hesperidin), three lignolic acids (rosmarinic acid, 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, and caffeic acid), and three phenols (4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzaldehyde, and 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid).     

Flavonoid Glycosides from Terminalia catappa L.

Under the inhibition of Cu⁺²‐induced LDL oxidation‐guided fractionation, two new flavone glycosides with galloyl substitution were isolated from the dried fallen leaves of Terminalia catappa L. Their structures were established as apigenin 6‐C‐(2″‐O‐galloyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ) and apigenin 8‐C‐(2″‐O‐galloyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside ( 2 ), together with four known flavone glycosides, isovitexin, vitexin, isoorientin, and rutin, on the basis of spectroscopic method. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant antioxidative effects. Their IC₅₀ were 2.1 and 4.5 μM, respectively.     

Kinetic Study of the Ce(III)‐, Mn(II)‐, or Ferroin‐Catalyzed Belousov‐Zhabotinsky Reaction with Allylmalonic Acid

In a stirred batch experiment and under aerobic conditions, ferroin (Fe(phen)₃²⁺) behaves differently from Ce(III) or Mn(II) ion as a catalyst for the Belousov‐Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction with allylmalonic acid (AMA). The effects of bromate ion, AMA, metal‐ion catalyst, and sulfuric acid on the oscillating pattern were investigated. The kinetics of the reaction of AMA with Ce(IV), Mn(III), or Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion was studied under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The order of reactivity of metal ions toward reaction with AMA is Fe(phen)₃³⁺ > Mn(III) > Ce(IV) under aerobic conditions whereas it is Mn(III) > Ce(IV) > Fe(phen)₃³⁺ under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, the order of reactivity of RCH(CO₂H)₂ (R = H (MA), Me (MeMA), Et (EtMA), allyl (AMA), n‐Bu (BuMA), Ph (PhMA), and Br (BrMA)) is PhMA > MA > BrMA > AMA > MeMA > EtMA > BuMA toward reaction with Ce(IV) ion and it is MA > PhMA > BrMA > MeMA > AMA > EtMA > BuMA toward reaction with Mn(III) ion. Under aerobic conditions, the order of reactivity of RCH(CO₂H)₂ toward reaction with Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion is PhMA > BrMA > (MeMA, AMA) > (BuMA, EtMA) > MA. The experiment results are rationalized.