Antimony dispersion and phase evolution in the Sb2O3-Fe2O3 system

This paper studies the antimony spreading and segregation that occurred along with the oxidation and solid-state reactions in the Fe2O3-Sb2O3 system. XRD, SEM, TG-DSC and particularly XPS were employed for characterizations. Sb2O4 and FeSbO4 are the only new phases detected. The formation of FeSbO4 is a more exothermic but slower reaction than oxidation of Sb2O3. A mechanical grinding of Sb2O3 and Fe2O3 leads to a significant dispersion of Sb2O3 possibly because of its low hardness. Dispersion of reference Sb2O4 in this way is negligible. During the heating of a mixture of Sb2O3 and Fe2O3 with an atomic ratio of Sb/Fe = 0.5 at 200-1000 degrees C in ambient air, the thermal spreading of Sb2O3 onto Fe2O3 increases with increasing temperature until Sb2O3 is oxidized into Sb2O4. The surface atomic ratio of Sb/Fe measured by XPS, R(Sb/Fe), reaches a maximum around 400 degrees C. The complete oxidation of Sb2O3 leads to a decrease in R(Sb/Fe) because of poorer dispersibility of Sb2O4. The formation of FeSbO4 starting at ca. 800 degrees C causes a further decrease in R(Sb/Fe), but the R(Sb/Fe) is still 3.2 times the nominal bulk Sb/Fe ratio when the Sb2O4 is completely transformed into FeSbO4.     

Passive Transport of Ionic Drugs through Membranes with pH-Dependent Fixed Charges

We have studied both theoretically and experimentally the passive transport of ionic drugs through membranes with pH-dependent fixed charge. The system considered constitutes a simplified model for pH-controlled drug delivery through membranes of biochemical and pharmaceutical interest. The theoretical approach employed is based on the Nernst-Planck flux equations and all of the species present in the system (the neutral or ionic drug and the hydrogen and hydroxide ions) have been taken into account together with a Langmuir-type isotherm for the adsorption of the ionic drug onto the membrane surface. The membrane permeabilities of cationic, anionic, and neutral drugs through porous membranes with graft-polymerized weak polyelectrolytes have been measured as a function of the external pH. According to the nature of the grafted polyelectrolyte, the ionized membrane fixed groups can be negative or positive. For the amphoteric membrane, both fixed charge groups are present in the grafted chains. In all cases, the ionization state of the weak polyelectrolyte fixed groups changes with the local pH within the membrane. A comparison of the theoretical results with the experimental data allows one to explain qualitatively the changes of the membrane flux with the external pH and gives new physical insights into the transport problem. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

A structural hierarchy in the hydrogen‐bonded adduct N,N′‐di­methyl­piperazine–tartaric acid–water (1/2/2): an N‐component N‐dimensional structure (N = 3) with substructures having N = 1 and 2

In the hydrated adduct N,N′‐di­methyl­piperazine‐1,4‐diium bis(3‐carboxy‐2,3‐di­hydroxy­propanoate) dihydrate, [MeNH(CH₂CH₂)₂NHMe]²⁺·2(C₄H₅O₆)^?·2H₂O or C₆H₁₆N₂²⁺·2C₄H₅O₆^?·2H₂O, formed between racemic tartaric acid and N,N′‐di­methyl­piperazine (triclinic P, Z′ = 0.5), the cations lie across centres of inversion. The anions alone form chains, and anions and water mol­ecules together form sheets; the sheets are linked by the cations to form a pillared‐layer framework. The supramolecular architecture thus takes the form of a family of N‐dimensional N‐component structures having N = 1, 2 or 3.     

Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of trans-[PtCl(R'R'SO)(A)2]NO3 (R'R'SO = Me2SO, MeBzSO, MePhSO; A= NH3, py, pic). Crystal structure of trans-[PtCl(Me2SO)(py)2]+

Trans complexes such as trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(2)] have historically been considered therapeutically inactive. The use of planar ligands such as pyridine greatly enhances the cytotoxicity of the trans geometry. The complexes trans-[PtCl(R'R'SO)(A)(2)]NO(3) (R'R'SO = substituted sulfoxides such as dimethyl (Me(2)SO), methyl benzyl (MeBzSO), and methyl phenyl sulfoxide (MePhSO) and A = NH(3), pyridine (py) and 4-methylpyridine or picoline (pic)) were prepared for comparison of the chemical reactivity between ammine and pyridine ligands. The X-ray crystal structure determination for trans-[PtCl(Me(2)SO)(py)(2)]NO(3) confirmed the geometry with S-bound Me(2)SO. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with cell dimensions a = 7.888(2) A, b = 14.740(3) A, c =15.626(5) A, and Z = 4. The geometry around the platinum atom is square planar with l(Pt-Cl) = 2.304(4) A, l(Pt-S) = 2.218(5) A, and l(Pt-N) = 2.03(1) and 2.02(1) A. Bond angles are normal with Cl-Pt-S = 177.9(2) degrees, Cl-Pt-N(1) = 88.0(4) degrees, Cl-Pt-N(2) = 89.3(5) degrees, S-Pt-N(1) = 93.8(4) degrees, S-Pt-N(2) = 88.9(4) degrees, and N(1)-Pt-N(2) = 177.2(6) degrees. The intensity data were collected with Mo Kalpha radiation with lambda = 0.710 69 A. Refinement was by full-matrix least-squares methods to a final R value of 3.80%. Unlike trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(2)], trans-[PtCl(2)(A)(2)] (A = py or pic) complexes do not react with Me(2)SO. The solvolytic products of cis-[PtCl(2)(A)(2)] (A = py or pic) were characterized. Studies of displacement of the sulfoxide by chloride were performed using HPLC. The sulfoxide was displaced faster for the pyridine complex relative to the ammine complex. Chemical studies comparing the reactivity of trans-[PtCl(R'R'SO)(amine)(2)]NO(3) with a model nucleotide, guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP), showed that the reaction gave two principal products: the species [Pt(R'R'SO)(amine)(2)(N7-GMP)], which reacts with a second equivalent of GMP, forming [Pt(amine)(2)(N7-GMP)(2)]. The reaction pathways were different, however, for the pyridine complexes in comparison to the NH(3) species, with sulfoxide displacement again being significantly faster for the pyridine case.     

Critical dynamics of dimers: implications for the glass transition

The Adam-Gibbs view of the glass transition relates the relaxation time to the configurational entropy, which goes continuously to zero at the so-called Kauzmann temperature. We examine this scenario in the context of a dimer model with an entropy-vanishing phase transition and stochastic loop dynamics. We propose a coarse-grained master equation for the order parameter dynamics which is used to compute the time-dependent autocorrelation function and the associated relaxation time. Using a combination of exact results, scaling arguments, and numerical diagonalizations of the master equation, we find nonexponential relaxation and a Vogel-Fulcher divergence of the relaxation time in the vicinity of the phase transition. Since in the dimer model the entropy stays finite all the way to the phase transition point and then jumps discontinuously to zero, we demonstrate a clear departure from the Adam-Gibbs scenario. Dimer coverings are the "inherent structures" of the canonical frustrated system, the triangular Ising antiferromagnet. Therefore, our results provide a new scenario for the glass transition in supercooled liquids in terms of inherent structure dynamics.     

The role of bismuth as promoter in Pd–Bi catalysts for the selective oxidation of glucose to gluconate

Bismuth is a well-established promoter of noble metal-based catalysts for the selective liquid phase oxidation of alcohols, aldehydes and carbohydrates with molecular oxygen. Experiments were carried out to improve the understanding of the promoting role of bismuth in bimetallic Pd–Bi catalysts used for the selective oxidation of glucose to gluconate. In relationship with the fact that these catalysts undergo substantial bismuth leaching under the reaction conditions, particular attention was paid to the possible role played by the soluble fraction of bismuth in the oxidative process. Carbon-supported Pd–Bi/C catalysts characterized by various Bi–Pd compositions (0.33≤Bi/Pd≤3.0,10 wt.%Pd+Bi) were prepared from acetate-type precursors, tested under various experimental conditions and analyzed by X-ray diffractometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Whatever the initial catalyst composition, the surface intensity ratio measured by XPS in used catalysts lies in the range 0.4–0.6, suggesting that the dynamic state of the catalyst involves the association of one Bi and two to three Pd atoms. The leaching process and the promoting effect itself are discussed in line with the formation of Bi–glucose and Bi–gluconate complexes present in solution but also as adsorbed species at the catalyst surface. The performances of a monometallic Pd/C catalyst are significantly improved in the presence of adequate amounts of soluble Bi. The involvement of the soluble fraction of bismuth in the overall mechanistic scheme of glucose oxidative dehydrogenation is suggested. The detrimental effect of large amounts of soluble bismuth is attributed to a too extensive adsorption of Bi–glucose complexes on the surface Pd atoms.     

Theoretical study of the adsorption of H on Si n clusters, (n=3-10)

A recently proposed local Fukui function is used to predict the binding site of atomic hydrogen on silicon clusters. To validate the predictions, an extensive search for the more stable SinH (n=3-10) clusters has been done using a modified genetic algorithm. In all cases, the isomer predicted by the Fukui function is found by the search, but it is not always the most stable one. It is discussed that in the cases where the geometrical structure of the bare silicon cluster suffers a considerable change due to the addition of one hydrogen atom, the situation is more complicated and the relaxation effects should be considered.     

Electrochemical deposition onto self-assembled monolayers: new insights into micro- and nanofabrication

Pattern transfer with high resolution is a frontier topic in the emerging field of nanotechnologies. Electrochemical molding is a possible route for nanopatterning metal, alloys and oxide surfaces with high resolution in a simple and inexpensive way. This method involves electrodeposition onto a conducting master covered by a self-assembled alkanethiolate monolayer (SAMs). This molecular film enables direct surface-relief pattern transfer from the conducting master to the inner face of the electrodeposit, and also allows an easy release of the electrodeposited film due their excellent anti-adherent properties. Replicas of the original conductive master can be also obtained by a simple two-step procedure. SAM quality and stability under electrodeposition conditions combined with the formation of smooth electrodeposits are crucial to obtain high-quality pattern transfer with sub-50 nm resolution.     

Simulating cardiac electrophysiology using anisotropic mesh adaptivity

The simulation of cardiac electrophysiology requires small time steps and a fine mesh in order to resolve very sharp, but highly localized, wavefronts. The use of very high resolution meshes containing large numbers of nodes results in a high computational cost, both in terms of CPU hours and memory footprint. In this paper an anisotropic mesh adaptivity technique is implemented in the Chaste physiological simulation library in order to reduce the mesh resolution away from the depolarization front. Adapting the mesh results in a reduction in the number of degrees of freedom of the system to be solved by an order of magnitude during propagation and 2–3 orders of magnitude in the subsequent plateau phase. As a result, a computational speedup by a factor of between 5 and 12 has been obtained with no loss of accuracy, both in a slab-like geometry and for a realistic heart mesh with a spatial resolution of 0.125 mm.