Diffusion of hydrocarbons in confined media: Translational and rotational motion

Diffusion of monatomic guest species within confined media has been understood to a good degree due to investigations carried out during the past decade and a half. Most guest species that are of industrial relevance are actually polyatomics such as, for example, hydrocarbons in zeolites. We attempt to investigate the influence of non-spherical nature of guest species on diffusion. Recent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of motion of methane in NaCaA and NaY, benzene in NaY and one-dimensional channels AlPO₄−5, VPI−5 and carbon nanotube indicate interesting insights into the influence of the host on rotational degrees of freedom and orientational properties. It is shown that benzene in one-dimensional channels where the levitation parameter is near unity exhibits translational motion opposite to what is expected on the basis of molecular anisotropy. Rotational motion of benzene also possesses rotational diffusivities aroundC ₆ and C₂axes opposite to what is expected on the basis of molecular geometry. Methane shows orientational preference for 2+ 2 or 1 + 3 depending on the magnitude of the levitation parameter.     

Compact operators which factor through subspaces of lp

Let 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞. A subset K of a Banach space X is said to be relatively p ‐compact if there is an 〈x_n 〉 ∈ l^s _p (X) such that for every k ∈ K there is an 〈α_n 〉 ∈ l_{p ′} such that k = σ^∞_n=1 α_n x_n . A linear operator T: X → Y is said to be p ‐compact if T (Ball (X)) is relatively p ‐compact in Y. The set of all p ‐compact operators K_p (X, Y) from X to Y is a Banach space with a suitable factorization norm κ_p and (K_p , κ_p ) is a Banach operator ideal. In this paper we investigate the dual operator ideal (K^d _p , κ^d _p ). It is shown that κ^d _p (T) = π_p (T) for all T ∈ B (X, Y) if either X or Y is finite‐dimensional. As a consequence it is proved that the adjoint ideal of K^d _p is I_{p ′}, the ideal of p ′‐integral operators. Further, a composition/decomposition theorem K^d _p = Π_p K is proved which also yields that (Π^min _p )^inj = K^d _p . Finally, we discuss the density of finite rank operators in K^d _p and give some examples for different values of p in this respect. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Quantum entanglement in the NMR implementation of the Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm

A scheme to execute an n-bit Deutsch-Jozsa (DJ) algorithm using n qubits has been implemented for up to three qubits on an NMR quantum computer. For the one- and the two-bit Deutsch problem, the qubits do not get entangled, and the NMR implementation is achieved without using spin-spin interactions. It is for the three-bit case, that the manipulation of entangled states becomes essential. The interactions through scalar J-couplings in NMR spin systems have been exploited to implement entangling transformations required for the three bit DJ algorithm.     

Inorganic complexation of nickel and cobalt in natural waters

The distribution of nickel and cobalt species has been computed, based on the pH-dependent model of Zirino and Yamamoto. The media used in the pH range of 7 to 9 are natural waters like fresh water, sea water and a mixture of them at different compositions, at 25°C temperature and 1 atm pressure. In fresh water, both nickel and cobalt dominate as free cations at lower pH, and as carbonato complexes at higher pH. In sea water, chloro complexes are significant. In mixtures of the two kinds of water, as might be found in a totally mixed estuary, chloro complexes are important, varying slowly with pH. Sea water plays an important role in complexation. The present results are in excellent agreement with experimental data obtained by the resin exchange method.     

Comparative study of the effect of various electrode membranes on biofouling and electrochemical measurements

Stability of sensors in biosamples is a critical issue and can be mitigated by membranes. The effect of different membranes (Nafion, cellulose acetate, chitosan, fibronectin, PSS/PL) on the electrochemistry of an outer-sphere redox couple (ruthenium II/III hexaammine) and on the electrocatalytic reduction of dissolved oxygen are described. Biofouling has been induced by albumin solutions. Results demonstrate good performances of fibronectin in all situations investigated. Other membranes do not provide a satisfactory protection from biofouling and some of them, PSS/PL in particular, seriously disturb electrochemical mechanisms.     

Sulfonation of metallocene‐based polyolefinic elastomers and its influence on physicomechanical properties: Effect of reaction parameters,styrene grafting,and pendant chain length

Direct sulfonation and styrene‐mediated sulfonation were carried out onto metallocene‐based poly(ethylene‐co‐octene) (POE) and poly(ethylene‐co‐butene) (PBE) elastomers to impart polarity on the completely nonpolar rubbery matrices and to prepare a new class of elastomer. The influence of styrene‐grafting and pendant chain length on the degree of sulfonation was also studied. The effects of sulfonation, styrene grafting and styrene‐mediated sulfonation at their optimized levels on various physicomechanical properties were thoroughly investigated, and the resultant properties were correlated with structures of the modified elastomers. Higher extent of sulfonic acid groups were introduced through direct sulfonation in comparison with the styrene‐mediated sulfonation, whereas better thermal and mechanical properties were obtained through styrene‐mediated sulfonation in comparison with the direct sulfonation process. PBE had shown higher degree of sulfonation and percentage grafting than POE. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8023–8040, 2008     

Comparable Ionicity of the Solutions of Aprotic and Protic Ionic Liquids by Anion Substitution

Temperature dependent molar conductances and fluidities of bisulfate and ethyl sulfate anion-based ionic liquids were measured. The extent of dissociation of the ionic liquids was estimated from the Walden plot in term of ionicity. The ionicity mainly depends on the magnitude of Coulombic forces, altered by the anion’s Lewis basicity. Aqueous solutions of aprotic ionic liquids, in general, possesses ionicity in the range of ≈70–99%. This article reveals that the substitution of the anion by bisulfate and ethylsulfate reduces the ionicity of aqueous solution of these ionic liquids to the range of 10–37%. This is very close to that exhibited by some of the protic ionic liquids and phosphonium based ionic liquids with sweetner anions. The concentration dependent molar conductance of these ionic liquids has been fitted to Mahiuddin and Ismail’s equation. To our surprise, the molar conductances of bisulfate-based aprotic ionic liquids are remarkably high, even though these ionic liquids possess lower ionicity.     

Kinetics of the simultaneous oxidation of nickel(II) and sulfur(IV) by oxygen in alkaline medium in Ni(II)–sulfur(IV)–O2 system

In the Ni(II)–S(IV)–O₂ system in the region of pH > 8.4, both Ni(II) and S(IV) are simultaneously autoxidized, and when sulfur is consumed fully NiOOH precipitates. At pH > 8.4, ethanol has no effect on the rate, whereas ammonia strongly inhibits the reaction when pH > 7.0. The kinetics of the reaction, in both the presence and the absence of ethanol, is defined by the rate law where k is the rate constant, K_O is the equilibrium constant for the adsorption of O₂ on ? Ni(OH)₂ particle surface. In ammonia buffer, the factor F is defined by where K, K_OH, K₁, K₂, K₃, and K₄ are the stability constants of NiSO₃, NiOH⁺, Ni(NH₃)²⁺, Ni(NH₃), Ni(NH₃), and Ni(NH₃), respectively. In unbuffered medium, the factor F reduces to The values of k and K^sp were found to be (1.3 ± 0.08) × 10^?1 s^?1 and (4.2 ± 3.5) × 10^?16, respectively, at 30°C. A nonradical mechanism that assumes the adsorption of both SO₃^2? and O₂ on the ? Ni(OH)₂ particle surface has been proposed. At pH ≤ 8.2, Ni(II) displays no catalytic activity for sulfur(IV)‐autoxidation and it is also not oxidized to NiOOH. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 464–478, 2010     

Validated HPTLC Method for Assay of Prednisolone in Tablets and Comparison with Pharmacopeial Methods

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A rapid and reliable high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method has been established for analysis of prednisolone in a...