Selective and Sensitive Recognition of Cu2+ in an Aqueous Medium: A Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)‐Based Analysis with a Low‐Cost Raman Reporter

In the present study, surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of a bifunctional Raman reporter, 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole, has been found to be responsive exclusively towards Cu²⁺ ions while the reporter remains anchored on the Au nanoparticle surface. Thus a specific Cu²⁺‐ion‐detection protocol emerges. The simplicity, sensitivity, and reproducibility of the method allow routine and quantitative detection of Cu²⁺ ions. An interference study involving a wide number of other metal ions shows the procedure to be uniquely selective and analytically rigorous. A theoretical study was carried out to corroborate the experimental results. Finally, the method is promising for real‐time assessment of Cu²⁺ ions in aqueous samples and also has the ability to discriminate Cu^I and Cu^II ions in solution.     

Characterization of Electrode/Electrolyte Interface of ECIS Devices

Electric cell‐substrate impedance sensing requires low electrode/electrolyte interface impedance for effective biomedical and biophysical applications. Thus a complete understanding of physical processes involved in the formation of an electric double layer is required to design a low interface impedance device. This paper presents the numerical simulation of the impedance for the electrode/electrolyte interface of three‐electrode devices along with the practical realization for the effective workout of impedance sensing devices. The three‐electrode based impedance sensing devices along with phosphate buffered saline as electrolyte is simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics to evaluate the impedance of the electrode/electrolyte interface. Microfabrication technology is used to realize three‐electrode impedance sensing devices with diverse configuration which are used to measure the electrode/electrolyte interface impedance. The measured impedance data were then compared with the COMSOL simulated results and it is found that both the data sets fitted well with less than 5 % RSE. The results obtained from simulation and experiments indicate that the impedance due to double layer diffusion dominates in the low frequency region up to few kHz whereas electrolytic bulk resistance plays a major role in the higher frequency range. The experimental impedance data were further interpreted by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis software to model the equivalent circuit of the electrochemical system.     

Synthesis,characterization and crystal structures of 2-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoic acid and its polymeric and monomeric triorganotin(IV) complexes

Three triorganotin(IV) complexes of composition R₃SnLH (R = Me, Bu and Ph and LH = 2-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoate) have been synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, and IR spectroscopic techniques in combination with elemental analysis. The crystal structures of the carboxylate ligand HO₂CC₆H₄{NN(C₆H₂-4-OH-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o in its neutral form and three triorganotin(IV) complexes, viz., polymeric (R₃Sn[O₂CC₆H₄{N–N(H)(C₆H₂-4-O-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o])_n (R = Me (1) and Bu (2)) and monomeric Ph₃Sn[O₂CC₆H₄{N–N(H)(C₆H₂-4-O-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o] (3) complexes are reported. The polymeric complexes 1 and 2 exist as extended chains in which the LH-bridged Sn-atoms adopt a trans-R₃SnO₂ trigonal bipyramidal configuration with R groups in the equatorial positions and the axial sites occupied by an oxygen atom from the carboxylate ligand and the phenoxide O atom of the next carboxylate ligand. The Sn atom in complex 3 has a distorted tetrahedral geometry. In all three complexes, the carboxylate ligand is in the zwitterionic form with the phenolic proton moved to the nearby azo nitrogen atom, in contrast to the free carboxylic acid ligand which is in the azo form.     

Benzimidazole-based optical probe for selective detection of multiple-cations via dual-channel analysis

A benzimidazole-based optical probe having pendant carboxyl, amine, and imine groups as ionophore has been prepared for screening various metal ions. The 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (1) has been obtained in good yield and characterized by full battery of complementary physico-chemical techniques including ¹H NMR, UV-Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Metal ion-binding properties of 1 have been studied using ppm level concentration of representative alkali metal (Na⁺, K⁺), alkaline earth metal (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺), and transition metal (Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ag⁺) ions and the output signal was monitored via two different channels viz chromogenically and fluorogenically. Selective recognition of Hg²⁺ has been explored with absorption spectra whereas emission spectra of 1 display differential response for multiple cations at parts-per-million (ppm) level concentration that allow selective detection of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Na⁺ ions. The results have been discussed in light of selectivity, sensitivity, response time, mode of binding/interactions, and sensing properties.     

Circular polarization memory effect in low-coherence enhanced backscattering of light

We experimentally study the propagation of circularly polarized light in the subdiffusion regime by exploiting enhanced backscattering [(EBS), also known as coherent backscattering] of light under low spatial coherence illumination. We demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that a circular polarization memory effect exists in EBS over a large range of scatterers' sizes in this regime. We show that low-coherence EBS signals from the helicity preserving and orthogonal helicity channels cross over as the mean free path length of light in media varies, and that the cross point indicates the transition from multiple to double scattering in EBS.     

Interaction between the conjugated polyelectrolyte poly{1,4-phenylene[9,9-bis(4-phenoxybutylsulfonate)]fluorene-2,7-diyl} copolymer and the lecithin mimic 1-O-(l-Arginyl)-2,3-O-dilauroyl-sn-glycerol in aqueous solution

In this paper, the interaction between the water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolyte poly{1,4-phenylene[9,9-bis(4-phenoxybutylsulfonate)]fluorene-2,7-diyl} copolymer and the amino acid glyceride conjugate 1-O-(L-arginyl)-2,3-O-dilauroyl-sn-glycerol dichlorohydrate (a mimic for the phospholipid lecithin) has been studied in aqueous solution by electronic spectroscopy (absorption and fluorescence) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). A significant increase in the polymer fluorescence and blue shift in its emission are observed on association with the surfactant. This is suggested to be due to breakup of polymer aggregates. In addition, the spectroscopic and photophysical data suggest this is followed by the vesicle to ribbon transition characteristic of this surfactant, leading to incorporation of single chains of the polymer within mixed polymer-surfactant aggregates. Support for this comes from preliminary SANS measurements, from which evidence for polymer dissolution and formation of two-dimensional structures has been obtained.     

Photophysical processes involved within the anisole-thioindoxyl dyad system

The photophysical properties and the nature of the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reactions within a synthesized anisole (A)-thioindoxyl (T) dyad system (24MBTO) have been studied by electrochemical, steady-state, and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. Computations on the dyad were performed both in gas phase as well as solvent environment by TD-DFT method with B3LYP density function. The geometry optimization calculation of 24MBTO was done by 6-311G(d,p) basis function set implemented in the Gaussian package. The theoretical values of singlet vertical excitation energies were found to correlate well with the experimentally observed ones. The electrochemical measurements indicate the possibility of occurrence of PET reactions within 24MBTO between the linked redox centers A and T. Both steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements on the novel synthesized 24MBTO dyad demonstrate the formations of the two types of isomeric species: Z- and E- forms, resulted from the charge separation reactions. From the detailed studies it reveals that the present thioaurone may behave as a versatile photoswitchable system. It has been hinted that the loss process (charge recombination) within 24MBTO could possibly be prevented by incorporating it within the hydrophobic cavity of beta-cyclodextrin (betaCD).     

Total synthesis of the heptasaccharide repeating unit of the iron-binding exopolysaccharide secreted by Klebsiella oxytoca BAS-10

The first total synthesis of a heptasaccharide found in the iron-binding exopolysaccharide produced by Klebsiella oxytoca BAS-10 has been achieved in excellent yield using a block synthetic strategy. A trisaccharide glycosyl donor was stereoselectively coupled with a tetrasaccharide glycosyl acceptor using the trichloroacetimidate activation procedure. The yields and stereo outcome were excellent in each step of glycosylation. A late stage oxidation protocol was adopted for the oxidation of the primary hydroxyl group to the carboxylic functionality while keeping a secondary hydroxyl group unaffected.     

Performance characterization of complex manufacturing systems with general distributions and job failures

In optoelectronics assembly, the first few stages of the assembly line are dedicated to build the product and the later stages are dedicated for calibration and testing. The assembly line is arranged in a flow shop environment with multiple processors at each stage. When a product (or job) fails at a stage, it is routed back to one of the previous stages or to the same stage (depending upon the nature of the failure). Consequently, the product could circulate between the current stage and the previous stage(s) before it is transferred to the next stage. Estimating the performance measures of such complex manufacturing systems, while considering multiple product classes, random job failures, and resource sharing, is not trivial. This paper presents the approximations used to estimate the performance measures of such complex manufacturing systems with general arrival and service distributions. The analytical approximations have been validated using discrete event simulation and the source of error between them is identified. These approximations can be used by operations managers to estimate the performance measures such as WIP and flow time.     

Optimization of corona discharge process using Box–Behnken design of experiments

The corona discharge process was studied using Box–Behnken design of experiments in conjunction with response surface methodology of analysis. The single as well as interaction effects of process factors namely applied voltage, time of charging, and distance between electrodes on the surface potential of meltblown nonwoven electret media were examined. The response surface model predicting the surface potential of the electrets displayed a very good correspondence with the experimental results. The optimized corona discharge process run by keeping the predicted levels of process factors yielded surface potential of the electret media very close to that predicted from the model.