Poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(ethyl methacrylate) blends: Crystallization,melting behavior,and miscibility

Results of an investigation of isothermal crystallization and thermal behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEO/PEMA) blends are reported. The blend composition and the crystallization temperature strongly influence the crystallization process from the melt and the melting temperature of PEO. The addition of PEMA to PEO causes a depression in the spherulite growth rate, in the overall kinetic crystallization constant, and in the melting temperature. Experimental data on the radial growth rate G and overall kinetic rate constant K_n are analyzed by means of the latest kinetic theory. From this analysis it emerges that the crystallization of pure PEO and PEO in the blend conforms to the regime I process of surface secondary nucleation. The depression of the melting temperature cannot be explained only in terms of a diluent effect due to the compatibility of the two components in the melt. Annealing and morphological effects, dependent on composition and time, must also be taken into account.     

New disc-shaped triarylamino-1,3,5-triazines with heteroaromatic central cores

New disc-shaped triarylamino-1,3,5-triazines were prepared by reaction of cyanuric chloride with two-fold alkoxy substituted anilines. Each of the triarylmelamines exhibits an enanti-otropic mesophase. X-ray investigations reveal the formation of columnar liquid crystalline structures with either a hexagonal or a rectangular lattice. The lattice parameters, as well as the intracolumnar ordering, depend on the length of the flexible lateral side chains. The new melamines form Langmuir monolayers at the air/water interface due to their amphiphilic nature. The monolayer organization is characterized by a side-on arrangement of the molecules. The polar central molecular parts lie flat on the water, whereas the lateral alkyl chains are oriented perpendicular to the water surface.     

Existence of Optimal Controls for Partially Observed Jump Processes

A partially observable control problem for an R ^d -valued jump process with counting observations is studied. The state and the observations may be strongly dependent and, in particular, the two processes may jump together. An equivalent separated problem is introduced and the existence of an optimal control for the separated problem is obtained in the class of relaxed and generalized controls. Equivalence between the initial problem and the relaxed generalized separated control problem is discussed.     

A new glucosidic phthalide from Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum from La Maddalena Island (Sardinia,Italy)

In this study, we reported the analysis of the medium polarity fraction obtained from an accession of Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum from La Maddalena Island. Besides several compounds already evidenced in this species and related genera, i.e. micropyrone (1), arzanol (2), helipyrone (3), acetyl-bitalin derivatives (4, 5), gnaphaliol (6), caffeic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), 7-O-β-(d-glucopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone (9), gnaphaliol-9-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (11) and gnaphaliol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (12), the presence of a new glycosidic phthalide, 6-O-β-(d-glucopyranosyl)-4-methoxy-1(3H)-benzofuranone (10), was evidenced for the first time, which resulted in a structural isomer of compound (9). The occurrence of this new benzofuranone derivative is an additional evidence of the deep intraspecific variability expressed by this species, which was also stated for the non-volatile components, and may be a distinctive trait of the population growing on La Maddalena Island.     

Characterisation of commercial Perna canaliculus samples and development of extemporaneous oral veterinary paste formulations containing Perna

Perna canaliculus is a nutritional supplement recently studied and highly recommended for its anti-inflammatory effects in both animals and humans. In this study, the physicochemical properties, the microbiological quality, the total lipid content and fatty acids composition of three commercial samples of Perna powder were determined. Subsequently, three simple formulations of extemporaneous oral pastes containing Perna were prepared and designed for veterinary use. Their microbiological stability was assessed after 1-month storage at either room temperature or 35 °C. The results demonstrated that commercial Perna samples lack homogeneity, in regard to some technological properties and fatty acid composition; therefore, a preliminary characterisation of commercial Perna samples is recommended to assure the quality of formulations containing this nutritional supplement. Oral paste formulations are easy and simple to prepare and show good physical and microbiological stability, suggesting their large-scale production.     

Spectral and electrochemical studies of ruthenium(II) complexes with N-methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde and N-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone: Potential anti-trypanosomal agents

N⁴-Methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Fo4M), N⁴-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Bz4M) and their ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (1), [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (2), [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(dppb)] (3) and [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(dppb)] (4) (dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphospine)butane) were obtained and characterized. The crystal structure of H4NO₂Fo4M has been determined. Electrochemical studies have shown that the nitro anion radical, one of the proposed intermediates in the mechanism of action of nitro-containing anti-trypanosomal drugs, is formed at approximately −1.00 V in the free thiosemicarbazones as well as in their corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes, suggesting their potential to act as antitrypanosomal drugs. The natural fluorescence of H4NO₂Fo4M, H4NO₂Bz4M and complexes (1)–(4) provides a way to identify and to monitor their concentration in biological systems.     

First-principles approach to the understanding of π-conjugated organic semiconductors

We show how ab initio calculations based on density functional theory contribute to the understanding of the electronic and optical properties of organic semiconducting materials, which form the active layers in many opto-electronic applications. As a textbook example, we present the electronic structure and the optical properties of the oligo-phenylenes as evolving from their benzene-constituents. Thereby we discuss the dependence on the molecular length and introduce the modifications in the opto-electronic properties due to intermolecular interactions which are inherently present in the bulk phase.     

TPR/TPO characterization of cobalt–silicon mixed oxide nanocomposites prepared by sol–gel

Cobalt–silicon mixed oxides with Co/Si ratio of 10/90 (10Co), 20/80 (20Co) and 30/70 (30Co) were prepared by a modified sol–gel method. The materials treated in air at 400 and 600 °C were characterized by SEM and TPR/TPO techniques. TPR measurements showed that in all samples only a fraction of Co was present as Co₃O₄ and as amorphous silicate and was reducible by H₂ within 800 °C, while a part was not reducible under TPR conditions. The fraction of Co not reducible decreased with increasing Co content. A TPO/TPR cycle gave rise to an increase of the fraction of not reducible Co.