SiO2 coated pure and doped titania pigments: low temperature CVD deposition and quantum chemical study

We report the in-flight CVD coating with smooth 1-2 nm thick SiO(2) of pure and doped rutile particles via the oxidation of SiCl(4) vapour introduced in the high temperature zone of a purpose built thermal reactor. The effectiveness of the coatings was determined by a combination of electron microscopy, surface analysis and photocatalytic measurements. No excess Cl was detected on the coated pigment particles indicating the complete oxidation of the SiCl(4) precursor. In conjunction with the experimental outcomes of this optimised deposition process, we use first-principles density functional and semi-empirical quantum chemical calculations to examine the underlying electronic processes which determined the morphology and photocatalytic properties of the coated titania. We highlight the presence of low lying valence electronic states which reduce photocatalytic activity, and as a consequence decrease the population of photo-excited titania electrons which transfer to the surrounding matrix. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate that the coating process is completed within the order of 10 ps.     

Total synthesis of (-)-nakadomarin A

A highly diastereoselective bifunctional organocatalyst controlled Michael addition, a nitro-Mannich/lactamization cascade, a furan N-acyliminium cyclisation, a sequential alkyne RCM/syn-reduction and an alkene RCM has allowed a 19 step, highly stereoselective synthesis of (-)-nakadomarin A.     

Fabrication of magnetic cryptomelane-type manganese oxide nanowires for water treatment

Superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles were successfully grafted onto the manganese oxide OMS-2 nanowires, and the synthesized material exhibits excellent magnetic separation and adsorption properties.     

中子衍射分析时效处理对镍基单晶高温合金相结构的影响

采用φ振荡和φ固定两种数据采集模式的中子衍射实验结果表明较高的时效温度对消除枝晶最有效,微应变(晶粒区域间的变形不协调性)主要存在于γ'相.利用中子衍射结合扫描电子显微镜对合金的微观组织形貌进行了细致观察,给出了时效温度和时间对γ'相的影响状况,超晶格测量发现了γ'相晶粒之间出现的独特取向差.由不同晶面的中子衍射结果判断时效后合金出现了轻微的四方对称性(a < c)畸变,对这种畸变起主要作用的是基体相.实验结果同时证实了不同方向的应变差异,因而为筏化驱动模型的定量 关键词： 单晶高温合金 中子衍射 超晶格 时效处理     

Perchlorate‐Free Pyrotechnic Formulations Utilizing Energetic Chlorine Donors: 1‐CDN, 11‐CDN, 13‐CDN

Several novel materials were investigated as energetic chlorine donors, specifically for the preparation of perchlorate‐free pyrotechnic formulations with low‐smoke output. The novel compounds, 2‐chloromethyl‐2‐methyl‐5,5‐dinitro‐1,3‐dioxane (1‐CDN), 2,2‐bis(chloromethyl)‐5,5‐dinitro‐1,3‐dioxane (13‐CDN), and 2‐(dichloromethyl)‐2‐methyl‐5,5‐dinitro‐1,3‐dioxane (11‐CDN), were formulated with a variety of fuels and oxidizers and their resulting colored flames analyzed for color quality. The preparation and preliminary characterization of these energetic chlorine donors are described.     

Mechanistic Investigations into the Enantioselective Conia‐Ene Reaction Catalyzed by Cinchona‐Derived Amino Urea Pre‐Catalysts and CuI

The enantioselective Conia‐ene cyclization of alkyne‐tethered β‐ketoesters is efficiently catalyzed by the combination of cinchona‐derived amino‐urea pre‐catalysts and copper(I) salts. The reaction scope is broad and a series of substrates can be efficiently cyclized with high yields and enantioselectivities. Herein, we present a detailed mechanistic study based on experimental considerations and quantum mechanical calculations. Several variables, such as the nature of the organic pre‐catalyst and the metal‐ion source, have been thoroughly investigated. Kinetic studies, as well as kinetic isotope effects and deuterium labeling experiments have been used to gain further insights into the mechanism and prove the cooperative nature of the catalytic system. Our studies suggest that the rate‐limiting step for the reaction involves the β‐ketoester deprotonation and that the active species responsible for the enantiodeterming step is monomeric in amino‐urea pre‐catalyst. Computational studies provide a quantitative understanding of the observed stereoinduction and identify hydrogen bonding from the urea group as a crucial factor in determining the observed enantioselectivity.     

Large‐Scale Production of Hierarchical TiO2 Nanorod Spheres for Photocatalytic Elimination of Contaminants and Killing Bacteria

We report a facile non‐hydrothermal method for the large‐scale production of hierarchical TiO₂ nanorod spheres for the photocatalytic elimination of contaminants and killing bacteria. Crescent Ti/RF spheres were prepared by deliberately adding titanium trichloride (TiCl₃) to the reaction of resorcinol (R) and formaldehyde (F) in an open reactor under heating and stirring. The hierarchical TiO₂ nanorod spheres were obtained by calcining the crescent Ti/RF spheres in a furnace in air to burn off the RF spheres. This method has many merits, such as large‐scale production, good crystallisation of TiO₂, and good reproducibility, all of which are difficult to realise by conventional hydrothermal methods. The calcination temperature plays a significant role in influencing the morphology, crystallisation, porosity, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area, and hierarchy of the TiO₂ nanorod spheres, thus resulting in different photocatalytic performances under UV light and solar light irradiation. The experimental results have demonstrated that the hierarchical TiO₂ nanorod spheres obtained after calcination of the crescent Ti/RF spheres at different temperatures displayed similar photocatalytic activities under irradiation with UV light. We attribute this to a balance of opposing effects of the investigated factors. A higher calcination temperature leads to greater light absorption capability of the TiO₂ nanorod spheres, thus resulting in higher photocatalytic antibacterial activity under solar light irradiation. It is also interesting to note that the hierarchical TiO₂ nanorod spheres displayed intrinsic antibacterial activity in the absence of light irradiation, apparently because their sharp outward spikes can easily pierce and penetrate the walls of bacteria. In this study, the sharpest hierarchical TiO₂ nanorod spheres were obtained after calcination at 500 °C, and these exhibited the highest antibacterial activity without light irradiation. A higher calcination temperature proved detrimental to the sharpness of the TiO₂ nanorods, thus reducing their intrinsic antibacterial activity.     

Colour-encoded paramagnetic microbead-based direct inhibition triplex flow cytometric immunoassay for ochratoxin A, fumonisins and zearalenone in cereals and cereal-based feed

A combined (triplex) immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of three mycotoxins in grains was developed with superparamagnetic colour-encoded microbeads, in combination with two bead-dedicated flow cytometers. Monoclonal antibodies were coupled to the beads, and the amounts of bound mycotoxins were inversely related to the amounts of bound fluorescent labelled mycotoxins (inhibition immunoassay format). The selected monoclonal antibodies were tested for their target mycotoxins and for cross-reactivity with relevant metabolites and masked mycotoxins. In the triplex format, low levels of cross-interactions between the assays occurred at irrelevant high levels only. All three assays were influenced by the sample matrix of cereal extracts to some extent, and matrix-matched calibrations are recommended for quantitative screening purposes. In a preliminary in-house validation, the triplex assay was found to be reproducible, sensitive and sufficiently accurate for the quantitative screening at ML level. The triplex assay was critically compared to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry using reference materials and fortified blank material. Results for the quantification of ochratoxin A and zearalenone were in good agreement. However, the fumonisin assay was, due to overestimation, only suitable for qualitative judgements. Both flow cytometer platforms (Luminex 100 and FLEXMAP 3D) performed similar with respect to sensitivity with the advantages of a higher sample throughput and response range of the FLEXMAP 3D and lower cost of the Luminex 100.

Enhancing gas adsorption and separation capacity through ligand functionalization of microporous metal-organic framework structures

Hydroxyl- and amino- functionalized [Zn(BDC)(TED)(0.5)]·2DMF·0.2H(2)O leads to two new structures, [Zn(BDC-OH)(TED)(0.5)]·1.5DMF·0.3H(2)O and [Zn(BDC-NH(2))(TED)(0.5)]·xDMF·yH(2)O (BDC=terephthalic acid, TED=triethylenediamine, BDC-OH=2-hydroxylterephthalic acid, BDC-NH(2)=2-aminoterephthalic acid). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction studies confirmed that the structures of both functionalized compounds are very similar to that of their parent structure. Compound [Zn(BDC)(TED)(0.5)]·2DMF·0.2H(2)O can be considered a 3D porous structure with three interlacing 1D channels, whereas both [Zn(BDC-OH)(TED)(0.5)]·1.5DMF·0.3H(2)O and [Zn(BDC-NH(2))(TED)(0.5)]·xDMF·yH(2)O contain only 1D open channels as a result of functionalization of the BDC ligand by the OH and NH(2) groups. A notable decrease in surface area and pore size is thus observed in both compounds. Consequently, [Zn(BDC)(TED)(0.5)]·2DMF·0.2H(2)O takes up the highest amount of H(2) at low temperatures. Interestingly, however, both [Zn(BDC-OH)(TED)(0.5)]·1.5DMF·0.3H(2)O and [Zn(BDC-NH(2))(TED)(0.5)]·xDMF·yH(2)O show significant enhancement in CO(2) uptake at room temperature, suggesting that the strong interactions between CO(2) and the functionalized ligands, indicating that surface chemistry, rather than porosity, plays a more important role in CO(2) adsorption. A comparison of single-component CO(2), CH(4), CO, N(2), and O(2) adsorption isotherms demonstrates that the adsorption selectivity of CO(2) over other small gases is considerably enhanced through functionalization of the frameworks. Infrared absorption spectroscopic measurements and theoretical calculations are also carried out to assess the effect of functional groups on CO(2) and H(2) adsorption potentials.     

Semi-targeted analysis of metabolites using capillary-flow ion chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry

This work describes a novel application of capillary-flow ion chromatography mass spectrometry for metabolomic analysis, and comparison of the technique to octadecyl silica and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC)-based mass spectrometry. While liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) is rapidly becoming the standard technique for metabolomic analysis, metabolomic samples are extremely heterogeneous, leading to a requirement for multiple methods of analysis and separation techniques to perform a 'global' metabolomic analysis. While C18 is suitable for hydrophobic metabolites and has been used extensively in pharmaceutical drug metabolism studies, HILIC is, in general, efficient at separating polar metabolites. Phosphorylated species and organic acids are challenging to analyse and effectively quantitate on both systems. There is therefore a requirement for an MS-compatible analytical technique that can separate negatively charged compounds, such as ion-exchange chromatography. Evaluation of capillary flow ion chromatography with electrolytic suppression was performed on a library of metabolite standards and was shown to effectively separate organic acids and sugar di- and tri-phosphates. Limits of detection for these compounds range from 0.01 to 100 pmol on-column. Application of capillary ion chromatography to a comparative analysis of energy metabolism in procyclic forms of the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma brucei where cells were grown on glucose or proline as a carbon source was demonstrated to be more effective than HILIC for detection of the organic acids that comprise glucose central metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle.