Mesophases in a Gel from Hydroxypropyl Cellulose/Polyacrylamide

The objective of the present work is to analyze the different mesophases observed in a gel synthesized from hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and polyacrylamide (PAAm) and its phase behavior in water. Hydroxypropyl cellulose is a material derived from cellulose it is non toxic and degradable. HPC is widely used in pharmaceutics, food additives, stabilizer, thickener, etc., HPC is approved by the FDA for use in the food industry. HPC has the characteristic that it forms liquid crystals, depending on the solvent and on the concentration of the polymer. In this work a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) were observed, the resulting gel showed anisotropic, nematic and cholesteric phases in water, the phase formed depended on the concentration of the polymer.     

Homogenous Carboxymethylation of Cellulose in the New Alkaline Solvent LiOH/Urea Aqueous Solution

In this work, the carboxymethylation of cellulose in a new alkaline cellulose solvent, LiOH/urea aqueous solution, was investigated. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) samples were characterized with FT-IR, NMR, HPLC, and viscosity measurements. Water-soluble CMC with DS = 0.36∼0.65 was prepared, from both Avicel cellulose and cotton linters in the LiOH/urea system. The total DS of CMC could be controlled by varying the molar ratio of reagents and the reaction temperature. The results from structure analysis by HPLC after complete depolymerization showed that the mole fractions of the different carboxymethylated repeating units as well as those of unmodified glucose follow a simple statistic pattern. A distribution of the carboxymethyl groups of the AGU was determined to be in the order O-6 > O-2 > O-3 position at the level.     

Observation of a complex nanoscale magnetic structure in a hexagonal Fe monolayer

We have observed a novel magnetic structure in the pseudomorphic Fe monolayer on Ir(111). Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy we find a nanometer-sized two-dimensional magnetic unit cell. A collinear magnetic structure is proposed consisting of 15 Fe atoms per unit cell with 7 magnetic moments pointing in one and 8 moments in the opposite direction. First-principles calculations verify that such an unusual magnetic state is indeed lower in energy than all solutions of the classical Heisenberg model. We demonstrate that the complex magnetic structure is induced by the strong Fe-Ir hybridization.     

Modeling of material failure by the discrete element method

In this paper a two-dimensional discrete element method with rigid, polygonal particles is used to model material failure of granular as well as quasi-brittle materials. Different models for soft contact as well as cohesion between the particles are presented. The capabilities of the method are demonstrated simulating simplistic granular model materials as well as complex concrete specimens with an artificial microstructure. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Correlating radii and electric monopole transitions of atomic nuclei

A systematic analysis of the spherical-to-deformed shape phase transition in even-even rare-earth nuclei from 58Ce to 74W is carried out in the framework of the interacting boson model. These results are then used to calculate nuclear radii and electric monopole (E0) transitions with the same effective operator. The influence of the hexadecapole degree of freedom (g boson) on the correlation between radii and E0 transitions thus established is discussed.     

Novel Biopolymer Structures Synthesized by Dendronization of 6‐Deoxy‐6‐aminopropargyl cellulose

Propargyl cellulose with regioselective functionalization pattern was synthesized by nucleophilic displacement reaction of 6‐O‐toluenesulfonyl ester of cellulose (degree of substitution, DS 0.58) with propargyl amine. The novel 6‐deoxy‐6‐aminopropargyl cellulose provides an excellent starting material for the selective dendronization of cellulose at position 6 via the copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction yielding 6‐deoxy‐6‐amino‐(4‐methyl‐[1,2,3‐triazolo]‐1‐propyl‐polyamido amine) cellulose derivatives of first‐ (DS 0.33) and second (DS 0.25) generation, which are soluble in polar aprotic solvents. The novel biopolymer derivatives were characterized by elemental analysis, FT‐IR spectroscopy, and one‐ and two dimensional NMR spectroscopy, showing no side reactions (cross‐linking) or impurities and no conversion at the secondary positions.

     

Effect of Sulfation Route and Subsequent Oxidation on Derivatization Degree and Biocompatibility of Cellulose Sulfates

Sulfated cellulose (CS) represents an interesting biopolymer due to bioactivity comparable to heparin. However, use of CS for making surface coatings or hydrogels requires the presence of reactive groups for covalent reactions. Here, an approach is presented to oxidize cellulose sulfates for subsequent cross‐linking reactions with amino groups to form imine bonds. Cellulose is sulfated by direct sulfation or acetosulfation, followed by a M alaprade oxidation. The CS obtained is characterized by elemental analysis and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy. The resulting oxidized cellulose sulfates (oxCS) have different degrees of sulfation ranging from 0.79 to 1.13 and oxidation degrees from 0.18 to 0.34, but also different mass average molecular mass (M_W). Toxicity studies are carried out with mouse 3T3 fibroblasts exposed to aqueous solutions of oxCS. The results show that all oxCS are non‐toxic at lower concentrations (0.5 mg mL^?1), but with both increasing degree of oxidation and concentrations, toxic effects are observed particularly for acetosulfated and lesser for direct sulfated oxCS, which is related to a decrease in the M_W of the products. It is concluded that oxCS obtained by direct sulfation with M_W above 70 kDa may represent a biocompatible material for the applications suggested above.     

Efficient synthesis and characterization of new photoactive dextran esters showing nanosphere formation

Different types of photoactive dextran derivatives with high degree of substitution were prepared by an efficient and mild esterification of the biopolymer with 2-methoxycinnamic acid, [(4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy]acetic acid, and azobenzene-4-carboxylic acid via in situ activation of the carboxylic acid groups with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole. The structures of the novel dextran esters were evaluated by means of NMR spectroscopy applying the perpropionylated samples. Perpropionylation yields samples soluble in chloroform and acetonitrile that are very useful solvents not only for NMR but also for UV-vis spectroscopic studies. The photochemistry was studied by NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy in the dissolved state and the changes observed may be used to control the properties. The photoactive dextran esters form spherical nanoparticles of a size below 200 nm that are of interest in the design of smart materials.     

Unconventional methyl galactan synthesized via the thexyldimethylsilyl intermediate: preparation, characterization, and properties

Reaction of a beta-(1 --> 4) linked galactan with TDMS chloride followed by methylation and desilylation yields methyl galactans with unconventional functionalization patterns. The products were characterized via FTIR and NMR of the intact polymer and by CE after controlled depolymerization. A TDMS-derivatized methyl galactan contains differently methylated secondary hydroxyl groups. SEC and analytical ultracentrifugation showed a consistent decrease in the molecular weight after the consecutive reaction steps. Biological studies revealed that the methyl galactans are less active in complement fixation assays as compared with a 3-O-methyl galactan-enriched polysaccharide fraction isolated from Acanthus ebracteatus.