Facile method for the preparation of water dispersible graphene using sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) and its application as energy storage materials

A simple and effective method for the preparation of water dispersible graphene using sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) (SPEEK) has been described. The SPEEK macromolecules are noncovalently adsorbed on the surface of graphene through π-π interactions. The SPEEK-modified graphene (SPG) forms an aqueous dispersion that is stable for more than six months. An analysis of the ultraviolet-visible spectra shows that the aqueous dispersion of SPG obeys Beer's law and the molar extinction coefficient has been found to be 149.03 mL mg(-1) cm(-1). Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirm successful reduction and surface modification of graphene. An atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis reveals the formation of a single layer of functionalized graphene. Transmission electron microscopy results are also in good agreement with the AFM analysis and support the formation of single-layer graphene. SPG shows good electrochemical cyclic stability during cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge process when used as a supercapacitor electrode. A specific capacitance of 476 F g(-1) at a current density of 6.6 A g(-1) is observed for SPG materials.     

Magnetic nanoparticles with an imprinted polymer coating for the selective extraction of uranyl ions

We have synthesized ferromagnetic nanoparticles with an imprinted polymer coating that is capable of adsorbing and extracting uranyl ions. The adsorbent was characterized using infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of sample pH, sample volume, weight of the adsorbent, contact time and of other ions have been investigated in the batch extraction mode. The performance of the material was compared to that of particles coated with a non-imprinted polymer. The adsorbent containing the imprinted coating displays higher sorption capacity and better selectivity to uranyl ions. The method was successfully applied to the determination of uranyl ions in water samples.

Sc2S@C(s)(10528)-C72: a dimetallic sulfide endohedral fullerene with a non isolated pentagon rule cage

A non isolated pentagon rule metallic sulfide clusterfullerene, Sc(2)S@C(s)(10528)-C(72), has been isolated from a raw mixture of Sc(2)S@C(2n) (n = 35-50) obtained by arc-discharging graphite rods packed with Sc(2)O(3) and graphite powder under an atmosphere of SO(2) and helium. Multistage HPLC methods were utilized to isolate and purify the Sc(2)S@C(72). The purified Sc(2)S@C(s)(10528)-C(72) was characterized by mass spectrometry, UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystallographic analysis unambiguously elucidated that the C(72) fullerene cage violates the isolated pentagon rule, and the cage symmetry was assigned to C(s)(10528)-C(72). The electrochemical behavior of Sc(2)S@C(s)(10528)-C(72) shows a major difference from those of Sc(2)S@C(s)(6)-C(82) and Sc(2)S@C(3v)(8)-C(82) as well as the other metallic clusterfullerenes. Computational studies show that the Sc(2)S cluster transfers four electrons to the C(72) cage and C(s)(10528)-C(72) is the most stable cage isomer for both empty C(72)(4-) and Sc(2)S@C(72), among the many possibilities. The structural differences between the reported fullerenes with C(72) cages are discussed, and it is concluded that both the transfer of four electrons to the cage and the geometrical requirements of the encaged Sc(2)S cluster play important roles in the stabilization of the C(s)(10528)-C(72) cage.     

An improved flow-injection system for spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum and tungsten in tool steels

A flow-injection procedure for simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of tungsten and molybdenum in steel alloys is proposed. The method exploits the catalytic effects of Mo(VI) and W(VI) on the rate of iodide oxidation by hydrogen peroxide under acidic conditions. A novel strategy for ion-exchange separation of the potential interfering species is proposed, and an AG50W-X8 cationic resin mini-column is used. The sample is injected twice, originating two sequential plugs, citrate being added to one of them in order to suppress the W(VI) catalytic activity thus providing the kinetic discrimination.The system handles 70 samples per hour and requires 1.6 mg KI per determination. A linear response is verified up to 10 mg l⁻¹ Mo (or W) in the injectate, and signal additivity is 98-103%. Results are precise (R.S.D. < 0.04) and in agreement with ICP-OES. Running a standard reference material (IPT-50) assessed also accuracy.     

Formal synthesis of Abyssomicin C

An alternative strategy towards Abyssomicin C (1) is described. The key ene-diene intermediate is synthesized via a Kishi type coupling of an E/Z mixture of triene-iodide 7 and a suitably functionalized derivative of 2,4-dimethylglutaric acid. A final in situ isomerization/intramolecular Diels-Alder cyclization resulted in the formation of the known intermediate 3 as a single isomer in high yield. Further heating of 3 using excess of iodine, afforded iodo-derivative 23, having the entire carbon skeleton of Abyssomicin D.     

A novel flow-based strategy for implementing differential kinetic analysis

Differential kinetic analysis can be implemented in a multi-pumping flow system, and this was demonstrated in relation to an improved spectrophotometric catalytic determination of iron and vanadium in Fe-V alloys. The method exploited the influence of Fe(II) and V(IV) on the rate of iodide oxidation by Cr(VI) under acidic conditions; therefore the Jones reductor was needed. The sample was inserted into an acidic KI stream that acted also as carrier stream, and a Cr(VI) solution was added by confluence. Successive measurements were performed during sample passage through the detector, each one related to a different yet reproducible condition for reaction development. Data treatment involved multivariate calibration by the PLS algorithm.The proposed system is very simple and rugged, allowing about 50 samples to be run per hour, meaning 48 mg KI per determination. The first two latent variables carry ca. 94% of the analytical information, pointing out that the intrinsic dimensionality of the data set is two. Results are in agreement with inductively coupled argon plasma-optical emission spectrometry.     

The C*-envelope of the Tensor Algebra of a Directed Graph

Given an arbitrary countable directed graph G we prove the C*- envelope of the tensor algebra coincides with the universal Cuntz- Krieger algebra associated with G. Our approach is concrete in nature and does not rely on Hilbert module machinery. We show how our results extend to the case of higher rank graphs, where an analogous result is obtained for the tensor algebra of a row-finite k-graph with no sources.     

Difficulties in applying pure Kohn-Sham density functional theory electronic structure methods to protein molecules

Self-consistency-based Kohn-Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) electronic structure calculations with Gaussian basis sets are reported for a set of 17 protein-like molecules with geometries obtained from the Protein Data Bank. It is found that in many cases such calculations do not converge due to vanishing HOMO-LUMO gaps. A sequence of polyproline I helix molecules is also studied and it is found that self-consistency calculations using pure functionals fail to converge for helices longer than six proline units. Since the computed gap is strongly correlated to the fraction of Hartree-Fock exchange, test calculations using both pure and hybrid density functionals are reported. The tested methods include the pure functionals BLYP, PBE and LDA, as well as Hartree-Fock and the hybrid functionals BHandHLYP, B3LYP and PBE0. The effect of including solvent molecules in the calculations is studied, and it is found that the inclusion of explicit solvent molecules around the protein fragment in many cases gives a larger gap, but that convergence problems due to vanishing gaps still occur in calculations with pure functionals. In order to achieve converged results, some modeling of the charge distribution of solvent water molecules outside the electronic structure calculation is needed. Representing solvent water molecules by a simple point charge distribution is found to give non-vanishing HOMO-LUMO gaps for the tested protein-like systems also for pure functionals.     

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Loaded with Levodopa and Curcumin for Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Levodopa (L-DOPA) remains the gold-standard drug available for treating PD. Curcumin has many pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-amyloid, and antitumor properties. Copolymers composed of Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and biodegradable polyesters such as Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) can self-assemble into nanoparticles (NPs). This study describes the development of NH₂–PEO–PCL diblock copolymer positively charged and modified by adding glutathione (GSH) on the outer surface, resulting in a synergistic delivery of L-DOPA curcumin that would be able to pass the blood–brain barrier. Methods: The NH₂–PEO–PCL NPs suspensions were prepared by using a nanoprecipitation and solvent displacement method and coated with GSH. NPs were submitted to characterization assays. In order to ensure the bioavailability, Vero and PC12 cells were treated with various concentrations of the loaded and unloaded NPs to observe cytotoxicity. Results: NPs have successfully loaded L-DOPA and curcumin and were stable after freeze-drying, indicating advancing into in vitro toxicity testing. Vero and PC12 cells that were treated up to 72 h with various concentrations of L-DOPA and curcumin-loaded NP maintained high viability percentage, indicating that the NPs are biocompatible. Conclusions: NPs consisting of NH₂–PEO–PCL were characterized as potential formulations for brain delivery of L-DOPA and curcumin. The results also indicate that the developed biodegradable nanomicelles that were blood compatible presented low cytotoxicity.