Fluorescence quenching of three molecular weight fractions of a soil fulvic acid by UO(2)(II)

A soil fulvic acid isolated from a Korean forest was divided into three different molecular weight fractions (F1: less than 220 Da; F2: 220-1000 Da; and F3: 1000-4000 Da) by gel filtration chromatography and the fractions were studied by synchronous fluorescence (SyF) spectroscopy. Analysis of the SyF spectra for the fulvic acid fractions showed that the fractions with molecules of larger sizes have a higher content of condensed aromatic compounds. The information about their interaction with UO(2)(II) ions in an aqueous solution (100 mg l(-1) of fulvic acid, in 0.1 M NaClO(4) at pH 3.5) was obtained from the measurement of SyF spectra at increasing concentrations of metal ions. Self-modeling mixture analysis of the quenching spectra gives two distinct peak components having a maximum peak position of 386 (type I) and 498 nm (type II) for all the size-fractionated fulvic acids. From the analysis of the quenching profiles of the peaks, using a non-linear method, the concentration of binding sites (C(L)), and the corresponding stability constants (logK) were calculated. The stability constants of the UO(2)(II)-fulvate complexes ranged from 4.10 to 5.33, and increased with higher molecular weight fractions, which indicates a stronger affinity for UO(2)(II) in the fraction with molecules of larger size.     

Synthesis and characterization of carboxylate-bridged copper(II) dinuclear complex

The dinuclear copper(II) complex {[Cu(pmea)Cl][Cu(H₂O)₃Cl]}(Cl)·H₂O (1) (pmea =bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino-2-ethanoic acid) has been synthesized and characterized. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system P2₁/c, a = 9.0057(11), b = 28.031(3), c = 8.5669(10) Å, β = 104.267(2)°, V = 2095.9(4) ų, Z = 4. Crystal structure of 1 reveals a syn-anti carboxylate-bridged dinuclear complex, in which the coordination environment around each copper atom exhibits a distorted square-pyramid. Magnetic susceptibility measurement for 1 exhibits a weak intermolecular antiferromagnetic exchange interaction with 2J = −1.17(9) cm⁻¹. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 gives one oxidation and two reduction processes.     

Correlations between photoluminescence and Hall mobility in GaN/sapphire grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

We have investigated photoluminescence (PL) and electron Hall mobility for unintentionally doped GaN epitaxial layers grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on c-plane Al₂O₃ substrates. Four GaN films having identical dislocation density but remarkably different electron Hall mobility were exploited. At low temperature (12 K), a PL line associated with a bound exciton was observed and strong correlations were found between the Hall mobility and the PL intensity of the exciton transition. That is, relative PL intensity of the bound exciton to a donor-bound exciton monotonously increased with decreasing the electron mobility of the GaN films. This correlation was interpreted in terms of electrical compensation. Efforts to find the chemical origin of the PL line led to the conclusion that the BE line originated neither from threading dislocations nor from extrinsic point defects. Intrinsic acceptors such as Ga vacancy and GaN anti-site were suspected as plausible origin.     

Synthesis and characterization of fully rodlike poly(4,4′‐biphenylene pyromellitimide)s with various short side groups

Fully rodlike poly(4,4‐biphenylene pyromellitimide) (PMDA–BZ) is so brittle in spite of its extremely high modulus. In this study, the brittleness was attempted to be improved without a significant sacrifice of the high modulus by incorporating short side groups. For this, benzidine monomers, which contain methyl, methoxy, fluoro, and trifluoromethyl at the 2,2′‐positions, were synthesized and then used for polycondensation reactions with pyromellitic dianhydride in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, producing soluble poly(amic acids)s. The synthesized poly(amic acid)s were converted to the fully rodlike polyimides in films by a conventional spin‐coating on substrates, soft bake, and thermal imidization. The brittleness of PMDA–BZ was successfully healed with a small portion of sacrifice in the modulus by incorporating methyl, methoxy, and trifluoromethyl groups but could not be healed by the fluoro side group. The improvement in the brittleness might be contributed from the chain mobility and lateral chain packing order enhanced by the incorporation of the side groups, which are evident on the measured structures and properties. The structure and other properties were detected to be influenced by the incorporated side groups. The detailed structures and properties were interpreted by considering roles of side groups and the correlation between structure and properties, respectively. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 937–957, 1999     

Aminolysis of aryl dithio-2-thiophenates and dithio-2-furoates in acetonitrile

The aminolyses of the title substrates with anilines and benzylamines are investigated in acetonitrile. A clean second-order kinetics is obtained with a first-order rate law in the amine concentration, which is uncomplicated by the fast proton transfer step. The large magnitude of ρ_Z (ρ_1g) as well as ρ_X (ρ_nuc) together with relatively large positive ρ_XZ values is consistent with a stepwise mechanism in which thiophenolate ion expulsion from the intermediate is rate limiting. For the reactions of aryl dithio-2-thiophenates with benzylamines the magnitude of ρ_X and ρ_Z values is relatively smaller suggesting that both the addition and expulsion of thiophenolate are partially rate determining. Relatively large secondary kinetic isotope effects, k_H/k_D≥1.7, with deuterated nucleophiles, support involvement a concurrent proton transfer to the departing thiophenolate ion in the transition state. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 849–857, 1998     

Hydrophilic-hydrophobic interpenetrating polymer networks and dicyanate-based semi-ipn materials

Hydrophilic-hydrophobic IPN materials of poly(acrylic acid)-poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) were synthesized and the pervaporation characteristics of the IPN membranes were evaluated for the separation of ethanol/water mixture. Hydrophilic-hydrophobic IPN materials of polyurethane-polystyrene were synthesized and the blood compatibility of the IPN's were measured for the biomedical application. Dicyanate-engineering plastics semi-IPN's were prepared and the morphology and mechanical properties were evaluated for the high temperature composite matrix materials.     

Melting,Crystallization, and In Vitro Digestion Properties of Fats Containing Stearoyl-Rich Triacylglycerols

Fats containing the stearoyl-rich triacylglycerols (TAGs) of 1,2-distearoyl-3-oleoylglycerol (SSO) and 1,3-dioleoyl-2-stearoylglycerol (OSO) were synthesized via the lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of tristearin (SSS)-rich fat and oleic acids, followed by solvent fractionation. Their physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibilities were compared. The SSS-, SSO-, and OSO-rich fats comprised 81.6%, 52.9%, and 33.1% stearic acid, respectively, whereas oleic acid comprised 2.9%, 37.5%, and 56.2%, respectively. The SSS-, SSO-, and OSO-rich fats contained the TAGs of SaSaSa (100.00%), SaSaMo (86.98%), and MoSaMo (67.12%), respectively, and the major TAGs were SSS, SSO, and OSO, respectively. Melting and crystallization temperatures were higher and fat crystals were larger and densely packed in the descending order of SSS-, SSO and OSO-rich fats. Both in vitro multi-step digestion and pH-stat digestion were more rapid for OSO- than SSO-rich fat. Oleic acid was digested faster than stearic acid during the initial digestion, then the rate decreased, whereas that of stearic acid increased over prolonged digestion. Fats that were richer in stearoyl at the sn-1,3 position of TAG melted and crystallized at higher temperatures, had a densely packed microstructure of large fat crystals and were poorly digested. Stearic acid imparts the essential physical attributes of melting and crystallization in solid fats, and the low digestible stearoyl-rich fat would be a viable substitute for trans fatty acids in food lipid industry.