Study of structural transformations of equiatomic compounds of rare earth metals with copper

Electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis have been performed over a wide temperature range on binary compounds RCu. Melting points or decomposition temperatures for RCu (R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy) phases and a number of FeB-CsCl structural transitions are reported, and heats and entropies of transformation are evaluated. Large hysteresis effects are observed for the structural transformations at different temperatures.In LaCu and CeCu no structural transformation was detected, while TbCu and DyCu failed to reveal any high-temperature thermal effect of transformation. In EuCu a nonreproducible thermal effect was evidenced after thermal cycling.

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Zusammenfassung Messungen der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit und der magnetischen Susceptibilität sowie röntgendiffraktometrische und differentialthermoanalytische Untersuchungen von binären Verbindungen des Typs RCu wurden in einem weiten Temperaturbereich ausgeführt. Schmelzpunkte bzw. Zersetzungstemperaturen von RCu-Phasen (R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb und Dy) und eine anzahl von Phasenübergängen im System FeB-CsCl sind zusammen mit den bestimmten Entropiewerten der Phasenübergänge angegeben. Die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Phasenübergänge weist eine ausgeprägte Hysterese auf. In den Systemen LaCu und CeCu konnten keine Phasenübergänge festgestellt werden, während sich bei TbCu und DyCu kein auf einen Phsenübergang hinweisender thermischer Effekt im Hochtemperaturbereich zeigt. Bei EuCu wurde ein nicht-reproduzierbarer thermischer Effekt nach einem thermischen Kreisprozeß nachgewiesen.

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, , RCu. RCu (=La, , Pr, Nd,Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb Dy) , FeB-CsCl, . . LaCu , TbCu DyCu - . EuCu .

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The authors are grateful to Prof. A. Iandelli for his interest and for helpful discussion.

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This work was supported by the Italian Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.     

Nickel determination in osteoblast-like cell culture medium by adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with a mercury microelectrode

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of nickel, which is an alloying element in commonly used metallic biomaterials, on the biomaterials mineralization process. An electrochemical method was developed to quantify this metal ion in osteoblast-like cell culture medium (OST) by performing adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) at a mercury film microelectrode (MFM). The optimized analytical conditions and the square-wave CSV parameters for the analysis are: DMG concentration: 5.00 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹; ammonium chloride buffer: 0.10 mol L⁻¹ (pH 9.2); frequency: 50 Hz, amplitude 20 mV; step: 2 mV; adsorption time: 10 s, deposition potential: −0.70 V and reduction potential: −1.20 V. The limit of detection was 7.70 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ for an adsorption time of 10 s. The results achieved by CSV using the MFM were compared to those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to ensure the reliability of the electrochemical method. The mineralization process was evaluated by biochemical and histochemical assays.     

On the evaluation of the anisotropic-isotropic transition volume fraction for a semirigid polymer

It has been found that a method allowing the calculation of an anisotropic-isotropic transition volume fraction for a given semirigid polymer can be derived from the equations recently proposed by Blonski and coworkers to evaluate the equilibrium compositions of isotropic and anisotropic phases coexisting within ternary systems semirigid polymer/flexible polymer/solvent. By using the term anisotropic-isotropic transition volume fraction of a semirigid polymer we will refer to its smallest volume fraction giving an anisotropic character to liquid ternary phases also including a flexible polymer and a solvent. Its evaluation simplifies the construction of the corresponding ternary diagram and can also be seen as a fast and quantitative way of estimating the influence exerted by the semirigid polymer, through its intrinsic anisotropy, on ternary phases.     

Studies on structure characterization of tryptophan melanin: Comparison between filament and curie-point pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Structural studies of a synthetic melanin, obtained by means of performic acid oxidation of tryptophan, were carried out by pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). To identify the best pyrolysis conditions, both Curie-point pyrolysis and filament pyrolysis were employed and the effects of pyrolysis temperatures and times were studied. Using the first approach, various compounds were identified: toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, indole, methylindole, ethylindole, phenol, cresol and ethylphenol. Using filament pyrolysis some interesting differences could be observed. Whereas toluene, ethylbenzene, phenol, cresol and methylindole were found, neither indole nor ethylindole was detected. Instead, new pyrolysis products were evident, such as methylpyrrole and indolin-2-one. Hence filament pyrolysis seems to activate different thermal decomposition pathways of the melanin under study. It is suggested that tryptophan melanin is a polymer containing indole and hydroxyindole derivatives as subunits.     

Use of slag (GBFS) generated in charcoal blast furnace as raw material in alkali-activated cement

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Alkali-activated cements are low-environmental-impact binders and can be obtained from the alkaline activation of wastes such as slags and fly ashes,...     

Immobilization and Stabilization of Beta-Xylosidases from Penicillium janczewskii

β-Xylosidases are critical for complete degradation of xylan, the second main constituent of plant cell walls. A minor β-xylosidase (BXYL II) from Penicillium janczewskii was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation (30% saturation) followed by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography in pH 6.5 and elution with KCl. The enzyme presented molecular weight (MW) of 301 kDa estimated by size exclusion chromatography. Optimal activity was observed in pH 3.0 and 70–75 °C, with higher stability in pH 3.0–4.5 and half-lives of 11, 5, and 2 min at 65, 70, and 75 °C, respectively. Inhibition was moderate with Pb⁺² and citrate and total with Cu⁺², Hg⁺², and Co⁺². Partially purified BXYL II and BXYL I (the main β-xylosidase from this fungus) were individually immobilized and stabilized in glyoxyl agarose gels. At 65 °C, immobilized BXYL I and BXYL II presented half-lives of 4.9 and 23.1 h, respectively, therefore being 12.3-fold and 33-fold more stable than their unipuntual CNBr derivatives (reference mimicking soluble enzyme behaviors). During long-term incubation in pH 5.0 at 50 °C, BXYL I and BXYL II glyoxyl derivatives preserved 85 and 35% activity after 25 and 7 days, respectively. Immobilized BXYL I retained 70% activity after 10 reuse cycles of p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside hydrolysis.