The spatial distribution of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) deposited by solvent evaporation in the pores of HPLC silica particles

Summary Poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS), sorbed into the pores of HPLC silica particles by solvent evaporation, can function as a useful stationary phase for reversed-phase chromatography. The present work addresses the question of how the PMOS is distributed in the pores. Measurements of the surface area (BET, N₂) of a series of partially loaded samples (0–40% PMOS, m/m) using a typical batch of HPLC silica (10 μm irregular particles with 6 nm pores) show that the specific surface area of the samples decreases linearly with the specific loading (mass of PMOS per gram of silica). This result is not consistent with a “film” model in which the PMOS is deposited uniformly on the pore walls, but is consistent with a model in which long segmented “plugs” of PMOS are deposited within the pore system. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Wavy graphene sheets from electrochemical sewing of corannulene

The presence of non-hexagonal rings in the honeycomb carbon arrangement of graphene produces rippled graphene layers with valuable chemical and physical properties. In principle, a bottom-up approach to introducing distortion from planarity of a graphene sheet can be achieved by careful insertion of curved polyaromatic hydrocarbons during the growth of the lattice. Corannulene, the archetype of such non-planar polyaromatic hydrocarbons, can act as an ideal wrinkling motif in 2D carbon nanostructures. Herein we report an electrochemical bottom-up method to obtain egg-box shaped nanographene structures through a polycondensation of corannulene that produces a new conducting layered material. Characterization of this new polymeric material by electrochemistry, spectroscopy, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), scanning probe microscopy, and laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry provides strong evidence that the anodic polymerization of corannulene, combined with electrochemically induced oxidative cyclodehydrogenations (Scholl reactions), leads to polycorannulene with a wavy graphene-like structure.

A bottom-up synthesis of wavy graphene structures obtained through an anodic polymerization process, combined with an electrochemically triggered oxidative cyclodehydrogenation, of the bowl-shaped polyaromatic hydrocarbon corannulene.     

Anisotropic quantum spin fluid and quantum spin glass in La cuprate-based catalyst

Evidence of quantum spin fluid and of quantum spin glass behaviour has been detected by extended EPR analysis in some La-cuprate catalysts of general formula La_2−xEu_xCuO_{4 + δ}. Some features of the EPR spectrum, appearing in a few cases, are also discussed and attributed to a pseudo Jahn-Teller effect due to a particular coordination of up to five oxygen ions around surface copper ions at low temperature.     

Effect of acetate on ferrihydrite crystallization

Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to follow the aging of ferrihydrite with different amounts of acetate, to achieve more crystalline products. Mössbauer spectra of fresh samples did not show any magnetic components. After two years aging, the solids presented crystalline fractions. Hematite formation was inhibited as acetate content increased in solids. For an acetate/iron molar ratio equal to 0.63 goethite was formed instead of hematite. X-ray diffraction confirmed these results. This work shows that synthetic samples can be used for elucidating the anti-hematitic effect of organic matter already detected in soils.     

Selective determination of cobalt using polyurethane foam and 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-2-p-cresol as a spectrophotometric reagent

The present work describes a selective, rapid and economical method for the determination of cobalt using the 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-p-cresol (BTAC) as a spectrophotometric reagent associated with a solid extraction on polyurethane foam. The BTAC reacts with Co(II) in the presence of Triton-X100 surfactant forming a green complex with maximum absorption at 615 nm. The reaction is used for cobalt determination within a pH range of 6.50-7.50, with an apparent molar absorptivity of 1.62 x 10(4) L mol(-1) cm(-1). Beer's Law is obeyed for a concentration of at least 1.60 microg ml(-1). A selective procedure is proposed for cobalt determination in the presence of Fe(II), Hg(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) up to milligram levels using masking agents. Polyurethane foam is used for the preconcentration and separation of cobalt from thiocyanate media and this procedure is applied to its determination in nickel salts and steel alloys.     

Neutron-proton bremsstrahlung atE=76 MeV

We compare the electric and pure magnetic contributions to the differential cross sectiond(npnp)/ds' of neutron-proton bremsstrahlung. We conclude that the pure magnetic contribution cannot explain the discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results as found by Dupont et al.This work was supported in part by CONACyT under contracts F246-E9207 and 1628-E9209