Electrophoretic silica-coating process on a nano-structured copper electrode

A method for silica-coating at the nanoscale by electrophoretic deposition is presented here, using raw or grafted silica dispersions.     

Europium‐Doped Mesoporous Titania Thin Films: Rare‐Earth Locations and Emission Fluctuations under Illumination

Herein, Eu^III‐doped 3D mesoscopically ordered arrays of mesoporous and nanocrystalline titania are prepared and studied. The rare‐earth‐doped titania thin films—synthesized via evaporation‐induced self‐assembly (EISA)—are characterized by using environmental ellipsoporosimetry, electronic microscopy (i.e. high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy, HR‐SEM, and transmission electron microscopy, HR‐TEM), X‐ray diffraction, and luminescence spectroscopy. Structural characterizations show that high europium‐ion loadings can be incorporated into the titanium‐dioxide walls without destroying the mesoporous arrangement. The luminescence properties of Eu^III are investigated by using steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopy via excitation of the Eu^III ions through the titania host. Using Eu^III luminescence as a probe, the europium‐ion sites can be addressed with at least two different environments within the mesoporous framework, namely, a nanocrystalline environment and a glasslike one. Emission fluctuations (⁵D₀→⁷F₂) are observed upon continuous UV excitation in the host matrix. These fluctuations are attributed to charge trapping and appear to be strongly dependent on the amount of europium and the level of crystallinity.     

Self-diffusion coefficients of ions in the presence of charged obstacles

The self-diffusion coefficient of ions of the charge- and size-symmetric +1:-1 (or +2:-2) electrolyte was studied in the presence of ionic obstacles (matrix) representing disordered media. For this purpose the Brownian dynamics method was used, complemented with the replica Ornstein-Zernike theory for the partly-quenched systems. The matrix was prepared by a rapid quench of the size-symmetric +1:-1 (in few cases also of +2:-2) electrolyte solution being in equilibrium at (temperature, relative permittivity) T0, epsilon. Within the matrix the charge- and size-symmetric (+1:-1 or +2:-2) electrolyte at T1, epsilon1 was distributed. This component was fully mobile (annealed) and in thermodynamic equilibrium with the matrix. In this study a special attention was paid to the self-diffusion of the annealed ions. The ratio D/D degrees, where D degrees is the self-diffusion coefficient of ions at infinite dilution, has been studied for various model parameters varying the concentration of all species in the system. The presence of charged obstacles decreases the self-diffusion of the annealed electrolyte; the D/D degrees values are lower in the partly-quenched mixtures than in the fully annealed electrolyte of the same concentration. In the investigated range of concentrations and solvent dielectric constants, the D/D degrees values first increased with the increased concentration of annealed electrolyte present and then decreased. An increase of the strength of the Coulomb interaction between annealed ions, or between annealed and quenched charges, yielded a decrease of the self-diffusion. In the range of concentrations investigated in this work, the decrease is mainly due to the Coulomb interaction with the matrix, since the presence of neutral obstacles did not modify the diffusion properties with respect to the situation without obstacles.     

Promotion of sugar-lectin recognition through the multiple sugar presentation offered by regioselectively addressable functionalized templates (RAFT): a QCM-D and SPR study

The investigation of recognition events between carbohydrates and proteins, especially the understanding of how spatial factors and binding avidity are correlated, remains a great interest for glycobiology. In this context we have investigated by nanogravimetry (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), the kinetics and thermodynamics of the interaction between concanavalin A (Con A) and various neoglycopeptide ligands of low molecular weight. Regioselectively addressable functionalized templates (RAFT) have been used as scaffolds for the design of multivalent neoglycopeptides bearing thiol or biotin functions for their anchoring on transducer surfaces. Although these multivalent neoglycopeptide ligands cannot span multiple binding sites within the same Con A protein, they have increased activities relative to their monovalent counterpart. Our results emphasize that the multivalent RAFT ligands function by clustering several lectins, which leads to enhanced affinities.     

Synthesis of CH2-linked alpha(2,3)sialylgalactose analogue: on the stereoselectivity of the key Ireland-Claisen rearrangement

A CH 2 -linked alpha(2,3)sialylgalactose analogue was efficiently synthesized using an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement, which was developed recently by our group for constructing a CF 2 -sialoside. The reaction conditions of the rearrangement were optimized for alpha-stereoselective formation of the CH 2 -sialoside. On the basis of the observed temperature effects, the origin of the stereoselectivity of the Ireland-Claisen rearrangement is discussed. Moreover, reconstruction of the 2alpha-hydroxyl group on the galactose unit of the rearrangement product was achieved by means of stereoselective dihydroxylation and deoxygenation.     

Optimized preparation and scanning electrochemical microscopy analysis in feedback mode of glucose oxidase layers grafted onto conducting carbon surfaces

An optimized immobilization procedure based on the electroreduction of aryldiazonium salt followed by covalent attachment of a cross-linked hydrogel was used to graft glucose oxidase on a carbon surface. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and cyclic voltammetry were used to follow the construction steps of the modified electrode. By adjusting the compactness of the layer through the electrografting reaction, the penetration of the mediator through the layer can be controlled to allow the monitoring of the enzymatic activity by both cyclic voltammetry and SECM in feedback mode. The enzymatic activity of the film is finally characterized by SECM.     

Difluorocarbene Studied with Threshold Photoelectron Spectroscopy (TPES): Measurement of the First Adiabatic Ionization Energy (AIE) of CF2

The first photoelectron band of difluorocarbene CF₂, has been studied by threshold photoelectron (TPE) spectroscopy. CF₂ was prepared by microwave discharge of a flowing mixture of hexafluoropropene, C₃F₆, and argon. A vibrationally resolved band was observed in which at least twenty‐two components were observed. In the first PE band of CF₂, the adiabatic ionization energy differs significantly from the vertical ionization energy because, for the ionization CF₂⁺ (X?²A₁)+e^? ← CF₂ (X?¹A₁), there is an increase in the FCF bond angle (by ≈20°) and a decrease in the C? F bond length (by ≈0.7 Å). The adiabatic component was not observed in the experimental TPE spectrum. However, on comparing this spectrum with an ab initio/Franck–Condon simulation of this band, using results from high‐level ab initio calculations, the structure associated with the vibrational components could be assigned. This led to alignment of the experimental TPE spectrum and the computed Franck–Condon envelope, and a determination of the first adiabatic ionization energy of CF₂ as (11.362±0.005) eV. From the assignment of the vibrational structure, values were obtained for the harmonic and fundamental frequencies of the symmetric stretching mode (ν₁′) and symmetric bending mode (ν₂′) in CF₂⁺ (X?²A₁).