Effect of the pore surface modification of an inorganic substrate on the plasma‐grafting behavior of pore‐filling‐type organic/inorganic composite membranes

We have investigated the effect of the surface state and surface treatment of the pores of an inorganic substrate on the plasma‐grafting behavior of pore‐filling‐type organic/inorganic composite membranes. Shirasu porous glass (SPG) was used as the inorganic substrate, and methyl acrylate was used as the grafting monomer. The grafting rate increased as the density of silanol on the SPG substrate increased. This result suggests that radicals are generated mainly at the silanol groups on the pore surface by plasma irradiation. The SPG substrates were treated with silane coupling agents used to control the mass of organic material bonded to the pore surface. The thickness of the grafted layer became thinner as the mass of organic material bonded to the pore surface of SPG increased. This decrease in the thickness of the grafted layer could be explained by the decrease in the penetration depth of vacuum ultraviolet rays contained in plasma having a wavelength of less than 160 nm that generated radicals in the pores of the substrate. The thickness of the grafted layer inside the SPG substrates could be controlled through the control of the mass of organic material bonded to the pore surface of the SPG substrate. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 846–856, 2006     

Local chemical distribution and electronic structure of Ge1−xTx DMS single crystals (T=Cr,Mn, Fe)

The spatial concentration distribution and local electronic structure of ferromagnetic Ge_1−xT_x (T=Cr, Mn, Fe) DMS single crystals have been investigated by using scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and photoemission spectroscopy (PES). It is found that doped T ions in Ge_1−xT_x crystals are chemically phase-separated, suggesting that the observed ferromagnetism arises from the phase-separated T-rich phases in Ge_1−xT_x.     

Converging Marriage in Honey-Bees Optimization and Application to Stochastic Dynamic Programming

In this paper, we first refine a recently proposed metaheuristic called “Marriage in Honey-Bees Optimization” (MBO) for solving combinatorial optimization problems with some modifications to formally show that MBO converges to the global optimum value. We then adapt MBO into an algorithm called “Honey-Bees Policy Iteration” (HBPI) for solving infinite horizon-discounted cost stochastic dynamic programming problems and show that HBPI also converges to the optimal value.     

Partial molal heat capacities of aqueous tetraalkylammonium bromides as functions of temperature

Enthalpies of solution have been measured from 5 to 85°C for aqueous tetraethyl- and tetrapropylammonium bromides, and the integral heat method is employed to evaluate for these electrolytes over a wide temperature range. Data taken from the literature have been used to evaluate for aqueous Bu₄NBr over a similar temperature range. These data, along with similar data for Me₄NBr, previously reported, have been used to evaluate absolute ionic heat capacities. While the absolute values agree only qualitatively with two other methods of division, the temperature dependences of the three methods essentially agree up to 65°C. Heat capacities due to structural effects on the solvent, obtained by subtracting the inherent heat capacities of the ions, are extraordinarily positive for all four tetraalkylammonium ions and have negative temperature coefficients, indicating that all four ions, including the tetramethylammonium ion, are structure-making ions.     

A new caffeoyl quinic acid from aster scaber and its inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase

The phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Aster scaber Thunb. (Asteraceae) yielded a new caffeoyl quinic acid, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) and three known compounds, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (1), (-) 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (3), (-) 5-caffeoyl quinic acid (4). The structures were established by high resolution spectroscopic methods. The antiviral effects against HIV-1 integrase of the compounds was evaluated. (-) 3,5-Dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) exhibited potent antiviral activity with an IC50 value of 7.0 +/- 1.3 microg/ml.     

ABS blends with phenoxy: morphology,thermal, mechanical and rheological properties

Blends of ABS (acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) with phenoxy(poly(hydroxyether bisphenol A)) were prepared using a Branender single screw extruder. Scanning and transmission electron micrographs (SEM, TEM) showed a typical two-phase morphology; particle-in-matrix (90/10) (ABS/phenoxy by weight), 70/30, 10/90), island/sea (30/70) and co-continuous (50/50) morphologies. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of SAN was almost unchanged in the blends, while the T_g of phenoxy increased by about 5 °C in the blends. The synergistic effect of tensile modulus and strength was noted in ABS-rich blends, where a drastic drop of ductility was seen, and the results were interpreted in terms of rubber particle migration form SAN to phenoxy phase, which was visualized by TEM. Melt viscosity showed yield in ABS-rich blends, and generally followed the log additivity.