Effect of Niobium Modifications to PZT (53/47) Thin Films Made by a Sol-Gel Route

Niobium-modified lead zirconate titanate thin films (PNZT) with nominal compositions, Pb_(1–0.5x) (Zr_0.53 Ti_0.47)_1–x Nb _x O₃:x = 0.02–0.07, have been prepared using a diol based sol-gel route. Single-layer (0.5 m) films were fabricated on platinised silicon substrates by spin-coating. The effect of niobium additions with regard to phase development, microstructure, and ferroelectric and dielectric properties were investigated for different annealing temperatures. For comparison, unmodified PZT films were also prepared. Niobium substitution increased the crystallisation temperatures for perovskite PNZT phase formation. The values of remanent polarisation P _r and dielectric constant _r were found to decrease with the introduction of Nb. For example, in films heated at 700°C for 15 min, the P _r value of an unmodified PZT film was 31 C cm^–2, compared to 17 C cm^–2 for an x = 0.05 PNZT film, whilst respective relative permittivity values fell from 1190 to 600. The highest Nb concentration film, x = 0.07, did not display any switchable polarisation characteristics, which is consistent with high levels of intermediate pyrochlore phase.     

Some mildly wild circles in Sn arising from algebraic K-Theory

We study wild embeddings of S ¹ in S ⁿ which are tame in a sense introduced by Quinn. We show that if is a finitely presented group with H ₁()=H ₂()=0, then any finiteness obstruction K ₀() can be realized on the complement of such an embedded S ¹. We also realize trivially symmetric K _–1() obstructions on the complements of such embeddings. For trivially symmetric , the embeddings constructed are shown to be isotopy homogeneous.     

Production of hybrid 16-membered macrolides by expressing combinations of polyketide synthase genes in engineered Streptomyces fradiae hosts

Combinations of the five polyketide synthase (PKS) genes for biosynthesis of tylosin in Streptomyces fradiae (tylG), spiramycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens (srmG), or chalcomycin in Streptomyces bikiniensis (chmG) were expressed in engineered hosts derived from a tylosin-producing strain of S. fradiae. Surprisingly efficient synthesis of compounds predicted from the expressed hybrid PKS was obtained. The post-PKS tailoring enzymes of tylosin biosynthesis acted efficiently on the hybrid intermediates with the exception of TylH-catalyzed hydroxylation of the methyl group at C14, which was efficient if C4 bore a methyl group, but inefficient if a methoxyl was present. Moreover, for some compounds, oxidation of the C6 ethyl side chain to an unprecedented carboxylic acid was observed. By also expressing chmH, a homolog of tylH from the chalcomycin gene cluster, efficient hydroxylation of the 14-methyl group was restored.     

Potent and selective structure-based dibenzofuran inhibitors of transthyretin amyloidogenesis: kinetic stabilization of the native state

Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidogenesis requires rate-limiting tetramer dissociation and partial monomer denaturation to produce a misassembly competent species. This process has been followed by turbidity to identify transthyretin amyloidogenesis inhibitors including dibenzofuran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (1). An X-ray cocrystal structure of TTR.1(2) reveals that it only utilizes the outer portion of the two thyroxine binding pockets to bind to and inhibit TTR amyloidogenesis. Herein, structure-based design was employed to append aryl substituents at C1 of the dibenzofuran ring to complement the unused inner portion of the thyroxine binding pockets. Twenty-eight amyloidogenesis inhibitors of increased potency and dramatically increased plasma TTR binding selectivity resulted. These function by imposing kinetic stabilization on the native tetrameric structure of TTR, creating a barrier that is insurmountable under physiological conditions. Since kinetic stabilization of the TTR native state by interallelic trans suppression is known to ameliorate disease, there is reason to be optimistic that the dibenzofuran-based inhibitors will do the same. Preventing the onset of amyloidogenesis is the most conservative strategy to intervene clinically, as it remains unclear which of the TTR misassembly intermediates results in toxicity. The exceptional binding selectivity enables these inhibitors to occupy the thyroxine binding site(s) in a complex biological fluid such as blood plasma, required for inhibition of amyloidogenesis in humans. It is now established that the dibenzofuran-based amyloidogenesis inhibitors have high selectivity, affinity, and efficacy and are thus excellent candidates for further pharmacologic evaluation.     

Crystal structure of thiogermanic acid H(4)Ge(4)S(10)

X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the thiogermanic acid H(4)Ge(4)S(10) possesses discrete adamantane-like Ge(4)S(10)(4)(-) complex anions. Each thioanion is composed of four corner shared GeS(2.5)(-) tetrahedral units. Crystals were grown from anhydrous liquid hydrogen sulfide reactions with glassy germanium sulfide at room temperature. The crystal structure was solved and refined from single crystal diffractometer data (Mo Kalpha radiation) obtained at 173 K. H(4)Ge(4)S(10) is triclinic, centrosymmetric space group Ponemacr;, with a = 8.621(4) A, b = 9.899(4) A, c = 10.009(4) A, alpha = 85.963(7) degrees, beta = 64.714(7) degrees, gamma = 89.501(8) degrees, and Z = 2. Average bridging and terminal d(Ge-S) distances are 2.229 and 2.206 A, respectively. Vibrational mode assignments are reported from Raman scattering and IR absorption spectra of polycrystalline samples. The nu(s)(Ge-S-Ge) and nu(s)(Ge-S(-)) stretching modes are observed at 354 and 405 cm(-)(1), respectively.     

A chemical sensor for the liquid-ordered phase

The mixing properties of exchangeable phospholipids, derived from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, with an exchangeable form of cholesterol have been used to monitor the transition from the liquid-disordered to the liquid-ordered phase in cholesterol-containing bilayers, made from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, respectively.     

Optical and Electrical Properties of Polymerizing Plasmas and Their Correlation with DLC Film Properties

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were grown from radiofrequency plasmas of acetylene-argon mixtures, at different excitation powers, P. The effects of this parameter on the plasma potential, electron density, electron temperature, and plasma activity were investigated using a Langmuir probe. The mean electron temperature increased from about 0.5 to about 7.0 eV while the mean electron density decreased from about 1.2 × 10⁹ to about 0.2 × 10⁹ cm^–3 as P was increased from 25 to 150 W. Both the plasma potential and the plasma activity were found to increase with increasing P. Through actinometric optical emission spectrometry, the relative concentrations of CH, [CH], and H, [H], in the discharge were mapped as a function of the applied power. A rise in [H] and a fall in [CH] with increasing P were observed and are discussed in relation to the plasma characteristics and the subimplantation model. The optical properties of the films were calculated from ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic data; the surface resistivity was measured by the two-point probe method. The optical gap, E _G, and the surface resistivity, _s, fall with increasing P. E _G and _s are in the ranges of about 2.0–1.3 eV and 10¹⁴–10¹⁶ /, respectively. The plasma power also influences the film self-bias, V _b, via a linear dependence, and the effect of V _b on ion bombardment during growth is addressed together with variation in the relative densities of sp² and sp³ bonds in the films as determined by Raman spectroscopy.     

Hydrogen storage in the dehydrated prussian blue analogues M3[Co(CN)6]2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn)

The porosity and hydrogen storage properties for the dehydrated Prussian blue analogues M3[Co(CN)6]2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) are reported. Argon sorption isotherms measured at 87 K afford BET surface areas ranging from 560 m2/g for Ni3[Co(CN)6]2 to 870 m2/g for Mn3[Co(CN)6]2; the latter value is comparable to the highest surface area reported for any known zeolite. All six compounds show significant hydrogen sorption at 77 K and 890 Torr, varying from 1.4 wt % and 0.018 kg H2/L for Zn3[Co(CN)6]2 to 1.8 wt % and 0.025 kg H2/L for Cu3[Co(CN)6]2. Fits to the sorption data employing the Langmuir-Freundlich equation give maximum uptake quantities, resulting in a predicted storage capacity of 2.1 wt % and 0.029 kg H2/L for Cu3[Co(CN)6]2 at saturation. Enthalpies of adsorption for the frameworks were calculated from hydrogen isotherms measured at 77 and 87 K and found to increase with M varying in the order Mn < Zn < Fe < Co < Cu < Ni. In all cases, the binding enthalpies, which lie in the range of 5.3-7.4 kJ/mol, are higher than the 4.7-5.2 kJ/mol measured for Zn4O(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)3.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of iron(II) ion by chlorine dioxide in aqueous solution

The mechanism by which an excess of iron(II) ion reacts with aqueous chlorine dioxide to produce iron(III) ion and chloride ion has been determined. The reaction proceeds via the formation of chlorite ion, which in turn reacts with additional iron(II) to produce the observed products. The first step of the process, the reduction of chlorine dioxide to chlorite ion, is fast compared to the subsequent reduction of chlorite by iron(II). The overall stoichiometry is The rate is independent of pH over the range from 3.5 to 7.5, but the reaction is assisted by the presence of acetate ion. Thus the rate law is given by At an ionic strength of 2.0 M and at 25°C, k_u = (3.9 ± 0.1) × 10³ L mol^?1 s^?1 and k_c = (6 ± 1) × 10⁴ L mol^?1 s^?1. The formation constant for the acetatoiron(II) complex, K_f, at an ionic strength of 2.0 M and 25°C was found to be (4.8 ± 0.8) × 10^?2 L mol^?1. The activation parameters for the reaction were determined and compared to those for iron(II) ion reacting directly with chlorite ion. At 0.1 M ionic strength, the activation parameters for the two reactions were found to be identical within experimental error. The values of ΔH? and ΔS? are 64 ± 3 kJ mol^?1 and + 40 ± 10 J K^?1 mol^?1 respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 554–565, 2004