Microstructure and physico-chemical transformation of some common woods from Cameroon during drying

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The influence of drying on the microstructure, physical and chemical properties of some tropical wood species has been investigated using...     

Electrochemical Behavior of Ce(IV)/Ce(III) Couple in N,N-Di(2-ethylhexyl)-n-butanamide (DEHBA), N,N-Di(2-ethylhexyl)-iso-butanamide (DEHiBA), and N,N-Di(2-ethylhexyl)-3,3-dimethyl Butanamide (DEHDMBA)

In this work we report on the electrochemical behavior of Ce(IV)/Ce(III) redox couple in pure N,N-dialkyl amides (N,N-DA), namely N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)-n-butanamide (DEHBA), N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)-iso-butanamide (DEHiBA), and N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)-3,3-dimethyl butanamide (DEHDMBA) equilibrated with nitric aqueous solutions as an entry to the direct electrochemical characterization of plutonium in these extractants. Ce(IV)/Ce(III) redox process was used as a model. Its potential (E_1/2≅1.02 V/SCE) is not affected by the temperature and the nature of the N,N-DA and this clearly indicates that the functionalities of these extractants produce the same relative effect on both +IV and +III oxidation states of the cerium cation. Linear variations of the current intensity of the reduction peak of Ce(IV) with the concentration of Ce(IV)/N,N-DAs/HNO₃(5 M) solutions were obtained from cyclic voltammograms recorded at 25 °C and 40 °C. Due to the poor definition of the voltammograms in DEHiBA and DEHDMBA, such characterization allows only the evaluation of the performances of the chemical extraction of Ce(IV) from aqueous nitric acid solution by the undiluted DEHBA. To our knowledge, the electrochemical behavior of Ce(IV)/Ce(III) in N,N-DAs was not previously studied and our findings will for sure open the door for further investigations in this field.     

Rigidity percolation in particle-laden foams

We study the viscoelastic behavior of aqueous foam mixed with solid noncolloidal particles. We show that adding a tiny amount of grains can enhance the elastic and loss shear moduli by more than 1 order of magnitude. The scaling of these moduli with solid volume fraction is in qualitative agreement with that predicted by an effective-medium rigidity percolation model. We present a simple model, based on capillary attraction, to explain the particle-size dependence of the threshold.     

Ensuring of environmental safety in the reclamation of anthropogenic placer gold deposits in the North of Khabarovsk Krai

The results of studying mercury pollution of ecosystem in the zone affected by anthropogenic placer gold deposits are given. A major hazard to the environment and human health results from minerals processing wastes polluted with mercury and dumped in the placer gold-concentrating sites (PGCS) near mining villages, which have transformed into unequipped authorized landfills. The recent tendency to their reclamation should favor extensive mercury pollution. Actions have been proposed to ensure environmental safety of mineral processing wastes and reclamation of anthropogenic placer gold deposits.     

Click approaches in sol–gel chemistry

The combination of the copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction with sol–gel processing enables the versatile preparation of sol–gel materials under different shapes with targeted functionalities through a diversity-oriented approach. In this account, the development of the CuAAC reaction under anhydrous conditions for the synthesis of sol–gel precursors and for the assembling of magnetic nanoparticles on self-assembled monolayers is related, as well as the use of the classical CuAAC methodologies for the functionalization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and microdots arrays. Coupling CuAAC and Sol–Gel will result in simplified preparations of multifunctional materials with controlled morphologies.     

Emerging Bottom-Up Strategies for the Synthesis of Graphene Nanoribbons and Related Structures

The solution-phase synthesis is one of the most promising strategies for the preparation of well-defined graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) in large scale. To prepare high quality, defect-free GNRs, cycloaromatization reactions need to be very efficient, proceed without side reaction and mild enough to accommodate the presence of various functional groups. In this Minireview, we present the latest synthetic approaches for the synthesis of GNRs and related structures, including alkyne benzannulation, photochemical cyclodehydrohalogenation, Mallory and Pd- and Ni-catalyzed reactions.     

Emerging Bottom‐Up Strategies for the Synthesis of Graphene Nanoribbons and Related Structures

The solution‐phase synthesis is one of the most promising strategies for the preparation of well‐defined graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) in large scale. To prepare high quality, defect‐free GNRs, cycloaromatization reactions need to be very efficient, proceed without side reaction and mild enough to accommodate the presence of various functional groups. In this Minireview, we present the latest synthetic approaches for the synthesis of GNRs and related structures, including alkyne benzannulation, photochemical cyclodehydrohalogenation, Mallory and Pd‐ and Ni‐catalyzed reactions.     

The Effects of Formulation on Imidacloprid Dissipation in Grapes and Vine Leaves and on Required Pre-Harvest Intervals under Lebanese Climatic Conditions

In this study, imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide, currently having a specified European Commission MRL value for vine leaves (2 mg kg⁻¹), was applied on a Lebanese vineyard under different commercial formulations: as a soluble liquid (SL) and water dispersible granules (WDG). In Lebanon, many commercial formulations of imidacloprid are subject to the same critical good agricultural practice (cGAP). It was, therefore, important to verify the variability in dissipation patterns according to matrix nature and formulation type. Random samplings of grapes and vine leaves were performed starting at 2 days until 18 days after treatment. Residue extractions were performed according to the QuEChERS method and the analytical determination using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The SL formulation yielded significantly higher initial deposit than the WDG formulation on grapes and vine leaves. The formulation type did not significantly affect the dissipation rates; the estimated half-lives in grapes and vine leaves were 0.5 days for all imidacloprid formulations. No pre-harvest intervals were necessary on grapes. PHIs of 3.7 days for the SL formulation and 2.8 days for the WDG formulation were estimated on vine leaves. The results showed that the type of formulation and the morphological and physiological characteristics of the matrix had an effect on the initial deposits, and thus residue levels, but not on the dissipation patterns.     

Ring opening polymerization of cyclic organosilicon compounds: Recent progress

A novel initiator, i.e. trimethylsilylmethyllithium has been successfully used for the ring opening polymerization of cyclosiloxanes in toluene, in the presence of the cryptand [211]. Suitable conditions have been found in which monomodal distributions of molecular weights of polysiloxanes are observed by GPC, even in the case of D₄ and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetravinyl cyclotetra siloxane (D₄Vi) polymerizations. Moreover, kinetics of propagation and of formation of cyclosiloxanes can be followed by ²⁹Si or ¹³C NMR spectroscopy on living polymer solutions. The rate of propagation of hexaethylcyclotrisiloxane is 120 times lower than that of the corresponding dimethylated analog D₃, under the same conditions.     

Adjusting the selectivity of inorganic anion separation by capillary electrophoresis

The separation of the principal inorganic anions (bromide, carbonate, chlorate, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate) has been achieved using a capillary electrophoresis system with indirect UV detection at 260 nm. Several types of cationic surfactants (quaternary ammonium, phosphonium or methonium) were tested as electroosmotic flow modifiers and added to a chromatebased buffer prepared from potassium dichromate. The influence of many physicochemical parameters such as nature and concentration of cationic surfactant, buffer pH, dichromate concentration buffer, voltage and temperature upon the migration time of an analyte anion, peak efficiency, asymmetry factor, and finally resolution has been investigated. A linear relationship between the corrected area and the anion concentration in the 2.5–50 ppm range was obtained, thus allowing the quantitative analysis of anions in mineral water. Finally, by increasing the hydrodynamic injection time, the separation of inorganic anions at a low concentration level of 50 ng/ml was achieved without any loss of resolution.