Sensitive measurement of methylene blue active substances by attenuated total reflection spectrometry with a trimethylsilane-modified glass slab optical waveguide

Attenuated total reflection spectrometry with a slab optical waveguide (SOWG) was explored for the simple, rapid and sensitive measurement of total anionic surfactants by the methylene blue active substance (MBAS) method. A fused-silica sheet used as a guiding layer was modified with trimethylsilane (TMS) to extract and concentrate the MBASs on the SOWG surface. Based on preliminary studies of the adsorption behavior and visible ATR spectrum of MB on the modified silica surface, a detection wavelength of 600 nm was chosen for the sensitive measurement of anionic surfactants. When the concentration of MB was set at 10 microM in the final measurement solution, the calibration curve for a typical anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate) was linear up to 0.6 microM and the detection limit was 0.07 microM. The proposed method was applied to the determination of total anionic surfactants in river water.     

Photoluminescence enhancement of PEG-modified YAG:Ce3+ nanocrystal phosphor prepared by glycothermal method

Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ (YAG:Ce3+) nanocrystals were synthesized in 1,4-butylene glycol (BG) with and without poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by the glycothermal method. The internal quantum efficiency of the photoluminescence (PL) corresponding to the 5d --> 4f transition of Ce3+ in the YAG:Ce3+ nanocrystal increased from 21.3 to 37.9% by addition of PEG, while no appreciable change in the primary particle size, the crystallite size, and the lattice distortion was recognized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy and 1H --> 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP-MAS NMR) confirmed the preferential coordination of PEG to the YAG:Ce3+ nanocrystal. 27Al single-pulse excitation MAS NMR reveals that the ratio of the 4-fold coordination site to the 6-fold coordination site increased from 0.53 to 0.72 by addition of PEG. We conclude that the surface modification of the YAG:Ce3+ nanocrystal by PEG induces the surface passivation, the prevention of the oxidation of Ce3+ to Ce4+, the promotion of the incorporation of Ce3+ into YAG and the local structural rearrangement, resulting in the PL enhancement.     

Ejection,excitation and decomposition of large clusters from the surface of group II,III and IV elements by excimer laser excitation

Light emission and scattering are analyzed for the plume of vapor produced by laser excitation of the solid target of Group II, III and IV elements. Spectroscopic evidences suggest that the plume consists of microclusters of target elements. The size of microclusters is estimated to be 0.6 nm in diameter.     

Studies on reactions of the N-phosphonium salts of pyridines. XIII. Direct polycondensation reaction of carbon dioxide or disulfide with diamines under mild conditions

Polyureas of high molecular weight were obtained by the direct polycondensation reaction of carbon dioxide with diamines at 40°C for several hours under a pressure of carbon dioxide (below 30 atm) by use of diphenyl phosphite in pyridine. Optimal temperature and pressure were 40°C and 20 atm of carbon dioxide. The polycondensation reaction was also affected by solvents and type and amounts of tertiary amines. Pyridine was most effective as tertiary amine and solvent as well. Of the phosphorous compounds used, triaryl phosphites and diphenyl phosphite were most effective, but trialkyl phosphites failed to give polymer. The reaction was assumed to proceed via a carbamyl N-phosphonium salt of pyridine formed by dephenoxylation of phosphites. Similarly, polythioureas were prepared by heating a mixture of carbon disulfide, diamines, and diphenyl phosphite in pyridine at 40°C for 6 hr under nitrogen.     

Mechanism of charge–transfer polymerization. II. Propagation mechanism of the polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole with organic electron acceptors

Copolymerizations of N-vinylcarbazole with both isobutyl vinyl ether and N-vinyl-pyrrolidone initiated by some organic electron acceptors have been investigated for the purpose of elucidating the propagation mechanism in the charge-transfer polymerization. Copolymerizations of the same system catalyzed by authentic cationic catalysts have also been made for comparison. The results indicate that the propagation mechanism of the charge-transfer polymerization studied is catio ie.     

Synthesis of chiral [5]helicenes using aromatic oxy-Cope rearrangement as a key step

Both enantiomers of (P)-(+)-2- and (M)-(−)-2-acetoxy-11,14-dimethyl[5]helicenes 8 were synthesized by asymmetric aromatic oxy-Cope rearrangement of the corresponding chiral bridged bicyclic compounds, which were obtained by enzymatic resolution. The absolute configurations of 8 were assigned by their circular dichroism spectra.     

Growth of single-layer carbon tubes assisted with iron-group metal catalysts in carbon arc

Single-layer (SL) carbon tubes were produced by arc evaporation of graphite rods containing iron-group metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Fe/Co, Co/Ni, Fe/Ni) under He and Ar gas. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that these elemental and binary metals, excluding Fe which need a special atmosphere (a mixture of Ar and CH₄), showed catalytic activity producing SL tubes under pure inactive gases. Fe/Ni alloy was the most effectual catalysts for producing SL tubes. The highest abundance of SL tubes in raw soot was estimated to be ～ 10% from TEM observation. Smoke particles directly caught on TEM grids near an evaporation source during arcburning were also investigated, and it was suggested that small metal particles were first formed in the gas phase and then SL tubes grew from them.     

Development of a new file search system for nuclear magnetic resonance spectra: Production of an Enlarged Data Base and Search Test

A practical search system for proton n.m.r. spectra is reported. The coding rules and search algorithms are described in detail. Data for 8000 spectra have been converted into a computer-readable file from printed charts. Several search tests are used to evaluate the usefulness of the search system, and various effects of experimental conditions such as different instruments, frequencies and solvents on recall efficiency are described. The results presented indicate that the system should be applicable to routine analytical work.     

Studies On Rare-Earth Complexes with Crown Ethers. Part XXV. Synthesis,characterization, and structure of the complexes of lanthanide nitrates with 13-crown-4

The lanthanide nitrate complexes with 13-crown-4(13-C-4) have been prepared in AcOEt. These new complexes with the general formula Ln(NO₃)₃.(13-c-4) (Ln = La–Nd, Sm–Lu) have been characterized by means of elemental analysis, IR and ¹H-NMR spectra, conductivity measurements, and TG-DTA techniques. The crystal and molecular structure of Nd(No₃)₃. (13-c-4) has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/a with Z = 8. Lattice parameters are a = 15.393(1), b = 12.578(1), c = 19.279(2) Å, β = 113.05(1)°, V = 3435 ų, D_c = 2.01 g cm^?3, μ = 31.0 cm^?1 (Mok₂), F(000) = 2056. The structure was solved by Patterson and Fourier techniques and refined by least-squares to a final conventional R value of 0.032 for 5218 independent reflections with I ? 3σ(I). There are two independent Nd(No₃)₃ · (13-C-4) monomers in one asymmetrical unit. The coordination numbers are ten in these two independent monomers.