Sol-gel-derived micron scale optical fibers for chemical sensing

We report for the first time on the preparation of organically-doped room temperature processed sol-gel-derived micron scale optical fibers as platforms for chemical- and bio-sensors. Micron scale optical fibers are drawn from fluorescent dye-doped tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)-derived sol-gel solution processed under ambient conditions. Such a simple methodology to entrap organic and even bioactive species within the optical fiber offers many advantages over more conventional ways of immobilizing organic probes for the development of optical sensors. Specifically, we report on the photophysical properties of fluorescein (a pH sensitive fluorescent dye) and rhodamine 6G (R6G; laser dye) entrapped within sol-gel-derived optical fibers. We present the preliminary results on the viability of such doped optical fibers for chemical sensing. Our results demonstrate that a fluorescein-doped sol-gel-derived optical fiber responds to ammonia and acid vapors with a response time of 1–2 seconds.     

Micro determination of olefinic unsaturation. Reaction of N-bromosuccinimide with olefins in polar medium

Summary A micro method for the determination of olefinic unsaturation in organic compounds has been developed. 2–10 mg sample dissolved in acetic acid is reacted with a known excess of N-bromosuccinimide at room temperature and the excess reagent is back titrated iodometrically. The maximum deviation in the results is ±2%. The compounds containing electron withdrawing groups close to the C=C site are not reactive and hence could not be determined by this procedure.

---

Mikrobestimmung der Ungesättigtheit von Olefinen. Reaktion von N-Bromsuccinimid mit Olefinen in polarem Medium

Zusammenfassung 2–10mg der Probe werden in Essigsäure gelöst, mit überschüssigem Reagens versetzt und der Überschuß jodometrisch zurücktitriert. Der maximale Fehler der Ergebnisse beträgt ±2%. Verbindungen, die benachbart zur C=C-Doppelbindung elektronenentziehende Gruppen enthalten, können nicht analysiert werden.

     

Temperature dependence of second critical micelle concentration of dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium bromide in aqueous solution

The specific conductivity of dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium bromide (C12BBr) in aqueous solutions, in the temperature range of 15 to 40 °C, has been measured as a function of molality. The two breaks which were found on the conductivity against molality plots were attributed to the critical micelle concentration, cmc, and second critical micelle concentration, 2^nd cmc, respectively. The ratio of the slopes, S, of the three linear fragments on the plots, S2/S1 and S3/S1, was attributed to the degree of ionization of the micelles at cmc and 2^nd cmc respectively. It was shown that the values of the 2^nd cmc estimated above 27 °C are only apparent due to thermal disintegration of the micelles. In the temperature range of 15 to 27 °C, the values of the 2^nd cmc increase gradually and the plot of the 2^nd cmc against temperature is concave. The ratio of 2^nd cmc/cmc for C12BBr at 25 °C amounts to 15 and appears to be high compared to the literature values for other surfactants. For comparative purposes the cmc and 2^nd cmc values were also estimated conductometrically for decyldimethylbenzylammonium bromide (C10BBr) at 25 °C. The 2^nd cmc value for this surfactant is higher compared to the value for the C12 homologue by a factor of 2.6.The standard Gibbs free energies of micellization at cmc and at the 2^nd cmc were estimated from the experimental data for both surfactants at 25 °C.     

Effect of polarization on the electrode behavior and microstructure of (La,Sr)MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> electrodes of solid oxide fuel cells

The electrode behavior and microstructure of freshly prepared (La_0.8Sr_0.2)_0.9MnO₃ (LSM) electrodes were investigated under various polarization conditions. The original, large agglomerates in freshly prepared LSM electrodes were broken down into sphere-shaped grains when exposed to cathodic or anodic current passage of 200 mA cm^–2 at 800 °C in air for 3 h. Microstructural changes under cathodic polarization could be related to the pronounced diffusion and migration of oxygen vacancies and Mn ions on the LSM surface and lattice expansion, while lattice shrinkage under oxidation conditions most likely contributes to the structural changes under anodic polarization. Such morphological changes were irreversible and were found to be beneficial to the performance of freshly prepared LSM electrodes. Freshly prepared LSM electrodes behaved very differently with respect to the cathodic and anodic current passage treatment.     

Fluorescence Quenching Studies of Curcumin by Hydrogen Peroxide in Acetonitrile Solution

Summary. Steady state quenching studies of curcumin, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, fluorescence by hydrogen peroxide were conducted in acetonitrile solution. A quenching rate constant, k_q, of 1.05×10¹⁰M^–1·s^–1 was obtained with a short fluorescence lifetime of 347ps. The reaction rate constant, which is within the diffusion-limited regime, is activation-controlled. The rate constant of deactivation of the thermally excited curcumin was 1.2 orders of magnitude more nonradiative (2.67×10⁹s^–1) than radiative (2.16×10⁸s^–1). The reaction was exothermic with a G° of –1.97eV and solvent reorganization energy of 1.37eV. These values indicate that the electron transfer reaction is solvent-mediated with electron transfer rate constant, k_ET, of 2.16×10¹⁰s^–1.     

Diffractive proteon fragmentation in 16, 32, and 110 GeV/cK − p interactions and the diffractive production of heavy quarks(s\bar s,c\bar c)

The inclusive proton diffraction dissociation cross sections in 16, 32, and 110 GeV/cK ^? p interactions are determined from the spike nearx=1 in the inclusive negative particle spectra and are compared to those obtained inK?p interactions using other selection methods at various energies. The same procedure is applied to events containing aV ⁰ in order to obtain the cross section for diffractive \(s\bar s\) production. While the total cross section for proton diffraction is found to be approximately constant in the energy range studied here, proton diffraction yielding an \(s\bar s - pair\) is found to increase significantly. In particular it is almost constant at 85 μb forΛ ⁰ and Σ production but for \(NK\bar K\) it rises from zero at 16 GeV.c to about 200 μb at 110 GeV/c. From the result for \(s\bar s\) diffractive production an estimate for the \(c\bar c\) diffractive production cross section of approximately 1–10 μb at 110 GeV/c is obtained.     

Raman spectra of titanium dioxide

First-order Raman spectra have been recorded at room temperature for the anatase and rutile phases of polycrystalline titanium dioxide using an argon ion laser as exciter. The high-temperature rutile phase was found to be stabilized at temperatures below 450°C. Anatase transforms to rutile phase at ～750°C. All the Raman active fundamentals predicted by group theory are observed.     

Bis(Cyclodisilazan-1-yl)dimethylsilane Synthese und Reaktionen

Bis(cyclodisilazane-1-yl) dimethylsilanes — Synthesis and Reactions The monolithium derivate of trisilazan-1-yl-cyclodisilazane 1 reacts with F₃SiN (SiMe₃)₂ with substitution. The silyl-bridged cyclodisilazanes 3–6 are formed in the reaction of the dilithium derivate of 1 with fluoro- and chlorosilanes. Using lithiumamide and lithiummethanolate a controlled exchange of one fluoro atom of 4 occurs ( 7,8 ). 9 and 10 are formed by hydrolysis of 4 . The aminofunctional compounds 11 und 12 are obtained in the reaction of 5 and 6 with NH₃. The dispirocyclus 13 is formed in the reaction of 8 with tert.-butyllithium. The reaction of dilithiated 1 with 4 gives the spirocyclus 14 . The crystal structure of 14 is discussed.     

Synthesis and properties of comb-shaped segmented poly(urethanes) based on 1,2-propanediol derivatives

Comb-shaped segmented poly(urethanes) have been synthesized from ethers via the one-step procedure with the use of glycerol monostearate, D,L-3-octadecyloxy-1,2-propanediol, 3-tert-butoxy-1,2-propanediol, 3-benzyloxy-1,2-propanediol, and 1,2-propanediol as chain extenders. The soft segment of poly(urethanes) was derived from macrodiol (poly(tetramethylene glycol) with M _n = 1000), and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and 4,4′-cyclohexylmethane diisocyanate were used as diisocyanates. The effect of the structure of side chains located at the hard segments on the formation of hydrogen bonds in comb-shaped poly(urethanes) has been studied by IR spectroscopy. On the basis of DSC measurements, the glass transition temperatures of the soft and hard segments and the temperature and enthalpy of melting of the crystalline phase have been estimated and the microphase separation of segments has been assessed. The mechanical characteristics of the polymers under study have been examined.     

Towards a microscopic theory of the modulus of elasticity in crystalline covalent materials and a survey of potential superhard materials

The present report is an account of the generalization of the dynamic elasticity theory earlier proposed by Bucknum et al. and applied to the cubic diamond and tetragonal glitter lattices. It describes a theory of elasticity in which the elasticity moduli are based upon the microscopic constants of the various structure-types. Such microscopic constants include the force constants of the chemical bonds in the unit of pattern of the material, its associated lattice parameters, and the elastic chemical bond deformation parameters of the material. In developing the outward features of the dynamic elasticity model, it is shown that an integral over the force density in the unit cell of a given material; where the force is modeled based upon the elastic deformation forces of the chemical bonds in the unit of pattern of the material, and the volume is written as a function of the deformations taking place inside the unit cell of the material; generates the terms for calculating its modulus of elasticity at pressure, in components, that are directed along the principal axes of the unit cell. Several potential solutions to the problem of superhardness are discussed and illustrated.