High-throughput screening using porous photoelectrode for the development of visible-light-responsive semiconductors

A high-throughput screening system for new visible-light-responsive semiconductors for photoelectrodes and photocatalysts was developed in this study. Photoelectrochemical measurement was selected to evaluate visible-light responsiveness, and an automated semiconductor synthesis system that can be used to prepare porous thin-film photoelectrodes of various materials was also developed. As an example application of our system, iron-based binary oxides were selected as target materials for n-type semiconductors. Fe-Ti, Fe-Nb, and Fe-V with various composition ratios were synthesized. Fe-Ti and Fe-Nb binary oxide systems have been studied previously, and our results showed good consistency with previous reports, demonstrating the capability of our system. In the Fe-V system, the highest photocurrent was observed with 50% vanadium. This ratio corresponds to FeVO4, which is expected to be a new visible-light-responsive material. As another example, screening targets of bismuth-based binary oxides were investigated for p-type semiconductor photoelectrodes, and CuBi2O4 was found as a new visible-light-responsive p-type semiconductor.     

Dry tin dioxide hollow microshells and extreme ultraviolet radiation induced by CO2 laser illumination

Low-density tin dioxide (SnO2) is required for radiating monochromatic extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light with low debris and high conversion efficiency from a laser. In this paper, tin dioxide nanoparticle hollow microcapsules were successfully fabricated by a layer-by-layer template technique. The obtained capsules have a rougher surface (30 nm in rms) compared to the freshly prepared polyelectrolyte capsules. Based on the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, the tin dioxide nanoparticles well maintained their size after they were assembled on the capsules' surfaces. In order to remove the polymer template, a heat treatment was introduced, and after the heat treatment the capsule sizes shrank about 71% (the average size was from 4.9 to 3.5 mum), and the obtained capsules maintained their round shape after water evaporation. The narrowest bandwidth at the 13.5 nm emission in the EUV region was observed when the capsules were irradiated by a CO2 laser with an intensity of 2.9 x 10(10) W/cm (2).     

End-point detection of the potentiometric titration of anionic polyelectrolytes using an anionic surfactant-selective plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) membrane electrode and an anionic surfactant as a marker ion

A plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode sensitive to dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS) ion is applied to the determination of anionic polyelectrolytes such as potassium poly (vinyl sulfate) (PVSK) by potentiometric titration, using a poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (Cat-floc) solution as a titrant. The end-point of the titration is detected as the potential jump of the plasticized PVC membrane electrode caused by decrease in the concentration of DBS ion added to the sample solution as a marker ion, due to the ion association reaction between the DBS ion and Cat-floc. The effects of the concentration of DBS ion, coexisting surfactants and electrolytes in the sample solution and pH of the sample on the degree of the potential jump at the end-point were examined. A linear relationship between the concentration of anionic polyelectrolyte and the end-point volume of the titrant exists in the concentration range from 2 × 10^–5 to 4 × 10^–4 N for PVSK, alginate, and carrageenan. Received: 30 April 1998 / Revised: 6 July 1998 / Accepted: 11 August 1998     

Sub-10-fs Ti:sapphire Kerr-lens Mode Locked Oscillator

Assembly of a sub-10-fs Ti:sapphire oscillator using only optical components commercially available in catalogues is reported. It was demonstrated that stable sub-10-fs optical pulses near 800 nm can be generated from a Kerr-lens mode locked oscillator equipped with a pair of prisms to compensate group delay dispersions (GDD) in the cavity. For the GDD control in a 10fs-pulse oscillator it was concluded that chirped mirrors are not always necessary, and a pair of prisms is still available.     

BTZO-1, a cardioprotective agent, reveals that macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulates ARE-mediated gene expression

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Highlights? ARE activation is involved in cellular protection against oxidative stress ? MIF is a ubiquitous protein with conserved nucleophilic Pro1 in a hydrophobic pocket ? BTZO-1 selectively binds to MIF, and its binding required the intact N-terminal Pro1 ? Binding of BTZO-1 to MIF leads to the ARE activation in cardiomyocytes.     

Polarity‐Dependent Isomerization of an Unsymmetrical Overcrowded Ethylene Promoted by Zwitterionic Contribution in the Twisted Isomer

The twisted form of bianthrone is known as a metastable state provided by a photo‐induced or thermal‐induced isomerization of the folded form, and thus prevents the isolation and the detailed analysis of its electronic structure. In this study, an unsymmetrical bianthrone ( 2 ), consisting of the electron‐withdrawing anthrone and electron‐donating acridane, have been synthesized and shown to exhibit a solvent‐polarity‐dependent isomerization reaction between the folded and twisted isomers. With increasing the polarity of the solvent, 2 showed an isomerization reaction from the folded form to the twisted form. The stabilization of the twisted isomer in polar solvents can be interpreted as proof of its relatively large zwitterionic character. The DMF solution of 2 displayed paramagnetically‐broadened NMR signals from the thermally populated triplet state resulting from rotation of the weakened ethylenic double bond of the twisted isomer.     

Kinetic Evaluation of Reactivity of Phenolic Derivatives as Antioxidants for Polypropylene

Reactivity of commercial phenols as antioxidants for plastics, especially polypropylene, was examined under kinetic considerations. Inhibitive rate constants, k_inh, were found to decrease in the order: SWP ? Topanol CA ? BMP > Ionox 330 > Irganox 1076 > Irganox 1010, while numbers n′ of free radicals trapped by the phenolic moiety decreased in the order: Irganox 1076 > Irganox 1010 ? Ionox 330 > BMP ? Topanol CA > SWP (the structures of these antioxidants are given in the text). In practical use of phenols for polypropylene, it was found that effective phenols are not those having higher values of of k_inh., but n′ values nearly two. The effect of substituents, especially para substituents, of phenols on their activities was elucidated.     

Palladium cluster catalysts supported on chelate resin-metal complexes

The dry beads of chelate resin-metal complexes have been prepared from metal ions and the chelate resin containing iminodiacetic acid moieties. The surface area of the chelate resin can be increased both by washing with an organic solvent miscible with water and by complexing with multi-valent cations. Palladium clusters are supported on the chelate resin-metal complexes by two methods, in which the order is reversed between “complexing of metal ions” and “supporting of palladium clusters”. The supported palladium clusters catalyze the hydrogenation of C=C bonds, and the catalytic activity greatly depends on the metal ions used for the complexation. In the case of typical metal ions, the complexing of metal ions after supporting of palladium clusters makes the surface area of the resin increase, but makes the catalytic activity decrease compared with the reverse order. In the case of lanthanoid ions, on the other hand, the same order makes both the surface area and the catalytic activity increase.     

快速氩离子在固体中2s和2p空穴的产生过程

对４３—９５ＭｅＶ的氩离子在与固体靶（Ｚ_t＝６—７４）碰撞中产生的Ｋα卫星线和超级卫星线作了高精度测量，得到了氩离子２ｓ和２ｐ支壳层空穴产生的概率，并对空穴产生的过程作了解释 关键词：     

Preparation of refractive index matching polymer film alternative to oil for use in a portable surface-plasmon resonance phenomenon-based chemical sensor method

In order to simplify the procedure for assembling a surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor, a refractive index matching polymer film was prepared as an alternative to the conventionally used matching oil. The refractive index matching polymer film, the refractive index of which was nearly equal to the prism and sensor chip material (a cover glass) of the SPR sensor, was prepared by casting a tetrahydrofuran solution of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) containing equal weights of dioctyl phthalate and tricresyl phosphate. The refractive index matching polymer film was found to have a refractive index of 1.516, which is identical to that of the prism and the cover glass used for the present SPR sensor. The utility of the matching polymer film for the SPR sensor was confirmed by the detection of anti-human albumin, based on an antigen-antibody reaction.