Synthesis of a “molecular rope curtain”: Preparation and characterization of a sliding graft copolymer with grafted poly(ethylene glycol) side chains by the “grafting onto” strategy

A sliding graft copolymer (SGC) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains was prepared by ester formation between terminal carboxyl groups of oxidized PEG methyl ether with molecular weight of 2000 (mPEG2000‐COOH) and hydroxyl groups of a polyrotaxane consisting of PEG and cyclodextrins (CDs). Formation of the SGC structure was confirmed by ¹H NMR, attenuated total reflectance Fourier‐transformed infrared, and gel permeation chromatography. The SGC was soluble in good solvents of PEG and insoluble in poor solvents of PEG. Estimation of the number of grafted mPEG chains suggested a “rope‐curtain” like structure, in which an mPEG chain is connected to each CD ring. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Cathodes for Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries: Materials,Mechanisms, and Kinetics

As concerns about the safety of lithium-ions batteries (LIBs) increases, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) with a lower cost, higher safety, and higher co-efficiency have attracted more and more interest. However, finding suitable cathode materials is still an urgent problem in ZIBs. In recent years, a lot of significant works have been reported, including manganese-based cathodes, vanadium-based cathodes, Prussian blue analog-based materials, and sustainable quinone cathodes. In this review, some typical cathode materials are introduced. The detailed storage mechanisms and methods for improving the reaction kinetics of the zinc ions are summarized. Finally, the issues, challenges, and the research directions are provided.     

Molecular dynamics simulation study on graphene-nanoribbon-resonators tuned by adjusting axial strain

A tunable graphene-nanoribbon (GNR)-resonator was investigated via classical molecular dynamics simulations. Resonance frequencies increased with increasing externally applied gate-force and axial-strain, and could be tuned above several hundred GHz. Tunable resonance frequencies achieved from the gate force were higher than those achieved from the axial-strain. The operating frequencies of GNR-resonators without axial-strain or with small axial-strains were most widely tuned by the gate, and almost linearly increased with increasing mean deflection. As the axial strain increased, the tunable ranges of the GNR-resonators were exponentially decreased, although the operating frequencies increased. GNR-resonators without axial-strain could be applied to wide-range-tuners, whereas GNR-resonators with high axial-strain could be applied to high-frequency-fine-tuners.     

大同市居民对室内空气质量认知程度的调查

为了解大同市居民对室内空气质量的认知情况，并分析认知程度与教育的关系，于2016年3月至5月，在大同市城区的9个社区随机对居民进行问卷调查。问卷内容包括居民对室内空气质量安全知识的了解，检测室内空气质量的意愿和治理意愿3个方面。将居民所处地域、居民的年龄与学历对室内空气质量安全认知程度的影响分别进行统计学分析。结果表明，大同市居民室内空气质量安全认知程度总体得分15.8，得分率为52.7%；新城区的居民对室内空气质量安全认知水平高于老城区居民（p<0.05）；学历越高且越年轻的居民对室内空气质量安全的认知水平越高，寻求有关机构进行室内空气检测和治理的意愿更强烈，且对检测和治理的费用承受度较高。大同市居民对室内空气质量安全认知程度总体不高，还应加强对市民的室内空气质量安全方面的教育。     

Synthesis, structure and solution properties of the novel polyampholytes based on cellulose

A novel cellulose-based polyampholyte derivative, carboxylethyl quaternized cellulose (CEQC), was homogeneously synthesized by introducing positively charged quaternary ammonium groups and negatively charged carboxyl groups to the backbone of cellulose. The structure and dilute solution properties of CEQCs were characterized with elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR, viscometer, light scattering and zeta-potential measurement. The nitrogen content and total degree of substituent of acylamino and carboxyl groups increased with an increase of the molar ratio of acrylamide to the anhydroglucose unit of quaternized cellulose (QC). The salt-resistance of CEQC was improved remarkably by introducing opposite charged carboxyl to the QC chains. The intrinsic viscosity of the prepared polyampholytes was found to be very sensitive to the pH of the solutions. CEQC-1, the sample with relative low content of carboxyl groups, behaved as a classical cationic polyelectrolyte. However, CEQC-2 and CEQC-3, the samples with higher content of carboxyl groups, displayed typical polyampholyte behavior, and the isoelectric points (IEP) were determined to be 5.0 and 3.8 respectively. This work provided a facile method for the synthesis of novel cellulose-based polyampholytes with different IEP.     

Two heptadentate Co(III) and Mn(III) complexes with partially deprotonated cyclen derivative bearing four hydroxypropyl pendants: structure,DNA binding and DNA cleavage

Two new complexes, (Co^III)₂(H₃L^?)₂(0.5H₂O)₂(ClO₄)₄ (I) and (Mn^III)₂(H₃L^?)₂(0.5H₂O)₂ (ClO₄)₄ (II), were synthesized and crystallographically characterized [H₄L = 1,4,7,10‐tetra‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)‐l,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane] using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and X‐ray photoelectron spectrometery. The characterizations confirmed that the valences of the metal ions increased from divalent to trivalent due to deprotonation of one OH group (H₄L was in the form of H₃L^?). Owing to the instability of Co(III) and Mn(III) in both air and in solution, they preferred to exist in divalent form. The two heptadentate complexes are extraordinary in that the chiral pendants of the complexes are different in configuration. Spectroscopic studies, viscosity measurements, thermal denaturation experiments and circular dichroism spectra demonstrated that the complexes were prone to interact with DNA by groove binding. At micromolar concentrations and under physiological conditions, the two complexes were able to oxidatively cleave the supercoiled pUC19 plasmid DNA into its nicked and linear forms. Mechanistic studies using various additives suggest the complexes had structures different from those of other inorganic complexes. These are the first reported inorganic complexes not containing planar aromatic ligands and yet binding at the major groove. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.