How Strain Affects the Reactivity of Surface Metal Oxide Catalysts

Highly dispersed molybdenum oxide supported on mesoporous silica SBA‐15 has been prepared by anion exchange resulting in a series of catalysts with changing Mo densities (0.2–2.5 Mo atoms nm^?2). X‐ray absorption, UV/Vis, Raman, and IR spectroscopy indicate that doubly anchored tetrahedral dioxo MoO₄ units are the major surface species at all loadings. Higher reducibility at loadings close to the monolayer measured by temperature‐programmed reduction and a steep increase in the catalytic activity observed in metathesis of propene and oxidative dehydrogenation of propane at 8 % of Mo loading are attributed to frustration of Mo oxide surface species and lateral interactions. Based on DFT calculations, NEXAFS spectra at the O‐K‐edge at high Mo loadings are explained by distorted MoO₄ complexes. Limited availability of anchor silanol groups at high loadings forces the MoO₄ groups to form more strained configurations. The occurrence of strain is linked to the increase in reactivity.     

Ni0.1Co0.9Fe2O4-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of paracetamol

A novel electrochemical sensor based on nickel-doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (Ni_0.1Co_0.9Fe₂O₄)-modified glassy carbon electrode (NCF/GCE) was presented for the sensitive detection of paracetamol. Experimental conditions such as pH, applied potentials and concentration were investigated using cyclic voltammetric and chronoamperometric techniques. The modified electrode exhibited excellent catalytic response towards the oxidation of paracetamol with good reproducibility. The overpotential for oxidation of paracetamol is decreased, and the current response enhanced significantly on the modified electrode in comparison with that of bare electrode. Linear calibration curve is obtained over the range 2 μM to 8,000 μM having a detection limit of 11 nM. The modified electrode facilitated the simultaneous detection of paracetamol, ascorbic acid, and dopamine with good reproducibility.     

Route to hyperchaos and chimera states in a network of modified Hindmarsh-Rose neuron model with electromagnetic flux and external excitation

Analyzing the chaos and bursting phenomenon of neurons has been of interest in the past decade. In this paper, we discuss an extended Hindmarsh-Rose neuron model by taking into consideration the slowly interacting cell phenomenon due to the calcium ions. In the extended model, we consider the effect of an external forcing current, and the electromagnetic coupling between the magnetic flux and the membrane potential of the neuron. We analyze the modified neuron model in the presence of periodic and quasi-periodic excitations. A more complex chaotic behavior (hyperchaos) is identified in the neuron model. The results also demonstrate the multistable nature, which was not explored earlier. To discuss the dynamical behavior of the modified neuron in a network, we construct a ring network of neurons and capture the spatiotemporal patterns of the neuron in the network, in the presence of different excitations.

     

Dynamical behavior and network analysis of an extended Hindmarsh–Rose neuron model

Nonlinear Dynamics - In this paper, the extended Hindmarsh–Rose neuron model, which considers the slow intracellular exchange of calcium ions between its store and the cytoplasm, is studied....     

On the power graph and the reduced power graph of a finite group

In this paper, for a finite group, we investigate to what extent its directed (resp. undirected) reduced power graph determines its directed power graph (resp. reduced power graph). Moreover, we investigate the determination of the orders of the elements of a finite group from its directed (resp. undirected) reduced power graph. Consequently, we show that some classes of finite groups are recognizable from their undirected reduced power graphs. Also, we study the relationship between the isomorphism classes of groups corresponding to the equivalence relations induced by the isomorphism of each of these graphs on the set of all finite groups.     

Copper complexes as chemical nucleases

Redox active mononuclear and binuclear copper(II) complexes have been prepared and structurally characterized. The complexes have planar N-donor heterocyclic bases like 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), dipyridoquinoxaline (dpq) and dipyridophenazine (dppz) ligands that are suitable for intercalation to B-DNA. Complexes studied for nuclease activity have the formulations [Cu(dpq)₂(H₂O)] (ClO₄)₂.H₂O (1), [CuL(H₂O)₂(μ-ox)](ClO₄)₂ (L = bpy,2; phen,3; dpq,4; and dppz,5) and [Cu(L)(salgly)] (L = bpy,6; phen,7; dpq,8; and dppz,9), where salgly is a tridentate Schiff base obtained from the condensation of glycine and salicylaldehyde. The dpq complexes are efficient DNA binding and cleavage active species. The dppz complexes show good binding ability but poor nuclease activity. The cleavage activity of thebis-dpq complex is significantly higher than thebis-phen complex of copper(II). The nuclease activity is found to be dependent on the intercalating nature of the complex and on the redox potential of the copper(II)/copper(I) couple. The ancillary ligand plays a significant role in binding and cleavage activity.     

Anchoring Mechanism of ZnO Nanoparticles on Graphitic Carbon Nanofiber Surfaces through a Modified Co‐Precipitation Method to Improve Interfacial Contact and Photocatalytic Performance

A facile three‐step co‐precipitation method is developed to synthesize graphitic carbon nanofibers (CNFs) decorated with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). By interchanging intermediate steps of the reaction processes, two kinds of nanohybrids are fabricated with stark morphological and physicochemical differences. The morphologies differ because of the different chemical environments of the NP/nanocluster formation. The hybrid with larger and non‐uniform ZnO nanocluster size is formed in liquid phase and resulted in considerable interfacial defects that deteriorate the charge‐transfer properties. The hybrid with smaller and uniform ZnO NPs was formed in a dry solid phase and produced near‐defect‐free interfaces, leading to efficient charge transfer for superior photocatalytic performance. The results broaden the understanding of the anchoring/bonding mechanism in ZnO/CNF hybrid formation and may facilitate further development of more effective exfoliation strategies for the preparation of high‐performance composites/hybrids.     

An efficient synthesis of dexlansoprazole employing asymmetric oxidation strategy

An alternative and scalable synthesis of dexlansoprazole ((R)-(+)-1); the (R)-enantiomer of Lansoprazole with an enantiomeric excess of >99.8% is presented.     

An improvement of the Minkowski bound for real quadratic orders using the Markoff theorem

Using the Markoff theorem on indefinite binary quadratic forms it is shown that every element of the class group of any real quadratic order of discriminant d has an ideal of norm less than or equal to . This bound is best possible as there are quadratic orders of discriminant d which have ideal classes where the least norm is . These discriminants are explicitly given and their connection to the Markoff conjecture is highlighted.     

A physico-chemical investigation of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(L-lysine) copolymer adsorption onto silica nanoparticles

The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(L-lysine) (PEO(113)-b-PLL(10)) copolymer onto silica nanoparticles was investigated in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 by means of dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, adsorption isotherms and microcalorimetry measurements. Both blocks have an affinity for the silica surface through hydrogen bonding (PEO and PLL) or electrostatic interactions (PLL). Competitive adsorption experiments from a mixture of PEO and PLL homopolymers evidenced greater interactions of PLL with silica while displacement experiments even revealed that free PLL chains could desorb PEO chains from the particle surface. This allowed us to better understand the adsorption mechanism of PEO-b-PLL copolymer at the silica surface. At low surface coverage, both blocks adsorbed in flat conformation leading to the flocculation of the particles as neither steric nor electrostatic forces could take place at the silica surface. The addition of a large excess of copolymer favoured the dispersion of flocs according to a presumed mechanism where PLL blocks of incoming copolymer chains preferentially adsorbed to the surface by displacing already adsorbed PEO blocks. The gradual addition of silica particles to an excess of PEO-b-PLL copolymer solution was the preferred method for particle coating as it favoured equilibrium conditions where the copolymer formed an anchor-buoy (PLL-PEO) structure with stabilizing properties at the silica-water interface.