The effect of carboxylic acids on the oxidation of coated iron oxide nanoparticles

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM were used to investigate the effect of mandelic- and salicylic acid coatings on the iron oxide nanoparticles. These two carboxylic acids have similar molecules size and stoichiometry, but different structure and acidity. Significant differences were observed between the Mössbauer spectra of samples coated with mandelic acid and salicylic acid. These results indicate that the occurrence of iron microenvironments in the mandelic- and salicylic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles is different. The results can be interpreted in terms of the influence of the acidity of carboxylic acids on the formation, core/shell structure, and oxidation of coated iron oxide nanocomposites.     

Effect of impulse noise rejection with median filter on binary digital receiver performance

An analysis of the effect achieved by using a median filter for impulse noise rejection in a binary digital receiver, is carried out. Results have shown that the error probability can be considerably reduced in digital communication systems with a keying speed that is a few times less than is permitted by the channel bandwidth.<>     

Long and short period growth rate variations in potash alum crystals

Recent studies of the growth rate of the different faces of potash alum crystals have revealed that these grow with variable growth rates. This phenomena can be considered on two time scales. In the long term “constant” growth remains for period of hours followed by growth arrests and so on. Superimposed on this are short term (minutes) fluctuations. The potential causes for these variations were discussed.     

Essential oil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Laurus nobilis</Emphasis> from Montenegro

Steam distilled oil from the shoots, separated leaves, and stem, as well as from the flower of laurel (Laurus nobilis), grown in Montenegro, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The yield of essential oil was as follow: 1.4% in young shoots, 1.5% in the separated leaves, and 0.7% in separated stems. The main constituents of all investigated oils were 1,8-cineole, methyleugenol, and α-terpinyl acetate. Besides, α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, and linalool were also present. It was interesting and important for commercial samples of laurel essential oil that there was no significant difference among the essential oil obtained from young shoots and those obtained from leaves and stem. The main constituents of the flower oil were 1,8-cineole (15.7%), β-caryophyllene (9.5%), γ-muurolene (7.1%), α-terpinyl acetate (6.5%), and methyleugenol (3.9%). Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 337–339, July–August, 2007.     

Adsorption of zinc(II) on hydrous iron oxides

The adsorption of Zn²⁺ ions on amorphous Fe(OH)₃ and -Fe₂O₃, as a function of pH, has been investigated. In the pH region corresponding to the formation of positively charged Zn-hydroxy complexes, an abrupt increase in adsorption was observed. The influence of EDTA and glycine on the adsorption of Zn²⁺ by -Fe₂O₃ has also been investigated. Strong suppression of the adsorption of Zn²⁺ was observed for high [EDTA or Gly]/[Zn²⁺] concentration ratios. The results of the adsorption of Zn²⁺ in the presence of an organic ligand were explained by the formation of Zn-EDTA or Zn-glycine complexes and also by the occupation of adsorption sites by the free organic ligand.     

Synthesis and degradation profile of cast films of PPG-DMPA-IPDI aqueous polyurethane dispersions based on selective catalysts

Waterborne polyurethane (WBU) dispersions synthesized from poly(propylene glycol) (PPG), dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA), and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with catalysts of different selectivity were prepared via by the conventional prepolymer isocyanate process. Two types of chain extenders were used, ethylene glycol (EG) and propylene glycol (PG), producing polyurethanes. The dispersions were neutralized by the addition of triethylamine. The thermal stability of the materials, obtained as cast films prepared from aqueous dispersions was evaluated by thermogravimetry (TG). It was observed that initial degradation temperatures were above 140 °C, with two-step degradation profiles. The use of a more selective catalyst in the formulations led to materials with higher thermal stability. DTG curves exhibited stages not perceptible in the curves of weight loss, which were mainly influenced by the differences in the formulations. Thermal decomposition of the obtained polyurethanes was followed by TG coupled with FTIR spectroscopy.     

Identification of geometrical models of interface evolution for dendritic crystal growth

This Letter introduces a method for identifying geometrical models of interface evolution, directly from experimental imaging data. These local growth models relate normal growth velocity to curvature and its derivatives estimated along the growing interface. Such models can reproduce many qualitative features of dendritic crystal growth as well as predict quantitatively its early stages of evolution. Numerical simulations and experimental crystal growth data are used to demonstrate the applicability of this approach.