Contact angle hysteresis in multiphase systems

Contact angle (CA) hysteresis is the difference between the maximum (advancing) and minimum (receding) water CA. Hysteresis is caused by adhesion hysteresis in the solid–water contact area (2D effect) and by pinning of the solid–water–air triple line due to the surface roughness (1D effect). In this work, we show that CA hysteresis is present also in more complex systems, such as an organic liquid (oil) in contact with a solid immersed in water. In order to decouple the 1D and 2D effects, we study CA hysteresis in solid–water–air (droplet), solid–air–water (bubble), solid–water–oil, and solid–water–air–oil systems involving rough and microstructured surfaces. The comparative analysis of these systems allows decoupling the 1D and 2D effects as well as hydrogen bonding and entropic forces (water–air tension) and dispersion forces (oil–air tension).     

Influence of counter-anion on the coordination geometry of manganese(II) complexes with methyl-2-pyrazinecarboximidate ligand

Two new complexes of [Mn(2-MPyzCI)₂Cl₂].H²O (1) and [Mn(2-MPyzCI)₂(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂ (2) were synthesized from the reaction of MnX₂.4H₂O (X=Cl^? and NO₃^?) with 2-cyanopyrazine in methanolic solution. The chelating methyl pyrazine-2-carboximidate (2-MPyzCI) ligand is formed via the methanolysis of 2-cyanopyrazine. Although coordination environment around manganes(II) ions is similar, but these complexes are different in geometrical position of 2-MPyzCI ligands. As both compounds are synthesized under the same reaction conditions, the only difference between these two complexes are counter ions and changing of geometrical position of ligands can be considered as a result of influence of the counter-anions on the molecular structures.     

Torsional vibration of functionally graded nano-rod under magnetic field supported by a generalized torsional foundation based on nonlocal elasticity theory

Abstract

This article contains the nonlocal elasticity theory to capture size effects in functionally graded (FG) nano-rod under magnetic field supported by a torsional foundation. Torque effect of an axial magnetic field on an FG nano-rod has been defined using Maxwell’s relation. The material properties were assumed to vary according to the power law in radial direction. The Navier equation and boundary conditions of the size-dependent FG nano-rod were derived by the Hamilton’s principle. These equations were solved by employing the generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM). Presented model has the ability to turn into the classical model if the material length scale parameter is taken to be zero. The effects of some parameters, such as inhomogeneity constant, magnetic field and small-scale parameter, were studied. As an important result of this study can be stated that an FG nano-rod model based on the nonlocal elasticity theory behaves softer and has smaller natural frequency.     

High resolution capillary electrophoresis of carbon nanotubes

Purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes by capillary electrophoresis (CE) is demonstrated. Real-time Raman spectroscopy of the separation process and single-wavelength UV/vis detection show the ability of CE to provide high-resolution separations of nanotube fractions with baseline separation. AFM images of collected fractions demonstrate that separations are based on tube length. The separation method is suggested to be based on alignment of the nanotubes along the separation field.     

Modified Eu3+ doped Y2O3 Nanoparticles as Turn-on Fluorescence Sensor for Sensitive Determination of Methamphetamine

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - In this article, a new spectrofluorometric method was developed for the determination of methamphetamine based on a turn-on luminescence response of captopril...     

Biomimetic Bottlebrush Polymer Coatings for Fabrication of Ultralow Fouling Surfaces

Demand for long‐lasting antifouling surfaces has steered the development of accessible, novel, biocompatible and environmentally friendly materials. Inspired by lubricin (LUB), a component of mammalian synovial fluid with excellent antifouling properties, three block polymers offering stability, efficacy, and ease of use were designed. The bottlebrush‐structured polymers adsorbed strongly on silica surfaces in less than 10 minutes by a simple drop casting or online exposure method and were extremely stable in high‐salinity solutions and across a wide pH range. Antifouling properties against proteins and bacteria were evaluated with different techniques and ultralow fouling properties demonstrated. With serum albumin and lysozyme adsorption <0.2 ng cm^?2, the polymers were 50 and 25 times more effective than LUB and known ultralow fouling coatings. The antifouling properties were also tested under MPa compression pressures by direct force measurements using surface forces apparatus. The findings suggest that these polymers are among the most robust and efficient antifouling agents currently known.     

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanowires by thermal oxidation of Zn thin films at various temperatures

In this research high-quality zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires have been synthesized by thermal oxidation of metallic Zn thin films. Metallic Zn films with thicknesses of 250 nm have been deposited on a glass substrate by the PVD technique. The deposited zinc thin films were oxidized in air at various temperatures ranging between 450 °C to 650 °C. Surface morphology, structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanowires were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. XRD analysis demonstrated that the ZnO nanowires has a wurtzite structure with orientation of (002), and the nanowires prepared at 600 °C has a better crystalline quality than samples prepared at other temperatures. SEM results indicate that by increasing the oxidation temperature, the dimensions of the ZnO nanowires increase. The optimum temperature for synthesizing high density, ZnO nanowires was determined to be 600 °C. EDX results revealed that only Zn and O are present in the samples, indicating a pure ZnO composition. The PL spectra of as-synthesized nanowires exhibited a strong UV emission and a relatively weak green emission.     

Activity Coefficient Determinations of KCl in the KCl + Formamide + Water Mixed Solvent System Based on Potentiometric Measurements at 298.2 K

In this work mean activity coefficient measurements for KCl in the KCl + formamide + water system, using the potentiometric method, are reported. The electromotive force measurements were performed on a galvanic cell of the type Ag | AgCl | KCl (m), formamide (w%), H₂O (1−w)% | K-ISE, in solvent mixtures containing w=(0,10,20,30, and 40)% mass percent of formamide over ionic strengths ranging from 0.0010 to 3.9578 mol⋅kg⁻¹. Modeling of the activity coefficients of this ternary system was based on an extended Debye–Hückel equation and the Pitzer ion-interaction model. The resulting values of the mean activity coefficients, the osmotic coefficients and the excess Gibbs energy, together with Pitzer ion-interaction parameters (β ⁽⁰⁾, β ⁽¹⁾ and C ^ϕ ) and Debye–Hückel parameters (a, c and d), are reported for the investigated system.     

A miniature gas analyzer made by integrating a chemoresistor with a microchannel

A microfluidic channel is integrated with a tin oxide-based generic gas sensor on a PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) substrate to fabricate a miniature gas analyzer. The analyte gas diffuses along the air-filled channel to affect the sensor installed in a microcavity positioned at the end of the channel. Analyte diffusion rates, experimentally estimated based on the temporal responses received from the sensor, are connected to the analyte's interactions with the channel walls as well as its diffusivity in air. The analyte-related information is extracted from the recorded responses and used for analyte recognition. A single PMMA channel of 80 μm × 3 mm × 50 mm dimensions facilitates the correct classification of single component contaminants each introduced in a wide concentration range in air. The device is also shown to identify 15 ppm of 2-butanol in air contaminated with 1500 ppm of 1-butanol. The gas analyzer fabricated based on this concept is durable, inexpensive, handheld and suitable for a variety of applications.     

Regioselective Synthesis of Para‐Bromo Aromatic Compounds

Reaction of substituted benzene rings with N‐bromophthalimide, under neutral conditions, gave the corresponding bromo derivatives with a preference for the formation of the para bromo isomer over the ortho isomer. The simple work‐up procedure minimizes loss of product and the yields are good.