Tracking the optical mass centroid of single electroactive nanoparticles reveals the electrochemically inactive zone

The inevitable microstructural defects, including cracks, grain boundaries and cavities, make a portion of the material inaccessible to electrons and ions, becoming the incentives for electrochemically inactive zones in single entity. Herein, we introduced dark field microscopy to study the variation of scattering spectrum and optical mass centroid (OMC) of single Prussian blue nanoparticles during electrochemical reaction. The “dark zone” embedded in a single electroactive nanoparticle resulted in the incomplete reaction, and consequently led to the misalignment of OMC for different electrochemical intermediate states. We further revealed the dark zones such as lattice defects in the same entity, which were externally manifested as the fixed pathway for OMC for the migration of potassium ions. This method opens up enormous potentiality to optically access the heterogeneous intraparticle dark zones, with implications for evaluating the crystallinity and electrochemical recyclability of single electroactive nano-objects.

The schematic of single cubic-shaped Prussian blue (PB) mesocrystals formed by the oriented aggregation of small nanocrystals. The dark-field images of single PB nanoparticle at PB and Prussian white (PW) states, respectively.     

Investigation of ultraviolet curable waterborne polyurethane acrylate dispersion based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene

A new kind of ultraviolet (UV) curable waterborne polyurethane acrylate dispersion was synthesized based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), poly-(propylene glycol) (PPG), isophorene diisocyanate (IPDI), 2-hydroxy ethyl acrylate (HEA) and dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) after neutralizing by triethylamine (TEA). 2-Hydroxy-1-[4-2-hydroxyethoxy) phenyl]-2-methyl-1-propanone (Irgacure 2959) was used as a photoinitiator and deionized water as a diluent. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was used to identify the chain structure of the UV-curable polyurethane prepolymer based on HTPB and the curing process. Effects of relative content of HTPB and PPG on emulsion stability, resistance to water and ethanol, thermal stability, compatibility of soft and hard segment, as well as the mechanical property of the cured film were investigated. Translated from Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, 2006, 22(3): 199–203 (in Chinese)     

极性有机化合物在电解质水溶液中盐效应的研究(II)应用Pitzer方程关联二(2-乙基已基)磷酸在碱金属氯化物水溶液中的活度系数

本文将用放射性磷32标记法测得的二(2-乙基己基)磷酸在碱金属氯化物水溶液(LiCl、NaCl、KCl、RbCl、CsCl和NH_4Cl)中的溶解度数据~[1], 分别用Pitzer(1973年)方程和Pitzer-Li(1983年)方程进行活度系数的关联. 计算结果表明, 由于Pitzer-Li方程考虑了溶质-溶剂间的短程作用能, 所得参数更能反映盐效应的本质, 故优于Pitzer方程. 同时还表明, 上述体系中离子-水之间的作用能远大于离子-有机化合物之间的作用能。     

Prenylated isoflavones with potential antiproliferative activities from Mappianthus iodoides

Abstract

A phytochemical investigation on the stems of Mappianthus iodoides led to the isolation of a new naturally occurring prenylated isoflavone, mappianthone A (1), together with seven known analogues (2?8). The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and the known compounds were identified by comparison with data reported in the literature. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against five human cancer cell lines: HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480 in vitro. Compounds 1?8 showed significant antiproliferative effects against several human cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.16 to 12.68?μM.

     

累托石/聚丙烯插层纳米复合材料的制备与性能

采用熔融共混法制备了有机改性累托石 (OREC)粘土 均聚聚丙烯 (PP)纳米复合材料 ,以X 射线衍射分析 (XRD)及透射电子显微镜分析 (TEM)观察了复合材料的相貌结构 ,研究了复合材料的力学性能及热性能 .结果表明 ,OREC在添加份数较少时可与均聚聚丙烯熔融插层形成插层型聚丙烯纳米复合材料 ,该复合材料与纯PP相比 ,具有较高的拉伸强度、断裂伸长率及冲击强度 .在有机粘土添加 2 %时 ,复合材料的拉伸强度、断裂伸长率、冲击强度最高 ,与纯PP相比 ,2 %添加量的聚丙烯纳米复合材料拉伸强度提高 6 5 7% ,断裂伸长率提高 2 89 3% ,冲击强度提高 14 1% ,10 %失重率时对应的热分解温度提高 50K .     

Electrochemical Behavior of Epinephrine at a Penicillamine Self-Assembled Gold Electrode,and its Analytical Application

The fabrication and electrochemical characteristics of a penicillamine (PCA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode were investigated. The self-assembled electrode shows obvious electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of epinephrine (EP). In phosphate buffer (pH 7.73), a sensitive oxidation peak was observed at 0.190V with the PCA modified Au electrode. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of EP in the range of 2.0×10^–56.0×10^–4molL^–1 and 5.0×10^–6 2.0×10^–4molL^–1 for cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with the detection limits of 1.8×10^–7 and 1.3×10^–7molL^–1, respectively. The possible reaction mechanism is also discussed. The PCA self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode is highly stable and can be applied to the determination of EP in practical injection samples. Application is simple, rapid and produces accurate results.     

Two-Dimensional Supramolecular from the Self-Assembly of Dissymmetrical Oxamidato-Bridged Heterometallic Trinuclear Building Blocks: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Magnetic Properties

Two heterometallic trinuclear complexes {[Cu(oxbp)]₂Co(H₂O)₂}1.5DMF0.5H₂O (complex 1) and {[Cu(oxbm)]₂Co(H₂O)₂}2DMF (complex 2) were obtained from the self-organization of two new dissymmetrical oxamidato-bridged copper(II) building blocks [Cu(oxbp)]^– and [Cu(oxbm)]^–[H₃oxbp=N-benzoato-N'-(3-aminopropyl)oxamido, H₃oxbm=N-benzoato-N'-(2-amino-2-methylethyl)oxamido, DMF=dimethylformamide]. The crystal structure of complex 1 has been determined. Complex 1 crystallize in triclinic system, space group P-1, a=8.0609(16) Å, b=10.661(2) Å, c=22.279(5) Å, =85.32(3), =86.64(3), =70.90(3), and Z=1. The crystal structure of complex 1 consists of neutral trinuclear complex units, and hydrogen bond involved DMF and water molecules. Through the hydrogen bonds, weak coordination and CuCu weak interactions, complex 1 features a 2-D supramolecular structure. Magnetic susceptibility measurements (5–100 K) indicate that the central Co(II) and terminal copper metal ions are antiferromagnetically coupled with J=–28.09 and J=–29.70 cm^–1 for complex 1 and 2, respectively.     

Theoretical studies on the smallest fullerene: from monomer to oligomers and solid States

Hybrid B3LYP and density-functional-based tight-binding (DFTB) computations on the solid-state structures and electronic properties of the C(20) fullerene monomer and oligomers are reported. C(20) cages with C(2), C(2h), C(i), D(3d), and D(2h) symmetries have similar energies and geometries. Release of the very high C(20) strain is, in theory, responsible for the ready oligomerization and the formation of different solid phases. Open [2+2] bonding is preferred both in the oligomers and in the infinite one-dimensional solids; the latter may exhibit metallic character. Two types of three-dimensional solids, the open [2+2] simple cubic and the body-centered cubic (bcc) forms, are proposed. The energy of the latter is lower due to the better oligomer bonding. The open [2+2] simple cubic solid should be a conductor, whereas the bcc solids are insulators. The most stable three-dimensional solid-state structure, an anisotropically compressed form of the bcc solid, has a HOMO-LUMO gap of approximately 2 eV and a larger binding energy than that of the proposed C(36) solid.     

Application of AMS <Superscript>14</Superscript>C measurements to criminal investigations

¹⁴C variations of atmospheric CO₂ as well as carbonaceous fraction of living materials, such as collagen from tooth and bone, tissue, skin, hair, nail, etc., of modern humans are influenced by ¹⁴C produced artificially by nuclear bomb tests in the atmosphere from late 1950s to early 1960s. By careful investigation of ¹⁴C concentration of tree rings and human body samples formed in this time intervals, we can establish a relationship of their ¹⁴C concentrations with calendar year. By applying this relation to a sample whose ¹⁴C concentration can be measured, we can estimate the formation age of the sample. In addition, sources of the chemicals that were used in some criminal cases can be possibly identified, by their carbon isotope ratios (¹³C/¹²C and ¹⁴C/¹²C). This method of age determination has been applied to a forensic study, i.e., two criminal cases of murder. For each case, by comparing the measured ¹⁴C abundances of several pieces of hair and one tooth (the third molar) from the body with the annual change on concentrations of bomb-produced ¹⁴C, the time of death of the body and the age of the victim were estimated. The estimated values were consistent with the real ones that were revealed by the confession of the real murderers.     

Syntheses,Characterization and Crystal Structures of Three Structurally Similar Dinuclear Schiff Base Cadmium(II) Complexes with Bridging Azide or Thiocyanate Ligands

Three novel Schiff base cadmium(II) complexes, derived from the end‐on (μ‐1,1‐N₃) azide or end‐to‐end (μ‐1,3‐NCS) thio cyanate bridges and similar tridentate Schiff base ligands, have been synthesized under similar synthetic procedures and their crystal structures determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. They are the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Cd₂(L1)₂(N₃)₂(μ‐1,1‐N₃)₂] ( 1 ), the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Cd₂(L2)₂(N₃)₂(μ‐1,1‐N₃)₂] ( 2 ), and the dinuclear double end‐to‐end thiocyanate‐bridged [Cd₂(L3)₂(NCS)₂(μ_1,3‐NCS)₂] ( 3 ), where L1, L2 and L3 are three similar tridentate Schiff bases obtained by condensation of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N,N‐diethylethane‐1,2‐diamine, of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N‐isopropylethane‐1,2‐diamine, and of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N,N‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diamine, respectively. Each cadmium(II) centre in the complexes is in a distorted octahedral coordination. There is a crystallographic inversion centre in each of the complexes. The similar small ligands used as the secondary ligands in the preparation of the cadmium(II) complexes with similar Schiff bases can result in similar structures.