ESCA: Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis

A substance on which X-rays fall emits photoelectrons and Auger electrons. The energy spectra of the electrons emitted provide information about the electronic structure in the specimen, ranging from the innermost atomic levels and their dependence on the chemical environment to the molecular orbitals of the valence electrons and the band structure in solids. Electron spectra of this nature can now be recorded with high-resolution instruments; their analysis offers new aspects for investigation of chemical composition. The method of electron spectroscopy developed for this purpose, which has now been developed to a high degree of perfection, will be referred to in the following discussion as ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis).     

XPS characterization of wood chemical composition after heat‐treatment

XPS was used to characterize the chemical changes occurring after drying or applying a heat‐treatment to beech wood samples. Our results indicate that the surface of this air‐exposed material could be strongly affected either by the ambient atmosphere during storage or by the complex atmosphere in the oven during drying or heat‐treatment. However, the O/C ratio measured after removal of a thin slice of a few millimetres of an untreated sample is in reasonable agreement with that calculated from the well‐established chemical composition of beech. Through this methodology (equivalent to scraping for hard materials) it is expected to get a realistic characterization of the wood. The reliability and repeatability of the XPS measurements have been checked and the method applied to the study of the chemical changes of the beech samples subjected to heat‐treatment. Heating at 240 °C induces a significant decrease of the O/C ratio from 0.55 before to 0.44 after the treatment. Heat‐treatment induces also a decrease of the C₂ carbon contribution (carbon atom bound to a single non‐carbonyl oxygen) associated with an increase of the C₁ carbon contribution (carbon atoms bound only to carbon or hydrogen atoms), in agreement with chemical modifications reported previously in the literature. Thanks to the small analysed area of the equipment used in this study, different spots were analysed to demonstrate the presence or absence of a gradient of chemical composition due to thermal degradation or migration of extractives from within the wood structure to its surface. At the scale of our observations, the different wood samples investigated (dried or heat treated) appear to be homogeneous. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Energetic Bio-Activation of Some Organic Molecules and Their Antioxidant Activity in the Pulp of the Moroccan Argan Tree «Argania spinosa L.»

Argania spinosa L. Skeels is an emblematic tree in Morocco, known worldwide for its medicinal and nutritional value. Its fruits contain kernels used to prepare an edible oil, the leaves are used to feed livestock, and its wood is used as fuel. If the oil acquires high importance, the other components of the fruit of the argan are undervalued. Our objective is to invest the waste of the argan industry. Particularly, our study aimed to assess the effect of thermal activation of argan pulp on its therapeutic value, its phenolic profile and its functional and physicochemical properties. After heat treatment, the HPLC analysis for the average total phenolic content varied from 2% to 37%, depending on temperature. The antioxidant activity was increased with heat treatment. Higher values of antioxidant activity, polyphenol and pigment content were recorded at 70 °C. Functional properties analysis indicated that water solubility index and water absorption capacity were significantly affected by heat stress. Physicochemical analysis showed that moisture content, titratable acidity and soluble solids were affected.     

Buckwheat Hull-Enriched Pasta: Physicochemical and Sensory Properties

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of semolina with 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20% of ground buckwheat hull (BH) on the chemical composition, antioxidant properties, color, cooking characteristics, and sensory properties of wheat pasta. Pasta samples were prepared by dough lamination (tagliatelle shape) and dried at 55 °C until the moisture content was 11–12% (wet basis). Analyses of samples showed that the addition of BH caused an increase in fiber content in pasta from 4.31% (control pasta) to 14.15% (pasta with 20% of BH). Moreover, the brightness and yellowness of BH-enriched products were significantly decreased compared to the control sample, and the total color difference ranged from 23.84 (pasta with 1% of BH) to 32.56 (pasta with 15% BH). In addition, a decrease in optimal cooking time, as well as an increased weight index and cooking loss, was observed in BH-enriched pasta samples. Furthermore, BH-enriched cooked pasta had significantly higher total phenolic content and antioxidant activity but an unpleasant smell and taste, especially if the level of BH was higher than 10%.     

Phenolic Constituents,Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Activities,Enzyme Inhibition Abilities of Five Fractions from Vaccinium dunalianum Wight

The bud of Vaccinium dunalianum Wight has been traditionally consumed as health herbal tea by “Yi” people in Yunnan Province, China, which was locally named “Que Zui tea”. This paper studied the chemical constituents of five fractions from Vaccinium dunalianum, and their enzyme inhibitory effects of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase, antioxidant activity, and cytoprotective effects on H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. The methanol extract of V. dunalianum was successively partitioned with petroleum ether (PF), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EF), n-butanol (BF), and aqueous (WF) to obtain five fractions. The chemical profiling of the five fractions was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), and 18 compounds were tentatively identified. Compared to PF, CF, BF and WF, the EF revealed the highest total phenols (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC), and displayed the strongest enzyme inhibition ability (α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP). Furthermore, these five fractions, especially EF, could effectively inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell apoptosis on H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage protection in HepG2 cells. This inhibitory effect might be caused by the up-regulation of intracellular antioxidant enzyme activity (CAT, SOD, and GSH). The flavonoids and phenolic acids of V. dunalianum might be the bioactive substances responsible for enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant, and cytoprotective activities.     

LBO晶体超光滑表面抛光机理

胶体SiO2抛光LBO晶体获得无损伤的超光滑表面,结合前人对抛光机理的认识,探讨了超光滑表面抛光的材料去除机理,分析了化学机械抛光中的原子级材料去除机理.在此基础上,对胶体SiO2抛光LBO晶体表面材料去除机理和超光滑表面的形成进行了详细的描述,研究抛光液的pH值与材料去除率和表面粗糙度的关系.LBO晶体超光滑表面抛光的材料去除机理是抛光液与晶体表面的活泼原子层发生化学反应形成过渡的软质层,软质层在磨料和抛光盘的作用下很容易被无损伤的去除.酸性条件下,随抛光液pH值的减小抛光材料的去除率增大;抛光液pH值为4时,获得最好的表面粗糙度.     

ZnSe薄膜的化学反应辅助热壁外延法生长及特性研究

本文通过将新型化学气相反应促进剂Zn(NH4)3Cl5引入到热壁外延系统中,以二元素单质Zn和Se为原料,直接在Si(111)衬底上生长了高质量的ZnSe晶体薄膜,薄膜成分接近理想化学计量比。研究了主要工艺参数对薄膜生长形貌和性能的影响。采用SEM、AFM、EDS和PL谱技术研究了生长的ZnSe薄膜的形貌、成分和发光特性。研究结果表明,热壁温度和生长时间是影响ZnSe薄膜形貌的主要因素;气相反应促进剂在薄膜生长和调节成分方面扮演了关键角色,Zn(NH4)3Cl5的存在使得Zn(g)和Se2(g)合成ZnSe晶体的反应转变为气固非一致反应,从而更容易获得近乎理想化学计量比的ZnSe薄膜。ZnSe薄膜在氦镉激光激发下,室温下PL谱由近带边发射和(VZn-ClSe)组合的SA发光组成,而在飞秒激光激发下,仅在481nm处显示出强烈的双光子发射峰。     

ZnO纳米钉的制备和光学性质研究

通过化学气相沉积(CVD)方法在Si(100)衬底上制备出新型的ZnO纳米钉结构.X射线衍射(XRD)结果表明纳米钉是六角纤锌矿结构.纳米钉顶部对角线在450～750 nm之间,纳米钉长度为几个微米.研究了不同气氛下退火样品的可见发光性质,认为绿光发射来自于导带电子和反位氧中空穴的辐射复合.     

CTAB与SDBS对碳酸锶粒子生长形态调控及机理研究

以表面活性剂CTAB和SDBS为化学添加剂,采用化学共沉淀法对碳酸锶晶体的生长形态进行调控,成功地制备出了实心的树枝状和花瓣为空心的花状碳酸锶粉体,并用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)等分析手段对样品进行了表征;最后重点对化学添加剂可能产生的影响机理进行了初步的探讨.结果表明,CTAB和SDBS在晶体生长的过程中能起到显著的影响作用,两者对粒子分散性能的作用效果相反,而且后者对晶体(013)和(213)晶面表面能降低的贡献明显大于前者.