Non-local separable solutions of two interacting particles in a harmonic trap

We calculate the energy levels of two particles trapped in a harmonic potential. The actual two-body potential, assumed to be spherically symmetric, is replaced by a projective operator (non-local separable potential) to determine the energy levels in a closed form. This approach overcomes the limitations of the regularized Fermi pseudopotential when the characteristic length of the two-body interaction potential is of the order of the size of the harmonic trap. In addition, we recover the results obtained with the Fermi pseudopotential when the length of the interaction is much smaller than the size of the trap.     

On the symmetry of three identical interacting particles in a one-dimensional box

We study a quantum-mechanical system of three particles in a one-dimensional box with two-particle harmonic interactions. The symmetry of the system is described by the point group D_3d$D_{3d}$. Group theory greatly facilitates the application of perturbation theory and the Rayleigh–Ritz variational method. A great advantage is that every irreducible representation can be treated separately. Group theory enables us to predict the connection between the states for the small box length and large box length regimes of the system. We discuss the crossings and avoided crossings of the energy levels as well as other interesting features of the spectrum of the system.     

Preparation and characterization of conducting polyaniline layered magnetic nano composite polymer particles

Considering the application potentials of organic materials possessing both conducting and ferromagnetic functions in various electronic devices, an attempt was made to prepare conducting polyaniline (PANI) layered magnetic nano composite polymer particles. Two routes were used to modify magnetic Fe₃O₄ core particles. In one route, seeded emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in presence of nano‐sized Fe₃O₄ core particles. In another route, cross‐linker ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) was used in addition to MMA. The modified composite particles were named as Fe₃O₄/PMMA and Fe₃O₄/P(MMA‐EGDM), respectively. Finally, seeded chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline was carried out in the presence of Fe₃O₄/PMMA and Fe₃O₄/P(MMA‐EGDM) composite seed particles to obtain Fe₃O₄/PMMA/PANI and Fe₃O₄/P(MMA‐EGDM)/PANI composite polymer particles. The modification of Fe₃O₄ core particles was confirmed by electron micrographs, FTIR, UV–visible spectra, X‐ray photoelectron spectra, X‐ray diffraction pattern and thermogravimetric analyses. A comparative study showed that crosslinking of intermediate shell improved the magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity of PANI layered magnetic nano composite particles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymerization of Acrylonitrile Initiated by the System Tetramethyl-2-tetrazene and p-Toluenesulfonic Acid

The polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) initiated by tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (TMT) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (TSA) in dimethylformamide (DMF) was studied. The polymerization was confirmed to proceed through a radical mechanism. The initial rate of polymerization R was expressed by the equation: R_p = k[TMT]^0.6 [TSA]^0.46 [AN]^1.35. The overall activation energy for the polymerization was estimated as 20.7 kcal/mole. In the absence of monomer, the reaction of TMT with TSA was also studied kinetically by measuring the evolution of nitrogen. From these results and ESR measurement of the TMT/TSA system, a possible initiation mechanism is proposed.     

Novel Supports Based on Polysaccharides for Sustained‐Release of Isosorbide Dinitrate

Novel supports based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), crosslinked with epichlorohydrin (EPC), and microparticles based on acetylphthalylcellulose (APC), for sustained‐release of isosorbide dinitrate (Isoket, Ik), were obtained. The drug has been included into CMC hydrogels through diffusion from ethanol‐water solution. Studies about the ethanol–water ratio influence on including the drug have shown an increased amount of included drug at higher content of water in the alcohol‐water mixture. Isoket–ACP microparticles have been obtained by drug and polymer co‐precipitation from emulsified aqueous solution.

The kinetics for “in vitro” release of Ik from polymeric materials, in simulated conditions for intestinal tract medium, where the drug is preferentially absorbed, has been analyzed. The experimental data have shown a “zero” order kinetic for drug release, which is characteristic for systems controlled by diffusion.     

Green ultra‐fast high‐performance liquid chromatographic method using a short narrow‐bore column packed with fully porous sub‐2 μm particles for the simultaneous determination of selected pharmaceuticals as surface water and wastewater pollutants

Fast separations are very desirable in laboratories that analyze large numbers of samples per day or those needing short turn‐around times. Traditional HPLC methods using conventional stationary phases and standard column dimensions require significant amounts of organic solvents and generate large volumes of waste. With growing awareness about the environment, the development of green technologies has been receiving increasing attention. In this work, a very fast green analytical method based on LC‐UV using a short narrow bore column packed with fully porous sub‐2 μm particles has been developed for simultaneous determination of nine pharmaceuticals in wastewater and surface water. The chromatographic separation was optimized in order to achieve short analysis time and good resolution for all analytes in a single run. All analytes could be separated in 1 min with good resolution. Sample preparation was executed by solid phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges. The method developed was validated based on parameters such as linearity, precision, accuracy, detection, and quantification limits. The recovery ranged from 70.9 to 92.5% with SDs not higher than 5.4%, except for acetaminophen and sulphanilamide. LODs ranged from 0.6–2.5 μg/L, while the LOQs were in the range 2–8 μg/L.     

Quantification of L‐ergothioneine in whole blood by hydrophilic interaction ultra‐performance liquid chromatography and UV‐detection

A new hydrophilic interaction ultra‐performance LC method was established for the whole blood measurement of L‐ergothioneine. Chromatographic separation was achieved in a fairly short time, less than 4 min, on a 100 × 2.1 mm Acquity UPLC BEH HILIC 1.7 μm column with a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of 100 mmol/L ammonium acetate/ACN/water (5:85:10, v/v/v) that flowed isocratically at 0.250 mL/min. The LOD and the limit of quantification were 3.85 and 11.67 μmol/L, respectively. The method exhibited linearity in a concentration range of 15.63–1000 μmol/L (R² > 0.999). Mean recovery was 96.34% whereas intraassay and interassay precision were 1.52 and 1.82% RSD, respectively. On the whole, the developed method is simple, fast, precise, accurate, and sensitive and may be useful for routine analyses.     

Adsorption in columns packed with porous adsorbent particles having partially fractal structures

A mathematical model is constructed and solved that could describe the dynamic behavior of the adsorption of a solute of interest in single and stratified columns packed with partially fractal porous adsorbent particles. The results show that a stratified column bed whose length is the same as that of a single column bed, provides larger breakthrough times and a higher dynamic utilization of the adsorptive capacity of the particles than those obtained from the single column bed, and the superior performance of the stratified bed becomes especially more important when the superficial velocity of the flowing fluid stream in the column is increased to accommodate increases in the system throughput. This occurs because the stratified column bed provides larger average external and intraparticle mass transfer and adsorption rates per unit length of packed column. It is also shown that increases in the total number of recursions of the fractal and the ratio of the radii between larger and smaller microspheres that make up the partially fractal particles, increase the intraparticle mass transfer and adsorption rates and lead to larger breakthrough times and dynamic utilization of the adsorptive capacity of the particles. The results of this work indicate that highly efficient adsorption separations could be realized through the use of a stratified column comprised from a practically reasonable number of sections packed with partially fractal porous adsorbent particles having reasonably large (i) total number of recursions of the fractal and (ii) ratio of the radii between larger and smaller microspheres from which the partially fractal particles are made from. It is important to mention here that the physical concepts and modeling approaches presented in this work could be, after a few modifications of the model, applied in studying the dynamic behavior of chemical catalysis and biocatalysis in reactor beds packed with partially fractal porous catalyst particles.     

Dispersion Mechanism of Superfine SiC Particles in the Different Condition Liquid

SiC@A1(OH)₃-Y(OH)₃ core-shell composite particles are synthesized by co-precipitation method for strengthening the antioxidation of SiC at high temperature. To reach better A1(OH)₃-Y(OH)₃ composite shell and higher coating ratio on the SiC particles surfaces, SiC particles must be adequately dispersed in the SiC suspension during the coating process. The dispersion mechanism of SiC particles is investigated by the sedimentation method. Through test and analysis, the optimum conditions of the dispersion of SiC particles in the SiC suspension are sedimentating for 10 minutes, ultrasonic dispersion for 10 minutes, the lower SiC concentration, pH = 9, the dispersant content for the 2% volume of SiC suspension and using the polyelectrolyte dispersant, respectively.     

Synthesis of Latex Particles with Surface Functional Groups and Their Applications for the Fabrication of Porous Materials

In this study, monodisperse latex particles with specific surface functional groups were synthesized by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. Amidine or carboxylated polystyrene nanospheres with narrow size distribution were prepared by emulsion polymerization using AIBA (α,α′-zodiisobutyramidine dihydrochloride) as amine-containing initiator or acrylic acid as carboxyl-containing comonomer, respectively. Factors affecting the particle size and distribution were systemically studied by changing the amount of initiator or monomer, the polymerization temperature, and the stirring speed of emulsion polymerization reactor. Monodisperse polymethylmethacrylate beads were also synthesized by soapless emulsion polymerization using methacrylic acid or aminoethylmethacrylate hydrogen hydrochloride as comonomer for the surface functionalization of the particles. As applications of the latex beads, the polymeric particles were adopted as templating materials for the fabrication of macroporous titania film and meso-macroporous silica particles by colloidal templating method.