Evaluation of the effects of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus on inoculated citrus plants using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and chemometrics tools

This study investigated the organic and inorganic constituents of healthy leaves and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)-inoculated leaves of citrus plants. The bacteria CLas are one of the causal agents of citrus greening (or Huanglongbing) and its effect on citrus leaves was investigated using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with chemometrics. The information obtained from the LIBS spectra profiles with chemometrics analysis was promising for the construction of predictive models to identify healthy and infected plants. The major, macro- and microconstituents were relevant for differentiation of the sample conditions. The models were then applied to different inoculation times (from 1 to 8 months). The models were effective in the classification of 82-97% of the diseased samples with a 95% significance level. The novelty of this method was in the fingerprinting of healthy and diseased plants based on their organic and inorganic contents.     

Quantification of the push-pull character of azo dyes and a basis for their evaluation as potential nonlinear optical materials

The push-pull characters of a large series of donor-acceptor substituted azo dyes—71 structures in all—have been quantified by the NN double bond lengths, d_NN, the ¹⁵N NMR chemical shift differences, Δδ_15N, of the two nitrogen atoms and the quotient, π^∗/π, of the occupations of the antibonding π^∗, and bonding π orbitals of this partial NN double bond. The excellent correlation of the occupation quotients with the bond lengths strongly infers that both π^∗/π and d_NN are excellent parameters for quantifying charge alternation in the push-pull chromophore and the molecular hyperpolarizability, β₀, of these compounds. By this approach, selected compounds can be appropriately considered as viable candidates for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of tetrafluorophenyl-modified carbazole oligomers

A series of tetrafluorophenyl-modified oligo(3,6-carbazole ethynylene)s (CfCzCf, CfCz2Cf, CfCz3Cf, (CfCz)2Cf, and Cf2CzCf2) were synthesized by a Pd/Cu-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reaction and fully characterized. Their photophysical and electronic properties as well as their thermal stabilities were investigated. It is noteworthy that these tetrafluorophenyl modified compounds showed relative thermal stabilities and low-lying HOMO levels ranging from −5.54 to −5.60 eV, which might be the promising candidates for hole-transporting materials in OLEDs.     

Magnetic and thermodynamic properties of NdT2Ge2 (T=Pd, Ag) compounds

Physical properties of NdPd₂Ge₂ and NdAg₂Ge₂, crystallizing with the tetragonal ThCr₂Si₂-type crystal structure, were investigated by means of magnetic, calorimetric, electrical transport as well as by neutron diffraction measurements. The specific heat studies and neutron diffraction measurements were performed down to 0.30 K and 0.47 K, respectively. Both compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering below T_N equal to 1.5 K for NdPd₂Ge₂ and 1.8 K for NdAg₂Ge₂. Neutron diffraction data for the latter germanide indicate antiferromagnetic collinear structure described by the propagation vector k=(0.5, 0, 0.5). The Nd magnetic moments equal to 2.24(5) μ_B at 0.47 K are aligned along the a-axis and have the +− sequence within the crystal unit cell. For NdPd₂Ge₂ only very small Bragg peaks of magnetic origin were observed in the neutron diffraction patterns measured below T_N, thus hampering determination of the magnetic structure. Both compounds exhibit metallic-like electrical conduction. From the specific heat data the crystal electric field (CEF) levels schemes were determined. Difference between the overall CEF splitting in the two compounds is correlated with their structural parameters.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and nonlinear optical property of Rb3V5O14

The new nonlinear optical crystal Rb₃V₅O₁₄ has been synthesized by solid state reaction and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The crystal Rb₃V₅O₁₄ crystallizes in the trigonal system with space P31m (No. 157), a=b=8.7134(12) Å, c=5.2807(11) Å and α=90°, β=90°, γ=120°, Z=1, ρ=3.516 g/cm³. It is a layered structure that is very flat and strongly parallel to c. The V₅O₁₄ layer structure consists of corner-linked square and triangular pyramids. The layers are separated by Rb⁺ ions, which fit equally well on the V₅O₁₄ layer. The Kurtz powder SHG measurement, using 1064 nm radiation, showed that the second-harmonic generation efficiency of Rb₃V₅O₁₄ is about two times that of KDP.     

Solvothermal indium fluoride chemistry: Syntheses and crystal structures of K5In3F14, β-(NH4)3InF6 and [NH4]3[C6H21N4]2[In4F21]

The solvothermal syntheses and crystal structures of three indium fluorides are presented. K₅In₃F₁₄ (1) and β-(NH₄)₃InF₆ (2) are variants on known inorganic structure types chiolite and cryolite, respectively, with the latter exhibiting a complex and apparently novel structural distortion. [NH₄]₃[C₆H₂₁N₄]₂[In₄F₂₁] (3) represents a new hybrid composition displaying a unique trimeric metal fluoride building unit.     

Synthesis of boron suboxide (B6O) with ball milled boron oxide (B2O3) under lower pressure and temperature

Boron reacted with ball milled boron oxide under pressures between 1 and 5 GPa and at temperatures between 1300 and 1700 °C to afford boron suboxide (B₆O). Icosahedral B₆O grains with diameters ranging from 100 nm to 1.3 μm were prepared. The factors that affect the synthesis of B₆O are investigated. The best sample with crystal size up to 1.3 μm is obtained at 2 GPa and 1400 °C for 6 h. The indentation experiment gave an average Vickers hardness of 32.3 GPa for bulk B₆O sample, which is consistent with previous reports. Bulk B₆O sample exhibits oxidation resistance in air up to 1000 °C and mild oxidation in the temperatures of 1000-1200 °C, which is more oxidation resistant than diamond. It is possible that B₆O could be used as a substitute for diamond in industry because of its relatively mild synthesis conditions, high thermal stability and high hardness.     

Lanthanide/zinc centered photoactive hybrids with functional sulfonamide linkage: Coordination bonding assembly,characterization and photophysical properties

In this paper, two novel kinds of organic–inorganic monomer, SUA-APEMS and SUA-APS, have been achieved by modifying 5-sulfosalicylic acid (SUA) with 3-aminopropyl-methyl-diethoxylsilane (APEMS) and 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APS). These two organic–inorganic monomers were used as multi-functional bridged components, which can coordinate to metal ions (Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺/Zn²⁺) with carbonyl groups, strongly absorb ultraviolet and effectively transfer energy to metal ions through their triplet excited state, as well as involve in the sol–gel process with inorganic host precursor tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), resulting two series of molecular hybrid materials (named as SUA-APEMS/APS-RE) with double chemical bond (RE(Zn)–O coordination bond and Si–O covalent bond). The effective intra-molecular energy transfer process gives rise to the characteristic emission of metal ions and the chemical bond make the hybrid materials owning better properties.     

Determination of molybdenum(VI) by differential pulse polarographic technique using 4-(2-hydroxy phenyl ethaminodiol), benzene-1,3-diol(4-2-HPEDB-1,3,D)

A novel analytical reagent 4-(2-hydroxy phenyl ethaminodiol), benzene-1,3-diol(4-2-HPEDB-1,3,D) was synthesized for the determination of molybdenum(VI). The present paper reveals the detailed study of electroanalytical behaviour for [Mo-(4-2-HPEDB-1,3,D)] complex under optimized conditions. The peak obtained for [Mo-(4-2-HPEDB-1,3,D)] prevent the interference of foreign ions which shows the sensitivity of the proposed method. The linearity was maintained at the concentration range of 0.5–200 μg/mL at pH 4.5 with correlation factor 0.9997. The present method was successfully applied for the analysis of molybdenum(VI) in biological fluids and plant material. The results obtained from the proposed method show good agreement with reference method.     

Modular Synthesis of Polybenzo[b]silole Compounds for Hole‐Blocking Material in Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diodes

A diversity‐oriented synthetic strategy allowed us to design a series of conjugated molecules containing multiple benzosilole units that can be utilized as efficient hole‐blocking materials for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Some of these compounds showed a performance surpassing that of the current standard, bathocuproine. The new compounds were easily synthesized in a modular fashion from a previously reported 3‐stannyl benzosilole building unit. Studies on the properties of these compounds in solution and in the solid state indicate that they possess high electron affinity, high ionization potential, and form stable amorphous films that show high electron‐drift mobility. The correlation between their molecular properties and the efficiency of the OLED device performance is also investigated.