Photocatalytic and magnetic titanium dioxide/polystyrene/magnetite composite hybrid polymer particles

Novel multifunctional titanium dioxide (TiO₂)/polystyrene/magnetite composite hybrid polymer particle dispersions with TiO₂ nanoparticles in the surface and magnetite nanoparticles encapsulated inside the polymer matrix were produced by Pickering miniemulsion polymerization in one single step. Whereas TiO₂ nanoparticles were used to impart photocatalytic functionality and colloidal stability, magnetite nanoparticles were incorporated to allow an easy extraction for recovery and reuse of the composite multifunctional particles. The morphology of the composite particles was assessed by scanning transition electron microscopy (STEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX). The paramagnetism of the particles was analyzed using a SQUID magnetometer and their photocatalytic activity was assessed by degrading methylene blue (MB) solutions under UV light and by recovering and reusing of the particles in five consecutive cycles. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3350–3356     

Evidence from Mössbauer spectroscopy of neo-formation of magnetite/maghemite in the soils of loess/paleosol sequences in China

Samples of four different loess/paleosol couplets of a loess sequence in Huangling (China) have been studied with ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Each sample was separated into strongly, weakly and very weakly magnetic fractions. The iron mineralogy of the strongly magnetic fractions of both loess and soils consists of magnetite/maghemite and hematite together with some silicates. The soils contain some additional small-particle maghemite. From the spectral behaviour a similarity in terms of morphology and crystal chemistry for hematite throughout the whole section could be inferred. The ratio of iron in magnetite and maghemite to that in hematite differentiates well between the loess and soil samples. These results strongly suggest the neo-formation of magnetite/maghemite in the soils.     

磁性核P型沸石的合成及表征

为了解决实际应用中微细粉末状沸石产品与所处理溶液难以分离的问题，采用水热法进行磁性P型沸石的制备研究。按照传统P型沸石制备的方法，配制Na₂O∶Al₂O₃∶SiO₂∶H₂O物质的量的比为3∶1∶2.3∶185料液，室温下先搅拌老化反应3 h，然后加入磁性Fe₃O₄在95 ℃下静态晶化6 h，合成了一系列包覆Fe₃O₄的磁性核P型沸石。通过晶化过程中对固相进行XRD、SEM、IR及能谱表征等分析，及对液相组成含量进行测定，探讨了磁性核P型沸石的形成机理。合成的磁性核P型沸石显示良好超顺磁特性，并具有很好的磁稳定性，其磁化率随所包覆Fe₃O₄量的增加而增大，钙、镁离子离子交换吸附性能随包覆Fe₃O₄量的增加而有小幅下降，但是仍保持了较高的值。四氧化三铁质量含量为0.176 3%的磁性P型沸石，其钙镁离子的交换吸附量分别为315.6 mg CaCO₃·g^-1 和86.94 mg MgCO₃·g^-1。     

Kinetics of the oxidation of magnetite using simultaneous TG/DSC

Kinetics of the oxidation of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) to hematite (a-Fe₂O₃) are studied in air using simultaneous TG/DSC. The mechanism is complex and the differences between the kinetic conclusions and Arrhenius parameters based on either TG or DSC are discussed. As in our previous work on CaCO₃ [1], the determination of a satisfactory baseline for the DSC results adds considerable uncertainty to those kinetic results. Consequently the calculations based on the TG data are considered superior. Solid state reactivity varies from one source of material to another and the results are compared for two different commercial samples of magnetite, both presumably prepared by wet chemical methods. These materials are much more reactive than the material studied previously [2], which had been coarsened and refined at high temperatures. In that earlier study, the metastable spinel, g-Fe₂O₃, was formed as an intermediate in the oxidation to the final stable form, a-Fe₂O₃. The exothermic reaction of the gamma to alpha form of the product during the oxidation process destroys the direct comparison between the TG and DSC results, since the former only detects the change in mass of the sample and not the crystallographic transformation. The TG results, however, represent the true oxidation process without superposition of the structural aspects. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Conjugate polymer-based membranes for gas separation applications: current status and future prospects

Conjugate polymers provide the possibility of exploiting both the chemical and physical attributes of the polymers for membrane-based gas separation. The presence of delocalized π electrons provides high chain stiffness with low packing density, thus making the membrane a rigid structure that favors facilitated transport. Historically, the polymeric membranes were constrained by the tradeoff relationship between gas permeability and gas selectivity. So, different methods were investigated to prepare the membranes that can overcome the limitation. In recent years, electroconductive polymeric membranes have gained attention with their enhanced transportation properties combining the separation behavior depending on both molecular size discrimination as well as the facilitated transport. They offer better selectivity toward polar gases such as CO₂ because of the increased solubility. This review is aimed to provide a literature survey on gas separation using conjugate polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, and some derivatives of polythiophenes. It contains various methods used by different researchers to enhance the gas separation properties of the membranes with improved mechanical and thermal stability such as changing the morphology and membrane preparation methods. In addition, it provides the pros and cons of various factors affecting the conjugate polymer membrane performance. The major challenges and future work that can be done in improving the transportation properties through the membrane to achieve viable membranes are also discussed so that they can be used for commercial and practical applications in the future.     

Application of magnetic immobilized microorganisms

Magnetic calcium alginate yeast beads, made by incorporation of magnetite or colloidal magnetic liquid, Ferrofluidℳ, exhibited catalytic behavior similar to that of their nonmagnetic counterparts. The magnetic immobilized preparations’ shortterm performance, long-term operational stability, and capacity forin situ activation were unaffected by the inclusion of magnetic material. The magnetic quality of the alginate beads provides manipulatory advantages.     

Monodisperse Magnetite Nanoparticles Coupled with Nuclear Localization Signal Peptide for Cell‐Nucleus Targeting

Functionalization of monodisperse superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles for cell specific targeting is crucial for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Targeted magnetic nanoparticles can be used to enhance the tissue contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to improve the efficiency in anticancer drug delivery, and to eliminate tumor cells by magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Herein we report the nucleus‐targeting Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles functionalized with protein and nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptide. These NLS‐coated nanoparticles were introduced into the HeLa cell cytoplasm and nucleus, where the particles were monodispersed and non‐aggregated. The success of labeling was examined and identified by fluorescence microscopy and MRI. The work demonstrates that monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles can be readily functionalized and stabilized for potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications.     

Dispersive magnetic solid‐phase extraction of phthalate esters from water samples and human plasma based on a nanosorbent composed of MIL‐101(Cr) metal–organic framework and magnetite nanoparticles before their determination by GC–MS

In this study, a magnetic metal–organic framework was synthesized simply and utilized in the dispersive magnetic solid‐phase extraction of five phthalate esters followed by their determination by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. First, MIL‐101(Cr) was prepared hydrothermally in water medium without using highly corrosive hydrofluoric acid, utilizing an autoclave oven heat supply. Afterward, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were decorated into the matrix of MIL‐101(Cr) to fabricate magnetic MIL‐101 nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was characterized by various techniques. The parameters affecting dispersive magnetic solid‐phase extraction efficiency were optimized and obtained as: a sorbent amount of 15 mg; a sorption time of 20 min; an elution time of 5 min; NaCl concentration, 10% w/v; type and volume of the eluent 1 mL n‐hexane/acetone (1:1 v/v). Under the optimum conditions detection limits and linear dynamic ranges were achieved in the range of 0.08–0.15 and 0.5–200 μg/L, respectively. The intra‐ and interday RSD% values were obtained in the range of 2.5–9.5 and 4.6–10.4, respectively. Ultimately, the applicability of the method was successfully confirmed by the extraction and determination of the model analytes in water samples, and human plasma in the range of microgram per liter and satisfactory results were obtained.     

Cooperative Formation of Long‐Range Ordering in Water Ad‐layers on Fe3O4(111) Surfaces

The initial stages of water adsorption on magnetite Fe₃O₄(111) surface and the atomic structure of the water/oxide interface remain controversial. Herein, we provide experimental results obtained by infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and temperature‐programmed desorption (TPD), corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations showing that water readily dissociates on Fe_tet sites to form two hydroxo species. These act as an anchor for water molecules to form a dimer complex which self‐assembles into an ordered (2×2) structure. Water ad‐layer ordering is rationalized in terms of a cooperative effect induced by a hydrogen‐bonding network.