Thermodynamics of the conversion of aqueous glucose to fructose

The thermodynamics of the conversion of aqueous glucose to fructose has been investigated using both heat conduction microcalorimetry and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The reaction was carried out in both aqueous Tris/HCl buffer and in aqueous phosphate buffer in the pH range 7–8 using the enzyme glucose isomerase and the cofactors CoCl₂ and MgSO₄. The temperature range over which this reaction was investigated was 298.15–358.15 K. We have found that the enthalpy of reaction is independent of pH over the range investigated. A combined analysis of both the HPLC and microcalorimetric data leads to the following results at 298 15 K:ΔG° = 349 ± 53 J mol^-1, ΔH° = 2.78 ± 0.20 kJ mol^-1, and ΔC _p ^° = 76 ± 30 J mol^-1 K^-1. The stated uncertainties are based upon an analysis of both the random and systematic errors inherent in the measurements. Comparisons are made with literature data. The percent conversion of glucose to fructose has been calculated for the temperature range 300–373.15 K.     

Theoretical study of the effect of frit quality on chromatography using computational fluid dynamics

Summary Frits at both ends of a chromatographic column, especially for a preparative column, have significant influence on the flow distribution within the column and thus the column efficiency. However, frits have received little attention from chromatographers in the past. Here a theoretical study was conducted with the aid of CFD software FLUENT to investigate the effect of frits on the performance of homogeneous and heterogeneous chromatographic columns. A dimensionless number,FQ, was applied to characterize frit quality. This study visualized how frit quality affects the flow distribution and the concentration band, the shape of eluted pulse at the colum exit and column efficiency. Simulation results show that the development length of the flow distribution is related toFQ but has nothing to do with the packing heterogeneity. The curvature of the concentration band in a column depends onFQ and packing quality. This study shows column efficiency can be improved significantly by increasingFQ and/or frit permeability.     

Progress on phthalocyanine-conjugated Ag and Au nanoparticles: Synthesis,characterization, and photo-physicochemical properties

Phthalocyanine (Pc) complexes are an important class of dyes with numerous (e.g., biological, photophysical, and analytical) applications. Among the methods used to improve the properties of these complexes, one should mention the introduction of different substituents, variation of the central metal ion, ligand exchange, and conjugation to nanomaterials (e.g., carbon-based nanomaterials and metal nanoparticles (NPs)). This work briefly reviews Pc complex conjugation to Ag and Au NPs, highlights the different NP shapes, and discusses the diversity of conjugation approaches. Moreover, the use of UV–Vis spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to characterize Pc-NP hybrids is summarized. The effect of conjugation on Pc photo-physicochemical properties (fluorescence, singlet oxygen generation, triplet state formation, and optical limiting behavior) is discussed, and future perspectives for the synthesis and applications of new hybrids are provided.     

Conversion ofn-hexane over Pt?Sn/γ-Al2O3 catalyst

Conversion ofn-hexane has been applied as a test reaction to study differences between the series of Pt−Sn/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts obtainedvia different methods of preparation. Preliminary results of catalytic experiments have been compared with some changes occurring on the catalysts surfaces as the results of the preparation technique applied. It has been found that catalysts with the second metal (Sn) introduced to the support by the coprecipitation technique were much more stable in comparison to the catalysts where the tin component has been added by the impregnation method, however, we have not observed large differences in catalytic activity.     

Chemical conversion of various celluloses to glucose and its derivatives in supercritical water

The supercritical water biomass conversion system was designed and developed in our laboratory. The reaction vessel with cellulose sample was treated with this system at supercritical state of water for a designated period (3–105s) under the conditions of a tin bath temperature of 500°C and pressure of 35MPa. The recovered products of hydrolysates were then analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The obtained results indicated that a high amount of glucose and levoglucosan can be achieved from both celluloses I and II for 5–10s supercritical treatment, while that from starch for 3–5s treatment. Although this difference could be due to a difference in the molecular structure between cellulose and starch, a difference between celluloses I and II was not significant. Instead, an accessibility of the water towards cellulose molecules seemed to be significant for their chemical conversion. With the longer treatment, amounts of these compounds observed were decreased due to decomposition. Therefore, it may be concluded that, compared with acid hydrolysis or enzymatic saccharification, cellulose may be hydrolyzed to glucose and its derivatives more or less to the same degree as in corn starch under supercritical state. This finding suggests that the supercritical treatment can overcome the difficulties in hydrolyzing cellulose to glucose, found in the acid hydrolysis or enzymatic saccharification techniques.     

Novel carboxylated oligothiophenes as sensitizers in photoelectric conversion systems

Novel carboxylated oligothiophenes with different thiophene units were designed and synthesized as photosensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) for efficient opto-electric materials. The introduction of -COOH into thiophene molecules can lead to a red shift of UV-visible absorption, increase light-harvesting efficiency, and enhance photoinduced charge transport by forming efficient covalent bonds to the substrate surface. A red shift of the absorption spectrum of oligothiophene is also achieved by the increase in the number of thiophene units. The DSSCs based on the oligomers have excellent photovoltaic performances. Under 100 mW cm(-2) irradiation a short-circuit current of 10.57 mA cm(-2) and an overall energy conversion efficiency of 3.36 % is achieved when pentathiophene dicarboxylated acid was used as a sensitizer. The incident photo-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) has a maximum as high as 80 %. In addition, photovoltage and photocurrent transients show that slow charge recombination in DSSCs is important for efficient charge separation and excellent photoelectric conversion properties of the oligomers. These initial and promising results suggest that carboxylated oligothiophenes are efficient photosensitizers.     

The Mutual Conversion of CO2 and CO in Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD)

Non-equilibrium plasma, which was engendered by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was used to analyze the mutual conversion between CO₂ and CO. The results showed that the conversion ratio of CO increased monotonously with the increasing voltage. But CO₂ was not so. Its conversion ratio reached maximum when the voltage was 3600 V in Ar system. It also showed that the existence of water molecules was more advanageous for the conversion of CO to CO₂ in Air system than in oxygen system, and the conversion ratio could reach 75.8% when the relative humidity was 100%. We also discussed the energy yield and energy efficiency, and the result was that high voltage and high concentration of reactant was disadvantageous for energy utilization.     

Factors affecting physicochemical properties of liposomes prepared with hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins by the microencapsulation vesicle method

We examined hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins, having practical advantages over non-hydrogenated ones, as liposomal membrane materials. Liposomes were prepared by the microencapsulation vesicle (MCV) method in which liposomes are formed through two-step emulsification and dispersion. Three types of purified egg yolk lecithins with different iodine values were examined after being dissolved in one of three lipid solvents. The liposome size increased as the temperature during the second emulsification increased, being closer to the boiling temperature of the solvent. The preparation temperature in relation to the transition temperature of each lecithin was also a factor affecting liposome sizes. As for the encapsulation efficiencies of the model compound calcein in liposomes, they differed mainly depending on the solubility of each lecithin in a lipid solvent and it was more obvious in hydrogenated lecithins. A high preparation temperature resulted in lower encapsulation efficiencies, suggesting that leakage of encapsulated calcein was facilitated at high temperature in the MCV methods. There was a significant correlation between liposome sizes and encapsulation efficiencies in non-hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithin but not in hydrogenated ones. When using hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins as liposomal membrane materials, it was suggested that a lipid solvent should be chosen so that a lecithin completely dissolves under the preparation condition in order to achieve a higher encapsulation efficiency. Smaller liposome particles were obtained when the second emulsification was performed at a lower temperature compared with the boiling point of the lipid solvent. These findings can be applied to control encapsulation efficiencies and particle sizes in each particular liposome preparation enclosing therapeutic agents.     

Cyclodextrin Solubilization of the Antibacterial Agents Triclosan and Triclocarban: Effect of Ionization and Polymers

The natural β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and its complexes have limited solubility in aqueous solutions. This low aqueous solubility, as well as low aqueous solubility of the guest molecule (i.e. triclosan or triclocarban (TCC)), can result in low complexation efficiency (CE). The purpose of this study was to enhance the apparent intrinsic solubility (S ₀) of the guest molecule and its βCD complexes through ionization and addition of auxiliary compounds such as polymers, amino acids and metal ions. Both triclosan (pK _a 7.9) and TCC (pK _a 12.7) are weak acids. Addition of ethanol to the complexation medium enhanced S ₀ of both triclosan and TCC but at the same time ethanol lowered the stability constant (K _c ) of their βCD complexes resulting in overall lowering of CE. Addition of small amount of water-soluble polymers enhanced the βCD solubilization of both guests, and addition lysine enhanced the solubilization of TCC. Ionization of triclosan resulted in significant enhancement of CE and enhanced triclosan release from tablets containing triclosan/βCD complex. The effect of ionization was not as pronounced in the case of TCC.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.     

Polymer-protected palladium nanoparticles. Morphologies and catalytic selectivities

Colloidal palladium nanocatalysts prepared by in situ reductions of palladium chloride were immobilized and protected by either of two water-soluble polymers. The particle sizes and size distributions of the palladium colloids were determined by transmission electron microscopy. Their selectivities as catalysts were determined by comparing the extents of hydrogenation of carefully chosen pairs of small-molecule olefins. There was found to be high hydrogenation selectivity with regard to cyclic vs. noncyclic olefins. Selectivity was relatively low, however, among olefins that differed only in size (such as hexene vs. octene), or olefins differing only with regard to the positions of the double bonds (such as 1-octene vs. 3-octene). Selectivity could be improved by careful choice of the immobilizing polymer, and by its use at relatively high concentrations.