Applicability of polymer theories to the thermodynamics of proteins at the air/water interface: example of β-lactoglobulin

Knowledge of the equation of state of adsorbed or deposited layers of proteins at the air/water interface is of fundamental interest in the understanding of the surface activity of these molecules. Using scaling laws of current polymer theories, it has been shown that the equation of state of the interfacial layer in the semi-dilute regime should relate the surface pressure to the surface concentration through a power law. The exponent of this power law should reflect the quality of the solvent and the conformation of the adsorbed polypeptide chain. In the case of β-lactoglobulin layers, in the range of surface concentrations that should correspond to the semi-dilute regime, the relationship between surface pressure and surface concentration is expressed as a power law. The exponent of this power law is strongly influenced by the nature of the aqueous substrate and by the net charge of the protein molecule. The use of scaling laws gives a coherent view of the expansion of the polypeptide chain in the interfacial layer and of the relationship between surface concentration and surface pressure in the semi-dilute regime. This result favours a strong similarity between β-lactoglobulin and a polymer chain in the interfacial layer. It is concluded that current theories of polymer adsorption could be applied to interfacial protein layers.     

Phase-transfer catalysis in reactions with the participation of polyvinyl chloride

When polyvinyl chloride is dehydrochlorinated under conditions of phase transfer catalysis, the nature of the interface determines the supramolecular structure of the synthesized polyacetylene, the packing density of crystalline regions in the polyacetylene, and the chemical properties of the polymer. The ionic mechanism of catalysis of these reactions has been established.This review is based on materials reported at the Conference Phase-Transfer Catalysis: New Ideas and Methods(March, 1994).Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1886–1894, October, 1995.     

Studies on the effects of coated Li2CO3 on lithium electrode

Although a lithium metal anode has a high energy density compared with a carbon insertion anode, the poor rechargeability prevents the practical use of anode materials. A lithium electrode coated with Li₂CO₃ was prepared as a negative electrode to enhance cycleability through the control of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer formation in Li secondary batteries. The electrochemical characteristics of the SEI layer were examined using chronopotentiometry (CP) and impedance spectroscopy. The Li₂CO₃-SEI layer prevents electrolyte decomposition reaction and has low interface resistance. In addition, the lithium ion diffusion in the SEI layer of the uncoated and the Li₂CO₃-coated electrode was evaluated using chronoamperometry (CA).     

Single polymer molecules adsorbed to mica and the oppositely charged polymer/surfactant complexes formed at the air–water interface visualized by atomic force microscopy

In the present study, the structure and morphology of single sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) molecules adsorbed to mica surface from the natural aqueous solution is investigated using atomic force microscopy technique. Results show that single PSS molecules are observed which show a morphology of wormlike coils. Meanwhile, single sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS)/Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) complexes deposited on mica from the air–water interface are also observed. However, the PSS/CTA⁺ complexes show different conformations by appearing in the morphology of circular patches. Experimental data are in fair agreement with the theoretical analysis.     

Electrical interaction between two cylinders with an ion-penetrable charged membrane in an oil/water interface

The electrical interaction between two long, parallel cylinders each is covered by an ion-penetrable charged membrane immersed in an oil/water interface is investigated. The effects of contact angle, radius of cylinder, and membrane thickness on the electrical interaction force are examined. The results of numerical simulation reveal that the following conditions lead to a greater electrical interaction force: (i) a larger contact angle, i.e. a larger fraction of a cylinder in the oil phase; (ii) a larger cylinder radius; and (iii) a thinner membrane. For a fixed ionic strength, the electrical interaction force is insensible to the type of electrolytes in the water phase, in general. However, if two cylinders are close enough, then the higher the valence of counterions the greater the electrical interaction force.     

Impact of micelles on the biocidal efficiency in a diesel–water interface

Biodegradation occurs in the diesel/water interface in petroleum product pipelines. The microbial contamination can result in inhibitor/fuel degradation, leading to unacceptable levels of turbidity, filter plugging, storage tank corrosion and stored product souring. Therefore, selection of the biocide/inhibitor plays an important role in the transportation of petroleum products through pipelines. Three biocides (cationic and nonionic) were employed to study the biodegradation in a diesel‐water interface. The biocidal efficiency against degradation of diesel was examined by employing Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) techniques. Bronopol (2‐bromo‐2‐nitro‐propane‐1, 3‐diol) was found to have higher bactericidal efficiency than N‐cetyl‐N,N, N‐trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetyl pyridinum bromide (CPB). But the cationic biocides (CTAB and CPB) showed good biocidal efficiency at the interface. The data are explained in terms of a model that postulates the formation of a ‘micelle’ at the diesel‐water interface. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

All-glass open-split interface for capillary GC/MS

This paper describes a design for an all-glass GC/MS interface. The design has advantages due to low dead volume, lack of column effluent adsorption and degradation, simple interface production and installation, and ease of column mounting/dismounting.     

The Electrochemistry of Tetraphenyl Porphyrin Iron(III) Within Immobilized Droplets Supported on Platinum Electrodes

For the first time, the voltammetry of an ensemble of immobilized benzonitrile microdroplets containing 5,10,15,20‐tetraphenyl‐21H,23H‐porphine iron (III) chloride, TPPFeCl immobilized at platinum electrodes immersed in various aqueous electrolytes has been explored. The reduction of TPPFeCl was observed with the voltammetric response seen to be highly dependent on the nature of ions in the surrounding aqueous phase. Unlike voltammetry in purely homogeneous solution the nature of the aqueous electrolyte can influence the voltammetry in the droplet phase. The electrochemical reduction of TPPFeCl contained within tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBACl) supported benzonitrile (PhCN) microdroplets immersed into an aqueous solution of TBACl was first studied. During TPPFeCl reduction the resulting [TPPFeCl]^? species is stabilized due to the excess of chloride anions inside the oil droplet. Voltammograms of homogeneous solutions of PhCN supported with TBACl show similar chemically reversible process which is also attributed to the stable [TPPFeCl]^? species. This anion stabilization was not observed when the oil droplets were supported with tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) or when the PhCN solution bathing the microdroplet ensemble was supported with TBAP resulting in a chemically irreversible process. The voltammetry of unsupported droplets immobilized on a platinum electrode immersed in different aqueous electrolytes was also explored and the fate of the [TPPFeCl]^? species formed considered during the reduction sweep. Similarities and difference to voltammetry in purely homogeneous media are noted and the use of droplet voltammetry provides complimentary information.     

高氯酸二水邻菲咯啉合铜配合物的合成和晶体结构

Crystal structure of the title compound， Cu(phen)(H₂O)₂·ClO₄(phen=1，10-phenanthroline)， was deter-mined by X-ray crystallography. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system， space group C2/c with lattice parameters a=1.49071(4)nm， b=1.38594(4)nm， c=0.70292(1)nm， β=108.509(1)° and Z=4; The Cu(Ⅰ) ion is chelated by a phen ligand and two aqua ligands in cis arrangement and assumes a C2 symmetric square-planar geometry with the CuN₂O₂ core. Eight Cu(phen)(H₂O)₂·ClO₄ molecules are interconnected by strong hydrogen bonds between coordinated water molecules and uncoordinated perchlorate anions to form a molecular scale cavities along c axis. The bond distances of Cu-N and Cu-O are 0.2003(4)nm and 0.1973(3)nm， respectively. CCDC： 197600.     

Effects of amino acids on crystal growth of CaC2O4 in reverse microemulsion

Crystal growth of calcium oxalate (CaC2O4) in bulk aqueous solution, reverse microemulsion of p-octyl polyethylene glycol phenylether (OP)/iso-octyl alcohol (IOA)/cydohexane/water and above microemulsions containing different kinds of amino acids, such as aspartic acid (Asp), tyrosine (Tyr) and tryptophan (Trp) were studied. The results indicated that different crystallization types of the crystals, which were calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) and calcium oxalate trihydrate (COT), existed in bulk aqueous solution. But CaC2O4 growth mainly paralleled with (1 01) plane of COM in reverse microemulsion because of the induction of surfactant at water/oil interface. After adding amino acids into microemulsions, the growth of CaC2O4 crystals mainly influenced by the varieties of amino acids and the pH values of the amino acid aqueous solution. When pH values of the solutions was higher than isoelectric points of amino acids, CaC2O4 crystal paralleled with (1 01) plane of COM more easily with the addition of Trp, Tyr, Asp in turn; however, when pH of the solutions was lower than isoelectric points of Trp, CaC2O4 crystal growth paralleled with (020) face of COM. It is obviously that amino acids, pH values of the solutions and surfactant played important roles in the process of crystal growth of CaC2O4 in the microemulsions. The formation mechanism of CaC2O4 was also discussed in different microemulsions at last.