Electrochemical Detection of Cardiac Biomarkers Utilizing Electrospun Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Embedded SU‐8 Nanofibers

In this paper we demonstrate synthesis and characterization of MWCNTs embedded SU‐8 electrospun nanofibers and their application towards ultrasensitive detection of cardiac biomarkers using Electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The composite nanofibers have excellent electrical and transduction properties owing to the presence of MWCNTs in addition to ease of functionalization and biocompatibility, which can be attributed to the presence of SU‐8. Thus the synthesized nanofibers are ideal candidates for sensitive biosensor applications. As a proof concept, the detection of cardiac biomarkers, Myoglobin (Myo), cardiac Troponin I (cTn I) and Creatine Kinase MB (CK‐MB) is demonstrated. The synthesized nanofibers were functionalized with the antibodies of the biomarkers and the detection was carried using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, an excellent technique for understanding the adsorption kinetics. A minimum detection limit of nano‐gram/ml is demonstrated using this nanobiosensor platform.     

Thermal Degradation of Polysiloxane Coatings on E-Glass Fiber. A FTIR Study

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermal Analysis have been used to study the thermal and termooxidative degradation of polysiloxane coatings obtained by treating E-glass fiber with aqueous solutions of 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane. Initial weight losses were due to polymerization of the coatings. Severe oxidative degradations were observed at temperatures above 180°C. At 550°C the residue of the coating was found to be silica with free silanol groups.     

Real-time quantification of Staphylococcusaureus in liquid medium using infrared thermography

We previously showed that infrared thermography (IRT) could be used to quantify viable Escherichiacoli, a representative gram-negative bacterium, in liquid growth media. Here, we evaluated the ability of IRT to enumerate a viable representative gram-positive organism, Staphylococcusaureus. We found that the energy content (EC) of the media was strongly positively correlated (r = 0.999) to measured viable counts of S.aureus ranging from 85 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml to ∼4 × 10⁸ CFU/ml. The EC of S.aureus was ∼2-fold higher than that of E.coli at comparable cell concentrations suggesting that IRT may be used to distinguish genera.     

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Silver(I) Complexes of Selenones

Silver(I) complexes of selenones, [LAgNO₃] and [AgL₂]NO₃ (where L is imidazolidine-2-selenone or diazinane-2-selenone and their derivatives) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁰⁷Ag) spectroscopy. An upfield shift in the C=Se resonance of selenones in ¹³C NMR and a downfield shift in N-H resonance in ¹H NMR are consistent with selenium coordination to silver(I). In ¹⁰⁷Ag NMR, the AgNO₃signal is deshielded by 450-650 ppm on coordination to selenones. Greater upfield shifts in ¹³C NMR were observed for [LAgNO₃] compared to [AgL₂]NO₃complexes, whereas the opposite trend was observed for ¹H and¹⁰⁷Ag NMR chemical shifts.     

Raman detection of hydrohalite formation: Avoiding accidents on icy roads by deicing where salt will not work

The common substance Hydrohalite has a role to play in as diverse areas as Geology, Earth Climatology, Universe Cosmology, and Cryobiology. In this review, the occurrences under very different occasions are described. These relations are not commonly appreciated. During the work, we realized that there is yet an aspect that has been overlooked. Hydrohalite formed sometimes on icy roads resists common salt deicing procedures. Also, hydrohalite can be detected by rather simple Raman spectroscopy instrumentation. It means that it is possible to avoid accidents on icy roads in the following way: Common salt deicing trucks may be equipped with “artificial intelligence” based on a duel deicing system that switches between normal NaCl deicing and non-NaCl deicing based on Raman spectroscopy. The advantages are first of all less traffic accidents and lower environmental impact and corrosion from NaCl, but disadvantages are increased costs of investments and consumption of non-NaCl deicing agents.     

Some Aspects of Intra- and Inter-Molecular Reactions of Siliconium Ions in the Vapor Phase

Intramolecular rearrangement processes in the mass spectra of trimethylsilyl derivatives of hydroxy steroids are discussed in terms of the reaction of a siliconium center and a heteroatom. The reaction is shown to be stereospecific. The reactivity of siliconium cations also results in the occurrence of intermolecular reactions under electron impact ionization conditions. Tetramethylsilane is used as a precursor for the production of siliconium ions and examples of chemical ionization mass spectra employing this reagent are shown.     

Preparation of a novel infrared low-emissive coating from the Cu powder modified by the polyethylene wax

Cu powder was coated with polyethylene wax via the flux-capping method in hope to avoid the oxidation of it, so the increment of the infrared emissivity of the coating can be greatly reduced. The prepared product was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The infrared emissivity of the prepared material was measured by Infrared Emissometer. The influence parameters that will affect the emissivity of the coating were systematically investigated, such as the content of coated Cu powder, coating fineness, coating thickness and aging process. The results indicated that the infrared emissivity value of the coating was reduced after Cu powder was coated with polyethylene wax. The polyethylene wax/Cu composites presented a homogenous sheet structure when the content of Cu powder increased to 30 wt.%, and it has a lower emissivity. The infrared emissivity of the coating increases rapidly as thickness increases and becomes steady above thickness of 70 μm. The composite coating exhibits lower emissivity value and excellent physical properties at coated Cu content of 20 wt.%. The emissivity of the coating that was prepared from the modification of the Cu powder was decreased with the decrement of the grinding fineness and increased with the aging time. The emissivity of the coating that was prepared from the modification of the Cu powder is always lower than that of the coating that only composed of the Cu powder with the increment of the aging time. Therefore, it can be concluded that the anti-oxidation of Cu powder is greatly improved after it was modified by polyethylene wax, which results in a novel coating with long-run low emissivity.     

Defect-related relaxation processes in irradiated rare gas solids

Electronic and atomic relaxation processes in preirradiated solid Ar doped with N 2 were studied with a focus on the role of radiative electronic transitions in relaxation cascades. Combining methods of activation spectroscopy - thermally stimulated and photon-stimulated exoelectron emission, a new channel of relaxation induced by photon emission from metastable N atoms was detected. It was shown that in insulating materials with a wide conduction band photons of visible range can release electrons from both kinds of traps - shallow (lattice defects) and deep thermally disconnected ones. Correlation in the charge recombination reaction yield and the yield of low temperature desorption - important relaxation channel in a preirradiated solid - clearly demonstrates interconnection between atomic and electronic processes of relaxation.