Dispersion Stability and Particle Characterization by Sedimentation Kinetics in a Centrifugal Field

ABSTRACT

The analysis of sedimentation or flotation (creaming) by detecting the transmission profile over the entire sample height in an analytical centrifuge (using a Stability Analyzer) is described and illustrated for a diverse range of practical dispersions and emulsions. It is also illustrated how to use extrapolated results to estimate dispersion shelf life stability for samples in a gravitational field. Formulation optimization, such as choosing appropriate surfactant levels, is also shown to be a practical application of such methods.     

多级孔NiMo负载TS-1分子筛催化剂的制备及其加氢脱硫性能

钛硅(TS-1)分子筛的微孔孔道严重限制了其在复杂分子催化转化中的应用,为了克服这一问题,通过酸洗脱、碱刻蚀及二者相结合的方法制备了多级孔 TS-1 分子筛,并采用等体积共浸渍法制备了相应的 NiMo 负载型催化剂;使用 X 射线衍射(XRD)、N₂吸附-脱附、吡啶吸附红外光谱(Py-FTIR)、氢气程序升温还原(H₂-TPR)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和高分辨透射电子显微镜(HR-TEM)等方法对多级孔TS-1分子筛的理化性质进行了表征;以二苯并噻吩(DBT)为探针对催化剂的加氢脱硫(HDS)性能进行了评价。结果表明,和常规TS-1分子筛相比,多级孔TS-1分子筛保持了MFI拓扑结构,比表面积增大且具有介孔结构,分子筛表面形成了适量的Brønsted酸中心;相应催化剂上活性金属与载体间相互作用得以改善,MoS₂片晶长度和堆垛层数适宜,形成了更多的 NiMoS活性相;催化剂活性和选择性均有所提升,尤其是酸洗脱获得的 NiMo/AT-TS-1催化剂的活性相较未经处理的NiMo/TS-1催化剂提升了1.2倍,直接脱硫(DDS)路径选择性提升了22%。     

烯烃对噻吩在介孔分子筛Al-MCM-41活性位物种上吸附脱硫机制的影响

采用后嫁接法制备了不同铝负载量的Al-MCM-41分子筛。运用XRD、N₂吸附-脱附、NH₃-TPD、Py-FTIR等方法对分子筛进行物性表征,利用固定床评价其对噻吩的吸附性能。通过将分子筛吸附噻吩能力与分子筛的酸性质及织构性质进行关联,考察烯烃存在对Al-MCM-41活性位物种吸附脱硫机制的影响。结果表明,铝物种的引入即产生了B酸中心,也同时产生了两种类型的L酸中心L₁和L₂。引入低含量铝物种利于形成B酸中心和L₁型酸中心,引入高含量铝物种利于形成L₂型酸中心。其中,L₂型酸中心对噻吩的吸附效果最佳。烯烃和噻吩在B酸中心发生竞争吸附和催化转化反应,且催化转化反应占主导地位。L₂酸中心的存在促进了B酸中心上的催化转化反应,其所生成的大分子硫化物取代噻吩吸附在分子筛酸活性中心上提高了Al-MCM-41分子筛的饱和吸附硫容量。     

Influence of Urbach Energy,Temperature, and Longitudinal Position in the Active Layer on Carrier Diffusion Length in Perovskite Solar Cells

The diffusion length of charge carriers in the active layer of a perovskite solar cell (PSC) of the structure Glass/PEDOT: PSS/CH₃NH₃PbI₃/PC60BM/Al is modelled. It is found that the diffusion length depends on the position x in the active layer measured from the PEDOT: PSS interface, Urbach energy and temperature. By varying the voltage in the range from zero to , it is shown that the dependence of diffusion length on the position x in the active layer reduces at higher voltage. The combined influence of applied voltage and temperature on the diffusion length of charge carriers is investigated and it is found that in the low voltage range the diffusion length is temperature independent, but it becomes significantly temperature dependent at higher voltages. Also, it is found that the diffusion length decreases as the applied voltage increases and this reduction becomes much more significant at higher voltage and temperatures. The combined influence of applied voltage and Urbach energy on diffusion length of charge carriers reveals that the diffusion length decreases when both the applied voltage and Urbach energy increase. However, the reduction in the diffusion length due to the increase in Urbach energy becomes less significant at higher voltage.     

Targeting the Substrate Binding Site of E. coli Nitrile Reductase QueF by Modeling,Substrate and Enzyme Engineering

Nitrile reductase QueF catalyzes the reduction of 2‐amino‐5‐cyanopyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₀) to 2‐amino‐5‐aminomethylpyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₁) in the biosynthetic pathway of the hypermodified nucleoside queuosine. It is the only enzyme known to catalyze a reduction of a nitrile to its corresponding primary amine and could therefore expand the toolbox of biocatalytic reactions of nitriles. To evaluate this new oxidoreductase for application in biocatalytic reactions, investigation of its substrate scope is prerequisite. We report here an investigation of the active site binding properties and the substrate scope of nitrile reductase QueF from Escherichia coli. Screenings with simple nitrile structures revealed high substrate specificity. Consequently, binding interactions of the substrate to the active site were identified based on a new homology model of E. coli QueF and modeled complex structures of the natural and non‐natural substrates. Various structural analogues of the natural substrate preQ₀ were synthesized and screened with wild‐type QueF from E. coli and several active site mutants. Two amino acid residues Cys190 and Asp197 were shown to play an essential role in the catalytic mechanism. Three non‐natural substrates were identified and compared to the natural substrate regarding their specific activities by using wild‐type and mutant nitrile reductase.     

Towards Polyoxometalate‐Cluster‐Based Nano‐Electronics

We explore the concept that the incorporation of polyoxometalates (POMs) into complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies could offer a fundamentally better way to design and engineer new types of data storage devices, due to the enhanced electronic complementarity with SiO₂, high redox potentials, and multiple redox states accessible to polyoxometalate clusters. To explore this we constructed a custom‐built simulation domain bridge. Connecting DFT, for the quantum mechanical modelling part, and mesoscopic device modelling, confirms the theoretical basis for the proposed advantages of POMs in non‐volatile molecular memories (NVMM) or flash‐RAM.     

Banana-shaped mesogens: effect of lateral substituents on seven-ring esters containing a biphenyl moiety

The synthesis and characterization of five homologous series of symmetrical compounds composed of banana-shaped molecules containing a biphenyl moiety are reported. All these compounds are non-Schiff's bases and are esters. The effects of lateral substituents such as fluoro, methyl and ethyl in the side arms of these molecules are examined. These substituents have a strong influence in reducing the clearing temperatures. Banana phases such as B1, B2 and B6 were observed in the above series of compounds. The mesophases were characterized by a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optic studies.     

Volatile organic compounds in an urban environment: a comparison among Belgium,Vietnam and Ethiopia

The effects of urban and indoor air pollution on human health are a major environmental concern for all, but not much has been researched in the developing world. Specifically, quantitative data on the occurrence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – main contributors to air pollution – in Asia and Africa are scarce compared to the availability of data in the developed world. This paper presents one of the first studies focusing on the analysis and occurrence of VOCs in Vietnam and Ethiopia, which constitutes part of the novelty of this work. A spectrum of 34 VOCs was measured at eight different urban sites in Ghent (Belgium), Hanoi (Vietnam), Jimma and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) during three sampling campaigns from September 2008 to September 2010. Sampling was done in an active way by means of sorbent tubes filled with Tenax TA. The analysis was done by TD-GC-MS using internal standard calibration. Data were interpreted and compared in terms of (i) individual, subgroup and total VOCs concentration (TVOCs), (ii) indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios, (iii) source identification by diagnostic ratio and/or correlation coefficients, and (iv) ozone formation potential (OFP) at outdoor sites based on up-to-date maximum incremental reactivity (MIR). I/O concentration ratios varied between 0.2 and 30, with big differences noticed with respect to the type of VOC(s) considered and the type of outdoor sampling location. The highest TVOC concentrations were measured in street samples with maximum values of 54?µg/m³ in Ghent, 507?µg/m³ in Hanoi and 318?µg/m³ in Addis Ababa illustrating the large difference in ambient air quality levels. This is also reflected in the arithmetic mean OFP values (µg/m³) of 82, 1308 and 596 in Ghent, Hanoi and Addis Ababa, respectively. Results of this study could be helpful to support formulation of national policy with regard to ambient air quality.     

Phase Transfer Catalyzed Alkylation: An Efficient Protection of Acid Labile Hemiketals

The reaction of hemiketals (1–6) with sodium hydroxide and methyl iodide in the presence of TBAI as a catalyst furnished methoxy hemiketals (7–10) in more than 90% yield.     

NLO‐active maleimide copolymers with ­high glass transition temperatures

We synthesized some novel rigid NLO‐active maleimide copolymers bearing DR‐1 moieties ( PMPD , PHSD and PHND ). All copolymers exhibited high T_g's (190～197 °C), good solubilities for common solvents and excellent film‐forming properties. Dependence of film thickness on the d₃₃ value for the poled copolymer films induced by corona poling was investigated and it was demonstrated that in less than thickness of 0.3 µm decrease of the thickness gives rise to remarkable increase in the d₃₃ value. The poled copolymer films exhibited large d₃₃ values (270 × 10^?9 esu (film thickness 0.13 µm) for PMPD , 290 × 10^?9 esu (0.12 µm) for PHSD and 350 × 10^?9 esu (0.08 µm) for PHND ) as well as large r₃₃ values (51.0 pmV^?1 for PMPD and 60.4 pmV^?1 for PHND ) which are significantly large compared to the value of LiNbO₃ (31 pmV^?1) as a typical EO material. The d₃₃ values of the poled copolymers were kept constant even after standing 1000h at 80 °C, although a small decrease was observed at an initial stage. Further, the d₃₃ values did not change up to ca. 123 °C upon heating at the rate of 10 °C/min in all cases. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.