Composition and thermal stability of SiO2-based hybrid materials TEOS-MTEOS system

Hybrid materials with different amounts of organics permanently bound on the inorganic network obtained in the TEOS-MTEOS (tetraethoxysilan-methyltriethoxysilan) system are used for obtaining coatings with different optical and mechanical properties. To study the thermal stability of the mentioned materials, compositions with different molar ratios of the precursors were prepared. The influence of the solvent and water amounts on the gelation process was also investigated. The gels obtained were characterised by IR spectrometry and their decomposition temperatures were determined by DTA/TG. Thermal stability of the gels is rather influenced by their composition than the conditions of the gelation process. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Radiation dose contribution from coal-slags used as structural building material

A significant dose contribution on the population could be derived from coal slags used as isolation material. Extremely high natural activities are measured in the coal slag, derived from the region of the settlement Ajka, Hungary. In some buildings monitored, the elevated -doses were nearly 5–10 times higher than the world average ones. The annual average indoor radon concentrations from the slag exceeded 400 Bq/m³ and in some cases up to 1200 Bq/m³. Due to the elevated exposure and the radon concentrations in the dwellings the annual dose was estimated to 8–24 mSv/y more than 5–10 times of the world average one.     

General Method to Increase Carboxylic Acid Content on Nanodiamonds

Carboxylic acid is a commonly utilized functional group for covalent surface conjugation of carbon nanoparticles that is typically generated by acid oxidation. However, acid oxidation generates additional oxygen containing groups, including epoxides, ketones, aldehydes, lactones, and alcohols. We present a method to specifically enrich the carboxylic acid content on fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) surfaces. Lithium aluminum hydride is used to reduce oxygen containing surface groups to alcohols. The alcohols are then converted to carboxylic acids through a rhodium (II) acetate catalyzed carbene insertion reaction with tert–butyl diazoacetate and subsequent ester cleavage with trifluoroacetic acid. This carboxylic acid enrichment process significantly enhanced nanodiamond homogeneity and improved the efficiency of functionalizing the FND surface. Biotin functionalized fluorescent nanodiamonds were demonstrated to be robust and stable single-molecule fluorescence and optical trapping probes.     

Synthesis and characterization of two new asymmetrical branched amines and related Mn(II) and Ni(II) Schiff base complexes containing pyridine moieties: Crystal structures of Mn(II) and Ni(II) complexes and their antibacterial properties

Two new branched pentadentate amines (N₅), 3,7-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-3,7-diazaheptane-1-amine (1) and 4,8-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-4,8-diaza octane-1-amine (2) have been prepared. These have been used to synthesis two new Schiff base complexes containing a pyridine and 2-pyridylmethyl pendant arm, by template [1+1] condensation of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde with the amines in the presence of Mn(II) in methanol. Elemental and spectral results are used to characterize the complexes and their structures are confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The structure of MnL¹(ClO₄)₂ indicates that in the solid state the Mn(II) ion adopts a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The crystal structure of [Ni(1)(MeCN)](ClO₄)₂ is also reported and exhibits a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Also the synthesized complexes were screened for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (Lio), Serratia marcescens (PTCC 1330), Staphylococcous aureus (ATCC 6633), and Proteus vulgaris (Lio) and results showed that the all complexes have antibacterial effects and [NiL¹](ClO₄)₂, [MnL²](ClO₄) and [MnL¹](ClO₄)₂ have more effective ones against E. coli.     

CIRCULAR DICHROISM SPECTRA OF SYSTEM I PARTICLES FROM NORMAL CHLOROPLASTS AND CAROTENOID-DEFICIENT MUTANTS OF MAIZE

Abstract— Circular dichroism (CD) spectra were studied in System I particles prepared by digitonin fragmentation of chloroplasts of normal maize and carotenoid-deficient mutants. CD bands of pigment molecules were found to be higher in particles than in solutions. This phenomenon was most pronounced for the particles containing the carotenoid composition of normal chloroplast lamellae. The CD signal of chlorophylls bound to particles of carotenoid-deficient chloroplasts was closer to that found in solutions. This indicates that aggregation and/or binding of chlorophylls in carotenoid-deficient mutants may be less extensive than in normal chloroplasts.