A weight-function approach for determining watershed initial conditions for combustion waves

In many generic combustion models, one finds that a combustionwave will develop with a specific wave speed. However, thereare possible initial temperature profiles which do not evolveinto such waves, but rather die out to the ambient temperature.There can exist, in some models, a clear distinction betweenthose initial conditions that do evolve into combustion wavesand those that do not; this is sometimes referred to as thewatershed initial condition. When fuel consumption is consideredto be negligible, analytical methods can be used to obtain theexact watershed. In this paper, we consider the problem of determiningpseudo-watersheds and ascertaining the relationship betweenthese pseudo-watersheds and the exact watersheds. In the processa novel weight-function approach for infinite spatial domainsis developed.     

Determination of nucleation kinetics of potassium tetraborate tetrahydrate

In this study, the metastable zone width of potassium tetraborate tetrahydrate was determined for four different temperatures and cooling rates. The induction period of potassium tetraborate tetrahydrate in aqueous solution was examined according to polythermal method by using visual observation. The induction period, which changes inversely proportional to the nucleation rate has been used to determine the interfacial tension between the potassium tetraborate tetrahydrate and aqueous solution. By using interfacial tension, the nucleation parameters such as Gibbs free energy change for the formation of critical nucleus, ΔG*, free energy of formation, ΔG, radius of critical nucleus, r and number of molecules in the critical nucleus, i* has been calculated. The effect of Li⁺ and Ca²⁺ impurities on metastable zone width has been studied. The metastable zone width of aqueous solution of potassium tetraborate tetrahydrate decreases with increasing impurity concentrations. The equilibrium saturation concentration change is high in the presence of Ca²⁺ ions while it is low in the presence of Li⁺ ions. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Kinetic analysis of thermal decomposition of some Co-complexes of three unsymmetrical <Emphasis Type="Italic">vic</Emphasis>-dioximes ligands

The thermal decomposition of three new reagent cyclohexylamine-p-tolylglyoxime (L₁H₂), tertiarybutyl amine-p-tolylglyoxime (L₂H₂) and secondary butylamine-p-tolylglyoxime (L₃H₂ and their Co-complexes were studied by both isothermal and nonisothermal methods. As expected, the complex structure of Co-complexes, different steps with different activation energies were realized in decomposition process. Model-fitting and model-free kinetic approaches were applied to nonisothermal and isothermal data. The kinetic triplet (f(α), A and E) related to nonisothermal model-fitting method can not be meaningfully compared with values obtained from isothermal method. The complex nature of the multi-step process of the studied compounds was more easily revealed using a wider temperature range in nonisothermal isoconversional method.     

Synthesis of cytotoxic cyanobactin,Wewakazole B

We report herein the synthesis of cytotoxic cyanobactin, Wewakazole B through an efficient solution-phase approach. The key steps of the synthesis are the macrocyclic lactamization of linear dodecapeptide and construction of two hexapeptides with three different substituted oxazole rings.     

Dielectrophoretic manipulation of particle mixtures employing asymmetric insulating posts

A novel scheme for particle separation with insulator‐based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) was developed. This technique offers the capability for an inverted order in particle elution, where larger particles leave the system before smaller particles. Asymmetrically shaped insulating posts, coupled with direct current (DC) biased low‐frequency alternating current (AC) electric potentials, were used to successfully separate a mixture of 500 nm and 1 μm polystyrene particles (size difference of 0.5 μm in diameter). In this separation, the 1 μm particles were eluted first, demonstrating the discriminatory potential of this methodology. To extend this technique to biological samples, a mixture containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells (6.3 μm) and 2 μm polystyrene particles was also separated, with the cells being eluted first. The asymmetric posts featured a shorter sharp half and a longer blunt half; this produced an asymmetry in the forces exerted on the particles. The negative DC offset produced a net displacement of the smaller particles toward the upstream direction, while the post asymmetry produced a net displacement of the larger particles toward the downstream direction. This new iDEP approach provides a setup where larger particles are quickly concentrated at the outlet of the post array and can be released first when in a mixture with smaller particles. This new scheme offers an extra set of parameters (alternating current amplitude, DC offset, post asymmetry, and shape) that can be manipulated to obtain a desired separation. This asymmetric post iDEP technique has potential for separations where it is important to quickly elute and enrich larger and more fragile cells in biological samples.     

Thin-layer chromatography of aluminium: quantitative densitometric determination of Fe2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Si4+

Thin-layer chromatography in combination with scanning densitometry is used as a tool for the quantitative determination of some impurity and additive elements in aluminium. Microgram levels of iron, silicon, copper, nickel, titanium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc present in a high concentration aluminium matrix is detected, and selective separations of some of these elements are achieved on silica gel H layers developed with a mobile phase containing aqueous sodium chloride solution. The quantitative determination of iron, silicon, nickel, and copper are obtained from the densitometric evaluation of chromatograms and are compared with the respective optical emission spectral analytical data.