Degradation of a polyester‐urethane coating: Physical properties

In this article we studied the evolution of thermomechanical properties of a polyester‐urethane coating during degradation under different degradation conditions, i.e., aerobic and anaerobic conditions with and without dry/wet cycling during degradation. Dynamic mechanical and thermal analyses show that under aerobic conditions the coatings become stiffer and more brittle in the glassy state. This stiffening is probably due to the increase in the amount of hydrogen bonding and the formation of oxidized groups which increase the polarity of the material and enhance the interactions of the polymer segments. However, oxidation reactions result in a considerable decrease in cross‐link density and stiffness in the rubbery state. Both changes, in the glassy and rubbery states, give rise to development of internal stresses. These stresses increase as the degradation process proceeds. Nevertheless, for samples exposed to anaerobic conditions, the stiffness remains constant in the glassy state and the cross‐link density slightly increases as a result of degradation. This reconfirms the dominance of the effect of oxidation reactions on the mechanical failure of the coatings. Oxygen permeation measurements show a more‐or‐less time‐independent diffusion coefficient and a gradual decrease in solubility of oxygen as a function of exposure time. This results in a slight decrease in oxygen permeation (mainly in the early stage of the degradation) as degradation proceeds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 659–671     

Rational groups and integer-valued characters of Thompson group <Emphasis Type="Italic">Th</Emphasis>

According to the main result of W. Feit and G. M. Seitz (Illinois J Math 33(1):103–131, 1988), the Thompson group Th is non-rational or unmatured group (S. Fujita in Bull Chem Soc Jpn 71:2071–2080, 1998). Using the concept of markaracter tables proposed by S. Fujita (Bull Chem Soc Jpn 71:1587–1596, 1998), we are able to obtain tables of integer-valued characters for finite unmatured groups. In this paper, the integer-valued character for Thompson group is successfully derived for the first time.     

Single-Molecule 3D Orientation Imaging Reveals Nanoscale Compositional Heterogeneity in Lipid Membranes

In soft matter, thermal energy causes molecules to continuously translate and rotate, even in crowded environments, thereby impacting the spatial organization and function of most molecular assemblies, such as lipid membranes. Directly measuring the orientation and spatial organization of large collections (>3000 molecules μm⁻²) of single molecules with nanoscale resolution remains elusive. In this paper, we utilize SMOLM, single-molecule orientation localization microscopy, to directly measure the orientation spectra (3D orientation plus “wobble”) of lipophilic probes transiently bound to lipid membranes, revealing that Nile red's (NR) orientation spectra are extremely sensitive to membrane chemical composition. SMOLM images resolve nanodomains and enzyme-induced compositional heterogeneity within membranes, where NR within liquid-ordered vs. liquid-disordered domains shows a ≈4° difference in polar angle and a ≈0.3π sr difference in wobble angle. As a new type of imaging spectroscopy, SMOLM exposes the organizational and functional dynamics of lipid-lipid, lipid-protein, and lipid-dye interactions with single-molecule, nanoscale resolution.     

Enhanced optical and hydrophilic properties of V and La co-doped ZnO thin films

V and La co-doped and undoped ZnO thin films were deposited on a glass substrate via the sol–gel method to investigate the structural, optical, and wettability of ZnO thin film by changing the V-doping concentration. Microstructure and water contact angles of the films were measured by SEM and contact angle goniometer, respectively. SEM studies revealed that the grain size and surface roughness of the film were changed by doping concentration. In addition, the contact angles were studied to find the possible effects of doping on the hydrophilicity of the film, indicating that the ZnO films were hydrophobic in nature. Finally, a good correlation was observed between the SEM micrographs and contact angle results, and the nature of ZnO film was found to be changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic.     

Characterization of Truncated <Emphasis Type="Italic">dsz</Emphasis> Operon Responsible for Dibenzothiophene Biodesulfurization in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodococcus</Emphasis> sp. FUM94

Numerous desulfurizing bacteria from the Rhodococcus genus harbor conserved dsz genes responsible for the degradation of sulfur compounds through 4S pathway. This study describes a newly identified desulfurizing bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. FUM94, which unlike previously identified strains encodes a truncated dsz operon. DNA sequencing revealed a frameshift mutation in the dszA gene, which led to an alteration of 66 amino acids and deletion of other C-terminal 66 amino acids. The resulting DszA polypeptide was shorter than DszA in Rhodococcus sp. IGTS8 reference strain. Despite the truncation, desulfurizing activity of the operon was observed and attributed to the removal of an overlap of dszA and dszB genes, and lack of active site in the altered region. Desulfurization experiments resulted in specific production rate of 6.3 mmol 2-hydroxy biphenyl (kgDCW)^?1 h^?1 at 2 g l^?1 biocatalyst concentration and 68.8% biodesulfurization yield at 20 g l^?1 biocatalyst concentration, both at 271 μM dibenzothiophene concentration which is comparable to similar wild-type biocatalysts.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline α-Al2O3 using Al and Fe2O3 (hematite) through mechanical alloying

In this present work, the synthesis of nanocrystalline α-Al₂O₃ using pure aluminum (Al) and Fe₂O₃ (hematite) as the precursors by mechanical alloying technique has been studied. The formation of α-Al₂O₃ nanocrystallites occurs during the solid-state reaction and through the reduction treatment. Also in this paper, effects of milling time on particle size and the lattice strain nanocrystalline α-Al₂O₃ have been investigated. Obtained powders were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The obtained results indicated that a reduction reaction was completed after 2 h milling in a planetary mill. The crystallite size of obtained α-alumina (α-Al₂O₃) was in general about 12 nm. Finally, the results showed appropriate homogeneity and dispersion of related nanocrystalline.