Structural and electronic properties of V, Nb and Ta nanoclusters by tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations

We present tight-binding molecular dynamics (TBMD) calculations on V, Nb and Ta nanoclusters with N = 15, 65, 175 and 369 atoms. We found that rhombic dodecahedra are energetically favoured over rhombic hexahedra and icosahedra, with V forming the most compact cluster with the gyration radius increasing with the cluster size. In addition, from the calculated electronic density of states we found that the cluster size plays an important role in the HOMO-LUMO gap and that an increase in cluster size results in enhancement of the electronic density around the Fermi level. Furthermore, we found that the small clusters (N = 15, 65) exhibit energy gap that persists even at 900 K. These findings originate from charge transfer occurring between the inner and outer cluster atoms; interestingly, we found that in the small N = 15, 65 clusters electronic charge accumulates at each surface site at the expense of the inner cluster atoms, while in the larger clusters, N = 175 and 369, charge is gathered on the central particles of the cluster, suggesting different sub-surface character of the clusters. These findings are in agreement with available experimental and theoretical data and promise to offer important information for creating nanostructured materials with improved properties suitable for multiple technological applications.     

Complexation of flavonoids with iron: structure and optical signatures

Flavonoids exhibit antioxidant behavior believed to be related to their metal ion chelation ability. We investigate the complexation mechanism of several flavonoids, quercetin, luteolin, galangin, kaempferol, and chrysin, with iron, the most abundant type of metal ions in the body, through first-principles electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). We find that the most likely chelation site for Fe is the 3-hydroxyl-4-carbonyl group, followed by 4-carbonyl-5-hydroxyl group and the 3'-4' hydroxyl (if present) for all of the flavonoid molecules studied. Three quercetin molecules are required to saturate the bonds of a single Fe ion by forming six orthogonal Fe-O bonds, though the binding energy per molecule is highest for complexes consisting of two quercetin molecules and one Fe atom, in agreement with experiment. Optical absorption spectra calculated with time-dependent DFT serve as signatures to identify various complexes. For the iron-quercetin complexes, we find a redshift of the first absorbance peak upon complexation in good agreement with experiment; this behavior is explained by the narrowing of the optical gap of quercetin because of Fe(d)-O(p) orbital hybridization.     

Integral geometry analysis of fluorescence micrographs for quantitative relative comparison of protein adsorption onto polymer surfaces

Most methods developed to study protein binding to distinct surfaces can only determine the average amount of adsorbed protein or merely provide (qualitative) information on its spatial distribution. Both these features can be characterized rigorously by integral geometry analysis of fluorescence micrographs. This approach is introduced here to compare the relative protein adsorption onto various polymer surfaces: polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly( n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA), poly( tert-butyl methacrylate) (PtBMA), and PS(PETA) and cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO*(PETA)), admixed with pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA). The polymeric surfaces were incubated for 15 min in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) containing 125 mug/mL fluorescently labeled lectins, either lentil lectin (LcH) or concanavalin A (ConA). Fluorescence images were recorded at identical conditions (physiological buffer, same exposure time, magnification, gain). For each image, taken a few times for each polymer, the distribution and average value of the normalized intensity were determined. The results show that the binding of LcH to PS(PETA), PtBMA, PS, PnBMA, PMMA, and PEO*(PETA) can be expressed by the ratio of the following values (mean +/- 95% confidence interval): 0.356 +/- 0.022, 0.298 +/- 0.030, 0.241 +/- 0.014, 0.083 +/- 0.008, 0.039 +/- 0.008, and 0.010 +/- 0.006, respectively. In turn, the relative adsorption of ConA is described by the values 0.252 +/- 0.016, 0.217 +/- 0.014, 0.222 +/- 0.016, 0.046 +/- 0.006, 0.116 +/- 0.008, and 0.006 +/- 0.002, respectively. Low dispersions of fluorescence intensity around average values indicate homogeneous distribution of adsorbed proteins. The introduced approach enables a fast and easy way not only to quantify the relative amount of bound proteins but also to characterize quantitatively the organization of their surface distribution, as demonstrated for patchlike protein adsorption onto the polymer blend surface.     

Rf‐GDOES analysis of composite metal/ceramic electroplated coatings with nano‐ to microceramic particles' size: issues in plasma sputtering of Ni/micro‐SiC coatings

Ni matrix composite coatings reinforced with nano‐ and microceramic particles were analyzed by radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (Rf‐GDOES). An interesting phenomenon related to the sputtering and excitation modes of this technique was observed. During plasma sputtering with Rf‐GDOES, the micro‐SiC particles were detached from metal matrix and did not contribute to the analytical signals. The same was not found in composite coatings containing nanoceramic particles. This anomalous behavior was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigation and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations into Rf‐GDOES craters that showed the presence of residual non‐sputtered microparticles. Various attempts were done in order to minimize this problem, mainly by varying the analysis parameters of the used instrumentation, but without any relevant success. Some suggestions were then proposed for explaining the observed phenomenon, moreover possible solutions (e.g. by using a strong magnetic field or changing plasma gas to be more energetic) are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrodynamic-flow-driven phase evolution in a polymer blend film modified by diblock copolymers

We have studied surface-directed phase separation in thin films of deuterated polystyrene and poly(bromostyrene) (with 22.7% of monomers brominated) using ³He nuclear reaction analysis, dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy combined with preferential dissolution. The crossover from competing to neutral surfaces of the critical blend film (cast onto Au) was commenced: polyisoprene-polystyrene diblock copolymers were added and segregated to both surfaces reducing in a tuneable manner the effective interactions. Two main stages of phase evolution are characterised by i) the growth of two surface layers and by ii) the transition from the four-layer to the final bilayer morphology. For increasing copolymer content the kinetics of the first stage is hardly affected but the amplitude of composition oscillations is reduced indicating more fragmented inner layers. As a result, a faster mass flow to the surfaces and an earlier completion of the second stage were observed. The hydrodynamic flow mechanism, driving both stages, is evidenced by nearly linear growth of the surface layer and by mass flow channels extending from the surface layer into the bulk. The final bilayer structure, formed even for the surfaces covered by strongly overlapped copolymers, is indicative of long-range (antisymmetric) surface forces. Received 15 March 2000 and Received in final form 9 February 2001     

Lectin-carbohydrate affinity measured using a quartz crystal microbalance

The association of two molecules is described by two parameters, association equilibrium and association rate constants, which are characteristic for a given type of interaction. Usually, they are determined for interacting molecules dissolved in solution. However, for many applications one type of molecules is immobilized on a substrate, which may influence the binding kinetics. The studied complex of concanavalin A and carboxypeptidase Y belongs to the lectin-carbohydrate type of interaction involving the recognition of oligosaccharide moieties. The concanavalin A was immobilized on a gold electrode of quartz crystal, while carboxypeptidase Y was added to a buffer (Tris-buffered saline). The constants describing the association of the investigated molecules were determined on the basis of measurements performed using a quartz crystal microbalance in liquid. The obtained values were (0.59+/-0.01)x10(6) M(-1) for the association equilibrium constant and (5.6+/-0.1)x10(4) M(-1)s(-1) for the association rate constant. The saturation binding experiment gave another value of the association constant, (2.7+/-0.02)x10(6) M(-1). The comparison of obtained values with previously published ones verifies that the molecule orientation and binding site accessibility for specific ligands could influence the association equilibrium constant value. The presented measurements demonstrate the ability of a quartz crystal microbalance to detect and to evaluate the association process occurring between molecules.     

Surface Adsorption and Photo-Reactivity of Sulfonylurea Herbicides

Photodegradation of two sulfonylurea herbicides, triasulfuron and thifensulfuron-methyl adsorbed on Preveza or Nea Malgara soils (Greece) was studied in outdoor and laboratory experiments. Herbicides on adsorbed phase and kept in the dark were characterised by a high reactivity, giving depletion curves that can be all described by a first order equation. In the irradiation experiments the kinetic behaviour of photodegradation was complex and characterised by a double step photoreaction. After a first period varying from 8 to 24 h the rate of reaction was reduced to 7-31% of the initial rate. The kinetic constant related to the degradation of triasulfuron practically showed the same values of those obtained for thifensulfuron-methyl. The half-lives obtained on Nea Malgara soil were generally higher than those obtained using Preveza soil. The observed behaviour is explained considering the photochemical properties of the herbicides, and the organic matter content of the soils.     

PAC Studies of BSA Conformational Changes

The structure of biological molecules plays an important role in many biological processes. The variation of ambient parameters such as pH, temperature or pressure can influence important properties of protein molecules like conformation or stability. By means of the perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique and atomic force microscopy (AFM) a conformation change of bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules has been studied as a function of the pH value of the BSA solution. The observed decrease of the rotational correlation time and the increase of molecule diameter as a function of pH were attributed to conformational changes of bovine serum albumin induced by different pH values of the BSA solution.