The effect of surfactant charge on micellization behavior

 The influence of the surfactant charge on micellization was studied on sodium n-dodecane-phosphonates, varying the charge of the surfactant ion from 0 to 2. The effects on the cmc, hydrolysis, micelle composition, and micelle ionization degree were studied. The increase of one e unit in the charge of the surfactant species reduces the cmc by about one order of magnitude. Received: 18 November 1996 Accepted: 5 March 1997     

The catanionic system dodecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide–n-dodecanephosphonic acid–water. Triangular phase diagram

 The triangular phase diagram of the system dodecyltri-methylammonium hydroxide (DTAOH)–dodecanephosphonic acid (H₂DP)–water was studied by several techniques. The DTAOH-rich zone could not be studied because DTAOH decomposed when it was dried. Pure H₂DP only forms lamellar mesophases with water. The inclusion of DTAOH in the system produces the appearance of cubic and hexagonal mesophases. The gradual increase in DTAOH proportion lead to the gradual reduction in the existence of the lamellar mesophase domain, and increase of the hexagonal liquid crystal domain. At high DTAOH content, the lamellar mesophase disappeared. This behavior was explained by the gradual destruction of the hydrogen-bonded structure in the polar headgroup layer of liquid crystal aggregates. H₂DP-rich anhydrous crystals were triclinic. Received: 8 September 1997 Accepted: 17 February 1998     

Immunoaffinity column cleanup with liquid chromatography for determination of aflatoxin B1 in corn samples: interlaboratory study

An interlaboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an immunoaffinity column cleanup liquid chromatography (LC) method for the determination of aflatoxin B1 levels in corn samples, enforced by European Union legislation. A test portion was extracted with methanol-water (80 + 20); the extract was filtered, diluted with phosphate-buffered saline solution, filtered on a microfiber glass filter, and applied to an immunoaffinity column. The column was washed with deionized water to remove interfering compounds, and the purified aflatoxin B1 was eluted with methanol. Aflatoxin B1 was separated and determined by reversed-phase LC with fluorescence detection after either pre- or postcolumn derivatization. Precolumn derivatization was achieved by generating the trifluoroacetic acid derivative, used by 8 laboratories. The postcolumn derivatization was achieved either with pyridinium hydrobromide perbromide, used by 16 laboratories, or with an electrochemical cell by the addition of bromide to the mobile phase, used by 5 laboratories. The derivatization techniques used were not significantly different when compared by the Student's t-test; the method was statistically evaluated for all the laboratories. Five corn sample materials, both spiked and naturally contaminated, were sent to 29 laboratories (22 Italian and 7 European). Test portions were spiked with aflatoxin B1 at levels of 2.00 and 5.00 ng/g. The mean values for recovery were 82% for the low level and 84% for the high contamination level. Based on results for spiked samples (blind pairs at 2 levels) as well as naturally contaminated samples (blind pairs at 3 levels), the values for relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 9.9 to 28.7%. The values for relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) ranged from 18.6 to 36.8%. The method demonstrated acceptable within- and between-laboratory precision for this matrix, as evidenced by the HorRat values.     

Quantum-noise-initiated symmetry breaking of spatial solitons

The spectra of chi(2) spatial solitons are measured close to the soliton-formation threshold and show the presence of sidebands, shifted by 39 THz from the laser line. By comparing with the predictions of a quantum optical field model, solved numerically in the full (3 + 1)-dimensional space, it is claimed that the observed temporal instability of the spatial soliton is seeded by vacuum state fluctuations of the electromagnetic field.     

Red solitons: evidence of spatiotemporal instability in chi 2 spatial soliton dynamics

In chi(2) three-wave mixing, the noise-seeded spatiotemporal modulational instability has a dramatic impact on the spatial soliton formation and on their stability, leading to the occurrence of a temporal breakup on the 20 fs scale and to the counterintuitive observation of spatial solitons with no apparent participation of the high-frequency field in the self-trapping.     

Soliton algebra by vortex-beam splitting

We experimentally demonstrate the possibility of breaking up intense vortex light beams into stable and controllable sets of parametric solitons. We report observations performed in seeded second-harmonic generation, but the scheme can be extended to all parametric processes. The number of generated solitons is shown to be determined by a robust arithmetic rule.     

Collective oscillations of two colliding bose-einstein condensates

Two 87Rb condensates ( F = 2, m(f) = 2, and m(f) = 1) are produced in highly displaced harmonic traps and the collective dynamical behavior is investigated. The mutual interaction between the two condensates is evidenced in the center-of-mass oscillations as a frequency shift of 6.4(3)%. Calculations based on a mean-field theory well describe the observed effects of periodical collisions both on the center-of-mass motion and on the shape oscillations.     

Coordinating properties of C2-symmetric chiral bis(oxazolinylpyridinyl)dioxolane ligands

Metal complexes of general formula M(L)X₂ and M(L)X₃ [L = (4S,5S)-2,2-dimethyl-4,5-bis{6-[(4,5-dihydro-4-(S)-(1-methylethyl)oxazol-2-yl)pyridin-2-yl]}-1,3-dioxolane] were obtained by reacting, respectively, Co^II, Cu^II, Ni^II, and Zn^II nitrate salts and the Rh^III chloride salt, with a chiral C₂-symmetric bis(oxazolinylpyridinyl)dioxolane (L) ligand, in MeOH/CHCl₃ solution. A single crystal X-ray analysis was carried out on [Ni(L)(OH₂)₂](NO₃)₂ · 2H₂O and the molecular structure of L was also determined. In the free ligand the two symmetric arms are essentially planar and oriented nearly perpendicular to the dioxolane average plane. In the Ni complex one seven-membered and two five-membered chelation rings are formed. The metal atom also lies on the C₂ axis, and two symmetry-related water molecules complete the octahedral coordination environment. Both compounds crystallize in chiral space groups; the ligand crystallizes in orthorhombic system, space group C 2 2 2₁, Z = 4; the nickel complex crystallizes in tetragonal system, space group P 4₃ 2₁ 2, Z = 4.     

Frequency doubling of a fibre-amplified 1083 nm DBR laser

A good frequency standard is required at 1083 nm for measurements on the fine structure of helium and of the fine structure constant. Several milliwatts of CW frequency-doubled light offers the prospect of stabilisation to a Doppler-free hyperfine transition in molecular iodine. The 1083 nm emission of an extended-cavity DBR diode laser has been amplified using an ytterbium-doped fibre amplifier, and applied to a type-I phase matched Mg:LiNbO₃ crystal in a high-Q fundamental-resonant cavity for frequency doubling. The amplifier gain at 1083 nm under typical operating conditions was 13.8 dB, with a coherent output power up to 63 mW, limited by the maximum signal input power. The doubling cavity Q was , and about 70% of the incident power was coupled in. The maximum 2nd-harmonic conversion efficiency exceeded 20% and provided an output power of 3.7 mW for making continuous frequency scans of up to 600 MHz in the green. An optical spectrum analyser at 541.5 nm showed fringes of 4.6 MHz full width half maximum, close to the instrumental width. Received: 25 February 1998 / Revised and Accepted: 28 May 1998     

Metal complexes of C2-symmetric chiral bipyridine ligands. X-ray structure of [bis(nitrato)(4S,5S)-2,2-dimethyl-4,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,3-dioxolane cobalt(II)]

Chelating properties of C₂-symmetric chiral bipyridine ligands are discussed. In particular we report the syntheses of the cobalt(II), nickel(II), zinc(II) and copper(II) complexes of (4S,5S)-2,2-dimethyl-4,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,3-dioxolane. All compounds have been characterized by IR spectroscopy, and an X-ray diffraction analysis has been carried out on one of them: Co(L)(NO₃)₂. The ligand coordinates the cobalt atom by the two nitrogen donors N(1) and N(2). A seven-membered chelation ring is formed, presenting a remarkable non-crystallographic twofold pseudosymmetry around the axis connecting Co and the midpoint of the C(6)–C(7) bond. The metal also binds two monodentate nitrates, thus completing a distorted coordination tetrahedron.