Electrical activity of dislocations: Prospects for practical utilization

The electrical activity of interfacial misfit dislocations in silicon has been examined using the electron beam induced current technique (EBIC) in a scanning electron microscope. Clean misfit dislocations, i.e. no EBIC contrast, formed during high-temperature Si(Ge) chemical vapor epitaxy were studied. These defects were subsequently decorated with known metallic impurities (Au and Ni) by diffusion at 400° C to 1130° C from a back-side evaporated layer. Qualitative analysis of the electrical activity in relation to the energy levels anticipated for the clean or decorated dislocations is presented. Of particular interest is the case of defect-induced conductivity type inversion which occurred both at the top surface and at the buried dislocated interfaces of the multilayer. The prospects for using dislocations in a beneficial manner as active elements in electronic devices are discussed.     

Investigations of heavy ion tracks in polyethylene naphthalate films

The heavy ion beam (with fluence 3x10⁸ ion/cm²) from a cyclotron has been used for irradiation of thin polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) films. Latent tracks in these polymeric films have been sensitized by UV radiation and then chemically etched in NaOH solution. The etching process parameters have been controlled by the electroconductivity method. After etching, parameters of samples have been examined by SEM and bubble point methods (Coulter® Porometer II instrument). Results have shown good quality of PEN track membranes with pore sizes in the range: 0.1 – 0.5 μm. The described procedure is known for thin polythylene terephthalate (PET) films. Taking into consideration that PEN films have got better mechanical, thermal, gas barrier as well as better chemical resistance properties in comparison with PET films, the possibility of application of such membranes is much wider.     

Application of the genetic algorithms to data modeling in the case of fluorescence spectroscopy

The genetic algorithms (GAs) are applied to extract the values of parameters that describe the behavior of the asymmetric rotorlike fluorescence probes embedded in the uniaxially ordered system. The capabilities of the GA are enhanced by an application of a simple first order derivative search for the values of the multiplicative factors at each stage of the evolutionary run. The convergence is improved by the help of a gradient-expansion search performed after the GA is done. The potentiality of this approach demonstrates an example concerning the synthetic data set. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Development of chromatographic methods by using direct-sampling procedure for the quantification of cyclic and linear volatile methylsiloxanes in biogas as perspective for application in online systems.

By empirically examining the persistent theme, we hope to produce a more complete understanding of methods for determination of volatile methylsiloxanes in biogas stream. Therefore, we made an attempt to investigate a rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous analysis of linear and cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes in sewage biogas in the context of the perspective for application in online systems. The gas chromatographic (GC) parameters were optimised, and sampling of volatile methylsiloxanes from biogas was performed using novel direct sampling procedure with applying of three kinds of liquid-media. Through application of well-established gas chromatography technique coupled with two types of detector – flamed ionisation detector and mass spectrometer detector – we developed the characterisation of the presented methods. Moreover, during the samples preparation the extraction procedure was consistently excluded, as well as the time of analysis was significantly reduced. The analyses were carried out by applying special constructed sampling train where the absorbed VMSs were trapped and analysed directly by GC technique, afterwards. The instrumental analytical protocol was found to yield a linear calibration in the range 0.1–55.13 (µg g^?1) with R² values 0.996 and in the range from 0.1 to 65.17 µg g^?1) with R² values > 0.99 for GC-FID and GC-MS method respectively. In all analysed samples linear and cyclic VMSs were found in sewage gas with quantities exceeding 4.6 mg Nm^?3 and 19.9 mg Nm^?3, respectively Furthermore, estimation of VMSs solvent absorption efficiency was tested and the highest absorption efficiency was obtained when acetone was used as a primary solvent. High range of linearity (0.1–65.17 µg/g), and low values of limit of detection (0.01 µg/g), limit of quantification (0.04 µg/g) clearly indicate that the analysis can be successfully repeated in other independent laboratory. The proposed method creates the real perspective for analyis of VMSs in on-line system.     

An experimental approach for the development of direct-absorption sampling method for determination of trimethylsilanol and volatile methylsiloxanes by the GC-MS technique in landfill gas

This paper reports on an absorption method used for the determination of six target volatile methylsiloxanes and trimethylsilanol existing in raw biogas samples by means of a special and portable sampling train system. After biogas sampling (no accurate pump needed), the samples obtained were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The optimisation of the used solvent was carried out, and acetone was selected as the preferred liquid medium for trapping the siloxanes. The results clearly showed that using pure acetone and a mixture of acetone and water (97/3% = v/v) ensures very good solvation of silicon-contained molecules; thus the sampling procedure was more accurate. Replicate samples showed that the relative standard deviation of the method was less than 5.7% and 6.3% for methylsiloxanes as well as less than 2.1% and 2.4% for trimethylsilanol analysed 24 and 72 hours after sampling, respectively. Furthermore, limits of detection were determined theoretically and experimentally. The limits of detection for siloxanes and trimethylsilanol were in the range 0.04–0.11 mg/Nm³ and 0.08–0.12 mg/Nm³, respectively. The limit of quantification for trimethylsilanol was 0.1 mg/Nm³, whereas the limit for siloxanes ranged from 0.1 to 0.13 mg/Nm³. Finally, raw biogas samples were successfully analysed by the developed method. Trimethylsilanol and methylsiloxanes were found in the concentrations of 34.5 mg/Nm³ and 1.7–20 mg/Nm³ in the analysed raw biogas, respectively.     

Interaction of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) succinamic acid dendrimers generation 4 with human serum albumin

Dendrimers, a relatively new group of highly branched three dimensional polymers, are intensively investigated to use them in biomedical and physicochemical sciences. Their specific architecture gives them the ability to interact with many different types of molecules. In our studies the interaction between PAMAM succinamic acid dendrimers generation 4 (PAMAM-SAH G4) and human serum albumin (HSA) was examined. Experiments showed that a single molecule of a HSA can bind approximately 6 particles of dendrimers. The fluorescence studies demonstrated that dendrimers lead to a decrease in protein fluorescence but changes in fluorescence anisotropy were not observed. Alterations in the spectrum of circular dichroism indicated changes in the secondary protein structure. The results clearly show that this generation of dendrimers possesses a strong ability to interact with human serum albumin.     

Asymmetric rotor-like probes to polarized fluorescence study of the macroscopically oriented uniaxial media: Model parameters recognition

In this paper the possibility of the numerical data modelling in the case of angle- and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy is investigated. The asymmetric fluorescence probes are assumed to undergo the restricted rotational diffusion in a hosting medium. This process is described quantitatively by the diffusion tensor and the aligning potential. The evolution of the system is expressed in terms of the Smoluchowski equation with an appropriate time-developing operator. A matrix representation of this operator is calculated, then symmetrized and diagonalized. The resulting propagator is used to generate the synthetic noisy data set that imitates results of experimental measurements. The data set serves as a groundwork to the χ² optimization, performed by the genetic algorithm followed by the gradient search, in order to recover model parameters, which are diagonal elements of the diffusion tensor, aligning potential expansion coefficients and directions of the electronic dipole moments. This whole procedure properly identifies model parameters, showing that the outlined formalism should be taken in the account in the case of analysing real experimental data.     

On k-dimensional graphs and their bases

Periodica Mathematica Hungarica -     

Changes of the porous structure of activated carbons applied in a filter bed pilot operation

The paper investigates the changes in porosity (i.e., in the accessible adsorption capacity of carbonaceous adsorbents for pollutants during filter bed maturation) of three activated carbons applied in a filter bed pilot operation. The results of this investigation may help to reduce operating costs, increase granular activated carbon bed life, maximize the useful life of biofilters, and understand the mechanism of water purification by carbon adsorbents. The analysis of the pore structure was limited to the first year of service of the beds, since this was when the largest decrease in the available pore capacity occurred. Low-temperature nitrogen adsorption isotherms were used to evaluate the structural parameters and pore size distributions (PSDs) of carbon samples (virgin (reference) and mature adsorbents for different periods of water treatment) on the basis of the Nguyen and Do (ND) method and density functional theory (DFT). These results were compared with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) investigations (PSDs calculated by Glatter's indirect transformation method (ITP)). The results show that in general, the ND and ITP methods lead to almost the same qualitative distribution curve behavior. Moreover, the enthalpy of immersion in water, mercury porosimetry, densities (true and apparent), and the analysis of ash are reported and compared to explain the decrease in adsorptive capacity of the carbons investigated. On the other hand, the efficacy of TOC (total organic carbon, i.e., a quantity describing the complex matrix of organic material present in natural waters) removal and the bacteria count were analyzed to explain the role of adsorption in the elimination of contaminants from water. Finally, a mechanism of organic matter removal was suggested on the basis of the above-mentioned experimental data and compared with mechanisms reported by other authors.     

M?ssbauer studies of hemoglobin in erythrocytes exposed to neutron radiation

We studied radiation effects on the stability of various states of hemoglobin (Hb) in red blood cells (RBC) irradiated with a very low dose of neutron rays, 50?μGy. We investigated RBCs isolated from blood of healthy donors. M?ssbauer spectroscopy was applied to monitor different forms of Hb. Our results show, for the first time, that oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) and deoxyhemoglobin (DeoxyHb) are two Hb forms sensitive to such a low neutron radiation. Both Hbs change into a new Hb form (Hb_irr). Additionally, OxyHb transfers into HbOH/H₂O, which under our experimental conditions is resistant to the action of neutron rays.