Properties of cerium-zirconium mixed oxides partially substituted by neodymium: Comparison with Zr-Ce-Pr-O ternary oxides

CeO₂ doped with praseodymium, neodymium and/or zirconium atoms were prepared by coprecipitation and by the sol-gel method. Structural properties were investigated by in situ XRD and Raman spectroscopy while oxygen storage capacity (OSC) was measured by transient CO oxidation. All the compounds, except pure Nd₂O₃, have a fluorite-type structure as well as a Raman band at 560 cm⁻¹ characteristic of the oxygen vacancies involving non-stoichiometric oxides. The lattice parameter under hydrogen, being dependent on the temperature, revealed two reduction mechanisms: one at a low temperature at the surface and another at a high temperature in the bulk. Ce-Nd binary oxides show a strong tendency towards crystallite aggregation, which reduces accessibility to gases and OSC properties. Zirconium improves the thermal resistance to sintering of both Ce-Nd and Ce-Pr oxides. The Zr-Ce-Pr-O followed by Zr-Ce-Nd-O compounds displaying high oxygen mobility at a low temperature, appear to be very promising for practical applications such as OSC materials.     

An investigation of the structure of butadiene by high resolution infra-red and raman spectroscopy

The rotational Raman spectra of butadiene and butadiene-d₆ are found to consist of discrete lines having small ≈0·4 cm⁻¹) yet almost constant spacings, as would be expected for symmetric or nearly symmetric top molecules. An infra-red absorption band (Type C) of butadiene at 908 cm⁻¹ is observed to have a spacing of about 2·5 cm⁻¹. Both the Raman and infra-red spectra provide evidence for the trans structure of the butadiene molecule. From the rotational constants A″ and ″ the following structural parameters were obtained: C=C---C) = 122·9 ± 0·5° rC---C) = 1·47₆ ± 0·010 Å dy]somewhat shorter than recently determined from electron-diffraction experiments).     

Study of the α-relaxation of PVC, EVA and 50/50 EVA70/PVC blend

The dipole dynamics and α-relaxation behaviour of polyvinyl chloride PVC, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate) EVA₇₀ and blend of them EVA₇₀/PVC have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms measured on samples show a single glass transition in the analysed temperature range. These three polymers are wholly amorphous and pure PVC and pure EVA₇₀ are miscible in the ratio 1:1. The glass transition temperature T_g decreases significantly with presence of EVA₇₀. Furthermore, the values of apparent activation energies for molecular motions at the α-relaxation and the values of fragility index have also been determined for each sample using Moynihan expression for DSC results and Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann-Hesse (VFTH) form for DRS results. It is shown a large dependence of all the values of these parameters with the content of EVA₇₀. Comparing these three polymers, we found that the more fragile glass forming liquid is the PVC. Fragility decreases drastically with EVA₇₀ content. EVA₇₀ and EVA₇₀/PVC blend exhibit practically the same behaviour. The effect of inter- and intra-molecular interactions on fragility is discussed to explain these variations.     

Determination of polyethylene glycols by precipitation with iodine

Two methods for the determination of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) in aqueous solution by precipitation with iodine have been developed. For PEGs with molecular weight 4 x 10(3)-2 x 10(4) the excess of iodine is titrated with thiosulphate, and for PEGs with average m.w. > 2 x 10(4) turbidimetric measurement is used. Both methods are relatively simple and give accurate and reproducible results.     

Encapsulation of porphyrins and chlorins in biodegradable nanoparticles: the effect of dye lipophilicity on the extravasation and the photothrombic activity. A comparative study

In the present work, we performed a preclinical inter-comparison study using several photosensitizers with the goal of optimizing photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration. The tested molecules were the porphyrins meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and meso-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl)-porphyrin (TCPP), and the chlorins pheophorbide-a (Pheo-a) and chlorin e(6) (Ce(6)). Each of these molecules was entrapped in biodegradable nanoparticles (NP) based on poly(d,l-lactic acid). The influence of the degree of lipophilicity on the incorporation efficiency of the drug in the NPs, and on the dye leakage from blood vessels as well as on the photothrombic efficiency was investigated using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as in vivo model. NP characterization showed that the dye was more effectively entrapped in the polymeric matrix when its degree of lipophilicity increased. While less lipophilic compounds (TCPP, Ce(6)) extravasate rather easily, the more lipophilic dyes (TPP, Pheo-a) tend to remain inside the blood vessels. After injection of a drug dose of 1 mg/kg body weight and a drug-light application interval of 1 min, irradiation with light doses ranging from 5 to 20 J/cm(2) led to the highest photothrombic efficiency when using the NPs loaded with the most lipophilic molecule (TPP). The latter induced vascular damage, which was significantly higher than that observed with the other molecules tested. Thus, in addition to minimal leakage from blood vessels, the TPP in NP formulation exhibited photothrombic efficiency similar to Visudyne which was also tested in the CAM model.     

Polymerization of mono- and α,ω-dicarbanionic polystyryl-barium—II. Effect of added lithium salt in THF

The propagation rate of polystyryl-barium was studied in THF at 20°, in the presence of small amounts of lithium chloride. These kinetic results furnish a new method for the determination of triple ion formation in both mono- and α,ω-dicarbanionic polystyryl-barium. The constant of triple ion association of monocarbanionic (PS^?)₂Ba, K_T, was found to be 3.7 × 10⁵ l M^?1, close to the value calculated from published data.

The triple ion association constant of α,ω-dicarbanionic PS^2?Ba²⁺, K_DT, is about 1.2 × 10⁶ l M^?1.

Taking into account the cyclic structure of α,ω-dicarbanionic PS^2?Ba²⁺ and a statistical factor 3 between K_T and K_DT, it is concluded that mono- and dicarbanionic polystyryl-barium have similar abilities for triple ion formation. Nevertheless, stronger associations are observed for dicarbanionic oligomers with a degree of polymerization lower than 5–7.     

Anderson localization for multi-dimensional systems at large disorder or large energy

We prove that discrete Schrödinger operators on ^d with a random-potential have almost-surely only pure point spectrum and exponentially decaying eigenfunctions for large disorder or large energy. This is the first proof of localization for multi-dimensional Anderson models.Groupe de recherche 048 du CNRS     

Controlling the framework formation of silver(I) coordination polymers with 1,4-bis(phenylthio)butane by varying the solvents,metal-to-ligand ratio,and counteranions

The reactions of 1,4-bis(phenylthio)butane (L) with Ag(I) salts in varied conditions (varying the solvents, metal-to-ligand ratios, and counteranions) lead to the formation of four new two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymers with different network structures: [Ag(2)L(3)(ClO(4))(2)](infinity) 1, [Ag(2)L(3)(ClO(4))(2) x CH(3)OH](infinity) 2, [[AgL(2)](ClO(4))](infinity) 3, and [AgLNO(3)](infinity) 4. All the structures were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal data for 1: triclinic, P-1, a = 11.0253(9) A, b = 11.3455(9) A, c = 11.5231(9) A, alpha = 93.931(2) degrees, beta = 92.689(2) degrees, gamma = 112.9810(10) degrees, Z = 2. 2: triclinic, P-1, a = 11.9147(13) A, b = 16.1534(17) A, c = 16.2259(17) A, alpha = 74.977(2) degrees, beta = 69.030(2) degrees, gamma = 69.986(2) degrees, Z = 2. 3: triclinic, P-1, a = 12.1617(9) A, b = 12.5054(10) A, c = 13.1547(10) A, alpha = 64.3370(10) degrees, beta =85.938 (2) degrees, gamma = 69.3010(10) degrees, Z = 2. 4: monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 5.4032(17) A, b = 16.974(6) A, c = 19.489(6) A, beta = 94.234(6) degrees, Z = 4. In all four complexes, each Ag(I) center has a tetracoordination geometry, and the 2D networks consist of fused large macrometallacyclic ring systems. The "hexagonal" 42-membered rings, Ag(6)L(6), observed in 1 and 2 are nearly identical, which could be considered as unique examples of self-sustaining noninterpenetrated frameworks formed with flexible ligands. The repeating rectangular 28-membered macrometallacycle, Ag(4)L(4), is the basis for the network of 3, in which the perchlorate anions occupy the voids to prevent the ring from collapsing. In 4, columns of the fused rectangular 22-membered rings, Ag(4)L(2)(NO(3))(2), are cross-linked through the L ligands to form a unique 2D network consisting of two types of 22-membered repeating units.