Supramolecular assemblies of a naturally derived sophorolipid

Acidic sophorolipid (SL) molecules derived from yeasts represent a novel type of asymmetrical bolaamphiphiles due to their unique structural features that include an asymmetrical polar head size (disaccharide vs COOH), a kinked hydrophobic core (cis-9-octadecenoic chain), and a non-amide polar-nonpolar linkage. Light microscopy, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, FT-IR spectroscopy, and dynamic laser light scattering were used to investigate the supramolecular structures of the self-assembled aggregates of SL molecules at different pH values. In acidic conditions (pH < 5.5), giant twisted and helical ribbons of 5-11 microm width and several hundreds of micrometers length were observed for the first time. Increase in solution pH values slowed ribbon formation, decreased ribbon yield, and increased the helicity and entanglements of the giant ribbons. An interdigitated lamellar packing model of acidic SL-COOH molecules with a long period of 2.78 nm, stabilized by both the strong hydrophobic association between the cis-9-octadecenoic chains and strong disaccharide-disaccharide hydrogen bonding, is proposed. The neutralization of SL-COOH in water to SL-COONa produced clear solutions with the formation of short-range ordered aggregates. At concentrations below 1.0 mg/mL, the size of self-assembled aggregates increased as the concentration increased. At concentrations above 1.0 mg/mL, narrowly distributed micellar aggregates with a constant hydrodynamic radius (R(h)) of about 100 nm are formed. The large micelles show strong angular dependence with the fast mode appearing at scattering angle theta >/= 60 degrees.     

Deformation of polybutene-1 spherulites

The deformation of fresh and aged polybutene-1 spherulitic samples has been investigated by microscopic observation, interferometry, studying macroscopic and spherulitic birefringence changes, and study of light-scattering patterns. The spherulite deformation is not affine, the microscopic deformation ratio being less than the macroscopic deformation ratio of the sample and greater in the equatorial regions of the spherulite than in the polar regions. The deviation from affine deformation is less for fresh spherulites than for the aged, where void formation occurs in the equatorial part of the spherulite. This gives rise to large scattering by this part of the spherulite and to form birefringence. The spherulite birefringence and its change with elongation is dependent upon the degree of aging of the sample. The spherulite birefringence is more negative for the aged sample. In the polar regions of the spherulite, this negative birefringence decreases and turns positive at higher elongations, characteristic of a reorientation of the crystals with their optic axes turning from being perpendicular to parallel to the spherulite radius. The spherulite birefringence in the equatorial direction becomes somewhat more negative on stretching a fresh sample but less negative on stretching an aged one. Spherulite distortion and orientation changes are apparent from the light-scattering patterns of films possessing small spherulites. The changes in V_v and H_v scattering patterns upon stretch are different for the fresh and aged samples. The V_v patterns of the fresh samples decrease in intensity with time after stretching a fresh sample with the H_v patterns do not.     

Gamma-ray and sunlight-induced synthesis of silver nanoparticles using bacterial cellulose and cell-free filtrate produced by Komagataeibacter rhaeticus N1 MW322708 strain

Cellulose - Antibacterial coatings based on bacterial cellulose (BC) have been widely used in many fields including food packaging and wound dressing. In this study, we aimed to synthesis of...     

Ferromagnetism and structural deformation in monolayer alpha lead oxide induced by N and F doping: New insights from first principles

We study the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of monolayer α-PbO_0.875A_0.125 (A = N, F), which are calculated using first principles. As a result, N doping induces local ferromagnetism centered at the N²⁻ site, originating from the spin-down N 2p valence states. On the other hand, F doping induces nonmagnetism and induces ab-plane deformation, where F⁻ receives one electron to its nearest-neighboring Pb^1.75+ ions. N doping redshifts the bandgap of the undoped system and transforms it to be indirect, while F doping blueshifts the bandgap through the Burstein-Moss effect. The hybridization of Pb 6p and O 2p orbitals is stronger near the A site than that of the crystal structure edge. Our result shows new insights, predicting possible experimental results for future functional device applications.     

Resonant non-linear vibrations in continuous systems—I. Undamped case

A method is presented for obtaining periodic solutions to forced oscillations of non-linear systems governed by equations of the form u_ss?u_yy?εf(u,u,_y,u_yy…,s) = 0. The method is presented by application to the equation u_ss?u_yy?εu²_yu_yy= 0 which governs the vibrations of a soil layer that is free on the top surface and is forced harmonically at the bedrock. It is shown that unlike the ODE case (Duffing equation), the PDE requires an infinite number of periodicity conditions to correctly characterize the resonant region and these conditions lead to an infinite number of branches in the dispersion spectrum. Calculations indicate that these branches tend to an envelope curve. The uniform approach presented by Millmann and Keller is discussed in order to determine in what sense it can be viewed as an effective approximation for the fundamental mode.     

Characterization of the structure and organization of β-form crystals in type III and type IV isotactic polypropylene spherulites

Anisotropic growth of β-form crystals of isotactic polypropylene in type III and type IV spherulites has made possible microanalysis of the unit cell structure, optical properties, and crystal arrangement within the spherulites. Micro x-ray studies of the type III and type IV spherulites show that interspherulitic β-form crystals have a hexagonal unit cell with dimensions; a = 19.08 Å and c = 6.49 Å. The intrinsic refractive indices of these β-form crystals are 1.506 along the a axis and 1.536 along the c axis. The organization of the crystals within the spherulites and the optical properties of the spherulites are also quantitatively evaluated. Both the type III and type IV spherulites have the a axis of the crystal radial while the crystals rotate randomly around the type III spherulite radii and periodically around the type IV spherulite radii. The radial refractive index for both the type III and type IV spherulites has the same value of 1.496. The tangential refractive index of the type III spherulite has a constant value of 1.509; it varies periodically between a minimum of 1.496 and a maximum of 1.519 in the type IV spherulite. Microtechniques such as micro x-ray diffraction, interference microscopy, birefringence, and optical microscopy were required for acquisition of the data.     

Resonant non-linear waves—III. Elastic continuum with quadratic non-linearity

The paper derives the relevant non-linear integro-differential evolution equation by the method due to Collins expanding on a procedure by Keller. The quadratically non-linear case is not a trivial variation over the cubically non-linear case that was presented in preceding papers. As expected a different scaling and ordering of terms is needed and the first order perturbation solution provides no information on resonance. Nevertheless, although obtained by much longer calculations, the final equation for the present case is of identical form, with differences only in numerical coefficients, with the cubic case that was presented and solved earlier.     

Two-phase reaction mechanism during chemical lithium insertion into α-MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The phase transition during chemical lithium insertion into α-MoO₃ was investigated by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical characterisation. The samples have been prepared by reaction of various amounts of water-free lithium iodide with fine-particulate orthorhombic molybdenum trioxide in n-hexane (non-aqueous media), which yielded materials with different Li/Mo ratio. XRD investigations of these materials proved that the crystal structure of the layered α-MoO₃ has been changed after the chemical lithiation. The phase transition ranged from 0.25 < x < 0.5 in Li _x MoO₃ upon chemical lithium insertion into α-MoO₃. The XRD lines of lithium inserted phase Li _x MoO₃ grew at the expense of the XRD lines of the pristine α-MoO₃ as lithium ions were chemically inserted until the disappearance of lines related to α-MoO₃. The electrochemical performance of the lithiated samples is improved in comparison with the starting material (non-lithiated α-MoO₃).     

Synthesis and application of chiral N, N'-dialkylated cyclohexanedi- amine for asymmetric hydrogenation of aryl ketones

Chiral N, N'-dialkylated cyclohexanediamine derived ligands have been synthesized and used in the asymmetric hydrogenation of aryl ketones. Optically active alcohols with up to 90% enantiomeric excess were obtained in high yields.     

Instability and disruption of precision cumulation of cavities and mass flows in the field of gravitational and inertial forces and other dipole perturbations

The effect of gravitational and inertial forces on the precision cumulation of cavities, fast mass flows, and detonation and shock waves is studied in stages. The possible effects of these forces on the motion of masses and waves (the velocity, direction and structure of the waves can change) and on the properties of the medium in front of the waves that influence the change in the parameters and refraction of the waves are noted. It is shown that it is advantageous to perform precision cumulation experiments in zero-gravity. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 2001–2015 (June 1997)