Effect of laser melting on plasma-sprayed aluminum oxide coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes

The effect of laser melting on the microstructure and mechanical properties of plasma-sprayed aluminum oxide composite coating reinforced with 4 wt% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is reported. Laser-melted layer consists of dense, coarse columnar microstructure which is significantly different from plasma-sprayed coating that consists of splats and porosity. CNTs retained their original cylindrical graphitic structure after undergoing laser irradiation. Three dimensional heat flow model has been developed to estimate temperature variation in the laser-melted composite layer. Laser-melted layers show an increase in the microhardness at the expanse of degradation of fracture toughness. Nanoindentation study indicates an increase in the elastic modulus and yield strength of the laser-melted layer which is attributed to dense microstructure with absence of weak-bonding splats and porosity.     

The feasibility of using dielectrophoresis for isolation of glioblastoma subpopulations with increased stemness

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are aggressive subpopulations with increased stem‐like properties. CSCs are usually resistant to most standard therapies and are responsible for tumor repropagation. Similar to normal stem cells, isolation of CSCs is challenging due to the lack of reliable markers. Antigen‐based sorting of CSCs usually requires staining with multiple markers, making the experiments complicated, expensive, and sometimes unreliable. Here, we study the feasibility of using dielectrophoresis (DEP) for isolation of glioblastoma cells with increased stemness. We culture a glioblastoma cell line in the form of neurospheres as an in vitro model for glioblastoma stem cells. We demonstrate that spheroid forming cells have higher expression of stem cell marker, nestin. Next, we show that dielectric properties of neurospheres change as a result of changing culture conditions. Our results indicate that spheroid forming cells need higher voltages to experience the same DEP force magnitude compared to normal monolayer cultures of glioblastoma cell line. This study confirms the possibility of using DEP to isolate glioblastoma stem cells.     

Column chromatographic preconcentration of palladium in alloys with 9,10 phenanthrenequinonemonoxime-naphthalene

A solid chelating compound phenanthrenequinonemonoxime (PQM) supported on naphthalene provides a rapid, sensitive and economical means of preconcentration and separation of palladium from standard solutions and from synthetic samples. Palladium forms a complex with PQM supported on naphthalene in a column at pH 2.2-5.4 with a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. The metal complex and naphthalene are dissolved out from the column with 5 ml of CHCl(3) and the absorbance is measured at 430 nm or 500 nm against a reagent blank. Beers law is obeyed in the concentration range 3.0-56.0 mug and 6.0-42.0 mug at 430 nm and 500 nm respectively. The molar absorptivities are 2.10 x 10(4) and 1.69 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 430 and 500 nm respectively.     

An improved method for the synthesis of optically pure epoxide and alcohol derivatives of chiral bromohydrins

The resolution of arene oxides, diols and other derivatives of bromohydrins has been markedly improved by the use of bromohydrin esters of (?)-(S)-a-methoxy-a-trifluoromethyl- phenylacetic acid (MTPA).     

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of trace amounts of nickel after preconcentration with [1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-Naphthol]-Naphthalene adsorbent or after adsorption of its complex on microcrystalline naphthalene

An atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of trace amounts of nickel after adsorption of its 1 -(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol complex on microcrystalline naphthalene has been developed. This complex is adsorbed on microcrystalline naphthalene in the pH range 4.5-7.8 from large volumes of aque ous solutions of various alloys and biological and environmental samples containing nickel. After filtration, the solid mass consisting of nickel complex and naphthalene was dissolved in 5 mL of dimethylformamide, and the metal was determined using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer at a wavelength of 232 nm. Alternatively, nickel can be quantitatively adsorbed on [l-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol]-naphthalene adsorbent packed in a column and determined similarly. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range 2.0-100 Μg of nickel in 5 mL of the final dimethylformamide solution. Eight replicate determinations of 20 Μg of nickel give a mean absorbance of 0.072 with a relative standard deviation of 1.3%. The sensitivity for 1% absorption is 0.24 Μg/mL. Various parameters such as the effect of pH, the volume of the aqueous phase, and the interference of a large number of metal ions with the determination of nickel have been studied in detail to optimize the conditions for its determination in various standard alloys and biological and environmental samples. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Preconcentration of iron (III), cobalt (II) and copper (II) nitroso-R complexes on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide-naphthalene adsorbent

Iron, cobalt and copper form coloured water soluble anionic complexes with disodium 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3-6-disulphonate (nitroso R-salt). The anionic complex is retained quantitatively as a water insoluble neutral ion associated complex (M-nitroso R-TDBA) on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide on naphthalene (TDBA(+)I(-)-naphthalene) packed column in the pH range of: Fe(III): 3.1-6.5, Co: 3.4-8.5 and Cu 5.9-8.0 when their solutions are passed individually over this adsorbent at a flow rate of 0.5-5.0 ml/min. The solid mass consisting of an ion associated metal complex along with naphthalene is dissolved out of the column with 5 ml dimethylformamide/chloroform and metals are determined spectrophotometrically. The absorbance is measured at 710 nm for iron, 425 nm for cobalt and 480 nm for copper. Beers law is obeyed in the concentration range 9.2-82 mug of iron, 425 nm for cobalt cobalt and 3.0-62 mug of copper in 5 ml of final DMF/CHCl(3) solution. The molar absorptivities are calculated to be Fe: 7.58 x 10(3), Co: 1.33 x 10(4) and Cu: 4.92 x 10(4)M(-1)cm(-1). Ten replicate determinations containing 25 mug of iron, 9.96 mug of cobalt and 3.17 mug of copper gave mean absorbances 0.677, 0.450 and 0.490 with relative standard deviations of 0.88, 0.98 and 0.92%, respectively. The interference of large number of metals and anions on the estimations of these metals has been studied. The optimized conditions so developed have been employed for the trace determination of these metals in standard alloys, waste water and fly ash samples.