Cobalt promoted Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst in lean methane catalytic oxidation

In the present research, magnesium aluminate spinel was prepared as catalyst support using a novel, facile, and efficient mechanochemical method. The Co-promoted catalysts with 20 wt.% of Ni were fabricated using an impregnation route and the samples were analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption/desorption (BET), temperature-programmed reduction and desorption (H₂-TPR and O₂-TPD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) tests. The results confirmed that all samples have a mesoporous structure with a high specific surface area and the presence of cobalt caused complete CH₄ oxidation at low temperatures, and no side reactions were observed. The results indicated that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl₂O₄ catalyst was the optimal sample among the prepared catalysts, owing to the improvement of reduction features and oxygen mobility. The 50 and 90% of methane conversion was obtained at 530 and 600 °C, respectively. Also, the influence of calcination temperature, GHSV, and feed ratio was determined on the catalytic activity. The obtained outcomes revealed that the calcination temperature has a significant effect on the textural properties and catalytic efficiency. The sample calcined at 700 °C showed the weakest performance, which was related to the sintering of particles at high temperatures. The catalytic stability showed that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl₂O₄ has acceptable stability during 600 min time of reaction.

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Patterns and Symmetries in the Visual Cortex and in Natural Images

As borders between different entities, lines are an important element of natural images. Indeed, the neurons of the mammalian visual cortex are tuned to respond best to lines of a given orientation. This preferred orientation varies continuously across most of the cortex, but also has vortex-like singularities known as pinwheels. In attempting to describe such patterns of orientation preference, we are led to consider underlying rotation symmetries: Oriented segments in natural images tend to be collinear; neurons are more likely to be connected if their preferred orientations are aligned to their topographic separation. These are indications of a reduced symmetry requiring joint rotations of both orientation preference and the underlying topography. This is verified by direct statistical tests in both natural images and in cortical maps. Using the statistics of natural scenes we construct filters that are best suited to extracting information from such images, and find qualitative similarities to mammalian vision. PACS84.35+i 89.70.+c 87.57.Nk     

The Ba1−ySryMnO3−x system

Subsolidus phase relations at ambient atmospheric pressure and elevated temperatures in the Ba_1?ySr_yMnO_3?x system were investigated by quenching, gravimetric, and X-ray diffraction methods. The system is not binary above ～1035°C because of reactions with atmospheric oxygen. The air isolar, P_O2 = 0.2 atm, was characterized at 1225, 1375, 1490, and 1610°C. Seven oxygen-deficient phases including a perovskite phase characterize the system. Their stability depends on the values of y and x in Ba_1?ySr_yMnO_3?x. The cell dimensions of these phases expand as x increases at fixed y. These seven modifications can be retained in stoichiometric form by oxidation at lower temperatures.     

Nonuniversality and analytical continuation in moments of directed polymers on hierarchical lattices

We prove the moments of the directed polymer partition function GZ, using an exact position space renormalization group scheme on a hierarchical lattice. After sufficient iteration the characteristic functionf(n)=lnGZⁿ of the probability (Z) converges to a stable limitf ^*(n). For smalln the limiting behavior is independent of the initial distribution, while for largen,f ^*(n) is completely determined by it and is thus nonuniversal. There is a smooth crossover between the two regimes for small effective dimensions, and the nonlinear behavior of the small moments can be used to extract information on the universal scaling properties of the distribution. For large effective dimensions there is a sharp transition between the two regimes, and analytical continuation from integer moments ton0 is not possible. Replica arguments can account for most features of the observed results.     

Elution order in gas chromatography

The retention behavior of a heterogeneous group of solutes has been examined on seven different stationary phases under isothermal and temperature-programmed conditions. Both ΔH_v (enthalpy of solute vaporization from the stationary phase) and ΔS_v (entropy of solute vaporization from the stationary phase) values were determined for each solute – stationary phase combination under isothermal conditions. Both program rate and carrier gas velocity were shown to affect solute elution order. Unless these and other experimental factors discussed are controlled, column equivalency studies based on solute elution order have dubious value.     

Adsorptive immobilization of submitochondrial particles on concanavalin a sepharose-4b

Submitochondrial particles (SMPs) prepared from beef liver mitochondria were immobilized on concanavalin A Sepharose-4B (Con A Sepharose). The process of immobilization was optimized by choosing an appropriate buffer system containing Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺. Adsorption of SMPs on Con A-Sepharose was found to be a reversible process, nonelectrostatic in nature, and responsive to the presence of methyl α-d-glucopyranose and α-d-mannose. The involvement of membrane glycoproteins in the adsorption process was thus demonstrated. Further analysis of the data obtained on competition of binding by sugar molecules provided competition constants reflecting the potency of inhibition by each individual carbohydrate. Positive-cooperative interactions for binding to the matrix were observed especially at high concentrations of SMPs. The immobilized preparations were used successfully in continuous catalytic transformations involving succinate-cytochrome c reductase (SCR) an enzyme complex of the inner-mitochondrial membrane. Best results were obtained when such operations were carried out at 37?C.     

Donor–acceptor–acceptor-type near-infrared fluorophores that contain dithienophosphole oxide and boryl groups: effect of the boryl group on the nonradiative decay

The use of donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) skeletons is an effective strategy for the design of fluorophores with red-shifted emission. In particular, the use of amino and boryl moieties as the electron-donating and -accepting groups, respectively, can produce dyes that exhibit high fluorescence and solvatochromism. Herein, we introduce a dithienophosphole P-oxide scaffold as an acceptor–spacer to produce a boryl- and amino-substituted donor–acceptor–acceptor (D–A–A) π-system. The thus obtained fluorophores exhibit emission in the near-infrared (NIR) region, while maintaining high fluorescence quantum yields even in polar solvents (e.g. λ_em = 704 nm and Φ_F = 0.69 in CH₃CN). A comparison of these compounds with their formyl- or cyano-substituted counterparts demonstrated the importance of the boryl group for generating intense emission. The differences among these electron-accepting substituents were examined in detail using theoretical calculations, which revealed the crucial role of the boryl group in lowering the nonradiative decay rate constant by decreasing the non-adiabatic coupling in the internal conversion process. The D–A–A framework was further fine-tuned to improve the photostability. One of these D–A–A dyes was successfully used in bioimaging to visualize the blood vessels of Japanese medaka larvae and mouse brain.

Combination of electron-accepting diarylboryl terminal groups and dithienophosphole oxide spacers with electron-donating triarylamine moieties produces donor–acceptor–acceptor type π-systems, which exhibit emissions in the near-infrared region.     

Novel coated-graphite membrane sensor based on N,N′-dimethylcyanodiaza-18-crown-6 for the determination of ultra-trace amounts of lead

A novel selective membrane electrode for determination of ultra-trace amount of lead was prepared. The PVC membrane containing N,N′-dimethylcyanodiaza-18-cown-6 (DMCDA18C6) directly coated on a graphite electrode, exhibits a Nernstian response for Pb²⁺ ions over a very wide concentration range (from 1.0×10⁻² to 1.0×10⁻⁷ M) with a limit of detection of 7.0×10⁻⁸ M (∼14.5 ppb). It has a fast response time of ∼10 s and can be used for at least 2 months without any major deviation in potential. The electrode revealed very good selectivity with respect to all common alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The proposed sensor was used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of lead ions and in determination of lead in edible oil, human hair and water samples. The proposed sensor was found to be superior to the best Pb²⁺-selective electrodes reported in terms of detection limit and selectivity coefficient.