Antenna phase pattern measurements at millimeter wave frequencies using the differential phase method with only one power meter

The differential phase measurement method has been improved to need the use of only one power meter instead of three power meters. This enables accurate antenna phase pattern measurements with a simplified set-up, accompanied by the reduction in cost. All advantages of the differential phase measurement method are still also available, e.g. there is no need to phase lock oscillators or to use rotary joints. The measurement results for an antenna at 110 GHz are presented. A good agreement with earlier data was obtained.     

Photothermal determination of vertical crack lengths in silicon nitride

In this paper we describe the use of thermal microscopes in measuring the lengths of vertical cracks in silicon nitride. Results of theoretical calculations for temperature profiles in samples near the end of the cracks are demonstrated. These calculations showed that the effect of the crack decreases to a non-measurable level at distances of about 10 m from the end of the crack. Experimental measurements showed that thermally obtained crack lengths were at least 34% longer than those that were optically measured. The obtained crack length was independent of the heat modulation frequency used.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Optical Sol–Gel Adhesive for Military Protective Polycarbonate Resin

Sol–gel adhesive material for isostatic hotpressing lamination process was synthesized using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTES), 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS) and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) as precursors. Reaction dynamics between APTES and GPTS was followed on-line with Raman spectroscopy. The lamination process was optimized by varying hotpressing times and pressures at the constant temperature. Mechanical shear strength properties were found to be excellent for studied composition, 25–30 kg/cm² at its best. One possible application of laminated polycarbonate (PC) structure is a soldier helmet visor. Therefore, the ballistic protection properties were tested by shooting with 1.1 gram standard fragment, and determining the v₅₀ velocity value, which corresponds to 50% perforation. The laminated structure gave 5.7% better protection compared with the solid polycarbonate. The laminated components were found to have high optical transparency at the visible wavelengths as well as high environmental stability.     

Partition and determination of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in marine suspended particulate matter

A method for the determination of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the total and acetic acid (25%) soluble fraction of suspended particulate matter collected on Nuclepore membranes is described. The acetic acid leaching was carried out in a modified Millipore vacuum filtration apparatus. The total sample and the acetic insoluble fraction were decomposed in teflon bombs with HF/aqua regia. Flame or graphite furnace AAS was used for metal determinations. Sequential acetic acid extractions (3) show that on the average 76.4-92.0% of the metals are removed with the first extraction. Cadmium is potentially most easily available to biota with 90.4% of the total metal concentration located in the acetic acid soluble fraction.     

Syntheses of (±)-17α- and (±)-17β-hydroxytacamonine; determination of configuration at C-17

Both (±)-17α-hydroxytacamonine (3) and its 17β-isomer (4) were synthesized in two steps (one-pot) from aldehyde mixture 5/6 via the cyanohydrin reaction. NMR spectral characterization of isomer 3 revealed it to be unidentical with natural 17-hydroxytacamonine, whereas spectral data of isomer 4 were in agreement with those published for the natural isomer. The configuration at C-17 was confirmed by NOE difference spectroscopy.     

Lecithin/propanol-based microemulsions used as media for a cholesterol oxidase-catalyzed reaction

Reverse micelles, Winsor III and IV systems were examined as reaction media for the enzymatic conversion of cholesterol to cholestenone by cholesterol oxidase at 298.2 K. The micelles and the microemulsions, stabilized by soybean lecithin and ethanol or 1-propanol as cosolvent, were characterized with respect to phase behavior and distribution of 1-propanol between the phases of the Winsor III systems. The used oils were dodecane, tetradecane, and hexadecane. The Winsor IV systems and the surfactant-rich phase in the Winsor III systems exhibit bicontinuous structures. The reaction yield for the enzymatic conversion performed in a Winsor IV system was much higher than in a Winsor III system or in reverse micelles.     

Aldehyde Intermediates in the Synthesis of Tacamine-Type Indole Alkaloids: Preparation of (±)-apotacamine

The synthesis of aldehyde intermediates suitable for the preparation of indole alkaloids of the tacamine ( 1 ) type is described. The four possible aldehydes 4–7 were prepared from methyl 5-ethylnicotinate ( 8 ) in a few simple steps using a base-catalyzed epimerization as the final step (Schemes 1 and 2). The key aldehyde 4 , which is an analogue of the important vincamine intermediate 3 (‘Oppolzer's aldehyde’), was finally converted into the indole alkaloid (±)-apotacamine ( 21 ).     

Bifunctional coordination polymers as efficient catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion

The multidentate ligand H₂ L upon complexation with Zn (II) and Cd (II) provide a one‐dimensional polymeric networks. These coordination polymers (CPs) CP‐1 and CP‐2 containing Zn (II) and Cd (II) metals respectively are well characterized. The single crystal structural analysis confirms the formation of one‐dimensional coordination polymer with zigzag fashion in CP‐1 and ladder chain CP‐2 . Both the CPs are applied as catalysts to synthesize various cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide. The catalysts are giving better conversion under solvent‐free and additive‐free condition using 10 bar CO₂ and 100 °C as optimized pressure and temperature. The detailed kinetic experiments suggesting the first order kinetics, the energy of activation (Ea) is calculated for this catalytic conversion.     

Nanofibrillated cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose composite with improved wet strength

In this paper, nanofibrillated cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) composite films were prepared using tape casting. The obtained transparent films showed shear induced partial alignment of fibrils along the casting direction, resulting in birefringence in cross polarized light. The carboxyl groups of CMC could be further utilized to create ionic crosslinking by treatment with glycidyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (GTMA). The GTMA treated composite films had improved mechanical properties both in wet and dry state. The chemical composition and morphologies of composites were analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering.     

Evaluation and optimization of coherence transfer in high molecular weight systems

For very large proteins in the highest magnetic fields, the large chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) of carbonyl carbon deteriorates coherence transfer efficiency in experiments designed for unambiguous sequential backbone assignment. In this communication, coherence throughput of several TROSY experiments is evaluated. Two new experiments, MP-HNCA and HN(CO)CANH, are also introduced as attractive alternatives for sequential assignment purposes of large proteins with correlation time over 50 ns. Their theoretical coherence transfer efficiencies for the interresidual (13)C(alpha) correlations are significantly better than in recently introduced MP-CT-HNCA and sequential HNCA experiments. The improvement with the new experiments is observed already on 60.8 kDa homodimer of protein Cel6A at 800 (1)H MHz.