Synthesis of Bioactive and Porous Organic-Inorganic Hybrids for Biomedical Applications

Bioactivity has been exhibited by a limited range of ceramics since the invention of Bioglass®. Recently, some bioactive polymeric organic-inorganic hybrids were introduced, including not only organically modified silicates (Ormosils) synthesized from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tetraethoxysilane but also those with gelatin and 3-glycidoxypropyl-tremethoxysilane. Preparation of the bulk and porous hybrids and their polymeric structures analyzed by Si NMR spectroscopy were presented. In vitro bioactivity or apatite deposition in a simulated body fluid of the Kokubo recipe were also described for those hybrids. Freeze-drying techniques introduced porosity (up to 90%) and pores extending in a preferred direction.     

Recovery and refining of au by gold-cyanide ion biosorption using animal fibrous proteins

Animal fibrous proteins (AFPs) such as egg-shell membrane (ESM), chicken feather (CF), wool, silk, or elastin are an intricate network of stable and water-insoluble fibers with high surface area and are abundant bioresources. Every AFP tested was found to accumulate gold-cyanide ion from aqueous solutions in high yield, depending on pH and some other parameters. Gold-cyanide ion is adsorbed by AFP at low pH range, with maximum binding observed at approx pH 2.0. Under the certain conditions, gold-cyanide ion was accumulated up to 8.6, 7.1, 9.8, 2.4, and 3.9% of dry weight on ESM, CF, wool, silk, and elastin, respectively. In the case of ESM, it was found that ESM removed gold-cyanide ion almost quantitatively and almost all the gold uptake by ESM was easily desorbed with 0.1M NaOH. ESM can be used repeatedly for the process of gold adsorption-desorption. The gold-biosorptive capacity of ESM that was chemically modified with glutaraldehyde was higher than that of control. In column procedure, ESM packed on column removed gold-cyanide ion from the dilute aqueous solution to extremely low concentrations (nondetectable concentration of below 1 ppb)     

Surface diffusion in reversed-phase liquid chromatography using silica gels bonded with C1 and C18 ligands of different densities

Surface diffusion in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) using silica gels bonded with C₁ and C₁₈ alkyl ligands of different densities was studied from the viewpoints of two extrathermodynamic relationships, i.e., enthalpy-entropy compensation (EEC) and linear free energy relationship (LFER). First, according to the four methods proposed by Krug et al., the values of surface diffusion coefficient (D_s) were analyzed to confirm that an actual EEC resulting from substantial physico-chemical effects takes place for surface diffusion. Then, it was also demonstrated that a LFER is observed between surface diffusion and the retention equilibrium. The establishment of EEC and LFER suggests a mechanistic similarity of molecular migration by surface diffusion, irrespective of the alkyl chain length and the densities of C₁ and C₁₈ ligands. Finally, a thermodynamic model for the LFER based on the real EEC was used to estimate D_s values under various RPLC conditions. The D_s values can be estimated with a mean square deviation of about 25–30%. The agreement between the D_s values estimated and those experimentally measured suggests that the total mass flux by surface diffusion consists of the two contributions due to C₁ and C₁₈ ligands and that the contribution of each ligand is proportional to the ligand density.     

A new biomaterial,hen egg shell membrane,to eliminate heavy metal ion from their dilute waste solution

The egg shell membrane (ESM) is an intricate lattice network of stable and water-insoluble fibers with high surface area. ESM accumulates and eliminates various heavy metal ions from dilute aqueous solution with high affinity and in short contact time, depending on pH and characteristics of the individual ion. Under certain conditions, the level of precious ions, Au, Pt, and Pd accumulation approaches 55, 25, and 22% of dry wt of ESM, respectively. Also uranium uptake 30% of that of ESM. Experiments suggested that ESM is promising to use for the purpose of removal/recovery of metals and water pollution control.     

THE ROLE OF DIOXYGEN SPECIES IN THE BASE- AND COBALT-CATALYZED OXYGENATION OF HINDERED PHENOLS

Abstract— The mechanisms by which 4-substituted 2,6-di- t -butylphenols are oxygenated by base- and Co(II) Schiff base complex-catalysis into o - or p -peroxyquinols and their Co(III) complexes, respectively, have been investigated. For the base-catalyzed oxygenation, a one-step ionic mechanism involving no radical species is suggested to be the most probable one. For the formation of the peroxycobalt(III) complexes, the following stoichiometry is concluded: ArOH + Co(II) + 5/4 O₂→ peroxycobalt(III) complex + 1/2 H₂O. A mechanism involving an electron transfer between the phenols and the Co(II)-O₂ complex followed by further electron transfer between the formed phenoxy radicals and the Co(II) complex to give the corresponding phenolate anions is proposed.     

Extrathermodynamic study of surface diffusion in reversed-phase liquid chromatography with silica gels bonded with alkyl ligands of different chain lengths

Surface diffusion on adsorbents made of silica gels bonded to C1, C4, C8, and C18 alkyl ligands was studied in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) from the viewpoints of two extrathermodynamic relationships: enthalpy-entropy compensation (EEC) and linear free-energy relationship (LFER). First, the values of the surface diffusion coefficient (D(s)), normalized by the density of the alkyl ligands, were analyzed with the modified Arrhenius equation, following the four approaches proposed in earlier research. This showed that an actual EEC resulting from substantial physicochemical effects occurs for surface diffusion and suggested a mechanistic similarity of molecular migration by surface diffusion, irrespective of the alkyl chain length. Second, a new model based on EEC was derived to explain the LFER between the logarithms of D(s) measured under different RPLC conditions. This showed that the changes of free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of surface diffusion are linearly correlated with the carbon number in the alkyl ligands of the bonded phases and that the contribution of the C18 ligand to the changes of the thermodynamic parameters corresponds to that of the C10 ligand. The new LFER model correlates the slope and intercept of the LFER to the compensation temperatures derived from the EEC analyses and to several parameters characterizing the molecular contributions to the changes in enthalpy and entropy. Finally, the new model was used to estimate D(s) under various RPLC conditions. The values of D(s) that were estimated from only two original experimental D(s) data were in agreement with corresponding experimental D(s) values, with relative errors of approximately 20%, irrespective of some RPLC conditions.     

Synthesis and photo-induced dissolution of polymers bearing imino sulfonate groups

Novel photosensitive polymers were synthesized by the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthylideneimino p-styrenesulfonate (NISS) and by the ternary polymerization of methyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and 9-fluorenylideneiminop-styrene-sulfonate (FISS). NISS and FISS units showed good sensitivity to light of wavelengths below 300 nm and below 366 nm, respectively. Although the polymers were insoluble in aqueous alkaline solutions, on irradiation with UV light they became soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions. A remarkable decrease in molecular weight of the polymers was observed during the photolysis of imino sulfonate groups incorporated into the polymers, which assisted the dissolution of the irradiated polymers.     

Degradation of crosslinked unsaturated polyesters in sub-critical water

The degradation of unsaturated polyesters crosslinked with styrene was performed in sub-critical water (SCW) in the absence and presence of organic additives. The unsaturated polyesters were de-crosslinked by hydrolysis of ester chains to form polystyrene derivatives on SCW treatment at 300 °C. With an increase in treating time, carboxylic acid groups in the polystyrene derivatives were turned into carboxylic anhydride groups in SCW. The de-crosslinking rate was much enhanced on SCW treatment in the presence of hydroxy compounds with a long alkyl chain and alkylamines, while carboxylic acids, benzenesulfonate salts, and quaternary ammonium salts were ineffective even though they had a long alkyl chain. The degree of de-crosslinking was reduced in the presence of diamines and amino acids because re-crosslinking at both ends of the additive molecules proceeded.     

Synthesis of Acid-Resistant P-Quinone Monoketals and Thermally Stable 4,4-Dialkoxycyclohexa-2,5-Dien-1-OLS

Preparation and high resistance to acid hydrolysis of sterically hindered p-quinone monoketals 1a, 1b and 1c are described. Thermal stability of ketal alcohols 2a and 2b derived from 1a and 1c, respectively, is also mentioned.