A MEMS-Based Piezoelectric Power Generator for Low Frequency Vibration Energy Harvesting

A novel power generator has been achieved to convert vibration to electrical energy via the piezoelectric effect. The generator obtained by micro fabrication process mainly consists of silicon based frame and composite cantilever. The prototype tested at resonant vibration generates 1.15μW of effective power to a 20.4-kΩ resistance load. The potential of this work is to offer miniaturization solutions for power generators, and with the proposed method the ambient ubiquitous vibration can be harvested effectively as endless energy source to form an integrated self-powering system.     

Simultaneous Determination of Oxytetra- cycline, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Chlortetracycline in Tetracycline Antibiotics by High-Performance Liquid Chromatog- raphy with Fluorescence Detection

A simple, rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection for the simultaneous determination of oxytetracycline, doxycycline, tetracycline and chlortetracycline was developed, and successfully applied to the analysis of commercial tetracycline antibiotics. The separation was performed on a reverse-phase C₁₈ column with a gradient elution composed of methanol and sodium acetate buffer (containing disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and calcium chloride, pH 8.10) as the mobile phase, and fluorescence detection at 532 nm (excitation at 380 nm). The detection limits for oxytetracycline, doxycycline, tetracycline and chlortetracycline were 0.1, 0.5, 0.3 and 0.4 g L^–1, respectively. Data with respect to precision and accuracy were reported and discussed.     

Synthesis of trimethylammoniumphenylthio-substituted phthalocyanines with different pattern of substitution

The base-catalyzed cyclotetramerization of 3-, 4- and 4,5-dimethylaminophenylthio phthalonitriles with zinc(II)acetate afforded 1(4),8(11),15(18),22(25)- and 2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-tetrasubstituted and 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octasubstituted Zn(II)phthalocyanines, respectively. The statistical mixed condensation of the same phthalonitriles with 1,2-dicyanobenzene gave the corresponding mono- and disubstituted derivatives. Methylation of such products afforded a series of cationic Zn(II)phthalocyanines with different pattern of substitution, with potential use as photodynamic agents in microbial infections.     

Achiral Calcium‐Oxalate Crystals with Chiral Morphology from the Leaves of Some Solanacea Plants

The leaves of some plants, particularly among the Solanacea, contain crystals of calcium oxalate with a peculiar chiral pseudo‐tetrahedral morphology, even though the calcium oxalate crystal structure is centrosymmetric, hence achiral. We studied the morphology of these crystals extracted from the leaves of three Solanacea plants: the potato, the hot pepper, and a species of wild Solanum. The crystal morphology was the same in all three species. Based on the examination of more than 100 crystals from each plant, we showed that the crystal morphology is chiral with invariant chirality. We suggest that morphological chirality is induced by macromolecules during nucleation from a specific, genetically encoded crystal plane, and is further established during subsequent controlled crystal growth. This is one of few examples where it is possible to deduce a molecular mechanism for biologically induced breaking of morphological symmetry in organisms. A very high level of recognition is required by the macromolecules to allow them to distinguish between symmetry‐related crystal planes. It is also surprising that this finely controlled mechanism of crystal formation, including the chiral morphology, has been conserved during evolution.     

Determination of methylmercury fluxes across the air–water and air–soil interfaces by gas chromatography with electron capture detection

A method for the determination of methylmercury (MeHg) fluxes across the air–water and air–soil interfaces was developed using an in situ chamber. The MeHg in the air coming out of the chamber was captured by a column containing sulfhydryl cotton fiber adsorbent. MeHg was then desorbed from the column by using 2 mol L^–1 HCl. The MeHg in the effluent was extracted with benzene, and determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Finally, the MeHg flux was calculated using the chamber. The method was applied to simulated experiments, and the results showed that the MeHg fluxes in the air–water system were higher than those in the air–soil–water system. The method was also successfully applied to the field measurements of an environment polluted by a chemical factory, and the results showed that the MeHg fluxes across the air–soil and air–water interfaces were 0.21–3.09 and 0.14–0.79 ng m^–2 h^–1, respectively. The method will be a useful tool in the environmental study of MeHg.     

L-组氨酸手性识别印迹固定相的制备及表征

以L-组氨酸为模板分子, 甲基丙烯酸为功能单体, 乙二醇二甲基丙烯酸酯为交联剂, 偶氮二异丁腈为引发剂, 在水-乙腈微乳体系中采用沉淀聚合方法制备了具有手性识别L-组氨酸功能的印迹微球. 采用静态平衡吸附实验及色谱分析探讨聚合微球对模板分子的选择识别吸附性能. 结果表明, 该印迹聚合物微球对模板分子存在两种结合位点, 最大表观结合量分别为33.04和24.16 μmol/g. 相对于常规的C18柱, 该印迹聚合物填充柱能够完全分离L-组氨酸和D-组氨酸, 分离度R为2.23, 选择因子为2.14. 利用差热分析、红外光谱及X射线衍射等技术表征聚合物微球的热性能及结构. 结果表明, 聚合物微球具有良好的热稳定性, 是一种具有部分晶体结构的聚合物.     

Novel binding material for supercapacitor electrodes

Environmentally friendly water-based composite material has been investigated as a novel binder for manufacturing supercapacitor electrodes. The performance of these electrodes and those with the conventional polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder were studied. Results obtained from cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectrometry, and charge/discharge measurements showed that the electrodes with the new binder performed significantly better than the electrodes with the conventional PVDF binder; the specific capacitance increased by 51 % in an aqueous electrolyte while in an organic electrolyte, it increased by 15 %. This increase in capacitance was attributed to the electrophilic and hydrophilic nature of the new binding composite. The main reason for the improvement in capacitance was ascribed to reduction of equivalent series resistance (ESR). The presence of highly amorphous polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a polymeric component of the new composite binder, was responsible for the reduction in ESR.     

Naphthalimide-rhodamine based fluorescent probe for ratiometric sensing of cellular pH

The pH values of lysosomes in cancer cells is slightly lower than that in normal cells, which can be used to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. According to this, a naphthalimide-rhodamine based fluorescent probe(hereafter referred to as RBN) with a pK_a of 4.20 was designed and synthesized for ratiometric sensing of cellular pH via fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET), which can respond to different pH precisely through ratiometric fluorescence intensity(Ⅰ_(577)/Ⅰ_(540)). RBN can be employed to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells on the basis of different fluorescent response, in particular, RBN showed excellent water solubility and low cell toxicity, all these are quite significant for potential application in cancer diagnose and therapy.     

First total synthesis of two new heterocyclic compounds:Bretschneiderazines A and B

Facile synthesis of the two new natural heterocyclic compounds bretschneiderazines A（2） and B（3）,isolated from an extract of the stems of Bretschneidera sinensis,is reported.We employed the cyclization reaction of benzamide by directed lithiation and sequential treatment with sulfur and phosgene as key steps.All new compounds have been fully characterized by means of IR,¹H NMR,¹³C NMR,and HRMS.