Mobility of water molecules in Li+, Na+ and Cs+ ionic forms of Nafion membrane studied by NMR

Correlation times and diffusion coefficients of water molecules were measured for the first time by ¹H spin relaxation and pulsed field gradient NMR in Li⁺, Na⁺ and Cs⁺ ionic forms of Nafion 117 membrane. Hydration numbers of Li⁺, Na⁺ and Cs⁺ cations were calculated. It was shown that at high humidity macroscopic transfer is controlled by the local translational motion of water molecules.     

Theoretical studies on the influence of metallic cations on ring opening of propylene oxide catalyzed by metal-salen complexes

We studied the ring opening of propylene oxide (PO) by salen-M coordinated OH⁻ group [M = Al(III), Sc(III), Cr(III), Mn(III), Fe(III), Co(II), Co(III), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Ru(III) and Rh(III)]. The results show that the ring-opening energy barriers for M(II) complexes are much lower than those with M(III) complexes in the gas phase, and the barriers correlate linearly with the negative charges on the OH⁻ group and the Fukui function condensed on the OH⁻ group. The nucleophilicity ordering in the gas phase can be rationalized by the ratio of formal positive charges/radius of M cations. Solvent effect greatly increases the barriers of M(II) complexes but slightly changes the results of M(III) ones, making the barriers similar. Analysis indicates that the reaction heats are linearly proportional to the reverse reaction barriers. The relationships established here can be used to estimate the ring-opening barriers and to screen epoxide ring-opening catalysts.     

A new insight into the understanding of the collapsed form of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) molecules

Possible collapsed forms of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) molecules are reviewed on the basis of first principle calculations. Various configurations and associated conformations are detailed. The calculated optimized structures exhibit different possibilities of creating networks of intra-molecular bonds of the hydrogen type. We show that the most remarkable one is able to form a local, self-saturated and well ordered helix. We also indicate in which direction the synthesis of the molecule should be oriented to improve its global behavior in term of hydrophobic/hydrophilic behavior.     

The concentration effect on the ‘hydrophobic’ and ‘hydrophilic’ behaviour around DMSO in dilute aqueous DMSO solutions. A computer simulation study

We have carried out a molecular dynamics study of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in water at 298 K at two different densities by simulating two different concentrations: 0.055 and 0.19 mole fraction. We have found an enhancement in the structure of water, an effect that becomes more pronounced as the concentration of DMSO increases. At both concentrations there is a well-defined hydration structure around the oxygen atom of DMSO, which is able to establish strong hydrogen bonds with surrounding water molecules. An increase in the concentration of DMSO depletes the solution of bulk water molecules, reducing the number of hydrogen bonds that water can have in the immediate vicinity of DMSO but increasing the strength of the hydrogen bonds made between the oxygen atom of DMSO and water. There is clear evidence of ‘hydrophobic’ hydration around the methyl groups of DMSO, which is enhanced as the concentration of DMSO increases.     

Physicochemical studies on hydrophobic PEO‐PPO‐PEO triblock copolymer micelles in SDS micellar environment

The shape, size, aggregation, hydration, and correlation times of water insoluble PEO‐PPO‐PEO triblock copolymer micelles with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) micelles were investigated using transport studies and dynamic light scattering technique. From the conductance of micellar solutions of the polymer in 25 mM SDS and 5 mM NaCl, the hydration of polymer micelles were determined using the principle of obstruction of electrolyte migration by the polymer. The asymmetry of the micellar particles of polymer and polymer‐SDS mixed micellar systems in 5 mM NaCl and their average axial ratios were calculated using intrinsic viscosity and hydration data obeying Simha–Einstein equation. Hydration number and micellar sizes were variable with temperature. The shape of the polymer micelles has been ellipsoidal rather than spherical. The micellar volume, hydrodynamic radius, radius of gyration, diffusional coefficients as well as translational, rotational and effective correlation times have been calculated from the absolute values of the axes. The partial molal volume of polymer micelles has also been determined and its comparison with the molar volume of pure polymer suggested a volume contraction due to immobilization of the water phase by the hydrophilic head groups of the polymer. The thermodynamic activation parameters for viscous flow favor a more ordered water structure around polymer micelles at higher temperatures. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2410–2420, 2007     

聚电解质与相反电荷表面活性剂的相互作用

通过透光度测定、电导滴定和粘度法考察了阳离子聚电解质聚苯乙烯 4 乙烯基吡啶硫酸甲酯盐与阴离子表面活性剂十二烷基硫酸钠 (SDS)的相互作用。研究表明 ,在表面活性剂未过量时 ,二者之间的静电作用占主导地位 ,并且当二者电荷总量相等时 ,生成的复合物沉淀最多 ;在表面活性剂过量后 ,复合物可部分溶解 ,溶解的原因是疏水相互作用。本文初步阐述了二者的作用机理     

中性盐对谷氨酸脱羧酶活性的影响机制

通过不同阳离子和不同阴离子对唾液链球菌嗜热亚种(Streptococcus salivariussub sp.thermophilus)谷氨酸脱羧酶活性的影响以及NaNO3对不同蛋白质浓度的谷氨酸脱羧酶活性的影响进行考察,结果表明:中性盐对谷氨酸脱羧酶活性的影响不是由于增加蛋白质亚基间的疏水作用引起的,而可能是由中性盐对谷氨酸脱羧酶活性的弱抑制作用与中性盐增加了谷氨酸脱羧酶的胶体体系稳定性共同作用所致,同时还可能与中性盐降低了反应体系CO2的溶解度有关.     

SnO2-Nb2O5/MgAl2O4/α-Al2O3催化环氧乙烷水合制乙二醇

采用水热稳定的MgAl2O4尖晶石对-αAl2O3载体表面进行修饰,采用具有较强亲水性能的SnO2对活性组分Nb2O5进行修饰,制备了SnO2-Nb2O5/MgAl2O4/-αAl2O3催化剂,并用于环氧乙烷水合制乙二醇反应.采用X射线衍射、红外光谱和程序升温脱附研究了Sn/Nb摩尔比对催化剂酸性、环氧乙烷在催化剂表面的吸附状态和吸附强度以及催化剂性能的影响.结果表明,Sn/Nb摩尔比明显影响催化剂的组成和结构;催化剂的结构不同,环氧乙烷在催化剂表面的吸附强度存在明显差别,催化剂的催化性能明显不同.     

Interactions of Some Amino Acids with Aqueous Tetraethylammonium Bromide at 298.15 K: A Volumetric Approach

The apparent molar volumes, V_,2, of glycine, L-alanine, DL--amino-n-butyric acid, L-valine, and L-leucine have been determined in aqueous 0.25, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.5 mol-dm^–3 tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) solutions by density measurements at 298.15 K. These data have been used to calculate the infinite dilution apparent molar volumes, V_2,m, for the amino acids in aqueous tetraethylammonium bromide and the standard partial molar volumes of transfer (_tr V_2,m) of the amino acids from water to the aqueous salt solutions. The linear correlation of V_2,m for a homologous series of amino acids has been utilized to calculate the contribution of the charged end groups (NH₃⁺, COO^–), CH₂ group, and other alkyl chains of the amino acids to V_2,m. The results of the standard partial molar volumes of transfer from water to aqueous tetraethylammonium bromide have been interpreted in terms of ion–ion, ion–polar, and hydrophobic–hydrophobic group interactions. The volume of transfer data suggest that ion–ion or ion–hydrophilic interactions are predominant in the case of glycine and alanine, and hydrophobic–hydrophobic group interactions are predominant in the case of DL--amino butyric acid, L-valine, and L-leucine.