Capability verification of the beam delivery system in the superficially-placed tumor therapy terminal at HIRFL

The passive beam delivery system in the superficially-placed tumor therapy terminal at Heavy Ion Researc h Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), which includes two orthogonal dipole magnets as scanning system, a motor-driven energy degrader as range-shifter, series of ridge filters as range modulator and a multileaf collimator, is introduced in detail. The capacities of its important components and the whole system have been verified experimentally. The tests of the ridge filter for extending Bragg peak and the range shifter for energy adjustment show both work well. To examine the passive beam delivery system, a beam shaping experiment were carried out, simulating a three-dimensional (3D) conformal irradiation to a tumor. The encouraging experimental result confirms that 3D layer-stacking conformal irradiation can be performed by means of the passive system. The validation of the beam delivery system establishes a substantial basis for upcoming clinical trial for superficially-placed tumors with heavy ions in the therapy terminal at HIRFL.

Preparation and performance of cellulose acetate/polyethyleneimine blend microfiltration membranes and their applications

A modified microfiltration membrane has been prepared by blending a matrix polymer with a functional polymer. Cellulose acetate (CA) was blended with polyethyleneimine (PEI), which was then crosslinked by polyisocyanate, in a mixture of solvents. In the membrane, PEI can supply coupling sites for ligands in affinity separation or be used as ligands for metal chelating, removal of endotoxin or ion exchange. The effects of the time of phase inversion induced by water vapor, blended amount of PEI and amount of crosslinking agent on membrane performance were investigated. The prepared blend membranes have specific surface area of 12.04-24.11 m(2)/g and pure water flux (PWF) of 10-50 ml/cm(2) min with porosity of 63-75%. The membranes, made of 0.15 50 wt.% PEI/CA ratio and 0.5 crosslinking agent/PEI ratio, were applied to adsorbing Cu2+ and bovine serum albumin (BSA) individually. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cu2+ ion on the blend membrane is 7.42 mg/g dry membrane. The maximum adsorption capacities of BSA on the membranes with and without chelating Cu2+ ion are 86.6 and 43.8 mg/g dry membrane, respectively. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NOx storage-reduction over Pt/Mg-Al-O catalysts with different Mg/Al atomic ratios

A series of Pt/Mg-Al-O catalysts with different Mg/Al atomic ratios were prepared. The NOx storage capacities of these catalysts were measured by isothermal storage at 350 degreesC. It was found that the NOx storage capacity increased with increasing Mg/Al atomic ratios. The catalytic behaviors of Pt/Mg-Al-O and Pt/MgO were studied with storage-reduction cycles at 400 degreesC. Under oxidizing conditions, NOx concentration in the outlet gas gradually increased with time, which indicated the catalysts could store NOx effectively. After a switch from oxidizing conditions to reducing conditions, NOx desorption peak emerged immediately due to the incomplete reduction of stored NOx, which lowered the total NOx conversion. With increasing Mg/Al atomic ratio in the catalysts, NOx conversion increases. Pt/MgO has the highest NOx conversion because of its best activity in the reduction of NOx by C3H6. It seems that with an increasing amount of MgO in the catalysts, the self-poisoning of Pt-sites by adsorbed species during the reaction of NOx with C3H6 may be inhibited effectively.

Synthesis and characterization of carbon black supported Pt-Ru alloy as a model catalyst for fuel cells

A set of bimetallic Pt-Ru catalysts prepared by co-impregnation of carbon black with ruthenium(III) chloride hydrate and hydrogen hexachloroplatinate(IV) hydrate were investigated by temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), chemisorption of hydrogen, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), microcalorimetry of adsorbed CO and a structure-sensitive reaction (n-hexane conversion). The results showed that the volumetric capacities for CO and H-2 adsorption is influenced in the bimetallic Pt-Ru catalysts by the formation of a Pt-Ru alloy. The n-hexane reaction revealed that the reaction mechanism for the pure Pt catalyst mainly occurs via cyclic isomerization and aromatization due to the presence of bigger Pt surface ensembles, whereas the Pt-Ru catalysts exhibited predominantly bond-shift isomerization by the diluting effect of Ru metal addition. The differential heats of CO chemisorption on Pt-Ru catalysts fell between the two monometallic Pt and Ru catalysts extremes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calorimetric study on two biphenyl liquid crystals

The molar heat capacities of the two biphenyl liquid crystals, 3BmFF and 3BmFFXF3, with a purity of 99.7 mol% have been precisely measured by a fully automated precision adiabatic calorimeter in the temperature range between T = 80 and 350 K. Nematic phase-liquid phase transitions were found between T = 297 K and 300 K with a peak temperature of T-peak = (298.071 +/- 0.089) K for 3BmFF, and between T = 316 and 319 K with a peak temperature of T-peak = (315.543 +/- 0.043) K for 3BmFFXF3. The molar enthalpy (Delta(trs)H(m)) and entropy (Delta(trs)S(m)) corresponding to these phase transitions have been determined by means of the analysis of the heat capacity curves, which are (15.261 +/- 0.023) U mol(-1) and (51.202 +/- 0.076) J K-1 mol(-1) for 3BmFF, (31.624 +/- 0.066) kJ mol(-1) and (100.249 +/- 0.212) J K-1 mol(-1) for 3BmFFXF3, respectively. The real melting points (TI) and the ideal melting points (TO) with no impurities of the two compounds have been obtained from the fractional melting method to be (298.056 +/- 0.018) K and (298.165 +/- 0.038) K for 3BmFF, (315.585 +/- 0.043) K and (315.661 +/- 0.044) K for 3BmFFXF3, respectively. In addition, the transitions of these two biphenyl liquid crystals from nematic phase to liquid phase have further been investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) technique; the repeatability and reliability for these phase transitions were verified. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermochemical and thermal analysis on N-(p-methylphenyl)-N '-(2-pyridyl)urea

Low temperature heat capacities of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea were determined by adiabatic calorimetry method in the temperature range from 80 to 370 K. It was found that there was not any heat anomaly in this temperature region. Based on the experimental data, some thermodynamic function results were obtained. Thermal stability and decomposition characteristics analysis of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea were carried out by DSC and TG. The results indicated that N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea started to melt at ca. 426 K (153degreesC) and the melting peak located at 447.01 K (173.86degreesC). The melting enthalpy was 204.445 kJ mol(-1) (899.6 J g(-1)). The decomposition peak of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea was found at 499.26 K (226.11degreesC) from DSC curve. This result was similar with that from TG and DTG experiment, in which the mass loss peak was determined as 500.4 K (227.2degreesC).

Thermodynamic investigation on properties of gasohol

The heat capacities (C-p) of three types of gasohol (which consisted of 20 wt % ethanol and 80 wt % unleaded gasoline 93(#) (system S1), 30 wt % ethanol and 70 wt % unleaded gasoline 931 (system S2), 40 wt % ethanol and 60 wt % unleaded gasoline 930 (system S3), where "93(#)" denotes the octane number) were measured by adiabatic calorimetry in the temperature range of 80320 K. A glass transition was observed at 94.24, 95.15, and 95.44 K for system S1, S2, and S3, respectively. A solid-solid phase transition and solid-liquid phase transition were observed at 135.18 and 151.30 K for system S1, 131.82 and 152.10 K for system S2, and 121.29 and 155.09 K for S3, respectively. The polynomial equations for C, with respect to the thermodynamic temperature (T), and with respect to the content of ethanol (x), were established through the least-squares fitting. The thermodynamic functions and the excess thermodynamic functions of the three samples were derived using these thermodynamic relationships and equations.

Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of pyrimethanil myristic salt (C26H41N3O2)

Pyrimethanil myristic salt was synthesized and its heat capacities were measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from T = (79 to 360) K. The melting point, molar enthalpy, Delta(fus)H(m) and entropy, Delta(fus)S(m), of fusion of this compound were determined to be (321.84 +/- 0.05) K, (56.53 +/- 0.03) kJ . mol(-1) and (175.64 +/- 0.05) J . mol(-1) . K-1, respectively. The purity of the compound was calculated to be 98.99 mol% by using the fractional melting technique. The thermodynamic functions relative to the reference temperature, T = 298.15 K, were calculated based on the heat capacity measurements in the temperature ranges from T = (80 to 360) K. The TG-DTG results demonstrate that the mass loss of the sample takes place in one step with the maximum rate at T = 500 K, which was caused by evaporation of the sample. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of crystalline ornidazole (C7H10ClN3O3)

The molar heat capacities of 1-(2-hydroxy-3-chloropropyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole (Ornidazole) (C7H10CIN3O3) with purity of 99.72mol% were measured with an adiabatic calorimeter in the temperature range between 79 and 380K. The melting-point temperature, molar enthalpy Delta(fus)H(m), and entropy, Delta(fus)S(m), of fusion of this compound were determined to be 358.59 +/- 0.04K, 21.38 +/- 0.02 kJ mol(-1) and 59.61 +/- 0.05 J K-1 mol(-1), respectively, from fractional melting experiments. The thermodynamic function data relative to the reference temperature (298.15 K) were calculated based on the heat capacities measurements in the temperature range from 80 to 380 K. The thermal stability of the compound was further investigated by DSC and TG. From the DSC curve an intensive exothermic peak assigned to the thermal decomposition of the compound was observed in the range of 445-590 K with the peak temperature of 505 K. Subsequently, a slow exothermic effect appears when the temperature is higher than 590 K, which is probably due to the further decomposition of the compound. The TG curve indicates the mass loss of the sample starts at about 440K, which corresponds to the decomposition of the sample. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic studies of monuron

Monuron (C9H11ClN2O; N,N-dimethyl-N'-(4-chlorophenyl) urea, CAS 150-68-5) was synthesized and the heat capacities of the compound were measured in the temperature range from 79 to 385 K with a high precision automated adiabatic calorimeter. No phase transition or thermal anomaly was observed in this range. The enthalpy and entropy data of the compound relative to the reference temperature 298.15 K were derived based on the heat capacity data. The thermodynamic properties of the compound were further investigated through DSC and TG analysis. The melting point, the molar enthalpy, and entropy of fusion were determined to be 447.6 +/- 0.1 K, 29.3 +/- 0.2 kJ mol(-1), and 65.4 J K-1 mol(-1), respectively. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heat capacity and enthalpy of fusion of penconazole (C13H15C12N3)

Low-temperature heat capacities of penconazole (C13H15Cl2N3) were precisely measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature rang from 78 to 364 K. The sample was observed to melt at 332.38 +/- 0.06 K. The molar enthalpy and entropy of fusion of the compound were determined to be 33580 +/- 11 J mol(-1), 101.03 +/- 0.02 J mol(-1) K-1, respectively. Further research of the melting process for this compound was carried out by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The result was in agreement with that obtained from the measurements of heat capacities. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic study of ibuprofen by adiabatic calorimetry and thermal analysis

Molar heat capacities of ibuprofen were precisely measured with a small sample precision automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 80 to 400 K. The polynomial functions of C-p,C-m (J K-1 mol(-1)) versus T were established on the heat capacity measurements by means of the least fitting square method. The functions are as follows: for solid ibuprofen, at the temperature range of 79.105 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 333.297 K, C-p,C-m = 144.27 + 77.046X + 3.5171X(2) + 10.925X(3) + 11.224X(4), where X = (T - 206.201)/127.096; for liquid ibuprofen, at the temperature range of 353.406 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 378.785 K, C-p,C-m = 325.79 + 8.9696X - 1.6073X(2) - 1.5145 X-3, where X = (T - 366.095)/12.690. A fusion transition at T = 348.02 K was found from the C-p-T curve. The molar enthalpy and entropy of the fusion transition were determined to be 26.65 kJ mol(-1) and 76.58 J mol(-1) K-1, respectively. The thermodynamic functions on the base of the reference temperature of 298.15 K, (H-T - H-298.15) and (S-T - S-298.15), were derived. Thermal characteristic of ibuprofen was studied by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TG-DTG) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The temperature of fusion, the molar enthalpy and entropy of fusion obtained by DSC were well consistent with those obtained by adiabatic calorimeter. The evaporation process of ibuprofen was investigated further by TG and DTG, and the activation energy of the evaporation process was determined to be 80.3 +/- 1.4 kJ mol(-1). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-temperature heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of crystalline carboxin (C12H13NO2S)

Carboxin was synthesized and its heat capacities were measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 79 to 380K. The melting point, molar enthalpy (Delta(fus)H(m)) and entropy (Delta(fus)S(m)) of fusion of this compound were determined to be 365.29 +/- 0.06K, 28.193 +/- 0.09 kJ mol(-1) and 77.180 +/- 0.02 J mol(-1) K-1, respectively. The purity of the compound was determined to be 99.55 mol% by using the fractional melting technique. The thermodynamic functions relative to the reference temperature (298.15 K) were calculated based on the heat capacity measurements in the temperature range between 80 and 360 K. The thermal stability of the compound was further investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The DSC curve indicates that the sample starts to decompose at ca. 290degreesC with the peak temperature at 292.7degreesC. The TG-DTG results demonstrate the maximum mass loss rate occurs at 293degreesC corresponding to the maximum decomposition rate. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Low-temperature heat capacity and standard molar enthalpy of formation of 9-fluorenemethanol (C14H12O)

Low-temperature heat capacities of the 9-fluorenemethanol (C14H12O) have been precisely measured with a small sample automatic adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range between T = 78 K and T = 390 K. The solid-liquid phase transition of the compound has been observed to be T-fus = (376.567 +/- 0.012) K from the heat-capacity measurements. The molar enthalpy and entropy of the melting of the substance were determined to be Delta(fus)H(m) = (26.273 +/- 0.013) kJ (.) mol(-1) and Delta(fus)S(m) = (69.770 +/- 0.035) J (.) K-1 (.) mol(-1). The experimental values of molar heat capacities in solid and liquid regions have been fitted to two polynomial equations by the least squares method. The constant-volume energy and standard molar enthalpy of combustion of the compound have been determined, Delta(c)U(C14H12O, s) = -(7125.56 +/- 4.62) kJ (.) mol(-1) and Delta(c)H(m)degrees(C14H12O, s) = -(7131.76 +/- 4.62) kJ (.) mol(-1), by means of a homemade precision oxygen-bomb combustion calorimeter at T = (298.15 +/- 0.001) K. The standard molar enthalpy of formation of the compound has been derived, Delta(f)H(m)degrees (C14H12O, s) = -(92.36 +/- 0.97) kJ (.) mol(-1), from the standard molar enthalpy of combustion of the compound in combination with other auxiliary thermodynamic quantities through a Hess thermochemical cycle. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heat capacity and enthalpy of fusion of pyrimethanil laurate (C24H37N3O2)

Low-temperature heat capacities of pyrimethanil laurate (C24H37N3O2) were precisely measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range between T = 78 K and T = 340 K. The sample was observed to melt at (321.52 +/- 0.04) K. The molar enthalpy and entropy of fusion as well as the chemical purity of the compound were determined to be (67244 +/- 11) J (.) mol(-1), (209.28 +/- 0.02) J (.) mol(-1) (.) K-1, (0.9943 +/- 0.0004) mass fraction, respectively. The extrapolated melting temperature for the absolutely pure compound obtained from fractional melting experiments was (322.264 +/- 0.006) K. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.