Syntheses, crystal structures and magnetic properties of two heterometallic coordination polymers

Two heterometallic chain coordination polymers with the chemical formula {[Cu2Mn2L2(CH3OH)(H2O)] center dot 0.5CH(3)OH center dot 0.5CH(3)CH(2)OH}(n) (1) and {[Cu2Co2L2(H2O)(2)] center dot H2O}(n) (2) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray structural analysis, where H4L = 2-hydroxy-3-[(E)-({2-[(2-hydroxybetizoyl)amino]ethyl}imino)methyl] benzoic acid. Magnetic measurements showed that the two compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic coupling exchange interactions, and satisfactory fittings to the observed magnetic susceptibility data were obtained by assuming a linear four-spin arrangement with two isotropic magnetic exchange interactions.

The multicolour three-photon resonant ionization spectrum studies in uranium atom

The multicolour three-photon resonant ionization spectra of U-238 were measured by using the pulsed dye lasers system synchronously pumped by a frequency doubled Nd:YAG-laser 532 nm output(operated at 10 Hz),a device for atomic beam of U, time-of-flight mass spectrometer and boxcar integrator. The dye laser pulses have a 6 ns duration. Beams from the dye lasers, which have the same polarization direction and are focused by lenses, entered an interaction chamber through opposite windows on a common axis and spatialy overlapped the U atomic beam. The optical pulse from dye laser DL2 was delayed to arrive at the interaction region 8 ns after the pulse from dye laser DL1; in the same way,the pulse from DL3 was delayed 8 ns after from DL2. The atomic beam device was made from stainless steel. We generated the U vapor by heating solid U in a graphite crucible by e-type electron -field on first excited states were studied in uranium atom. The question how to determine single-colour, two-colour and three-colour three-photon resonant ionization peak in the three-colour three-photon resonant ionization spectra diagram were solved.

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange reactions of cis- and trans-cyclopropane derivatives with D2O and CD3OD in the gas phase

Gas-phase hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange reactions involving four isomeric cyclopropane derivatives were investigated under chemical ionization (CI) conditions, using D2O and CD3OD as reagent gases. There are abundant ions at [M + 1](+), [M + 2](+) and [M + 3](+) in the D2O and CD3OD positive-ion CI mass spectra of the two isomer pairs 1, 2 and 3, 4, Their CI mass spectra are identical with each pair, and so are the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of ions [M + 1](+), [M + 2](+) and [M + 3](+) of each of the two isomer pairs. The CID spectra of [M + 1](+) ions indicate that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which take place between molecular ions and deuterium-labeling reagents to form the [M - H + D](+) ions. Those of their [M + 2](+) ions show that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which form the [M-d1 + H](+) ions. Those of their [M + 3](+) ions show that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which take place between the [M-d1] and deuterium-labeling reagents to produce [Md-2 + H](+) for the isomer pair 1, 2 and [M-d1 + D](+) for the Isomer pair 3, 4. The number and position, and active order of the active hydrogen atoms of the isomer pairs 1, 2 and 3, 4 were determined. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

H/D exchange reaction of cyclopropane derivatives in the ion system of CD3OD

The fragmentation properties of the product ions [M + 1](+), [M + 2](+) and [M + 3](+) formed by ion-molecule reaction of four cyclopropane derivatives with the ion system of CD3OD were investigated by using collision-induced dissocation technique. The experiment results indicated that the product ions were produced via the H/D exchange reaction between reactants and reactive reagent ions of CD3OD. There are two exchangable hydrogen atoms on the ring of compounds 1 and 2, and only one for compound 3 and 4.

The transfer of chloride ion across an anion exchange membrane

The transfer of chloride ions into a low resistance anion exchange membrane (AEM) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectra. In all cases, concentration polarization of Cl- ions is exterior to the membrane. It controls the flux and produces the limiting currents: either steady state or transient (peak type) current. In CV experiments, when the size of the holes in the membrane was much smaller than the distance between membrane holes, the Cl- anion transfer showed steady state voltammetric behavior. Each hole in the membrane can be regarded as a microelectrode and the membrane was equivalent to a microelectrode array in this condition. When the hole in the membrane was large or the distance between membrane holes was small, the CV curve of the Cl- anion transfer across the membrane showed a peak shape, which was attributed to linear diffusion. In AC impedance measurement, the impedance spectrum of the membrane system was composed of two semicircles at low DC bias, corresponding to the bulk characteristics of the membrane and the kinetic process of ion transfer, respectively. The bulk membrane resistance increases with increasing DC bias and only one semicircle was observed at higher DC bias. The parameters related to kinetic and membrane properties were discussed.

Isolation and purification of phycoerythrin from red alga Garcilaria verrucosa by expanded-bed-adsorption and ion-exchange chromatogaphy

R-phycoerythrin was isolated and purified from Gracilaria verrucosa on an expanded-bed adsorption column combined with ion-exchange chromatography, which can effectively solve the problem of blockage of chromatographic columns due to polysaccharides during isolation and purification of phycobiliproteins. 0.1 M (NH4)(2)SO4 proved best to elute R-phycoerythrin from the expanded-bed column, and desalted 0.1 M (NH4)(2)SO4 eluate was used on an ion-exchange column to purify the R-phycoerythrin. Using this two-stage chromatography, the purity (OD565/OD280) of the R-phycoerythrin from G. verrucosa is increased to 4.4, and the yield of purified R-phycoerythrin can reach 0.141 mg . g(-1) of the frozen alga.

Carbon Dioxide Exchange Between the Atmosphere and an Alpine Shrubland Meadow During the Growing Season on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

In the present study, we used the eddy covariance method to measure CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and an alpine shrubland meadow ecosystem (37°36'N, 101°18'E; 3 250 m a.s.l.) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, during the growing season in 2003, from 20 April to 30 September. This meadow is dominated by formations of Potentilla fruticosa L. The soil is Mol-Cryic Cambisols. During the study period, the meadow was not grazed. The maximum rates of CO2 uptake and release derived from the diurnal course of CO2 flux were -9.38 and 5.02 μmol•m-2•s-1, respectively. The largest daily CO2 uptake was 1.7 g C•m-2•d-1 on 14 July, which is less than half that of an alpine Kobresia meadow ecosystem at similar latitudes. Daily CO2 uptake during the measurement period indicated that the alpine shrubland meadow ecosystem may behave as a sink of atmospheric CO2 during the growing season. The daytime CO2 uptake was correlated exponentially or linearly with the daily photo synthetic photon flux density each month. The daytime average water use efficiency of the ecosystem was 6.47 mg CO2/g H2O. The efficiency of the ecosystem increased with a decrease in vapor pressure deficit.

CO2H2O and energy exchange of an Inner Mongolia steppe ecosystem during a dry and wet year

We used an eddy covariance technique to measure evapotranspiration and carbon flux over two very different growing seasons for a typical steppe on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. The rainfall during the 2004 growing season (344.7 mm) was close to the annual average (350.43 mm). In contrast, precipitation during the 2005 growing season was significantly lower than average (only 126 mm). The wet 2004 growing season had a higher peak evapotranspiration (4 mm day(-1)) than did the dry 2005 growing season (3.3 mm day(-1)). In 2004, latent heat flux was mainly a consumption resource for net radiation, accounting for similar to 46% of net radiation. However, sensible heat flux dominated the energy budget over the whole growing season in 2005, accounting for 60% of net radiation. The evaporative rate (LE/R-n) dropped by a factor of four from the non-soil stress to soil water limiting conditions. Maximum half-hourly CO2 uptake was -0.68 mg m(-2) s(-1) and maximum ecosystem exchange was 4.3 g CO2 m(-2) day(-1) in 2004. The 2005 drought growing stage had a maximum CO2 exchange value of only -0.22 mg m(-2) s(-1) and a continuous positive integrated-daily CO2 flux over the entire growing season, i.e. the ecosystem became a net carbon source. Soil respiration was temperature dependent when the soil was under non-limiting soil moisture conditions, but this response declined with soil water stress. Water availability and a high vapor pressure deficit severely limited carbon fixing of this ecosystem; thus, during the growing season, the capacity to fix CO2 was closely related to both timing and frequency of rainfall events. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Seasonal and interannual variation in water vapor and energy exchange over a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, China

In this study, we conducted eddy covariance (EC) measurements of water vapor exchange over a typical steppe in a semi-arid area of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. Measurement sites were located within a 25-year-old enclosure with a relatively low leaf area index (similar to 1. 5 m(2) m(-2)) and dominated by Leymus chinensis. Energy balance closure was (H + LE) = 17.09 + 0.69 x (Rn - G) (W/m(2); r(2) = 0.95, n = 6596). Precipitation during the two growing seasons of the study period was similar to the long-term average. The peak evapotranspiration in 2004 was 4 mm d(-1), and 3.5 mm d(-1) in 2003. The maximum latent heat flux was higher than the sensible heat flux, and the sensible heat flux dominated the energy budget at midday during the entire growing season in 2003; latent heat flux was the main consumption component for net radiation during the 2004 growing season. During periods of frozen soil in 2003 and 2004, the sensible heat flux was the primary consumption component for net radiation. The soil heat flux component was similar in 2003 and 2004. The decoupling coefficient (between 0.5 and 0.1) indicates that evapotranspiration was strongly controlled by saturation water vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in this grassland. The results of this research suggest that energy exchange and evapotranspiration were controlled by the phenology of the vegetation and soil water content. In addition, the amount and frequency of rainfall significantly affect energy exchange and evapotranspiration upon the Inner Mongolia plateau. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of temperature on CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and an alpine meadow

The alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is characterized by low temperatures because of its high elevation. The low-temperature environment may limit both ecosystem photosynthetic CO2 uptake and ecosystem respiration, and thus affect the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE). We clarified the low-temperature constraint on photosynthesis and respiration in an alpine meadow ecosystem on the northern edge of the plateau using flux measurements obtained by the eddy covariance technique in two growing seasons. When we compared NEE during the two periods, during which the leaf area index and other environmental parameters were similar but the mean temperature differed, we found that NEE from 9 August to 10 September 2001, when the average temperature was low, was greater than that during the same period in 2002, when the average temperature was high, but the ecosystem gross primary production was similar during the two periods. Further analysis showed that ecosystem respiration was significantly higher in 2002 than in 2001 during the study period, as estimated from the relationship between temperature and nighttime ecosystem respiration. The results suggest that low temperature controlled the NEE mainly through its influence on ecosystem respiration. The annual NEE, estimated from 15 January 2002 to 14 January 2003, was about 290 g CO2 m(-2) year(-1). The optimum temperature for ecosystem NEE under light-saturated conditions was estimated to be around 15 degrees C.

Depression of net ecosystem CO2 exchange in semi-arid Leymus chinensis steppe and alpine shrub

Uptake and release of carbon in grassland ecosystems is very critical to the global carbon balance and carbon storage. In this study, the dynamics of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (FNEE) of two grassland ecosystems were observed continuously using the eddy covariance technique during the growing season of 2003. One is the alpine shrub on the Tibet Plateau, and the other is the sem-arid Leymus chinensis steppe in Inner Mongolia of China. It was found that the FNEE of both ecosystems was significantly depressed under high solar radiation. Comprehensive analysis indicates that the depression of FNEE in the L. chinensis steppe was the results of decreased plant photosynthesis and increased ecosystem respiration (R-eco) under high temperature. Soil water stress in addition to the high atmospheric demand under the strong radiation was the primary factor limiting the stomatal conductance. In contrast, the depression of FNEE in the alpine shrub was closely related to the effects of temperature on both photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration, coupled with the reduction of plant photosynthesis due to partial stomatal closure under high temperature at mid-day. The R,c of the alpine shrub was sensitive to soil temperature during high turbulence (u* > 0.2 m s(-1)) but its FNEE decreased markedly when the temperature was higher than the optimal value of about 12 degrees C. Such low optimal temperature contrasted the optimal value (about 20 degrees C) for the steppe, and was likely due to the acclimation of most alpine plants to the long-term low temperature on the Tibet Plateau. We inferred that water stress was the primary factor causing depression of the FNEE in the semi-arid steppe ecosystem, while relative high temperature under strong solar radiation was the main reason for the decrease of FNEE in the alpine shrub. This study implies that different grassland ecosystems may respond differently to climate change in the future. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Leaf orientation, incident sunlight, and photosynthesis in the alpine species Suassurea superba and Gentiana straminea on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The extremely high level of solar radiation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may induce photoinhibition and thus limit leaf carbon gain. To assess the effect of high light, we examined gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence for two species differing in light interception: the prostrate Saussurea superba and the erect-leaved Gentiana straminea. In controlled conditions with favorable water and temperature, neither species showed apparent photoinhibition in gas exchange measurements. In natural environment, however, their photosynthetic rate decreased remarkably at high light. Photosynthesis depression was aggravated under high leaf temperature or soil water stress. Relative stomatal limitation was much higher in S. superba than in G. straminea and it remarkably increased in the later species at midday when soil was dry. F-v/F-m as an indicator for photoinhibition was generally higher in S. superba than in the other species. F-v/F-m decreased significantly under high light at midday in both species, even when soil moisture was high. F-0 linearly elevated with the increment of leaf temperature in G. straminea, but remained almost constant in S. superba. Electron transport rate (ETR) increased with photosynthetically active photon flux density (PPFD) in S. superba, but declined when PPFD was high than about 1000 mumol m(-2) s(-1) in G. straminea. Compared to favorable environment, the estimated daily leaf carbon gain at PPFD above 800 mumol m(-2) s(-1) was reduced by 32% in S. superba and by 17% in G. straminea when soil was moist, and by 43% and 53%, respectively, when soil was dry. Our results suggest that the high radiation induces photoinhibition and significantly limits photosynthetic carbon gain, and the limitation may further increase at higher temperature and in dry soil.

Carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and an alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

We used the eddy covariance method to measure the M exchange between the atmosphere and an alpine meadow ecosystem (37degrees29-45'N, 101degrees12-23'E, 3250m a.s.l.) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China in the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons. The maximum rates Of CO2 uptake and release derived from the diurnal course Of CO2 flux (FCO2) were -10.8 and 4.4 mumol m(-2) s(-1), respectively, indicating a relatively high net carbon sequestration potential as compared to subalpine coniferous forest at similar elevation and latitude. The largest daily CO2 uptake was 3.9 g cm(-2) per day on 7 July 2002, which is less than half of those reported for lowland grassland and forest at similar latitudes. The daily CO2 uptake during the measurement period indicated that the alpine ecosystem might behave as a sink of atmospheric M during the growing season if the carbon lost due to grazing is not significant. The daytime CO2 uptake was linearly correlated with the daily photosynthetic photon flux density each month. The nighttime averaged F-CO2 showed a positive exponential correlation with the soil temperature, but apparently negative correlation with the soil water content. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes supported PtRu catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

A series of PtRu nanocomposites supported on H2O2-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized via two chemical reduction methods - one used aqueous formaldehyde (HCHO method) and the other used ethylene glycol (EG method) as the reducing agents. The effects of the solvents (water and ethylene glycol) and the surface composition of the MWCNTs on the deposition and the dispersion of the metal particles were investigated using N-2 adsorption. TEM. ICP-AES. FTIR and TPD. The wetting heats of the MWCNTs in corresponding solvents were also measured. The characterizations suggest that combination of the surface chemistry of the MWCNTs with the solvents decides the deposition and the dispersion of the metal nanoparticles. These nanocomposites were evaluated as proton exchange membrane fuel cell anode catalyts for oxidation of 50 ppm CO contaminated hydrogen and compared with a commercial PtRu/C catalyst. The data reveal superior performances for the nanocomposites prepared by the EG method to those by the HCHO method and even to that for tile Commercial analogue. Structure performance relationship of the nanocomposites was also studied. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.