Polyelectrolyte-functionalized ionic liquid for electrochemistry in supporting electrolyte-free aqueous solutions and application in amperometric flow injection analysis

As a green process, electrochemistry in aqueous solution without a supporting electrolyte has been described based on a simple polyelectrolyte-functionalized ionic liquid (PFIL)-modified electrode. The studied PFIL material combines features of ionic liquids and traditional polyelectrolytes. The ionic liquid part provides a high ionic conductivity and affinity to many different compounds. The polyelectrolyte part has a good stability in aqueous solution and a capability of being immobilized on different substrates. The electrochemical properties of such a PFIL-modified electrode assembly in a supporting electrolyte-free solution have been investigated by using an electrically neutral electroactive species, hydroquinone ( HQ) as the model compound. The partition coefficient and diffusion coefficient of HQ in the PFIL film were calculated to be 0.346 and 4.74 X 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1), respectively. Electrochemistry in PFIL is similar to electrochemistry in a solution of traditional supporting electrolytes, except that the electrochemical reaction takes place in a thin film on the surface of the electrode. PFILs are easily immobilized on solid substrates, are inexpensive and electrochemically stable. A PFIL-modified electrode assembly is successfully used in the flow analysis of HQ by amperometric detection in solution without a supporting electrolyte.

Electrooxidative polymerization of phenothiazine derivatives on screen-printed carbon electrode and its application to determine NADH in flow injection analysis system

The electrooxidation polymerization of phenothiazine derivatives, including azure A and toluidine blue 0, has been studied at screen-printed carbon electrodes in neutral phosphate buffer. Both compounds yield strongly adsorbed electroactive polymer with reversible behavior and formal potentials closed to 0.04 V at pH 6.9. The modified electrodes exhibited good stability and electrocatalysis for NADH oxidation in phosphate buffer (pH 6.9), with an overpotential of more than 500 mV lower than that of the bare electrodes. Further, the modified screen-printed carbon electrodes were found to be promising as an amperometric detector for the flow injection analysis (FIA) of NADH, typically with a dynamic range of 0.5-100 muM.

Electropolymerization of azure B on a screen-printed carbon electrode and its application to the determination of NADH in a flow injection analysis system

The electrooxidation polymerization of azure B on screen-printed carbon electrodes in neutral phosphate buffer was studied. The poly(azure B) modified electrodes exhibited excellent electrocatalysis and stability for dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidation in phosphate buffer (pH 6.9), with an overpotential of more than 400 mV lower than that at the bare electrodes. Different techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the poly (azure B) film. Furthermore, the modified screen-printed carbon electrodes were found to be promising as an amperometric detector for the flow injection analysis (FIA) of NADH, typically with a dynamic range of 0.5 muM to 100 muM.

Synergistic effect of supported nickel catalyst with intumescent flame-retardants on flame retardancy and thermal stability of polypropylene

Supported nickel catalyst (Ni-Cat) was used as a catalyst to improve the flame retarclancy of intumescent flame-retardants (IFR) systems based on ammonium polyphosphate and pentaerythritol (PETOL) in polypropylene (PP) matrix. Limited oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 rating, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the flame retardancy and thermal stability of the PP systems, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to analyze the microstructure and composition of the chars formed during measuring LOI value and after combustion at 800 degrees C. The catalytic effect of NiCat was shown in an increase of LOI, a change in the char microstructure, and improvement of the thermal stability in the PP systems, which result from the synergistic effect of Ni-Cat and IFR. The results from FE-SEM and FTIR spectra of the char can explain how this synergistic effect happened.

Preparation of poly(thionine) modified screen-printed carbon electrode and its application to determine NADH in flow injection analysis system

A poly(thionine) modified screen-printed carbon electrode has been prepared by an electrooxidative polymerization of thionine in neutral phosphate buffer. The modified electrodes are found to give stable and reproducible electrocatlytic responses to NADH and exhibit good stability. Several techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), have been employed to characterize the poly(thionine) film. Further, the modified screen-printed carbon electrode was found to be promising as an amperometric detector for the flow injection analysis (FIA) of NADH, typically with a dynamic range of 5-100 muM.

Synthesis, characterization, stability and relaxation behaviours of rare earth heteropolymetalates

Two rare earth heteropolymetalates K9GdW10O36 and K-11[Gd(PW11O39)(2)] have been synthesized and characterized by IR and elemental analysis. Their stability has been studied by TG - DTA. The TG - DTA analysis show that both complexes are of good thermal stability. Their relaxivity in D2O is 6.89 and 5.27 mmol(-1).s(-1) respectively. Interaction with BSA has also been investigated. The results indicate that the two rare earth heteropolymetalate may be potential contrast agent for MRI.

THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF Y1-XCAXBA2CU3O7-Y

TG and DTA analysis of Y1-xCaxBa2Cu3O7-y suggests that the stability of the 123 phase increases with increasing Ca contents. The O(1) in the Cu(1)-O chain is unstable but O(2) and O(3) in Cu(2)-O planes are very stable. There are hardly any oxygen vacanci

FLOW-INJECTION ANALYSIS OF GLUCOSE AT AN AMPEROMETRIC GLUCOSE SENSOR-BASED ON ELECTROCHEMICAL CODEPOSITION OF PALLADIUM AND GLUCOSE-OXIDASE ON A GLASSY-CARBON ELECTRODE

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with palladium provides excellent electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. When the electrolyte contains palladium chloride and glucose oxidase, the GCE can be modified by electrochemical codeposition at a given potential. The resulting modified surface was coated with a thin film of Nation to form a glucose sensor. Such a glucose sensor was successfully used in the flow-injection analysis of glucose with high stability and anti-poisoning ability. It gave a detection limit of 1 X 10(-7) M injected glucose, with a linear concentration range of 0.001-8 mM. There is no obvious interference from substances such as ascorbate and saccharides.

AMPEROMETRIC FLOW-INJECTION ANALYSIS OF HYDRAZINE BY ELECTROCATALYTIC OXIDATION AT COBALT TETRAPHENYLPORPHYRIN MODIFIED ELECTRODE WITH HEAT-TREATMENT

Chemically modified electrodes prepared by treating the cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin modified glassy-carbon electrode at 750-degrees (HCME) are shown to catalyze the electrooxidation of hydrazine. The oxidation occurred at +0.63 V vs. Ag/AgCl (saturated potassium chloride) in pH 2.5 media. The catalytic response is evaluated with respect to solution pH, potential scan-rate, concentration dependence and flow-rate. The catalytic stability of the HCME is compared with that of the cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbed glassy-carbon electrode. The stability of the HCME was excellent in acidic solution and even in solutions containing organic solvent (50% CH3OH). When used as the sensing electrode in amperometric detection in flow-injection analysis, the HCME permitted sensitive detection of hydrazine at 0.5 V. The limit of detection was 0.1 ng. The linear range was from 50 ng to 2.4-mu-g. The method is very sensitive and selective.

THERMAL ANALYSIS AND INFRARED SPECTRA OF DIALKYLAMMONIUM TETRAC HLOROCUPRATE

The thermal stability and the solid solid phase transitions in Ills compounds with n = 7-12 have been studied by DSC and TG methods. Comparision with CnZn compounds want made. The nature of three phases of CnCu has been discussed in terms of infrared spectroscopy and the assignment of the phase transitions has been given. The thermal stability of CnCu is lower than that of CnZn and presents an obvious odd even effect. All of these compounds exhibit two solid solid phase transitions in the temperature range of 248-337 K. The peak tempe nature of phase transitions changes regularly. The peak temperature or the main phase transition increases with the chain length. The total transition enthalpies and entropies increase with increasing chain length. When n <= 9, the high temperature phase exists in a partial disorder state. When n >= 10, the high temperature phase exists in a conformational disorder state. The main phase transition and the phase transition at 307.7 K of CnCu may mainly are from the change of the packing structure and the change of the partial conformational order-disorder of alkyl chain, respectively.

THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF POLYARYLENE ETHER SULFONES AND POLYIMIDES

Some results on the thermal analysis of polyimides and polyaryl ether sulfones, some reactions and the purity determination of the monomers, and the thermal stability and kinetic analysis of the thermo-oxidative degradation of these polymers are described.

THE USE OF CHEMICALLY MODIFIED ELECTRODES FOR LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY AND FLOW-INJECTION ANALYSIS

The use of chemically modified electrodes (CMEs) for liquid chromatography and flow-injection analysis is reviewed. Electrochemical detection with CMEs based on electrocatalysis, permselectivity, ion flow in redox films, and ion transfer across the water-solidified nitrobenzene interface is discussed in terms of improving the stability, selectivity, and scope of electrochemical detectors, and the detection of electroinactive substances. More than 90 references are included.

Isolation, characterization and electron microscopic single particle analysis of the NADH : ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) from the hyperthermophilic eubacterium Aquifex aeolicus

The proton-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) has been purified from Aquifex aeolicus, a hyperthermophilic eubacterium of known genome sequence. The purified detergent solubilized enzyme is highly active above 50 degreesC. The specific activity for electron transfer from NADH to decylubiquinone is 29 U/mg at 80 degreesC. The A. aeolicus complex I is completely sensitive to rotenone and 2-n-decyl-quinazoline-4-yl-amine. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that it may contain up to 14 subunits. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the bands indicates the presence of a stable subcomplex, which is composed of subunits E, F, and G. The isolated complex is highly stable and active in a temperature range from 50 to 90 degreesC, with a half-life of about 10 h at 80 degreesC. The activity shows a linear Arrhenius plot at 50-85 degreesC with an activation energy at 31.92 J/mol K. Single particle electron microscopy shows that the A. aeolicus complex I has the typical L-shape. However, visual inspection of averaged images reveals many more details in the external arm of the complex than has been observed for complex I from other sources. In addition, the angle (90degrees) between the cytoplasmic peripheral arm and the membrane intrinsic arm of the complex appears to be invariant.

Analysis of diets of upland buzzards using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes

We measured the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios for muscles of the upland buzzards (Buteo hemilasius) and their potential food sources, plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae), Qinghai voles (Lasiopodomys fuscus), plateau zokors (Myospalax fontanierii), and several passerine bird species at the alpine meadow in Maduo county, Guoluo prefecture of Qinghai province, People's Republic of China, to provide diet information of upland buzzards, highlighting different diet composition of upland buzzards exposed to different locations. The results demonstrated that stable carbon isotope ratios of upland buzzards, passerine birds, plateau pikas, plateau zokors, and Qinghai voles were -24.42 +/- 0.25parts per thousand, -22.89 +/- 1.48parts per thousand, -25.30 +/- 1.47parts per thousand, -25.78 +/- 0.22parts per thousand, and -25.41 +/- 0.01parts per thousand, respectively, and stable nitrogen isotope ratios were 7.89 +/- 0.38parts per thousand, 8.37 +/- 2.05parts per thousand, 5.83 +/- 1.10parts per thousand, 5.23 +/- 0.34parts per thousand, and 8.86 +/- 0.06parts per thousand, respectively. Fractionation of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios between upland buzzards and their food were 1.03parts per thousand and 2.11parts per thousand, respectively. Based on mass balance principle of stable isotopes and the Euclidean distance mixing model, upland buzzards depended mainly on plateau pikas as food (74.56%). Plateau zokors, Qinghai voles, and passerine birds only contributed a small proportion (25.44%) to diets of upland buzzards. The results were closely accordant with analyses of stomach contents and food pellets, which firmly supported the feasibility of using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios to investigate diet information of upland buzzards. Another study based on stable carbon isotopes showed that upland buzzards living in the Haibei prefecture (another prefecture located in the southeast Qinghai province) mainly preyed on passerine birds (64.96% or more) as food supply. We were alarmed by the preliminary results that widespread poisoning activities of small mammals could reshape the food composition of upland buzzards, influencing the stability and sustainability of the alpine meadow. Bio-control on rodent pests should be carried out rather than the chemical measures.

Investigating the evolution and stability of a resource limited artificial immune system.

Timmis J and Neal M J. Investigating the evolution and stability of a resource limited artificial immune system. In Proceedings of GECCO - special workshop on artificial immune systems, pages 40-41. AAAI press, 2000.