Enhancing Surface Coverage and Growth in Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Protein Nanoparticles

Thin films of bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles are fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly. The surface of BSA nanoparticles have two oppositely acting functional groups on the surface: amine (NH2) and carboxylate (COO-). The protonation and deprotonation of these functional groups at different pH vary the charge density on the particle surface, and entirely different growth can be observed by varying the nature of the complementary polymer and the pH of the particles. The complementary polymers used in this study are poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride) (PDDAC) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). The assembly of BSA nanoparticles based on electrostatic interaction with PDDAC suffers from the poor loading of the nanoparticles. The assembly with PAA aided by a hydrogen bonding interaction shows tremendous improvement in the growth of the assembly over PDDAC. Moreover, the pH of the BSA nanoparticles was observed to affect the loading of nanoparticles in the LbL assembly with PAA significantly.

Flower-like porous cobalt(II) monoxide nanostructures as anode material for Li-ion batteries

In the present study, a microwave-assisted, solution-based route has been employed to obtain porous CoO nano structures. Detailed characterization reveals that the flower-like nanostructures comprise petal-like sheets, each of which is made of an ordered, porous arrangement of crystallites of CoO measuring about 6 nm. TEM analysis shows that each ``petal'' is an oriented aggregate of CoO nanocrystals, such aggregation promoted by the hydroxyl moieties derived from the solution. The structure provides a large specific area as well as the porosity desirable in electrodes in Li-ion batteries. Electrochemical measurements carried out on electrodes made of nanostructured CoO show excellent Li ion-storing capability. A specific capacitance of 779 mAh g(-1) has been measured at a specific current of 100 mA g(-1). Measurements show also excellent cyclability and coulombic efficiency. Impedance spectroscopy provides evidence for charge transfer occurring in the porous networks. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudio descriptivo del rendimiento y espesor de la grasa dorsal en la canal de cerdos alimentados con diferentes tipos de dietas

El presente estudio se realizó en la Granja Santa Rosa, ubicada en el km 13 a los 86° 09 36" longitud oeste y los 12° 08 15" latitud norte, al norte de la comunidad de Sabana Grande, Municipio de Managua, propiedad de la Universidad Nacional Agraria. Entre los meses de Septiembre y Diciembre de 1998. El objetivo principal del estudio fue la evaluación del Rendimiento en canal y Espesor de Grasa Dorsal en cerdos alimentados bajo los siguientes tratamientos: 10-0 % concentrado (TI), l00 % desperdicios de cocina (T2), 50 % desperdicios de cocina más 50% desperdicios de molinería (T3), 50% desperdicios de cocina más 50% desperdicios de galleta (T4) y 50% desperdicios de cocina más 25% desperdicios de galleta más 25 % desperdicios de maseca (T5). Se utilizó un análisis descriptivo, siendo las variables principales Rendimiento en Canal y Espesor de Grasa Dorsal Se sacrificaron 10 cerdos híbridos (5 hembras y 5 machos castrados), de un total de 40 animales, distribuidos en grupos de 8 cerdos (4 hembras y 4 machos castrados) por Cada tratamiento, sacrificados a un peso vivo promedio de 90 kg. El T2 presentó el mayor rendimiento en canal con un 81.20 %, superando en 3.95 % al TI Los cerdos alimentados con los tratamientos T2, T4 y T5 obtuvieron mayor rendimiento en canal que los cerdos de los tratamientos TI y T3. En todos los tratamientos exceptuando l00 % desperdicio de cocina los machos castrados tuvieron mayor espesor de grasa dorsal que las hembras estas diferencias oscilan entre 0.2 y 1.5 cm coo un promedio de 0.85 cm. Los cerdos alimentados con los tratamientos TI y T2 obtuvieron un mayor porcentaje de carne y costillas que los alimentados con el resto de los tratamientos. El tratamiento T3 obtuvo mayor porcentaje de cabeza que el resto de los tratamientos. El porcentaje de hueso fue mayor en los cerdos de los tratamientos TI, T2 y T3.

Microscopic Model Of Nano-Scale Particles Removal In High Pressure Co2-Based Solvents

A physical model is presented to describe the kinds of static forces responsible for adhesion of nano-scale copper metal particles to silicon surface with a fluid layer. To demonstrate the extent of particle cleaning, Received in revised form equilibrium separation distance (ESD) and net adhesion force (NAF) of a regulated metal particle with different radii (10-300 nm) on the silicon surface in CO2-based cleaning systems under different pressures were simulated. Generally, increasing the pressure of the cleaning system decreased the net adhesion force between spherical copper particle and silicon surface entrapped with medium. For CO2 + isopropanol cleaning system, the equilibrium separation distance exhibited a maximum at temperature 313.15 K in the Equilibrium separation distance regions of pressure space (1.84-8.02 MPa). When the dimension of copper particle was given, for example, High pressure 50 nm radius particles, the net adhesion force decreased and equilibrium separation distance increased with increased pressure in the CO2 + H2O cleaning system at temperature 348.15 K under 2.50-12.67 MPa pressure range. However, the net adhesion force and equilibrium separation distance both decreased with an increase in surfactant concentration at given pressure (27.6 or 27.5 MPa) and temperature (318 or 298 K) for CO2 + H2O with surfactant PFPE COO-NH4+ or DiF(8)-PO4-Na+. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

光合放氧结构与机理的理论探索

光合放氧研究近十年来已有重要进展，但在该领域仍有很多重要问题待研究。本论文工作主要是对光系统氧化侧与光合放氧密切相关的组分的结构和性能进行理论和模拟研究，工作可概括如下： (一)、放氧中心结构和性能的探索。 1、对放氧中心Mn202单元与配体组氨酸、H2O和Cl等结合方式的理论研究显示：(a)、组氨酸和H20分子均可能与Mn202平面垂直，彼此保持较大的距离，且结合在不同的Mn离子上;(b)、2个H2O分子可能结合在不同Mn202单元上。 2、对Mn簇核心骨架的理论研究显示有必要引入新的Ca、Cl结合方式，以防止因两个Mn202单元线性化而导致2个H2O分子结合位点远离。 (二)、次级电子给体Tyr_z和Tyr_D的结构与功能。 对次级电子给体Tyr_z和Tyr_D进行精确量子化学研究显示：(a)、在中性条件下，Tyr_D和Tyr_z均只与组氨酸通过氢键作用;(b)、当失去电子后，结构发生明显变化，导致正电荷主要集中在组氨酸上，自由基主要集中在Tyr上;(c)、第三组分(H_20分子或羧基等)的引入使中性体系不容易给出电子;(d)、结合最新文献报导，推测Tyr_D~+和Tyr_z~+除与组氨酸作用外还可能分别与水和羧基作用。 (三)、原初电子给体的理论和模拟研究。 1、对紫细菌原初电子给体P_(870)的理论研究显示：(a)、双分子结构比单分子结构稳定;(b)、电荷分离之后，原初电子给体原有的空间结构不再是稳定的构型，它会向能量和化学活性均更低的构型转变。在光合细菌的原初电子给体P870中，这种转变可通过C3位的乙酰基旋转使其氧原子与另一个细菌叶绿素分子的镁原子相互作用使P870+•的总能量和化学活性明显降低。推测这种构型转变对于防止原初反应过程中的电荷重组、维持光能的高效转化有重要意义。提出了原初反应过程中结构动态变化的新观点，利用这一观点可对光合细菌原初反应动力学研究所观测到的慢过程及蛋白质微环境对原初电子给体和原初反应都有重要影响等实验现象给予较好的解释。 2、对光系统II原初电子给体P680的结构进行理论探讨，提出了两个叶绿素a分子平面间夹角为50.0±2.5°时能量最低的夹角模型。 3、采用N-甲基咪唑(C4H6N2)模拟生物体内的组氨酸，通过观测CCL4中的Chla与C4H6N2反应的吸收、CD和MCD光谱得到以下结论：(a)、在纯CCL4中，每个Chla处于5配位状态，Chla形成不对称的双聚体，彼此之间存在较强的偶合作用。提出两个Chla通过不等价的2个Mg-O配位键(O分别来自于C131位的酮基和C17位酯基的C=O)连接为紧密双体结构;(b)、当C4H6N2／Chla = 0.5和1时，其吸收、CD和MCD光谱均发生明显变化，两个Chla之间的偶合作用明显减弱，但此时仍为双聚体。推测C4H6N2首先取代原紧密双体结构中Mg-O酯键，进而取代Mg-O酮键，最后两个Chla分子通过两个Mg…O弱相互作用连接为松弛的双体结构，该模型与理论获得的P_(680)的结构相似。 在上述研究的基础上，提出了包括放氧中心外围配体和TyrZ在内的放氧中心结构新模型。在新结构模型中，2个H2O分子不对称地结合于“C”形结构开口端两个低价的Mn1II和Mn4III上，并保持较大距离;两个组氨酸的咪唑环通过N原子与两个高价的Mn2IV、Mn3IV结合;Cl结合于MB4TM，并与Ca相连;Ca通过O桥和COO-相连使两个Mn202单元保持特定空间构型。TyrZ通过组氨酸(D1-His190)与Mn簇作用。此外，新模型尝试着在O桥上引入质子。放氧中心结构及其邻近环境(包括TyrZ和TyrD)整体处于中性状态。 同时还提出了新的放氧机理，认为电子和质子的释放非同步进行，并首次明确提出两个水分子的不对称氧化和结构动态变化等观点。认为Ca在维持放氧中心的结构方面担负重要作用，C1与Mn离子之间的亲核作用变化是放氧中心结构变化的关键。

Optical properties of a novel neodymium pentafluoropropionate binuclear complex

A novel neodymium pentafluoropropionate binuclear complex, Nd(C(2)F(5)COO)(3)Dipy (Dipy: 2,2'-dipyridyl), was synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. At a concentration of 0.2 M in DMSO-d(6), the Judd-Ofelt parameters (Omega(2), Omega(4), Omega(6)) were calculated from the UV-Vis spectrum. According to the small value of Omega(2) and the zero splitting energy of (4)F/(3/2) level, a symmetric ligand field of the complex was confirmed in DMSO-d(6). Strong emission of the complex in DMSO-d(6) at 1057 nm with a decay time about 1.3 mu s were detected when excited at 800 nm pumped by a laser diode. The stimulated emission cross-section of (4)F(3/2) -> (4)I(11/2) fluorescence transition was 2.36 x 10 (20) cm(2) and comparable with some laser glasses, which indicated good radiative properties of this neodymium pentafluoropropionate binuclear complex in liquid matrix. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

茂稀土配合物的合成及对环状单体聚合的催化

极性环状单体，尤其是内醋和交醋等可生物降解的生物相容性肪族聚酷的单体的开环聚合，一直是研究的热点。能使这类单体聚合的催化剂中的稀土化合物主要有稀土无机化合物，包括稀土烷氧、芳氧活化，稀土氯化物、稀土胺化物和稀土酸式盐等和茂稀土配合物。后者因能同时催化极性和非极性单体的均聚和共聚，而更显其理论意义。它们是双（五甲基环戊二烯）稀土烷基化合物、氢化物及其衍生物；但这种配合物的合成极其复杂，也难以表征。本文的目的是以简单、易得的环戊烷基环戊二烯和环戊烷基苟基为主要配体取代五甲基环戊二烯基配体，合成一系列茂稀土配合物，特别合成了相应的二价茂稀土配合物，得到五个配合物的单晶结构，着重研究了二价配合物对极性环状单体的均聚和共聚的催化作用，并研究了己内醋(CL)和丙交醋(LA)双晶共聚物的结晶特点。1．在合成双（环戊烷基环戊二烯基）甲基钦时，由于轻稀土的歧化性，我们得到了单澳桥联的双核配合物（C_5H_9C_5H_4)_3NdBrLi(THF)_3 (1)的晶体结构，通过计算配体的离子半径，得出配体空间障碍的顺序是C_5H_9C_5H_4≈Me_3CC_5H_4>Me_2NCH_2CHZC_5H_4，证明配体是C_5H_9C_5H_4时络合A离子比络合四氢吠喃分子更能使结构稳定。2．合成了三（环戊烷基茚基）稀土配合物［（C_5H_9C_9H_6) SMCl~-〕［Li~+(THF)_4](2)，它以离子对存在，三个环质心与氯离子在钐的周围形成变形的四面体几何构型，而四个四氢吠喃配体中的氧原子则在锉原子周围形成正四面体。由于分子结构的高度对称性，该配合物以立方晶系结晶，这种高度对称晶系在稀土配合物中的出现尚未见报道。三个大空间阻碍的配体相互作用导致苟环变形，使得衫与环上碳原子间的最长键长接近3A。3.得到了稀土甲基配合物的中间体双（取代荀基）稀土臆的氯化物〔(C_5H_9C_9H_6)_2Yb（μ-Cl)_2Li(Et_2O)_2]（3）的晶体结构，通过比较分子结构及部分键长与键角，可知该配合物与相应的茹基、取代环戊二烯基稀土氯化物在结构效应上相差较远，而与相应五甲基环戊二烯基稀土氯化物同构，它是第一个非五甲基环戊二烯基配体以这种分子结构存在的配合物，也说明环戊烷基rp基配体与五甲基环戊二烯基的空间效应相近。 4．首次得到取代茹基配体稀土二价配合物（C_5H_9C_9H_6）_2Yb（THF)_2 (4)的晶体结构。X-衍射表明取代茹基环是反式构象存在的，该配合物是己内酷聚合的高效催化剂。5.首次获得稀土氧分子桥联配合物［(C_5H_9C_5H_4)_2Yb (THF)]_2O_2 (5)的晶体结构，它是相应二价配合物的氧化产物。但与报道的稀土配合物的氧化产物（单个氧原子或轻基）不同，该分子中的氧以分子桥存在，且键长比正常的氧一氧单键长长，表明它已被活化。氧分子与两个镜原子形成平行四边形平面结构，它包含该分子的C对称中心。二价衫配合物与镜的配合物都对己内酷和丙交酷聚合具有很高的催化活性。6．二价影配合物在室温下，单体与催化剂浓度适当的条件下，能使己内醋在1分钟内完全聚合，聚合反应显示出活性可控的特征，得到的聚己内醋最高数均分子量为68万；聚合反应温度高，聚合速度快，反应速度分别对单体浓度和催化剂浓度呈一级反应。适当控制反应条件可使甲基丙烯酸甲酷（MMEI )与CL组成可控嵌段聚合。相比之下，臆的配合物活性比衫的略低，但分子量分布更窄，反应时间延长至24小时以上也没有出现分子量下降和分布变宽的现象。7．首次发现二价稀土配合物对丙交酷的高聚合活性。单体的转化率和产物的特性粘数都随反应时间的延长而线性增加，显出活性聚合的特征，但该线性关系与理论计算值有偏差，说明并不是理想的活性聚合，或者体系存在两种以上的活性中心，但产物分子量可以通过单体与催化剂的比例调节，且手性丙交酉旨的旋光性高度保持。8.核磁共振氢谱在3.65ppm处没有HO-CHZ-己内醋端基，而在4.24ppm有HO-CH (CH_3)COO-端基吸收峰，碳谱中169.5和173.46ppm出的吸收峰没有劈裂，以及原子力显微镜(AFM)中观察到的微相分离结构等证明所合成的CL与LA共聚物为嵌段结构，也从侧面证明该催化体系聚合内醋的活性机理。9．发现二价配合物引发己内酷或丙交醋的聚合反应的引发过程是价态不变的，配体成为聚合物的端基。10.对CL-LLA嵌段共聚物的研究表明，与相同组成的共混物相比，由于受到PCL段的影响，嵌段共聚物中PLA段的结晶能力大大下降；首次采用AFM跟踪双晶嵌段共聚物结晶行为和微相分离行为随温度变化的规律，发现在嵌段共聚物微相分离结构中存在PLA纳米晶丝，随着温度升高，PLA的纳米晶丝逐渐增加，并将蠕虫状微相分离结构分割。11．嵌段聚合物的组成对结晶行为影响很大，当PCL含量为43.8%（摩尔）时，随着温度从27℃升到80℃,共聚物中PLA逐渐发生结晶，当温度升到160℃并降温至80℃时，PLA形成球晶结构；而当PCL含量为69.7%（摩尔）时，随着温度从27℃升到80℃，共聚物中PCL段结晶逐渐融化，而PLA逐渐结晶，当温度升到160℃并降温至80℃时，PLA没有发生结晶，进一步降温至27℃，出现球晶结构。

骨固定用聚乳酸/无机纳米粒子复合材料

本论文针对目前用于骨固定和骨修复的聚乳酸／无机纳米粒子复合材料的界面强度低、粒子分散不均匀以及所采用生物活性无机填料粒径较大等缺点，对轻基磷灰石及生物活性玻璃无机纳米粒子的制备、界面改性、粒子的分散、以及复合材料的制备进行了较详细的论述。另外，对材料的力学性能、结晶性能和生物相容性进行了较细统的测试和研究。（1）以磷酸和氢氧化钙为原料在40-80℃的反应条件下制备出了米粒状和棒状的HAP粒子，然后在-50℃的冷冻干燥机中干燥48h，得到白色的HAP粉末。用TEM、SEM、WAXD、FTIR等对所得产物进行了表征。研究结果表明，提高反应温度有利于生成高结晶度的长棒状HAP颗粒。此外，锻烧温度对粒子的形貌和结晶度也有很大的影响，锻烧温度越高，粒子的结晶度就越高，并且，当锻烧温度提高到900℃以上时，HAP粒子的形貌会由长棒形逐渐变成球形。（2）在高纯氢气气氛中，以辛酸亚锡为催化剂的反应条件下使左旋丙交酷开环聚合，直接接枝到HAP的表面，使HAP的粒子表面覆盖一层聚乳酸分子，使HAP的亲油性能得到提高。对表面接枝的轻基磷灰石（g-HAP）用31PMAS-NMR、FTIR、TGA、TEM、SEM和GPC进行了表征。结果表明，用此方法可在HAP表面接枝6％的PLLA。（3）用溶剂法制备了PLLA/g-HAP复合材料，并对其机械性能、结晶性能和生物相容性进行了表征。试验结果表明：与纯HAP相比，g-HAP粒子更容易均匀分散到PLLA基体中，当填料含量达到4％时，PLLAg-HAP复合材料的力学性能达到最好。由Dsc和PoM的实验结果表明，g-HAP粒子在聚合物基体中可以起到异相成核剂的作用。细胞实验结果表明，PLL刀g-HAP复合材料的细胞相容性明显优于纯的PLLA和PLLA/HAP复合材料。（4）以正硅酸乙酷（TEOS）、硝酸钙（Ca(NO3）2）和磷酸氢二按（（NH4）ZHPO4）为原料，利用在酸性溶液中水解，碱性溶液中缩聚沉淀，然后将反应液离心分离，冷冻干燥，最后在马弗炉中锻烧的方法，得到白色的5102-coo-PZos三元生物活性玻璃粉末。SEM和TEM分析结果表明，所得到生物活性玻璃是粒径在40nln左右的球形颗粒，且粒径分布非常均匀。（5）以正硅酸乙酷（TEoS）和硝酸钙（Ca（NO3）2）为原料，利用在酸性溶液中水解，碱性溶液中缩聚沉淀，然后将反应液离心分离，冷冻干燥，最后在马弗炉中锻烧的方法，得到粒径为200nm左右的球形SiO2-CaO二元生物活性玻璃粉末。

聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶的制备与应用研究

本文分三部分论述了聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶的制备、结构、性质和在大分子稀水溶液浓缩方面的应用。I、聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶的制备与研究用以下两种不同方法制备了丙烯酰胺（AM）-丙烯酚钠（AANa）共聚物水凝胶：i、AM-AANa直接辐射共聚：ii、AM水凝胶辐射均聚，再经碱水解。考察以上两个体系的凝胶化剂量，发现前者比后者的凝胶化剂量大一个数量级。理论推导得到水凝胶溶胀比Q_m，与吸收剂量R和共聚物中AANa含量Z之间存在以下关系式：Q_m~(-2/3) ∝ R/Z并用实验证实了所得到的理论关系式。在研究水凝胶溶胀比的影响因素时发现，水凝胶的溶胀比并不随其中的离子基团（-COO~-）含量的增加而无限增加。AM均聚物水凝胶和AANa均聚物水凝胶的溶胀比都不是很大（均不超过400），只有当两者以一定比例混合共聚时，才有最大的溶胀比（大于2000），提出了“有效阴离子”的概念以解释这些现象。在研究pH值对AM-AANa共聚物水凝胶溶胀比的影响时发现，在溶液pH为2.5-3.5之间，水凝胶发生了可逆的相转移，已吸水溶胀的水凝胶突然收缩，释放出所吸入的水，前后体积相差400倍。此外，溶液中无机盐浓度对水凝胶的溶胀比影响很大。当无机盐浓度大于0.01M时，其溶胀比急剧下降。II、用~(13)C-NMR技术研究AM-AANa辐射共聚物的序列分布用以下两种方法合成了线性AM-AANa共聚物：i、AM-AANa直接辐射共聚，ii、AM辐射均聚，再经碱部分水解。研究了AM-AANa共聚体系和AM均聚体系的吸收剂量，对单体转化率和聚合物分子量的影响。用~(13)C-NMR技术研究了AM均聚物、AANa均聚物和AM-AANa共聚物分子链的微观结构。AM均聚物和AANa均聚物中，羰基振动峰的化学位移分别约为180 ppm和185 ppm；而AM-AANa共聚物的羰基振动峰明显分裂成丙烯酰胺（M）和丙烯酸（A）两个区域，而每个区域又分裂成三重小峰。根据这些小峰的相对面积，可以得到其对应三组元的相对强度，由此得到共聚物的序列分布。我们研究了两种不同方法得到的AM-AANa共聚物的序列分布，将各三组元的相对强度，同由一级Markov统计模型所得到的理论曲线进行了比较，结果表明：i、对于AM-AANa直接共聚物，以M为中心的三组元M（M-bar）M、M（M-bar）M、A（M-bar）M的相对强度值同理论曲线较符合，而以A为中心的三组元A（A-bar）A、M（A-bar）A、M（A-bar）M的相对强度则同理论曲线有较大偏离。ii、对于部分水解产物，结果正好相反，即以A为中心的三组元的相对强度值同理论曲线较符合。iii、直接共聚物嵌段成份较多，A（A-bar）A的相对强度值较大；而部分水解产物交替成份较多，M（A-bar）M的相对强度较大。III、水凝胶吸水法浓缩大分子稀水溶液 蛋白质等生物高分子极不稳定，温度、压力等外界条件的变化，都可以导致蛋白质分子的变质，因而其稀水溶液的浓缩是一般方法难以实现的。本工作用AM-AANa共聚物水凝胶吸水溶胀的办法浓缩蛋白质稀水溶液。由于蛋白质分子具有巨大的排斥体积而不被水凝胶吸收，因而其水溶液得到浓缩。本方法在常温常压下进行，不会导致蛋白质分子的变质，而且浓缩过程中并不需要特殊的装置，因而此方法具有很大的可行性。利用AM-AANa共聚物的相转移现象，通过改变pH值，使吸水溶胀的水凝胶收缩，把所吸入的水释放出来，从而可反复使用水凝胶。我们对几种蛋白质分子稀水溶液进行了浓缩试验，浓缩效率均在80%以上，并发现影响浓缩效率的主要因素有以下几种：i、对于不同的蛋白质水溶液，其浓缩效率不同；ii、对于同一种蛋白质分子，浓缩效率与水溶液的浓度有关，溶液越稀，浓缩效果越好；iii、浓缩效率与水凝胶的交联密度有关。对AM-AANa共聚物水凝胶，可通过调节其吸收剂量R，改变其浓缩效率。

A study of low-energy ion induced radiolysis of thiol-containing amino acid cysteine in the solid and aqueous solution states

The radiolysis of cysteine under plasma discharge and irradiation of low-energy Ion beam was investigated. The damage of cysteine in aqueous solution under discharge was assessed via the acid ninhydrin reagent and the yield of cystine produced from the reaction was analyzed by FTIR In addition, the generation of hydrogen sulfide was also identified The destruction of solid cysteine under low-energy ion beam irradiation was estimated via monitoring IR bands of different functional groups (-SH, -NH3, -COO-) of cysteine. and the production of cystine from ion-irradiated solid cysteine after dissolution in water was also verified These results may help us to understand the inactivation of sulphydryl enzymes under direct and indirect interaction with the low-energy ion irradiation (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved.

Activated carbons chemically modified by concentrated H2SO4 for the adsorption of the pollutants from wastewater and the dibenzothiophene from fuel oils

The surface properties, porosities, and adsorption capacities of activated carbons (AC) are modified by the oxidation treatment using concentrated H2SO4 at temperatures 150-270 degreesC. The modified AC was characterized by N-2 adsorption, base titration, FTIR, and the adsorption of iodine, chlorophenol, methylene blue, and dibenzothiophene. The treatment of AC with concentrated H2SO4 at 250 degreesC greatly increases the mesoporous volume from 0.243 mL/g to 0.452 mL/g, specific surface areas from 393 m(2)/g to 745 m(2)/g, and acidic surface oxygen complexes from 0.071 meq/g to 1.986 meq/g as compared with the unmodified AC. The base titration results indicate that the amount of acidic surface oxygen groups on the modified AC increases with increasing the treatment temperatures and carboxyls and phenols are the most abundant carbon-oxygen functional groups. The carboxyl groups, COO- species, and hydroxyl groups are detected mainly for the sample treated at 250 degreesC. The mesoporous properties of the AC modified by concentrated H2SO4 were further tested by the adsorption of methylene blue and dibenzothiophene. The AC modified by concentrated H2SO4 at 250 degreesC has much higher adsorption capacities for large molecules (e.g., methylene blue and dibenzothiophene) than the unmodified AC but less adsorption capacities for small molecules (e.g., iodine). The adsorption results from aqueous solutions have been interpreted using Freundlich adsorption models.

Infrared spectroscopic study on thermal behavior of Langmuir-Blodgett films of octadecyl ammonium octadecanoate and octadecylammonium octadecanoate-d(35)

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of octadecylammonium octadecanoate (C(18)H(37)j7NH(3)(+)C(17)H(35)COO(-),ODASA) and octadecylammonium octadecanoate-d(35) (C18H37+NH3+C17D35COO-, ODASA-d(53)) were prepared and their thermal behaviors were investigated by variable-temperature Fourier transform infrared transmission spectroscopy. It was found that the two hydrocarbon chains of ODASA molecule in LB films are highly ordered while that protonated (H) chain in ODASA-d(35) is partially disordered with some gauche conformers introduced at room temperature.

Polyelectrolyte complexes based on chitosan and poly(L-glutamic acid)

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were prepared by mixing aqueous solutions of chitosan (CS) and poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA) at various pH. It was found that the stoichiometry of the PECs depends on pH.An investigation of the PECs using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy proved that the formation of the complexes is due to electrostatic interaction between –NH3 + groups of CS and –COO− groups of PLGA. The solid PECs were characterized using wide-angle X-ray diffraction, which suggested that a strong interaction occurs between the two polymers at pH = 4 or 5 and relatively weak interaction at pH = 3. These results were further confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis data. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the complexes have a spherical shape. The effect of ionic strength on the size of the PECs was also studied using dynamic light scattering. It was found that the size of the PECs is dependent on pH.

An infrared study on Langmuir-Blodgett films of octadecylammonium octadecanoate: FWHM and the vibrational coupling

The monolayer of the mixture of octadecanoic acid and octadecylamine with molar ratio 1: 1 has been investigated at the air-water interface. It was found that the monolayer shows a rather stable state at the surface pressure of 30 mN/m and this monolayer can be transferred onto a CaF2 plate by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The infrared spectra of LB films indicated that octadecyl ammonium octadecanoate is formed by an intermolecular proton exchange between adjacent carboxylic and aminic groups (COO- and NH3+). In three-layer LB film, the CH2 scissoring mode of the long hydrocarbon chains of octadecyl ammonium octadecanoate shows a broad band feature at about 1468 cm(-1) while this vibrational mode of three-layer LB film of the mixture (1: 1) of deuterated stearic acid and octadecylamine (octadecylammonium octadecanoate-d35, C18H37NH3+C17D35COO-) only shows a narrow band. The broad feature of the CH2 scissoring mode in octadecylammonium octadecanoate probably originates from the coupling between the chain of stearic acid and that of octadecylamine while this kind of coupling could be completely removed in octadecylammonium octadecanoate-d35.

Studies of electron-transfer and charge-transfer coupling processes at a liquid/liquid interface by double-barrel micropipet technique

Investigation of a heterogeneous electron-transfer (ET) reaction at the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface employing a double-barrel micropipet technique is reported. The chosen system was the reaction between Fe(CN)(6)(3-) in the aqueous phase (W) and ferrocene in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE). According to the generation and the collection currents as well as collection efficiency, the ET-ion-transfer (IT) coupling process at such an interface and competing reactions with the organic supporting electrolyte in the organic phase can be studied. In addition, this technique has been found to be an efficient method to distinguish and measure the charge-transfer coupling reaction between two ions (IT-IT) processes occurring simultaneously at a liquid/liquid interface. On this basis, the formal Gibbs energies of transfer of some ions across the W/DCE interface, such as NO3-, NO2-, Cl-, COO-, TBA(+), IPAs+, Cs+, Rb+, K+, Na+, and Li+, for which their direct transfers are usually difficult to obtain because of the IT-IT coupling processes, were quantitatively evaluated.