Investigation of some critical parameters of buffer conditions for the development of quantum dots-based optical sensors

The unique surface-sensitive properties make quantum dots (QDs) great potential in the development of sensors for various analytes. However, quantum dots are not only sensitive to a certain analyte, but also to the surrounding conditions. The controlled response to analyte may be the first step in the designing of functional quantum dots sensors. In this study, taking the quenching effect of benzoquinone (BQ) on CdTe QDs as model, several critical parameters of buffer solution conditions with potential effect on the sensors were investigated. The pH value and the concentration of sodium citrate in the buffer solution critically influenced the quenching effects of BQ.

Highly conductive, methanol resistant fuel cell membranes fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly of inorganic heteropolyacid

Layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly is a simple and elegant method of constructing organic-inorganic composite thin films from environmentally benign aqueous solutions. In this paper, we utilize this method to develop proton-exchange membranes for fuel cells. The multilayer film is constructed onto the surface of sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) (SPAEK-COOH) membrane by LBL self-assembly of polycation chitosan (CTS) and negatively charged inorganic particle phosphotungstic acid (VIA). The highly conductive inorganic nanoparticles ensure SPAEK-COOH-(CTS/PTA)(n) membranes to maintain high proton conductivity values up to 0.086 S cm(-1) at 25 degrees C and 0.24S cm(-1) at 80 degrees C, which are superior than previous LBL assembled electrolyte systems.

Convenient Synthesis of Substituted Quinoxalines and 2H-Benzo[b][1,4]oxazines in Water

A facile and convenient synthesis method has been developed for substituted quinoxalines and 2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazines from the reactions of alpha-bromoketones with benzene-1,2-diamine and 2-aminophenol, respectively, which were catalyzed by tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) in aqueous basic media.

The enhancement effect of Eu3+ on electro-oxidation of ethanol at Pt electrode

It is reported for the first time that the slow electrochemical kinetics process for the electro-oxidation of ethanol can be promoted by changing the electrochemical environment. The electro-oxidation of ethanol at a Pt electrode in the presence of Eu3+ cations was studied and an enhancement effect was exhibited. Cyclic voltammetry experiment results showed that the peak current density for the electro-oxidation of ethanol was increased in the presence of EU3+ in the ethanol solution. A preliminary discussion of the mechanism of the enhancement effect is given. This is based on a CO stripping experiment, which shows that either the onset potential or the peak potential of CO oxidation is shifted negatively after adding Eu3+ to the solution.

Grain boundary conductivity of high purity neodymium-doped ceria nanosystem with and without the doping of molybdenum oxide

Solid solutions of Ce1-xNdxO2-x/2 (0.05 <= x <= 0.2) and (Ce1-xNdx)(0.95)MO0.05O2-delta (0.05 <= x <= 0.2) have been synthesized by a modified sol-gel method. Both materials have very low content of SiO2 (similar to 27 ppm). Their structures and ionic conductivities were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (M). The XRD patterns indicate that these materials are single phases with a cubic fluorite structure. The powders calcined at 300 degrees C with a crystal size of 5.7 nm have good sinterability, and the relative density could reach above 96% after being sintered at 1450 degrees C. With the addition Of MoO3, the sintering temperature could be decreased to 1250 degrees C. Impedance spectroscopy measurement in the temperature range of 250-800 degrees C indicates that a sharp increase of conductivity is observed when a small amount of Nd2O3 is added into ceria, of which Ce0.85Nd0.15O1.925 (15NDC) shows the highest conductivity. With the addition of a small amount Of MoO3, the grain boundary conductivity of 15NDC at 600 degrees C increases from 2.56 S m(-1) to 5.62 S m(-1).

Determination of reserpine in urine by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemiluminescence detection

A fast and sensitive approach to detect reserpine in urine using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) detection is described. Using a 25 mum i.d. capillary as separation column, the ECL detector was coupled to the capillary in the absence of an electric field decoupler. Field-amplified injection was used to minimize the effect of ionic strength in the sample and to achieve high sensitivity. In this way, the sample was analyzed directly without any pretreatment. The method was validated for reserpine in the urine over the range of 1 x 10(-6) - 1 x 10(-4) mol/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.996. The RSD for reserpine at a level of 5 mumol/L was 4.3%. The LOD (S/N = 3) was estimated to be 7.0 x 10(-8) mol/L. The average recoveries for 10 mumol/L reserpine spiked in human urine were 94%.

Studies of instrumental spreading in gel permeation chromatography by coupling with a two-angle laser light scattering detector

The instrumental spreading of a high temperature gel permeation chromatograph (GPC) was evaluated by coupling with a two-angle laser light scattering (TALLS) detector, using narrow polystyrene, polyethylene, and syndiotactic polypropylene samples. The determined spreading factor increased with increasing molecular weight of polymers, and no maximum for spreading 174 tor was observed in the studied retention volume, while the spreading factors for single low molecular weight alkanes are independent of their molecular weight. Neglecting of the spreading effect for GPC would not introduce much error in molecular weight calculation when high quality high performance columns were used, especially when equipped with a laser light scattering detector. The scaling relationship between radius of gyration and molecular weight of polymer, determined by GPC with a TALLS detector, was independent of the instrumental spreading.

Analysis of interfacial phenomena of aqueous solutions of polyethylene oxide and polyethylene glycol flowing in hydrophilic and hydrophobic capillary viscometers

Viscosities of aqueous solutions of five polyethylene oxide (PEO) samples with molar masses from 1.5 x 10(5) to 1.0 x 10(6) were carefully measured in a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) capillary Ubbelohde viscometer in the concentration range from dilute down to extremely dilute concentration regions and compared with those of the same sample obtained from a glass capillary viscometer. At the same time, viscosities of aqueous solutions of three PEG samples in glass and paraffin-coated capillary viscosity were measured. The wall effects occurred in viscosity measurements for PEO and PEG aqueous solutions in different capillary viscometers were theoretically analyzed and discussed. It was found that different interfacial behaviors occurred in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic capillary viscometers respectively and the interfacial behaviors also exhibit molar mass dependence.

Sol-gel-derived BPO4/Ba2+ as a new efficient and environmentally-friendly bluish-white luminescent material

In this paper, BPO4 and Ba2+-doped BPO4 powder samples were prepared by the sol-gel process using glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol) as additives. The structure and optical properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflection spectra, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, quantum yield, kinetic decay, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), respectively. It was found that the undoped BPO4 showed a weak purple blue emission (409 nm, lifetime 6.4 ns) due to the carbon impurities involved in the host lattice. Doping Ba2+ into BPO4 resulted in oxygen-related defects as additional emission centers which enhanced the emission intensity greatly (> 10x) and shifted the emission to a longer-wavelength region (lambda(max) = 434 nm; chromaticity coordinates: x = 0.174, y = 0. 187) with a bluish-white color. The highest emission intensity was obtained ;when doping 6 mol % Ba2+ in BPO4, which has a quantum yield as high as 31%. The luminescent mechanisms of BPO4 and Ba2+-doped BPO4 were discussed in detail according to the existing models for silica-based materials.

TiO2-SnO2复合凝胶的结构表征及其吸附与催化性能研究

中国科学院山西煤炭化学研究所

Preparation and characterization of layered compound zirconium bis(monohydrogenphosphate)intercalated with rare earth complex

Layered compound zirconium bis(monohydrogenphosphate)(alpha-ZrP) intercalated with rare earth complex Eu(DBM)(3)phen was prepared. The pre-intercalation of p-methoxyaniline into alpha-ZrP makes the interlayer separation large enough to exchange PMA with europium complex, thus, the luminescent assembly was prepared. This was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectra and elemental analysis. The fluorescence spectra and lifetime of the assembly were also presented.

New optically active aromatic polyimides II: Synthesis and properties of optically active aromatic polyimide based on (R)-(+)-2,2 '-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1,1 '-binaphthyl

Optically active (R)-(+)-2, 2'-bis(2-trifluoro-4-aminophenoxy)-1, 1'-binaphthyl was prepared from 1, 1'-bi-2-naphthol. The optically active aromatic polyimide was also successfully synthesized. This new polymer has good solubility, thermal stability etc. Its specific rotation was found to be +174 degrees, and its chiroptical property was also studied.

中空纤维膜器中Cyanex302萃取分离锌和铕

本文讨论了在中空纤维膜器中,在硫酸体系下,采用逆流循环萃取法,用二(2,4,4-三甲基戊基)硫代膦酸(Cyanex302)萃取分离锌和铕。考察了料液酸度、萃取剂浓度等因素对传质系数的影响,提出利用动力学竞争可以实现锌、铕混合组分的分离。采用膜器二级串联,当锌与铕的初始浓度比为1:22.55,经过100min后锌的萃取率达到94.92%,而铕的萃取率仅为8.59%。当采用膜器三级串联时,经过40min后,锌的萃取率达到99.9%以上,而铕的萃取率仅为6.53%。

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic liquid crystalline poly(ester-imide)s derived from an imidodicarboxylic acid

A new class of liquid crystalline poly(ester-imide)s was synthesized by melt polycondensation. The basic physical properties of the resulting polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (t.g.a.), and rheological and mechanical testing. All of these poly(ester-imide)s were amorphous, as reflected by the results obtained from the WAXD and d.s.c. studies. Characterization and comparison of these poly(ester-imide)s with the corresponding polyesters suggested that the introduction of imide groups into the polyester chain is favourable for the formation of liquid crystalline phases. These results, together with the rheological studies, suggested that there existed a form of strong inter- or intramolecular electron donor-acceptor interaction which played a significant role in the liquid crystalline properties of the poly(ester-imide)s. The polymer products thus obtained exhibited good mechanical properties, with flexural strengths and moduli as high as 174 MPa and 6.9 GPa, respectively. The morphology of the fracture surfaces of extruded rod samples showed a sheet-like structure which consisted of ribbons and fibres oriented along the flow direction. The glass transition temperatures and thermal stabilities of the polymers were improved by the incorporation of imide groups. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.