Adsorption characteristics of various proteins to a titanium surface

Adsorption characteristics of 18 proteins, with different sizes and isoelectric points, to a titanium oxide surface were studied. The adsorption isotherms were categorized based on protein type and pH: type 1, irreversible adsorption; type 2, Langmuir-type reversible adsorption; and type 3, reversible and irreversible adsorption. Most of the proteins tested were irreversibly adsorbed in the pH range of 3-8, whereas most adsorbed reversibly at pH 8.5-9.4. Protamine, with a pI value of 12, adsorbed reversibly in the pH range of 3-9. pH values that gave maximal sums of irreversibly and reversibly adsorbed proteins were in the pH range of 3-8 and tended to increase slightly with the pI value of the corresponding protein. pH values that gave maximal quantities of irreversibly adsorbed protein ranged between 4-6 and were nearly independent of pI.     

Hydrogen production by mechano-chemical reaction of Ti2O3 in water

The purpose of this study is to clarify the physicochemical properties of Ti₂O₃ for hydrogen production. The hydrogen production properties of Ti₂O₃ before and after milling in pure water were investigated in a flat-bottomed reaction vessel made of a Pyrex glass cell which was attached to a closed-gas circulation system under an Ar atmosphere at room temperature using three different types of stirring rod. Ti₂O₃ was found to be a new material for mechano-chemical hydrogen production, although it did not exhibit photocatalysis or mechano-catalysis for hydrogen production.     

Structural response of organically modified layered niobate K4Nb6O17 to the adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol

We investigated structural alteration of organically modified layered hexaniobate K₄Nb₆O₁₇ upon adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol. Two adsorbents examined were hexaniobate intercalated with dodecylammonium (C₁₂N) or dioctadecyldimethylammonium (2C₁₈2MeN) ions. The adsorbent modified with the C₁₂N ions was structurally durable for the adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol from 0.4 to 10 mmol dm⁻³ aqueous solutions. The adsorbate molecules were accommodated among the pre-intercalated C₁₂N moieties. In contrast, the adsorbent intercalated with the 2C₁₈2MeN ions suffered from structural collapse with the uptake of adsorbate molecules from relatively concentrated solutions (10 mmol dm⁻³), although this sample adsorbed larger amount of 2,4-dichlorophenol than the niobate modified with C₁₂N ions. X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy showed that the 2C₁₈2MeN ions were deintercalated with the adsorption. However, liquid chromatography and total organic carbon analysis indicated that the deintercalated organic moiety stayed on the external surface of niobate to form an effective adsorption site of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The “deintercalative adsorption” was ascribed based on UV spectroscopy to a specific interaction between the adsorbate and 2C₁₈2MeN molecules. Such drastic structural response had not been reported for other organically modified layered adsorbents.     

Temperature dependence of POPOP dye vapor lasers

The pure POPOP dye vapor is excited in a transverse geometry by an N2laser and the output power of the laser is measured as a function of temperature and intensity of the exciting laser. The threshold temperature is about 310°C and the maximum output power is obtained at around 390°C. The threshold intensity of the exciting laser is about 0.3 MW/cm²and the output power is almost linearly dependent on the intensity as far as experimentally observed. The shift of the oscillation wavelength is observed with increasing temperature and the central wavelength of the broad-band laser can be tuned from 385 to 402 nm by the selection of the vapor density. Theoretical results calculated from rate equations which are dependent on time and space qualitatively agree with these experimental results. The effect of reflectance of the cavity on the output power is also discussed.     

Accumulated Charge Profile in Polyethylene during Fast Electron Irradiations

Space charge profile and consequent field strength profile were obtained by solving the continuity and Poisson's simultaneous equations. Experimental electron deposition curve and radiation-induced conductivity curve were used for calculation. The calculated results explained well the observed replacement current and electrical breakdown phenomena. Dose rate, dose, and temperature effects on charge accumulation were also investigated.     

Improvement of flame-retardant properties of insulated wires by radiation crosslinking

Electric wires coated with polyethylene insulation crosslinked by a chemical method (gel fraction = 80%) and a jacket of self-extinguishing resin were produced. The jacket was crosslinked by irradiation with γ rays or accelerated electrons. Flame retardant properties of the wire improved by γ-ray induced crosslinking up to ～60% gel fraction in the jacket. Beyond this point, however, the flame resistance rapidly decreased with increasing gel fraction. The flame resistance was also improved by irradiation with electrons, but the extent of the improvement was strongly dependent on the energy of incident electrons. This fact was attributed to the difference in the distribution of energy dissipation, i.e., crosslinks formed in the jacket. By introducing a double layer structure to the jacket, in which the inner layer adjacent to the polyethylene insulation was crosslinked more densely than the outer layer, the wires were markedly improved in resistance to flame and heat deformation.     

Strigolactones Modulate Salicylic Acid-Mediated Disease Resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Strigolactones are low-molecular-weight phytohormones that play several roles in plants, such as regulation of shoot branching and interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and parasitic weeds. Recently, strigolactones have been shown to be involved in plant responses to abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Herein, we analyzed the effects of strigolactones on systemic acquired resistance induced through salicylic acid-mediated signaling. We observed that the systemic acquired resistance inducer enhanced disease resistance in strigolactone-signaling and biosynthesis-deficient mutants. However, the amount of endogenous salicylic acid and the expression levels of salicylic acid-responsive genes were lower in strigolactone signaling-deficient max2 mutants than in wildtype plants. In both the wildtype and strigolactone biosynthesis-deficient mutants, the strigolactone analog GR24 enhanced disease resistance, whereas treatment with a strigolactone biosynthesis inhibitor suppressed disease resistance in the wildtype. Before inoculation of wildtype plants with pathogenic bacteria, treatment with GR24 did not induce defense-related genes; however, salicylic acid-responsive defense genes were rapidly induced after pathogenic infection. These findings suggest that strigolactones have a priming effect on Arabidopsis thaliana by inducing salicylic acid-mediated disease resistance.     

Radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex with polyfunctional monomers

Natural rubber latex was irradiated with γ-rays from Co-60 in the presence of polyfunctional monomers to accelerate crosslinking of rubber molecules. Hydrophobic monomers were more effective in accelerating the vulcanization than were hydrophilic monomers. This was ascribed to high solubility of hydrophobic monomers in rubber particles. Among the hydrophobic monomers, neopentylglycol dimethacrylate (NPG) exhibited the highest efficiency in accelerating the vulcanization. Advantages of using NPG are (1) high colloidal stability of the irradiated latex and (2) high thermal stability of dried rubber film.     

Mechanical properties of the flexible‐type epoxy/clay nanocomposites prepared by slurry method

The bisphenol‐F type flexible epoxy resin, having a good flexibility, was combined with an organo‐ and slurry‐clay. The clay dispersions in the obtained epoxy/clay systems are significantly different depending on the type of clay. Particularly, the epoxy/slurry‐clay system showed a high clay dispersibility into the epoxy matrix and was transparent in spite of the addition of 10 wt % clay. This result means that the swelling of the clay with formamide is effective for the expansion of the basal spacing of the clay. The slurry‐clay nanocomposite (clay content: 5 wt %) showed a 4 times higher fracture energy than the neat epoxy system in the tensile test, though the organo‐clay system (clay content: 5 wt %) was 1.5 times higher. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009