Ammonium complex of niobium as a precursor for the preparation of Nb2O5/Al2O3 catalysts

Ammonium oxalate complex of niobium was investigated as an aqueous precursor for the preparation of x% Nb₂O₅/Al₂O₃ (x=5, 10, 20 and 30 wt.%) samples. Catalysts with the same Nb₂O₅ contents were also prepared from the traditional niobium oxalate/oxalic acid aqueous solution. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), infrared spectroscopy of chemisorbed pyridine and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A comparison with the preparation method using the niobium oxalate salt was performed. The results showed that the niobium precursor influence the species growing leading to phases with different reducibility. The XPS revealed the presence of multilayers of niobium oxide on the Nb₂O₅/Al₂O₃ samples prepared by using niobium ammonium oxalate complex, while the ones obtained from niobium oxalate led to Nb₂O₅ particles islands. The addition of niobium oxide decreased the fraction of Lewis acid sites and increased the fraction of Brønsted acid sites, independent of the precursor salt. However, the creation of BAS was more pronounced on the Nb₂O₅/Al₂O₃ samples prepared from niobium oxalate.     

Periplasmic expression of human growth hormone via plasmid vectors containing the {lambda}PL promoter: use of HPLC for product quantification

The influence of different factors acting on Escherichia coliperiplasmic expression of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH)in shake flask cultures has been investigated. Bacterial vectorscontaining the phage     

HDPE/LLDPE reactor blends with bimodal microstructures—Part II: rheological properties

Reactor blends of polyethylene/poly(ethylene-co-1-octene) resins with bimodal molecular weight and bimodal short chain branching distributions were synthesized in a two-step polymerization process. The compositions of these blends range from low molecular weight (LMW) homopolymer to high molecular weight (HMW) copolymer and vice versa HMW homopolymer to LMW copolymer. The shear flow characteristics of these polymers in the typical processing range mostly depend on the molecular weight and MWD of the polymer and are independent of the short chain branch content. From oscillatory shear measurements, it was observed that the viscosity of HMW polymers was reduced with the addition of LMW material. For the polymers produced with this two-step polymerization process, the LMW homopolymer and HMW copolymer blends and HMW homopolymer and LMW copolymer blends were melt miscible, despite the large viscosity differences of the pure components.     

Identification and Cloning of a Pheromone-Binding Protein from the Oriental Beetle, Exomala orientalis

We have identified and cloned a pheromone-binding protein (EoriPBP) from the Japanese and American populations of the Oriental beetle, Exomala orientalis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The protein showed more than 90% amino acid identity to the previously identified pheromone-binding proteins from Popillia japonica (PjapPBP) and Anomala osakana (AosaPBP), as well as to one of the odorant-binding proteins from Phyllopertha diversa (PdivOBP1). EoriPBP has 116 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 12,981 Da, pI of 4.3, and six highly conserved cysteine residues. 5-RACE amplifications led to the characterization of a signal peptide with 19 amino acids. The signal peptide showed high amino acid identity to the signal peptide for AosaPBP. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the PBPs involved in the detection of similar ligands, i.e., monounsaturated lactones and ketone, suggests that the most variable residues among the PBPs from E. orientalis, P. japonica, and A. osakana are probably the most discriminating residues. As with the pheromone-binding protein from Bombyx mori, the residues at positions 61, 64, 71, and 82 in EoriPBP, PajpPBP, and AosaPBP, which are either valine, leucine, isoleucine, or methionine, are likely to be specificity determinants.     

Electrically conductive,melt-processed polyaniline/EVA blends

Mechanical blends of ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer and polyaniline doped with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (PAni–DBSA) were prepared in a two-roll mill at 50°C and in a Haake internal mixer at 150°C. The effects of the blend composition and processing conditions on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties were investigated. These blends exhibited high levels of electrical conductivity at a small amount of PAni complex. Blends prepared in a two-roll mill displayed conductivity values as high as 1 S/cm and a higher protonation degree than the pure PAni–DBSA, as indicated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Two different insulator–conductor transition points were observed in these blends. The mechanical performance decreased as the amount of PAni–DBSA increased, indicating blend incompatibility and a plasticizing effect of the DBSA. The morphology of the blends were studied by scanning electron microscopy. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 114–123, 2001     

Low temperature thermal degradation of cellulosic insulating paper in air and transformer oil

The thermal degradation of cellulose in the form of Kraft insulating paper has been studied in air for up to 140 h and in transformer oil for up to 3500 h in the temperature range 60–120 °C using measurements of the degree of polymerization (DP) and (in oil) analysis of furanic degradation products. Degradation was faster in air than in oil. The DP decreased from the original value of 1.2 × 10³ to a limiting value in the range of 300–900 depending on temperature and degradation conditions. The variation of the DP with degradation time was consistent with two mechanisms, one in which the first‐order rate constant decreased exponentially with time, and another in which only a limited number of chain bonds were scissionable. The degradation rate was first order in scissionable bonds. The major furanic degradation products were 2‐furaldehyde, 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furaldehyde and furfuryl alcohol. Their concentrations continually increased over the timescale of the experiments. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

The cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene in liquid sulfur dioxide initiated by the HI/I2 system

The polymerization of α-methylstyrene (αMeSty) initiated by HI/I₂ or HI in the presence of liquid sulfur dioxide has been investigated. The number-average molecular weight increased with the monomer concentration for reactions initiated by the HI/I₂ system. I₂ also participates in the initiation process, increasing the number-average polymer chain at higher monomer concentration. HI alone is also able to initiate the polymerization of αMeSty in the presence of SO₂. With this initiator, transfer reaction can be minimized in systems containing low amount of SO₂. Received: 19 December 1996/Revised: 27 January 1997/Accepted 29 January 1997     

Evaluation of the effects of operational parameters in the pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse with diluted sulfuric acid using analysis of variance

The pretreatment of lignocellulosic residues has been extensively studied as a method to disrupt the cellulose–hemicelluloses–lignin complex in biomass to access the sugars in their respective components. In this work, we carried out a study using sulfuric acid pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse by varying the following operational parameters: solid loading (10–30% of bagasse relative to the volume of the sulfuric acid solution), sulfuric acid concentration (0.5–2.5% relative to the dry mass of bagasse), reaction time (5–25?min), and temperature (135–195°C). The obtained solids from each pretreatment condition were submitted to enzymatic hydrolysis under the same process conditions: 0.232?g of Celluclast 1.5?L and 0.052?g of Novozym 188 per g of pretreated sugarcane bagasse, 72?h of hydrolysis, and 200?rpm of agitation at 50°C. Using central composite rotational design configuration in the experiments and analysis of variance, the results indicate that the conditions that produced larger quantities of glucose by enzymatic hydrolysis (0.35?g glucose/g pulp) with minimum amounts of degradation products were as follows: 20% solids loading, 15?min of reaction time, 1.5% sulfuric acid, and a minimum temperature of reaction of 170°C.     

Electrical,rheological and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of thermoplastic polyurethane/carbon nanotube composites

Electrically conducting rubbery composites based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared through melt blending using a torque rheometer equipped with a mixing chamber. The electrical conductivity, morphology, rheological properties and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the TPU/CNT composites were evaluated and also compared with those of carbon black (CB)‐filled TPU composites prepared under the same processing conditions. For both polymer systems, the insulator–conductor transition was very sharp and the electrical percolation threshold at room temperature was at CNT and CB contents of about 1.0 and 1.7 wt%, respectively. The EMI SE over the X‐band frequency range (8–12 GHz) for TPU/CNT and TPU/CB composites was investigated as a function of filler content. EMI SE and electrical conductivity increased with increasing amount of conductive filler, due to the formation of conductive pathways in the TPU matrix. TPU/CNT composites displayed higher electrical conductivity and EMI SE than TPU/CB composites with similar conductive filler content. EMI SE values found for TPU/CNT and TPU/CB composites containing 10 and 15 wt% conductive fillers, respectively, were in the range ?22 to ?20 dB, indicating that these composites are promising candidates for shielding applications. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Binding of Sulpiride to Seric Albumins

The aim of this work was to study the interaction of sulpiride with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) through the fluorescence quenching technique. As sulpiride molecules emit fluorescence, we have developed a simple mathematical model to discriminate the quencher fluorescence from the albumin fluorescence in the solution where they interact. Sulpiride is an antipsychotic used in the treatment of several psychiatric disorders. We selectively excited the fluorescence of tryptophan residues with 290 nm wavelength and observed the quenching by titrating HSA and BSA solutions with sulpiride. Stern-Volmer graphs were plotted and quenching constants were estimated. Results showed that sulpiride form complexes with both albumins. Estimated association constants for the interaction sulpiride–HSA were 2.20 (±0.08) × 10⁴ M⁻¹, at 37 °C, and 5.46 (±0.20) × 10⁴ M⁻¹, at 25 °C. Those for the interaction sulpiride-BSA are 0.44 (±0.01) × 10⁴ M⁻¹, at 37 °C and 2.17 (±0.04) × 10⁴ M⁻¹, at 25 °C. The quenching intensity of BSA, which contains two tryptophan residues in the peptide chain, was found to be higher than that of HSA, what suggests that the primary binding site for sulpiride in albumin should be located next to the sub domain IB of the protein structure.