The Fluorescence and Electroluminescence Properties of the Carbazole–Phenylazomethine Double Layer-Type Dendrimer

The fluorescence properties of double layer-type dendrimers with carbazole as the outer layer and phenylazomethine as the inner layer of the dendron with a zinc porphyrin core were studied. Based on the fluorescence quantum yield (solution), the effect of the bulky dendron to inhibit the interaction of the chromophores was confirmed. Additionally, the efficient light-harvesting property of the double layer-type dendron was revealed by the fluorescence measurement at several excitation wavelengths. These dendrimers were used as an emitting-layer in an OLED device. The electroluminescence of the core porphyrin was observed and it was shown that the double layer-type dendrimer with a luminescent core has the potential to be a hole-transporting/emitting material.     

Formation of hexachlorobenzene from dusts of an electric arc furnace used in steelmaking: effect of temperature and dust composition

A certain amount of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), designated a persistent organic pollutant (POP) by the Stockholm Convention, is emitted from an electric arc furnace (EAF) used in the steelmaking process. To understand the formation and decomposition behaviors of HCB during the treatment of waste gases from an EAF, characterization of dust samples from EAFs in different plants was conducted. Dusts 1 and 2 were bag filter dusts collected from a common steel plant and a special steel plant, respectively. The initial concentrations of HCB in dusts 1 and 2 were 62 and < 0.1 ng/g of dust, respectively. Then a series of heating experiments was carried out with these dust samples under various conditions. The formation of HCB from both dusts was not significant under an Ar atmosphere, although the amount of formation from dust 1 slightly increased with an increase in the holding temperature. Under an Ar--20% O2 atmosphere, however, a remarkable amount of HCB formed from dust 1 above 573 K. A certain amount of HCB was also formed from dust 2, even though the initial concentration of HCB was very low. Moreover, the coexistence of metallic compounds such as CuCl2 had a significant accelerating effect on the formation of HCB.     

Investigation on the Interactions between Self-Assembled β-Sheet Peptide Nanofibers and Model Cell Membranes

Self-assembled peptide nanofibers (NFs) obtained from β-sheet peptides conjugated with drugs, including antigenic peptides, have recently attracted significant attention. However, extensive studies on the interactions of β-sheet peptide NFs with model cell membranes have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the interactions between three types of NFs, composed of PEG-peptide conjugates with different ethylene glycol (EG) lengths (6-, 12- and 24-mer), and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) Langmuir membranes. When increasing the EG chain length, those interactions significantly decreased considering measurements in the presence of the NFs of: (i) changes in surface pressure of the DPPC Langmuir monolayers and (ii) surface pressure–area (π–A) compression isotherms of DPPC. Because the observed trend was similar to the EG length dependency with regard to cellular association and cytotoxicity of the NFs that was reported previously, the interaction of NFs with phospholipid membranes represented a crucial factor to determine the cellular association and toxicity of the NFs. In contrast to NFs, no changes were observed with varying EG chain length on the interaction of the building block peptide with the DPPC membrane. The results obtained herein can provide a design guideline on the formulation of β-sheet peptide NFs, which may broaden its potential.     

Vaporization behavior of lead from the FeO-CaO-SiO_2-Al_2O_3 slag system

Vaporization behavior (1163-1463 K) of lead in the slag system of FeO-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 with CaCl2 was examined.A thermodynamic estimation with the principle of Gibbs free energy minimization showed that the major vapor species from the sample of the FeO-CaO-SiO2-AI203 system+PbO+CaCl2 were metallic Pb,PbC1,PbCl2,and FeC12,at the experimental temperature range.The experimental results show that the mole ratio of vaporized CI in lead chlorides to vaporized Pb,simply expressed as CI/Pb,decreases with increasing temperature.The larger CUPb means a larger ratio of gaseous PbCl2,since metallic Pb and PbCI vapors are formed in a similar reduction atmosphere.The evaporation is initially rapid and becomes steady after holding for 10 rain.Gaseous PbCI2 is mainly formed during the heating period,and at the holding stage,it reacts with FeO to produce gaseous FeCI2.With regard to slag composition,FeO content and basicity significantly affect the evaporation of lead.High FeO content and high basicity promotes the formation of metallic Pb and PbCI,whereas,it prohibits PbCl2 evaporation.     

Vaporization behavior of lead from the FeO-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 slag system

Vaporization behavior (1163–1463 K) of lead in the slag system of FeO-CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃ with CaCl₂ was examined. A thermodynamic estimation with the principle of Gibbs free energy minimization showed that the major vapor species from the sample of the FeO-CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃ system+PbO+CaCl₂ were metallic Pb, PbCl, PbCl₂, and FeCl₂, at the experimental temperature range. The experimental results show that the mole ratio of vaporized Cl in lead chlorides to vaporized Pb, simply expressed as Cl/Pb, decreases with increasing temperature. The larger Cl/Pb means a larger ratio of gaseous PbCl₂, since metallic Pb and PbCl vapors are formed in a similar reduction atmosphere. The evaporation is initially rapid and becomes steady after holding for 10 min. Gaseous PbCl₂ is mainly formed during the heating period, and at the holding stage, it reacts with FeO to produce gaseous FeCl₂. With regard to slag composition, FeO content and basicity significantly affect the evaporation of lead. High FeO content and high basicity promotes the formation of metallic Pb and PbCl, whereas, it prohibits PbCl₂ evaporation.     

Influence of Syzygium cumini leaves extract on morphological,thermal, mechanical,and antimicrobial properties of PVA and PVA/chitosan blend films

In the present work, poly(vinyl alcohol)/Syzygium cumini leaves extract (PSN) and poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/S. cumini leaves extract blend films were prepared by solution casting technique. The films were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and universal testing machine. The results indicated that the appreciable physical interaction at lower concentrations of S. cumini leaves extract in the PVA and PVA/chitosan films contribute to the smooth uniform morphology, increased the degree of crystallinity, degradation temperature, and improved mechanical properties. Further, films were analyzed with water contact angle analyzer which illustrates that blend films were hydrophilic (PSN‐1) and hydrophobic (PCS‐1) in nature. However, blend films were also subjected to the antimicrobial study, which revealed that inclusion of S. cumini leaves extracts significantly enhanced the antibacterial activity in the PVA and PVA/chitosan film. With all of these results, fabricated blends can find potential applications in packaging material to extend the shelf life of foodstuffs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46188.     

Disk Lubricant Additives,A20H and C2: Characteristics and Chemistry in the Disk Environment

Disk lubricant additives A20H and C2 are Fomblin Z type perfluoropolyether with the hydroxyl end-group, –O–CF₂–CH₂–OH, at one end, and the cyclo-triphosphazene end-group, R₅(PN)₃–O–, at the other end. Here, R is an m-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy group for A20H and a trifluoroethoxy group for C2. These additives were examined for miscibility with benzene, spin-off rate, water contact angle, and the diffusion rate over the carbon overcoat. It is revealed that A20H adheres to the carbon overcoat spontaneously. The attractive interaction arises from the charge–transfer type interaction between the aromatic rings of the phosphazene end and the graphitic regime of the carbon overcoat. No spontaneous adherence occurs between the lubricant C2 and the carbon overcoat. A TOF-SIMS study of disks coated with A20H and C2, respectively, with and without subsequent curing by short-UV (185 nm) was performed. It is revealed: (1) if presented with a low energy electron, the phenoxy groups of A20H readily undergo the dissociative electron capture, while the trifluoroethoxy group does not, and (2) photoelectrons generated by short-UV have little kinetic energy and the electron capture occurs only if an electrophilic molecular sector is in intimate contact with the carbon. Thus, in the case of disks coated with A20H, UV-curing results in detachment of a phenoxy group in contact with the carbon, generation of a radical center at the phosphorus atom and subsequent formation of a bona fide chemical bond between the phosphor and the carbon overcoat. No reaction of consequence occurs when disks coated with C2 are irradiated with short-UV.     

Preparation and applications of novel fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid oligomers/silica nanocomposites-encapsulated fullerenes

Fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid oligomers/fullerenes nanocomposites reacted smoothly with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and silica nanoparticles under alkaline conditions to give fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers/silica composites-encapsulated fullerenes. Interestingly, these isolated fluorinated composites were found to afford nanometer size-controlled colloidal particles with a good dispersibility in a variety of organic solvents including water. More interestingly, these fluorinated silica nanocomposites-encapsulated fullerenes were applied to a new type of surface modification agent, and these nanocomposites were able to disperse well above the poly(methyl methacrylate) films to exhibit not only surface active property imparted by fluorine but also a unique characteristic related to fullerenes in the nanocomposites on the surface, effectively.     

Degradative capacities and bioaugmentation potential of an anaerobic benzene-degrading bacterium strain DN11

Azoarcus sp. strain DN11 is a denitrifying bacterium capable of benzene degradation under anaerobic conditions. The present study evaluated strain DN11 for its application to bioaugmentation of benzene-contaminated underground aquifers. Strain DN11 could grow on benzene, toluene, m-xylene, and benzoate as the sole carbon and energy sources under nitrate-reducing conditions, although o- and p-xylenes were transformed in the presence of toluene. Phenol was not utilized under anaerobic conditions. Kinetic analysis of anaerobic benzene degradation estimated its apparent affinity and inhibition constants to be 0.82 and 11 microM, respectively. Benzene-contaminated groundwater taken from a former coal-distillation plant site was anaerobically incubated in laboratory bottles and supplemented with either inorganic nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and nitrate) alone, or the nutrients plus strain DN11, showing that benzene was significantly degraded only when DN11 was introduced. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments, and quantitative PCR revealed that DN11 decreased after benzene was degraded. Following the decrease in DN11 16S rRNA gene fragments corresponding to bacteria related to Owenweeksia hongkongensis and Pelotomaculum isophthalicum, appeared as strong bands, suggesting possible metabolic interactions in anaerobic benzene degradation. Results suggest that DN11 is potentially useful for degrading benzene that contaminates underground aquifers at relatively low concentrations.