Stability of Dye Dispersions in the Presence of Some Eco-Friendly Dispersing Agents

The stability of dye dispersions in the presence of ethoxylated sorbitan lauryl and oleyl esters were reported and compared with dye dispersions containing a conventional dispersing agent, i.e. naphthalene sulfonic acid methylene-bis sodium salt (NSAB). The optimum operating conditions obtained using a central composite design and stability of dye dispersions were evaluated by a turbidimetry method. Results showed that the dose of surfactants and the temperature of operation were important factors in preparing stable dye dispersions. Also, the best conditions for preparing dye dispersions were as follows: dose of surfactant 0.05 g, temperature 25 °C and time 5 min. In addition to, findings indicated that both of the used surfactants had better performance in dispersing the dyes in water. However, ethoxylated sorbitan oleate had better efficiency relative to other used dispersing agents. The performance of both sorbitan esters were compared with NSAB. The results indicated that they can create stable dye dispersions in aqueous media and have approximately the same effectiveness with NSAB. In this series, although oleate ester had a better performance than the laurate, the difference in performance of using dispersing agents was not significant. This finding was confirmed by the results of the particle size analysis of dye dispersions.     

Growing Innovative Calcium Carbonate Morphologies by Utilizing the Colloidal Gas Aphron System as a Surfactant-Based Template Method

Many studies have been conducted to study the various polymorphs and morphologies of calcium carbonate crystals in nature and living organisms. In this experimental work, a novel method has been employed to crystallize calcium carbonate by using colloidal gas aphron dispersion. The polymorph and morphology of prepared particles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry techniques. SEM and XRD analyses demonstrated that the morphology of synthesized CaCO₃ can be changed from spherical (vaterite phase) to novel rod and plate-like shapes (mixture of vaterite and calcite phases) with changes in the surfactant concentration. The quantitative examination results of different calcium carbonate polymorph orientations showed that the precursor concentrations had no significant effect on the orientation of calcite phase, but rather they affected the orientation development of vaterite phase at a higher surfactant concentration.     

Application of the triisobutylaluminum-promoted reductive rearrangement to sucrose-5-enes

Carbohydrate-based vinyl acetals (5-hex-enopyranosides) undergo reductive rearrangement with triisobutylaluminum (TIBAL) to afford highly functionalized cyclohexanes in which both the aglycon and anomeric stereochemistry are retained. Here, we report the first application of this process to the rearrangement of hex-5-enopyranosides of sucrose in which the interglycosidic oxygen atom of the vinyl acetal system links the anomeric centers of both monosaccharide units. The sucrose-derived 5-hex-enopyranoside 1 undergoes smooth reductive rearrangement with TIBAL to afford the (1 → 2′) ether-linked pseudo-disaccharide 2 in 34% yield. The rearrangement is accompanied by some loss of stereochemical integrity at C-2′ due to a competitive exo-cleavage of the interglycosidic (O-C2′) bond, hence diastereomers at C-2′ are also obtained in 12% yield. The 4-O-allyl-protected sucrose-5-ene 3 is similarly transformed into the corresponding (1 → 2′) ether-linked pseudo-disaccharide 4 , illustrating the compatibility of the allyl group with the TIBAL reaction conditions.      

Microbial conversion of androst‐1,4‐dien‐3,17‐dione by Mucor racemosus to hydroxysteroid‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one derivatives

BACKGROUND: A large number of bacterial, fungal and microalgal species are able to bio‐transform steroid compounds. Among them, fungi from the Mucor genus have been shown to mediate hydroxylation, oxidation, and desaturation by the double bond formation and epoxidation of various steroid substances. Mucor racemocus has not been studied for its ability to modify androst‐1,4‐dien‐3,17‐dione, a pharmaceutically important steroid precursor. RESULTS: The filamentous fungus M. racemosus was applied for bioconversion of androst‐1,4‐dien‐3,17‐dione (ADD, I ) in a 5‐day fermentation. Microbial metabolites were purified chromatographically and identified on the basis of their spectral data as 17β‐hydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one ( II ), 14α‐hydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3,17‐dione ( III ), 15α‐hydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3,17‐dione ( IV ), 15α,17β‐dihydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one ( V ), 14α,17β‐dihydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one ( VI ), and 6β,17β‐dihydroxyandrost‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one ( VII ). CONCLUSION: Observed modifications included hydroxylation at C‐6β, C‐14α, C‐15α positions and 17‐carbonyl reduction. The best fermentation conditions for production of hydroxysteroid‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one derivatives were found to be 25 °C at 150 rpm for 5 days with a substrate concentration of 0.5 g L^?1. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Plasma Spray Deposition Enhancement of Titanium Nitride Layer Using Nitrogen-Contained Plasma Irradiation of Titanium Substrate as a Pre-spraying Method

Reactive plasma spray of TiN ceramic coating attracts much attention over the years because of its ability to deposit thick layers on various metal surfaces. However, some mechanical properties of the coating such as its hardness should be improved. In this study, initially a thin layer of titanium nitride was prepared on a titanium substrate during irradiation of titanium substrate by a thermal DC nitrogen-contained plasma jet. Then, during reactive plasma spraying, Ti particles were injected into plasma jet, converted to titanium nitride and huddled on to the substrate. This new hybrid method (primary plasma irradiation and post-reactive plasma spraying) for deposition of TiN coatings would combine the advantages of both plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and reactive plasma spraying methods in part. It resulted in a thick and hard layer of titanium nitride film. Sample produced by this method was analyzed with x-ray diffraction confirming titanium nitride production. Vickers hardness was measured using optical microscopy which was around 1319 H_v300g. To study the cross section of the layer, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used.     

Efficiency Enhancement in Organic Photovoltaic Cells: Consequences of Optimizing Series Resistance

Here, means to enhance power conversion efficiency (PCE or η) in bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells by optimizing the series resistance (R_s)—also known as the cell internal resistance—are studied. It is shown that current state‐of‐the‐art BHJ OPVs are approaching the limit for which efficiency can be improved via R_s reduction alone. This evaluation addresses OPVs based on a poly(3‐hexylthiophene):6,6‐phenyl C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) active layer, as well as future high‐efficiency OPVs (η > 10%). A diode‐based modeling approach is used to assess changes in R_s. Given that typical published P3HT:PCBM test cells have relatively small areas (～0.1 cm²), the analysis is extended to consider efficiency losses for larger area cells and shows that the transparent anode conductivity is then the dominant materials parameter affecting R_s efficiency losses. A model is developed that uses cell sizes and anode conductivities to predict current–voltage response as a function of resistive losses. The results show that the losses due to R_s remain minimal until relatively large cell areas (>0.1 cm²) are employed. Finally, R_s effects on a projected high‐efficiency OPV scenario are assessed, based on the goal of cell efficiencies >10%. Here, R_s optimization effects remain modest; however, there are now more pronounced losses due to cell size, and it is shown how these losses can be mitigated by using higher conductivity anodes.     

Spectral estimation of the energy-band-structure parameters of nanoparticles of potassium polytitanate modified in transition metal salt solutions

An approach to spectral analysis of the energy-band-structure parameters (bandgap width and Urbach energy) of potassium polytitanate (PPT) nanoparticles modified by transition metals is proposed, which can provide a basis for the synthesis of new photocatalytic materials. It is established that the modified PPT samples are characterized by reduced values of the bandgap width and higher values of the Urbach energy as compared to the initial material. Possible mechanisms of this phenomenon are discussed.     

Natural and artificial radioactivity distribution in soil of Fars Province, Iran

Fars province is a large populated large province located in the southwest of Iran. This work presents a study of natural and radioactivity levels in soil samples of this province. For this purpose, 126 samples were gathered from different regions of the province and analysed by gamma spectroscopy to quantify radioactivity concentrations of radionuclides using a high-purity germanium detector and spectroscopy system. The results of this investigation show the average concentrations of 271 ± 28 Bq kg(-1), 6.37 ± 0.5 Bq kg(-1), 14.9 ± 0.9 Bq kg(-1) and 26.3 ± 1.9 Bq kg(-1) for (40)K, (137)Cs, (232)Th and (238)U in soil, respectively. Finally, baseline maps were established for the concentrations of each of the radionuclides in different regions. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose (AED) were also calculated for the radionuclides according to the guidelines of UNSCEAR 2000. The average AED from the radioactivity content of soil in this province was found to be 39.9 ± 1.8 μSv.     

Endogenous ADP-ribosylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 and its 32 kDa tryptic fragment.

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF-2) can undergo ADP-ribosylation in the absence of diphtheria toxin. The binding of free ADP-ribose and endogenous transferase-dependent ADP-ribosylation were distinct reactions for eEF-2, as indicated by different findings. Incubation of eEF-2 tryptic fragment 32/33 kDa (32F) with NAD was ADP-ribosylated and gave rise to the covalent binding of ADP-ribose to eEF-2. 32F was revealed to be at the C-terminal by Edman degradation sequence analysis. In our study, the elution of 32F from SDS-PAGE was ADP-ribosylated both in the presence and absence of diphtheria toxin. These results suggest that endogenous ADP-ribosylation of 32F might be related to protein synthesis. This modification appears to be important for the cell function.