VI3—a New Layered Ferromagnetic Semiconductor

2D materials are promising candidates for next‐generation electronic devices. In this regime, insulating 2D ferromagnets, which remain rare, are of special importance due to their potential for enabling new device architectures. Here the discovery of ferromagnetism is reported in a layered van der Waals semiconductor, VI₃, which is based on honeycomb vanadium layers separated by an iodine–iodine van der Waals gap. It has a BiI₃‐type structure ( $R\overline{3}$, No.148) at room temperature, and the experimental evidence suggests that it may undergo a subtle structural phase transition at 78 K. VI₃ becomes ferromagnetic at 49 K, below which magneto‐optical Kerr effect imaging clearly shows ferromagnetic domains, which can be manipulated by the applied external magnetic field. The optical bandgap determined by reflectance measurements is 0.6 eV, and the material is highly resistive.     

Metabonomics and biomarker discovery: LC-MS metabolic profiling and constant neutral loss scanning combined with multivariate data analysis for mercapturic acid analysis

In the field of metabonomics, 1H NMR and full scan mass spectrometry methods have usually been combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to detect patterns in biofluids that correspond to specific effects, usually a toxic site effect of a compound. Confounders together with great interindividual variation complicate such analysis in humans, and therefore, metabonomic data are almost restricted to animals. In our study, a constant neutral loss (CNL) scan on a linear ion trap demonstrated increased sensitivity and specificity compared to a full scan approach and was performed to detect mercapturic acids (MA), a class of effect markers. The method was applied to human volunteers administered 50 and 500 mg of acetaminophen (AAP), a model compound known to form MAs. Using a new algorithm to prepare the CNL data for chemometrics, discrimination of control and postdose samples could be performed using PCA and PLS-DA. The loadings plots clearly revealed AAP-MA as a marker, even at low-dose levels. Orthogonal signal correction (OSC) was carried out to investigate background information that is not due to exposure. Surprisingly, the OSC data provided a classification of male and female subjects showing the performance of the new approach.     

Catalytic oxidation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene over ABO3-type perovskites

Several ABO₃-type perovskite oxides (A = La, Y, Nd or Gd; B = Fe, Mn, Cr or Co) have been investigated as catalysts for the oxidation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB), a model compound for the highly toxic polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. Initial transient and steady state activity measurements were conducted with all catalysts in the absence and presence of water. Perovskites containing Cr in the B-site were more active than perovskites containing other transition metals, with YCrO₃ being the most active catalyst among the different systems studied. Furthermore, YCrO₃ did not show any loss of its initial activity after several hours on stream. Other perovskites lost 10–20% of their initial activity within the first 5–10 h on stream. This loss was associated with a corresponding loss in BET surface area. With the exception of LaCoO₃, all perovskites retained their crystalline structure upon exposure to o-DCB under reaction conditions. LaCoO₃ was converted to LaOCl and Co₃O₄. The presence of water appeared to enhance the catalytic activity of some perovskites. This effect can be attributed to a faster removal of Cl⁻ ions from the catalyst surface via their reaction with water.     

Usages of the “cultural landscape” concept in Norwegian and Nordic landscape administration

This paper summarizes the results of an analysis of differing usages of the concept of “cultural landscape” and related concepts in Norwegian and Nordic government policy and applied research documents. The analysis indicates how inconsistent or unclear use of concepts can hinder interdisciplinary and intersectorial communication. The role of rhetoric, the changing usage of concepts over time and different value loadings for similar concepts are exemplified. Confusion arises partly because previously separate academic discourses, based on separate but overlapping sets of values, have come together in a common discourse promoted by the application of research to government policy. The principal participants in this discourse are agricultural interests, nature conservation interests, cultural heritage interests and local planning interests.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Bis‐Hydroaminomethylation of Linear Aliphatic Alkenes with Piperazine

An efficient protocol was developed to prepare a series of dialkylpiperazines via Rh‐catalyzed bis‐hydroaminomethylation of linear aliphatic alkenes with piperazine. The well‐known Rh/Biphephos catalytic system was applied, yielding the desired dialkylpiperazines within six tandem catalytic steps, already at low catalyst loadings of 0.1 mol%. For the model alkene 1‐octene, good yields and linearities of 80% and 77:23, respectively, were achieved under optimized conditions. Influences on the catalytic system regarding n/iso ratio, possible side reactions and the reaction path are discussed on the basis of yield vs. time plots and parameter optimization. With the developed general protocol, other linear, functionalized and branched substrates were effectively transformed to the corresponding linear N,N‐disubstituted piperazines.

     

Analysis and sorption of psychoactive drugs onto sediment

An analytical method was developed to analyze eight psychoactive pharmaceuticals--including the antiepileptic carbamazepine, the opiates morphine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, the opiode tramadol, and the tranquilizers diazepam, oxazepam, temazepam--and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole as well as three metabolites (10,11-dihydrocarbamazepine (DHC), 10,11-dihydroxy-10, 11-dihydrocarbamazepine, and N4-acetylsulfamethoxazole) in river sediments. Relative recoveries of all analytes exceeded 97% using either deuterated or 13C15N-labeled surrogate standards. Sorption isotherms of all analytes were constructed at pH 6.5-6.6 on two natural river sediments (Burgen and Dausenau) that differed in organic carbon contents and particle size distributions. Affinities of all analytes were up to an order of magnitude higher for the Dausenau sediment in comparison to the Burgen sediment. Isotherms were well described by the Freundlich model. Sorption of all analytes was linear on the Burgen sediment except for structurally similar carbamazepine (n = 0.90) and DHC (n = 0.88). Conversely, most analytes showed pronounced nonlinear sorption to the Dausenau sediment (n = 0.77-0.92) except for positively charged codeine, dihydrocodeine, and tramadol. Linear sorption of the latter was taken to arise from concentration-independent electrostatic interactions of the organocations with negatively charged surfaces on clay minerals or in the sediment organic matter. Desorption gave rise to hysteresis in 13 out of 16 investigated analyte-sorbent systems. Hysteresis was likely due to slow desorption kinetics beyond 24 h used in the experiment.     

Ceramic membranes applied to membrane distillation: A comprehensive review

Membrane distillation (MD) has been increasingly studied in the past decade for its potential as a separation process of nonvolatile components. The present study demonstrates a comprehensive overview of the current progress and challenges in the application of ceramic membranes to MD based on the available state of the art. There are already published review papers about MD, but the present study focuses on ceramic membranes, which are still the few used in MD when compared to polymeric membranes. Significant issues such as membrane material, module, characteristics, and hydrophobic modification are discussed. The main operating conditions and their effects on the separation process are given. Current applications of ceramic membranes in MD are also presented. Likewise, challenges and future perspectives associated with MD performance using ceramic membranes are highlighted. A review focused on ceramic membranes applied specifically to MD will contribute for future research in order that this process achieves successful implementation in industry.