Mapping field density distribution in radiators by microwave noise

In his earlier paper on Active Microwave Radiometry, the author indicated that microwave noise can be used to map field density distribution inside radiators and in antenna systems, without the need for anechoic chambers. The presented paper gives details and results of such experiment. The method is described, details of equipment are given and results are presented with a concluding commentary.     

Embryonal metabolism

It is very difficult to have a clear and homogeneous idea of the embryo metabolism. In fact it may vary from one species to another and also according to the embryonic stage: i.e. before and after genomic activation. Basic compounds such as glucose may be toxic, but obviously, it is more the problem of the quantity introduced in the culture media and an unsuitable balance between the metabolites which may impair the embryonic development. At low concentration glucose is actively metabolised by embryos. High levels of amino acids are deleterious (due to release of ammonia), but they are necessary at low concentrations. Addition of serum or other biological fluids is generally useless. Further knowledge on embryo metabolism is necessary to avoid culture medium related delay or developmental blocks. Sequential media are at least partly the answer.     

Direct electrooxidation of methanol on highly dispersed platinum-based catalyst electrodes: temperature effect

The direct electrooxidation of methanol in acid medium was studied on electrodes made of a perfluorinated membrane with small amounts of metal catalysts incorporated by chemical reduction. Platinum is a good electrocatalyst for this reaction, but needs to be modified by other metals in order to obtain oxidation potentials much more compatible with a working anode in a direct methanol fuel cell. Ruthenium and tin appear to give encouraging results, leading to a negative shift of more than 250 mV as compared to the potential obtained with pure platinum. Other parameters were investigated in this work, such as the working temperature, and the manner of introduction of the methanol into the cell. By gaseous supply, it was possible to carry out measurements at higher temperatures than with methanol in solution, and consequently to greatly improve the performance of the catalytic electrode.     

In situ13C NMR study of tert-butanol interaction with moderately concentrated sulfuric acid

An in situ NMR study of tert-butanol dehydration in 95 and 85% sulfuric acid did not indicate the formation of tert-butyl cations as active reaction intermediates. Instead, only NMR lines from oxonium ions under the condition of fast exchange with water and the acid were observed. It is most likely that, in the concentrated acid, the active intermediates of this reaction are represented by tert-butyl sulfuric ester which probably is a precursor of invisible tert-butyl carbenium ions representing short-lived excited or transition states.