Reactivity,chemical structure,and molecular mobility of urea–formaldehyde adhesives synthesized under different conditions using FTIR and solid‐state 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of reaction pH condition and hardener type on the reactivity, chemical structure, and molecular mobility of urea–formaldehyde (UF) resins. Three different reaction pH conditions, such as alkaline (7.5), weak acid (4.5), and strong acid (1.0), were used to synthesize UF resins, which were cured by adding four different hardeners (ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, ammonium citrate, and zinc nitrate) to measure gel time as the reactivity. FTIR and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopies were used to study the chemical structure of the resin prepared under three different reaction pH conditions. The gel time of UF resins decreased with an increase in the amount of ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium citrate added in the resins, whereas the gel time increased when zinc nitrate was added. Both FTIR and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopies showed that the strong reaction pH condition produced uronic structures in UF resin, whereas both alkaline and weak‐acid conditions produced quite similar chemical species in the resins. The proton rotating‐frame spin–lattice relaxation time (T_1ρH) decreased with a decrease in the reaction pH of UF resin. This result indicates that the molecular mobility of UF resin increases with a decrease in the reaction pH used during its synthesis. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2677–2687, 2003     

Development of an Aerosol Dynamics Model for Dry Deposition Process Using the Moment Method

An aerosol dynamics model for dry deposition process is developed based on the moment method. Since it is hard to fully apply the moment method to the widely used dry deposition velocity expressions based on the resistance theory, the dry deposition velocity expression by Raupach et al. (2001) Raupach, M. R., Briggs, P. R., Ahmad, N. and Edge, V. E. 2001. Endosulfan Tansport: II. Modeling airborne Dispersal and Deposition by Spray and Vapor. J. Environ. Qual., 30: 729–740. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] is used. Detailed deposition mechanisms such as Brownian diffusion, gravitational settling, and impaction are considered in the expression. To verify the validity of the derived dynamic equation, aerosol dynamics for the dry deposition process is estimated with the expressions of Raupach et al. (2001) Raupach, M. R., Briggs, P. R., Ahmad, N. and Edge, V. E. 2001. Endosulfan Tansport: II. Modeling airborne Dispersal and Deposition by Spray and Vapor. J. Environ. Qual., 30: 729–740. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], of Wesely (1989) Wesely, M. L. 1989. Parameterizations of Surface Resistance to Gaseous Dry Deposition in Regional-Scale, Numerical Models. Atmos. Environ., 23: 1293–1304. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] modified for particles (Seinfeld and Pandis 1998 Seinfeld, J. H. and Pandis, S. N. 1998. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 958–996. New York, , USA: Wiley.  [Google Scholar]), in CMAQ, and with constant value used in RAINS-ASIA. Those expressions give different dynamics. Generally, the result for this study is between the result of modified Wesely's expression and CMAQ. When using the modified Wesely's expression with the number of sections being equal or smaller than 10, the resultant size distribution does not give the peak shape accurately.     

Preparation and Dissolution Profiles of the Amorphous,Dihydrated Crystalline,and Anhydrous Crystalline Forms of Paclitaxel

The selection of pharmaceutical polymorphisms in the final production step is very important in terms of product recovery, properties, and storage. The amorphous, dihydrated crystalline, and anhydrous crystalline forms of paclitaxel were prepared using precipitation, spray drying, and colloid formation methods. These methods were found to be highly efficient and convenient, giving high recovery, short processing time, and good stability, as compared with conventional methods such as freeze drying, evaporation, recrystallization, and melting. The polymorphic natures of the resulting paclitaxel samples were confirmed by XRPD, IR, TGA, DSC, and SEM. The dissolution rates of the paclitaxel samples were studied in pharmaceutical solvents, which included cotton seed oil, corn oil, tricaprylin, and tributyrin. For each solvent, all of the amorphous paclitaxel samples showed much higher dissolution rates than the dihydrated crystalline, anhydrous crystalline, and commercial forms, and can be used for clinical applications that demand improvements in drug delivery.     

Determination of non-methane hydrocarbon emission factors from vehicles in a Tunnel in Seoul in May 2000

Measurements of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) were performed at the entrance and exit of the Sangdo tunnel to estimate emission factors (EF) of NMHC from vehicles in May 2000. About 50 species were analyzed by a combined GC/FID and GC/MS system. Ethylene was the most abundant compound, followed by n-butane and acetylene, respectively. Based on the measurement data, the real world vehicular EF in Seoul was estimated. The highest EF value was 89.8 mg (veh-mile)^-1 for n-butane, followed by ethylene and toluene.     

Solid extraction of caffeine and theophylline from green tea by molecular imprinted polymers

This paper involves a feasibility study on using molecular imprinted polymers as the sorbent materials in solid phase extraction for caffeine and theophylline from green tea. Two kinds of MIPs, with caffeine-theophylline mixture and pentoxifylline-theophylline mixture as the templates respectively, MAA as the monomer, EDMA as the crosslinker and ATBN as the initiator, were applied to this purpose. Mixture solution of caffeine and theophylline (1 Μg/ ml in acetonitrile) was applied to the solid extraction cartridges following a load, wash and elute procedure with acetonitrile, methanol, methanol-acetic acid (90/10, v/v) as the solvents, respectively. This solid phase extraction protocol was applied for extraction of caffeine and theophylline from green tea. Comparison between the results obtained with the MIPs cartridges and a traditional C₁₈ reversed-phase cartridge was made. It showed that the MIP-based sorbent on the solid phase extraction was comparable with that of C₁₈ material. HPLC analysis using a C₁₈ column (5 Μm, 250× 4.6 mm from Rstech corporation), methanol: water (60 :40, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min was applied for the quantitative determination.     

Piezoelectric and dielectric properties of (K0.44Na0.52Li0.04)(Nb0.86Ta0.10Sb0.04)O3–PVDF composites

(Li, Ta, Sb) modified sodium potassium niobate/poly(vinylidene fluoride) [(K_0.44Na_0.52Li_0.04)(Nb_0.86Ta_0.10Sb_0.04)O₃–PVDF] 0-3 composites were prepared by a cold press technique, and their piezoelectric and dielectric properties were characterized. All composites exhibited good dispersion of ceramic particles in the polymer matrix. The piezoelectric and dielectric constants were found to be enhanced as the concentration of sodium potassium niobate increases. Even though the process is simple, the composite prepared in this study showed better piezoelectric and dielectric properties than PZT–polymer composites. At room temperature, a (K_0.44Na_0.52Li_0.04)(Nb_0.86Ta_0.10Sb_0.04)O₃–PVDF (7:3) composite revealed a relative dielectric constant, ?_r = 166, piezoelectric constant, d₃₃ = 33 pC/N and coercive field, E_c = 5 kV/cm.     

Use of novel chemical dipping method for the stability evaluation of an ultrathin TaN<Subscript>x</Subscript> barrier in Cu interconnects

When a dip test in buffered oxide etching chemicals is combined with narrow contact pattern, the test can be used as a simple barrier evaluation method, especially for predicting of IPVD (Ionized Physical Vapor Deposition) extendibility. In spite of the excellent coverage of IPVD TaN_x films the structural defect at the corner of the pattern could be the root cause of device degradation. The use of extremely thin IPVD TaN_x film of around 20 Å was limited by the contact of less than 0.2 μm and an AR (Aspect Ratio) value greater than 4:1.     

Derivation and verification of an aerosol dynamics expression for the below-cloud scavenging process using the moment method

An aerosol dynamics equation for the below-cloud scavenging process considering phoretic and electric charging effects in addition to the conventional mechanisms (the Brownian diffusion, interception, and impaction) is developed by using the moment method. Then, the dynamics of particle size distribution by the below-cloud scavenging process is calculated by using the developed equation and verified with the measurement data. The calculated particle size distribution changes are quite small compared to the measured changes. The calculated removal rate is smaller by 10^?2–10^?3 than the measured data when only the conventional mechanisms are considered. With the extended mechanisms, the scavenging coefficient increases upto 20 times, mainly for the particle size range of 0.1 μm<d_p<3.0 μm. However, the difference between the calculated and measured scavenging coefficient is still large, especially, for d_p<0.1 μm. Other possible scavenging mechanisms that might affect the below-cloud scavenging process such as coagulation and condensational growth of hygroscopic particles, turbulence, and updraft into cloud are discussed. It is recommended that further studies on wet scavenging process are needed.     

Environmental Enrichment Enhances Cav 2.1 Channel-Mediated Presynaptic Plasticity in Hypoxic–Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a devastating neonatal brain condition caused by lack of oxygen and limited blood flow. Environmental enrichment (EE) is a classic paradigm with a complex stimulation of physical, cognitive, and social components. EE can exert neuroplasticity and neuroprotective effects in immature brains. However, the exact mechanism of EE on the chronic condition of HIE remains unclear. HIE was induced by a permanent ligation of the right carotid artery, followed by an 8% O₂ hypoxic condition for 1 h. At 6 weeks of age, HIE mice were randomly assigned to either standard cages or EE cages. In the behavioral assessments, EE mice showed significantly improved motor performances in rotarod tests, ladder walking tests, and hanging wire tests, compared with HIE control mice. EE mice also significantly enhanced cognitive performances in Y-maze tests. Particularly, EE mice showed a significant increase in Ca_v 2.1 (P/Q type) and presynaptic proteins by molecular assessments, and a significant increase of Ca_v 2.1 in histological assessments of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These results indicate that EE can upregulate the expression of the Ca_v 2.1 channel and presynaptic proteins related to the synaptic vesicle cycle and neurotransmitter release, which may be responsible for motor and cognitive improvements in HIE.