Synthesis of nanocrystalline solid solutions based on zirconia and hafnia

Nanosized (2–8 nm) amorphous powders of the solid solution based on zirconia and hafnia are synthesized through back coprecipitation upon treatment of gels at temperatures from +20 to −77°C. Heat treatment of these powders at temperatures up to 1000 and above 1100°C leads to the formation of cubic (fluorite type, O _h ⁵ = Fm3m) and tetragonal phases of the Zr₈₂Hf₁₀Y₃Ce₅O _x composition, respectively. It is revealed that a decrease in the synthesis temperature (from +20°C to −6°C) results in a decrease in the size of gel agglomerates from 30 to 1 μm. Recrystallization processes in the gels prepared using cryochemical treatment are developed very slowly in the temperature range 500–1200°C (the crystallite size does not exceed 25 nm). Original Russian Text ? T.I. Panova, V.B. Glushkova, A.E. Lapshin, 2008, published in Fizika i Khimiya Stekla.     

Dynamic modes of Ti combustion in a coflow of N<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Ar mixture

Combustion of bulk density Ti powder (containing 20 wt % TiN as a diluent) in a coflow of N₂-Ar mixture was investigated upon variation in the nitrogen content of the gaseous mixture. The obtained data are believed to open up new horizons for fabrication of layered and composite ceramics by infiltration-mediated combustion.      

A fragmentary model of vitreous As<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The X-ray scattering intensity curves for vitreous As₂S₃ are experimentally measured using soft (copper) and hard (molybdenum) X rays. The inclusion of all the specific features revealed in the experimental scattering intensity curves makes it possible to obtain the experimental atomic radial distribution function (ARDF) in the ordering range up to ～1 nm. The experimental ARDF is interpreted in the framework of the fragmentary model. A comparison of the experimental ARDF with the model ARDF calculated from the crystal structure data obtained for orpiment demonstrates that the corrugated layers inherent in crystalline As₂S₃ are retained in the glass structure but the characteristic interlayer interatomic distances are absent. The layers are joined together through the As₄S₅ molecular clusters. Microcrystals consisting of several unit cells are absent in the glass structure, which involves only the structural fragments of both crystalline analogs. One of the possible variants of their joining is proposed.     

Reproducibility of plastic measurements: The need to modify State Standard GOST 1186-87

A very important characteristic of coking coal is its clinkering ability, i.e., its ability to form a nonvolatile solid residue, consisting of disparate grains, on heating in specific conditions. The clinkering ability of the coal is determined by the properties of its plastic mass. Various methods may be used to evaluate the plastic-ductile properties of the coal. However, since the 1930s, the main method used to evaluate the clinkering properties of coal, within the nations of the former Soviet Union, has been the Sapozhnikov-Bazilevich plastometric method, because it provides more information than competing approaches. For the same reason, the thickness of the plastic layer, which is one of the parameters determined by this method, is used for coal classification in State Standard GOST 25543-88 (Lignite, Coal, and Anthracite: Genetic and TEchnological Classification) and its Ukrainian counterpart DSTU 3472-96 (Lignite, Coal, and Anthracite: Classification). This explains the strict requirements on the accuracy and reliability of the plastometric characteristics.     

Synthesis of polyanilines with pendant fluorescent units

Functionalized polyanilines containing biphenyl, terphenyl, carbazole, anthracene, and 4-n-hexylphenyl moieties were synthesized though the reaction of polyaniline in emeraldine base form with sodium salt of corresponding vinylketoaromatics with quantitative yields. Polymers were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The emission characteristics of these polymers in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone solution were examined. The functionalized polyanilines exhibited an intense green emission.     

Swift and Selective Reduction of Nitroaromatics to Aromatic Amines with Ni–Boride–Silica Catalysts System at Low Temperature

Various nitroaromatics are successfully reduced to amines with 100% conversion and selectivity in methanol at low temperature (≈5 °C), by using versatile system of 5% Ni–SiO₂ catalyst and NaBH₄ and in situ generation of Ni boride. The catalytic efficiency of Ni loading (5%, 10% and 15%) with silica or titania as support materials is investigated for reduction of nitrobenzene. The Ni–titania/NaBH₄ system recorded lower conversion and selectivity. The IR studies indicate that silica support does not have free –OH group on its surface. Thus the nickel boride is anchored to the silica to facilitate the catalytic process.     

Robustness of classification rules that incorporate additional information

The discrimination problem for two normal populations with the same covariance matrix when additional information on the population is available is considered. A study of the robustness properties against training sample contamination of classification rules that incorporate this additional information is performed. These rules have received recently attention where their total misclassification probability (TMP) is proved to be lower than Fisher's linear discriminant rule. The results of a simulation study on the TMP which compares the behaviour of the new rules against Fisher's rule and some of its robustified versions under different types of contamination are presented. These results show that the rules that incorporate the additional information not only have lower TMP, but they also prevent against some types of contamination. In order to achieve prevention from all types of contamination a robustifed version of these rules is recommended.     

Protoplast from <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-carotene-producing fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Blakeslea trispora</Emphasis>: Preparation,regeneration and validation

The effects of key parameters on the preparation and regeneration of protoplast from the β-carotene-producing fungus Blakeslea trispora were discussed in this paper, including the combination of various enzymes, mycelial age, digesting time and temperature, pH value, osmotic stabilizers, pretreatment, culture medium and culture method. Under the condition of mixed enzymes in osmotic stabilizer (0.6 M NaCl) combined with 2% lysozyme, 3% cellulase and 3% snailase, the highest protoplast yield, as high as 7.48×106 protoplasts/mL, was obtained when mycelial age was 60 h at pH 5.0–6.0 with digesting for 14–16 h at 28 °C. After purification of the obtained protoplasts, they were regenerated in PDA regenerative medium using bilayer plate culture method. To validate the usability of the protoplasts, a novel plasmid with green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used in transformation for easy visual observation. The results showed that the protoplasts prepared by the optimized method were active and applicable in further gene manipulation experiments. This work was presented at 13 ^th YABEC symposium held at Seoul, Korea, October 20–22, 2007.