Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of β-MnO 2 nanorods

We present synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of structurally well-ordered single-crystalline β-MnO₂ nanorods of 50–100 nm diameter and several μm length. Thorough structural characterization shows that the basic β-MnO₂ material is covered by a thin surface layer (∼2.5 nm) of α-Mn₂O₃ phase with a reduced Mn valence that adds its own magnetic signal to the total magnetization of the β-MnO₂ nanorods. The relatively complicated temperature-dependent magnetism of the nanorods can be explained in terms of a superposition of bulk magnetic properties of spatially segregated β-MnO₂ and α-Mn₂O₃ constituent phases and the soft ferromagnetism of the thin interface layer between these two phases.     

Designing amino acid sequences to fold with good hydrophobic cores

We present two methods for designing amino acid sequences ofproteins that will fold to have good hydrophobic cores. Giventhe coordinates of the desired target protein or polymer structure,the methods generate sequences of hydrophobic (H) and polar(P) monomers that are intended to fold to these structures.One method designs hydrophobic inside, polar outside; the otherminimizes an energy function in a sequence evolution process.The sequences generated by these methods agree at the levelof 60–80% of the sequence positions in 20 proteins inthe Protein Data Bank. A major challenge in protein design isto create sequences that can fold uniquely, i.e. to a singleconformation rather than to many. While an earlier lattice-basedsequence evolution method was shown not to design unique folders,our method generates unique folders in lattice model tests.These methods may also be useful in designing other types offoldable polymer not based on amino acids     

Numerical study of coal particle cluster combustion under quiescent conditions

Behavior of ignition and combustion of coal particle cluster under a quiescent condition was numerically simulated by solving balance equations of mass and enthalpy with combustion kinetic models of volatiles and char. Two-flame structure, one flame penetrating into the cluster and the other moving out of the cluster, was predicted during the combustion of coal particle cluster. Effects of radiative heat transfer, group number, ambient temperature, coal particle size, and oxygen concentration on ignition and combustion of coal particle clusters were also analyzed. Simulations indicated that the gas volume fraction of coal particle cluster increases with time after devolatilization. Gas velocity passing through the cluster surface varied significantly at volatile liberation. The ignition time delay was reduced with the increase of ambient temperature. The cluster devolatilization rate and char burning rate increased while the ignition time delay decreased with the increase of ambient oxygen concentration.     

Catalytic characteristics of various rubber-reinforcing carbon blacks in decomposition of methane for hydrogen production

Carbon black has recently been reported to act as an effective catalyst for methane decomposition and to exhibit stable catalytic behavior despite carbon deposition, and thus it can be used for CO₂-free production of hydrogen from natural gas. In this work, various carbon blacks with different primary particle size were investigated with respect to methane decomposition under atmospheric pressure from 1123 to 1223 K. Catalytic characteristics, such as activity, activation energy and reaction order, were investigated and compared. It was observed that with decreasing primary particle size (or increasing specific surface area), the specific activity increased and the activation energy decreased. The reaction orders for various pelletized, rubber-reinforcing carbon blacks were 0.6–0.7, about the same regardless of the primary particle size, while they were near 1 for fluffy carbon blacks. Fluffy carbon black showed higher activity and activation energy than the pelletized carbon black of the same primary particle size. Changes of the surface morphology during carbon deposition were observed by TEM. Variations of the number of active sites were discussed in regard of the primary particle size, carbon deposition and binder. The presence of different types of active sites was also suggested.     

Mobile phase composition for resolving whey proteins in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was successfully developed for the simultaneous and rapid separation for the main whey proteins, α-Lactalbumin and β-Lactoglobulin. This method consisted of a linear gradient of the two mobile phases of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in water and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in acetonitrile. The total run time for this separation was approximately 30 min, and α-Lactalbumin was eluted followed byβ- Lactoglobulin. The injection volume was fixed at 20 μl and the flow rate was 1 ml 1/min. The optimum mobile phase composition and gradient conditions to separate α-Lactalbumin and β-Lactoglobulin (A+B) were experimentally obtained at the 15 μm particle with a pore size of 300 Å on the linear-gradient mode.     

Characterization of polyisoprene-clay nanocomposites prepared by solution blending

The effects of clay dispersion and the interactions between clays and polymer chains on the viscoelastic properties of polymer/clay nanocomposites are investigated using oscillatory shear rheology, X-ray diffraction (XRD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Four different montmorillonite silicates of natural clays, plasma-treated clays, and organically modified clays (OCs) have been used in this study. For the polyisoprene (PI)/clay nanocomposites, the exfoliation of the OC dispersed in the PI matrix is confirmed with XRD and SAXS although TEM images show both exfoliated and non-exfoliated nanoclay sheets. In contrast aggregation or intercalation is obtained for the other PI/clay composites studied here. Additionally, the effective maximum volume packing fraction of OC for the exfoliated nanocomposites is determined from the overlapping of dynamic viscosity at low frequency regime, in which the effective maximum volume packing fraction is larger than the percolation threshold determined from the storage modulus of the nanocomposites.     

Preparation and characterization of polypropylene/layered silicate nanocomposites using an antioxidant

Polypropylene (PP)/layered silicate nanocomposites were prepared via simple melt mixing of three components, PP, layered silicates modified with octadecylamine (C18-MMT) and antioxidant, to investigate the role of antioxidant. TEM and X-ray scattering results confirmed the intercalated state of silicates in PP/layered silicate nanocomposites with antioxidant. In rheological and mechanical study, the nanocomposites with antioxidant showed higher properties than those of the unfilled PP. The nanocomposite with 5 wt% C18-MMT and 0.5 phr antioxidant exhibited about 1.4 times higher tensile modulus and 1.3 times higher storage modulus than the unfilled PP. However, PP/C18-MMT without antioxidant showed lower rheological values owing to the thermal decomposition of PP and the poor compatibility between PP and C18-MMT. It could be concluded that antioxidants played an important role in enhancing the compatibility between PP and C18-MMT. According to the real time X-ray diffraction, the nanocomposite showed the weak ordering of PP crystals than the unfilled PP in the load-extension plateau region of elongation.     

Parameters determining the agglomeration behavior of anhydrous L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) crystals prepared by drowning out crystallization

Crystallization of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) by drowning out was performed for the production of the anhydrous form of LOLA. The needle-like LOLA crystals were formed and spherically agglomerated during precipitation in a semibatch crystallizer. The primary crystal size in the agglomerate remains unchanged after completion of the crystallization. Therefore, the agglomeration process of primary crystals played an important role for controlling LOLA crystal size. The agglomeration of LOLA crystals was governed by not only the physico-chemical parameters such as the temperature and feed concentration, but also the hydrodynamic parameters such as agitation speed and feeding rate. The crystal size and the shape have been shown to be important factors in product impurity and flowability. Thus, the optimum condition of LOLA crystallization process by drowning-out could be obtained.     

Effects of Acetic Acid on the Crystallization Temperature of Sol–Gel-Derived MgO Nano-Powders and Thin Films

The influences of acetic acid addition to Mg-methoxide on the stability of the precursor and the crystallization behavior of sol–gel-derived MgO nano-powders and thin films were investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The addition of acetic acid enhanced the stability of the alkoxide against precipitation. Moreover, during postheat treatment of the gel powders treated with acetic acid, a significantly lowered crystallization temperature (250°C) was observed as compared to the untreated counterpart (350°C). The low-temperature crystallization of MgO, induced by the modification of Mg-methoxide with acetic acid, was related to the decomposition of organics at a lower temperature. These results could be explained in terms of the decrease of the O–R bond strength depending on the increase in the alkyl group size. MgO thin films having a high degree of crystallinity were successfully obtained from the Mg-methoxide treated with acetic acid at 300°C. The low-temperature crystallization of sol–gel-derived MgO thin films showed the feasibility for their application as a protective layer in alternative current plasma display panel cells.     

A visual study on flame behavior in tone-excited non-premixed jet flames

A visualization study on the effect of forcing amplitude in tone-excited jet diffusion flames has been conducted. Visualization techniques are employed using optical schemes, which are a light scattering photography. Flame stability curve is attained according to Reynolds number and forcing amplitude at a fuel tube resonant frequency. Flame behavior is globally grouped into two from attached flame to blown-out flame according to forcing amplitude; one sticks the tradition flame behavior which has been observed in general jet diffusion flames and the other shows a variety of flame modes such as the flame of a feeble forcing amplitude where traditionally well-organized vortex motion evolves, a fat flame, an elongated flame, and an in-burning flame. Particular attention is focused on an elongation flame, which is associated with a turnabout phenomenon of vortex motion, and on a reversal of the direction of vortex roll-up. It is found that the flame length with forcing amplitude is the direct outcome of the evolution process of the formed inner flow structure. Especially the negative part of the acoustic cycle under the influence of a strong positive pressure gradient causes the shapes of the fuel stem and fuel branch part and even the direction of vortex roll-up to dramatically change.