Novel Recovery of Nano-Structured Ceria (CeO(2)) from Ce(III)-Benzoxazine Dimer Complexes via Thermal Decomposition

N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)alkylamines, benzoxazine dimers, are the major product produced from benzoxazine monomers on mono-functional phenol by the one step ring opening reaction. Due to the metal responsive property of benzoxazine dimers, in this present work, N,N-bis(5-methyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)methylamine (MMD), N,N-bis (5-ethyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)methylamine (EMD), and N,N-bis(5-methoxy-2-hydroxybenzyl) methyl amine (MeMD), are considered as novel ligands for rare earth metal ion, such as cerium(III) ion. The complex formed when the clear and colorless solutions of cerium nitrate and benzoxazine dimers were mixed, results in a brown colored solution. The metal-ligand ratios determined by the molar ratio and the Job's methods were found to be in a ratio of 1:6. To clarify the evidence of the complex formation mechanism, the interactions among protons in benzoxazine dimers both prior to and after the formation of complexes were determined by means of (1)H-NMR, 2D-NMR and a computational simulation. The single phase ceria (CeO(2)) was successfully prepared by thermal decomposition of the Ce(III)-benzoxazine dimer complexes at 600 °C for 2 h, was then characterized using XRD. In addition, the ceria powder investigated by TEM is spherical with an average diameter of 20 nm.     

Electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells derived from metal complexes: Gadolinia-doped ceria

Gadolinia doped ceria (GDC) powders with different gadolinium contents were successfully prepared by the thermal decomposition of ceria complexes. All the calcined powder samples were found to be ceria-based solid-solutions having a fluorite-type structure. The powders were cold-isostatically pressed and sintered in air at 1500 °C for 5 h to attain a sintered density of about 90% of its theoretical value. The electrical conductivity of the GDC pellets in air was studied as a function of temperature in the 225–700 °C range, by using two-probe electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The highest total conductivity (σ_600 °C = 0.025 S/cm) was found for the Ce_0.85Gd_0.15O_1.925 composition.     

The dimensional effects of windowing on crosstalk for high speed hard disk drive interconnects

As the areal density rapidly changes, the signal reflection increases. In order to avoid the reflection between a magnetic recording head and a read/write driver on hard disk drive interconnects (HDDIs), the windowing technique is used to keep low insertion loss and it causes the higher crosstalk between lines. In this work, the crosstalk on idealized HDDI with windowing is investigated. The crosstalk represented by the scattering parameters calculated by using the full wave simulation software based on finite integral technique. From the results, the improvement of insertion loss and transmission bandwidth (?3 dB bandwidth) can be found when the window percentage is increased. For the 90% windowed structure, these are improved as 4.27 dB at 1 GHz and 4.53 GHz comparing with the conventional structure, respectively. Besides, the crosstalk increases with the increasing of window percentage. However, it can be suppressed up to 5.68 dB in a range of 0.24–1 GHz when the window percentage is 90%. Furthermore, the 90% of windowed structure with 8 mm window pitch possess the lowest crosstalk about 30.22 dB in a range of 0.32–6.4 GHz. In addition, the placing position of windows in a reference plane with a half of the rest length at both ends should be avoided because it increases both crosstalk and insertion loss. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 24:217–222, 2014.     

Discovery of a Novel Class of Covalent Dual Inhibitors Targeting the Protein Kinases BMX and BTK

The nonreceptor tyrosine TEC kinases are key regulators of the immune system and play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diverse hematological malignancies. In contrast to the substantial efforts in inhibitor development for Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), specific inhibitors of the other TEC kinases, including the bone marrow tyrosine kinase on chromosome X (BMX), remain sparse. Here we present a novel class of dual BMX/BTK inhibitors, which were designed from irreversible inhibitors of Janus kinase (JAK) 3 targeting a cysteine located within the solvent-exposed front region of the ATP binding pocket. Structure-guided design exploiting the differences in the gatekeeper residues enabled the achievement of high selectivity over JAK3 and certain other kinases harboring a sterically demanding residue at this position. The most active compounds inhibited BMX and BTK with apparent IC₅₀ values in the single digit nanomolar range or below showing moderate selectivity within the TEC family and potent cellular target engagement. These compounds represent an important first step towards selective chemical probes for the protein kinase BMX.     

Development of novel hybrid materials from polylactic acid and nano-silver coated carbon black with distinct antimicrobial and electrical properties

This work aims to prepare nanosilver coated carbon black via benzoxazine oxidation as a filler for polylactic acid (PLA) to produce novel hybrid materials with improved electrical and antimicrobial properties. Nanosilver coated carbon black exhibited antimicrobial activity against S.aureus, B.subtilis, M.luteus, E.coli, P.aeruginosa and C.albicans. It was found that the nanosilver coated carbon black (10CB-Ag) was the most effective filler since it showed largest inhibition zones. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the silver content in 10CB-Ag was 5.68% by weight. The hybrid materials of PLA with uncoated carbon black and nanosilver coated carbon black fillers were prepared by injection molding. The optimal composition of the prepared hybrid materials was found to be 15 phr of nanosilver coated carbon black in PLA (15AgCB-PLA). This material showed quite good properties, e.g. tensile strength of 50 MPa, % elongation at break of 1.68 and electrical conductivity of 2.78 × 10^?9 S?m^?1. Moreover, it exhibited the S. aureus inhibition of about 99%. This work revealed the possibility of using this material for anti-electrostatic and antimicrobial applications.     

A novel ion extraction material using host‐guest properties of oligobenzoxazine local structure and benzoxazine monomer molecular assembly

Bisphenol‐A based benzoxazine monomer (BA‐m) and its oligomer are applied as an ionophore to study by Pedersen's technique, the ion interaction with alkali and alkaline earth ions. Ion extraction efficiencies are significant when the solubility parameter of the organic phase is close to that of BA‐m or the χ‐parameter is 0.34. Ionophore concentration controls the amount of metal ion extraction. Both BA‐m and its oligomer show high entrapment efficiency over 70% extraction, for all types of ions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 2561–2568, 2000     

Effect of silane coupling on the properties of polylactic acid/barium ferrite magnetic composite filament for the 3D printing process

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/barium ferrite (BaFe₁₂O₁₉) with different composition ratios was fabricated by magnetic composite filaments using an extrusion process for a 3D printer. The silane modified surface of BaFe₁₂O₁₉ was studied to observe the effect on the mechanical, morphology, thermal, and magnetic properties of magnetic composite filaments. The results showed that the silane treated surface BaFe₁₂O₁₉ not only enhanced the mechanical properties of magnetic composite filaments, but also improved adhesion and homogeneity between the BaFe₁₂O₁₉ filler and PLA matrix. Moreover, the thermal and magnetic properties of magnetic composite filaments were not obviously changed after adding silane treated surface BaFe₁₂O₁₉. The achievement of the magnetic composite filaments preparation with silane treated surface BaFe₁₂O₁₉ for the 3D printing process could become a guideline to develop and design other magnetic composites products in the near future.     

Preparation of chemical vapor sensing materials from composites of esterified poly(vinyl alcohol) and carbon black

Poly(vinyl alcohol) was modified by esterification to prepare poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers. The degree of esterification on poly(vinyl alcohol) was elucidated by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and elemental analysis. The obtained products were poly(vinyl benzoate)-co-poly(vinyl alcohol) (B-PVA) and poly(vinyl p-toluoate)-co-poly(vinyl alcohol) (P-PVA). The chemical vapor sensors were fabricated by the mixtures of polymer and carbon black in dimethyl sulfoxide and their subsequent preparation as thin films onto the interdigited electrodes by the application of the spin-coating technique. The chemical vapor sensing properties of the sensors were examined with various solvents, such as hexane, toluene, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, and water. The experimental results indicated that modifying the chemical structure of PVA results in the decreased polarity of the obtained products. The composites of modified PVA consequently responded well to low polarity solvents, such as THF or ethyl acetate.