Synthesis,Characterization, and Application of Hybrid Inorganic–Organic Composites (K/Na)ZrSi(R)O<Subscript>x</Subscript>

Hybrid inorganic–organic composites, (K/Na)ZrSi(R)O_x, were synthesized from the hydrolysis of the mixture of zirconium n-propoxide (Zr(OPrⁿ)₄) and 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPTS) in 1:1 mol ratio. The hydrolysis reaction was carried out with 0.1 molar HCl in 150 ml of butanol. Then, the synthesized Zr(OPrⁿ)₄-GPTS-hydrolyzate reacted with KOBu^t and NaOSiMe₃ in 1:1 mol ratio at 40 and 50 °C for 24 h, respectively. After these stages, composites were washed and dried under vacuum. Composites and their oxide prepared at 1250 °C by calcinations were characterized by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. These hybrid inorganic–organic composites except oxides were used as catalysts in order to see their activities in the polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL). This study showed that new composite materials except their oxides were effective catalyst in ε-CL polymerization.     

Functionalized Hybrid Coatings on ABS Surfaces by PLD and Dip Coatings

It is important to give water-repellent and antibacterial properties to the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) surfaces of the hearing aids. In this study, the sol–gel Si and sol–gel Ti solutions were prepared from the reactions of silicon ethoxide, titanium butoxide and methacrylic acid. The catalyst and Dynasylan F8815 were added to the sol–gel solutions to give hydrophobic properties onto the ABS surfaces. Additionally, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by nanosecond laser and added to the coating solutions to give extra antibacterial properties. The surfaces of the ABS targets were coated using the sol–gel dip coating and pulsed laser deposition techniques. The coatings with good adhesion between film and substrate and good water-repellent properties were achieved. The average contact angles for the coated ABS surfaces were measured in the range between 120 and 125 degrees. The obtained sol–gel materials and produced thin films onto the ABS surfaces were also analyzed in terms of the antibacterial properties. The highly antibacterial properties were observed in the sol–gel solutions and the thin films.     

Application of LANDSAT imagery to studies of structural geology and geomorphology of the Mentese region of southwestern Turkey

LANDSAT (ERTS-1) multispectral scanner band 5 (0.6–0.7 μm) and band 7 (0.8–1.1 μm) images have been visually interpreted to prepare geologic, tectonic and geomorphologic maps of the Mentese region of southwestern Turkey. Band 7 was most valuable for identifying geologic formations, tectonic fault lines and geomorphologic slope contrast. Band 5 supplemented the information obtained from band 7, by providing information on rock-soil boundaries, tectonic relationships between vegetation and structure, and vegetational tonal differences between steep slopes and flat surfaces.     

Hydrogen adsorption of O/N-rich hierarchical carbon scaffold decorated with Ni nanoparticles: Experimental and computational studies

Hierarchical carbon scaffold (HCS) with multi-porous structures, favoring hydrogen diffusion and physisorption is doped with 2–10 wt % Ni for storing hydrogen at ambient temperature. Due to N- and O-rich structure of melamine-formaldehyde resin used as carbon precursor, homogeneous distribution of heteroatoms (N and O) in HCS is achieved. 2 wt % Ni-doped HCS shows the highest hydrogen capacity up to 2.40 wt % H₂ (T = 298 K and p (H₂) = 100 bar) as well as excellent reversibility of 18.25 g H₂/L and 1.25 wt % H₂ (T = 298 K and p (H₂) = 50 bar) and electrical production from PEMFC stack up to 0.7 Wh upon eight cycles. Computations and experiments confirm strong interactions between Ni and heteroatoms, leading to uniform distribution small particles of Ni. This results in enhancing reactive surface area for hydrogen adsorption and preventing agglomeration of Ni nanoparticles upon cycling. Ni K-edge XANES spectra simulated from the optimized structure of Ni-doped N/O-rich carbon using DFT calculations are consistent with the experimental spectra and suggest electron transfer from Ni to hydrogen to form Ni–H bond upon adsorption. Considering low desorption temperature (323 K), not only chemisorbed hydrogen is involved in adsorption mechanisms but also physisorption and spillover of hydrogen.     

New Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Materials and Their Oxides for Removal of Heavy Metal Ions: Response Surface Methodology Approach

In this paper, Cu(II), Fe(III), Pb(II), and Zn(II) heavy metal ions were removed from their aqueous solutions by using novel inorganic–organic hybrid materials, Al-GPTS-H and Al-GPTS-NaOSiMe₃-H (hybrid material-1 and 2, respectively), and their oxides (calcined-1 and 2) as adsorbents. These ions removal by adsorption was optimized by using response surface methodology (RSM). Central composite design (CCD) method was used in order to investigate the effects of initial pH, initial metal concentration of solutions and adsorbent quantity on the adsorption efficiency (R, %). As a result of the experiments under optimum conditions, the maximum % R values were obtained by hybrid material-1 for Fe(III) (99.89%) and by calcined material-1 for Pb(II) (97.14%), respectively. These quite high adsorption efficiency values have shown that these hybrid materials and their oxides are suitable to use for heavy metal ions removal from aqueous solutions.     

Complexation of titanium alkoxides with pentenoic acid and allylacetoacetate and their hydrolysis and addition reactions with H‐silanes

Complexation reactions of titanium tetraethoxide [Ti(OEt)₄] and titanium tetra‐n‐butoxide [Ti(OBuⁿ)₄] with 3‐pentenoic acid (PA) and allylacetoacetate (AAA), in a 1 : 1M ratio, were studied in ethanol solution at room temperature. ¹³C‐NMR and FTIR spectra showed that all PA and AAA completely reacted with both titanium alkoxides. Hydridosilane compounds such as triethoxysilane and triethylsilane were added to titanium chelate complexes in a 1 : 1M ratio. The investigation of products by ¹³C‐ and ²⁹Si‐NMR and FTIR showed additions of ? SiH to the C?C double bond. The hydrolysis of titanium–PA and AAA complexes, by water in 1 : 4 ratios, resulted in released PA in an amount of 10% and AAA of 20%. The stability of hydrolyzed products was investigated by ¹³C‐NMR, ²⁹Si‐NMR, and FTIR. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 790–796, 2005     

EPDM recycling assisted by γ-processing

The integration of waste ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymer (EPDM), containing carbon black into pristine EPDM can be achieved by γ-irradiation as a versatile procedure to process ethylene–propylene elastomers. The presence of acrylic acid in the material formulation allows the formation of intermolecular bridges by threefold increase in gel content. The possibility of achieving greater stability by the addition of acrylic acid in EPDM systems was analyzed. The start materials were EPDM containing 30 and 50 phr of EPDM powder loaded with 40 phr of carbon black aged by pre-exposure to electron beam irradiation. The advanced γ-irradiation exceeding 100 kGy represented the optimal radiation processing condition. Two procedures of chemiluminescence under isothermal and non-isothermal regimes for the evaluation of radiation stability were applied on γ-irradiated samples. The thermal strength of irradiated samples was characterized based on the radiolysis mechanism of EPDM. The variation in the activation energy required for the thermal oxidation of these samples and the modification in gel contents due to the gelation action of acrylic acid were presented for the validation of proposed recycling radiochemical technique. Charlesby–Pinner representation provided different values for the ratios between radiochemical yields of cross-linking and scission, proving that the presence of acrylic acid promoted the conversion of EPDM wastes into valuable materials.     

Polymorphism and expression of the porcine Tenascin C gene associated with meat and carcass quality

The research aimed to screen for polymorphism, expression of Tenascin C (TNC) and association with meat and carcass quality traits. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected. In a Duroc×Pietrain F2 cross (DuPi) population, g.44488C>T was associated with meat color and ham weight; g.68794A>G was associated with pH at 24h post mortem in ham (pH24(H)) and muscle area but g.68841C>T was not statistically associated. Genotyping in a commercial Pietrain (Pi) population showed that g.44488C>T was associated with pH24(H), whereas g.68794A>G was associated with conductivity at 45 min post mortem in loin and backfat thickness. Diplotypes showed significant effects on pH24(H) in both populations. The expression was associated with pH at 45 min post mortem in loin and cooking loss. TNC was significantly higher in animals with higher muscle pH. Linkage analysis revealed four trans-regulated eQTL on four autosomes. These results suggest that TNC could be a potential candidate gene for meat quality traits in pigs.