Reactions at the corroding nickel electrode in molten sodium carbonate under CO/CO2 atmosphere

Anodic reactions at the CO, CO₂|Ni electrode in molten sodium carbonate at 1000°C are examined in detail. Experimental polarization curves are fitted via a computer graphics procedure to a model employing five anodic reactions with activation, concentration and resistance polarization, and passivation. The resultant empirical parameters are interpreted in terms of absolute rate expressions describing possible anodic reactions. Three of the anodic reactions are found to be in accord with the findings at inert electrodes by previous investigators, i.e. oxidation of CO by two mechanisms and oxidation of carbonate, while the cathodic reaction is consistent with reduction of CO₂. The remaining two anodic reactions were associated with the oxidation of nickel to Ni²⁺ with formation of a NiO film above a passivation potential, and, at higher anodic overpotentials, oxidation of NiO to a higher oxide, e.g. Ni₂O₃. There is an indication of the formation of a third oxide at still higher anodic overpotentials.     

Preparation of water‐soluble syndiotacticity‐rich high molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) microfibrillar fibers using copolymerization of vinyl pivalate and vinyl acetate and saponification

Water‐soluble high molecular weight (HMW) syndiotactic poly(vinyl alcohol) (s‐PVA) microfibrillar fibers were prepared by the saponification with various conditions such as amount of alkali solution, saponification temperature, and saponification concentration from copoly(vinyl pivalate (VPi)/vinyl acetate (VAc)) copolymerized using various VPi/VAc feed ratios. To produce s‐PVA microbrillar fibers having various water‐soluble temperatures for many industrial applications, the intrinsic viscosities, syndiotactic diad (S‐diad) contents, and degrees of saponification (DS)s of PVAs were finely controlled to 1.2–3.6 dL/g, 56.3–58.3%, and 91.4–98.3%, respectively. Through a series of experiments, it was found that the amount of alkali may alter the structure of the saponified polymers, primarily the DS, and the structural variation changes viscosity. That is, intrinsic viscosity was sharply decreased as the amount of alkali solution was increased. DS was increased with an increase in the amount of alkali solution. S‐diad content was increased with an increase in the VPi content. HMW s‐PVA microfibrillar fibers having S‐diad content of 56.3–58.3% prepared by the saponification of copoly(VPi/VAc) were completely soluble in water at 100°C. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 1482–1487, 2003     

Sulfonated polyaniline–titanium dioxide nanocomposites synthesized by one-pot UV-curable polymerization method

Sulfonated polyaniline–titanium dioxide (SPAni–TiO₂) hybrid composites have been synthesized by using a new strategy in one-pot system of UV-cured polymerization method. Aqueous solution of aniline and orthoanilinic acid comonomers, a free-radical oxidant and titania precursor were irradiated by UV rays. Hydrolysis and reprecipitation of the titania precursor in aqueous aniline and orthoanilic acid lead to the formation of titanium dioxide particles which in turn catalyze oxidation of comonomers to sulfonated polyaniline. The resultant SPAni–TiO₂ composites were characterized by using different spectroscopy analyses like X-ray diffraction, UV–visible (UV–vis) and infrared spectroscopy. The UV–vis absorption bands revealed that SPAni–TiO₂ nanocomposites are optically active and the blue-shifted peaks due to the presence of titania within the SPAni matrix. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy of the nanocomposite showed a uniform size distribution with spherical and granular morphology. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the SPAni–TiO₂ composites have a good thermal stability than the pristine SPAni.     

摇滚彩虹 韩国ROCK IT SUDA度假屋

韩国建筑师Moon Hoon为大家所认识大概是因为他2005年获得韩国设计大奖的SangSang博物馆,从那座极富工业感和机械感的建筑设计中,我们不难感受到设计师不一样的设计理念与艺术感知。与其说他是一名建筑师,不如说是一个艺术家更为准确。     

Effects of Polymeric Stabilizers on the Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles （AuNPs） stabilized with sodium alginate （SA）, glycol chitosan （GC）, polyvinyl alcohol （PVA）, and polyethyleneimine （PEI） were synthesized in aqueous solutions at room temperature. Different sizes and size distributions of AuNPs were obtained according to the polymeric stabilizers. The mean particle diameters of AuNPs synthesized with GC and PVA as stabilizers were about 5.1 and 5.3 nm, respectively, while those of AuNPs stabilized with SA and PEI were 8.4 and 10.8 nm, respectively. When SA was used, relatively large particles aggregated to form large clusters. In the case of GC, a number of small particles built up large clusters. When PVA was used, the size and the number of nanoperticles were estimated small with a low weight content of Au. For this reason, the PVA-stabilized AuNPs formed clusters with a small hydrodynamic size. The AuNPs synthesized in the aqueous solution of PEI without a reducing agent, sodium borohydride, were uniform in size and formed the smallest nanoclusters （67.4 nm）. In this case, the highest Au content was obtained. Sufficiently grown nanoparticles with a high Au content and a limited hydrodynamic size are considered to be suitable for a variety of applications.     

Poly(vinyl acetate)/Silver Nanocomposite Microspheres Prepared by Suspension Polymerization at Low Temperature

Summary: High molecular weight (HMW) poly(vinyl acetate)/silver nanocomposite microspheres (PVAc/Ag), which are promising precursors of embolic materials with radiopacity, were prepared via a suspension polymerization approach in the presence of silver nanoparticles. It was found that a high yield and high molecular weight PVAc/Ag could be concurrently obtained even using a low‐temperature initiator 2,2′‐azobis(2,4‐dimethylvaleronitrile) (≈30 °C). In the case of presence of silver nanoparticles, the rate of polymerization was slightly slower than that without Ag. The suspension polymerization approach introduced could produce PVAc/Ag composite with conversion and viscosity‐average molecular weight ( ) up to 95% and 1 300 000, respectively, in spite of the low polymerization temperature (≈30 °C), in sharp contrast with an only ≈30% conversion of VAc under bulk polymerization. Morphology studies revealed that except normal suspension microspheres with a smooth surface, a golf ball‐like appearance of the microspheres was observed, due to the migration and aggregating of the hydrophilic Ag nanoparticles at the sublayer beneath the microsphere's surface.

     

Composition and stability of phytochemicals in five varieties of black soybeans (Glycine max)

Phytochemical compositions of five varieties of black soybeans (Glycine max) and their stabilities at room temperature, 4 and −80 °C over 14 months were determined by HPLC systems with electrochemical (ECD) and UV detectors. Polyphenol profiling was carried out by a liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS) with orbitrap as a mass analyser in both positive and negative ion modes, and polyphenols in aglycone forms were quantified by HPLC–ECD. Five different varieties of black soybeans (G. max) contained 249–405 μg/g dry wt of γ-tocopherol and 6.76–14.98 μg/g dry wt of lutein. Major polyphenols in black soybeans (G. max) were daidzein (193–288 μg/g dry wt) and genistein (145–223 μg/g dry wt), mainly present as glucosides and acetyl glucosides. No significant decrease was found in total phenols of black soybeans (G. max) stored at room temperature, 4 or −80 °C for 14 months. On the other hand, lutein and γ-tocopherol degraded significantly within a month of storage at room temperature (p < 0.01), whereas they remained stable up to 6 months at 4 °C and up to 14 months at −80 °C. The current study indicates that black soybeans (G. max) are rich source of γ-tocopherol and phenols (isoflavones, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins and anthocyanin) and that the levels vary depending upon varieties. In addition, storage at low temperature is recommended to reduce the loss of fat-soluble phytochemicals in black soybeans (G. max) over an extended period of time.     

Peripheral Nerve-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids Induce Functional Recovery and Repair after Spinal Cord Injury in Rodents

Stem cell therapy is one of the most promising candidate treatments for spinal cord injury. Research has shown optimistic results for this therapy, but clinical limitations remain, including poor viability, engraftment, and differentiation. Here, we isolated novel peripheral nerve-derived stem cells (PNSCs) from adult peripheral nerves with similar characteristics to neural-crest stem cells. These PNSCs expressed neural-crest specific markers and showed multilineage differentiation potential into Schwann cells, neuroglia, neurons, and mesodermal cells. In addition, PNSCs showed therapeutic potential by releasing the neurotrophic factors, including glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin-3. PNSC abilities were also enhanced by their development into spheroids which secreted neurotrophic factors several times more than non-spheroid PNSCs and expressed several types of extra cellular matrix. These features suggest that the potential for these PNSC spheroids can overcome their limitations. In an animal spinal cord injury (SCI) model, these PNSC spheroids induced functional recovery and neuronal regeneration. These PNSC spheroids also reduced the neuropathic pain which accompanies SCI after remyelination. These PNSC spheroids may represent a new therapeutic approach for patients suffering from SCI.     

Characterization of carbon nanotube-cdse hybrid nanomaterials

MWNT-CdSe hybrid nanomaterials were prepared with carboxylic acid-treated CdSe nanoparticles and amino-functionalized MWNTs. The hybridization of MWNT-CdSe nanomaterials was performed by the formation of covalent bond between MWNT and CdSe. Their covalent bond lengths were varied with changing the linking spacers. Amino-functionalized MWNTs were reacted with CdSe nanoparticles which were functionalized with carboxylic acid groups. Their detailed structures were characterized by FT-IR, XPS, and small angle X-ray scattering. Through small angle X-ray scattering experiments, it was found that the structures of CdSe nanoparticles were not regular, and their sizes were broadly distributed in solution. The longer amino-functionalized MWNTs were thermally decomposed at lower temperature. The photoluminescence (PL) of chemically-linked MWNT-CdSe hybrid nanomaterials were weaker than that of CdSe nanoparticles. In addition, their PL intensities more weakened on the MWNT-CdSe with the longer spacers.     

Phytonutrients affecting hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities in fruits,vegetables and legumes

The antioxidant activities of fruits (n = 21), vegetables (n = 67) and legumes (n = 7) commonly consumed in Korea were determined by both the lipophilic antioxidant performance assay (LAP) and the hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay (ORAC). The LAP assay used the lipophilic radical initiator MeO‐AMVN [2,2′‐azobis(4‐methoxy‐2,4‐dimethylvaleronitrile)] and the lipophilic probe BODIPY 581/591 [4,4‐difluoro‐5‐(4‐phenyl‐1,3‐butadienyl)‐4‐bora‐3a, 4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene‐3‐undecanoic acid]. The ORAC assay used the hydrophilic radical initiator AAPH [2,2′‐azobis(2‐amidinopropane) dihydrochloride] and the hydrophilic probe fluorescein. In addition, the lipid‐soluble phytonutrients, carotenoids and tocopherols were determined by a reverse‐phase HPLC system using a C30 column with a UV detector. The water‐soluble phytonutrient, ascorbic acid, was analyzed using an HPLC system with an electrochemical detector. Total phenols were determined by UV spectrophotometry. Tocopherols (r = 0.774, p < 0.0001) and carotenoids (r = 0.569, p < 0.0001) were significantly correlated with LAP in total samples (n = 95). ORAC was significantly correlated with total phenols (r = 0.893, p < 0.0001), but not with ascorbic acid (r = 0.009, p = 0.929) in total samples (n = 95). These data indicate that carotenoids and tocopherols and total phenols are the major contributors to the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities, respectively. Therefore, the contribution of both the hydrophilic and lipophilic components of fruits and vegetables should be considered when determining the actual ‘total’ antioxidant activity of fruits and vegetables. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry