Crossing of shears bands in196Pb

High-spin states in¹⁹⁶Pb have been populated using the reaction¹⁷⁰Er(³⁰Si,4n). The previously observed shears bands in this nucleus have been extended and some of their transitions have been reordered. They now form regular bands with band crossings. One of the bands splits into two pathways at high spin.     

DRIFTS study of surface reactivity to NO2 by zinc nanoparticle aggregates and zinc hollow nanofibers

Zinc nanostructures synthesized with different morphologies from the same evaporation/condensation technique are studied with concern to surface reactivity to NO₂ by Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transformed Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Synthesis of nanopowders is obtained, according to previous work, by gas flow thermal evaporation at 540 °C of bulk Zn grains. Two types of Zn powders are obtained and studied in experiments. The first one is collected on the cold walls of the reactor as a deposit produced by thermophoretic effect. It is constituted by grains (∼10 μm) originated by the stratification of smaller aggregates (∼200 nm) and isolated primary particles (∼50 nm) born in the gas flow. The second type of powder is grown from the condensation of Zn chemical vapors within the expansion orifice of the quartz reactor after relatively long time (∼1 h) deposition process. It is constituted mainly by hollow Zn nanofibers with external and internal diameter about 100 and 60 nm. Preliminary characterization of the two types of powders is made by SEM, TEM, XRD. Thereafter, the two types of samples are studied by DRIFTS at variable temperature (VT). Comparison is made between the home-synthesized nanopowders with respect to commercial Zn standard dust. The Zn hollow nanofibers when exposed to NO₂ are found to exhibit dramatic reactivity, which is not observed at all either in the case of clustered aggregate zinc or of commercial Zn dust powders. Results indicate that, at increasing temperature from RT to 300 °C, the hollow nanofibers surface reacts distinctively with adsorbant gas NO₂, with contemporary formation of a progressively growing narrow absorption band at 2500 cm⁻¹ and contemporary depression of a doublet (∼1600-1628 cm⁻¹) band. In order to justify this striking spectral feature, we propose the occurring of a possible polymerization process at nanofibers surface where most probably as a consequence of pre-treatment and exposure to gas NO₂ a very thin film of ZnO is formed. The possible role of huge specific surface of hollow nanofibers as inferred by preliminary SEM, TEM, XRD studies is discussed.     

Mimicking catalase and catecholase enzymes by copper(II)-containing complexes

An imidazolate-bridged copper(II)-zinc(II) complex (Cu(II)-diethylenetriamino-μ-imidazolato-Zn(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl)amine perchlorate (denoted as “Cu,Zn complex”) and a simple copper(II) complex (Cu(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl) amine chloride (“Cu-tren”) were prepared and immobilised on silica gel (by hydrogen or covalent bonds) and montmorillonite (by ion exchange). The immobilised substances were characterised by FT-IR spectroscopy and their thermal characteristics were also studied. The obtained materials were tested in two probe reactions: catalytic oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol (DTBC) (catecholase activity) and the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (catalase activity). It was found that the catecholase activity of the Cu,Zn complex increased considerably upon immobilization on silica gel via hydrogen bonds and intercalation by ion exchange among the layers of montmorillonite. The imidazolate-bridged copper(II)-zinc(II) complex and its immobilised versions were inactive in hydrogen peroxide decomposition. The Cu(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl)amine chloride complex displayed good catalase activity; however, immobilisation could not improve it.     

The simulation of molecular and organic devices: a critical review and look at future developments

Molecular devices have lately attracted increased attention due to some appealing features such as their low production cost, flexibility in the substrate choice, possibility of large area deployment, and possibly higher integration capabilities. Starting from a series of results obtained from our groups, we critically review the state-of-the-art in the field of simulation of organic and molecular systems, by analyzing and comparing existing approaches, and looking at the open problems and possible solutions and future developments. PACS 72.80.Le     

Bounds on the inverses of nonnegative triangular matrices with monotonicity properties

Some bounds on the entries and on the norm of the inverse of triangular matrices with nonnegative and monotone entries are found. All the results are obtained by exploiting the properties of the fundamental matrix of the recurrence relation which generates the sequence of the entries of the inverse matrix. One of the results generalizes a theorem contained in a recent article of one of the authors about Toeplitz matrices.     

Application of strategically designed sample composition to the rapid analytical screening of milk samples for polychlorinated biphenyls

Strategically designed sample composition (SSC) is a new technique that decreases the number of analytical determinations needed in routine screening to as few as the number of original sample specimens while providing information that is specific to them. Although this new technique has been applied to environmental studies, this paper describes its first application to food safety studies. Contamination of milk samples with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was chosen as a case study to show the usefulness and potential of the SSC technique with a fast analytical procedure that involves saponification of the samples and solid-phase microextraction of the PCBs. A total of 20 sample specimens can be analyzed in 11 determinations with excellent predictions of the positive samples and the concentration levels of the contaminants. The robustness of the strategy was investigated and demonstrated.     

Spectrophotometric titration of mercury(II) with ethylenedithiodiacetic acid

Summary Mercuric ions may be determined by titration with ethylenedithiodiacetic acid at a wavelength of 260 nm at any pH less than 1. The method is simple, rapid, and selective, and is applicable in solutions of high electrolyte concentration. Mercury(II) can be determined down to 1.5×10^–5 M with a relative standard deviation less than 2%.

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Zusammenfassung Quecksilber (II) läßt sich mit Äthylendithiodiessigsäure bei 260 nm und pH1 titrieren. Das Verfahren ist einfach, rasch und selektiv. Es läßt sich auch für Lösungen mit hoher Elektrolytkonzentration anwenden. Hg(II)-Konzentrationen über 1,5×10^–5 M sind mit einer relativen Standardabweichung unter 2% bestimmbar.

     

Nachweis isomerer Phenole und Nitroaniline,von Naphthylamin und Anilin

Zusammenfassung Die mit diazotiertem p-Nitranilin hergestellten Tetrazoverbindungen von Phenolderivaten geben mit Magnesium in alkalischem Mediumfarbige Komplexe. Die Farbe des Komplexes ist verschieden bei substituierten und nicht substituierten bzw. verschieden substituierten Phenolen. Damit kann man Phenol-, Kresol- und Chlorphenol-Isomere bzw. 2,4- und 2,6-Dichlorphenol unterscheiden.Beim Diazotieren von Nitranilin und Kuppeln mit Anilin entstehen. Indikatorsäuren; p-Nitranilin bildet die stärkste Indikatorsäure, m-Nitranilin die schwächste. Auf dieser Grundlage können alle drei Isomeren nebeneinander nachgewiesen werden. Außerdem bilden die aus p- und o-Nitranilin entstandenen Indikatoren mit Magnesium verschieden gefärbte Nitronsäurekomplexe, während m-Nitranilin, das zur Nitronsäuretautomerie nicht befähigt ist, keinen Komplex bildet.Naphthylamine geben mit diazotiertem p-Nitranilin in wäßrigem. Medium eine Indikatorbase, Anilin eine Indikatorsäure. In alkoholischem Medium führt-Naphthylamin bei Kupplung von diazotiertem p-Nitranilin zu einem amphoteren Säure-Base-Indikator, aber-Naphthylamin und Anilin zu Indikatorsäuren. Damit kann man Naphthylamin und Anilin nebeneinander nachweisen. Kuppelt man Phenyldiazoniumchlorid mit Naphthylamin, so erhält man mit-Naphthylamin eine starke Indikatorbase, mit- Naphthylamin eine schwache Indikatorbase. Auf der Basis dieser Indikatorwirkung kann man-Naphthylamin neben- Naphthylamin nachweisen.

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Summary The tetrazo compounds of phenol derivatives prepared with diazotizedp-nitraniline yield colored complexes with magnesium in alkaline surroundings. The color of the complexes differs with substituted and non-substituted or variously substituted phenols. It is possible in this way to differentiate phenol, cresol and chlorophenol isomers, and also 2,4- and 2,6-dichlorophenol.Indicator acids result from diazotized nitraniline coupled with aniline;p-nitraniline yields the strongest indicator acid,m-nitraniline the weakest. With this information as a basis, all three isomers can be detected in the presence of each other. In addition, the indicators produced fromp- ando-nitraniline give nitronic acid complexes with magnesium that differ in color, whilem-nitraniline, which is not capable of nitronic acid tautomerism, forms no complex.Naphthylamines gives an indicator base in aqueous medium with diazotizedp-nitraniline, whereas aniline yields an indicator acid. In alcoholic medium, 1-naphthylamine on coupling with diazotizedp-nitraniline produces an amphoteric acid-base indicator, but 2-naphthylamine and aniline yield indicator acids. Naphthylamine and aniline can be detected in this way in the presence of each other. If phenyldiazonium chloride is coupled with naphthylamine, a strong indicator base is obtained with 1-naphthylamine, a weak indicator base with 2-naphthylamine. This indicator action is the basis of the detection of 1-naphthylamine in the presence of 2-naphthylamine.

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Résumé Les composés tétrazoïques des dérivés phénoliques qui se forment avec lap-nitraniline diazotée, donnent avec le magnésium, en milieu alcalin, des complexes colorés. La couleur du complexe diffère suivant que les phénols sont substitués, non substitués ou différemment substitués. On peut ainsi distinguer le phénol, les crésols et les chlorophénols isomères, ainsi que les dichloro-2,4 et -2,6 phénols.En diazotant la nitraniline et en copulant avec l'aniline, des acides indicateurs prennent naissance, lap-nitraniline donnant l'acide indicateur le plus fort, lam-nitraniline le plus faible. En s'appuyant sur ce fait, on peut rechercher les trois isomères en présence les uns des autres. En outre, les indicateurs qui prennent naissance à partir de lap- et de l'o-nitraniline forment avec le magnésium différents complexes colorés acinitrés, alors que lam-nitraniline, qui n'est pas susceptible d'une tautomérie de l'acide nitronique, ne donne pas de complexe.Les naphtylamines donnent avec lap-nitraniline diazotée, en milieu aqueux, une base indicateur et l'aniline, un acide indicateur. En milieu alcoolique, l'-naphtylamine conduit par copulation de lap-nitraniline diazotée à un indicateur acide-base amphotère mais la-naphtylamine et l'aniline à des acides indicateurs. On peut ainsi rechercher la naphtylamine et l'aniline en présence l'une de l'autre. Si l'on copule le chlorure de phenyldiazonium avec la naphtylamine, on obtient avec la forme une base indicateur forte et avec la forme une base indicateur faible. En se fondant sur cette action d'indicateur, on peut rechercher l'-naphtylamine en présence de-naphtylamine.