X-ray Study of Iron-containing Derivatives of Arabinogalactan

Iron-containing derivatives of arabinogalactan (ferroarabinogalactans) were subjected to X-ray diffraction analysis to determine the form and structure of bound iron. Crystal lattice parameters a of the iron-containing phase were measured and the average crystallite size was determined.     

Redox reactions of arabinogalactan with silver ions and formation of nanocomposites

Formation of silver nanoparticles in the course of chemical reduction of AgNO₃ with arabinogalactan in aqueous alkaline solution was studied by electronic absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The pH of the solution was found to be the major factor affecting the degree of reduction of Ag⁺ ions. The probable reaction mechanism was discussed. Composites containing up to 58% Ag, with the metal particle size of 7–16 nm, were prepared. The nanoparticle size can be controlled by varying the reactant ratio AgNO₃: arabinogalactan. Chemical modification of arabinogalactan was confirmed by IR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and by TLC.     

Nanosized Pd(0)-arabinogalactan composites as catalysts in the Sonogashira reaction

Zero-valent palladium nanoparticles stabilized by arabinogalactan polysaccharide matrix were successfully used for the first time as phosphine-free catalyst in the cross-coupling of terminal alkynes with aryl and hetaryl halides.     

Synthesis and thermochemical characteristics of Na2O · Al2O3 · 2.5H2O

A pure phase of monosodium aluminate hydrate Na₂O · Al₂O₃ · 2.5H₂O (MAH) is synthesized and characterized by means of XRD, IR, SEM, TGA, and DSC. The heat capacity of the compound is measured in the temperature range of ?100 to 100°C, and the thermal contributions to enthalpy and entropy are calculated. The standard entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs energy of formation of MAH at 298 K are estimated.     

Optical properties and orientational order of deoxyribonucleic acid molecules at interfaces

A high degree of planar orientational order of DNA molecules in thin films has been discovered by the oblique-polarized-beam method. The coefficients of surface birefringence of films with different thicknesses are measured. The thickness of optically anisotropic surface layers, which are characterized by macroscopic values higher than the diameter of DNA molecules by three orders of magnitude in terms of thickness, is determined. A difference in the main polarizabilities of the monomer unit of DNA, which is estimated for the films, is compared with the corresponding value for the solution measured by flow birefringence. The effect of temperature on the coefficient of birefringence of the films is examined. A comparison of the data on the native and denatured DNA shows that the degree of orientational order for the single-helix structure is smaller than that for the double helix.     

Characterization of single-crystal sapphire substrates by X-ray methods and atomic force microscopy

The possibility of characterizing a number of practically important parameters of sapphire substrates by X-ray methods is substantiated. These parameters include wafer bending, traces of an incompletely removed damaged layer that formed as a result of mechanical treatment (scratches and marks), surface roughness, damaged layer thickness, and the specific features of the substrate real structure. The features of the real structure of single-crystal sapphire substrates were investigated by nondestructive methods of double-crystal X-ray diffraction and plane-wave X-ray topography. The surface relief of the substrates was investigated by atomic force microscopy and X-ray scattering. The use of supplementing analytical methods yields the most complete information about the structural inhomogeneities and state of crystal surface, which is extremely important for optimizing the technology of substrate preparation for epitaxy.     

Simulation of hydrodynamics and thermal physics of reliefographic processes

The development of latent images on the free surface of thermoplastic thin films is modeled by the finite-difference method. The mixed boundary-value problem for the Navier—Stokes equations is solved by an algorithm which avoids the standard difficulties of integration of continuity equations. The efficiency of the implicit schemes is analyzed by comparing the numerical and analytical solutions in the isothermal case. The allowance for energy balance makes it possible to compute the hydrodynamic and thermophysical parameters in conditions close to reality.Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. Kiev University. Translated from Vychislitel'naya i Prikladnaya Matematika, No. 68, pp. 100–107, 1989.     

Kinetics of the gas-phase chlorination of activated carbon with carbon tetrachloride

The chlorination of activated charcoals KAU and SCN with CCl₄ vapor in the temperature range 300–600 °C and also the thermal stability of the added chlorine has been studied. It is shown that chlorination with CCl₄ vapor led to the addition of up to 22 mass % (6.2 mmol/g) of chlorine to the surface layer of the carbon. The added chlorine is desorbed from the surface with formation of HCl, while at temperatures above 500 °C desorption of chlorine goes practically to completion. The effective rate constants and the energies of activation of the processes of chlorination and desorption have been found.