Search results for "amorphous"
showing 10 items of 790 documents
Heterogeneous Photocatalysis and Photoelectrocatalysis: From Unselective Abatement of Noxious Species to Selective Production of High-Value Chemicals
2015
Heterogeneous photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis have been considered as oxidation technologies to abate unselectively noxious species. This article focuses instead on the utilization of these methods for selective syntheses of organic molecules. Some promising reactions have been reported in the presence of various TiO2 samples and the important role played by the amorphous phase has been discussed. The low solubility of most of the organic compounds in water limits the utilization of photocatalysis. Dimethyl carbonate has been proposed as an alternative green organic solvent. The recovery of the products by coupling photocatalysis with pervaporation membrane technology seems to be a…
Aliphatic polycarbonates based on carbon dioxide, furfuryl glycidyl ether, and glycidyl methyl ether: reversible functionalization and cross-linking.
2014
Well-defined poly((furfuryl glycidyl ether)-co-(glycidyl methyl ether) carbonate) (P((FGE-co-GME)C)) copolymers with varying furfuryl glycidyl ether (FGE) content in the range of 26% to 100% are prepared directly from CO2 and the respective epoxides in a solvent-free synthesis. All materials are characterized by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The furfuryl-functional samples exhibit monomodal molecular weight distributions with Mw/Mn in the range of 1.16 to 1.43 and molecular weights (Mn) between 2300 and 4300 g mol(-1). Thermal properties reflect the amorphous structure of the polymers. Both post-functionalization and…
Zinc oxide and indium tin oxide thin films for the growth and characterization ofShewanella loihicaPV-4 electroactive biofilms
2011
Transition metal oxides (TMO) electrodes provide a suitable platform for spectroscopy- and microscopy-based investigation of viable electroactive biofilms (EABs). Commercially available TMOs, such as indium titanium oxide (ITO), are produced from rare and expensive elements. Thus, there is a significant need to explore alternative technology to meet the demand. ZnO-based TMOs are low-cost and have excellent electrochemical properties. In this study, we report for the first time a model EAB of Shewanella loihica PV-4 on ZnO films deposited on perspex substrates via pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Commercially available ITO electrodes were also used for comparison. 480 Virulence Volume 2 Issue…
Improvement of interaction in and properties of PMMA-MWNT nanocomposites through microwave assisted acid treatment of MWNT
2013
Soluble derivatives of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) embedded in a poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) matrix forming thick, homogeneous and transparent nanocomposites, were prepared and characterized. A new photo-assisted method using microwaves, to purify the MWNTs from amorphous carbon and synthesis catalyst clusters, was tested in a sulphonitric mix. This method shortened the processing time compared to other methods. Pristine and functionalized MWNTs were introduced into the MMA, then in situ photo-polymerized. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), as well as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy w…
Stable amorphous calcium carbonate is the main component of the calcium storage structures of the crustacean Orchestia cavimana.
2002
Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is the least stable form of the six known phases of calcium carbonate. It is, however, produced and stabilized by a variety of organisms. In this study we examined calcium storage structures from the terrestrial crustacean Orchestia cavimana, in order to better understand their formation mode and function. By using X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis and elemental analysis, we determined that the mineral comprising these storage structures is amorphous calcium carbonate with small amounts of amorphous calcium phosphate (5%). We suggest that the use of amorphous calcium carbonate might be advantageous for these storage struct…
Evaluation of drug-polymer solubility curves through formal statistical analysis: comparison of preparation techniques.
2014
ABSTRACT: In this study, the influence of the preparation technique (ball milling, spray drying, and film casting) of a supersaturated amorphous dispersion on the quality of solubility determinations of indomethacin in polyvinylpyrrolidone was investigated by means of statistical analysis. After annealing of the amorphous dispersions above the crystallization temperature for 2 h, the solubility curve was derived from the glass transition temperature of the demixed material using the Gordon–Taylor relationship and fitting with the Flory–Huggins model. The study showed that the predicted solubility from the ball-milled mixtures was not consistent with those from spray drying and film casting,…
Pressure effects on the vibrational properties of alpha-Bi2O3: an experimental and theoretical study
2014
We report an experimental and theoretical high-pressure study of the vibrational properties of synthetic monoclinic bismuth oxide (alpha-Bi2O3), also known as mineral bismite. The comparison of Raman scattering measurements and theoretical lattice-dynamics ab initio calculations is key to understanding the complex vibrational properties of bismite. On one hand, calculations help in the symmetry assignment of phonons and to discover the phonon interactions taking place in this low-symmetry compound, which shows considerable phonon anticrossings; and, on the other hand, measurements help to validate the accuracy of first-principles calculations relating to this compound. We have also studied …
The amorphous silica-liquid water interface studied by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD): local organization in global disorder
2014
International audience; The structural organization of water at a model of amorphous silica-liquid water interface is investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations at room temperature. The amorphous surface is constructed with isolated, H-bonded vicinal and geminal silanols. In the absence of water, the silanols have orientations that depend on the local surface topology (i.e. presence of concave and convex zones). However, in the presence of liquid water, only the strong inter-silanol H-bonds are maintained, whereas the weaker ones are replaced by H-bonds formed with interfacial water molecules. All silanols are found to act as H- bond donors to water. The vicinal silanol…
Effect of rotary cutting instruments on the resin-tooth interfacial ultra structure: An in vivo study
2013
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of cutting teeth with different types of burs at various speeds on surface topogra - phy of tooth surface and interfacial gap formation at resin-tooth interface. Material and Methods: The human molars were divided into seven groups: Diamond bur in airrotor (DA) & mi - cromotor (DM), crosscut carbide bur in airrotor (CCA) & micromotor (CCM), plain carbide bur in airrotor (CA) & micromotor (CM) and #600-grit silicon carbide paper (SiC). In five samples from each group Class II box-only cavities were restored. The occlusal surface of four teeth per group was flattened. Two out of four teeth were acid etched. Teeth were subjected for scanning electron microsco…
ChemInform Abstract: Specific Heat of Amorphous Silica within the Harmonic Approximation.
2010
We investigate to what extent the specific heat of amorphous silica can be calculated within the harmonic approximation. For this we use molecular dynamics computer simulations to calculate, for a simple silica model (the BKS potential), the velocity autocorrelation function and hence an effective density of states g(ν). We find that the harmonic approximation is valid for temperatures below 300 K but starts to break down at higher temperatures. We show that, to obtain a reliable description of the low-frequency part of g(ν), i.e., where the boson peak is observed, it is essential to use large systems for the simulations and small cooling rates to quench the samples. We find that the calcul…