FTIR analysis of water structure and its influence on the flotation of arcanite (K2SO4) and epsomite (MgSO4·7H2O)

Synthesis and crystal structure of a silver(I) 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside complex

Silver nitrate reacts with 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6-MMPR) in aqueous solution containing methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature to give a colourless crystalline complex, namely, bis(6-methylmercaptopurine riboside-κN7)(nitrato-κ2O,O')silver(I) 2.32-hydrate, [Ag(NO3)(C11H14N4O4S)2]·2.32H2O. The crystal structure, determined from synchrotron diffraction data, shows a central AgI ion on a crystallographic twofold rotation axis, coordinated in an almost linear fashion by two 6-MMPR ligands via atom N7 (purine numbering), with the nitrate counter-ion loosely coordinated as a bidentate ligand, forming a discrete molecular complex as an approximate dihydrate. The complex and water molecules are connected in a three-dimensional network by hydrogen bonding.

Effect of the gelling mechanism on the physical properties of bigels based on whey protein isolate

The effect of the cold-set and heat-set gelling mechanism of whey protein isolate on bigel production was assessed. For this purpose, hydrogel phase was produced with whey protein isolated (10 % w/v) and for oleogel sunflower oil and glycerol monostearate (7.5 % w/v) were used. Bigels were produced by hot emulsification of different hydrogel:oleogel ratios (from 90:10 up to 10:90). For cold-set bigels (CSB) NaCl (200 mM) was added to the aqueous phase prior to the emulsification and the emulsion was cooled to promote the 3D network formation. On the other hand, heat-set bigels (HSB) were produced by heating the emulsion (80 °C, 60 min). Bigels were evaluated through microscopy, FTIR, thermal and texture analyzes. Results showed that depending on the hydrogel:oleogel ratio and gelling mechanism different structures organization were obtained. CSB were more organized, showing that the rate of gelation was the mechanism responsible for the structure. However, for HSB the heat treatment destabilized the emulsion and disorganized structures were observed for high oleogel content. FTIR corroborates the visual observation and showed that the arrangement was purely physical. In addition, the structural arrangement led to different mechanical properties. In general, HSB produced gels with rubber-like behavior, higher elasticity modulus and the presence of a breaking point. In contrast, CSB behaves as squeezing gel, with no breaking point and lower values of elasticity modulus. Moreover, for O/W bigels the dispersed oleogel particles disrupted the WPI network decreasing the gel strength in comparison to pure hydrogels. However, for systems where oleogel was the continuous phase, the gel strength was recovered due to the metastable and dynamic character of these systems. Thus, results showed that the gelling mechanism of the protein exerted an effect on the physical properties of bigels. In addition, the mechanical properties also can be modulated according to the bigel composition, allowing its application in products with different sensorial characteristics.

Anion-Induced Interfacial Liquid Layers on LiCoO2 in Salt-in-Water Lithium-Ion Batteries

The incompatibility of lithium intercalation electrodes with water has impeded the development of aqueous Li-ion batteries. The key challenge is protons which are generated by water dissociation and deform the electrode structures through intercalation. Distinct from previous approaches utilizing large amounts of electrolyte salts or artificial solid-protective films, we developed liquid-phase protective layers on LiCoO₂ (LCO) using a moderate concentration of 0.5∼3 mol kg^-1 lithium sulfate. Sulfate ion strengthened the hydrogen-bond network and easily formed ion pairs with Li⁺, showing strong kosmotropic and hard base characteristics. Our quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations revealed that sulfate ion paired with Li⁺ helped stabilize the LCO surface and reduced the density of free water in the interface region below the point of zero charge (PZC) potential. In addition, in situ electrochemical surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) proved the appearance of inner-sphere sulfate complexes above the PZC potential, serving as the protective layers of LCO. The role of anions in stabilizing LCO was correlated with kosmotropic strength (sulfate > nitrate > perchlorate > bistriflimide (TFSI^-)) and explained better galvanostatic cyclability in LCO cells.

Enhanced water-responsive actuation of porous Bombyx mori silk

Bombyx mori silk with a nanoscale porous architecture significantly deforms in response to changes in relative humidity. Despite the increasing amount of water adsorption and water-responsive strain with increasing porosity of the silk, there is a range of porosities that result in silk's optimal water-responsive energy density at 3.1 MJ m^-3. Our findings show the possibility of controlling water-responsive materials' swelling pressure by controlling their nanoporosities.

Flotation surface chemistry of water-soluble salt minerals: from experimental results to new perspectives

The flotation separation of water-soluble salt minerals has to be conducted under the condition of saturation in brines which represents a challenging but exciting topic of colloid and surface chemistry. Despite several proposals on explaining the success of this industrial application for many decades, our understanding of the flotation separation is still far from complete yet, owing to the complexity of the highly selective collection of salt crystals by air bubbles in brines. Here, we thoroughly review the experimental results for halogen, oxyanion, and double salts and match them with the proposed theories on the flotation of soluble salts to identify the agreed and disagreed cases. The experimental results show that the flotation of these salts varies from collectors (surfactants applied to control the crystal hydrophobicity) to collectors and is strongly affected by the brine ion composition and pH conditions. We find some exceptional flotation results that cannot be simply explained by the crystal surface charge and wettability. Furthermore, we outline several disputes and discrepancies between the experiments and the theories when different collectors are applied. Apart from the extensive consideration of surface hydration, the presence of external ion species exhibits ubiquitous effects on the surface properties of salt crystals and the colloidal properties of collectors. We conclude that the interactions between salt ions, water molecules, collectors, and salt crystals must be considered more thoroughly, and the activity of collectors at the air-liquid interface should also be the focus. Advanced techniques such as molecular dynamics simulation, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and sum-frequency generation spectroscopy are expected to be promising research tools for future studies.

Thermally Insulating, Thermal Shock Resistant Calcium Aluminate Phosphate Cement Composites for Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage

This paper presents the use of hydrophobic silica aerogel (HSA) and hydrophilic fly ash cenosphere (FCS) aggregates for improvements in the thermal insulating and mechanical properties of 100- and 250 °C-autoclaved calcium aluminate phosphate (CaP) cement composites reinforced with micro-glass (MGF) and micro-carbon (MCF) fibers for deployment in medium- (100 °C) and high-temperature (250 °C) reservoir thermal energy storage systems. The following six factors were assessed: (1) Hydrothermal stability of HSA; (2) Pozzolanic activity of the two aggregates and MGF in an alkali cement environment; (3) CaP cement slurry heat release during hydration and chemical reactions; (4) Composite phase compositions and phase transitions; (5) Mechanical behavior; (6) Thermal shock (TS) resistance at temperature gradients of 150 and 225 °C. The results showed that hydrophobic trimethylsilyl groups in trimethylsiloxy-linked silica aerogel structure were susceptible to hydrothermal degradation at 250 °C. This degradation was followed by pozzolanic reactions (PR) of HSA, its dissolution, and the formation of a porous microstructure that caused a major loss in the compressive strength of the composites at 250 °C. The pozzolanic activities of FCS and MGF were moderate, and they offered improved interfacial bonding at cement-FCS and cement-MGF joints through a bridging effect by PR products. Despite the PR of MGF, both MGF and MCF played an essential role in minimizing the considerable losses in compressive strength, particularly in toughness, engendered by incorporating weak HSA. As a result, a FCS/HSA ratio of 90/10 in the CaP composite system was identified as the most effective hybrid insulating aggregate composition, with a persistent compressive strength of more than 7 MPa after three TS tests at a 150 °C temperature gradient. This composite displayed thermal conductivity of 0.28 and 0.35 W/mK after TS with 225 and 150 °C thermal gradients, respectively. These values, below the TC of water (TC water = 0.6 W/mK), were measured under water-saturated conditions for applications in underground reservoirs. However, considering the hydrothermal disintegration of HSA at 250 °C, these CaP composites have potential applications for use in thermally insulating, thermal shock-resistant well cement in a mid-temperature range (100 to 175 °C) reservoir thermal energy storage system.

As-Se Pentagonal Linkers to Induce Chirality and Polarity in Mixed-Valent Fe-Se Tetrahedral Chains Resulting in Hidden Magnetic Ordering

A novel mixed-valent hybrid chiral and polar compound, Fe₇As₃Se₁₂(en)₆(H₂O), has been synthesized by a single-step solvothermal method. The crystal structure consists of 1D [Fe₅Se₉] chains connected via [As₃Se₂]-Se pentagonal linkers and charge-balancing interstitial [Fe(en)₃]²⁺ complexes (en = ethylenediamine). Neutron powder diffraction verified that interstitial water molecules participate in the crystal packing. Magnetic polarizability of the produced compound was confirmed by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy showed the presence of mixed-valent Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ in the Fe-Se chains. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal strong antiferromagnetic nearest neighbor interactions within the chains with no apparent magnetic ordering down to 2 K. Hidden short-range magnetic ordering below 70 K was found by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, showing that a fraction of the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ in the chains are magnetically ordered. Nevertheless, complete magnetic ordering is not achieved even at 6 K. Analysis of XAS spectra demonstrates that the fraction of Fe³⁺ in the chain increases with decreasing temperature. Computational analysis points out several competing ferrimagnetic ordered models within a single chain. This competition, together with variation in the Fe oxidation state and additional weak intrachain interactions, is hypothesized to prevent long-range magnetic ordering.

In Vivo Sensing of pH in Tomato Plants Using a Low-Cost and Open-Source Device for Precision Agriculture

The development of sensing devices for precision agriculture is crucial to boost crop yields and limit shortages in food productions due to the growing population. However, current approaches cannot provide direct information about the physiological status of the plants, reducing sensing accuracy. The development of implanted devices for plant monitoring represents a step forward in this field, enabling the direct assessment of key biomarkers in plants. However, available devices are expensive and cannot be used for long-term applications. The current work presents the application of ruthenium oxide-based nanofilms for the in vivo monitoring of pH in plants. The sensors were manufactured using the low-cost electrodeposition of RuO2 films, and the final device could be successfully incorporated for the monitoring of xylem sap pH for at least 10 h. RuO2 nanoparticles were chosen as the sensing material due to its biocompatibility and chemical stability. To reduce the noise rates and drift of the sensors, a protective layer consisting of a cellulose/PDMS hybrid material was deposited by an aerosol method (>GBP 50), involving off-the-shelf devices, leading to a good control of film thickness. Nanometrically thin films with a thickness of 80 nm and roughness below 3 nm were fabricated. This film led to a seven-fold decrease in drift while preserving the selectivity of the sensors towards H+ ions. The sensing devices were tested in vivo by implantation inside a tomato plant. Environmental parameters such as humidity and temperature were additionally monitored using a low-cost Wio Terminal device, and the data were sent wirelessly to an online server. The interactions between plant tissues and metal oxide-based sensors were finally studied, evidencing the formation of a lignified layer between the sensing film and xylem. Thus, this work reports for the first time a low-cost electrochemical sensor that can be used for the continuous monitoring of pH in xylem sap. This device can be easily modified to improve the long-term performance when implanted inside plant tissues, representing a step forward in the development of precision agriculture technologies.

The Influence of Residuals Combining Temperature and Reaction Time on Calcium Phosphate Transformation in a Precipitation Process

Precipitation is one of the most common processes to synthesize hydroxyapatite, which is the human body’s mineral forming bone and teeth, and the golden bioceramic material for bone repair. Generally, the washing step is important in the precipitation method to remove the residuals in solution and to stabilize the phase transformation. However, the influence of residuals in combination with the reaction temperature and time, on calcium phosphate formation, is not well studied. This could help us with a better understanding of the typical synthesis process. We used a fixed starting ion concentration and pH in our study and did not adjust it during the reaction. XRD, FTIR, ICP-OES, and SEM have been used to analyze the samples. The results showed that combining residuals with both reaction temperature and time can significantly influence calcium phosphate formation and transformation. Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate formation and transformation are sensitive to temperature. Increasing temperature (60 °C) can inhibit the formation of acidic calcium phosphate or transform it to other phases, and further the particle size. It was also observed that high reaction temperature (60 °C) results in higher precipitation efficiency than room temperature. A low ion concentration combining reaction temperature and time could still significantly influence the calcium phosphate transformation during the drying.

Controlled aggregation properties of single amino acids modified with protecting groups

The self-assembling properties of single amino acids modified with protecting groups under controlled conditions of temperature and concentration are illustrated.

Colossal thermo-hydro-electrochemical voltage generation for self-sustainable operation of electronics

Thermoelectrics are suited to converting dissipated heat into electricity for operating electronics, but the small voltage (~0.1 mV K⁻¹) from the Seebeck effect has been one of the major hurdles in practical implementation. Here an approach with thermo-hydro-electrochemical effects can generate a large thermal-to-electrical energy conversion factor (TtoE factor), −87 mV K⁻¹ with low-cost carbon steel electrodes and a solid-state polyelectrolyte made of polyaniline and polystyrene sulfonate (PANI:PSS). We discovered that the thermo-diffusion of water in PANI:PSS under a temperature gradient induced less (or more) water on the hotter (or colder) side, raising (or lowering) the corrosion overpotential in the hotter (or colder) side and thereby generating output power between the electrodes. Our findings are expected to facilitate subsequent research for further increasing the TtoE factor and utilizing dissipated thermal energy.

Thermoelectrics are suited to converting dissipated heat into electricity for operating electronics but limited by the small voltage from the Seebeck effect. Here, the authors report a thermo-hydro-electrochemical hybrid device with −87 mV K⁻¹.

Modeling of the Refractive Index for the Systems MX+H2O, M2X+H2O, H3BO3+MX+H2O, and H3BO3+M2X+H2O. M = K+, Na+, or Li+ and X = Cl− or SO42−

The modeling of the refractive index for binary aqueous solutions of boric acid, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, lithium sulfate, and potassium sulfate, as well as ternary aqueous solutions of boric acid in the presence of sodium sulfate, lithium sulfate, or potassium chloride, is reported. The refraction index was represented by molar refraction. It was described as the sum of solutes’ partial molar refraction and solvent molar refraction. The solutes’ partial molar refraction was estimated from the molar refraction of the binary solutions. The excess molar refraction for these systems was described with the equation of Wang et al. The polarizability of the solutes present in the studied systems was estimated using the Lorenz–Lorenz relation. The results showed the model is appropriate for describing the systems studied; the interactions of boric acid, sodium, potassium, lithium, chloride, and sulfate ions with water molecules are relevant to explain the molar refraction and refractive index, and those for the binary systems of lithium chloride and sodium chloride are also relevant the ion–ion interactions. The model is robust and presents estimation capabilities within and beyond the concentrations and temperature range studied. Therefore, the outcomes represent valuable information to understand and follow the industrial processing of natural brines.

Raman Probes for In Situ Molecular Analyses of Peripheral Nerve Myelination

The myelinating activity of living Schwann cells in coculture with neuronal cells was examined in situ in a Raman microprobe spectroscope. The Raman label-free approach revealed vibrational fingerprints directly related to the activity of Schwann cells' metabolites and identified molecular species peculiar to myelinating cells. The identified chemical species included antioxidants, such as hypotaurine and glutathione, and compartmentalized water, in addition to sphingolipids, phospholipids, and nucleoside triphosphates also present in neuronal and nonmyelinating Schwann cells. Raman maps at specific frequencies could be collected, which clearly visualized the myelinating action of Schwann cells and located the demyelinated ones. An important finding was the spectroscopic visualization of confined water in the myelin structure, which exhibited a quite pronounced Raman signal at ∼3470 cm^-1. This peculiar signal, whose spatial location precisely corresponded to a low-frequency fingerprint of hypotaurine, was absent in unmyelinating cells and in bulk water. Raman enhancement was attributed to frustration in the hydrogen-bond network as induced by interactions with lipids in the myelin sheaths. According to a generally accepted morphological model of myelin, an explanation was offered of the peculiar Raman scattering of water confined in intraperiod lines, according to an ordered hydrogen bonding structure. The possibility of concurrently mapping antioxidant molecules and compartmentalized water structure with high spectral accuracy and microscopic spatial resolution enables probing myelinating activity and might play a key-role in future studies of neuronal pathologies. Compatible with life, Raman microprobe spectroscopy with the newly discovered probes could be suitable for developing advanced strategies in the reconstruction of injured nerves and nerve terminals at neuromuscular junctions.

Predictive Modeling of the In Vitro Responses of Preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells on Polymeric Surfaces Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Biomaterials' surface properties elicit diverse cellular responses in biomedical and biotechnological applications. Predicting the cell behavior on a polymeric surface is an ongoing challenge due to its complexity. This work proposes a novel modeling methodology based on attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Spectra were collected on wetted polymeric surfaces to incorporate both surface chemistry and information on water-polymer interactions. Results showed that predictive models built with spectra from wetted surfaces ("wet spectra") performed much better than models built using spectra acquired from dry surfaces ("dry spectra"), suggesting that the water-polymer interaction is critically important to the prediction of subsequent cell behavior. The best model was seen to predict total area of focal adhesions with coefficient of determination for prediction (R²_P) of 0.94 and root-mean-square errors of prediction (RMSEP) of 4.03 μm² when tested on an independent experimental set. This work offers new insights into our understanding of cell-biomaterial interactions. The presence of carboxyl groups in polymers promoted larger adhesion areas, yet the formation of carbonyl-to-water interaction decreased adhesion areas. Surface wettability, which was related to the water-polymer interaction, was proven to highly influence cell adhesion. The good predictive ability opens new possibilities for high throughput monitoring of cell attachment on polymeric substrates.

Effect of Solvents on Fe-Lignin Precursors for Production Graphene-Based Nanostructures

Kraft lignin was catalytically graphitized to graphene-based nanostructures at high temperature under non-oxidative atmospheres. To obtain the best catalytic performance, a uniform catalyst–lignin mixture must be made by bonding transitional metal (M) ions to oxygen (O), sulfur (S) or nitrogen (N)-containing functional groups in kraft lignin. One of the strategies is to dissolve or disperse kraft lignin in a suitable solvent, whereby the polymer chains in the condensed lignin molecules will be detangled and stretched out while the functional groups are solvated, and when mixing lignin solution with catalyst metal solution, the solvated metal ions in an aqueous solution can diffuse and migrate onto lignin chains to form M-O, M-S, or M-N bonds during the mixing process. Therefore, solvent effects are important in preparing M–lignin mixture for production of graphene-based nanostructures. Fe–lignin precursors were prepared by dissolving lignin with different solvents, including water, methanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran (THF). Solvent effects on the catalytic performance, size and morphology of graphene-based nanostructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and nitrogen sorption measurements. The sizes, morphologies, and catalytic properties of the products obtained from Fe–lignin precursors are greatly influenced by the solvents used. It was found that Fe–lignin (THF) had the highest iron dispersion and the smallest iron particle size. Furthermore, Fe–lignin (THF) exhibited the best catalytic performance for graphitization of kraft lignin while the graphitization degree decreased in the order: Fe–lignin(THF) > Fe–lignin(Acetone) > Fe–lignin(methanol) > Fe–lignin(water).

Nanoscale Observation of Dehydration Process in PHEMA Hydrogel Structure

One of the most important field of interest in respect to hydrogel materials is their capability to water storage. The problem mentioned above plays an important role regarding to diffusion of fluid media containing nanoparticles, what is very useful in biomedical applications, such as artificial polymeric implants, drug delivery systems or tissue engineering.In presented work, dehydration process in hydrogels used in ophthalmology as intraocular lenses was observed. Before measurements studied materials were immersed in deionized water and saline solution to obtain equilibrium swelling state. Studies of the dehydration process were carried out by use of gravimetric analysis, Fourier-Transform Infrared and Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy. Obtained results revealed changes in hydrogen bonding structure and free volume holes induced by saline solution ingredients.