scholarly journals Structure and Rheology of Polyelectrolyte Complexes in the Presence of a Hydrogen-Bonded Co-Solvent

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mor Boas ◽  
Gleb Vasilyev ◽  
Rita Vilensky ◽  
Yachin Cohen ◽  
Eyal Zussman

Intermolecular interactions as well as macromolecular conformation affect the rheological and microstructural properties of polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) solutions. The properties of semi-dilute solutions of weakly charged PECs can be controlled by the degree of ionization and solvent composition. In this work, we examined the effect of ethanol as a co-solvent on PECs composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) at low pH. The aqueous PECs solution was turbid, indicating formation of large aggregates, whereas PECs solution in water/ethanol (60:40 w/w) was transparent, implying no aggregation, and demonstrated higher relative viscosity than the aqueous solution, implying pronounced network formation. Imaging PECs solution by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated aggregation, whereas the solution prepared with the mixed solvent revealed almost no phase contrast. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) of PECs in the aqueous solution indicated the presence of aggregates, while PECs in mixed solvent demonstrated a swelled macromolecular conformation with diminished aggregation. PECs with no ionic interactions in the mixed solvent assumes a homogenous network structure, which enables PECs solution processing by electrospinning.

2021 ◽  
Vol 126 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nafisa Begam ◽  
Anastasia Ragulskaya ◽  
Anita Girelli ◽  
Hendrik Rahmann ◽  
Sivasurender Chandran ◽  
...  

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3096-3104
Author(s):  
Valeria Castelletto ◽  
Jani Seitsonen ◽  
Janne Ruokolainen ◽  
Ian W. Hamley

A designed surfactant-like peptide is shown, using a combination of cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering, to have remarkable pH-dependent self-assembly properties.


1985 ◽  
Vol 40 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 364-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Zipper ◽  
R. Wilfing ◽  
M. Kriechbaum ◽  
H. Durchschlag

Abstract The sulfhydryl enzyme malate synthase from baker’s yeast was X-irradiated with 6 kGy in air-saturated aqueous solution (enzyme concentration: ≃ 10 mg/ml; volume: 120 μl), in the absence or presence of the specific scavengers formate, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. After X-irradiation, a small aliquot of the irradiated solutions was tested for enzymic activity while the main portion was investigated by means of small-angle X-ray scattering. Additionally, an unir­radiated sample without additives was investigated as a reference. Experiments yielded the fol­lowing results: 1. X-irradiation in the absence of the mentioned scavengers caused considerable aggregation, fragmentation, and inactivation of the enzyme. The dose Dt37 for total (= repairable + non­-repayable) inactivation resulted as 4.4 kGy. The mean radius of gyration was found to be about 13 nm. The mean degree of aggregation was obtained as 5.7, without correction for fragmenta­tion. An estimation based on the thickness factor revealed that about 19% of material might be strongly fragmented. When this amount of fragments was accordingly taken into account, a value of 7.1 was obtained as an upper limit for the mean degree of aggregation. The observed retention of the thickness factor and the finding of two different cross-section factors are in full accord with the two-dimensional aggregation model established previously (Zipper and Durchschlag, Radiat. Environ. Biophys. 18, 99 - 121 (1980)). 2. The presence of catalytic amounts of superoxide dismutase and/or catalase, in the absence of formate, during X-irradiation reduced both aggregation and inactivation significantly. 3. The presence of formate (10 or 100 mᴍ) during X-irradiation led to a strong decrease of aggregation and inactivation. This effect was more pronounced with the higher formate concen­tration or when superoxide dismutase and/or catalase were simultaneously present during X-irradiation. The presence of formate also reduced the amount of fragments significantly. 4. The results clearly show that the aggregation and inactivation of malate synthase upon X-irradiation in aqueous solution are mainly caused by OH·; to a minor extent O·̄2 and H2O2 are additionally involved in the damaging processes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Alex ◽  
Norbert Steinfeldt ◽  
Klaus Jähnisch ◽  
Matthias Bauer ◽  
Sandra Hübner

AbstractNanoparticles (NP) have specific catalytic properties, which are influenced by parameters like their size, shape, or composition. Bimetallic NPs, composed of two metal elements can show an improved catalytic activity compared to the monometallic NPs. We, herein, report on the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol catalyzed by unsupported Pd/Au and Pd NPs at atmospheric pressure. NPs of varying compositions were synthesized and characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The NPs were tested in the model reaction regarding their catalytic activity, stability, and recyclability in batch and continuous procedure. Additionally, in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements were performed in order to get insight in the process during NP catalysis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-351
Author(s):  
J. Xu ◽  
X. S. Wu ◽  
B. Qian ◽  
J. F. Feng ◽  
S. S. Jiang ◽  
...  

Ge–Si inverted huts, which formed at the Si∕Ge interface of Si∕Ge superlattice grown at low temperatures, have been measured by X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray specular and off-specular reflectivities, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface of the Si∕Ge superlattice is smooth, and there are no Ge–Si huts appearing on the surface. The roughness of the surfaces is less than 3 Å. Large lattice strain induced by lattice mismatch between Si and Ge is found to be relaxed because of the intermixing of Ge and Si at the Si∕Ge interface.


2003 ◽  
Vol 240 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Smeeton ◽  
M. J. Kappers ◽  
J. S. Barnard ◽  
M. E. Vickers ◽  
C. J. Humphreys

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (33) ◽  
pp. 12711-12720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Eklund ◽  
Tomas S. Hofer ◽  
Alexander K. H. Weiss ◽  
Andreas O. Tirler ◽  
Ingmar Persson

Experimental and simulation data of the thiosulfate ion show large similarities in hydration structure and mechanism with the sulfate ion but with weaker hydration of the terminal sulfur atom in thiosulfate.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Egblewogbe ◽  
Garu Gebreyesus ◽  
Samuel A. Atarah

Powders consisting of nanoparticles of zinc peroxide were prepared via a simple hydrothermal process using zinc acetate dihydrate and hydrogen peroxide precursors. The size of the crystallites was determined using x-ray powder diffraction. Over a period of 5 hours the crystallite radius increased from 4 nm – 9 nm at a temperature of 68 °C ± 5 °C, with growth rate constant of 0.23 nm3 min−1 calculated using the Lifshitz, Slyozov, and Wagner model. The powders were further characterised with High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis, and Small Angle X-ray Scattering, showing well-crystallised ZnO2 nanoparticles.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 451-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Fujieda ◽  
K. Shinoda ◽  
T. Inanaga ◽  
M. Abumiya ◽  
S. Suzuki

AbstractA novel process for preparing scorodite particles with a diameter of approximately 20 µm from Fe(II) and As(V) in aqueous solution has been developed by DOWA Metals and Mining. In the present study, the dissolution characteristics of iron and arsenic from the scorodite particles synthesized by this process have been investigated under different conditions. The results show that the concentration of arsenic dissolved from the particles in aqueous solution is very low, but it has a complicated dependence on the temperature and pH of the solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) was used to analyze the morphology, structure, and composition of the scorodite particles. The results indicate that the scorodite particles exhibit a nearly octahedral shape with planes composed of almost (111) planes in the orthorhombic structure. The concentration of iron at the surface of the particles is higher than that of iron inside of the particles. This characteristic morphology, along with the minimal surface defects of the scorodite particles, is considered to be responsible for the low dissolution of arsenic from the particles in aqueous solution. Atmospheric temperature and solution conditions were also found to be important for the safe, long-term storage of arsenic using scorodite particles.


1994 ◽  
Vol 375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. H. Ming ◽  
Y. L. Soo ◽  
S. Huang ◽  
Y. H. Kao ◽  
K. Stair ◽  
...  

AbstractInterfacial microstructures in 100-period InxGa1−xAs(15Å)/GaAs(100Å) superlattices grown on GaAs (100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy were studied by using large angle x-ray scattering techniques. Unusual satellite peaks in the lateral direction parallel to the sample surface were observed in a sample with x = 0.535 grown at 480°C, indicating an in-plane structural ordering. This result is confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy observations that thickness modulation in the InxGa1−xAs layers gives rise to long-range lateral periodic arrays of cluster-like microstructures with spacing on the order of a few hundred Ångstroms. This thickness modulation is found to occur only in [110] direction, thus the material can be viewed as a somewhat disordered array of grown-in parallel quantum wires.


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