Amphiphilic AB block copolymers consisting of thermosensitive poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide lactate) and poly(ethylene glycol), pHPMAmDL-b-PEG, were synthesized via a macroinitiator route. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed that these block copolymers form polymeric micelles in water with a size of around 50 nm by heating of an aqueous polymer solution from below to above the critical micelle temperature (cmt). The critical micelle concentration as well as the cmt decreased with increasing pHPMAmDL block lengths, which can be attributed to the greater hydrophobicity of the thermosensitive block with increasing molecular weight. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the micelles have a spherical shape with a narrow size distribution. 1H NMR measurements in D2O showed that the intensity of the peaks of the protons from the pHPMAmDL block significantly decreased above the cmt, indicating that the thermosensitive blocks indeed form the solidlike core of the micelles. Static light scattering measurements demonstrated that pHPMAmDL-b-PEG micelles with relatively large pHPMAmDL blocks possess a highly packed core that is stabilized by a dense layer of swollen PEG chains. FT-IR analysis indicated that dehydration of amide bonds in the pHPMAmDL block occurs when the polymer dissolved in water is heated from below to above its cmt. The micelles were stable when an aqueous solution of micelles was incubated at 37 degrees C and at pH 5.0, where the hydrolysis rate of lactate side groups is minimized. On the other hand, at pH 9.0, where hydrolysis of the lactic acid side groups occurs, the micelles started to swell after 1.5 h of incubation and complete dissolution of micelles was observed after 4 h as a result of hydrophilization of the thermosensitive block. Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements with pyrene loaded in the hydrophobic core of the micelles showed that when these micelles were incubated at pH 8.6 and at 37 degrees C the microenvironment of pyrene became increasingly hydrated in time during this swelling phase. The results demonstrate the potential applicability of pHPMAmDL-b-PEG block copolymer micelles for the controlled delivery of hydrophobic drugs.

The effect of hydration on the molecular structure of silica-supported vanadium oxide catalysts with loadings of 1-16 wt.% V has been systematically investigated by infrared, Raman, UV-vis and EXAFS spectroscopy. IR and Raman spectra recorded during hydration revealed the formation of V-OH groups, characterized by a band at 3660 cm À1. Hydroxylation was found to start instantaneously upon exposure to traces of water, reflecting a very high sensitivity of the supported vanadium oxide catalysts for H 2 O. Further hydration resulted in the appearance of a V-O-V vibration band located around 700 cm À1 pointing to the formation of di-or polymeric species. EXAFS analysis at 77 K indicated structural changes as the oxygen coordination changed from four to five. Moreover, a VÁ Á ÁV contribution was detected for the hydrated species. The IR, Raman and UV-vis data suggested a pyramidal anchoring of the dehydrated VO x species, whereas, the EXAFS data pointed to the presence of single V-O-Si bonded VO x species. This difference is attributed to water condensation effects at 77 K during EXAFS acquisition, resulting in a partial re-hydroxylation of the dehydrated samples, as confirmed by complementary IR and Raman analysis. as well as literature led to a reaction scheme in which a monomeric VO x species anchored by three Si-O-V bonds to the silica support (pyramidal-type structure) is transformed into a monomeric VO x species anchored by one Si-O-V bond (umbrella-type structure) by partial hydration of the catalyst material. This results in the formation of both V-O-H and Si-O-H bonds. At higher water pressures, larger vanadium oxide clusters are formed due to full hydration of the catalyst surface and a de-attachment of the vanadium oxide from the support surface. The results of this study provide evidence, that an umbrella-type structure (i.e., Si-O-V O(OH) 2 ) could be present under catalytic conditions where H 2 O is a reaction product (e.g., partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde and oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes). In other words, both the pyramidal ((Si-O) 3 -V O) and the umbrella (Si-O-V O(OH) 2 ) model can exist at a support surface, their relative ratio depending on the hydration degree of the catalyst material. This study also illustrates that a corroborative characterization requires the use of multiple spectroscopic techniques applied at the same samples under almost identical measuring conditions. #

Aqueous solutions of L-histidine have been analysed in parallel by infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy over the pH range 0-14 with increments of one pH unit. The vibrational spectra in the region 2000-500 cm À1 have been interpreted and band positions have been assigned tentatively, taking into account assignments from literature after critical evaluation. As a result, a complete and complementary set of vibrational data has been obtained that can be used to determine all possible states of protonation of histidine, i.e. H 4 His 2+ , H 3 His + , H 2 His 0 , HHis À and His 2À . In addition, IR and Raman bands have been proposed as markers for the presence of the imidazole N p -or N t -protonated tautomeric forms of H 2 His 0 and HHis À .

Aqueous solutions of Cu 2+ /histidine (his) (1:2) have been analyzed in parallel with infrared, Raman, ultraviolet/ visible/near-infrared, electron spin resonance, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy in the pH range from 0 to 10. Comprehensive interpretation of the data has been used to extract complementary structural information in order to determine the relative abundance of the different complexes. O c ,N am ,N im )] 2 is the major species with the N atoms in the equatorial plane and the O atoms in the axial position. This complex decomposes at pH > 10 into a copper oxide/hydroxide precipitate. The overall results provide a consistent picture of the mechanism that drives the coordination and complex formation of the Cu 2+ /his system.

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) spheres homogeneously loaded with the nitrate salts of copper, nickel, cobalt, or iron are excellent model systems to establish the temperature at which highly dispersed base metal nanoparticles are formed as well as to establish the temperature at which catalytic graphitization occurs during pyrolysis in the temperature regime T = 500−800°C. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction (TD-XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed that the base metal nanoparticles are smoothly formed from related base metal oxides via carbothermal reduction (fcc copper, T < 500°C; fcc nickel, T < 500°C; fcc cobalt, T = 570°C; bcc iron, T = 700°C). Moreover, it is shown that at distinct temperatures nickel (T ≥ 800°C), cobalt (T ≥ 800°C), and iron (T ≥ 715°C) nanoparticles catalyze the conversion of the amorphous carbon support into ribbons of turbostratic graphitic carbon according to Raman spectroscopy and TD-XRD. Copper, however, was found to be inactive. Furthermore, HRTEM revealed that nickel (500°C ≤ T < 800°C) and cobalt nanoparticles (700°C ≤ T < 800°C) after their initial formation become encapsulated by graphite-like shells prior to the onset of catalytic graphitization. This does not occur in the presence of iron nanoparticles. This distinction is attributed to the temperature required to access iron nanoparticles by carbothermal reduction and their concomitant mobility. Evidence (HRTEM) is provided that for the onset of catalytic graphitization nickel and cobalt nanoparticles first have to escape from their graphite-like shells. Therefore, iron nanoparticles are the most active catalyst. Our results further show that (metastable) metal carbides play a pivotal role in catalytic graphitization. This is demonstrated by the inactivity of copper nanoparticles, the distinct onset temperatures of catalytic graphitization, and the identification of cementite in the case of iron nanoparticles.

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Whereas pyrolysis of pristine microcrystalline cellulose spheres yields nonporous amorphous carbon bodies, pyrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose spheres loaded with iron salts leads to the formation of magnetically separable mesoporous graphitic carbon bodies. The microcrystalline cellulose spheres loaded with either iron(III) nitrate, ammonium iron(III) citrate or iron(III) chloride were pyrolyzed up to 800 °C. Temperature dependent X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the iron salts are transformed into iron oxide nanoparticles; their size and distribution are influenced by the anion of the iron salt. The iron oxide nanoparticles are subsequently carbothermally reduced by the amorphous carbon that is obtained from the pyrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose. Next, the iron nanoparticles catalyze the conversion of the amorphous carbon to graphitic carbon nanostructures as shown with XRD, electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The extent of graphitization depends on the iron nanoparticle size. Nitrogen physisorption measurements show that this graphitization process introduces mesopores into the carbon bodies. The benefits of the properties of the resulting carbon bodies (ferromagnetic character, graphitic content, mesoporosity) are discussed in connection with applications in liquidphase catalysis and remediation.

Research has been carried out to determine the feasibility of partial least-squares regression (PLS) modeling of infrared (IR) spectra of crude oils as a tool for fast sulfur speciation. The study is a continuation of a previously developed method to predict long and short residue properties of crude oils from IR and near-infrared (NIR) spectra. Retention data of two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) of 47 crude oil samples have been used as input for modeling the corresponding IR spectra. A total of 10 different PLS prediction models have been built: 1 for the total sulfur content and 9 for the sulfur compound classes (1) sulfides, thiols, disulfides, and thiophenes, (2) aryl-sulfides, (3) benzothiophenes, (4) naphthenic-benzothiophenes, (5) dibenzothiophenes, (6) naphthenic-dibenzothiophenes, (7) benzo-naphthothiophenes, (8) naphthenic-benzo-naphthothiophenes, and (9) dinaphthothiophenes. Research was carried out on a set of 47 IR spectra of which 28 were selected for calibration by means of a principal component analysis. The remaining 19 spectra were used as a test set to validate the PLS regression models. The results confirm the conclusion from previous studies that PLS modeling of IR spectra to predict the total sulfur concentration of a crude oil is a valuable alternative for the commonly applied physicochemical ASTM method D2622. Besides, the concentration of dibenzothiophenes and three different benzothiophene classes can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. The corresponding models offer a valuable tool for quick on-site screening on these compounds, which are potentially harmful for production plants. The models for the remaining sulfur compound classes are insufficiently accurate to be used as a method for detailed sulfur speciation of crude oils.