Mixture Of Ethanol Research Articles

Solvent-Mediated Synthesis and Characterization of Li3InCl6 Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Li-Ion Battery Applications.

Superionic halides have attracted widespread attention as solid electrolytes due to their excellent ionic conductivity, soft texture, and stability toward high-voltage electrode materials. Among them, Li3InCl6 has aroused interest since it can be easily synthesized in water or ethanol. However, investigations into the influence of solvents on both the crystal structure and properties remain unexplored. In this work, Li3InCl6 is synthesized by three different solvents: water, ethanol, and water-ethanol mixture, and the difference in properties has been studied. The results show that the product obtained by the ethanol solvent demonstrates the largest unit cell parameters with more vacancies, which tend to crystallize on the (131) plane and provide the 3D isotropic network migration for lithium-ions. Thus, it exhibits the highest ionic conductivity (1.06 mS cm-1) at room temperature and the lowest binding energy (0.272 eV). The assembled all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) employing Li3InCl6 electrolytes demonstrate a high initial discharge capacity of 153.9 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C (1 C = 170 mA h g-1) and the reversible capacity retention rate can reach 82.83% after 50 cycles. This work studies the difference in ionic conductivity between Li3InCl6 electrolytes synthesized by different solvents, which can provide a reference for the future synthesis of halide electrolytes and enable their practical application in halide-based ASSLMBs with a high energy density.

Study of the effect of ethanol on the properties of poloxamer 338 solutions by rotational viscometry and spin probe method

The aim. Study the properties of 20 % solutions of poloxamer 338 (P338) in water and mixed solvents water-ethanol using rotational viscometry and the spin probe method at various temperatures. Materials and methods. 20 % m/m solutions of P338 in water and water – ethanol mixtures were the objects of research. The solutions were studied by rotational viscometry at various temperatures; the flow behaviour, lower yield stress (t0) and dynamic or apparent viscosity (η) were determined. Spin probes based on fatty acids, which differ in molecular structure, solubility, and radical localization, were added to the solutions. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra were obtained to determine their type and parameters. Results. Depending on the content, ethanol affects the rheological properties of 20 % solution of P338. The solution was demonstrated to be able to thermally induce sol → gel transition at 32 °C when ethanol content is 5 % m/m. The rheological parameters of the gel at 32 °C and 37 °C exhibit an increase (in comparison to the gel without ethanol), accompanied by a reduction in the packing density of polypropylene oxide (PPO) chains within the cores of P338 micelles. At an ethanol content of 10 % m/m, the gel formation temperature rises to 40 °C. At ethanol content of 15 % m/m and above, 20 % P338 solutions do not form gels at temperatures between 25 °C and 40 °C. The values of rotational correlation times (τ) and the order parameter (S) of fatty acid-based spin probes were observed to decrease with increasing ethanol content up to 30 % m/m; in the case of the ammonium salt of 5‑doxylstearic acid (5-DSA NH4 salt), the anisotropic EPR spectra transform, becoming a superposition of two triplets and subsequently a triplet. P338 solutions retain their ability to undergo thermally induced sol ↔ gel transitions as long as the EPR spectra of this probe exhibit anisotropy at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 37 °C. As the concentration of ethanol in the solution increases, the solvation of the cores of P338 micelles by the dispersion medium of the solution also increases. Conclusions. It was demonstrated that ethanol, when added to the 20 % P338 solution, results in changes to the rheological properties of this solution. However, at the ethanol content of 5-10 % m/m, the ability of P338 to thermally induce sol → gel transition remains unaltered. The rheological properties of the 20 % P338 solution exhibit a correlation with the observed change in EPR spectra types for the 5-DSA NH4 salt. As the ethanol content in the solution increases, the solvation of P338 micelle cores by the dispersion medium increases, accompanied by decreased density and orderliness of the PPO chains packing in the micelle cores

Novel eco-friendly spectrophotometric determination of lercanidipine hydrochloride in tablets using methyl red

The aim of the work was to develop a simple, eco-friendly, quick, affordable and alternative spectrophotometric procedure that uses the azodye methyl red (MR) for the determination of lercanidipine in its dosage form considering the “green” chemistry principles. Materials and methods. Analytical equipment: Shimadzu UV-1800 double beam UV-visible spectrophotometer (Japan) with included UV-Probe 2.70 software, RAD WAG AS 200/C precise analytical balance (Poland), Elmasonic EASY 40H ultrasonic bath. Lercanidipine hydrochloride (purity 99 %) was purchased from Jiyan Chemicals (India). Lercanidipine tablets 10 mg and 20 mg were used in our experiments. Results and discussion. To determine the amount of lercanidipine in tablets, a spectrophotometric method has been developed. To select the best dye for the method development, we tested a variety of dyes, including MR, bromocresol purple, bromophenol blue, cresol red, bromocresol green and bromothymol blue. We selected MR as the reagent based on the experimental studies' outcomes, and the solvent was an acetonitrile and ethanol mixture with a ratio of 95 to 5. The optimal parameters were determined for the quantitation of lercanidipine in tablets utilizing MR with 5×10-5 mol/L of dye concentration, 0.5 ml of MR solution, at a temperature of 25 °C without heating; detection wavelength was 498 nm and reaction time of 5 min. By using the molar ratios (saturation) method and Job's (continuous variations) approach, the stoichiometric coefficients of reacting components involving lercanidipine and dye were established to be 1:1. The proposed spectrophotometric procedure was linear within the concentration ranging from 6.48 – 32.41 μg/mL. Using the least squares method, a regression equation was generated: y = 0.0208x – 0.0318. The correlation coefficient was higher than 0.999, indicating that the analytical procedures' linearity is acceptable; the limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 1.19 μg/mL and 3.62 μg/mL, respectively. The robustness, accuracy and precision of the study results fell within acceptable limits. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the content of lercanidipine in its tablet dosage forms. The analysis of the method's "greenness" using AGREE and GAPI tools yielded excellent results. Conclusions. The method that has been developed can serve as an alternative approach for the routine control of lercanidipine content in its tablets

تحضير ودراسة اللايكوبين الطبيعي والنانوي في تثبيط نمو الخلايا السرطانية خارج الجسم الحي In vitro

The effectiveness of both natural and nano-lycopene extracted from tomato waste powder in affecting the growth of cancer cells outside the body was studied. The study included the preparation of natural lycopene extract, using the triple mixture of hexane, acetone, and ethanol in proportions 2:1:1 and drying it, then preparing the nanocomposite using the high-energy mechanical grinding technique, and its dimensions were estimated using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and which was 78nm, and the effectiveness of the two preparations was tested in Inhibition of cancer cell lines of the human mouth and skin, during three periods of time 12, 24, 72 h and at concentrations of both natural and nano-lycopene 0.0,150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400 micrograms/ml, the results of the study showed There was a significant inhibitory effect p≤0.05. for both natural and nano-lycopene in the growth of cancer cells, and nano-lycopene was significantly superior to natural lycopene for skin and mouth models, and the inhibition effect of cancer cells increased for both natural and nano-lycopene with increasing concentration and period, and the highest percentage of inhibition for natural lycopene was 71% and 79.8% While the highest percentage of inhibition for nanoscale icon was 85.2% and 93.1% at a concentration of 2400 µg/ml for 72 h and for skin and oral cancer cell lines, respectively.

Solubility measurement, calculation, solvent effect and preferential solvation of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl in four cosolvent mixtures at (278.15–323.15) K

Equilibrium solubility of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl in aqueous mixtures of ethanol/ isopropanol/acetonitrile/N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) plus water was experimentally measured by isothermal saturation method at (278.15–323.15) K under 101.2 kPa. The order of solubility (mole fraction) of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl in pure solvents from high to low is 4.233 × 10−2 (DMF 323.15 K) > 2.044 × 10−2 (acetonitrile 323.15 K) > 7.727 × 10−3 (isopropanol 323.15 K) > 5.338 × 10−3 (ethanol 323.15 K) > 2.565 × 10−5 (water 323.15 K). Experimental results showed that temperature and type of solvent were decisive factors for the dissolution of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. The content of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl in solution was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moreover, the solubility data of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl was correlated by Jouyban-Acree (J-A) model, van’t Hoff-Jouyban-Acree (V-J-A) model and Apelblat-Jouyban-Acree (A-J-A) model. The maximum of root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), relative average deviation (RAD) and standard deviation (SD) predicted via three thermodynamic models were 1.78 × 10−4 (DMF + water), 2.87 × 10−2 (acetonitrile + water) and 1.79 × 10−4 (DMF + water), respectively. In addition, the solvent effect between solute and solvent molecules was deduced by KAT-LSER model and the result showed that dipolarity/polarizability interactions between the solute and solvent molecules were dominant in the dissolution of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. Finally, the preferential solvation parameter (δx1,3) of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl was obtained by the method of inverse Kirkwood–Buff integrals and the preferential dissolution behavior of each concentration range is explained by Lewis acid base theory. However, for acetonitrile + water, the change of δx1,3 may be due to the polarization effects and it is not suitable for Lewis acid base theory.

Fabrication of zeolite-supported cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4/ H-zsm-5) catalyst for the synthesis of 4-(9-(4-substituted)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-1,8-dioxoacridin-10(9H)-yl)benzoic acid derivatives in semi aqueous condition

A cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4/H-ZSM-5) catalyst supported by zeolite has been studied as a multicomponent reaction for making dioxoacridin-10(9H)-ylbenzoic acid derivatives in semi-aqueous conditions. This reaction offers a cost-effective and simple operational strategy and provides different substrates. Scope and various functional groups are well tolerated under optimized reaction conditions. Firstly, the catalyst was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, BET, XPS, TGA, and SEM techniques. The study determined the optimal operating conditions for achieving an efficient synthesis of target organic compounds. The optimized conditions for the synthesis of model compounds (4a) with a yield of 96 % were achieved through a reaction time of 40 min, a catalyst amount of 10 mol%, a temperature of 90 °C, and a solvent of 6/4 of the ethanol and water mixture. All of the characterization measurements confirmed that the catalyst's stability remained unaltered even after four consecutive cycles of the synthesis of model compounds. Furthermore, the reusability feature cuts costs and lessens environmental effects, making it an appealing option for practical applications. The findings emphasize this approach's enormous potential for sustainable chemical synthesis, opening the path for future advances in the sector. In addition, an experiment was set up to look into the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of compound (4a) when it was heated to between 343.15 and 373.15 K with the help of a catalyst. The current investigation has shown that the reaction favors thermodynamics rather than kinetic control.

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Resveratrol-Piperazine Cocrystals.

The 1:1 resveratrol-piperazine cocrystal was successfully synthesized and scaled-up to 300 g scale with the mechanochemical method, as a result of investigating key process parameters, namely the solvent and the grinding time. The use of water, ethanol or ethanol-water mixtures and reaction times up to 50 min were evaluated relative to the dry grinding process. Cocrystal formation and purity were monitored through X-ray diffraction and calorimetry measurements. The dry grinding resulted in an incomplete cocrystal formation, while the use of water or water-ethanol mixture yielded a monohydrate solid phase. Pure ethanol was found to be the optimal solvent for large-scale cocrystallization, as it delivered cocrystals with high crystallinity and purity after 10-30 min grinding time at the laboratory scale. Notably, a relatively fast reaction time (30-60 min) was sufficient for the completion of cocrystallization at larger scales, using a planetary ball mill and a plant reactor. Also, the obtained cocrystal increases the aqueous solubility of resveratrol by 6%-16% at pH = 6.8. Overall, this study highlights the potential of solvent-assisted mechanochemical synthesis as a promising new approach for the efficient production of pure resveratrol-piperazine cocrystals.

Identification of Attractants from Three Host Plants and How to Improve Attractiveness of Plant Volatiles for Monochamus saltuarius.

As a new vector insect of pine wood nematodes in China, the Monochamus saltuarius (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) vectors pine wilt nematodes into healthy pine trees through feeding and oviposition, resulting in huge economic losses to forestry. A promising control strategy is to develop safe and efficient attractants. This study aims to screen for the key active volatiles of Pinus koraiensis (Pinales: Pinaceae), Pinus tabuliformis (Pinales: Pinaceae), and Picea asperata (Pinales: Pinaceae) that can attract M. saltuarius, and to study the synergistic attraction of the main attractant plant volatiles with ethanol and insect aggregation pheromones. The preference of M. saltuarius for three hosts is P. koraiensis > P. tabuliformis > Picea asperata. We detected 18 organic volatiles from three host plants. Through EAG assays and indoor Y-tube behavioral experiments, 3-carene, (-)-camphor, β-pinene, α-phellandrene, terpinolene, α-pinene, D-limonene, and myrcene were screened to have attractive effects on M. saltuarius. We found that 3-carene, β-pinene, and α-pinene are the most attractive kairomones in field experiments, which may play a crucial role in the host localization of M. saltuarius. Ethanol has a synergistic effect on the attractant activity of 3-carene and β-pinene, and the synergistic effect on β-pinene is the best. The mixture of ethanol, 2-undecyloxy-1-ethanol, and ipsdienol can significantly enhance the attraction effect of β-pinene on M. saltuarius. These new findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of attractants for adult M. saltuarius and contribute to the green control of M. saltuarius.

Mechanical Interatomic Bond Formation in Ethanol and Methanol-Ethanol Mixture by Laser-Driven Shock Waves.

Molecules, which were predicted to be produced by C-C or C-O bond formation between ethanol molecules induced by a laser-driven shock wave, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Moreover, the laser irradiation of a methanol-ethanol mixture revealed the formation of C-C and C-O bonds between both components. Particularly, four hemiacetals (methoxymethanol, 1-methoxyethanol, ethoxymethanol, and 1-ethoxyethanol) were identified in the Ar-saturated alcohol samples, whereas acetalization dominated sufficiently in the CO2-saturated samples, significantly reducing the hemiacetals. It was verified that some molecules were produced by the dropout of an ethanol part during the C-C or C-O bond formation, supporting the contribution of laser-driven shock waves.

Thymus schimperi Ronniger plant flower extract dye-sensitized solar cells

The demand for energy is greatly increasing due to the world’s population growth and technological advancement. Natural dye-sensitized solar cells are attracting research as an alternative and renewable energy source due to their simple preparation technique, availability, cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In the present work, we have successfully fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) from Thymus schimperi Ronniger plant flowers for the first time. The solvents used for extraction of the flower dye were deionized water and its mixture with ethanol. The T. schimperi Ronniger flower extract dye solutions and sensitized photoanodes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet–visible techniques. The crystallinity of TiO2 films was analyzed by x-ray diffraction, and the films showed pure anatase phase behavior. The photoelectrochemical solar cell performance parameters, such as short circuit current density, open circuit voltage, fill factor and efficiency, were evaluated from current density–voltage measurements using a Keithley 2450 source meter. DSSCs sensitized with dye solution extracted by a mixture of water and ethanol showed better performance (1.37%) than those sensitized with dye solution extracted by deionized water alone (1.02%).

High sensitivity and wide detection range temperature and refractive index photonic crystal fiber sensor

A D-shaped surface plasmon resonance temperature and refractive index (RI) sensor based on photonic crystal fiber is proposed. The fiber core is composed of five air holes arranged in a pentagonal shape, which effectively improves the sensitivity. The gold film is used as a plasmonic material, and the mixture of ethanol and chloroform is used as a temperature sensitive liquid. A finite element method with higher accuracy and stronger applicability is used to study the performance of the sensor. The results indicate that when filling the mixture, the temperature sensor can detect the temperature in the range of 0 °C–60 °C. A maximum temperature sensitivity of 11.0 nm °C−1 is obtained by filling the mixture. The RI sensor can detect RI in the range of 1.13–1.40, with the wavelength range of 1.2–2.4 μm, and the maximum wavelength sensitivity reaches up to 21 000 nm RIU−1. The sensor can be used in biomedicine, environmental monitoring, food detection, temperature detection and other related fields, and has certain competitiveness and commercial value.

Gene essentiality in the solventogenic Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792.

Clostridium acetobutylicum is a leading candidate to synthesize valuable compounds like three and four carbons alcohols. Its ability to convert carbohydrates into a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol as well as other chemicals of interest upon genetic engineering makes it an advantageous organism for the valorization of lignocellulose-derived sugar mixtures. Since, genetic optimization depends on the fundamental insights supplied by accurate gene function assignment, gene essentiality analysis is of great interest as it can shed light on the function of many genes whose functions are still to be confirmed. The data obtained in this study will be of great value for the research community aiming to develop C. acetobutylicum as a platform organism for the production of chemicals of interest.

A Simple Generic Model of Elastin-Like Polypeptides with Proline Isomerization.

A generic model of elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) is derived that includes proline isomerization (ProI). As a case study, conformational transition of a -[valine-proline-glycine-valine-glycine]- sequence is investigated in aqueous ethanol mixtures. While the non-bonded interactions are based on the Lennard-Jones (LJ) parameters, the effect of ProI is incorporated by tuning the intramolecular 3- and 4-body interactions known from the underlying all-atom simulations into the generic model. One of the key advantages of such a minimalistic model is that it readily decouples the effects of geometry and the monomer-solvent interactions due to the presence of ProI, thus gives a clearer microscopic picture that is otherwise rather nontrivial within the all-atom setups. These results are consistent with the available all-atom and experimental data. The model derived here may pave the way to investigate large scale self-assembly of ELPs or biomimetic polymers ingeneral.

Peculiar wetting behavior of nanodroplets comprising antagonistic alcohol-water mixtures on a graphene surface

Binary mixtures, consisting of partially and totally wetting liquids with respect to a specific substrate and known as an antagonistic mixture, are commonly encountered. Although the wetting behavior of antagonistic mixtures deviates from that of conventional liquids, studies exploring this phenomenon are scarce. At the nanoscale, the wetting behavior of nanodroplets containing such mixtures may diverge even further from our established understanding. Employing Nanoscale Molecular Dynamics simulations, we explore the wetting behavior of nanodroplets containing mixtures of water (partial wetting) and ethanol or isopropanol (total wetting) on a graphene surface. By adjusting the water fraction (xw) in the antagonistic mixture, three distinct wetting states have been identified: (I) In total wetting regime (low xw), spontaneous spreading is observed; (II) In plateau regime (medium xw), alcohol leakage from the droplet occurs, with the apparent contact angle (CA) remaining constant; (III) In partial wetting regime (high xw), the CA increases with xw and alcohol molecules tend to accumulate at the contact line. Unexpectedly, the spreading coefficient (S) remains positive and turns negative only as xw near unity. Furthermore, Young's equation proves to be inapplicable even when S < 0. These peculiar wetting phenomena are comprehensively discussed and elucidated.

Physical properties and diesel engine combustion of blends of alcohols with military jet fuel JP-5

Military operations may involve the use of jet fuel in a diesel engine, and the blending of alcohols with jet fuel is a way to introduce decarbonization into military operations. This study explored the effect of blending n-alcohols with navy jet fuel JP-5 on physical properties and combustion in a diesel engine. Blends containing 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % of ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, octanol, and one mixture of 10 % methanol/80 % octanol had densities (0.80 to 0.81 g/mL) that fell within military specifications for diesel. Most mixtures' flash points (16.5 to 65.0 °C) were below the military spec of 60 °C, which is higher than that of commercial aviation fuel. Most mixture viscosities (4.74 to 9.99 mm2/s) were within the jet fuel specifications at −20 °C but below the diesel fuel specification at 40 °C. Combustion of the alcohol/JP-5 mixtures in a diesel engine showed that increasing alcohol content lengthened the ignition delay (IGD). For some of the alcohols, shortening the carbon chain length on the alcohol led to longer IGDs with later combustion phasing that was most noticeable at lighter engine loads. The longer IGDs associated with the shorter alcohol fuels (and increased alcohol percentage) rapidly led to very high rates of energy release. The relative IGDs (IGD mixture/IGD JP-5) were less than 1.2 for the 10 % alcohol mixtures, between 1.0 and 1.4 for the 20 % alcohol mixtures, and between 1.0 and 1.9 for the 30 % alcohol mixtures excluding the 30 % ethanol mixture that did not combust. From the combustion metrics perspective, the longer carbon chain alcohols were most similar to the base jet fuel. Overall, the larger alcohols had physical properties and combustion metrics that were closer to those of the JP-5 jet fuel.

Migration of endocrine and metabolism disrupting chemicals from plastic food packaging

Plastics constitute a vast array of substances, with over 16000 known plastic chemicals, including intentionally and non-intentionally added substances. Thousands of chemicals, including toxic ones, are extractable from plastics, however, the extent to which these compounds migrate from everyday products into food or water remains poorly understood. This study aims to characterize the endocrine and metabolism disrupting activity, as well as the chemical composition of migrates from plastic food contact articles (FCAs) from four countries as significant sources of human exposure. Fourteen plastic FCAs covering seven polymer types with high global market shares were migrated into water and a water–ethanol mixture as food simulants according to European regulations. The migrates were analyzed using reporter gene assays for nuclear receptors relevant to human health and non-target chemical analysis to characterize the chemical composition. Chemicals migrating from each FCA interfered with at least two nuclear receptors, predominantly targeting pregnane X receptor (24/28 migrates). Moreover, peroxisome proliferator receptor gamma was activated by 19 out of 28 migrates, though mostly with lower potencies. Estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity was detected in eight and seven migrates, respectively. Fewer chemicals and less toxicity migrated into water compared to the water–ethanol mixture. However, 73 % of the 15 430 extractable chemical features also transferred into food simulants, and the water–ethanol migrates exhibited a similar toxicity prevalence compared to methanol extracts. The chemical complexity differed largely between FCAs, with 8 to 10631 chemical features migrating into food simulants. Using stepwise partial least squares regressions, we successfully narrowed down the list of potential active chemicals, identified known endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as triphenyl phosphate, and prioritized chemical features for further identification. This study demonstrates the migration of endocrine and metabolism disrupting chemicals from plastic FCAs into food simulants, rendering a migration of these compounds into food and beverages probable.

Changes in bacterial community characteristics on surface of fresh-cut yams during cold storage after ethanol combined ascorbic acid washing

In this study, the quality changes of fresh-cut yam slices treated with a mixture of ethanol (25%, w/w) and ascorbic acid (1%, w/w) treatments (EA) were assessed, and the bacterial community composition and their metabolic functions for these samples were investigated. Results showed that EA washing treatment notably reduced the respiratory intensity and microbial growth of fresh-cut yams in packaging during refrigeration, maintained the tuber firmness, and delayed discoloration. Proteobacteria was the main phyla significantly associated with off-flavor of yams, Bacteroidetes was the sensitive genera and was positively correlated to CO2 content of the packaging bag and sensory evaluation of yams. Interestingly EA could specifically remove the pathogenic bacteria of Pseudomonas (Proteobacteria), greatly destroy the stability of the bacterial community network on the fresh-cut yam slices’ surface, and achieve a better antibacterial effect. EA washing treatment reduced the metabolic capacity of bacterial community and was helpful to delay the aging and spoilage of fresh-cut yams, meanwhile, significantly inhibited transferase expression, and could help to maintain the quality of the fresh-cut yams. In conclusion, ethanol and ascorbic acid mixture washing agent altered the successional process of bacterial communities to reduce the pathogenic bacteria of fresh-cut yams during cold storage.

Speed of sound measurement and mapping in transparent materials by impulsive stimulated Brillouin microscopy

Impulsive stimulated Brillouin scattering (ISBS) is a variant of stimulated Brillouin scattering, which can overcome the shortcomings of the long acquisition time of traditional Brillouin microscopy. We introduce the difference between ISBS and other Brillouin microscopies in calculating longitudinal modulus. The Brillouin frequency shift obtained by ISBS is only related to the system parameters and the speed of sound (SOS) in the sample, not to the refractive index. Non-contact SOS measurement of homogeneous samples is an important application of Brillouin scattering, used in the early study of Brillouin spectroscopy and the mechanical properties of liquids. However, the measurement requires prior knowledge of the sample refractive index, which limits the measurement of the unknown refractive index sample. Here, we propose a method to measure the SOS based on ISBS, which in principle avoids the need for refractive index parameters. The SOS of several liquids are measured and compared with the standard values. The mean relative standard deviation is 1.13%. Moreover, we measure the SOS of a mixture of ethanol and water to demonstrate an application of measuring SOS without refractive index information. We also demonstrate the high spatial resolution of ISBS with a methanol-filled PDMS sample.

Influence of the alcohol and water grades on surfactant-free colloidal syntheses of gold nanoparticles in alkaline water-alcohol mixtures

To make the most of the unique properties of nanomaterials, and to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research, controlled, green, cheap and energy efficient syntheses of nanoparticles are required. In this respect, room and low temperature surfactant-free colloidal syntheses of nanoparticles obtained in low viscosity and low boiling point solvents, without additives or nature-derived extracts, are promising to develop more active (electro)catalysts. Recently, a room temperature synthesis of surfactant-free gold nanoparticles has been documented (Chem. Mater. 2023, 35, 5, 2173) that requires only water, a base such as NaOH, an alcohol and HAuCl4. Unfortunately, the syntheses of nanomaterials are often sensitive to multiple parameters and it is well acknowledged that reproducibility is a general challenge in the chemical sciences, where the synthesis of nanomaterials is no exception. Here, we investigate the effect of the water conductivity and solvent grade on the surfactant-free low temperature (ca. 30 °C) synthesis of colloidal gold nanoparticles obtained in alkaline mixtures of ethanol and water. The synthesis can be performed with relatively low-grade ethanol but requires high purity water. The importance of water with low conductivity is also stressed for syntheses where ethylene glycol and glycerol are used as source of reducing agents. The results of this study over 100 samples pave the way to greener, more controlled and scalable syntheses of surfactant-free gold nanomaterials.

Enhancing cellulose fiber properties from chromolaena odorata and anana comosus through novel pulping chemical mixtures

The production of cellulose with exceptional properties has led to the modification of chemical pulping methods and the development of newer chemical pulping methods. This study developed mixtures of sodium hydroxide, ethanol, and anthraquinone as new pulping chemicals to produce alpha-cellulose from pineapple leaves and Saim weed stems. The addition of anthraquinone was noticed to influence the pulp yield positively and the FTIR of all the cellulose has the characteristic cellulose bands. Calculated Total crystallinity index (TCI), (Lateral order index) LOI., and Hydrogen bond intensity (HBI) from the FTIR presented PLSHAEC (68.38 %) and SWSHQEC (67.74 %) having high crystallinity. From the XRD, the 2? by all the materials is attributed to cellulose I diffraction, and the crystallinity index aligned with FTIR determined crystallinity. The determined particle average diameter using ImageJ software showed that PLSHQEC 3.00 had the smallest value, followed by 5.17 for PLSHQC, 5.32 for SWSHQEC, and 6.03 for SWSHQEC. From the thermal analysis, the onset of the degradation of all the cellulose occurred at different temperatures: 247.10? (PLSHQC), 253.38? (PLSHQEC), 240.20? (SWSHQC) and 242.58? (SWSHQEC). The increase in yield, higher crystallinity index, and smaller fiber diameter of the cellulose demonstrated anthraquinone as a better additive to produce quality cellulose that would undergo easy chemical modification.