Graphite Screen-Printed Electrodes Applied for the Accurate and Reagentless Sensing of pH

A reagentless pH sensor based upon disposable and economical graphite screen-printed electrodes (GSPEs) is demonstrated for the first time. The voltammetric pH sensor utilises GSPEs which are chemically pre-treated to form surface immobilised oxygenated species that when their redox behaviour is monitored, give a Nernstian response over a large pH range (1-13). An excellent experimental correlation is observed between the voltammetric potential and pH over the entire pH range of 1-13, such a response is not usually expected but rather deviation from linearity is encountered at alkaline pH values; absence of this has previously been attributed to a change in pKa value of surface immobilised groups. This non-deviation, which is observed here in the case of our facile produced reagentless pH sensor and also reported in the literature for pH sensitive compounds immobilized upon carbon electrodes/surfaces,where a linear response is observed over the entire pH range, is explained alternatively for the first time. The performance of the GSPE pH sensor is directly compared with a glass pH probe and applied to the measurement of pH in real samples where an excellent correlation between the two protocols is observed validating the proposed GSPE pH sensor

Visible-Light-Driven Epoxyacylation and Hydroacylation of Olefins Using Methylene Blue/Persulfate System in Water

A visible-light-driven strategy for hydroacylation and epoxyacylation of olefins in water using methylene blue as photoredox catalyst and persulfate as oxidant is reported. In this unprecedented unified approach, two different transformations are accomplished using only one set of reagents. The method has a broad scope spanning a range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes as well as conjugated and nonconjugated olefins to deliver ketones and epoxyketones from abundant and inexpensive chemical feedstocks

Development of Disposable and Flexible Supercapacitor Based on Carbonaceous and Ecofriendly Materials

A novel flexible supercapacitor device was developed from a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, reused from beverage bottles, and a conductive ink based on carbon black (CB) and cellulose acetate (CA). The weight composition of the conductive ink was evaluated to determine the best mass percentage ratio between CB and CA in terms of capacitive behavior. The evaluation was performed by using different electrochemical techniques: cyclic voltammetry, obtaining the highest capacitance value for the device with the 66.7/33.3 wt% CB/CA in a basic H2SO4 solution, reaching 135.64 F g−1. The device was applied in potentiostatic charge/discharge measurements, achieving values of 2.45 Wh kg−1 for specific energy and around 1000 W kg−1 for specific power. Therefore, corroborated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy assays, the relatively low-price proposed device presented a suitable performance for application as supercapacitors, being manufactured from reused materials, contributing to the energy storage field enhancement

Development of Disposable and Flexible Supercapacitor Based on Carbonaceous and Ecofriendly Materials

A novel flexible supercapacitor device was developed from a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, reused from beverage bottles, and a conductive ink based on carbon black (CB) and cellulose acetate (CA). The weight composition of the conductive ink was evaluated to determine the best mass percentage ratio between CB and CA in terms of capacitive behavior. The evaluation was performed by using different electrochemical techniques: cyclic voltammetry, obtaining the highest capacitance value for the device with the 66.7/33.3 wt% CB/CA in a basic H2SO4 solution, reaching 135.64 F g−1. The device was applied in potentiostatic charge/discharge measurements, achieving values of 2.45 Wh kg−1 for specific energy and around 1000 W kg−1 for specific power. Therefore, corroborated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy assays, the relatively low-price proposed device presented a suitable performance for application as supercapacitors, being manufactured from reused materials, contributing to the energy storage field enhancement

Características morfofisiológicas de sementes e produção de girassol em função de boro no solo Morphophysiological characteristics of seed and production of sunflower as a function of boron in soil

Com o objetivo de se estudar o efeito de doses de boro sobre as características morfofisiológicas de sementes e a produção de girassol, cultivar Embrapa V122-2000, instalou-se um experimento em 17/11/2000, em área experimental da UNESP/FCAV, Jaboticabal, SP, em Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico de textura média. O delineamento foi o de blocos casualizados, com cinco doses de boro (0, 1, 2, 3 e 4 kg ha-1) em quatro repetições. Após o florescimento pleno (80-90% de flores abertas) se avaliaram semanalmente, as características das sementes: comprimento, largura e espessura, massa seca, concentração e conteúdo de água, primeira contagem da germinação, germinação final e teor de óleo. Pelos resultados obtidos não se constatou efeito significativo da aplicação de boro nas características das sementes avaliadas aos 49 dias após o florescimento pleno da cultura, o que foi atribuído ao teor inicial de boro no solo, 0,22 mg dm-3 (extraído com solução de BaCl2 1,25 g L-1) que, além de considerado médio, deve ter sido suficiente para o crescimento e desenvolvimento das sementes de girassol. A produtividade média foi de 2.559 kg ha-1.<br>An experiment was carried out in order to evaluate effects of boron applied to soil on the morphophysiological characteristics of sunflower seed (achene). The experiment was installed on November 17, 2000 in an experimental area at São Paulo State University - UNESP/FCAV, Jaboticabal, SP, in an oxisoil with the sunflower variety Embrapa V122-2000. The experimental design was a completely randomized block, with five doses of boron (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 kg ha-1) with four replications. After full bloom (80-90% of open flowers), the following characteristics were evaluated during seven weeks: length, width and thickness, seed dry mass, water concentration and content, first counting of germination, final germination and oil content. Seed yield was also evaluated. There was no significant effect of boron application on seed characteristics evaluated 49 days after full bloom, and this result was associated to the initial content of boron in the soil (0.22 mg dm-3 extracted with BaCl2 1.25 g L-1), which is considered an average value. The mean yield of seeds was 2,559 kg ha-1