Synthesis of silica xerogels with high surface area using acetic acid as catalyst

The influence of acetic acid on the pore structure and surface area of silica prepared by the sol-gel method was investigated. Experimental conditions of synthesis, such as gelation temperature and solvents, were also studied. N2 adsorption isotherms of the samples were type 1, typical of microporous materials, explaining the high surface area values (BET) observed. The simultaneous addition of acetic and hydrochloric acids as catalysts and of acetone as solvent, together with the use of a gelation temperature of 20 ºC, made it possible to prepare amorphous silica materials with surface area values up to 850 m² g-1. The high surface area value of these samples could be explained by the microporosity and the nanometric size of the particles.Nesse trabalho foi estudada a influência do ácido acético na estrutura de poros e na área superficial de sílicas preparadas pelo método sol-gel. Condições experimentais de síntese, tais como temperatura de policondensação e solventes, também foram estudadas. Isotermas de adsorção de N2 das amostras foram classificadas como do tipo 1, típicas de materiais microporosos, o que explica os altos valores de área superficial obtidos. A adição simultânea dos ácidos acético e clorídrico como catalisadores e de acetona como solvente, bem como o emprego de uma temperatura de policondensação de 20 ºC, possibilitaram a preparação de sílicas amorfas com valores de área superficial de até 850 m² g-1. O alto valor de área superficial dessas amostras pode ser explicado principalmente pela microporosidade e também pelo tamanho nanométrico das partículas.886890Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Cationic dyes immobilized on cellulose acetate surface modified with titanium dioxide: factorial design and an application as sensor for NADH

The electrochemical properties of meldola blue and toluidine blue cationic dyes immobilized on cellulose acetate surface modified with titanium dioxide were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The materials synthesized were employed as carbon paste electrodes. The redox mediator properties of the meldola blue and toluidine blue chemically modified electrodes were optimized using a factorial design, consisting of two levels and four factors with two pseudo-central points (n= 20 experiments). The factorial analysis was carried out by searching for better reversibility of the redox process, such as the lowest separation between anodic and cathodic potential peaks and a current ratio near unity. The factors that presented significant effects on the overall optimization of the system to achieve the best conditions of the reversibility of electron transfer were the main factors scan rate and type of electrode (meldola blue or toluidine blue), besides the interaction factors KCl concentration × type of electrode (B×D) and the pH × [KCl] concentration × scan rate (A×B×C) interaction. The best electrochemical reversibility conditions obtained were: using the CA-TiO2-MB electrode, 1.0 mol L-1 KCl as supporting electrolyte, at scan rate of 10.0 mV s-1. Afterwards, the CA-TiO2-MB modified electrode was tested as an amperometric sensor for the determination of NADH, with a detection limit of 0.1 µmol L-1.As propriedades eletroquímicas dos corantes catiônicos, azul de meldola e azul de toluidina, imobilizados na superfície do acetato de celulose modificado com dióxido de titânio foram investigadas por voltametria cíclica. Os materiais sintetizados foram empregados como eletrodos de pasta de carbono. As propriedades mediadoras redox dos eletrodos modificados quimicamente com azul de meldola e azul de toluidina foram otimizadas utilizando um planejamento fatorial consistindo de dois níveis e quatro fatores com dois pseudo-pontos centrais (n=20 experimentos). A análise fatorial foi realizada para investigar as melhores condições de reversibilidade do processo redox tais como uma diminuição na separação entre os picos de potenciais anódico e catódico e razão de corrente próxima da unidade. Os fatores que apresentaram efeitos significantes na otimização global do sistema e que permitiram alcançar as melhores condições de reversibilidade de transferência de elétrons foram os fatores principais velocidade de varredura e tipo de eletrodo (azul de meldola ou azul de toluidina) além dos fatores de interação concentração do KCl × tipo de eletrodo (B×D) e a interação pH × [KCl] × velocidade de varredura (A×B×C). As melhores condições de reversibilidade eletroquímica obtidas foram: o eletrodo CA-TiO2-MB, KCl 1,0 mol L-1 como eletrólito suporte e velocidade de varredura de 10,0 mV s-1. Adicionalmente, o eletrodo modificado CA-TiO2-MB foi testado como sensor amperométrico para a determinação de NADH com um limite de detecção de 0,1 µmol L-1.14621472Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Use of biochar prepared from the açaí seed as adsorbent for the uptake of catechol from synthetic effluents

This work proposes a facile methodology for producing porous biochar material (ABC) from açaí kernel residue, produced by chemical impregnation with ZnCl2 (1:1) and pyrolysis at 650.0 °C. The characterization was achieved using several techniques, and the biochar material was employed as an adsorbent to remove catechol. The results show that ABC carbon has hydrophilic properties. The specific surface area and total pore volume are 1315 m2·g−1 and 0.7038 cm3·g−1, respectively. FTIR revealed the presence of oxygenated groups, which can influence catechol adsorption. The TGA/DTG indicated that the sample is thermally stable even at 580 °C. Adsorption studies showed that equilibrium was achieved i

Integração de métodos multicritério na busca da sustentabilidade agrícola para a produção de tomates no município de São José de Ubá-RJ.

Este estudo discute alternativas para os sistemas produtivos da terra no plantio de tomates em São José de Ubá-RJ e as relações de trabalho passíveis de serem colocadas em pratica de forma a promover uma agricultura sustentavel na região, priorizando os aspectos economicos, ambientais e culturais do problema. A introdução da questão cultural aumenta a complexidade da questão, sendo necessário o uso de uma metodologia capaz de lidar com toda a subjetividade envolvida nesse processo de tomada de decisão. O estudo visa contribuir para a conquista de um processo sustentavel na região, estabelecendo um processo de tomada de decisão pautado nas opinioes do agricultor, respeitando principalmente as questões culturais do problema. As características do ambiente de tomada de decisão indicaram o uso de uma combinação de métodos de apoio a decisão multicritério - MACBETH e VIP Analysis - para a seleção da melhor alternativa capaz de possibilitar o alcance dos objetivos propostos

Structure and non-structure of centrosomal proteins

Here we perform a large-scale study of the structural properties and the expression of proteins that constitute the human Centrosome. Centrosomal proteins tend to be larger than generic human proteins (control set), since their genes contain in average more exons (20.3 versus 14.6). They are rich in predicted disordered regions, which cover 57% of their length, compared to 39% in the general human proteome. They also contain several regions that are dually predicted to be disordered and coiled-coil at the same time: 55 proteins (15%) contain disordered and coiled-coil fragments that cover more than 20% of their length. Helices prevail over strands in regions homologous to known structures (47% predicted helical residues against 17% predicted as strands), and even more in the whole centrosomal proteome (52% against 7%), while for control human proteins 34.5% of the residues are predicted as helical and 12.8% are predicted as strands. This difference is mainly due to residues predicted as disordered and helical (30% in centrosomal and 9.4% in control proteins), which may correspond to alpha-helix forming molecular recognition features (α-MoRFs). We performed expression assays for 120 full-length centrosomal proteins and 72 domain constructs that we have predicted to be globular. These full-length proteins are often insoluble: Only 39 out of 120 expressed proteins (32%) and 19 out of 72 domains (26%) were soluble. We built or retrieved structural models for 277 out of 361 human proteins whose centrosomal localization has been experimentally verified. We could not find any suitable structural template with more than 20% sequence identity for 84 centrosomal proteins (23%), for which around 74% of the residues are predicted to be disordered or coiled-coils. The three-dimensional models that we built are available at http://ub.cbm.uam.es/centrosome/models/index.php

Metallic, magnetic and molecular nanocontacts

Scanning tunnelling microscopy and break-junction experiments realize metallic and molecular nanocontacts that act as ideal one-dimensional channels between macroscopic electrodes. Emergent nanoscale phenomena typical of these systems encompass structural, mechanical, electronic, transport, and magnetic properties. This Review focuses on the theoretical explanation of some of these properties obtained with the help of first-principles methods. By tracing parallel theoretical and experimental developments from the discovery of nanowire formation and conductance quantization in gold nanowires to recent observations of emergent magnetism and Kondo correlations, we exemplify the main concepts and ingredients needed to bring together ab initio calculations and physical observations. It can be anticipated that diode, sensor, spin-valve and spin-filter functionalities relevant for spintronics and molecular electronics applications will benefit from the physical understanding thus obtained

Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation

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