PCCP Blog

HOT PCCP Perspective

A method which allows the detection of transient association and disocciation during protein reactions in real time has recently been developed. It is based on time-dependent diffusion coefficient measurements.

Masahide Terazima  reviews this exciting new area and discusses its advantages compared to other techniques.

Read the PCCP Perspective:

Time-dependent intermolecular interaction during protein reactions
Masahide Terazima
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011
DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21868A

The incorporation of hematoporphyrin IX (Hp IX) in silica nanospheres enhances its potential for photodynamic therapy.

The entrapment of Hp IX in silica by means of a microemulsion resulted in silica spheres of 33 ± 6 nm. The small size, narrow size distribution and lack of aggregation maintain Hp IX silica nanospheres stable in aqueous solutions for long periods and permit a detailed study of the entrapped drug by different techniques.

Read this Hot PCCP article today:

Enhancement of hematoporphyrin IX potential for photodynamic therapy by entrapment in silica nanospheres
Paulo R. Silva, Lucas L. R. Vono, Breno P. Espósito, Maurício S. Baptista and Liane M. Rossi
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21525F

Scientists at the University of Helsinki have investigated how relativity can influence the chemical properties of batteries.

Following on from their previous work on the common lead-acid battery, they have now looked into how relativity effects the once common mercury battery. The key result is that 29% (+0.38 V) of the calculated voltage of the mercury battery’s electromotoric force (EMF) arise from relativistic effects.

Read more:

Relativity and the mercury battery
Patryk Zaleski-Ejgierd and Pekka Pyykkö
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011,
DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21738K

Motivated by the recent discovery of new diffuse interstellar bands and results from laboratory experiments, this two-part paper explores the electronically excited radical cations of naphthalene and anthracene as models for astrophysical observations.

In part I, ab initio quantum chemistry calculations are carried out for the lowest six electronic states of naphthalene and anthracene radical cations in this two-part paper. The calculated adiabatic electronic energies are utilized to construct suitable diabatic electronic Hamiltonians in order to perform nuclear dynamics studies in part II.

Read these exciting astophysics papers today:

Theoretical study of electronically excited radical cations of naphthalene and anthracene as archetypal models for astrophysical observations
S. Ghanta, V. Sivaranjana Reddy and S. Mahapatra
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011
Part I. Static aspects: DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21083A
Part II. Dynamics consequences: DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21084J

‘HOT’ PCCP Communication

Easily fluidizable agglomerates of a nanostructured silica powder serve as a fluidization vehicle of CO₂ adsorbent Ca(OH)₂ particles.

The increase of the effective contact time and contact surface in a fluidized bed reactor caused by the homogenization of fluidization gives rise to a significant enhancement of the CO₂ adsorption efficiency by Ca(OH)₂.

Improving the gas–solids contact efficiency in a fluidized bed of CO₂ adsorbent fine particles
J. M. Valverde, F. Pontiga, C. Soria-Hoyo, M. A. S. Quintanilla, H. Moreno, F. J. Duran and M. J. Espin
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21939A