RSC Advances Blog

Blurred bonds rationalised by heavy atom tunnelling

14 May 2014

Written by Jennifer Newton for Chemistry World

A new theoretical study of anti-aromatic systems has attributed the unusual way that their π-bonds shift to quantum tunnelling. These intriguing findings suggest that even though heavy atom tunnelling is rare, its effect is far from negligible.

Quantum-mechanical tunnelling is a process by which a particle can cross a potential barrier without having enough energy to go over it. It is a completely quantum effect based on the wave nature of the particle and is connected to the de Broglie wavelength, which gets shorter as the mass of the particle gets higher. Therefore, only the lightest particles can tunnel, and in chemistry it means that it is almost impossible for anything but hydrogen. Or that is what we were taught at university . . . .

Interested in learning more? Read the full story at Chemistry World

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20th International Symposium on Surfactants in Solution (SIS 2014)

05 May 2014

By Mary Badcock, Deputy Editor.

The 20th International Symposium on Surfactants in Solution (SIS 2014) will be held at the University of Coimbra, Portugal from the 22nd-27th June 2014.

SIS 2014 will provide the ideal forum to stimulate ideas and establish collaborations as well as to initiate discussions on the most diverse topics of surfactant and colloid science, ranging from biocolloids to nanostructured interfaces, from self-assembled materials to formulations.

Click here to register for this conference.

Topics that will be presented on at the conference include:

– Adsorption at interfaces	– Polymeric and polymerizable surfactants
– Wetting, spreading and capillarity phenomena	– Bioderived and bioinspired surfactants
– Interfacial tension, interfacial rheology and interfacial forces	– Surfactant-polymer and -biopolymer interactions
– Monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett films	– Surfactants in pharmaceutics and life sciences
– Electrostatic and electrokinetic phenomena	– Surfactants in energy production and environment
– Surfactant phase behavior and self-assembly	– Surfactants in tribology
– Thermodynamics and kinetics of surfactant-based systems	– Surfactants in nano- and microtechnology
– Solubilization and reactivity in self-organized systems	– Self-assembled materials
– Micelles, emulsions and microemulsions	– Modelling and simulation
– Vesicles, liposomes, niosomes, colloidosomes	– Techniques in surfactant research

As well as 30 invited lectures, 5 Plenary lectures have also been confirmed:

Colin Bain (University of Durham, UK) – Dynamics of surfactants at interfaces
Henk N.W. Lekkerkerker (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) – Muddy Water-Clay Colloid Mixtures: From Liquid Crystals to Drilling Muds
Maria Graça Miguel (Coimbra University, Portugal) – From Surfactants to Cells
Yeshayahu Talmon (Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel) – The Coming of Age of Cryo-EM in the Study of Surfactants in Solution
Kenichi Yoshikawa (Kyoto University, Japan) – Real-world Modeling of Living System with Surfactant: Self-organized Structure and Dynamic Function

To find out more about this exciting event, please visit the conference website.

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Molecules mimic mesmerising mathematics

29 Apr 2014

By Guy Jones, Deputy Editor.

Written by Stephen McCarthy for Chemistry World

Computer models that show how organic molecules could assemble into molecular quasicrystals may open the door to new materials with exotic properties.

Imitating the famous mathematical patterns known as Penrose tilings, Dimitri Laikov of Moscow State University in Russia, designed two complementary molecular ‘tiles’ and modelled their supramolecular interactions. The resulting assembly shows the aperiodicity and five-fold rotational symmetry characteristic of quasicrystals – the first time that a complex with this property has been predicted

Interested? If so, read the full article at Chemistry World here!

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Pumping gone soft

11 Apr 2014

By Guy Jones, Deputy Editor.

Written by Harriet Brewerton for Chemistry World

Scientists are a step closer to producing soft machines that are efficient and long-lasting enough for practical applications.

Soft pump

Engines and other machinery are currently composed of rigid parts that bear considerable forces and degrade over time. They are also limited to moving in a certain direction or around a certain axis. In nature many mechanical processes are carried out using soft materials that are nevertheless highly durable, efficient and capable of deforming and returning to their original shape in complex ways, for example the heart.

Interested? If so, read the full article at Chemistry World here.

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Sol-Gel Synthesis and Investigation of Inorganic Compounds, Functional Hybrid Materials and Dispersed Systems (Sol-gel 2014)

01 Apr 2014

By Mary Badcock, Deputy Editor.

The 3rd International Conference of CIS countries “Sol-Gel Synthesis and Investigation of Inorganic Compounds, Functional Hybrid Materials and Dispersed Systems” (Sol-Gel 2014), will be held in Suzdal, Russia bettwen the 8-12 Spetember 2014.

The prinicple topics which will be discussed at the conference are:

New Applications for Sol-Gel Materials	Aerogels and Insulating Materials
Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials	Sol-gel Materials for Electronic Applications (Magnetic, Ferroelectric, Semiconductor)
Size and Shape Control in the Synthesis of Nanoparticles. Colloid Materials.	Sol-Gel Materials for Optics and Photonics
Self-Assembly, Supramolecular and Hierarchically Structured Sol-Gel Materials and Sorbents	Sol-Gel Materials for Energy, Sensor, Solar and Space applications
Biomaterials, Biohybrids and Biomimetic Materials, Controlled Release	Sol-Gel Materials for Catalysis and Membranes
Thin Films, Coatings and Surfaces	Sol-gel Science & Technology and Industry

The confirmed Plenary speakers at the conference are:

Prof. Jean-Marie Nedelec (France)
Prof. Y.K. Gun’ko (Ireland)
Prof. Michel Wong Chi Man (France)
Prof. Andrei Kanaev (France)
Prof. Gabriela Kuncova (Czech Republic)
Prof. Wieslaw Strek (Poland)
Prof. Robert Pazik (Poland)
Prof. Florence Babonneau (France)
Prof. Rafael Wiglusz (Poland)
Prof. Gulaim A. Seisenbaeva (Sweden)
Prof. Vadim Kessler (Sweden)

The key dates for this event are as follows:

Abstract submission deadline: 15th April 2014
Conference registration: 15th April 2014
Early-Bird registration: 15th April 2014
Hotel booking deadline: 30th April 2014
Visa application deadline: 15th April 2014

To register and find out more about the conference, visit the website.

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RSC Advances is now on Twitter

21 Mar 2014

By Guy Jones, Deputy Editor.

Want to keep up with all the latest news from RSC Advances?

You can now follow us on Twitter @RSC_Adv.

The feed features news on the latest HOT articles, themed issues, review articles and journal announcements. It is also a great place to follow news from the Royal Society of Chemistry, with updates on the latest conferences and bursaries as well as featuring news from our other journal publications.

Check out the feed at www.twitter.com/rsc_adv and start following RSC Advances today!

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Cystic fibrosis treatment clears the way

18 Mar 2014

By Aliya Anwar.

written by Charlie Quigg for Chemistry World

Stabilising a mucus attacking enzyme with cross-links could allow it to be delivered orally to fight infections in cystic fibrosis patients.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the commonest opportunistic pathogens in cystic fibrosis. The bacterium produces alginate, a polysaccharide which causes significant mucus build-up in the lungs and intestine. In addition to affecting patients’ quality of life, this also significantly obstructs the delivery of antibiotics, requiring increased dosages which can lead to antibiotic resistance and an increased chance of side-effects.

Guillermo Castro at the National University of La Plata in Argentina, and his team, investigate the delivery of drugs with significant administrative problems’…

Interested? If so, read the full article at Chemistry World here.

Cross-linking alginate lyase in the presence of BSA stabilises the enzyme but leaves the active site intact

Please click on the below title to access the original article which is free to access until 7^th April 2014 :

Development of novel alginate lyase cross-linked aggregates for the oral treatment of cystic fibrosis
G. A. Islan, Y. N. Martinez, A. Illanes and G. R. Castro
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 11758-11765
DOI: 10.1039/C3RA47850E

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‘HOT’ articles!

10 Mar 2014

By Aliya Anwar.

Our referees have spoken once again and chosen the below ‘HOT’ articles. Please have a gander and let us know what you think in the comments section below:

Mn²⁺/graphene oxide nanocomposite efficiently catalyzes the epoxidation of alkenes with H₂O₂
Weiguo Zheng, Rong Tan, Lili Zhao, Yaju Chen, Chuanwu Xiong and Donghong Yin
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 11732-11739
DOI: 10.1039/C3RA47183G

Enzymatic oxidation as a potential new route to produce polysaccharide aerogels
Kirsi S. Mikkonen, Kirsti Parikka, Jussi-Petteri Suuronen, Abdul Ghafar, Ritva Serimaa and Maija Tenkanen
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 11884-11892
DOI: 10.1039/C3RA47440B

Sensitive and regenerable organochalcogen probes for the colorimetric detection of thiols
Shah Jaimin Balkrishna, Ananda S. Hodage, Shailesh Kumar, Piyush Panini and Sangit Kumar
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 11535-11538
DOI: 10.1039/C4RA00381K

And remember – these articles are free to access for 4 weeks!

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RSC Advances Blog

Blurred bonds rationalised by heavy atom tunnelling

Top 10 most-downloaded articles: January–March 2014

20th International Symposium on Surfactants in Solution (SIS 2014)

Molecules mimic mesmerising mathematics

Pumping gone soft

Sol-Gel Synthesis and Investigation of Inorganic Compounds, Functional Hybrid Materials and Dispersed Systems (Sol-gel 2014)

RSC Advances is now on Twitter

Cystic fibrosis treatment clears the way

‘HOT’ articles!

Top 10 most-accessed articles: October – December 2013

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