Effect of activated carbon electrode material characteristics on hardness control performance of membrane capacitive deionization.

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an electrochemical-based water treatment technology that has attracted attention as an effective hardness-control process. However, few systematic studies have reported the criteria for the selection of suitable electrode materials for membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) to control hardness. In this study, the effect of electrode material characteristics on the MCDI performance for hardness control was quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that the deionization capacity and the deionization rate were affected by the specific capacitance and BET-specific surface area of the activated carbon electrode. In addition, the deionization rate also showed significant relationship with the BET specific surface area. Furthermore, it was observed that the deionization capacity and the deionization rate have a highly significant relationship with the BET specific surface area divided by the wettability performance expressed as the minimum wetting rate (MWR). These findings highlighted that the electrode material should have a large surface area and good wettability to increase the deionization capacity and the deionization rate of MCDI for hardness control. The results of this study are expected to provide effective criteria for selecting MCDI electrode materials aiming hardness control.

Extraction of Salinity-Gradient Energy by a Hybrid Capacitive-Mixing System.

Salinity-gradient energy (SGE) is a renewable energy source available wherever two solutions with different salinity mix. Capacitive-mixing (Capmix) is a technology that directly extracts the SG potential through the movements of ions in high- and low-concentration solutions. However, the energy-harvesting performance of Capmix needs further improvement. Herein, a hybrid Capmix that consists of a battery and capacitive electrodes is proposed. In this system, sodium ions and anions are captured/released by the metal oxide and carbon electrodes, respectively. The hybrid Capmix extracted an energy density that was approximately three times higher (130 J m-2 ) and exhibited a notable power output (97 mW m-2 ) compared to the previous Capmix using ion-exchange membranes. Furthermore, the hybrid system operated successfully with real river water and seawater. These results suggest that the hybrid Capmix could be a viable option to harvest energy from salinity gradients.

Guest-Induced Modulation of the Energy Transfer Process in Porphyrin-Based Artificial Light Harvesting Dendrimers.

A series of dendritic multiporphyrin arrays (PZnTz-nPFB; n = 2, 4, 8) comprising a triazole-bearing focal zinc porphyrin (PZn) with a different number of freebase porphyrin (PFB) wings has been synthesized, and their photoinduced energy transfer process has been evaluated. UV/vis absorption, emission, and time-resolved fluorescence measurements indicated that efficient excitation energy transfer takes place from the focal PZn to PFB wings in PZnTz-nPFB's. The triazole-bearing PZn effectively formed host-guest complexes with anionic species by means of axial coordination with the aid of multiple C-H hydrogen bonds. By addition of various anionic guests to PZnTz and PZnTz-nPFB's, strong bathochromic shifts of PZn absorption were observed, indicating the HOMO-LUMO gap (ΔEHOMO-LUMO) of PZn decreased by anion binding. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements revealed that the fluorescence emission predominantly takes place from PZn in PZnTz-nPFB's after the addition of CN-. This change was reversible because a treatment with a silver strip to remove CN- fully recovered the original energy transfer process from the focal PZn to PFB wings.

Modulation of Axial-Ligand Binding and Releasing Processes onto the Triazole-Bearing Nickel(II) Picket-Fence Porphyrins: Steric Repulsion versus Hydrogen-Bonding Effects.

N-(p-Methoxycarbonylbenzyl) triazole (BTz) substituents have been introduced to Ni(II) porphyrins (NiPs), in which their modulated axial-coordination processes have been investigated. For this study, the two types of ligands, neutral pyridine versus anionic cyanide, were employed to investigate an effect of BTz substituents. The unique microenvironments given by the BTz substituents provided two different effects on the axial-coordination processes of NiPs on the ground and excited states: (1) steric shielding and (2) donation of hydrogen-bonding sites. The steric shielding diminished the binding affinity of pyridine, while the cooperation of hydrogen bonds extraordinarily strengthened the binding affinity of CN(-). Interestingly, it was observed that the binding of CN(-) with the supporting of BTz substituents accompanied nonplanar distortion of NiPs. Such conformational change perturbed the electronic structure of NiPs, which gave rise to the modulation of coordination processes of NiPs in the excited state. As a consequence, photoinudced ligand binding and releasing processes of four- and six-coordinated NiPs were changed into the dominant photoinduced ligand releasing process.

A triazole-bearing picket fence type nickel porphyrin as a cyanide selective allosteric host.

A triazole-bearing picket fence type nickel porphyrin (1) has been synthesized as a host compound for anion binding. Among the various anionic species examined, cyanide was the only one that affected a spectral change of 1. Moreover, 1 exhibited strong homotropic positive allosterism against cyanide binding due to an electronic effect as well as multiple hydrogen bonds formed between cyanide and the triazole groups.

Light-driven Au(III)-promoted cleavage of triazole-bearing amine derivatives and its application in the detection of ionic gold.

Light-driven Au(III)-promoted oxidative cleavage of triazole-bearing amine derivatives is utilized for the detection of ionic gold in aqueous media. A bistriazole-bearing boron dipyrromethane (1(BODIPY)) exhibited selective and sensitive fluorescence enhancement by the addition of Au(3+) and subsequent UV irradiation.

Control of single-molecule junction conductance of porphyrins via a transition-metal center.

Using scanning tunneling microscope break-junction experiments and a new first-principles approach to conductance calculations, we report and explain low-bias charge transport behavior of four types of metal-porphyrin-gold molecular junctions. A nonequilibrium Green's function approach based on self-energy corrected density functional theory and optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals is developed and used to understand experimental trends quantitatively. Importantly, due to the localized d states of the porphyrin molecules, hybrid functionals are essential for explaining measurements; standard semilocal functionals yield qualitatively incorrect results. Comparing directly with experiments, we show that the conductance can change by nearly a factor of 2 when different metal cations are used, counter to trends expected from gas-phase ionization energies which are relatively unchanged with the metal center. Our work explains the sensitivity of the porphyrin conductance with the metal center via a detailed and quantitative portrait of the interface electronic structure and provides a new framework for understanding transport quantitatively in complex junctions involving molecules with localized d states of relevance to light harvesting and energy conversion.

Guest-induced photophysical property switching of artificial light-harvesting dendrimers.

An artificial light-harvesting multiporphyrin dendrimer (8P(Zn)P(FB)) composed of a focal freebase porphyrin (P(FB)) with eight zinc(II) porphyrin (P(Zn)) wings exhibited unique photophysical property switching in response to specific guest molecule binding. UV/Vis titration studies indicated stable 1:2 host-guest complex formation between 8P(Zn)P(FB) and meso-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)-porphyrin (TPyP) for which the first and second association constants were estimated to be >10(8) M(-1) and 3.0×10(7) M(-1), respectively. 8P(Zn)P(FB) originally shows 94% energy transfer efficiency from P(Zn) to the focal P(FB). By the formation of the host-guest complex (8P(Zn)P(FB)⋅2TPyP) the emission intensity of 8P(Zn)P(FB) is significantly decreased, and an ultrafast charge separation state is generated. The energy transfer process from P(Zn) wings to the P(FB) core in 8P(Zn)P(FB) is almost entirely switched to an electron transfer process by the formation of 8P(Zn)P(FB)⋅2TPyP.

A porphyrin-based molecular tweezer: guest-induced switching of forward and backward photoinduced energy transfer.

A bisindole-bridged-porphyrin tweezer (1), a pair of zinc porphyrins (PZn's) connected to bisindole bridge (BB) via the Cu(I)-mediated alkyne-azide click chemistry, exhibited unique switching in forward and backward photoinduced energy transfer by specific guest bindings. The addition of Cu(2+) caused a change in electronic absorption and fluorescence quenching of 1. MALDI-TOF-MS and FT-IR analyses indicated the formation of stable coordination complex between 1 and Cu(2+) (1-Cu(II)). Without Cu(2+) coordination, the excitation energy flows from BB to PZn's with significantly high energy transfer efficiency. In contrast, the direction of energy flow in 1 was completely reversed by the coordination of Cu(2+). The difference in fluorescence quantum yield between 1 and 1-Cu(II) indicates that more than 95% of excitation energy of PZn flows into Cu(II)-coordinated BB. The energy transfer efficiency was further controlled by bidentate ligand coordination onto 1-Cu(II). When pyrophosphate ion was added to 1-Cu(II), the recovery of fluorescence emission from PZn was observed. The quantum mechanical calculations indicated that the Cu(II)-coordinated BB has square planar geometry, which can be distorted to form octahedral geometry due to the coordination of bidentate ligands.

Absolute stereochemical determination of chiral carboxylates using an achiral molecular tweezer.

A new type of molecular tweezer (1) has been synthesized for the direct determination of the absolute configuration of chiral carboxylates without analyte derivatization. Upon the addition of diamine and anionic guests, 1 exhibited shifts in its absorption spectrum with clear isosbestic points. The continuous variation method indicated that both the diamine and anionic guests form 1:1 host-guest complexes with 1 with very high binding affinity. When Boc-L-Ala (BLA) as a form of tetrabutylammonium salt was added to 1, a weak negative CD signal was observed. This weak CD signal was dramatically changed to a strong positive CD couplet upon addition of achiral 1,12-diaminododecane. Such a positive CD couplet was observed for all of the tested L-amino acid derivatives, while the D-amino acid derivatives gave the opposite signals. As a result of these unique characteristics of 1, it can be utilized as a highly sensitive probe for the absolute stereochemical determination of chiral carboxylates.

Synthesis of stable monoporphyrinate lanthanide(III) complexes without ancillary ligands.

A new type of porphyrin ligand bearing four triazole groups at the ortho-positions of phenyl rings in tetraphenylporphyrin was synthesized for the formation of monoporphyrinate lanthanide complexes without ancillary ligands.

A zinc porphyrin-based molecular probe for the determination of contamination in commercial acetonitrile.

A zinc porphyrin-based receptor containing four triazole groups at the ortho-position of each phenyl group (1) was utilized as a useful probe for the determination of contaminants in acetonitrile (MeCN). Through the simple observation of the absorption spectrum of 1 in MeCN, the cyanide contamination concentration could be directly determined.

Strong binding affinity of a zinc-porphyrin-based receptor for halides through the cooperative effects of quadruple C-H hydrogen bonds and axial ligation.

A new type of host compound (1), tetraphenyl zinc-porphyrin (ZnTPP) that contains four triazole groups at the ortho-position of each phenyl group, has been synthesized and characterized by using (1)H, (13)C NMR, and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses. The host-guest complex formation between 1 and halides was investigated by using (1)H NMR spectroscopy in [D(6)]DMSO. The triazole, benzyl, and phenylene proton signals were shifted upfield by the addition of halides in the form of tetrabutylammonium salts, which implies that the triazole protons in 1 are allocated very closely to the porphyrin ring and are directed toward the binding pocket over the porphyrin ring during the formation of hydrogen bonds. The UV/Vis absorption spectra showed that both the Soret and Q band absorptions of 1 underwent a strong redshift due to the addition of halides. Compound 1 exhibited surprisingly strong binding affinities for the halides, where the association constants for Cl(-), Br(-), and I(-) binding were estimated to be larger than 10(8), 1.79×10(7), and 1.84×10(5) M(-1), respectively. The UV/Vis absorption changes and the result of competitive titration using 4-tert-butylpyridine indicated that the cooperative effects of axial coordination and C-H···X hydrogen bond interactions resulted in the strong binding affinity of 1 to halides.

An indolocarbazole-bridged macrocyclic porphyrin dimer having homotropic allosterism with inhibitory control.

A macrocyclic host, a pair of zinc porphyrins bridged by two anion-acceptable indolocarbazole moieties, has shown strong positive homotropic allosterism upon anionic guest bindings with an inhibitory control mechanism by DABCO addition.

Cyclodipeptide-bridged porphyrin dimer supramolecular assemblies.

A cyclodipeptide-bridged porphyrin dimer has formed fibrous and toroidal multi-porphyrin array systems by hydrogen bonding-mediated self-assembly.

Toll-like receptor 9-stimulated monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is mediated via JNK-cytosolic phospholipase A2-ROS signaling.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) influences monocyte migration into sites of inflammation. This study highlights the importance of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2)-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling processes in the regulation of MCP-1 release as a result of toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. In macrophages, activation of TLR9 induced MCP-1 and cPLA2-phosphorylated arachidonic acid (AA) release. Inhibition of cPLA2 blocked CpG-induced MCP-1 and AA release. Although CpG stimulates phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and JNK, only inhibition of the JNK signaling pathways attenuated MCP-1 release, suggesting that the TLR9-mediated MCP-1 release was dependent upon the JNK pathway. TLR9 activation also stimulated ROS generation, while inhibition of NADPH oxidases (Noxs) blocked CpG-induced MCP-1 release. The CpG treatment increased macrophage Nox1 mRNA level, however it had no effect on macrophage Nox2 mRNA level. Overall, these results suggest that CpG enhances ROS generation through cPLA2-dependent pathways, which results in MCP-1 release.

"Leavers" from TANF and AFDC: how do they fare economically?

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, changed the philosophical ground and rules and regulations that apply to low-income families with children who seek federal income support. TANF recipients have less flexibility in charting their life courses than AFDC recipients had. This article presents the findings of a study that investigated how TANF leavers, in comparison with AFDC leavers, fared economically after they left the cash assistance rolls. The major finding is that the income status of AFDC leavers increased considerably, but that of TANF leavers declined. The authors argue that TANF leavers fared less well economically because their decisions about whether to work, to engage in work-related activities, and to leave cash assistance rolls were under stricter control. The data sources for this study were the 1993 and 1996 Survey of Income and Program Participation.

Social Security and SSI as safety nets for the elderly poor.

Partial privatization of Social Security is being considered as an integral part of the future Social Security program for American retirees. Because privatization creates uncertainty about the amount of retirement income that future retirees may expect to receive, the issue of a safety net is critical. This article presents the findings from an empirical study that investigated the degree to which the current Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs provide a safety net, separately and in combination, to the elderly poor. The major findings were that the Social Security program not only increases the income statuses of both posttransfer and pretransfer poor elderly people considerably, but that the program also significantly equalizes the distribution of income among them. In addition, the SSI program supplements the Social Security program in establishing an even greater safety net, especially for posttransfer poor elderly people. On the other hand, Social Security benefits make the income disparity among races greater between both posttransfer and pretransfer poor elderly people. Implications for policy are discussed.