Graphite-Mediated Microwave-Exfoliated Graphene Fluoride as Supercapacitor Electrodes.

A graphite-mediated microwave-based strategy was used for solid-state exfoliation of graphite fluoride in a few seconds, followed by a simple yet efficient separation to obtain exfoliated materials based on the density difference between graphite and graphene fluoride in solvent. The microwave-exfoliated graphene fluoride was a few layers thick and electrically conductive. The electrochemical testing of pouch-cell supercapacitors assembled by using the exfoliated graphene fluoride electrodes and a novel microemulsion-based electrolyte showed reasonable performance with typical electrical double-layer capacitance behavior and good rate capability (gravimetric specific capacitance: 3.2 F g-1 at 500 mA g-1 and 3.1 F g-1 at 5000 mA g-1). The BET specific surface areas of the as-exfoliated graphene fluoride are ~60-80 m2 g-1, which could be increased by activation using this simple yet versatile microwave-based method for further improvements on the electrochemical performance.

Sensitivity of commercial ethyl glucuronide (ETG) testing in screening for alcohol abstinence.

The '80 h Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) test' has become an idiom of the alcohol testing community, a review of the literature shows this window of detection applies only to extreme cases. EtG testing is becoming more common as a method to test for alcohol consumption in individuals who have been ordered to abstain from alcohol consumption. We tested 19 subjects using commercially available EtG kits. All urine samples collected more than 26 h after drinking had false negative results.

Factorial design in the spheronization of ibuprofen microparticulates using the rotor disk fluid-bed technology.

The aim of this study was to statistically evaluate the effects of some formulation and process variables in the spheronization of microparticulates of ibuprofen using the rotor disk fluid-bed technology and water as binder. Preliminary studies revealed that presence of surfactant, plate material type, and nature and content of binder influenced the process and quality of the spheronized material. A 2 x 2 x 3 full factorial randomized experiment was designed, demonstrating the influence of these factors on properties such as percent yield, particle size distribution, densities, ibuprofen release, moisture content, etc., as well as their interactions in the experimental response. A response known as the usable fraction was created representing microparticulates of 250 to 850 microm sizes (mesh size 20-60). The reproducibility of the spheronization process was assessed by blocking the experiments with the experiments within the blocks randomly replicated. The main effects included two binder levels (X1), two surfactant levels (X2), and a three-level plate type (X3) in which 2 two-level factors were collapsed into a single three-level factor. The results from the statistical analysis (general linear model, JMP 4) showed that the variables studied had a significant influence on most of the response variables evaluated (p < 0.05), with the binder level proving to be the most significant of the three. There was also significant interaction (p<0.05) between binder level and plate type with the drug content, friability, sphericity, loss on drying (LOD), and usable fraction response variables, and between the binder and the surfactant levels with the drug content, Q20, true density, geometric mean diameter, LOD, and usable fraction responses. High levels of surfactant and binder increased the sphere size, while low levels decreased it. Significant (p < 0.05) interaction was also observed between the plate type and surfactant level with the drug content, geometric mean diameter, and more or less with Q20 and bulk density response variables. Blocking of the experiments had no significant effect on the process and product characteristics analyzed, indicating the reproducibility of the process.

Feasibility studies in spheronization and scale-up of ibuprofen microparticulates using the rotor disk fluid-bed technology.

The aim of this study was to develop spheronized microparticulates as a drug delivery system using the 1-step closed rotor disk fluid-bed technology, and to scale up the batch spheronization process. Ibuprofen was used as the model drug and microcrystalline cellulose/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose hydrocolloid (Avicel(R) RC-581 or CL-611) was present as the diluent/binder. The mixture, in 1:1 ratio, was blended with and without 1% sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and spheronized with the rotor disk insert, using either water or hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) as binder. Fluid-bed machines (Vector/Freund Flo-Coater model) FLM-1 (with 9-inch rotor insert for 0.75 kg) and FLM-15 (with a 12-inch and 19-inch rotor inserts for 1 kg and 5, 10 kg, respectively) were used. The critical process parameters included inlet air temperature, rotor disk speed and configuration, air flow, and rate of binder application. The 1 kg batch containing SLS that was made with 12-inch smooth stainless steel or waffle teflon plates rotating at 500 rpm had desirable characteristics. The sphericity values were 0.88 and 0.91, with percent yield of 85.4 and 91.2 and drug content values of 94.47% and 91.44%, respectively. The spheroids showed good flow properties with respective rapid drug release (Q20 = 83.27 and 91.75). No difference was seen in the Avicel RC-581 and CL-611. Based on the 1 kg data, Avicel RC-581 and smooth stainless steel and waffle teflon plates (12 inch and 19 inch), the batch was scaled up to 5 and 10 kg. The scale-up parameters included rotor speed (124 -300 rpm) and spray rate (90-140 g/min). The scale-up batches had similar flow characteristics, release rate, and size distribution. The geometric mean diameter increased as batch size increased, and slightly bigger spheroids were obtained using the waffle teflon plate. Ibuprofen spheres with very good physical characteristics were developed using the rotor disk fluid-bed technology, a 1-step closed process that did not require additional unit processes.

o-, m-, and p-Carboranes and Their Anions: Ab Initio Calculations of Structures, Electron Affinities, and Acidities.

Ab initio geometry optimizations have been performed for o-, m-, and p-C(2)B(10)H(12) carborane cages and their mono- and dianions at the Hartree-Fock 3-21G, 6-31G, and 6-31G levels. The para-compound is the most stable with a calculated DeltaH(para-meta) value of -10 kJ/mol and a calculated DeltaG(975K)(para-meta) value of -3 kJ/mol. These small calculated energy differences disagree with the experimental heats of formation, which suggest DeltaH to be ca. -65 kJ/mol, but they agree with equilibrium gas mixture measurements at 975 K, which suggest a DeltaG value of ca. -1 kJ/mol. Electron distributions, electron affinities, and acidic properties of the carboranes are presented. The structures of the mono- and dianions were determined by optimization, starting from the three neutral carborane cages; we find three energy minima for the C(2)B(10)H(12)(2)(-) ion. The lowest-energy dianion is a nido-structure topped by a six-membered ring with the two C atoms in the meta position. The captured electrons become distributed over all the H atoms.