The effects of the local anesthetic bupivacaine on the oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria were examined. Bupivacaine caused a maximum of about 7-fold stimulation of state 4 respiration at about 3 mM, released oligomycin-inhibited state 3 respiration, and activated ATPase to a similar extent to that by the weakly acidic uncoupler SF 6847. These effects were greatly enhanced by t...

This paper presents an overview of the synthesis, chemical and electrochemical properties, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications of new proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membranes based on hydrocarbon polymers. Due to their chemical stability, high degree of proton conductivity, and remarkable mechanical properties, per ̄uorinated polymer electrolytes such as Na®on, Aciplex, Flemion...

It is generally accepted that the chemistry of water was the most crucial determinant in shaping life on earth. Among the more important chemical features of water is its dissociation into protons and hydroxyl ions. The presence of relatively high proton concentrations in the ambient solution resulted in the evolution of proton pumps during the dawn of life on earth. These proton pumps maintain...

Proton exchange fuel cells (PEFCs) have the potential to provide power for a variety of applications ranging from electronic devices to transportation vehicles. A major challenge towards economically viable PEFCs is finding an electrolyte that is both durable and easily passes protons. In this article, we study novel anhydrous proton-conducting membranes, formed by incorporating ionic liquids i...

Membrane vesicles derived from the strictly fermentative lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus cremoris have been fused with proteoliposomes containing the beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase by means of a freeze/thaw-sonication technique. Evidence that fusion has taken place was obtained by freeze-etch electron microscopy, showing a less-dense intramembranous particle distribution in t...

The electro-mechanical sensing properties of freestanding monolayered membranes of dodecanethiol coated 7 nm gold nanoparticles (NPs) are investigated using AFM force spectroscopy and conductive AFM simultaneously. The electrical resistance of the NP membranes increases sensitively with the point-load force applied in the center of the membranes using an AFM tip. Numerical simulations of electr...

A novel sulfonated poly(4-phenoxypropylbenzoyl-1,4-phenylene) introducing a flexible alkyl chain was synthesized and achieved high proton conductivity even at low humidity (SPP: 0.077 S cm(-1), Nafion 112: 0.029 S cm(-1) at 80 degrees C 50% RH).

There is an ever increasing need for clean, portable energy devices, such as fuel cells and high energy batteries to replace or reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. The continued development of thin-film solid polymer electrolytes with improved mechanical and ion transport properties is critical for the further advancement of such electrochemical energy devices. For hydrogen and metha...

Proton exchange membranes remain a crucial material and key challenge to fuel cell science technology. In this work, new Nafion are prepared by casting method using aryl- or azaheteroaromatic bisphosphonate compounds as dopants. The incorporation of the dopant, considered at 1 wt% loading after previous selection, produces enhanced proton conductivity properties in membranes, different temperat...

Abstract Proton-conducting oxides, including 20 mol% yttrium-doped BaZrO 3 (BZY20), have attracted considerable attention as electrolytes for environmentally friendly electrochemical cells, such proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) and proton-conducting solid oxide cells. These oxides exhibit fast conduction due to the complex physicochemical phenomena of hydration, chemical lattice expansion, mig...