Interactions of pure aluminium hydrolytic species Keggin polyoxocations and hydroxide with biologically relevant molecules

The general purpose of this thesis is concerned with the intricate interactions of pure aluminium species with biomolecules. Pure aluminium reference systems (aluminium monomers, Keggin aluminium polyoxocations - Al13 and Al30, and aluminium hydroxide suspensions) were used for systematic mechanistic studies of the sol-gel transformation of aqueous solutions of aluminium-ions into aluminium (oxy) hydroxides induced by the addition of a 'soft base' - Trizma-base, which does not ionize fully in an aqueous solution. The conversion proceeds via forced hydrolysis-condensation of aluminium-ions into molecular clusters, structural conversion of aluminium Keggin-like polynuclear clusters into nanoparticles of aluminium (oxy) hydroxide, aggregation of primary nuclei of aluminium (oxy) hydroxide into larger clusters and finally the 'arrested growth' of the aggregates with the formation of the three-dimensional gel network. The next part of the study concentrated on the development and the optimisation of a potentiometric method for the determination of the 'formal' hydrolysis ratio of aluminium-containing solutions. The method made it possible to establish the aluminium speciation of the selected systems.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Nottingham Trent University

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Fournier, A

Language dc:language

en