Poly(alanine): Structure and Stability of the D and L-Enantiomers.

High-performance, biobased materials can potentially be manufactured from polymerized α-amino acids (α-polypeptides). This paper reports on the synthesis, structure, and properties of both polyalanine enantiomers (PLAla and PDAla). The molecular structure of the polypeptide chains, their molecular weight, and polydispersity were investigated by (1)H NMR, MALDI-TOF, and size-exclusion chromatography.

Mesoscale Characterization of Nanoparticles Distribution Using X-ray Scattering.

The properties of many functional materials depend critically on the spatial distribution of an active phase within a support. In the case of solid catalysts, controlling the spatial distribution of metal (oxide) nanoparticles at the mesoscopic scale offers new strategies to tune their performance and enhance their lifetimes. However, such advanced control requires suitable characterization methods, which are currently scarce.