Calorimetric study of cross-linking polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of a multimonomer

The kinetics of free-radical cross-linking polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MM) in the presence of poly[2-(10-undecenoyloxy)ethyl methacrylate] (PUDEM) as a macromolecular cross-linker has been isothermally examined within the temperature range from 85–100°C using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The activation energy found for this reaction, E _a=89.3 kJ mol^–1, exceeds slightly the literature values of activation energy obtained for the mass polymerization of MM without any cross-linking agent. The activation energy has been also determined by the isoconversion method. It has been found that E _a decreases with the increase in the conversion, which may indicate a change in the reaction mechanism.This work was partly supported by the Committee for Research (KBN) in the framework of project No. 7 T08E 026 20     

Thermal decomposition of hydromagnesite

Non isothermal decomposition of synthetically prepared hydromagnesite phase with two different morphologies (2-D micro sheets and nests) was studied in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere by thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetric techniques. Two different kinetic models, i.e. the Friedman isoconversion and the Flynn–Wall methods were employed for the analysis of thermal decomposition. The apparent activation energy (E _a) of the hydromagnesite phases having 2-D micro sheet and nest morphology were calculated and compared. The activation energy of nest morphology was found to be relatively higher than 2-D micro sheets. The higher activation energy for the relatively close packed ‘nest’ morphology is attributed to the difficulty of thermal transport in the core.     

Curing kinetic study using a well-controlled multifunctional copolymer based on glycidyl methacrylate

The curing kinetics using a glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-co-butyl acrylate (BA) statistical copolymer synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and a commercial linear diamine (Jeffamine^® D-230) was investigated in the temperature range between 50 and 100 °C. Isothermal experiments using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were performed to determine all the kinetics parameters, such as the reaction orders, the activation energy and the rate constants, based on an autocatalytic mechanism proposed by Kamal. The isoconversion method was used to evaluate the variation of the effective activation energy with the extension of the conversion that seems slightly decrease initially, and then increases as the cure reaction proceeds. In addition, dynamic kinetic parameters were calculated from non-isothermal experiments using the Kissinger and Ozawa methods. The resulting epoxy resin presents similar physical characteristics to some reported in the literature.     

Kinetics of thermal decomposition of a synthetic K–H3O jarosite analog

The thermal decomposition kinetics of a synthetic K–H₃O jarosite analog was determined from thermogravimetric analysis at various heating rates in air. A thermal decomposition mechanism was proposed based on X-ray analysis of partially decomposed material and distinct features observed during thermal decomposition analysis. The decomposition path is complex. The material was treated as a composite of K-jarosite, H₃O-jarosite, and a “vacancy component”. The evolution of (OH)^? and SO₃ from these individual components was modeled. The decomposition is broken into subreactions according to distinct features in the thermoanalytical measurements. The subreactions are arranged sequentially and in parallel according to the evolution of the participating phases. A set of associated apparent activation energies was determined using isoconversion analysis. Kinetic triplets were assigned to each subreaction. A reasonable match with the observed decomposition was achieved by varying pre-exponential factors.     

Thermal stability and degradation of Co(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) complexes with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-benzyloxycarbonylglycinato ligand

Thermal behavior of Co(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) complexes with N-benzyloxycarbonylglycinato ligand was investigated using the results of TG, DSC and DTG analysis obtained at different heating rates (2.5 to 30 °C min⁻¹), from room temperature to about 900 °C. Mechanisms of complex degradation, as well as enthalpies of the degradation processes were determined. It is shown that thermal stability of investigated complexes correlates with their crystal structures, especially with the presence of crystallization and coordinated water molecules. The values of dehydration enthalpies are discussed and correlated with composition of the complexes. Kissinger’s, Ozawa’s, and Friedman’s isoconversion methods were used for the determination of kinetic parameters: the pre-exponential factor A and the apparent activation energy E _a. For all three complexes and all steps of degradation, the values of kinetics parameters obtained by Kissinger’s and Ozawa’s methods are in good agreement. The results obtained by Friedman’s method showed that some decomposition steps are simple and some others are complex ones.     

Kinetic parameters of surfactant remotion occluded in the pores of the AlMCM-41 nanostructured materials

A series of AlMCM-41 molecular sieves was synthesized starting from a hydrogel with the following molar composition: 1CTMABr:4.58SiO₂:(0.437 + X)Na₂O:XAl₂O₃:200H₂O. Tetramethylammonium silicate (TMAS) was used as silicon source and cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMABr) was used as structure template. The obtained materials were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, XRD, FT-IR and TG/DTG. Model-free kinetic algorithms were applied in order to determinate conversion, isoconversion and apparent activation energy to decomposition of CTMA+ species from the AlMCM-41 materials with different silicon/aluminium (Si/Al) ratios of 20, 40, 60 and 80.     

The Electrocyclic Cyclopropyl-Allyl Rearrangement. Preliminary communication

MINDO-2 SCF calculations indicate that ring-opening of cyclopropyl radical (I) to allyl radical (II) is more favourable via a disrotatory reaction path, the calculated activation energy being ～30 kcal/mole. (For conrotatory opening the activation energy was found to be ～44 kcal/mole.) The two critical motions of the nuclei during the transformation are found to be strongly decoupled, i.e. rupture of the CH₂βCH₂ bond precedes rotation of the CH₂ groups. As predicted by qualitative theories both ring-opening modes are unfavourable since they involve a change in electronic ground-state symmetry between I and II. The preferred ring-opening mode is discussed qualitatively in terms of Evans' principle.     

A systematic preparation of new contracted Gaussian-type orbital sets. IV. The effect of additional 3s functions introduced by the use of the six-membered 3dGTOs

The Gaussian-type basis sets for molecular calculations are usually prepared by an atomic SCF program in which spherical coordinates are used. On the other hand, many molecular SCF and CI programs are written by using the Cartesian coordinates and as a result six-membered d-type functions (x², y², z², xy, yz, zx)e^?γr2 are often used. They contain one additional 3s function which does not exist in the atomic calculation. Therefore, we shall have an incorrect, deeper molecular binding energy, unless we readjust the atomic total energy by adding the 3s orbital to the original basis set. Some examples are shown in the case of Cu₂ molecule, where we have found that the correction is quite appreciable, which was overlooked in previous work.     

Electronic structure and the hydrogen-shift isomerization of hydrogen nitryl HNO2

Summary Electronic structure of hydrogen nitryl HNO₂, a yet not identified entity, and the path of its possible isomerization totrans-HONO have been investigated byab initio SCF and MRD-CI computations using the 6-31G** basis set. HNO₂ isC _2v -symmetric and its ground state (¹ A ₁) is less stable thantrans-HONO by 66 kJ/mol (with the SCF vibrational zero-point energy correction). The lowest two excited singlet states (¹ A ₂ and¹ B ₁) are nearly degenerate, their vertical excitation energies being predicted to be 4.8 eV. The isomerization path is traced by the CASSCF procedure and the activation barrier height is evaluated by the CI treatment. HNO₂ in its ground state isomerizes totrans-HONO by maintaining the planar (C _s-symmetric) structure. The activation energy is calculated to be 171 kJ/mol, which is clearly lower than the calculated H-N bond energy (253 kJ/mol). The transition state seems to be more adequately described as an interacting system of proton and the nitrite anion rather than as a pair of two fragment radicals.     

Antibacterial,spectral and thermal aspects of drug based‐Cu(II) mixed ligand complexes

The antibiotic agent clioquinol is well known for its drug design and coordinating ability towards metal ions. Copper(II) mixed‐ligand complexes of clioquinol with various uninegative bidentate ligands were prepared. The structure of the synthesized complexes was characterized using elemental analyses, infrared spectra, ¹H‐NMR spectra, electronic spectra, magnetic measurements, FAB mass spectrum and thermo gravimetric analyses. The kinetic parameters such as order of reaction (n) and the energy of activation (E_a) are reported using the Freeman–Carroll method. The pre‐exponential factor (A), the activation entropy (ΔS^#), the activation enthalpy (ΔH^#) and the free energy of activation (ΔG^#) were calculated. Complexes were also screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against a range of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria in order to set the precursors for anti‐tumourigenic agent. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics of thermal decomposition of some nitrophosphate fertilizers with micronutrients in isothermal conditions

The thermal behavior under isothermal conditions of some ammonia nitrate, ammonia phosphates and calcium phosphates mixtures with added micronutrients was studied. In order to establish the variation of activation energy (E) vs. conversion (α), the TG data were interpolated with spline functions, followed by numeric derivation. Using the so determined reaction rate the Friedman differential-isoconversional method was applied. A dependence of the activation energy vs. conversion was observed, meaning a many-step reaction. Therefore a procedure based on the compensation effect (and suggested by Budrugeac and Segal) was applied.     

Combined use of high resolution TGA with the isoconversion method: Kinetic analysis of the thermal dehydration of KNbWO6·H2O

In the present study was combined the use of high resolution TGA with the isoconversion method, giving us a suitable methodology for determining the stages that occur during a reaction, and providing further insights about the kinetics of the processes involved. As a model reaction was used the thermal dehydration of KNbWO₆·H₂O. The results shown that the dehydration process is controlled by internal water diffusion (intra-crystallite); with activation energy values between 43 and 36 kJ/mol. This value is consistent with a diffusion mechanism dominated by van der Waals attractions. The estimated kinetic parameters are supported with a structural analysis, that suggest lower dimensionality character for water diffusion due to the specific orientations of 〈1 1 0〉 open channels in the pyrochlore framework. This would explain why the two-dimensional (D2) mechanism appears to be the most probable.     

Ion–Dipole Interactions in Concentrated Organic Electrolytes

An algorithm is proposed for calculating the energy of ion–dipole interactions in concentrated organic electrolytes. The ion–dipole interactions increase with increasing salt concentration and must be taken into account when the activation energy for the conductivity is calculated. In this case, the contribution of ion–dipole interactions to the activation energy for this transport process is of the same order of magnitude as the contribution of ion–ion interactions. The ion–dipole interaction energy was calculated for a cell of eight ions, alternatingly anions and cations, placed on the vertices of an expanded cubic lattice whose parameter is related to the mean interionic distance (pseudolattice theory). The solvent dipoles were introduced randomly into the cell by assuming a randomness compacity of 0.58. The energy of the dipole assembly in the cell was minimized by using a Newton–Raphson numerical method. The dielectric field gradient around ions was taken into account by a distance parameter and a dielectric constant of ε=3 at the surfaces of the ions. A fair agreement between experimental and calculated activation energy has been found for systems composed of γ‐butyrolactone (BL) as solvent and lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF₄), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆), lithium hexafluoroarsenate (LiAsF₆), and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) as salts.     

The ORAC Assay: Mathematical Analysis of the Rate Equations and Some Practical Considerations

ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), a method widely used for measuring the total antioxidant capacity of biological samples, can also be used for the determination of the relative reactivity of an antioxidant compound (XH) by examining the dependence of the rate of consumption of the probe (PH) on the concentration of XH; initial conditions are chosen in such a way that the rate of consumption of the starting reactants may be assumed to follow a drastically simplified kinetic scheme, and the steady‐state approximation for the concentration of the azo compound peroxyl (ROO^•) radical is invoked to simplify the analysis. Here we first attempted to find an analytical solution to the coupled first‐order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the minimal ORAC kinetic system, applying Lie symmetry group theory without any precondition. However, the Lie symmetry transformations applied to the Chini equation, which appeared after mathematical transformations, showed that the form of the coefficients of the Chini equation precluded the analytical solution of the minimal ORAC kinetic system through symmetry reduction. Consequently, an approximate analytical solution was sought, valid for the case when the bimolecular rate constant of XH with ROO^• (i.e., k_x ) was much larger than that of PH with ROO^• (i.e., k_p ). Using numerical solutions of the original set of ODEs of the ORAC kinetic system, the quality of the approximate solution was inspected under conditions that correspond to those employed in several ORAC methods together with a low initial concentration of the azo compound radical initiator. The simulations allowed us to conclude that the approximate analytical solution of the ODEs of the minimal ORAC kinetic system was not entirely devoid of academic interest, but its applicability was restricted to conditions where both k_x ≫ k_p and the initial concentration of XH was higher than that of PH.     

X-ray diffraction analysis: A brief history and achievements of the first century

A DFT/B3LYP method using the 6-311++G(3df) basis set is employed to calculate the geometric, electronic, and thermodynamic parameters of O=NO-ON=O peroxide as an isomer of N₂O₄ dinitrogen tetraoxide. Calculations of the configuration interaction in a system of three paramagnetic particles with open shells have shown for the first time that the formation of cis-cis peroxide in the oxidation reaction of nitrogen oxide 2NO (²Π) + O₂ (³Σ_g) → O=NO-ON=O (¹ A) proceeds without an energy barrier in accordance with recently performed studies. The molecular orbital scheme of the barrierless activation of molecular oxygen and the driving force of the NO oxidation reaction are considered. A spontaneous character of the process is based on the idea of spin-catalysis when the reaction proceeds in the two-triplet state with total zero spin. The obtained results are in agreement with the experimental data on a spontaneous and irreversible process characterized by the observed negative activation energy.     

Estimating the activation energy of the displacement of Mg atoms in the channels of B<Subscript>25</Subscript>C<Subscript>4</Subscript>Mg<Subscript>1.42</Subscript> crystals

The activation energy of displacement of Mg atoms through channels of B₂₅C₄Mg_1.42 crystals is estimated using quantum chemical calculations (DFT (B3LYP potential), RHF, and UHF methods, 3-21G basis set) of the element of the structure modeling the channel and location of Mg atoms in it. The changes in the activation energy at the replacement of Mg atoms by Na and Li atoms were estimated. The greatest decreasing in the activation energy was detected for Li atoms. The obtained results can be regarded as a theoretical background for development of conducting systems based on B₂₅C₄Mg_1.42 crystals.     

Thermal cure kinetics of epoxidized linseed oil with anhydride hardener

The thermal cure kinetics of an epoxidized linseed oil with methyl nadic anhydride as curing agent and 1-methyl imidazole as catalyst was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The curing process was evaluated by non-isothermal DSC measurements; three iso-conversional methods for kinetic analysis of the original thermo-chemical data were applied to calculate the changes in apparent activation energy in dependence of conversion during the cross-linking reaction. All three iso-conversional methods provided consistent activation energy versus time profiles for the complex curing process. The accuracy and predictive power of the kinetic methods were evaluated by isothermal DSC measurements performed at temperatures above the glass transition temperature of the completely cured mixture (T _g∞ ). It was found that the predictions obtained from the iso-conversional method by Vyazovkin yielded the best agreement with the experimental values. The corresponding activation energy (E _a) regime showed an increase in E _a at the beginning of the curing which was followed by a continuous decrease as the cross-linking proceeded. This decrease in E _a is explained by a diffusion controlled reaction kinetics which is caused by two phenomena, gelation and vitrification. Gelation during curing of the epoxidized linseed/methyl nadic anhydride system was characterized by rheological measurements using a plate/plate rheometer and vitrification of the system was confirmed experimentally by detecting a significant decrease in complex heat capacity using alternating differential scanning calorimetry (ADSC) measurements.     

Two Types of Uncertainty in the Values of Activation Energy

The activation energies of the same process are often reported to have different values, which are usually explained by the differences in experimental conditions and sample characteristics. In addition to this type of uncertainty, which is associated with the process (ΔE _process) there is an uncertainty related to the method of computation of the activation energy (ΔE _method). For a method that uses fitting single heating rate data to various reaction models, the value of ΔE _method) method is large enough to explain significant differences in the reported values of the activation energy. This uncertainty is significantly reduced by using multiple heating rate isoconversional methods, which may be recommended for obtaining reference values for the activation energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Model-free method for isothermal and non-isothermal decomposition kinetics analysis of PET sample

Pyrolysis, one possible alternative to recover valuable products from waste plastics, has recently been the subject of renewed interest. In the present study, the isoconversion methods, i.e., Vyazovkin model-free approach is applied to study non-isothermal decomposition kinetics of waste PET samples using various temperature integral approximations such as Coats and Redfern, Gorbachev, and Agrawal and Sivasubramanian approximation and direct integration (recursive adaptive Simpson quadrature scheme) to analyze the decomposition kinetics.The results show that activation energy (E_α) is a weak but increasing function of conversion (α) in case of non-isothermal decomposition and strong and decreasing function of conversion in case of isothermal decomposition. This indicates possible existence of nucleation, nuclei growth and gas diffusion mechanism during non-isothermal pyrolysis and nucleation and gas diffusion mechanism during isothermal pyrolysis. Optimum E_α dependencies on α obtained for non-isothermal data showed similar nature for all the types of temperature integral approximations.