THE SURFACE PROPERTIES OF A HYDROPHOBIC TRANSPOSON (Tn-5) MUTANT OF RHIZOBIUM ETLI

The physicochemical surface characteristics of a Tn-5 induced hydrophobic mutant (CE3003) of Rhizobium etli CE3 were investigated. The wild type CE3 was very hydrophilic with low contact angles for polar liquids, while the Tn-5 induced mutant had a surface that was moderately hydrophobic, with polar liquid contact angles in the 50–60° range. As a result, the polar surface free energy components (γ ⁺ and γ ^-) that constitute the acid-base component (γ ^AB) of surface tension, were greatly reduced on THE surface of the hydrophobic mutant. This decreased electron donicity of the mutant' surface caused an almost five fold increase in the magnitude of the acid-base component of the interfacial interaction free energy between the mutant and hexadecane. The increased adhesion to hexadecane reported earlier is probably attributable to this interaction free energy change and not to any alteration in zeta potential, which was similar for CE3 and CE3003 at pH 7. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed CE3OO3 to have less surface carbon and nitrogen and more surface oxygen than CE3 with alterations in the (C-C,H) and (C-O,N) components being observed.     

Low‐rate dynamic contact angles on poly(methyl methacrylate/ethyl methacrylate, 30/70) and the determination of solid surface tensions

Low‐rate dynamic contact angles of 12 liquids on a poly(methyl methacrylate/ethyl methacrylate, 30/70) P(MMA/EMA, 30/70) copolymer were measured by an automated axisymmetric drop shape analysis‐profile (ADSA‐P). It was found that five liquids yield nonconstant contact angles, and/or dissolve the polymer on contact. From the experimental contact angles of the remaining seven liquids, it is found that the liquid–vapor surface tension times cosine of the contact angle changes smoothly with the liquid–vapor surface tension (i.e., γ_l|Kv cos θ depends only on γ_l|Kv for a given solid surface or solid surface tension). This contact angle pattern is in harmony with those from other methacrylate polymer surfaces previously studied.^45,50 The solid–vapor surface tension calculated from the equation‐of‐state approach for solid–liquid interfacial tensions¹⁴ is found to be 35.1 mJ/m², with a 95% confidence limit of ± 0.3 mJ/m², from the experimental contact angles of the seven liquids. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2039–2051, 1999     

Dispersion and polar contributions to surface tension of poly(methylene oxide) and Na-treated polytetrafluoroethylene

Average values for dispersion γ_s^d and polar γ_s^d contributions of the solid surface tension γ_s γ_s^d + γ_s^p for poly(methylene oxide) (PMO) and Na-treated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are determined by a new computational analysis of wettability data. PMO displays γ_s^d equals; 21.8 ± 0.9 and γ_s^p = 11.5 ± 1.5 dyn/cm while Na-treated PTFE displays γ_s^d = 36.1 ± 3.0 and γ_s^p = 14.5 ± 2.9 dyne/cm. These surfaces present the highest fractional surface polarity p_s = γ_s^p/γ_s = 0.29-0.35 yet encountered for organic polymers or oriented monolayers. These unusual surface tension properties are correlated with surface chemistry and adhesion phenomena.     

Roughness and anisotropy effects on wettability of polytetrafluoroethylene and sodium-treated polytetrafluoroethylene

The effect of roughness on wettability of skived polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) and Na-treated PTFE film were studied by advancing contact angle measurements. The effect of an anisotropic force field of elongated Na-treated PTFE on the shear bond strength were also studied as a function of elongation. The results are analyzed in terms of London dispersion γs^d and Keesom polar γs^p contributions to surface energy γs. It was found that the roughness effect on wettability of PTFE is significant for untreated PTFE and negligible for Na-treated PTFE. Our shear bond strength σ_b analysis of elongated Na-treated PTFE showed that σ_b is influenced by an anisotropic force field and the σ_b increases with the fractional polarity p = γs^p/γs but decreases with the dispersion fraction d = γs^d/γs of solid-vapor surface tension γs = γs^d + γs^p     

Edge profiles at lamellar phase/melt interfaces

We study in the framework of the continuum theory of dislocations the structure of the interface between an AB diblock copolymer lamellar film deposited on a solid substrate and an A-homopolymer melt. The dislocation inside the lamellar phase induces steps at the interface. The shape of the profile at the edge of a step (edge profile) depends on the distance of the dislocation from the interface. The profile and the equilibrium location of the dislocations are both studied as a function of the film thickness, D. For large D, the dislocation is stabilized at a finite distance, h_eq, from the interface, due to the small surface tension and large surface bending elastic constant, K_s. For zero surface tension, h_eq ≈ K_s/(2K), where K is the bulk bending elastic constant. For small D, h_eq is mainly determined by the proximity of the solid substrate. The edge profile along the interface is a monotonic function of the distance along the interface for large D of the film and becomes nonmonotonic for small D. Also the dislocation energy strongly depends on D for small D. The theory is discussed in connection to recent experimental studies of diblock copolymer films deposited on a solid substrate.     

Effect of bias and temperature on the bulk and surface properties of gold-containing plasma-polymerized fluorocarbons

Gold-containing plasma-polymerized fluorocarbon thin films have been deposited in an RF glow discharge fed with hexafluoroethane, while a gold target was simultaneously sputtered. Tile temperatureT _s and RF-induced biasU _s of a third electrode, used as a substrate holder, were separately varied. The influence ofT _s andU _s on the plasma and file lihn characteristics were individually studied using actinometric optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and measurements of optical transmission and surface contact angles. IncreasingU _s (up to –200 V) andT _s (up to 90°C) resulted in similar effects, namely a higher degree of cross-linking, higher gold concentration, better film stability with time, and increased wettability. A key role of the energy flux of particles impinging on the growing surface has been shown to account far the experimental results.On leave from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Praha, Czechoslovakia.     

Quantum-Chemical Study of the Adsorption of Pb2+ on Au(111)

The interaction between the Pb²⁺ ion and gold is studied using the cluster metal surface model and the density functional method. The geometric and energy characteristics of the interaction between this ion and the gold surface are estimated. The form in which the Pb²⁺ ion exists on the surface is more ad-ionic than ad-atomic. The electron structure of the Au–Pb_ads²⁺ system is analyzed. The participation of the adsorbed lead ion and its neighboring gold atoms in the formation of molecular orbitals in this system is estimated. It is established that the contribution to their formation is predominantly provided by the lead s-orbitals and the gold d-orbitals. The interaction with a solvent decreases the transfer of a charge from an adsorbed lead ion to gold. It is demonstrated that the hydrolyzability of a lead ion decreases upon its transition from the electrolyte phase to the surface.

     

Reactions and wetting properties of 1:1 perfluoroalkyl allyl and methallyl ether–maleic anhydride copolymers

Polymers with fluoroalkyl side-groups on three of every four carbon atoms along the polymer main chain were made by treating 1 : 1 copolymers of perfluoroallyl (or methallyl)ethers and maleic anhydride with SF₄, and then esterifying the resulting acid fluoride groups with 1H, 1H-pentadecafluorooctanol. Surface wettability of these polymers by polar and non-polar liquids was studied. The critical surface tension (γ_c) was found by Zisman's method. The dispersion force component of polymer surface energy (γ_s^D) and the polar component of surface energy (γ_s^p) were calculated by the respective methods of Fowkes and Owens. The γ_c values for several of the highly fluorinated polymers were lower than previously reported for any fluoropolymer but not so low as has been observed for the surface of an oriented perfluoroacid monolayer. In the range 11.4–18.5 dyne/cm, γ_c approximates γ_s^D for the fluorinated surfaces; however at lower γ_c values, considerable difference between γ_c and γ_s^D was noted.     

Classification of Simple Oxides: A Polarizability Approach

A simple oxide classification has been proposed on the basis of correlation between electronic polarizabilities of the ions and their binding energies determined by XPS. Three groups of oxides have been considered taking into account the values obtained on refractive-index- or energy-gap-based oxide ion polarizability, cation polarizability, optical basicity, O 1s binding energy, metal (or nonmetal) binding energy, and Yamashita-Kurosawa's interaction parameter of the oxides. The group of semicovalent predominantly acidic oxides includes BeO, B₂O₃, P₂O₅, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, GeO₂, and Ga₂O₃ with low oxide ion polarizability, high O 1s binding energy, low cation polarizability, high metal (or nonmetal) outermost binding energy, comparatively low optical basicity, and strong interionic interaction, leading to the formation of strong covalent bonds. Some main group oxides so-called ionic or basic such as CaO, In₂O₃, SnO₂, and TeO₂ and most transition metal oxides show relatively high oxide ion polarizability, O 1s binding energy in a very narrow medium range, high cation polarizability, and low metal (or nonmetal) binding energy. Their optical basicity varies in a narrow range and it is close to that of CaO. The group of very ionic or very basic oxides includes CdO, SrO, and BaO as well as PbO, Sb₂O₃, and Bi₂O₃, which possess very high oxide ion polarizability, low O 1s binding energy, very high cation polarizability, and very low metal (or nonmetal) binding energy. Their optical basicity is higher than that of CaO and the interionic interaction is very weak, giving rise to the formation of very ionic chemical bonds.     

Some electrical properties of wood pulp

The variation with temperature and frequency of the dielectric constant ε′ and the dielectric loss ε″ for sheet wood pulp and ground wood pulp were measured. Also, the effect of the relative humidity on the dielectric behavior was measured for the ground sample at 25°C. For the dry ground wood pulp, the dielectric constant is larger than that for the dry sheet sample. This may be a result of the increase in the surface area, of the decrease in the size of crystals and/or of the decrease in the degree of crystallinity on grinding of the sheet sample. The variation of ε″ with frequency passes through a maximum. From the shift of this maximum with temperature, it is found that the apparent activation energy ΔH for this relaxation is equal to 7.06 kcal/mole and it is attributed to the polarization of the OH groups in the cellulose molecule. From the relation between the dielectric constant and the specific resistivity R_s, the dissociation energy U₀ for the ground wood pulp was calculated. U₀ for this sample below and above 52% RH is 0.315 and 5.13 × 10^?12 erg, respectively. Also, the dissociation energy of Egyptian Ashmouny cotton was calculated. The variation of the electrical conductivity σ with humidity for different types of cellulosic materials is represented graphically.     

Self-Assembly Approach Towards MoS2-Embedded Hierarchical Porous Carbons for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Transition metal-based nanoparticle-embedded carbon materials have received increasing attention for constructing next-generation electrochemical catalysts for energy storage and conversion. However, designing hybrid carbon materials with controllable hierarchical micro/mesoporous structures, excellent dispersion of metal nanoparticles, and multiple heteroatom-doping remains challenging. Here, a novel pyridinium-containing ionic hypercrosslinked micellar frameworks (IHMFs) prepared from the core–shell unimicelle of s-poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(4-bromomethyl) styrene (s-PtBA-b-PBMS) and linear poly(4-vinylpyridine) were used as self-sacrificial templates for confined growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) inside cationic IHMFs through electrostatic interaction. After pyrolysis, MoS₂-anchored nitrogen-doped porous carbons possessing tunable hierarchical micro/mesoporous structures and favorable distributions of MoS₂ nanoparticles exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction as well as small Tafel slope of 66.7 mV dec⁻¹, low onset potential, and excellent cycling stability under acidic condition. Crucially, hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure and high surface area could boost their catalytic hydrogen evolution performance. This approach provides a novel route for preparation of micro/mesoporous hybrid carbon materials with confined transition metal nanoparticles for electrochemical energy conversion.     

Thermodynamic study on the adsorption and micelle formation of long chain alkyltrimethylammonium chlorides

The surface tension of aqueous solutions of tetradecyl-trimethylammonium chloride (TTAC) and decyltrimethylammonium chloride (DeTAC) were measured as a function of temperature at concentrations below and above the critical micelle concentration under atmospheric pressure. The entropy and energy of adsorption from the monomeric state and from the micellar state and also the entropy and energy of micelle formation for TTAC were evaluated and compared with those of dodecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride (DTAC). The values of Δ^M _W s and Δ^M _W u for TTAC and DTAC systems show that the micelle formation is driven by the entropy at low temperatures and by the energy at high temperatures. Received: 9 December 1997 Accepted: 4 March 1998     

Dynamic computer simulations of Cs incorporation in Si during low‐energy (0.2–3 keV) irradiation

The incorporation of Cs atoms in silicon was investigated by dynamic computer simulations using the Monte‐Carlo code T‐DYN that takes into account the gradual change of the target composition due to the Cs irradiation. The implantation of Cs atoms at normal incidence was studied for four energies (0.2, 0.5, 1, and 3 keV) and three different Cs surface‐binding energies U_Cs (0.4, 0.8, and 2.4 eV). The total implantation fluences were 2 × 10¹⁷ Cs cm^?2 for 0.2 keV, 1.5 × 10¹⁷ Cs cm^?2 for 0.5 keV, and 1 × 10¹⁷ Cs cm^?2 for 1 and 3 keV. At these values, a stationary state has been reached. The steady‐state Cs‐surface concentrations exhibit a pronounced dependence both on impact energy and U_Cs, varying between ～1 (at 0.2 keV and U_Cs = 2.4 eV) and ～0.13 (3 keV and U_Cs = 0.4 eV). Under equilibrium, the partial sputtering yield of Si, Y_Si, experiences little influence of U_Cs, but varies with the Cs energy: at U_Cs = 0.8 eV from 0.09 to 1.0 Si atoms/Cs projectile. For all irradiation conditions a strongly preferential sputtering of Cs atoms as compared to Si atoms is found, increasing from 1.8 (at 3 keV and U_Cs = 2.4 eV) to 13.3 (at 0.2 keV and U_Cs = 0.4 eV). Preferential sputtering of Cs increases with decreasing irradiation energy and decreasing U_Cs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indirect adatom interactions via III–V semiconductor substrates

Substrate-mediated interactions between adatoms on III–V semiconductors are investigated by using the self-consistent Anderson–Newns model in the Hartree–Fock approximation. The Green function formalism of the Dyson equation approach is employed to derive Chebyshev polynomial expressions for the chemisorption energy, interaction energy, and charge transfer, in terms of the adatom separation d. An alternating s- and p-orbital model of GaSb and InAs enabled interacting hydrogen adatoms on their (100) and (111) faces to be studied. As in the metal–substrate case, the chemisorption energy decreased with increasing band widths and adbond energy and, additionally, with increasing band gap. The interaction energy was found to have a d⁻² damping factor for the (100) faces and a d⁻³ factor for the (111) faces, its magnitude being larger for smaller gaps. Self-consistency is shown to play a significant role in interaction energy calculations for small values of d. In the case of charge transfer, its variation with d is purely a self-consistent result. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 67: 377–397, 1998.     

Modification of poly(vinyl chloride). XXXI. Crosslinking of poly(vinyl chloride) with 2-R-4,6-dithiol-s-triazine and metal activators

Crosslinking of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with 2-R-4,6-dithiol-s-triazine (R-DT) and metal activators has been studied to determine crosslinking rate constants, induction periods, and apparent activation energy and the final efficiency of crosslinking agents. The rate constants were about 1.4–7.5 min^?1 and the induction periods were about 6.8–24.3 min for various kinds of R-DT at 180°C. The activation energy was about 16.6–33 kcal/mol over the temperature range 160–195°C. The rate constants were strongly influenced by 2-substituted groups (R) in R-DT and increased in the order R′O-? R′NH-< (R′)₂N, where R′ is an alkyl or aryl group. Further, the rate constants increased in the order of: metal carboxylates < metal carboxylates < metal oxides for the activators and in the order of: Pb < Mg < Ca < Ba < Na for metal atoms. The final efficiency was about 75–80% for the activators such as MgO, MgCO₃, PbO, and SnO. The activators containing Na, Ca, and Ba atoms, however, gave final efficiency of more than 100%.     

Foreword

Electrochemical behaviors of U⁴⁺ in LiCl–KCl–UF₄ eutectic and deposition of U metal were investigated. It was found that the presence of F^? has influence on the diffusion of U³⁺ and U⁴⁺ as comparing to data obtained in pure chloride molten salts. Electrochemical deposition of U was carried out by using pulse current electrolysis. Characterization results indicate that U metal was obtained at the cathode, implying U metal can be directly deposited from LiCl–KCl–UF₄ eutectic in this case and the extractive ratio is calculated to be 98%. Our results demonstrate feasible separation of U from LiCl–KCl–UF₄ molten salt by electrochemical method.     

Wetting properties of bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinyl acrylate polymers

A series of bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinyl acrylate monomers [Y-C(CF₃)₂ O? CO? CH?CH₂] in which Y is CH₃, CH₃CH₂, CH₃CH₂CH₂, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂, C₆H₅, H, F, CF₃, N₃, CN, and CH₃OCH₂CH₂O, was prepared. Polymers were easily prepared from all of these monomers except where Y = CN, wherein a variety of initiation methods failed to produce high molecular polymer. Wettabilities of the polymer films were examined by means of contact angle measurements by using n-alkane test liquids and water. Values of the dispersion force contribution (γs^d) and the polar force contribution (γs^p) to the solid surface energy were calculated by employing both geometric and harmonic mean approximations. Values of γs^d calculated by either method agreed well with γ_c (critical surface tension) values determined graphically from contact angle data employing n-alkane test liquids, confirming the suggestion that γ_c is an approximate measure of the dispersion force contribution to solid surface energy. Values of γs_d ranged from 15 dyne/cm (Y = F or CF₃) to 25 dyne/cm (Y = C₆H₅). Values of the polar force contribution to solid surface energy (γs^p) varied from 0.6 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂) to 3.4 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃OCH₂CH₂O) when calculated by the geometric mean equation. The values of γs^p obtained from the harmonic mean equation followed the same trend upon varying substituents, but were larger in value, ranging from 2.9 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂) to 7.5 dyne/cm (Y γ CH₃OCH₂CH₂O).     

Crystallization regime behavior of poly(pentamethylene terephthalate)

Poly(pentamethylene terephthalate) (PPT), a less studied aryl polyester, was synthesized by polycondensation and characterized by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The crystallization kinetics were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscopy. The average value of the Avrami exponent was calculated to be 2.9, which indicated an athermal nucleation process followed by three‐dimensional crystal growth. The kinetics of spherulitic growth of PPT were analyzed with the Lauritzen–Hoffman (L–H) secondary nucleation theory, and the nucleation constants (K_g) for regimes II and III were thus determined from the slope of the L–H plot with an activation energy (U*) of 3500 cal/mol. The validity of the U* value was examined. Meanwhile, the existence of a transition from regime II to regime III at 95 °C was determined, and the value of K_g(III)/K_g(II) was 2.04. The equilibrium melting temperature of PPT was estimated to be 149.4 °C with the linear Hoffman–Weeks extrapolation method. The lateral surface free energy, fold surface free energy, and work of chain folding were estimated. These thermodynamic properties of PPT were then compared to those of other terephthalic polyesters. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1265–1274, 2004     

A time-dependent molecular orbital approach to electron transfer in ion–metal surface collisions

A time-dependent molecular orbital method has been developed to study charge transfer in collisions of ions with metal surfaces at energies between 1 and 100 au. A set of localized basis functions consisting of generalized Wannier functions for the surface and s- and p-atomic functions for the ion, is used to separate the system into primary and secondary regions. An effective Hamiltonian and time-dependent equations for the electron density matrix are obtained in the primary region, where most charge transfer occurs. The equations for the electron density matrix are solved with a linearization scheme. The method is suitable to study atomic orbital orientation for collisions of ions and surfaces. A model calculation for Na⁺ + W(110) collisions with a prescribed trajectory is presented. The interaction potentials between the W(110) surface and Na⁺ 3s and 3p orbitals are calculated from Na⁺ pseudopotentials. Results show that the yield of neutralized atoms in 3p states changes as the collision energy is lowered.