Optical time-domain reflectometry for distributed sensing of the structural strain and deformation

A unique structure of microbend optical fiber sensor (MOFS) for measuring tensile and compressive strain is described in this paper. The average measuring sensitivity for tensile strain is 35μ using 3 MOFS arrays. The repeatability and stability of MFOS are better than 18μ. The loss sensitivity of single-mode (SM) fiber and multi-mode (MM) fiber used in MOFS, as well as the relationship between the pulse width of diode laser and loss sensitivity are also studied in this paper. From these studies, some conclusions have been obtained. They are (1) the loss sensitivity and repeatability of SM fiber are better when compared to MM fiber in MOFS, and (2) the variation of pulse width of laser would only influent the signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range, but has no contribution to loss sensitivity. Experimental results also show that loss of SM fiber highly depends on the wavelength of laser, but MM fiber has no such property. The loss of SM fiber between the wavelength of 1550 and 1310 nm is about the ratio of 6.5. Therefore, the experiments reported in this paper used a wavelength of 1310 nm to measure tensile strain and 1550 nm to measure compressive strain based on the above property of SM fiber, without changing the configuration of MOFS.     

A ruthenium catalyst that does not require an N-H ligand to achieve high enantioselectivity for hydrogenation of an alkyl-aryl ketone

Ruthenium catalysts of the form trans-RuCl2((R)-(S)-Josiphos)L2 where L2 = pyridine or 1,2-diamine, have been synthesized that display high catalytic activity towards the hydrogenation of 1'-acetonaphthone.     

Interfacial polycondensation and characterization of polyphosphates and polyphosphonates

The synthesis of four bisphenol A-based polyphosphates and phosphonates was accomplished. The polymerization involved a condensation between bisphenol A and a phosphorodichloridate. The heterophasic polycondensation technique was used with the aid of a phase transfer catalyst to yield molecular weights in the range of 20,000–40,000. The polymers were characterized by FT-IR, FT-NMR, and DSC. Systematic studies on the interfacial polymerization indicated that a more concentrated organic phase and a slight excess of diol favored the production of high molecular weight polymers. An optimum concentration of 5–10 mol % was observed for three different phase transfer catalysts. Kinetic studies showed that the polymerization was complete within the first 10 min. The degree of agitation was shown to be important, as the overhead mechanical stirrer was not as effective as the blender. In addition, crosslinking with pentaerythritol yielded significant increases in the molecular weights of these polymers.     

Association behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate-block-methacrylic acid) in aqueous medium

The atom transfer radical polymerization technique was used to synthesize the poly(methyl methacrylate-block-methacrylic acid) (P(MAA-b-MMA)) copolymer in order to study the aggregation behavior in aqueous solution over the course of neutralization. Combinations of static and dynamic light scattering (SLS, DLS) and potentiometric titration techniques were used to investigate the size and shape of the micelle at various degrees of neutralization (alpha). By comparing the effect of different polymer chain length with similar MMA/MAA ratio on the aggregation behavior during neutralization, we found relatively strong entanglement of long MMA polymer chains. The comparison between the different MMA/MAA ratios showed that longer MMA chains produced more entanglements. Conductometric titration was used to determine the counterion condensation phenomenon during the course of neutralization. At a critical micellar charge density observed at alpha approximately 0.4, Na+ ions are condensed on the polymer chains. The amount of condensed Na+ was evaluated by the conductivity change, yielding the condensation ratio when the polymer was completely neutralized.     

Direct Evaluation of Partial Molar Volumes of Binary Solutions of Dimethyl Sulfoxide with Ethyl Acrylate,Butyl Acrylate,Methyl Methacrylate and Styrene

The Tikhonov regularization is applied to convert specific molar volume data of binary solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide with a number of acrylates and with styrene into their second- and first-partial derivatives with respect to mole fraction under constant temperature and pressure. Generalized Cross Validation is used to guide the selection of the regularization parameter that keeps noise amplification under control. The resulting first derivative is then used to compute the partial molar volumes. These are compared against that obtained by the traditional method of least-squares fitting of excess molar volumes. Some of the advantages of the current approach and possible extension to other partial molar quantities are briefly discussed.     

Stepped association of comb‐like and stimuli‐responsive graft chitosan copolymer synthesized using ATRP and active ester conjugation methods

Herein, we report the synthesis of a comb‐like pH‐sensitive graft copolymer, poly[(2‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐graft‐chitosan, using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and active ester conjugation methods. The utilization of ATRP guaranteed the narrow molecular weight distribution of the side chains, which further led to the low polydispersity of the copolymer aggregates. The active ester reaction took place in the mild and homogeneous solutions, and the graft ratio reached 58%. The pH‐responsive association behavior of the graft copolymer in aqueous solution was examined by potentiometric titration, laser light scattering, surface tensiometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Because of the difference in proton dissociation between the amine groups of chitosan and DMAEMA segments, the copolymer exhibited the different conformations with pH variation: random coils at pH ∼ 4, core‐shell structured micelles at pH 5–6, double‐layered hard spheres at pH ∼ 7, and larger aggregates at pH ∼ 8. The beneath mechanism cause the microstructure changes as a function of pH was discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6682–6692, 2009     

Yield stress and zeta potential of nanoparticulate silica dispersions under the influence of adsorbed hydrolysis products of metal ions--Cu(II), Al(III) and Th(IV)

The effects of hydrolysable Cu2+, Al3+ and Th4+ ions on the zeta potential and yield stress behaviour of silica dispersions were evaluated as a function of pH and metal ions concentration. Silica dispersion remained dispersed at its point of zero charge (pzc) of pH approximately 2.0 (CR1). Adsorbed hydrolysis products of Cu2+ and Al3+ caused the dispersion to display two further points of charge reversal (CR2 and CR3) at moderate ions concentration. CR2 occurred near the pH for the formation of the first hydrolysis product. This pH is about 2.8 for Al3+ and 5.0 for Cu2+. For all three metal ions, CR3 approached the pzc of the metal hydroxides at complete surface coverage. At CR3, the dispersions displayed a maximum yield stress. As many as three type of attractive forces; bridging, charged patch and van der Waals, may account for the maximum yield stress at low surface coverage. At complete coverage, only the van der Waals force is in play--the adsorbed hydrolysis products must have increased significantly the effective Hamaker constant of silica. With Al3+ the yield stress was absent at CR2 because particle bridging and charged patch attraction are unimportant as the silica surface charge is near zero. Adsorption of strongly hydrolysed Th4+ ions at pH<2.0 caused the dispersion to display only one pzc (CR3).