Spherical Particles of Zirconia-Titania of Hexagonal Structure from a Neutral Amine Route

Through the sol–gel process, using the so-called neutral amine route, spherical particles of 1:1 zirconia–titania were synthesized from zirconium(IV) and titanium(IV) butoxides as well as 1,12-diaminododecane as precursor species. The obtained product exhibited a hexagonal structure, as determinated by X-ray diffraction data. The obtained material was also characterized by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface area measurements. Despite the release of template molecules on heating, the spherical morphology was retained up to about 1200°C, at which the disruption of the spheres took place.     

3-D-electron microscopy configuration of TMOS wet silica gels prepared by the quick-freeze,deep-etching-rotary-replication technique

Silica gel provides a useful medium for crystal growth; solution growth is confined to pores left free by the polymer during its development. All growth steps depend on the gel structure, which is not completely known for crystal growth conditions. Therefore, a three-dimensional (3-D) visualization has been performed for two TMOS aqueous gels, which are rather fragile: the quick-freeze, deep-etching, rotary-replication method has been applied for sample preparation. An original surface labeling technique has been used for surface recognition. The results concern the distribution of macropores that are responsible for crystal nucleation; micropores whose total volume is larger have not been visualized due to the limits of the method. These results are discussed in comparison with previous data performed by light scattering.     

含二苯甲烷结构四元共缩聚杂萘聚芳酰胺的合成与性能

采用自制二胺1,2-二氢-2-(4-氨基苯基)-4-[4-(4-氨基苯氧基)-苯基]-二氮杂萘-1-酮、商品二胺4,4′-二氨基二苯甲烷和对苯二胺与对苯二甲酰氯进行低温溶液缩聚反应,改变三种二胺的比例,得到了一系列共聚酰胺树脂,其特性粘数为1·24~2·32dL/g,用FT-IR、1H-NMR手段研究了聚合物的结构;利用DSC和TGA研究了聚合物的耐热性能,结果表明,该类聚合物具有较高玻璃转化温度(301℃以上);氮气气氛中5%热失重温度在438℃以上;用一定比例的二胺制得的聚合物分别能溶于N-甲基吡咯烷酮、N,N-二甲基乙酰胺等非质子极性溶剂中并浇注得到韧性薄膜.     

Comparison of different reactive organophosphorus flame retardant agents for cotton: Part I. The bonding of the flame retardant agents to cotton

N-Methylol dimethylphosphonopropionamide (MDPA), known as “Pyrovatex CP” and “Pyrovatex CP New” commercially, has been one of the most commonly used durable flame retardant agents for cotton for many years. In our previous research, we developed a flame retardant finishing system for cotton based on a hydroxy-functional organophosphorus oligomer (HFPO) in combination with a bonding agent such as trimethylolmelamine (TMM) and dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU). In this research, we investigated the bonding of these two flame retardant finishing agents to cotton. We found that the majority of MDPA is bound to cotton by its N-methylol group and that the use of TMM as a co-reactant modestly increases the fixation of MDPA onto cotton. For HFPO, however, the use of a bonding agent is necessary to form a covalent linkage between HFPO and cotton. Both the fixation of HFPO on cotton and its laundering durability are influenced by the effectiveness and concentration of the bonding agent. The commercial product of HFPO contains approximately 33% more phosphorus than that of MDPA and the percent fixation of HFPO on cotton is also moderately higher than that of MDPA. The bonding between MDPA and cotton is significantly more resistant to hydrolysis during multiple launderings than that between HFPO and cotton. The selection of catalyst also plays a significant role in influencing the bonding of the flame retardant agents to cotton.     

Structural change of water by gelation of curdlan suspension

Phase transition of water restrained by curdlan suspension annealed at a temperature from 20 to 110°C was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The melting temperature of water restrained by annealed curdlan discontinuously decreased at around 60°C, while the amount of bound water calculated from enthalpy of melting increased at 60°C, regardless of water content. Using a highly sensitive DSC, curdlan suspension with various concentrations was studied. It was found that an endothermic transition was observed at ca. 58°C in a wide range of concentrations. The transition observed at 60°C is thermo-reversible and both temperature and transition enthalpy are constant even after gel formation. Well equilibrated suspension at a temperature lower than 60°C formed no gel.     

A conductive elastomer based on EPDM and polyaniline: II. Effect of the crosslinking method

Electrically conductive heterogeneous binary polymer blends based on ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) and polyaniline (PAni) were prepared in a Haake Rheocord 90 rheometer, coupled with an internal mixer (counter rotating cam rotors) using different amounts of PAni doped with dodecylbenzenosulfonic acid (DBSA). Blends were crosslinked using two methods: (i) phenolic resin (SP-1045) as crosslinking agent and (ii) electron beam irradiation. The last method avoids the interference of the acid dopant in the crosslinking process and produces blends with higher conductivity.     

New Hexazirconium Clusters Containing Hydrogen Atoms

Reduction of ZrBr₄ with HSnBu₃ yielded a blue solid. When this blue solid was treated with PMe₃, a hexanuelear cluster [Zr₆Br₁₄H₄( PMe₃)₄] (2) was isolated. Reaction of the blue solid with [PPh₄]Br in CH₂Cl₂ resulted in the formation of a paramagnetic and unstable cluster anion, [Zr₆Br₁₈H₅]^2– (3), which disproportionated to form a new cluster anion, [Zr₆Br₁₈H₅]^3– (4) and some Zr(IV) species. Compounds containing 4 can also be obtained from reaction of the blue solid with Br^– in MeCN. Reduction of ZrCl₄ with HsnBu₃ gave a red–brown solid, and [Zr₆Cl₁₄H₄(AsMe₃)₄] (9) and [Zr₅Cl₁₂H₄(AsMe₃)₅](8) were obtained by reaction of the red–brown solid with AsMe₃. No cluster compounds containing amine ligands were obtained in the reaction of the red–brown solid with amines; only compounds containing the [Zr₆Cl₁₈ H₅]^3– anion and ammonium cations were isolated. Altogether ten products were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and where possible, by ¹H NMR studies.     

Radiation-induced crosslinking and grafting of two polyphosphazene elastomers

The radiation-induced crosslinking and grafting of two aryloxy-substituted elastomeric polyphosphazenes have been carried out by both gamma and electron beam irradiation. The classic Charlesby–Pinner [1] plus a simpler approach were used to determine the G(X) values for the crosslinked elastomeric polymers. The apparent G(X) value for the same polymer depended on whether the gamma-ray or the E-beam results were used. The presence of 8.5% repeat units with allylic groups in the side chain increased the G(X) value by an order of magnitude when the irradiation was performed under vacuum with the gamma source. The extent of acrylic acid grafting was also higher for the polymer containing the allylic group. Nearly all the grafted polyphosphazene films were insoluble in THF, a good solvent for the ungrafted samples.     

Thermodynamic quantities for the acid dissociation of alkylammonium ions in water over a wide temperature range

Enthalpies of protonation in aqueous solution have been determined from calorimetric measurements between 0 and 100°C for methylpentylamine, butyldimethylamine, and quinuclidine; between 0 and 125°C for di-iso-propylamine; and between 0 and 75°C for 1-azacycloheptane. Values ofpK_a at 25°C have been determined from pH measurements using a glass electrode for di-iso-propyl-, methylpentyl-, and butyldimethylamine. The calorimetric results are used together with values ofpK_a at 25°C to derive expressions which allow the calculation of accuratepK_a values over a large temperature range. The heat capacity and entropy changes for the protonation of aqueous alkylamines found in the present and in previous studies are discussed in terms of differences in hydrophobic solvation of the alkyl groups in the neutral amines and the ions.     

Rheological properties of multisticker associative polyelectrolytes in semidilute aqueous solutions

Multisticker associative polyelectrolytes of acrylamide (≈86 mol %) and sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate (≈12 mol %), hydrophobically modified with N,N‐dihexylacrylamide groups (≈2 mol %), were prepared with a micellar radical polymerization technique. This process led to multiblock polymers in which the length of the hydrophobic blocks could be controlled through variations in the surfactant‐to‐hydrophobe molar ratio, that is, the number of hydrophobes per micelle (N_H). The rheological behavior of aqueous solutions of polymers with the same molecular weight and the same composition but with two different hydrophobic block lengths (N_H = 7 or 3 monomer units per block) was investigated as a function of the polymer concentration with steady‐flow, creep, and oscillatory experiments. The critical concentration at the onset of the viscosity enhancement decreased as the length of the hydrophobic segments in the polymers increased. Also, an increase in the N_H value significantly enhanced the thickening ability of the polymers and affected the structure of the transient network. In the semidilute unentangled regime, the behavior of the polymer with long hydrophobic segments (N_H = 7) was studied in detail. The results were well explained by the sticky Rouse theory of associative polymer dynamics. Finally, the viscosity decreased with an increase in the temperature, mainly because of a lowering of the sample relaxation time. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1640–1655, 2004