Preparation and Characterization of Styrene/Butyl Acrylate Emulsifier-Free Latex with 2-Acrylamido-2-Methyl Propane Sulfonic Acid as a Reactive Emulsifier

A kind of emulsifier-free latex (FL) was successfully synthesized from styrene (St) and butyl acrylate (BA) with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) as a reactive emulsifier. The particle size of latex particles, stability against electrolytes, minimum film forming temperature (MFT) and water contact angle (CA) were evaluated and compared with a conventional latex (CL). Test results show that FL has larger particle size, better stability against electrolytes and lower MFT value compared with CL; higher AMPS content leads to smaller particle size and smaller water CA.     

Contact Angle Determined by Spontaneous Imbibition in Porous Media: Experiment and Theory

In this paper, a theoretical model was established to determine the contact angle by introducing a new defined effective capillary radius into the Lucas–Washburn equation. Based on the theoretical model, capillary rise experiments of water imbibed by different glass beads were carried out to measure the contact angle; the results were similar to the available data published in the literature. In addition, the model was modified to take account of the dynamic contact angle, according to the experimental data. The influence of the dynamic contact angle on the movement of the spontaneous imbibition was studied.     

Influence of Interfacial Tension on Seeded Calcium Carbonate Scale Precipitation: Effect of Adsorbed Asphaltenes

Clay particles with adsorbed asphaltenes, which are commonly found in produced water, have been used as seed particles during precipitation of calcium carbonate in order to determine whether such particles may influence the kinetics of precipitation. The results show that the presence of the adsorbed asphaltenes accelerates the precipitation, and there is also a significant difference between different types of adsorbed asphaltenes. The adsorption of asphaltenes at the seed surface leads to a significant increase in the interfacial tension between the seed surface and the aqueous solution, and calcium carbonate therefore precipitates at the seed surface in order to reduce this high interfacial tension.     

Simultaneous effect of carbon and water on NOx adsorption on a stabilized Pt–Ba/Al2O3 catalyst

The influence of the presence of H₂O on the contact between carbon, used as model soot, and a model four-way catalyst (1% Pt–10% BaO/Al₂O₃) was investigated. NO_x adsorption/TPD cycles at 300 °C together with XRD, XPS and DRIFTS characterizations showed that only surface nitrate species are destabilized by the carbon present in the catalytic bed, leading to a decrease of the NO_x storage capacity and carbonate species formation. In another way, injection of water in the reactive gas flow decreases also the NO_x storage capacity of the catalyst, but promotes the formation of stable nitrate species. A non-cumulative effect of carbon and water was observed. It was proposed that a competition between the destabilization, by carbon, of weakly bonded surface nitrate species and the enhancement of bulk nitrate species formation in the presence of water occurs.     

A Raman technique applicable for the analysis of the working principle of promoters and inhibitors of gas hydrate formation

We report a Raman technique applicable for the in situ analysis of the development of hydrogen bonds in the liquid water‐rich phase just before the onset of gas hydrate formation. Herewith, the phase transition as well as the working principle of hydrate formation inhibitors and promoters can be analyzed. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Zn(NCN)单轴的负热膨胀性及机理研究

负热膨胀(NTE)是一种反常的物理现象, 已在合金和框架结构化合物等材料中被观察到, 但NTE材料的种类仍然有限. 本文合成了一种单轴NTE材料Zn(NCN), 该材料在c轴方向及在100~475 K下的热膨胀系数为-3.35×10^?6 K^?1, 而a轴和b轴方向则呈低热膨胀性, 体积具有低的热膨胀系数[6.13×10^?6 K^?1(100~475 K)]. 通过同步辐射X射线衍射、 扩展X射线吸收精细结构和拉曼光谱等方法, 研究了Zn(NCN)的NTE机理. 结果表明, Zn—N键具有明显的横向振动, 一些低频振动模Grüneisen参数为负值. 直接的实验证据表明, N=C=N的横向振动以及准刚性ZnN₄四面体的耦合旋转和扭摆导致了c轴方向的NTE.     

Photophysics of Fluorescent Contact Sensors Based on the Dicyanodihydrofuran Motif

Fluorescent molecular rotors have been used for measurements of local mobility on molecular length scales, for example to determine viscosity, and for the visualization of contact between two surfaces. In the present work, we deepen our insight into the excited-state deactivation kinetics and mechanics of dicyanodihydrofuran-based molecular rotors. We extend the scope of the use of this class of rotors for contact sensing with a red-shifted member of the family. This allows for contact detection with a range of excitation wavelengths up to ∼600 nm. Steady-state fluorescence shows that the fluorescence quantum yield of these rotors depends not only on the rigidity of their environment, but – under certain conditions – also on its polarity. While excited state decay via rotation about the exocyclic double bond is rapid in nonpolar solvents and twisting of a single bond allows for fast decay in polar solvents, the barriers for both processes are significant in solvents of intermediate polarity. This effect may also occur in other molecular rotors, and it should be considered when applying such molecules as local mobility probes.     

Built-in piezoelectric field improved photocatalytic performance of nanoflower-like Bi2WO6 using low-power white LEDs

Photocatalysis technology has been proved to be a potential strategy for removal of organic dyes, however high-power light sources are generally necessary to initiate photocatalytic reaction. In this work, we employed an excellent photocatalyst of Bi₂WO₆ with visible light harvest and meanwhile an intrinsic ferroelectricity, which realized the efficient degradation of organic dye via the synergetic photopiezocatalysis. Through coupling the illumination by a low-power (9 W) LED and the ultrasonic vibration (120 W) by an ultrasonic cleaner, the nanoflower-like Bi₂WO₆ composed of ultrathin nanosheets showed a much more enhanced photopiezocatalysis performance for purification of organic dye than the individual photocatalysis and piezocatalysis. Furthermore, the high mineralization efficiency and the good durability of the Bi₂WO₆ catalyst were demonstrated. The possible mechanism of photopiezocatalysis was finally proposed, where the ultrasound-induced piezoelectric field in Bi₂WO₆ drove photo-generated electrons and holes to diffuse along opposite directions, consequently promoting the separation efficiency of charge carriers. This work indicates that the synergetic photopiezocatalysis by coupling irradiation and ultrasonic vibration is a promising strategy to purify organic pollutants in wastewater.     

双分散颗粒体系在临界堵塞态的结构特征

堵塞行为是颗粒体系中一种常见的现象,其力学性质与堆积结构的关联非常复杂.本文采用离散元法研究了由两种不同半径颗粒组成的二维双分散无摩擦球形颗粒体系在临界堵塞态所呈现的结构特征,讨论了大小颗粒粒径比与大颗粒百分比对临界堵塞态的影响.数值模拟结果表明,当粒径比小于1.4时,临界平均接触数与大颗粒百分比关系不大,当粒径比大于1.4时随着大颗粒百分比的增大临界平均接触数先减小再增大.而临界体积分数在粒径比小于1.8时随着大颗粒百分比的增加先减小后增大,大于1.8时又基本不随大颗粒百分比而变化.大颗粒百分比在接近0或1时,系统近似为单分散体系,临界平均接触数与体积分数基本不随半径比的增大而变化;在接近0.5时,临界平均接触数随着半径比的增大逐渐减小,而临界体积分数则是先减小后增大.文中对大-小颗粒这一接触类型的百分比也进行了探讨,其值随着大颗粒百分比的增大呈二次函数的变化趋势,粒径比对这一变化趋势只有较小的影响.     

纳米表面相互作用及振动测头模型

如何实现高精度的测量是现代制造业及微电子技术领域的热点问题之一. 基于微纳米测头的三坐标测量机是当前实现高精度测量的重要手段. 随着测量尺寸的减小, 常用的纳米/微纳尺度的测头与待测表面之间形成静态接触, 其表面相互作用成为了影响其测量精度和可靠性的关键因素之一. 本文基于一种触发式振动测头, 研究了其动力学模型, 并通过对测头纳米尺度表面相互作用的理论分析及数值模拟, 确立了测头振动参数与表面相互作用之间的关联. 实验研究表明, 参数优化后的谐振微纳测头能有效抑制表面作用带来的干扰, 提高测量精度.