Orientation and relaxation of polymer–clay solutions studied by rheology and small-angle neutron scattering

The influence of shear on viscoelastic solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and clay [montmorillonite, i.e., Cloisite NA+ (CNA)] was investigated with rheology and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The steady-state viscosity and SANS were used to measure the shear-induced orientation and relaxation of the polymer and clay platelets. Anisotropic scattering patterns developed at much lower shear rates than in pure clay solutions. The scattering anisotropy saturated at low shear rates, and the CNA clay platelets aligned with the flow, with the surface normal parallel to the gradient direction. The cessation of shear led to partial and slow randomization of the CNA platelets, whereas extremely fast relaxation was observed for laponite (LRD) platelets. These PEO–CNA networklike solutions were compared with previously reported PEO–LRD networks, and the differences and similarities, with respect to the shear orientation, relaxation, and polymer–clay interactions, were examined. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3102–3112, 2004     

Preparation and properties of isobutylene–isoprene rubber–clay nanocomposites

Isobutylene isoprene rubber (IIR)‐clay nanocomposites have been prepared successfully by melt intercalation with maleic anhydride‐grafted IIR (Ma‐g‐IIR) and organophilic clay. In IIR‐clay nanocomposites, the silicate layers of the clay were exfoliated and dispersed into the monolayer. The nanocomposites exhibited greater gas barrier properties compared with those of Ma‐g‐IIR. When 15 phr clay was added, gas barrier properties were 2.5 times greater than those of Ma‐g‐IIR. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1182–1188, 2006     

ZnCuCoAlNO3型四元水滑石及其多氧阴离子柱撑物的合成与催化氧化性能

Anionic clay, ZnCuCoAlNO₃ and its polyoxometalate intercalates were synthesized, and were characterized by XRD, IR, ³¹PMAS NMR, DTA and elemental analysis. The pillared products are found to be effective catalysts for oxidation of cyclohexene with molecular oxygen under mild reaction conditions     

粘土粒径及形态结构对粘土胶性能的影响

用超声波和离心方法将３种来源不同的粘土样品按粒分径分级，测定各级分粒径比表面积和结构，并制备相应级分的粘土胶进行物理力学性能测试，结果表明，在一定范围内，粘土粒径的变化仅对粘土胶的某些力学性能产生物明显的影响，而粘土粒子以其独特的形态结构对粘土胶产生显著的补强作用。     

含铜三元类水滑石化合物的合成及其性质

 以Cu（NO3）2，Zn（NO3）2和Al（NO3）3为原料，以NaOH为沉淀剂，利用共沉淀法合成了含铜三元类水滑石化合物CuZnAl－HTLcs．从不同Cu／Zn／Al比的混合原料溶液的滴定曲线入手，详细探讨了溶液pH值、原料加入方式、组分配比及水热处理条件对类水滑石合成的影响，利用XRD，ICP及比表面积测定对合成物进行了表征，并以苯酚羟基化为探针反应评价了催化剂的催化性能．结果表明，在体系pH＝5．0～6．2，（Cu＋Zn）／Al摩尔比＝2．0，Cu／Zn摩尔比≤1．0及室温条件下共沉淀后，于100℃水热处理3h，即可得到晶相单一和结晶度高的CuZnAl－HTLcs．变化pH法合成的样品的相对结晶度为100％，低过饱和法为76．5％，高过饱和法为75．9％．合成的CuZnAl－HTLcs中Cu2＋的含量均比原料液中Cu2＋的含量有所增加，这可能是由于在pH＝5．8时Cu2＋对Al（OH）3的同晶取代能力比Zn2＋强．随着CuZnAl－HTLcs中Cu含量的增加，催化剂对苯酚羟化反应的催化活性逐渐增大．     

粘土矿物的结构特征及其应用研究

阐述了贮量巨大、用途广泛的粘土矿物，其充分开发应用的关键，在于根据其结构特征，并通过适当的物理、化学方法加以改造、以适应各种不同工业应用的要求。并以我们对粘土矿物进行活化、改性、层间插入及其工业应用产品开发的初步研究成果，阐明利用粘土硅酸盐多层次结构的可变性，开拓新的应用性能的可能性及粘土矿物充分开发应用的途径。     

The search for a new model structure of β-Factor XIIa

We present the search for a new model of -factor XIIa, a blood coagulation enzyme, with an unknown experimental 3D-structure. We decided to build not one but three different models using different homologous proteins as well as different techniques and different modellers. Additional studies, including extensive molecular dynamics simulations on the solvated state, allowed us to draw several conclusions concerning homology modelling, in general, and -factor XIIa, in particular.     

STRUCTURING ＆ RHEOLOGY OF MOLTEN POLYMER／CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

The evolution and the origin of “solid-like state” in molten polymer/clay nanocomposites are studied. Using polypropylene/clay hybrid (PPCH) with sufficient maleic anhydride modified PP (PP-MA) as compatibilizer, well exfoliation yet solid-like state was achieved after annealing in molten state. Comprehensive linear viscoelasticity and non-linear rheological behaviors together with WAXD and TEM are studied on PPCH at various dispersion stages focusing on time,temperature and deformation dependencies of the “solid-like” state in molten nanocomposites. Based on these, it is revealed that the solid-structure is developed gradually along with annealing through the stages of inter-layer expansion by PP-MA,the diffusion and association of exfoliated silicate platelets, the formation of band/chain structure and, finally, a percolated clay associated network, which is responsible for the melt rigidity or solid-like state. The network will be broken down by melt frozen/crystallization and weakened at large shear or strong flow and, even more surprisingly, may be disrupted by using trace amount of silane coupling agent which may block the edge interaction of platelets. The solid-like structure causes characteristic non-linear rheological behaviors, e.g. residual stress after step shear, abnormal huge stress overshoots in step flows and, most remarkably, the negative first normal stress functions in steady shear or step flows. The rheological and structural arguments challenge the existing models of strengthened entangled polymer network by tethered polymer chains connecting clay particles or by chains in confined melts or frictional interaction among tactoids. A scheme of percolated networking of associated clay platelets, which may in band form of edge connecting exfoliated platelets, is suggested to explain previous experimental results.