Synthesis and Characterization of Heterocyclic Functionalized Polymers by Click Reaction: Preparation of Magnetic Nanocomposites and Studies on Their Thermal,Mechanical, Photophysical and Metal Ions Removal Properties

This work reports synthesis and characterization of heterocyclic functionalized polymers, poly(triazole-etherimidazole)s(PTAEI), from a dialkyne-terminated compound, 3-(4,5-bis(4-(propargyloxy)phenyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-9-ethyl-9H-carbazole, by using click reaction. PTAEIs were characterized and their properties such as solubility, thermal, mechanical, photophysical and metal ions adsorption were investigated. These polymers had weight average molar masses(Mw) in the range of 19100-26700 g/mol, exhibited excellent solubility in polar aprotic solvents and formed low-colored flexible thin films by solution casting method. They exhibited good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures(Tg) between 160 °C and 211 °C and 10% weight loss temperatures(T10%) in the range of 308-426 °C. Nanocomposites of PTAEIs with epoxide-terminated Fe3O4 showed that strong interfacial interaction between inorganic particles and the polymer matrix contributed to the enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. The photoluminescence intensity of the PTAEIs increased and the spectra red shifted with increasing Fe3O4 content. The PTAEIs and nanocomposites were tested for their extraction capability of metal ions from aqueous solutions either individually or in the mixture.     

Study of cure kinetics of DGEBA with optically active curing agents

Kaolin-filled polypropylene (PP) composites with various kaolin content, processing temperature and shear histories were compounded using a heated two roll-mill. Prior to thermal analysis, the samples were subjected to extrusion process via capillary rheometer. The influences of kaolin content, processing temperature and shear stress on crystallization of all samples, including isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization behaviour were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that the increasing kaolin content, processing temperature and shear stress have shifted the crystallization exothermic peak to higher temperature and reduced the overall crystallization time.     

A kinetic and thermodynamic study of the α-cyclodextrin mediated reaction of a range of p-substituted phenyl methyl sulfides with binding and non-binding peroxyacids

This paper presents a thermodynamic study of the rate and equilibria processes involved in the α-cyclodextrin mediated reaction of a range of 4-substituted phenyl methyl sulfides with two peroxyacids of different binding affinities. The results for the inclusion processes show that the formation of 1:1 and 2:1 (host:guest) complexes between α-cyclodextrin and phenyl methyl sulfides are generally enthalpically controlled, particularly so for the 2:1 complexes, as might be expected for a ternary complex. The data from this series of sulfides is presented as enthalpy-entropy compensation plots, yielding slopes of unity for each inclusion process. The formation of a 1:1 complex between cyclodextrin and the strongly associating 3-chloroperbenzoic acid (MCPBA) is also enthapically controlled. The other peroxyacid used, peroxomonosulfate, does not bind to α-cyclodextrin to any measurable degree. As described in our original study of this reaction system (Davies and Deary in J Chem Soc Perkin Trans 2:2423–2430, 1996), catalysis by α-cyclodextrin is effected by activation of the peroxide as a result its inclusion within the cyclodextrin cavity; hence for reactions of phenyl methyl sulfides with MCPBA, catalysis is observed, but is absent for PMS. In this study the reaction rates are analysed using the transition state pseudo-equilibrium approach of Tee (Carbohydr Res 192:181–195, 1989), whereby the transition state pseudoequilibrium constant K _TS reflects the stabilisation imparted to the transition state by the association with one molecule of cyclodextrin. Enthalpy- entropy compensation plots for K _TS give slopes close to unity; this is the first reported example of such plots being applied to transition state pseudoequilibrium constants.     

Thermosetting polymers from epoxy resin and a Nickel catalyst of diethylenetriamine

The kinetics and mechanism of cure reaction of DGEBA using a chelate of Ni(II) with diethylenetriamine (dien), Ni(dien)₂I_2, as a curing agent was studied by DSC. TG curve of the complex curing agent showed mass loss in two region of temperature: 200–320 and 450–550 °C. Dynamic DSC measurements showed only one exothermic peak with a maximum about 250 °C depending on the heating rate. According to the methods of KAS and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall the values of E _a were 92.5 and 96.2 kJ/mol, respectively. The isoconversional kinetic analysis in whole range of conversion, α = 0.02–0.95, showed small changes in the E _a values in the region of α = 0.04–0.6 and most likely represent some average values (E _a = 110 kJ/mol) between the values of E _a of non-autocatalyzed and autocatalyzed reactions. Using the sole dependence of E _a on α, the time required to reach fully cured materials under isothermal conditions were also predicted and compared with the experimental results.     

Non-invasive imaging of shallow bubble columns using electrical capacitance tomography

This paper deals with application of non-invasive electrical capacitance tomography to study the hydrodynamics of shallow bed bubble columns. Two bubble columns with different height to diameter ratio were used. Air–kerosene system that represents dielectric two-phase mixture was investigated. The ECT provided good measurement of the gas holdup at different gas velocities compared to the classical pressure measurements. The ECT was able to provide the gas hold up and the bubble velocities distribution across the column diameter at different gas velocities. The study revealed that spatial gas holdup and bubble velocity distributions are sharp with parabolic shape in the small bubble column (H_D/D_C = 5). However, in the large bubble column (H_D/D_C = 4) the gas holdup and bubble velocity profiles were flatter indicating improvement in the mixing homogeneity and leading to well-mixed reactor. 3D graphical visualization of the flow regimes and transition points were also examined using the ECT. In the small bubble column flow regimes were heterogeneous to slugs flow especially at high flow rate, resulted in downward flow near the walls and imperfect mixing.     

Synthesis and characterization of organosoluble polyetherimides with bulky triaryl imidazole moiety: Study of photophysical properties and kinetic of thermal degradation

Novel fluorescent polyetherimides containing bulky triaryl imidazole pendant and ether linkage in the main chains were prepared from a diamine, 2,2-phenoxy-bis[4-amino-2(4,5-diphenyl-2H-imidazole-2-yl)]propane, and commercially available dianhydrides. All the resulting polymers were amorphous with inherent viscosities ranged from 0.45 to 0.75 dl/g and were readily soluble in many organic solvents which could be solution-cast into transparent and tough films. They had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high T _g (245?C254°C), 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 500°C, and char yields at 600°C in air up to 62%. These polymers exhibited strong UV-vis absorption maxima in solution and in solid state. Photoluminescence efficiency of the polyetherimides was affected by their chemical structure with quantum yields in the range 10?C28%.     

Dynamic properties of wehrl information entropy and wehrl phase distribution for a moving four-level atom

We study the dynamics of the von Neumann entropy, Wehrl entropy, and Wehrl phase distribution for a single four-level ladder-type atom interacting with a one-mode cavity field taking into account the atomic motion. We obtain the exact solution of the model using the Schr¨odinger equation under specific initial conditions. Also we investigate the quantum and classical quantifiers of this system in the nonresonant case. We examine the effects of detuning and the atomic motion parameter on the entropies and their density operators. We observe an interesting monotonic relation between the different physical quantities in the case of nonmoving and moving atoms during the time evolution. We show that both the detuning and the atomic motion play important roles in the evolution of the Wehrl entropy, its marginal distributions, entanglement, and atomic populations.     

Outward melting of ice enhanced by Cu nanoparticles inside cylindrical horizontal annulus: Lattice Boltzmann approach

Heat transfer enhancement of water-(Ice) as a phase change material (PCM) through dispersion of Cu-nanoparticles is the centerpiece of this research study. The nanoparticle-enhanced phase change material (NEPCM) demonstrates increased thermal conductivity and decreased melting time in comparison with the conventional PCM. An enthalpy-based lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with a double distribution function (DDF) model is implemented to trace phase change front in a cylindrical-horizontal annul. The subcooling case is neglected and Prandtl number, Stefan number and Rayleigh number are fixed to 6.2, 1 and 10⁵, respectively. In addition, the effects of varying the position of heated cylinder and nanoparticle volume fractions on the transient isotherms and liquid fractions are discussed.