Prediction of steady-state viscous and elastic properties of polyolefin melts in shear and elongation

The linear and nonlinear steady-state viscosities and elastic compliances were measured in shear and elongational flows for two low-density polyethylenes, a linear polypropylene, and two metallocene catalyzed polyethylenes (one linear and one long-chain branched) by Wolff et al. (Rheol Acta 49:95?C103, 2010) and Resch (dissertation, 2010). Comprehensive data of this type are rarely found in the literature, and comprehensive modeling of both viscous and elastic effects is even rarer. In this contribution, the reliability of a modeling approach proposed by Laun (J Rheol 30(3):459?C501, 1986) and based on the damping function concept is tested. The strain hardening seen for the long-chain branched polymers and its absence in the case of the linear polymer, the stronger decrease of the tensile compliance in comparison to the shear compliance with increasing stress, as well as the extended linear-viscoelastic regime of the shear viscosity in contrast to the shear compliance are correctly modeled. While the modeling of the nonlinear response in shear can be achieved with only one material parameter for most of the polymers considered here, the nonlinear modeling in elongation is achieved with two parameters. The same parameter values are shown to describe viscous as well as elastic properties of the melts, and thus the relations of Laun can be used to test the consistency of viscosity and compliance measurements.     

High-Pressure Raman Study of Zincblende,Cinnabar, and Cmcm Phases Of ZnTe

Raman measurements of ZnTe have been performed at pressures up to 15 GPa. Frequencies, line widths, and intensities of first- and second-order Raman features of the zincblende phase (0-9.5 GPa) were studied in detail. In this note, we focus on the Raman spectra of the high-pressure cinnabar and Cmcm phases. In the transition regime from cinnabar to Cmcm (12.2 to 13.7 GPa) the Raman data indicate the possible existence of a new intermediate high-pressure phase.     

Letter: Coupling Gravitomagnetism—Spin and Berry's Phase

Resorting to Berry's phase, a new idea to detect, at quantum level, the gravitomagnetic field of any metric theory of gravity, is put forward. It is found in this proposal that the magnitude of the gravitomagnetic field appears only in the definition of the adiabatic regime, but not in the magnitude of the emerging geometric phase. In other words, the physical parameter to be observed does not involve, in a direct way, (as in the usual proposals) the tiny magnitude of the gravitomagnetic field.     

Corrections for velocity and temperature derivatives in turbulent flows

Spectral corrections, which are based on local isotropy, are presented for all the spatial derivatives of velocity and temperature fluctuations which feature in the average dissipations of turbulent energy and temperature. The corrections, which compensate for the spectral attenuation due to the separation between sensors, depend only weakly on the choice of the three-dimensional energy (or temperature) spectrum and therefore on the turbulence Reynolds number. Corrections are also obtained for the variances of velocity and temperature derivatives. The diagonal velocity derivatives require smaller corrections than either the off-diagonal velocity derivatives or the temperature derivatives. Corrections of comparable magnitude are required for the average dissipations of turbulent energy and temperature.     

Cyclometalated 2‐phenylpyridine complex [RuII(o‐C6H4‐py)(MeCN)4]PF6 as a tunable catalyst for living radical polymerization

The cyclometalated complex [Ru^II(o‐C₆H₄‐py)(MeCN)₄]PF₆ ( 1 ) with a σ‐Ru? C bond and four substitutionally labile acetonitrile ligands mediates radical polymerization of different vinyl monomers, viz. n‐butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, initiated by three alkyl bromides: ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate, methyl 2‐bromopropionate, and 1‐phenylethyl bromide. The polymerization requires the presence of Al(OiPr)₃ and occurs uncontrollably as a conventional radical process. The variation of the molar ratio of the components of the reaction mixture, such as initiator, Al(OiPr)₃ and catalyst, affected the polymerization rates and the molecular weights but did not improve the control. A certain level of control has been achieved by adding 0.5 eq of SnCl₂ as a reducing agent. Tin(II) chloride decreased the rate of polymerization and simultaneously the molecular weights became conversion‐dependent and the polydispersities were also narrowed. Remarkably, the level of control was radically improved in the presence of excess of the poorly soluble catalyst ( 1 ), when the added amount of ( 1 ) was not soluble any more, i.e., under heterogeneous conditions, the system became adjustable and the living polymerization of all three monomers was finally achieved. Possible mechanisms of the ( 1 )‐catalyzed polymerization are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4193–4204, 2008