Shape memory effect and recovery stress property of carbon nanotube/waterborne epoxy nanocomposites investigated via TMA

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have received great attention and scientific interest in widespread technological development during last few decades. Besides the development of novel SMPs, various techniques have been practiced for characterization of shape memory effect (SME) of SMPs. In this study, the shape memory effect and recovery stress property of the carbon nanotube (CNT)/waterborne epoxy (WEP) nanocomposites below and above the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the nanocomposites and under isostrain and isostress were systematically investigated via thermal mechanical analysis (TMA), respectively. The experimental results showed that the nanocomposites exhibit excellent shape memory effect. The shape memory fixity and recovery ratios were approximately 100% even below glass transition temperature (T_g). A remarkable point is that the strain of the nanocomposites suddenly increased with the temperature decreasing in a certain period of the heating-cooling cycles under isostress condition and the strain increment increased with temperature in general. Especially at low temperature, the recovery stress was very sensitive to temperature under isostrain condition of ±0.25 °C temperature with differential of 25.5 °C developed pressure difference of 0.20 MPa. Moreover, TMA is a practical method for quantifying the SME and recovery stress properties of SMPs and their composites.     

Evaluating shape memory behavior of polymer under deep-drawing conditions

Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) are a popular family of shape memory polymers (SMP) due to their excellent abrasion & weather resistant, and mechanical strength. However, conventional processing operations or their combination with other polymers by adhesion or blending can affect their unique shape memory behavior. Currently, there are no effective methods to study and quantify the shape memory behavior of SMP based polymer laminates as they would respond to deep drawing operations. In this paper, a new method was introduced to effectively quantify the recovery behavior of TPU based polymer laminates undergoing simultaneous stretching and bending operations at different processing temperatures. The results presented show the value of developing a shape recovery characterization method that resembles the stresses of thermoforming to properly assess formability of shape memory polymers used in laminate constructions.     

Theoretical approaches for predicting the color of rigid dyes in solution

Aiming at developing an affordable and easily implementable computational protocol for routine prediction of spectral properties of rigid molecular dyes, density functional theory, and time‐dependent density functional theory were used in conjunction with a vibronic coupling scheme for band shape estimate. To predict the perceived color of molecules in solution, a model has been setup linking the UV‐vis spectra predicted at ab initio level to the L *a *b * colorimetric parameters. The results show that a mixed protocol, implying the use of a global hybrid functional for the prediction of adiabatic energy differences and a range separated hybrid for the prediction of potential energy curvature, allows perceived colors to be quantitatively predicted, as demonstrated by the comparison of L *a *b * colorimetric parameters obtained from computed and experimental spectra. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparation and evaluation of a novel bonded imidazolium ionic liquid as stationary phase for gas chromatography

1‐Butyl‐3‐[(3‐trimethoxysilyl)propyl]imidazolium chloride ionic liquid was synthesized and chemically modified onto the inner wall of a fused capillary column as a stationary phase for gas chromatography. The 1‐butyl‐3‐[(3‐trimethoxysilyl)propyl]imidazolium chloride ionic liquid bonded capillary column was evaluated in detail. The results revealed that the ionic liquid bonded capillary column exhibited high column efficiency of 1.08 × 10⁴ plates/m, and good chromatographic separation selectivity (α ) for polar and non‐polar substances, and a good thermal stability between room temperature and 400°C. Moreover, the determination of thermodynamic parameters and the linear solvation energy relationship were further carried out. The results indicated that the chromatographic retention of each probe molecule on the ionic liquid bonded stationary phase was an enthalpy‐driven process, and the system constants of the linear solvation energy relationship signified that the dispersion interaction, the hydrogen bonding acidity and hydrogen bonding basicity were dominant interactions between probes and stationary phase among five interactions during the chromatographic separation. However, the contribution of each specific interaction for the stationary phase is ranked as the dispersion interaction > the hydrogen bonding basicity > the hydrogen bonding acidity.     

High‐performance liquid chromatography thermodynamic study of new potential antiepileptic compounds on a cholesterol column using isocratic elution with methanol/water and acetonitrile/water eluent systems

Basic thermodynamic functions responsible for retention of new 1,2,4‐triazole derivatives exhibiting varied antiepileptic activity on cholesterol‐based stationary phase were determined. Evaluation of the Gibbs energy change, the change in enthalpy and the change in entropy was based on the van't Hoff relationship representing lnk versus 1/T . A detailed discussion of the van't Hoff equation, exploring the influence of the phase ratio on deviations from linearity in a van't Hoff plot is presented. We show chromatographic evidence to the question of how a varied mobile phase composition may cause different thermodynamic phase ratios. The analysis of data from a differential scanning calorimetry excluded any phase transitions of either the individual solutes or cholesterol stationary phase suspended in the mobile phase components within the studied temperature range.     

Effects of Shape of Crowders on Dynamics of a Polymer Chain Closure

Using 3D Langevin dynamics simulations,we investigate the effects of the shape of crowders on the dynamics of a polymer chain closure.The chain closure in spherical crowders is dominated by the increased medium viscosity so that it gets slower with the increasing volume fraction of crowders.By contrast,the dynamics of chain closure becomes very complicated with increasing volume fraction of crowders in spherocylindrical crowders.Notably,the mean closure time is found to have a dramatic decrease at a range of volume fraction of crowders 0.36-0.44.We then elucidate that an isotropic to nematic transition of spherocylindrical crowders at this range of volume fraction of crowders is responsible for the unexpected dramatic decrease in the mean closure time.     

超声弹性成像参数联合血清MK和VEGF对分化型甲状腺癌的诊断价值及与肿瘤恶性程度关系研究

本研究选取了分化型甲状腺癌(DTC)患者106例为甲状腺癌组,同期106例甲状腺腺瘤患者为甲状腺腺瘤组,检测比较了两组患者的超声弹性成像参数(弹性比值、蓝色面积比值)、血清中期因子(midkine,MK)、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)水平。研究结果发现,弹性比值、蓝色面积比值、血清MK和VEGF水平与DTC患者淋巴结转移、包膜侵犯、临床分期相关(P<0.05);弹性比值、蓝色面积比值、血清MK和VEGF水平联合诊断DTC的曲线下面积(AUC)为0.888;弹性比值、蓝色面积比值、血清MK及VEGF水平与DTC患者组织中趋化因子受体(CXCR)4、解聚素金属蛋白酶(ADAM)9、靶向Xklp2靶蛋白(TPX2)基因表达量呈正相关,与程序性细胞死亡因子(PDCD)4基因表达量呈负相关。这些结果提示超声弹性成像参数、血清MK及VEGF水平上调可能用来评估DTC患者病情程度及肿瘤恶性程度,三者联合对DTC具有可靠诊断价值,可为临床诊治提供参考。     

二维超声联合超声造影TIC参数在乳腺导管内病变良/恶性诊断中的应用价值

本研究分析了二维超声(2DUS)联合超声造影(CEUS)时间-强度曲线(TIC)参数在乳腺导管内病变良/恶性鉴别诊断中的应用价值。选取乳腺导管内病变患者81例(共93个病变),均行2DUS及CEUS检查。结果显示,2DUS检出恶性病变17个,良性病变48个,诊断准确度69.89%(65/93)、敏感度53.13%(17/32)、特异度78.69%(48/61),阳性预测值为56.67%(17/30),阴性预测值为76.19%(48/63)。恶性病变达峰时间早于良性病变(P<0.05),峰值强度、曲线上升支斜率、曲线下面积均高于良性病变(P<0.05)。ROC曲线分析结果显示:2DUS联合CEUS-TIC参数鉴别诊断乳腺导管内病变良/恶性的AUC、敏感度、特异度均高于2DUS或CEUS单独检查(P<0.05)。因此可知,对于乳腺导管内病变,2DUS联合CEUS检查可明显提高对良/恶性的鉴别诊断效能。     

MRI相关定量参数在肩峰下撞击综合征诊断中的价值及与肩关节功能、治疗效果的关系

为分析MRI相关定量参数对肩峰下撞击综合征(SIS)的诊断价值,本研究将56例SIS患者设为SIS组,同期56例健康体检者设为对照组,对比了两组对象的一般资料、肩关节功能评分(Constant评分)及MRI相关定量参数水平,探讨了MRI定量参数与Constant评分、SIS发病相关影响因素、治疗效果的关系及对SIS的诊断价值。结果显示SIS组Constant评分、最短肩肱间距低于对照组,肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度高于对照组,且SIS组治疗有效患者肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度低于无效患者,最短肩肱间距高于无效患者(P<0.05);SIS患者肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度与Constant评分呈负相关,而最短肩肱间距与其呈正相关(P<0.05);各MRI相关定量参数均为SIS发病的重要影响因素(P<0.05)。应用各MRI相关定量参数联合诊断SIS特异度为87.50%,敏感度为80.36%。由此可知MRI相关定量参数对SIS诊断价值较高,且与肩关节功能和治疗效果有关。