Structure build‐up at rest in polymer nanocomposites: Flow reversal experiments

Evolution of the microstructure as well as the shear stress and the normal stress difference of polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites prepared by melt mixing of poly[butylene succinate‐co‐adipate] and organically modified montmorillonite are investigated in transient forward and reverse start‐up shear flows at different clay loading and different shear rates. Special attention is paid to the structure build‐up at rest and to the amplitude of the overshoots observed during the reverse start‐up test in the shear stress and the normal stress difference. The model that we have developed previously is used to suggest an explanation for the observed phenomena. The model is able to capture observed behavior of the shear stress in both forward and reverse start‐up flows. It fails, however, to predict experimentally observed overshoot in the normal stress difference. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1728–1741, 2009     

Characterization of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Na+‐MMT composites: An investigation into the β‐crystalline nucleation effect of Na+‐MMT

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)/Na⁺‐MMT composites have been successfully prepared utilizing sodium montmorillonite (Na⁺‐MMT) via N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solution mixing. The dispersion of Na⁺‐MMT layers in composites were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of adding Na⁺‐MMT on crystallization behavior of PVDF was specifically studied. The β‐crystalline nucleation effect of Na⁺‐MMT was investigated and confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), XRD, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results. The interaction between PVDF and the surface of Na⁺‐MMT layers in DMF solution was confirmed by UV‐Vis absorbency. The effect of adding Na⁺‐MMT on rheological and electrical properties of PVDF/Na⁺‐MMT composites were also determined. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 903–911, 2009     

FTIR analysis of bentonite in moulding sands

Bentonite is used in a wide range of applications. One of them is the foundry industry. The aim of this study was to investigate modification of moulding sands by dust which is generated during foundry process. Recycling of this dust is very important from ecological point of view. The samples of moulding sands were examined by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Analysis of the bands due to the Si–O stretching vibrations allows to reveal the changes of active bentonite and silica sand, i.e. the main components of the moulding sands. FTIR results are compared with technological properties of the materials studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods have been used as the complementary measurement.     

Alkylation of benzene with 1-octene over titania pillared montmorillonite

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, the largest-volume synthetic surfactant, in addition to its excellent performance, is important due to its biodegradable environmental friendliness, as it has a straight chain and is prepared by the sulphonation of linear alkylbenzenes (LAB). To ensure environmental protection, the commercial benzene alkylation catalysts HF or AlCl₃ are replaced and we have developed a clean LAB production process using a pillared clay catalyst capable of not only replacing the conventional homogeneous catalysts, but also having high selectivity for the best biodegradable 2-phenyl LAB isomer. Pillared clay catalysts having high Br?nsted acidity show efficient conversion in gas phase alkylation of benzene with 1-octene with a good 2-phenyl octane selectivity.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae oxidosqualene‐lanosterol cyclase: A chemistry–biology interdisciplinary study of the protein's structure–function–reaction mechanism relationships

The oxidosqualene cyclases (EC 5.4.99‐) constitute a family of enzymes that catalyze diverse cyclization/rearrangement reactions of (3S)‐2,3‐oxidosqualene into a distinct array of sterols and triterpenes. The relationship between the cyclization mechanism and the enzymatic structure is extremely complex and compelling. This review covers the historical achievements of biomimetic studies and current progress in structural biology, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics studies to elucidate the mechanistic and structure–function relationships of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae oxidosqualene‐lanosterol cyclase‐catalyzed cyclization/rearrangement reaction. © 2008 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 8: 302–325; 2008: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20157     

The natural numbers in constructive set theory

Constructive set theory started with Myhill's seminal 1975 article [8]. This paper will be concerned with axiomatizations of the natural numbers in constructive set theory discerned in [3], clarifying the deductive relationships between these axiomatizations and the strength of various weak constructive set theories. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

PMMA colloid particles armored by clay layers with PDMAEMA polymer brushes

Poly[2‐(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) brushes on the surfaces of clay layers were prepared by in situ free‐radical polymerization. Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) colloid particles stabilized and initiated by clay layers with PDMAEMA polymer brushes were prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the structure and morphology of the colloid particles. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the intercalated structures of the clay layers were almost destroyed in Pickering emulsion polymerization, and clay layers with exfoliated structures were created. The surface of the colloid particles was analyzed by using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS results provide direct evidence that the clay layers with PDMAEMA chains cover the PMMA colloid particles. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. JPolym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2632–2639, 2008     

Morphology evolution of nanocomposites based on poly(phenylene sulfide)/poly(butylene terephthalate) blend

Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS)/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) (60/40 w/w) blend nanocomposites (PPS/PBTs) were prepared by direct melt compounding of PPS, PBT, and organoclay. The morphology and rheology of PPS/PBTs were investigated using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope as well as parallel plate rheometer. The intercalated clay tactoids are selectively located in the continuous PBT phase due to their nice affinity. A novel morphology evolution of the immiscible blend matrices is observed with increase of clay loadings. Small addition of clay increases the discrete PPS spherulite domain size. With increasing loading levels, the PPS phase transform to the fibrous structure and finally, to the partial laminar structure at the high loading levels, in which shows a characteristic of large‐scaled phase separation. The presence of clay, however, does not impede the coalescence of the PPS phase because the phase size increases with increasing clay loadings. The elasticity and blend ratio of two matrices are proposed as the important roles on the morphological evolution. Moreover, the laminar structure of PPS phase is very sensitive to the steady shear flow and is easy to be broken down to spherulite droplet at the low shear rate. However, high shear level is likely to facilitate the coalescence of those PPS phase and finally to phase inversion, both contributing to increases of the dynamic modulus after steady shear flow. In conclusion, the morphology of the immiscible polymer blend nanocomposites depends strongly on both the clay loadings and shear history. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1265–1279, 2008     

Cu含量对Cu/Al-Ce-PILC上丙烯选择性催化还原NO反应的影响

 采用聚合羟基复合阳离子合成交联粘土Al-Ce-PILC,经SO2-4改性后,以浸渍法制备了用于C3H6选择性还原NO反应的铜基交联粘土催化剂Cu/Al-Ce-PILC. 用XRD,XPS和TPR等技术对催化剂进行了表征,并考察了Cu含量对催化剂性能的影响. 结果表明,Cu负载未改变Al-Ce-PILC的结构; w(Cu)=2%时,Cu物种以Cu+和Cu2+两种形式存在,催化剂具有最高的催化活性和较宽的操作温度范围,在反应气组成为0.22%NO-0.12%C3H6-2.0%O2-97.66%He,空速为 24000 h-1和温度为350 ℃的条件下,NO转化率可达56.4%,700 ℃下仍可达22.3%; w(Cu)=5%时,催化剂中有明显的CuO物相存在,该物相促进C3H6的深度氧化,从而降低了NO选择性还原反应的性能.     

基于Newmark算法的任意磁化方向铁氧体电磁散射时域有限差分分析

利用坐标系转换矩阵给出实验室坐标系中饱和磁化铁氧体的频域磁导系数张量,再通过频域到时域的转换关系jω→?/?t得到一个二阶微分方程形式的时域本构关系.然后采用Newmark方法求解时域本构关系从而给出一种适用于处理任意磁化方向铁氧体电磁问题的Newmark时域有限差分算法.利用此算法计算了饱和磁化铁氧体层的反(透)射系数和饱和磁化铁氧体球的后向雷达散射截面,所获得的结果验证了此算法的正确有效性.