Application of thermal analysis to carbon black-elastomer systems

In this study a relationship between the surface and textural properties of carbon blacks and the gasification process induced thermally in air is noted. A temperature jump method was used to follow the gasification in air and to establish the relevant Arrhenius parameters. This can be associated with the activity of ‘basal’ plane carbon atoms as well as ‘edge’ carbon atoms at the surface. This is based on a model of carbon black structure consisting of the irregular packing of small graphite carbon structures. The carbon black surface was measured using a single measurement of adsorption based essentially on the BET volumetric method. The carbon black surface had a rate of oxidation per unit are which clearly indicated that the lower area carbon blacks had a predominately active area of ‘edge’ atoms at the surface while the surface of the higher area carbon blacks had a predominate amount of ‘basal’ plane graphite carbon atoms.     

Image analysis in the electron microscopy of cellulose protofibrils II. Digital correlation methods

Electron micrographs of parallel arrays of negatively stained ramie cellulose protofibrils were analyzed using the two-dimensional digital autocorrelation function (ACF). The method is based upon the statistical analysis of images in real space. The ACF shows strong parallel streaks of high correlation, and the lateral distance between adjacent streaks allows the mean interfibrillar distance to be estimated as 3.7 nm. The intensity profile along the streaks shows a weak modulation with peaks occurring at integral multiples of 3 or 6 nm. These results provide direct evidence that there is a regular axial texture in the protofibrils, and corroborate the conclusions previously drawn from optical diffraction analysis. Using the difference vectors found in the ACF it has been possible to reduce the picture noise level by linear integration, thereby obtaining an enhanced image. A preliminary result obtained in this way suggests that the projected protofibril morphology associated with the observed axial periodicity is a ribbon-like zigzag structure. Possible applications of the method for future work are discussed.     

The effects of gamma irradiation on the microbiological, physical and sensory qualities of diced tomatoes

Diced Roma tomatoes were treated with gamma irradiation and evaluated for changes in microbial, physical, chemical and sensory properties. Dosages for Trial 1 were 0.0, 0.39, 0.56 and 1.82 kGy and in Trial 2, 0.0, 0.50, 1.24 and 3.70 kGy. Irradiation at 3.70 kGy resulted in no aerobic populations through day 12 and significantly fewer colonies through day 15 whereas yeast and mold populations experienced a 2 log reduction through day 12. Color, titratable acidity, and °Brix were not significantly affected by irradiation. Tissue firmness decreased with increasing dose but not with storage time. Treatment with 3.7 kGy decreased firmness by 50% and 20% with 0.5 kGy, however, the reduced firmness induced by 0.50 kGy was undetected by a 9 member trained sensory panel. A significant (p0.05) inverse correlation between changes in texture and water-soluble pectin (WSP) was determined while total pectin remained relatively constant and oxalate soluble pectin content decreased slightly with irradiation dose. The significant inverse correlation between the loss of firmness and WSP indicates that the changes in WSP play an important role in the tissue softening of tomatoes, This study indicates that irradiation at 0.5 kGy can reduce microbial counts substantially to improve microbial shelf life without adverse effects on sensory qualities.     

Wide bandgap OPV polymers based on pyridinonedithiophene unit with efficiency >5%

We report the properties of a new series of wide band gap photovoltaic polymers based on the N-alkyl 2-pyridone dithiophene (PDT) unit. These polymers are effective bulk heterojunction solar cell materials when blended with phenyl-C₇₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM). They achieve power conversion efficiencies (up to 5.33%) high for polymers having such large bandgaps, ca. 2.0 eV (optical) and 2.5 eV (electrochemical). Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) reveals strong correlations between π–π stacking distance and regularity, polymer backbone planarity, optical absorption maximum energy, and photovoltaic efficiency.     

Polymer Composites with Plasma-Treated Fillers

A Large-volume Microwave Plasma (LMP) generator has been used to irradiate mica and ground-wood fibers in inert and active gas environments. Irradiated fillers were subsequently incorporated in a polypropylene matrix at solids levels of 10 and 20%. Calorimetrically measured heats of immersion showed that substantial changes in surface properties of fillers were effected by irradiation in ethylene, ammonia, and similar active gases. These surface changes are reflected In ultimate tensile and elongation properties of composites which show marked improvement over controls based on unirradiated fillers. Although no appreciable response in melt viscosity has been observed, surface treatment of fillers does seem to increase significantly melt elasticity of filled composites. The implications of improved performance motivate a more detailed study of the use potential of LMP in the fomulation of polymer composites.     

Particle size analysis of inorganic pigments

A disc-type centrifuge has been found satisfactory for the fractionation of several inorganic pigments including titania and calcium carbonate. It is particularly useful for pigments of less than 10 μ.     

Polymer–monomer binary mixtures. I. Eutectic and epitaxial crystallization in poly(ϵ-caprolactone)–trioxane mixtures

Binary mixtures of a linear polyester (poly(?-caprolactone)) and a crystallizable monomer (trioxane) have been investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry and optical and electron microscopy. The phase diagram indicates the existence of a eutectic at a temperature T_mE = 314°K and for a polymer volume fraction ?_2E = 0.70, values close to those predicated by the Flory–Huggins theory (using χ = 0.3). Microscopic studies reveal unusual morphologies: (1) In hypoeutectic mixtures, at room temperature, the solvent crystallizes as highly ramified or branched needles. When the remaining melt reaches the eutectic composition, transcrystallization of the polymer is induced by the epitaxial deposition (as established by electron diffraction) of polycaprolactone on the existing trioxane crystals, and leads to highly ordered structures. (2) In hypereutectic mixtures a predominantly spherulitic texture is observed. Blends of trioxane and several other linear polyesters are found to exhibit similar behavior.     

Universal aging features in the restructuring of fractal colloidal gels

We use multispeckle dynamic light scattering to measure the dynamic structure factor, f(q,tau), of gels formed by aggregation of colloids. Although the gel is an elastic solid, f(q,tau) nearly completely decays on long time scales, with an unusual form, f(q, tau) approximately exp{-(tau/tau(f))(mu)}, with mu approximately 1.5 and with tau(f) proportional variant q(-1). A model for restructuring of the gel with aging correctly accounts for this behavior. Aging leads to a dramatic increase in tau(f); however, all data can be scaled on a single master curve, with tau(f) asymptotically growing linearly with age. This behavior is strikingly similar to that predicted for aging in disordered glassy systems, offering convincing proof of the universality of these concepts.     

Search for the CP forbidden decay eta-->4pi(0)

We report the first determination of the upper limit for the branching ratio of the CP forbidden decay eta-->4pi(0). No events were observed in a sample of 3.0x10(7) eta decays. The experiment was performed with the Crystal Ball multiphoton spectrometer installed in a separated pi(-) beam at the AGS (Alternating Gradient Synchrotron). At the 90% confidence limit, B(eta-->4pi(0))相似文献