Combined effects of clay modifications and compatibilizers on the formation and physical properties of melt‐mixed polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

The melt mixing technique was used to prepare various polypropylene (PP)‐based (nano)composites. Two commercial organoclays (denoted 20A and 30B) served as the fillers for the PP matrix, and two different maleated (so‐called) compatibilizers (denoted PP‐MA and SMA) were employed as the third component. The results from X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) experiments revealed that 190 °C was an adequate temperature for preparing the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites were achieved only if specific pairs of organoclay and compatibilizer were simultaneously incorporated in the PP matrix. For example, PP/20A(5 wt %)/PP‐MA(10 wt %) and PP/30B(5 wt %)/SMA(5 wt %) composites exhibited nanoscaled dispersion of 20A or 30B in the PP matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the organoclays served as nucleation agents for the PP matrix. Generally, their nucleation effectiveness increased with the addition of compatibilizers. The thermal stability enhancement of PP after adding 20A was confirmed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The enhancement became more evident as a suitable compatibilizer was further added. However, for the 30B‐included composites, thermal stability enhancement was not evident. The dynamic mechanical properties (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus) of PP increased as the nanocomposites were formed; the properties increment corresponded to the organoclay dispersion status in the matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4139–4150, 2004     

Application of N,N‐bis(diphenylphosphino)aniline palladium(II) complexes as pre‐catalysts in Heck coupling reactions

Palladium(II) complexes with N,N‐bis(diphenylphosphino)aniline ligands catalyse the Heck reaction between styrene and aryl bromides, affording stilbenes in good yield. The structures of two of the complexes used as pre‐catalysts have been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Controlled/living polymerization of 2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and its block copolymer with tert‐butyl methacrylate by atom transfer radical polymerization

Polymerization of 2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) via homogeneous atom transfer radical polymerization under various reaction conditions is described. The effects of the initiators and solvents were examined. With 1,1,4,7,10,10‐hexamethyl triethylenetetramine/copper(I) chloride/p‐toluenesulfonyl chloride as the ligand/catalyst/initiator system in methanol, poly(DEAEMA) with a polydispersity index as low as 1.07 was synthesized. Kinetic studies demonstrated the polymerization was very well controlled and exhibited the living characteristic of the process. Well‐defined block copolymers of DEAEMA and tert‐butyl methacrylate (tBMA) were successfully synthesized. The copolymers could be synthesized with equally good results by starting with either p(DEAEMA) or p(tBMA) as the macroinitiators. However, only the macroinitiators terminated with chlorine should be used. The corresponding macroinitiators with bromine as a transferable group did not yield well‐defined copolymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2688–2695, 2003     

An EOQ model with process reliability considerations

The classical economic order quantity (EOQ) model assumes that items produced are of perfect quality and that the unit cost of production is independent of demand. However, in realistic situations, product quality is never perfect, but is directly affected by the reliability of the production process. In this paper, we consider an EOQ model with imperfect production process and the unit production cost is directly related to process reliability and inversely related to the demand rate. In addition, a numerical example is given to illustrate the developed model. Sensitivity analysis is also performed and discussed.     

One Alkenylphenol and Steroids from the Aquatic Plant Monochoria Vaginalis

Two new compounds have been isolated from the whole plant of Monochoria vaginalis and characterized as: (10Z)‐1‐(2,6‐dihydroxyphenyl)octadec‐10‐en‐1‐one ( 1 ) (20R, 24R)‐campest‐5‐ene‐3β, 4β‐diol ( 2 ) together with nine known ones. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidence.     

Tail asymptotics for the fundamental period in the MAP/G/1 queue

This paper studies the tail behavior of the fundamental period in the MAP/G/1 queue. We prove that if the service time distribution has a regularly varying tail, then the fundamental period distribution in the MAP/G/1 queue has also regularly varying tail, and vice versa, by finding an explicit expression for the asymptotics of the tail of the fundamental period in terms of the tail of the service time distribution. Our main result with the matrix analytic proof is a natural extension of the result in (de Meyer and Teugels, J. Appl. Probab. 17: 802–813, 1980) on the M/G/1 queue where techniques rely heavily on analytic expressions of relevant functions. I.-S. Wee’s research was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant KRF 2003-070-00008.     

Preparation,thermal properties,and flame retardance of epoxy–silica hybrid resins

A novel epoxy system was developed through the in situ curing of bisphenol A type epoxy and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane with the sol–gel reaction of a phosphorus‐containing trimethoxysilane (DOPO–GPTMS), which was prepared from the reaction of 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide (DOPO) with 3‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS). The preparation of DOPO–GPTMS was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared, ¹H and ³¹P NMR, and elemental analysis. The resulting organic–inorganic hybrid epoxy resins exhibited a high glass‐transition temperature (167 °C), good thermal stability over 320 °C, and a high limited oxygen index of 28.5. The synergism of phosphorus and silicon on flame retardance was observed. Moreover, the kinetics of the thermal oxidative degradation of the hybrid epoxy resins were studied. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2354–2367, 2003