Diluent effects on the Debye-type dielectric relaxation in viscous monohydroxy alcohols

With the recognition that the Debye-type dielectric relaxation of liquid monohydroxy alcohols does not reflect the structural relaxation dynamics associated with the viscous flow and the glass transition, its behavior upon dilution is expected to differ from that of real alpha-processes. We have investigated the Debye-type dielectric relaxation of binary alcohol/alkane mixtures across the entire concentration range in the supercooled regimes. The focus is on 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in two nonpolar liquids, 3-methylpentane and squalane, which are more fluid and more viscous than the alcohol, respectively. The Debye relaxation is found to occur only for alcohol mole fractions x > 0.2 and is always accompanied by a non-Debye relaxation originating from the alcohol component. Prior to its complete disappearance, the Debye relaxation is subject to broadening. We observe that the Debye dynamics of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol is accelerated in the more fluid 3-methylpentane, while the more viscous squalane leads to longer Debye relaxation times. The present experiments also provide evidence that the breakdown of the Debye relaxation amplitude does not imply the absence of hydrogen-bonded structures.     

Reactively compatibilized and dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers based on high-density polyethylene and reclaimed rubber

Melt blending was employed to prepare thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) of reclaimed rubber (RR) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Mechanical properties of TPE samples were improved in different methods including dynamic vulcanization and reactive blending (reactive compatibilization) during melt mixing in an internal Haake mixer. The physical and mechanical properties of the TPE blends were investigated by the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests. The thermal behavior was characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The phase morphology of the blends was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Experimental results showed that, both static and dynamic mechanical properties of reactively-compatibilized and dynamically-vulcanized samples improved significantly compared with the virgin samples. The effect of dynamic-vulcanization and reactivecompatibilization on the mechanical properties revealed that the Young’s modulus and storage modulus increased with both improvement methods. SEM results showed that, dynamic-vulcanization and reactivecompatibilization methods improved the distribution of RR particles in HDPE matrix. Although both methods improved the thermal and mechanical properties of the HDPE/RR blends, dynamic-vulcanization was more effective and promising approach due to the higher properties of HDPE/RR blends prepared by this method.     

Dynamics of glass-forming liquids. VIII. Dielectric signature of probe rotation and bulk dynamics in branched alkanes

We have measured the dielectric relaxation of several glass forming branched alkanes with very low dielectric loss in the frequency range 50 Hz-20 kHz. The molecular liquids of this study are 3-methylpentane, 3-methylheptane, 4-methylheptane, 2,3-dimethylpentane, and 2,4,6-trimethylheptane. All liquids display asymmetric loss peaks typical of supercooled liquids and slow beta relaxations of similar amplitudes. As an unusual feature, deliberate doping with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 5-methyl-2-hexanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 1-propanol, or 2-methyltetrahydrofuran at the 1 wt % level generates additional relaxation peaks at frequencies below those of the alpha relaxation. The relaxation times of these sub-alpha-peaks increase systematically with the size of the dopant molecules. Because these features are spectrally separate from the bulk dynamics, the rotational behavior and effective dipole moments of the probes can be studied in detail. For the alcohol guest molecules, the large relative rotational time scales and small effective dipole moments are indicative of hydrogen bonded clusters instead of individual molecules.     

Fabrication of electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer and nanoparticles for determination trace amounts of morphine

Ionics - A simple and rapid electrochemical method developed for the detection of trace amounts of morphine (MO) at the surface of modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) with multiwall carbon...     

Studies of the condensation of sulfones with ketones and aldehydes

[reaction: see text] The condensation of ketones or aldehydes with sulfones was shown to give a variety of products. Condensation of 2-methylcyclohexanone with dimethyl sulfone using potassium t-butoxide as base gave useful yields of 1,2-dimethylenecyclohexane. Under the same conditions, cycloheptanone, 3-methyl-2-butanone, and 2-butanone were converted to dienes. Remarkably, these reaction conditions converted acetophenone into p-terphenyl (10%) and (E)-1,4-diphenyl-3-penten-1-one (44%). Propiophenone was converted to 2'-methyl-p-terphenyl (61%). Using alpha-tetralone produced 1-methynaphthalene and naphthalene. No reaction took place with beta-tetralone. Using diethyl sulfone with alpha-tetralone lead to pure naphthalene. Condensation of isobutyraldehyde and dimethyl sulfone using potassium t-butoxide gave isoprene in low yield. Using benzaldehyde and benzyl phenyl sulfone in N,N-dimethylacetamide gave 1,2-diphenyl-1-phenylsulfonylethylene, N,N-dimethylcinnamide, and a complex condensation product. Only 1,2-diphenyl-1-phenylsulfonylethylene was obtained when the solvent was THF.     

Dynamics of glass-forming liquids. X. Dielectric relaxation of 3-bromopentane as molecular probes in 3-methylpentane

The glass-forming liquids 3-bromopentane (3BP) and 3-methylpentane (3MP) are readily miscible across the entire composition range, although their polarities differ considerably. As noted by Berberian [J. Non-Cryst. Solids 131-133, 48 (1991)], the nearly matching molar volumes makes this binary system appear ideal for probe-sensitized measurements. We have performed a dielectric study of these mixtures in the range of 3BP mole fractions x from 2 x 10(-4) to 0.75. In the limit of low concentrations, x<0.5%, the dielectric loss peak of 3BP is slower by a factor of 2.5 relative to that of 3MP. Additionally, the relaxation behavior of the guest is more exponential than that of the host liquid. We interpret the distinct dynamics of the guest as a result of temporal averaging over the heterogeneous host dynamics, with the exchange time being near the longest structural time constant of the system.     

Combination of polymer and halloysite chemistry for development of a novel catalytic hybrid system

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A covalent hybrid of halloysite-poly(methyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride) was prepared and applied for the immobilization of Pd nanoparticles. The hybrid...