Rheological study of segmented polyurethane and polycaprolactone blends

The dynamic rheological properties of segmented polyurethane based on polycaprolactone diol (PU-PCL diol) and poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) blends were experimentally examined and theoretically analyzed using Palierne model. PU–PCL diol was melt blended with PCL in three different ratios of 20, 30, and 40%. Initial modeling attempts failed to fit the experimental data of these blends, as the model overpredicted their rheological data. This failure is believed to be due to partial dissolution of PCL in PU. According to our obtained results from differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic thermal mechanical analysis, pure PU–PCL diol is diluted by its homopolymer. By calculating the complex modulus of this diluted matrix using a simple mixing rule and its incorporation into the model, good fitting of the Palierne equation to the experimental data was obtained.     

Esterification reaction using solid heterogeneous acid catalysts under solvent-less condition

The preparation of di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DOP) via esterification reaction of phthalic anhydride by 2-ethylhexanol in the presence of solid acidic catalysts has been investigated. The used catalysts were natural zeolite, synthetic zeolites (ZEOKAR-2, ASHNCH-3), heteropolyacid H₄Si(W₃O₁₀)₄ and sulfated ZrO₂. The reactions were carried out under solvent-less conditions. It was observed that sulfated ZrO₂ has higher reactivity and efficiency among the investigated catalysts. In the next part of the work, important plasticizers and ester base oils have prepared through esterification reaction of anhydrides and acids by alcohols in the presence of sulfated zirconia.     

Elongational viscosity of LDPE with various structures: employing a new evolution equation in MSF theory

Molecular stress function theory with new strain energy function is used to analyze transient extensional viscosity data of seven low-density polyethylene (LDPE) melts with various molecular structures as published by Stadler et al. (Rheol Acta 48:479–490, 2009) Pivokonsky et al. (J Non Newton Fluid Mech 135:58–67, 2006) and Wagner et al. (J Rheol 47(3):779–793, 2003). The new strain energy function has three nonlinear viscoelastic material parameters and assumes that the total stored energy of a branched molecule is given by different backbone and side chains stretching. The model parameters have been fitted for each LDPE in order to correlate with the supposed macromolecular structure expected from the type of synthesis. Most probable molecular structures for these LDPEs are comb and Cayley tree structures for respectively low- and high-molecular weight parts.     

CuO-nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode for square wave voltammetric determination of lidocaine: Comparing classical and Box–Behnken optimization methodologies

In this research, copper oxide nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode was developed for the voltammetric determination of lidocaine. The square wave voltammogram of lidocaine solution showed a well-defined peak between +0.5 and +1.5 V. Instrumental and chemical parameters influencing voltammetric response were optimized by both one at a time and Box–Behnken model of response surface methodology. The results revealed that there was no significant difference between two methods of optimization. The linear range was 1–2500 μmol L~(-1)(Ip= 0.11 C_(LH)+ 17.38, R~2= 0.999). The LOD and LOQ based on three and ten times of the signal to noise(S/N) were 0.39 and 1.3 μmol L~(-1)(n = 10),respectively. The precision of the method was assessed for 10 replicate square wave voltammetry(SWV)determinations each of 0.05, 0.5 and 1 μmol L~(-1) of lidocaine showing relative standard deviations 4.1%,3.7% and 2.1%, respectively. The reliability of the proposed method was established by application of the method for the determination of lidocaine in two pharmaceutical preparations, namely injection and gel.     

A new bomb-combustion system for tritium extraction

Quantitative extraction of tritium from a sample matrix is critical to efficient measurement of the low-energy pure beta emitter. Oxidative pyrolysis using a tube furnace (Pyrolyser) has been adopted as an industry standard approach for the liberation of tritium (Warwick et al. in Anal Chim Acta 676:93–102, 2010) however pyrolysis of organic-rich materials can be problematic. Practically, the mass of organic rich sample combusted is typically limited to <1 g to minimise the possibility of incomplete combustion. This can have an impact on both the limit of detection that can be achieved and how representative the subsample is of the bulk material, particularly in the case of heterogeneous soft waste. Raddec International Ltd (Southampton, UK), in conjunction with GAU-Radioanalytical, has developed a new high-capacity oxygen combustion bomb (the Hyperbaric Oxidiser; HBO₂) to address this challenge. The system is capable of quantitatively combusting samples of 20–30 g under an excess of oxygen, facilitating rapid extraction of total tritium from a wide range sample types.