Infrared absorption spectra of cyanide complexes of group VIII metals with nitrogen- and sulphur-containing ligands

Research into the IR absorption spectra of the products of interaction between nitrosyl pentacyanide complexes of some Group VIII metals and thiourea and thiocyanate has been carried out in the region 400–4000 cm^?1.An assumption has been made concerning the formation of intermediates of the association type. The changes in the spectra during the formation of intermediates indicate a weakening of ligand bonds with a metal-complexing agent.The data obtained for the series of cyanide complexes of Group VIII metals with heterogeneous ligands allow us to suggest a strengthening of the M-S bond between thiourea and metals in the order Os > Ni > Co ? FeThe M-NCS bond between the thiocyanate group and metals of the iron family is practically equivalent.Osmium coordinates the SCN^? group through the sulphur atom.     

Parallel solution of elasticity problems using overlapping aggregations

The finite element (FE) solution of geotechnical elasticity problems leads to the solution of a large system of linear equations. For solving the system, we use the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) method with two-level additive Schwarz preconditioner. The preconditioning is realised in parallel. A coarse space is usually constructed using an aggregation technique. If the finite element spaces for coarse and fine problems on structural grids are fully compatible, relations between elements of matrices of the coarse and fine problems can be derived. By generalization of these formulae, we obtain an overlapping aggregation technique for the construction of a coarse space with smoothed basis functions. The numerical tests are presented at the end of the paper.     

Problem with nonlocal two-point condition in time for a homogeneous partial differential equation of infinite order with respect to space variables

We specify a class of unique solvability of a problem with nonlocal boundary condition for a homogeneous partial differential equation of the first order with respect to time and of infinite order with respect to space variables with constant complex coefficients. In the class of quasipolynomials of special form, we indicate formulas for the construction of a solution of the problem that require a finite number of differentiation operations of analytically given functions. For the case where there exists a nonunique solution of the problem, we present an algorithm of the construction of its partial solution.     

Low-temperature heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of layered perovskite-like oxides NaNdTiO4 and Na2Nd2Ti3O10

We report the results of the study of thermodynamic properties for layered perovskite-like oxides NaNdTiO₄ and Na₂Nd₂Ti₃O₁₀. Isobaric heat capacity of the compounds was measured in an adiabatic calorimeter in the range of 5–340 K. Low-temperature heat capacity anomaly was observed in the heat capacity curve of Na₂Nd₂Ti₃O₁₀. Standard thermodynamic properties of the oxides were evaluated from the experimental heat capacity temperature dependencies. Finally, on the basis of the experimental data obtained in this work, we tested applicability of the additivity principle for prediction of thermodynamic properties for layered compounds built of fragments of various structural types.     

Study of amphiphilic polyester micelles by hyper-rayleigh scattering: invertibility and phase transfer

For the first time, hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) of invertible polymeric micellar structures has been measured. HRS measurements on amphiphilic invertible polyesters with alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments were carried out in solvents of differing polarity. The observed strong variation of the HRS signals is attributed to the switching behavior of the polyester micelles in the different solvents. The hyperpolarizabilities and the size of the micelles increased with decreasing polarity of the solvent. Observing the dynamics of the solubilization of an insoluble dye (malachite green) by the invertible polyester in toluene confirmed the possibility to reveal conformational changes in polyester macromolecules by HRS. In contrast to UV measurements which showed a continuous increase in absorbance and indicated overall solubilization of the dye, the HRS signals decreased after approaching a maximum value. The decrease of the HRS signals is attributed to the change of dye molecules' orientation within the micelles due to the change of polymeric conformation in toluene. The results have shown that HRS is sensitive to reorientation and ordering of the macromolecules and might become a powerful tool for studying polymer micellar structures as well as phase transfer processes at the nanoscale.     

Invertible architectures from amphiphilic polyesters

We synthesized and characterized novel amphiphilic polyesters with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalities. The polyesters are soluble in organic and aqueous media and reveal the formation of inverse architectures whose behavior could be correlated to their chemical structure. We foresee that the amphiphilic properties of the polyesters reported here are obviously the basis of new architectures both in solution and on the solid surfaces, which could be used in a broad range of applications. The described synthesis of the copolymers is very simple and is based on commercially available products. That makes this approach attractive in various uses.     

Synthesis of New Amphiphilic Comb-Like Copolymers Based on Maleic Anhydride and α-Olefins

Summary: Novel amphiphilic comb-like poly(α-olefin-co-maleic anhydride) with a controlled ratio of hydrophilic (polyoxyethylene) and hydrophobic (polymethylene) side chains have been synthesized and characterized. The comb-like copolymers are soluble in organic and aqueous media and form micelles whose behaviour could be correlated to the chemical structure of polymers. We foresee that amphiphilic properties of the novel comb-like polymers are obviously the basis of new architectures in solution which could be used in a broad range of applications. Using micelles from these copolymers, silver nanoparticles with a narrow particle size distribution have been obtained as stable dispersion in both polar and non-polar media.     

Colloidal Systems on the Basis of Novel Reactive Surfmers

Summary: New anion surfmers of the family of maleic acid asymmetrical esters have been synthesized. Some of its features in the process of emulsion copolymerization with styrene have been studied. The characteristics of covering, obtained on the basis of such latexes of new generation have been investigated as well.     

An effective way to stabilize colloidal particles dispersed in polar and nonpolar media

This article offers a new approach to building up self-adjustable invertible polymer coatings at solid surfaces. The approach is based on a two-step process. In the first step, the surface of dispersed TiO2 has been functionalized with the aid of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) as a coupling agent. In the second step, the chains of amphiphilic oligoester have been covalently grafted to the titanium dioxide surface functionalized with isocyanate groups. It is shown that the titania modified in this way can form stable suspensions in both polar (water) and nonpolar (toluene) media. Multiple redispersion cycles show the ability of the modified titanium dioxide particles, after their removal from one type of dispersion and consequent drying, to be redispersed in dispersing media strongly differing by polarity from the previous.