Gelation of β-lactoglobulin in the presence of propylene glycol alginate: kinetics and gel properties

The role of the non-gelling polysaccharide, propyleneglycol alginate (PGA), on the dynamics of gelation and gel properties of β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) under conditions where the protein alone does not gel (6%) was analyzed. To this end, the kinetics of gelation, aggregation and denaturation of β-lg in the mixed systems (pH 7) were studied at different temperatures (64–88 °C). The presence of PGA increased thermal stability of β-lg. The rate of β-lg denaturation was decreased and the onset and peak denaturation temperatures increased by 2.2–2.4 °C. PGA promoted the formation of larger aggregates that continued to grow in time. An average aggregate diameter of approximately 300 nm is reached at the gel point in the mixed β-lg+PGA systems, irrespective of the heating temperature. Comparing the activation energies for the aggregation (193 kJ/mol), denaturation (422 kJ/mol) and formation of the primary gel structure (1/t_gel) (256 kJ/mol) processes in the mixed protein–polysaccharide system, it can be concluded that the rate determining step in the formation of the primary gel structure would be the aggregation of protein. E_a values for the processes after the gel point (solid phase gelation) suggest a diffusion limited process because of the high viscosity of the solid gelling matrix. The characteristics of the mixed β-lg+PGA gels in terms of rheological and textural parameters, water loss and microstructure were studied as a function of heating temperature and time. The extent of aggregation and the type of interactions involved, prior to denaturation seem to be very important in determining the gel structure and its properties.     

H NMR relaxation in urea

Proton NMR spin–lattice relaxation times T₁ were measured for urea as a function of temperature. An activation energy of 46.3 ± 4.7 kJ/mol was extracted and compared with the range of 38–65 kJ/mol previously reported in the literature as measured by different magnetic resonance techniques. In addition, proton NMR spin–lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame T_1ρ were measured as a function of temperature. These measurements provide acquisition conditions for the ¹³C and ¹⁵N CP/MAS spectra of pure urea in the crystalline phase.     

Conical intersection in a bilirubin model – A possible pathway for phototherapy of neonatal jaundice

Phototherapy of neonatal jaundice involves Z–E-isomerisation around an exocyclic double bond in bilirubin. Our results of a CASSCF study on dipyrrinone, a bilirubin model, show a conical intersection between the ground and first excited singlet states associated with the Z–E-isomerisation. The conical intersection, located ca. 50 kJ/mol below the Franck–Condon-point, together with the S₁ minimum, ca. 50 kJ/mol below the conical intersection, are able to explain the available time-resolved spectroscopic data (the very short lifetime of the initially excited state and transient ‘dark state’ intermediate) as well as bilirubin’s very low fluorescence quantum yield and the medium-efficient photoisomerisation reaction.     

Controlled Rate Thermal Analysis of kaolinite dehydroxylation: effect of water vapour pressure on the mechanism

The present kinetic study is focused on one aspect of kaolinite dehydroxylation, namely the influence of water vapour pressure in the 10⁻³ to 5 hPa range and in the presence of crystalline defects. The experimental problem of keeping, throughout the dehydroxylation, the pressure gradients negligible around and within the sample is solved by means of Controlled Rate Evolved Gas Detection (CR-EGD). The dehydroxylation rate selected is as low as 0.014 h⁻¹ (which corresponds to a duration of 70 h for the whole experiment). Moreover, more than 20 independent measurements of the apparent Arrhenius energy of activation are carried out all along the dehydroxylation, with help of the rate–jump method, and therefore, without any assumption about the rate law of the determining step. In these conditions, the apparent Arrhenius energy of activation measured during the dehydroxylation of a poorly crystallised kaolinite is shown to be constant in the range 0.02<<0.84 (under 10⁻³ hPa) and in the range 0.18<<0.80 (under 5 hPa), indicating that the rate law obeys the Arrhenius law in this range of extent of reaction. The corresponding activation energies obtained are (233±15) kJ/mol under 10⁻³ hPa and only (188±10) kJ/mol under 5 hPa. Although this decrease is in contradiction with previously published results, it can be interpreted by considering that, under 10⁻³ hPa, diffusion is the limiting step whereas, under 5 hPa, the part of water desorption probably becomes predominant.     

The effect of heat ageing on fracture toughness in uPVC pressure pipe

This paper reports a study of the effect of accelerated heat ageing in air on the fracture toughness of two uPVC pipes. The pipes were extruded at 179°C and 195°C respectively and curved fracture toughness specimens were aged at temperatures between 100 and 140°C. After testing at a crosshead rate of 1 mm/min, a similar activation energy of between 104 and 115 kJ/mol was calculated, for both pipes, from the variation of fracture toughness with ageing time and temperature. Extrapolation of the elevated-temperature data down to 20°C showed thermo-oxidative degradation to have a small effect on the fracture toughness during the expected service lifetime of 50–100 years.     

Systematic investigation of the effects of temperature and pressure on gas transport through polyurethane/poly(methylmethacrylate) phase-separated blends

Polyurethane (PU) and polyurethane–poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) blend membranes were used in gas separation studies. The effects of blend composition, temperature, and pressure on the permeability, diffusivity, and solubility of CO₂, H₂, O₂, CH₄, and N₂ were investigated. The separation factors of some gas pairs were also evaluated. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy was applied to assess free volume changes as a function of blend composition and temperature. Free volume size increases by approximately 30% with increasing temperature from 10 to 40 °C for all blends studied. The permeability of all gases decreases by approximately 55% with the addition of 30 wt% of PMMA. The permeation process is governed by diffusion, except that of CO₂. In relation to the behavior of gas transport as a function of temperature, some important observations are (i) CO₂ presents the lowest permeation activation energy value (28 kJ/mol), and (ii) gas pair selectivity increases at low temperatures and is high for gas pairs that present differences in permeation activation energies as high as 15 kJ/mol for the CO₂/CH₄ gas pair. Furthermore, the study with pressure variations shows that: (i) at elevated pressure, the PU and the blend membrane permeability to CO₂ and H₂ increases by approximately 35%, and (ii) oxygen-to-nitrogen selectivity increases with pressure as a consequence of the decrease in the permeability to nitrogen in the case of the 30%-PMMA blend.     

聚芳醚醚酮的热老化寿命研究

本工作用热重法(TG)研究了聚芳醚醚酮(PEEK)在空气和氮气中的热分解反应过程;确定了PEEK在这两种气氛中的热分解反应模型均符合无规引发断裂模型;在空气中PEEK的热分解显示两个过程,由此计算其在空气中第一阶段的热分解和氮气中的热分解反应活化能分别为214.7kJ/mol和232.2kJ/mol;由热分解反应动力学参数推算出热老化寿命曲线,并讨论了实验条件对结果的影响,进而以失重5%作为材料寿终指标估算出PEEK在氮气和空气中使用10年的最高温度分别为307℃和274℃。     

Phase behavior, conformations, thermodynamic properties, and molecular motion of multicomponent paraffin waxes: A Raman spectroscopy study

Variable-temperature (72–20 °C) studies of Raman spectra (3100–800 cm⁻¹) and thermal analysis of multicomponent paraffin wax have been carried out. The disorder–order transition under liquid–solid transition was observed and their temperature ranges were obtained through the S_lateral order parameter as a function of temperature. From 56 to 43 °C, the paraffin undergoes a conformational state transition of non-extended chain state (NECS) to extended chain state (ECS). The enthalpy and entropy change for the transition obtained by van’t Hoff analysis were 214.286 ± 21 kJ/mol and 0.661 ± 0.066 kJ/mol/K, respectively. The enthalpy determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was 52.165 ± 5.2 kJ/mol, which is smaller than the van’t Hoff enthalpy due to larger effective non-extended chain state. The variation of Raman spectra with decreasing temperature presents the structure evolution and molecular motion during the crystallization of paraffin wax.     

TGA application for optimising the accelerated aging conditions and predictions of thermal aging of rubber

Changes in the residual compression set, tensile strength and elongation at break, as well as the oxygen absorption and mass change, are evaluated during the thermal oxidation of butadiene-nitrile-based carbon black-filled rubber. Activation energies for the processes are determined. Using TGA, the activation energy of the first thermal degradation stage (87-88 kJ/mol) corresponded to the increase in compression set. The activation energy of the second stage (116-117 kJ/mol) corresponded to the decrease in the elongation at break and oxygen absorption. These correlations confirm that TGA can be used to predict the thermal stability of rubber.     

H(2)O Outgassing Properties of Fumed and Precipitated Silica Particles by Temperature-Programmed Desorption

Temperature-programmed desorption was performed at temperatures up to 850 K on as-received fumed and precipitated silica particles. Physisorbed water molecules on both types of silica had activation energies in the range of 38–61 kJ/mol. However, the activation energies of desorption for chemisorbed water varied from 80 to >247 kJ/mol for fumed silica, Cab-O-Sil-M-7D, and 96 to 155 kJ/mol for precipitated silica, Hi-Sil-233. Our results suggest that physisorbed water can be effectively pumped away at room temperature (or preferably at 320 K) in a matter of hours. Chemisorbed water with high activation energies of desorption (>126 kJ/mol) will not escape silica surfaces in 100 years even at 320 K, while a significant amount of the chemisorbed water with medium activation energies (80–109 kJ/mol) will leave the silica surfaces in that time span. Most of the chemisorbed water with activation energies <126 kJ/mol can be pumped away in a matter of days in a good vacuum environment at 500 K. We had previously measured about 0.1–0.4 wt% of water in silica-reinforced polysiloxane formulations containing 21% Cab-O-Sil-M-7D and 4% Hi-Sil-233. Comparing present results with these formulations, we conclude that the adsorbed H₂O and the Si–OH bonds on the silica surfaces are the major contributors to water outgassing from these types of silica-filled polymers.     

Lifetime predictions for semi-crystalline cable insulation materials: I. Mechanical properties and oxygen consumption measurements on EPR materials

Long-term accelerated aging studies (up to 7 years of aging) were conducted on four typical EPR materials used as cable insulation in nuclear power plant safety applications with the goal of establishing lifetime estimates at typical aging conditions of ∼50 °C. The four materials showed slow to moderate changes in mechanical properties (tensile elongation) until just before failure where abrupt changes occurred (so-called “induction-time” behavior). Time-temperature superposition was applied to derive shift factors and probe for Arrhenius behavior. Three of the materials showed reasonable time-temperature superposition with the empirically derived shift factors yielding an approximate Arrhenius dependence on temperature. Since the elongation results for the fourth material could not be successfully superposed, consistency with Arrhenius assumptions was impossible. For this material the early part of the mechanical degradation appeared to have an Arrhenius activation energy E_a of ∼100 kJ/mol (24 kcal/mol) whereas the post-induction degradation data had an E_a of ∼128 kJ/mol. Oxygen consumption measurements were used to confirm the 100 kJ/mol E_a found from early-time elongation results and to show that the chemistry responsible before the induction time is likely to remain unchanged down to 50 °C. Reasonable extrapolations of the induction-time results indicated 50 °C lifetimes exceeding 300 years for all four materials.     

Theoretical study on the structure and UV–visible spectrum of pyridine–chloranil charge-transfer complex

The ground-state structure of the charge-transfer complex formed by pyridine (Py) as electron donor and chloranil (CA) as acceptor has been studied by full geometry optimization at the MP2 and DFT levels of theory. Binding energies were calculated and counterpoise corrections were used to correct the BSSE. Both MP2 and DFT indicate that the pyridine binds with chloranil to form an inclined T-shape structure, with the pyridine plane perpendicular to the chloranil. The CP and ZPE corrected binding energies were calculated to be 14.21 kJ/mol by PBEPBE/6-31G(d) and 23.21 kJ/mol by MP2/6-31G(d). The charge distribution of the ground state Py–CA complex was evaluated with the natural population analysis, showing a net charge transfer from Py to CA. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals reveals a σ–π interaction between CA and Py, and the binding is reinforced by the attraction of the O₇ atom of CA with the H₂₃ atom of Py. TD-DFT calculations have been performed to analyze the UV–visible spectrum of Py–CA complex, revealing both the charge transfer transitions and the weak symmetry-relieved chloranil π–π^* transition in the UV–visible region.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations of structure, and vibrational assignment of 2-hexyne

The infrared spectra (3500–50 cm⁻¹) of the gas and solid and the Raman spectra (3500–50 cm⁻¹) of the liquid and solid have been recorded for 2-hexyne, CH₃–CC–CH₂CH₂CH₃. Variable temperature studies of the infrared spectrum (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 2-hexyne dissolved in liquid krypton have also been recorded. Utilizing four anti/gauche conformer pairs, the anti(trans) conformer is found to be the lower energy form with an enthalpy difference of 74±8 cm⁻¹ (0.88±0.10 kJ/mol) determined from krypton solutions over the temperature range −105 to −150 °C. At room temperature it is estimated that there is 42% of the anti conformer present. Equilibrium geometries and energies of the two conformers have been determined by ab initio (HF and MP2) and hybrid DFT (B3LYP) methods using a number of basis sets. Only the HF and DFT methods predict the anti conformer as the more stable form as found experimentally. A vibrational assignment is proposed based on the force constants, relative intensities, depolarization ratios from the ab initio and DFT calculations and on rotational band contours obtained using the calculated equilibrium geometries. From calculated energies it is shown that the CH₃ group exhibits almost completely free rotation which is in agreement with the observation of sub-band structure for the degenerate methyl vibrations from which values of the Coriolis coupling constants, ζ, have been determined. The results are compared to similar properties of some corresponding molecules.     

A simultaneous TG–DTA study of the thermal decomposition of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-carboxyphenyl ester (salsalate)

Simultaneous thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA) and gas and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry detection have been used to study the kinetics and decomposition of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-carboxyphenyl ester, commercially known as salsalate. Samples of salsalate were heated in the TG–DTA apparatus in an inert atmosphere (100 ml min⁻¹ nitrogen) in the temperature range 30–500 °C. The data indicated that the decomposition of salsalate is a two-stage process. The first decomposition stage (150–250 °C) had a best fit with second-order kinetics with E_a=191–198 kJ/mol. The second decomposition stage (300–400 °C) is described as a zero-order process with E_a=72–80 kJ/mol. The products of the decomposition were investigated in two ways:

(a)Salsalate was heated in a gas chromatograph at various isothermal temperatures in the range 150–280 °C, and the exit gas stream analyzed by mass spectrometry (GC–MS). This approach suggested that salsalate decomposes with the formation of salicylic acid, phenol, phenyl salicylate, and cyclic oligomers of salicylic acid di- and tri-salicylides.

(b)One gram samples of salsalate were heated in a vessel under nitrogen to 150 °C, and the residues were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The major compound detected was a linear tetrameric salicylate ester.

     

Investigation of the curing reactions of some multifunctional epoxy resins using differential scanning calorimetry

Curing reaction of three tetrafunctional epoxy resins in the presence of tetraethylene tetramine was examined by differential scanning calorimetry at different heating rates. The kinetic parameters of the curing reaction were determined using various computational methods (Barrett, Borchardt–Daniels and Kissinger). The heating rate shows a great influence on the curing process. The activation energy varied in the range 43–80 kJ/mol, and the order of the curing reaction is observed to be ≈1.0 with slight variations.     

Experimental measurement and modeling of the vapor–liquid equilibrium of carbon dioxide + chloroform

Isothermal bubble and dew points, saturated molar volumes, and mixture critical points for binary mixtures of carbon dioxide+chloroform (trichloromethane) (CO₂/CHCl₃) have been measured in the temperature region 303.15–333.15 K and at pressures up to 100 bar. Mixture critical points are reported at 313.15, 323.15, and 333.15 K. The data were modeled with the Peng–Robinson equation of state using both the van der Waals-1 (vdW-1) mixing rule and the Wong–Sandler (WS) mixing rule incorporating the UNIQUAC excess free energy model. The WS mixing rule provided a better representation of the data than did the vdW-1 mixing rule, though with three adjustable parameters instead of one. The extrapolating ability of both of the mixing rules was investigated. Using the parameters regressed at 323.15 K, the WS mixing rule yielded better extrapolations for the composition dependence at 303.15, 313.15, and 333.15 K than the vdW-1 mixing rule.     

3D equilibrium crystal shapes of Pb: the significance of step-resolved images

Scanning tunnelling microscopy has proven to be an extremely useful technique for imaging small crystallites equilibrated at elevated temperature. As an example, we review recent work on three-dimensional Pb crystallites of 1–2 μm diameter, supported on Ru(0 0 1). Large (1 1 1) facets and, depending on temperature, small (1 1 2) facets were observed in the top section of the crystallites. The temperature dependent facet anisotropy was analyzed to yield the absolute step free energies of Pb(1 1 1) vicinal steps. The vicinal region close to the (1 1 1) facet was studied in detail to determine the shape exponent, the step–step interaction energy and the constant of the dipole interaction potential. Boundary conditions of the evaluated vicinal region have been specified for proving the universality of shapes, characterized by the exponent of 3/2, which is clear evidence for the 1/x² step interaction potential. The role of the activation barrier for facet growth or shrinkage is discussed in the context of attaining 3D equilibrium of crystallites. A comparative study of crystallites with defect-free and dislocated facets shows significant differences, providing direct evidence of the activation barrier. Reliable step–step interaction energies were obtained for dislocated crystallites. Extrapolating the temperature dependent total step interaction energy to 0 K yields for the first time values of the structure dependent dipole–dipole step interaction energies of A- and B-steps.     

Thermal decomposition of zinc carbonate hydroxide

This study is devoted to the thermal decomposition of two zinc carbonate hydroxide samples up to 400 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), boat experiments and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were used to follow the decomposition reactions. The initial samples and the solid decomposition products were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and laser particle size analyzer. Results showed that zinc carbonate hydroxide decomposition started at about 150 °C and the rate of decomposition became significant at temperatures higher than 200 °C. The apparent activation energies (E_a) in the temperature range 150–240 °C for these two samples were 132 and 153 kJ/mol. The XRD analyses of the intermediately decomposed samples and the DSC results up to 400 °C suggested a single-step decomposition of zinc carbonate hydroxide to zinc oxide with not much change in their overall morphologies.     

Thermally degrading polyethylene studied by means of factor-jump thermogravimetry

Degradation of polyethylene in both linear (NBS 1475) and branched (NBS 1476) form has been studied in the range 410–475°C using factor-jump thermogravimetry. In vacuum, the rate of weight loss was erratic because of bubbling in the sample. The apparent overall activation energy was determined to be 65.4 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (273 ± 2 kJ/mol). There was no distinguishable difference between linear and branched samples. In slowly flowing N₂ at 8 mmHg (1 mmHg = 133 Pa), the overall activation energy was determined to be 64.8 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (271 ± 1 kJ/mol) for linear PE and 64.4 ± 0.2 kcal/mol (269 ± 1 kJ/mol) for a sample of PE with one percent branches. In N₂ at 800 mmHg, the values were 62.6 ± 0.5 kcal/mol for linear PE and 61.2 ± 0.6 kcal/mol for the branched sample, the rate of weight loss being smooth in both cases. Changing the linear flow velocities over the range 1–4 mm/sec at 800 mmHg did not affect the results. From the insertion of typical values in the equation relating the overall activation energy for weight loss from linear polyethylene to the activation energies of the component steps, a degradation mechanism involving scission β to allyl groups, with rapid hydrogen abstraction, slower subsequent β scission, and bimolecular termination, is indicated. The activation energy of β scission for secondary alkyl radicals is estimated to be 33 kcal/mol. The reason for the lower activation energies in N₂ is related to the effects of preformed molecules. The average molecular weights of the volatiles in vacuum and for 8 and 800 mmHg N₂ have been shown to be in the ratios 1 to 1/4 to 1/10, respectively, at these imposed rates of weight loss. The activation energies to use for the initial stage of degradation are 70.6 kcal/mol (295 kJ/mol) in vacuum and 67.8 kcal/mol (284 kJ/mol) at atmospheric pressure.     

Kinetics of the degradation of polystyrene in supercritical acetone

The kinetic analysis of the degradation of polystyrene (PS) in supercritical acetone has been studied using the nonisothermal weight loss technique with heating rates of 3, 5 and 7 °C/min. The weight loss data according to degradation temperature have been analyzed using the integral method based on Arrhenius form to obtain the kinetic parameters such as apparent activation energy and overall reaction order. The kinetic parameters obtained from this work were also compared with those of the thermal degradation of PS in nitrogen atmosphere. From this work, it was found that the activation energies of PS degradation in supercritical acetone were 73.3-200.7 kJ/mol and lower than those of the thermal degradation in nitrogen atmosphere.