Effect of the Degree of Oil Biodegradation on the Crystallization of Methane Hydrate and Ice in Water-Oil Emulsions

To study the influence exerted by oxidized oil components on the nucleation and growth of gas hydrates the nucleation of methane hydrate and ice in 50 wt % emulsions of oil in native oil and two samples of the same oil subjected to biodegradation for 30 and 60 days (samples N, V30, and V60, respectively) were examined. In the course of measurements, the samples were cooled to–15°C at a constant rate of 0.14 deg min^–1 and then heated to the initial temperature. The initial methane pressure in the system was 15 MPa at 20°C. In the process, the temperatures were recorded at which heat effects corresponding to the formation of hydrate/ice and the melting of these. In the case of emulsion N, no exothermic effects were manifested in the cooling stage. In the heating stage, the endothermic effects of ice melting were found in half of the samples. No effects corresponding to the decomposition of the hydrate were observed. In experiment with V30 samples, the formation of the hydrate and ice was manifested as strong exothermic effects. Ice was formed in all the experiments, and the hydrate, only in 21% of the samples. Finally, in experiments with V60, ice and the hydrate were formed in 54 and 13% of cases, respectively. Their formation was manifested as weak exothermic effects in the cooling stage. Thus, it was demonstrated that the biodegradation level of oil samples affects the nucleation of methane hydrate and ice in emulsions formed on the basis of these samples.

     

Darstellung,Struktur und thermisches Verhalten einer neuen hexagonalen Ge-W-Bronze

Preparation, Structure, and Thermal Behaviour of a New Ge? W Bronce A hexagonal Ge-tungsten bronce with the composition Ge_0.24 WO₃ is obtained by chemical vapour deposition of a mixture of GeO₂ and WO₂(temperature gradient: 930 to 830°C). By means of an X-ray crystal structure analysis the space group was determined to be P622 and the lattice constants a = 744.0 pm, c = 381.7 pm. In absence of oxygen Ge_0.24 WO₃ is stable up to 850°C; in contact with air it is oxydized at temperatures T > 670°C. An anomaly in the thermal lattice expansion at temperatures T > 260°C is discussed.     

Microemulsion polymerization of styrene stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate and short‐chain alcohols

Styrene microemulsion polymerizations with different short‐chain alcohols [n‐C_iH_2i+1OH (C_iOH), where i = 4, 5, or 6] as the cosurfactant were investigated. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium persulfate (SPS) were used as the surfactant and initiator, respectively. The desorption of free radicals out of latex particles played an important role in the polymerization kinetics. An Arrhenius expression for the radical desorption rate coefficient was obtained from the polymerizations at temperatures of 50–70 °C. The polymerization kinetics were not very sensitive to the alkyl chain length of alcohols compared with the temperature effect. The maximal polymerization rate in decreasing order was C₆OH > C₄OH > C₅OH. This was related to the differences in the water solubility of C_iOH and the structure of the oil–water interface. The feasibility of using a water‐insoluble dye to study the particle nucleation mechanisms was also evaluated. The parameters chosen for the study of the particle nucleation mechanisms include the cosurfactant type (C_iOH), the SPS concentration, and the initiator type (oil‐soluble 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile versus water‐soluble SPS). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3199–3210, 2001     

Thermodynamic behavior and relaxation processes of mixed DPPC/cholesterol monolayers at the air/water interface

This study investigated the thermodynamic behavior and relaxation processes of mixed DPPC/cholesterol monolayers at the air/water interface at 37°C. Surface pressure–area isotherms and relaxation curves for the mixed monolayers were obtained by using a computer-controlled film balance. In the thermodynamic analysis of the mixed monolayers, the areas of monolayers exhibited negative deviations from the ideal values at all compositions for lower surface pressures. However, at higher surface pressures, distinctively positive deviations from ideality were observed at lower DPPC contents. Excess free energies of mixing had been calculated and the most stable state of the mixed monolayer with x_DPPC=0.5 or 0.6 was found. Moreover, the relaxation kinetics of the mixed monolayers was investigated by measuring the surface area as a function of time at a constant surface pressure of 40 mN m⁻¹. It was shown that the relaxation processes could be described by the models considering nucleation and growth mechanisms.     

Heats of chemisorption ofn-Aliphatic alcohols on α-Al2O3 at 25–200°C

A differential microcalorimeter (E. Calvet) was used to study the processes of adsorption of five aliphatic alcohols (C₁-C₅) on α-Al₂O₃ at 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200°C. In particular, the importance of the thermokinetic study of the chemisorption of such alcohols at different experimental temperatures was demonstrated, with regard to the variations in the thermokinetic parameters (t_max, t_1/2 and t₀) and the evolution of the alcohol vapor pressure on the adsorbent during the adsorption process. It was concluded that:

1. all the heat emission peaks of alcohol adsorption have the same rounded shape at 25°C;
2. on passing from methanol to 1-pentanol, the area of the adsorption peaks increases as the chain length or molecular weight increases;
3. on passing from 25 to 200°C, the shape of the adsorption peaks becomes more pointed.

     

Effect of the Intramolecular Chain Transfer to Polymer on PLP/SEC Experiments of Alkyl Acrylates

Pulsed‐laser polymerization (PLP) has been adopted by IUPAC as the method of choice for the determination of propagation rate constants (k_p). However, the method has failed in the polymerization of alkyl acrylates at temperatures above 30 °C. In this work, the PLP experiments were analyzed by simulation using a Monte Carlo algorithm. It was found that the experimental difficulties encountered to accurately determine k_p at temperatures above 30 °C were caused by extensive intramolecular chain transfer. This mechanism is not operative at lower temperatures because of its high activation energy.

Pulsed‐laser polymerization of BA in bulk at temperatures between −41 and +40 °C: Simulated MWD trace.     

Solvated electrons at elevated temperatures in different alcohols: Temperature and molecular structure effects

The absorption spectra of solvated electrons in pentanol, hexanol and octanol are measured from 22 to 200, 22 to 175 and 50 to150 °C, respectively, at a fixed pressure of 15 MPa, using nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique. The results show that the peak positions of the absorption spectra have a red-shift (shift to longer wavelengths) as temperature increases, similar to water and other alcohols. Including the above mentioned data, a compilation of currently available experimental data on the energy of absorption maximum (E_max) of solvated electrons changed with temperature in monohydric alcohols, diols and triol is presented. E_max of solvated electron is larger in those alcohols that have more OH groups at all the temperatures. The molecular structure effect, including OH numbers, OH position and carbon chain length, is investigated. For the primary alcohols with same OH group number and position, the temperature coefficient increases with increase in chain length. For the alcohols with same chain length and OH numbers, temperature coefficient is larger for the symmetric alcohols than the asymmetric ones.     

Solution Polymerization of Acrylonitrile Catalyzed by Sodium Triethylthioisopropoxyaluminate: A Polyacrylonitrile with High Structural Regularity

A new catalyst for the polymerization of acrylonitrile has been found by reacting sodium aluminum tetraethyl with a stoichiometric amount of oxygen, alcohols, or mercaptans, etc. The catalyst prepared by reacting NaAlEt₄ with RSH remains active at temperatures as low as ?78°C., polymerizing acrylonitrile into high molecular weight polymers with high conversions. At ?78°C., the propagating chain remains active over a period of days, and the chain length increases with time or conversion. At high conversions the molecular weight of the polymer is directly proportional to the concentration of the monomer, the catalyst concentration being kept constant. The efficiency of the catalyst expressed as the ratio of the number of the polymer molecules produced to the number of the sulfur atoms used is in excess of 80%. The weight-average molecular weight of the polymer measured by light scattering is roughly equal to the number-average molecular weight determined by sulfur analysis assuming only onesulfur atom in each polymer molecule. Although the data given here are only qualitative in nature, it is nevertheless evident that this system bears great resemblances to anionic polymerizations resulting in “living polymers.” The polymer obtained with the NaAlEt₃S(i-Pr) catalyst at ?78°C. differs from free-radical polyacrylonitrile in exhibiting substantially lower solubility, higher melting point, and higher rate of crystallization than that for the free-radical polymer. The polymer is also free from structural mpurities; it does not cause fluorescence in dilute solutions and has no absorption peak at 265 mμ; both these effects are produced by impurities in free-radical polyacrylonitrile. It is concluded that the polymer reported here is more regular in structure than free-radical polyacrylonitrile.     

Adsorption of triallylamine on Si(111) and its coadsorption with triethylgallium – A combined HREELS and XPS study

The adsorption of triallylamine [(C₃H₅)₃N; TAA] on Si(111)-(7 × 7) under UHV conditions was studied by means of surface sensitive electron spectroscopy. The High-Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (HREELS) yields the spectrum of vibration modes of the adsorbed species. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) gives insight into the chemical environment and the relative concentrations in the near surface region. The tertiary amine TAA physisorbes at room temperature without dissociation. Successive annealing steps induce the dissociation of the physisorbed phase at temperatures above 400°C. Further annealing leads to partial desorption of the allyl groups from the surface. At temperatures above 600°C the remaining allyl groups are fully dissociated. Hydrogen leaves the surface and nitrogen and carbon start to diffuse into the substrate. The surface chemistry of triallylamine adsorbed on a heated substrate behaves in a very similar way. The coadsorption of TAA with triethylgallium [(C₂H₅)₃Ga; TEG] in the temperature range between 500 and 800°C induces no significant change of the surface reactions. Only a small amount of gallium could be detected at the surface. The nucleation of GaN has not been observed, neither on Si(111) nor on Al₂O₃(0001) substrates.     

Investigation into the GC separation of enantiomers on a trifluoroacetylated cyclodextrin. I. Effect of analyte structure on stereoselectivity for alcohols

More than 30 enantiomeric alcohols have been analyzed, without prior derivatization, by gas chromatography using a fused silica capillary column coated with octakis(3-O-trifluoro-acetyl-2,6-di-O-n-pentyl)-γ-cyclodextrin. Most were analyzed over a range of isothermal temperatures from 35 to 70°C. Enantiomeric separations were observed for most of the analytes, even at temperatures as low as 35°C. The stereoselectivity of the stationary phase was found to depend on the length of the longest carbon chain attached to the stereogenic centre in 2- and 3-hydroxy alkanes, the relative positions of the methyl and hydroxyl substituents in methylsubstituted alcohols, and the effects of multiple bonds in the analyte molecule. Thermodynamic data calculated from the results suggest that the enantiomers of all the analytes are resolved by a similar process. Retention and thermodynamic data are presented and possible mechanisms discussed.     

Poly(methylphenyl) silane: Structural properties

The physical structure of poly(methylphenyl) silane (PMPS) has been investigated using wide-angle x-ray scattering at various temperatures and optical polarizing microscopy. The results obtained by these techniques clearly show the existence of an ordered phase in PMPS. The crystallinity of our sample was estimated to be about 10% at room temperature. Below 190°C, the atactic chains pack into a monoclinic crystalline lattice of near hexagonal symmetry, with two types of disorder existing in the packing. At about 190°C, a phase transition to a liquid crystalline columnar hexagonal packing (D_ho) occurs. Finally, the sample melts into an isotropic amorphous phase. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1727–1736, 1997     

NMR study of molecular motion in oriented long-chain alkanes. III. Oriented n-C32H66

The NMR second moment of a uniaxially oriented mat of single crystals of n-C₃₂H₆₆ (in the orthorhombic form) was measured at temperatures from ?170°C to 70°C and at various alignment angles γ between the orientation axis (preferential direction of the molecular chains) and the NMR magnetic field. Accurate expressions are given for the NMR second moment of an orthorhombic normal paraffin C_nH_2n+2 of arbitrary molecular chain length n for n ≥ 10, in the following states of molecular motion: no motion (a rigid lattice), rotation of CH₃ groups, and rotation of the chains around their axes with superimposed rotation of CH₃ groups. In addition to these well-known motions, n-C₃₂H₆₆ is found to exhibit an α process. The corresponding decrease of the NMR second moment shows the dependence on γ predicted for “flip-flop” motion, i.e., rotational jumps of the chain molecules around their axes through 180° and a simultaneous translation along these axes by one CH₂ group. The overall decrease in second moment occuring at the transition to the hexagonal rotator phase in n-C₃₂H₆₆ can be quantitatively accounted for. The dependence of this decrease on the alignment angle γ, however, is in disagreement with calculations based on a simple rotation of the chains around their axes. Considerable torsion of the chains superimposed on the rotation would improve agreement between theory and experiment.     

Self-organization processes and phase transitions in nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite according to exoemission data

Low-temperature (20–360°C) exoemission of negative charges from nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂ was studied. Thermal cycling and storage at 20°C were found to induce self-organization processes with charge separation and the formation of a negatively charged layer on the surface. The negative charge formed was long retained at elevated temperatures and only decreased during cooling in the temperature region of the structural transition, as is characteristic of thermoelectrets. No stable electrets formed in hydroxyapatite samples calcined at a high temperature (>800°C).     

Characterization of Branched Poly (vinyl Acetate) by GPC and Low Angle Laser Light Scattering Photometry

Abstract

Poly (vinyl acetate), PVAC, synthesized by bulk polymerization over a range of initiator concentrations ([AIBN] = 10^?5 to 4 × 10^?3 g-mole/1), temperatures (50°C, 60°C, 70°C, and 80°C) and conversion levels (3 to > 90%) were characterized using low angle laser light scattering (LALLS) photometry to measure M_w of the whole polymers. A number of these samples were characterized using GPC with a differential refractive index (DRI) and LALLS detector to measure the molecular weight distribution (weight fraction versus M_w). M_w for PVAC samples synthesized at suitably low initiator levels at various conversions were found to agree with classical light scattering measurements after Graessley.

An electronic device and a technique which optimizes the sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio of the LALLS photometer throughout the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the GPC chromatogram were devised. These considerably simplify the operation of the LALLS for both offline and online operation with GPC.

Most importantly it was unambiguously shown that the commonly used universal calibration parameter (UCP) with GPC, [n]M_w, is incorrect for polymers with molecules having the same hydrodynamic volume but different molecular weights, i. e., those with only chain branching (LCB), copolymers with compositional drift, and polymer blends. The correct UCP was found to     

COLLOID CHEMISTRY IN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY IN CHINA

Wool-wax alcohols are remarkably effective in stabilization of water-in-oil emulsions. The structural changes in the continuous phase have been analysed by X-ray diffraction technique between the emulsification temperature, when the alcohol phase is liquid, down to room temperature. Evidence is given for the formation of sterol multilayer structure at the oil/water interface. The bilayer thickness of the sterols is 34,3 Å, and at about 37 °C there is a transition into a phase with X-ray data in close agreement with these of anhydrous cholesterol. The aliphatic alcohol molecules, which thus separate from the sterol molecules, start to form an ordered structure at about 50 °C. First a lamellar liquid-crystalline phase is formed with a bilayer thickness of 41,1 Å. Ano α-crystal phase, with hexagonal chain packing and vertical molecules is formed at further cooling to about 40 °C. The relation between emulsion stability and ordered interfacial structure is discussed.     

Use of noncontact dilatometry for the assessment of the sintering kinetics during mullitization of three kaolinitic clays from Cameroon

Noncontact dilatometry, compared to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), was used together with scanning electron microscopy and densification behavior studies to investigate the parameters that govern the kinetics of transformation of kaolin to mullite during sintering. Three kaolinitc clays from Cameroon, with different SiO₂/Al₂O₃ molar ratio, were examined. The temperatures of mullite nucleation were 973, 979, and 984 °C at 5 °C/min heating rate, respectively, for values of SiO₂/Al₂O₃ molar ratio equal to 4.22, 2.22, and 2.08. At 20 °C/min heating rate, the temperatures are shifted to higher values, 992, 997, and 1,001 °C. The mullitization phenomenon, which includes a first step of nucleation and a second one of crystal growth, presented activation energy in the range of 650–730 kJ/mol, depending on the nature of the sample investigated. These values, obtained by noncontact dilatometer measurements, were comparable to those obtained by means of DSC and are in agreement with literature values. The difference in sintering kinetics for the three kaolinitic clays could explain the different morphologies obtained for the mullite grains.     

Low temperature relaxation in polypyromellitimide

The effect of heat treatment at temperatures above 300°C on the low temperature relaxation of poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylenepyromellitimide) (Kapton H-film) was studied by wide-line nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mechanical, and dielectric measurements. In the NMR line spectrum of the as-received film, a narrow component above ?60°C and a broad component which begins to narrow at about ?100°C were observed. It is proposed that the narrow component is associated with absorbed water, because it disappeared in the heat-treated film at 300°C in N₂. On the other hand, the behavior of the broad component was not influenced by heating to 300°C in N₂. Mechanical and dielectric loss peaks were observed at ?75°C (11 Hz) and ?65°C (1 kHz), respectively, in the as-received film. These loss peaks did not change in intensity with heating to 300°C in N₂. It is proposed that the mechanical and dielectric loss peaks corresponding to the narrowing of the NMR broad component are associated with the local-mode motion of the diphenylether portion of the polypyromellitimide chain. It was found that crosslinks are formed by heating to 374°C in air through coupling of the diphenylether portions of the molecular chains. With the formation of crosslinks the dielectric loss peak shifted toward higher temperature and the intensity decreased through restriction of the local-mode motion of the diphenylether portion of the molecular chain.     

Effect of Linear and Ring-like Co-units on the Temperature Dependence of Nucleation and Growth in II-I Phase Transition of Butene-1 Copolymers

The phase transition from tetragonal form II to hexagonal form I was studied for the butene-1/ethylene and butene-1/1,5-hexadiene random copolymers, which have comparable molecular weight but distinct linear ethylene and ringlike methylene-1,3-cyclopentane (MCP) structural co-units, respectively. It is known that this solid phase transition follows the nucleation-growth mechanism, so the stepwise annealing protocol was utilized to investigate the influences of co-units on the optimal nucleation and growth temperatures. Compared with optimal nucleation and growth temperatures of ?10 and 35 °C, respectively, in polybutene-1 homopolymer, two butene-1/ethylene copolymers with 1.5 mol% and 4.3 mol% co-units have the slightly lower optimal nucleation temperature of ?15 °C but much higher optimal growth temperature of 50 °C. Clearly, the effect of ethylene co-unit is more significant on varying optimal temperature for growth than for nucleation. Furthermore, when the incorporated co-unit is ringlike MCP, the optimal nucleation temperature is ?15 °C for 2.15 mol% co-units, the same with above BE copolymers, but ?13 °C for a very low concentration of 0.65 mol%. Interestingly, the optimal growth temperature of butene-1/1,5-hexadiene copolymers with 0.65 mol%?2.15 mol% MCP counits increases to 55 °C, which is also independent on co-unit concentration. These obtained values of optimal temperatures provide crucial parameters for rapid II-I phase transition.     

A constitutional diagram of the system TiC−HfC−WC

The system TiC?HfC?WC was investigated by means of melting point, differential thermoanalytical, X-ray diffraction and metallographic techniques on hot pressed and heat treated as well as melted alloy specimens and a complete constitutional diagram from 1500°C through the melting range established. According to the peritectic melting of hexagonal WC both isopleths, TiC?WC as well as HfC?WC show a class II reaction at 2760°C in Ti?W?C and at 2730°C in Hf?W?C. The phase behaviour within the TiC?HfC?WC system is characterized by the presence of a (binary) miscibility gap within TiC?HfC [T _c=1780°C, (TiC)_0.55(HfC)_0.45] which extends into the ternary forming a closed ternary miscibility gap at higher temperatures with an isolated ternary critical point:T _c=1800°C, (TiC)_0.55(HfC)_0.45(WC)_0.05. Interaction of the solvus (boundary of the cubic-B 1 monocarbide solid solution) and the ternary miscibility gap was established at 1540°C and (TiC)_0.27(HfC)_0.41(WC)_0.32: Alloys of this composition enter a decomposition reaction on cooling into two isotypic cubic B 1 phases and hexagonal WC. Isothermal sections were calculated assuming regular solutions.