Effect of the surfactant concentration on the kinetics of oil in water microemulsion polymerization: a case study with butyl acrylate

A comprehensive investigation of aqueous microemulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate at high surfactant concentrations by means of reaction calorimetry and dynamic light scattering revealed unexpected results with regard to polymerization kinetics and colloidal properties of the final latexes. Particularly, with increasing surfactant concentrations, a decrease in the overall rate of polymerization accompanied by an increasing incubation time of the polymerization and increasing average particle sizes in the final latexes has been observed. Based on reviewing former results on microemulsions and microemulsion polymerizations published in the open literature and the presentation of new experimental results an attempt is made to explain the experimental results consistently with a particle nucleation mechanism based on the classical nucleation theory. To cite this article: K. Tauer et al., C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

CF3CH3 --> HF + CF2CH2: a non-RRKM reaction?

The experimental shock tube data recently reported by Kiefer et al. [J. Phys. Chem. A 2004, 108, 2443-2450] for the title reaction at temperatures between 1600 and 2400 K have been compared to master equation simulations using three models: (a) standard RRKM theory, (b) RRKM theory modified by local random matrix theory, which introduces dynamical corrections arising from slow intramolecular vibrational energy randomization, and (c) an ad hoc empirical non-RRKM model. Only the third model provides a good fit of the Kiefer et al. unimolecular reaction rate data. In separate simulations, all three models accurately reproduce the experimental 300 K chemical activation data of Marcoux and Setser [J. Phys. Chem. 1978, 82, 97-108] when the energy transfer parameters are freely varied to fit the data. When experimental energy transfer parameters for a geometrical isomer (1,1,2-trifluoroethane) are used, the standard RRKM model fits the chemical activation data better than the other models, but if energy transfer in the 1,1,1-trifluoroethane is significantly reduced in comparison to the 1,1,2 isomer, then the empirical ad hoc non-RRKM model also gives a good fit. While the ad hoc empirical non-RRKM model can be made to fit the data, it is not based on theory, and we argue that it is physically unrealistic. We also show that the master equation simulations can mimic the Kiefer et al. vibrational relaxation data, which was the first shock tube observation of double-exponential relaxation. We conclude that, until more data on the trifluoroethanes become available, the current evidence is insufficient to decide with confidence whether non-RRKM effects are important in this reaction, or whether the Kiefer et al. data can be explained in some other way.     

The prediction of vapor-liquid equilibrium data from heat of mixing data for three non-ideal binary systems

The method of Hanks et al. was used with the heat of mixing data of McFall et al. for 1,3-butadiene + propylene, 1-butene + methyl tert.-butyl ether, and carbon disulfide + methanol to predict the vapor-liquid equilibrium behavior for these systems. The method involves curve-fitting an excess enthalpy model derived from an excess Gibbs energy model by means of the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation to the heat of mixing data, determining the adjustable parameters from this fit, and using the original excess Gibbs function equation to predict the vapor-liquid equilibrium behavior. The predicted vapor-liquid equilibrium values were compared with experimental values and good agreement was found.     

Correlation of Adsorption Equilibrium Data for Water Vapor on F-200 Activated Alumina

Single component adsorption equilibrium data for water vapor on commercially available activated alumina F-200 measured in a previous study (Serbezov, 2003) is correlated by two adsorption isotherm equations, both of which are based on the adsorption potential theory. The first equation is the well known Dubinin-Astakhov (D-A) equation. The second equation is obtained from a methodology proposed by Kotoh et al. (1993). It is referred to as a dual mechanism adsorption potential (DMAP) equation because it is a linear combination of two D-A terms with n = 1 where each term accounts for a specific mechanism of water retention. The D-A equation has two fitting parameters; the DMAP equation has three fitting parameters. The DMAP model provides a better fit for the adsorption data than the D-A model, while neither model describes the desorption data well. Analysis of the DMAP equation parameters shows that most of the water is retained by virtue of capillary condensation. In addition to fitting the experimental data, the heat of adsorption was calculated as function of the relative humidity and adsorbent loading. When capillary condensation is present, the heat of adsorption is only slightly higher than the latent heat of vaporization.     

Rheological Modeling of Dispersion System of Nano/Microsized Polymer Particles Considering Swelling Behavior

Rheological behavior of dispersion system containing nano/microsized cross-linked polymer particle was studied considering particle hydration and swelling. Viscosity of the dispersion system depends on swelling kinetics of polymer particles. Under shear flow, dispersion of swollen polymer particles is shear thinning. According to experimental results, kinetics of particle swelling and hydration was described well by second-order kinetic equation. Relational expression between equilibrium particle size and influencing factors of swelling such as salt concentration and temperature was presented. Assume that swollen polymer particles are uniform and have a simple core-shell structure, interacting through a repulsive steric potential. The rheological modeling of such dispersion system at low shear rate was presented using the concept of effective volume fraction, which depends on swelling kinetics and interparticle potential. Cross model was introduced to describe shear-thinning behavior. The viscosity equation allows correlation of experimental data of relative viscosity versus shear rate or hydration time; accounting for effect of temperature and salt concentration on viscosity. Predictions of the model have a good agreement with experimental results.     

Comparison of protein adsorption patterns onto differently charged hydrophilic superparamagnetic iron oxide particles obtained in vitro and ex vivo.

Protein adsorption patterns of superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIO) were evaluated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) after in vitro incubation of the particles in plasma or serum. SPIO particles having positive (MKK 1211), negative (MKA 1211), or neutral (MKG 1411) charge were used. Protein adsorption patterns of different charged SPIO particles acquired in vitro and recollected 5 min after intravenous injection into rats (ex vivo) were compared. For the uncharged MKG 1411 particles, the differences of protein adsorption patterns were negligible and only minor differences were found for the negatively charged MKA 1211 and positively charged MKK 1211 particles. A good correlation between in vitro and ex vivo data could be shown. For the evaluation of protein adsorption patterns of SPIO particles determining organ distribution and allowing estimation of site-specific delivery (drug targeting), the currently used protocol for 2-DE analysis could be confirmed.     

Variegated micelle surfaces: correlating the microstructure of mixed surfactant micelles with bulk solution properties

Electron paramagnetic resonance, viscosity, and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements have been used to study the interaction of mixed anionic/nonionic surfactant micelles with the polyampholytic protein gelatin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the nonionic surfactant dodecylmalono-bis-N-methylglucamide (C12BNMG) were chosen as "interacting" and "noninteracting" surfactants, respectively; SDS micelles bind strongly to gelatin but C12BNMG micelles do not. Further, the two surfactants interact synergistically in the absence of the gelatin. The effects of total surfactant concentration and surfactant mole fraction have been investigated. Previous work (Griffiths et al. Langmuir 2000, 16 (26), 9983-9990) has shown that above a critical solution mole fraction, mixed micelles bind to gelatin. This critical mole fraction corresponds to a micelle surface that has no displaceable water (Griffiths et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2001, 105 (31), 7465). On binding of the mixed micelle, the bulk solution viscosity increases, with the viscosity-surfactant concentration behavior being strongly dependent on the solution surfactant mole fraction. The viscosity at a stoichiometry of approximately one micelle per gelatin molecule observed in SDS-rich mixtures scales with the surface area of the micelle occupied by the interacting surfactant, SDS. Below the critical solution mole fraction, there is no significant increase in viscosity with increasing surfactant concentration. Further, the SANS behavior of the gelatin/mixed surfactant systems below the critical micelle mole fraction can be described as a simple summation of those arising from the separate gelatin and binary mixed surfactant micelles. By contrast, for systems above the critical micelle mole fraction, the SANS data cannot be described by such a simple approach. No signature from any unperturbed gelatin could be detected in the gelatin/mixed surfactant system. The gelatin scattering is very similar in form to the surfactant scattering, confirming the widely accepted picture that the polymer "wraps" around the micelle surface. The gelatin scattering in the presence of deuterated surfactants is insensitive to the micelle composition provided the composition is above the critical value, suggesting that the viscosity enhancement observed arises from the number and strength of the micelle-polymer contact points rather than the gelatin conformation per se.     

Kinetics of the reduction of water soluble colloidal MnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> by mandelic acid in the absence and presence of non-ionic surfactant triton X-100

Kinetics of the title reaction has been studied spectrophotometrically in presence of perchloric acid at 30°C both in the absence and presence of Triton X-100 (TX-100). The reaction-time curves suggest the involvement of non-autocatalytic and autocatalytic reaction paths. The reaction follows first-order kinetics with respect to colloidal MnO₂ and mandelic acid. The reaction has acid-dependent and acid-independent paths and, in the former case, the order is fractional in [H⁺]. Addition of nonionic surfactant (TX-100) catalysed the reaction which is explained on the basis of hydrogen bonding between the oxygen of polyoxyethylene chains of TX-100 and hydroxy groups of mandelic acid/colloidal MnO₂. The kinetic data are rationalized in terms of model proposed by Tuncay et al. On the basis of the observed results, a possible mechanism has been proposed and discussed.     

Synthesis of snowman‐like magnetic/nonmagnetic nanocomposite asymmetric particles via seeded emulsion polymerization initiated by γ‐ray radiation

We report on the synthesis of snowman‐like magnetic/nonmagnetic nanocomposite asymmetric particles (SMNAPs) via seeded emulsion polymerization initiated by γ‐ray radiation. In situ formation of magnetite in the presence of the emulsified poly(styrene‐divinylbenzene‐acrylic acid) microspheres affords raspberry‐like magnetic nanocomposite particles, which are used as seeds for further seeded emulsion polymerization induced by γ‐ray radiation. We study the effect of the kind of surfactant, the kind and content of second monomer, and the content of swelling agent on the morphologies of the final nanocomposite particles. It is found that SMNAPs can be fabricated in high yield using 12‐acryloxy‐9‐octadecenoic acid as the surfactant and styrene as the second monomer with the addition of 2‐butanone (a swelling agent). The as‐synthesized SMNAPs may serve as magnetically controllable solid surfactants to stabilize O/W immiscible mixtures, which preferentially orientated at the interface. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Concentration and medium micellar kinetic effects caused by morphological transitions

The reaction methyl naphthalene-2-sulfonate + Br(-) was investigated in several alkanediyl-α-ω-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium) bromide, 12-s-12,2Br(-) (with s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12), micellar solutions in the absence and in the presence of various additives. The additives were 1,2-propylene glycol, which remains in the bulk phase, N-decyl N-methylglucamide, MEGA10, which forms mixed micelles with the dimeric surfactants, and 1-butanol, which distributes between the aqueous and micellar phases. Information about the micellar reaction media was obtained by using conductivity and fluorescence measurements. In all cases, with the exception of water-1,2-prop 12-5-12,2Br(-) micellar solutions, with 30% weight percentage of the organic solvent, a sphere-to-rod transition takes place upon increasing surfactant concentration. In order to quantitatively explain the experimental data within the whole surfactant concentration range, a kinetic equation based on the pseudophase kinetic model was considered, together with the decrease in the micellar ionization degree accompanying micellar growth. However, theoretical predictions did not agree with the experimental kinetic data for surfactant concentrations above the morphological transition. An empirical kinetic equation was proposed in order to explain the data. It contains a parameter b which is assumed to account for the medium micellar kinetic effects caused by the morphological transition. The use of this empirical equation permits the quantitative rationalization of the kinetic micellar effects in the whole surfactant concentration range.     

Interfacial tension of a nematic liquid crystal/water interface with homeotropic surface alignment

Pendant drop experimental results are presented for the temperature dependence of the interfacial tension between water and the immiscible nematic liquid crystal 4'-pentyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (5CB) in the presence of the adsorbed surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Adsorption of the surfactant lowers the interfacial tension value and is also known from earlier work to induce a transition in liquid crystal surface alignment from planar to homeotropic [Brake et al. Langmuir 2003, 19, 6436.]. Discrepancies exist in the literature regarding the density of 5CB, and the density difference between 5CB and water in any case is very small. However, from the ability to form pendant 5CB drops, one may infer that the density of 5CB exceeds that of water over the entire temperature range studied (28-41 degrees C), in disagreement with the predictions of one earlier report on 5CB. The interfacial tension is shown to exhibit a relative maximum near the bulk 5CB nematic-isotropic transition temperature T(NI), regardless of which published data set of 5CB density values is used to analyze the measurements, with a possible discontinuity in tension occurring at T(NI). The anomalous shape of the interfacial tension curve, depending on the choice of the 5CB density data set, may be quite similar to that recently reported for the interface between 5CB and a hydrophobic, isotropic molten polymer (Rai et al. Langmuir 2003, 19, 7370).     

Kinetics of polyesterification. II. Foreign acid-catalyzed dibasic acid and glycol systems

Polyesterification of diacid and diol in the presence of the foreign acid p-toluene sulfonic acid as catalyst was carried out under constant reaction temperatures of 140–166°C (rather than at the usual constant oil-bath temperature) and at molar ratios r of diol to diacid of 1.2–3.5. The experimental data obtained do not fit conventional rate equations as they appear in the literature. On the basis of ion pair formation, consideration of proton transfer from acid to alcohol, variation in dielectric constant of the reaction mixture as conversion increases, and inclusion of reverse reaction due to presence of unremoved water, we proposed a reaction mechanism and rate equations. The rate equation fitted our experimental data quite well. In addition the self-catalysis (absence of foreign acid) also showed promise, as confirmed by the experimental data measured under constant reaction temperatures, which appear in Part I.     

Micromechanics and contact forces of colloidal aggregates in the presence of surfactants

We report measurements of the bending mechanics of colloidal aggregates consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) flocculated with 250 mM MgCl2 in the presence of either pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C(12)E(5)), a nonionic surfactant, or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), an anionic surfactant. In the absence of surfactant, singly bonded aggregates exhibit a substantial bond rigidity, kappa(0), in the linear bending regime. With the addition of surfactant, the tangential restoring force between particles becomes weaker; aggregates exhibit nonlinear mechanics at a lower critical bending moment, M(c), and the bond rigidity decreases. The decrease in kappa(0) is related to the reduction of the surface energy of adhesion between particles, W(SL). We find that W(SL) decreases with increasing surfactant concentration below the critical micelle concentration (cmc). However, above the cmc, W(SL) remains constant within experimental error. These results confirm the relation between the bond rigidity and the surface energy of adhesion and clearly demonstrate that, on the basis of this relationship, surface-active agents provide a means of tuning the macroscopic elasticity and yield stress of colloidal gels. Last, the mechanics of the critical moment is consistent with the surfactant lowering the stress at which the contact line between the particles de-pins.     

Comparative Study on the Collapse Transition of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Gels and Magnetic Nanoparticles Loaded Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Gels

A novel polymer gel exhibiting simultaneous temperature and magnetic field sensitivity has been prepared and studied. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) and magnetic nanoparticles (magnetite, Fe₃O₄) loaded PNIPA gel beads with mm size and monolith gels with cm size were prepared. The dependence of swelling degree on the temperature has been studied. The effects of cross-linking density and the presence of magnetic nanoparticles on the equilibrium swelling degree as well as on the collapse transition have been investigated. Swelling kinetic measurements were also made. By comparing the equilibrium swelling properties of PNIPA and magnetite loaded PNIPA gels it was found that the built in magnetic nanoparticles do not modify the temperature sensitivity of these gels. Within the experimental accuracy the temperature of the collapse transition was not sensitive to the presence of magnetic particles. We have compared the swelling behaviour of mm size gel beads to the cm size monolith gels in order to study the influence of surface skin layer on the swelling equilibrium. It was established that the extent of surface skin formation was decreased by the presence of magnetic particles.     

Derivation of analytical expressions for the electrical potential distribution in lipid structures

The electrical potential inside a lipid structure, which is described by a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation in the literature (Borukhov et al. Electrochim. Acta 2000, 46, 221), is solved, taking into account the effects of ionic sizes. Here, a micelle comprises an ionic surfactant layer and an aqueous core; the dissociation of the former yields a charged surface. The governing equation, which was solved numerically in a previous study for spherical geometry (Hsu et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107, 14429), is solved analytically in this study for planar, cylindrical, and spherical geometries. The analytical results obtained are readily applicable for the evaluation of the spatial distributions of counterions inside a lipid structure. We show that if the linear size of a reverse micelle is fixed, the degree of dissociation of the surfactant layer follows the order planar > cylindrical > spherical.     

Modeling the kinetics of step homopolymerization reactions--an assessment of different approaches

A critical analysis of two models used to describe the kinetics of step homopolymerization has been undertaken. The classical second-order kinetic model and the more widely adopted Mathew et al. oligomer precipitation model were tested against data published in the literature. The classical model, which predicts an identical molecular weight distribution to that obtained by Flory using a statistical approach, is based on a single rate constant and provided an excellent fit (R²>0.99) to the experimental data. Derived rate constants exhibited logical trends. The Mathew et al. oligomer precipitation model, on the other hand, requires three fitting parameters. This model also fitted the data well but in many cases yielded either negative rate constants for the purported termination step or illogical parametric trends. It was concluded that the classical model was superior to the precipitation model in describing the kinetics and reaction mechanisms of step homopolymerization.     

重力场和电解质浓度对胶体凝聚体分形结构的影响

运用李航等提出的新方法, 克服了DLVO理论中无法理论计算不同电解质浓度下颗粒的表面电位这一困难, 从而可以直接计算出不同电解质浓度下胶体颗粒间的位能. 同时, 还运用胶体颗粒动能的玻耳兹曼分布原理和蒙特卡罗方法来模拟胶体的运动, 并采用非弹性碰撞理论解决了碰撞后凝聚的有效概率问题. 在改进DDA模型的基础上, 成功地建立了以往的模拟中未能建立的重力场中电解质浓度与碰撞凝聚概率间的联系, 结果发现, (1)重力场作用下的凝聚体分形维数随电解质浓度变化的曲线完全不同于无重力条件下的曲线. 无重力作用下, 凝聚结构体分形维数随电解质浓度的变化比较缓慢, 曲线呈“L”形；而重力作用下的分形维数则呈明显的“S”形曲线. (2) 在重力条件下, 慢凝聚包括两个区域, 对电解质浓度不敏感区域和敏感区域. 在敏感区域存在一个电解质浓度的拐点. (3)无重力条件下,不同大小的胶体颗粒在快凝聚时的分形维数都是在1.86±0.01.当电解质浓度降低,凝聚速率变慢,分形维数增加,最大达到2.01±0.02,但不会形成重力条件下的分形维数接近3的结构体.     

Study on the relationship between the ternary interaction parameter and the structure of water by the effect of aliphatic alcohols and phenol on the swelling behavior of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) membrane in aqueous solution

The effect of very low concentrations of ethanol, 2-propanol and phenol on the swelling degree of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVAL) in water was investigated. The effect of phenol on the swelling degree of EVAL was remarkably large compared to that of ethanol and that of 2-propanol. Theoretical analysis on the basis of Flory-Huggins theory using three binary interaction parameters could appropriately predict the EVAL swelling degree in ethanol/water and 2-propanol/water mixtures. However, the theoretical swelling degree of EVAL in phenol/water mixtures needed a ternary interaction parameter (χ_T) to match with experimental data points. An optimum value of χ_T for the water-phenol-EVAL system was found to be −3.3. The relationship between the ternary interaction parameter and the structure of water from observations of the effect of phenol on the EVAL swelling was discussed. Based on the analysis of low-frequency Raman spectroscopy reported by Suzuki et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 107 (1997) 5890], the contribution of χ_T to the EVAL swelling was attributed to the increase of the entropy in bulk water due to the effect of phenol on the disruption of the tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded networks of water molecules. This, in turn, induced an increase of water absorption in EVAL.