Graphical representation of the state of orientation of polymer systems

The orientation distribution function for noncrystalline structural units in polymer systems cannot be determined completely from any experimental source; only the second and/or fourth moments of the distribution function, i.e., the second and/or fourth orders of the generalized orientation factors F_lm^j, can be evaluated. It is there-fore necessary to estimate the distribution function from F_2m^j and F_4m^j. In this paper, a graphical representation of the state of orientation is first discussed in terms of plots of F₄₀^j against F₂₀^j for several types of distribution functions for uniaxial orientation. These are three types of extreme concentration of the distribution at particular polar angles θ₀ given by θ₀ = 0, 0<θ₀<π/2, and θ₀ = π/2; five types of rather realistic distributions having single maxima at θ_j = 0, θ₀, π/2 and double maxima at θ_j = 0, π/2, and a single minimum at θ_j = θ₀; and four types of more realistic distributions including Kratky's floating rod model in an affine matrix. Second, estimation of the distribution function for uniaxial orientation from F₄₀^j and F₂₀^j is discussed quantitatively in terms of the mean-square error by three approximation methods: (a) expansion of the distribution function in finite series of spherical harmonics through the fourth order, (b) approximation of the distribution function as a composite of two components, random orientation and a particular orientation distribution given by N_a (cos²θ_j)^a, N_a being a constant, and (c) approximation of the distribution function by N_a (cos²θ_j)^a alone. It is concluded that when the orientation distribution is sharp, estimation by the second method of approximation gives a smaller error than the first.     

Influence of the Degree of Dehydroxylation of Kaolinite on the Properties of Aluminosilicate Glasses

The degree of dehydroxylation of kaolinite, D_TG and D_IR, respectively, is characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The relation between DTG and DIR based on the infrared absorptions at 3600–3700, 915, 810, and 540 cm⁻¹ is established. Three regions can clearly be distinguished: the dehydroxylation region (D_TG<0.9), the metakaolinite region (0.9<D_TG<1) and the ‘spinel’ region(D_TG=1). The effect of the degree of dehydroxylation of kaolinite on the amount of reactive material is measured by the reaction enthalpy, ΔH, of the low-temperature reaction of the dehydroxylated kaolinite with a potassium silicate solution using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). |ΔH| increases almost linearly with DTG in the dehydroxylation region. In the metakaolinite region, ΔH and thus the amount of reactive material, becomes constant. |ΔH| is sharply decreasing when metakaolinite transforms into other phases in the ‘spinel’ region. No significant differences in the reactivity of the dehydroxylates is detected with DSC. According to FTIR, the use of partially dehydroxylated kaolinite is not influencing the molecular structure of the low-temperature synthesized aluminosilicates, but residual kaolinite is retrieved as an additive. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Assignment of the mechanism of predissociation of the ClO2 molecule by analysis of single-rotational-level lifetimes

Deconvolutions of measured absorption line profiles in the 1ⁿ₀ (n = 0 to 5) and the 3²₀ bands of the òA₂X?²B₁ electronic transition of ClO₂ reveal subnanosecond lifetimes for all rotational levels of the ²A₂ state. Observed ratios of radiationless rates from spin-doublet components identify direct spin-orbit coupling of the ²A₂ state with ²A₁ and/or ²B₁ vibronic states as a predominant predissociation mechanism. Variations of rates with ν′₁ locate an intersection of a second potential surface with that of the ²A₂ state.     

Thermodynamic characterization of the melting of a series of polyesteramides

The changes in enthalpy, entropy and volume upon melting have been determined by dilatometric and differential scanning calorimetry measurements for four polyesteramides of the type:

$\text{-[-}\text{COφCONH(CH}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{}\text{NHCOφCOO(CH}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{m}}\text{}\text{O}\text{-]-}{}_{\mathrm{x}}$

with the following values for n and m; 6-6, 12-2, 12-6 and 12-12. The changes in each state function vary quite regularly with the number of CH₂ groups/repeating unit. A comparison is made between experimental data on the entropy of fusion and theoretical predictions. There is emphasis on the influence on the thermodynamics of melting of the rigidity of the -OCO-φ-CONH- residues and, in particular, of the persistence in the molten state of many interchain hydrogen bonds.     

Enthalpies of formation of chloride fluorides and of methoxide fluorides of tungsten(VI)

Enthalpies of formation of the tungsten (VI) compounds WF₅Cl, WF₄Cl₂, WF₅(OMe), cis-WF₄(OMe)₂ and cis-WF₂(OMe)₄ are reported. Re-distribution and decomposition reactions in the chloride-fluoride and in the methoxide-fluoride series are discussed in the light of the thermochemical results.     

Borderline of hydrogen bonding of silanols

Two new silanols bearing very bulky silyl groups, (i-Pr₃ Si)₃SiOH and (t − BuMe₂Si)₃SiOH were prepared by peracidoxidation of their respective silanes. The X − ray crystallographic analysis revealed that (t − BuMe₂Si)₃ SiOH forms a dimeric structure with hydrogen bonding, while (i − Pr₃ Si)₃ SiOH exists as a monomer in the crystal. The effects of the size of the substituents as well as the reactivity of these silanols are discussed.     

Types of rotary crystal state of solid solutions of paraffins

Thermal deformations and polymorphous transformations of solid solutions of paraffins in C₁₇–C₁₉, C₁₉–C₂₁, C₂₁–C₂₃, C₂₂–C₂₄, and C₂₃–C₂₄ systems are investigated by thermal X-ray diffractometry using a temperature step of several tenths of a degree. It is examined how the length of a molecular chain of a homolog (n) and the difference in length (Δn) between the chains as well as the molecular composition of a solid solution affect these transitions, and the data are compared with those for the individual homologs of paraffins. St. Petersburg University. Translated fromZhurnal Struktumoi Khimii, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 380–394, May–June, 1998. This work was supported by RFFR grant No. 97-05-65534 and ISSEP grants No. 156p and a97-2633.     

Synthesis of phenolic components of Grains of Paradise

Two vanilloids, (5E)-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)oct-5-en-4-one (1) and 4-[3-hydroxydecyl]-2-methoxyphenol (2), isolated from the dried seeds of Grains of Paradise (Aframomum melegueta), were synthesized; the latter compound was made as the S-enantiomer and the material derived from the seeds was found to be a 1:1.7 mixture of the R and S isomers. The synthetic route used should allow the preparation of analogs having extended alkyl chains and consequently different lipophilicity, and 3, a homolog of 2, was also prepared.     

Enthalpies of formation of radicals and the mass spectra of the products of tetrafluoroethylene polymerization in acetone

The mass spectra of the dissociative electron-impact ionization products of telomers formed upon the radiation-chemical telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in acetone were measured over the range of m/z from 1 to 204. The most intense bands at m/z = 43, 51, and 57 were attributed to the CH₃CO⁺, CF₂H⁺ and CH₃COCH₂⁺ cations—the main dissociation products of the H(C₂F₄) _n CH₂COCH₃ telomers. The telomer composition was consistent with a radical telomerization mechanism, in which chain growth and chain transfer are due to the formation of the CH₃COCH₂^· radical. Based on published data supplemented with quantum-chemical calculations, the enthalpies of formation of the radicals R(CF₂) _n (n = 2–8; R = H, CH₃, CH₃CO, and CH₃COCH₂) were tabulated. The formation of telomers with the same terminal groups is consistent with thermodynamic data and a polymerization mechanism in which the chain growth reaction is diffusion-limited and the chain transfer reaction is activated hydrogen-atom transfer.     

Effect of temperature of liquid sulphur on kinetics of transformation of chains in its amorphous modification

The rate of transformation of the chains in amorphous sulphur was examined by calorimetry at 298 K. The amorphous samples were remelted at the temperatureT _f in the range from 458 to 573 K. Increase ofT _f decreased the transformation rate. The results satisfy the equationX=1-exp[-(kt)^z] (X=transformation degree,t=time, andk andz=constants). A one-stage transformation was observed for samples remelted atT _f473 K. ForT _f 523 K, transformation in two stages was observed.The effects ofT _f on the kinetics of nucleation and the growth of the nuclei are discussed.     

Kinetic Analysis of the Decomposition of Chelates of Di-alkyldithiocarbamate of Cd(II)

The thermal decomposition kinetics of the solid complexes Cd(S₂ CNR₂ )₂ , where R =C₂ H₅ , n -C₃ H₇ , n -C₄ H₉ or iso -C₄ H₉ , was studied by using isothermal and non-isothermal thermogravimetry. The superimposed TG/DTG/DSC curves revealed that thermal decomposition reactions occur in the liquid phase. The kinetic model that best fitted the experimental isothermal TG data was the one-dimensional phase-boundary reaction-controlled process R₁ . The thermal analysis data suggested the thermal stability sequence Cd(S₂ CNBuⁿ ₂ )₂ >Cd(S₂ CNPrⁿ ₂ )₂ >Cd(S₂ CNBuⁱ ₂ )₂ >Cd(S₂ CNEt₂ )₂ , which accords with the sequence of stability of the apparent activation energies. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Study of kinetics of glass transition of metallic glasses

In this study, the kinetics of glass transitions of Ti₅₀Cu₂₀Ni₃₀ and Fe₆₇Co₁₈B₁₄Si₁ metallic glasses are studied using thermal analysis technique, i.e., differential scanning calorimetry, by means of continuous heating of the sample at various heating rates. In the present study, based on the heating rate dependence of glass transition temperature (T _g), the activation energy (E) of the glass transition region is determined by two most frequently used approaches, i.e., Moynihan's method and Kissinger's equation. The fragility index, m, is also calculated using T _g, which is a measure of glass-forming ability of the given system. The result shows that the fragility index, m, of the given systems is <16. This indicates that the given systems are strong liquids with excellent glass-forming ability.     

Kinetics of the Formation of Goethite in the Presence of Sulfates and Chlorides of Monovalent Cations

The synthesis of goethite by oxidation of Fe²⁺in presence of metallic iron was undertaken in an aqueous medium containing indifferent salts such as Na₂SO₄, (NH₄)₂SO₄, NaCl, and NH₄Cl. Temperature and bubbling air rate were maintained, respectively, at 70°C and 1 L/min. The influence of anions and cations on the kinetics of each step of the process has been followed distinctly, the iron dissolution rate has been determined by the variation of the medium acidity, and the precipitation of goethite has been determined by gravimetric measurements. With respect to Cl⁻, the SO₄²⁻anion decreases the rate of the two reactions. NH₄⁺acts as an inhibitor when it is present at low concentrations and as an accelerator for higher concentrations; the limit corresponding to the change of NH₄⁺behavior depends on the nature of the counter ion. The reaction product is composed of pure goethite in the presence of sulfate salts, whereas a mixture of goethite and lepidocrocite, respectively, 60–70 and 40–30%, was observed in the presence of chloride salts.     

Neutral diterpenoids of oleoresins of five species of conifers of Transcarpathia

The compositions of the neutral diterpenoids of the oleoresins of five species of conifers growing in the Transcarpathia have been studied. It has been found that the oleoresins ofAbies alba M.,Larix decidua M., andPicea excelsa L. contain more than 50% of neutral diterpenoids. The group and qualitative compositions of the oxygen-containing diterpenoids have been determined. In the oleoresins ofAbies alba,Picea excelsa, andPicea abies tertiary alcohols — cis-abienol and isocembrol — predominate, while inLarix decidua the main component is the hydroxy ester larixyl acetate. Primary alcohols related to the resin acids have been found in all the oleoresins investigated. Features of the distribution of diterpenoids according to the species of conifers have been revealed. The results obtained are necessary for the chemotaxonomy of conifers of the family Pinceae.Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodynkh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 812–816, November–December, 1988.     

Synthesis of CeO2 by thermal decomposition of oxalate and kinetics of thermal decomposition of precursor

CeO₂ was synthesized by calcining Ce₂(C₂O₄)₃·8H₂O above 673 K in air. The precursor and its calcined products were characterized using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. The result showed that cubic CeO₂ was obtained when the precursor was calcined above 673 K in air for 2 h. The UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy studies showed that superfine CeO₂ behaved as an excellent UV-shielding material. The thermal decomposition of the precursor in air experienced two steps, which are: first, the dehydration of eight crystal water molecules, then the decomposition of Ce₂(C₂O₄)₃ into cubic CeO₂. The values of the activation energies associated with the thermal decomposition of Ce₂(C₂O₄)₃·8H₂O were determined based on the Starink equation.     

The construction of graph models for calculations of the properties of substitution isomers of basis structures on the basis of additivity of energy contributions

A method for the construction of additive models for calculations of the properties of substitution isomers of basis structures is described for the example of a series of X-substituted methylsilanes CH_{3 − k} X _k -SiH_{3 − l} X _l (where X = CH₃, F, Cl, …, k, l = 0, 1, 2, 3). The method is based on similarity of subgraphs in graphs of several molecules and the arrangement of polygonal numbers (triangular, tetrahedral) of the Pascal triangle. Parameters taking into account multiple nonvalence interactions (-C-Si<, >C-Si<, …) through two atoms along the molecular chain of an X-substituted methylsilane (X = CH₃) were for the first time explicitly included in the calculation scheme. Taking these interactions into account allows us to completely differentiate all the structural isomers of certain molecules and obtain numerical parameter values for predicting properties P under consideration in various approximations. Numerical calculations of Δ_f H _{g,298 K}^o were performed for 16 alkylsilanes (as X-substituted methylsilanes), including 7 compounds not studied experimentally.     

Study of formation of nano-quasicrystals and crystallization kinetics of Zr-Al-Ni-Cu metallic glass

The formation of nano-quasicrystals on isothermal annealing of melt-spun ribbons of Zr_69.5Al_7.5Ni₁₁Cu₁₂ metallic glass has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallization study of this metallic glass has been carried out using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in non-isothermal (linear heating) mode. It exhibits two-stage crystallization where the first stage corresponds to the precipitation of icosohedral nano-quasicrystalline phase. This has been confirmed with the help of TEM investigations. The crystallization parameters like the activation energy (E _c) and frequency factor (k ₀) have been derived using the Kissinger peak shift analysis. The activation energies for the first and second crystallization peak are found to be 278 and 295 kJ mol^–1, respectively. The frequency factors obtained for the two peaks are respectively 7.16·10¹⁹ and 1.42·10²⁰ s^–1. E _c, k ₀ and the Avrami exponent (n) have also been derived by fitting the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation for the transformed volume fraction (x) to the crystallization data. JMAK results of E _c for the first and second crystallization peak turn out to be 270 and 290 kJ mol^–1 respectively. However, k ₀ and n are found to be heating rate dependent as reported in similar studies. The values of n for the first crystallization stage ranges between 1.66 and 2.57 indicating diffusion-controlled transformation in agreement with earlier reports.     

Electronic aspects of photodimerization of the pyrimidine bases and of their derivatives

We present the results of a computation for the lowest excited triplet and singlet states of the pyrimidine bases and of some of their derivatives by the SCF open shell theory and CI method on SCF virtual orbitals. It is shown that excitation to the lowest singlet S ₁ and triplet T ₁ states mostly affects the bond C₅-C₆ and that triplet excitation is almost completely localized on this bond. The latter effect leads to exceptionally strong weakening of the bond C₅-C₆ in the triplet state T ₁. It is concluded that under otherwise equal circumstances the triplet state T ₁ presents more favourable conditions for dimerization reaction than the lowest excited singlet state S ₁ does. Correlation between the degree of the triplet excitation localization on the bond C₅-C₆ and the easiness of the photodimerization is established. An explanation of the experimental facts concerned with the formation of the thymine free radicals in DNA is also suggested.

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Zusammenfassung Wir prÄsentieren Resultate von der Berechnung der niedrigsten angeregten Triplett- und Singulett-ZustÄnde der Pyrimidin Basen und einiger ihrer Derivate mittels der SCF-Theorie der offenen Schalen sowie der CI-Methode angewandt auf virtuelle SCF-Orbitale. Es wird gezeigt, da\ die Anregung der niedrigsten Singulett S ₁- und Triplett T ₁-ZustÄnde meistens die C₅ und C₆-Bindung berührt und da\ die Triplett-Anregung fast vollstÄndig auf diese Bindung lokalisiert ist. Der letztere Effekt führt zu einer au\erordentlich starken SchwÄchung der C₅-C₆-Bindung im Triplett-Zustand T ₁. Es wird daraus geschlossen, da\ unter sonst gleichen UmstÄnden der Triplett-Zustand T ₁ günstigere Bedingungen für eine Dimerisationsreaktion liefert als der niedrigste angeregte Singulett-Zustand S ₁. Ein Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der Lokalisierung der Triplett-Anregung auf die C₅-C₆-Bindung und der Photodimerisierbarkeit wird hergestellt. Eine ErklÄrung der experimentellen Tatsachen, welche die Anordnung der freien Thymin Radikale in der DNA betreffen, wird ebenfalls angegeben.

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Résumé Nous présentons les résultats d'un calcul pour les états excités singulet et triplet les plus bas des bases pyrimidiques et de certains de leurs dérivés, effectués par les méthodes SCF à couche ouverte et interaction de configurations. L'excitation dans ces plus bas états excités affecte essentiellement la liaison C₅-C₆, l'excitation triplet étant pratiquement totalement localisée sur cette liaison. Ceci conduit à un affaiblissement important de la liaison C₅-C₆ dans l'état triplet. On en conclut qu'à circonstances égales l'état triplet présente des conditions plus favorables pour une réaction de dimérisation que le plus bas état excité singulet. Une corrélation est établie entre le degré de localisation 5–6 de l'excitation triplet et la facilité de photodimérisation. On suggère aussi une explication des faits expérimentaux liés à la formation de radicaux libres thymine dans le DNA.

     

Stages of thermal decomposition of sodium oxo-salts of sulphur

Thermal behaviour of sodium oxo-salts of sulphur: Na₂SO₄, Na₂S₂O₇, Na₂S₂O₆, Na₂SO₃, Na₂S₂O₅, Na₂S₂O₄, Na₂S₂O₃, Na₂S₃O₆ and of sulphides Na₂S and Na₂S₂ was studied on heating up to 1000°C. The experiments were performed with anhydrous compounds obtained from commercial products by recrystallisation and dehydration. The stage mechanisms of decomposition of anionic sub-lattices of the salts have been proposed basing on the Górski’s morphological classification of simple species. The thermal stability and the stage decomposition mechanisms were correlated with the structure and the potential chemical properties of the salt anions. The thermal decomposition processes were studied by means of thermal analysis, and the decomposition products were identified by means of X-ray phase analysis.     

Power law of nucleation rate of folded-chain single crystals of polyethylene

The number-average molecular weight (M _n) dependence of the primary nucleation rate (I) of polyethylene (PE) folded-chain single crystals was studied in the ordered phase. We observed that the M _n dependence of I is mainly controlled by the diffusion process of polymer chains within the interface between a nucleus and the melt and/or within the nucleus. The results show that I decreases with increasing M _n and follows a power law I∝M _n ^−2.3 for the ordered phase. It is named the power law of the nucleation rate. In a previous article we showed that for the disordered phase I∝M _n ⁻¹. In this article, we concluded that I decreases with increasing M _n and follows a universal power law, I∝M _n ^−H for both ordered and disordered phases. The power H depends on the degree of order of the crystalline phase, which is related to the morphology. Received: 13 September 2000 Accepted: 15 November 2000