Radiation telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in chlorinated telogens at a constant reactor pressure

The kinetics of the radiation-initiated telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) in the solutions of telogens (butyl chloride, chloroform, methylene chloride, and carbon tetrachloride) at a constant monomer pressure in the reactor was studied. In the course of the Γ-irradiation of the reaction mixture, TFE telomers containing repeatedly soluble and insoluble fractions were formed. In chloroform, methylene chloride, and carbon tetrachloride, the rapidly occurring process of the synthesis of insoluble telomer made the main contribution to the total yield of products. For the solutions of TFE in butyl chloride, the rates of formation of soluble and insoluble telomers were almost the same. The average chain length and the thermal stability of the resulting telomers were evaluated.     

Radiation-initiated telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in acetone at a constant monomer concentration

Kinetics of radiation-initiated polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene in acetone was studied at various initial concentrations (pressures) of the monomer in the reactor, which remain constant in the course of synthesis. Concentrated solutions of tetrafluoroethylene telomers were obtained and their properties were examined.     

Radiation telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in butyl chloride solution

The kinetics of the radiation-initiated polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) in butyl chloride has been studied. The rate of the process, the properties and yield of telomers obtained depend on the initial concentration of TFE (2.6–22 wt %) in the solution and the dose of γ-irradiation. The analysis of the measured IR absorption spectra and a possible scheme of the process allow to suggest that the main product of the reaction is C₄H₈Cl(C₂F₄) _n−1CF₂CF₂H with the formation of small amounts of C₄H₉(C₂F₄) _n−1CF₂CF₂H and Cl(C₂F₄) _n−1CF₂CF₂H. The average number of links in the telomer (n) increases from 7.6 to 16.1 when the concentration of the monomer in the solution varies in the range of 7–22 wt %. The length of the chain of the soluble telomers (n) does not depend on the initial concentration of TFE and makes ∼7.     

Relative rates for plasma homo- and copolymerizations of olefins in a homologous series of fluorinated ethylenes

It is well known that the rate of plasma polymerization, or deposition rate, of a given monomer depends on various plasma process parameters, e.g., monomer flow rate, pressure, power, frequency (DC, rf or microwave), location of the substrate in the reactor, reactor geometry or configuration, and temperature. In contrast, little work has been done to relate deposition rates to monomer structures for a homologous series of monomers where the rates are obtained under identical plasma process parameters. For the particular series of fluorinated ethylenes (C2HxF4-x; x = 0-4), deposition rates were reported for ethylene (ET), vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), but for plasma polymerizations carried out under different discharge conditions, e.g., pressure, current density, and electrode temperature. Apparently, relative deposition rates were reported for only two members of that series (ET, x = 4, and TFE, x = 0) for which the plasma polymerizations were conducted under identical conditions. We now present relative deposition rates for both homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of the entire series of fluorinated ethylenes (x = 0-4). Our interest in such rates stems from prior work on the plasma copolymerization of ET and TFE in which it was found that the deposition rates for the plasma copolymers, when plotted versus mol % TFE in the ET/TFE feed stock, followed a concave-downward curve situated above the straight line joining the deposition rates for the plasma homopolymers. This type of plot (observed also for an argon-ET/TFE plasma copolymerization) indicated a positive interaction between ET and TFE such that each monomer apparently "sensitized" the plasma copolymerization of the other. Since the shape of that plot is not altered if mol % TFE is replaced by F/C, the fluorine-to-carbon ratio, this paper aims (1) to show how the relative deposition rates for plasma copolymers drawn from all pairs of monomers in the C2HxF4-x series, as well as the deposition rates for the individual plasma homopolymers, vary with F/C ratios of the monomers or monomer blends, and (2) to see if those rates give rise to a common plot.     

Perfluoro- ω -iodo-3-oxaalkanesulfonyl fluorides as intermediates for surfactants and vinyl compounds

The well known fluorosulfonyldifluoroacetyl fluoride (I), FOCCF₂SO₂F (I) quantitatively formed from sulfur trioxide and TFE through the tetrafluoroethanesultone has been converted into the octafluoro- -5-iodo-3-oxapentanesulfonyl fluoride (II) ICF₂CF₂OCF₂CF₂SO₂F (II) by the well known reaction (1) involving MF, iodine, TFE in aprotic solvents.The iodo compound (II) allowed us to obtain TFE telomers having both fluorosulfonyl and iodo as terminal groups.The said telomers have been easily converted into surfactants (III) through fluorination and vinyl derivatives (IV) by dehalogenation.CF₃CF₂(CF₂CF₂)_nOCF₂CF₂SO₃M (III)CF₂CF(CF₂CF₂)_nOCF₂CF₂SO₂F (IV)     

Radiation-initiated synthesis of tetrafluoroethylene telomers in 1,2-dibromotetrafluoroethane at a constant pressure of the monomer in the reactor

The kinetics of radiation-initiated telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in a 1,2-dibromotetrafluoroethane solution at a constant concentration (pressure) of the monomer in the reactor was studied. The properties, molecular structure, and morphology of the telomers were studied by IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and elemental and thermal gravimetric analyses. The synthesized telomers show promise for the development of fluoropolymeric nanocomposites and protective hydrophobic and antifriction coatings.     

Kinetics of ethanol dehydrogenation into ethyl acetate

The kinetics of gas-phase dehydrogenation of ethanol into ethyl acetate over a copper-zinc-chromium catalyst has been investigated in a flow reactor at pressures of 10–20 atm and temperatures of 230–290°C. For the process occurring under kinetic control, the rate constants of two reactions and the adsorption constants of five components have been determined using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. A kinetic model has been developed for the process. This model provides means to design a reactor for dehydrogenation of ethanol into ethyl acetate in different regimes.     

Molecular mass distribution of oligomers in products of tetrafluoroethylene radical telomerization

The molecular mass distributions (MMD) of perfluorinated oligomers in products of tetra-fluoroethylene (TFE) radical polymerization in various solvents (telogens) were determined from an analysis of differential thermogravimetric curves and data of gel permeation chromatography and mass spectrometry. Radiolysis of the telogens generates radicals initiating polymer chain growth. The choice of the solvent and TFE concentration makes it possible to obtain oligomers with the controlled average chain length from 4 for 40 CF₂ fragments and specified terminal groups. The polymerization of TFE in THF and propylene oxide affords oligomers with cyclic terminal groups capable of further polymerization due to ring opening. The appearance of two MMD maxima (low-molecular-weight at n ₁ ～6–8 and high-molecular-weight at n ₂ > 10 shifting towards high n with an increase in the TFE concentration) is caused by the formation of colloidal solutions of oligomers.     

Radical polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene in solutions of trimethoxysilanes: Formation of colloidal solution and gel of oligomers

Radical polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) in solutions of trimethoxysilanes leads to the formation of fluoroalkoxysilane oligomers and the products of their subsequent hydrolysis and dimerization that occur when methoxyl groups are replaced by hydroxyl groups and Si–O–Si links to bind the oligomers are subsequently formed. The chain length of the oligomers increases with the initial TFE concentration, thereby leading to the formation of colloidal solutions. Colloid particles contain oligomers and solvent molecules, the number of which per TFE unit decreases as the chain length grows to 4–6. Partial replacement of the starting solvents, which are also capable of creating a silicone skeleton during polycondensation, makes it possible to control the number of fluoroalkyl chains attached to this skeleton.     

Recovery of neptunium from highly radioactive waste solutions of PUREX origin using CMPO

The partitioning and recovery of²³⁷Np from three types of simulated high level waste solutions originating from PUREX processing of spent nuclear fuels such as sulfate bearing high level waste (SB-HLW), HLW from a pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR-HLW) and from a fast breeder reactor (FBR-HLW) have been carried out using a mixture of 0.2M CMPO and 1.2M TBP in dodecane. Quantitative extraction of neptunium was possible by either oxidizing it to the hexavalent state keeping K₂Cr₂O₇ at 0.01M concentration or by reducing it to tetravalent state keeping Fe²⁺ at 0.02M concentration. Stripping of neptunium was carried out using different reagents, such as dilute nitric acid, oxalic acid and sodium carbonate. Almost quantitative recovery of neptunium has been achieved during these studies.     

Uncoupled analysis of secondary and tertiary protein structure by circular dichroism and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) applied to protein conformational studies is a powerful new method that seems to provide specific information about protein tertiary structure. In this study, we analyzed the effect of trifluoroethanol (TFE) on a myoglobin peptide and cytochrome c (cyt c) at low pH by circular dichroism (CD) and ESI-MS. These experiments show that coil-to-helix transition per se does not affect ESI mass spectra, confirming that this technique is insensitive to the local conformation of the polypeptidic chain and, rather, reports on the tertiary contacts characterizing different protein conformations. This property makes ESI-MS an excellent method, complementary to CD, for the characterization of protein conformational changes. Fluorinated alcohols have been suggested to induce molten globule formation in acid-unfolded cyt c. The experiments described here show that TFE does not induce major changes in the ESI mass spectrum of cyt c at pH 2.2, indicating that no stabilization of compact, globular structures is detectable under the conditions employed. On the other hand, even low concentrations of TFE (2-5%) are shown to destabilize the folded state of the protein around the mid-point of its acid-induced unfolding transition.     

In situ preparation of polypropylene/1-butene alloys using a MgCl2-supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst

Sequential polymerizations were carried out using a high-activity MgCl₂/Ziegler-Natta catalyst to evaluate whether the in situ preparation of polypropylene/1-butene alloys was possible inside the reaction vessel and analyze the effects of 1-butene on the final material properties. Propylene/1-butene alloy resins were synthesized in a sequential two-stage process. In the first stage, liquid pool propylene polymerizations were carried out in batch. In the second stage, 1-butene was polymerized inside the polypropylene matrix in gas-phase in semibatch mode. According to the obtained results, it is possible to incorporate 1-butene upon the polypropylene matrix inside the reactor at very low pressures, without affecting the properties of the continuous polypropylene matrix significantly.     

Evidence of complete hydrophobic coating of bombesin by trifluoroethanol in aqueous solution: an NMR spectroscopic and molecular dynamics study

Bombesin is a tetradecapeptide that possesses a random coil structure in pure water. In the presence of 30 % (v/v) 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE), it adopts a partial helical conformation involving the C-terminal amino acids 6-14. This conformational change, known as the TFE effect, is studied here in terms of the solvation state of the peptide at different TFE concentrations by means of intermolecular homo- and heteronuclear NOE measurements. When an aqueous solution of bombesin is titrated with TFE, a continual decrease in the water/peptide interactions and a concomitant increase in the TFE/peptide interactions is observed, and at 30 % (v/v) TFE no homonuclear NOEs between water and the peptide can be detected. The conformational transition of the bombesin molecule is thus accompanied by a complete surface covering with TFE. A parallel molecular dynamics (MD) study of the peptide in aqueous solution with the single-point charge (SPC) water model and in a 30 % (v/v) TFE/water mixture with a recently developed TFE model has also been performed. The 10 ns simulations were in agreement with the experimental data. The calculations indicate stabilisation of the alpha-helix in the H(2)O/TFE mixture, in contrast to the situation in pure water, and clustering of the TFE molecules around the peptide.     

Radiation-chemical processes for fabrication of protective coatings and composite materials with the use of fluorinated monomers

The feasibility and the specific features of fabrication of protective coatings and composite materials on the basis of fluorinated monomers with the use of high-energy radiation (⁶⁰Co γ-rays, fast electrons) are analyzed. The consideration is focused on the radiation-chemical synthesis of tetrafluoroethylene telomers, their practical application, and modification of polymeric and inorganic materials by means of low-temperature postradiation polymerization and liquid-phase graft polymerization of fluorinated monomers. Radiation initiation makes it possible to prepare new products with a broad range of functional properties and to design novel technologies with the use of fluorinated monomers.     

Low-temperature radiation telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in hexafluoroisopropanol

The kinetics of low-temperature (180–270 K) postradiation telomerization of tetrafluoroethylene in hexafluoroisopropanol has been investigated. The efficiency of the process is determined by the initial concentration of the monomer in the solvent and the dose of preliminary irradiation. It has been shown that the telomerization reaction proceeds via the radical mechanism during the devitrification of the system. Active centers that initiate the process and their yield at 77 K have been studied by the ESR technique. Some properties of the product telomers have been studied.     

偏氟乙烯和四氟乙烯共聚反应

本文用过氧化二碳酸二异丙酯为引发剂,丙酮为分子量调节剂,对偏氟乙烯-四氟乙烯共聚反应进行了研究,并制得了不同组成,不同分子量的样品,用色谱分析方法分析在共聚反应过程中单体组成的变化,方便地确定了偏氟乙烯-四氟乙烯共聚反应中的“恒比”组成范围,并能控制共聚物组成的均匀性,丙酮有效地调节了共聚物的分子量,对共聚物的性能测定表明,它们有很好的机械性能和热稳定性,在“恒比”组成范围的共聚物的热电系数有一个极大值,它对应于熔点的极小值。     

Synthesis of <Superscript>28</Superscript>SiC from <Superscript>28</Superscript>SiF<Subscript>4</Subscript> and Methane in Radiofrequency (13.56 MHz) Arc Hydrogen Plasma

Some features of atmospheric-pressure radiofrequency (13.56 MHz) arc discharge and its use for obtaining bulk samples of isotope-enriched silicon carbide via the reaction between SiF₄ and methane in a hydrogen medium have been considered. It has been shown that power in this type of discharge is released mainly in the near-electrode regions. The deposition of silicon and graphite occurs in a layer-by-layer mode, so that the product carbide contains up to 40% free carbon; therefore, the process requires optimization. At the same time, the proposed type of RF arc discharge with the product deposition zone localized at the ends of the electrodes makes it possible to avoid not only additional heating of the reactor space and walls, but also the loss of expensive isotope-enriched silicon fluoride.     

High-pressure gasification reactivity of biomass chars produced at different temperatures

The knowledge of biomass char gasification kinetics is of considerable importance in the design of advanced biomass gasifiers, some of which operate at high pressures. In the present work the effects of pyrolysis temperature, total pressure and CO₂ concentration on the gasification of biomass chars have been studied using the thermogravimetric approach. The chars were obtained by pyrolysis in a drop tube furnace reactor at temperatures of 1000 and 1400 °C. The gasification tests were carried out in a pressurized thermogravimetric analyser (PTGA) at different temperatures, pressures and CO₂ concentrations. The reactivity measurements were conducted under the kinetically controlled regime, and three nth-order kinetic models as well as the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model were applied to determine the kinetic parameters.     

Measurement of reaction enthalpy during pressure oxidation of sulphide minerals

A calorimetric method for determining the enthalpy of the aqueous oxidation of sulfide minerals at high temperatures and oxygen pressures has been developed and evaluated under conditions relevant to industrial pressure oxidation operations. This information is important for heat balance calculation and optimization of the pressure reactor design. Experiments were carried out on a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) with a commercial mixing cell. Enthalpy measured during oxidative dissolution of pyrite (Valdenegrillos, Spain), pentlandite with pyrrhotite (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada) and impure chalcopyrite (Victoria, Australia) minerals at 150°C and partial oxygen pressures of 3.4 and 5.5 MPa have been performed and found to be consistent with theoretical estimations.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of trichloroethylene from clay samples

A new method for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) extraction from low-permeability media, such as clay, has been developed and tested using trichloroethylene (TCE) as a model compound. The method is based on microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), which uses microwave energy to heat the extracting solvent and the sample. MAE allows the extraction process to be carried out at elevated temperatures and pressures, which dramatically reduces the time required to complete the process. A custom-made PTFE vessel was used for extraction investigations. TCE analysis was performed using gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD). Three different solvents were tested: methanol, 1?:?1 hexane?:?acetone mixture, and 10?:?1 hexane?:?acetone mixture. A comparison of TCE recoveries from clay samples using the new method and the standard methanol extraction method was carried out. The newly developed method and the method currently in use were found to recover similar amounts of TCE. The major advantage of the MAE technique is the very short time needed to obtain complete analyte recovery (6–10?min), which makes it possible to analyse a large number of samples without the need for sample preservation or prolonged storage. Thus, the new method is much more efficient than the existing methods. The technique has a good potential for field application.