Study of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) relaxation kinetics at the glass transition temperature

In this work, the variations of the relaxation times are investigated above and below the glass transition temperature of a model amorphous polymer, the polycarbonate. Three different techniques (calorimetric, dielectric and thermostimulated currents) are used to achieve this goal. The relaxation time at the glass transition temperature was determined at the temperature dependence convergence of the relaxation times calculated with dynamic dielectric spectroscopy (DDS) for the liquid state and thermostimulated depolarisation currents (TSDC) for the vitreous state. We find a value of τ(T_g) = 110 s for PC samples. The knowledge of the temperature dependence, τ(T), and the value τ(T_g) enables to determine the glass-forming liquid fragility index, m. We find m = 178 ± 5.     

Spin lattice relaxation in linear polyethylene

The proton spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) of linear polyethylenes (PE) of varying morphology were measured as a function of temperature. The T₁ of oriented bulkcrystallized and solution-crystallized material was isotropic, in disagreement with calculations based on a sample dipole pair model. Motion in the non-crystalline regions of the samples is shown to be responsible for the T₁ minimum occurring around ?20°C. The dependence of T₁ at the minimum on the long period reinforces the model of an amorphous fraction composed of disordered lamellar surface layers. The temperature of the T₁ minimum and the dependence of T₁ on the long period imply that the mobility of these amorphous regions is reduced in cold-drawn and solution-crystallized samples. This mobility irreversibly increases with annealing. In highly relaxed samples the motion of a small portion of the disordered regions is almost liquidlike, as indicated by the presence of a second shorter T₁.     

Cyanide-bridged W(V)Mn(III) single-chain magnet with isolated Mn(III) moieties exhibiting two types of relaxation dynamics

A 5d-3d bimetallic compound was prepared by self-assembling [W(CN)(8)](3-) and the Mn(III) Schiff bases. This neutral complex consists of cyanide-linked W(V)Mn(III) anionic chains and isolated Mn(III) Schiff base cations. We demonstrate that two types of relaxation processes are involved in the system; the low-T dynamics may come from magnetic domain dynamics and the high-T relaxation stems from the anionic chain, revealing single-chain magnet character.     

High-spin to low-spin relaxation kinetics in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex

A quasi-quantitative photo-induced low-spin (LS)-->high-spin (HS) conversion of FeII ions has been observed in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex by irradiating the sample with blue light (488 nm) at 10 K. The time dependence of the HS-->LS relaxation has been studied between 10 K and 44 K by means of magnetic susceptibility measurements. These relaxation curves could be satisfactorily fitted by mono-exponential decays including tunnelling effect except for temperatures below 30 K. The introduction of a distribution of vibrational frequencies into this model improved significantly the fits in the low-temperature range and gave a good agreement with the experimental data in the whole temperature range suggesting a multi-rate relaxation process in this complex.     

Integral invariants in chemical kinetics

Integral invariants of classical mechanical systems are used for the mathematical treatment of equilibrium systems of chemical reaction kinetics. Some conserved quantities and Hamilton equations in chemistry are shown.

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Mean-field cooperativity in chemical kinetics

We consider cooperative reactions and we study the effects of the interaction strength among the system components on the reaction rate, hence realizing a connection between microscopic and macroscopic observables. Our approach is based on statistical mechanics models and it is developed analytically via mean-field techniques. First of all, we show that, when the coupling strength is set positive, a cooperative behavior naturally emerges from the model; in particular, by means of various cooperative measures previously introduced, we highlight how the degree of cooperativity depends on the interaction strength among components. Furthermore, we introduce a criterion to discriminate between weak and strong cooperativity, based on a measure of “susceptibility.” We also properly extend the model in order to account for multiple attachments phenomena: this is realized by incorporating within the model p-body interactions, whose non-trivial cooperative capability is investigated too.     

A cutoff phenomenon in accelerated stochastic simulations of chemical kinetics via flow averaging (FLAVOR-SSA)

We present a simple algorithm for the simulation of stiff, discrete-space, continuous-time Markov processes. The algorithm is based on the concept of flow averaging for the integration of stiff ordinary and stochastic differential equations and ultimately leads to a straightforward variation of the the well-known stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA). The speedup that can be achieved by the present algorithm [flow averaging integrator SSA (FLAVOR-SSA)] over the classical SSA comes naturally at the expense of its accuracy. The error of the proposed method exhibits a cutoff phenomenon as a function of its speed-up, allowing for optimal tuning. Two numerical examples from chemical kinetics are provided to illustrate the efficiency of the method.     

Four quadruple metal-metal bonds lined up: linear nonachromium(II) metal string complexes

Through a new pyrazine-modulated penta-pyridyl-tetraamine ligand, H(4)N(9)-mpz, linear nonachromium(II) complexes with four quadruple metal-metal bonds were successfully obtained, and their structure, magnetic and electrochemistry properties were studied.     

A luminescent linear trinuclear Dy(III) complex exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation of single ion origin

A luminescent trinuclear Dy(III) complex, in which the three Dy(III) centers with different geometries take a nearly linear disposition, shows the slow magnetic relaxation processes of single ion origin.     

Tracking chemical kinetics in high-throughput systems

Combinatorial chemistry and high‐throughput experimentation (HTE) have revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry—but can chemists truly repeat this success in the fields of catalysis and materials science? We propose to bridge the traditional “discovery” and “optimization” stages in HTE by enabling parallel kinetic analysis of an array of chemical reactions. We present here the theoretical basis to extract concentration profiles from reaction arrays and derive the optimal criteria to follow (pseudo)first‐order reactions in time in parallel systems. We use the information vector f and introduce in this context the information gain ratio, χ_r, to quantify the amount of useful information that can be obtained by measuring the extent of a specified reaction r in the array at any given time. Our method is general and independent of the analysis technique, but it is more effective if the analysis is performed on‐line. The feasibility of this new approach is demonstrated in the fast kinetic analysis of the carbon–sulfur coupling between 3‐chlorophenylhydrazonopropane dinitrile and β‐mercaptoethanol. The theory agrees well with the results obtained from 31 repeated C? S coupling experiments.     

Thallium(III) coordination compounds: chemical information from 205Tl NMR longitudinal relaxation times

²⁰⁵Tl longitudinal relaxation rate measurements were performed on several thallium(III) complexes with the composition Tl(OH)_n(H₂O)_6?n^(3?n)+ (n = 1,2), Tl(Cl)_n(H₂O)_m?n^(3?n)+, Tl(Br)_n(H₂O)_m?n^(3?n)+ (m = 6 for n = 1–2, m = 5 for n = 3, m = 4 for n = 4), Tl(CN)_n(H₂O)_m?n^(3?n)+ (m = 6 for n = 1–2, m = 4 for n = 3–4) in aqueous solution, at different magnetic fields and temperatures. ¹³C and ²D isotopic labelling and ¹H decoupling experiments showed that the contribution of the dipolar relaxation path is negligible. The less symmetric lower complexes (n < 4) had faster relaxation rate dominantly via chemical shift anisotropy contribution which depended on the applied magnetic field: T₁ values are between 20 and 100 ms at 9.4 T and the shift anisotropy is Δσ = 1000–2000 ppm. The tetrahedral complexes, n = 4, relax slower; their T₁ is longer than 1 s and the spin–rotation mechanism is probably the dominant relaxation path as showed by a temperature dependence study. In the case of the TlCl₄^? complex, presumably a trace amount of TlCl₅^2? causes a large CSA contribution, 300 ppm. Since the geometry and the bond length for the complexes in solution are known from EXAFS data, it was possible to establish a correlation between the CSA parameter and the symmetry of the complexes. The relaxation behaviour of the Tl–bromo complexes is not in accordance with any known relaxation mechanism. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Consequences of resonance tunnelling in chemical kinetics

The kinetic consequences of resonance tunnelling processes that may occur in chemical reactions are investigated in terms of a multi-centered unsymmetrical Eckart potential barrier. This potential function does not only simulate the possible existence of intermediate wells in the effective potential energy cut along the reaction path, but also is amenable to analytic solutions. The reaction rate as well as its dependence on temperature, reduced mass,Q-value, activation energy and barrier diffuseness are evaluated for successively increasing the number of barrier stages. Comparisons between results due to single and multi-humped potential energy barriers are made and discussed.     

Thallium-205 spin lattice relaxation in dialkylthallium(III) derivatives: Importance of chemical shift anisotropy relaxation and effects on NMR spectra of coupled nuclei

A dominant contribution from the chemical shift anisotropy relaxation mechanism to²⁰⁵Tl spin-lattice relaxation in some dialkylthallium(III) derivatives is demonstrated by measurements at two different fields and is also reflected in nmr linewidths of coupled protons, hence suggesting a new and facile method for monitoring changes in²⁰⁵Tl T₁ values.     

Influence of the chemical structure on the kinetics of the structural relaxation process of acrylate and methacrylate polymer networks

The enthalpy relaxation of poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) networks, obtained by DSC, are compared. The temperature interval of the glass transition broadens in the sequence PEA-PEMA-PHEMA. The plots of the enthalpy loss during the annealing for 200 min at different temperatures below T_g show that the structural relaxation process also takes place in PHEMA in a broader temperature interval than in PEA or PEMA. The modelling of the structural relaxation process using a phenomenological model allows determining the temperature dependence of the relaxation times concluding that the fragility in PHEMA is significantly lower than in PEMA. Both features are ascribed to the connectivity of the polymer chains in PHEMA via hydrogen bonding. The role of the presence of the methyl group bonded to the main chain is analysed by comparing the results obtained in PEA and PEMA.     

Topological structure and molecular mobility of linear and branched poly(meth)acrylates studied by NMR relaxation

The method for the determination of fractions of terminal chains and chains bonded by physical or chemical knots from free induction decays (FID) and line shape was proposed on the basis of the earlier developed theory of NMR spectra in linear and cross-linked polymers. The density and topological structure of the effective polymer network and the characteristic correlation times of segmental motion of chains were determined for linear and branched poly(meth)acrylates at 130 °C from the coincidence of the theoretical and experimental FID curves and the line shape. A quantitative estimation of chain rigidity in the branched polymer with an increase in the brancher content was performed for the first time.     

A study of the chemical bond types in films deposited from bis(trimethylsilyl)-ethylamine by PECVD

Silicon carbonitride films are synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from bis(trimethylsilyl)ethylamine and helium or ammonium mixtures. The structure of chemical bonds in the films is studied by X-ray photoelectron and IR spectroscopy. The data on the main types of bonds present in silicon carbonitride films deposited under different synthesis conditions are obtained. It is shown that the use of ammonia at a low deposition temperature provides the synthesis of films with a simultaneous formation of Si-C, Si-N, and C-N bonds. The main bonds in films obtained from a bis(trimethylsilyl)ethylamine and helium mixture are Si-C and Si-N. The chemical structure of films obtained at high synthesis temperatures is close to SiC _x regardless of the type of the additional gas used.