Dispersion and polar contributions to surface tension of poly(methylene oxide) and Na-treated polytetrafluoroethylene

Average values for dispersion γ_s^d and polar γ_s^d contributions of the solid surface tension γ_s γ_s^d + γ_s^p for poly(methylene oxide) (PMO) and Na-treated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are determined by a new computational analysis of wettability data. PMO displays γ_s^d equals; 21.8 ± 0.9 and γ_s^p = 11.5 ± 1.5 dyn/cm while Na-treated PTFE displays γ_s^d = 36.1 ± 3.0 and γ_s^p = 14.5 ± 2.9 dyne/cm. These surfaces present the highest fractional surface polarity p_s = γ_s^p/γ_s = 0.29-0.35 yet encountered for organic polymers or oriented monolayers. These unusual surface tension properties are correlated with surface chemistry and adhesion phenomena.     

Reactions and wetting properties of 1:1 perfluoroalkyl allyl and methallyl ether–maleic anhydride copolymers

Polymers with fluoroalkyl side-groups on three of every four carbon atoms along the polymer main chain were made by treating 1 : 1 copolymers of perfluoroallyl (or methallyl)ethers and maleic anhydride with SF₄, and then esterifying the resulting acid fluoride groups with 1H, 1H-pentadecafluorooctanol. Surface wettability of these polymers by polar and non-polar liquids was studied. The critical surface tension (γ_c) was found by Zisman's method. The dispersion force component of polymer surface energy (γ_s^D) and the polar component of surface energy (γ_s^p) were calculated by the respective methods of Fowkes and Owens. The γ_c values for several of the highly fluorinated polymers were lower than previously reported for any fluoropolymer but not so low as has been observed for the surface of an oriented perfluoroacid monolayer. In the range 11.4–18.5 dyne/cm, γ_c approximates γ_s^D for the fluorinated surfaces; however at lower γ_c values, considerable difference between γ_c and γ_s^D was noted.     

Wetting properties of bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinyl acrylate polymers

A series of bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinyl acrylate monomers [Y-C(CF₃)₂ O? CO? CH?CH₂] in which Y is CH₃, CH₃CH₂, CH₃CH₂CH₂, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂, C₆H₅, H, F, CF₃, N₃, CN, and CH₃OCH₂CH₂O, was prepared. Polymers were easily prepared from all of these monomers except where Y = CN, wherein a variety of initiation methods failed to produce high molecular polymer. Wettabilities of the polymer films were examined by means of contact angle measurements by using n-alkane test liquids and water. Values of the dispersion force contribution (γs^d) and the polar force contribution (γs^p) to the solid surface energy were calculated by employing both geometric and harmonic mean approximations. Values of γs^d calculated by either method agreed well with γ_c (critical surface tension) values determined graphically from contact angle data employing n-alkane test liquids, confirming the suggestion that γ_c is an approximate measure of the dispersion force contribution to solid surface energy. Values of γs_d ranged from 15 dyne/cm (Y = F or CF₃) to 25 dyne/cm (Y = C₆H₅). Values of the polar force contribution to solid surface energy (γs^p) varied from 0.6 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂) to 3.4 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃OCH₂CH₂O) when calculated by the geometric mean equation. The values of γs^p obtained from the harmonic mean equation followed the same trend upon varying substituents, but were larger in value, ranging from 2.9 dyne/cm (Y = CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂) to 7.5 dyne/cm (Y γ CH₃OCH₂CH₂O).     

Synthesis and Surface Chemical Properties of Adhesive Protein of the Asian Freshwater Mussel,Limnoperna fortunei

The adhesive polydecapeptide poly(Lys‐Pro‐Thr‐Gln‐Tyr‐Ser‐Asp‐Glu‐Tyr‐Lys) (average repeating number, n = 5), which is the consensus sequence of the Asian freshwater mussel Limnoperna fortunei adhesive protein (Lffp), has been synthesized by the polycondensation of the active esters. The surface chemical experiments revealed the following characteristics of the freshwater adhesive protein: (i) wettability of the Lffp solution is affected by the polar component value (γ_s^p) of the surface free energy of the substrate, and a substrate having a γ_s^p less than 10 mJ·m^–2 exhibits a reduced wettability of the Lffp solution; (ii) the comparison of wettability of native Lffp with synthetic Lffp suggests that the decapeptide sequence, ‐Lys‐Pro‐Thr‐Gln‐Tyr‐Ser‐Asp‐Glu‐Tyr‐Lys‐, contributes to the interaction with the underwater surface; (iii) the Lffp tends to adsorb on nonpolar surfaces that have a low γ_s^p value; and (iv) the adsorption ability of the freshwater adhesive protein is less than that of the marine adhesive protein because of the higher hydrophilicity of the freshwater adhesive protein. An antifouling examination indicated that a γ_s^p value of the substrate surface of less than 10 mJ·m^–2 should achieve a higher antifouling effect towards the L. fortunei attachment. These results are the first findings for the development of a freshwater antifouling strategy based on the molecular mechanism underlying the attachment of L. fortunei.     

Ionic bonding of lanthanides,as influenced by d‐ and f‐atomic orbitals,by core–shells and by relativity

Lanthanide trihalide molecules LnX₃ (X = F, Cl, Br, I) were quantum chemically investigated, in particular detail for Ln = Lu (lutetium). We applied density functional theory (DFT) at the nonrelativistic and scalar and SO‐coupled relativistic levels, and also the ab initio coupled cluster approach. The chemically active electron shells of the lanthanide atoms comprise the 5d and 6s (and 6p) valence atomic orbitals (AO) and also the filled inner 4f semivalence and outer 5p semicore shells. Four different frozen‐core approximations for Lu were compared: the (1s²–4d¹⁰) [Pd] medium core, the [Pd+5s²5p⁶ = Xe] and [Pd+4f¹⁴] large cores, and the [Pd+4f¹⁴+5s²5p⁶] very large core. The errors of Lu? X bonding are more serious on freezing the 5p⁶ shell than the 4f¹⁴ shell, more serious upon core‐freezing than on the effective‐core‐potential approximation. The Ln? X distances correlate linearly with the AO radii of the ionic outer shells, Ln³⁺‐5p⁶ and X^?‐np⁶, characteristic for dominantly ionic Ln³⁺‐X^? binding. The heavier halogen atoms also bind covalently with the Ln‐5d shell. Scalar relativistic effects contract and destabilize the Lu? X bonds, spin orbit coupling hardly affects the geometries but the bond energies, owing to SO effects in the free atoms. The relativistic changes of bond energy BE, bond length R_e, bond force k, and bond stretching frequency v_s do not follow the simple rules of Badger and Gordy (R_e～BE～k～v_s). The so‐called degeneracy‐driven covalence, meaning strong mixing of accidentally near‐degenerate, nearly nonoverlapping AOs without BE contribution is critically discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Crystallization behavior,tensile behavior and hydrophilicity of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polyethylene glycol blends

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) of different molecular weight was added into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) through melt blending. The hydrophilicity, processability, mechanical properties of the blends were investigated. Moreover, to understand fully, the crystallization and melting behavior, crystalline structure, molecular interactions of the blends were also studied. Results revealed that the addition of PEG evidently enhances the ductile and reduces the rheological torque of PVDF, what’s more, the contact angle of the blends with water was greatly reduced. The solid surface tension γ_s, chromatic dispersion part γ _s ^d and polar part γ _s ^p suggested the surface tension of the blend gradually increased from 38.31 to 55.65 mJ/m² with the increase of PEG-20000 content.Wherein the dispersion part of the tension changed little, the polar part of the tension increased significantly from 5.74 to 20.41 mJ/m², indicating that the addition of PEG greatly enhanced the polar part of surface tension of the blend, and therefore evidently enlarged the hydrophilic property of the blends. Besides, to elucidate the related effecting mechanism, the crystallization and molecular interaction of the blends were also studied.     

Rigidity percolation model of polymer fracture

A theory of the fracture of polymers with network microstructure was developed that was based on the vector, or rigidity percolation (RP) model of Kantor and Webman, in which the modulus, E, is related to the lattice bond fraction p, via E ～ [p ? p_c]^τ. The Hamiltonian for the lattice was replaced by the strain energy density function of the bulk polymer, U = σ²/2E, where σ is the applied stress and p was expressed in terms of the lattice perfection via the bond density ν, with the entanglement molecular weight, ν = ρ/M_e and appropriate measures of crosslink density for rubber, thermosets, and carbon nanotubes. The stored mechanical energy, U, was released by the random fracture of νD_o[p ? p_c] over stressed hot bonds of energy D_o ≈ 330 kJ/mol. The polymer fractured critically when p approached the percolation threshold p_c, and the net solution was obtained as σ = (2EνD_o [p ? p_c])^1/2 with a fracture energy, G_1c ～ [p ? p_c]. The fracture strength of amorphous and semicrystalline polymers in the bulk was well described by, σ = [ED_oρ/16 M_e]^1/2, or σ ≈ 4.6 GPa/M_e^1/2. Fracture by disentanglement was found to occur in a finite molecular weight range, M_c < M < M*, where M*/M_c ≈ 8, such that the critical draw ratio, λ_c = (M/M_c)^1/2, gave the molecular weight dependence of the fracture as G_1c ～ [(M/M_c)^1/2 ? 1]². The critical entanglement molecular weight, M_c, is related to the percolation threshold, p_c, via M_c = M_e/(1 ? p_c). Fracture by bond rupture was in accord with Flory's suggestion, G/G* = [1 ? M_c/M], where G* is the maximum fracture energy. Fracture of an ideal rubber with p = 1 was determined not to occur without strain hardening at λ > 4, such that the maximum stress, σ = E (λ ? 1/λ) = 3.75E. The fracture properties of rubber were found to behave as σ ～ ν, σ ～ E, and G_1c ～ ν. For highly crosslinked thermosets, it was predicted that σ ～ (Eν)^1/2, σ ～ (X ? X_c)^1/2, and G_1c ～ ν^?1/2, where X is the degree of reaction of the crosslinking groups and X_c defines the gelation point. When applied to carbon nanotubes (SWNT and MWNT) of diameter d and hexagonal bond density ν = j/b², the nominal stress as a function of diameter is σ(d) = [16 ED_o(p ? p_c) j/b]^1/2/d ≈ 211/d (GPa.nm) and the critical force, F_c(d) ≈ 166 d (nN/nm), in which j = 1.15, b = 0.142 nm, E ≈ 1 Tpa, and D_o = 518 kJ/mol. For polymer interfaces with Σ chains per unit area of length L and width X ～ L^1/2, G_1c is then ～ [p ? p_c], where p ～ ΣL/X. The results predicted by the RP fracture model were in good agreement with a considerable body of fracture data for linear polymers, rubbers, thermosets, and carbon nanotubes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 168–183, 2005     

Localized molecular orbital studies of transition metal complexes. II: Simple π-accepting ligands

Localized molecular orbitals (LMOs) for several octahedral complexes are presented. Wavefunctions are calculated within the PRDDO approximations and localized by the Boys criterion. Complexes of general formula (NH₃)_x(CO)_6-xM, M = Cr⁰ or Mn⁺ and x = 1, 2, or 3 illustrate the general trends for carbonyl complexes. Weak to moderate π-bonding results in three equivalent inner shell LMOs dominantly of metal 3s, 3p and 3d character but highly delocalized to the carbonyls. These three LMOs flank the M-CO bond axis. Other π back-bonding situations result in metal-ligand double bonds which are nonequivalent and have σ-π separability [(NH₃)₅(py)Mn⁺] and also equivalent double bonds [(NH₃)₅(NO)Cr⁺].     

Viscoelastic scaling in polymer gels

New scaling laws for chain networks are derived to describe the fundamental relationships between the viscosity exponent (k), viscoelastic exponent (m), stretched exponent (β), spatial dimension (d). fractal dimension (d_f), and a universal constant (γ). The scaling of the total number of monomers and the radius of gyration is defined by d_f. We have discovered γ = m/β to be a universal constant which relates the shear modulus of a polymer gel melt to the shear modulus near the glass transition. Analyzing the size-dependent shear viscosity, we have determined γ = 3d_fcd/(7d−5d_fc) = 2.647 for d = 3 where d_fc is the fractal dimension of critical clusters at the gel point. By using γ, the present theory extends previous work pertaining to systems near the sol-gel transition, and shows how properties far from the critical point can be explained. The theoretical prediction is in good agreement with viscoelastic measurements.     

Relaxation of shear and normal stresses in step-shear deformation of a polystyrene solution. Comparison with the predictions of the Doi–Edwards theory

The shear stress σ, two components of birefringence, and extinction angle were measured for a concentrated polystyrene solution in step-shear deformation of magnitude of shear 0.3 ≤ γ ≤ 4.0. The stress-optical coefficient did not depend on either γ or time. The first and the second normal-stress differences v₁ and v₂ were evaluated with the use of the stress-optical law. Over a certain range of long times, σ could be factored as σ = γh(γ)G(t) and the quantity h(γ) agreed with the prediction of the Doi–Edwards theory based on the de Gennes tube model of entangled polymer chains. At short times the effect of γ on σ/γ was smaller than at long times. The relaxation spectrum became approximately independent of γ at the short-time end of the rubbery plateau region. The ratios v₁/σ and v₂/v₁ were independent of time and were in quantitative agreement with those predicted by the Doi–Edwards theory: v₁/σ was equal to γ, v₂/v₁ was negative, and |v₂/v₁| decreased with increasing γ.     

Assessment of intermolecular interactions at three sites of the arylalkyne in phenylacetylene‐containing lithium‐bonded complexes: Ab initio and QTAIM studies

The intermolecular interactions existing at three different sites between phenylacetylene and LiX (X = OH, NH₂, F, Cl, Br, CN, NC) have been investigated by means of second‐order Møller?Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) calculations and quantum theory of “atoms in molecules” (QTAIM) studies. At each site, the lithium‐bonding interactions with electron‐withdrawing groups (? F, ? Cl, ? Br, ? CN, ? NC) were found to be stronger than those with electron‐donating groups (? OH and ? NH₂). Molecular graphs of C₆H₅C?CH···LiF and πC₆H₅C?CH···LiF show the same connectional positions, and the electron densities at the lithium bond critical points (BCPs) of the πC₆H₅C?CH···LiF complexes are distinctly higher than those of the σC₆H₅C?CH···LiF complexes, indicating that the intermolecular interactions in the C₆H₅C?CH···LiX complexes can be mainly attributed to the π‐type interaction. QTAIM studies have shown that these lithium‐bond interactions display the characteristics of “closed‐shell” noncovalent interactions, and the molecular formation density difference indicates that electron transfer plays an important role in the formation of the lithium bond. For each site, linear relationships have been found between the topological properties at the BCP (the electron density ρ_b, its Laplacian ?²ρ_b, and the eigenvalue λ₃ of the Hessian matrix) and the lithium bond length d(Li‐bond). The shorter the lithium bond length d(Li‐bond), the larger ρ_b, and the stronger the π···Li bond. The shorter d(Li‐bond), the larger ?²ρ_b, and the greater the electrostatic character of the π···Li bond. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The heat of fusion of polytetrafluoroethylene

The heat of fusion of virgin and melt-processed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was determined using the Clapeyron equation. Experimental data were obtained from PVT experiments and high-temperature x-ray diffraction measurements. For virgin, as-polymerized PTFE, the melting temperature is given by where, for T_m in degrees Celsius, A = 346.3±1.2, B = 0.095±0.003, and P is the pressure in kilograms per square centimeter. At the end of the atmospheric-pressure melting interval, the amorphous and crystalline specific volumes V₁ and V_c are 0.6517 and 0.492 cm³/g, respectively. Thus the heat of fusion is 24.4 cal/g, or nearly twice the value reported previously. The increases in enthalpy and volume at the melting point both indicate a degree of crystallinity of about 75–80% although infrared, x-ray, and NMR data give much higher levels. Data from calorimetry, NMR, and dynamic mechanical measurements indicate that in virgin PTFE some of the crystals continue to experience torsional oscillations at temperatures below the room-temperature transitions. This indicates that there are at least two kinds of crystalline regions. For previously melted PTFE, T_m is determined by A = 328.5±0.7 and B = 0.095±0.002, the volumes are V_am = 0.6349 and V_cr = 0.4855 cm³/g, and the heat of fusion is 22.2 cal/g. The entropy of fusion for PTFE is much closer to that of polyethylene than was previously believed.     

Valence-bond calculations on N2 and isoelectronic species

Valence-bond calculations are reported for the isoelectronic series of molecules and ions: N₂, CO, BF, NO⁺ and CN^?. The most important structures are N?N, C?O, B_π? F, N⁺?O and C?N. Hybridization of the 2s and 2p orbitals is important. Only two or three structures are required to obtain an energy lower than that obtained with the molecular orbital approximation. Structures in which the electronegative element loses a σ-orbital or gains a π-orbital are favored. π-bonds tend to be favored over σ-bonds. The bond in NO⁺ resembles that in CO, whereas that in CN^? resembles the bonding in N₂.     

Nature of closed‐ and open‐shell interactions between noble metals and rare gas atoms

Interactions between noble metals and rare gases have become an interesting topic over the last few years. In this work, a computational study of the open‐shell (d¹⁰s¹) and closed‐shell (d¹⁰s and d¹⁰s²) noble metals (M = Cu, Ag, and Au) with three heaviest rare gas atoms (Rg = Kr, Xe, and Rn) has been performed. Potential energy curves based on ab initio [MP2, MP4, QCISD, and CCSD(T)] and DFT functionals (M06‐2X and CAM‐B3LYP) were obtained for ionic and neutral AuXe complexes. Dissociation energies indicate that neutral metals have the lowest and cationic metals have the highest affinities for interaction with rare gas atoms. For the same metals, there is a continuous increase in dissociation energies (D_e) from Kr to Rn. The nature of bonding and the trend of D_e and equilibrium bond lengths (R_e) have been interpreted by means of quantum theory of atoms in molecules, natural bond orbital, and energy decomposition analysis. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cationic polymerization with p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts: Effect of substituents and mechanistic aspects of initiation reaction

Various p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts ( 2 ) were synthesized and their initiator activities were evaluated in bulk polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (PGE). The order of the activity was found to be 2b (X = CH₃) > 2a (X = H) ≈ 2c (X = Cl) > 2d (X = NO₂), indicating that the introduction of an electron-donating group enhanced the activity. In Hammett's plots, the logarithm of the ratio of the polymerization rates (log k_x/k_H) was correlated with σ⁺_ρ better than with σ_p and a negative ρ⁺ value (-1.18) was obtained. Reaction of 2a with benzyl mercaptan mainly gave dibenzyl sulfide and p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfide. The obtained results seemed to demonstrate that the OH group of the aryl group yielded no proton as initiator for the polymerization, whereas the benzyl group caused the polymerization, which was initiated by the corresponding benzyl cation formed by C? S bond cleavage. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photochemische Reaktionen 115. Mitteilung [1]. Zur Photochemie konjugierter γ,δ-Epoxyenone: Der Einfluss eines Hydroxylsubstituenten in ϵ-Stellung

Photochemistry of Conjugated γ,δ-Epoxyenones: The Influence of a Hydroxy Substituent in ?-Position On ¹n, π*- or ¹π,π*-excitation (λ ≥ 347 or λ=254 nm), the ?-hydroxy-γ;,δ-epoxyenone 8 undergoes fission of the C(γ)? O bond followed by the cleavage of the C(δ)-C(?) bond. This hitherto unknown sequence of reactions is evidenced by the structure determination of the new type products 10–17 and 25 , including a synthetic proof for 12 and the X-ray analysis of 11 (X-ray data: triclinic P1; a=7,386(2), b=8,904(4), c=9,684(5)Å; α=82,29(4)°, β=74,46(3)°, γ=82,29(3)°; Z=2). The selective ¹π,π*-excitation also induces competitive C(γ)-C(δ) bond cleavage to yield the bicyclic acetal 18 and a ketonium-ylide intermediate a , which photochemically forms a carbene b giving the allene 19 and the cyclopropene 20 . On ¹n,π*-excitation of the acetate 9 the initial C(γ)-O bond fission is, in contrast to the behaviour of the corresponding alcohol 8 , followed by a 1,2-methyl shift affording (E/Z)- 28 or by a cyclization-autoxidation process yielding the lactone 29 .     

The structural,electronic, and magnetic properties of the stoichiometric (001) surface of double perovskite Sr2FeMoO6

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the stoichiometric (001) surface of double perovskite Sr₂FeMoO₆ have been studied by using a 10‐layer FeMoO₄ and SrO terminated (001)‐oriented slab model and the first‐principles projector augmented wave potential within the generalized gradient approximation as well as taking into account the on‐site Coulomb repulsive (U = 2.0 eV for Fe and 1.0 eV for Mo). An outwards relaxation is observed for several layers near surface, and the accompanying layer rumpling has a decrease tend from surface layer to inner layer. Along Fe–O–Mo–O–Fe or Mo–O–Fe–O–Mo chains, the oxygen atom is closer to the adjacent Mo atom than to the adjacent Fe atom. In FeO₆ or MoO₆ octahedra, the two axial TM?O bonds are not equal, and especially, the surface dangling bond makes the remaining one axial TM?O bond slightly shorter than four equally equatorial TM?O bonds. The half‐metallic nature and a complete (100%) spin polarization character ensure the FeMoO₄ and SrO terminated (001)‐oriented slab of double perovskite Sr₂FeMoO₆ a potential application in spintronics devices. The Fe⁺³ and Mo⁺⁵ ions are still in the (3d⁵, S = 5/2) and (4d¹, S = 1/2) states with positive and negative magnetic moments respectively and thus antiferromagnetic coupling via oxygen between them. There is no direct interaction between two nearest Fe–Fe or Mo–Mo pairs, whereas the hybridizations between Fe 3d and 4s, O 2s and 2p, as well as Mo 4d, 5s and 5p orbitals are fairly significant. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Boron-sulphur compounds—II: A proton magnetic resonance study of complexes of pyridine and γ-picoline with trialkylthioboranes

Proton magnetic resonance studies of the pyridine and γ-picoline complexes of trimethyl-and triethylthioboranes provide strong evidence that the p_π—d_π bonding in the boron-sulphur bond is much weaker than the p_π? p_π bonding in the boron-oxygen bond.     

Radical-initiated homo- and copolymerization of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone

The kinetics of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (α-MBL) homopolymerization was investigated in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with azobis(isobutyronitrile) as initiator. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was expresed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.54[α-MBL]^1.1 and the overall activation energy was calculated as 76.1 kJ/mol. Kinetic constants for α-MBL polymerization were obtained as follows: k_p/k_t^1/2 = 0.161 L^1/2 mol^?1/2·s^?1/2; 2fk_d = 2.18 × 10^?5 s^?1. The relative reactivity ratios of α-MBL(M₂) copolymerization with styrene (r₁ = 0.14, r₂ = 0.87) were obtained. Applying the Q–e scheme led to Q = 2.2 and e = 0.65. These Q and e values for α-MBL are higher than those for MMA     

Kinetic study of the reactions Sn+N2O→SnO+N2

The optical pumping method of alkali molecules by atom—molecule exchange collisions is applied to obtain the magnetic shielding difference σ(Na) — σ(Na₂) = (29 ± 16) × 10^?6 between Na atoms and Na₂ molecules and the scalar nuclear spin—spin coupling constants d_s = (306 ± 30)s^?1 of ²³Na³⁹K.