Ribbon-like microfiber of vulcanized and non-vulcanized natural rubber obtained by the solution blow spinning

Natural rubber (NR) microfibers were obtained from NR/chloroform solutions with or without vulcanization agents, by a solution blow spinning (SBS) technique. The microfibers showed a ribbon-like morphology with average widths ranging from 15 to 45 μm, depending on the processing conditions. Concentrations of 3%, 4%, and 5% (wt/vol) of NR/chloroform were compared; at 4% wt/vol the spinning process was most stable, and fiber width was the most homogeneous. Microfibrous NR membranes incorporating vulcanizing agents were treated at temperatures of 70, 80, and 90°C for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h. Membrane tensile strength and elongation at break varied with temperature and treatment time. The best result was found with the sample treated at 90°C for 3 h. In this case, the tensile strength and elongation at break was (4.9 ± 0.8) MPa and (867 ± 18) % which is about 310% and 330% higher than the values found for the same sample without the incorporation of vulcanizing agents. This expressive increase was attributed to the vulcanization of the rubber, which also provided a shift to a higher value of the glass transition temperature. Overall properties of the blow-spun films, especially the high elasticity-contraction, suggest they are attractive candidates for use in robotics, and biobased electronics including wearable sensors.     

Poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) films prepared by solution blow spinning: Surface characterization and its relation with E. coli adhesion

Solution blow spinning, SBS, a quite novel processing method, was used to obtain poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), EVA, films with controlled surface properties. The influence of the surface characteristics of EVA films on the adhesion of DH5α Escherichia coli was studied. In particular, the initial concentration of the EVA solution to be blow spun was varied in order to get different surface topographies. Considering the potential use of EVA based materials in applications such as food packaging or scaffolds for tissue engineering all factors affecting proliferation of microorganisms on their surfaces should be studied and understood. Structural, morphological and surface characterizations based on the use of infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, SEM, and contact angle measurements were performed to ascertain the main factor influencing the E. coli adhesion on the EVA films. Roughness data were determined at different scales from 3D surfaces obtained using a stereoscopic reconstruction of SEM images. It was concluded that, depending on the conditions of the SBS process, only variations of topography were found on the EVA films, being therefore the unique cause of different adhesion capacity of E. coli cells. A correlation between roughness and the number of attached E. coli cells showed that the higher the roughness at microscale level the higher the biofilm development, demonstrating that, apart from specific interactions at nanoscale surface, heterogeneity at microscale can greatly modify the antibacterial action.     

PVDF/TiO2 nanocomposites prepared by solution blow spinning: Surface properties and their relation with S. Mutans adhesion

Thermoplastic nanocomposite materials with potential bactericide properties were prepared and their surface properties and adhesion to Streptococcus mutans, S. mutans, were characterized. Solution blow spinning was successfully used to prepare films with a fiber-like structure on the surface of nanocomposites based on Polyvinylidene fluoride, PVDF, filled with well dispersed TiO₂ nanoparticles. PVDF/TiO₂ nanocomposites were prepared varying the nanoparticles content (0%, 1%, 2%, 5% and 10% by weight). In order to understand the influence of the presence of TiO₂ nanoparticles and the final surface properties on the adhesion of S. mutans to the materials, a deep characterization was carried out focusing on the morphology, roughness, surface free energy from contact angle measurements and cell adhesion by single cell force spectroscopy. It was observed that the uniform dispersion of the nanofiller arose from nanoparticles embedded in the polymer when fibers were created during the blow spinning process. TiO₂ content influenced the topography of the films probably due to a direct effect on the solvent evaporation rate. Although this factor greatly conditioned the roughness of the samples and therefore the surface free energy, S. mutant adhesion on the substrates under study was concluded to be more dependent on the specific interactions with the surface polar groups of the material.     

新型多级微/介孔固态胺吸附剂的制备及其CO2吸附性能研究

将HZSM-5与MCM-41按不同质量比混合得到复合分子筛载体,以四乙烯五胺(TEPA)为改性剂,采用浸渍法将其负载到复合分子筛上,制备了一系列新型的具有多级微/介孔结构的固态胺吸附剂。采用N₂吸脱附、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、热重分析(TGA)等手段对吸附剂进行表征。在固定床反应器中考察了HZSM-5和MCM-41的质量比、TEPA负载量、吸附温度、进气流量和CO₂分压等因素对CO₂吸附性能的影响。结果表明,当HZSM-5与MCM-41的质量比为1:1、TEPA负载量为30%、吸附温度为55℃、进气流量为30 mL/min时,平衡吸附量高达3.57 mmol/g,且经10次吸脱附循环后,吸附量仅下降8.1%。HZSM-5/MCM-41-30%TEPA对CO₂的吸附过程包括快速的穿透吸附和相对缓慢的逐渐平衡阶段,且穿透吸附量接近于平衡吸附量的80%。HZSM-5/MCM-41-30%TEPA对CO₂的吸附过程符合Avrami动力学模型,表明CO₂吸附是物理吸附和化学吸附的结果。     

AXAFS技术在Ni/ZnO吸附剂上模型油反应吸附脱硫机理研究中的应用

原子X射线吸收精细结构（AXAFS）由吸收原子的外围束缚电子对出射光电子波的背散射引起,AXAFS信号与嵌入原子势能、原子间隙势能和吸收原子电子密度的分布密切相关,可以作为精确的探针来探测原子的电子化学结构。研究利用AXAFS技术,以Ni/ZnO脱硫吸附剂为研究对象,探讨了模型油在不同气体气氛下的脱硫反应机理。结果表明,在氢气气氛下、350 ℃和3.0 MPa的条件下,从Zn元素的原位AXAFS谱图中可观察到脱硫过程中Zn元素的化学态变化。根据这些结果,揭示了氢气在脱硫过程中的重要作用,阐述了原位反应条件下吸附剂中Zn元素的化学态变化。     

具有强吸附与可见光催化活性的类红细胞状Bi3OXy(WO6)1-y(X=Cl、Br、I)固溶体

采用简单的两步水热法,成功制备了Bi₃OX_y(WO₆)_1-y(X=Cl、Br、I)固溶体材料,在改变形貌的同时,增强了吸附与光催化性能。通过X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、紫外可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、光致发光光谱(PL),对3种复合材料的结构和性质进行了详细的表征,推测了固溶体的形成原理。与BW单体相比,BI固溶体的形成使得带隙减小,可见光吸收能力增强,同时光生电子-空穴的复合率也减小。Bi₃OX_y(WO₆)_1-y对于罗丹明B (RhB)阳离子染料具有很强的吸附能力。通过高浓度下的吸附实验,研究了不同材料的吸附动力学。     

具有强吸附与可见光催化活性的红细胞状Bi3OXy (WO6)1-y (X=Cl、Br、I)固溶体

采用简单的两步水热法,成功制备了Bi₃OX_y(WO₆)_1-y(X=Cl、Br、I)固溶体材料,在改变形貌的同时,增强了吸附与光催化性能。通过X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、紫外可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、光致发光光谱(PL),对3种复合材料的结构和性质进行了详细的表征,推测了固溶体的形成原理。与BW单体相比,BI固溶体的形成使得带隙减小,可见光吸收能力增强,同时光生电子-空穴的复合率也减小。Bi₃OX_y(WO₆)_1-y对于罗丹明B(RhB)阳离子染料具有很强的吸附能力。通过高浓度下的吸附实验,研究了不同材料的吸附动力学。     

Estimation of parameters characterizing the adsorption of sodium,potassium, and rubidium cryptates at the mercury electrode/solution interface

The adsorption of complexes formed by sodium, potassium, and rubidium cations with macrobicyclic ligand (kryptofix 222 with C₁₈H₃₆N₂O₆ composition) is studied as a function of the ligand concentration on a stationary mercury drop in 0.1 M solutions of corresponding sulfates and chlorides by using the differential capacitance technique. Based on the model of two parallel capacitors supplemented by the Frumkin isotherm, the adsorption parameters of studied cryptates are estimated by using the regression analysis technique. Differential capacitance curves calculated with the parameters found are compared with experimental data. The comparison of the found adsorption parameters makes it possible to reveal the effects of the nature of included cations and specifically adsorbed supporting-electrolyte anions on the adsorption behavior of cryptates under study.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 4, 2005, pp. 475–481.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Stenina, Sviridova.     

Interaction between polymer and anionic/nonionic surfactants and its mechanism of enhanced oil recovery

Various experimental methods were used to investigate interaction between polymer and anionic/nonionic surfactants and mechanisms of enhanced oil recovery by anionic/nonionic surfactants in the present paper. The complex surfactant molecules are adsorbed in the mixed micelles or aggregates formed by the hydrophobic association of hydrophobic groups of polymers, making the surfactant molecules at oil-water interface reduce and the value of interfacial tension between oil and water increase. A dense spatial network structure is formed by the interaction between the mixed aggregates and hydrophobic groups of the polymer molecular chains, making the hydrodynamic volume of the aggregates and the viscosity of the polymer solution increase. Because of the formation of the mixed adsorption layer at oil and water interface by synergistic effect, ultra-low interfacial tension (～2.0?×?10^?3 mN/m) can be achieved between the novel surfactant system and the oil samples in this paper. Because of hydrophobic interaction, wettability alteration of oil-wet surface was induced by the adsorption of the surfactant system on the solid surface. Moreover, the studied surfactant system had a certain degree of spontaneous emulsification ability (D50?=?25.04?µm) and was well emulsified with crude oil after the mechanical oscillation (D50?=?4.27?µm).     

CH_4和CO_2在油页岩中矿物质结构内部吸附的分子模拟

利用Materials Studio2017模拟软件构建了蒙脱石、高岭石、方解石和生石膏四种矿物质分子模型。采用巨正则蒙特卡洛(GCMC)方法和分子动力学(MD)方法对四种模型的吸附量和吸附热进行了模拟计算。研究表明,相同温度和压力条件下四种矿物质对CH_4和CO_2分子吸附量大小为:蒙脱石高岭石生石膏方解石;CH_4和CO_2分子的单组分吸附量随压力的增大而增大,两种气体吸附均符合Langmuir吸附规律;四种矿物质对CH_4和CO_2分子的等量吸附热均小于42 k J/mol,即为物理吸附;随着温度的升高,CH_4和CO_2分子的吸附量和吸附热均减小,且CH_4和CO_2分子的等量吸附热和等温吸附量之间呈良好的正相关。     

Influence of finishing oil on structure and properties of multi-filament fibers from cellulose dope in NaOH/urea aqueous solution

Cellulose multi-filament fibers have been spun successfully on a pilot plant scale, from a cellulose dope in 7 wt% NaOH/12 wt% urea aqueous solution pre-cooled to −12 °C. Coagulation was accomplished in a bath with 10 wt% H₂SO₄/12 wt% Na₂SO₄ and then 5 wt% H₂SO₄ aqueous solution. By using different finishing oil, including H₂O, 4% glycerol aqueous solution, 2% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution, 2% polyethylene glycol octyl phenylether (OP) aqueous solution, mobol and 2%glycerol/1%PVA/1%OP aqueous solution (PGO), we prepared six kinds of the cellulose multi-filaments, with tensile strength of 1.7–2.1 cN/dtex. Their structure and properties were investigated with scanning electron microscope (SEM), ¹³C NMR solid state, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and tensile testing. The cellulose fibers treated with PGO possessed higher mechanical properties and better surface structure than others. Interestingly, although the orientation of the cellulose multi-filaments is relatively low, the tensile strength of the single-fiber was similar to that of Lyocell. It was worth noting that the dyeability of the multi-filament fibers was superior to viscose rayon.     

离子交换树脂固态胺复合材料的制备、表征及CO2吸附

以离子交换树脂（D001）为载体,四乙烯五胺（TEPA）为改性剂,采用三种不同的方法制备了一系列固态胺吸附剂。采用N₂吸附-脱附、傅里叶变换红外光谱（FT-IR）、热重分析（TGA）等手段对吸附剂进行表征。在固定床反应器中考察了TEPA负载量、吸附温度、进气流量和CO₂分压等因素对CO₂吸附性能的影响。结果表明,配位法制得的固态胺吸附剂分散性和稳定性较好,且在TEPA负载量为40%,吸附温度为65℃,进气流量为40 mL/min时有最大CO₂吸附量达4 mmol/g。经过10次吸附-脱附循环实验后,CO₂吸附量下降3.98%。热力学、动力学研究结果表明,CO₂吸附是物理吸附和化学吸附的结果。     

Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite,silica aerogel,activated carbon and its adsorption properties for Cd (II) ions from aqueous solution

A novel composite adsorbent, silica aerogel activated carbon was synthesized by sol-gel process at ambient pressure drying method. The composite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms (BET).In the present study, the mentioned adsorbent was used moderately for the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solutions and was compared with two other adsorbents of cadmium, activated carbon and silica aerogel. The experiments of Cd adsorption by adsorbents were performed at different initial ion concentrations, pH of the solution, adsorption temperature, adsorbent dosage and contact time. Moreover, the optimum pH for the adsorption was found to be 6.0 with the corresponding adsorbent dosage level of 0.1 g at 60 °C temperature. Subsequently, the equilibrium was achieved for Cd with 120 min of contact time.Consequently, the results show that using this composite adsorbent could remove more than 60% of Cd under optimum experimental conditions. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model was applied to analyze the data, in which the adsorption equilibrium data were correlated well with the Freundlich isotherm model and the equilibrium adsorption capacity (q_e) was found to be 0.384 mg/g in the 3 mg/L solution of cadmium.     

Investigation of the adsorption mechanism of a peptide in reversed phase liquid chromatography,from pH controlled and uncontrolled solutions

The single-component equilibrium adsorption of the tripeptide Leucyl-Leucyl-Leucine (LLL) on a high-efficiency Jupiter Proteo column (C₁₂$C_{12}$) was investigated experimentally and modeled theoretically. The experimental equilibrium isotherms of LLL for adsorption on a C₁₂$C_{12}$ packing material from an aqueous solution of methanol (48%) and trifluoroacetic acid (0.1%) were measured by frontal analysis (FA). The FA measurements were done with two solutions, one in which the pH was controlled, the other in which it was not. Two solutions of LLL in the mobile phase were prepared (4.3 and 5.4 g/L) and their pH measured (2.94 and 2.88), respectively. The first solution was titrated with TFA to match the pH of the mobile phase (2.03), so its pH was controlled. The pH of the other solution was left uncontrolled. In both cases the isotherms could be modeled by a bi-Langmuir equation, a choice consistent with the bimodal affinity energy distribution (AED) obtained for LLL. The isotherm parameters derived from the inverse method (IM) of isotherm determination under controlled pH conditions (by fitting calculated profiles to experimental breakthrough profiles) are in a good agreement with those derived from the FA data. Under uncontrolled pH conditions, the application of IM suggests the coexistence of two different adsorption mechanisms. According to the isotherm parameters found by these three methods (FA, AED and IM), the C₁₂$C_{12}$-bonded silica can adsorb around 500 and 70 g/L of LLL under controlled and uncontrolled pH conditions, respectively. The adsorption of LLL on the C₁₂$C_{12}$ material strongly depends on the pH of the mobile phase and on the quantity of TFA added, which plays the role of an ion-pairing agent.     

Morphology,rheology property,and crystallization behavior of PLLA/OMMT nanocomposites prepared by an innovative eccentric rotor extruder

An innovative eccentric rotor extruder, which can generate continuous elongation flow, was used to fabricate the poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA)/organo‐modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites in different OMMT concentrations. The morphology of the nanocomposites was characterized by thermal gravimetric analyzer, X‐ray diffractometer, and transmission electron microscope. The results showed that the OMMT nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the PLLA matrix and mainly existed in intercalation mode. The intercalation and exfoliation process of OMMT in the eccentric rotor extruder may be a double‐side exfoliation, which is more effective than the layer‐by‐layer peeling mechanism based on the shear flow. The influence of OMMT on the rheological behavior of PLLA was investigated by dynamic rheological measurements, showing greater improvement of rheological properties for the nanocomposites. The thermo‐mechanical properties analysis indicated that significant enhancement of E′ can be seen for all the nanocomposites. Presence of intercalated OMMT platelets did not lead to a significant shift of the E″ and tan δ curves compared with that of pure PLLA. The crystallization and melting behavior was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, which indicated that the incorporation of OMMT nanoparticles slightly increased the crystallinity of PLLA matrix. The polarizing microscope was further carried out and showed that the dispersed OMMT nanoparticles acted as a heterogeneous nucleating agent to promote the crystallization of PLLA.     

Phase behavior, microstructure transition, and antiradical activity of sucrose laurate/propylene glycol/the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia/water microemulsions

Nonionic sucrose ester microemulsions composed of sucrose laurate (SL), propylene glycol (PG) and water were prepared with the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, commonly known as tea tree oil (TTO), as oil phase to investigate the phase behavior, microstructure, and antiradical activity. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed to elucidate the phase behavior of the microemulsion formations at different weight ratios of surfactant and cosurfactant (S_m = SL/PG) of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1. The extension of the microemulsion zone was found to be strongly dependent on the S_m ratios. The single phase microemulsion domain, especially o/w microemulsion region increased when S_m ratio is increased from 1:1 to 3:1 and no liquid crystalline structure was observed for all formulations studied. Microstructural aspects were studied by electrical conductivity and pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR measurements along water titration line L28 (R_o = 2:8). The results from these combined techniques were in good agreement in regard to the microstructure transition points. The microstructural inversion of w/o to bicontinuous microemulsions occurred at 30 wt.% water while the transition from bicontinuous to o/w structure occurred at 55 wt.% water. The physical stability on storage temperature and time was examined by dynamic light scattering after the centrifuge test and freeze–thaw cycles. The droplet size was kept almost the same without any phase separation, providing less temperature-sensitivity up to 70 °C and good stability for 3 months at room temperature. The chemical profile and radical scavenging activity of TTO in o/w microemulsions was evaluated by means of gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) and 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH) scavenging method, respectively. The major abundant constituents of crude TTO, monoterpene alcohols (terpinen-4-ol (41.65%), α-terpineol (3.18%)) and hydrocarbons (γ-terpinene (22.95%), α-terpinene (10.16%)) were identified and the composition percentage of each constituent was calculated form the GC peak areas by normalization method. The DPPH scavenging activity of TTO microemulsion was lower than pure TTO because the SL surfactant may obstruct the interaction between the TTO and DPPH, reducing the number of effective collisions.     

Catalytic degradation of gaseous benzene by using TiO2/goethite immobilized on palygorskite: Preparation,characterization and mechanism

The nano-TiO₂/goethite/palygorskite catalysts were prepared by sol–gel method. The morphology and structure of the catalysts were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis reflection spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N₂ adsorption-desorption measurement. The results indicated that the self-made catalysts had excellent catalytic performance on gaseous benzene degradation. In the case of benzene concentration at 30 mg/m³, the degradation efficiency, over TiO₂/goethite/palygorskite composite with mass ratio of 10:5:5, reached 70.4% after 180 min 254 nm UV irradiation. The reaction mechanism and kinetics study showed that palygorskite/goethite/TiO₂ composites photocatalytic degradation benzene was mainly caused by oxidizing property of electron–holes and oxygen synergy effect.     

Styrene polymerization with novel anilido-imino nickel complexes/MAO catalytic system: Catalytic behavior, microstructure of polystyrene and polymerization mechanism

The polymerization of styrene with novel catalytic systems of anilido-imino nickel complexes (Ar¹N = CHC₆H₄NAr²) NiBr (Ar¹ = Ar² = 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 1; Ar¹ = 2,6-dimethylphenyl, Ar² = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, 2; Ar¹ = Ar² = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, 3; Ar¹ = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, Ar² = 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 4) activated by methylaluminoxane was investigated. The influence of reaction parameters (temperature, Al/Ni mole ratio, and polymerization time) on styrene polymerization was evaluated. The influence of the bulkiness of the substituents on polymerization activity and polymer characteristics was also ascertained. The obtained polystyrene was an iso-rich atactic polymer and its weight-average molecular weight reached 70 500. NMR analysis of the end groups further confirmed that styrene polymerization catalyzed by anilido-imino nickel complexes/MAO systems proceeded through a coordination mechanism, and the chain was initiated through styrene secondary insertion into the NiH and terminated mainly through β-H elimination of styrene producing the chain-end group (CHCHPh).     

Polypropylene/polystyrene/clay blends prepared by an innovative eccentric rotor extruder based on continuous elongational flow: Analysis of morphology,rheology property,and crystallization behavior

The polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS)/montmorillonite (MMT) blends were prepared by an innovative eccentric rotor extruder based on continuous elongational flow. Addition of MMT nanoparticles was found to reduce the PS droplet size and improve the compatibility of PP/PS. The MMT nanoparticles had clear intercalation and/or exfoliation structures and were located mostly at the interface of PP/PS. It was found that the intercalation and exfoliation of MMT was finished under the synergy of interfacial interaction and tensile deformation so that we called the mechanism as “MMT exfoliation mechanism induced by synergy of interface and tensile deformation”. The rheological analysis showed that incorporation of MMT led to an increase in complex viscosity to an optimum level (5 wt%), after which any further increase in MMT concentration decreased the complex viscosity. Moreover, the degree of crystallinity of blends was controlled by the heterogeneous nucleation effect of MMT and the inhibition effect of PS.     

Investigation on corrosion inhibition and adsorption mechanism of azomethine derivatives at mild steel/0.5 ​M ​H2SO4 solution interface: Gravimetric,electrochemical, SEM and EDX studies

The inhibition performance of five azomethine derivatives such as: 1-(4-Methyloxy phenylimino)-1-(phenylhydrazono)-propan-2-one (SB₁), 1-(4-Methylphenylimino)-1-(phenylhydrazono) propan-2-one (SB₂), 1-(phenylimino)-1(phenylhydrazono)-propan-2-one (SB₃), 1-(4-Bromo phenylimino)-1(phenylhydrazono)-propan-2-one (SB₄) and 1-(4-Chlorophenylimino)-1(phenylhydrazono) -propan-2-on (SB₅) as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in sulfuric acid 0.5 ?M were investigated using different methods. All experimental results demonstrate that these compounds are eficients inhibitors. The inhibition efficiencies ($IE$) increase with inhibitors concentration. At 7.5 $\times$ 10^?5 ?M, the $IE$ was 97.27%, 96.31%, 94.23%, 93.19 and 91.64% for SB₁, SB₂, SB₃, SB₄ and SB₅, respectively. The potentiodynamic polarization results indicated that all the studied inhibitors act as mixed type. The adsorption process on mild steel surface obeyed Langmuir isotherm. The associated activation parameters and thermodynamic have been calculated and discussed. The adsorbed film formed on the metal surface was characterized by SEM and EDX.