In situ High-pressure NMR Observations on the Formation and Dissociation of Methane Hydrate

Gas hydrates are nonstoichionmetric ice-like solid. Three types of well-known structures, sI hydrate, sII hydrate, and sH hydrate, can be formed depending on the size of the guest molecules1. Most previous work focused on the equilibrium aspects of hydrat…     

Modulated DSC for gas hydrates analysis

Modulated DSC has been applied to the study of methane, ethane and propane hydrates at different hydrate and ice concentrations. The reversing component of the TMDSC curves, makes it possible to characterize such hydrates. Methane and ethane hydrates show the melting-decomposition peak at a temperatures higher than the ice contained in the sample, while propane hydrate melts and decomposes at lower temperature than the ice present in the sample. The hydrate peaks tend to disappear if the hydrate is stored at atmospheric pressure. Guest size and cavity occupation fix the heat of dissociation and stability of the hydrates, as confirmed by parallel tests on tetrahydrofurane hydrates.     

DSC measurements on full thickness mice skin

Highly lipophilic basic drugs, the antiestrogens AE1 and AE2 shall be delivered transdermally. DSC as an additional tool in combination with classic investigation techniques should be used to clarify permeation enhancement. Skin treatment with pure solvents, polyethyleneglycol (PG) and dimethylisosorbide (DMI), slightly changed the phase transition temperatures. Formulations containing lauric acid markedly shifted these transitions to lower temperatures, indicating a lipid-fluidising action of lauric acid. In those cases an additional endothermic peak was observed around 40°C, which is attributed to the melting of crystalline lauric acid. Since the DSC program started at -20°C, it is very likely that lauric acid in the skin samples crystallized. A formulation of polyethyleneglycol and lauric acid leads to significantly higher deposition of lauric acid into the skin, in opposition to dimethylisosorbide/lauric acid formulation. These findings correspond to the results from our in-vitro permeation studies, where a significantly higher transdermal steady-state flux of lauric acid from polyethyleneglycol-formulation in comparison to dimethylisosorbide-formulation was observed. By this unique combination of polyethyleneglycol and lauric acid, the barrier is obviously modified in a way, which allows the highly lipophilic antiestrogens to permeate easily through the skin. So, from this formulation steady-state fluxes of AE-1 were observed, representing approximately the same value compared to the unhindered permeation through skin without stratum corneum. The grade of temperature shift on the skin lipids to lower temperatures can be correlated with softening effects and the enhancement potential of the formulation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparison of simulated and actual DSC measurements for first-order transitions

A system of differential equations modeling a heat flux DSC is solved and the results are compared with those obtained using a TA Instruments Q1000™ DSC.¹ It incorporates a new heat flow rate measurement technique that determines the heat flow rate between the sample and its pan. Two types of first-order transitions are investigated: melting of a pure substance and solidification of a pure substance including super-cooling. In both transitions, the peak shape obtained using the new heat flow rate measurement and predicted by the model is quite different from that measured using conventional DSC. It is shown that the differences are the result of simplifications implicit in the conventional heat flow rate measurement that is based solely on the difference between sample and reference calorimeter temperatures. Heat flow rates measured using the improved measurement agree very well with the model predictions for heat exchange between the sample and its pan.     

活性炭中甲烷水合物的分解动力学

在封闭体系内,在初始分解压力0.1 MPa,温度范围276～265 K之间,测定了 五组甲烷水合物在活性炭中的解动力学数据。分析了甲烷水合物在活性炭中分解的 物理过程,提出了以微分方程表达的宏观分解动力学模型。使用单步积分的吉尔（ Gear)方法解得微分方程的数值解,结合单纯形最优化方法拟合模型参数,模型计 算值与实验值符合良好。     

Estimation of ultra-stability of methane hydrate at 1 atm by thermal conductivity measurement

Thermal conductivity of methane hydrate was measured in hydrate dissociation self-preservation zone by means of the transient plane source (TPS) technique developed by Gustafsson. The sample was formed from 99.9% (volume ratio) methane gas with 280 ppm sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution under 6.6 MPa and 273.15 K. The methane hydrate sample was taken out of the cell and moved into a low temperature chamber when the conversion ratio of water was more than 90%. In order to measure the thermal conductivity, the sample was compacted into two columnar parts by compact tool at 268.15 K. The measurements are carried out in the temperature ranging from 263.15 K to 271.15 K at atmospheric pressure. Additionally, the relationship between thermal conductivity and time is also investigated at 263.15 K and 268.15 K, respectively. In 24 h, thermal conductivity increases only 5.45% at 268.15 K, but thermal conductivity increases 196.29% at 263.15 K. Methane hydrates exhibit only minimal decomposition at 1 atm and the temperature ranging from 263.15 K to 271.15 K. At 1 atm and 268.15 K, the total gas that evolved after 24 h was amounted to less than 0.71% of the originally stored gas, and this ultra-stability was maintained if the test was lasted for more than two hundreds hours before terminating.     

Kinetic analyses using simultaneous TG/DSC measurements

Summary The thermal decomposition of CaCO₃was studied using simultaneous TG/DSC for two different ranges of particle size from the same source and a physical mixture of each. The difference in kinetic behavior was as expected qualitatively, but significantly different quantitatively. In addition, the mixture did not behave as a simple combination of its end members. These discrepancies are attributed to the problems associated with mass and thermal transport. The TG data again proved easier to fit than the DSC data.     

Technological quality determination of pharmaceutical disintegrant by DSC cooling and DSC photovisual

A number of disintegrants are available on the market. They improve tablets’ disintegration. The objective of this work is the comparison of the technological quality parameters of disintegrants using different analytical techniques. Three batches of disintegrants and their binary mixtures (water:disintegrants) were investigated. Cooling experiments were used from –30 up to 200°C. The data obtained showed calorimetric differences between the samples. In the binary mixtures water showed different crystallization behaviour from the one found in the literature. According to the results DSC technique helped the quality control of different disintegrants.     

Water transfer characteristics in the vertical direction during methane hydrate formation and dissociation processes inside non-saturated media

In order to study water transfer characteristics inside non-saturated media during methane hydrate formation and dissociation processes, water changes on the top, middle and bottom locations of experimental media during the reaction processes were continuously followed with a novel apparatus with three pF-meter sensors. Coarse sand, fine sand and loess were chosen as experimental media. It was experimentally observed that methane hydrate was easier formed inside coarse sand and fine sand than inside loess. Methane hydrate formation configuration and water transfer characteristics during methane hydrate formation processes were very different among the different non-saturated media, which were important for understanding methane hydrate formation and dissociation mechanism inside sediments in nature.     

Fractal-like Kinetic Characteristics of Coalbed Methane Hydrate Dissociation at Normal Pressure

Surface modality of coalbed methane hydrate and fractal‐like kinetic characteristics of the hydrate dissociation at normal pressure have been studied by using fractal geometry theory. The results show that the surface modality of coalbed methane hydrate has fractal characteristic, and the dissociation kinetics of coalbed methane hydrate is fractal‐like. Moreover, a new kinetic model for coalbed methane hydrate dissociation was proposed, and its reliability was validated.     

Kinetic investigations on the basis of isothermal DSC measurements of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of magnesium hydride

Results of kinetic investigations on the basis of isothermal DSC measurements by means of defined pressure changes are presented and interpreted for the Mg/MgH₂ system. From an evaluation of the experimentally obtained DSC-signals, the dependence of reaction rate on hydrogen pressure p₀, temperature and sample morphology could be described. Under certain conditions, it is possible to visualise individual rate-determining steps and, thus, to arrive at conclusions on the reaction mechanism.     

Gas phase PVT properties and second virial coefficients of dimethyl ether

Dimethyl ether (DME) is an important chemical material and gets more and more attention as a clean alternative fuel and refrigerant nowadays. The gas phase PVT properties of dimethyl ether were measured using the Burentt-isochoric coupling method in the temperature range of 328–403 K with two Burnett expansions at 383 and 403 K. A total of 126 experimental points have been obtained. The experimental measurement uncertainties were estimated to be within ±10 mK for temperature and ±0.7 kPa for pressure. The second virial coefficients along 16 isotherms were derived using the present data.     

A study of PBT/PC blends by modulated DSC and conventional DSC

Two poly(butylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate (PBT/PC) blends with different formulations were analyzed by modulated DSC (MDSC) and conventional DSC to determine differences in crystallization behavior. A significant difference (30°C in cold crystallization temperature) between the two samples was detectable by MDSC while no significant difference was seen by conventional DSC. That indicatesthe total heat flow from MDSC is not always equivalent to the heat flow from conventional DSC as we have assumed or seen before. The reason has not been fully understood, but may be related to unusual nucleation and crystallization induced by modulation. Alternative conventional DSC methods were developed and compared to the MDSC results.Dedicated to Professor Bernhard Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthdayThe authors like to thank Drs. Bernhard Wunderlich and Robert Gallucci for helpful discussion, David Shaker and Mary Parsonage for some DSC experiments. Technical support from TA Instruments is also greatly appreciated.     

Modulated temperature DSC measurements relating to the cold crystallization process of poly(ethylene terephtalate)

The modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetric method (MT-DSC) yields three temperature dependent signals, an underlying heat capacity curve from the underlying heat flow rate (corresponding to the conventional DSC signal), and a complex heat capacity curve with a real part (storage heat capacity) and an imaginary part (loss heat capacity). These curves have been measured in the cold crystallization region for poly(ethylene terephtalate) with a modified Perkin-Elmer DSC-7. The underlying curve shows the well known large exothermic crystallization peak. The storage heat capacity shows a step change which reproduces the change in heat capacity during crystallization. This curve may be used as baseline, to separate the crystallization heat flow rate from the underlying heat flow rate curve. The loss heat capacity curve exhibits a small exothermic peak at the temperature of the step change of the storage curve. It could be caused by changes of the molecular mobility during crystallization.Dedicated to Professor Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

PVT properties of linear and dendritic polymers

The aim of this article is to examine the limits of applicability of the Simha‐Somcynsky (S‐S) equation of state (EOS) by comparing the pressure‐volume‐temperature (PVT) data and the derivatives (compressibility, κ, and thermal expansion coefficient, α) of anionic linear polystyrene (PS) with poly(benzyl ether) dendrimers (PBED). Fitting the PVT of PBED data to the S‐S EOS was similarly satisfactory as that of PS and the computed Lennard‐Jones (L‐J) interaction parameters showed similar errors of ca. 1%. Next, the experimental derivatives, α and κ of PS and PBED were compared with these functions computed from the S‐S EOS—good agreement was obtained for α at ambient pressure, P, indicating validity of the S‐S theory at least up to the first derivative. While the predicted κ = κ(P) dependence for PS and a linear PBED homologue was correct, for dendrimers the compressibility was higher at low pressure and it was lower at high P than theory predicts. Also the extracted values of the L‐J repulsion volume, v*, between a segment pair was smaller than expected. The specific architecture of dendrimer molecules is responsible for this behavior, since their 3D configuration is significantly different from the S‐S model with uniform segmental density and oxygen bonds in the main and side chains add flexibility. © 2009 NRC Canada. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 322–332, 2010     

New pressure DSC cell and some applications

Physical properties and chemical reactions can be investigated by pressure DSC. There are 3 possibilities of sample preparation with respect to the contact with the furnace atmosphere which are illustrated by typical applications:

Merit of estimations from DSC measurements for the efficiency of optical resolutions

Chiral drugs are generally resolved through formation of diastereoisomeric salts of different solubility. When the diastereoisomer salts from a eutectic in the solid phase, a good estimate can be made for the efficiency of the resolution (S), through a calculation based on the eutectic composition (x _eu). The eutectic composition can be computed from thermal data of a differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) measurement of the diastereoisomeric salts [1]. In this work we investigated the influence of uncertainties of thermal data on the estimation of the efficiency of resolution (S), spreading throughout the calculations involved. Performance of our error-estimating method is demonstrated on 6 diastereoisomer salt pairs. The obtained deviations are close to the deviations of resolution experiments. Thus, it can be concluded that the DSC measurements are useful means in predicting the efficiency of resolutions. Deceased     

聚丙烯结晶行为的PVT研究

通过受限液体PVT测量技术对等规聚丙烯的结晶行为进行了研究,采用PVT等压测量模式描述了不同压力场下半结晶聚合物的结晶过程.结果表明,随着压力的升高,等规聚丙烯分子链间的相互作用增强,使得等规聚丙烯分子链段更容易排入晶格中,这是结晶温度和结晶速度升高的主要因素.通过对数据拟合,建立了压力对等规聚丙烯结晶过程参数的影响公式.对Jeziorny结晶动力学模型进行改进,并研究了压力对等规聚丙烯结晶动力学的影响,结果发现,当结晶度大于0.08时,结晶动力学拟合曲线呈较好的线性,分析结果可以对结晶过程的变化机理进行合理地预测,在小于200 MPa压力环境下,等规聚丙烯的结晶生长方式仍是球晶生长模式,晶体的生长符合二维片晶生长方式,自由体积的减小是结晶速率加快的主要原因之一.     

Obtaining Modulated Temperature DSC Curves Through a Non-conventional DSC Method

The DSC curve obtained in conventional equipment usually only shows the resultant thermal effect due to simultaneous phenomena, which may occur during isothermal or dynamic analyses. This does not allow one to identify the processes properly and may cause an erroneous interpretation of the resulting curves. Modulated DSC equipment enhances the operating conditions and the analysis capacity of conventional DSC by superimposing a sinusoidal temperature modulation on the linear temperature control. Thus reversing and non-reversing heat flow curves are obtained, which are, respectively, the heat capacity and kinetic components of the DSC curve. Therefore, events that are related to these components can be separately analyzed. A method to obtain curves similar to the MDSC reversing and non-reversing components was developed using conventional DSC equipment in a non-conventional way. It was applied to analyze samples of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) taken from bottles of mineral water. The second PET crystallization step that occurs during its melting was quantified and an apparent initial crystallinity was obtained from the resulting data. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

石英砂中甲烷水合物稳定条件研究

采用不同粒径(160～200目、200～300目、300～400目、400～600目)细颗粒石英砂模拟自然界中沉积物实验合成甲烷水合物, 采用多步升温分解法测定了甲烷水合物的稳定温度-压力(p～T)条件. 结果发现细颗粒石英砂对甲烷水合物的稳定条件有明显影响, 温度最大下降1.5 K. 其中160～200目的石英砂是实验测试条件下石英砂对甲烷水合物稳定条件有无影响的分界目数. 每一种石英砂在不同的温度压力下甲烷水合物p-T数据点较为离散, 并且不同石英砂中p-T数据曲线出现交叉, 这与文献中采用规则的硅胶、玻璃球等测得的结果有所不同. 文献中测定的甲烷水合物p-T数据点温度相对于纯水中甲烷水合物p-T数据点温度向左偏移量相同.