Kinetics and mechanism of thermal polymerization of hexafluoropropylene under high pressures

The basic kinetic parameters of thermal polymerization of hexafluoropropylene, namely, general rate constants, degree of polymerization, and their temperature and pressure dependences in the range of 230–290 °C and 2–12 kbar (200–1200 MPa) were determined. The activation energy (E _act = 132±4 kJ mol⁻¹) and activation volume (ΔV ₀ ^≠ = −27±1 cm³ mol⁻¹) were calculated. The activation energy of thermal initiation of polymerization was estimated. The reaction scheme based on the assumption about a biradical mechanism of polymerization initiation was proposed.     

Stationary points on the energy hypersurface of the reaction O3 + H•→ [•O3H]* ⇆ O2 + •OH and thermodynamic functions of •O3H at G3MP2B3, CCSD(T)-CBS (W1U) and MR-ACPF-CBS levels of theory

The relative enthalpies, ΔH^o (0) and ΔH^o (298.15), of stationary points (four minimum and three transition structures) on the ^•O₃H potential energy surface were calculated with the aid of the G3MP2B3 as well as the CCSD(T)–CBS (W1U) procedures from which we earlier found mean absolute deviations (MAD) of 3.9 kJ mol⁻¹ and 2.3 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively, between experimental and calculated standard enthalpies of the formation of a set of 32 free radicals. For CCSD(T)-CBS (W1U) the well depth from O₃ + H^• to trans-^•O₃H, ΔH^o_well(298.15) = −339.1 kJ mol⁻¹, as well as the reaction enthalpy of the overall reaction O₃ + H^•→O₂ + ^•OH, Δ_rH^o(298.15) = −333.7 kJ mol⁻¹, and the barrier of bond dissociation of trans-^•O₃H → O₂ + ^•OH, ΔH^o(298.15) = 22.3 kJ mol⁻¹, affirm the stable short-lived intermediate ^•O₃H. In addition, for radicals cis-^•O₃H and trans-^•O₃H, the thermodynamic functions heat capacity C^o_p(T), entropy S^o (T), and thermal energy content H^o(T) − H^o(0) are tabulated in the range of 100 − 3000 K. The much debated calculated standard enthalpy of the formation of the trans-^•O₃H resulted to be Δ_fH^o(298.15) = 31.1 kJ mol ⁻¹ and 32.9 kJ mol ⁻¹, at the G3MP2B3 and CCSD(T)-CBS (W1U) levels of theory, respectively. In addition, MR-ACPF-CBS calculations were applied to consider possible multiconfiguration effects and yield Δ_fH^o(298.15) = 21.2 kJ mol ⁻¹. The discrepancy between calculated values and the experimental value of −4.2 ± 21 kJ mol⁻¹ is still unresolved. Note added in proof: Yu-Ran Luo and J. Alistair Kerr, based on the discussion in reference 12, recently presented an experimental value of Δ_fH^o(298.15) = 29.7 ± 8.4 kJ mol⁻¹ in the 85th edition of the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (in progress).     

Catalytic and Thermodynamic Characterization of Endoglucanase (CMCase) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus oryzae</Emphasis> cmc-1

Monomeric extracellular endoglucanase (25 kDa) of transgenic koji (Aspergillus oryzae cmc-1) produced under submerged growth condition (7.5 U mg⁻¹ protein) was purified to homogeneity level by ammonium sulfate precipitation and various column chromatography on fast protein liquid chromatography system. Activation energy for carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrolysis was 3.32 kJ mol⁻¹ at optimum temperature (55 °C), and its temperature quotient (Q ₁₀) was 1.0. The enzyme was stable over a pH range of 4.1–5.3 and gave maximum activity at pH 4.4. V _max for CMC hydrolysis was 854 U mg⁻¹ protein and K _m was 20 mg CMC ml⁻¹. The turnover (k _cat) was 356 s⁻¹. The pK _a1 and pK _a2 of ionisable groups of active site controlling V _max were 3.9 and 6.25, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters for CMC hydrolysis were as follows: ΔH* = 0.59 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔG* = 64.57 kJ mol⁻¹ and ΔS* = −195.05 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. Activation energy for irreversible inactivation ‘E _a(d)’ of the endoglucanase was 378 kJ mol⁻¹, whereas enthalpy (ΔH*), Gibbs free energy (ΔG*) and entropy (ΔS*) of activation at 44 °C were 375.36 kJ mol⁻¹, 111.36 kJ mol⁻¹ and 833.06 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively.     

Adsorption and desorption of small molecules for the characterization of solid acids

The relative acid strength and acid amount of solid acids has been determined from the adsorption and desorption of small molecules, such as argon. The order of activation energy for desorption of Ar from a solid acid, determined using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), is sulfated zirconia > Cs_2.5H_0.5PW₁₂O₄₀ > proton-type zeolites > silica–alumina. The adsorption isotherms were analyzed using Langmuir and Henry equations. The Henry-type adsorption isotherms were also analyzed using the theory of Cremer and Flügge. The heat of Ar adsorption was 22 kJ mol⁻¹ for sulfated zirconia and ca. 17 kJ mol⁻¹ for mordenite, ZSM-5, and beta-zeolite. Molybdenum oxides reduced at 623 and 773 K exhibited a large heat of adsorption (19.3 and 19.7 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively), and these materials are classified as superacids. W-Nb mixed-oxides and tungstated tin oxide (calcined at 1373 K), which are newly developed solid acids, had a heat of adsorption of 18.1 and 16.9 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The type of acid site could be distinguished by comparing the heat of adsorption of Ar and N₂. Our data indicate that Ar is useful for the characterization of solid acids.     

Heat capacity,enthalpy and entropy of calcium niobates

Heat capacity and enthalpy increments of calcium niobates CaNb₂O₆ and Ca₂Nb₂O₇ were measured by the relaxation time method (2–300 K), DSC (260–360 K) and drop calorimetry (669–1421 K). Temperature dependencies of the molar heat capacity in the form C _pm=200.4+0.03432T−3.450·10⁶/T ² J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ for CaNb₂O₆ and C _pm=257.2+0.03621T−4.435·10⁶/T ² J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ for Ca₂Nb₂O₇ were derived by the least-squares method from the experimental data. The molar entropies at 298.15 K, S _m⁰(CaNb₂O₆, 298.15 K)=167.3±0.9 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ and S _m⁰(Ca₂Nb₂O₇, 298.15 K)=212.4±1.2 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, were evaluated from the low temperature heat capacity measurements. Standard enthalpies of formation at 298.15 K were derived using published values of Gibbs energy of formation and presented heat capacity and entropy data: Δ_f H ⁰(CaNb₂O₆, 298.15 K)= −2664.52 kJ mol^t-1 and Δ_f H ⁰(Ca₂Nb₂O₇, 298.15 K)= −3346.91 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Non-isothermal Studies on Mechanism And Kinetics of Thermal Decomposition of Cobalt(II) Oxalate Dihydrate

Thermal decomposition of CoC₂O₄⋅2H₂O was studied using DTA, TG, QMS and XRD techniques. It was shown that decomposition generally occurs in two steps: dehydration to anhydrous oxalate and next decomposition to Co and to CoO in two parallel reactions. Two parallel reactions were distinguished using mass spectra data of gaseous products of decomposition. Both reactions run according toAvrami–Erofeev equation. For reaction going to metallic cobalt parameter n=2 and activation energy is 97±14 kJ mol^–1. It was found that decomposition to CoO proceeds in two stages. First stage (0.12<α_II<0.41) proceeds according to n=2, with activation energy 251±15 kJ mol^–1 and second stage (0.45<α_II<0.85) proceeds according to parameter n=1 and activation energy 203±21 kJ mol^–1. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Pyrolysis of petroleum fractions

Dynamic kinetic analyses were performed on different Brazilian petroleum fractions by thermogravimetry. The data were treated by a multiple heating rate methodology. The apparent activation energies for the light and middle fractions within the range of 62–74 kJ mol⁻¹ and for heavy distillation residues were within the range of 80–100 kJ mol⁻¹ at lower conversions and 100–240 kJ mol⁻¹ at higher conversions. The kinetic study can be a criterion for tells apart the main phenomena involved in the thermal behavior of the refinery feedstock.     

Thermal Decomposition of Strontium and Barium Malonates

The thermal decomposition of strontium and barium malonates has been studied isothermally and non-isothermally employing simultaneous TG-DTG-DTA, DSC, XRD and IR spectroscopic techniques. DSC of these malonates has been recorded both in oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres. The decomposition is a single step process and the end product formed is carbonate. The energy of activation and frequency factor values for the decomposition of strontium malonate are 547 kJ mol⁻¹ and 10⁴¹ s⁻¹ respectively. The activation energy and frequency factor values for isothermal dehydration of barium malonate sester-hydrate are 57–111 kJ mol⁻¹ and 10⁷–10¹² s⁻¹ respectively and the corresponding values for decomposition from DSC are 499.5 kJ mol⁻¹ and 10⁴⁴ s⁻¹ respectively. The higher thermal stability of strontium malonate as compared to that of barium salt is ascribed to its being anhydrous so that decomposition proceeds without restructuring. Their thermal stabilities have also been compared with that of respective oxalate salts. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of V2O5-MoO3-Bi2O3 glasses

Characteristic temperatures, such as T _g (glass transition), T _x (crystallization temperature) and T _l (liquidus temperature) of glasses from the V₂O₅-MoO₃-Bi₂O₃ system were determined by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA). The higher content of MoO₃ improved the thermal stability of the glasses as well as the glass forming ability. The non-isothermal crystallization was investigated and following energies of the crystal growth were obtained: glass #1 (80V₂O₅·20Bi₂O₃) E _G=280 kJ mol^-1, glass #2 (40V₂O₅·30MoO₃·30Bi₂O₃) E _G=422 kJ mol^-1 and glass #3 (80MoO₃·10V₂O₅·10Bi₂O₃) E _G=305 kJ mol^-1. The crystallization mechanism of glass #1 (n=3) is bulk, of glass #3 (n=1) is surface. Bulk and surface crystallization was supposed in glass #2. The presence of high content of a vanadium oxide acts as a nucleation agent and facilitates bulk crystallization. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetic studies on the dehydration of trans-dichlorotetrammine-cobalt (III) iodate dihydrate

Summary The dehydration of trans-[Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂)IO₃·2H₂O was studied isothermally by t.g.a. In the 0.1 < α < 0.8 range, where α is the fraction of the reaction complete, most of the runs gave the best fit to a second order rate law. Early stages of the reaction appear to follow a rate law based on reaction order while later stages (0.3 < α < 0.5) appear to be controlled by diffusion of H₂O. The reaction in the 0.1 < α < 0.3 range gave a best fit to a third order rate law, while the 0.3 < α < 0.5 range gave the best fit to a three dimensional control rate law. The activation energy for the overall reaction was ca. 103 kJ mol⁻¹. For α < 0.3 the activation energy was ca. 79.9 kJ mol⁻¹, but for 0.3 < α < 0.5 it was ca. 110 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Determination of the Thermal Degradation Kinetic Parameters of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Using TG

In this work, a kinetic study on the thermal degradation of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy is presented. The degradation is investigated by means of dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TG) in air and inert atmosphere at heating rates from 0.5 to 20°C min⁻¹ . Curves obtained by TG in air are quite different from those obtained in nitrogen. A three-step loss is observed during dynamic TG in air while mass loss proceeded as a two step process in nitrogen at fast heating rate. To elucidate this difference, a kinetic analysis is carried on. A kinetic model described by the Kissinger method or by the Ozawa method gives the kinetic parameters of the composite decomposition. Apparent activation energy calculated by Kissinger method in oxidative atmosphere for each step is between 40–50 kJ mol⁻¹ upper than E _a calculated in inert atmosphere. The thermo-oxidative degradation illustrated by Ozawa method shows a stable apparent activation energy (E _a ≈130 kJ mol⁻¹ ) even though the thermal degradation in nitrogen flow presents a maximum E _a for 15% mass loss (E _a ≈60 kJ mol⁻¹ ). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of The Oxygen Chemical Diffusion Coefficient in Perovskites by a Thermogravimetric Method

A thermogravimetric method has been used for the determination of the oxygen chemical diffusion coefficients in La_1–xSr_xMnO_3+δ; x=0; 0.05; 0.10; 0.15 (LSM). A temperature range of 700–1000°C was studied. The chemical diffusion coefficient varies between 1.6⋅10^–13 and 1.8⋅10^–10cm²s^–1 for the samples in the temperature range studied. The activation energy for oxygen chemical diffusion was determined to be 190–280 kJ mol^–1 for the LSM samples. The magnitude of the chemical diffusion coefficients of the LSM samples does not depend on the strontium site occupation factor. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetic of decomposition of some complexes under non-isothermal conditions

Kinetics of thermal decomposition of three structurally similar complexes Co₂Cu(C₂O₄)₃ (R-diam)₂, where R is ethyl, 1,2-propyl or 1,3-propyl, was studied under non-isothermal conditions and nitrogen dynamic atmosphere at heating rates of 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15 K min⁻¹. For data processing the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and a modified non-parametric kinetic methods were used. By both methods the activation energy are in the range of 97–102 kJ mol⁻¹. The formal kinetic is r=kα(1−α)². Also a compensation effect between lnA and E was evidenced. The kinetic analysis lead to the conclusion of an identic decomposition mechanism by a single step process.     

Thermal behavior study and decomposition kinetics of salbutamol under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions

The thermal decomposition of salbutamol (β₂ — selective adrenoreceptor) was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). It was observed that the commercial sample showed a different thermal profile than the standard sample caused by the presence of excipients. These compounds increase the thermal stability of the drug. Moreover, higher activation energy was calculated for the pharmaceutical sample, which was estimated by isothermal and non-isothermal methods for the first stage of the thermal decomposition process. For isothermal experiments the average values were E _act=130 kJ mol⁻¹ (for standard sample) and E _act=252 kJ mol⁻¹ (for pharmaceutical sample) in a dynamic nitrogen atmosphere (50 mL min⁻¹). For non-isothermal method, activation energy was obtained from the plot of log heating rates vs. 1/T in dynamic air atmosphere (50 mL min⁻¹). The calculated values were E _act=134 kJ mol⁻¹ (for standard sample) and E _act=139 kJ mol⁻¹ (for pharmaceutical sample).     

Oxygen ionic and electronic transport in Gd<Subscript>2−x</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>x</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript><Subscript>−δ</Subscript> pyrochlores

Oxygen ion transference numbers for Gd_2−xCa_xTi₂O_{7 −δ} (x=0.10–0.14) pyrochlore ceramics were determined at 973–1223 K by the modified e.m.f. and faradaic efficiency techniques, taking into account electrode polarization, and from the results on oxygen permeation. The ion transference numbers vary in the range 0.95–0.98 in air, increasing when the temperature or oxygen partial pressure decreases. The activation energies for the ionic and p-type electronic transport in air are 74–77 and 87–91 kJ/mol, respectively. The p-type conductivity and oxygen permeability of Gd₂Ti₂O₇-based pyrochlores can be adequately described by relationships common for other solid electrolytes. At temperatures below 1273 K under a gradient of 10%H₂+90%N₂/air, average ion transference numbers for doped gadolinium titanate are not less than 0.97. Thermal expansion coefficients for Gd_2−xCa_xTi₂O_{7 −δ} ceramics, calculated from dilatometric data in air, are in the range (10.4–10.6)×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ at 400–1300 K.     

Viscosity and structural relaxation of 15Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>O·<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>MgO·(10−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>)CaO·75SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> glasses

Temperature dependence of viscosity of title glasses (x=0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, abbreviated as M0, M2, M4, M6, M8, and M10, respectively) was measured by rotational viscometry (high temperature region: 10²−10^6.5 dPas) and thermomechanical analysis (low temperature region: 10^8.5−10^11.5 dPas) and described by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equation. The MgO/CaO equimolar substitution (i.e. the increasing x value) smoothly shifts the high temperature viscosity to higher values. In the low temperature region the mixed alkali effect is demonstrated, and the highest viscosities are observed for the glasses M0 and M10. In the low temperature range the activation energy of viscous flow linearly decreases with the increasing x value (E _act/kJ mol⁻¹=479−9.0x). No significant dependence of activation energy on x was found in the high temperature range (E _act/kJ mol⁻¹=238.1±4.2). The structural relaxation was measured by thermomechanical experiment and theoretically interpreted in the frame of Tool-Narayanaswamy-Mazurin’s model. The broadening of the relaxation time spectrum was observed for the calcium-magnesium glasses in comparison with the pure calcium or magnesium glasses.     

The unimolecular chemistry of protonated glycine and the proton affinity of glycine: a computational model

The potential energy hypersurface of protonated glycine, GH⁺, has been investigated. The calculated G2(MP2) value for the proton affinity (PA) of glycine, PA _calc=895kJ mol⁻¹, is in good agreement with the experimental value which has been estimated to lie in the range 864kJ mol⁻¹ < PA _exp <891kJ mol⁻¹. Ab initio quantum chemical calculations of relevant parts of the potential energy surface of GH⁺ give a reaction model which is consistent with the observed mass spectrometric fragmentation pattern. The lowest energy unimolecular reactions of GH⁺ are two distinct processes: (1) loss of CO, which has a substantial barrier for the reverse reaction, and (2) loss of CO plus H₂O, which has no barrier for the reverse reaction. Received: 15 November 1996 / Accepted: 6 May 1997     

Determination of dissociation energies of N-H bond in the 4-anilinodiphenylaminyl radical and O-H bond in the 2,5-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenoxyl radical from the equilibrium constants of chain reactions in quinoneimine-hydroquinone systems

The temperature dependences of the equilibrium constants of two chain reversible reactions in quinonediimine (quinonemonoimine)—2,5-dichlorohydroquinone systems in chlorobenzene were studied. The enthalpy of equilibrium of the reversible reaction of quinonediimine with 4-hydroxydiphenylamine was estimated from these data (ΔH = − 14.4±1.6 kJ mol⁻¹) and a more accurate value of the N-H bond dissociation energy in the 4-anilinodiphenylaminyl radical was determined (D _NH = 278.6±3.0 kJ mol⁻¹). A chain mechanism was proposed for the reaction between quinonediimine and 2,5-dichlorohydroquinone, and the chain length was estimated (ν = 300 units) at room temperature. Processing of published data on the rate constant of the reaction of styrylperoxy radicals with 2,5-dichlorohydroquinone in the framework of the intersecting parabolas method gave the O-H bond dissociation energy in 2,5-dichlorohydroquinone: D _OH = 362.4±0.9 kJ mol⁻¹. Taking into account these data, the O-H bond dissociation energy in the 2,5-dichlorosemiquinone radical was found: D _OH = 253.6±1.9 kJ mol⁻¹. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1661–1666, October, 2006.     

Adsorption of SO2 on alumina

The adsorption of SO₂ on alumina used in the aluminium industry, the so-called smelter-grade alumina, was studied in the temperature range 15–120°C. It was found that at temperatures lower than 40°C, sulphur dioxide was bonded to alumina reversibly by physical forces, and the adsorption could be described satisfactorily by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The heat of adsorption was estimated to be −33 kJ mol⁻¹. At temperatures ranging from 80°C to 120°C, which prevail in dry scrubbers in the aluminium industry, the heat of adsorption was determined to be −56 kJ mol⁻¹. When SO₂ was adsorbed at temperatures higher than 80°C, about 30 % of the SO₂ could not be desorbed even if the samples were heated up to 250°C. In the presence of SO₂ and oxygen, the formation of sulphate was observed at temperatures above 90°C.