Development of Membranes by Radiation‐Induced Graft Polymerization of Monomers onto Polyethylene Films

Abstract

Membranes have become a fascinating domain of present day separation science technology and environmental care because of their inter disciplinary nature and a wide range of application areas. Membranes play a vital role in a number of domains involving the industrial sector, human health care, and the management of the environment. The application of membrane as solid polymer electrolyte in fuel cells is another technological requirement of a highly proton conducting matrix with oxidative stability. The graft polymerization offers an attractive way to introduce specific properties in polymers. The beauty of radiation grafting is that this method may be used to modify virtually any polymer in any form, such as films and fibers, by careful selection of the monomer. A wide range of monomers are available for grafting reaction. However, the monomers need to be functionalized in a subsequent step to introduce functional groups.     

Polymer–Metal Complexes Obtained by Radiation‐Induced Grafting Process onto Polyester Fabrics

Abstract

This paper reports the preparation of chelating copolymers via grafting of acrylic acid, and/or acrylamide onto polyester microfiber (PETMF) fabrics using a γ‐radiation technique. The effect of monomer concentration on the grafting process at irradiation dose 20?kGy was studied. The prepared graft chains (PETMF‐g‐AA), (PETMF‐g‐AAm), and (PETMF‐g‐PAAc/PAAm) acted as chelating sites for some selected transition metal ions. The effect of grafting on mechanical properties of PETMF and its copolymer–metal complexes was investigated. The prepared chelating copolymers and their metal complexes were characterized using x‐ray (energy dispersive x‐ray, EDX), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), color parameters, and electrical conductivity measurements. The possibility of practical uses for such prepared graft copolymer–metal complexes was discussed and determined. The observed results showed that the electrical conductivity of the grafted copolymers and their metal complexes are thermally activated. Moreover, the degree of grafting enhanced the conductivity values of the grafted and non‐complexed copolymer up to three orders of magnitude, on the other hand, the conductivity of the copolymer–metal complexes slightly increased.     

The States,Diffusion, and Concentration Distribution of Water in Radiation‐Formed PVA/PVP Hydrogels

Abstract

Hydrogels with various compositions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(1‐vinyl‐2‐ pyrrolidinone) (PVP) were prepared by irradiating mixtures of PVA and PVP in aqueous solutions with gamma‐rays from ⁶⁰Co sources at room temperature. The states of water in the hydrogels were characterized using DSC and NMR T₂ relaxation measurements and the kinetics of water diffusion in the hydrogels were studied by sorption experiments and NMR imaging. The DSC endothermic peaks in the temperature range ?10 to +10°C implied that there are at least two kinds of freezable water present in the matrix. The difference between the total water content and the freezable water content was referred to as bound water, which is not freezable. The weight fraction of water at which only nonfreezable water is present in a hydrogel with F_VP=0.19 has been estimated to be g_H2O/g_Polymer=0.375. From water sorption experiments, it was demonstrated that the early stage of the diffusion of water into the hydrogels was Fickian. A curve‐fit of the early‐stage experimental data to the Fickian model allowed determination of the water diffusion coefficient, which was found to lie between 1.5×10^?11 m² s^?1 and 4.5×10^?11 m² s^?1, depending on the polymer composition, the cross‐link density, and the temperature. It was also found that the energy barrier for diffusion of water molecules into PVA/PVP hydrogels was ≈24 kJ mol^?1. Additionally, the diffusion coefficients determined from NMR imaging of the volumetric swelling of the gels agreed well with the results obtained by the mass sorption method.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrogels Based on Gamma Radiation Copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide and Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate Monomers

Hydrogels based essentially on N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and different ratios of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) monomer were synthesized by gamma radiation copolymerization. The thermal decomposition behavior of NIPAAm/EGDMA hydrogels was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of temperature and pH on the swelling behavior was also studied. The results showed that the ratio of EGDMA in the comonomer feeding solution has a great effect on the yield product, gel fraction and water content in the final hydrogel. In this regard, it was observed that the increase of EGDMA ratio decreased these properties. The TGA study showed that all the compositions of NIPAAm/EGDMA hydrogels displayed higher thermal stability than the hydrogel based on pure PNIPAAm hydrogel. The swelling kinetics in water showed that pure PNIPAAm and NIPAAm/EGDMA hydrogels reached equilibrium after 6 h. However, NIPAAm/EGDMA hydrogels show swelling in water lower than pure PNIPAAm. The results showed that the swelling character of pure PNIPAAm and NIPAAm/EGDMA hydrogels was affected by the change in temperature within the temperature range 25–40°C, and showed a reversible change in swelling in the pH range 4–7 depending on composition.     

The Effects of Dispersed Phase Morphology Induced by Flow on the Bulk Viscosity of HDPE/PA Blends

The apparent shear viscosity (ηa) of a blend composed of 97 wt % nigh-density polyethylene (HDPE) and 3 wt % polyamide (PA-66) was measured by capillary rheometry at different shear rates, below, near and above the melting point of PA-66, i.e. 240℃, 260℃and 280℃, respectively. At 260℃and a high shear rate,ηa of the blend reduced abnormally; and at 260℃, was lower than that at 280℃. The images of etched surface of extrudate observed by the SEM showed different dispersed phase morphology, induced by flow at different temperatures. It is suggested that the formation of fibrillar morphology of dispersed phase is a key factor for the abnormal reduction ofηa for the HDPE/PA blend.     

Characterization of Starch/Acrylic Acid Super‐Absorbent Hydrogels Prepared by Ionizing Radiation

Copolymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) and gelatinized maize starch in aqueous medium using γ‐irradiation, followed by neutralization with alkali solution was carried out. The preparation conditions, such as irradiation dose and starch/AAc compositions were investigated. The higher the irradiation dose, as well as the AAc content in the feed solution, the higher the gel content. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM revealed that the higher the dose, the lower the copolymer pore size. Starch/AAc copolymers have thermal stability higher than that for starch and poly acrylic acid individually. The swelling of starch/AAc hydrogels reduced as the gel content increases. The maximum water absorption obtained for starch/AAc hydrogels in distilled water was 200 g/g, and for neutralized starch/AAc hydrogels was 350 g/g. The swelling ratio of starch/AAc hydrogels of different compositions in NaCl solution is lower than that obtained in distilled water. The results suggest that the neutralized starch/AAc hydrogels have a high swelling property, and can be used in a variety of commercial applications.     

Convenient One‐Pot Protocol for an Exclusive Synthesis of 4‐Cyano/ethoxycarbonyl‐2,2‐dimethyl‐2H‐chromene and/or 3‐Cyano/ethoxycarbonyl‐2‐isopropyl‐benzo[b]furan from a Single Oxo‐ylide

[{2‐(Fluoroaryloxy)‐2‐methyl‐propanoyl}‐(cyano/ethoxycarbonyl) methylene]triphenylphosphoranes underwent microwave‐assisted tandem intramolecular Wittig and Claisen rearrangement and internal cyclization reactions to afford fluoro‐substituted 2,2‐dimethyl‐2H‐chromenes and/or 2‐isopropyl‐benzo[b]furans in good yield. Upon controlled microwave irradiation in the presence of Nafion H catalyst in xylene, the oxo‐ylides selectively formed 4‐cyano/ethoxycarbonyl‐2,2‐dimethyl‐2H‐chromenes. Microwave irradiation of the same oxo‐ylide in the presence of K₂CO₃ as catalyst or in a polar solvent–like sulfolane resulted in the exclusive formation of the corresponding fluoro‐substituted 3‐cyano/ethoxycarbonyl‐2‐isopropyl‐benzo[b]furans.     

Chitosan/N-methylol nylon 6 blend membranes for the pervaporation separation of ethanol–water mixtures

Blend membranes of chitosan and N-methylol nylon 6 were prepared by solution blending. Their pervaporation performances for the separation of ethanol–water mixtures were investigated in terms of acid (H₂SO₄) post-treatment, feed concentration, blend ratio and temperature. The pervaporation performance of the blend membranes was significantly improved by ionizing with H₂SO₄. The blend ratio of chitosan and N-methylol nylon 6 plays a different role at feed solutions of low and high water content. At a feed solution having low water content, an increase in chitosan content caused a decrease in permeability and an increase in separation factor. At a feed solution having high water content, the permeability increases with an increase in chitosan content, while the separation factor shows a maximum value around 60 wt% chitosan. It is proposed that extra permeation channels generated from the phase separation boundary between ionized chitosan and N-methylol nylon 6 account for the abnormal temperature dependence of pervaporation performance of the blend membranes.     

PtPd/TiO2 Catalysts for Low‐Temperature Toluene Oxidation

Catalysis Surveys from Asia - The preparation of atomically dispersed catalysts with high metal loading remains a formidable challenge due to the high surface energy of single atoms. Here we...     

Alternate Method for the Synthesis of N‐Alkyl/aralkyl‐2‐(α‐hydroxy Alkyl/aralkyl)benzimidazoles via Regiospecific Acetylation

Acetylation of 1H‐2‐(α‐hydroxyalkyl/aryl)benzimidazoles 2 with Ac₂O results in the regiospecific formation of O‐acetoxy derivative 3, which on alkylation with alkylating agents in nonaqueous media under phase‐transfer catalytic conditions affords N‐alkyl derivatives 4. The latter, on hydrolysis in an aqueous basic medium, results in the title compounds 5 in good yields in high purity. Alternatively, 5 can also be obtained by reduction of 1‐substituted‐2‐acetyl/benzoylbenzimidazoles 8 using NaBH₄.     

P(AA-AMPS)–PVA/polysulfone composite hollow fiber membranes for propylene dehumidification

A series of composite hollow fiber membranes, poly(acrylic acid-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) (P(AA-AMPS))–poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes as skin layers and polysulfone (PS) hollow fiber membranes as support layers, were prepared for dehumidification of propylene gas. The chemical and physical structures, including inter-components interaction, crystallinity, glass transition temperature and free volume of the membranes, were systematically characterized. Through the sorption experiments, it was found that the membrane exhibited a preferential sorption toward water, and initially the water sorption increased remarkably with P(AA-AMPS) content increasing, afterwards reached the zenith, then decreased rapidly. Dehumidification performance showed that the membrane containing 50 wt.% P(AA-AMPS) exhibited the highest permeance of 363 GPU and an infinite separation factor for 0.5 wt.% water in feed at 298 K. Permeance decreased considerably with increasing operating temperature, but increased considerably with increasing water content.     

A Novel Approach for Testing the Hixon‐Crowel Model For In Vitro Release of Vitamin B2 From Chitosan Coated Calcium Alginate Beads

The dynamic release of a model drug (vitamin B₂) from chitosan coated calcium alginate beads has been studied in the media of varying pH and the Hixon‐Crowel model has been applied to the experimental data, using a novel ‘curve area measurement’ (CAM) approach. The two release profiles, namely experimental and ideal, were found to be in close agreement except for the initial phase of the release process.     

Cation‐Exchanged Resins: Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts for Facile Synthesis of 1‐Amidoalkyl‐2‐naphthols from One‐Pot,Three‐Component Condensations of Amides/Ureas,Aldehydes, and 2‐Naphthol

One‐pot, three‐component condensation of 2‐naphthol, amides/ureas, and aldehydes takes place smoothly in the presence of cation‐exchange resins to afford the corresponding 1‐amidoalkyl‐2‐naphthols in good yield. Indion‐130 is found to be the best catalyst for the reaction and is recyclable. The method is simple, solvent free, and involves a short reaction time.     

LC‐MS/MS for Determination of Paclitaxel in Rat Tissues: Application to a Biodistribution Study of Paclitaxel Nanoliposome Modified by PEO‐PPO‐PEO Triblock Copolymers

Abstract

A liquid chromatography‐tandem triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry assay to quantify palitaxel in rat tissue homogenates containing paclitaxel nanoliposome (PTX‐NLP) modified by PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers was developed and validated. Liquid–liquid extraction with tert‐butyl methyl ether was used for preparation of tissue samples and docetaxel was used as the internal standard. Paclitaxel and docetaxel were separated on a 200 mm×4.6 mm×5 µm C₁₈ column and quantified using a triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in positive ion electrospray selective reaction monitoring mode (ESI⁺‐SRM) with a total run time of 6.0 min. The peak area of the m/z 876.3→307.9 transition of paclitaxel is measured vs. that of the m/z 830.3→549.1 transition of docetaxel to generate the standard curves. The standard curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.2–2000 ng/mL for different tissues. The method had high extraction recovery (>90%) and accuracy (>90%) with the intraday and inter‐day precision <15%. Frozen stability, freeze‐thaw stability, extracted stability, and solution stability under ambient temperature were examined, which indicated the tissue samples should be extracted within 5 days and avoid being frozen and thawed repeatedly over 5 times, extracted samples after evaporation could be stored at ?20°C for 20 days without drug degradation, also, no degradation was observed after solution samples were left out at ambient temperature for 24 h. This assay was used to support an in vivo biodistribution study of paclitaxel nanoliposome modified by PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers in rats.     

A Solvent‐Free Procedure for Synthesis of N‐Sulfonylimines Using Microwave Irradiation Catalyzed by ZrO2/S2O8 2− Solid Superacid

Abstract

A solvent‐free synthesis of N‐sulfonylimines from aldehydes with sulfonamides is described using ZrO₂/S₂O₈ ^2? as catalyst under microwave irradiation. This method is fast and high yielding for a range of substrates.     

The Potential of O‐MMT as a Reinforcing Filler for Uncured and Dynamically Cured PVC/XNBR Composites

Organic montmorillonite modified with quaternary ammonium (O‐MMT) was compounded with uncured and dynamically cured poly(vinyl chloride)/carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (PVC/XNBR) composites, using a Brabender Plasticorder at 130°C and 50 rpm rotor speed. The reinforcing efficiency of the O‐MMT was investigated in the uncured PVC/XNBR composite and the dynamically cured PVC/XNBR counterpart. Mixing and dynamic curing of the composites were monitored by typical torque‐time curves derived from a Brabender internal mixer. The torque‐time curves revealed that the dynamic curing process was successful and the incorporation of O‐MMT has no adverse effect on the processibility of the composites. It has been found that the introduction of crosslinks within the rubbery phase in the presence of the O‐MMT has further improved the tensile properties. DMA studies revealed that dynamically cured composite with O‐MMT showed higher storage modulus than the composite without O‐MMT. Furthermore, a one‐step tensile modulus vs. temperature curve and a related one peak tensile loss modulus vs. temperature curve were obtained, consequently, both are characteristics of a miscible polymers system. Further evidence on the composite miscibility was purchased by thermal scans from DSC, which showed a single glass transition temperature of PVC/XNBR composites. This claim was further supported by ATR‐IR spectra which revealed that hydrogen bonding is extensively involved in PVC/XNBR composites. This evidence unveiled the exact nature of the specific interactions responsible for miscibility and hence, enhanced mechanical properties. Furthermore, we proved in our studies the reinforcing role played by layered clay due to better dispersion, as well as improved interactions.     

Zn/ ZrCl_4 System Induced Reductive Cleavage of Se-Se Bond in Diaryl Diselenides: A Novel Method for the Systhesis of Selenoesters

In recent years, organoselenium compounds have been extensively used as important synthetic reagents and intermediates in organic synthesis1-3. Among them, selenoesters are very useful intermediates in the synthesis of natural compounds4. While there are many methods for the synthesis of selenoesters, the most common approach is the use of selenide anions reacting with acylation reagents. Selenide anions can be obtained by cleavage of diselenides with sodium in liquid ammonia5 or in THF/H…     

Supported Tetramethylamonium Nitrate/Silicasulfuric Acid as a Useful Reagent for Nitration Aromatic Compounds Under Solvent‐Free Conditions

A variety of aromatic compounds are nitrated to the parent nitro aromatic compounds under solvent‐free conditions using supported tetramethylammonium nitrate/silicasulfuric acid as a useful reagent. This methodology is useful for nitration of activated and deactivated aromatic rings.     

Electron Acceptor Molecule Doping Induced π–π Interaction to Promote Charge Transport Kinetics for Efficient and Stable 2D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells

Although the incorporation of 2D perovskite into 3D perovskite can greatly enhance intrinsic stability, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2D/3D perovskite is still inferior to its 3D counterpart due to poor carrier transport kinetics resulted from the quantum and dielectric confinement of 2D component. To overcome this issue, the electron acceptor molecule 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) was introduced to trigger intermolecular π–π interaction in 2D perovskite along with the electronic doping of 2D/3D perovskite to improve charge transfer efficiency. By virtue of high electron affinity, TCNB can undergo electron transfer reaction and subsequently establish π–π interaction with 1-naphthalenemethylammonium (NMA) cations, greatly strengthening lattice rigidity and reducing exciton binding energy. Transmission electron microscopy results demonstrate that 2D phases are mainly distributed at grain boundaries, reducing defect density and weakening nonradiative recombination. Meanwhile, the p-type doping of perovskite by TCNB optimizes energy level alignment at perovskite/hole transport layer interface. Consequently, PCE of champion device is significantly boosted to 24.01 %. The unencapsulated device retains an initial efficiency close to 94 % after exposure to ambient environment for over 1000 h. This work paves a novel path for designing new mixed-dimensional perovskite solar cells with high PCE and superior stability.     

Novel Pyridazine Fused Heterocyclic System: A New Route for the Synthesis of 2‐Alkyl/Aryl[1,3,4]Thiadiazole[2′,3′:2,3] Imidazo[4,5‐d]Pyridazin‐8(7H)‐One

A series of novel imidazo[2,1‐b][1,3,4]thiadiazole fused pyridazinones have been synthesized in moderate yields by the reaction of 2‐alkyl/arylimidazo[2,1‐b] [1,3,4]thiadiazole‐6‐carbohydrazides under Vilsmeier–Haack reaction conditions. This simple methodology has utility for the synthesis of various fused heterocyclic systems.