Synthesis of linear polyformal and copoly(carbonate formal) from polycarbonate

A linear, high molecular weight polyformal is readily synthesized by direct transformation of commercially available polycarbonate. The reaction is best carried out in dibromomethane with 8.0 equiv. of potassium hydroxide pellets in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst at 90–95°C. A random copoly(carbonate formal) can also be obtained simply by reducing the amount of potassium hydroxide used in the reaction. The molecular weight of the resulting polymer is governed by the starting polycarbonate.     

Influence of storage time and temperature of air-dried soils on pH and extractable nutrients using 0.01 mol/L CaCl2

The stability of pH and certified amounts of nitrate, ammonia, total soluble nitrogen, total soluble organic carbon, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus obtained by extraction from air-dried (40 °C) soil samples by 0.01 mol/L CaCl₂ solution during storage at –18 °C, 4 °C, ambient temperature, 40 °C and 70 °C was investigated in one calcareous soil and one acid sandy soil. Even at storage times of 45 and 90 days, extractable amounts changed. Extractable amounts of P, NH₄-N, total soluble N and soluble organic C increased even at a storage temperature of 40 °C. The pH was lower for samples stored at a temperature of 70 °C and also the Mg concentration became lower at elevated storage temperatures after 45 days in both soils. It is suggested that reference materials certified for values using unbuffered extractants should be stored at a temperature not higher than 4 °C. Received: 13 May 1997 / Revised: 16 July 1997 / Accepted: 18 July 1997     

Enhancement of the Enzymatic Digestibility and Ethanol Production from Sugarcane Bagasse by Moderate Temperature-Dilute Ammonia Treatment

In this study, sugarcane bagasse was pretreated with ammonium hydroxide, and the effectiveness of the pretreatment on enzyme hydrolysis and ethanol production was examined. Bagasse was soaked in ammonium hydroxide and water at a ratio of 1:0.5:8 for 0–4 days at 70 °C. Approximately, 14–45 % lignin, 2–6 % cellulose, and 13–22 % hemicellulose were removed during a 0.5- to 4-day ammonia soaking period. The highest glucan conversion of sugarcane bagasse soaked in dilute ammonia at moderate temperature by cellulase was accomplished at 78 % with 75 % of the theoretical ethanol yield. Under the same conditions, untreated bagasse resulted in a cellulose digestibility of 29 and 27 % of the theoretical ethanol yield. The increased enzymatic digestibility and ethanol yields after dilute ammonia pretreatment was related to a combined effect of the removal of lignin and increase in the surface area of fibers.     

Kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of organic esters and amides in neutrally-buffered solution

Reaction rate constants for the hydrolysis of organic esters and amides were determined at temperatures of 100–240°C in aqueous solutions buffered at pH values between 5.5 and 7.3. Experiments are modeled assuming alkaline hydrolysis with a thermodynamic solution model included to account for the temperature dependence of hydroxide ion concentration. In most cases, the ester hydrolysis second order rate constants agree well with published values from experiments in strongly basic solutions at pH values from 11 to 14 and temperatures from 25–80°C, despite the large extrapolations required to compare the data sets. The amide hydrolysis rate constants are about one order of magnitude higher than the extrapolated results from other investigators, but the reaction rate increased proportionally with hydroxide ion concentration, suggesting that an alkaline hydrolysis mechanism is also appropriate. These data establish the validity of the alkaline hydrolysis mechanism and can be used to predict hydrolysis reaction rates in neutrally-buffered solutions such as many groundwater and geothermal fluids.     

The effect of impregnation conditions on the surface structure of silica-supported CuO catalysts

CuO/SiO₂ catalysts with varying amounts of copper were prepard using meso- and microporous silica supports at pH > 10 and pH = 4.5. Structural and textural changes were followed using X-ray diffraction, TG and DTA techniques. Impregnation for periods > 10 days at high pH produces crystalline catalysts with two distinct peaks at d-spacings of 2.33 and 2.03 Å resulting from a surface silicate which is structurally stable up to 800°C. At copper concentrations > 5% CuO also forms. Catalysts prepared at pH = 4.5 are amorphous to X-rays in spite of the presence of CuO which may either be < 50 Å or from a surface solid solution. The copper ammine complex, if adsorbed on mesoporous silica, attains its maximum coordination number as [Cu(NH₃)₄(H₂O)₂]²⁺, whereas on microporous silica it loses the two water molecules as a result of pore restrictions. The surface complex releases its coordinated ammonia exothermally in the temperature range 200–400°C, whereas chemisorbed ammonia is evolved endothermally at ～280°C. Ligand water is evolved at <200°C. An exotherm at ～545°C is observed for all catalysts, resulting form the shrinkage of the solid/void matrix which disappears upon aging. Increase of copper content to 22.7% at high pH lowered the temperature of constant weight attainment from 1000°C for the pure silica to 750°C.     

Promotion of base-catalyzed siloxane rearrangements by dimethyl sulfoxide

The effect of small amounts (0.01%–1%) of dimethyl sulfoxide on base-catalyzed polymerization and equilibration of methylsiloxanes has been examined. The addition of 0.5% of the sulfoxide increases the rate of potassium hydroxide-catalyzed polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane by factors of 100–1000 and amounts as low as 0.01% have a large effect when low (12 ppm) catalyst concentrations are used. The rate of basecatalyzed equilibration of hexamethyl disiloxane with octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane is similarly enhanced by dimethyl sulfoxide. The equilibration occurs rapidly at 80°C. with 0.01% of potassium hydroxide and 1% of dimethyl sulfoxide, but does not proceed at a measurable rate with potassium hydroxide alone. The combination of 0.01% potassium hydroxide and 1% dimethyl sulfoxide is more effective than 0.1% of tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The large accelerating effect of the sulfoxide is believed to be due to solvation of the cation, which promotes ionization of the metal silanolate, increasing the concentration of silanolate anions.     

Enhancement of Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Klason Lignin Removal of Corn Stover Using Photocatalyst-Assisted Ammonia Pretreatment

Photocatalyst-assisted ammonia pretreatment was explored to improve lignin removal of the lignocellulosic biomass for effective sugar conversion. Corn stover was treated with 5.0–12.5 wt.% ammonium hydroxide, two different photocatalysts (TiO₂ and ZnO) in the presence of molecular oxygen in a batch reactor at 60 °C. Various solid-to-liquid ratios (1:20–1:50) were also tested. Ammonia pretreatment assisted by TiO₂-catalyzed photo-degradation removed 70 % of Klason lignin under the optimum condition (12.5 % ammonium hydroxide, 60 °C, 24 h, solid/liquid?=?1:20, photocatalyst/biomass?=?1:10 with oxygen atmosphere). The enzymatic digestibilities of pretreated corn stover were 85 % for glucan and 75 % for xylan with NH₃-TiO₂-treated solid and 82 % for glucan and 77 % for xylan with NH₃-ZnO-treated solid with 15 filter paper units/g-glucan of cellulase and 30 cellobiase units/g-glucan of β-glucosidase, a 2–13 % improvement over ammonia pretreatment alone.     

Synthesis of aluminum oxides from the products of the rapid thermal decomposition of hydrargillite in a centrifugal flash reactor: III. Properties of aluminum hydroxides and oxides obtained via the mild rehydration of the products of the centrifugal thermal activation of hydrargillite

The interaction between the amorphous product of the centrifugal thermal activation of hydrargillite (CTA HG) and aqueous electrolytes (pH 5–11) under mild conditions (15–35°C, atmospheric pressure) has been investigated by a variety of physicochemical methods. This interaction causes material morphologic and phase changes in CTA HG, and the product composition is governed by the pH of the electrolyte and by the hydration temperature and time. The product that forms in a basic medium or water in <24 h contains up to 50% pseudoboehmite. Raising the pH or temperature or extending the hydration time results in the formation of bayerite as the major phase (～80%). An X-ray amorphous hydroxide forms in acid media. The heat treatment of this hydroxide at 550°C yields aluminum oxides differing from alumina prepared via hydroxide reprecipitation. Products with new, unusual properties can thus be obtained.     

The study of thermal,microstructural and magnetic properties of manganese–zinc ferrite prepared by co-precipitation method using different precipitants

Mn–Zn ferrite was prepared from the solution after acid leaching of spent batteries by co-precipitation method using ammonia oxalate, sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide as precipitating agents. The co-precipitation process was performed at temperature of over 50 °C by continuous magnetic stirring. The precipitates were pre-sintered at 850 °C in air. Dilatometric study has revealed that lowest shrinkage (only 5.6%) showed a material obtained from an oxalate precipitant. After pressing and high-temperature sintering at 1325 °C, it showed both insufficient density and the presence of pores, which contribute to the deterioration in the magnetic properties of the ferrites: the low magnetic permeability value and high magnetic losses. Ferrite prepared from hydroxide and carbonate precipitant showed a much higher shrinkage, sintered density and much higher magnetic permeability compared with the ferrite prepared from oxalate precursor.     

Effects of Low Moisture Anhydrous Ammonia (LMAA) Pretreatment at Controlled Ammoniation Temperatures on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Corn Stover

Corn stover was treated using low-moisture anhydrous ammonia (LMAA) at controlled ammoniation temperature. Moisturized corn stover (50 % moisture) was contacted with anhydrous ammonia (0.1 g NH₃/g-biomass) in a batch reactor at various temperatures (ambient to 150 °C). After ammoniation at elevated and controlled temperature, ammoniated corn stover was pretreated at various temperatures (60–150 °C) for 72–144 h. Change in composition was marginal at low pretreatment temperature but was relatively severe with pretreatment at high temperature (130–150 °C). The latter resulted in low enzymatic digestibility. It was also observed that extreme levels (either high or low) of residual ammonia affected enzymatic digestibility, while residual ammonia improved by 1.0–1.5 %. The LMAA method enhanced enzymatic digestibility compared to untreated corn stover (29.8 %). The highest glucan and xylan digestibility (84.1 and 73.6 %, respectively) was obtained under the optimal LMAA conditions (i.e., ammoniation at 70 °C for 20 min, followed by pretreatment at 90 °C for 48 h).     

Combination of Silica Sol and Potassium Silicate via Isothermal Heat Conduction Microcalorimetry

Isothermal heat conduction microcalorimetry was utilized as a novel characterization method to investigate the polymerization processes of silica with both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters when the combination of silica sol and potassium silicate was stirred at temperatures of 25.0, 35.0, and 45.0°C. The silica polymerization was characterized by the greater enthalpy change at each higher temperature and by the reaction orders of the silica sol and potassium silicate, which varied rapidly, instantaneously, and constantly from low to high all the time, up and down in an alternate manner. When the reaction order of the silica sol and potassium silicate was 3.0, the maximum rate constant occurred at 25.0°C (k=1.22×10^?4mol^?2·dm⁶·s^?1). The two temperature regions (25.0–35.0°C region with a faster rate and 35.0–45.0°C region with a lower rate) reflected a two‐stage oligomerization of silica monomers with different oligomers formed in a two‐step anionic mechanism. The measurements of particle size and pH value showed that the colloidal particles in the mixed silica sol and potassium silicate first dissolved, then "active" silica in the potassium silicate redeposited to make a distinct particle size distribution (Z‐average size, 33.0–14.9 nm at 25.0°C) influenced both by pH value (9.82–11.97 at 25.0°C) and the mass fraction (53, 65, 75, and 85 mass/%) of the silica sol in the mixture. The processes of combination of the silica sol and potassium silicate did not result from acid‐base neutralization reactions but from a complex polymerization of the "active" silica components which relate to silica monomers oligomerization with heat evolved (the total enthalpy changes, 1.6234–3.3882 J).     

Influence of chemical composition of nanocrystalline iron’s surface on the rates of two parallel reactions: nitriding and catalytic decomposition of ammonia

Influence of chemical composition of nanocrystalline iron’s surface on its activity in the nitriding process of iron and catalytic decomposition of ammonia was studied. The rate of the nitriding reaction was measured by the thermogravimetric method using a tubular differential reactor. Hydrogen concentration in the reactor was also measured. The rate of the catalytic decomposition of ammonia was determined using the reactor’s mass balance. Experiments were conducted at different temperatures within the range from 300°C to 525°C. Iron catalyst for ammonia synthesis was studied. Two sorts of samples with a different content of potassium oxide (0.16 mass % and 0.64 mass % of K2O) were used. The composition of samples from the second group was modified by an addition of different amounts of sulfur. At temperatures above 400°C, when the effect of ammonia decomposition on the gas phase composition was experimentally measured, the presence of potassium and sulfur on the iron surface influenced the rate of the iron nitriding process. The ammonia decomposition rate was higher for samples with a greater amount of potassium. The rate of reactions depended also on the sulfur concentration and dropped when the sulfur content increased. The value of apparent activation energy of ammonia decomposition was in the range of 150 kJ mol⁻¹ to 180 kJ mol⁻¹ while the content of sulfur in the samples increased.     

Potential of Potassium Hydroxide Pretreatment of Switchgrass for Fermentable Sugar Production

Chemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass has been extensively investigated for sugar generation and subsequent fuel production. Alkaline pretreatment has emerged as one of the popular chemical pretreatment methods, but most attempts thus far have utilized NaOH for the pretreatment process. This study aimed at investigating the potential of potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a viable alternative alkaline reagent for lignocellulosic pretreatment based on its different reactivity patterns compared to NaOH. Performer switchgrass was pretreated at KOH concentrations of 0.5–2 % for varying treatment times of 6–48 h, 6–24 h, and 0.25–1 h at 21, 50, and 121 °C, respectively. The pretreatments resulted in the highest percent sugar retention of 99.26 % at 0.5 %, 21 °C, 12 h while delignification up to 55.4 % was observed with 2 % KOH, 121 °C, 1 h. Six pretreatment conditions were selected for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis with Cellic CTec2® for sugar generation. The pretreatment condition of 0.5 % KOH, 24 h, 21 °C was determined to be the most effective as it utilized the least amount of KOH while generating 582.4 mg sugar/g raw biomass for a corresponding percent carbohydrate conversion of 91.8 %.     

Intercalation studies of zinc hydroxide chloride: Ammonia and amino acids

Zinc hydroxide chloride (ZHC) is a layered hydroxide salt with formula Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·2H₂O. It was tested as intercalation matrix for the first time and results were compared with intercalation products of the well-known zinc hydroxide nitrate and a Zn/Al layered double hydroxide. Ammonia was intercalated into ZHC, while no significant intercalation occurred in ZHN. Aspartic acid intercalation was only achieved by co-precipitation at pH=10 with ZHC and pH=8 with zinc hydroxide nitrate. Higher pH resistance in ZHC favored total deprotonation of both carboxylic groups of the Asp molecule. ZHC conferred more thermal protection against Asp combustion presenting exothermic peaks even at 452 °C while the exothermic event in ZHN was 366 °C and in the LDH at 276 °C.     

On the chichibabin amination of quinoline and some nitroquinolines

Quinoline is aminated into 2-aminoquinoline (55-60%) when treated with potassium amide/liquid ammonia/potassium permanganate at ?65°. When the amination is carried out by allowing the solution of quinoline in potassium amide/liquid ammonia to raise from ?60° to + 15° before addition of potassium permanganate, the main product is 4-aminoquinoline. Using as reagent liquid ammonia/potassium permanganate (thus without the presence of potassium amide) 3-nitroquinoline is exclusively aminated at ?40° into 4-amino-3-nitroquinoline. Using the same conditions, from 4-nitroquinoline 3-amino-4-nitroquinoline is obtained. The mechanism of these amination reactions is discussed.     

Stability of styrene–maleamic acid interpolymers

The response to heat and water of copoly(styrene–maleamic acid, ammonium salt), prepared by treatment with ammonia of the anhydride polymer in toluene suspension, is described. This polymer except for the ammonia bound by salt formation, is stable to heat within the range studied, i.e., to 100°C. The behavior of water solution is determined by the ammonia concentration. Above pH 9, the bound nitrogen remains as amide. If the pH is low, i.e., about 5, as occurs when a dried sample is dissolved in water, then rapid imidization occurs with concurrent hydrolysis. In the early stages of this conversion, imidization occurs mainly through loss of ammonia. This requires that two amide groups be adjacent. Classical imidization by loss of water also occurs, indicating that the normal-amic acid structure is also present.     

Dilute Ammonia Pretreatment of Sorghum and Its Effectiveness on Enzyme Hydrolysis and Ethanol Fermentation

A new pretreatment technology using dilute ammonium hydroxide was evaluated for ethanol production on sorghum. Sorghum fibers, ammonia, and water at a ratio of 1:0.14:8 were heated to 160 °C and held for 1 h under 140–160 psi pressure. Approximately, 44% lignin and 35% hemicellulose were removed during the process. Hydrolysis of untreated and dilute ammonia pretreated fibers was carried out at 10% dry solids at an enzyme concentration of 60 FPU Spezyme CP and 64 CBU Novozyme 188/g glucan. Cellulose digestibility was higher (84%) for ammonia pretreated sorghum as compared to untreated sorghum (38%). Fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae D₅A resulted in 24 g ethanol /100 g dry biomass for dilute ammonia pretreated sorghum and 9 g ethanol /100 g dry biomass for untreated sorghum.     

Preparation of aluminas

Aluminium hydroxide was prepared by precipitation from aluminium nitrate solution with ammonia solution. Thermal decomposition of the solid hydroxide was studied by means of TG, DTG and DTA. The sample was thermally treated in the temperature interval between 200 °C and 1000 °C. X-ray phase analysis was used to study the phase compositions of the resulting products, and their surface areas were compared.     

Effect of crosslinking on the properties of partially fluorinated anion exchange membranes

A series of crosslinked, ammonium‐functionalized, and partially fluorinated copolymers have been prepared and evaluated as anion exchange membranes. In order to investigate the effect of crosslinking on the membrane properties, precursor copolymers containing chloromethyl groups were crosslinked with various aliphatic diamines followed by quaternization with monoamines. Crosslinking was effective in lowering water absorbability at no expense of high hydroxide ion conductivity of the membranes. By tuning the degree of crosslinking (20 mol %) and crosslinker chain length (C6 and C8), the highest ion conductivity of 73 mS/cm (at 80°C in water) was achieved. Furthermore, alkaline stability of the membranes was also improved by the crosslinking; the remaining ion conductivity after the stability test (in 1 M potassium hydroxide at 80°C) was 8.2 mS/cm (after 1000 h) for the C6 crosslinked membrane and 1 mS/cm (after 500 h) for the uncrosslinked membrane, respectively. The ammonium groups attached with the crosslinkers seemed more alkaline stable than the uncrosslinked benzyltrimethylammonium groups, while the polymer main chain was intact under the harsh alkaline conditions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 1059–1069     

Kristallstruktur,Phasenumwandlung und Kaliumionenleitfähigkeit von Kaliumtrifluormethylsulfonat

Crystal Structure, Phase Transition, and Potassium Ion Conductivity of Potassium Trifluoromethanesulfonate According to the results of temperature dependent powder diffractometry (Guinier‐Simon‐technique) potassium trifluoromethanesulfonate is dimorphic. The phase transition occurs between –63 °C and –45 °C. The low‐temperature modification crystallizes monoclinic with a = 10.300(3) Å, b = 6.052(1) Å, c = 14.710(4) Å, β = 111.83(2)° (–120 °C) and the room‐temperature modification with a = 10.679(5) Å, b = 5.963(2) Å, c = 14.624(5) Å, β = 111.57(3)°, Z = 6, P2₁. According to single crystal structure determination, potassium trifluoromethanesulfonate consists of three different potassium‐oxygen‐coordination polyhedra, linked by sulfur atoms of the trifluoromethanesulfonate groups. This results in a channel structure with all lipophilic trifluoromethane groups pointing into these channels. By means of DSC, the transition temperature and enthalpy have been determined to be –33 °C and 0.93 ± 0.03 kJ/mol, respectively. The enthalpy of melting (237 °C) for potassium trifluoromethanesulfonate is 13.59 kJ/mol, the potassium ionic conductivity is 3.68 · 10^–6 Scm^–1 at 205 °C.