Effect of small vibrations on cracking kinetics in polymethyl methacrylate. Concept of a rate-dependent cracking resistance. Possible thermal mechanism

Conclusions 1. Small vibrations superposed on the main static component of an external load cause the cracking rate in polymethyl methacrylate to increase appreciably. Within the range of low cracking rates (<10^–4 cm/sec), evidently most important from the practical standpoint, the cracking resistance of this material is also found to decrease.2. The concept of a rate-dependent cracking resistance applies to conditions under a vibration load, over a wide range of vibrations at low or intermediate cracking rates.3. The effect of small vibrations is local in nature. It may have to be taken into account, if cracks or similar defects already exist in a structure or appear in it during service.4. The thermal mechanism is not adequate for quantitatively describing the experimentally observed effect of vibration.Paper presented at the Third All-Union of Conference on Polymer Mechanics in Riga, 1976.M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 5, pp. 846–853, September–October, 1977.     

Potentiometric monitoring DNA hybridization with polyaniline/Nylon-6 working electrode

Electrically conducting polymers are useful in various applications such as transistors and sensors. A potentiometric pH meter has been developed using polyaniline based working electrode and with improved selectivity using ionophores, the polyaniline based potentiometer has been applied to monitor various ions mainly in environmental applications. The polyaniline working electrode can be used to monitor not only the binding of a biological ionic macromolecules on polyaniline surface but also the binding of the adsorbed macromolecule with another macromolecule. We present first how the working electrode was prepared by polymerization of aniline in Nylon-6 matrix to provide the mechanical strength and then how single strand oligonucleotide probe binds with polyaniline surface. We then present how an electrode modification with mercaptoethanol results in a surface protected against non-specific binding and then finally we present the results of monitoring the complimentary strand binding leading to the formation of the double strand DNA. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Specifics of polymerization of trimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium methyl sulfate in a sodium dodecyl sulfate solution and the properties of resultant complexes

The specifics of polymerization of trimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium methyl sulfate in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and the properties of complexes that appear as polymerization products or are formed from these products were studied. It was found that the addition of the surfactant to the polymerization medium in sufficiently large amounts changes the polymerization rate and has a substantial effect on the properties of the products, thus reducing their molecular mass and greatly extending the range of existence of soluble complexes.     

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the crack resistance of particulate reinforced composite materials

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the fracture toughness of disperse-reinforced composite materials is investigated. It is shown that increased hydrostatic pressure leads to an increase in the critical value of the stress intensity factor and, as a consequence, to an increase in the crack propagation rate. In this case, the pressure-time analogy method can be used to describe the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the characteristics of the crack resistance. This method enables us to represent the experimental data obtained in the form of a generalized dependence of the fracture toughness on the reduced loading rate. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 121–126, January–February, 2000.     

Interaction of Linear Polyelectrolytes with Oppositely Charged Lightly Cross-Linked Networks

The processes proceeding at the contact of highly swollen lightly cross-linked polyelectrolyte networks with aqueous solutions of oppositely charged linear polyions were studied. The reactions under discussion proceed as frontal processes and follow by strong (three orders of magnitude) contraction of the gel sample. The existence of sharp boundary between outer weakly swollen layer which is the reaction product—interpolyelectrolyte complex and the highly swollen inner part which is the initial unconverted gel is characteristic for the process. The kinetics of linear polyions absorption by polyelectrolyte networks and factors controlling the rate of sorption such as chemical structure of polyelectrolytes, nature and concentration of simple salts, pH, temperature were investigated. The “relay-race” mechanism of linear polyelectrolyte transport was established.     

Ionomer-surfactant self-assembly in low-polarity solvents

A systematic study of complexation reactions of sulfonated polystyrene ionomers containing up to 5 molar percent of polar chain units with various oil-soluble surfactants is carried out in low-polarity organic solvents. Dipole-dipole attractions of the components lead to the formation of complexes characterized by limiting compositions and an unusual polymer-colloidal morphology of joint clusters and/or micelles. The limiting compositions (φ) for the complexes formed between ionomers and surfactant of the same charge (bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate sodium salt), or nonionic surfactants (primarily aliphatic amines) are equal to 15–30 surfactant molecules per one ionomer salt/acid group on average, with φ depending on the hydrophilic-lypophilic balance of the components, the initial aggregation state of surfactant and the nature of low-polarity solvent. Ionomersurfactant complexation is accompanied by disruption of self-contacts of ionomer salt/acid groups, leading to “unfastening” and expansion of the ionomer coils in dilute solution. The “driving force” of the ionomersurfactant complexation and the structure of the resultant complexes are discussed.     

Phase separation in a poly(acrylic acid)-polycation system in acidic solutions

Phase separation in aqueous solutions of mixtures of poly(acrylic acid) with polycations [poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly(1,2-dimethyl-5-vinylpyridinium methylsulfate)] in the presence of decimolar hydrochloric acid has been studied by static and dynamic light scattering. The systems are characterized by the upper critical solution temperature. The temperature-dependent association of macromolecules is observed in the single-phase region. A decrease in temperature leads to phase separation; the composition of the diluted phase is determined by the temperature and composition of the initial mixture; and the composition of the concentrated phase remains almost invariable. The occurrence of association in the mixtures is probably the formation of interpolymer complex due to ion-dipole interactions between the carboxyl groups of poly(acrylic acid) and the functional groups of the polycation.