Thermal analysis characterization of PAAm-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-MC hydrogels

This paper reports the thermal characterization of polyacrylamide-co-methylcellulose hydrogels and the constituent monomers (acrylamide and methylcellulose). Polymeric materials can be used to produce hydrogels, which can be natural, synthetic, or a mixture. The hydrogels described here were obtained by free radical polymerization, in the presence of N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a cross-linker agent. Four acrylamide concentrations were used for the synthesis of hydrogels: 3.6, 7.2, 14.7, and 21.7% (w/v). The materials so obtained were analyzed by TG, DTG, DSC, and FT-IR. The TG curves of acrylamide and methylcellulose showed three mass loss events. In DSC curves, the acrylamide exhibited one melting peak at 84.5 °C, and methylcellulose indicated one exothermic event. Nevertheless, acrylamide was considered more stable than methylcellulose. The TG curves of the hydrogels exhibited three mass loss events, and on the DSC curves, three endothermic events were observed. It was verified that the different acrylamide proportions influenced the thermic behavior of hydrogels, and that the authors considered the 7.2% hydrogel a promising drug carrier system. The absorption bands were well defined, confirming the presence of the functional groups in the samples.     

Generation of attosecond pulses in molecular nitrogen

We investigate the carrier-envelope phase dependence of the total ionization yield for single and double ionization of xenon. We compare our results to theoretical calculations and to the phase dependent asymmetry in photoelectron emission. We observe that the phase dependence of the photoion yields, regardless if single or double ionization, is at least 2-3 orders of magnitude below the photoelectron emission signal. We conclude that total photoionization yields are only very weakly dependent on the carrier envelope phase, and that they are not a useful means for measurement of the phase. It seems possible that the broad bandwidth of few-cycle pulses facilitates multiphoton ionization, which leads to a randomization of strong field ionization phase dependencies. Besides, we observe that the spatial asymmetry in photoelectron emission appears to be useful as an indicator for the laser pulse duration in the few cycle regime.     

The discrete coagulation-fragmentation equations: Existence,uniqueness, and density conservation

The discrete coagulation-fragmentation equation describes the kinetics of cluster growth in which clusters can coagulate via binary interactions to form larger clusters or fragment to form smaller ones. These models have many applications in pure and applied science ranging from cluster formation in galaxies to the kinetics of phase transformations in binary alloys. Our results relate to existence, uniqueness, density conservation and continuous dependence and they generalise the corresponding results in [ref. 2] for the Becker-Doring equations for which the processes are restricted to clusters gaining or shedding one particle. Examples are given which illustrate the role of the assumptions on the kinetic coefficients and show the rich set of analytic phenomena supported by the general discrete coagulation-fragmentation equations.     

The kinetics of oxidation of simple aliphatic sulphur compounds by potassium ferrate

Potassium ferrate (K₂FeO₄) is highly soluble in water and a very strong oxidizing agent^{(1, 2)}. Other properties include a strong bacteriacidal action which has been documented by Murmann and Robinson⁽¹⁾. These characteristics, and others, suggest that potassium ferrate would be useful in the advanced treatment of municipal waste water. The efficiency of oxidation of various organic compounds by potassium ferrate must be investigated before conclusions can be drawn.When K₂FeO₄ is placed into aqueous solution a purple colour is produced which disappears as K₂FeO₄ is reduced. At a spectrophotometric wavelength of 505 nm this affords a convenient method for measuring the decomposition kinetics of K₂FeO₄.Rate constants were obtained by algorithmic analysis of spectral absorbance data by the Cornell method⁽³⁾. This work will present a mechanism of reaction for oxidation of simple aliphatic sulphur compounds by potassium ferrate. The oxidation of simple aliphatic sulphur compounds produces the corresponding sulphoxide or sulphone^{(4, 5)} Compounds studied included dimethyl sulphoxide, diethylsulphide, dimethylsulphone, and 2,2-thiodiethanol.     

Chemical origin of thermally stimulated discharge currents in polyacrylonitrile

Thermally stimulated discharge has been used in the past to diagnose and estimate the magnitude of electrical polarization in polymers. Nevertheless, molecular characterization of operative phenomena by this technique alone is often a difficult task. In the present work, infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy has been used to investigate the origin of thermally stimulated discharge currents near 200°C in externally unpolarized films of polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Spectroscopic analysis of thermally degraded films reveals some unsaturation of the PAN backbone and possibly the generation of cyanide ions. Opposite surfaces in a solvent-cast film give different spectra, indicating a gradient in chemical degradation products across the film thickness. Data suggest that nonuniform generation of charged species and unsaturated bonds gives rise to internal potentials in PAN. The origin of thermally stimulated currents in PAN near 200°C is thus believed to be associated with the onset of chemical degradation.     

Performance of a Nd: YAG oscillator/ampflifier with phase-conjugation via stimulated Brillouin scattering

Phase conjugation via stimulated Brillouin scattering in CH₄ gas has been used to correct amplifier aberrations in a Nd: YAG oscillator/amplifier system. The single amplifier stage has been used in two-pass and four-pass arrangements. Using the four-pass arrangement incorporating compensation for thermal birefringence, a single-frequency diffraction-limited output of 350 mJ, in a compressed 6 ns pulse is achieved at 15 Hz repetition rate.     

Transverse momentum of charged hadrons observed in deep inelastic muon scattering

The transverse momenta of charged hadrons produced in high energy muon-proton scattering have been studied. The average squared transverse momentum 〈p²_⊥〉 shows a strong dependence on z = E_h/v characteristic of intrinsic momentum effects and a significant rise as a function of s = W². The W², q², x and z dependences of the data are compared with the predictions of a perturbative QCD model.     

Effect of fungal degradation on mechanical properties of cellophane

Changes in dynamic mechanical properties of cellophane films due either to fungal attack or to hydrochloric acid hydrolysis have been measured. It appears that damage caused by cellulase enzymes that are released from a fungal overgrowth is localized in noncrystalline regions. These effects include a substantial reduction in elastic modulus, a reduction in temperature at which relaxation processes involving chain segmental mobility occur, and a broadening of loss tangent peaks due to segmental mobility and to rotations of methylol groups. Comparing results obtained from cellulase hydrolysis with those obtained from acid hydrolysis, it is clear that enryme attack proceeds by a characteristic and selective process. Implications regarding the embrittlement often seen to accompany biodegradation are discussed.