Effect of a post‐annealing process on microstructure and mechanical properties of high‐density polyethylene/silica nanocomposites

High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and nanosilica nanocomposites were prepared for SiO₂ content up to 15 wt%. Microstructural characterization evidenced a homogenous distribution of silica aggregates with a mean size increasing with the filler content finally resulting in a rheological percolation between 7.5 and 10 wt%. Nanoparticles did not induce any significant impact on the matrix crystallinity but led to a real improvement on elastic properties accompanied with a large embrittlement above the percolation threshold. The effect of annealing near HDPE melting temperature was studied. Differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering analyses showed a significant change in the HDPE microstructure after annealing at 125°C. A large increase in the crystallinity (from 68 to 76%) and a clear improvement of Young's modulus (by 55%) were observed prior to polymer degradation. A valuable impact of silica particles on thermal stability was also obvious regarding the evolution of elastic properties for extended exposure times (850–1,200 h). © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 535–546     

An active set method for solving linearly constrained nonsmooth optimization problems

An algorithm for solving linearly constrained optimization problems is proposed. The search direction is computed by a bundle principle and the constraints are treated through an active set strategy. Difficulties that arise when the objective function is nonsmooth, require a clever choice of a constraint to relax. A certain nondegeneracy assumption is necessary to obtain convergence. Most of this research was performed when the author was with I.N.R.I.A. (Domaine de Voluceau-Rocquencourt, B.P. 105, 78153 Le Chesnay Cédex, France). This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, Grants No. DMC-84-51515 and OIR-85-00108.     

Analyse des spectres de vibration infrarouge et Raman de benzothiazolines et de 2H-chromènes, éléments constitutifs de spiropyrannes benzothiazoliniques. Aspect synthétique

Study of infrared and Raman spectra of benzothiazolines and 2H-chromenes, constitutive parts of benzothiazolinic spiropyrans. Synthetic aspect. We have synthesized some benzothiazolines and some substituted 2 H-chromenes as models of the two halves of benzothiazolinic spiropyrans with the aim of interpretation of infrared and Raman spectra of spiropyranic structure. While doing that, we have been able to improve the synthesis method of chromenes obtained from coumarins and we have prepared new nitro-chromenes. By studying IR. and Raman spectra of the two halves of spiropyranic molecule, we could propose a rather good attribution of fondamental modes of vibration. This attribution will used as base for the interpretation of IR. and Raman spectra of a series a benzothiazolinic spiropyrans.     

Preparation et caracteristiques d'un nouveau sel de transfert de charge conducteur electrique : TMTTF3-DETCNQ2

A new organic conductor TMTTF₃ - DETCNQ₂ of unusual stoichiometry and structure is described and its spectral properties and electrical conductivity between 300 - 100°K studied.     

2-Bromophospholide ions: synthesis and theoretical study

DFT calculations at the B3 LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p) level indicate that the 2-bromophospholide ion could be stable toward self-arylation as a result of the lowered nucleophilicity of the in-plane phosphorus lone pair (the corresponding sigma(P) orbital is lowered by 0.7 eV compared with the corresponding orbital of the parent phospholide ion, and the negative charge at P is reduced from -0.435 to -0.369 e). Accordingly, the synthesis of 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylphospholide was successfully carried out by quantitative base-induced dealkylation of 2-bromo-1-(2-ethoxycarbonylethyl)-3,4-dimethylphosphole. This ion reacts with FeCl2 to give the corresponding 2,2'-dibromo-3,3',4,4'-tetramethyl-1,1'-diphosphaferrocene as a poorly stable mixture of meso- and rac-diastereomers in 18% yield.     

Conductimetric study of cesium chloride in isodielectric aqueous tetrahydrofuran, 1,2-dimethoxyethane and dioxane mixtures from 0 to 35°C

CsCl in nearly isodielectric aqueous mixtures with tetrahydrofuran, 1,2-dimethoxyethane and dioxane has been studied at temperatures between 0° and 35°C. The conductance data are analyzed for the limiting conductance ₀ and the association constant K _A by means of the Justice-Ebeling conductance equation. By application of the Bjerrum equation an apparent distance of closest approach á is evaluated. This parameter is generally close to the crystallographic radius, 35Å. The deviations are attributed to solvation effects and are interpreted in terms of the Friedman-Rasaiah-Gurney cosphere overlap model. The variations of the effect with temperature permits an evaluation of enthalpy and entropy solvation parameters.     

Modele de jonction B-Z danz un oligonucleotide synthetique comportant un site apurinique

The synthesis of the tridecadeoxynucleotide d(C-G-m⁵C-G-C-G-X-A-C-A-T-G-T), were X is a no-base residue, is described. The NMR, IR and CD studies at various salt concentrations and temperatures of the modified oligomer, show that the B and Z conformations are simultaneously present in the same duplex.     

Methodology to Quantify and Screen the Demineralization of Teeth by Immersing Them in Acidic Drinks (Orange Juice,Coca-Cola™, and Grape Juice): Evaluation by ICP OES

Oral health problems may occur as a result of the ingestion of acid drinks. The objective of this in vitro study was to quantify and screen the concentration of potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), barium (Ba), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V) released from bovine incisors during an erosive challenge at different times of exposure when immersed in Coca-Cola™, orange juice, and grape juice. A total of 240 samples of bovine incisor teeth were used for the erosive challenge and allocated in groups. Digestion of drinks was performed using microwave-assisted digestion. The content in acidic drinks was monitored before and after the erosive challenge at exposure times of 1, 5, and 60 min using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The drinks’ pH varied slightly during the erosive challenge but remained below the critical value of pH 5 to cause tooth demineralization. The concentrations of elements released from the bovine incisors during the in vitro erosive challenge depend on exposure times when immersed in acidic beverages. For some elements such as Ca, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Ba, Pb, As, and Cd, quantified in acidic drinks, grape juice had greater erosive potential than Coca-Cola™ and orange juice. Quantification and monitoring of chemical elements in bovine teeth can be performed considering a longer erosive time and other types of acidic drinks. Further analysis using human teeth is still not available and must be conducted. The demineralization of teeth not only occurs in acidic beverages; physical and chemical factors play other roles and should be investigated.     

Etude rheologique de gels mixtes de poly(alcool vinylique) et d'alginate de sodium

Snake-cage hydrogels were prepared by the association of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and sodium alginate. The aim of this work is to study the viscoelastic properties of PVA networks having different molecular weights and trapping alginates of various mannuronate/guluronate ratios, molecular weights and aqueous concentration. The elastic and viscous moduli, G′ and G″, were found to depend on alginate concentration. With the sodium alginate (mannuronate/guluronate =1.78, M̄w=380 000), the elasticity was observed to be independent of the PVA molecular weight in the 7.5% to 10% (w/w) concentration range. Hydrogels elasticity was found to be sodium alginate nature-dependent only in the case of PVA with M̄w =22 000. Moreover, it seems that the viscoelastic parameters G′ and G″ become increasingly insensitive to the nature of sodium alginate as the molecular weight of PVA increases.     

Behavior of 1,1-diphenyl-2,5-dihydrophospholium salts toward bases: Ylide formation or ring opening

Efficient procedures are described leading to pure 3,4-R¹, R²-substituted 1,1-diphenyl-2,5-dihydrophospholium salts (R¹ = R² = CH₃, H; R¹ = CH₃, R² = H). Their behaviors toward bases such as nBuLi and tBuOK in THF or DMSO have been examined. According to the nature of the substituents R¹ and R², the complete monodeprotonation of these salts leads either to the corresponding pure five-membered cyclic ylide (and, in some cases, its prototropic isomer) or to a dienylphosphine resulting from a ring opening. The reactivity of the 3,4-dimethyl-disubstituted salt was especially studied. The corresponding monoylide functions as a good Wittig reagent, allowing stereoselective access to interesting alkadienylphosphine oxides and subsequently to trienes. However, in the presence of alkylating electrophiles, it reacts under an open dienylphosphine form giving rise to P-alkylated phosphonium salts. Nevertheless, this monoylide does not undergo further deprotonation into the corresponding cyclic diylide. Most of the synthetisized derivatives are original. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.