Synthèse de copolymères greffés à base de polyéthylène—1

Polyethylene macromolecular free radical initiators, obtained by ozonization, are used to prepare graft copolymers with methyl methacrylate, styrene and vinyl chloride. The reactions parameters are the number of initiator groups (found by DPPH), peroxide and hydroperoxide proportions (respectively 36 and 64%), decomposition rate (K_d at 90° 10⁻¹sec⁻¹) and monomer concentration. The molecular structure of these copolymers is defined.     

Matériaux composites à base de graves et de liants polymères II: Ozonisation du polyéthylène et dosage des hydropéroxydes et des péroxydes derivés

The study of the oxidation of low density polyethylene is carried out under fluidized conditions in air and ozone. Special attention is paid to the formation of peroxides and hydroperoxides. Their production is optimized according to various parameters (temperature, time, quantity of ozone, flow of the gaseous current) using an experimental design method. Peroxides and hydroperoxides are titrated by a colorimetric method using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl as reagent. A correlation between i.r. carbonyl ratio and the yield of peroxides has been established.     

Role of ɣ-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> on the mechanical and microstructural properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer cements

The main target of this work is to investigate the influence of ?-Al₂O₃ on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer cements. The kaolin used as starting material for producing geopolymer cements contains approximately 28 and 64% of gibbsite and kaolinite, respectively. This kaolin was transformed to metakaolins by calcination at 500, 550, 600, 650, and 700?°C for 1?h. Gibbsite contained in kaolin was transformed to γ-Al₂O₃ during the calcination process. The hardener was obtained by mixing commercial sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution (10?M) with a mass ratio sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide equal to 1.6:1. Geopolymer cements, GMK-500, GMK-550, GMK-600, GMK-650, and GMK-700, were obtained using the prepared hardener with a mass ratio hardener/metakaolin equal to 0.87:1. It could be seen that the specific surface area of metakaolins decreases with increasing the calcination temperature of kaolin owing to the formation of the particles of γ-Al₂O₃. The compressive strengths 18.21/29.14/36.61/36.51 increase in the course GMK-550/GMK-600/GMK-650/GMK-700. The X-ray patterns and micrograph images of geopolymer cements, GMK-600, GMK-650, and GMK-700, indicate the presence of γ-Al₂O₃ in their structure. It was typically found that γ-Al₂O₃ remains largely unaffected during the geopolymerisation, and therefore could act as an inert filler and reinforce the structure of geopolymer cements.

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Microcrystalline testing used in combination with Raman micro‐spectroscopy for absolute identification of novel psychoactive substances

Two new psychoactive substances, namely 4‐methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) and 5,6‐methylenedioxy‐2‐aminoindane (MDAI) were analysed with a novel combination of microcrystalline tests followed by Raman micro‐spectroscopy to facilitate their absolute identification. The discrimination power of the proposed combination was successfully demonstrated through the analysis of the positional isomers 2‐ and 3‐methylmethcathinone. The addition of mercury dichloride as a microcrystalline test reagent produced specific microcrystals of each tested analyte. The robustness of the method was evaluated in the presence of common cutting agents (caffeine and benzocaine) as well as on street samples. The crystal lattice structures of mephedrone, 2‐methylmethcathinone and MDAI mercury dichloride microcrystals were determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. This confirmed the presence of both drug and reagent together in the lattice and accounts for the distinct habit of the observed microcrystals. Raman spectra of the formed microcrystals differed from those obtained from their standard salt form by loss and/or gain of some vibrational modes. Particularly important was the appearance of the mercury chloride link to each tested drug molecule which showed as strong bands at low wavenumbers. Its presence was corroborated by its detection in the crystal lattice. It was therefore concluded that microcrystalline testing followed by Raman micro‐spectroscopy satisfies the technique combination requirement for psychoactive substances recommended by the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG) and provides a rapid and cheap analysis route. The proposed technique combination also aids the development of new microcrystalline tests as it allows for confirmation of the uniqueness of the developed microcrystals almost in‐situ rather than growing single crystals for often long periods of time needed for single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Photocatalytic Application of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanocomposite Obtained Under Non-thermal Plasma Condition at Atmospheric Pressure

A plasma-assisted synthesis of TiO₂/SnO₂ nanocomposite is described. In this approach, a precursor containing a mixture of [TiCl₃ and SnCl₂] exposed to electric discharge was oxidized by plasma-generated reactive species (HO^·/H₂O = 2.85 eV/SHE). SnO₂ microstructures with a diameter of 10–40 µm were coated by thin layers TiO₂ nanorods with mean diameter of 6–8 nm. The obtained TiO₂/SnO₂ nanocomposite was characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared. TiO₂/SnO₂ nanocomposite was found to be a promising new material for the photocatalytic discoloration of aqueous Remazol Brilliant Blue-R dye under daylight and UVA light sources, due to the combined effects of large specific surface area and heterojunction which efficiently separates the electron–hole pairs delaying the charge recombination. The leaching test indicated that the nanocomposite is stable easily reusable.     

Design and synthesis of new 2-substituted-5-[2-(2-halobenzyloxy)phenyl]-1,3,4-oxadiazoles as anticonvulsant agents

A new series of 2-substituted-5-[2-(2-halobenzyloxy)phenyl]-1,3,4-oxadiazoles was designed and synthesized as anticonvulsant agents. Electroshock and pentylenetetrazole-induced lethal convulsion tests showed that the introduction of an amino group at position 2 of 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring and a fluoro substituent at ortho position of benzyloxy moiety had the best anticonvulsant activity. Our results showed that this effect is mediated through benzodiazepine receptors mechanism.     

Thickness effect of NACA foils on hydrodynamic global parameters,boundary layer states and stall establishment

The present study experimentally investigates the hydrodynamic behaviour of 2-D NACA (15%, 25% and 35%) symmetric hydrofoils at Reynolds number 0.5×10⁶. Particular attention was paid to the hysteretic behaviour at the static stall angle, and a detailed cartography of the boundary layer structures (integral quantities and velocity profiles) is given to support the detachment mechanism and the onset of von Kármán instability for thick hydrofoils.     

Local structure and thermodynamics of a core-softened potential fluid: theory and simulation.

Phase behavior and structural properties of homogeneous and inhomogeneous core-softened (CS) fluid consisting of particles interacting via the potential, which combines the hard-core repulsion and double attractive well interaction, are investigated. The vapour-liquid coexistence curves and critical points for various interaction ranges of the potential are determined by discrete molecular dynamics simulations to provide guidance for the choice of the bulk density and potential parameters for the study of homogeneous and inhomogeneous structures. Spatial correlations in the homogeneous CS system are studied by the Ornstein-Zernike integral equation in combination with the modified hypernetted chain (MHNC) approximation. The local structure of CS fluid subjected to diverse external fields maintaining the equilibrium with the bulk CS fluid are studied on the basis of a recently proposed third order+second order perturbation density functional approximation (DFA). The accuracy of DFA predictions is tested against the results of a grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulation. Reasonable agreement between the results of both methods proves that the DFA theory applied in this work is a convenient theoretical tool for the investigation of the CS fluid, which is practically applicable for modeling numerous real systems.     

A reduced-order model manifold technique for automated structural defects judging using the PGD with analytical validation

Automation is conquering new fields on a daily basis. Aiming for faster and more reliable products, industrials as well as researchers are oriented into automation. Non-destructive testing as well as defect quantification is not an exception. In fact, decisions with minimum allowable error are sought in real-time when facing any potential defect. In this work, we suggest a comprehensive method based on model order reduction techniques to judge if a structure shall be salvaged. The real-time decision is based on multidimensional parametric simulation, performed offline, using the Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD). The PGD is a model order reduction technique that allows circumventing the curse of dimensionality by using domain decomposition. Therefore, the 6D simulation illustrated in this paper is performed within a few minutes on a standard laptop. Later on, a stress concentration manifold is built and used online for decision-making. The manifold is validated on a few selected solutions solved analytically using an analytical procedure. The aforementioned procedure is developed, in this paper, to calculate the tangential stress around circular holes of different sizes, in an infinite isotropic plate containing any number of holes and subjected to in-plane pressure loading at the tip of the infinite plate. The procedure is based on determining two Muskhelishvili complex potentials in terms of complex Fourier series, and applying the Schwartz alternating method repeatedly until the boundary conditions on the contour of every hole are satisfied.