Synthesis and polymerization of N-[1-(1-substituted-2-oxopropyl)]acrylamides and -methacrylamides. copolymerization of these monomers with styrene and substituent effects

The synthesis and polymerization of N-[1-(1-substituted-2-oxopropyl)]acrylamides and -methacrylamides are described. Seven new monomers were prepared by two kinds of synthetic procedure. The polymerization of these monomers was carried out. Monomer reactivity ratios in the polymerization of these monomers with styrene were determined and the Alfrey-Price Q and e values calculated. The effects of substituents on the reactivities in copolymerization were observed, and an interpretation of the results is given.     

Superparamagnetic behavior of iron oxides supported on porous silica gels

Spinel iron oxide (Fe₃O₄-γ-Fe₂O₃) particles were supported on microbeads of silica gel by the calcination of the silica gel base adsorbing citric acid and Fe³⁺ ions. The X-ray diffraction patterns and the⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra measured for the spinel iron oxide indicated that the particle size of the oxide was regulated by the mean pore diameter (4–82 nm) of the silica gel support employed. In the case of α-Fe₂O₃ particles prepared by using the same silica gel beads, it was revealed by the Mössbauer spectra and the electron micrographs that there were relatively large particles of the oxide on the surface of the beads, in addition to the particles in the silica gel micropores.     

Effect of exchangeable cation on the swelling property of 2:1 dioctahedral smectite--a periodic first principle study

We used both localized and periodic calculations on a series of monovalent (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) and divalent (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) cations to monitor their effect on the swelling of clays. The activity order obtained for the exchangeable cations among all the monovalent and divalent series studied: Ca2+ > Sr2+ > Mg2+ > Rb+ > Ba2+ > Na+ > Li+ > Cs+ > K+. We have shown that, in case of dioctahedral smectite, the hydroxyl groups play a major role in their interaction with water and other polar molecules in the presence of an interlayer cation. We studied both type of clays, with a different surface structure and with/without water using a periodic calculation. Interlayer cations and charged 2:1 clay surfaces interact strongly with polar solvents; when it is in an aqueous medium, clay expands and the phenomenon is known as crystalline swelling. The extent of swelling is controlled by a balance between relatively strong swelling forces and electrostatic forces of attraction between the negatively charged phyllosilicate layer and the positively charged interlayer cation. We have calculated the solvation energy at the first hydration shell of an exchangeable cation, but the results do not correspond directly to the experimental d-spacing values. A novel quantitative scale is proposed with the numbers generated by the relative nucleophilicity of the active cation sites in their hydrated state through Fukui functions within the helm of the hard soft acid base principle. The solvation effect thus measured show a perfect match with experiment, which proposes that the reactivity index calculation with a first hydration shell could rationalize the swelling mechanism for exchangeable cations. The conformers after electron donation or acceptance propose the swelling mechanism for monovalent and divalent cations.     

Sufficient conditions for robust stability of large-scale dynamical systems including delayed states and parameter perturbations in interconnections

The problem of the robust stability of large-scale dynamical systems including delayed states and parameter perturbations in interconnections is considered. By using algebraic Riccati equations and some analytical methods, some sufficient conditions on linear decentralized state feedback controllers are derived so that the systems remain stable in the presence of delayed states and parameter perturbations. Such conditions give some bounds on the perturbations of interconnections with delayed states and uncertain parameters, and result in a quantitative measures of robustness for large-scale dynamical systems including delayed states and uncertain parameters in interconnections. The results obtained in this paper are applicable not only to large-scale systems with multiple time-varying delays, but also to large-scale systems without exact knowledge of the delays, i.e., large-scale systems with uncertain delays.