Miscibility and interactions in blends of two proton‐donating polymers: Poly(acrylic acid)/poly(p‐vinylphenol) blends

Blends of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(p‐vinylphenol) (PVPh) were prepared from N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) and ethanol solutions. The DMF‐cast blends exhibited single T_g's, as shown by modulated differential scanning calorimetry, whereas the ethanol‐cast blends had double T_g's. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that there was a specific interaction between PAA and PVPh in the DMF‐cast blends. The single‐T_g blends cast from DMF showed single‐exponential decay behavior for the proton spin–lattice relaxation in both the laboratory frame and the rotating frame, indicating that the two polymers mixed intimately on a scale of 2–3 nm. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 789–796, 2003     

Scale-free random graphs and Potts model

We introduce a simple algorithm that constructs scale-free random graphs efficiently: each vertexi has a prescribed weight P_i ∝ i^-μ (0 < μ< 1) and an edge can connect verticesi andj with rateP _i P _j . Corresponding equilibrium ensemble is identified and the problem is solved by theq → 1 limit of the q-state Potts model with inhomogeneous interactions for all pairs of spins. The number of loops as well as the giant cluster size and the mean cluster size are obtained in the thermodynamic limit as a function of the edge density. Various critical exponents associated with the percolation transition are also obtained together with finite-size scaling forms. The process of forming the giant cluster is qualitatively different between the cases of λ > 3 and 2 < λ < 3, whereλ = 1 +μ ^-1 is the degree distribution exponent. While for the former, the giant cluster forms abruptly at the percolation transition, for the latter, however, the formation of the giant cluster is gradual and the mean cluster size for finiteN shows double peaks.     

Iodine-catalyzed allylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with allylic alcohols at room temperature

A highly efficient iodine-catalyzed allylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with a wide variety of allylic alcohols has been developed. The reaction is operationally straightforward and proceeds under very mild conditions at room temperature in good to excellent yields (up to 99%) and regioselectivity.     

On the stability of a dumbbell molecule in a continuous squeezing flow

As a brief sequel to our previous stability analysis of dumbbell molecule in torsional flow [1] we demonstrate that the motion of a dumbbell molecule in a continuous squeezing flow is also unstable at sufficiently large. Weissenberg number. The cause of instability in the present case, however, is quite different from the previous case. The mechanism responsible for triggering the instability is mainly attributed to the additional elongational flow component over the basic shear flow. The present flow situation is also different from the previous case in that the system is stochasticaly non-stationary, hence no steady-state average quantities can be obtained statistically.     

Miscibility of some poly(neopentyl glycol adipate)/chlorinated polymer blends

Poly(neopentyl glycol adipate), PDPA, was found to be miscible with poly(epichlorohydrin-co-ethylene oxide). PDPA also formed miscible blends with chlorinated polyethylene samples containing 48 and 42% by weight of chlorine. Chlorinated polyethylene with a lower chlorine content was not miscible with PDPA.     

Skeleton and fractal scaling in complex networks

We find that the fractal scaling in a class of scale-free networks originates from the underlying tree structure called a skeleton, a special type of spanning tree based on the edge betweenness centrality. The fractal skeleton has the property of the critical branching tree. The original fractal networks are viewed as a fractal skeleton dressed with local shortcuts. An in silico model with both the fractal scaling and the scale-invariance properties is also constructed. The framework of fractal networks is useful in understanding the utility and the redundancy in networked systems.     

Eta1 and eta2 complexes of lambda3-1,2,4,6-thiatriazinyls with CpCr(CO)x

The title heterocyclic radicals coordinate to either 17e CpCr(CO)3 or 15e CpCr(CO)2 moieties as one-electron or as three-electron donors, respectively; in the former the bonding is via the perpendicular p orbital of the sulfur atom, while in the latter bonding is via p(pi) orbitals on both sulfur and nitrogen.     

Optimal testing strategies in overlapped design process

Testing is an important activity in product development. Past studies, which are developed to determine the optimal scheduling of tests, often focused on single-stage testing of sequential design process. This paper presents an analytical model for the scheduling of tests in overlapped design process, where a downstream stage starts before the completion of upstream testing. We derive optimal stopping rules for upstream and downstream stages’ testing, together with the optimal time elapsed between beginning the upstream tests and beginning the downstream development. We find that the cost function is first convex then concave increasing with respect to upstream testing duration. A one-dimensional search algorithm is then proposed for finding the unique optimum that minimizes the overall cost. Moreover, the impact of different model parameters, such as the problem-solving capacity and opportunity cost, on the optimal solution is discussed. Finally, we compare the testing strategies in overlapped process with those in sequential process, and get some additional results. The methodology is illustrated with a case study at a handset design company.     

Two-dimensional crystal growth and stacking of bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth sandwich complexes at the 1-phenyloctane/graphite interface

Initial stages of two-dimensional crystal growth of the double-decker sandwich complex Lu(Pc*)2 [Pc* = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyaninato] have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy at the liquid/solid interface between 1-phenyloctane and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. High-resolution images strongly suggest alignment of the double-decker molecules into monolayers with the phthalocyanine rings parallel to the surface. Domains were observed with either hexagonal or quadrate packing motifs, and the growing interface of the layer was imaged. Molecular resolution was achieved, and the face of the phthalocyanine rings appeared as somewhat diffuse circular features. The alkyl chains are proposed to be interdigitating to maintain planar side-by-side packing.