Preparation of conducting poly(vinyl chloride)/polyindole composites and freestanding films via chemical polymerization

This study covers the synthesis of conducting polyindole (PIN) homopolymer, poly(vinyl chloride)/polyindole (PVC/PIN) composites, and preparation of their freestanding films. PIN and composites were synthesized chemically by radicalic mechanism using FeCl₃ as an initiator. Films of PVC and PVC/PIN composites were prepared by casting on glass Petri dishes. Mechanical properties of films were examined by stress–strain experiments. From FTIR spectra of polymers, it was revealed that polymerization reaction occurred by 2–3 mechanism. The conductivities of polymers at different temperatures were also measured by four‐probe technique and found in the range 10^?4 to 10^?5 S cm^?1. Magnetic properties of the polymers were analyzed by Gouy scale measurements and were found that their conducting mechanisms are of polaron and bipolaron natures. Thermal properties of polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and found that they had shown adequate thermal stability. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectra showed the amorphous nature of the polymers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural analysis. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1290–1298, 2010     

Investigation on the thermal decomposition some heterodinuclear NiII-MII complexes prepared from ONNO type reduced Schiff base compounds ( M II=ZnII, CdII)

N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (LH₂), N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-2,2′-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine (LDMH₂), N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediamine (LOH₃), N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyacetophenylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (LACH₂) and N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyacetophenone)-2,2′-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine (LACDMH₂) were synthesized and reduced to their phenol-amine form in alcoholic media using NaBH₄ (L^HH₂, LDM^HH₂, LOH^HH₂, LAC^HH₂ and LACDM^HH₂). Heterodinuclear complexes were synthesized using Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) salts, according to the template method in DMF media. The complex structures were analyzed using elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. Suitable crystals of only one complex were obtained and its structure determined using X-ray diffraction, NiLAC^H·CdBr₂·DMF₂, space group orthorhombic, Pbca, a=20.249, b=14.881, c=20.565 ? and Z=8. The heterodinuclear complexes were seen to be of [Ni·ligand·MX₂·DMF₂] structure (ligand=L^H2−, LDM^H2−, LOH^H2−, LAC^H2−, LACDM^H2−, M=Zn^II, Cd^II, X=Br⁻, I⁻). Thermogravimetric analysis showed irreversible bond breakage of the coordinatively bonded DMF molecules followed by decomposition at this temperature.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a pseudocyclic tristhiourea-based anion host

A novel methodology for the evaluation of receptor arrangement in structurally flexible anion chemosensors was developed and applied to map the binding site of a new pseudocyclic tristhiourea chemosensor (6). The syntheses of 6 and related macrocyclic chemosensor 10 (a model of the folded monomeric structure of 6) are reported. Both chemosensors were evaluated by titration with a variety of structurally different anions in CH3Cl and DMSO, showing a common preference for F-, CH3CO2-, and H2PO4-. However, within this group of anions, the binding patterns of the chemosensors differed, indicating dissimilarity in the arrangement of the binding sites of 6 and 10.     

Effect of extraction conditions on measured total polyphenol contents and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of black tea

Black tea was extracted for 2, 8 and 18 h with absolute acetone, N,N-dimethyl-formamide (DMF), ethanol and methanol and their 50% aqueous solutions. The extracts were screened for total polyphenol contents, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The polyphenol content of the extracts was found to be in the range of 0.44-114.01 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight tea, depending on the solvent used and the length of the extraction process. In general, aqueous acetone or DMF extracts displayed the highest polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity, while absolute acetone was the least efficient solvent. Antioxidant activities of tea extracts tested using the reducing power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical methods ranged from 0.09 to 1.18 and from 2.60 to 95.42 %, respectively, depending on the extraction conditions and the antioxidant activities correlated well with the polyphenol concentrations. Aqueous solvent black tea extracts also possessed antibacterial activity, depending on the solvent used and bacterial species tested. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most sensitive to all tea extracts, except for the methanol extract. Tea extracts were not effective against Y. enterocolitica, L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7.     

Relationship between Activation Energy of Thermolysis and Friction Sensitivity of Cyclic and Acyclic Nitramines

The knowledge of sensitiveness of an energetic compound to friction stimuli is important to ensure the safety of people and protection of property during shipment. The information on sensitivity to friction is considered very valuable for nitramines, which show relatively higher sensitivity with respect to the other classes of secondary explosives. This study presents a novel general simple model for prediction of the relationship between friction sensitivity and activation energy of thermolysis of cyclic and acyclic nitramines on the basis of their molecular structures. This methodology assumes that friction sensitivity of an energetic compound with general formula C_aH_bN_cO_d can be expressed as a function of activation energy of thermolysis and the contribution of specific molecular structural parameters. For 21 nitramines with different molecular structures, the new correlation has the root mean square and the average standard deviations of 14.2 and 17.8 N, respectively, as compared to experimental values. The proposed new method is also tested for further 8 nitramines containing complex molecular structures, which gives good predictions.     

Structure of 2-{2-[3-methyl-3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) cyclobutyl]-2-oxoethyl}isoindole-1,3-dione

2-{2-[3-Methyl-3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)cyclobutyl]-2-oxoethyl}isoindole-1,3-dione (C₂₄ H₂₅NO₃) was synthesized, and its crystal structure was determined by X-ray crystallographic techniques. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1, with unit cell parameters: a = 14.109(9) Å, b = 14.130(8) Å, c = 12.152(6) Å, = 105.62(5)°, = 113.75(4)°, = 98.78(5)°, V = 2039.8(19) ų, D _c= 1.223 g/cm³, and Z = 4. The crystal structure has two crystallographically independent molecules, I and II. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular C—H···O interactions, forming a continuous chain. The dihedral angles between the N-substituted phthalimide moiety and cyclobutane ring in molecules I and II are 60.37(14) and 68.18(18)°, respectively.     

Electrokinetic and electrorheological properties of poly(vinyl chloride)/polyindole conducting composites

In this study, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyindole (PIN), and PVC/PIN conducting composites having five different compositions were used. Particle sizes, densities, dielectric constants, and sedimentation ratios of the materials were determined. The zeta‐potentials of the samples were measured in aqueous and nonaqueous (silicone oil [SO]) media. The dispersions prepared in SO were subjected to external electric field strength, and their electrorheological properties were investigated. Then the effects of dispersed particle volume fraction, shear rate, external electric field strength, frequency, and temperature onto electrorheological activities of the dispersions were examined. Further, creep and creep‐recovery tests were applied to the PIN/SO and PVC/PIN/SO dispersions, and reversible viscoelastic deformations were observed. Finally, the vibration damping capacity of PVC (66%)/PIN (34%)/SO dispersion system was tested by using an automobile shock absorber. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electric and magnetic field modulated energy dispersion,conductivity and optical response in double quantum wire with spin-orbit interactions

We study the influence of electric field on the electronic energy band structure, zero-temperature ballistic conductivity and optical properties of double quantum wire. System described by double-well anharmonic confinement potential is exposed to a perpendicular magnetic field and Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions. Numerical results show up that the combined effects of internal and external agents cause the formation of crossing, anticrossing, camel-back/anomaly structures and the lateral, downward/upward shifts in the energy dispersion. The anomalies in the energy subbands give rise to the oscillation patterns in the ballistic conductance, and the energy shifts bring about the shift in the peak positions of optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes.     

Nonlinear optical properties of asymmetric n-type double <Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis>-doped GaAs quantum well under intense laser field

The effect of non-resonant intense laser field on the intersubband-related optical absorption coefficient and refractive index change in the asymmetric n-type double δ-doped GaAs quantum well is theoretically investigated. The confined energy levels and corresponding wave functions of this structure are calculated by solving the Schrödinger equation in the laser-dressed confinement potential within the framework of effective mass approximation. The optical responses are reported as a function of the δ-doped impurities density and the applied non-resonant intense laser field. Additionally, the calculated results also reveal that the non-resonant intense laser field can be used as a way to control the electronic and optical properties of the low dimensional semiconductor nano-structures.