Kinetics of the Thermal and Thermo‐Oxidative Degradation of a Polystyrene–Clay Nanocomposite

Summary: Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry have been used to study the thermal and thermo‐oxidative degradation of polystyrene (PS) and a PS–clay nanocomposite. An advanced isoconversional method has been applied for kinetic analysis. Introduction of the clay phase increases the activation energy and affects the total heat of degradation, which suggests a change in the reaction mechanism. The obtained kinetic data permit a comparative assessment of the fire resistance of the studied materials.

The change in activation energy for the degradation of PS and the PS–clay nanocomposite with the extent of polymer conversion.     

高Tc超导谐振器微波特性研究

研究了高Ｔｃ超导谐振器的微波特性特别是表面电阻Ｒｓ和磁场穿透深度λ,给出了Ｒｓ随温度变化的曲线以及穿透深度的测量结果。实验中采用了由ＹＢａ２Ｃｕ３Ｏ７薄膜和蓝宝石片构成的平行板谐振器。     

Functionalization of the periphery of calix[4]resorcinarenes with P(III)-containing substituents via hydroxy,trimethylsiloxy, and ethoxy-tethered trimethylsiloxy intermediates

Unlike C-undecylcalix[4]resorcinarene, C-methylcalix[4]resorcinarene 1 reacted with chlorodifluorophosphine in the absence of an auxiliary base to give the unstable octakis(difluorophosphite)-substituted derivative 2. The existence of two conformational isomers of 2 in solution was observed by ¹⁹F and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Attempts to react the octakis(trimethylsilyl)calix[4]resorcinarene 3 and its tetrabromo derivative 4 with phosphorus trichloride and chlorodifluorophosphine were unsuccessful. The ethoxy-tethered C-methyl-octakis(trimeth-ylsilyl)calix[4]resorcinarene 5 was allowed to react with 2-chloro-1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triaza-2σ³λ³-phosphorin-4,6-dione and chlorodifluorophosphine. By substitution of all trimethylsilyl groups, the octakis(phosphorus(III))-substituted compounds 6 and 7 were formed. As for 2, dynamic behavior in solution was observed for 6 and 7, arising from the equilibrium between different conformational isomers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 9:553–558, 1998     

Staudinger – Reaktionen am Bornanylen(dimethylphosphino)methylimin. Phosphorylierung des dabei gebildeten Trimethylsilylphosphinimids mit Diorganochlorphosphinen: unerwartete Bildung von Verbindungen mit P=N–P–P-Einheiten

Staudinger Reactions with Bornanylene(dimethylphosphino)methylimine. Phosphorylation of the Trimethylsilylphosphine Imide formed with Diorganochlorophosphines: unexpected Formation of Compounds with P=N–P–P Units Phosphinimido derivatives of the chiral bornanylene(dimethylphosphino)methyl imine have been obtained from its reactions with trimethylsilyl-, phenyl- and 4-nitrobenzoyl azide. A single crystal X-ray structure determination has been conducted on the 4-nitro-benzoylphosphinimido derivative of bornanylene(dimethylphosphino)methyl imine. The compound was found to crystallize with two independent molecules in the chiral monoclinic space group P2₁. The trimethylsilylphosphinimido derivative of bornanylene(dimethylphosphino)methyl imine was allowed to react with diorgano-chlorophosphines, with unexpected formation of compounds with PP-bonded RR′₂P=N–P⁽⁺⁾R″₂–PR″₂ groups. The ³¹P-NMR spectra of two representative compounds are simulated and discussed.     

Hydration behavior of heart muscle studies by nuclear magnetic relaxation: Deuterium exchange of water protons in the myocardium

Proton transverse relaxation, deuterium and oxygen-17 NMR measurements on functional animal heart muscle were employed to study the distribution and exchange of water protons in the heart. Our nonlinear regression analysis of such data showed the presence of three proton transverse relaxation components that are likely to correspond, respectively, to two major types of water compartments in the heart muscle and the heart muscle matrix. A deuterium exchange study was undertaken to obtain additional information concerning the chemical exchange of water protons/deuterium within these two water compartments, and the effects of proton intermolecular dipolar interactions on the transverse relaxation of water protons. Our results are likely to influence the analysis and interpretation of MRI data for myocardium since it provides details of the microscopic water distribution in the myocardium which is important to the heart function.     

Highly Efficient Copper(II) Ion Sorbents Obtained by Calcium Carbonate Mineralization on Functionalized Cross‐Linked Copolymers

A new type of Cu^II ion sorbents is presented. These are obtained by CaCO₃ mineralization from supersaturated solutions on gel‐like cross‐linked polymeric beads as insoluble templates. A divinylbenzene–ethylacrylate–acrylonitrile cross‐linked copolymer functionalized with weakly acidic, basic, or amphoteric functional groups has been used, as well as different initial inorganic concentrations and addition procedures for CaCO₃ crystal growth. The morphology of the new composites was investigated by SEM and compared to that of the unmodified beads, and the polymorph content was established by X‐ray diffraction. The beads, before and after CaCO₃ mineralization, were tested as sorbents for Cu^II ions. The newly formed patterns on the bead surface after Cu^II sorption were observed by SEM, and the elemental distribution on the composites and the chemical structure of crystals after interaction with Cu^II were investigated by EDAX elemental mapping and by FTIR‐ATR spectroscopy, respectively. The sorption capacity increased significantly after CaCO₃ crystals growth on the weak anionic bead surface (up to 1041.5 mg Cu^II/g sample) compared to that of unmodified beads (491.5 mg Cu^II/g sample).     

Surface modification of polyolefin separators for lithium ion batteries to reduce thermal shrinkage without thickness increase

Surface chemical modification of polyolefin separators for lithium ion batteries is attempted to reduce the thermal shrinkage, which is important for the battery energy density. In this study, we grafted organic/inorganic hybrid crosslinked networks on the separators, simply by grafting polymerization and condensation reaction. The considerable silicon-oxygen crosslinked heat-resistance networks are responsible for the reduced thermal shrinkage. The strong chemical bonds between networks and separators promise enough mechanical support even at high temperature. The shrinkage at 150 C for 30 min in the mechanical direction was 38.6% and 4.6% for the pristine and present graft-modified separators, respectively. Meanwhile, the grafting organic-inorganic hybrid crosslink networks mainly occupied part of void in the internal pores of the separators, so the thicknesses of the graft-modified separators were similar with the pristine one. The half cells prepared with the modified separators exhibited almost identical electrochemical properties to those with the commercial separators, thus proving that, in order to enhance the thermal stability of lithium ion battery, this kind of grafting-modified separators may be a better alternative to conventional silica nanoparticle layers-coated polyolefin separators.     

Ferrocenyl‐Coupled N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes of Gold(I): A Successful Approach to Multinuclear Anticancer Drugs

Four gold(I) carbene complexes featuring 4‐ferrocenyl‐substituted imidazol‐2‐ylidene ligands were investigated for antiproliferative and antivascular properties. They were active against a panel of seven cancer cell lines, including multidrug‐resistant ones, with low micromolar or nanomolar IC₅₀ (72 h) values, according to their lipophilicity and cellular uptake. The delocalized lipophilic cationic complexes 8 and 10 acted by increasing the reactive oxygen species in two ways: through a genuine ferrocene effect and by inhibiting the thioredoxin reductase. Both complexes gave rise to a reorganization of the F‐actin cytoskeleton in endothelial and melanoma cells, associated with a G1 phase cell cycle arrest and a retarded cell migration. They proved antiangiogenic in tube formation assays with endothelial cells and vascular‐disruptive on real blood vessels in the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggs. Biscarbene complex 10 was also tolerated well by mice where it led to a volume reduction of xenograft tumors by up to 80 %.