Preparation and Characterization of Polyhydroxyurethane/Attapulgite Nanocomposites Via In-Situ Surface-Initiated Polymerization

The polyhydroxyurethane/attapulgite nanocomposites (PHU/ATP) were prepared by in-situ surface-initiated polymerization of a five-membered cyclic carbonate, 2, 2-bis [p-(1, 3-dioxolan-2-one-4-yl-methoxy) phenyl] propane (B5CC) and hexamethylene diamine, from the surface of the aminopropyl attapulgite nanoparticles (APATP) for the first time. The chemical grafting of the polymer on the surface of ATP was confirmed by FTIR and the morphology of the attapulgite nanoparticles in the nanocomposites was examined by TEM. The thermal stabilities of the polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and the polyhydroxyurethane/attapulgite nanocomposites (PHU/ATP) were compared with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).The %G of the attapulgite nanoparticles was also calculated from the results of TGA after the free polyhydroxyurethane was washed off.     

Brush macro‐RAFT agent mediated dispersion polymerization of styrene in the alcohol/water mixture

Dispersion RAFT polymerization of styrene in the alcohol/water mixture mediated with the brush macro‐RAFT agent of poly[poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether vinylphenyl‐co‐styrene] trithiocarbonate [P(mPEGV‐co‐St)‐TTC] with similar molecular weight but different chemical composition is investigated. Well‐controlled RAFT polymerization including an initial slow homogeneous polymerization and a subsequent fast heterogeneous polymerization at almost complete monomer conversion is achieved. The molecular weight of the synthesized block copolymer increases linearly with the monomer conversion, and the polydispersity is relatively narrow (PDI < 1.3). The RAFT polymerization kinetics is dependent on the chemical composition in the brush macro‐RAFT agents, and those with high content of hydrophobic segment lead to fast RAFT polymerization. The growth of the block copolymer nano‐objects during the RAFT polymerization is explored, and various block copolymer nano‐objects such as nanospheres, worms, vesicles and large‐compound‐micelle‐like particles are prepared. The parameters such as the chemical composition in the brush macro‐RAFT agent, the chain length of the solvatophobic block, the concentration of the feeding monomer and the solvent character affecting the size and morphology of the block copolymer nano‐objects are investigated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3177–3190     

Torreyanoxane,a New 3,4‐Secoglutinane Triterpenoid Isolated from the Pulp of Torreya nucifera

Torreyanoxane, a novel 3,4‐secoglutinane triterpenoid, was isolated from the pulp of Torreya nucifera. The structure was determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods.     

A highly selective dual-channel Hg2+ chemosensor based on an easy to prepare double naphthalene Schiff base

Science China Chemistry - A non-sulfur chemosensor based on an easy to prepare double naphthalene Schiff base is reported for the colorimetric and fluorometric dual-channel sensing of Hg2+ ions by...     

C NMR spectra of cyclomercurated ferrocenylimines: Substituent effects and conformations in the ferrocenes

Three series of cyclomercurated ferrocenylimines (2-chloromercurio-ferrocenylimines) have been studied using ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Good to excellent linear relationships have been found to exist between the chemical shifts of the carbon atoms in the ferrocenyl moiety and normal Hammett substituent constants σ_m and σ_p. The δ values of the iminyl carbon atoms show excellent linear correlations with the σ values. In three series of the ferrocenes, the sensitivity of the carbon atoms to the substituent effect is different, which is discussed in terms of the twist angle between the N-phenyl ring and the C---C=N---C plane. The relative sensitivity of the chemical shifts on different positions in ferrocenyl moiety to the substituent effect has also been presented.     

Tailoring Morphology of PVDF-HFP Membrane via One-step Reactive Vapor Induced Phase Separation for Efficient Oil-Water Separation

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)(PVDF-HFP) receives increasing attention in membrane separation field based on its advantages such as high mechanical strength, thermal and chemical stability. However, controlling the microporous structure is still challenging.In this work, we attempted to tailor the morphology of PVDF-HFP membrane via a one-step reactive vapor induced phase separation method.Namely, PVDF-HFP was dissolved in a volatile solvent and then was cast in an ammonia water vapor atmosphere. After complete evaporation of solvent, membranes with adjustable porous structure were prepared, and the microstructures of the membranes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterizations. Based on the results, a mechanism of dehydrofluorination induced cross-linking of PVDF-HFP has been suggested to understand the morphology tailoring.To our knowledge, this is the first report of one-step reactive vapor induced phase separation strategy to tailor morphology of PVDF-HFP membrane. In addition, the membranes prepared in the ammonia water vapor exhibited enhanced mechanical strength and achieved satisfactory separation efficiency for water-in-oil emulsions, suggesting promising potential.     

Ubiquitous strategy for probing ATR surface-enhanced infrared absorption at platinum group metal-electrolyte interfaces

A versatile two-step wet process to fabricate Pt, Pd, Rh, and Ru nanoparticle films (simplified as nanofilms hereafter) for in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) study of electrochemical interfaces is presented, which incorporates an initial chemical deposition of a gold nanofilm on the basal plane of a silicon prism with the subsequent electrodepostion of desired platinum group metal overlayers. Galvanostatic electrodeposition of Pt, Rh, and Pd from phosphate or perchloric acid electrolytes, or potentiostatic electrodeposition of Ru from a sulfuric acid electrolyte, yields sufficiently "pinhole-free" overlayers as evidenced by electrochemical and spectroscopic characterizations. The Pt group metal nanofilms thus obtained exhibit strongly enhanced IR absorption. In contrast to the corresponding metal films electrochemically deposited directly on glassy carbon and bulk metal electrodes, the observed enhanced absorption for the probe molecule CO exhibits normal unipolar band shapes. Scanning tunneling microscopic (STM) images reveal that fine nanoparticles of Pt group metals are deposited around wavy and stepped bunches of Au nanoparticles of relatively large sizes. This ubiquitous strategy is expected to open a wide avenue for extending ATR surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy to explore molecular adsorption and reactions on technologically important transition metals, as exemplified by successful real-time spectroscopic and electrochemical monitoring of the oxidation of CO at Pd and that of methanol at Pt nanofilm electrodes. The spectral features of free water molecules coadsorbed with CO on Pt, Pd, Rh, and Ru are also discussed.     

Tunable surface-enhanced infrared absorption on au nanofilms on si fabricated by self-assembly and growth of colloidal particles

Au colloids were used to fabricate nanoscale-tunable Au nanofilms on silicon for surface-enhanced IR absorption bases in both ambient and electrochemical environments. This wet process incorporates the self-assembly of colloidal Au monolayer using 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane as the organic coupler with subsequent chemical plating in an Au(III)/hydroxylamine solution. FTIR spectroscopy in transmission mode of the probe species SCN- was used to evaluate the apparent surface enhancement in IR absorption of 2D Au colloid arrays and chemically plated Au particles. The nanostructure of Au films was examined by atomic force microscopy. The IR and AFM results show that the apparent surface enhancement factor (1-2 orders of magnitude) increases with increasing sizes and/or contact, and the severe aggregation of Au nanoparticles may cause the bipolar band shape. Cyclic voltammetry on the Au nanofilm obtained by the above nucleation and growth strategy exhibits a feasible electrochemical stability and behavior. In situ ATR-FTIR measurement of p-nitrobenzoic acid adsorption demonstrates that the as-grown Au film yields rather promising surface enhancement as well.     

Kinetic and mechanistic studies on the oxidation of pyrrolidine by bis(hydrogenperiodato)argentate(III) complex anion

The kinetics of oxidation of pyrrolidine by bis(hydrogenperiodato)argentate(III) complex anion ([Ag(HIO₆)₂]^5?) was studied in alkaline medium, with reaction temperatures in the range of 15.0–30.0 °C. The experiments indicated that the oxidation follows an overall second-order reaction, being first-order in both Ag(III) and pyrrolidine. The observed second-order rate constants, k′, decreased with increasing [IO₄ ^?] but increased slightly with increasing [OH^?]. The influence of ionic strength on the reaction rate was also investigated. The oxidation resulted in oxidative deamination of pyrrolidine, giving 4-hydroxybutyrate as the product. A reaction mechanism is proposed which includes an equilibrium between [Ag(HIO₆)₂]^5? and [Ag(HIO₆)₂(OH)(H₂O)]^2?; these two Ag(III) species are reduced by pyrrolidine in parallel rate-determining steps. The rate equation derived from the proposed mechanism can explain the experimental observations. The rate constants of the rate-determining steps, together with the associated activation parameters, were calculated accordingly.