Mechanical properties of hybrid glass/sugar palm fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester composites

A research has been carried out to investigate the mechanical properties of composites made by hybridizing sugar palm fibre (Arenga pinnata) with glass fibre into an unsaturated polyester matrix. Hybrid composites of glass/sugar palm fibre were fabricated in different weight ratios of strand mat glass fibres: sugar palm fibres 4:0, 4:1, 4:2, 4:3, 4:4, and 0:4. The hybrid effects of glass and sugar palm fibre on tensile, flexural and impact properties of the composites were evaluated according to ASTM D5083, ASTM D790 and ASTM D256 respectively. Results have been established that properties of hybrid glass/sugar palm composites such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, toughness, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength are a function of fibre content. The failure mechanism and the adhesion between fibres/matrix were studied by observing the scanning electron micrographs of impact fracture samples. In general, the incorporation of both fibres into unsaturated polyester matrix shows a regular trend of increase in the mechanical properties.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a B-H Activated Compound Containing a Furan Ring and an ortho-Carborane Cage

A new compound [CpCo（Se2C2BIoH9）CH2C（O）C4H30] has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, NMR, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/c with a = 10.9481（10）, b = 24.6600（12）, c = 25.7430（14） A, β = 100.863（3）°, C42H57B30Co306Se6＂CH2C12＂0.25H20, Mr = 1722.16, V = 6825.6（8） A3, Dc= 1.676 g/cm3, Z = 1 and F（000） = 3346. The molecular structure shows a 1：1 ratio product of the two reactants of 16e half-sandwich complex CpCo（Se2C2B10H10） and alkyne 1-（2-furyl）-2-propyn-l-one. The hydrogen atom in the B（3） position of CpCo（Se2C2B10HIo） has been activated and migrated to the terminal carbon of 1-（2-furyl）- 2-propyn-l-one to form the B-CH2 unit. The title compound molecules are linked and extended further into a one-dimensional chain through atypical hydrogen bonds.     

Synthesis, Structure and Properties of a Novel Cobalt(Ⅱ) Bromide Complex Supported by Phosphine Ligands

<正>The C-Br bond of 2-bromothiophene was successfully cleavaged by tetrakis(trimethylphosphine)cobalt(0). Penta-coordinate cobalt(II) bromide complex 1 (α-C_4H_3S)CoBr(PMe_3)_3 as C-Br bond activation product was obtained. The molecular and crystal structures of complex 1 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 belongs to the orthorhombic crystal system, space group Pnma with a = 20.428(4) , b =11.036(2) , c = 9.201(2), V = 2074.3(7)~3, Z = 4, D_c = 1.442 g/cm~3, μ = 0.401 mm~(-1), F(000) = 924 and T = 273 K. Complex 1 was also characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and TGA.     

Crowding effect induced phase transition of amphiphilic diblock copolymer in solution

The crowding agent induced phase transition of amphiphilic block copolymers in solution was explicitly considered. The influence of the size and the volume fraction of the crowding agent on the phase separation of amphiphilic diblock copolymers is investigated by using self-consistent field theory (SCFT) method. The concentration of the disorder to order transition of the block copolymer decreases when the size of the crowding agent is larger than that of the solvent. The higher volume fraction of the crowding agent will induce the transition of the block copolymer from disorder to order state at a lower concentration. The relation between the size and the volume fraction of the crowding agent is elucidated. When the size of the crowding agent is larger, its volume fraction of the disorder to order transition of the block copolymer will be lower. The conformation of the crowding agent considered as a polymer chain is also studied and compared.     

The B2–B7 phase transition in symmetrical bent‐shaped mesogens with methoxy substitution

New mesogens composed of achiral bent molecules with thermally stable ester linkages, and laterally substituted by a methoxy group symmetrically near the central benzene ring, were synthesized. Texture, calorimetric, electro‐optical, X‐ray and dielectric measurements were performed. In most of studied compounds the antiferroelectric B₂ phase was found on cooling from the isotropic phase, followed by the B₇ phase at lower temperatures. Undulation of layers in the B₇ phase was confirmed by precise synchrotron studies.     

Thin-film polymerization and characterization of Sumitomo's Sumikasuper®-type liquid crystalline polymers

Using the thin film polymerization approach, we have studied the texture evolution when synthesizing a novel liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) system based on Sumikasuper^® LCPs. The main monomers used were p-acetoxybenzoic acid (ABA), 4,4′-biphenol (BP), isophthalic acid (IA), phthalic acid (PA) and terephthalic acid (TA). Polarizing optical microscopy (POM), FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to study the thin film polymerization process and characterize the products. The generation and evolution of liquid crystal phases were monitored; the results revealed that there exists a composition range for the monomers to react and form liquid crystal materials. The critical temperature for LC formation in ABA/BP/IA system decreased with increasing ABA content. FTIR results confirmed the formation of polymers. AFM investigation suggested a similar process of morphological change to that observed using POM. An increasing surface roughness of the thin films with the progress of polymerization was also obtained from AFM analysis. A nematic LC texture of the polymer system was suggested by XRD examination. Results obtained by replacing BP with acetylated BP, and by conducting polymerization using two-monomer systems, suggest that BP units are included in polymers obtained by the thin film polymerization method.     

Analysis of cell gap-dependent driving voltage in a fringe field-driven homogeneously aligned nematic liquid crystal display

We have studied cell gap-dependent driving voltage characteristics in a homogeneously aligned nematic liquid crystal (LC) cell driven by a fringe electric field, termed the fringe field switching (FFS) mode. The results show that for the FFS mode using a LC with positive dielectric anisotropy, the operating voltage decreases as the cell gap decreases, whereas it increases with a decreasing cell gap when using a LC with negative dielectric anisotropy. The difference between LCs is explained by simulation and experiment.     

Photoinduced phase transitions and helix untwisting in the SmC* phase of a novel cinnamoyl-based liquid crystal

A photoinduced phase transition and helix untwisting in a new liquid crystal forming the SmC* phase were studied in detail. The compound consists of a cinnamoyl photosensitive fragment with C?=?C double bond capable of photoisomerisation and photocycloaddition. It was shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (365 nm) induces an extreme decrease in phase transitions temperatures (SmC*–SmA*, SmA*–N*, N*–I). Vertically aligned samples in the SmC* phase cause selective light reflection in the visible spectral range. The light action results in a noticeable helix untwisting that causes a shift in the selective light reflection peak to the long-wavelength spectral region. The temperature dependence of spontaneous polarisation P _s was measured and it was found that UV irradiation induces a decrease in the values of P _s. Photo-optical phenomena taking place in the liquid crystal are attributed to the formation of photoproducts having low anisometry, which disrupts mesophases.     

Flow-induced ordering of particles and flow velocity profile transition in a tube flow of graphene oxide dispersions

We measured the S- and P-order parameters of flow-induced ordered graphene oxide (GO) particles and the flow velocity profiles for a flowing aqueous GO dispersion in a tube, by using an optical method. The order parameters clearly exhibit increasing concentric biaxial ordering as the flow velocity increases, with the exception of a disordered centre. Newtonian to non-Newtonian transition in the flow velocity profile is found, changing from a parabolic shape to a fuller shape at very low Reynolds numbers less than 10. This is attributed to the shear thinning effect (i.e., an ordering-induced reduction in viscosity). In the Newtonian flow, a uniaxial ordering was dominant; whereas a biaxial ordering sharply increased in the non-Newtonian flow, indicating that both the ordering of GO particles and the interparticle interactions influence the flow profile transition.     

Synthesis and characterisation of photopolymerisable liquid crystals based on the π-extended fluorene core and their corresponding non-reactive analogues

We have synthesised a series of new reactive mesogens with photopolymerisable di-acrylates and their corresponding non-reactive analogues based on the π-conjugated aromatic core, fluorene (F)-di-[thiophene (T)-benzene (B)], using the Stille and Suzuki coupling reaction. The effect of lateral alkyl chains on the 9-position of the central fluorene moiety as well as α, ω- side alkyl chains attached to the π-conjugated aromatic core on the mesomorphism was investigated by utilising differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarising optical microscopy (POM). A wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) study at the various temperatures was also carried out to reveal phase structures. Photopolymerisable di-acrylates connected directly to the rigid aromatic core showed higher phase transition temperatures, probably due to the induced dipole moment in comparison with those of a non-reactive methyl–ether counterpart.