A Study on End Group Characterization of Poly(phenacyl methacrylate) Polymer Produced by Free Radical Polymerization

Free‐radical homopolymerization and copolymerization of phenacyl methacrylate (PAMA) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was done using 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as the initiator in 1,4‐dioxane at 60°C. ¹H‐NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy confirmed the existence of OCH₂ and CH signals and unsaturated structure and CN stretch at the chain end of low molecular weight poly(phenacyl methacrylate)[poly(PAMA)], respectively. The six‐membered ring with both ester and ether at the end group was detected by ¹H‐NMR. In the poly(PAMA), the end groups formed due to chain transfer reactions were found in large concentrations. The mechanism of the formation of end groups has been presented. The behavior of free radical polymerization of PAMA was compared with that of phenoxycarbonylmethyl methacrylate (PCMMA). The molecular weight distribution of the homo and copolymers was determined using gel permeation chromatography. Thermal properties of the polymers were determined using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).     

String modular phases in Calabi–Yau families

We investigate the structure of singular Calabi–Yau varieties in moduli spaces that contain a Brieskorn–Pham point. Our main tool is a construction of families of deformed motives over the parameter space. We analyze these motives for general fibers and explicitly compute the L$L$-series for singular fibers for several families. We find that the resulting motivic L$L$-functions agree with the L$L$-series of modular forms whose weight depends both on the rank of the motive and the degree of the degeneration of the variety. Surprisingly, these motivic L$L$-functions are identical in several cases to L$L$-series derived from weighted Fermat hypersurfaces. This shows that singular Calabi–Yau spaces of non-conifold type can admit a string worldsheet interpretation, much like rational theories, and that the corresponding irrational conformal field theories inherit information from the Gepner conformal field theory of the weighted Fermat fiber of the family. These results suggest that phase transitions via non-conifold configurations are physically plausible. In the case of severe degenerations we find a dimensional transmutation of the motives. This suggests further that singular configurations with non-conifold singularities may facilitate transitions between Calabi–Yau varieties of different dimensions.     

The effect of NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>NO<Subscript>3</Subscript> towards the conductivity enhancement and electrical behavior in methyl cellulose-starch blend based ionic conductors

Solid polymer electrolytes based on methyl cellulose (MC)-potato starch (PS) blend doped with ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) are prepared by solution cast technique. The interaction between the electrolyte’s materials is proven by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The thermal stability of the electrolytes is obtained from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The room temperature conductivity of undoped 60 wt.% MC-40 wt.% PS blend film is identified to be (1.04 ± 0.19) × 10^?11 S cm^?1. The addition of 30 wt.% NH₄NO₃ to the polymer blend has optimized the room temperature conductivity to (4.37 ± 0.16) × 10^?5 S cm^?1. Conductivity trend is verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dielectric analysis. Temperature-dependence of conductivity obeys Arrhenius rule. Conductivity is found to be influenced by the number density (n) and mobility (μ) of ions. From transference number measurements (TNM), ions are found to be the dominant charge carriers.     

Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence from Plastic Substrates

We report the first findings of Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) from modified plastic substrates. In the past several years our laboratories have reported the favorable effects of fluorophores in close proximity to silver nanoparticles. These effects include, enhanced fluorescence intensities, (increased detectability), and reduced lifetimes, (enhanced fluorophore photostability). All of these reports have featured silver nanostructures and fluorophores which have been immobilized onto clean glass or quartz surfaces. In this report we show how plastic surfaces can be modified to obtain surface functionality, which in turn allows for silver deposition and therefore metal-enhanced fluorescence of fluorophores positioned above the silver using a protein spacer. Our findings show that plastic substrates are ideal surfaces for metal-enhanced phenomena, producing similar enhancements as compared to clean glass surfaces. Subsequently, we speculate that plastic substrates for MEF will find common place, as compared to the more expensive and less versatile traditional silica based supports.     

Variation of <Superscript>231</Superscript>Pa, <Superscript>230</Superscript>Th and <Superscript>231</Superscript>Pa<Subscript>ex</Subscript>/<Superscript>230</Superscript>Th<Subscript>ex</Subscript> in surface sediments of the Sabah–Sarawak coastal waters

Protactinium and thorium activities were measured in eight surface sediment taken in 2004 to determine effectiveness scavenging of ²³¹Pa at Sabah–Sarawak coastal waters. The result found that activity ratios of ²³¹Pa_ex/²³⁰Th_ex were ranged from 0.07 to 0.13 at all sampling stations. The high ²³¹Pa_ex/²³⁰Th_ex activity ratio than the production ratio of 0.093 in seawater at station SR 01, SR 02, SR 04, SB 02 and SB 05, revealed that ²³¹Pa is effectively removed from the water column into the sediment in comparison with ²³⁰Th at those stations. Low percentage of ²³⁰Th_ex (90–95%) in comparison with ²³¹Pa_ex at all stations can be attributed to less efficiently scavenged of ²³⁰Th onto particles prior deposited at the marine sediment bed.     

Perfluorinated Dendrimers Based on Calix[4]arenes and Cyclam: Synthesis,Thermal Properties and Biological Activities

Four new dendritic structures carrying perfluorobenzyl bromide on the surface and calix[4]arene and cyclam as a core were synthesized by using the convergent approach. These structures were determined by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and elemental analysis. Thermal stabilities of fluorinated dendritic structures were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Activation energies and thermal degradation of the structures were calculated with the Ozawa method. Thermogravimetric analysis of the dendritic structures reveals that the thermal stability of the structures increases with an increase in the number of the fluorine atoms. Dendritic structures synthesized were tested for their antimicrobial activity against, Salmonella typhimurium NRRLB, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus fecalis ATCC-29212, Bacillus cereus ATCC-117787, Klepsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis NRS-744 and Proteus vulgoris, Yersinia enterolitica, Saccharomyces cereviciae. The structures showed comparative activity against different strains of bacteria. Biological activities of the dendritic structures were seen to increase with an increase in fluorination and the number of nitrogen atoms.     

Diffusion of polyphosphates into (poly(allylamine)-montmorillonite) multilayer films: flame retardant-intumescent films with improved oxygen barrier

The present paper relies on the original idea to design multifunctional coatings, and in particular highly efficient intumescent flame retardant coatings, based on the diffusion of polyphosphates (PSPs) in exponentially growing "layer-by-layer" films made from montmorillonite (MMT) and poly(allylamine) (PAH). Here, we used polyphosphates as an acid source, polyallylamine as both a carbon source and a swelling agent, and finally clays to reinforce the intumescent char strength and also for their oxygen barrier property. The coatings made from the alternated deposition of n = 60 layer pairs of PAH and MMT reach a considerable thickness of ～18 μm with well-defined ordering of the MMT in the direction parallel to the substrate. Structural, morphological, mechanical, gas barrier, and fire resistance properties of these films have been studied. Excellent oxygen barrier properties and extraordinary fire resistance properties are demonstrated based on the basis of a strong increase of the time to ignition and on a decrease of the heat release rate of polylactide substrates during mass loss calorimeter tests. This new and innovative intumescent flame retardant system based on (PAH-MMT)(n)-PSP coatings is a promising universal treatment for current polymeric materials.