Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured-segmented block copolyetheramide based on nylon6 and poly(ethylene oxide)

<正>Segmented block copolymer based on nylon6(N6) and polyethylene oxide(PEO) with stochiometric ratio was synthesized via a two-step process.The first step represents end capping of N6 in the presence of adipic acid leading to carboxy terminated N6,and the second one is polycondensation of the latter product with PEO in the presence of catalyst and thermostabilizer to form a high molecular weight multi-block copolymer.Several methods were applied to characterize the synthesized copolymer such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy,differential thermal analysis,differential scanning calorimetry,X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The obtained results confirmed the multi-block structure for copolymer with a very high degree of micro-phase separation. Atomic force microscopy micrographs indicated that the morphology was the dispersion of high stiffness nanostructured polyamide(PA) domains in the amorphous region of PEO matrix,which can be very important in their performance for membrane processes.     

ℓ-group homomorphisms between reduced archimedean f-rings

Let A and B be reduced archimedean f-rings, A with identity e; let $A\,\mathop \to \limits^\gamma\,BLet A and B be reduced archimedean f-rings, A with identity e; let A \mathop ? ^g BA\,\mathop \to \limits^\gamma\,B be an ℓ-group homomorphism, and set w = γ (e). We show (with some vagaries of phrasing here) (1) γ = w·ρ for a canonical ℓ-ring homomorphism A \mathop ? ^r B (w)A\,\mathop \to \limits^\rho\,B (w), where B (w) is an extension of B in which w is a von Neumann regular element, and (2) for X _A ,X _B canonical representation spaces for A, B, γ is realized via composition with a unique partially defined continuous function from X _B to X _A .     

On the Brown–Shields conjecture for cyclicity in the Dirichlet space

Let be the Dirichlet space, namely the space of holomorphic functions on the unit disk whose derivative is square-integrable. We establish a new sufficient condition for a function to be cyclic, i.e. for to be dense in . This allows us to prove a special case of the conjecture of Brown and Shields that a function is cyclic in iff it is outer and its zero set (defined appropriately) is of capacity zero.     

Time-frequency analysis of the bistatic acoustic scattering from a spherical elastic shell

The development of low-frequency sonar systems, using, for instance, a network of autonomous systems in unmanned vehicles, provides a practical means for bistatic measurements (i.e., when the source and receiver are widely separated) allowing for multiple viewpoints of the target of interest. Time-frequency analysis, in particular, Wigner-Ville analysis, takes advantage of the evolution time dependent aspect of the echo spectrum to differentiate a man-made target, such as an elastic spherical shell, from a natural object of the similar shape. A key energetic feature of fluid-loaded and thin spherical shell is the coincidence pattern, also referred to as the mid-frequency enhancement (MFE), that results from antisymmetric Lamb-waves propagating around the circumference of the shell. This article investigates numerically the bistatic variations of the MFE with respect to the monostatic configuration using the Wigner-Ville analysis. The observed time-frequency shifts of the MFE are modeled using a previously derived quantitative ray theory by Zhang et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 91, 1862-1874 (1993)] for spherical shell's scattering. Additionally, the advantage of an optimal array beamformer, based on joint time delays and frequency shifts is illustrated for enhancing the detection of the MFE recorded across a bistatic receiver array when compared to a conventional time-delay beamformer.     

Four-wave mixing from Fe3+ spins in sapphire

Fe(3+) ions in sapphire exhibit an electron spin resonance which interacts strongly with high-Q whispering gallery modes at microwave frequencies. We report the first observation of a third-order paramagnetic nonlinear susceptibility in such a resonator at cryogenic temperatures and the first demonstration of four-wave mixing using this parametric nonlinearity. This observation of an all-microwave nonlinearity is an enabling step towards a host of quantum measurement and control applications which utilize spins in solids.     

Enhanced growth of lactobacilli and bioconversion of isoflavones in biotin-supplemented soymilk upon ultrasound-treatment

This study aimed at utilizing ultrasound treatment to further enhance the growth of lactobacilli and their isoflavone bioconversion activities in biotin-supplemented soymilk. Strains of lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus BT 1088, L. fermentum BT 8219, L. acidophilus FTDC 8633, L. gasseri FTDC 8131) were treated with ultrasound (30 kHz, 100 W) at different amplitudes (20%, 60% and 100%) for 60, 120 and 180 s prior to inoculation and fermentation in biotin-soymilk. The treatment affected the fatty acids chain of the cellular membrane lipid bilayer, as shown by an increased lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05). This led to increased membrane fluidity and subsequently, membrane permeability (P < 0.05). The permeabilized cellular membranes had facilitated nutrient internalization and subsequent growth enhancement (P < 0.05). Higher amplitudes and longer durations of the treatment promoted growth of lactobacilli in soymilk, with viable counts exceeding 9 log CFU/mL. The intracellular and extracellular β-glucosidase specific activities of lactobacilli were also enhanced (P < 0.05) upon ultrasound treatment, leading to increased bioconversion of isoflavones in soymilk, particularly genistin and malonyl genistin to genistein. Results from this study show that ultrasound treatment on lactobacilli cells promotes (P < 0.05) the β-glucosidase activity of cells for the benefit of enhanced (P < 0.05) isoflavone glucosides bioconversion to bioactive aglycones in soymilk.     

Ultrasound treatment enhances cholesterol removal ability of lactobacilli

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasound treatment on the cholesterol removing ability of lactobacilli. Viability of lactobacilli cells was significantly increased (P < 0.05) immediately after treatment, but higher intensity of 100 W and longer duration of 3 min was detrimental on cellular viability (P < 0.05). This was attributed to the disruption of membrane lipid bilayer, cell lysis and membrane lipid peroxidation upon ultrasound treatment at higher intensity and duration. Nevertheless, the effect of ultrasound on membrane properties was reversible, as the viability of ultrasound-treated lactobacilli was increased (P < 0.05) after fermentation at 37 °C for 20 h. The removal of cholesterol by ultrasound-treated lactobacilli via assimilation and incorporation of cholesterol into the cellular membrane also increased significantly (P < 0.05) upon treatment, as observed from the increased ratio of membrane C:P. Results from fluorescence anisotropies showed that most of the incorporated cholesterol was saturated in the regions of phospholipids tails, upper phospholipids, and polar heads of the membrane bilayer.     

Designing of Zn (II)-based novel coordination polymer (CP): Synthesis,characterization, and heavy metal removal from water

A new coordination polymer, Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP, has been synthesized from Zn (II) as ionic node and 2,2′-((1,2-phenylenebis [azanediyl])bis (carbonyl))dibenzoic acid, (OC-AMAM-CO), as a new linker, where (OC-AMAM-CO) has been synthesized as an amide product through condensation reaction of phthalic acid and o-phenylenediamine. The amide product (OC-AMAM-CO) and Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP were characterized via FTIR and PXRD analyses, and Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP was further characterized via SEM/EDX and XPS analyses. Moreover, DFT study was performed to shed light on the both structures of (OC-AMAM-CO) and Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO). PXRD analysis revealed the successful syntheses of the new linker (OC-AMAM-CO) and Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP where the new CP is crystalline. DFT study revealed that the 3D topological structure assembled through coordination, π–π stacking, and hydrogen bonding. Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP was applied as an adsorbent for the removal of Cu (II) from water as it has abundant chelating groups that serve as adsorptive coordinating sites. Isotherm study revealed the obedience of Cu (II)/Zn-(OC-AMAM-CO) CP adsorption system to Langmuir modeling with adsorption capacity of about 55 mg/g. A kinetic study showed that the rate of adsorption was a pseudo-first-order type. Further, adsorption process was found to be strongly diffusion dependent.     

Investigation of the curing kinetics of polyurethane/nitrocellulose blends through FT-IR measurements

Polyester (HTPS) based polyurethane (PU) elastomers were currently established to be effective binders for high-energy composites with improved performances. Conventional PU binders are mostly non-energetic materials, and consequently reduce the energy performance significantly. Nitrocellulose (NC), is an energetic polymer widely used as an ingredient in propellants, explosives, fireworks, and gas generators, it may be introduced in PU-based compositions to overcome their performance drawback. Kinetic parameters must be specified in order to build PU binders with the most convenient and appropriate features. Therefore, the cure kinetics of polyester based polyurethane binder systems were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) isothermal method. The polyester prepolymer (Desmophen^® 1200) was cured with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI: Desmodur^® N100) at various molar ratios (R_[NCO]/[OH] = 0.6, 1, 1.25, and 1.5) and under different isothermal conditions (T = 60°C, 80°C, 100°C, and 120°C). In addition, the effect of the addition of nitrocellulose on the kinetics of polymerization of PU was investigated. The progression of the reaction was followed based on the decrease of the peak intensity of –NCO group at 2271 cm⁻¹ as a function of the reaction time. The curing kinetic model and the apparent activation energy (E_α) were determined by the use of Kamal autocatalytic model and Friedman isoconversional method, respectively.     

Synthesis and study of poly(ethylene oxide) membranes obtained from homopolymerization of peo macromonomers

Hydrogels were obtained by free-radical polymerization of bifunctional macromonomers. This reaction can be conducted in water solution or in organic solvent. The k_p value is yet strongly depending on the solvent used. The properties of these networks will be compared to those of networks obtained by end-linking procedures. These materials were also used as a semi-permeable membrane in the conception of an artificial pancreas.