Meshless simulation of equilibrium swelling/deswelling of pH‐sensitive hydrogels

Hydrogels have been widely used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio‐MEMS devices. In this article, the equilibrium swelling/deswelling of the pH‐stimulus cylindrical hydrogel in the microchannel is studied and simulated by the meshless method. The multi‐field coupling model, called multi‐effect‐coupling pH‐stimulus (MECpH) model, is presented and used to describe the chemical field, electric field, and the mechanical field involved in the problem. The partial differential equations (PDEs) describing these three fields are either nonlinear or coupled together. This multi‐field coupling and high nonlinear characteristics produce difficulties for the conventional numerical methods (e.g., the finite element method or the finite difference method), so an alternative—meshless method is developed to discretize the PDEs, and the efficient iteration technique is adopted to solve the nonlinear problem. The computational results for the swelling/deswelling diameter of the hydrogel under the different pH values are firstly compared with experimental results, and they have a good agreement. The influences of other parameters on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel are also investigated in detail. It is shown that the multi‐field coupling model and the developed meshless method are efficient, stable, and accurate for simulation of the properties of the stimuli‐sensitive hydrogel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 326–337, 2006     

Transversely polarized parton densities,their evolution and their measurement

The transverse spin asymmetry of a quark in a baryon and the linear polarization of a gluon in a vector meson are studied from thet-channel point of view. Using the Altarelli-Parisi approach, they are shown to obey independent evolution equations and to decrease with increasingQ ². We investigate the possibility to measure them at leading twist, to leading order in α and α_s and without analyzing the final polarizations. This requires simultaneous polarization of the beam and the target; the observable effect is in the azimuthal distribution of the highP _T particle or jet. Assuming a simple (quark+scalar diquark) model for the baryon, a large asymmetry is expected inp \(\bar p\) Drell-Yan collisions, a smaller one in highP _T pp collisions, from the interference term in the scattering of two identical quarks.     

Electronic properties of polyoxometalates: a DFT study of alpha/beta-[XM(12)O(40)](n-) relative stability (M=W, Mo and X a main group element)

Keggin heteropolyanions [XM(12)O(40)](n-) have various isomeric structures, alpha and beta being the most common. Conventionally, the alpha structure appears to be the most stable, but calculations carried out at the DFT level for X = P(V), Si(IV), Al(III), As(V), Ge(IV), and Ga(III) and M = W(VI) and Mo(VI) show that this stability depends on several factors, particularly on the nature of the heteroatom (X) and the total charge of the cluster. In this paper, we apply the clathrate model to the Keggin molecule to carry out a fragment-interaction study to elucidate when and why the traditional relative stability of various isomers can be inverted. The fully oxidized anions that have inverted the traditional stability trend in this series are [AlW(12)O(40)](5-) and [GaW(12)O(40)](5-), both of which contain a third-group heteroatom and an overall charge of -5. beta-isomers are always more easily reduced than alpha-isomers. This experimental observation suggests that reduction favors the stability of beta-isomers and one of the most important results of this study is that the alpha/beta inversion is achieved in most cases after the second reduction. The alpha- and beta-isomers may have different properties because the energy of the LUMO, a symmetry-adapted d(xy)-metal orbital, is different.     

Analysis and parametric sensitivity of the behavior of overshoots in the concentration of a charged adsorbate in the adsorbed phase of charged adsorbent particles: practical implications for separations of charged solutes

In this work, an analysis of the parametric sensitivity of the overshoot in the concentration of the adsorbate in the adsorbed phase, which occurs under certain conditions during an ion-exchange adsorption process, is presented and used to suggest practical implications of the concentration overshoot phenomenon on operational policies and configurations of chromatographic columns and finite bath adsorption systems. The results presented in this work demonstrate and explain how the development of an overshoot in the concentration of the adsorbate in the adsorbed phase could be enhanced or suppressed by (i) varying the diffusion coefficient, D3, of the adsorbate relative to the diffusion coefficients, D1 and D2, of the cations and anions, respectively, of the background/buffer electrolyte, (ii) altering the initial surface charge density, delta0, of the charged adsorbent particles, (iii) varying the Debye length, lambda, and (iv) changing the initial concentration, Cd3(0), of the adsorbate in the bulk liquid of the finite bath. The influence of the pH and ionic strength, Iinfinity, of the liquid solution on the development of an overshoot in the concentration of the adsorbate in the adsorbed phase is also presented and discussed through the relationships of these parameters to delta0 and lambda, respectively. Furthermore, a detailed explanation of the effects of each parameter on the interplay between the diffusive and electrophoretic molar fluxes, as well as on the structure and functioning of the electrical double layer, which are responsible for the concentration overshoot phenomenon, is presented.     

Kinetic modelling of the thermal oxidation of polyisoprene elastomers. Part 1: Unvulcanized unstabilized polyisoprene

The thermal oxidation of an unvulcanized, unstabilized polyisoprene rubber (IR) has been studied in the 40-140 °C temperature range. Ageing was monitored by FTIR determination of double bonds and carbonyl groups, mass uptake measurement, and weight average molar mass determination. A mechanistic scheme based on the standard scheme for radical chain oxidation, but taking into account the diversity of initiation processes and the existence of inter- and intramolecular radical additions to double bonds, was built. The kinetic model derived from this scheme is composed of seven differential equations to be solved in discrete thickness layers to take into account the kinetic control by oxygen diffusion. This system was numerically solved using a Matlab program dedicated to stiff systems of differential equations. The elementary rate constants and other kinetic parameters were then determined from experimental data, using an inverse approach. A set of physically reasonable parameter values was obtained, thus allowing us to envisage lifetime predictions at low temperature (long term). The results led to observations difficult to make from classical analytical studies, for instance the predominance of bimolecular hydroperoxide decomposition among other initiation modes or the competition between intermolecular hydrogen abstraction and intramolecular addition of peroxy radicals to double bonds.     

Über den Nachweis und die Bestimmung des Schädlingsbekämpfungsmittels E 605 in der gerichtlichen Chemie

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß sich Insektizide auf der Basis der Ester der Thiophosphorsäure (E 605) aus biologischem Material mittels Wasser-dampfdestillation auf verhältnismäßig einfache Weise abscheiden lassen. Im Destillat erfolgt die Bestimmung nach Ausäthern und Lösen des Rückstandes in Äthanol durch Messen der Lichtabsorption im UV. Hierbei zeigt sich, daß die rechnerische Eliminierung der Störstoffe bei geringeren Konzentrationen der Ester leichter ist als bei hohen.Durch Messung der Lichtabsorption im IR läßt sich, genügende Konzentration vorausgesetzt, entscheiden, welcher Ester vorliegt.

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Summary It was shown that insecticides based on the ester of thiophosphoric acid (E 605) can be separated in relatively simple fashion from biological material by means of steam distillation. The distillate is shaken out with ether and the residue dissolved in ethanol and the determination is accomplished by measuring the absorption in ultraviolet light. It was found that the computational elimination of the interfering materials is easier at lower concentrations of the ester than when higher concentrations are present. By measuring the light absorption in infrared, it is possible to decide which ester is present, provided the concentration is high enough.

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Résumé On montre que les insecticides se séparent d'une manière relativement simple de l'élément biologique par un entraînement à la vapeur d'eau sur la base de l'ester de l'acide thiophosphorique (E 605). Le dosage s'effectue sur le distillat d'après l'épuisement à l'éther et la solubilité du résidu dans l'éthanol et la mesure de l'absorption lumineuse dans l'ultraviolet. On en déduit que l'élimination calculée de la substance gênante est plus facile pour les faibles concentrations de l'ester que pour les grandes. En mesurant l'absorption de la lumière dans l'infrarouge, on peut savoir de quel ester il s'agit pour des concentrations supposées suffisantes.

     

Sterically demanding diporphyrin ligands and rhodium(II) porphyrin bimetalloradical complexes

A series of sterically demanding diporphyrins H2(por)-X-(por)H2 ligands that contain spacers (X) with different degrees of flexibility were synthesized from the trimesitylporphyrin derivatives 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-trimesitylporphyrin (TMP-OH)H2 (1a) and 5-(2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-trimesityl-porphyrin, (DMTMP-OH)H2 (1b). The monomeric porphyrins 1a,b, which have steric demands similar to that of tetramesitylporphyrin, (TMP)H2, and carry a hydroxyl functional group at the para position of one of the mesophenyl substituents, were constructed from reaction of pyrrole with two aromatic aldehydes by a mixed aldehyde condensation approach. The diporphyrins with alkyl diether tethers were obtained stepwise from reactions of the hydroxy functionalized porphyrins 1a,b with dibromides Br(CH2)nBr. The diporphyrin which contains a more rigid m-xylylene spacer, was made directly from reaction of 1b with alpha,alpha'-dibromo-m-xylene. Rhodium was inserted into the porphyrins using Rh2(CO)2Cl2 and converted to dimethyl complexes Me-Rh(Por)-X-(Por)Rh-Me. The dirhodium(II) derivatives .Rh(por)-X-(por)Rh.) were generated by photolysis of the dimethyl complexes and observed to occur as stable bimetalloradicals because the ligand steric demands prohibit Rh(II)-Rh(II) bonding. EPR spectra of the dirhodium(II) derivatives, triphenyl phospine adducts, and dioxygen complexes are reported. The kinetic advantage of bimetalloradical complexes for substrate reactions that have two metal-centered radicals in the transition state is demonstrated by reactions of dihydrogen with dirhodium(II) bimetalloradical complexes.     

Influence of extended π-conjugation units on carrier mobilities in conducting polymers

Carrier mobilities in thin films of copolymers with repeat units consisting of oligothiophenes bridged by Si atoms are measured over a range of doping levels, where the numbers of thienylenes in the repeat unit are 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14. The mobilities for these polymer films increased with the increase in doping level and the mobility enhancement followed an increasing order of the π-conjugation length. The magnitude of the mobility increase for the Si polymer comprising 14 thiophene units reached ca. 10⁴, implying that this π-conjugation length is almost sufficient to reproduce transport properties of polythiophenes.     

Migration of 99Tc in a Weak Loess Aquifer: A Field Column Experiment

The migration of ⁹⁹Tc in a weak loess aquifer was investigated in-situ with undisturbed aquifer medium columns. The columns were obtained horizontally at a depth of 3236 m in an Underground Research Facility (URF). Quartz containing ³H (HTO) and ⁹⁹Tc (in the form of ⁹⁹TcO₄ ^-) was introduced into one end of the columns and the columns were covered tightly. Aquifer water was introduced into the columns directly from an experimental shaft in the UFR. Effluents from the columns were collected and the activity of ³H and ⁹⁹Tc were determined with a liquid scintillation analyzer. The breakthrough curves of ³H and ⁹⁹Tc indicate that ⁹⁹Tc migrates a little faster than that ³H does in the aquifer.