Anionic iron(II) alkoxides as initiators for the controlled ring‐opening polymerization of lactide

Hetero‐bimetallic Fe(II) alkoxide/aryloxides were evaluated as initiators for the ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐lactide. [(THF)NaFe(O^tBu)₃]₂ ( 1 ) and [(THF)₄Na₂Fe(2,6‐diisopropylphenolate)₄] ( 2 ) (THF = tetrahydrofuran) both polymerized lactide efficiently at room temperature, with complex 1 affording better control over the molecular weight parameters of the resultant polymer. At conversions below 70%, a linear increase in molecular weight with conversion was observed, indicative of a well‐controlled polymerization process. Complex 2 is the first example of a dianionic Fe(II) alkoxide and has been structurally characterized to reveal a distorted square planar FeO₄ array in which both Na counterions bridge two aryloxide ligands and are further complexed by two THF ligands. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3798–3803, 2003     

Numerical approximation of generalized Newtonian fluids using Powell–Sabin–Heindl elements: I. theoretical estimates

In this paper we consider the numerical approximation of steady and unsteady generalized Newtonian fluid flows using divergence free finite elements generated by the Powell–Sabin–Heindl elements. We derive a priori and a posteriori finite element error estimates and prove convergence of the method of successive approximations for the steady flow case. A priori error estimates of unsteady flows are also considered. These results provide a theoretical foundation and supporting numerical studies are to be provided in Part II. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Förster energy transfer from poly(arylene–ethynylene)s to an erbium–porphyrin complex

We study the infrared emission at 1.54 μm of an organolanthanide complex, Er(III)-tetraphenylporphyrin [Er(TPP)acac], both as a result of direct optical excitation and via energy transfer from host π-conjugate polymers of type poly(arylene–ethynylene) [PAE]. In the first case, the emission of the neat complex is characterized in inert transparent materials and a value of the quantum yield at 1.54 μm φ_IR=4×10⁻⁴ is measured. Then, fluorescence resonance transfer is investigated in blends of Er(TPP)acac with PAEs by monitoring the quenching of the polymer fluorescence along with the enhancement of both the visible emission of the ligand and the near-infrared band of Er³⁺. These different procedures allow a detailed analysis of the transfer efficiency within a specific implementation of the Förster model for polymeric donors. The experimental values of the critical radius R₀, ranging from 1.3 to 2.5 nm for the different blends, are in good agreement with theory for a wide interval of the physical and spectroscopic parameters. This suggests that other mechanisms for excitation transfer do not play a significant role in these materials.     

Sulfobetaine‐containing diblock and triblock copolymers via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization in aqueous media

A novel bifunctional acrylamido‐based reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) chain‐transfer agent (CTA), N,N′‐ethylenebis[2‐(thiobenzoylthio)propionamide] (CTA2), has been synthesized and used for the controlled free‐radical polymerization of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMA). A comparative study of CTA2 and the monofunctional CTA N,N‐dimethyl‐s‐thiobenzoylthiopropionamide (CTA1) has been conducted. Polymerizations mediated by CTA1 result in poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) homopolymers with unimodal molecular weight distributions, whereas CTA2 yields unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal distributions according to the extent of conversion. The multimodal nature of the PDMAs has been attributed to termination events and/or chains initiated by primary radicals. The RAFT polymerization of DMA with CTA2 also results in a prolonged induction period that may be attributed to the higher local concentration of dithioester functionalities early in the polymerization. A series of ω‐ and α,ω‐dithioester‐capped PDMAs have been prepared in organic media and subsequently employed as macro‐CTAs for the synthesis of diblock and triblock copolymers in aqueous media with the zwitterionic monomer 3‐[2‐(N‐methylacrylamido)‐ethyldimethylammonio] propane sulfonate (MAEDAPS). Additionally, an ω‐dithioester‐capped MAEDAPS homopolymer has been used as a macro‐CTA for the block polymerization of DMA. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a near‐monodisperse, sulfobetaine‐containing block copolymer prepared entirely in aqueous media. The diblock and triblock copolymers form aggregates in pure water that can be dissociated by the addition of salt, as determined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. In pure water, highly uniform, micellelike aggregates with hydrodynamic diameters of 71–93 nm are formed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1262–1281, 2003     

Volumetric and infrared measurements on amorphous ice structure

We have simultaneously used adsorption isotherm volumetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in order to take the investigations on amorphous ice structure a step further, especially concerning porosity and annealing-induced modifications. We have studied surface reorganization during annealing and found that the number of surface sites decreases before crystallization, their relative ratios being different for amorphous and crystalline ice. We also present results confirming that ice can have a large specific surface area and nevertheless be non-microporous.     

Experimental characterization of hexatic smectic phases through electro-optic studies and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

The electro-optic and complex dielectric behaviour of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal 4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl 4'-(n-butanoyloxyprop-1-oxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate, having chiral SmC_A* and hexatic smectic phases, have been investigated. Complex dielectric permittivities were measured as a function of frequency, d.c. bias field and temperature. Spontaneous polarization was measured by the current reversal technique; tilt angle was measured under a polarizing microscope using a low frequency electric field. The electro-optic properties and dielectric behaviour of the material are compared with results obtained by DSC and polarizing optical microscopy. Dielectric relaxation processes in SmC_A* and hexatic smectic phases were determined. The dielectric strength at the SmC_A* to hexatic smectic phase transition is discussed in terms of coupling between the long range bond orientational order and smectic C director. It seems from the results of spontaneous polarization and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy that the material might possess an additional phase between the SmC_A* and hexatic smectic I* phases.     

Ultrasonic spectroscopic evaluation of the ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of dicyclopentadiene

An in situ ultrasonic spectroscopy technique was used to study the ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of dicyclopentadiene catalyzed by bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)benzylidene ruthenium dichloride. A reaction cell employing a flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) window for pulse echo ultrasonic spectroscopy was used to monitor the polymerization. The changes in the density, wave speed, acoustic modulus, and attenuation were all simultaneously monitored. In comparison with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy data, the changes in the density, velocity, and modulus only accurately measured the rate constant for the metathesis of the cyclopentyl unsaturation. The ultrasonic values were within 6% of the values determined by FTIR. The activation energy for metathesis of the cyclopentyl unsaturation was 84 kJ mol^?1, following first‐order kinetics. Rate constants for the polymerization of the norbornyl unsaturation could not be determined by ultrasound. The gel point, vitrification, and qualitative information about the reaction rate could be determined from the change in the attenuation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1323–1333, 2003     

Arsenic determination in marine sediment using ultrasound for sample preparation.

This work deals with As determination in marine sediment using ultrasound for sample preparation. It is shown that As can be quantitatively extracted from marine sediment using 20% (v/v) HCl and sonication. The slurry is centrifuged and the analyte is determined in the supernatant by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG AAS). A flow injection (FI) system is employed for hydride generation, with 0.5% (m/v) NaBH(4) used as reducdant and a 20% (v/v) HCl used as sample carrier. The limit of quantification is 1.6 microg g(-1) of As, which is based on 800 microl of sample solution and 0.200 g of sample mass in a volume of 50 mL. Certified and non certified marine sediment samples were analyzed; the results were in accordance with the certified or reference values. Speciation analysis by HPLC-ICP-MS showed that As(V) is the only detectable As species present in the supernatant of the centrifuged sample.     

Study of the dynamic structure factor of strong glasses

The dynamic structure factors (DSFs) of several strong glasses (SF6, SF10, BK7, SUPRASIL) measured by Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy are reported. Spectra have been collected, at and above room temperature, at two scattering angles, θ=90° and θ=180° corresponding to exchanged wavevector q values ranging from 0.0256 to 0.0448 nm⁻¹. In particular we find that the isotropic spectral lineshapes are in all cases well described by the simple hydrodynamic theory of an amorphous solid. The width of the Brillouin peaks are found to be consistent with the predicted q² dependence at both investigated temperatures. This damping is however found to account only partially for the strong asymmetry of the Brillouin line clearly visible on a logarithmic intensity scale. As a matter of fact there is an excess intensity in the very low frequency plateau underlying the central component. The height of this plateau and hence the entire lineshape is well reproduced if a relaxation process is taken into account in the hydrodynamic equations. Owing to the intense elastic scattering we are able to determine unambiguously only the ratio between amplitude and characteristic time of this process which quantifies the sound dispersion to be of the order of a few percent in all samples. The temperature dependence of the parameters indicates that this relaxation cannot be attributed to thermally activated relaxation phenomena. These general findings favorably compare with molecular dynamics simulation results on similar systems.     

Closed-form solutions for a rectangular layer with central crack under anti-plane shear stress

We consider the problem of determining the stress distributionin a finite rectangular elastic layer containing a Griffithcrack which is opened by internal shear stress acting alongthe length of the crack. The mode III crack is assumed to belocated in the middle plane of the rectangular layer. The followingtwo problems are considered: (A) the central crack is perpendicularto the two fixed lateral surfaces and parallel to the othertwo stress-free surfaces; (B) all the lateral surfaces of therectangular layer are clamped and the central crack is parallelto the two lateral surfaces. By using Fourier transformations,we reduce the solution of each problem to the solution of dualintegral equations with sine kernels and a weight function whichare solved exactly. Finally, we derive closed-form expressionsfor the stress intensity factor at the tip of the crack andthe numerical values for the stress intensity factor at theedges of the cracks are presented in the form of tables.