Orientational ordering of liquid crystals containing a difluoro-substituted phenyl ring

The orientational ordering of several liquid crystals containing a difluorosubstituted phenyl ring has been studied through the use of C-13 NMR. The fluorinated phenyl ring of these liquid crystals have C_s symmetry, so three order parameters are required to completely describe the ordering of this ring. All three of these order parameters have been calculated from carbon-fluorine dipolar coupling constants obtained from the carbon-fluorine splittings in the C-13 NMR spectra. Because of the complexity of the fluorine-coupled spectra, variable angle spinning (VAS) was used to resolve the carbon-fluorine splittings. In order to study the orientational ordering over wide ranges of temperature, we have developed an empirical correlation between the order parameter and the value of a carbon-fluorine dipolar coupling constant. This enabled us to study the change in the order parameter with temperature. The results of applying this method to several structurally similar liquid crystals containing the same type of difluorinated phenyl ring are presented. A comparison is made to a similar mono-fluorinated liquid crystal.     

Polymerization of cyclopentadiene initiated by methylaluminoxane

The polymerization of cyclopentadiene (CPD) was effectively initiated by methylaluminoxane (MAO) to generate poly(cyclopentadiene) (polyCPD). The effects on the polymerization of some reaction parameters such as the monomer concentration, the initiator concentration, and solvents were investigated. The conversion of CPD was monitored with gas chromatography to investigate the reaction kinetics. The polymerization rate was proportional to the concentrations of MAO in the first order and of the CPD monomer in the second order, and a reasonable cationic polymerization mechanism was suggested on the basis of the kinetic study. PolyCPD obtained at a low temperature could be dissolved in toluene or chloroform, and this indicated lower cross‐coupling during the polymerization reaction. ¹H NMR and IR analysis of the polymer indicated that there were almost equal amounts of 1,2‐enchainment and 1,4‐enchainment in the polymer chain. The measurement of polyCPD showed its unique properties as a potential candidate for stable wrappings or electronic packaging materials. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 264–272, 2006     

Control of the conjugation length and solubility in electroluminescent polymers

A new type of cyclolinear polymer, poly(phenylene vinylene‐alt‐cyclotriphosphazene), was synthesized through Heck‐type coupling reactions to produce π‐conjugated macromolecules with excellent solubility and precise electronic control of the band‐gap energy. This synthesis method is capable of producing well‐defined alternating polymers. The method is highly adaptable and can be readily used for other chromophore systems. The resulting polymers were also capable of accommodating a wide variety of substituents on the cyclophosphazene rings with minimal effect on the electronic properties. The band gap and electron affinities of the polymer were varied through the manipulation of the π‐conjugated unit located between the insulating phosphazene rings. Each chromophore matched the intended conjugation length consistently throughout the macromolecules. The polymers were good film formers because of the chosen substituents on the phosphazene rings. The absorbance of the polymers indicated minimal spectral shift from the monomer absorbance. This suggested an effective insulation of each chromophore unit from its neighbors by the phosphazene rings. Solution photoluminescence efficiencies were found to be up to 44.1%. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 69–76, 2006     

Analyse systemati oue d'elements en traces dans l'or metalli oue par activation neutroni oue

Résumé Une méthode d'analyse des impuretés dans l'or métallique par activation neutronique, a été mise au point. Après irradiation de 15 heures dans un flux de 2·10¹⁴ n·cm⁻²·sec⁻¹, l'échantillon d'or est traité en cellule blindée. La matrice est séparée des impuretés à analyser par des méthodes électrolytiques. Les impuretés sont généralement séparées en 3 fractions qui sont mesurées par spectrométrie γ. Le traitement des informations est effectué sur ordinateur IBM 360/91 moyennant un programme écrit au laboratoire. 29 éléments sont détectables par cette méthode.     

Determination quantitative des impuretes des graphites nucleaires par les methodes de radioactivation analyse systematique

Impurities contained in nuclear graphites have been determined so far individually. A method of systematic analysis is described which permits to determine about twenty impurities in one sample, such as the following elements: Ag, Se, Hg, Sb, Cu, Fe, Ga, Co, Cd, Zn, In, Zr, Cr, Sc, Ba, Ca, Na, K, Rb, and Cs. Brief mention is made of methods used for the determination of all rare earth metals, Si, S and P, as well as the elements which can be determined without chemical separation, such as Cl, Mn, V.

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Determination quantitative des impuretes des graphites nucleaires par les methodes de radioactivation analyse systematique

     

Study of air pollution particulates by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Summary This paper discusses the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to the determination of the chemical composition of sulfur and nitrogen species in air pollution particulates. Core electron chemical shift measurements are augmented by the determination of relative concentrations and volatility of particulate species.

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Untersuchung von Verunreinigungsteilchen in der Luft durch Röntgenphotoelektronen-Spektroskopie

Zusammenfassung Die Anwendung der Röntgenphotoelektronen-Spektroskopie auf die Bestimmung der chemischen Zusammensetzung von Schwefel und Stickstoff enthaltenden Verunreinigungsteilchen in Luft wird diskutiert. Messungen der chemischen Verschiebung werden ergänzt durch die Bestimmung der relativen Konzentrationen und der Flüchtigkeit der Verbindungen.

Presented at the 6th Annual Symposium on Recent Advances in the Analytical Chemistry of Pollutants, April 21–23, 1976; Vienna, Austria.     

Catalysts for the determination of oxygen in organic compounds

Summary Thermal decomposition of metal-organic complexes of nickel, cobalt and iron has given catalysts which are very effective at about 900° for the conversion of carbon dioxide, water and other oxygencontaining sample decomposition products to carbon monoxide in the direct determination of oxygen in organic compounds when using a modified Unterzaucher type apparatus. A copper catalyst similarly prepared required a temperature of 1030° whereas a manganese complex decomposition product was ineffective.

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Katalysatoren zur Sauerstoffbestimmung in organischen Substanzen

Zusammenfassung Durch thermische Zersetzung metallorganischer Komplexe von Ni, Co und Fe erhält man Katalysatoren, die die Umwandlung von CO₂, H₂O und anderen sauerstoffhältigen Zerfallsprodukten zu CO bei etwa 900° C bei der direkten Sauerstoffbestimmung in einer modifizierten Unterzaucher-Apparatur sehr wirksam fördern. Ein ähnlich hergestellter Cu-Katalysator erfordert 1030° C und das Zersetzungsprodukt eines Mn-Komplexes ist unwirksam.

     

Ion-pair formation in aqueous solutions of silver nitrate: A Raman and infrared spectral study

A detailed study of the Raman and infrared spectral line shapes and line parameters of aqueous solutions (both H₂O and D₂O) of AgNO₃ is interpreted in terms of an equilibrium between “free” ions and the ion pair Ag⁺NO ₃ ^? . An association constant of 0.1M ^?1 was obtained from both the 717 cm^?1 and 1047 cm^?1 line intensities. Spectral features suggest a significant degree of covalence in the interaction. A C_s(σ_V) model with Ag⁺ above the plane of NO ₃ ^? is consistent with the data.     

Chromatographic analysis of hydrocarbons in marine sediments and seawater.

The low concentration of hydrocarbons anticipated in pollution baseline studies necessitates the development of analytical techniques sensitive at the sub-microgram per kilogram concentration level. The method of analysis developed in this laboratory involves dynamic headspace sampling for volatile hydrocarbon components of the sample, followed by coupled-column liquid chromatography for the non-volatile components. These techniques require minimal sample handling, reducing the risk of sample component loss and/or sample contamination. Volatile sample components are separated from the matrix in a closed system and concentrated on a TENAX-GC packed pre-column, free from large amounts of solvent and ready for GC/GC-MS analysis. Non-volatile compounds, such as the benzpyrenes, may be extracted from large volumes of water and concentrated on a Bondapak C18 packed pre-column for coupled-column liquid chromatographic separation and analysis. Results of the application of these techniques to the analysis of samples from sites of known low level hydrocarbon contamination are presented and discussed.