Polymerization-induced Phase Separation: Phase Behavior Developments and Hydrodynamic Interaction

The process of polymer synthesis based on polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) is revisited from the theoretical point of view. Cahn–Hilliard–Cook theories for spinodal decomposition are adapted to describe the kinetics of phase separation and deduce the time-resolved scattering function, while the double reaction model is used to describe the kinetics of polymerization. Coupling of these two kinetics is provided by the Carother's equation relating the fraction of reacted monomers to the degree of polymerization at time t, denoted N(t). It is argued that the approach to criticality is governed by a critical parameter, χ_c, that is different from the usual parameter for spinodal decomposition, χ_s, deduced from the second derivative of the free energy. While the latter parameter depends on the reciprocal degree of polymerization N^?1(t), the former one depends on its time integral. This leads to significant consequences on the phase behavior developments during the PIPS process. Hydrodynamic interactions are found to speed up the emergence of instability modes. Although the qualitative trends remain similar to those of the Rouse dynamics, important quantitative changes are found due to the long-range viscous flow effects.     

Asymptotic analysis of contact problems between an elastic material and thin-rigid plates

We consider an elastic material in contact with a three-dimensional rigid plate of varying thickness. We suppose that a perfect adhesion occurs along thin zones disposed in a self-similar way on the interface between the two materials. We suppose that the elasticity coefficients in the plate depend on its thickness and tend to infinity as this thickness tends to zero. We derive the effective material properties using Γ-convergence methods.     

Transmissions of quantum entangled states in anisotropic depolarizing channels

We investigate the effect of an anisotropic depolarizing channel on the classical transmission of quantum entangled states. We calculate numerically mutual information between honest parts as a function of the degree of anisotropy of the depolarizing channel. In contrast to the case of isotropic channels, we found that the mutual information depends on both the degree of anisotropy and the degree of entanglement. It increases with increase in the degree of entanglement for a quantum channel with sufficiently large depolarizing anisotropy and decreases with increase in the entanglement.     

Sous ellipticite dans le cadre du calcul S(m,g)

Abstract

We study the regularity of the free boundary in the two membranes problem. We prove that around any point the free boundary is either a C ^{1, α} surface or a cusp, as in the obstacle problem. We also prove C ^{1, 1} regularity for the pair of functions solving the problem.     

Design,synthesis, characterization and catechol oxidase activity of novel class of multi-tripodal pyrazole and triazole-based derivatives

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A class of novel multi-tripodal ligands has been prepared via condensation reaction between pyrazole or triazole moieties and...     

Effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone on structural and optical properties of willemite semiconductor nanoparticles by polymer thermal treatment method

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Willemite is an inorganic semiconductor material used for optoelectronic applications. The present study purposes a new polymer thermal treatment...     

Novel palladium nanoparticles supported on mesoporous natural phosphate: Catalytic ability for the preparation of aromatic hydrocarbons from natural terpenes

Various ratios of palladium nanoparticles supported on mesoporous natural phosphate (Pd@NP) were prepared using the wetness impregnation method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by IR, XRD, CV, SEM, EDX, XRF, TEM and BET analysis. The reduction and preparation of the palladium nanoparticles afford a crystallite size of 10.88 nm. The performance of the synthesized catalyst was investigated in the solvent-free dehydroaromatization of α-, β- and γ-himachalene mixture from Cedrus atlantica oil as a model substrate. In order to achieve an efficient and selective catalysis, the catalytic dehydroaromatization of various terpenes such as limonene, limonaketone, carvone, carveol and perillyl alcohol was studied. The Pd@NP catalyst performed a high catalytic activity, selectivity and recyclability in the terpenes dehydroaromatization reaction.     

Theoretical study of the reactions of AlF with HCl: Reaction pathways

The mechanisms for the reactions of AlF with HCl have been characterized in detail using DFT as well as the ab initio method, including zero-point corrections. From the potential energy profile it can be predicted that the reaction process of forming the new Al(III) hydride HAlFCl compound for this reaction is spontaneous with a low activation energy barrier. The reaction yielding to AlFCl₂ and molecular hydrogen was calculated to be highly exothermic. The present calculations also show that the possible routes to the trihalides species start more favorable with the primary insertion products.     

Thiophilic interaction chromatography of serum albumins

An investigation of the binding of native and recombinant human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin on three thiophilic gels, PyS, 2S, and 3S was performed. In addition to these proteins, we studied serum albumins from several species such as goat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, hamster, baboon, and pig. Our results reveal that recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) binds completely to PyS whereas native human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin bind only partially to PyS. The binding affinities of rHSA, human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin to 2S and 3S gels are less than their binding to PyS. Serum albumins from goat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, hamster, baboon, and pig bind much stronger to 3S gel than human and bovine serum albumins. The binding of pig and hamster serum albumins is stronger than that of rat, goat, baboon, and rabbit.     

Thermal decomposition of trimethylgallium Ga(CH3)3: a shock-tube study and first-principles calculations

The thermal decomposition of Ga(CH3)3 has been studied both experimentally in shock-heated gases and theoretically within an ab-initio framework. Experiments for pressures ranging from 0.3 to 4 bar were performed in a shock tube equipped with atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy (ARAS) for Ga atoms at 403.3 nm. Time-resolved measurements of Ga atom concentrations were conducted behind incident waves as well as behind reflected shock waves at temperatures between 1210 and 1630 K. The temporal variation in Ga-atom concentration was described by a reaction mechanism involving the successive abstraction of methyl radicals from Ga(CH3)3 (R1), Ga(CH3)2 (R2), and GaCH3 (R3), respectively, where the last reaction is the rate-limiting step leading to Ga-atom formation. The rate constant of this reaction (R3) was deduced from a simulation of the measured Ga-atom concentration profiles using thermochemical data from ab-initio calculations for the reactions R1 and R2 as input. The Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) method including variational transition state theory was applied for reaction R3 assuming a loose transition state. Structural parameters and vibrational frequencies of the reactant and transition state required for the RRKM calculations were obtained from first-principles simulations. The energy barrier E3(0) of reaction R3, which is the most sensitive parameter in the calculation, was adjusted until the RRKM rate constant matched the experimental one and was found to be E(0) = 288 kJ/mol. This value is in a good agreement with the corresponding ab-initio value of 266 kJ/mol. The rate constant of reaction R3 was found to be k 3/(cm(3) mol(-1)s(-1)) = 2.34 x 10(11) exp[-23330(K/ T)].