Microstructure of polycarbonate seen by positrons as an in-situ probe

Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) is used to probe the micro-structural changes in the polymer polycarbonate in terms of the changes in free volume hole size and their content as a function of temperature. The measured spectra are best fitted to three lifetime component analysis. The average hole size in the amorphous regions is determined from the measured Ortho Positronium (O-Ps) lifetime ₃ by following the treatment of Nakanishi et al. On the other hand, information about defects in the crystalline regions is revealed by trapped positrons lifetime ₂. In this polymer the average hole radius varies from 2.71 Å to 2.77 Å. The present study indicates that this polymer has a glass transition temperature of 152°C. Further, we have calculated the trapping rates in the ordered and disordered regions of the polymer based on Goldanskii's kinetic equations and an attempt is made for the first time to estimate the activation energy in the amorphous and crystalline regions separately.     

Higher Order KFVS Algorithms Using Compact Upwind Difference Operators

A family of high order accurate compact upwind difference operators have been used, together with the split fluxes of the KFVS (kinetic flux vector splitting) scheme to obtain high order semidiscretizations of the 2D Euler equations of inviscid gas dynamics in general coordinates. A TVD multistage Runge–Kutta time stepping scheme is used to compute steady states for selected transonic/supersonic flow problems which indicate the higher accuracy and low diffusion realizable in such schemes.     

Acid treatment for functionalizing polyethylene fiber surfaces for enhanced adhesion to epoxy resins

The utility of high-strength, high-modulus polyethylene fibers in fiber-reinforced composites is limited due to its poor interfacial adhesion to various polymeric matrices. One way to overcome this limitation is to introduce reactive functionalities on the fiber surface capable of covalently bonding to matrix resins. Ultra high-strength polyethylene (UHSPE) fibers were treated with chlorosulfonic acid. The surface acid groups were found to considerably improve the interfacial adhesion between polyethylene fibers and epoxy resins as shown by the microbond test. These surface functionalities were found to improve the fiber wettability, as shown by contact angle measurements using the Wilhelmy balance method. Colorimetric measurements of methylene blue absorption were used to quantify the surface concentrations of the acid groups. It was possible to functionalize the UHSPE fiber surfaces using this method to obtain fibers that formed a stronger adhesive bond with epoxy resins; this was achievable without sacrificing other fiber mechanical properties.     

New unsymmetrical μ-phenoxo bridged binuclear copper(II) complexes

A series of binuclear Cu^II complexes [Cu₂XL] ⁿ⁺ having two copper(II) ions bridged by different motifs (X = OH^–, MeCO₂ ^–, or Cl^–) have been prepared using the ligands: H₂L¹ = 4-methyl-2-[N-(2-{dimethylamino}ethyl-N-methyl)aminomethyl]-6-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]phenol, H₂L² = 4-nitro-2-[N-(2-{dimethylamino}ethyl-N-methyl)aminomethyl]-6-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]phenol, H₂L³ = 4-methyl-2-[N-(2-{diethylamino}ethyl-N-ethyl)aminomethyl]-6-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]phenol and H₂L⁴ = 4-nitro-2-[N-(2-{diethylamino}ethyl-N-ethyl)aminomethyl]-6-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]phenol. The complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic, analytical, magnetic and electrochemical measurements. Cryomagnetic investigations (80–300 K) revealed anti-ferromagnetic exchange between the Cu^II ions (–2J in the range –50 to –182 cm^–1). The strength of anti-ferromagnetic coupling lies in the order: OAc > OH > Cl. Cyclic voltammetry revealed the presence of two redox couples, assigned to Cu^II/Cu^II/Cu^II/Cu^I/Cu^I/Cu^I. The first reduction potential is sensitive to electronic effects from the aromatic ring substituents and steric effect on the donor nitrogens (side arm) of the ligand systems.     

Synthesis of flexible ligands for assembling two metals in close proximity. Magnetic,electrochemical and spectral properties of binuclear copper (II) complexes with different exogenous bridging motifs

Binuclear Cu^II complexes having new flexible heptadentate ligands 2,6-bis{[bis(3,3-N,N-dimethylaminopropyl)amino]methyl}-4-bromophenol [HL¹], 2,6-bis(3,3-N,N-dimethylaminopropyl)amino]methyl}-4-methylphenol [HL²], and 2,6-bis{[bis(3,3-N,N-dimethylaminopropyl)amino]methyl}-4-methoxyphenol [HL³], capable of assembling two copper ions in close proximity have been synthesized. Comparisons of the charge-transfer (CT) features, observed in electronic spectra of these complexes, are correlated with the electronic effect on the aromatic ring of the ligand systems. Cyclic voltammetry has revealed the existence of two reduction couples,

Studies on Debenzylation and Photolysis of 1-Benzyl- and 1-(β-Phenethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines

Debenzylation of 1-(3-benzyloxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines 1 , 6 , 7 with hydrochloric acid and ethanol gave the corresponding phenolic isoquinolines 2 , 8 , 9 and tetrahydroprotoberberines 4 , 12 , 13 . Compounds 2 , 8 , 9 on photolysis also gave, besides the expected noraporphines 3 , 10 , 11 , the tetrahydroprotoberberines 4 , 12 , 13 [1–4] (Schemes 1 and 2). 6-Benzyloxy-1-(5-benzyloxy-2-bromo-benzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (27a) containing no methoxy or methylenedioxy groups either in ring A or C does not give protoberberine during debenzylation; but 28 , the debenzylation product of 27a , on photolysis gives both the noraporphine 29 and the tetrahydroprotoberberine 30 (Scheme 6), proving that during debenzylation of 1-(3-benzyloxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines containing additional methoxy or methylenedioxy groups, the necessary formaldehyde comes from the latter groups. During photolysis both the methoxy groups (methylenedioxy groups) and the C(3) atom of the tetrahydroisoquinoline moiety provide the formaldehyde. Veratrole under debenzylation and photolytic conditions and tetrahydroisoquinoline under the latter condition also give rise to formaldehyde (Schemes 8 and 10). The novel bromohomoprotoberberine 43 along with 42 was formed during debenzylation of the 1-phenethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline 41 . Photolysis of 42 yielded the novel nor-homoaporphine 44 , in addition to 43 ; the latter was debrominated to give the homoberbine 45 .     

Exact energy eigenvalues by summation of thejwkb series

For the potentialV(x)=V ₀ tan² x, the corrections to the lowest orderjwkb (Bohr-Sommerfeld) energy quantization rule are non-zero. These higher order corrections are explicitly computed using the formalism of Dunham. The resultingjwkb series for the energy eigenvalues is summable, and yields the exact bound state spectrum.     

Dynamic Inter-Particle Force Inference in Granular Materials: Method and Application

Inter-particle force transmission in granular media plays an important role in the macroscopic static and dynamic behavior of these materials. This paper presents a method for inferring inter-particle forces in opaque granular materials during dynamic experiments. By linking experimental measurements of particle kinematics and volume-averaged strains to forces, the method provides a new tool for quantitatively studying force transmission and its relation to macroscopic behavior. We provide an experimental validation of the method, comparing inter-particle forces measured in a simple impact test on two-dimensional rubber grains to a finite-element simulation. We also provide an application of the method, using it to study inter-particle forces during impact of an intruder on a granular bed. We discuss the current challenges for applying the method to both model materials and real geologic materials.     

Stability of peeling for systems with rate independent decohesion energy

The stability of peeling is theoretically investigated for systems with rate independent decohesion energy. The effects of the system stiffness, tape geometry and variation of the bonding energy along the tape-substrate interface are analyzed. The conditions for having stable (controlled) or unstable (brutal) peeling are obtained analytically. The problem studied can provide insights on possible instabilities affecting the detachment process of gecko’s toes and other biological systems.