Compatibility of tire elastomers using derivative heat flow traces in the glass transition region

Derivative heat flow curves give much more information about the phase heterogeneity of binary blends composed of NR, SBR and BR elastomers thanT _g. In blend compositions, the areas under the derivative heat flow curves appear to be an additive function of the concentration of elastomers in the case of incompatible blends (NR/BR, NR/SBR). They are less than additive for either a partially compatible blend (uncured SBR/BR) or a compatible blend (covulcanized SBR/BR). In the case of 60/40 SBR/BR blends, a DSC (T _0.5) reveals a singleT _g, in conformity with the earlier investigators, whereas the derivative heat flow curve shows two peaks (T _p) indicating incomplete homogenization of the phases. This is a new observation not mentioned in the published literature. Thus, derivative heat flow traces are likely to provide a unique tool to determine compatibility of elastomers. The study also reveals the importance of sample contact with the DSC pan in quantitative determinations.     

Characterization of isomeric elastomers using thermal analysis

Many of the isomers of polybutadiene and polyisoprene elastomers can be characterized by thermal analysis.T _g is sensitive to side chain units (1,2 or 3,4 structure) for both polymers. Crystallinity measurements can characterizecis andtrans isomers. DMA and DEA master curves provide an idea of the heterogeneity of the chain units from the width of the loss factor curves in theT _g region. Thermal and thermooxidative degradation, as followed by DSC and DTG, can differentiate specific natural and synthetic isomers of polyisoprenes in raw and vulcanized states.     

Separation and recovery of intact gold-virus complex by agarose electrophoresis and electroelution: application to the purification of cowpea mosaic virus and colloidal gold complex

Colloidal gold has been coupled to a mutant cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), which contains 60 cysteine residues on the surface. A purification process was developed to separate the gold-containing viral nanoblocks (VNBs) from the free gold. Agarose electrophoresis was utilized to separate the mixture followed by electroelution of the desired sample to recover the intact virus. Mobility of Au-VNB and free colloidal gold was facilitated by the addition of thioctic acid (TA). 30% of the gold-containing virus was recovered after electroelution as determined by absorbance measurements. Histogram analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images demonstrated the efficient separation of gold-containing virus from free gold. TEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that the virus was recovered intact. Monodisperse spherical particles of nominal size of 45 nm were observed under SEM.     

Modelling adsorbent heterogeneity for adsorption from binary liquid mixtures

It is demonstrated that the detailed structure of the surface energy or selectivity distribution function is not critical to obtaining adequate analytical expressions for surface excess isotherms for adsorption from binary liquid mixtures on heterogeneous adsorbents. The gamma and the uniform selectivity distribution functions, which are very different in form, were successfully used in conjunction with the monolayer-pore filling model for adsorption on a homogeneous site to describe adsorption of various binary liquid mixtures on silica gel. Both models described the salient features of the surface characteristics of the silica gel.     

Dielectric properties of 4′-n-alkyl-4-cyanobiphenyls in their nematic phases

The principal dielectric constants of the pentyl to octyl derivatives of 4′-n-alkyl-4-cyanobiphenyl have been measured as functions of temperature in their nematic and isotropic phases. All the compounds exhibit a strong positive dielectric anisotropy due to the presence of a large dipole moment along the major molecular axis. The principal dielectric constantsε _‖ andε _⊥ as well as the anisotropy Δε decrease with increasing alkyl chain length. The experimental value of (ε_‖+2ε_⊥) decreases with decreasing temperature, and is throughout less than the extrapolated isotropic value, in conformity with the model of antiferroelectric short range order proposed by Madhusudana and Chandrasekhar.     

Tuning the physical properties of a nematic liquid crystal elastomer actuator

In this report we demonstrate the ability to tune the physical properties of a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) by varying the amount and type of crosslinking within the elastomer network. LCE films composed of a single mesogenic compound were capable of uniaxial contraction when thermally actuated through the nematic to isotropic phase of the material. We probed the physical properties of the LCE films while varying the amount and concentration of two crosslinking agents and measured actuation strains of 10-35%, elastic moduli of 3-14 MPa, and transition temperatures ranging between 75 and 60°C. The viscous losses of the elastomers and the estimated work capable of being produced by the films were also evaluated. The ability to tune the physical properties of the LCE films allows for a wide range of applications including robotics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), shape-changing membranes, and/or microfluidics.     

Bismuthiol as an analytical reagent

Summary Lead can be determined from its Bismuthiol II complex volumetrically by dissolving it in an excess of EDTA at a p_H of about 10 and titrating the excess of the EDTA against a magnesium or lead solution. In the same way silver can be determined by dissolving the complex in an excess of cyanide and back titrating the excess against a standard silver nitrate with iodide as the indicator. The results of the former are fairly accurate while those due to latter are highly satisfactory with silver less than 20 mg. With higher amounts of silver, however, the results are within +2%.Part VIII see Z. analyt. Chem. 156, 103 (1957).     

Raman spectral signatures of mouse mammary tissue and associated lymph nodes: normal,tumor and mastitis

Raman spectroscopy involves the interaction of light with the molecular vibrations and therefore can provide information about molecular structure, tissue composition and changes in its environment. We explored whether Raman spectroscopy can reliably distinguish mammary tumors from normal mammary tissues and other pathological states in mice. We analyzed a large number of Raman spectra from the tumor and normal mammary glands of mice injected with 4T1 tumor cells, which were collected using a high‐resolution (less than 4 cm⁻¹) Raman spectrometer at a fixed (785 nm) laser excitation wavelength and with 60 mW of laser power. The spectra of normal and tumor mammary glands showed consistent differences in the intensity of certain Raman bands and loss of some bands in the tumor spectra. Multivariate statistical methods—principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant functional analysis (DFA)—were used to separate the data into different groups of mammary tumors, mastitis, lymph nodes contralateral and tumor‐cell‐injected sides, and normal contralateral and tumor‐cell‐injected sides. We demonstrate that this spectroscopic technique has the feasibility of discriminating tumor and mastitis from normal tissues and other pathological states in a short period of time and may detect tumor transformation earlier than the standard histological examination stage. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unconditionally-secure key pre-distribution for triangular grid based wireless sensor network

We present an unconditionally-secure key pre-distribution scheme for a wireless sensor network using t-degree bivariate polynomials. The proposed scheme is proven to be perfectly resilient against both node disconnection and link failure. The memory requirements, computation and communication overheads of our scheme are also favorable. Our scheme demonstrates superior performance compared to the existing similar schemes.     

Bis-salicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine as an analytical reagent

Summary The compound bis-salicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine was prepared by the condensation of salicylaldehyde with ethylenediamine. It was crystalline and quite stable. The solution of the compound in caustic alkali was used for the analytical reactions of various ions. Ions of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Bi³⁺, Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺, Sb³⁺, Sn²⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ formed precipitates, while those of As³⁺ and Pd²⁺ gave slight turbidity and Fe²⁺, Pe³⁺, Co²⁺ gave colour reactions. Rest of the ions did not respond towards the reagent. The sensitivity of the reactions for Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ce⁴⁺, Co²⁺ and Sb³⁺ was high and their quantitative determinations are possible.

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Zusammenfassung Die Verbindung Bis-salicylaldehyd-äthylendiamin wurde durch Kondensation von Salicylaldehyd mit Äthylendiamin dargestellt. Sie ist kristallin und durchaus stabil. Die ätzalkalische Läsung dieser Verbindung wird zu analytischen Reaktionen mit verschiedenen Ionen benutzt. Die Ionen Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Bi³⁺, Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺, Sb³⁺, Sn²⁺ und Ce⁴⁺ ergeben Niederschläge, As³⁺ und Pd²⁺ geben eine geringe Trübung und Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ sowie Co²⁺ liefern Farbreaktionen. Die übrigen Ionen sprechen auf das Reagens nicht an. Die Empfindlichkeit der Reaktionen mit Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ce⁴⁺, Co²⁺ und Sb³⁺ ist groß und eine quantitative Bestimmung dieser Ionen ist möglich.