p-Harmonic Maps and Convex Functions

p-harmonic maps (p ' 2) between Riemannian manifolds are investigated. Some theorems of Liouville type are given for such maps when target manifolds have convex functions.     

Syntheses of cyanoselenoamides and diselenoamides: Conversion into selenazoles and selenazines

Reactions of dicyano compounds with a potassium selenocarboxylate afforded the corresponding cyanoselenoamides and diselenoamides in good yields of experimentally determined ratios. The obtained cyanoselenoamides were allowed to react with potassium selenocarboxylate, again to afford the corresponding diselenoamides in higher yields. The cyanoselenoamides and diselenoamides were investigated as substrates for preparations of selenazoles and selenazines. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:106–110, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10111     

Preparation of monodisperse polymer particles from 4-vinylpyridine

Dispersion polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine was performed by using polystyrene-block-polybutadiene as stabilizer in a mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and toluene to produce polymer particles. The weight ratio of the solvents affects the particle size and dispersity. In the range of DMF content from 5 to 20 wt.-%, uniform particles of a diameter of ca. 1 μm were obtained. The present system was expanded to the preparation of monodisperse particles of poly[(4-vinylpyridine)-co-(methacrylic acid)].     

Effect of filler shape on mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane composites containing plant particles

The effect of types of fillers on mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane composite samples was investigated. Polyurethane (PU) composites were prepared using a molasses polyol (MP, a mixture of molasses and polyethylene glycol, Mw=200) diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and fillers. The following plant particles, bamboo powder, roast bamboo powder, wood meal, coffee grounds, ground coffee bean parchment and cellulose powder, were used as fillers. The mixture of MP and fillers was reacted with MDI by adding an adequate amount of acetone as a solvent. The content of fillers was defined as the ratio of filler weight to total weight of polyol and fillers. The filler content was varied from 10 to 90 wt%. Polyurethane (PU) composites were prepared using fillers with MP. Lengths of major axis and minor axis for each particle regarded as an ellipse were measured using an optical microscope. Averages of diameter and aspect ratio were derived for each plant particle. The relationships between these average values and the mechanical properties, such as strength and elastic modulus, determined by the compression tests were investigated. The effect of filler content was estimated using the apparent volume ratio which is determined as the ratio of the apparent volume of fillers to the reciprocal values of the apparent density of samples. The master curves of the relationships between the specific values of mechanical properties and the apparent volume ratio were obtained. It was found that the compression strength and the elastic modulus for composite samples with different fillers showed maximum values at average aspect ratio around 3. It was also found that the apparent volume ratio, where the mechanical properties showed maximums, decreases with increasing aspect ratio. Using master curves, it is possible to evaluate the mechanical properties of plant particle filled polyurethane composites are described.