Effects of solvent in photo-induced graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers on cellulose

The effects of swelling of the sample and polymerization solvents were studied for photo-induced graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers on cellulose. The graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was activated by swelling of the sample or organic solvent-water solutions within a certain range of their concentrations. Though each organic solvent gave a maximum in per cent grafting and the number of grafts at about 25 vol-% concentration, the initiation reaction scarcely took place at 100% concentration; thus, the solvent itself is considered to have a negative effect. The solvents used in the experiments were all hydrophilic, such as methanol, acetone, and dioxane. The average molecular weight of the grafted PMMA differed in each solvent, indicating a different characteristic effect of solvent on the growing grafted polymer radicals. The presence of ferric ion as a sensitizer stimulated further the contributions of the sample swelling and the organic solvents to the copolymerization reaction. A similar effect was observed for styrene as for MMA, but not for acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.     

Aromatic polyesters obtained directly from hydroxybenzoic acids by hexachlorocyclotriphosphatriazene (PNC) in pyridine

Polyaryl esters of moderate molecular weights were prepared by the direct polycondensation reaction of hydroxybenzoic acids and its derivatives with hexachlorocyclotriphosphatriazene (also known as phosphonitrilic chloride trimer, PNC) as a condensing agent in pyridine. Copolymerization of p-hydroxybenzoic acid with several hydroxybenzic acid derivatives was carried out to improve the processability of the polymer of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which yields fusible and soluble copolymers of high inherent viscosities. Polymer solubility and thermal behavior were examined.     

Study of flow rate in pressurized gradient capillary electrochromatography using splitter and separation of peptides using an Amide stationary phase

A pressurized gradient capillary electrochromatograph using a splitter was constructed. The variation in flow rate during gradient elution was investigated and separations of peptides using an Amide stationary phase were demonstrated. The flow rate, which is one of the important factors to control chromatographic behavior, was increased during the gradient elution, and the mismatching of mobile phase between the column and the resistance tubing derived three variation patterns in the flow rate. The electrophoretic migration in electrochromatography could enhance in separation of peptides. The separated peak number of tryptic digest of bovine serum albumin was increased from 30 to 40 by the application of +5 kV.     

Photo-induced graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate on cellulose

Graft copolymerization initiated by ultraviolet light irradiation at 40°C in a hard glass vessel under nitrogen was examined. The graft copolymerization was observed to occur easily after some induction period without any use of photosensitizer, though it was found the per cent grafting and the grafting efficiency were markedly affected by the quantities of cellulose and monomer. In the system without cellulose, homopolymerization of methyl methacrylate hardly took place, but the use of cellulose caused the formation of homopolymer too, and a grafting efficiency in the range of 60–80% generally resulted. Ferric chloride or sodium anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate (AQ) acted on the polymerization reaction as photosensitizers to reduce its induction period. Though ferric chloride acted to develop both the per cent grafting and the number of grafts, not the same effects were observed with AQ. Oxalic acid, which was employed with the object of eliminating very small amount of metals contained in cellulose, was found to act favorably in the formation of grafts, much like ferric chloride.     

Ability of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers to initiate graft copolymerization

It was noted in a graft copolymerization reaction involving a system of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers (PVA fibers), methyl methacrylate, and water that fibers oxidized with hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite or ferric ion-adsorbing fibers effectively initiate the reaction as in the case of cellulose fibers. The initiation reaction of the sample was markedly activated by the presence of a pretreatment with an oxidizing agent at a concentration on the order of 10^?9 mole/l., but the oxidized samples were sharply deactivated by such means as reduction and oximation. Since model initiators for the present system, such as iron(III) acetylacetonate-adsorbing PVA fibers or ferric ion-adsorbing fibres, with the co-existence of acetylacetone were observed to initiate graft copolymerization effectively, it is believed that carbonyl groups in modified PVA fibers could be a major factor for initiating copolymerization through interaction with metallic ions.     

Stabilization of DNA triplexes by dangling aromatic residues

Novel nucleoside analogues containing 2^′-deoxyinosine and aromatic rings, which are connected by short linker groups, were synthesized and incorporated into oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs). ODNs containing the nucleoside analogues formed stable duplexes and triplexes with target nucleic acids. The stacking interaction between base residues in the nucleoside analogues appears to be a major cause of stabilization.     

Temperature stabilized optical waveguide modulator

A low drive-voltage optical modulator using a Ti-diffused UNbO₃ optical waveguide has been fabricated. Stabilization against ambient temperature change was realized by using a miniature halfwave plate. The halfwave voltage, 3 dB bandwidth, optical insertion loss and extinction ratio were 3·8 V (at 1·06m wavelength), 850 MHz, 10 dB and 13 dB, respectively. A reduction scheme for the optical absorption caused by metallic electrodes, and an analysis of the modulator high frequency response are also reported.     

Solubilization of oleyl alcohol by pure and mixtures of surfactants

The solubilization behavior of oleyl alcohol by pure and mixtures of surfactants systems have been studied in terms of the maximum additive concentration (MAC), the solubilizing power, and the particle sizes of micelles with or without oleyl alcohol. The surfactants used are amphoteric (N,N-dimethyl-N-lauroyl lysine, DMLL; N,N,N-trimethyl-N-lauroyl lysine, TMLL; N,N-dimethyl-N-(carboxymethyl)-lauryl ammonium, DMCL), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and nonionic (alkyl polyoxyethylene ethers).The maximum additive concentration of oleyl alcohol by pure surfactants is larger by nonionic surfactants than by others.For a nonionic surfactant system mixed with DMLL, the mixing effect of surfactant on the increase in the MAC is not recognized. While, for DMLL mixed with SDS, the MAC becomes larger than that by pure surfactants. This may be attributed to the fact that the large micellar size will result in increasing the maximum additive concentration.     

A Dodecalanthanide Wheel Supported by p‐tert‐Butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene

A dodecaholmium wheel of [Ho₁₂(L)₆(mal)₄(AcO)₄(H₂O)₁₄] ( 1 ; mal=malonate) was synthesized by using p‐tert‐butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene (H₄L) as a cluster‐forming ligand. The wheel consists of three fragments of mononuclear A^3? ([Ho(L)(mal)(H₂O)]^3?), trinuclear B^3? ([Ho(H₂O)₂(mal)(Ho(L)(AcO))₂]^3?), and C³⁺ ([Ho(H₂O)₂]³⁺), and an alternate arrangement of these fragments (A^3?? C³⁺? B^3?? C³⁺? A^3?? C³⁺? B^3?? C³⁺? ) results in a wheel structure. The longest and shortest diameters of the core were estimated to be 17.7562(16) and 13.6810(13) Å, respectively, and the saddle‐shaped molecule possesses a pocketlike cavity inside.     

Effects of carbonyl and aldehyde groups in the graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate on cellulose with a ceric salt

Graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate on cellulosic materials of various carbonyl and aldehyde contents with the use of a ceric salt as an initiator was studied. It was found that the concentration of the ceric salt which gives the maximum per cent grafting is in good agreement with the equivalent of total carbonyl content in the cellulosic material, and the number of grafted chains in copolymers is roughly proportional to it. However, the molar ratio of the number of grafted chains to total carbonyl content is quite small, being approximately 1:50, and the graft copolymerization can be explained kinetically on the assumption that the number of radicals produced on cellulose by the ceric salt leading to branching is very much smaller than the number of radicals destroyed by the ceric salt, and growing radicals can be stabilized by the termination reaction with the ceric salt or with a cellulose radical. Although both aldehyde and carbonyl groups contribute to the formation of grafted chains, the former are effective mainly at low concentrations of the ceric salt; both groups participate in the production of graft copolymers showing the maximum per cent grafting.