Thermal degradation of a series of polyester polyurethanes

A series of polyester polyurethanes with a range of polyester contents was prepared from an ethylene glycol/propylene glycol/adipic acid polyster, butane diol, and methylene bis (4-phenyl isocyanate) (MBPI). They were thermally degraded under vacuum and the products of degradation were identified. The urethane linkages decompose first as the temperature is increased and the stability increases with polyester content. Reaction mechanisms were proposed which account for the principal features of the reaction and the products of degradation.     

Gamma-radiation effects on the reduction of hematite to iron in the graphite-iron(III) oxide system

The effects of⁶⁰Co-gamma radiation and of various sample composition on the reduction of hematite to iron in the graphite-iron(III) oxide system in air were studied using isothermal and dynamic TG techniques. Kinetic analysis of isothermal data were performed according to various theoretical models of heterogeneous reactions and the results showed that the three-dimensional phase boundary model gives the best fit of data. Analysis of dynamic TG data were made using Ozawa integral method, Coats-Redfern method and a composite method based on the modified Coats and redfern equation. The activation parameters were calculated and the results of the different methods were compared and discussed.Radiation apparently did not introduce a change in the reaction model or mechanism. However, there is a decrease in activation energy and frequency factor upon irradiation and a decrease in the half-life time of the reaction which is remarkable at the higher temperatures and higher doses.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels isothermer und dynamischer TG wurde im Graphit-Eisen(III)oxidsystem in Luft der Einfluß von⁶⁰Co-Gammastrahlung und von verschiedenen Probenzusammensetzungen auf die Reduktion von Hämatit zu Eisen untersucht. Entsprechend verschiedener theoretischer Modelle heterogener Reaktionen wurde eine kinetische Analyse der isothermen Daten durchgeführt und die Ergebnisse zeigten, daß das dreidimensionale Phasengrenzenmodell die beste Übereinstimmung liefert. Die Analyse der dynamischen TG-Daten wurde mittels der Integralmethode von Ozawa, der Coats-Redfem-Methode und einer zusammengesetzten Methode auf der Grundlage der modifizierten Coats und Redfern Gleichung durchgeführt. Die Aktivierungsparameter wurden berechnet und die Ergebnisse der verschiedenen Methoden miteinander verglichen und diskutiert.Strahlung scheint keine Änderung des Reaktionsmodelles oder des Mechanismus hervorzurufen. Durch Bestrahlung gibt es aber ein Absinken der Aktivierungsenergie und des Frequenzfaktors sowie ein Absinken der Halbwertszeit der Reaktion, was bei höheren Temperaturen und höherer Dosis bemerkenswert groß ist.

     

Comparison of analytical techniques to quantify malondialdehyde in milk powders

Several analytical methods were compared to quantify malondialdehyde (MDA) in milk powders. Modified thiobarbituric acid (TBA) methods, using either visible spectrophotometry (direct absorbance reading or after third derivative transformation of the spectrum) or HPLC, required derivatisation at elevated temperature, which appeared to catalyse artefactual MDA formation and thus overestimate the MDA content. In contrast to the TBA derivatisation method, the measurement of MDA as the dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative by HPLC or as the phenylhydrazone product by GC-MS with a deuterated internal standard resulted in lower estimates in the ranges of 2-17- and 3-30-fold, respectively; apparently due to the milder derivatisation conditions. The estimates of MDA determined by both HPLC-UV and GC-MS techniques result in lower values which are similar in magnitude even though the GC-MS technique is more sensitive.     

Chemical Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Containing N6-Methyladenine Residues in the GATC Site

To investigate by NMR the effects of adenine methylation, a set of oligodeoxynucleotides has been synthesized by phosphotriester or phosphoramidite procedures on silica-gel support. The preparation of fully protected 2′-deoxy-N⁶-methyladenosine 3′-phosphate 4 and (2′-deoxy-N⁶-methyladenosin-3′-O-yl)(methoxy)morpholinophosphine 5 is described. The large-scale chemical synthesis, purification by HPLC, and characterization by MS of these molecules containing N⁶-methyladenine is reported.     

Oscillating repulsive force between macroscopic surfaces as a consequence of the fluctuation of the density in the gap region

We try to explain the short-range repulsive force between surfaces as a consequence of a decrease in the configurational entropy of liquid molecules in the gap region as the width of the gap decreases. A simple model shows that the density has an oscillating variation when the surfaces are pushed towards each other. As a consequence, an oscillating repulsive force appears between the macroscopic surfaces, which is the result of a loss of configurational freedom of the liquid molecules because of their orientation in the gap. Received: 14 August 2000 Accepted: 30 January 2001     

Irreversible cathodic behavior of graphite in the presence of some mixtures of onium salts

The electrochemically induced dissolution of ferrocene in a carbon paste electrode is investigated by using chronoamperometry at constant potential. Two types of behaviour are observed, according to the initial form of ferrocene: particles or deposit. The experimental i-t curves are respectively in agreement with the theoretical curves, derived earlier, in the case of spherical particles or planar slabs of solid. The analysis of the curve shows that the process is diffusion controlled, so that the dissolution rate of ferrocene cannot be measured. The parameters calculated from the curves (thickness of the deposit, initial distance from the electrode, area) have a reasonable order of magnitude.     

Le diptérocarpol—II Stéréochimie en C-13 et en C-17

Various reactions of ring D of dipterocarpol (hydroxy-dammarenone-II) show this triterpene to have the configuration 13β, 17H, in accordance with biogenetic speculations.     

Mechanical and physico-chemical characterization of cyclodextrin finished polyamide fibers

We present the study of the cyclodextrin (CDs) finishing of polyamide fibers (PA) by means of citric acid (CTR) as crosslinking agent. We observed that the mode of grafting happened by the formation of a crosslinked polymer formed between CTR and CDs. This polymer physically adhered to the fibers network and was resistant to hot water washings. Modified fibers were characterized by evaluating the contact angle with a polar liquid and by studying the hysteresis of damping of PA fibers (Cahn balance) with various grafting rates and by studying the absorptivity of grafted fabrics via the technique of the posed drop (Digidrop^® instrument). Then a mechanical characterization of the PA fabrics grafted with various proportions of CDs was accomplished, by traction and tear tests by using a tensile-test bench Lohmergy. Finally a topographic study of PA grafted surfaces was approached by atomic force microscopy (AFM and LFM; contact and non-contact mode) which permitted to evaluate the roughness and the chemical heterogeneity of the grafted surfaces.     

Structural and energetic aspects of the protonation of phenol,catechol, resorcinol,and hydroquinone

The various protonated forms of phenol (1), catechol (2), resorcinol (3), and hydroquinone (4) were explored by ab initio quantum chemical calculations at the MP2/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-31G(d) levels. Proton affinities (PA) of 1-4 were calculated by the combined G2(MP2,SVP) method, and their gas-phase basicities were estimated after calculation of the change in entropy on protonation. These theoretical data were compared with the corresponding experimental values determined in a high-pressure mass spectrometer. This comparison confirmed that phenols are essentially carbon bases and that protonation generally occurs in a position para to the hydroxyl group. Resorcinol is the most effective base (PA = 856 kJ mol-1) due to the participation of both oxygen atoms in the stabilization of the protonated form. Since protonation is accompanied by a freezing of the two internal rotations, a significant decrease in entropy is observed. The basicity of catechol (PA = 823 kJ mol-1) is due to the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond, which is strengthened upon protonation. The lower basicity of hydroquinone (PA = 808 kJ mol-1) is a consequence of the fact that protonation necessarily occurs in a position ortho to the hydroxyl group. When the previously published data are reconsidered and a corrected protonation entropy is used, a proton affinity value of 820 kJ mol-1 is obtained for phenol.     

Zirconium(IV)-porphyrins as novel ionophores for fluoride-selective polymeric membrane electrodes

The feasibility of using Zr(IV)-porphyrins as novel ionophores for preparing anion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes is examined. Electrodes constructed using o-nitrophenyl octyl ether plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes containing Zr(IV)-octaethylporphyrin (OEP) dichloride (Zr(IV)[OEP]Cl₂) or Zr(IV)-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) dichloride (Zr(IV)[TPP]Cl₂) were found to exhibit enhanced potentiometric selectivity toward fluoride compared to electrodes based on a typical anion-exchanger (e.g. tridodecylmethylammonium chloride). At pH 5.5, the electrodes displayed the following selectivity sequences: ClO₄⁻ > SCN⁻ > I⁻ > F⁻ > NO₃⁻ > Br⁻ > NO₂⁻ > Cl⁻ and F⁻ > ClO₄⁻ > SCN⁻ > I⁻ > NO₂⁻ > NO₃⁻ > Br⁻ > Cl⁻ for membranes doped with Zr(IV)[OEP]Cl₂) and Zr(IV)[TPP]Cl₂, respectively. Both ionophores are shown to operate via a charged carrier mechanism, with 10 mol% of lipophilic tetraphenylborate derivative in the membrane phase required to achieve optimal selectivity. Electrodes prepared with both metalloporphyrin species display super-Nernstian response toward fluoride with slopes typically greater than −100 mV per decade. It is shown, via UV-VIS spectroscopy of the membrane phase, that this behavior occurs due to spontaneous formation of hydroxide ion bridged porphyrin dimers in the membrane in the presence of the lipophilic anionic additive. The dimers are easily converted to monomeric species upon increasing the concentration of fluoride in the sample solution. Decreasing the pH of sample buffer background solution (from pH 5.5 to pH 3) decreases the lower detection limit (DL) of the electrode response toward fluoride (by two-order of magnitude) and improves the electrodes’ selectivity.