Kinetics of copper slag oxidation under nonisothermal conditions

The kinetics of air copper slag oxidation under nonisothermal conditions is studied using simultaneous TG–DTA at a varying heating rate of slag and flow rate of the oxidizing gas flux. The values of the kinetic parameters, activation energy and pre-exponential factor, have been determined based on: data from DTA by the methods of Kissinger and Ozawa; data from TG using an isoconversion method and the computation procedures of Ozawa–Flynn–Wall and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose. No relationship between the kinetic parameters and the oxidation gas flow rate has been established. The changes of the phase composition with temperature are investigated by X-ray powder diffraction analysis on the basis of data obtained for the products formed at the different stages of the oxidation process. The morphology of the oxidized slag as well as the elements distribution is studied by electron microscopy and EDS analysis.     

Ternary arsenides A2Zn2As3 (A = Sr, Eu) and their stuffed derivatives A2Ag2ZnAs3

The ternary arsenides A(2)Zn(2)As(3) and the quaternary derivatives A(2)Ag(2)ZnAs(3) (A = Sr, Eu) have been prepared by stoichiometric reaction of the elements at 800 °C. Compounds A(2)Zn(2)As(3) crystallize with the monoclinic Ba(2)Cd(2)Sb(3)-type structure (Pearson symbol mC28, space group C2/m, Z = 4; a = 16.212(5) ?, b = 4.275(1) ?, c = 11.955(3) ?, β = 126.271(3)° for Sr(2)Zn(2)As(3); a = 16.032(4) ?, b = 4.255(1) ?, c = 11.871(3) ?, β = 126.525(3)° for Eu(2)Zn(2)As(3)) in which CaAl(2)Si(2)-type fragments, built up of edge-sharing Zn-centered tetrahedra, are interconnected by homoatomic As-As bonds to form anionic slabs [Zn(2)As(3)](4-) separated by A(2+) cations. Compounds A(2)Ag(2)ZnAs(3) crystallize with the monoclinic Yb(2)Zn(3)Ge(3)-type structure (Pearson symbol mC32, space group C2/m; a = 16.759(2) ?, b = 4.4689(5) ?, c = 12.202(1) ?, β = 127.058(1)° for Sr(2)Ag(2)ZnAs(3); a = 16.427(1) ?, b = 4.4721(3) ?, c = 11.9613(7) ?, β = 126.205(1)° for Eu(2)Ag(2)ZnAs(3)), which can be regarded as a stuffed derivative of the Ba(2)Cd(2)Sb(3)-type structure with additional transition-metal atoms in tetrahedral coordination inserted to link the anionic slabs together. The Ag and Zn atoms undergo disorder but with preferential occupancy over four sites centered in either tetrahedral or trigonal planar geometry. The site distribution of these metal atoms depends on a complex interplay of size and electronic factors. All compounds are Zintl phases. Band structure calculations predict that Sr(2)Zn(2)As(3) is a narrow band gap semiconductor and Sr(2)Ag(2)ZnAs(3) is a semimetal. Electrical resistivity measurements revealed band gaps of 0.04 eV for Sr(2)Zn(2)As(3) and 0.02 eV for Eu(2)Zn(2)As(3), the latter undergoing an apparent metal-to-semiconductor transition at 25 K.     

Microhardness of condensation polymers and copolymers. 1. Coreactive blends of polyethylene terephthalate and polycarbonates

The microhardness of coreactive blends of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) was investigated over the whole range of compositions. The occurrence of one single glass transition temperature (T _g) step in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves indicated that intensive chemical interactions had taken place during melt blending, resulting in formation of copolycondensates with dominating random sequential order. The parallel decrease of microhardness (H) and of T_g with increasing PET content in the blends has been ascribed to the formation of new copolymer molecules enriched in the component characterized by lower H and T _g values. It is emphasized that such noncrystallizable copolymers offer the possibility to evaluate the intrinsic contribution of the repeating units to the H and T _g characteristics of copolymers with various compositions and sequential orders.     

F- and D-decays

The rates of some important weak decay modes of F- and D-mesons are estimated. A simple decay mechanism for non-leptonic two-body decays is suggested. The measurements of the corresponding decay ratios give sensitive tests for the form of the effective Hamiltonian. F-decays to ø and η channels are expected to dominate over direct decays to pairs of strange particles.     

Relations between thermomechanical properties and chain folding of polyethylene terephthalate fibers

Summary The molecular mechanism of the nonlinear relationship between the transition temperatures (T _g resp.Tinm) and the outer tensile stress is discussed.On the basis of thermomechanical curves (deformation-temperature) taken at different external tensile force on drawn annealed PET fibers and films it has been shown that the transition temperatures depend nonlinearly on the applied tension stress. The maxima observed for bothT _g andT _m confirm the theoretical results ofCiferri andSmith andFrenkel assuming a crystallization of oriented polymer with chains in folded or helical conformation.A reasonable explanation is proposed for the increase ofT _m followed by decrease and again increase with progressively rising of the applied tension stress using the model ofBonart-Hosemann for structure of semicrystalline polymers: at low tension values an orientation of macromolecules in noncrystalline zones takes place followed by defolding of chains from crystallites and finally (at highest tension values) an extreme stretching with additional orientation proceeds. This mechanism is supported by infra-red measurements.The thermomechanical data plotted as external tension divided by the corresp. melting temperature versus deformation confirm the theoretical curve derived byFlory. The experimental curves demonstrate that (1) the crystallization under strain with negative elongation as well as (2) the regeneration of the amorphous phase and its additional stretching are physically realisable situations when the crystallization is accompanied by chain folding or building of helices. It is shown that the thermomechanical method could be used as a simple tool for investigating the chain folding problem.The data reported are an additional proof of the existence of regular folded chains in the crystalline PET too.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird der molekulare Mechanismus des nichtlinearen Zusammenhangs zwischen den Übergangstemperaturen (T_g bzw. T_m) und der äußeren Spannung diskutiert. Auf Grund der thermomechanischen Kurven (Deformation - Temperatur), aufgenommen bei verschiedenen äußeren Spannungen an verstreckten und getemperten PET Fasern, wird festgestellt, daß die Übergangstemperaturen (T_g und T_m) von der äußeren Spannung abhängig sind. Die beobachteten Maxima für die beiden Temperaturen T_g und T_m bestätigen die theoretischen Ergebnisse vonCiferri undSmith undFrenkel, die eine Kristallisation der orientierten Polymeren mit Kettenfaltung oder Spiral-Bildung annehmen. Von dem Bonart-Hosemann-Modell ausgehend wird eine Erklärung für die festgestellte Zunahme von T_m, nach welcher eine Abnahme und wieder neue Zunahme folgt, mit progressiv wachsender äußerer Spannung vorgeschlagen: bei niedrigen Spannungswerten findet eine Orientierung von Makromolekülen in nichtkristallinen Bereichen statt, nach welcher eine Entfaltung von Ketten in den Kristalliten eintritt und zuletzt (bei höchsten Spannungen) eine extreme Verstreckung mit zusätzlicher Orientierung stattfindet. Dieser Mechanismus wird von Infrarotmessungen gestützt. Die dargestellten thermomechanischen Daten in den Koordinaten äußere Spannung/Schmelztemperatur gegen Deformation bestätigen die vonFlory theoretisch berechnete Kurve. Die experimentellen Kurven demonstrieren, daß (1) die Kristallisation mit negativer Deformation sowie (2) die Regenerierung der amorphen Phase und ihre zusätzliche Verstreckung physikalisch realisierbare Situationen sind, wenn die Kristallisation mit Kettenfaltung oder Spiral-Bildung auftritt. Es ist damit gezeigt, daß thermomechanische Messungen ein erfolgreiches Mittel zur Untersuchung des Kettenfaltungsproblems darstellen. Die experimentellen Daten sind ein neuer Beweis für die Existenz von regulärer Kettenfaltung auch im kristallinen PET.

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With 11 figures     

Radio-frequency gas-discharge polymerization of ethylene and acetylene

The results of an experimental study of ethylene and acetylene polymerizations under conditions of high-frequency gas-discharge plasma are described. As established by mass spectroscopy, polymerization of ethylene in a plasma is accompanied by partial dissociation to hydrogen and acetylene which in turn polymerizes. When acetylene is used as monomer, its polymerization is rapid and is not accompanied by dissociation or other side reactions. Acetylene polymerization proceeds entirely in the gas phase to give a dispersed amorphous product with a stoichiometric C:H = 1:1.     

Morphological characterization during deformation of a poly(ether ester) thermoplastic elastomer by small-angle x-ray scattering

The scattering behavior of pre-drawn and annealed bristles of a highly deformable poly(ether ester) themoplastic elastomer based on poly(butylene terephthalate) as hard segments and poly(ethylene glycol) as soft segments in a ratio of 57/43 wt.-% is studied. Small-angle x-ray seattering measurements with an area detector are carried out on bristles with and without application of stress up to 195% relative deformation. Two-dimensional scattering patterns are used for morphological characterization of the sample.At small deformations one morphology peak is found, corresponding to a periodicity that changes affinely with deformation. The morphology of the smaple represents assemblies of mutually parallel crystalline lamellae, positioned perpendicular to the stretching direction both under and without stress. When macrodeformation increases a second peak appears, and a four-point pattern is observed in the relaxed state. In this intermediate deformation range coexisting morphologies contribute to the scattering. Additional contributions arise from lamellae, which are inclined to the stretching direction, as well as from lamellae, which are again perpendicular to the stretching direction, as a result of microfibril relaxation and loss of interfibrillar contacts. At large deformations the latter morphology dominates and the 2D-scattering pattern again shows a two-point character. A morphological model for this behaviour is discussed, where the break of interfibrillar contacts during deformation and the inhomogeneous stress field in the sample play an important role.Dedicated to the 65th birthday of Prof. E.W. Fischer Prof. Fischer was always a quide and patient teacher to us, he inspired our work with his intense interest and many valuable suggestions. We want to congratulate and thank him sincerely and extend our best wishes for the future.     

Reversible morphological changes in poly (ether ester) thermorplastic elastomers during deformation as revealed by small-angle x-ray scattering

The scattering behavior of undrawn and drawn annealed bristles of thermoplastic elastomers with conventional and higher molecular weight based on poly (butylene terephthalate) as hard segments and poly (ethylene glycol) as soft segments in a ratio of 49/51 wt.% is studied. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements with an area detector are carried out on single bristies under or without applied stress and with deformations up to 300%.At low macrodeformations (30–40%) the morphology of the predrawn samples represents assemblies of parallel crystalline lamellae positioned perpendicular to the stretching direction. These morphological characteristics remain unchanged within the entire deformation range (up to =300%) for the predrawn samples of lower molecular weight. For the initially undrawn sample of larger molecular weight reversible orientation and disorientation of the crystallites (microdomains) is established in the same deformation range. Common morphological features are found for the predrawn and undrawn samples with increased molecular weight at medium (=50–150%) and high (=150–300%) deformation ranges. For both samples in an unloaded relaxed state the x-ray patterns can be explained by a zig-zag arrangement of crystalline lamellae, i.e., the microdomains are inclined to the stretching direction. After loading, the microdomains transform to a position perpendicular to the stretching direction. This observed morphological transition is found to be reversible and becomes more pronounced with progressing deformation. It is suspected to contribute to reversible macrodeformations of thermoplastic elastomers in many cases and may be related to the large amount of tie-molecules created during solid-state reactions in those materials.Dedicated to Prof. R. Bonart on the occasion of his 67th birthday     

Ternary rare-earth arsenides REZn3As3 (RE = La-Nd, Sm) and RECd3As3 (RE = La-Pr)

Ternary rare-earth zinc arsenides REZn(3)As(3) (RE = La-Nd, Sm) with polymorphic modifications different from the previously known defect CaAl(2)Si(2)-type forms, and the corresponding rare-earth cadmium arsenides RECd(3)As(3) (RE = La-Pr), have been prepared by reaction of the elements at 800 °C. LaZn(3)As(3) adopts a new orthorhombic structure type (Pearson symbol oP28, space group Pnma, Z = 4, a = 12.5935(8) ?, b = 4.1054(3) ?, c = 11.5968(7) ?) in which ZnAs(4) tetrahedra share edges to form ribbons that are fragments of other layered arsenide structures; these ribbons are then interconnected in a three-dimensional framework with large channels aligned parallel to the b direction that are occupied by La(3+) cations. All remaining compounds adopt the hexagonal ScAl(3)C(3)-type structure (Pearson symbol hP14, space group P6(3)/mmc, Z = 2; a = 4.1772(7)-4.1501(2) ?, c = 20.477(3)-20.357(1) ? for REZn(3)As(3) (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm); a = 4.4190(3)-4.3923(2) ?, c = 21.4407(13)-21.3004(8) ? for RECd(3)As(3) (RE = La-Pr)) in which [M(3)As(3)](3-) layers (M = Zn, Cd), formed by a triple stacking of nets of close-packed As atoms with M atoms occupying tetrahedral and trigonal planar sites, are separated by La(3+) cations. Electrical resistivity measurements and band structure calculations revealed that orthorhombic LaZn(3)As(3) is a narrow band gap semiconductor.