Studies on stable aqueous poly(o-toluidine) prepared with the use of a water soluble support polymer,polyacrylamide

Polymerization of o-methylaniline or o-toluidine (OT) was studied in aqueous acidic (HCl) medium with or without the use of the support of a water soluble polymer, polyacrylamide (PAAm). Poly(o- toluidine) (POT) produced with PAAm support was in the form of aqueous solution or dispersion that showed high stability and good processibility. High degree of dispersion or near solubility and storage stability of POT thus prepared are explained on the basis of establishment of hydrogen bonding between segments of POT being formed and the PAAm present in the medium thus resulting in a template effect. Studies by UV-visible spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy lend support to this view. POT-PAAm composites commonly show higher thermal stability than POT and the composites show DC-electrical conductivities in the range of 10⁻⁹–10⁻¹ S · cm⁻¹ depending on the POT content. Morphological analysis of the optically clear aqueous POT-PAAm solution by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows the presence of large clusters of PAAm-supported near-spherical POT nanoparticles in the aqueous PAAm solution. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis of isolated POT-PAAm composites shows a cocontinuous phase morphology without any trend of gross phase separation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3243–3256, 1999     

Synthetic and spectral studies of novel spiro {bicyclo[3,3,0]octene‐8,3′(2′H)‐indol}‐2′‐ones obtained from indol‐2,3‐diones

The present article reports our approach toward the synthesis of spiro compounds via indol‐2,3‐diones. Thus, reaction of indol‐2,3‐dione derivatives with a secondary cyclic amino acid, namely, (R)‐(−)‐thiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid, affords a thiazolo‐oxazolidinone as the main product. When the reaction is carried out in the presence of a dipolarophile, 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition to the intermediate azomethine ylide leads to a novel spiro compound. The products have been characterized on the basis of spectral studies, and the geometry of the intermediate iminium compound has been optimized by use of the semiempirical molecular orbital method. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 381–384, 1999     

Universal density functional approach to the calculation of correlation energies of atoms

A new local density functional approach for the calculation of correlation energies of many-electron atomic systems is proposed by using the exact results for the correlation energy of a two-electron system bound by a harmonic oscillator external potential. This is motivated by the fact that the correlation energy is a universal functional of the electron density, and the form of this functional is independent of the external potential. The calculated numerical results for the correlation energies show very good agreement with the standard values reported in the literature. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 62: 461–465, 1997     

A Simple Lithographic Approach for Preparing Patterned,Micron-Scale Corrals for Controlling Cell Growth

Hydrophobic n -alkanethiolate bottoms and walls consisting of hydrophilic three-layer poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) nanocomposite polymers are used for making patterned corrals having lateral dimensions of 63 μm. Macrophage cells are confined within these corrals and are unable to grow over the corral walls (see picture).     

Melt intercalation of polystyrene in layered silicates

We have studied the melt intercalation of polystyrene into organically modified sodium bentonite, a layered, mica-type silicate, using a variety of techniques. Wide-angle X-ray scattering experiments on polymer/silicate hybrid samples demonstrate that intercalation of polymer chains leads to an ∼25% increase in the spacing between silicate layers. The magnitude of this increase, compared with the radius of gyration of the melt polymer, implies a flattened conformation of chains in the galleries. Low voltage scanning electron microscopy reveals voids in the intercalated hybrid matrix that correspond to regions where pristine polymer was present in the physical mixture of polymer and silicate before intercalation. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that only unintercalated polymer contributes to the measured glass transition trace, so that the magnitude of the trace is diminished upon intercalation. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Non-statistical fluctuations in 16O-AgBr interaction at 60A GeV in terms of factorial correlators

An analysis of ¹⁶O-AgBr interaction data at 60A GeV in terms of factorial correlators is presented. The correlated moments are found to increase with decreasing bin-bin separation D, following a power law within the region D 1. The data are also consistent with the dimension-independent scaling relation proposed by Seixas. Received: 5 October 1998 / Accepted: 20 April 2000     

Continuous cellulose fiber-reinforced cellulose ester composites. I. Manufacturing options

Thermoplastic fiber composites were prepared using high modulus lyocell (regenerated cellulose) fibers for reinforcement and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) as matrix. Choices were made with regard to fiber options (fabric versus continuous tow) and method of matrix deposition (prepregging by powder coating, film stacking, or solution impregnating). The results suggest that solution-prepregged fiber tow consolidated at circa 200°C produced unidirectional consolidated panels with tensile strength, modulus, and strain at failure values of approximately 250MPa,>20GPa and 3–4%, respectively, at fiber volume contents of approximately 60%. Modulus and ultimate tensile strength increased with fiber content, and modulus followed rule-of-mixture behavior. Adequate surface wetting and matrix-fiber adhesion were found with solution-prepregged composites. The unexpectedly low strain at failure (2 to <4%) was attributed to brittle matrix failure, and failure surfaces revealed that the fibers, for the most part, remained intact after the matrix had failed.