Melt spinning and laser‐heated drawing of a new semiaromatic polyamide,PA9‐T fiber

Fibers of PA9‐T, a new semiaromatic polyamide containing a long aliphatic chain, were prepared by melt spinning. As‐spun fibers were subsequently drawn with a CO₂ laser‐heated drawing system at different draw ratios and various drawing velocities. On‐line observations of drawing points deciphered two drawing states; namely, flow drawing and neck drawing, over the entire range of drawing. Drawing stress revealed that flow drawing is induced by slight drawing stress under a low draw ratio up to 3, and neck drawing is induced by relatively high drawing stress under a higher draw ratio. The effect of drawing stress and drawing velocity on the development of the structure and properties has been characterized through analysis of birefringence, density, WAXD patterns, and tensile, thermal, and dynamic viscoelastic properties. For the neck‐drawn fibers, almost proportional enhancements of crystallinity and molecular orientation with drawing stress were observed. The flow‐drawn fibers have an essentially amorphous structure, and birefringence and density do not always have a linear relation with properties. The fibers drawn at high drawing speed exhibit improved fiber structure and superior mechanical properties. The maximum tensile strength and Young's modulus of PA9‐T drawn fibers were found to be 652 MPa and 5.3 GPa, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 433–444, 2004     

Geometrical Solution to the Fermat Problem with Arbitrary Weights

The prime motivation for the present study is a famous problem, allegedly first formulated in 1643 by Fermat, and the so-called Complementary Problem (CP), proposed but incorrectly solved in 1941 by Courant and Robbins. For a given triangle, Fermat asks for a fourth point such that the sum of its Euclidean distances, each weighted by +1, to the three given points is minimized. CP differs from Fermat in that the weight associated with one of these points is –1 instead of +1. The geometrical approach suggested in 1998 by Krarup for solving CP is here extended to cover any combination of positive and negative weights associated with the vertices of a given triangle. Among the by-products are surprisingly simple correctness proofs of the geometrical constructions of Torricelli (around 1645), Cavalieri (1647), Viviani (1659), Simpson (1750), and Martelli (1998). Furthermore, alternative proofs of Ptolemy's theorem (around A.D. 150) and an observation by Heinen (1834) are provided.     

The Physical Properties of P2O5–Sm2O3–MnO2 Glass System

Phosphate glasses doped with samarium oxide have been made using the melt quenching technique. The density of the glass was determined using the Archimedes method while the Vickers hardness was measured using a micro-vicker tester. Both density and hardness have shown an increasing trend with the addition of a small amount of Sm₂O₃. The refractive index was characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy and the Sellmeier fitting equation was used to verify the result. The refractive index was found to vary from 1.972 to 1.807 depending on the wavelength and well agreed with the fitting curve     

Ion‐Pair SN2 Reaction of OH− and CH3Cl: Activation Strain Analyses of Counterion and Solvent Effects

We have theoretically studied the non‐identity S_N2 reactions of M_nOH^(n?1)+CH₃Cl (M⁺=Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and MgCl⁺; n=0, 1) in the gas phase and in THF solution at the OLYP/6‐31++G(d,p) level using polarizable continuum model (PCM) implicit solvation. We want to explore and understand the effect of the metal counterion M⁺ and solvation on the reaction profile and the stereoselectivity of these processes. To this end, we have explored the potential energy surfaces of the backside (S_N2‐b) and frontside (S_N2‐f) pathways. To explain the computed trends, we have carried out analyses with an extended activation strain model (ASM) of chemical reactivity that includes the treatment of solvation effects.     

On site visual detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Porphyromonas gingivalis</Emphasis> related periodontitis by using a magnetic-nanobead based assay for gingipains protease biomarkers

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a pathogen causing periodontitis. A rapid assay is described for the diagnosis of periodontal infections related to P. gingivalis. The method is making use of gingipains, a group of P. gingivalis specific proteases as a detection biomarker. Magnetic-nanobeads were labeled with gingipain-specific peptide substrates and immobilized on a gold biosensing platform via gold-thiol linkage. As a result of this, the color of the gold layer turns black. Upon cleavage of the immobilized substrates by gingipains, the magnetic-nanobeads-peptide fragments were attracted by a magnet so that the golden surface color becomes visible again. This assay is highly sensitive and specific. It is capable of detecting as little as 49 CFU·mL^?1 of P. gingivalis within 30 s. Examination of periodontitis patients and healthy control saliva samples showed the potential of the assay. The simplicity and rapidity of the assay makes it an effective point-of-care device.

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Graphical abstract Schematic of the assay for the detection of P. gingivalis proteases as one of the promising biomarkers associated with periodontal diseases.

     

Detection of explosives and their degradation products in soil environments

Polynitro organic explosives [hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)] are typical labile environmental pollutants that can biotransform with soil indigenous microorganisms, photodegrade by sunlight and migrate through subsurface soil to cause groundwater contamination. To be able to determine the type and concentration of explosives and their (bio)transformation products in different soil environments, a comprehensive analytical methodology of sample preparation, separation and detection is thus required. The present paper describes the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), acetonitrile (MeCN) (US Environmental Protection Agency Method 8330) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the extraction of explosives and their degradation products from various water, soil and plant tissue samples for subsequent analysis by either HPLC-UV, capillary electrophoresis (CE-UV) or GC-MS. Contaminated surface and subsurface soil and groundwater were collected from either a TNT manufacturing facility or an anti-tank firing range. Plant tissue samples were taken fromplants grown in anti-tank firing range soil in a greenhouse experiment. All tested soil and groundwater samples from the former TNT manufacturing plant were found to contain TNT and some of its amino reduced and partially denitrated products. Their concentrations as determined by SPME-GC-MS and LC-UV depended on the location of sampling at the site. In the case of plant tissues, SC-CO2 extraction followed by CE-UV analysis showed only the presence of HMX. The concentrations of HMX (<200 mg/kg) as determined by supercritical fluid extraction (SC-CO2)-CE-UV were comparable to those obtained by MeCN extraction, although the latter technique was found to be more efficient at higher concentrations (>300 mg/kg). Modifiers such as MeCN and water enhanced the SC-CO2 extractability of HMX from plant tissues.     

Surface Modification of Halogenated Polymers. 7. Local Reduction of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and Poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) by a Scanning Electrochemical Microscope in the Feedback Mode

Fluoropolymers have been reduced locally by the radical anion of a redox mediator electrogenerated at a microelectrode operating in the configuration of a scanning electrochemical microscope. Approach curves with different redox mediators were used to investigate the reduction mechanism of the fluoropolymer. Different factors are discussed, such as the monomer reduction mechanism, the kinetic control by the surface modification growth, and the conductivity of the modified surface. The fluoropolymers' reduction parallels the trends observed in organic electrochemistry in solution within the haloalkane series.     

Regiocontrolled synthesis of the trimeric quinone framework of conocurvone

[reaction: see text] The trimeric quinone framework of conocurvone is crucial for its potent anti-HIV activity. A new synthesis of trimeric quinones based on stepwise substitution of the halogens in 2,3-dihaloquinones by hydroxyquinone anions is described. Chlorinated biquinones are key intermediates that undergo regiospecific substitution reactions to yield trimeric quinone monomethyl ethers.     

A green,efficient and recyclable poly(4-vinylpyridine)-supported copper iodide catalyst for the synthesis of coumarin derivatives under solvent-free conditions

Poly(4-vinylpyridine)-supported copper iodide is reported as a green, efficient and recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of coumarin derivatives by the Pechmann reaction under solvent-free conditions. This catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and recycled up to eight consecutive runs without any loss of their efficiency.