Predicting the Mechanical Properties of Binary Blends of Immiscible Polymers

We couple a morphological study of an immiscible binary AB mixture with a micromechanical simulation to determine how the spatial distribution of the A and B domains and the interfacial region (interphase) affects the mechanical behavior of the blend. The morphological studies are conducted through a three-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard (CH) simulation. Through the CH calculations, we obtain the size and structure of the domains for different blend compositions. The output of the CH model serves as the input to the Lattice Spring Model (LSM), which consists of a three-dimensional network of springs. In particular, the location of the different phases is mapped onto the LSM lattice and the appropriate force constants are assigned to the LSM sites. A stress is applied to the LSM lattice and we calculate the elastic response of the material. We find that the local stress and strain fields are highly dependent on the morphology of the system. By integrating the morphological and mechanical models, we can isolate how modifications in the composition of the mixture affect the macroscopic behavior. Thus, we can establish how choices made in the components affect the ultimate performance of the material.     

A decomposition heuristics for the container ship stowage problem

In this paper we face the problem of stowing a containership, referred to as the Master Bay Plan Problem (MBPP); this problem is difficult to solve due to its combinatorial nature and the constraints related to both the ship and the containers. We present a decomposition approach that allows us to assign a priori the bays of a containership to the set of containers to be loaded according to their final destination, such that different portions of the ship are independently considered for the stowage. Then, we find the optimal solution of each subset of bays by using a 0/1 Linear Programming model. Finally, we check the global ship stability of the overall stowage plan and look for its feasibility by using an exchange algorithm which is based on local search techniques. The validation of the proposed approach is performed with some real life test cases. This work has been developed within the research area: “The harbour as a logistic node” of the Italian Centre of Excellence on Integrated Logistics (CIELI) of the University of Genoa, Italy     

A 3D-BPP approach for optimising stowage plans and terminal productivity

This paper addresses the problem of determining stowage plans for containers in a ship, that is the so-called master bay plan problem (MBPP).     

Ethylene polymerization by novel Ziegler–Natta‐type catalysts obtained in situ by the oxidative addition of 8‐hydroxyquinoline‐based ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and methylaluminoxane

Novel catalytic systems, prepared in situ by the oxidative addition of 8‐hydroxyquinoline ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and activated by methylaluminoxane, were studied in ethylene polymerization. When 8‐hydroxyquinoline was employed, only oligomeric products were obtained. On the contrary, 5,7‐dinitro‐8‐hydroxyquinoline gave linear polyethylene (PE), but with a modest activity. For the catalyst based on 5‐nitro‐8‐hydroxyquinoline, the productivity was largely dependent on the content of free trimethylaluminum (TMA) present in the commercial aluminoxane. The progressive optimization of the TMA/oligomeric methylaluminoxane ratio increased the productivity, which reached 700 kg of PE/(mol of Ni × h), by an order of magnitude. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 200–206, 2006     

Decomposition theorems in orthomodular posets: the problem of uniqueness

We provide some conditions which are equivalent to the uniqueness of Hewitt-Yosida-type decomposition and Lebesgue-type decomposition for real valued additive functions defined on orthomodular posets.

     

Use of capillary gas chromatography/sensory analysis as an additional tool for sampling technique comparison in peach aroma analysis

Capillary GC/sensory analysis was used to judge if dynamic headspace on sliced pulp and on intact fruit, and solvent extraction could collect the “character impact” and the “contributory” aroma compounds in peaches. Capillary GC/sensory data showed that the headspace techniques selectively recovered the “contributory” volatile compounds, which are strictly related to the characteristic odor of the various peach cultivars, whereas solvent extraction better quantified the “character impact” compounds (lactones).     

Die Fehlordnung des Natriumazides und deren Einfluß auf die thermische Zersetzung, 5. Mitt.: Primärprozesse der thermischen Zersetzung von Natriumazid

Zusammenfassung Elektronische Zustände des Natriumazides werden durch ein Energiebandmodell charakterisiert, dem mittlere spektroskopische Eigenschaften zugrunde liegen. Unter Verwendung von UV-Absorptionsspektren sowie der in der 2. Mitt. ber. Polarisationsund Gitterenergie kann mit Hilfe eines Kreisprozesses das Bandmodell vervollständigt werden. Ein Vergleich mit den elektronischen Daten der Natriumhalogenide ergibt, daß sich das NaN₃, wenn man von den feinstrukturellen Eigenschaften, die zur Zersetzung führen, absieht, natriumhalogenidähnlich verhält. Weiters werden Studien über elektronische Primärprozesse bei der thermischen Zersetzung mitgeteilt. Als geschwindigkeitsbestimmender Primärschritt wird ein Elektronentransfer von Azid-Ionen zu Elektronenfallen angenommen. Wie eine quantenmechanische Betrachtung gestörter Gitterpotentiale zeigt, ergeben kationische Fremdionen, anionische Leerstellen und Oberflächen Elektronenfallen, während kationische Leerstellen und anionische Fremdionen Streustellen für Elektronen und Excitonen darstellen. Auf der Basis eines Störzentrengases kann eine Geschwindigkeitsgleichung für den Primärschritt abgeleitet werden, die qualitativ durch Umsatz/Zeit-Kurven belegt wird. Diese wurden durch Registrierung der bei der Zersetzung entstehenden Stickstoff-Druck-Zunahme gewonnen. Durch Zersetzung von NaN₃-Präparaten mit verschiedenen Gitterfehlern wird gezeigt, daß mit steigendem Einbau von kationischen Fremdionen, anionischen Leerstellen sowie einer Vergrößerung der Oberfläche die autokatalytische Zersetzung beschleunigt und mit steigendem Einbau von anionische Fremdionen die Reaktion verzögert wird. In der Sprache der Festkörperchemie entspricht dies einer Variation der Keimbildungsperiode.

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Electronic states of sodium azide are characterized by an energy band model, based on mean spectroscopic properties. Using UV-absorption-spectra and the calculated polarization and lattice energies (see paper 2) the band model can be completed by means of a cyclic process. A comparison with the electronic data of sodium halogenides shows that sodium azide behaves similar neglecting the microstructural properties leading to the decomposition. Moreover, studies on electronic primary processes during thermal decompositions are reported on. An electron transfer from azide ions to electron traps is assumed to be a rate determining step. As shown by a quantum mechanical consideration of disturbed lattice potentials cationic impurities, anionic vacancies and surfaces give rise to electron traps, whereas cationic vacancies and anionic impurities represent defraction centers for electrons and excitons. Based on imperfections behaving like a gas a rate equation for the primary step can be derived, which is proved qualitatively by pressure/timecurves. By decomposing samples of sodium azides with various lattice defects it is shown that with increasing amounts of cationic impurities, anionic vacancies and an increase of the surface, the autocatalytic decomposition is accelerated, whereas with increasing amount of anionic impurities the reaction is slowed down. In decomposition chemistry this corresponds to a variation of the nucleiation period.

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Mit 9 Abbildungen     

Retention Behavior of New Oral Antidiabetic Drugs in Reversed-Phase Chromatography

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - The thin-layer chromatographic behavior of three of the newest oral antidiabetic agents, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, and...     

Shape recognition of alkylammonium ions by 1,3-bridged calix[5]arene crown-6 ethers: endo- vs exo-cavity complexation

A series of tri-O-substituted 1,3-bridged calix[5]arene crown-6 ethers bearing alkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, and alkoxycarbonylmethyl residues at the lower rim and either (t)()Bu or H substituents at the upper rim have been synthesized. (1)H NMR studies have shown that p-tert-butylcalix[5]crowns, irrespective of the size and nature of their lower rim pendant groups, adopt preorganized conelike conformations, whereas p-H-calix[5]crowns with bulky substituents preferentially exist in solution as partial cone conformers (C(1) symmetry). Calix[5]crown derivatives behave as mono- or ditopic receptors for isomeric butylammonium ions, forming endo-cavity (inside the calixarene cup) and/or exo-cavity (at the crown ether moiety) 1:1 complexes according to the shape of the guest. These two binding modes can be clearly distinguished and monitored by (1)H NMR titration experiments.