Headgroup effect on silane structures at buried polymer/silane and polymer/polymer interfaces and their relations to adhesion

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was used to study the effect of silane headgroups on the molecular interactions that occur between poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and various epoxy silanes at the PET/silane and PET/silicone interfaces. Three different silanes were investigated: (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (γ-GPS), (3-glycidoxypropyl) methyl-dimethoxysilane (γ-GPMS), and (3-glycidoxypropyl) dimethyl-methoxysilane (γ-GPDMS). These silanes share the same backbone and epoxy end group but have different headgroups. SFG was used to examine the interfaces between PET and each of these silanes, as well as silanes mixed with methylvinylsiloxanol (MVS). We also examined the interfaces between PET and uncured or cured silicone with silanes or silane-MVS mixtures. Silanes with different headgroups were found to exhibit a variety of methoxy group interfacial segregation and ordering behaviors at various interfaces. The effect of MVS was also dependent upon silane headgroup choice, and the interfacial molecular structures of silane methoxy headgroups were found to differ at PET/silane and PET/silicone interfaces. Epoxy silanes have been widely used as adhesion promoters for polymer adhesives; therefore, the molecular structures probed using SFG were correlated to adhesion testing results to understand the molecular mechanisms of silicone-polymer adhesion. Our results demonstrated that silane methoxy headgroups play important roles in adhesion at the PET/silicone interfaces. The presence of MVS can change interfacial methoxy segregation and ordering, leading to different adhesion strengths.     

Linking supply chain processes’ performance to a company’s financial strategic objectives

The main aim of this paper is to develop a performance measurement method which links supply chain (SC) processes’ performance to a company’s financial strategy through demonstrating and utilising the relationship between SC processes’ performance and a company’s financial performance.     

Modeling Transverse Dispersion and Variable Density Flow in Porous Media

A two-dimensional numerical model is used to study the nonlinear behavior of density gradients on transverse dispersion. Numerical simulations are conducted using d ³ f, a computer code for simulation of density-dependent flow in porous media. Considering a density-stratified horizontal flow in a heterogeneous porous media, a series of simulations is carried out to examine the effect of the density gradient on macro-scale transverse dispersivity. Changing salt concentration significantly affects fluid properties. This physical behavior of the fluid involves a non-linearity in modeling the interaction between salt and fresh water. It is concluded that the large-scale transport properties for high density flow deviate significantly from the tracer case due to the spatial variation of permeability, described by statistical parameters, at the local-scale. Indeed, the presence of vertical flow velocities induced by permeability variations is responsible for the reduction of the mixing zone width in the steady state in the case of a high density gradient. Uncertainties in the model simulations are studied in terms of discretization errors, boundary conditions, and convergence of ensemble averaging. With respect to the results, the gravity number appears to be the controlling parameter for dispersive flux. In addition, the applicability and limitations of the nonlinear model of Hassanizadeh (1990) and Hassanizadeh and Leijnse (1995) (Adv Water Resour 18(4):203–215, 1995) in heterogeneous porous media are investigated. We found that the main cause of the nonlinear behavior of dispersion, which is the interaction between density contrast and vertical velocity, needs to be explicitly accounted for in a macro-scale model.     

Einkristall-Strukturen eines Donator-Akzeptor-substituierten Cyclopentadiens,seines Kations und seines dimeren Anions: Verschiedenartige Störungen eines Kohlenstoff-Fünfringes

Single-Crystal Structures of a Donor-Acceptor-Substituted Cyclopentadiene, Its Cation and Its Anion Dimer: Different Distortion of a Five-Membered Carbon Ring 1,4-Dimethyl-2,3,4,6-tetrahydro-1 H-cyclopentapyrazine-5,7-dicarbonitrile, its molecular cation, and its dimer dianion, generated by hydride abstraction or deprotonation, and crystallized, differ remarkably in their structures: the five-membered ring in the neutral compound is of (Z)-butadiene-type, whereas, in the tetrafluorborate salt, a peripheric NCCCCCN⊕ cyanine distortion occurs and in the sodium derivatives, solvated by either one or two 1,2-dimethoxyethane molecules, a cyclopentadienyl anion is formed. The structural perturbations induced by changing molecular charges are rationalized by extensive MNDO calculations, which on geometry optimization, reproduce the experimental structures and, in addition, provide charge distributions, further confirming the n_N/π and π/π interactions already recognizable from the structural parameters.     

Solid-phase synthesis, characterization and DNA binding properties of the first chloro(polypyridyl)ruthenium conjugated peptide complex

A general method for the synthesis of chloro(polypyridyl)ruthenium conjugated peptide complexes via a solid-phase strategy is described. The method is applied to synthesize two positional isomers of the complex [Ru(terpy)(4-CO2H-4'-Mebpy-Gly-L-His-L-LysCONH2)Cl](PF6). Even though the separation of the isomers was only partially achieved chromatographically, the isomers were unambiguously assigned by NMR spectroscopy. The interactions of the complex [Ru(terpy)(4-CO2H-4'-Mebpy-Gly-L-His-L-LysCONH2)Cl](PF6) with CT-DNA and plasmid DNA, have been studied with various spectroscopic techniques, showing that (i) the complexes coordinatively bind to DNA preferring the bases guanine and cytosine over the bases thymine and adenine after hydrolysis of the coordinated chloride, (ii) electrostatic interactions between the complex cation and the polyanionic DNA chain assist this binding (iii) only in the case of one isomer the peptide does interact further with DNA as evidenced from 31P NMR spectroscopy, (iv) DNA unwinding occurs in all cases with high binding ratio (Ru/base) values (r > 0.3).     

Complexes of divalent transition metal chlorides with the tetradentate Schiff base ligand 1,2-bis(2′-pyridylmethyleneimino)-benzene

Summary Transition metal(II) chloro complexes of the new Schiff base ligand 1,2-bis(2-pyridylmethyleneimino)benzene (L), derived from 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and 1,2-phenylenediamine, were prepared. Compounds of [MnLCl₂]-H₂O, [CoLCl₂]·2H₂O, [NiLCl₂] and [Zn₃L₂Cl₄]Cl₂ were prepared. Details are given of the formation of the complex [Cu(L·EtOH)Cl₂], in which one molecule of EtOH adds across only one of the Schiff base {ie531-01} groups to give the coordinated ligand L·EtOH. The rationalization of this type of reaction by considering the steric requirements of the ligand is given. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, thermal techniques, mass spectra, magnetic susceptibilities and spectroscopic (i.r., ligand field, e.s.r., ¹H n.m.r.) studies. The nitrogen donor atoms of the tetradentate ligands L and L·EtOH are assumed to adopt an essentially planar arrangement about manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II), with the remaining axial coordination sites occupied by chloro ligands to yield high-spin octahedral molecules. A trinuclear structure, based on tetrahedrally coordinated metal ions, is proposed for the zinc(II) complex.