Interfacial adhesion mechanisms in incompatible semicrystalline polymer systems

The mechanism of adhesion at semicrystalline polymer interfaces between isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and linear low‐density polyethylene (PE) was studied with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and an asymmetric‐double‐cantilever‐beam test. From the TEM images, both the interfacial width and the lamellar thickness of the polymers were extracted. During annealing, the interfacial width increased with the annealing temperature, and this indicated the accumulation of amorphous polymers at the interface. The interfacial strength, determined from the critical fracture energy (G_c), also increased with the annealing temperature and reached a maximum above the melting temperatures of iPP and PE, whereas the smallest G_c value was obtained below the melting temperatures of the two materials. A mechanism of interfacial strengthening was proposed accounting for the competition between the interdiffusion of PE and crystallization of iPP. As the annealing temperature increased, the rates of PE diffusion and iPP crystallization increased. Although the crystallization of iPP hindered the interdiffusion of PE, both the interfacial width and the fracture energy increased with the temperature, and this indicated that PE interdiffusion dominated iPP crystallization. Below the critical temperature, the fracture surfaces of both iPP and PE were smooth, and chain pullout dominated the fracture mechanism. Above the critical temperature, iPP crystallization still hindered the interdiffusion, and crazes could be seen on the iPP side. Above the melting temperatures of the two materials, ruptured surfaces could also be seen on the PE side, and crazing was the fracture mechanism. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2667–2679, 2004     

A Network-Flow Technique for Finding Low-Weight Bounded-Degree Spanning Trees

Given a graph with edge weights satisfying the triangle inequality, and a degree bound for each vertex, the problem of computing a low-weight spanning tree such that the degree of each vertex is at most its specified bound is considered. In particular, modifying a given spanning treeTusingadoptionsto meet the degree constraints is considered. A novel network-flow-based algorithm for finding a good sequence of adoptions is introduced. The method yields a better performance guarantee than any previous algorithm. If the degree constraintd(v) for eachvis at least 2, the algorithm is guaranteed to find a tree whose weight is at most the weight of the given tree times 2 − min{(d(v) − 2)/(deg_T(v) − 2) : deg_T(v) > 2}, where deg_T(v) is the initial degree ofv. Equally importantly, it takes this approach to the limit in the following sense: if any performance guarantee that is solely a function of the topology and edge weights of a given tree holds foranyalgorithm at all, then it also holds for the given algorithm. Examples are provided in which no lighter tree meeting the degree constraint exists. Linear-time algorithms are provided with the same worst-case performance guarantee. ChoosingTto be a minimum spanning tree yields approximation algorithms with factors less than 2 for the general problem on geometric graphs with distances induced by variousL_pnorms. Finally, examples of Euclidean graphs are provided in which the ratio of the lengths of an optimal Traveling Salesman path and a minimum spanning tree can be arbitrarily close to 2.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of a furan-diketopyrrolopyrrole-fluorene terpolymer

We report the synthesis of two solution-processable reduced band gap donor–acceptor conjugated polymers p(C8-DPP-F) and p(C12-DPP-F), composed from 9,9-dioctylfluorene as the donor moiety, diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) moiety as the acceptor moiety and furan bridges. Two different alkyl chains, n-dodecyl and n-octyl were used on the DPP moiety and the impact of this structural modification evaluated in detail. Both polymers exhibited similar optical and electrochemical properties with optical band gap of around 1.75 eV as result of LUMO levels near −3.4 eV and high-lying HOMO levels of ∼5.2 eV. Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices using these polymers electron donors along with PC₇₀BM as the electron acceptor, gave power conversion efficiency of 1.60% and 0.75% for p(C12-DPP-F) and p(C8-DPP-F) respectively.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the lichen metabolite, (+) montagnetol and its congeners as antimicrobial agents

Abstract

In view of structural diversity, (+) montagnetol, the major metabolite of the fruticose lichen, Roccella montagnei was synthesized along with three of its congeners by employing highly efficient protocols. (+) Montagnetol (2?R, 3S; 11) and (-) montagnetol (2S, 3R; 5) were synthesized in 7 and 9 steps, respectively, from L-ascorbic acid. The two new congeners 3 (2?R, 3R) and 6 (2S, 3S), which differ in configuration at C-2 and C-3 positions of the (+) montagnetol, were synthesized from (?) diethyl D-tartrate and (+) diethyl L-tartrate, respectively. The synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial activity against two Gram-positive (S. aureus and E. coli) and two Gram-negative (S. typhi and P. aeruginosa) bacteria and one fungal strain Candida albicans. Interestingly, the congener 3 showed promising anti-bacterial activity (MIC: 0.062?µg/ml) against P. aeruginosa, whereas the congener 6 displayed potent anti-fungal activity (MIC: 0.062?µg/ml) against C. Albicans.     

Antimony Trichloride Catalyzed Condensation of Indole and Carbonyl Compounds: Synthesis of Bis(indolyl)methanes

A mild and efficient condensation reaction of indoles with various aldehydes and ketones under catalysis of antimony trichloride (SbCl₃) afforded biologically important bis(indolyl)methanes in good yield. The structures of all the newly synthesized compounds were elucidated on the basis of IR, ¹H NMR and mass spectral data.     

SYNTHESIS AND CONFIGURATIONAL STUDIES OF ARYL CYCLOPROPYL SULFONES

Abstract

The cycloaddition of arylthiocarbenes to styrene gave stereospecifically cis?1-(arylthio)-2-phenylcyclopropanes, which were subsequently oxidized to the corresponding sulfones. The cyclopropanation of α,β-unsaturated sulfones with dimethylsulfonium methylide yielded stereoselectively trans?1-(arylsulfonyl)-2-arylcyclopropanes. The configurational assignments of these compounds have been arrived at on the basis of IR and PMR spectral data. Chemical shifts for ring protons and other substituents reveal that all the substituents tend to cause protons cis to them to appear at higher fields than those trans to them. This has been used as a criterion to distinguish between cis and trans aryl cyclopropyl sulfones.     

Surface treatment of Basalt fiber for use in automotive composites

Balancing the performance, durability and safety requirements of automotive systems with the regulatory landscape in an environment of climate change has accelerated the search for sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composites for automobile structures. Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (GFRP) are widely used in certain structures like front end modules and liftgate; However, they cannot be used in more demanding applications due to their low mechanical properties. Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (CFRP) are promising candidates for applications like bonnet, but their use is constrained by cost. Basalt fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (BFRP) are sustainable materials that can be positioned between GFRP and CFRP in terms of performance and cost-effectiveness. The mechanical performance of the BFRP depend on the quality of the fiber-matrix interface that aids in efficient load transfer from the matrix to the fiber. Typically, basalt fibers are inert in nature and need treatments to improve its adhesion to polymeric matrices. The major chemical treatments that are reviewed in this article include matrix functionalization, silane treatment, functionalized nanomaterial coating and plasma polymerization. The physical treatments reviewed include plasma treatment and milling. It is evident that chemically treating the basalt fiber with a functionalized nanomaterial yields BFRP with a good stiffness – toughness balance that can be used for challenging metal replacements as also in new emerging areas like sensing and 3D printing.     

Airline Crew Scheduling: State-of-the-Art

The airline industry is faced with some of the largest scheduling problems of any industry. The crew scheduling problem involves the optimal allocation of crews to flights. Over the last two decades the magnitude and complexity of crew scheduling problems have grown enormously and airlines are relying more on automated mathematical procedures as a practical necessity. In this paper we survey different approaches studied and discuss the state-of-the-art in solution methodology for the airline crew scheduling problem. We conclude with a discussion about promising areas for further work to make it possible to get very good solutions for the crew scheduling problem.     

Effect of radiation on natural convection in an L-shaped corner

An experimental investigation of the interaction of surface radiation and natural convection in an L shaped corner is presented. Parametric studies to explore the influence of surface emissivity and aspect ratio on the total heat transfer rate from the isothermal vertical wall of the L corner, have been carried out. For an L corner with highly polished walls, the present experimental results are compared with results available in literature, and are found to be in good agreement. A new semi-experimental method for solving this class of problems is discussed, and a correlation for estimating the total Nusselt number is proposed. It is found that surface radiation has a significant effect on the total heat transferred from the vertical wall of the L-shaped corner. Received: 18 February 1999/Accepted: 21 July 1999     

Low band gap thiophene-perylene diimide systems with tunable charge transport properties

Perylenediimide-pentathiophene systems with varied architecture of thiophene units were synthesized. The photophysical, electrochemical, and charge transport behavior of the synthesized compounds were studied. Both molecules showed a low band gap of ～1.4 eV. Surprisingly, the molecule with pentathiophene attached via β-position to the PDI unit upon annealing showed a predominant hole mobility of 1 × 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) whereas the compound with branched pentathiophene attached via β-position showed an electron mobility of 9.8 × 10(-7) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). This suggests that charge transport properties can be tuned by simply varying the architecture of pentathiophene units.