Thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of polystyrene in the presence of bromine-containing flame retardants

The kinetic of thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of polystyrene in the presence of bromine-containing flame retardants was investigated. It was shown that the kinetics is limited by diffusion in air and by the processes occurring at the interface in helium.The flame retardants affect the degradation of polystyrene both chemically and physically, and change the mechanism of the limiting stage to some extent.

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Zusammenfassung Die Kinetik des thermischen und thermo-oxidativen Abbaus von Polystyren in Gegenwart bromhaltiger Flammschutzmittel wurde untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Reaktion durch die Diffusion in Luft bzw. durch die Grenzflächenvorgänge in Helium begrenzt wird.Die Flammschutzmittel beeinflussen den Abbau von Polystyren sowohl chemisch als auch physikalisch und verändern im gewissen Masse auch den Mechanismus des geschwindigkeitsbestimmenden Schritts.

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Reductive ethylation of homoallyl alcohols with a disubstituted double bond with ethylmagnesium bromide in the presence of titanium(IV) isopropoxide

Homoallyl and bishomoallyl alcohols with a disubstituted double bond treated with ethylmagnesium bromide in the presence of titanium(IV) isopropoxide are converted into the products of a reductive ethylation of the olefin fragment. Under similar conditions esters of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids undergo a successive cyclopropanation of the ester group and reductive ethylation of the double carbon-carbon bond and yield 1-(3-ethylalkyl)cyclopropanols. The features of the observed reactions are explained in the framework of the carbometallation mechanism of the double carbon-carbon bond by the action of dialkoxytitanacyclopropane reagents.     

On chemical reactions in the laser-induced breakdown of a liquid

It is shown experimentally that a laser-induced breakdown of a liquid is accompanied by chemical reactions initiated by radicals and excited species formed in the spark. It is found that, in water, the laser-induced breakdown is accompanied by the dissociation of water and dissolved nitrogen molecules with the formation of HNO₂ and HNO₃, while, in a FeSO₄ aqueous solution, by the Fe²⁺ → Fe³⁺ oxidation reaction. It is assumed that the mechanism of the process is analogous to that of the action of ionizing radiations and the chemical action of ultrasonically induced cavitation (it is proposed that this mechanism of chemical action of a laser-induced spark proposed be termed indirect). Energy yields of these reactions are found to be of the same order of magnitude as for sonochemical redox reactions. It is shown that the laser-induced breakdown of an aqueous solution of maleic acid is accompanied by its stereoisomerization into fumaric acid, a process catalyzed by small amounts of an alkyl bromide. It is established that, for the formation of fumaric acid in a laser-induced spark, the energy yield is about five orders of magnitude higher than that typical of the above-mentioned redox reactions in the laser-induced spark.     

The design of an irradiator for the continuous processing of liquid latex

This paper presents anew design concept for a gamma irradiation plant for the continuous processing of pumpable liquids. Typical applications of such a plant include

• * the irradiation vulcanisation of natural latex rubber

• * disinfection of municipal sewage sludge for agricultural use

• * sterilisation of liquids in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries

• * industrial processing of bulk liquids

The authors describe the design and operation of the latex irradiator now operating on a small production scale in Malaysia and proposed developments.

The design allows irradiation processing to be carried out under an inert or other gaseous environment.

State-of-the-art computer control system ensures the fully automatic processing operation needed by industrial computers.     

Methods and equipment of industrial activation analysis

Expanding application of activation analysis in industry resulted in exposure of features related to higher requirements to productivity, reliability, automation level, metrological support of analytical methods and equipment. Based on the application of neutron generators, radioisotope neutron sources, nuclear reactors, electron accelerators as activating radiation sources, high-productivity activation analytical systems used directly in analytical laboratories and plants were constructed. Level of development of the above works makes it possible to conclude that industrial activation analysis has formed as an independent trend of nuclear analytics and has considerable prospects.     

Sequence of replacement of hydrogen in 2,6-dimethylpyridine by lithium or halogen

It is shown that, according to the results of chromatographic mass spectrometry, the reaction of 2,6-dimethylpyridine with phenyllithium leads only to the monolithium derivative. The chlorination and bromination of 2,6-dimethylpyridine with various reagents were studied systematically. A method for the conversion of 2,6-bis(chloromethyl)pyridine to 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyridine is given.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 105–110, January, 1980.     

LC-ESI-MS/MS and cytotoxic activity of three Pistacia species

LC-ESI-MS/MS was used for a comprehensive characterisation of ethanol extract from the leaves of three Pistacia species. After optimisation of the method and the use of the negative ionisation mode, a total of 42 different compounds were identified, of which 22 were tentatively characterised in P. chinensis Bunge, 33 in P. khinjuk stocks and 25 in P. lentiscus L. leaves. Flavonoids, phenolic acids, and their derivatives were the most abundant identified compounds. LC-ESI-MS/MS revealed identification of 15, 18 and 6 not previously detected compounds in P. chinensis Bunge, P. khinjuk Stocks and P. lentiscus L., respectively. The three extracts were also tested for their cytotoxic activities against human PC3 prostate cancer, A549 lung cancer, MCF7 breast cancer and HepG2 liver cancer. Generally, all the extracts have a moderate cytotoxic activity against lung, breast and prostate cancer, with different IC₅₀. However, only P. lentiscus L. showed moderate activity against liver cancer.     

The viscosity and density of the methanol + n-nonane, ethanol + n-nonane, and ethanol + n-decane systems

This work presents the results obtained in measurements of the kinematic viscosity and density of the methanol-n-nonane, ethanol-n-nonane, and ethanol-n-decane systems at various temperatures and low n-alkane concentrations (within the concentration range of miscibility). The dynamic viscosities of these systems at 298.15 K were calculated according to free volume theory. The results substantiated the existence of an anomaly in the behavior of viscosity of the methanol-n-nonane system (positive Δlnη values) and its absence for the ethanol-n-alkane systems.     

Nouvelle methode de dosage du gaz carbonique dans les produits alimentaires et application au fromage

The determination of carbon dioxide in food products with particular application to cheese Samples are emulsified under reduced pressure in an alkaline citrate medium in an airtight mixer and CO₂ is quantitatively displaced into the head space by addition of an excess of sulphuric acid. A small gas pump ensures gas circulation to a specific nondispersive infrared detector mounted in a by-pass for measurement. The residual depression in the head space is suppressed shortly before measuring. The equipment is calibrated with standard gases and standard additions of sodium carbonate. The method is sufficiently simple and rapid for routine use (about 30 samples/day). The coefficient of variation is less than 1% for standard solutions and less than 2% for cheese. The matrix has practically no influence on the accuracy of the measurements.     

Pyrolysis Analysis and Kinetics of Crude Oils

This research presents the results of an experimental study on the determination of pyrolysis behaviour and kinetics of six crude oils by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). Crude oil pyrolysis indicated two main temperature ranges where loss of mass was observed. The first region between ambient to 400°C was distillation. The second region between 400 and 600°C was visbreaking and thermal cracking. Arrhenius-type kinetic model is used to determine the kinetic parameters of crude oils studied. It was observed that as crude oils gets heavier (°API decreases) cracking activation energy increases. Activation energy of cracking also show a general trend with asphaltene content. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.