Emulsion copolymerization of tribromophenyl maleimide with styrene

Emulsion copolymerization of Tribromophenyl Maleimide (TBPMI) and styrene was conducted by semi-batch and batch processes. The effects of monomer composition and copolymerization method on copolymerization rate, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, latex particle size and size distribution, glass transition temperature (T_g), thermal stability and mechanical properties were investigated. A kinetic study has shown that the rate of copolymerization in the batch process increased with increasing TBPMI content in the monomer feed. For the semi-batch polymerized samples, molecular weight decreased and molecular weight distribution increased with increasing TBPMI content in the monomer feed. For the batch polymerized samples, molecular weight also decreased but no obvious tendency was observed for the molecular weight distribution when TBPMI content increased. Compared with the batch copolymers, the semi-batch copolymers have a higher molecular weight at the same initial monomer mixture composition. Latex particle size decreased, while particle size distribution slightly increased with increasing TBPMI content in both semi-batch and batch latices. The semi-batch samples exhibit only a single T_g, the value of which increses linearly with increasing TBPMI content. For the batch copolymers, two T_gs were found, reflecting a mixture of styrene-rich and TBPMI-rich copolymer chains. TGA results indicate that the thermal stability of the semi-batch copolymers increased with increasing TBPMI concentration. Young's and flexural moduli increased, while tensile and flexural strengths decreased by increasing the TBPMI content for both the semi-batch and batch specimens. The semi-batch specimens have higher tensile and flexural strenghts than the batch ones.     

Microstructure and phase characterizations of fly ash cements by alkali activation

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Micro/mesoporous catalysts of ZSM-35/MCM-41 type were developed by mechanical synthesis method with the objective to use on the catalytic pyrolysis of...     

Effect of salt additives on partition of nonionic solutes in aqueous PEG-sodium sulfate two-phase system

Partition of 12 nonionic organic compounds in aqueous PEG-8000-Na(2)SO(4) two-phase system was examined. Effects of four salt additives (NaCl, NaSCN, NaClO(4), and NaH(2)PO(4)) in the concentration range from 0.027 up to ca. 1.9 M on binodal curve of PEG-sulfate two-phase system and solute partitioning were explored. It was found that different salt additives at the relatively high concentrations display different effects on both phase separation and partition of various nonionic solutes. Analysis of the results indicates that the PEG-Na(2)SO(4) ATPS with the up to 0.215 M NaCl concentration may be viewed as similar to the ATPS without NaCl in terms of the Collander equation's predictive ability of the partitioning behavior of nonionic compounds. All ATPS with each of the salt additive used at the concentration of 0.027 M may be viewed as similar to each other as the Collander equation holds for partition coefficients of nonionic solutes in these ATPS. Collander equation is valid also for the compounds examined in the ATPS with additives of NaSCN and NaClO(4) at the concentrations up to 0.215 M. The observed similarity between these ATPS might be explained by the similar effects of these two salts on the water structure. At concentrations of the salt additives exceeding the aforementioned values, different effects of salt additives on partitioning of various nonionic solutes are displayed. In order to explain these effects of salt additives it is necessary to examine the intensities of different solute-solvent interactions in these ATPS within the framework of the so-called Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) model.     

Y-梯度广义最小二乘加权校正的土壤速效氮野外原位光谱预测

土壤速效氮是影响作物生长发育的重要养分指标。野外原位可见近红外光谱(VIS-NIR)分析技术具有快速无损等特点,对速效氮的定量预测具有较好的应用前景。野外条件下进行原位光谱采集更节省人力物力,且为土壤养分实时传感器的开发提供了数据基础。但由于野外原位光谱中通常存在大量的无关环境因子干扰信息,易导致回归模型预测精度降低,达不到实用要求。针对位于以色列中部和北部的两个试验点共76个样本开展研究,提出利用Y-梯度广义最小二乘加权算法(Y-GLSW)对样本的野外原位VIS-NIR反射率光谱(350～2 500 nm)进行滤波校正,以提高回归模型的预测能力。首先使用SG平滑、一阶导数变换、标准正态变换等常规方法对原始光谱进行预处理和变换;在此基础上再使用Y-GLSW构建滤波模型对变换后的光谱进行滤波校正;最后使用偏最小二乘回归算法(PLS-R)分别结合原始光谱RW、预处理变换后的光谱PPT和滤波校正后的光谱Y-GLSW建立回归分析模型对速效氮进行定量预测。结果表明：利用RW光谱建立的回归预测模型是不可靠的;利用PPT光谱建立的回归模型在测试集的相对分析误差(RPD)为1.41,解释总方差占实际总方差之比(SSR/SST)为0.57,模型具有一定的可靠性;Y-GLSW光谱建立的回归模型在测试集的RPD和SSR/SST分别为2.07和0.69,相对于PPT模型分别提高了46.81%和21.05%。因此,利用Y-GLSW对野外原位VIS-NIR光谱进行滤波校正,能够有效去除光谱中的无关信息数据,提高模型的预测精度和解释能力。     

Generalized Dickson invariants

The action of the Steenrod Algebra on the Dickson invariants is studied in a certain ‘localized’ context. In this context one can define a completed version of the Steenrod Algebra which acts on the local Dickson invariants in a manner which extends the action of the Steenrod Algebra on the usual invariants. One can also construct an infinite Dickson Algebra which carries a left and a right action of the completed Steenrod Algebra and a nondegenerate bilinear form which makes those actions dual. Supported in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Edmund Landau Center for Research in Mathematical Analysis, sponsored by the Minerva Foundation (Germany).     

Where do Fractions Encounter their Equivalents? – Can this Encounter Take Place in Elementary-School?

The concept of equivalence class plays a significant role in the structure of Rational Numbers. Piaget taught that in order to help elementary school children develop mathematical concepts, concrete objects and concrete reflection-enhancing-activities are needed. The “Shemesh” software was specially designed for learning equivalence-classes of fractions. The software offers concrete representations of such classes, as well as activities which cannot be constructed without a computer. In a discrete Cartesian system students construct points on the grid and learn to identify each such point as a fraction-numeral (a denominator-numerator pair). The children then learn to construct sets of such points, all of which are located on a line through the origin point. They learn to identify the line with the set of its constituent equivalent fractions. Subsequently, they investigate other phenomena and constructions in such systems, developing these constructions into additional fraction concepts. These concrete constructions can be used in solving traditional fraction problems as well as in broadening the scope of fraction meaning. Fifth-graders who used “Shemesh” in their learning activities were clinically interviewed several months after the learning sessions ended. These interviews revealed evidence indicating initial actual development of the desired mathematical concepts. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.