Delamination of Organically Modified Layered Filler via Solid‐State Processing

Summary: Solid‐state processing for the preparation of poly(p‐phenylenesulfide) (PPS‐) based nano‐composites having finely dispersed layered fillers was conducted. The mixture of PPS and organically modified layered filler (OMLF) (95/5 wt./wt.) was subjected to the processing using thermostated hot‐press at 150 °C, below T_m of PPS (i.e., PPS is still at the solid‐state), and applying pressures of 33 MPa for 30 s. The mixture exhibited disorder and delaminated layer structure with the thickness of 10–20 nm into the PPS matrix. In contrast, a nano‐composite prepared by melt compounding at 300 °C for 3 min showed large stacked silicate layers in the PPS matrix. The processing led to delamination of the silicate layers and attained the discrete dispersion.

TEM bright field image and FFT spectrum of a solid‐state processed PPS nano‐composite.     

Fiber devices using polarization- maintaining fibers

Fiber devices using polarization-maintaining fibers called PANDA fibers are presented. They are polarization-maintaining couplers and polarization-splitting couplers, optical isolators and optical circulators, and multi/demultiplexers designed for 1.3 μm wavelength. Crosstalk of-32 dB and excess loss of 0.03 dB for the polarization-maintaining coupler, and polarization-splitting ratio of 17 dB and excess loss of 0.5 dB for the polarization-splitting coupler have been fabricated by a fusion-elongation method. A fiber polarizer with the extinction ratio of more than 40 dB has been presented by using the difference of bending loss between the orthogonal modes in the PANDA fibers. Multi/demultiplexer with narrow band-pass of 1.4 nm utilizing combination of PANDA fiber polarization dispersion and the polarization-splitting coupler has been realized. An optical isolator consisting of fiber polarizers and a spherical YIG with a lens function and an optical circulator consisting of polarizing-splitting couplers and spherical YIGs have been achieved.     

Kinetics of gas‐phase reactions of CH3OCH2CF3, CH3OCH3, CH3OCH2CH3, CH3CH2OCH2CH3, and CHF2CF2OCH2CF3 with NO3 radicals at 298 K

Rate constants for the gas‐phase reactions of CH₃OCH₂CF₃ (k₁), CH₃OCH₃ (k₂), CH₃OCH₂CH₃ (k₃), and CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₃ (k₄) with NO₃ radicals were determined by means of a relative rate method at 298 K. NO₃ radicals were prepared by thermal decomposition of N₂O₅ in a 700–750 Torr N₂O₅/NO₂/NO₃/air gas mixture in a 1‐m³ temperature‐controlled chamber. The measured rate constants at 298 K were k₁ = (5.3 ± 0.9) × 10^?18, k₂ = (1.07 ± 0.10) × 10^?16, k₃ = (7.81 ± 0.36) × 10^?16, and k₄ = (2.80 ± 0.10) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Potential energy surfaces for the NO₃ radical reactions were computationally explored, and the rate constants of k₁–k₅ were calculated according to the transition state theory. The calculated values of rate constants k₁–k₄ were in reasonable agreement with the experimentally determined values. The calculated value of k₅ was compared with the estimate (k₅ < 5.3 × 10^?21 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) derived from the correlation between the rate constants for reactions with NO₃ radicals (k₁–k₄) and the corresponding rate constants for reactions with OH radicals. We estimated the tropospheric lifetimes of CH₃OCH₂CF₃ and CHF₂CF₂OCH₂CF₃ to be 240 and >2.4 × 10⁵ years, respectively, with respect to reaction with NO₃ radicals. The tropospheric lifetimes of these compounds are much shorter with respect to the OH reaction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 490–497, 2009     

Liquid crystalline properties of dissymmetric molecules VI. The effect of alkyl chain length on molecular arrangement in the smectic A phase in three-aromatic-ring systems with two ester groups

The effect of alkyl and alkoxy chain lengths on the layer structures of smectic A and C phases has been examined by X-ray diffraction measurements on three isomeric systems: 4-alkoxyphenyl and 4-n-alkylphenyl 4-[(4-octyloxyphenyl)carbonyloxy]benzoates (1); 4-octyloxyphenyl 4-[4-(octyloxyphenyl)carbonyloxy]benzoates (2); 4-octyloxyphenyl, 4-alkoxyphenyl and 4-n-alkylphenyl terephthalates (3); and p-phenylene 4-octyloxybenzoates, 4-alkoxybenzoate and 4-n-alkylbenzoate (4). Although all the derivatives exhibit smectic A and/or C phases having a monolayer arrangement of the molecules, the layer spacings are considerably affected by alternation of the ester linkages. The layer spacings for the homologues of 1 are a little shorter than the calculated molecular lengths, while those for 2 agree with the calculated molecular lengths. The layer spacings for 3 show a notable even-odd alternation in the higher homologues. The results are discussed in terms of a subtle change in the molecular structures due to replacement of the ester groups.     

Copolymers of methyl methacrylate and fluoroalkyl methacrylates: Effects of fluoroalkyl groups on the thermal and optical properties of the copolymers

Fluoroalkyl methacrylates, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate ( 1 ), hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate ( 2 ), 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐methyl‐2‐propyl methacrylate ( 3 ), and perfluoro t‐butyl methacrylate ( 4 ) were synthesized. Homopolymers and copolymers of these fluoroalkyl methacrylates with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared and characterized. With the exception of the copolymers of MMA and 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate ( 1 ), the glass transition temperatures (T_gs) of the copolymers were found to deviate positively from the Gordon‐Taylor equation. The positive deviation from the Gordon‐Taylor equation could be accounted for by the dipole–dipole intrachain interaction between the methyl ester group and the fluoroalkyl ester group of the monomer units. These T_g values of the copolymers were found to fit with the Schneider equation. The fitting parameters in the Schneider equation were calculated, and R² values, the coefficients of determination, were almost 1.0. The refractive indices of the copolymers, measured at 532, 633, and 839 nm wavelengths, were lower than that of PMMA and showed a linear relationship with monomer composition in the copolymers. 2 and MMA have a tendency to polymerize in an alternating uniform monomer composition, resulting in less light scattering. This result suggests that the copolymer prepared with an equal molar ratio of 2 and MMA may have useful properties with applications in optical devices. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4748–4755, 2008     

Direct determination of bromine in plastics by electrothermal vaporization/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using a tungsten boat furnace vaporizer and an exchangeable sample cuvette system

A tungsten boat furnace vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (TBF/ICP‐MS) method has been applied to the direct determination of bromine in plastic samples. In the pretreatment, the plastic sample is spread over a small sample cuvette made of tungsten by treating it with a strongly basic organic solution, e.g., octanol or diisobutyl ketone in the presence of potassium hydroxide. The cuvette is placed on a tungsten boat furnace, with which the electrothermal vaporizer is equipped. At the vaporization step, a widely spread thin layer of the sample facilitates its efficient evaporation and introduction into an ICP mass spectrometer. The most remarkable feature is that all the bromine species in plastic samples are decomposed to form a thermally stable inorganic salt during the pretreatment procedure. Therefore, the bromine content in plastic samples can be measured by a calibration curve method constructed with an aqueous standard solution of potassium bromate(V). The detection limit (3σ) was estimated to be 0.77 pg of bromine, which corresponds to a concentration of 0.31 ng g^?1 of bromine in plastic samples when a sample amount taken of 2.5 mg is studied. The relative standard deviation was calculated to be 2.2%. Analytical results of some plastic samples, which contained both inorganic bromide salts and also organic bromine species, are given. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.