Alkanolamide as an accelerator,filler-dispersant and a plasticizer in silica-filled natural rubber compounds

A feasibility study was carried out on the utilization of Alkanolamide (ALK) on silica reinforcement of natural rubber (NR) by using a semi-efficient cure system. The ALK was incorporated into the NR compound at 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 9.0 phr. An investigation was carried out to examine the effect of ALK on the cure characteristics and properties of NR compounds. It was found that ALK gave shorter scorch and cure times for silica-filled NR compounds. ALK also exhibited higher torque differences, tensile modulus, tensile strength, hardness and crosslink density of up to 5.0 phr of ALK loading, and then decreased with further increases of ALK loading. The resilience increased with increased ALK loading. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved that 5.0 phr of ALK in the silica-filled NR compound exhibited the greatest matrix tearing line and surface roughness due to higher reinforcement level of the silica, as well as better dispersion and cure enhancement.     

Explicitly correlated MRCI-F12 potential energy surfaces for methane fit with several permutation invariant schemes and full-dimensional vibrational calculations

A data-set of nearly 100,000 symmetry unique multi-configurational ab initio points for methane were generated at the (AE)-MRCI-F12(Q)/CVQZ-F12 level, including energies beyond 30,000 cm^?1 above the minimum and fit into potential energy surfaces (PESs) by several permutation invariant schemes. A multi-expansion interpolative fit combining interpolating moving least squares (IMLS) fitting and permutation invariant polynomials (PIP) was able to fit the complete data-set to a root-mean-square deviation of 1.0 cm^?1 and thus was used to benchmark the other fitting methods. The other fitting methods include a single PIP expansion and two neural network (NN) based approaches, one of which combines NN with PIP. Full-dimensional variational vibrational calculations using a contracted-iterative method (and a Lanczos eigensolver) were used to assess the spectroscopic accuracy of the electronic structure method. The results show that the NN-based fitting approaches are able to fit the data-set remarkably accurately with the PIP–NN method producing levels in remarkably close agreement with the PIP–IMLS benchmark. The (AE)-MRCI-F12(Q)/CVQZ-F12 electronic structure method produces vibrational levels of near spectroscopic accuracy and a superb equilibrium geometry. The levels are systematically slightly too high, beginning at ～ 1–2 cm^?1 above the fundamentals and becoming correspondingly higher for overtones. The PES is therefore suitable for small ab initio or empirical corrections and since it is based on a multi-reference method, can be extended to represent dynamically relevant dissociation channels.     

On intrinsic properties of steady gas flows

Summary Considering the geometric theory of triply orthogonal spatial curves, the basic equations governing a steady gas flow are transformed into the intrinsic form and the results obtained are:(1) The pressure is uniform along the binormal to the stream line and the radius of curvature varies as the square of the velocity along it, for the baratropic fluids.(2) Acceleration is irrotational field when the fluid is compressible but baratropic or incompressible, in which case the relations existing between the flow quantities, curvature and torsions of the curves under consideration are obtained.(3) Considering incompressible flows, it is observed that either velocity in magnitude is uniform or the vorticity lies in the normal plane, in which case the stream lines are orthogonal to the vortex lines.Stream lines are observed to be either right circular helices or circles or straight lines.If the stream lines are not straight then the torsions of the binormal congruences and stream lines are equal.(4) The compatibility conditions of Berker¹) are transformed into intrinsic form, involving the curvatures and torsions of the above curves.     

Mapping the Transformation [{RuII(CO)3Cl2}2]→[RuI2(CO)4]2+: Implications in Binuclear Water–Gas Shift Chemistry

The complete sequence of reactions in the base‐promoted reduction of [{Ru^II(CO)₃Cl₂}₂] to [Ru^I₂(CO)₄]²⁺ has been unraveled. Several μ‐OH, μ:κ²‐CO₂H‐bridged diruthenium(II) complexes have been synthesized; they are the direct results of the nucleophilic activation of metal‐coordinated carbonyls by hydroxides. The isolated compounds are [Ru₂(CO)₄(μ:κ²‐C,O‐CO₂H)₂(μ‐OH)(NP^F‐Am)₂][PF₆] ( 1 ; NP^F‐Am=2‐amino‐5,7‐trifluoromethyl‐1,8‐naphthyridine) and [Ru₂(CO)₄(μ:κ²‐C,O‐CO₂H)(μ‐OH)(NP‐Me₂)₂][BF₄]₂ ( 2 ), secured by the applications of naphthyridine derivatives. In the absence of any capping ligand, a tetranuclear complex [Ru₄(CO)₈(H₂O)₂(μ³‐OH)₂(μ:κ²‐C,O‐CO₂H)₄][CF₃SO₃]₂ ( 3 ) is isolated. The bridging hydroxido ligand in 1 is readily replaced by a π‐donor chlorido ligand, which results in [Ru₂(CO)₄(μ:κ²‐C,O‐CO₂H)₂(μ‐Cl)(NP‐PhOMe)₂][BF₄] ( 4 ). The production of [Ru₂(CO)₄]²⁺ has been attributed to the thermally induced decarboxylation of a bis(hydroxycarbonyl)–diruthenium(II) complex to a dihydrido–diruthenium(II) species, followed by dinuclear reductive elimination of molecular hydrogen with the concomitant formation of the Ru^I? Ru^I single bond. This work was originally instituted to find a reliable synthetic protocol for the [Ru₂(CO)₄(CH₃CN)₆]²⁺ precursor. It is herein prescribed that at least four equivalents of base, complete removal of chlorido ligands by Tl^I salts, and heating at reflux in acetonitrile for a period of four hours are the conditions for the optimal conversion. Premature quenching of the reaction resulted in the isolation of a trinuclear Ru^I₂Ru^II complex [{Ru(NP‐Am)₂(CO)}{Ru₂(NP‐Am)₂(CO)₂(μ‐CO)₂}(μ₃:κ³‐C,O,O′‐CO₂)][BF₄]₂ ( 6 ). These unprecedented diruthenium compounds are the dinuclear congeners of the water–gas shift (WGS) intermediates. The possibility of a dinuclear pathway eliminates the inherent contradiction of pH demands in the WGS catalytic cycle in an alkaline medium. A cooperative binuclear elimination could be a viable route for hydrogen production in WGS chemistry.     

Deposition and characterization of TiAlSiN nanocomposite coatings prepared by reactive pulsed direct current unbalanced magnetron sputtering

This work reports the performance of high speed steel drill bits coated with TiAlSiN nanocomposite coating at different Si contents (5.5-8.1 at.%) prepared using a four-cathode reactive pulsed direct current unbalanced magnetron sputtering system. The surface morphology of the as-deposited coatings was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The crystallographic structure, chemical composition and bonding structure were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The corrosion behavior, mechanical properties and thermal stability of TiAlSiN nanocomposite coatings were also studied using potentiodynamic polarization, nanoindentation and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The TiAlSiN coating thickness was approximately 2.5-2.9 μm. These coatings exhibited a maximum hardness of 38 GPa at a silicon content of approximately 6.9 at.% and were stable in air up to 850 °C. For the performance evaluation, the TiAlSiN coated drills were tested under accelerated machining conditions by drilling a 12 mm thick 304 stainless steel plate. Under dry conditions the uncoated drill bits failed after drilling 50 holes, whereas, TiAlSiN coated drill bits (Si = 5.5 at.%) drilled 714 holes before failure. Results indicated that for TiAlSiN coated drill bits the tool life increased by a factor of more than 14.     

Probing the interaction of the potassium channel modulating KCNE1 in lipid bilayers via solid‐state NMR spectroscopy

KCNE1 is known to modulate the voltage‐gated potassium channel α subunit KCNQ1 to generate slowly activating potassium currents. This potassium channel is essential for the cardiac action potential that mediates a heartbeat as well as the potassium ion homeostasis in the inner ear. Therefore, it is important to know the structure and dynamics of KCNE1 to better understand its modulatory role. Previously, the Sanders group solved the three‐dimensional structure of KCNE1 in LMPG micelles, which yielded a better understanding of this KCNQ1/KCNE1 channel activity. However, research in the Lorigan group showed different structural properties of KCNE1 when incorporated into POPC/POPG lipid bilayers as opposed to LMPG micelles. It is hence necessary to study the structure of KCNE1 in a more native‐like environment such as multi‐lamellar vesicles. In this study, the dynamics of lipid bilayers upon incorporation of the membrane protein KCNE1 were investigated using ³¹P solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Specifically, the protein/lipid interaction was studied at varying molar ratios of protein to lipid content. The static ³¹P NMR and T₁ relaxation time were investigated. The ³¹P NMR powder spectra indicated significant perturbations of KCNE1 on the phospholipid headgroups of multi‐lamellar vesicles as shown from the changes in the ³¹P spectral line shape and the chemical shift anisotropy line width. ³¹P T₁ relaxation times were shown to be reversely proportional to the molar ratios of KCNE1 incorporated. The ³¹P NMR data clearly indicate that KCNE1 interacts with the membrane. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Syntheses of 2,4,6-tris(di-tetrahydrofurfuroxy)phosphinyl-s-triazine and its derivatives as fire-retardants for cellulose

The synthesis of 2,4,6-tris(di-tetrahydrofurfuroxy)phosphinyl-s-triazine (2) was achieved by the reaction of cyanuric chloride with tris(tetrahydrofurfuryl)-phosphite (1) or with sodium bis(tetrahydrofurfuryl)phosphite (5). 2 on treatment with anhydrous ammonia yielded ammonium salt of 2,4-diamino-6-tetrahydro-furfuroxy-phosphinyl-s-striazine (3), which on methylolation yielded (4). The reaction of 2 and 4 with cellulose powder under different experimental conditions was carried out and they were found to exhibit promising fire-retardant properties.     

Crystal structures of the benzene and ethanol solvates of neotame

The benzene and ethanol solvates of neotame crystallized from solutions of neotame anhydrate in benzene and ethanol, respectively. The crystal structures of the two solvates were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The benzene solvate crystallizes in the monoclinic space group, P2₁, Z = 2, with one neotame molecule and one benzene molecule per asymmetric unit. The cell constants are a = 13.060 (6) Å, b = 5.582 (2) Å, c = 17.954 (9) Å, and = 102.079 (15)°. The ethanol solvate crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, P2₁2₁2₁ with Z = 8 (Z = 2). The cell constants are a = 10.047 (4) Å, b = 17.001 (4) Å, and c = 28.948 (7) Å. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding among neotame molecules is evident in the two crystals. The benzene solvate has a nonpolar region containing the benzene molecules, with the benzene rings and alkyl chains of the neotame molecules.