Thermo-mechanical properties of microfibrillated cellulose-reinforced partially crystallized PLA composites

Polylactic acid (PLA) in a crystallized state has mechanical properties at high temperatures superior to PLA in an amorphous state. However, a long annealing time is required to fully crystallize PLA. In this study, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC)-reinforced partially crystallized PLA composites were produced, with the goal of reducing the time required to fabricate PLA parts. A series of PLA/MFC composites at a fiber content of 10 wt% from degree of crystallinity (Xc) 0 to 43% was obtained by annealing at 80 °C. Although the annealing time required to obtain a composite (Xc: 17%) was only around one-seventh of the 20 min needed to fully crystallize neat PLA (Xc: 41%), both materials had comparable rigidity above the glass transition temperature (T _g) and creep deformation at around T _g. These results showed that partially crystallized PLA/MFC composite can replace fully crystallized neat PLA.     

Development of long-life-cycle tablet ceramic adsorbent for geosmin removal from water solution

In this study, the tablet ceramic adsorbent (TCA), a silica/iron(III) oxide composite material, has been developed for geosmin (GSM) removal from the water solution. The physicochemical characteristics of TCA were examined with XRD, SEM, EDX and BET analyses. The sorption characteristics of GSM on TCA were investigated in a batch system. Attempts have been made to understand the adsorption kinetics, the effect of initial GSM concentration, solution pH, and reaction time.The batch experiments equilibrium data were well fitted to the Lagergren kinetic equation, which indicate the first-order nature adsorption. Over 82% of the GSM was removed by the TCA within 600 min at an initial concentration of 200 ng/L with 20 g/L of TCA dose. The batch and regeneration study indicated that the TCA is a cost-effective GSM adsorbent with sufficient mechanical strength to retain its physical integrity after long-time adsorption, and high regeneration performance for long-life-cycle application. Almost no second contamination (toxic sludge or leached iron) was observed after adsorption, and the gas resultant of thermal regeneration is harmless to atmospheric environment.     

Survival Probabilities for Discrete-Time Models in One Dimension

We consider survival probabilities for the discrete-time process in one dimension, which is known as the Domany–Kinzel model. A convergence theorem for infinite systems can be obtained in the nonattractive case.     

An expedient synthesis of ellipticine via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling

A simple and efficient total synthesis of ellipticine was developed via the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of sterically sensitive 2-hydroxybenzeneboronic acid with a multifunctional aryl halide using Pd(OAc)₂ as a catalyst and Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O as an additive in DMSO/H₂O as a key step followed by double N-arylation and cyclization.     

Simultaneous determination of cationic surfactants and nonionic surfactants by ion-association titration.

A simultaneous determination of cationic and nonionic surfactants has been developed using ion-association titration. Tetrabromophenolphthalein ethyl ester (TBPE) was used as an indicator. Benzalkonium reacted with TBPE to form a blue ion-associate in the organic phase. When tetrakis(4-fluorophenyl)borate was added dropwise to the solution, the color of the organic phase turned to yellow at the equivalence point. In addition, when a large amount of potassium ion was added to a solution including Triton X-100, Triton X-100 could be determined by the same technique as described above because of formation of the K+-Triton X-100 cation. The proposed method is available for the stepwise determination of cationic and nonionic surfactants in mixtures.     

Segmental orientations and deformation mechanism of a poly(ether‐block‐amide) film

Simultaneous measurements of microscopic infrared dichroism, mesoscale deformation, and macroscopic stress have been made for a microphase‐separated film of poly(ether‐block‐amide) 4033 during uniaxial stretching at temperatures between 30 and 91 °C, well below the melting point of the hard polyamide‐12 (PA) domains. Before the onset of dramatic microstructural alterations, the true stress–strain relationship on the mesoscale can be described with an interpenetrating network model, and poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO) soft segments undergo affine deformation. Beyond a threshold strain at which stress from the soft network becomes larger than that from the hard network, plastic deformation occurs in the hard PA domains, and this is accompanied by the downward derivations of the true stress and molecular orientation of PTMO blocks from the model predictions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1161–1167, 2005     

Indium tribromide-catalyzed deacetoxylation of propargylic acetate with triethylsilane

Indium(III) bromide catalyzed the deacetoxylation of propargylic acetates with Et₃SiH to produce the corresponding internal alkynes containing a variety of functional groups in good yields.     

InBr3-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 2-alkynylanilines leading to polysubstituted indole and its application to one-pot synthesis of an amino acid precursor

We describe InBr₃-catalyzed cyclization of 2-alkynylaniline derivatives having a variety of functional groups producing polysubstituted indoles. This methodology could be applied to the one-pot synthesis of an amino acid precursor by the addition of a catalytic amount of the indium salt, an imine, and TMSCl.