Ring‐opening copolymerization of ethylene carbonate and ε‐caprolactone catalyzed by neodymium tris(2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenolate): Synthesis,characterization, and dynamic mechanic analysis

The ring‐opening copolymerization of ethylene carbonate (EC) with ε‐caprolactone (CL) was carried out using neodymium tris(2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenolate) as a single‐component catalyst. Copolymers containing up to 22.0% EC contents with high molecular weights (up to 23.97 × 10⁴) and moderate molecular weight distributions (between 1.66 and 2.03) were synthesized at room temperature. Compared with homopoly(ε‐caprolactone), the copolymers with EC units exhibited increased glass transition temperatures (?35.6 °C), reduced melting temperatures (44.5 °C), and greatly enhanced elongation percentage at break (2383%) based on dynamic mechanic analysis. The crystallinities of the copolymers decreased with the increasing EC molar percentage in the products. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4050–4055, 2008     

Redox,ionic strength,and pH sensitive supramolecular polymer assemblies

Formation of micelle‐type assembly from supramolecular complexation of a surfactant and an oppositely charged homopolymer is demonstrated. The lower CAC observed for these assemblies suggest that the electrostatic interaction provides an amphiphilic homopolymer‐like structure. The stimulus‐induced disassembly of these supramolecular structures has been accomplished with variations in redox characteristics, ionic strength, and pH of the medium. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1052–1060, 2009     

Preparation and characterization of cellulose and konjac glucomannan blend film from ionic liquid

Blend films from cellulose and konjac glucomannan (KGM) in room temperature ionic liquid 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride were satisfactorily prepared by coagulating with water. The composition of the blend films was gravimetrically analyzed, and the compatibility of the two natural polymers was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The results indicate good compatibility and strong interactions between cellulose and KGM, resulting in almost no loss of the water‐soluble KGM from the blend films even after the water coagulating and washing. However, microstructure analyses portrayed phase separations in the blend films, namely, egg‐like new phase particles were embedded in a continuous matrix base (MB). Phase diagram analysis and differential scanning calorimetry of the phase inversion coagulation process suggest that relative low molecular mass part of both cellulose and KGM formed the continuous MB, whereas the egg‐like new phase particles were super patterns of relative high molecular mass of both polymers, which played an important role in strengthening the blend material. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1686–1694, 2009     

CuZnAl记忆合金有序转变的固体电子论分析

应用固体经验电子理论,并联系 G.Inden 的有序转变温度与原子间作用能的关系式,计算了 CuZnAl 记忆合金的 A_2到 B_2,B_2到 DO_3两种有序转变温度随合金元素变化的规律。计算得出的变化趋势与实验结果符合得相当好,表明所采用的理论模型可以说明 CuZnAl 合金的记忆性能和用来指导探索新的记忆合金。     

The role of the bubble–bubble interaction on radial pulsations of bubbles

Using a model that with or without considering the interaction between bubbles through the radiated pressure waves, numerical simulations of cavitation bubbles have been performed in order to study the effect of the bubble–bubble interaction on radial pulsations of bubbles. Comparing the results obtained by with or without considering the bubble–bubble interaction, it is suggested that the suppression or enlargement property of expansion ratios of bubbles due to the bubble–bubble interaction largely depends on the ultrasound parameters, the ambient bubble radii, the distances between bubbles and the number of bubbles (in multi-bubble environment, the last two aspects can be expressed using the coupling strength). The frequency response curve of expansion ratio decreases and shifts to left due to the bubble–bubble interaction and the larger the coupling strength is, the more the left-shifting is.     

Effect of cold plasma process on the surface wettability of NBR and the kerosene resistance of NBR/PTFE composites

In this study, first the acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR5080) was modified by argon (Ar), air, and oxygen plasma at low temperature, and the effect of plasma process (power, time, and pressure) on the surface properties of NBR5080, the interfacial properties, physical properties, and the mechanical properties of NBR5080/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites were investigated. The state contact angle and the surface free energy were applied to characterize the surface wettability of NBR5080. The scanning electron microscope and the atomic force microscope were used to observe the surface morphology of the NBR5080. The chemical changes on the NBR5080 surface were verified by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The average water contact angle the NBR5080 declined obviously when NBR5080 was treated by Ar (100 W/600 s/30 Pa). The active oxygen groups were introduced onto the surface of NBR5080 by cold plasma treatment and more active group containing oxygen were observed on the samples treated by Ar plasma. The peel strength between the NBR5080 and the PTFE was increased obviously, which increased from 0 to 44.2 N?m^?1 for Ar plasma treatment. The mass and the dimension of NBR5080 increase sharply after immersing in kerosene, whereas the NBR5080/PTFE composites changed a little. The mechanical properties of NBR5080 and NBR5080/PTFE composites decreased as the immersion time in kerosene increased, but the decreased degree of NBR5080 is higher than NBR5080/PTFE composites.     

Large impact in electrical properties of polypropylene by improving the filler-matrix interface effect in PP/PS blends

Inorganic nanoparticles are widely used to improve space charge behavior, DC breakdown strength and other electrical properties of polymer insulating materials, but the uniform distribution of inorganic nanofillers in matrix is difficult due to their agglomeration and bad compatibility with the polymeric matrix. In this paper, polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blends were prepared to suppress space charge accumulation and improve DC breakdown strength. Polypropylene-g-polystyrene (PP-g-PS) graft copolymer was used as compatibilizer to improve the compatibility of PP matrix and PS filler. The evolution of microstructure of PP/PS blends were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the space charge distributions were measured by a pulsed electro-acoustic (PEA) system, and DC breakdown strength was also tested. The morphologies show that the size of PS particles reduced to 310 nm when the content of PP-g-PS graft copolymer increased to 24 wt%, and the interaction between PP matrix and PS particles enhanced. The presence of PS particles in all PP/PS blends suppressed the space charge accumulation compared to neat PP, but the DC breakdown strength in uncompatibilized blend was lower than neat PP. The increasing of content of PP-g-PS improved the DC breakdown strength with the maximum value of 408.9 kV/mm was obtained. This may attribute to excellent interface structure formed between PP matrix and PS particles.     

Improved separation and size characterization of gold nanoparticles through a novel capillary zone electrophoresis method using poly(sodium4‐styrenesulfonate) as stabiliser and a stepwise field strength gradient

A novel capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed for an improved separation and size characterization of pristine gold nanoparticles (AuNP) using uncoated fused‐silica capillaries with UV‐Vis detection at 520 nm. To avoid colloid aggregation and/or adsorption during runs, poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS) was added (1%, w/v) in the running buffer (CAPS 10 mM, pH 11). This polyelectrolyte conferred an enhanced stabilization to AuNP, both steric and electrostatic, exalting at the same time their differences in electrophoretic mobility. Resolution was further and successfully improved through a stepwise field strength gradient by the application of 25 kV for the first 5 min and then 10 kV. Migration times varied linearly with particles diameters showing relative standard deviations better than 1% for daily experiments and 3% for interday experiments. A comparison with the size distribution obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allowed assessing that the electrophoretic profile can reasonably be considered as representative of the effective size heterogeneity of each colloid. Finally, the practical utility of the proposed method was demonstrated by measuring the core diameter of a gold colloid sample produced by chemical synthesis which was in good agreement with the value obtained by TEM measurements.     

环境友好型离子液体催化环氧丙烷反应合成丙二醇醚

丙二醇醚类化合物是性能优良的精细化学品,也是环保型高级溶剂.该类化合物具有两个强溶解性功能基团—醚键和羟基,前者具有亲油性,可溶解疏水性物质,后者具有亲水性,可溶解亲水性物质,因而丙二醇醚具有很强的溶解能力,素有"万能溶剂"之称,可广泛应用于涂料、油墨、油漆、印刷、电子化学品、染料、净洗和纺织等行业.丙二醇醚类化合物目前主要由环氧丙烷和低级脂肪醇反应合成,然而,由于环氧丙烷的位阻效应,使其在酸或碱的条件下开环的位置会不同,从而得到不同的醇醚产物.由于碱催化的醇醚产物更加环境友好,因而越来越被人们所关注.工业上丙二醇醚合成多采用传统的强碱性催化剂醇钠以及氢氧化钠,腐蚀性强,产生的废液量大.本文采用环境友好的非卤素离子液体作为催化剂,研究了其催化环氧丙烷醚化合成丙二醇醚的反应特性.本文采用两步法合成了一系列环境友好的醋酸类碱性功能化离子液体,并在温和的条件下将其用于催化环氧丙烷与醇反应合成丙二醇醚.结果表明,该类离子液体可以高效催化该反应的进行.利用紫外-可见光谱测定Hammett指数来表征实验中所用离子液体的碱强度,并构建了离子液体碱性与催化活性之间的关系.结果表明,离子液体的催化性能和其碱性密切相关,随着离子液体碱性的增加,催化活性增强,其中咪唑醋酸类离子液体碱性强于季胺类,表现出优异的催化性能.离子液体的碱性明显弱于NaOH,但却呈现出更优异的催化性能.相同反应条件下,EmimOAc离子液体作为催化剂,PO的转化率分别较NaOH高出20%–30%,选择性略高于NaOH,这可能是由于二者催化机理不同造成的.传统NaOH催化机理的关键步骤是醇在碱性催化剂的作用下去质子化形成电子供体烷氧根离子,促进环氧丙烷的开环加成.而本文提出了离子液体亲电亲核双活化作用机理,即离子液体在阴阳离子之间的氢键和电荷相互作用的共同作用下,促进环氧丙烷开环和醇的去质子化,形成相应的反应中间体.通过电喷雾质谱分析手段检测到了阴阳离子通过协同作用亲电亲核催化过程中的反应中间体,证明了该假设机理的可行性.此外,还考察了催化剂浓度、醇比、反应温度以及醇的空间位阻效应对反应的影响.以EmimOAc催化合成丙二醇丁醚为例,反应的转化率随催化剂浓度的增加而增大,在催化剂添加量1%(催化剂与PO的摩尔比)时,PO转化率达到最大值为98.2%,1-丁氧基-2-丙醇的选择性为86.4%.当正丁醇与环氧丙烷的摩尔比为3时,转化率最高为88.6%,选择性高达94%.该反应为放热反应,最适反应温度约为140 oC,此时转化率高达96.5%.在环氧丙烷和不同的低碳醇合成丙二醇醚的反应中,反应物醇的碳链越短,支链越少,催化反应效率越高.     

Director configurations in nematic droplets with tilted surface anchoring

The polymer dispersed nematic liquid crystal (LC) with the tilted surface anchoring has been studied. The droplet orientational structures with two point surface defects – boojums and the surface ring defect – are formed within the films. The director tilt angle α = 40° ± 4° at the droplet interface and LC surface anchoring strength W_s ~ 10^–6 (J m^?2) have been estimated. The bipolar axes within the studied droplets of oblate ellipsoidal form can be randomly oriented are oriented randomly relatively to the ellipsoid axes as opposed to the droplets with homeotropic and tangential anchoring.