Determination of Fibre Pore Structure: Influence of Salt,pH and Conventional Wet Strength Resins

It has been shown, in the present investigation, that the two methods used to investigate the pore size distribution of unbleached chemical pulps, i.e. inverse size exclusion chromatography (ISEC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), give different average pore radius for the pores inside the fibre wall. This is due to the way in which these experiments are performed and the sensitivity of the methods to different types of pores in the cell wall. It was also shown that the two methods gave different results when changing the pH and the ionic strength of the pulp suspension. The pore radius, as detected with ISEC, decreased with both increasing ionic strength and decreasing pH, indicating a loose structure of the exterior of the fibrillar network. However, the pore radius as detected with NMR, was virtually unaffected when increasing the ionic strength, indicating a very rigid structure of the interior of the fibre wall. Decreasing pH though, lead to a decrease in pore radius indicating that upon protonation of the carboxylic groups in the fibre wall, the electrostatic repulsion is diminished and the average pore radius decreases. The NMR technique was also used to study wet strength aid penetration into the fibre wall. It was shown that wet strength aids with a small molecular weight, penetrated the fibre wall, as detected by a decrease in pore radius. It was also shown that addition of different wet strength aids increased the tensile index of the sheet and decreased the fibre strength, measured as zero span-strength of the sheets.     

Zur kenntnis ‚Kationen-reicher’︁ Tantalate und Niobate Über Na5TaO5 und Na5NbO5

On Tantalates and Niobates ‘rich in Cations’. On Na₅TaO₅ and Na₅NbO₅ Colourless, transparent single crystals of Na₅TaO₅ [annealed mixtures of Na₂O, Li₂O, and Ta₂O₅, Na : Li : Ta = 6.6 : 1.1 : 1, Ni-cylinder, 1000°C, 75 d] as well as Na₅NbO₅ [annealed mixtures of Na₂O, Li₂O, and Nb₂O₅, Na : Li : Nb = 6.6 : 1.1 : 1, Ni-cylinder, 1000°C, 75 d] have been prepared. Single crystal data show that both isotypic oxides represent a deformed variant of the NaCl-type of structure [Na₅TaO₅: 1154 from 1250 I₀ (hkl), four-cycle diffractometer Philips PW 1100, ω2-θ scan, Ag? Kα , R = 4.88%, space group c2/c with a = 629.3(1) pm, b = 1025.4(2) pm, c = 1004.6(2) pm, b? 106.80(2)°, z = 4 and Na₅NbO₅: 998 from 1247 I₀(hkl), four-cycle diffractometer Philips PW 1100, ω-2θ scan, Ag? Kα , R = 8.58% and R_w = 7.67%, space group C2/2 with a = 629.1(1) pm, b = 1024.4(2) pm, c = 1004.2(2) pm, b? = 106.80(2)°, Z = 4]. The Madelung Part of Lattice Energy, MAPLE, and Effective Coordination Numbers, ECoN, the latter derived from Mean Effective Fictive Ionic Radii, MEFIR, as well as Charge Distribution, CHARDI, are calculated.     

Correlation between C and O chemical shifts and torsional strain in spiroacetals

The relationship between the ¹³C and ¹⁷O NMR chemical shifts and the dihedral energies (non-bonding interactions) of 1,4-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,10-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,11-dioxaspiro[4.6]undecane, 1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, 1,5-dioxa and 7,12-dioxaspiro[5.6]dodecane and 1,6-dioxaspiro[6.6]tridecane were analyzed. These data showed correlation of the non-bonding interactions with the chemical shift of the spiranic carbon, as well as a linear relationship between ¹³C and ¹⁷O.     

Hydrolysis of (CH3)3Sn+ in Various Salt Media

The hydrolysis of trimethyltin(IV) has been studied by potentiometry (H⁺ -glass electrode) and calorimetry in various salt media (NaNO₃, NaCl, KCl, Na₂SO₄, and NaNO₃—NaCl mixtures). The effect of ionic strength on the hydrolysis constants is accounted for by a simple Debye–Hückel type equation and by Pitzer equations. The results allow us to obtain H for hydrolysis and the temperature dependence of the Pitzer parameters. The resulting coefficients can be used to examine the speciation of (CH₃)₃Sn⁺ in multicomponent electrolyte solutions, such as natural waters, over a wide range of temperature and ionic strength.     

Synthesis and burst strength of water‐swollen immunoisolatory tubules

A series of amphiphilic hydrogel tubules have been prepared by copolymerizing/crosslinking hydrophilic poly(dimethylacrylamide) segments with hydrophobic di‐, tri‐, and octamethacrylate‐telechelic polyisobutylene crosslinkers, and their elastic modulus and burst strength in the water‐swollen state were investigated. Because the burst characteristics of hydrogels have not yet been quantitatively investigated, equipment was designed and built to generate fundamental insight into the burst properties of thin‐walled (200–250 μm) narrow lumen (2–3 mm i.d.) water‐swollen tubules. The theory developed to describe quantitatively the inflation behavior of thin‐walled rubber tubules was adapted to treat our experimental observations. Changes in the burst strength, elastic modulus, and expansion during the inflation of hydrogel tubules were interpreted in terms of the molecular weight of the hydrophilic segments between crosslinking sites (M_{c,hydrophilic}), which in turn was calculated according to the rubber elasticity theory. According to these investigations, the burst strength of our water‐swollen amphiphilic tubules is in the 0.2–0.5 MPa range, which is sufficient for implantation and immunoisolatory applications. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2075–2084, 2002     

Aging effect on the mechanical properties of hybrid gels

Sol-gel derived unsupported films and thin rods have been obtained from co-hydrolysis of triethoxysilane and methyldiethoxysilane. The materials are flexible, dense and transparent. Films and rods have been aged for different periods of time in air at room temperature. The elastic modulus has been measured by means of tensile or flexural tests. Measurements showed an increase of elastic modulus with aging time and showed different values for films and rods. The observed evolution of mechanical properties has been related to a corresponding structural modification as highlighted mainly by MAS-NMR studies. Analyses pointed out the crucial role of condensation processes and showed that the stiffness increase arises from the formation of relatively few bonds which link and constrain pre-existing mobile network regions.     

硅酸及其盐的研究 XX聚硅酸溶液中的酸强度与分子结构的关系

本文利用无机酸系列的酸强度(pKa值)与羟基上氧原子的亲电子超离域度S(E)成线性关系的规律性,找出聚硅酸系列的相应线性方程为:并由此推测低聚硅酸溶液中可能存在的硅酸结构:在三聚硅酸溶液中主要存在着六元平面环的三聚体;在四聚硅酸中则主要存在着三种环状的四聚体。     

Time-resolved ultraviolet laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for organic material analysis

Ultraviolet pulses (266 nm) delivered by a quadrupled Nd:YAG laser were used to analyze organic samples with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We present characteristics of the spectra obtained from organic samples with special attentions on the emissions of organic elements, O and N, and molecular bonds CN. The choice of these atomic or molecular species is justified on one hand, by the importance of these species to specify organic or biological materials; and on the other hand by the possible interferences with ambient air when laser ablation takes place in the atmosphere. Time-resolved LIBS was used to determine the time-evolution of line intensity emitted from these species. We demonstrate different kinetic behaviors corresponding to different origins of emitters: native atomic or molecular species directly vaporized from the sample or those generated through dissociation or recombination due to interaction between laser-induced plasma and air molecules. Our results show the ability of time-resolved UV-LIBS for detection and identification of native atomic or molecular species from an organic sample.     

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of minerals: Carbonates and silicates

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides an alternative chemical analytical technique that obviates the issues of sample preparation and sample destruction common to most laboratory-based analytical methods. This contribution explores the capability of LIBS analysis to identify carbonate and silicate minerals rapidly and accurately. Fifty-two mineral samples (18 carbonates, 9 pyroxenes and pyroxenoids, 6 amphiboles, 8 phyllosilicates, and 11 feldspars) were analyzed by LIBS. Two composite broadband spectra (averages of 10 shots each) were calculated for each sample to produce two databases each containing the composite LIBS spectra for the same 52 mineral samples. By using correlation coefficients resulting from the regression of the intensities of pairs of LIBS spectra, all 52 minerals were correctly identified in the database. If the LIBS spectra of each sample were compared to a database containing the other 51 minerals, 65% were identified as a mineral of similar composition from the same mineral family. The remaining minerals were misidentified for two reasons: 1) the mineral had high concentrations of an element not present in the database; and 2) the mineral was identified as a mineral with similar elemental composition from a different family. For instance, the Ca–Mg carbonate dolomite was misidentified as the Ca–Mg silicate diopside. This pilot study suggests that LIBS has promise in mineral identification and in situ analysis of minerals that record geological processes.     

An investigation of dynamic mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of housing materials for outdoor polymeric insulators

The present paper reports the results about a study of mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical and electrical properties of housing (weather shed) materials for outdoor polymeric insulators. Silicone rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and alloys of silicon-EPDM are known polymers for use as housing in high voltage insulators. The result of dynamical mechanical measurement shows that the storage modulus of blends enhances with increase EPDM in formulation. It can be seen from the result of TGA measurement that initial thermal degradation of silicone rubber improves by the effect of EPDM in blends. The blends of silicone-EPDM show good breakdown voltage strength compared to silicone rubber. Surface and volume resistance of silicone rubber improve by EPDM content. The mechanical properties of EPDM such as strength, modulus and elongation at break improve by silicone.