Thermal Decomposition Characteristics of 1,7-Diazido-2,4,6-trinitrazaheptane and its Application in Propellants

The thermal decomposition characteristics of1,7-diazido-2,4,6-trinitrazaheptane (DATH) and multi-component systems containing DATH were studied by using DSC, TG and DTG techniques. Three –NO₂ groups in the DATH molecule break away first from the main chain when DATH is heated up to 200°C. Following this process, the azido groups and the residual molecule decompose rapidly to release a great deal of heat within a short time. In the multi-component systems, DATH undergoes a strong interaction with the binder of the double-base propellant and a weak interaction with RDX. The burning rates of the two propellants were determined by using a Crawford bomb. The results showed that the burning rate rises by about 19–66% when 23.5%DATH is substituted for RDX in a minimum smoke propellant. Meanwhile, the N₂ level in the combustion gases is enhanced, which is valuable for a reduction of the signal level of the solid propellant. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Identification of a chemical indicator of the rupture of 1,4-β-glycosidic bonds of cellulose in an oil-impregnated insulating paper system

In this study, headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry has been used to assess the volatile by-products generated by the ageing of oil-impregnated paper insulation of power transformers. Sealed-glass ampoules were used to age under oxidative conditions 0.5-g specimens of insulating paper in 9 mL of inhibited mineral oil in a temperature range of 60–120 °C and moisture of 0.5, 1 and 2% (w/w). A linear relationship between one of the oil-soluble degradation by-products, i.e. methanol, and the number of ruptured 1,4-β-glycosidic bonds of cellulose, regardless of the type of paper (ordinary Kraft or thermally-upgraded (TU) Kraft paper), was established for the first time in this field. Ageing at 130 °C of model compounds of the Kraft paper constituents (α-cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) and two cellulosic breakdown by-products (D-(+)-glucose and 1,6-anhydro-β-d-glucopyranose) confirmed that the α-cellulose degradation was mostly responsible for the presence of this molecule in the system. Furthermore, additional 130 °C-tests with six different papers and pressboard samples under a tight control of initial moisture indicated that at least one molecule of methanol is formed for each rupture of 1,4-β-glucosidic bond of the molecular chains. Stability tests showed that the ageing indicator is stable under the oxygen and temperature conditions of open-breathing transformers. The presence of methanol was detected in 94% of oil samples collected from over than 900 in-service pieces of equipment, confirming the potential for this application. Lastly, the tests have shown that oil-oxidation by-products and TU-nitrogenous agents modify the methanol partitioning coefficients in the paper/oil/air system, which makes their study essential over a range of field conditions encountered by power transformers. Results are presented and discussed in comparison with 2-furfuraldehyde, which is the current reference in the domain.     

Theory of oscillatory experiments with a coaxial cylinder viscometer

Equations are derived for the coaxial cylinder system in the combined oscillatory and steady-state shear mode. The limitations of the use of the various equations are presented. If the usual linear equations are used, the main limitation, in the case of oscillatory shear only, is that the frequency of measurement should be below 0.016 | ^*|/(r ₂ –r ₁ )². Here | ^*| is the modulus of the complex viscosity, is the density of the liquid andr ₁ andr ₂ are the radii of the cylinders. Furthermore it is shown that there is a small error in the numerical factor of the usually applied equations. The calculations are set up in such a way that extension to higher harmonics follows in a natural way. An experimental example illustrates the use of the derived equations.     

Decomposition of 1-(ω-aminoalkanoyl)guanidines under alkaline conditions

The decomposition of some N^G-(ω-aminoalkanoyl)argininamides, which are key intermediates for the preparation of radiolabeled and fluorescent neuropeptide Y receptor ligands, prompted us to synthesize a small series of simple 1-(ω-aminoalkanoyl)guanidines, and to investigate these model compounds for stability in alkaline buffers. The degradation of acylguanidines was monitored by time resolved UV spectroscopy. The most labile compound, 1-(5-aminopentanoyl)guanidine, decomposed with a half life of 19 s to yield piperidin-2-one (pH 10.4 at 25 °C). In contrast the half life of 1-(6-aminohexanoyl)guanidine is 7.7 h, which is comparable to the hydrolysis of acetylguanidine (t_1/2 = 9.6 h) in alkaline solution.     

Drift tube investigations on the reactions of O 2 + with CH4 and of CO 2 + with NO in various buffer gases

The influence of internal excitation on the reactions of O ₂ ⁺ + CH₄ and of CO ₂ ⁺ + NO has been investigated using a slow flow drift tube. The rate coefficients for these reactions obtained as a function of relative kinetic energy in various buffer gases like He, Ne, Ar, and Kr showed higher values under conditions where the internal excitation of the reactant ions was enhanced. For both reactions the lowest reactivity at all kinetic energies was observed to occur in He, indicating that He is the least effective buffer for collisionally inducing internal excitation of molecular ions.     

Pulse radiolysis study of I− oxidation with radical anions Cl2 ⋅− in an aqueous solution

Radiation-chemical transformations of chloride solutions in the presence of iodide additives were studied by pulse radiolysis. Radical anion Cl₂ ^⋅− oxidize I⁻ ion, while in the secondary reactions Cl₂ reacts with I⁻ to form a mixed trihalide ion ICl₂ ⁻. A reaction model that satisfactorily describes the experimental data was proposed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1336–1340, June, 2005.     

Improvement of some pharmaceutical properties of nocloprost by β- and γ-Cyclodextrin Complexation

Inclusion complexation of nocloprost, a potent antiulcer prostaglandin derivative, with -, -, and -cyclodextrins (CyDs) in aqueous solutions has been studied by the solubility method and¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The steric requirement of host-guest interaction was reflected in the magnitude of the stability constants and the thermodynamic parameters of the inclusion complexes. Solid complexes of nocloprost with - and -CyDs in a molar ratio of 1 : 2 were obtained on the basis of aBs-type phase solubility diagram. The X-ray diffraction data suggested that nocloprost is included in the cylindrical channel formed by coaxial alignment of -CyD molecules to give a channel type structure. Release and thermal behavior of the solid complexes was examined and compared with nocloprost itself. The results indicated that the -CyD complex may have great utility among the three CyDs, being a rapid dissolving form of nocloprost with improved thermal stability.     

Enzymatic degradation of highly phenolic lignin-based polymers (lignophenols)

Enzymatic degradation of two lignin-based polymers (lignophenols), lignocatechol and lignocresol, prepared by selectively grafting catechol and p-cresol to C_α positions of lignin, respectively, were carried out in aqueous organic solvents. Both lignophenols showed high reactivity in the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation. Structural analyses by NMR spectroscopies revealed that the degraded lignophenols contained aliphatic chain content, which might be mainly formed in the reduction of the intermediate initially generated by the aromatic ring cleavage. Lower amount of aromatic units in the lignophenols after degraded by peroxidase also indicted the cleavage of aromatic rings. Due to the substitution of phenols at C_α positions of lignin, the degraded lignophenols did not have carbonyl structure, which was abundant in the biodegradation products of native lignin. The two lignophenols were also degraded by Rhus vernicifera laccase. But the degree of degradation was lower than that of the degradation by peroxidase, which might be due to the low activity of laccase on the lignin moieties in lignophenols.     

Size exclusion chromatographic characterization of sodium hyaluronate fractions prepared by high energetic sonication

Summary A high molecular weight sodium hyaluronate isolated from rooster combs was degraded by ultrasonication. High-performance size exclusion chromatography allowed rapid and accurate determination of molecular weight parameters (M_z, M_w, M_n) and distributions. The time dependence of hyaluronan ultrasonication to the molecular characteristics of the polymer was investigated. A non-random nature of the degradation process was demonstrated and the reciprocal M_n value was found to be linearly proportional to the time of ultrasonication.     

芥子气模拟剂2-氯乙基乙基硫醚的光催化降解

利用连续流动微反、原位红外和GC/MS等手段考察了芥子气模拟剂2-氯乙基乙基硫醚（2-CEES）在P25 TiO2上的光催化降解反应,证实CO2和H2O是这个反应的最终产物.详细的跟踪分析表明,除了CO2和H2O外,在反应的气相混合物中可检测到C2H4、CH3CHO、CH4、CO、HCl和H2S；少量小分子的羧酸、醚和砜；微量C2H5SC2H5、C2H5S2C2H5、C2H5SC2H4Cl和CH2ClCH2Cl等中间产物;在反应后的催化剂表面可检测到C2H5S2C2H5、C2H5SC2H4OH、C4H9S2C2H5和C2H5S2C2H4OH、等物.根据这些结果提出了2-CEES光催化降解的反应机理,推断2-CEES的光催化降解涉及脱氯、C－S键断裂、有机硫化物光聚合和裂解等复杂过程最终转化为CO2和H2O.认为各种硫物种在表面的积聚引起了催化剂的缓慢失活.