Reversible nonlinear conduction in high‐density polyethylene/acetylene carbon black composites at various ambient temperatures

The reversible nonlinear conduction (RNC) in of high‐density polyethylene/acetylene carbon black composites with different degrees of crosslinking was studied above room temperature and below the melting point of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). The experimental current density‐electric field strength curves can be overlapped onto a master curve, suggesting that the microscopic mechanisms for the appearance of RNC exist regardless of the ambient temperature and the crosslinking degree of the HDPE matrix. The relationship between the crossover current density and the linear conductivity can be explained in the framework of the dynamic random‐resistor‐network model. According to these results, two electron‐tunneling models are suggested to interpret the microscopic conduction behavior. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1212–1217, 2004     

New liquid‐crystalline poly(ester amide)s: The role of nitro groups in the phase behavior

New hydrogen‐bonded liquid‐crystalline poly(ester amide)s (PEA)s were obtained from 1,4‐terephthaloyl[bis‐(3‐nitro‐N‐anthranilic acid)] (5) or 1,4‐terephthaloyl[bis‐(N‐anthranilic acid)] (6), with or without nitro groups, respectively, through the separate condensation of each with hydroquinone or dihydroxynaphthalene. The dicarboxylic monomers were synthesized from 2‐aminobenzoic acid. The phase behavior of the monomers and polymers were studied with differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction methods. Monomer 5, containing nitro groups, exhibited a smectic liquid‐crystalline phase, whereas the texture of monomer 6 without nitro groups appeared to be nematic. The PEAs containing nitro groups exhibited polymorphism (smectic and nematic), whereas those without nitro groups exhibited only one phase transition (a nematic threaded texture). The changes occurring in the phase behavior of the polymers were explained by the introduction of nitro groups. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1289–1298, 2004     

Mutual influence of the morphology and capillary rheological properties in nylon/glass‐fiber/liquid‐crystalline‐polymer blends

Nylon‐6/glass‐fiber (GF)/liquid‐crystalline‐polymer (LCP) ternary blends with different viscosity ratios were prepared with three kinds of nylon‐6 with different viscosities as matrices. The rheological behaviors of these blends were characterized with capillary rheometry. The morphology was observed with scanning electron microscopy and polarizing optical microscopy. This study showed that although LCP did not fibrillate in binary nylon‐6/LCP blends, LCP fibrillated to a large aspect ratio in some ternary blends after GF was added. The addition of 5 wt % LCP significantly reduced the melt viscosity of nylon‐6/GF blends to such an extent that some nylon‐6/GF/LCP blends had quite low viscosities, not only lower than those of neat resins and nylon‐6/GF blends but also lower than those of corresponding nylon‐6/LCP blends. The mutual influence of the morphology and rheological properties was examined. The great reduction of the melt viscosity was considered the result of LCP fibrillation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1619–1627, 2004     

Novel fixed‐site–carrier polyvinylamine membrane for carbon dioxide capture

Fixed‐site–carrier membranes were prepared for the facilitated transport of CO₂ by casting polyvinylamine (PVAm) on various supports, such as poly(ether sulfone) (PES), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), cellulose acetate (CA), and polysulfone (PSO). The cast PVAm on the support was crosslinked by various methods with glutaraldehyde, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and ammonium fluoride. Among the membranes tested, the PVAm cast on polysulfone and crosslinked by ammonium fluoride showed the highest selectivity of CO₂ over CH₄ (>1000). The permeance of CO₂ was then measured to be 0.014 m³ (STP)/(m² bar h) for a 20 μm thick membrane. The effect of the molecular weight of PVAm and feed pressure on the permeance was also investigated. The selectivity increased remarkably with increasing molecular weight and decreased slightly with increased pressure in the range of 1 to 4 bar. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4326–4336, 2004     

多壁碳纳米管膜湿敏特性的研究

研究了多壁碳纳米管(MWNTs)薄膜的湿敏特性，实验所用的多壁碳纳米管是用热灯丝化学气相沉积法(CVD)合成的.分别对未修饰和修饰的多壁碳纳米管膜温度和湿度特性进行研究后发现，修饰的多壁碳纳米管对温度和湿度非常敏感，且对湿度的响应时间和恢复时间短，重复性好.而未修饰的多壁碳纳米管对温度和湿度不太敏感.对修饰多壁碳纳米管的湿敏特性进行了理论分析，给出了其理论表示式. 关键词： 多壁碳纳米管 化学修饰 湿敏特性 物理吸附     

含氮类金刚石薄膜的紫外辐照研究

 用射频等离子体方法在玻璃基底上制备的类金刚石（DLC）薄膜，采用离子注入法掺氮，并对掺氮DLC薄膜紫外（UV）辐照前后的性能变化进行了研究。研究结果表明：随氮离子注入剂量及UV辐照时间的增加，位于2 930cm^-1附近的SP ³C-H吸收峰明显变小，而位于1 580cm^-1附近的SP2C-H吸收峰则明显增强，薄膜的电阻率明显呈下降趋势；随UV辐照时间的增加，位于1 078cm^-1附近的Si-O-Si键数量及位于786cm^-1附近的Si-C键数量明显增加。即氮离子注入和UV辐照明显改变了DLC薄膜的结构与特性。     

Radioactive Tracer Study of the Displacement of Iodine Adatoms from Platinized Platinum Electrode by Carbon Monoxide

Radioactive tracer studies confirm the earlier electrochemical results that carbon monoxide can virtually completely displace iodine adatoms. For the first time, it is found that iodine adatoms are not displaced by carbon monoxide when iodide anions are adsorbed in the presence of an upd silver monolayer. The possible reasons for the effect observed are discussed.     

InCl3·4H2O Promoted Green Preparation of Xanthenedione Derivatives in Ionic Liquids

Xanthenediones derivatives have attracted considerable interests in recent times because they constitute a structural unit in a number of natural products1 and have been used as versatile synthons due to the inherent reactivity of the inbuilt pyran ring2. The conventional syntheses of xanthenediones were acid or base catalyzed condensation of appropriate active methylene carbonyl compounds with aldehydes3. However, many of these procedures involved longer reaction times,low yields and side reactions of aldehydes. In recent years, room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been used as novel green reaction media4. Considering that InCl3 is an efficient Lewis acid catalyst used in promoting many organic reactions, especially in several condensation processes, we herein wish to report a very simple and green method for the preparation of poly-hydrogenated xanthenediones through InCl3·4H2O promoted cascade reaction of aldehydes and 5,5-dimethyl-l,3-cyclohexanedione in ionic liquid,1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]). The preparative process presented here is operationally simple, environmentally benign and has the advantage of enhanced atom utilization. Furthermore, the solvent and the catalyst used can be recovered easily and reused efficiently.     

A relaxed model and its homogenization for nematic liquid crystals in composite materials

We analyse a model for equilibrium configurations of composite systems of nematic liquid crystal with polymer inclusions, in the presence of an external magnetic field. We assume that the system has a periodic structure, and consider the relaxed problem on the unit length constraint of the nematic director field. The relaxation of the Oseen–Frank energy functional is carried out by including bulk as well as surface energy penalty terms, rendering the problem fully non‐linear. We employ two‐scale convergence methods to obtain effective configurations of the system, as the size of the polymeric inclusions tends to zero. We discuss the minimizers of the effective energies for, both, the constrained as well as the unconstrained models. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Total electron scattering cross sections for carbon dioxide at low electron energies

Absolute total electron scattering cross sections for carbon dioxide have been measured at low electron energies using a photoelectron source. The measurements have been carried out at 27 electron energies varying from 0.91–9.14 eV with an accuracy of ±3%. The cross sections obtained in the present experiment have been compared with other measurements and theoretical computations.