Free radical polymerization of caffeine‐containing methacrylate monomers

The incorporation of acrylic functionality into caffeine enables the preparation of a vast array of novel thermoplastics and thermosets. A two‐step derivatization provided a novel caffeine‐containing methacrylate monomer capable of free radical polymerization. Copolymers of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate and caffeine methacrylate (CMA) allowed for a systematic study of the effect of covalently bound caffeine on polymer properties. ¹H NMR and UV‐vis spectroscopy confirmed caffeine incorporation at 5 and 13 mol %, and SEC revealed the formation of high molecular weight (co)polymers (>40,000 g/mol). CMA incorporation resulted in a multistep degradation profile with initial mass loss closely correlating to caffeine content. Differential scanning calorimetry, rheological, and thermomechanical analysis demonstrated that relatively low levels of CMA increased the glass transition temperature, resulting in higher moduli and elucidating the benefits of incorporating caffeine into polymers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 2829–2837     

Development of completely bio‐based epoxy networks derived from epoxidized linseed and castor oil cured with citric acid

Bio‐based epoxy resins were synthesized from nonedible resources like linseed oil and castor oil. Both the oils were epoxidized through in situ method and characterized via Fourier transform infrared and ¹H‐NMR. These epoxidized oils were crosslinked with citric acid without using any catalyst and their properties compared with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A‐epoxy. The tensile strength and modulus of epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) were found to be more than those of epoxidized castor oil (ECO)‐based network. However, elongation at break of ECO was significantly higher than that of both ELO and epoxy, which reveals its improved flexibility and toughened nature. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the thermal degradation of ELO‐based network is similar to that of petro‐based epoxy. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed moderate storage modulus and broader loss tangent curve of bio‐based epoxies confirming superior damping properties. Bioepoxies exhibit nearly similar contact angle as epoxy and display good chemical resistant. The preparation method does not involve the use of any toxic catalyst and more hazardous solvents, thus being eco‐friendly.     

Electrochemical C−H Amination by Cobalt Catalysis in a Renewable Solvent

Syntheses of substituted anilines primarily rely on palladium‐catalyzed coupling chemistry with prefunctionalized aryl electrophiles. While oxidative aminations have emerged as powerful alternatives, they largely produce undesired metal‐containing by‐products in stoichiometric quantities. In contrast, described herein is the unprecedented electrochemical C?H amination by cobalt‐catalyzed C?H activation. The environmentally benign electrocatalysis avoids stoichiometric metal oxidants, can be conducted under ambient air, and employs a biomass‐derived, renewable solvent for sustainable aminations in an atom‐ and step‐economical manner with H₂ as the sole byproduct.     

《茶经》中的中学化学课程资源

唐代陆羽撰写的《茶经》被誉为“茶叶百科全书”,是中国乃至世界上最早关于茶文化的史料,也是保留最完整、最全面的茶学专著。通过探析《茶经》中蕴含的育人价值,挖掘《茶经》中的化学课程资源。在化学教学中,将《茶经》中与化学知识契合的传统文化内容作为情境载体建立学习桥梁,从化学角度对传统文化内容进行再认识,从文化视角感受化学中蕴含的人文底蕴,帮助学习和理解化学知识,增强文化认同感和民族自豪感。依据新课标中的情境素材建议与要求,梳理了《茶经》中可与高中化学教科书相联系的内容,为创设真实的情境提供素材,利用古代茶器具与中学化学实验仪器之间的相似性创设情境。并且提出了关于中学化学教学中有效融入传统文化的几点建议。     

中国省际废旧资源再利用绩效评价

运用数据包络分析法(DEA)评价了中国24个省份废旧资源再利用的相对效率.以区域废旧资源再利用绩效评价为原则,选取了数据包络分析的输入输出指标,建立了DEA数学评价模型,按照评价结果,分析了DEA有效的省份的原因,给出了非DEA有效省份的废旧资源再利用运作改进建议.     

Post-primary students’ images of mathematics: findings from a survey of Irish ordinary level mathematics students

A questionnaire survey was carried out as part of a PhD research study to investigate the image of mathematics held by post-primary students in Ireland. The study focused on students in fifth year of post-primary education studying ordinary level mathematics for the Irish Leaving Certificate examination – the final examination for students in second-level or post-primary education. At the time this study was conducted, ordinary level mathematics students constituted approximately 72% of Leaving Certificate students. Students were aged between 15 and 18 years. A definition for ‘image of mathematics’ was adapted from Lim and Wilson, with image of mathematics hypothesized as comprising attitudes, beliefs, self-concept, motivation, emotions and past experiences of mathematics. A questionnaire was composed incorporating 84 fixed-response items chosen from eight pre-established scales by Aiken, Fennema and Sherman, Gourgey and Schoenfeld. This paper focuses on the findings from the questionnaire survey. Students’ images of mathematics are compared with regard to gender, type of post-primary school attended and prior mathematical achievement.     

MODELING THE EFFECTS OF WOOD AND NON‐WOOD BASED INDUSTRIES ON FORESTRY RESOURCES

Pollution due to the wood and non‐wood based industries is one of the main reasons for the depletion of forestry resources. On the onset of industrial era, the number of industries was less but now it has increased much due to rapid pace of development. Industrialization affects forestry resources in two ways: (i) using raw materials by wood based industries and cut down by non‐wood based industries and (ii) emitting pollutants by wood and non‐wood based industries. In view of this, in this paper, we have proposed and analyzed a mathematical model to assess the effects of wood and non‐wood based industries on the depletion of forestry resources. In the modeling process, it is assumed that wood and non‐wood based industries deplete the forestry resources directly, whereas pollutants emitted by both types of industries decrease the growth rate of forestry resources indirectly. The equilibria are obtained and their stability is discussed. The model analysis reveals that forestry resources decrease due to the growth in wood based industries but the overgrowth in non‐wood based industries and pollutants emitted by them in the environment adversely affect the forestry resources. Numerical simulation is provided to support analytical findings.     

高等数学“资源共享课”的实践

高等数学素质教育的一项重要内容是引导学生主动探求知识,自主归纳解决问题的方法,而"资源共享课"给学生提供了扩展视野、相互学习、展示自我的平台.这种组织课堂的方式有利于搞活课堂教学,提高学生数学素养及综合素质.     

油资源运移聚集并行数值模拟和分析

多层油资源运移聚集并行数值模拟,其功能是重建油气盆地的运移聚集演化史,对于油资源的评价,确度油藏位置,估计油藏贮量均具有重要的价值.从生产实际出发,提出数学模型,构造大规模精细并行计算的耦合算子分裂隐式迭代格式,设计了并行计算程序和并行计算的信息传递和交替方向网格剖分方法.并对不同的网格步长进行了并行计算和分析.对滩海地区进行精细数值模拟,计算结果在油田位置等方面和实际情况相吻合.对模型问题(非线型性耦合问题)进行数值分析,得到最佳阶L²误差估计,解决了这一计算渗流力学和石油地质的困难问题.