Thermal properties of polypropylene post-consumer waste (PP PCW)

Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to study the heat flow during melting and crystallisation of a range of polypropylene post-consumer waste (PP PCW) grades and blends. The heat flow curves and the heat capacity curves indicated that the PP PCW grades and blends contained contaminants even after manual sorting and a cleaning process. The enthalpies of the PP PCW grades were lower than that for the virgin grades, as a result of degradation. Small amounts of polymeric contaminants (up to 10%) did not affect the enthalpies of PP PCW although other contaminants may have had some effect. The enthalpies of the PCW blends could in general be predicted by a linear additive rule, which is of importance for recycling a variety of PP PCW products.The authors would like to thank Dr. M. Killen (Basell Australia Pty. Ltd.), Mr. P. Slaven (Citiwide MRF), Dasma Valley Waste Prop. Ltd. and Mr. I. Janetzki (Huhtamaki Australia Ltd.) for supplying materials for this project. Financial support for the project was provided by Basell Australia and Ecorecycle Victoria, Australia.     

Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Small Communities

The heating values of municipal solid waste generated in three towns with a population of less than 50 000, situated in Galicia (Spain), were measured with a static bomb calorimeter. Samples of raw refuse were burnt either as received or after sorting of the different combustible components. A study was made of samples from controlled and uncontrolled landfills. The calorific values were compared with those corresponding to a commercial residual derived fuel in order to study the possibility of using municipal solid waste as a source of recovered energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A quantum-chemical study of regioselectivity of indolization of some unsymmetrical ketone phenylhydrazones

The heat of formation (H _f) of unsymmetrical ketone phenylhydrazones and their enehydrazine tautomers was calculated by the semi-empirical quantum-chemical AM1 method. It is concluded that from H _f values it is possible to judge the regioselectivity of indolization of unsymmetrical ketone phenylhydrazones.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 220–221, January, 1993.     

Monte‐Carlo simulation of spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in multi‐film targets: source size of Al Kα x‐rays in W/Al film targets

A Monte‐Carlo simulation approach has been applied to describe the spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in W/Al film targets of different combinations of film thicknesses for the optimal design of a small‐sized x‐ray source having a high x‐ray intensity. The result has led to optimal combinations of W and Al film targets for 100 kV electrons, e.g. W(1 µm)/Al(20 µm), W(3 µm)/Al(15 µm) and W(5 µm)/Al(8 µm). These Al/W targets could be used as x‐ray sources for a medical instrument currently under development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ViscosityB-coefficients,structural entropies and heat capacities,and the effects of ions on the structure of water

The water-structural contributions to the entropies and heat capacities of hydration of over 120 ions and the viscosity B-coefficients of nearly 80 aqueous ions are tabulated and correlated. B-coefficients for many more ions are predicted from this relationship and from their dependence on ionic size and charge. The structural entropies determine a unique scale of water structure making and breaking by the ions.     

Non isothermal heat capacities and chemical reactions using a modulated DSC

An evaluation of measurements of heat capacities by modulated differential scanning calorimetry, MDSC is presented. Heat capacities were obtained from 130 to 550 K by a non isothermal technique in which a periodic modulation was added to the linear heating rate. Effects of amplitude and period of modulation, sample weight, sample type, pan type, and cell imbalance are described. Results are compared with those obtained using the isothermal technique. Heat capacity could be measured well into the decomposition region and separated from the non reversing signal due to chemical reaction (degradation), thus allowing a precise detection of onsets of the thermal degradation. This additional information will aid in the interpretation of the degradation chemistry, a field vital for the petroleum-industry.Dedicated to Professor Bernhard Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthdayPart of this paper was presented at the 23rd Conference of the North American Thermal Analysis Society, Toronto, Canada, September 25–28, 1994.The author (MVN) acknowledges the experimental assistance provided by J. Balogh of Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Linden. Helpful discussions with A. Boller of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Dr. Y. Jin, General Electrical, and Dr. S. Sauerbrunn formerly of TA Instruments are also acknowledged.     

Influence of drawing and heat treatment on surface free energies of polyethylene terephthalate fibers

The surface free energies of polyethylene terepthalate fibers with different draw ratios were experimentally determined by contact angle measurements inn-alkane/water systems. The dispersive component of the surface free energy increased with increasing draw ratio, whereas the nondispersive one remained almost constant. After heat treatment, the dispersive surface free energy increased, but was reduced above 140°C. The nondispersive component increased by heat treatment at 190°C. The increases in the density and birefringence of the fibres due to the drawing and heat treatment suggested that the increase in the dispersive surface free energy was caused by the increase in the atomic density at the fiber surface due to drawing and heat treatment. ESCA results indicated that the increment in the nondispersive surface free energy due to heat treatment was caused by the addition of functional groups to the fiber surface due to heat treatment.     

Determination of the diastereomers of vitamin K1

A method is described for the gas-chromatographic determination of the diastereomers of vitamin K₁ (phylloquinone) in the form of their dihydro dimethyl ethers. The reported method of derivatization and chromatographic analysis in conjunction with optical rotation measurements are useful approaches for characterization of vitamin K₁ samples with respect to their origin.     

Calorimetric studies of refractory corundum

Calorimetry has been used in the investigations of calcium aluminate materials produced as a binder for aluminate-corundum composites of high refractoriness. The kinetics and of hydration process was thus characterized and the optimum compositions of initial binders and cement-corundum refractory filler blends could be selected for further tests. The acceleration of heat evolution - the shortening of so-called induction period and relatively high heat output in the presence of corundum was observed. It means the acceleration of hydration process, that is early crystallisation of hydration products and subsequent further dissolution of initial anhydrous aluminate phases. In the presence of fine grained corundum particles these phenomena should be attributed to the nucleating effect of fine corundum particles. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effect of composition of parenteral solution on the thermal resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis spores

Large-volume parenteral solutions were submitted to heat treatments after being inoculated with Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 (T _r =121°C) and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 9372 (T _r =104.5°C) spores. The average decimal reduction time for B. stearothermophilus ranged from a D _121°C value of 1.31 to 3.14 min, in glucophysiologic and Ringer’s solutions respectively. For B. subtilis, D _104.5°C value increased from 0.69 to 1.37 min, in Ringer’s (pH=5.91) and 50% glucose (pH 3.05) solutions respectively. The z value ranged from 7.95°C (20% mannitol solution) to 13.14°C (50% glucose solution), corresponding to an activation energy (Ea) of 81.48 and 49.30 kcal/mol, respectively.