Preparation and Flammability of a Flame-Retardant Poly(Butyl Acrylate-Vinyl Acetate) System Based on Gemin-Surfactant Modified Montmorillonite and Ammonium Polyphosphate

Gemin-surfactant modified montmorillonite (G-MMT) was successfully prepared by an ion exchange reaction and characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The P(BA-VAc)/G-MMT emulsion was prepared via an in-situ polymerization method using potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈, KPS) as an initiator. Ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was introduced for obtaining P(BA-VAc)/APP/G-MMT flame-retardant latex with a constant total content of 15 wt% of APP and G-MMT in P(BA-VAc). The flame retardancy and thermal behavior of the latex films were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning test (UL-94) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTA). Compared with the P(BA-VAc)/APP composite, the LOI value of P(BA-VAc)/APP/G-MMT containing 0.5 wt% G-MMT at the same total additive loading increased to 29.1 from 20.0 and its UL-94 increased from no rating to V-0. Thermal gravimetric (TG) data showed that the amount of residues increased significantly with the loading of G-MMT. In addition, the LOI values increased with the increase in char residues. The morphology and microstructure of the residues generated during LOI testing were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The outer surfaces of P(BA-VAc)/APP/G-MMT charred layers were more continuous and compact than those of P(BA-VAc)/APP.     

Copper (50 MeV) and Oxygen (84 MeV) Ion Irradiation Probed Thermal,Structural and Optical Behavior of Polyethylene Terephthalate

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films of 50?μm thickness were exposed to swift-heavy 50?MeV copper and 84?MeV oxygen ions, with fluence varying from 1?×?10¹¹ to 1?×?10¹³ ions cm^?2. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the irradiated samples. The XRD and DSC analysis indicated the loss of crystallinity during/after the irradiation. The FTIR spectra revealed the formation of alkyne end groups, C═C groups and structural deformation with increase of ion fluence. Considerable reduction in the value of the optical bandgap was inferred from the study of the UV-visible absorption curves.     

The Effect of Selenium Supplementation on the NMR Proton Relaxation Time T1 in Plasma

Selenium has been identified as an essential dietary trace e1ementQ)which is a component of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)(₂)and a cytochrome C-like protein(₃), The enzyme,the four subunits of which each contain one atom of selenium in the form of selenocysteine, the selenium containing active centre being amenable to chemical modification, catalyses the reduction of H,O,and organic hydroperoxides to water.In this way GSH-Px plays an important role in the protection of the cell from oxidative stresses such as the superoxide anion,organic hydroperoxides and H₂O₂     

Isotope Zusammensetzung Der Mineralwässer Der Mongolei

Abstract

The isotopic composition (D, ¹⁸O, ⁸⁷Sr, ³He) of thermal and mineral waters of Mongolia is discussed. The Sr-isotope ratio depends on the rock's contact. Near the Chubsugul-lake ³He-/⁴He-values are high. A certain similarity between the waters of Mongolia and those of East Siberia can be derived from the obtained data.     

Role of ion energy flux on the structural and morphological properties of silicon oxy-nitride composite films deposited by plasma focus device

ABSTRACT

Crystalline silicon oxy-nitride (SiON) composite films are deposited on Si substrate for multiple (5, 15, 25 and 50) focus shots (FS) by plasma focus device. The X-rays diffraction patterns reveal the development of various diffraction peaks related to Si, Si₃N₄, and SiO₂ phases which confirms the formation of SiON composite film. The intensity of Si₃N₄ (1 0 2) plane is linearly increased with the increase of FS. The Si₃N₄ (1 0 2) phase does not nucleate for 5 FS. Raman analysis confirms the formation of β–Si–N phase. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis reveals that the strength of chemical bonds like Si–N, Si–O formed during the deposition process of SiON composite films is associated with the bonds intensity which in turn depends on the number of FS. The field emission scanning electron microscopic analysis reveals that the surface morphology like size, shape and distribution of micro/nano-dimensional particles, film compactness and the formation of micro-rods, micro-teethes and micro-tubes of SiON composite films is entirely associated with the rise in substrate surface transient temperature which in turn depends on the increasing number of FS. The EDX spectrum confirms the presence of Si (22.5?±?4.7 at. %), N (13.4?±?4.5 at. %) and O (54.7?±?11.3 at. %) in the SiON composite film. The thickness of SiON composite film deposited for 50 FS is found to ～15.47?µm.     

Acoustic timescale characterisation of symmetric and asymmetric multidimensional hot spots

In this work, two-dimensional hot spots are modelled by combining a linear temperature gradient with a constant temperature plateau. This approach retains the simplicity of a linear temperature gradient, but captures the effects of a local temperature maximum of finite size. Symmetric and asymmetric plateau regions are modelled using both rectangular and elliptical geometries. A one-step Arrhenius reaction for H₂–air is used to model the reactive mixture. Plateaus with different ratios of excitation to acoustic timescales, spanning two orders of magnitude, are simulated. Even with clear differences in behaviour between one and two dimensions, the a priori prescribed hot spot timescale ratio is shown to characterise the 2-D gasdynamic response. The relationship between one and two dimensions is explored using asymmetric plateau regions. It is shown that 1-D behaviour is recovered over a finite time. Furthermore, the duration of this 1-D behaviour is directly related to the asymmetry of the plateau.     

Thermal noise as a spectroscopic tool to determine transport properties

The utilization of thermal fluctuations or Johnson/Nyquist noise as a spectroscopic method to determine transport properties in conductors or semiconductors is developed. The autocorrelation function is obtained from power spectral density measurements thus enabling electronic transport property calculation through the Green–Kubo formalism. This experimental approach is distinct from traditional numerical methods such as molecular dynamics simulations, which have been used to extract the autocorrelation function and directly related physics only. This work reports multi-transport property measurements consisting of the electronic relaxation time, resistivity, mobility, diffusion coefficient, electronic contribution to thermal conductivity and Lorenz number from experimental data. Double validation of the experiment was accomplished through the use of a standard reference material and a standard measurement method, i.e. four-probe collinear resistivity technique. Thermal noise measurements resulted in a 1.1 and 5% agreement with the reference material and four-probe values, respectively. Additional measurements were also taken on nanoscale Au and Cu thin films. Specifically, the validated spectroscopic methodology was applied to 30 nm Au and Cu thin films to obtain transport property data that was again compared to four-probe resistivity measurements. Comparative analysis of the resistivity data showed agreement within 13.6 and 4.8% for the Au and Cu samples, respectively, thus lending further credibility to the experimental method and theory.     

Thermal conductivity of USb2 and UBi2 single crystals

The thermal conductivity (κ) of single crystals of tetragonal uniaxial antiferromagnets USb₂ (T _N = 202 K) and UBi₂ (T _N = 180.8 K) has been measured along the a-axis (κ_a ) over the temperature range from 0.5 to 300 K and along the c-axis (κ_c ) from 0.5 to 70 K. The as-grown samples have residual resistivity ratio (RRR) values of about 500–600 and 100–150 for UBi₂ and USb₂, respectively. The anisotropy of the thermal conductivity (κ_a (T)/κ_c (T) ～ 5) and the low-T Lorenz ratios are discussed in relation to Fermi surface topology for both compounds.     

Design of high T g Zr-based metallic glasses using atomistic simulation and experiment

In this paper, we systematically investigate local atomic structures of Zr_100?x Al _x (0???x???72) alloys using molecular dynamics simulations. Radial distribution functions of Zr-Al configurations at 300 K indicate that Zr-Al metallic glasses form only when the Al atomic concentration is larger than 32%. Voronoi polyhedral analysis shows that Zr₄₀Al₆₀ has the highest fraction of ?0,0,12,0? icosahedra around Al atoms, which are characteristic of amorphous microstructures. Variations of thermal expansion coefficient and heat capacity of Zr_100?x Al _x (40???x???72) metallic glasses as a function of temperature from 1100 to 800?K reveal that Zr₄₀Al₆₀ has the highest transition temperature of 1008?K. To confirm the simulation results, Zr-Al metallic glasses were fabricated using co-sputtering deposition; differential scanning calorimetry testing suggests the highest crystallisation-onset temperature of above 920?K is within Zr_100?x Al _x where 43?<?x?<?61. The experimental finding is in a good agreement with the simulation predictions.     

Thermal stability and UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy of a new erbium-doped fluorotellurite glass

A new transparent bulk glass from the system 76TeO₂?·?10ZnO?·?9.0PbO?·?1.0PbF₂?·?3.0Na₂O doped with Er³⁺ (TZPPN doped with Er³⁺) has been prepared using the conventional melt-quenching method. Results of differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements indicate good thermal stability of this glass. The refractive indices at different wavelengths, the optical energy gap, the Sellmeier gap energy and the dispersion energy have been estimated. The Judd–Ofelt parameters, Ω _t (t?=?2,?4,?6) of Er³⁺ were evaluated from optical absorption spectra. Electric dipole, magnetic dipole type transition probabilities, spectroscopic quality factors, branching ratio and radiative lifetimes of several excited states of Er³⁺ have been predicted using intensity Judd–Ofelt parameters. The spectroscopic properties indicate that TZPPN glass doped with Er³⁺ is a promising candidate for laser applications and may be suitable for upconversion fibre optical devices.