On practical metrology and chemical analysis: etalons and traceability systems

 National measurement systems are infrastructures to ensure, for each nation, a consistent and internationally recognised basis for measurement. Such complex systems have historical, technical, legal, organisational and institutional aspects to connect scientific metrology with practical measurements. Underlying any valid measurement is a chain of comparisons linking the measurement to an accepted standard. The ways the links are forged and the etalons (measurement standards) to which they connect are defining characteristics of all measurement systems. This is often referred to as traceability which aims at basing measurements in common measurement units – a key issue for the integration of quantitative chemical analysis with the evolving physical and engineering measurement systems. Adequate traceability and metrological control make possible new technical capabilities and new levels of quality assurance and confidence by users in the accuracy and integrity of quantitative analytical results. Traceability for chemical measurements is difficult to achieve and harder to demonstrate. The supply of appropriate etalons is critical to the development of metrology systems for chemical analysis. An approach is suggested that involves the development of networks of specialised reference laboratories able to make matrix-independent reference measurements on submitted samples, which may then be used as reference materials by an originating laboratory using its practical measurement procedures. Received: 31 July 1995 Accepted: 19 August 1995     

Shape transition from InAs quantum dash to quantum dot on InP(3 1 1)A

We report on the shape transition from InAs quantum dashes to quantum dots (QDs) on lattice-matched GaInAsP on InP(3 1 1)A substrates. InAs quantum dashes develop during chemical-beam epitaxy of 3.2 monolayers InAs, which transform into round InAs QDs by introducing a growth interruption without arsenic flux after InAs deposition. The shape transition is solely attributed to surface properties, i.e., increase of the surface energy and symmetry under arsenic deficient conditions. The round QD shape is maintained during subsequent GaInAsP overgrowth because the reversed shape transition from dot to dash is kinetically hindered by the decreased ad-atom diffusion under arsenic flux.     

Annealing behavior of gel‐spun polyethylene fibers at temperatures lower than needed for significant shrinkage

The annealing at 373 K of ultrastrong, gel‐spun polyethylene (PE) has been studied. At this temperature, the fibers show no significant shrinkage. Still, a significant decrease in the mechanical properties is observed. The fibers have been analyzed with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), temperature‐modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). During the annealing, the glass transition of the intermediate phase is exceeded, as shown by DSC. When split for structure analysis by AFM, the annealed fibers undergo plastic deformation around the base fibrils instead of brittle fracture. The quasi‐isothermal TMDSC experiments are compared to the minor structural changes seen with SAXS and AFM. The loss of performance of the PE fibers at 373 K is suggested to be caused by the oriented intermediate phase, and not by major changes in the structure or morphology. The overall metastable, semicrystalline structure is shown by TMDSC to posses local regions that can melt reversibly. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 403–417, 2003     

Complexes in polymers IV. FTIR microscopic characterization of thin organic polymer films containing embedded transition-metal carbonyl complexes

Thin films of polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene-polyacrylonitrile copolymer (PS-AN), containing various embedded transition-metal complexes, have been studied by FTIR microscopy. The spatial distributions of the transition-metal carbonyl complexes throughout the thin organic polymer films have been determined by a two-dimensional IR mapping procedure. The spectral variations observed in the distribution of the metal carbonyls throughout the different polymer films are discussed. The IR data show that the technique used to prepare the organometallic-embedded thin films (viz. freeze-drying of solutions followed by hot mechanical pressing of the residues) does in general lead to homogeneous films which may eventually find industrial application, e.g. as membrane sensors for small molecules.     

Experimental study and mathematical modelling of a new of vibro-impact moling device

In this paper experimental study and mathematical modelling of newly designed vibro-impact moling rig are presented. The design is based on electro-mechanical interactions of a conductor with an oscillating magnetic field. The rig consists of a metal bar placed within a solenoid which is connected to an RLC circuit, and an obstacle block positioned nearby. Both the solenoid and the block are attached to a base board. Externally supplied alternating voltage causes the bar to oscillate and hit the block resulting in the forward motion of the base board mimicking a mole penetration through the soil. By varying the excitation voltage and the capacitance in the circuit, a variety of system responses can be obtained.In the paper the rig design and experimental procedure are explained in detail, and the mathematical modelling of the rig is described. Then the obtained coupled electro-mechanical equations of motion are integrated numerically, and a comparison between experimental results and numerical predictions is presented.     

Thermoelastoplastic deformation of a thick-walled cylinder with a radial crack

The thermoelastoplastic fracture mechanics problem of a thick-walled cylinder subjected to internal pressure and a nonuniform temperature field is solved by the method of elastic solutions combined with the finite-element method. The correctness of the solution is provided by using the Barenblatt crack model, in which the stress and strain fields are regular. The elastoplastic problem of a cracked cylinder subjected to internal pressure and a nonuniform temperature field are solved. The calculation results are compared with available data. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 173–183, May–June, 2008.     

Solid state NMR characterization of formation of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)/maghnite nanocomposites by in situ polymerization

Results of multinuclear MAS NMR spectroscopy are reported for poly (ε‐caprolactone)/maghnite nanocomposite formation, with ε‐caprolactone in situ polymerized in the presence of maghnite, a proton exchanged montmorillonite clay. Exfoliated and intercalated materials with different maghnite loading in the range 3–15 wt % were investigated. ¹H NMR evidences Brønsted acid hydroxyl groups in the silicate layers and shows that their broad signal at 7.6 ppm present in the parent clay disappears in the nanocomposite material. ²⁷Al MAS NMR results show that beside the hexacoordinated aluminum signal, two additional peaks corresponding to two different tetrahedral Al sites are present in the clay framework. The NMR signal intensity of only one of them was found to be affected in the nanocomposites compared with the parent maghnite, suggesting that these specific aluminum sites are the reactive ones at the initial stages of the polymerization. However almost no changes occurred in the ²⁹Si NMR spectra, confirming that the polymer grafting, as indicated earlier by atomic force microscopy, took place on the aluminum tetracoordinated sites rather than on the silicon sites. A mechanism of maghnite surface catalyzed polymerization of ε‐caprolactone was proposed, involving Brønsted and Lewis acid sites. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 3060–3068, 2007     

Metallo‐supramolecular micelles: Studies by analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy

In aqueous solutions, amphiphilic block copolymers in which a polystyrene (PS) segment is connected to a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block via a bis(2,2′:6′,2″‐ terpyridine ruthenium) complex can form micelles. Such micelles of the protomer type PS₂₀‐[Ru]‐PEO₇₀, according to the preparation procedure representing frozen micelles, were studied by sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium analysis in an analytical ultracentrifuge and by transmission electron microscopy, with different techniques applied for the sample preparation. The particles obtained were surprisingly multifarious in size. In ultracentrifugation experiments performed at relatively low salt concentrations, the distributions of the sedimentation coefficient s_20,w showed a pronounced peak at 9.6 S and a broad, only partly separated second peak around 14 S. The molar mass of the particles at the peak was around 430,000 g/mol, corresponding to an aggregation number of approximately 85. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the particles in the peak fraction was approximately 13 nm. In electron micrographs of negatively stained samples, spheres of diameters between 10 and 25 nm were the most abundant particles, but larger ones with a wide size range were also visible. The latter particles apparently were composed of smaller ones. The data from both sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy showed that (1) the studied compound formed primary micelles of diameters around 20 nm and (2) the primary micelles had a tendency toward aggregation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3159–3168, 2003     

Basic study of the gelation of dimethacrylate‐type crosslinking agents

An investigation was made of the gelation of dimethacrylate‐type crosslinking agents in view of an application for separation media. The study mainly centered on a crosslinking agent, glycerol dimethacrylate (GDMA), which is relatively hydrophilic because of a hydroxyl group in the middle of its structure. The gelation of GDMA was compared with that of other hydrophobic crosslinking agents such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 1,6‐hexanediol dimethacrylate. The diluents used in the study were toluene, toluene with methanol, and cyclohexanol. The gelation was observed in real time with a charge coupled device camera and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Also, the separated dry gels were extensively characterized with scanning electron microscopy, BET (N₂ absorption and desorption isotherm), and Fourier transform infrared. DLS analysis showed a stronger molecular interaction of GDMA gelation in toluene, whereas this interaction was much weaker in an alcoholic solvent such as toluene with methanol or cyclohexanol. This indicated that GDMA gelation might proceed through hydrogen bonding as well as a crosslinking reaction of vinyl groups. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 949–958, 2006     

Synthesis,characterization, and electrical properties of polypyrrole/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites

Size‐controllable polypyrrole (PPy)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites have been synthesized by in situ chemical oxidation polymerization directed by various concentrations of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Raman spectra, FTIR, SEM, and TEM were used to characterize their structure and morphology. These results showed that the composites are core (MWCNT)–shell (PPy) tubular structures with the thickness of the PPy layer in the range of 20–40 nm, depending on the concentration of CTAB. Raman and FTIR spectra of the composites are almost identical to those of PPy alone. The electrical conductivities of these composites are 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those of PPy without MWCNTs. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6449–6457, 2006