On the enthalpy of melting of poly(l-lactide)

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) is an extensively employed biodegradable semicrystalline polymer with usage from implantable medical devices and drug release matrices to environmentally friendly packaging materials. Since the morphology and crystallinity considerably determine the application field, PLLA samples with a large variation in crystallinity (going from below 20% to over 70%) were prepared by different procedures. Subsequent differences in morphology, crystallinity and thermal properties were followed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) measurements and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The value of the enthalpy of melting of a perfectly (100%) crystalline PLLA was determined (ΔH_f = 115.7?J/g).     

石灰岩对褐煤模拟地下气化残焦物化性质的影响

基于煤炭地下气化过程中石灰岩可能影响煤焦的组成和结构,借助煤炭地下气化模拟实验系统对不同石灰岩掺量(质量分数为0-30%)的褐煤进行水蒸气气化,并采用低温N₂吸附-脱附、XRD和FT-IR等分析手段研究石灰岩对褐煤模拟地下气化残焦的组成、比表面积及孔结构特征、微晶结构和表面官能团等物理化学性质的影响。结果表明,石灰岩对煤焦的元素组成有较大影响。石灰岩可促使煤焦中的微孔向中孔发育,增大煤焦的比表面积和孔容积;当石灰岩掺量从0增加到30%时,煤焦的比表面积增大21.91%,介孔率增加21.49个百分点。XRD分析表明,钙的存在破坏煤焦的芳香结构,使煤焦无序化程度增加,晶面间距(d₀₀₂)增大,抑制煤焦的石墨化发展倾向。FT-IR分析表明,石灰岩存在下,煤焦的羟基官能团减少。     

动态配位空间的构筑与调控

“配位空间”(Coordination Space)是无机-有机杂化体系中的构筑基元通过配位键连接形成的具有特定结构和功能的空间。这一概念为基于配位键的框架体系的定向构筑与结构-性能调控提供了新的视角。作为典型的无机-有机杂化材料,金属-有机框架(Metal-Organic Framework,MOF)及金属有机笼(Metal-Organic Cage,MOC)等近年来受到广泛关注。这类材料的构筑与性能调控的核心可以认为是对其配位空间的结构设计与性能调控。具有刺激响应性的MOF可展现动态的配位空间,使其在吸附分离、传感、药物投递等方面具有重要的应用前景。本文将以动态金属有机框架的相关研究为基础简述动态配位空间研究的近期进展,包括其动态行为产生的结构基础、诱发因素及相关性能,归纳结构-性能的关系,为相关研究提供参考。     

Light Lanthanide Metallocenium Cations Exhibiting Weak Equatorial Anion Interactions

As the dysprosocenium complex [Dy(Cp^ttt)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] (Cp^ttt=C₅H₂tBu₃-1,2,4, 1-Dy ) exhibits magnetic hysteresis at 60 K, similar lanthanide (Ln) complexes have been targeted to provide insights into this remarkable property. We recently reported homologous [Ln(Cp^ttt)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] ( 1-Ln ) for all the heavier Ln from Gd–Lu; herein, we extend this motif to the early Ln. We find, for the largest Ln^III cations, that contact ion pairs [Ln(Cp^ttt)₂{(C₆F₅-κ¹-F)B(C₆F₅)₃}] ( 1-Ln ; La–Nd) are isolated from reactions of parent [Ln(Cp^ttt)₂(Cl)] ( 2-Ln ) with [H(SiEt₃)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄], where the anion binds weakly to the equatorial sites of [Ln(Cp^ttt)₂]⁺ through a single fluorine atom in the solid state. For smaller Sm^III, [Sm(Cp^ttt)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] ( 1-Sm ) is isolated, which like heavier 1-Ln does not exhibit equatorial anion interactions, but the Eu^III analogue 1-Eu could not be synthesised due to the facile reduction of Eu^III precursors to Eu^II products. Thus with the exception of Eu and radioactive Pm this work constitutes a structurally similar family of Ln metallocenium complexes, over 50 years after the [M(Cp)₂]⁺ series was isolated for the 3d metals.     

Micromechanical Properties of Microstructured Elastomeric Hydrogels

Local, micromechanical environment is known to influence cellular function in heterogeneous hydrogels, and knowledge gained in micromechanics will facilitate the improved design of biomaterials for tissue regeneration. In this study, a system comprising microstructured resilin‐like polypeptide (RLP)–poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels is utilized. The micromechanical properties of RLP‐PEG hydrogels are evaluated with oscillatory shear rheometry, compression dynamic mechanic analysis, small‐strain microindentation, and large‐strain indentation and puncture over a range of different deformation length scales. The measured elastic moduli are consistent with volume averaging models, indicating that volume fraction, not domain size, plays a dominant role in determining the low strain mechanical response. Large‐strain indentation under a confocal microscope enables the visualization of the microstructured hydrogel micromechanical deformation, emphasizing the translation, rotation, and deformation of RLP‐rich domains. The fracture initiation energy results demonstrate that failure of the composite hydrogels is controlled by the RLP‐rich phase, and their independence with domain size suggested that failure initiation is controlled by multiple domains within the strained volume. This approach and findings provide new quantitative insight into the micromechanical response of soft hydrogel composites and highlight the opportunities in employing these methods to understand the physical origins of mechanical properties of soft synthetic and biological materials.     

热分析联用技术及其在金属材料领域中的应用

热分析联用技术是在热重分析基础上,将多种检测手段并用,准确地研究材料的结构、组成、热反应等特性,从而揭示材料热分解过程本质的技术。在程序升温过程中,利用热分析联用技术对金属材料的质量和热量变化及热分解产物成分等信息进行检测,能更精准地研究金属材料的组成和热分解特性。该文在热重分析法的基础上,着重介绍了其与差热分析、差示扫描量热分析、傅里叶红外光谱分析、质谱分析等分析方法的联用,并以金属材料研究为例,分析了热分析联用技术在金属材料的结构、性能测定等方面的应用,同时展望了热分析联用技术的应用前景。     

Study on structure and performance of surface‐metallized carbon fibers reinforced rigid polyurethane composites

The simultaneous promotion in mechanical and electrical properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) is an important task for expanding potential application. In this work, carbon fibers (CFs) reinforced RPU composites were prepared with the goal of improving mechanical and electrical properties. Metallized CFs meet our performance requirements and can be easily achieved via electrodeposition. However, the weak bonding strength in fiber‐metal‐RPU interface restricts their application. Inspired by the reducibility and wonderful adhesion of dopamine (DA), we proposed a new and efficient electrochemical method to fabricate metallized CFs, where DA polymerization was simultaneously integrated coupled with the reduction of metal ions (Ni²⁺). The characterization results helped us to gain insight about the reaction mechanism, which was never reported as far as we know. Compared with pure RPU, the tensile, interlaminar shear and impact strength of polydopamine (PDA)‐nickel (Ni) modified CFs/RPU composites were improved by 11.2%, 21.0%, and 78.0%, respectively, which attributed to the strong interfacial adhesion, including mechanical interlocking and chemical crosslinking between treated CFs and RPU. In addition, the PDA‐Ni surface treatment method also affected the dispersion of short CFs in the RPU, which increased the possibility of conductor contact and reduced insulator between fibers networks, resulting in higher electrical conductivity.     

Design of aluminum trihydroxide and P‐N core‐shell structures and their synergistic effects on halogen‐free flame‐retardant polyethylene composites

In order to improve the performance of inorganic/organic composites, aluminum trihydroxide (ATH) core composites with a styrene‐ethylene‐butadiene‐styrene block copolymer grafted with maleic anhydride (MAH‐g‐SEBS) shell phase, and P‐N flame retardant as a synergistic agent, were prepared through an interface design. The effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) content on the interfacial interaction, flame retardancy, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/ATH composites were investigated by small angle X‐ray diffraction, rotational rheometer, limiting oxygen index, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile testing. The ATH synergistic effects of P‐N flame‐retardant improved the combustion performance of HDPE/ATH/PEG(3%)/MAH‐g‐SEBS/P‐N (abbreviated as HDPE/MH3/M‐g‐S/P‐N) composite by forming more carbon layer, increased the elongation at break from 21% to 558% compared to HDPE/ATH, and increased the interface thickness from 0.447 to 0.891 nm. SEM results support the compatibility of ATH with HDPE increased and the interfacial effect was enhanced. TGA showed the maximum decomposition temperature of the two stages and the yield of the residue at high temperature increased first and then decreased with the increase of PEG content. Rheological behavior showed the storage modulus, complex viscosity, and the relaxation time initially increased and then decreased with the increase of PEG content indicating PEG, M‐g‐S, and ATH powder gradually formed a partial coating, then a full coating, and finally an over‐coated core‐shell structured model.     

Preparation of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer/nitrile rubber ternary thermoplastics vulcanizates with good mechanical properties and oil resistance by core‐shell dynamic vulcanization

As the most successful commercialized thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs), polypropylene (PP)/ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM) TPVs exhibit poor oil resistance. In this work, we prepared PP/EPDM/butadiene acrylonitrile rubber (NBR) ternary TPVs with good oil resistance using core‐shell dynamic vulcanization. According to the theoretical analysis of the spreading coefficient and the transmission electron microscopy results, the rubber phases exhibited a special core‐shell structure, in which the cross‐linkedNBR‐core was encapsulated by the EPDM‐shell. The core‐shell structure effectively improved the interfacial compatibility between PP and NBR phase as the EPDM‐shell could avoid the direct contact of them, thus improving the mechanical properties of the TPVs. For example, the PP/EPDM/NBR (40/30/30) ternary TPV showed enhanced tensile strength of 12.57 MPa, compared with 10.71 MPa of PP/EPDM (40/60) TPV and 11.11 MPa of PP/NBR (40/60) TPV, respectively. Moreover, the oil resistance of the TPVs was also improved. Compared with PP/EPDM TPV, the change rates in mass, volume, tensile strength and elongation at break of PP/EPDM/NBR TPV after oil immersion decreased by 42.18%, 48.69%, 52.68% and 28.77%, respectively.     

Fusion of Different Crosslinked Polymers Based on Dynamic Disulfide Exchange

Crosslinked polymers (CLPs) exhibit exceptional mechanical properties as well as good chemical and solvent resistance. However, their reprocessing, recycling, and modification remain difficult. One promising approach to overcome this limitation is to introduce dynamic covalent bonds that enable chain‐exchange reactions and network‐structure rearrangements in identical polymer networks (A–A fusion), resulting in self‐healing and reprocessing properties. Reported here is the fusion of two distinct polymer networks (A–B fusion) by the dynamic behavior of bis(2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)disulfide (BiTEMPS) at the interface between different CLPs. The appearance, swelling behavior, and mechanical properties of the fused samples indicate exchange reactions of the BiTEMPS units and the formation of topological bonds at the interface, commensurate with the generation of a CLP that exhibits tunable properties.