Investigation of glow discharge plasma for surface modification of polypropylene

Material surface properties of polymers, plastics, ceramics and textiles can be modified by atmospheric or low‐pressure glow discharge plasma. The aim of the present work is to study the surface modification of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film in order to improve its hydrophilic and wetting properties. In this article we used low‐pressure, low‐temperature oxygen plasma for the surface treatment of BOPP. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that plasma treatment causes mainly physical changes by creating microcraters and roughness on the surface and increasing surface friction. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectra show oxygen‐containing groups such as ? OH at 3513 cm^?1 and C?O at 1695 cm^?1. Microscopic investigations of water droplets on BOPP (treated, untreated) show that the interfacial adhesion of treated surfaces is increased. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the stereochemistry of the Horner—Emmons reaction between 3-functionally substituted 2-methyl-2-propenylphosphonates and aliphatic aldehydes

The reaction of diethyl 3-ethoxycarbonyl-2-methyl-2-propenylphosphonate (1a) with 3-methylbutanal (2) in heterogeneous MOH (solid)-benzene systems in the presence of 5–10 mol.% of benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTEAC) gives the reaction product (3) with a higher, for M=K, or lower, for M=Li, ratio of 2E,4E and 2Z,4E-stereoisomers than that observed in the absence of BTEAC. Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as a catalyst of the reaction1a + 2 3 in the system KOH (solid)-wet benzene leads to a higher [2E,4E-3][2Z,4E-3] ratio than BTEAC; this ratio grows from 4456 without TBAB to 8020 at 100 mol.% of TBAB. In the latter case the stereochemical outcome of the reaction is similar to that obtained when tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in dry benzene is used as the deprotonating agent. The corresponding diisopropyl phosphonate (1b) and 3,7-dimethyloctanal (4a) interact in the system KOH (solid)-wet benzene-TBAB to give hydroprene (5) containing 88 % of the 2E,4E-isomer (5a) while in the case of 1 equiv. of [(n-Bu₄)N]OH in dry benzene the content of5a is 92 %. Diisopropyl 3-isopropoxycarbonyl-2-methyl-2-propenylphosphonate (1c) and 7-methoxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal (4b) under either of these conditions afford methoprene (6) containing 93 % of the 2E,4E-isomer.Part 6, see ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1094–1098, June, 1993.     

The aqueous cationic system sodium undecenoate-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide at low concentration

The aqueous sodium undecenoate (SUD) –dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) catanionic system was studied at low concentration. The system did not precipitate, even at a 1:1 SUD:DTAB proportion, but showed the formation of a coacervate in a range of surfactant mixture compositions. Micelles have a preferential composition of 0.37 mole fraction of SUD. This behavior is attributed to the presence of the double bond at the distal extreme of the SUD molecule, which can form hydrogen bonds with water. Consequently, the –CH=CH₂ group is situated at the interface between the hydrocarbon micelle core and water, reducing the interfacial free energy. Structural computations demonstrate that the mentioned SUD proportion produces complete coverage of the micelle surface by the double bonds.     

Isoperichoric focusing field-flow fractionation and thin layer isoperichoric focusing based on coupling of gradient generated by primary field with secondary field action: general principles and performances

The primary field forces can generate spatially oriented gradient of the effective property of a continuum or pseudo-continuum fluid (carrier liquid). When this gradient is coupled with the action of a secondary field of identical or different nature the isoperichoric focused zones of the dispersed species can appear. Consequently, they can be separated according to differences responding to the property gradient of the carrier liquid. This concept can be applied under static (non-flow) conditions in thin layer focusing as well as under dynamic conditions with the elution due to the carrier liquid flow in focusing field-flow fractionation. The gradient established by the action of the primary field and the concentration distribution of the isoperichoric focused zone formed by the coupled effect of the gradient and of the primary or secondary field are described theoretically. The rigorous relationship describing the shape of the focused zone is compared with the approximate solutions. The performances of the proposed principle were evaluated by model calculations. Potential experimental configurations considering the implementation of the static and dynamic conditions are discussed. The generalized isoperichoric focusing theory can be applied to describe the particular processes operating in analytical and preparative focusing separations of the particles of various, but especially of biological origin.     

Classification of cultivation area of ginseng by near infrared spectroscopy and ICP-AES

A rapid and nondestructive near infrared (NIR) method using soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) for the classification of cultivation area (Korea and China) was evaluated and confirmed. Raw, first, and second derivative NIR spectra were compared to develop a robust classification rule. The chemical properties of ginseng samples were also investigated to find out the differences between Korean samples and Chinese samples. These differences make NIR spectroscopic method viable. The average value of each Korean and Chinese ginseng sample for crude fiber, crude protein, starch, and 10 inorganic constituents were measured and compared with F-test and t-test. The inorganic constituents were also measured by induced coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). It could be found that the amount of starch and ten inorganic elements for example Na, Mg, P, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn in ginseng samples are considerably different based on cultivation area. SIMCA has been applied to the inorganic data to investigate the possibility of ICP-AES as classification tool. However, it was observed that the result was not equal to than NIR spectra data. The overall results showed the availability of NIR method using SIMCA would be adequate for classification of cultivation of ginseng, since NIR spectra includes useful and various information on chemical properties in spite of broad and overlapped bands.     

Oxidation kinetics of timahdit and tarfaya moroccan oil shales

Organic matter evolution and kinetics of combustion of Tarfaya and Timahdit oil shales have been examined by thermogravimetry (TG) and by differential thermal analysis (DTA). An agreement is observed between both techniques where it was found that combustion of organic matter occurs in two steps. Kissinger's method applied on experimental results gives an activation energy of the same magnitude for the first step of both oil shales (103 kJ mol^–1) whereas the second is 148 kJ mol^–1 for Timahdit and 118 kJ mol^–1 for Tarfaya.The changes in specific surface area during thermal combustion of Timahdit and Tarfaya oil shales have been studied by thermogravimetric gas sorption balance and correlated with experimental results obtained on TG/DTA in air. For Timahdit oil shale oxidation products, specific surface areas calculated from nitrogen adsorption data shows a slight increase during the temperature domain of 280 to 430°C and after this temperature, they increase sharply. However, data obtained with Tarfaya oil shales shows a significant increase at the temperature of maximum oxidation of the first stage of combustion of organic matter.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Micelle formation of ethoxylated nonyl-phenols in aqueous solutions

The micelle formation of nonyl-phenols with various numbers of ethoxy groups (n _EO=10–40) was investigated in aqueous solutions and the study was focussed on the effect of temperature (293–323 K), the chain length and the inorganic electrolyte (NaCl) on the critical micelle concentration (c.m.c).The c.m.c. was determined by surface tension and interfacial tension measurements in a water/n-octane system. On the basis of the actual c.m.c. and its temperature dependence the thermodynamic functions of micelle formation (H° _m,S°_m,G°_m) were also calculated. The latter study comprised the determination of the thermodynamic function for unity ethoxy groups ((Y° _m)) as a function ofn _EO.According to the experimental results the micellar solutions are the more stable, the smaller the number of ethoxy groups in the tenside molecule and the higher the temperature as well as the electrolyte content of the system.     

Monodisperse chloromethyl-functionalized macroporous polymer particles by seeded polymerization in aqueous media

This study presents a method to produce monodisperse chloromethyl-functionalized macroporous poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) polymer particles by seeded polymerization in aqueous media. We observed that the molecular structure of polystyrene seed particles, the composition of the secondary monomer mixtures, and the type of solvents were very important factors that determine the morphology and porosity of the final particles. This study proposes that the molecular chemistry of polystyrene seed polymers, increasing molecular weight or crosslinking, is another factor that can control the porosity of the final particles. Also, the selection of a poor solvent was effective in forming the larger surface area. In this study, it was confirmed that the chloromethyl groups introduced on the surface of porous particles were quantified chemically and their effective incorporation had a close relationship with the surface area.     

Chemical modification of silica surface by immobilization of functional groups for extractive concentration of metal ions

Increased utilization of mechanically stable synthetic matrices particularly silica gel as a solid support and its surface modification either by impregnation of organic ligands directly or covalent grafting through spacer unit for extractive concentration of trace elements are highlighted in the present article. Experimental evidences for existence of surface silanol and its chemical nature have explored the idea of silica surface modification. Recent methods of development in functionalized silica synthesis by attachment of various ligands or organic reagents to the silica surface and techniques of characterization of the modified surface have been reported. Analytical applications of various modified silica surfaces, in particular, adsorption of trace elements taking separation and preconcentration into account from complex synthetic mixture as well as natural water is presented.     

Carbenium ion pairs on silica: UV-spectroscopic and electrokinetic measurements of triarylmethylium/halide-aerosil in 1,2-dichloroethane

The interaction of carbenium ion pairs with silica is studied by means of UV-spectroscopy, electrokinetic and adsorption measurements using triphenylmethyl derivatives, (RC₆H₄)₃CX, (X=F, Cl, Br, SCN, OH; R=Cl, I, H, CH₃, C(CH₃)₃, OCH₃, N(CH₃)₂) in interaction with silica particles suspended in 1,2-dichloroethane. The adsorption of triarylmethyl-halides onto silica is accompanied by the heterolytic dissociation of the tertiary carbonhalogen bond. The degree of ionization depends on the basicity of the counter anion and acidity of the cation, respectively. The influences of both concentration and structure of triarylmethyl halides on the zeta-potential are discussed with regard to steric and electronic factor. The zeta-potential values of the adsorbates decrease significantly, as compared with the free silica surface, from a certain triarylmethyl halide concentration where ionization takes place, to a constant level which is characteristic of the carbenium ion pair. These constant zeta-potential values of the adsorbates depend on the basicity of the counter ion and the _p Hammett constants of the ring substitutents, with exclusion of sterically hindered substituents and salt derivatives, e.g., crystal violet and malachite green.