Excess Molar Volume and Viscosity of Isobutyric Acid + Water Binary Mixtures Near and Far Away from the Critical Temperature

The excess molar volume V^E, shear viscosity deviation Δη and excess Gibbs energy of activation ΔG^∗E of viscous flow have been investigated by using density (ρ) and shear viscosity (η) measurements for isobutyric acid + water (IBA+W) mixtures over the entire range of mole fractions at five different temperatures, both near and close to the critical temperature (2.055K ≤ (T−T_c)≤ 13.055K). The results were also fitted with the Redlich–Kister equation. This system exhibited very large negative values of V^E and very large positive values of Δη due to increased hydrogen bonding interactions and correlation length between unlike molecules in the critical region and to very large differences between the molar volumes of the pure components at low temperatures. The activation parameters ΔH^∗ and ΔS^∗ have been also calculated and show that the critical region has an important effect on the volumetric properties.     

Carboxylic acid functionalization of nylon 6 by radiation grafting and conversion to zinc salts: Effects on physical properties

 Functionalization of polymers by grafting monomeric species on to the backbone of molecular chains with the use of γ-radiation has been used extensively. In this work methacrylic acid was grafted onto a commercial grade of polycaproamide (Nylon 6) by preirradiating the polymer granules to 15 kGy at a rate of 1.0 kGy per hour and subsequently immersing these in a 10% aqueous solution of methacrylic acid in the presence of small quantities of FeSO₄ as homopolymerization inhibitor. The polymer was subsequently neutralized by mixing it with zinc acetylacetonate in a laboratory scale melt mixing device. The acid-grafting polymer modification resulted in an increase in glass transition temperature, while the addition of zinc acetylacetonate gave rise to two transitions: The lower transition corresponds to a miscible mixture of free polyamide and acid-grafted polymer, both plasticized with undecomposed zinc compound, while the upper transition corresponds to the zinc salt of the acid grafted polyamide. Through rheological measurements it was shown that both the acid-grafted polymer and the derived zinc salt have a branched structure, possibly containing also some crosslinked domains. Large improvements in solvent resistance were observed for both type of polymer modifications. Received: 13 December 1996 Accepted: 10 February 1997     

Using ordinary differential equations system to solve isoconversional problems in non-isothermal kinetic analysis

The mathematical evaluation of the activation energy, E, of non-isothermal degradation reactions is usually made using the Ozawa/Flynn–Wall isoconversion principle and involves the numerical resolution of a set of integrals without closed form solution, which are solved by polynomial approximation or by numeric integration. In the present work, the isoconversion principle, originally described and maintained until now as an algebraic problem, was written as a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The individual ODEs obtained are integrated by numeric methods and are used to estimate the activation energy of simulated examples. A least square error (LSE) objective function using the introduced ODEs was written to deal with multiple heating rate CaCO₃ thermal decomposition TG experiments.     

Determination of ammonia based on the electro-oxidation of hydroquinone in dimethylformamide or in the room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide

The results detail a novel methodology for the electrochemical determination of ammonia based on its interaction with hydroquinone in DMF. It has been shown that ammonia reversibly removes protons from the hydroquinone molecules, thus facilitating the oxidative process with the emergence of a new wave at less positive potentials. The analytical utility of the proposed methodology has been examined with a linear range from 10 to 95 ppm and corresponding limit-of-detection of 4.2 ppm achievable. Finally, the response of hydroquinone in the presence of ammonia has been examined in the room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluormethylsulfonyl)imide, [EMIM][N(Tf)₂]. Analogous voltammetric waveshapes to that observed in DMF were obtained, thereby confirming the viability of the method in either DMF or [EMIM][N(Tf)₂] as solvent.     

A New 4.0-Generation Dendrimer Phosphorescence Labeling Reagent and Its Application to Determination of Trace Alkaline Phosphatase by Affinity Adsorption Solid Substrate-room Temperature Phosphorimetry

A Triton X-100-4.0G-D （4.0G-D refers to a 4.0-generation dendrimer） was brought forward as a new phosphorescence labeling reagent. Two types of specific affinity adsorption （AA） reactions （direct method and sandwich method） were carried out between the labeling product of Triton X-100-4：0G-D-Wheat germ agglutinin （WGA） and alkaline phosphatase （ALP）, the product of AA reaction preserved the good characteristics of room temperature phosphorescence （RTP） of 4.0G-D and △Ip of the product was proportional to the content of ALP. According to the fact stated above, a new method for the determination of trace ALP by affinity adsorption solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry （AA-SS-RTP） was established on the basis of WGA labeled with the Triton X-100-4.0G-D. The detection limits were 0.20 ag·spot^-1 （corresponding concentration： 5.0×10^-16 g·mL^-1, namely 5.0×10^-18 mol·L^-1） for a direct method and 0.14 ag·spot^-1 （corresponding concentration： 3.5×10^-16 g·mL^-1, namely 3.5×10^-18 mol·L^-1） for a sandwich method, respectively. For their high sensitivity, good repeatability and high accuracy, the direct method and sandwich method have been successfully appfied to determine the content of ALP in human serum, and the results were coincided with the clinical detection results of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method by the Zhangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Meanwhile, the mechanism for the determination of trace ALP by AA-SS-RTP was discussed.     

A mini-review on MXenes as versatile substrate for advanced sensors

MXenes have emerged as versatile 2D materials that are already gaining paramount attention in the areas of energy,catalyst,electromagnetic shielding,and sensors.The unique surface chemistry,graphene-like mo rphology,high hydrophilicity,metal-like conductivity with redox capability identifies MXenes,as an ideal material for surface-related applications.This short review summarizes the most recent reports that discuss the potential application of MXenes and their hybrids as a transducer material for advanced sensors.Based on the nature of transducing signals,the discussion is categorized into three sections,which include electrochemical(bio) sensors,gas sensors,and finally,electro-chemiluminescence fluorescent sensors.The review provides a concise summary of all the analytical merits obtained subsequent to the use of MXenes,followed by endeavors that have been made to accentuate the future perspective of MXenes in sensor devices.     

High temperature corrosion behaviour of M(Co,Ni)CrAIY-coatings on high temperature materials-microanalytical investigations

In our former investigations, the phenomenon high temperature corrosion (HTC) was described exemplarily on selected materialcoating combinations for blades of stationary gas turbines, mainly in the temperature region of up to 750° C. To answer the question, in which manner higher gas inlet and/or higher material surface temperature would influence the HTC behaviour, a special analytical technique—the integral layer profile analysis—was introduced to ameliorate concentration profile methods. By examining IN 738 LC specimens with CoCrAlY plasma spray coating, stressed by hot gas at 900° C, the limits of this system are shown by explaining the corrosion mechanism; the method is also used for other systems, e.g. U 520 with NiCrAlY coating at 750° C.     

Investigation of isothermal bulk polymerization ofo-alkyaryl methacrylates by DSC

The kinetics of the AIBN-initiated free radical bulk polymerization of fiveo-alkylphenyl methacrylates was studied by means of DSC in the temperature range 353–373 K, and the enthalpy of polymerization, the overall reaction rate constant and the activation energy were determined. The results were compared with those published recently on correspondingp-alkylaryl methacrylates. All measured reaction rate constants were found to increase with increasing temperature and to decrease with increasingo-alkyl substituent mass and size. It was shown thato-substituents influence the rates of polymerization to a greater extent thanp-substituents. At about 373 K, all differences in rate, most probably resulting from steric hindrance caused by the alkyl groups, disappear in both series, a phenomenon earlier observed for dimethyl phenyl methacrylates.This work was supported by the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia.     

High temperature polymer blends: an overview of the literature

A review of work which has been performed on high temperature polymer blends is presented. The discussion is divided into miscible and immiscible blends. It is pointed out that one problem with miscible polymer blends is that of processing in the miscible state. In the case of immiscible blends, particularly ones containing liquid crystal polymers, the issue of adhesion of the two phases is discussed. Finally, the need for better theoretical models for predicting miscibility in polymer blends is highlighted.     

An investigation into the self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) of superconducting ceramics by thermal methods

The SHS route is based on the well-known thermite reaction, in which a strongly exothermic reaction can sustain itself and propagate in the form of a combustion wave until the reactants have been completely consumed. The successful application of the method to the synthesis of superconducting ceramics of stoichiometry RBa₂Cu₃O_y (R=Y, Er, Yb) is reported. The 123 phase was obtained when pellets of R₂O₃, BaO₂ and Cu metal in the correct proportions were dropped into a heater held at 800°C in an oxygen atmosphere and left there for only 10 minutes. Thermal methods (DSC and DTA) are excellent techniques with which to investigate the dependence of the reaction on heating rate, atmosphere and starting composition.