Grafting of maleic anhydride to hydrocarbons below the ceiling temperature

Maleic anhydride has been grafted to eicosane and squalane at 60–80°C using 1,2-dichlorobenzene as solvent and benzoyl peroxide as initiator. These hydrocarbons are low molecular weight models for hydrocarbon polymers containing secondary and tertiary hydrogen atoms. In the absence of the hydrocarbon and with monomer concentrations of the order of 1M, low molecular weight poly(maleic anhydride) is formed. On addition of the hydrocarbon, the main product is grafted material and very little homopolymer is formed. The grafts consist primarily of single succinic anhydride units but some of them are short poly(maleic anhydride) chains. Ceiling temperature considerations control the formation of homopolymer in the absence of hydrocarbon substrate. In the presence of eicosane or squalane, initiation of grafting proceeds by hydrogen abstraction from the hydrocarbon. The main factor controlling graft length is then the ratio of the rates of intramolecular hydrogen abstraction and of monomer addition to succinic anhydride radicals © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Monte‐Carlo simulation of spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in multi‐film targets: source size of Al Kα x‐rays in W/Al film targets

A Monte‐Carlo simulation approach has been applied to describe the spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in W/Al film targets of different combinations of film thicknesses for the optimal design of a small‐sized x‐ray source having a high x‐ray intensity. The result has led to optimal combinations of W and Al film targets for 100 kV electrons, e.g. W(1 µm)/Al(20 µm), W(3 µm)/Al(15 µm) and W(5 µm)/Al(8 µm). These Al/W targets could be used as x‐ray sources for a medical instrument currently under development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the Randić Index of Acyclic Conjugated Molecules

The Randić index of an organic molecule whose molecular graph is G is the sum of the weights (d(u)d(v))^−1/2 of all edges uv of G, where d(u) and d(v) are the degrees of the vertices u and v in G. We give a sharp lower bound on the Randić index of conjugated trees (trees with a perfect matching) in terms of the number of vertices. A sharp lower bound on the Randić index of trees with a given size of matching is also given Mei Lu: Partially supported by NNSFC (No. 60172005) Lian-zhu Zhang: Partially supported by NNSFC (No. 10271105) Feng Tian: Partially supported by NNSFC (No. 10431020)     

Role of micro-crystalline parameters in the physical properties of cotton fibers

Karnataka state in India is very well known for its cotton cultivation and there are innumerable varieties of these cotton fibers. Although, the yield and other types of characterization have been carried out on these fibers, the structure-property relation is not well studied till today. We have examined four different raw cotton fibers using Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) technique and also we have computed micro-crystalline parameters. This study brings out the structure-property relation in cotton fibers.     

Factors affecting physicochemical properties of liposomes prepared with hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins by the microencapsulation vesicle method

We examined hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins, having practical advantages over non-hydrogenated ones, as liposomal membrane materials. Liposomes were prepared by the microencapsulation vesicle (MCV) method in which liposomes are formed through two-step emulsification and dispersion. Three types of purified egg yolk lecithins with different iodine values were examined after being dissolved in one of three lipid solvents. The liposome size increased as the temperature during the second emulsification increased, being closer to the boiling temperature of the solvent. The preparation temperature in relation to the transition temperature of each lecithin was also a factor affecting liposome sizes. As for the encapsulation efficiencies of the model compound calcein in liposomes, they differed mainly depending on the solubility of each lecithin in a lipid solvent and it was more obvious in hydrogenated lecithins. A high preparation temperature resulted in lower encapsulation efficiencies, suggesting that leakage of encapsulated calcein was facilitated at high temperature in the MCV methods. There was a significant correlation between liposome sizes and encapsulation efficiencies in non-hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithin but not in hydrogenated ones. When using hydrogenated purified egg yolk lecithins as liposomal membrane materials, it was suggested that a lipid solvent should be chosen so that a lecithin completely dissolves under the preparation condition in order to achieve a higher encapsulation efficiency. Smaller liposome particles were obtained when the second emulsification was performed at a lower temperature compared with the boiling point of the lipid solvent. These findings can be applied to control encapsulation efficiencies and particle sizes in each particular liposome preparation enclosing therapeutic agents.     

Structural and Adsorptive Characteristics of Pyrocarbon/Silica Gel Si-60

Pyrocarbon/silica gel adsorbents (carbosils, CS) with mesoporous Si-60 (Merck, granule size 0.2–0.5 mm) modified by pyrolysis of CH₂Cl₂ at 823 K and reaction time from 0.5 to 6 h and then hydrothermally treated at 473 K for 6 h were studied by means of TEM, adsorption and ¹H NMR methods. Changes in the structural and adsorptive characteristics of hybrid adsorbents before and after hydrothermal treatment, which depend on pyrocarbon content (C _C), were analyzed on the basis of TEM micrographs and p-nitrophenol and nitrogen adsorption isotherms treated using a constrained regularization method. Interfacial water layers in aqueous suspension of CS were investigated by means of ¹H NMR with freezing-out of bulk water at T < 273 K showing nonlinear changes in the Gibbs free energy of interfacial water with increasing C _C because of nonlinear dependence of the structural characteristics of pyrocarbon deposits and CS as a whole on C _C.     

Determination of Size Distribution of Nano-particles by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

A new method was developed for the determination of the size distribution of nano-particles by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Scattering effect of nanoparticles was studied. This method for the determination of size distribution was statistical.     

高比表面积窄孔分布氧化铝的制备研究 Ⅰ.沉淀条件的影响

 以硫酸铝液为原料，以氨水、氢氧化钠和铝酸钠为碱沉淀剂，采用pH摆动法制备了高比表面积、大孔径、窄孔分布、大孔体积氧化铝，考察了沉淀剂、沉淀温度及沉淀时酸侧pH值对氧化铝物性的影响，并对pH摆动法与等pH沉淀法的结果进行了比较．结果表明，通过改变制备参数可以获得高比表面积、大孔体积的氧化铝，当沉淀温度为70℃，pH摆动3或4次时，氧化铝的孔体积可高达1．0ml／g，比表面积仍大于300m2／g．用pH摆动法制得的样品比用等pH沉淀法制得的样品容易酸溶，对挤压成型有利．不同样品在酸溶液中的分散性表明，用氨水沉淀剂可获得相对较小的沉淀粒子．改变沉淀时酸侧的pH值，可导致沉淀粒子的结构发生变化．     

超声波处理对球形β-Ni(OH)2结构及电化学性能的影响

A method of ultrasonic treatment （UST） was first used to modify the structure and electrochemical performance of nickel hydroxide for the active material of nickel series alkaline batteries. The experimental results showed that UST was an effective method to improve the electrochemical performance of β-Ni（OH）2 such as specific discharge capacity, discharge potential, electrochemical reversibility and oxygen evolution over-potential. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and particle size distribution indicated that the improvement of the performance of β-Ni（OH）2 through UST was attributed to the reduction of the charge-transfer resistance （Rt） and the diffusion impedance （Zw）, which resulted from the decrease of the crystallite and particle size and the increase of interlayer spacing. Diffusion coefficient of proton DH of ultrasonic treated β-Ni（OH）2 gained by CV tests was 1.13 × 10^-11 cm^2/s, and the average discharge specific capacity of ultrasonic treated β-Ni（OH）2 electrode was 301 mAh/g.     

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE／LAPONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

Exfoliated polystyrene (PS)/laponite nanocomposites were prepared successfully. The characteristic doo1 diffraction peak of organo-laponite disappeared in the XRD patterns of nanocomposites, indicating that the laponite layers were exfoliated and the ordered crystal structure of laponite was destroyed because of the styrene polymerization. TEM observations showed that the exfoliated laponite primary particles were dispersed randomly in the PS matrix with lateral dimensions from 1 nm to 10 rim. SEM results showed that the PS/laponite nanocomposite particles were almost monodispersed spheres with the size of about 120 rim. Because of the interaction between PS and laponite nanolayers, the nanocomposites exhibited higher thermal stability and glass transition temperature when compared to pure PS.