Effect of Phosphorus Content on Thermal Behaviour of Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol-A/phosphorus Containing Amines

Curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) with phosphorus containing amide amines i.e. bis[3(3’-aminobenzamido phenyl)]methyl phosphine oxide (MB),bis[3(4’-aminobenzamido phenyl)]methyl phosphine oxide (PB), tris[3(3’-aminobenzamidophenyl)] phosphine oxide (MT) and tris[3(4’-aminobenzamido phenyl)] phosphine oxide (PT)and conventionally used curing agent 4,4’-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (D) was studied by DSC. The amines MB, PB, MT and PT were synthesised in the laboratory and were characterized by determining elemental composition, melting point, and amine equivalent. Structural characterization was done by ¹H-NMR and FTIR. The onset temperature of curing depended on the nucleophilicity of the amines and was in the orderMT≈MB<PT<PB<D. The exothermic peak temperatures were in the orderD>PB>PT>MT≈MB. The char residue of cured epoxy resin was significantly higher when phosphorus was incorporated in the cured network. Using mixed amine formulations based on amine D and P-containing amines and the molar ratio of these amines could easily control the curing characteristics. A linear relationship between char yield and P-content was observed in such formulations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Surface analysis of plasma‐treated polydimethylsiloxane by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface voltage decay

Surface states of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) treated by plasma were investigated by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface voltage decay. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the formation of a silica‐like (SiO_x, x = 3–4) oxidative surface layer. This layer increased in thickness with increasing exposure duration of plasma. Plasma exposure lowers the surface resistivity from 1.78 × 10¹⁴ to 1.09 × 10¹³ Ω □^?1 with increasing plasma treatment time. By measuring the decay time constant of surface voltage, the calculated surface resistivity was compared with the value measured directly by a voltage–current method; good agreement between the two methods was obtained. It was observed that plasma treatment led to a decrease in the thermal activation energy of the surface conduction from 31.0 kJ mol^?1 for an untreated specimen to 21.8 kJ mol^?1 for a plasma‐treated specimen for 1 h. Our results allow the examination of effects of plasma on the electrical properties of PDMS. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel poly(vinyl chloride)‐based grafts: Poly(vinyl chloride‐co‐2‐chloropropene) fitted with multiple high‐glass‐transition‐temperature polyolefin branches

The tertiary chlorine (Cl^t) content of vinyl chloride/2‐chloropropene copolymers [P(VC‐co‐2CP)] was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Copolymers containing 6.8–47.0 Cl^t's per P(VC‐co‐2CP) chain were used to initiate the cationic grafting of α‐methylstyrene, norbornadiene, indene, and norbornene with Et₂AlCl under various conditions. Grafting was demonstrated by selective solvent extraction, and the effect of the experimental conditions on the grafting efficiency was examined. Select rheological and thermal characteristics of P(VC‐co‐2CP) grafts, including the glass‐transition temperature, heat deflection temperature, and discoloration upon heating, were studied. P(VC‐co‐2CP) carrying 7–11 poly(α‐methylstyrene) or polynorbornadiene branches per chain raised the glass‐transition temperature to, or above, that of a blend control. P(VC‐co‐2CP)s fitted with polyindene or polynorbornene branches were less effective in raising the mechanical properties. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3644–3651, 2002     

Exchange reactions occurring through active chain ends: Melt mixing of nylon 6 and polycarbonate

The chemical reactions occurring in the melt mixing of nylon6/polycarbonate (Ny6/PC) at 240°C were investigated. The reaction of equimolar Ny6/PC blends can be reconciled within the overall scheme of an exchange reaction occurring with the attack of active amino terminals on the inner carbonate groups. We have performed the synthesis of low molecular weight amino-terminated nylon 6 and the effect of the active amino terminal groups on the exchange kinetics was investigated. The exchange reaction yields sizeable amounts of copolymer, in fact after 75 min of melt mixing the (initially equimolar) blend contains 30 mol of unreacted PC and 70 mol of Ny6/PC copolymer (all the Ny6 was therefore incorporated in the copolymer). Trifluoroacetylation of nylon 6 was used to produce CHCl₃-soluble Ny6/PC copolymers, that could be analyzed by NMR. The NMR analysis yielded, beside the copolymer composition, evidence of the presence of urethane units interconnecting the Ny6 and PC blocks. The amount of urethane units increased with the reaction time, indicating a reduction of the block size as a function of the extent of exchange. Our study established the structure of the products formed, provided the materials balance of the process, and investigated some salient kinetic aspects. A thermal degradation study was also performed by thermogravimetry and direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry, to identify the products formed in the thermal treatment of the blends and to investigate the possible role of the inner amide groups in the intermolecular exchange reactions occurring between Ny6 and PC. Our results prove that these reactions occur above 300°C, and that only the cleavage of carbonate groups, by means of Ny6 amino end groups, is actually occurring at 240°C. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Polymers from the Polymerisation of Methacrylate-Substituted Oxotantalum Clusters with Methylmethacrylate: A Thermomechanical and Spectroscopic Study

New inorganic-organic hybrid materials were prepared by free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with methacrylate-substituted oxotantalum cluster [Ta₄O₄(OEt)₈(OMc)₄] and their properties evaluated. The cluster was prepared by the reaction of the parent alkoxide with methacrylic acid. Samples of the hybrid materials were produced with Ta-cluster to methyl methacrylate in the ratios of 1:50 and 1:100 and were characterized by thermal and spectroscopic techniques. The glass transition temperatures of the hybrid materials are shifted to higher temperatures than pure PMMA as a result of cross-linking of the polymer by the oxotantalum clusters. The increase in T_g is also observed from the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Evidence of crosslinking between the Ta-cluster and PMMA is obtained from infrared spectroscopic study. Surface studies performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provide information about the atomic concentrations of the surface and indicate tantalum bonded to oxygen.     

Synthesis and characterization of some Cr(III), Fe(III) and Zr(IV) compounds with substituted o-hydroxy benzophenone

This work presents our data concerning the synthesis and characterization of some Cr(III), Fe(III) and Zr(IV) complexes with substituted (2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-phenyl-methanone - C₁₄H₁₂O₃, denoted by (L1). The synthesis of these complex compounds was performed using melted urea as reaction medium. The obtained complexes have been studied by chemical analysis, IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. Based on the data resulting from the thermal behaviour of the studied complex compounds, the kinetic parameters of the thermal decomposition reactions have been determined. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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Decomposition of dichlorodifluoromethane in thermal plasma was investigated theoretically by computing the equilibrium composition of the gas mixtures involving carbon, chlorine and fluorine in presence of argon (which is assumed to be the main plasma gas) and/or in addition of hydrogen and calcium together with hydrogen. The calculations were carried out for the temperature range between 500 and 6000 K and for the total pressure of the system of 1 bar. Use is made of the fact that a thermal plasma is a plasma in (local) thermal equilibrium, which makes possible the theoretical determination of its equilibrium composition at definite temperature by employing Gibbs free energy data for the compounds present in the system and assuming that the equilibrium of the system corresponds to its minimum energy state. The results of calculations show that toxic molecules and radicals can be, under convenient conditions (appropriate temperature and amount of added substances), converted into stable non-toxic species like CaF₂ and CaCl₂.     

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).     

Pyrazine Complexes of Octacyanometallates of Mo(IV) and W(IV) With 8-hydroxyquinoline: Synthesis,characterisation and thermal studies

The complexes formed by photosubstitution of pyrazine (Pz) in octacyanomolybdate(IV) and -tungstate(IV) with 8-hydroxyquinoline have been assigned the formulae [Mo(CN)₂(OH)₂(Pz)₂(OX)] and [W(CN)₂(OH)₂(Pz)₂(OX)·1.5H₂O]. Coordination of Pz as an unidentate ligand by donating a lone pair of electron from nitrogen is shown by an absorption peak between 8–11 µ. Mechanism for the thermal decomposition of the complexes has been given. The formation of tungsten metal as residue in case of II has been confirmed by XRD analysis. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters like activation energy (E _a), pre-exponential factor (A) and entropy of activation (S ^#) were calculated employing different integral methods of Doyle, Coats and Redfern and Arrhenius.H for each stage of decomposition was obtained from DSC.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal And Structural Characterization of Commercial α-, β-, and γ-Cyclodextrins

α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins (CDs) marketed by five different companies were characterized from the thermal and structural point of view. Three αCD samples showed two-step DSC dehydration profiles and their XRD patterns were characteristic for αCD⋅6H₂O form I, whereas one brand with an apparent three-step DSC dehydration behaviour was a mixture of αCD⋅6H₂O form I and anhydrous αCD. The differences in the DSC profiles after dehydration and EGA onset decomposition temperatures recorded for the five βCD brands were attributed to different manufacturing and purification processes. The five γCDs brands showed a common thermal behaviour and very similar XRD patterns. The patterns did not match the idealized pattern of γCD⋅14.1H₂O, indicating the occurrence of two different hydrated crystal structures. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.