Effect of short glass fiber on structure and viscoelastic behavior of olefinic polymers synthesized with metallocene catalyst

Several composites were prepared on the basis of an ethylene homopolymer and different copolymers of ethylene and 1‐hexene, synthesized with a metallocene catalyst, as matrices and a content of a 5 wt % of short glass fiber. The effect of the fiber incorporation on the structure and mechanical and viscoelastic behaviors was analyzed for the different samples. The glass fibers induced a slightly higher crystallinity, and the crystallite morphology significantly changed (long spacings and crystal orientation). The incorporation of fibers did not reinforce the different matrices under study at this low content; consequently, the mechanical parameters, such as Young's modulus, yielding stress, and microhardness, were lower in the composites as compared with those values found in the neat polyolefins. The location and apparent activation energies of distinct relaxation processes are also discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1244–1255, 2003     

Metallocene copolymers of propene and 1‐hexene: The influence of the comonomer content and thermal history on the structure and mechanical properties

The relationships between the structure and properties have been established for copolymers of propylene and 1‐hexene synthesized with an isotactic metallocene catalyst system. The most important factor affecting the structure and properties of these copolymers is the comonomer content. The thermal treatment, that is, the rate of cooling from the melt, is also important. These factors affect the thermal properties, the degree of crystallinity, and therefore the structural parameters and the viscoelastic behavior. A slow cooling from the melt favors the formation of the γ phase instead of the α modification. Regarding the viscoelastic behavior, the β relaxation, associated with the glass‐transition temperature, is shifted to lower temperatures and its intensity is increased as the 1‐hexene content raises. The microhardness values are correlated with those of the storage modulus deduced from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis curves, and good linear relations have been obtained between these parameters. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1253–1267, 2006     

热致型液晶聚合物的等温和非等温晶化动力学

利用等温和非等温方法详细研究了芳香族聚酯──热致型聚合物对，对’－联苯二甲酸二辛酯的结晶相和液晶相形成机理，并计算了相变过程中的表面自由能与温度系数，研究结果表明：从介晶相开始的结晶过程是二维异相成核、三维线性增长的，而从各向同性液相开始的液晶相形成过程则是二维异相成核二维线性增长的．对两个晶化过程的表面自由能的研究表明，该聚合物液晶相形成过程的相转变表面自由能比结晶过程小得多，预示了它将具有更大的晶化速率．研究还发现，该聚合物的液晶相形成过程具有比结晶过程大得多的温度敏感性．     

Effect of hydration of polyamide membranes on the surface electrokinetic parameters: surface characterization by x-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy

The surface and the solid/liquid interface of two polyamide membranes, one experimental (B0) and one commercial (NF45), have been characterized by X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and zeta potential, respectively. The surface roughness, determined by AFM data analysis, is different for the two membranes, and results show that the commercial NF45 membrane presents a much lower roughness than the experimental B0 membrane. XPS data indicate that the surface of membrane NF45 is similar to that of pure polyamide, while membrane B0 contains a considerable amount of impurities. The homogeneity in depth of both membranes was also studied by determining the composition profile at different analysis angles. Streaming potential along the membrane surface or tangential streaming potential (TSP) measurements with NaCl solutions at different concentrations were carried out with both membranes to determine the zeta potential and the electrokinetic surface charge density, and a correlation between membrane surface and interface parameters is made. Some differences in atomic concentrations of membrane surface elements and X-ray photoelectronic spectra of the samples used in TSP measurements and after a drying process at 90 degrees C for 24 h can be observed when they are compared with those for fresh membranes. Electrokinetic parameters for membrane NF45 (TSP, zeta potential, and surface electrokinetic charge density) obtained from three different series of measurements strongly decrease as a result of membrane use, but for membrane B0 they are practically independent of the number of measurements. This difference in the electrokinetic behavior of the two membranes has been related to the hydration process of the surface for each sample studied by XPS and AFM.     

pKa values of peptides in aqueous and aqueous-organic media. Prediction of chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour

In the present work, models describing the effect of the pH on the chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour for polyprotic peptides were compared. The proposed models can be simultaneously used for determination of dissociation constants and selection of the optimum pH for the separation of peptides, in water and acetonitrile-water mixtures widely used in liquid chromatography and in capillary electrophoresis. The models use the pH value measured in the acetonitrile-water mixture instead of the pH value in water and take into account the effect of the activity coefficients. They permit the determination of the acidity constants in the aqueous and hydro-organic mobile phase from chromatographic retention and electrophoretic migration measurements, respectively. The values obtained by both proposed techniques agree with the potentiometric values previously determined. The suitability of the proposed models for predicting chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour of compounds studied from a limited number of experimental data was also compared. The separation between solutes by both techniques in a complex mixture can be easily predicted, making simple and rapid pH selection to achieve optimum separation.     

Capillary electrophoresis coupled to time of flight-mass spectrometry of therapeutic peptide hormones

We have established a method for separation and characterization of a series of peptide hormones of pharmaceutical interest and wide therapeutical use by capillary electrophoresis-electrospray-mass spectrometry (CE-ES-MS) using a sheath flow interface. Several parameters were systematically investigated, such as concentration of the electrolyte, organic solvent and sheath liquid composition, gas flow rates and capillary position. Moreover, limits of detection, linearity, repeatability and day-to-day reproducibility of the proposed method were studied in order to obtain the main quality parameters.     

(Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile as a chiral dienophile: diels-alder reactions with furan and acyclic dienes

The behavior of (Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile (1) as a chiral dienophile has been evaluated from its reactions with furan and acyclic dienes. Electrostatic interactions of the cyano group with the sulfinyl one restrict the conformational mobility around the C-S bond, thus controlling the pi-facial selectivity, which is almost complete in all cases, the approach of the diene from the less-hindered face of the dienophile (that bearing the lone electron pair) in the predominant rotamer being the favored one. The regioselectivity is also completely controlled by the cyano group. Additionally, the reactivity of compound 1 as well as its endo-selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (Z)-3-sulfinylacrylates, thus proving the potential of sulfinylnitriles as chiral dienophiles.     

Liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry of multicomponent peptide mixtures. Characterization of a mixture from the synthesis of the hormone goserelin

In order to separate and characterize the target peptide and the side-product peptide compounds of a synthesis mixture of the peptide hormone goserelin, liquid chromatography coupled to high-flow electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ES-MS) has been used. Goserelin is an important drug with recognized therapeutical application for palliative treatment of prostatic and breast carcinomas. Stepwise solid-phase peptide synthesis commonly results in unwanted side-products associated with incomplete peptide chains. Consequently, this procedure requires extensive purification and characterization of the final synthesis mixture. The method of linear solvation energy relationships has been applied to optimize the proportion of organic modifier of the mobile phase used in the established LC method. On the other hand, ES-MS has allowed rapid and reliable identification of the target peptide and the other impurities present in the goserelin synthesis products.     

Narrow band quantitative and multivariate electroencephalogram analysis of peri-adolescent period

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The peri-adolescent period is a crucial developmental moment of transition from childhood to emergent adulthood. The present report analyses the differences in Power Spectrum (PS) of the Electroencephalogram (EEG) between late childhood (24 children between 8 and 13 years old) and young adulthood (24 young adults between 18 and 23 years old). RESULTS: The narrow band analysis of the Electroencephalogram was computed in the frequency range of 0--20 Hz. The analysis of mean and variance suggested that six frequency ranges presented a different rate of maturation at these ages, namely: low delta, delta-theta, low alpha, high alpha, low beta and high beta. For most of these bands the maturation seems to occur later in anterior sites than posterior sites. Correlational analysis showed a lower pattern of correlation between different frequencies in children than in young adults, suggesting a certain asynchrony in the maturation of different rhythms. The topographical analysis revealed similar topographies of the different rhythms in children and young adults. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) demonstrated the same internal structure for the Electroencephalogram of both age groups. Principal Component Analysis allowed to separate four subcomponents in the alpha range. All these subcomponents peaked at a lower frequency in children than in young adults. CONCLUSIONS: The present approaches complement and solve some of the incertitudes when the classical brain broad rhythm analysis is applied. Children have a higher absolute power than young adults for frequency ranges between 0-20 Hz, the correlation of Power Spectrum (PS) with age and the variance age comparison showed that there are six ranges of frequencies that can distinguish the level of EEG maturation in children and adults. The establishment of maturational order of different frequencies and its possible maturational interdependence would require a complete series including all the different ages.