Miscibility and phase structure of binary blends of polylactide and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Blends of amorphous poly(DL‐lactide) (DL‐PLA) and crystalline poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were prepared by both solution/precipitation and solution‐casting film methods. The miscibility, crystallization behavior, and component interaction of these blends were examined by differential scanning calorimetry. Only one glass‐transition temperature (T_g) was found in the DL‐PLA/PMMA solution/precipitation blends, indicating miscibility in this system. Two isolated T_g's appeared in the DL‐PLA/PMMA solution‐casting film blends, suggesting two segregated phases in the blend system, but evidence showed that two components were partially miscible. In the PLLA/PMMA blend, the crystallization of PLLA was greatly restricted by amorphous PMMA. Once the thermal history of the blend was destroyed, PLLA and PMMA were miscible. The T_g composition relationship for both DL‐PLA/PMMA and PLLA/PMMA miscible systems obeyed the Gordon–Taylor equation. Experiment results indicated that there is no more favorable trend of DL‐PLA to form miscible blends with PMMA than PLLA when PLLA is in the amorphous state. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 23–30, 2003     

Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulation on nano-system under external pressure

A new constant-pressure molecular dynamics (MD) method is developed to simulate the dynamic behavior and structure transition of finite system under external pressure. In this method, no artificial parameter is introduced and the computation overheads are very small. As an application, a hard-soft transition of single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) under external pressure is found, which is in agreement with the experiments.

     

General model for precalculation of the retention indices of isoalkanes separated by gas or liquid chromatography

A general model consisting of two terms is proposed for precalculation of retention indices of isoalkanes separated by gas chromatography (GC) on a squalane column and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a column containing a bonded octadecyl phase. The first term (referred to as extensive) includes parameters which have the greatest correlation with the experimental value of the index; the second term (referred to as intenzive) includes parameters which can modify the value of the roughly calculated index in the direction of the experimental value. The equations derived have correlation coefficients better than 0.99. The maximum discrepancy between the experimental and calculated retention index for twenty C₆C₈ isoalcanes was less than ± 1 index unit in gas chromatography and less than 4 index units in HPLC. The retention indices of 23 other C₇C₉ isoalkanes, calculated in the extrapolation region of the equations, were sufficiently accurate.     

Random walk on distant mesh points Monte Carlo methods

A new technique for obtaining Monte Carlo algorithms based on the Markov chains with a finite number of states is suggested. Instead of the classical random walk on neighboring mesh points, a general way of constructing Monte Carlo algorithms that could be called random walk on distant mesh points is considered. It is applied to solve boundary value problems. The numerical examples indicate that the new methods are less laborious and therefore more efficient.In conclusion, we mention that all Monte Carlo algorithms are parallel and could be easily realized on parallel computers.     

Gas chromatographic retention indices for alkenes on OV-101 and squalane capillary columns

Summary Gas chromatographic retention indices for 47 C₅ to C₈ alkenes on OV-101 dimethylsilicone at 50 and 70 °C were determined within a standard deviation of 0.3i.u. Data obtained on OV-101 are compared with those measured on squalane. The comparison of the retention index and dl/dT values from both columns is presented as linear regression equations with correlation coefficients greater than 0.98.     

Gas chromatographic analysis of C1–C4 nitroparaffins. Separation and identification

Summary The separation of C₁–C₄ nitroparaffins on SE-30, PEGA and Porapak R stationary phases was investigated. The nitroparaffin mixture was obtained from a real technological process. The best separation was achieved on Porapak R at 190°C. The fact that each peak obtained from this column corresponded to a single compound was checked by utilizing the linear relationship between the peak widths and the adjusted retention times (t _R ). Peak identification was carried out using the chromatographic data only, with help of plots of log t _R vs. carbon number and log t _R vs. boiling point; some of the results were also confirmed with comparing the retention times with those of pure substances and IR investigation of the collected chromatographic fraction.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Organocobalt(III) Complexes with Secondary Alkyls or Bulky Schiff Base Equatorial Ligands

Alkylcobalt(III) Schiff base B(12) model complexes with secondary alkyls or a bulky diamine in the equatorial position were synthesized and characterized. Structures have been first determined by X-ray diffraction analysis for i-C(4)H(9)Co(salen)(gamma-pic) (I), n-C(3)H(7)Co(salen)(gamma-pic) (II) and C(2)H(5)Co(SB) (III), where salen = N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylideneamine) dianion; SB = 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylideneamine) dianion, gamma-pic = gamma-picoline. Crystal data for I (CoC(26)N(3)O(2)H(30)): space group P2(1)/c with a = 6.661(5) ?, b = 18.612(2) ?, c = 19.533(3) ?, beta = 98.93(1) degrees, V = 2392.10 ?(3), D(calcd) = 1.320 g.cm(-3), Z = 4, and R = 0.048 for 4469 measured reflections. Crystal data for II (CoC(25)N(3)O(2)H(28)): space group P2(1)/c, a = 9.609(6) ?, b = 19.169(8) ?, c = 12.995(9) ?, beta = 106.9(7) degrees, V = 2290.4 ?(3), D(calcd) = 1.332 g.cm(-1), Z = 4, and R = 0.048 for 4358 measured reflections. Crystal data for III (CoC(22)N(2)O(2)H(27)): space group P2(1)/c, a = 8.318(3) ?, b = 21.579(2) ?, c = 11.572(2) ?, beta = 93.35(1) degrees, V = 2073.7 ?(3), D(calcd) = 1.314 g.cm(-1), Z = 4, and R = 0.060 for 3954 measured reflections. The crystal structure data reveal that complexes I and II display six-coordinate octahedral geometry; their Co-C, Co-N bond lengths, as well as the Co-C-C angles, are very close to those in 5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin. Complex III is one of the very few compounds having five-coordinate square pyramidal geometry and observed instability of the Co-C bond.     

Rationally Designed Three-Layered Cu2S@Carbon@MoS2 Hierarchical Nanoboxes for Efficient Sodium Storage

Hybrid materials, integrating the merits of individual components, are ideal structures for efficient sodium storage. However, the construction of hybrid structures with decent physical/electrochemical properties is still challenging. Now, the elaborate design and synthesis of hierarchical nanoboxes composed of three-layered Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries is reported. Through a facile multistep template-engaged strategy, ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets are grown on nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Cu₂S nanoboxes to realize the Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ configuration. The design shortens the diffusion path of electrons/Na⁺ ions, accommodates the volume change of electrodes during cycling, enhances the electric conductivity of the hybrids, and offers abundant active sites for sodium uptake. By virtue of these advantages, these three-layered Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ hierarchical nanoboxes show excellent electrochemical properties in terms of decent rate capability and stable cycle life.     

Fabrication of Heterostructured Fe2TiO5–TiO2 Nanocages with Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance for Solar Energy Conversion

Photocatalysts with well‐designed compositions and structures are desirable for achieving highly efficient solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion. Heterostructured semiconductor photocatalysts with advanced hollow structures possess beneficial features for promoting the activity towards photocatalytic reactions. Here we develop a facile synthetic strategy for the fabrication of Fe₂TiO₅–TiO₂ nanocages (NCs) as anode materials in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting cells. A hydrothermal reaction is performed to transform MIL‐125(Ti) nanodisks (NDs) to Ti–Fe–O NCs, which are further converted to Fe₂TiO₅–TiO₂ NCs through a post annealing process. Owing to the compositional and structural advantages, the heterostructured Fe₂TiO₅–TiO₂ NCs show enhanced performance for PEC water oxidation compared with TiO₂ NDs, Fe₂TiO₅ nanoparticles (NPs) and Fe₂TiO₅–TiO₂ NPs.     

Synthesis of CuS@CoS2 Double‐Shelled Nanoboxes with Enhanced Sodium Storage Properties

Metal sulfides have received considerable attention for efficient sodium storage owing to their high capacity and decent redox reversibility. However, the poor rate capability and fast capacity decay greatly hinder their practical application in sodium‐ion batteries. Herein, an elegant multi‐step templating strategy has been developed to rationally synthesize hierarchical double‐shelled nanoboxes with the CoS₂ nanosheet‐constructed outer shell supported on the CuS inner shell. Their structure and composition enable these hierarchical CuS@CoS₂ nanoboxes to show boosted electrochemical properties with high capacity, outstanding rate capability, and long cycle life.