Possibilities of Production and Use of Rubber-Bitumen Compounds

Procedures are discussed for production of rubber-bitumen compounds based on spent rubber items. A possibility of using these binders for paving is studied experimentally.     

Thermodynamic parameters of urethane formation reactions and concomitant processes

Thermodynamic parameters of reactions of methyl and phenyl isocyanates with a series of compounds were determined by quantum-chemical calculations. The products of these reactions model for various functional groups present in commercial polyurethanes. The thermodynamic stability series for compounds formed from aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates were constructed.     

Composition of Laprol-373 and Products of Its Reaction with 2,4-Toluylene Diisocyanate

The composition of oligoethers that are components of Laprol-373 and of products of their reaction with 2,4-toluylene diisocyanate were studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF).     

Quantum-chemical study on reactions of isocyanates with linear methanol associates: VIII. Relative reactivity of linear phenol and methanol associates toward methyl isocyanate

The mechanisms of the reactions of methyl isocyanate with phenol monomer and linear dimer were studied at the B3LYP/6-311++G(df,p) level of theory, and the results were compared with those obtained for the reactions with methanol associates. All the examined reactions involve asymmetric concerted transition states. The addition of phenol is electrophilic, whereas the addition of methanol is nucleophilic. The formation of H-complexes with phenol and methanol molecules increases not only electron-donating power but also gasphase acidity and basicity.     

Quantum-chemical study on thermal transformations of urea in ethylene glycol

Thermal decomposition of urea in ethylene glycol with formation of isocyanic acid and ammonia was studied at the B3LYP/6-311++G(df,p) level of theory. The decomposition process is efficiently catalyzed by monomeric and dimeric forms of ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol dimer formed via intermolecular hydrogen bonding is a stronger acid than the monomeric species, which is responsible for the higher catalytic activity of the former. Ethylene glycol associates efficiently catalyze addition of ammonium to isocyanic acid in the synthesis of ethylene carbonate.     

The thermodynamic parameters of reactions of phenyl isocyanate with methanol associates

The thermodynamic parameters of reactions of phenyl isocyanate with methanol monomer, dimer, and trimer were calculated by the B3LYP and MP2 quantum-chemical methods. The enthalpies and entropies of transformations were found to increase as the degree of methanol association grew. An isokinetic dependence was observed for the transformations under consideration. The influence of the polarity of solvents on the Gibbs energies of these reactions was estimated.     

Variation of Functional Composition of SKEPT Rubber in the Course of Ozonolysis

Ozonolysis in hexane of ternary ethylene-propylene rubber (SKEPT), accompanied by formation of oxygen-containing groups and intermolecular cross-linking, was studied. These processes become more pronounced when ozonolysis is performed in hexane containing pyridine.     

Influence of electric field intensity, ionic strength, and migration distance on the mobility and diffusion in DNA surface electrophoresis

In order to increase the separation rate of surface electrophoresis while preserving the resolution for large DNA chains, e.g., genomic DNA, the mobility and diffusion of Lambda DNA chains adsorbed on flat silicon substrate under an applied electric field, as a function of migration distance, ionic strength, and field intensity, were studied using laser fluorescence microscope. The mobility was found to follow a power law with the field intensity beyond a certain threshold. The detected DNA peak width was shown to be constant with migration distance, slightly smaller with stronger field intensity, but significantly decreased with higher ionic strength. The molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated that the peak width was strongly related with the conformation of DNA chains adsorbed onto surface. The results also implied that there was no diffusion of DNA during migration on surface. Therefore, the Nernst-Einstein relation is not valid in the surface electrophoresis and the separation rate could be improved without losing resolution by decreasing separation distance, increasing buffer concentration, and field intensity. The results indicate the fast separation of genomic DNA chains by surface electrophoresis is possible.