Crystalline structure of polyamide 12 as revealed by solid‐state 13C NMR and synchrotron WAXS and SAXS

The crystalline structure of polyamide‐12 (PA12) was studied by solid‐state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as well as by synchrotron wide‐ and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS). Isotropic and oriented PA12 showed different NMR spectra ascribed to γ‐ and γ′‐crystalline modifications, respectively. On the basis of the position of the first diffraction peak, the isotropic γ‐form and the oriented γ′‐form were shown to be with hexagonal crystalline lattice at room temperature. When heated, the two PA12 polymorphs demonstrated different behaviors. Above 140 °C, the isotropic γ‐PA12 partially transformed into α‐modification. No such transition was observed with the oriented γ′‐PA12 phase even after annealing at temperatures close to melting. A γ′–γ transition was observed here only after isotropization by melting point. Various structural parameters were extracted from the WAXS and SAXS patterns and analyzed as a function of temperature and orientation: the degree of crystallinity, the d‐spacings, the Bragg's long spacings, the average thicknesses of the crystalline (l_c) and amorphous (l_a) phases, and the linear crystallinity x_cl within the lamellar stacks. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3720–3733, 2005     

Development and Evaluation of Decision-Making Model for Stock Markets

The paper introduces an intelligent decision-making model which is based on the application of artificial neural networks (ANN) and swarm intelligence technologies. The proposed model is used to generate one-step forward investment decisions for stock markets. The ANN are used to make the analysis of daily stock returns and to calculate one day forward decision for purchase of the stocks. Subsequently the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied in order to select the “the best” ANN for the future investment decisions and to adapt the weights of other networks towards the weights of the best network. The experimental investigations were made considering different forms of decision-making model: different number of ANN, ANN inputs, sliding windows, and commission fees. The paper introduces the decision-making model, its evaluation results and discusses its application possibilities.     

Adsorption of arsenic (V) from a water solution onto a surfactant-modified zeolite

In this study a surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) was prepared by adsorbing the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) bromide on a clinoptilolite. The adsorption of the surfactant modified the surface properties of the clinoptilolite and enhanced the anionic capacity of the SMZ. The adsorption equilibrium data of As(V) from the water solution on the SMZ were obtained in a batch adsorber, and the Langmuir isotherm matched the data reasonably well. The As(V) adsorption capacity of the SMZ was 12.5 times greater than that of the clinoptilolite. The adsorption of As(V) on SMZ was mainly due to the interactions between the anionic sites of the SMZ and the As(V) anions in water solution. The adsorption capacity of the SMZ was dependent on the solution pH. The adsorption capacity was increased and decreased by augmenting the pH from 5 to 7 and from 7 to 12, respectively. This unusual behavior was due to the fact that the affinity of the As(V) for the SMZ was dependent on the As(V) species that were present in solution. The adsorption capacity of the SMZ was slightly favored by decreasing the temperature from 25 to 15 °C. The heat of adsorption was estimated to be ΔH _ads=−46.82 KJ/mol, indicating that the adsorption was exothermic and the As(V) was chemisorbed on the SMZ.     

Testing mean changes by maximal ratio statistics

Extremes - We propose a new test statistic $$\mathrm {MR}_{\gamma ,n}$$ for detecting a changed segment in the mean, at unknown dates, in a regularly varying sample. Our model supports several...     

Generalizations of a discrete universality theorem for Hurwitz zeta-functions

It is well known that the Hurwitz zeta-function ζ(s, α) with transcendental or rational parameter α is universal in the sense that the shifts ζ(s + iτ ), t ? \mathbbR \tau \in \mathbb{R} (continuous case), and ζ(s + imh), m ? \mathbbN è{ 0 } m \in \mathbb{N} \cup \left\{ 0 \right\} , with fixed h > 0 (discrete case) approximate any analytic function. In the paper, the discrete universality is extended for some classes of the functions F(ζ(s, α)).     

Ag/DNQ-novolac-based nanocomposite films for controllable UV lithography morphological patterning

In this study, the detailed characterisation of silver (Ag) nanoparticles/polymer nanocomposite chemical structure and morphology of grating has been carried out. Scanning electron microscopy measurements show spherical shape of Ag nanoparticles (40–80 nm in diameter) prepared in chloroform by reduction of silver nitrate. In the positive photoresist based on 2-diazo-2H-naphthalen-1-one (DNQ)–novolac, Ag nanoparticles were deposited from organic colloidal solution. The content of nanoparticles in the polymer matrix was varied by increasing the concentration of Ag colloidal solution. Grating was formed by contact lithography. The quantification of Ag nanoparticles and chemical analysis of Ag/DNQ-novolac-based nanocomposite was performed by means of energy dispersive X-ray analyzer and SEM/EDS. In order to study the effect of Ag nanoparticles on the DNQ-novolac-based nanocomposite structure, investigations with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were conducted. Ag nanoparticles cause changes associated with substituent-sensitive out-of-plane C–H bending vibrations of aromatic ring. Ag/DNQ-novolac-based nanocomposite film surface morphology and grating topography imaging were performed using atomic force microscopy. Added Ag nanoparticles change the geometrical parameters of the gratings. The split of corrugations was achieved in Ag/DNQ-novolac-patterned films. Their morphology can be tailored by altering the content of Ag nanoparticles.     

Degradation of polyamide 11 in rotational moulding

The degradation of polyamide 11 (PA 11) was studied in samples rotationally moulded using a range of processing temperatures. The chemical changes occurring in the moulded material were assessed using FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, gas chromatography, rheometry and microscopy. The results showed that the degradation is complex and depends on the location of the material in the moulding. At the internal surface, the degradation is predominantly thermo-oxidative leading to the formation of carbon dioxide, carboxylic acids and conjugated unsaturated oligo-enimines (UV-vis-active chromophores). Away from the internal surface, the dominant process is through the recombination of broken chains and/or post-condensation reactions that increase the molecular weight without the formation of UV-vis-active chromophores. A degradation mechanism is proposed for PA 11 in rotational moulding.     

Four bis(1‐chloro‐2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐3‐oxocyclobutan‐1‐yl)oligosulfanes

The four oligosulfanes, bis(1‐chloro‐2,2,4,4‐tetra­methyl‐3‐oxo­cyclo­butan‐1‐yl)­disulfane, C₁₆H₂₄Cl₂O₂S₂, (III), 1,3‐bis(1‐chloro‐2,2,4,4‐tetra­methyl‐3‐oxo­cyclo­butan‐1‐yl)­trisulfane, C₁₆H₂₄Cl₂O₂S₃, (V), 1,4‐bis(1‐chloro‐2,2,4,4‐tetra­methyl‐3‐oxo­cyclo­butan‐1‐yl)­tetrasulfane, C₁₆H₂₄Cl₂O₂S₄, (VII), and 1,6‐bis(1‐chloro‐2,2,4,4‐tetra­methyl‐3‐oxo­cyclo­butan‐1‐yl)­hexasul­fane, C₁₆H₂₄Cl₂O₂S₆, (VIII), all have similar geometric parameters, with the C—C bond lengths involving the chloro‐substituted cyclo­butanyl C atom being elongated to about 1.59 Å. There are two mol­ecules in the asymmetric units of the tri‐ and tetrasulfanes, and the mol­ecules in the latter compound have local C₂ symmetry. The mol­ecule of the hexasulfane has crystallographic C₂ symmetry. Most of the cyclo­butanyl rings are not perfectly planar and have slight but varying degrees of distortion towards a flattened tetrahedron. The polysulfane chain in each structure has a helical conformation, with each additional S atom in the chain adding approximately one quarter of a turn to the helix.     

Effect of some process parameters in enzymatic dyeing of wool

This article reports on the dyeing of wool using an enzymatic system comprising laccase; dye precursor, 2,5-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid; and dye modifiers, catechol and resorcinol. Enzymatic dyeing was performed as a batchwise process at the temperature and pH of maximum enzyme activity. The effects of the process variables reaction time, enzyme, and modifier concentration on fabric color were studied, according to an appropriate experimental design. Different hues and depths of shades could be achieved by varying the concentration of the modifiers and the time of laccase treatment. The duration of the enzymatic reaction appeared to be the most important factor in the dyeing process. Thus, the dyeing process, performed at low temperature and mild pH, was advantageous in terms of reduced enzyme and chemical dosage.