The origin of thermodynamic stability of microemulsions

The adsorption of surfactant and cosurfactant on the surface of the globules decreases the interfacial tension between oil and water to very low values. In addition, the decrease of the bulk concentrations of the surfactant and cosurfactant decreases their chemical potential both in the bulk and at the interface, thus decreasing the free energy of the system (dilution effect). The thermodynamic stability of microemulsions is due to the fact that the total free energy change caused by these effects can become negative. The theory can explain the occurence of stable microemulsions for both non-ionic and ionic surfactants.     

Strong adhesion and smooth conductive surface via graft polymerization of aniline on a modified glass fiber surface

The goal of this paper is to prepare surface-conductive glass fibers. The fibers were first hydroxylated, after which they were reacted with 3-bromopropyltrichlorosilane to form a bromopropylsilane monolayer, which was further reacted with aniline to substitute the bromine atoms. The surface-bound aniline molecules were used as active sites for the graft polymerization of polyaniline (PANI). The composition, structure and the morphology of the modified glass fiber surface were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The method generated a smooth and homogenous thin layer of PANI on the surface of the glass fiber with a surface conductivity of about 6 S/cm, hence larger than the usual value ( approximately 1 S/cm) of the bulk polyaniline.     

Preparative isolation of (+)-beta-eudesmol fromAmyris balsamifera

Summary Optically pure (+)-beta-eudesmol is a possible starting material for the synthesis of several termite defense compounds. A two step procedure for the isolation of gram quantities of (+)-beta-eudesmol from commercially availableAmyris balsamifera oil (syn. West Indian sandalwood oil), containing 8% beta-eudesmol, was developed. Step one consisted of an efficient vacuum distillation of the total oil. Step two was a medium pressure LC separation with an AgNO₃ impregnated silica gel stationary phase. Several other separation procedures failed due to the presence of many closely related sesquiterpene alcohols (75% of the oil).     

Scaling analysis of coating of a plate or a fiber

The problem of coating a plate or a fiber through their withdrawal from a large reservoir was treated in the literature in various limiting cases. In the present paper, interpolation expressions are derived by scaling for Newtonian, Bingham, and viscoelastic fluids. The scaling analysis was also employed to explain the sharp increase in film thickness produced by inertia and the occurrence of a maximum thickness for an optimum velocity. It is also shown that, for a viscoelastic fluid, the film thickness tends to a finite value at very large withdrawal rates. An explanation is also provided for the existence of a maximum film thickness for an optimum surfactant concentration.     

Fluorescence study of aggregation in water of PEO-grafted polydiphenylamine

Fluorescence spectra of water-soluble conducting poly(ethylene oxide)-grafted polydiphenylamines (PDPA-g-PEOs with the M(n)s of PEO 350, 750, and 2000) in water were determined and interpreted. The emissions of the PDPA-g-PEOs occurred in the range from 360 to 700 nm and were dependent on their concentrations, PEO chain length, extent of oxidation, pH, and temperature. An optimum concentration, above which the fluorescence intensity decreased dramatically because of quenching, was observed. This quenching was a result of the aggregation of PDPA-g-PEO macromolecules in water. The doped PDPA-g-PEO molecules provided a lower optimum concentration than the corresponding reduced-state macromolecules. A rod-shaped microstructure of nanoscale size was generated through the aggregation of the PDPA-g-PEO macromolecules. This microstructure was also confirmed by dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and surface elemental analysis.