Improvement of gas meter performance using polymer materials

The measuring elements of both dry‐ and wet‐type gas meters are composed of a diaphragm and rotary drum. In this article an explanation on the principle of measuring and the structure of the gas meter for each of these two types was discussed. Such applications were made as follows: synthetic rubber was used for the measuring diaphragm, engineering plastic was employed instead of metal for the measuring drum, and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) was used for the casing, respectively. As a result, an improvement in the gas resistance performance and productivity, which led to a lighter weight, more compactness and a lower cost of productions was achieved. Also the influence of the solubility of the measured gas to the plastic on the measured valve was discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical and experimental approaches to kinetics at the collapse transition of a homopolymer

Summary We discuss some recent theoretical studies of the kinetics of the collapse transition in homopolymers. An isolated polymer is modelled using computer simulation, and a time-dependent mean-field theory. The mean-field theory is analysed analytically for early stages, and for short polymers the equations are studied numerically. The results of simulation and theory are compared yielding, we argue, a consistent physical picture. Quantitative comparisons are not yet given, but seem relatively promising. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4– 1994.     

Analysis of the crystallization kinetics in poly(ethylene oxide) by calorimetric measurements

Summary Differential scanning calorimetric measurements in the early stage of isothermal crystal growth of polyethylene oxide are analysed in the light of irreversible thermodynamics. An accurate evaluation of the equilibrium melting temperature is done by fitting the thermograms obtained at different undercoolings and referring to the activation energy values already known from the literature. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.     

Standardization and certification in the area of environmentally degradable plastics

Environmentally degradable polymers and plastics (EDPs) are a group of polymeric materials experiencing a rapid growth in number as well as in their applications and quantities used. The assessment of their key characteristic - degradability, including eventually biodegradability as the ultimate stage, is scientifically and technically a challenging issue and has led to differing interpretations in the past. In order to standardize techniques and criteria a number of standards were established by different standardization bodies which are also used as a basis for certification schemes. An up-to-date inventory of the rapidly growing standardization body is presented with basic interpretation to help guide the non-expert. A basic introduction to EDPs and polymer degradation is added for clarity.     

Synthesis of Substituted 6-Amino-4-aryl-5-cyano-2H,4H-pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles. Crystal and Molecular Structure of 6-Amino-5-cyano-3-methyl-4-(2',4',6'-triethylphenyl)-2H,4H-pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole

Substituted 6-aminopyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles were synthesized by the two-component condensation of arylidenemalononitriles and substituted 5-pyrazolones or three-component condensation of aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, and substituted 5-pyrazolones. It was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis that pyranopyrazoles exist in the 2H and not the 1H tautomeric form.     

Tribological properties of ormosil coatings

Transparent plastics are not scratch resistant. The damage leads to a loss of optical properties. Coatings prepared using either tetraethoxysilane or colloidal silica particles embedded in glymo is a way to avoid these disadvantages. Tribological experiments are carried out to better understand the surface modification due to a sliding friction. It is shown that the wear track is not directly related to usual mechanical properties such as Young's modulus and the hardness of the coating. The different stages leading to material loss are discussed in term of particle removal and debris circulation (accumulation or elimination) through the friction track. The mechanical properties of the film combined with the film to substrate adhesion are expected to play an important role as it can be deduced from results obtained as a function of the coating composition.     

The crystal and molecular structures of 1,1′-divinyl-2,2′-biimidazolyl

The crystal and molecular structures of 1,1-divinyl-2,2-biimidazolyl (L) were determined by x-ray crystallographic analysis. It was established that the molecule of L has crystallographic symmetry 2 and a cisoid conformation with an angle of rotation of 128° between the imidazole rings. The length of the C²-C² bond is increased to 1.485(11) Å compared with the length of the analogous bond in unsubstituted 2,2-biimidazolyl (1.423 Å). Localization of the N=C multiple bond is observed [1.297(9) Å]. The other N-C bonds of the ring are almost equalized (1.374 Å) and are close to the standard values for bonds of the C _sp ²-N type in imidazoles. The angle between the plane of the heterocycle and the plane passing through the atoms of the vinyl group amounts to 7°.N. S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117907 Moscow. Irkutsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1376–1380, June, 1992.     

治理塑料废弃物新技术途径探讨--专论可降解塑料的研究开发

综述了可降解塑料的研究开发现状及其进展。可降解塑料的降解时控性研究，合成，加工工艺改进以及降低成本的研究，可控光－生物降解的合成降解性研究和一次性使用塑料实用性研究，仍是今后需要深入探讨的重要研究课题。     

Calculating the knowledge-based similarity of functional groups using crystallographic data

A knowledge-based method for calculating the similarity of functional groups is described and validated. The method is based on experimental information derived from small molecule crystal structures. These data are used in the form of scatterplots that show the likelihood of a non-bonded interaction being formed between functional group A (the `central group') and functional group B (the `contact group' or `probe'). The scatterplots are converted into three-dimensional maps that show the propensity of the probe at different positions around the central group. Here we describe how to calculate the similarity of a pair of central groups based on these maps. The similarity method is validated using bioisosteric functional group pairs identified in the Bioster database and Relibase. The Bioster database is a critical compilation of thousands of bioisosteric molecule pairs, including drugs, enzyme inhibitors and agrochemicals. Relibase is an object-oriented database containing structural data about protein-ligand interactions. The distributions of the similarities of the bioisosteric functional group pairs are compared with similarities for all the possible pairs in IsoStar, and are found to be significantly different. Enrichment factors are also calculated showing the similarity method is statistically significantly better than random in predicting bioisosteric functional group pairs.