Benzimidazole-based dendritic nanofiltration membranes

A dendritic-benzimidazole (D-BI) has been prepared using polyphosphoric acid (PPA) as a condensing medium with diaminobenzidine (DAB), 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylic acid, and isophthalic acid as monomers. The structure of D-BI was ascertained by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H NMR, and solid-state ¹³C-NMR. The D-BI was incorporated into polysulphone (PSf) by blending with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) as a macromolecular additive. The membranes were cast by phase inversion technique. The physical properties such as surface morphology and the chemical properties such as contact angle and the performance attributes, such as NOM rejection, salt rejection, and pure water flux were studied. It is imperative that the infusibility of rigid polymeric backbone is overcome by the introduction of polar moieties with no compromise on thermal stability. The membranes displayed substantial increase in thermal stability with D-BI content. The marginal increase in flux has been attributed to the branching and steric effect of D-BI. This is because the introduction of polar group efficiently affords to stabilize the adjacent aromatic rings. The salt rejection shows the order of MgSO₄ ≈ Na₂SO₄ > MgCl₂ > NaCl, which follows that the divalent ions are rejected more than monovalent ions. The antifouling behaviour was also significant as the irreversible fouling (R_Ir 9%), which was found to be minimal for D-BI-incorporated membrane. The blended membranes exhibited good hydrophilicity, antifouling, and fairly good rejection of salts.     

The properties of equimolar copolycarbonates of bisphenol A with bisphenol S and 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane

Ranges of both alternating and random 1:1 copolycarbonates of Bisphenol-A (2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane) and Bisphenol-S (4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyl sulphone) and of Bisphenol-A and 1,4-dimethanoylcyclohexane have been synthesized in order to test the hypothesis that, other things being equal, a more random structured polymer should exhibit superior thermal ageing characteristics. Studies on these materials' mechanical and thermal properties establish that within each pair they are extremely similar and hence the original hypothesis is disproved.     

Stimulation of Cadaverine Production by Foodborne Pathogens in the Presence of Lactobacillus,Lactococcus, and Streptococcus spp.

Abstract: The effect of Lactobacillus plantarum (FI8595), Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG 1363), Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (IL 1403), and Streptococcus thermophilus on cadaverine and other biogenic amine production by foodborne pathogens was investigated lysine decarboxylase broth. Both of lactic acid bacteria and foodborne pathogens used (especially Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis and Lb. plantarum) had an ability to convert aminoacids into biogenic amine. The conversion of lysine into cadaverine was the highest (167.11 mg/L) by Lactobacillus spp. Gram‐positive bacteria generally had a greater ability to produce cadaverine with corresponding value of 46.26, 53.76, and 154.54 mg/L for Enterococcus faecalis, S. aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively. Significant variations on biogenic amine production were observed in the presence of lactic acid bacteria strains (P < 0.05). The role of lactic acid bacteria on biogenic amine production by foodborne pathogens varied depending on strains and specific amine. Cadaverine accumulation by Enterobactericeae was increased in the presence of lactic acid bacteria strains except for St. thermophilus, which induced 2‐fold lower cadaverine production by S. Paratyphi A. Lc. lactis subsp. lactis and Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris induced 10‐fold higher increases in histamine for E. coli and K. pneumoniae, respectively. Lactic acid bacteria resulted in strong increases in cadaverine production by P. aeruginosa, although remarkable decreases were observed for histamine, spermidine, dopamine, agmatine, and TMA in the presence of lactic acid bacteria in lysine decarboxylase broth . The result of the study showed that amine positive lactic acid bacteria strains in fermented food led to significant amine accumulation by contaminant bacteria and their accumulation in food product may be controlled by the use of proper starters with amine‐negative activity. Practical Application: Foodborne pathogens and certain lactic acid bacteria are particularly active in the production of biogenic amines. Most of the strains of bacteria possess more than 1 amino acid decarboxylase activity under lysine enrichment culture conditions. Lactic acid bacteria strains had a significant role on increase putrescine accumulation by foodborne pathogens. The increased production of biogenic amines in mixed culture is the result of presence of amine positive lactic acid bacteria strains. The addition of a proper selected starter culture with amine‐negative activity is advisable to produce safer fermented food with low contents of biogenic amines.     

The synthesis of covalent bonded single‐walled carbon nanotube/polyvinylimidazole composites by in situ polymerization and their physical characterization

Single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) polyvinylimidazole (PVI) composites have been prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization. Dispersion of raw SWCNTs in the PVI matrix was improved by surface modification of the SWCNTs using nitric acid treatment and air oxidation. The carbonyl‐terminated SWCNTs were covalently bonded to PVI by in situ polymerization and the SWCNT/PVI composite was thus obtained. The morphological and structural characterizations of the surface‐functionalized SWCNTs and SWCNT/PVI composites were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, conductivity measurements, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Thermograms of the materials were determined by the differential scanning calorimetry technique. The characterization results indicate that PVI was covalently bonded to SWCNTs and a new material was then obtained. The functionalized SWCNTs showed homogenous dispersion in the composites, whereas purified SWCNT resulted in poor dispersion and nanotube agglomeration. SWCNT/PVI composites exhibited chemical stability enhancement in many common solvents. I–V curves of the samples exhibit an ohmic character. Conductivity values for pure SWCNTs, pure PVI and SWCNT/PVI composite were measured to be 3.47, 2.11 × 10⁻⁹, and 2.3 × 10⁻³ S/m, respectively. Because of resonance, a large dielectric constant is obtained for SWCNT/PVI composite, which is not observed for ordinary materials. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Optical and solar parameters of irradiated lead–alkali–silicate glass

Lead–alkali–silicate glass that is used for a shielding window of hot cells in nuclear technology has been irradiated by a ⁶⁰Co radioisotope source between 0.998 and 35.939 kGray dose levels. Gamma rays can affect glass and change its several optical and solar parameters such as secondary internal heat transfer factor (q_i), direct solar transmittance (τ_e), solar factor (g) and shading coefficient via the absorbed dose. It is aimed to investigate the performance of the glass in terms of the shading coefficient, which is the most important parameter to view clearly inside of the hot cell. Furthermore, a comparative evaluation has been done with respect to the unexposed lead–alkali–silicate glass. Change in the shading coefficient with respect to absorbed dose is extremely important.     

On theory of electric conductivity of low-conducting liquid in the field of injecting electrodes (mobility dependence)

Calculation of the mobility of free electrons at the injection of electrons from high voltage needle electrodes on a liquid surface is conducted. Applicability of the methods of solid state physics is validated. The dependence of the mobility on the electric field intensity ～E ^?1/3 is achieved on account of the dependence of the free electron wave function on the electric field intensity. It is substantiated that the distribution function with respect to the energies of electrons does not depend on the electric field intensity.     

Mechanical and viscoelastic properties of polyethylene-based microfibrillated composites from 100% recycled resources

In this study, recycled polyethylene (rPE) based microfibrillated composites (MFCs) were developed while incorporating recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (rPET) and recycled polyamide 6 (rPA) as the reinforcing fibrillar phases at a given weight ratio of 80 wt% (rPE)/20 wt% (rPET or rPA). The blends were first melt processed using a twin-screw extruder. The extrudates were then cold stretched at a drawing ratio of 2.5 to form rPET and rPA fibrillar structures. Next, the pelletized drawn samples were injection molded at the barrel temperatures below the melting temperatures of rPET and rPA. The tensile, three-point bending, impact strength, dynamic thermomechanical, and rheological properties of the fabricated MFCs were analyzed. The effects of injection molding barrel temperature (i.e., 150°C and 190°C) and extrusion melt processing temperature (i.e., 250°C and 275°C) on the generated fibrillar structure and the resultant properties were explored. A strong correlation between the fibrillar morphology and the mechanical properties with the extrusion and injection molding temperatures was observed. Moreover, the ethylene/n-butyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate (EnBAGMA) terpolymer and maleic anhydride grafted PE (MAH-g-PE) were, respectively, melt processed with rPE/rPET and rPE/rPA6 blends as compatibilizers. The compatibilizers refined the fibrillar structure and remarkably influenced mechanical properties, specifically the impact strength.     

Thermal oxidative degradation kinetics and thermal properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) modified with poly(lactic acid)

The thermal oxidative degradation kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) copolymers modified with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were investigated with thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The thermal properties of the modified products were also determined by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) technique. Waste PET (P100) obtained from postconsumer water bottles was modified with a low‐molecular‐weight PLA. The PET/PLA weight ratio was 90/10 (P90) and 50/50 (P50) in the modified samples. The thermal oxidative degradation kinetics of the modified samples was compared with those of PET (P100). The segmented block and/or random copolymer structure of the modified samples formed by a transesterification reaction between the PLA and PET units in solution and the length of the aliphatic and aromatic blocks were found to have a great effect on the degradation behavior. On the basis of the results of the degradation kinetics determined by Kissinger method, the degradation rate of the samples decreased in the order of P50 > P90 > P100, depending on the amount of PLA in the copolymer structure. However, the degradation activation energies (E_A) of the samples decreased in the order of P100 > P90 > P50. It was concluded that the degradation rate and mechanism were affected significantly by the incorporation of PLA into the copolymer structure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008