The effects of the molecular weight and structure of polycarbonatediols on the properties of waterborne polyurethanes

A series of waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) were synthesized by a pre-polymer process from isophorone diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and polycarbonatediol with varying molecular weight (1000–2000 Da) and molecular structure (copolycarbonate and homopolycarbonate). The effect of polycarbonatediols on the performance of the emulsion was studied by means of apparent viscosity, particle size distribution and Zeta potential analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, dynamic mechanical analysis, physical and mechanical measurements and water droplet contact angle tests were employed to characterize the thermal stability, crystallinity, low temperature flexibility, physical and mechanical properties and wettability of the films derived from the emulsions. The results indicated that WPU dispersions with mean particle size in the range of 50–70 nm and Zeta potential value about −50 mV displayed excellent storage stability. It was found that the mean particle size, thermal stability, crystallinity, low temperature flexibility, mechanical properties and hydrophobicity increased and the particle distribution decreased with the increase of molecular weight of the polycarbonatediols. Moreover, copolycarbonate-based WPUs showed higher crystallinity of hard segments, thermal stability and wettability than the homopolycarbonate-based ones.     

Graphite foam from pitch and expandable graphite

Graphite foams were prepared from a coal tar pitch that was partially converted into mesophase. Expandable graphite was used instead of an inert gas to “foam” the pitch. The resulting foam was subjected to a series of heat treatments with the objective of first crosslinking the pitch, and thereafter carbonizing and graphitizing the resulting foam. XRD confirmed that the graphitization at 2600 °C resulted in a highly graphitic material. The porosity of this foam derives from the loose packing of the vermicular exfoliated graphite particles together with their internal porosity. During the foaming process the pitch tends to coat the outside surface of the expanding graphite flakes. It also bonds them together. The graphite foam prepared with 5 wt.% expandable graphite had a bulk density of 0.249 g cm⁻³, a compressive strength of 0.46 MPa and a thermal conductivity of 21 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹. The specific thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity divided by the bulk density) of this low-density carbon foam was 0.084 W m² kg⁻¹ K⁻¹ which is considerably higher than that of copper metal (0.045 W m² kg⁻¹ K⁻¹) traditionally used in thermal management applications.     

Reaction mechanisms for the decomposition of phenanthrene and naphthalene under hydrothermal conditions

Amongst the environmental chemical groups polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) comprise the largest group of carcinogens. Hydrothermal oxidation is an emerging technology which has attracted attention for the destruction of organic compounds in environmental samples. The oxidation reactions occur in an aqueous fluid phase under conditions below and around the critical point of water (T_c = 374 °C, P_c = 22.1 MPa). In this paper polycyclic aromatic compounds have been oxidised in a hydrothermal oxidation batch reactor. The PAH investigated were naphthalene and phenanthrene. The influence of temperature, pressure, sub-critical and supercritical conditions and reaction time were investigated in relation to the mechanisms of destruction of the PAH. At lower temperatures the PAHs were thermally cracked but as the temperature increased, hydroxylation of the aromatic moiety occurred leading to a series of activities including ring-opening and rearrangement reactions. It was found that up to 99 wt.% destruction of the PAH occurred at supercritical conditions.     

Preparation of ferulic acid from corn bran: Its improved extraction and purification by membrane separation

Corn bran contains a high amount of ferulic acid. However, the separation and purification of ferulic acid from corn bran still encounter technical problems. In this research, ferulic acid was obtained from corn bran via membrane separation from hydrolysate treated with an alkaline-ethanol aqueous solution. The technology was optimised as follows. One weight of corn bran was extracted using 0.25 mol/L NaOH in 50% ethanol aqueous solution at 75 °C for 2 h. Filtrates were ultrafiltrated at room temperature using a membrane with 5000 Da molecular cut-off. Permeates with 91.8% recovery of ferulic acid were concentrated by nanofiltration using a membrane with 150 Da molecular cut-off. Ferulic acid crystal (8.47 g/kg corn bran) with 84.45% purity was obtained after the pH of the concentrate was adjusted to 2.0. The reducing sugars released from the alkaline-hydrolysed residue increased by 54.5% compared with the untreated corn bran after xylanase hydrolysis for 8 h.     

Microstructure and thermal/mechanical properties of short carbon fiber-reinforced natural graphite flake composites with mesophase pitch as the binder

Short carbon fiber reinforced graphite blocks (SFGs) were fabricated from a mixture of mesophase pitch, natural graphite flakes and short carbon fibers by hot-pressing at 2773 K. The effect of fiber content on the structure and thermal/mechanical properties of the SFGs was investigated. It was found that introducing the fibers lowered the densification, and also changed the pore structure and pore size distribution. Compared with the pristine block, all the SFGs earned improved in-plane thermal conductivity and mechanical strength. The formation of a heat flow network and the increase of crystalline sizes made a synergistic effect on the promotion of in-plane thermal conductivity. In-plane thermal conductivity reached the maximum when the fiber content was 6 wt.%. The increase of mechanical strength was mainly attributed to the pull-out of fibers from the matrix. The bend and compressive strength in the direction perpendicular to graphite layers reached the maximum values of 39.6 MPa and 65.5 MPa for fiber content of 8 wt.%, respectively.     

A microstructural analysis of isoprenol ether-based polycarboxylates and the impact of structural motifs on the dispersing effectiveness

Generally, polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) are synthesized via aqueous free radical copolymerization. The conditions during copolymerization such as relative reactivity and feeding mode and ratio of monomers can cause different monomer sequences in the final product. In this study, the sequence of monomers in PCE polymers synthesized from acrylic acid and isoprenyloxy polyethylene glycol (IPEG) macromonomer was characterized by ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Three different triads of monomer sequences (EAE, AAE and AAA; E = ether, A = acid monomer) were detected. It was found that IPEG PCEs predominantly contain the structural motifs of AAE and EAE, and less of AAA. Higher additions of acrylic acid do not incorporate into the structure of PCE, but convert to HMW polyacrylate as by-product instead. A PCE with optimal dispersing effectiveness was achieved at high contents of IPEG macromonomer, a molecular weight (M_w) around 40,000 Da and narrow molecular weight distribution.     

Phase behavior measurement for poly(isobornyl acrylate) + cosolvent systems in supercritical solvents at high pressure

We have conducted experiments to obtain cloud-point data of binary and ternary mixtures for poly(isobornyl acrylate) [P(IBnA)] (Mw = 100,000) + isobornyl acrylate(IBnA) in supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂), P(IBnA) (Mw = 100,000) + dimethyl ether (DME) in CO₂, P(IBnA) (Mw = 100,000) in propane and butane, and P(IBnA) (Mw = 1,000,000) in propane, propylene, butane and 1-butene at high pressure conditions. Phase behaviors for these systems were measured at a temperature range from 323.4 K to 474.1 K and pressure up to 296.7 MPa. The cloud-point curves of P(IBnA) (Mw = 100,000) + IBnA and DME in CO₂ change from upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior to lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior as IBnA and DME concentration increases, and liquid–liquid–vapor phase behavior appears for the P(IBnA) (Mw = 100,000) + CO₂ + 80.3 wt.% IBnA system. Phase behaviors of P(IBnA) and 50 wt.% IBnA in CO₂ and P(IBnA) in propane and butane show the pressure difference in accordance with Mw = 1,000,000 and Mw = 100,000 of P(IBnA). Also, the solubility curves for IBnA in supercritical CO₂ were measured at a temperature range of (313.2–393.2) K and pressure up to 22.86 MPa. The experimental results were modeled with the Peng–Robinson equation of state (PR-EOS) using a mixing rule including two adjustable parameters. The critical property of IBnA is estimated with the Joback–Lyderson method.     

WAXS study of the structural reorganization of semi-crystalline polylactide under tensile drawing

This work deals with the in situ and ex situ WAXS study of the strain-induced structural changes in relation to the mechanical behavior of a semi-crystalline polylactide containing 4% of d-stereomer units. The crystals isothermally generated at 120 °C were in the α form. The draw temperature was in the range 65 °C < T_d < 90 °C, i.e. just above T_g. In this T_d range isothermal crystallization was so slow that only strain-induced crystals could be generated during the time scale of the experiments. This allowed studying samples with various initial levels of crystallinity, X_cr. For X_cr = 5%, the early occurrence of strain-hardening contrasted with the case of the amorphous material. This was due to the physical crosslinking of the macromolecular network by the crystallites that prevented chain relaxation since the onset of drawing. Strain-induced α′ crystals developed in parallel with the mesophase, the respective amount of the two phases being dependent on T_d. For X_cr = 24%, the drawing behavior was that of a crosslinked and filled elastomer. Again, both strain-induced α′ crystals and mesophase occurred in various proportions in relation to T_d. For X_cr = 40%, it was shown that the initial α crystals underwent partial destruction and subsequent reorganization into mesophase and/or α′ crystals. Whatever T_d and X_cr, the total amount of ordered phases, i.e. crystal + mesophase, did not exceed the value of 40% that was the maximum accessible crystal content for the present material. A mechanism of plastic deformation involving twinning is proposed from the WAXS analysis of the crystalline texturing in the case X_cr = 40%. AFM observations as a function of strain corroborate the proposed deformation scheme.     

Multi-impregnating pitch-bonded Egyptian dolomite refractory brick for application in ladle furnaces

A method of preparation of multi-impregnated pitch-bonded Egyptian dolomite refractory brick for ladle furnace is described. Brick samples were prepared from blend of calcined dolomite mineral and coal tar pitch. The blend was hot mixed and pressed under a compression force up to 151 MPa. Green bricks were baked for 2 h at temperatures up to 1000 °C. Voids in the baked bodies were filled with carbon by multiple impregnations using low-softening point coal tar pitch. Each impregnation step (30 min) was followed by calcination at 1000 °C. Brick samples containing 8–12 wt.% coal tar pitch binder and pressed under 108–151 MPa acquired quantify crushing strength. However, multi-impregnating favored the mechanical strength of the baked brick samples and improved their hydration resistance (>45 days). Dolomite brick samples containing 10 wt.% coal tar pitch and pressed at 108 MPa gave high hydration resistance (more than 60 days in normal condition) compared to the hydration resistance of the commercial bricks (30 days). The prepared brick samples have acceptable density, chemical stability, outstanding resistance and good mechanical properties would meet the requirements of Ladle furnace (LF) for steel making industry. In addition, estimation of production cost of the brick indicates it is competitive with the market price based on durability and service life time aspects.     

Improved hydrophilicity of zinc oxide-incorporated layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte film fabricated by dip coating method

ZnO nanoparticles suspended in poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were deposited onto layer-by-layer (LBL) polyelectrolyte (PET) films fabricated from poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and PAA by dip coating method. Effect of etching time and concentration of ZnO suspension on hydrophilicity of the LBL-PET films before and after UV irradiation was examined using water contact angle measurement. 2.0 M PAH/PAA solutions with a dipping speed of 3.0 cm/min provided stable LBL-PET films with thickness sufficient for HCl etching. Glass substrates with the etched LBL-PET film dipped into 0.2 wt.% ZnO suspension exhibited the contact angle of 10° after irradiated by UV for 60 min.     

Molecular structures for the oligomeric constituents of petroleum pitch

Individual dimer, trimer, and tetramer constituents that comprise the higher molecular weight (mol wt), mesophase-forming fraction of M-50 petroleum pitch were characterized in terms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) backbone structure, the extent of alkylation, and the nature of the bonds connecting the monomeric “building blocks” comprising the oligomeric species. Isolation of individual oligomeric constituents for subsequent analysis and identification was made possible by applying our two-step, sequential fractionation technique of dense-gas/supercritical extraction (DGE) followed by prep-scale gel permeation chromatography (GPC). MALDI and MALDI-post source decay (PSD) mass spectrometry of the narrow mol wt fractions obtained indicate that the major oligomeric constituents are grouped in terms of well-defined molecular weight distributions, with each composed of base monomer PAH backbone structure(s) (e.g., pyrene, triphenylene, benzopyrenes, chrysene, and benz[a]anthracene) possessing various degrees (typically 1–4/monomer unit) of methylation. UV–Vis analysis indicates that the oligomerization process occurs via a condensation reaction, with the loss of four hydrogens as a nonalternant, 5-membered PAH ring forms to join the reacting monomer units. FT-IR spectroscopy indicates that this reaction results in relatively uncondensed structures over the entire range of oligomers investigated. Analogous results to those given above were obtained for the thermal polymerization of an anthracene pitch.     

Pitch-based ribbon-shaped carbon-fiber-reinforced one-dimensional carbon/carbon composites with ultrahigh thermal conductivity

Ribbon-shaped carbon fibers have been prepared from mesophase pitch by melt-spinning, oxidative stabilization and further heat treatment. The internal graphitic layers of ribbon-shaped carbon fibers graphitized at 2800 °C show a highly preferred orientation along the longitudinal direction. Parallel stretched and unidirectional arranged ribbon-shaped carbon fibers treated at about 450 °C were sprayed with a mesophase pitch powder grout, and then hot-pressed at 500 °C and subsequently carbonized and graphitized at various temperatures to produce one-dimensional carbon/carbon (C/C) composite blocks. The shape and microstructural orientation of ribbon fibers have been maintained in the process of hot-pressing and subsequent heat treatments and the main planes of the ribbon fibers are orderly accumulated along the hot-pressing direction. Microstructural analyses indicate that the C/C composite blocks have a typical structural anisotropy derived from the unidirectional arrangement of the highly oriented wide ribbon-shaped fibers in the composite block. The thermal conductivities of the C/C composites along the longitudinal direction of ribbon fibers increase with heat-treatment temperatures. The longitudinal thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity at room temperature of the C/C composite blocks graphitized at 3100 °C are 896 W/m K and 642 mm²/s, respectively.     

Catalytic dehydration of glycerol to acrolein over sulfuric acid-activated montmorillonite catalysts

For the development of efficient solid acid catalysts for the catalytic dehydration of glycerol to acrolein, catalysts made from montmorillonitic clay activated by sulfuric acid were investigated. Montmorillonite was activated in diluted sulfuric acid in the concentration range of 5–40 wt.%. The effects of sulfuric acid treatment on the structure of the montmorillonite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, measurements of acidity, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The catalytic behavior of sulfuric acid-activated montmorillonite catalysts in the gas-phase dehydration of glycerol were investigated under varying conditions, including the reaction temperature, the feed rate, and the concentration of glycerol. After montmorillonitic clay was activated by sulfuric acid, the layered structural features of montmorillonite remained nearly intact. Ca^2 +-montmorillonite was changed to H⁺-montmorillonite by ion exchange reaction during activation. The optimal catalytic glycerol dehydration reaction conditions were found to be: temperature at 320 °C, liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) = 18.5 h^− 1, concentration of glycerol solution = 10 wt.%, and the flow rate of N₂ carrier gas = 10 mL/min. A conversion of 54.2% of glycerol and a yield of 44.9 wt.% acrolein were achieved over the montmorillonite catalyst activated by an aqueous 10 wt.% sulfuric acid solution. The H⁺ in the interlayer space of acid-activated montmorillonite catalysts played a critical role in the catalytic dehydration of glycerol. The temperature, the LHSV, and the concentration of glycerol affected the performance of the catalysts through their influence on the reaction mechanism, the contact time, and the reaction equilibrium.     

Graphene-supported Pd–Ru nanoparticles with superior methanol electrooxidation activity

Pd–Ru bimetallic nanoparticles dispersed on graphene nanosheets (GNS) have been obtained by a microwave-assisted polyol reduction method and investigated for methanol electrooxidation in 1 M KOH + 1 M CH₃OH at 25 °C. Structural and electrochemical characterizations of electrocatalysts are carried out by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The study shows that introduction of Ru (1–10 wt.%) into 40 wt.%Pd/GNS produces an alloy of Pd and Ru with the face centered cubic crystal structure. The electrocatalytic activity increased with increasing percentage of Ru in the Pd–Ru alloy showing maximum with 5 wt.%Ru. The electrocatalytic activity of the 40 wt.%Pd–5 wt.%Ru/GNS electrode at E = −0.10 V vs. Hg/HgO was ∼2.6 times greater than that of the base (40 wt.%Pd/GNS) electrode. Based on the methanol oxidation current, measured at 1 h during the chronoamperometry tests at E = −0.10 V vs. Hg/HgO, the active 40 wt.%Pd–5 wt.%Ru/GNS electrode exhibited ∼72% and ∼675% higher poisoning tolerance as compared to 40%Pd/GNS and 40%Pd/multiwalled carbon nanotube electrodes, respectively.     

Correlations between microstructural characterization and thermal properties of well defined poly(ε-caprolactone) samples by ring opening polymerization with neutral and cationic bis(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)tin(IV) compounds

In this paper a study of correlations between the microstructure of well defined poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) samples and their physical properties such as thermal degradation, crystallization kinetics and melting behavior is described. The PCL samples were obtained in the presence of the compound benzyl-methoxy-bis(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)tin (1), acting as single-site and living initiator, as well as in the presence of compounds Tip₂SnRR′ [Tip = 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzene; R = R′ = CHCH₂ (2); R = CH₂Ph, R′ = Br (3)] activated by ionizing agents. PCL samples having different end groups, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were obtained. The samples were fully characterized by GPC and NMR. The thermal degradation of the synthesized samples were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in air flow. The experimental results suggested that the presence of ester chain end groups has a beneficial effect on the thermal stability of the PCL samples, independently on the molecular weights and molecular weight distribution. The crystallization behavior was studied in isothermal conditions at 37 °C, 40 °C, and 43 °C through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In this case, either the molecular weight (M_w) or the polydispersivity index (PDI) have a significant effect on the kinetics of crystallization of PCLs.     

Examining structure property relationships in coatings based on substituted linear aromatic polycyanurates

Three series of halogenated and non-halogenated polycyanurates are prepared in good yield and purity, and fully characterised. Many of the resulting polymers, formed at room temperature using phase transfer catalysis, can be cast into films with good resilience and high thermal stability (some examples suffer no mass loss when held isothermally at 190 °C and only display appreciable losses when held continuously at 300 °C). Char yields of 35–65% are achieved in nitrogen depending on backbone structure. Some problems were encountered with solubility, particularly with heavily halogenated dichlorotriazines, which limited molecular weights (M_n = 2000–4000 g mol^?1 depending on backbone structure) although when the phase volume ratio was altered to 0.25 higher molecular weights (M_n = 10,000–30,000 g mol^?1) were possible. Best solubility was achieved by using aromatic diols with at least two equivalent phenylene units per dichlorotriazine unit. DSC reveals polymerisation exotherms with maxima at 190–260 °C (ΔH_p = 35–57 kJ/mol) followed by embrittlement and shrinkage (when heated to 300 °C). These phenomena may be due to the formation of poorly formed crystallites (activation energies span 155–380 kJ/mol) combined with thermal isomerisation.     

Cross-linked PAN-based thin-film composite membranes for non-aqueous nanofiltration

A new approach on the development of cross-linked PAN based thin film composite (TFC) membranes for non-aqueous application is presented in this work. Polypropylene backed neat PAN membranes fabricated by phase inversion process were cross-linked with hydrazine to get excellent solvent stability toward dimethylformamide (DMF). By interfacial polymerization a selective polyamide active layer was coated over the cross-linked PAN using N,N′-diamino piperazine (DAP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) as monomers. Permeation and molecular weight cut off (MWCO) experiments using various dyes were done to evaluate the performance of the membranes. Membranes developed by such method show excellent solvent stability toward DMF with a permeance of 1.7 L/m² h bar and a molecular weight cut-off of less than 600 Da.     

Diesel-like hydrocarbons obtained by direct hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil over Pd/Al-SBA-15 catalysts

Hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil was performed in an autoclave over 5.0 wt.% Pd/Al-SBA-15 (Si/Al molar ratios from 22 to 300) and Pd/HZSM-5(22). The effects of acidity of the catalysts and the reaction temperatures on the activity of the catalysts were investigated. Pd/Al-SBA-15(Si/Al = 300) showed a high activity as 74.4% liquid yield and 72.9% C15–C18 diesel-like hydrocarbons yield at 250 °C. At 300 °C, the higher activity over Pd/Al-SBA-15(Si/Al = 50, 100 and 300) catalysts compared with that over Pd/Al-SBA-15(22) and Pd/HZSM-5(22) indicated that strong acidity of the catalysts was not favorable for converting sunflower oil into C15–C18 diesel-like hydrocarbons at a high temperature.     

Dielectric properties of barium titanate–molybdenum composite

The barium titanate–molybdenum composites were prepared through solid state reaction method in argon atmosphere. The microstructure, resistivity, and dielectric properties of the composites were investigated. XRD results indicated that chemical reactions between barium titanate (BaTiO₃:BT) and molybdenum (Mo) have taken place during sintering, resulting in the formation of BaMoO₄ (BM) and BaTi₂O₅ (BT₂). The resistivity decreased with the increasing amount of Mo in the composites. The composites (when x = 5 and 20 wt.%) showed lower dielectric constant than pure BaTiO₃, especially, the dielectric constant (when x = 20 wt.%) reached a minimum value (<10⁴), while composites (when x = 10 and 15 wt.%) showed rather high dielectric constant at temperatures range from 25 °C to 160 °C. The dielectric constant of the composite gradually decreased with increase in frequency at the room temperature. The dielectric constant of composite (when x = 5 wt.%) comes up to 10⁴, and the T_c (Curie temperature) of the composite was relatively higher than that of BT (120 °C).     

Open circuit voltage increase by substituted spacer and thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione for polymer solar cells

We reported on two donor polymers containing thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione(TPD) derivatives as electron withdrawing units for organic photovoltaics (OPVs). To control molecular weight and solubility of polymers, hexyl side chains are inserted to thiophene spacers. Due to the electron donating characteristic of hexyl side chains, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of polymer is decreased as 0.18 eV, whereas the open circuit voltage is increased to 1.08 V. When bulk heterojunction devices were fabricated, the best PCE value of 0.360% (V_OC = 0.89 V, J_SC = 1.2 mA/cm², FF = 36.3%) under 100 mW/cm² irradiation.