Chemical vapor deposition of poly(3‐alkylthiophene) nanoparticles on fabric: Chemical and electrochemical characterization

Chemical vapor deposition of poly(3‐methylthiophene) and poly (3‐hexylthiophene) as conductive polymers on the surface of polyester fabrics was successfully obtained. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of polymers on surface of fabrics (the fingerprint of polythiophenes, υ 600–1500 cm^?1). The uniformity of deposition and nanoparticles (average size of 60 nm) were proved with scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that P3HT‐coated samples offer higher conductivity in compared to P3MT‐coated samples. The impedance modulus of P3HT‐coated samples was lowered nine times to that of row materials and reached to c8000 Ω. The samples have also shown electrochromic properties under electrical current, changing its color from yellowish green at 0 V to dark green at +12 V for poly (3‐hexylthiophene) samples and from brown at 0 V to red at +12 V for poly(3‐methylthiophene)‐coated fabrics (V = 0 V, λ = 450 nm; V = 12 V, λ = 650 nm). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40673.     

Microwave irradiated and thermally heated olive stone activated carbon for nickel adsorption from synthetic wastewater: A comparative study

In attempt to compare the removal efficiency and yield of the activated carbon prepared using the conventional and microwave‐assisted heating is the focus of this work. Toward this olive stone (a biomass precursor) is activated using the popular activating agent potassium hydroxide. The process optimization exercise is carried out by using the standard full factorial statistical design of experiments (response surface methodology). The activated carbons prepared under the optimized conditions are compared based on the adsorption capacity and yield. The adsorption capacity was found higher using microwave heating as compared with conventional heating. The microwave heating requires significantly lesser holding time as compared to conventional heating method to produce activated carbon of comparable quality, with higher yield. The BET surface area of carbon using microwave heating is significantly higher than the conventional heating. Although the mesopore surface area of carbon is not vary significantly, the activation time, power, and nitrogen gas consumption are significantly lower than the conventional heating rendering that the activation process via microwave is more economical than that via conventional heating. The adsorption isotherm data fitted the Langmuir isotherm well and the monolayer adsorption capacity was found to be 12.0 and 8.42 mg/g for microwave and thermally heated activated carbon, respectively. Regeneration studies showed that microwave‐irradiated and thermally heated olive stone could be used several times by desorption with an HCl reagent. Both carbons can be used for the efficient removal of Ni²⁺ (>99%) from contaminated wastewater. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 237–250, 2014     

Time-resolved GISAXS and cryo-microscopy characterization of block copolymer membrane formation

Time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and cryo-microscopy were used for the first time to understand the pore evolution by copolymer assembly, leading to the formation of isoporous membranes with exceptional porosity and regularity. The formation of copolymer micelle strings in solution (in DMF/DOX/THF and DMF/DOX) was confirmed by cryo field emission scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FESEM) with a distance of 72 nm between centers of micelles placed in different strings. SAXS measurement of block copolymer solutions in DMF/DOX indicated hexagonal assembly with micelle-to-micelle distance of 84–87 nm for 14–20 wt% copolymer solutions. GISAXS in-plane peaks were detected, revealing order close to hexagonal. The d-spacing corresponding to the first peak in this case was 100–130 nm (lattice constant 115–150 nm) for 17 wt% copolymer solutions evaporating up to 100 s. Time-resolved cryo-FESEM showed the formation of incipient pores on the film surface after 4 s copolymer solution casting with distances between void centers of 125 nm.     

Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene as π-bridge at different acceptor systems for electrochromic applications

Benzoselenadiazole, quinoxaline and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene are the units preferred in conducting polymers due to their electrochemical properties. There are no reports in the literature on polymers containing both moieties. In this study, novel benzoselenadiazole, quinoxaline and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene based monomers; 4-(3a,6a-dihydrothieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2-yl)-7-(thieno[3,2-b]thiophenyl)benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole (BSeTT) and 2,3-bis(3,4-bis(decyloxy)phenyl)-5,8-dibromo-2,3-dihydroquinoxaline (QTT) were synthesized via Stille Coupling and polymerized electrochemically. These polymers were characterized in terms of their spectroelectrochemical and electrochemical properties by cyclic voltammetry and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy. Spectroelectrochemistry analysis of PBSeTT revealed an electronic transition at 525 nm corresponding to π–π* transition with a band gap of 0.93 eV whereas PQTT revealed electronic transitions at 440 and 600 nm corresponding to π–π* transitions with a band gap of 1.30 eV. Electrochromic investigations showed that PBSeTT has gray color PQTT switching between green and gray. Switching time of the polymers was evaluated by a kinetic study upon measuring the percent transmittance (%T) at the maximum contrast point.     

Synthesis and spectroelectrochemistry of dithieno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pyrrole derivatives

New π‐conjugated polymers containing dithieno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pyrrole (DTP) were successfully synthesized via electropolymerization. The effect of structural differences on the electrochemical and optoelectronic properties of the 4‐[4H‐dithieno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pyrrol‐4‐yl]aniline (DTP–aryl–NH₂), 10‐[4H‐dithiyeno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pirol‐4‐il]dekan‐1‐amine (DTP–alkyl–NH₂), and 1,10‐bis[4H‐dithieno(3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d)pyrrol‐4‐yl] decane (DTP–alkyl–DTP) were investigated. The corresponding polymers were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, NMR (¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR), and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Changes in the electronic nature of the functional groups led to variations in the electrochemical properties of the π‐conjugated systems. The electroactive polymer films revealed redox couples and exhibited electrochromic behavior. The replacement of the DTP–alkyl–DTP unit with DTP–aryl–NH₂ and DTP–alkyl–NH₂ resulted in a lower oxidation potential. Both the poly(10‐(4H‐Dithiyeno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pirol‐4‐il)dekan‐1‐amin) (poly(DTP–alkyl–NH₂)) and poly(1,10‐bis(4H‐dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrol‐4‐yl) decane) (poly(DTP–alkyl–DTP)) films showed multicolor electrochromism and also fast switching times (<1 s) in the visible and near infrared regions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40701.     

Air-breathing microbial fuel cell with enhanced performance using nanocomposite proton exchange membranes

This work aims to improve the performance of air-breathing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) through using hydrocarbon polymer based nanocomposite proton exchange membranes. Accordingly, nanocomposite membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and montmorillonite (MMT) were investigated for such an application. Although the incorporation of MMT into SPEEK membranes resulted in reduced oxygen permeability as well as proton conductivity, but the overall selectivity was found to be improved. MFC tests revealed that using the optimized nanocomposite membrane (SPEEK-70/MMT-3 wt%) results in a considerably higher open circuit voltage (OCV) compared to the corresponding neat membrane. Moreover, it was found that the SPEEK-70/MMT-3 wt% membrane is able to provide about 40% more power output than Nafion^®117. On the account of high proton conductivity, low oxygen permeability, high electrochemical performance, ease of preparation and low cost, hydrocarbon based nanocomposite PEMs could be considered as promising electrolytes to enhance the performance of MFCs.     

Density modeling of polyurethane box foam

A model based on about a dozen fundamental differential equations is used to evaluate and simulate the urethane reactions and physical processes of urethane box foaming. This work focuses on quantitative modeling of foam density for foams using water and physical blowing agents. The final densities of foams range from 30 to 90% of the density as projected with full utilization of the blowing agent. The primary sources of inefficient use of blowing agent are loss of the physical blowing during open‐air mixing and degassing—basically, physical blowing agents with boiling points between 25 and 80°C will evaporate and experience cell rupture in box foams. This loss of blowing agent would not apply to in‐line mixers used for commercial production and should be taken into account with scaling up box or cup foams commercial processes. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:1503–1511, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A combinatorial approach to evaluation of monomer conversion and particle size distribution in vinyl chloride emulsion polymerization

This work is targeted to study emulsion polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) using experimental and mathematical methods. To fulfill this goal, a computer code was developed on the basis of zero–one population balance by which the effects of initiator and emulsifier concentration on the evolution of VCM conversion were investigated in the course of polymerization. The model was also trained to capture the coagulation of the particles. This enabled to adopt a reliable way of evaluating the particle size distribution (PSD). In particular, the rates of homogeneous and micellar nucleation mechanisms were simulated and reasonably predicted alterations in the PSD and the number of polymer particles under the influence of aforementioned parameters. The results from modeling were satisfactorily consistent with the experimental outputs and obviously visualized the impact of initiator and surfactant concentration on the PSD of the prepared PVC latexes.