Dielectric and conducting behavior of pyrene functionalized PANI/P(VDF‐co‐HFP) blend

Herein, we present the dielectric and electrical conductivity properties of the partially miscible polymer blend prepared using pyrene functionalized polyaniline (pf‐PANI) and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF‐co‐HFP). The blend mostly retains the fluorescent nature of pf‐PANI as well as can be moldable and possesses good damping property. The dielectric properties have been investigated as a function of temperature at three different frequencies and the plausible origin of polarization responsible for dielectric behavior in this blend has been identified. The experimental results of dielectric measurements are compared with theoretical models and discussed. The surface morphology of the samples has been examined with a scanning electron microscope. The electrical conductivity has also been studied as a function of temperature and explained in terms of hopping of charge carriers/interconnected networks. The combined dielectric and conductivity results together with scanning electron microscope micrographs, reveal that there is hindrance to achieve percolation threshold even after pf‐PANI addition of 57 vol % and subsequent thermal treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44077.     

Effect of Ionic Liquids on Surface and Aggregation Properties of Non-ionic Surfactant Triton™ X-100 in Aqueous Media

The effect of the hydrophilic ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bromide [bdmim][Br] and 1-hexyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bromide [hdmim][Br] on the aggregation and surface active behaviour of the non-ionic surfactant Triton? X-100 (TX-100) was studied in aqueous media. Several aggregation properties of TX-100 + IL/water systems, such as critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface active parameters, aggregation number (N _agg) and aggregate size, were determined by surface tension, fluorescence and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. It was found that the average micellar size and aggregation number decrease, whereas the CMC increases with increasing concentration of ILs. Interestingly, the CMC value of TX-100 is reduced slightly below 0.5 wt% of both the ILs in the medium. At higher wt% of IL in the system the CMC increases. It was demonstrated that ILs [bdmim][Br] and [hdmim][Br] can be judiciously used at different wt% for modifying the physico-chemical properties of TX-100.     

Kinetic study of liquid lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis of olive oil using Lipozyme TL 100L

Monoacylglycerol (MAG) and diacylglycerol (DAG) are two natural components found in most edible oils and fats. Conventional synthesis of MAG and DAG is usually conducted by glycerolysis of triacylglycerol (TAG) at high temperatures (above 200°C) in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. In this work, the synthesis of MAG and DAG using enzymatic glycerolysis of olive oil was investigated using Tween 80 as surfactant, n-butanol as co-surfactant and the novel lipase in free/liquid formulation Lipozyme TL 100L as catalyst. Experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of enzyme load and reaction temperature on the feedstock conversion. Enzyme load and system temperature were significant variables in the statistical design and the best condition was found at 35°C, 7.5 vol% of Lipozyme TL 100L and glycerol to oil volumetric ratio of 2:1 with conversion of TAG at approximately 98% after 2 h of process. A mathematical model based on the Ping-Pong Bi-Bi mechanism was used to describe the reaction kinetics. The model adequately described the behavior of the system and can be a useful tool for the design of reactors in larger scales.     

Visible Light Photocatalysis on Magnetically Recyclable Fe3O4/Cu2O Nanostructures

Catalysis Letters - Magnetically recyclable visible light photocatalysts for the degradation of critical organic pollutants are an urgent industrial requirement. Nonetheless, one component...     

Architectural View of Flexible Aliphatic –OH Group Coordinated Hemi-Directed Pb(II)-Salen Coordination Polymer: Synthesis,Crystal Structure,Spectroscopic Insights,Supramolecular Topographies,and DFT Perspective

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - We serendipitously designed one novel 1D hetero-binuclear Zn(II)-Pb(II) coordination polymer, namely...     

Extraction of fibers from saccharum munja grass and its application in composites

With growing environmental awareness, ecological concerns and new legislations, natural fiber‐reinforced plastic composites have received increasing attention during the recent decades. The natural fiber composites have many advantages over traditional glass fiber composites, including lower cost, lighter weight, environmental friendliness, and recyclability. This article reports the findings of the studies done on a new fiber, hitherto unexplored, extracted from Saccharum munja grass. The extracted fibers were further treated using sodium hydroxide to improve its performance in composites. Both treated and untreated fiber‐reinforced composites were prepared by hand lay‐up process using unsaturated polyester resin. Mechanical properties and thermal behavior of the composites were evaluated. The improvement in properties was found for alkali‐treated fiber composites. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40829.