Intercalated clays from pentaerythritol stearate for use in polymer nanocomposites

Smectite clays treated with quaternary ammonium salts have been utilized for decades in paints, greases, cosmetics, and personal care products as rheological modifiers. They have also been used in industrial wastewater treatment extensively. In more recent times these surface modified clays have demonstrated benefits in polymer/clay nanocomposites. The use of quaternary ammonium modifiers limits the usefulness of these composites in food packaging because they are not approved for direct food contact. It would be advantageous to have surface modifying chemicals acceptable for direct food contact in these composites. This article reports research conducted on a promising surface modifier pentaerythritol stearate (PS), which is approved by the FDA for inclusion in food as a preservative. The surface modification of montmorillonite with PS is reported in detail as well as the production of nanocomposites with selected polymers made with the modified clay. Molecular modeling and purification of commercial PS samples indicate that the mono‐ and diesters are the critical surface modifiers, although the as received commercial material works well in forming intercalated clay complexes. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Viscoelastic properties of polyarylene ether nitriles/thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer blend

Polyarylene ether nitriles (PEN)/thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) blend was prepared via melt mixing. The immiscible phase morphologies, linear and nonlinear, as well as transient viscoelastic properties of the blend were studied using SEM, rheometer, and DMA. The linear dynamic viscoelastic behavior of the blend shows temperature dependence due to further evolution of the immiscible morphology and, as a result, the principle of time‐temperature superposition (TTS) is invalid. In the steady shear flow, the discrete TLCP phase is difficult to be broken up because of the high viscosity ratio of the blend systems, while is easy to be coarsened and followed by elongation, and finally, to form fibrous morphology at high TLCP content and high shear level. During this morphological evolution process, the transient stress response presents step increase and nonzero residual relaxation behavior, leading to increase of the dynamic viscoelastic responses after steady preshear. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation of brush-like crystals of poly[2,6-(1,4-phenylene)-benzobisimidazole]

Poly[2,6-(1,4-phenylene)-benzobisimidazole] (PPBI) crystals were prepared by using reaction-induced crystallization of oligomers during solution polymerization of 1,2,4,5-tetraaminobenzene and diphenyl terephthalate. Polymerizations were carried out at a monomer concentration of 4.3 × 10⁻² mol L⁻¹ at 350 °C for 6 h. Brush-like PPBI crystals were obtained in a mixture of structural isomers of dibenzyltoluene, in which many needle-like crystals came out vertically from the surface of the ribbon-like crystals. Average width and thickness of the ribbon-like crystals were 0.75 μm and 0.11 μm, respectively. And average length and diameter of the needle-like crystals were 0.36 μm and 50 nm, respectively. The brush-like crystals possessed high crystallinity and exhibited good thermal resistance. The ribbon-like crystals were formed by the crystallization of imidazole oligomers at an initial stage of polymerization, and then the needle-like crystals grew from the surface of the ribbon-like crystals. Polymerization occurred on the crystals when the oligomers were crystallized, leading to the high molecular weight PPBI crystals.     

Piezoelectric Nanogenerators for Self-Powered Nanodevices

A novel approach converts nanoscale mechanical energy into electric energy for self-powering nanodevices.In our own work, we've used piezoelectric zinc-oxide nanowire (ZnO NW) arrays to demonstrate a novel approach for converting nanoscale mechanical energy into electric energy. Here, we review the fundamental principle behind the nanogenerator, present an approach for improving its performance, and discuss some of the challenges we face in pushing this technology to reach its potential.     

务实创新与发展水文科学

简要回顾了水文学科的发展历史和列述了近期新出现的分支学科.简述了理论联系实际、自主创新和普及与提高并重对发展水文科学的重要性.提及"好资料、好模型、好经验"为做好水文工作的必要条件.建议有组织地对新学科分支进行研究.     

ASS-1钻井完井液及其在DP35-1和CB1-1气井钻井中的应用

报道了鄂尔多斯盆地低压低渗气藏水平使用的事生物降解钻(完)井液ASS-1的组成和性能.其组分包括粒度适宜的碳酸钙粉(暂堵剂和加重剂),改性淀粉(可变形暂堵剂和降滤失剂),优质生物聚的(提黏切剂),pH调节剂,无荧光润滑剂DRH(加量1%)及防腐剂等,给出了基础配方.该钻(完)井液对岩心的伤害率约为5%(4种其他体系钻(完)井液的伤害率在21.9%～96.6%);经高压气体反向驱排后,伤害后岩心渗透率恢复率可由88%提高到92%;在≤110℃热滚16 h后黏度损失率＜50%;经过4次热滚(91℃×16 h),每次热滚后作适当维护处理,均可使变坏的性能恢复到要求值.该钻(完)井液用于水平段长800 m、地温83℃的DP35-1井和两分支水平段长各1500 m、地温91℃的CB1-1中,根据技术要求采用适当技术措施,在钻进中特别是CB1-1井长达4个月的钻进中,API滤失量＜5 mL,密度1.04～1.07 g/cm3,漏斗黏度41～53 s,塑性黏度10～15 mPa·s,屈服值6～18 Pa,两口井均顺利完钻且可裸眼完井.图5表4参2.     

2－重自补图论（Ⅲ）──计数理论

文中解决了２－重自补图的计数问题，获得了具有ｐ个顶点的２－重自补图的数目是其中Ｚ（Ａ）表示置换群Ａ的圈指标，Ｓ￣（２）＿ｐ表示ｐ次对称群的对群．     

Transdermal Absorption of Zidovudine from Ethanol-Isopropyl Myristate Mixed System and Influence of Probenecid on It in Rats

Transdermal absorption of zidovudine (AZT) from an ethanol-isopropyl myristate (IPM) mixed system was examined in rats. For comparison of bioavailability (BA) after topical applications, 0.25 ml of the ethanol/IPM system containing 40% ethanol and 60 mM AZT was applied as a standard formulation. Values of the area under the plasma concentration-time curves of AZT for 8 hr (AUC_0-8), as indices of BA, following application of various formulations were compared with that of the standard formulation. Then the influence of content of the drug and ethanol, and application volume of the system was evaluated. BA was effectively improved only when the total amount of ethanol applied on the skin was increased. On the other hand, simultaneous transdermal application of AZT and probenecid increased the AU_0-8, of AZT without necessitating the increase in ethanol content in the formulation. In addition, coadministered probenecid improved cerebrospinal fluid/plasma concentration ratio of AZT.     

Fluidised pellet bed bioreactor: a promising technology for onsite wastewater treatment and reuse.

A pilot-scale fluidised pellet bed (FPB) bioreactor, which combines chemical coagulation, biological degradation, particle pelletisation and separation in one unit, was applied for onsite wastewater treatment and reuse. As a result of rational use of inorganic coagulant and organic polymer and moderate mechanical agitation, spherical particles were generated in the upflow column and a well-fluidised bed was formed. With a continuous supply of dissolved oxygen through a recycling loop, an aerobic condition was kept in the bottom section of the FPB column. Under such conditions the pellets in the FPB column showed the following characteristics: (1) compact structure and high density; (2) rich in microorganisms; and (3) high MLSS and MLVSS concentrations. Therefore, the FPB bioreactor achieved more than 90% removal of SS, COD, BOD and TP from raw domestic wastewater within a total hydraulic retention time (HRT) of only about 30 minutes. It also showed nitrification and denitrification ability and the TN removal could be about 50% as the recycling ratio was increased to 1:1. The treated water quality is generally competitive with the secondary effluent from a conventional activated sludge process. With these advantages the FPB bioreactor is recommendable as a compact system for onsite wastewater treatment and reuse.