A cross-sectional preparation method for TEM and AFM investigations on layered poylmer interfaces

Summary The epitaxial crystallization of polyethylene (PE) on uniaxially oriented isotactic polypropylene (iPP) has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The cross-sectional morphology of the epitaxial interfaces of multi-layered samples prepared by a new preparation method has been observed with view direction parallel to the epitaxial interfaces. It is found that fairly oriented PE lamellae grow perpendicular to the iPP layers with nucleation initiation on the iPP surfaces.     

Molecular basis of a new type of C1q-deficiency associated with a non-functional low molecular weight (LMW) C1q: parallels and differences to other known genetic C1q-defects

Analysis of an abnormal C1q molecule of individuals of a Moroccan family by ultracentrifugation in sucrose gradients revealed a low molecular weight C1q (LMW-C1q). We investigated the molecular basis of this defect by sequencing all six exons of the three C1q genes. One point mutation in the codon for Gly at position 15 (GGT) of the B chain was found resulting in an amino acid substitution to Asp (GAT). The exchange not only leads to an interruption of the collagen-like motif Gly-X-Y, but also introduces one negatively charged residue per B chain which results in two additional charges per structural subunit (A-B, C-C, A-B). The mutation which has been identified by DNA-sequencing in the C1q-deficient younger brother of the propositus was confirmed by PCR-EcoRV-RFLP in the sister and the propositus himself. This mutation is very similar to a mutation previously described in another case of functional C1q deficiency where Gly at position 6 of the C chain was substituted by a large positively charged residue (Arg). Again, a LMW-C1q was demonstrated. These point mutations that lead to amino acid substitutions result in the production of a LMW-C1q where the formation of functionally active 11S C1q consisting of three structural subunits appears to be inhibited by the introduction of six additional charges, one per B or C chain, respectively, in the collagenous region of the molecule.     

Liquid–Liquid–Vapor Equilibria in Binary Families of SF6, CClF3, C2H3F3, and C2H4 with n-Alkanes

Liquid–liquid–vapor equilibria were determined experimentally for binary and quasi-binary systems which consisted of a low-volatile n-alkane or mixture of n-alkanes with a more volatile component, chlorotrifluoromethane, sulfur hexafluoride, 1,1,1-trifluoroethane, and ethene. From the location of the critical end-points L ₂ = L ₁ + V and L ₂ + L ₁ = V of the three-phase curves, the coordinates of the tricritical point and the double critical endpoint of these families were estimated by extrapolation. For the families studied it was found that increasing the carbon number of the n-alkane leads to a transition from type II to type IV to type III fluid phase behavior.     

How to model and prove hybrid systems with KeYmaera: a tutorial on safety

This paper is a tutorial on how to model hybrid systems as hybrid programs in differential dynamic logic and how to prove complex properties about these complex hybrid systems in KeYmaera, an automatic and interactive formal verification tool for hybrid systems. Hybrid systems can model highly nontrivial controllers of physical plants, whose behaviors are often safety critical such as trains, cars, airplanes, or medical devices. Formal methods can help design systems that work correctly. This paper illustrates how KeYmaera can be used to systematically model, validate, and verify hybrid systems. We develop tutorial examples that illustrate challenges arising in many real-world systems. In the context of this tutorial, we identify the impact that modeling decisions have on the suitability of the model for verification purposes. We show how the interactive features of KeYmaera can help users understand their system designs better and prove complex properties for which the automatic prover of KeYmaera still takes an impractical amount of time. We hope this paper is a helpful resource for designers of embedded and cyber–physical systems and that it illustrates how to master common practical challenges in hybrid systems verification.     

Interfacial properties of highly oriented coextruded polypropylene tapes for the creation of recyclable all‐polypropylene composites

The creation of highly oriented, coextruded polypropylene (PP) tapes allows the production of novel, wholly thermoplastic, recyclable “all‐polypropylene” (all‐PP) composites, which possess both a large temperature processing window (>30°C) and a high volume fraction of reinforcement phase (highly oriented PP tapes: >90%). This large processing window is achieved by using coextruded, highly drawn PP tapes. To achieve coherent all‐PP composites the interfacial characteristics following consolidation must be understood. This article investigates the interfacial characteristics of these coextruded tapes by using microcomposite models to create interfaces between tapes of varying draw ratios, drawing temperatures, skin/core ratios, and skin layer thicknesses. The tape drawing parameters are seen to control the interfacial properties in subsequent microcomposite models. The failure mode of these specimens, and hence bond strength, varies with consolidation temperature, and a model is proposed describing and explaining this behavior. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 118–129, 2007     

The effect of maleic anhydride modified polypropylene on the mechanical properties of feather fiber,kraft pulp,polypropylene composites

Composites made of feather fiber (Ff), kraft pulp fiber (Pf), polypropylene (PP), and maleic anhydride modified polypropylene (MaPP) were tested in tension and three‐point bend tests. Composite panels were compression molded from multiple plies of nonwoven, fabric‐like prepreg manufactured with wetlay papermaking equipment. Composites containing all four materials were manufactured with MaPP substitutions for PP of 0–10 wt % at 2 wt % increments. The best mechanical properties were observed with a substitution of 8 wt % MaPP. Composites containing either Pf or Ff were manufactured with MaPP substitutions for PP of 0, 4, and 8 wt %; mechanical properties improved with increases in MaPP content. The improvements in mechanical properties were attributed to fiber/matrix interface improvement by the addition of MaPP. Scanning electron microscopy revealed evidence of improved interfacial bonding on the tensile fracture surfaces. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 3771–3783, 2004     

Development of a two‐stage,dual‐Arrhenius rheology model for a high‐performance phenylethynyl‐terminated poly(etherimide)

A two‐stage, dual‐Arrhenius rheology model was successfully utilized to model the isothermal complex viscosity of a phenylethynyl‐terminated poly(etherimide) as a function of time and temperature over the experimental temperature range of 325°C to 350°C. Union of the dual‐Arrhenius model with a previously developed combination reaction kinetics model provided a chemoviscosity model giving viscosity as a function of degree of cure. A two‐stage, versus a single, dual‐Arrhenius model was used to accommodate a transition in the reaction process from chain growth to branching and network forming that was found to onset around a degree of cure of 0.37. The reduction in chain mobility brought on by branching and networking was quantified by the almost order of magnitude increase in the apparent activation energy for initial viscosity from the chain growth stage to the networking stage. The calculated apparent activation energies for gelation for the first and second stages, 2.14 × 10⁵ J/mol and 2.05 × 10⁵ J/mol, respectively, agree well with results presented elsewhere from differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The experimental procedures followed to obtain the rheological data and the construction of the model from these data are described; the predictions of the model are compared with experimental results.