High removal of chlorinated solvents by reusable polydimethylsiloxane based absorbents

The objective of this work is to prepare absorbent materials based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for the absorption of organic solvents by a relative simple method, with large absorption capacities and reusability. Different particles (ZnO, MgSO₄, ZnCl₂, and NaHCO₃) were first incorporated in PDMS and then removed by immersion in HCl (c) or water. The absorbent materials were characterized by TGA, mercury porosimetry, stress–strain curves, SEM, EDS, XPS, FTIR, and water contact angle. The materials can absorb polar organic chlorinated solvents (carbon tetrachloride, dichloroethene, dichloromethane, and chloroform) more than four times its own weight. Other solvents were also tested showing 2–3 times its own weight. Additionally, these materials show demulsification properties and absorption of oleophilic compounds. The reusability of the material makes them good candidates for remediation of polluted water.     

B4C reinforced NiTi-based composites: Microstructure and wear performance

In this study, NiTi–x wt.% B₄C (x = 0, 2, and 4) composites were consolidated with spark plasma sintering method, and the effects of boron carbide reinforcement addition on the microstructure and wear behavior of samples were investigated. Identification of the constituent phases of samples by the X-ray diffraction method plus Rietveld analysis revealed that the stability of the martensite phase increased in the composite samples because of mismatch stresses between the NiTi matrix phase and the reinforcing particles, which increases the density of the dislocations and facilitates the diffusion process that subsequently leads to the formation of stable intermetallics. The results of hardness test indicated that the hardness value increased from 3.67 GPa for pure NiTi to 10.99 GPa for NiTi–4 wt.% B₄C. Results of wear test revealed that boron carbide reinforced composite specimens had higher wear resistance, whereas wear rate of NiTi sample was 3.6 × 10⁻³ mm³/N m, and it reached to .21 × 10⁻³ mm³/N m for NiTi–4 wt.% B₄C. Investigation of microstructure by scanning electron microscopy images and EDS analysis revealed that the wear mechanism in NiTi samples was abrasive and the addition of B₄C to NiTi changed the wear mechanisms from abrasive to a combination of oxidation, adhesive, and delamination mechanisms.     

Altering the association properties of insulin by amino acid replacement

The importance of Pro^B28 and Lys^B29 on the self-associationof insulin was established by systematically truncating theC terminus of the B chain. The relationship between structureand association was further explored by making numerous aminoacid replacements at B²⁸ and B²⁹ Association was studied bycircular dichroism, size-exclusion chromatography and ultracentrifugation.Our results show that the location of a prolyl residue at B²⁸is critical for high-affinity self-association. Removal of Pro^B28in a series of C-terminal truncated insulins, or amino acidreplacement of Pro²⁸, greatly reduced association. The largestdisruption to association was achieved by replacing Lys^B29 withPro and varying the amino acid at B²⁸ Several of the analogswere predominantly monomers in solutions up to 3 mg/ml. Theseamino acid substitutions decreased association by primarilydisrupting the formation of dimers. Such amino acid substitutionsalso substantially reduced the Zn-induced insulin hexamer formation.The formation of monomeric insulins through amino acid replacementswas accompanied by conformational changes that may be the causefor decreased association. It is demonstrated that self-associationof insulin can be drastically altered by substitution of oneor two key amino acids.     

Modification of phenol–formaldehyde resol resins by lignin,starch, and urea

Lignin‐based chemicals, starch, and urea were used as modifiers for phenol–formaldehyde resol resins. The effects of the addition stage of the modifiers used in the synthesis of the resins and the type of modification reagent on the structures of the resins and their molar masses and reactivities were investigated. The modifications with corn starch and lignin promoted condensation; this was verified by increased molar masses and high ratios of methylene bridges to the sum of free ortho and para aromatic groups with respect to the corresponding reference resin without a modification reagent. The later the modifier was added to the resin condensation mixture, the more methylene bridges were formed with respect to the amounts of free ortho and para aromatic groups. In addition, when urea or wheat starch was added in the later condensation stage, the final condensation also reached high stages. The modifications with lignosulfonate and starch, as well as the early addition of urea, enhanced p–p′ bridge structures. The lowest condensation stage and, therefore, the highest reactivity were found when wheat starch was added with the starting reagents. The curing heat of the wheat‐starch‐modified resins decreased according to the deferred addition point of starch. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 582–588, 2003     

Static and Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of Electron Beam‐Cured Monomer and Monomer/Liquid Crystal Systems

Summary: This paper discusses static and dynamic mechanical properties of electron beam‐cured mixtures made of the nematic liquid crystal (LC) E7 and either tripropyleneglycol diacrylate (TPGDA) or propoxylated glycerol triacrylate (GPTA) as monomers differing essentially by their functionality. Dilution of the initial mixture with LC leads to a significant weakening of the film mechanical strength. Strong effects were found on Young modulus and rubbery state modulus. As the concentration of LC increases, these mechanical parameters drop significantly together with the glass transition temperature of the polymer showing a plasticizing effect. The results for the glass transition temperatures for the polymer and the LC were confirmed by thermograms obtained by differential scanning calorimetry.

Storage tensile modulus versus temperature of EB‐cured TPGDA/E7 films for different LC concentrations.     

Mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of chloroprene rubber and cellulose II composites

Vulcanized composites of chloroprene rubber (CR) with cellulose II (Cel II) as a filler were investigated. Cel II, obtained by the coagulation of cellulose xanthate, was incorporated in the rubber by the traditional method. The filler content varied from 0 to 30 phr. For comparison purposes, carbon black (CB)–CR composites were also studied. The CB amount varied from 0 to 45 phr. The mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties were determined, and the CR composite containing 20 phr of Cel II showed the best set of properties. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2425–2430, 2004     

Simulation of Propane Dehydrogenation to Propylene in a Radial‐Flow Reactor over Pt‐Sn/Al2O3 as the Catalyst

Catalytic paraffin dehydrogenation for manufacturing olefins is considered to be one of the most significant production routes in the petrochemical industries. A reactor kinetic model for the dehydrogenation of propane to propylene in a radial‐flow reactor over Pt‐Sn/Al₂O₃ as the catalyst was investigated here. The model showed that the catalyst activity was highly time dependent. In addition, the component concentrations and the temperature varied along the reactor radius owing to the occurring endothermic reaction. Moreover, a similar trend was noticed for the propane conversion as for the propylene selectivity, with both of them decreasing over the time period studied. Furthermore, a reversal of this trend was also revealed when the feed temperature was enhanced or when argon was added into the feed as an inert gas.     

Novel functionalized monomers based on kojic acid: snythesis,characterization, polymerization and evalution of antimicrobial activity

Two novel acrylate monomers, [5-(benzyloxy)-4-oxo-4H-pyran-2-yl]methyl acrylate and {1-[(5-(benzyloxy)-4-oxo-4H-pyran-2-yl)methyl]-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl}methyl acrylate were synthesized by the reaction of 5-benzyloxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one and 5-(benzyloxy)-2-{[4-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl]methyl}-4H-pyran-4-one with acryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine, respectively. These monomers were polymerized using 2,2^′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator in N,N-dimethylformamide:14-dioxane (10:1) solution. The thermal behavior of the polymers was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activites aganist bacteria and fungi using the disk diffusion method. The results indicated that some of these compounds demonstrated moderate to good antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Effect of Impeller Spacing on the Flow Field of Yield-Pseudoplastic Fluids Generated by a Coaxial Mixing System Composed of Two Central Impellers and an Anchor

The three-dimensional flow field generated by a coaxial mixer composed of double Scaba impellers and an anchor in the mixing of the xanthan gum solution, a non-Newtonian yield-pseudoplastic fluid was investigated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. The mixing time measurements were performed by a non-intrusive flow visualization technique called electrical resistance tomography (ERT). To evaluate the influence of the impeller spacing on the hydrodynamics of the double Scaba-anchor coaxial mixer, the upper impeller submergence was set to 0.140?m while the lower impeller clearance and the spacing between two central impellers were changed within a wide range. The experiments and simulations were conducted for both co-rotating and counter-rotating regimes at different impeller spacing. The analysis of the collected data with respect to the power number, flow number, mixing time, and pumping effectiveness proved that the co-rotating mode had superiority over the counter-rotating regime. Furthermore, the impact of the impeller spacing in the co-rotating mode was assessed with respect to the mixing time, power number, and mixing energy. The results demonstrated that a coaxial mixer with the impeller spacing of almost equal to the central impeller diameter (C₂?=?0.175?m) and the impeller clearance of C₃?=?0.185?m was the most efficient configuration compared to the other cases. Additionally, the influence of the impeller spacing on the flow pattern was assessed in terms of the radial velocity, tangential velocity, axial velocity, shear rate, and apparent viscosity profiles. When the impeller spacing (C₂) was varied, the merging flow and parallel flow patterns were observed.