Carbon fibre composites based on polyimide/silica ceramers: aspects of structure-properties relationship

Polyimide/silica ceramers, based on the products of the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and a commercial poly(amic acid) solution, were used to fabricate unidirectional carbon fibre composites, which were subsequently evaluated with respect to thermal and mechanical properties. There is evidence to suggest that the silica component of these ceramers is present as dispersed discrete particles at low silica concentration (i.e. 7 wt%) and as fine interconnected domains trapped within the polyimide matrix at higher silica content (i.e. 14 wt%). The dimensions of the silica domains were in the region of 7–20 nm. Carbon fibre composites produced from ceramer solutions (CF/ceramers) were found to exhibit lower thermal expansion and a greater retention of flexural and interlaminar shear properties at elevated temperature than the corresponding polyimide-matrix composites (CF/polyimide). The properties of CF/ceramers were generally better for systems containing the higher amount of silica and were improved further by lowering the pH value of the precursor ceramer solution. This is believed to have resulted from the enhanced fluidity of the ceramer gel within the pre-impregnated fibres, giving rise to a higher packing density of the fibres and a more homogeneous distribution of fibres. CF/ceramers were also found to exhibit a better thermal oxidative stability at 350°C than the corresponding CF/polyimide, although a substantial amount of porosity developed in the case of ceramers with the higher silica content.     

Group contributions to activity coefficients from the hard sphere expansion corresponding states theory

A new method has been developed for predicting liquid activity coefficients in ternary mixtures from group contributions. In this method, activity coefficients are obtained from the excess Gibbs free energy of mixing at constant temperature and pressure. In calculating this excess function, the constituent and mixture Gibbs free energies are each represented by an expansion about a pure reference fluid in powers of ratios of hard-sphere diameters and molecular attraction parameters. When the pure component differs from the reference by a single structural group, these ratios represent, respectively, the size contribution and the attraction contribution of this group to the thermodynamic property of the pure fluid. Contributions of intermolecular repulsion to the excess Gibbs free energy are calculated directly from hard-sphere equations of state for the mixture and pure components. The effect of polar contributions calculated by a Padé approximant is also examined. Results indicate that the method developed from the hard-sphere expansion corresponding-states theory is useful for predicting activity coefficients in ternary mixtures when unlike-pair interaction parameters are fitted to binary activity coefficient data. Furthermore, the method shows promise in providing a theoretical basis for applying group contributions to activity coefficients.Nomenclature A Residual Helmholtz free energy - C _p Constant-pressure heat capacity - H _vap Heat of vaporization - P ^s Saturated vapor pressure - R Gas constant - T Temperature - U ^HS Hard-sphere internal energy - V _c Critical volume - V ^L Liquid volume - x Dimensionless residual thermodynamic property - Z Compressibility factor - d Center-to-center distance between two touching molecules - k Boltzmann constant - n Moles - x Liquid mole fraction - y Vapor mole fraction - Volume expansivity - Liquid activity coefficient - Minimum molecular attraction potential - Isothermal compressibility - Permanent dipole moment - 3.14159... - Density - Fugacity coefficient Paper presented at the Ninth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 24–27, 1985, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Novel Cell Permeable Polymers of N-Substituted L-2,3-Diaminopropionic Acid (DAPEGs) and Cellular Consequences of Their Interactions with Nucleic Acids

The present study aimed to synthesize novel polycationic polymers composed of N-substituted L-2,3-diaminopropionic acid residues (DAPEGs) and investigate their cell permeability, cytotoxicity, and DNA-binding ability. The most efficient cell membrane-penetrating compounds (O2Oc-Dap(GO2)_n-O2Oc-NH₂, where n = 4, 6, and 8) showed dsDNA binding with a binding constant in the micromolar range (0.3, 3.4, and 0.19 µM, respectively) and were not cytotoxic to HB2 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Selected compounds used in the transfection of a GFP plasmid showed high transfection efficacy and minimal cytotoxicity. Their interaction with plasmid DNA and the increasing length of the main chain of tested compounds strongly influenced the organization and shape of the flower-like nanostructures formed, which were unique for 5/6-FAM-O2Oc-[Dap(GO2)]₈-O2Oc-NH₂ and typical for large proteins.     

Auxin and Root Gravitropism: Addressing Basic Cellular Processes by Exploiting a Defined Growth Response

Root architecture and growth are decisive for crop performance and yield, and thus a highly topical research field in plant sciences. The root system of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is the ideal system to obtain insights into fundamental key parameters and molecular players involved in underlying regulatory circuits of root growth, particularly in responses to environmental stimuli. Root gravitropism, directional growth along the gravity, in particular represents a highly sensitive readout, suitable to study adjustments in polar auxin transport and to identify molecular determinants involved. This review strives to summarize and give an overview into the function of PIN-FORMED auxin transport proteins, emphasizing on their sorting and polarity control. As there already is an abundance of information, the focus lies in integrating this wealth of information on mechanisms and pathways. This overview of a highly dynamic and complex field highlights recent developments in understanding the role of auxin in higher plants. Specifically, it exemplifies, how analysis of a single, defined growth response contributes to our understanding of basic cellular processes in general.     

结合编码交织的频数质心零水印算法

针对传统数字水印算法的透明性随嵌入强度的增加而下降,且存在鲁棒性和稳定性差的问题,提出了一种基于极化码与二维交织算法相结合的频数质心零水印算法.该算法依次对水印信息进行极化码编码,二维交织构造出交织矩阵,然后对载体图像进行非下采样轮廓波变换获得其低频系数,再通过分块非负矩阵分解得到一维基矩阵;根据频数分布特征计算局部频数质心以构造出特征矩阵,最后将含有水印信息的交织方阵和特征矩阵进行异或操作生成零水印.大量实验表明,该零水印算法可以有效地抵抗常规的信号处理攻击、几何攻击以及组合攻击,水印提取的归一化系数值在0.88以上,具有较强的鲁棒性和稳定性,且具有良好的实用价值.     

Electrochemically deposited polypyrrole films and their characterization

Ionically conductive polypyrrole films have been deposited at 295 K from anhydrous acetonitrile, acetonitrile/H₂O and NaBF₄ aqueous solutions onto platinum, mild steel and stainless steel discs, using cyclic voltammetry, potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques. Cyclic voltammetry of the polymer films has been studied as a function of water content of the acetonitrile solvent, polypyrrole concentration and potential sweep rate. Potentiostatic growth of thicker (< 30 micron) films on stainless steel allowed free-standing polypyrrole membranes to be produced. Well adherent and conductive films were deposited at constant potential in stirred solutions from acetonitrile electrolytes containing 1% (v/v) of water. The membrane resistivity of the reduced films in 0.5 mol dm^− 3 KCl_(aq) at 295 K was ≈ 1 × 10⁶ Ω cm, while the resistivity of the oxidised membrane was 2700 Ω cm.     

Film Blowing of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites for Agricultural Applications

Films for agricultural applications, such as greenhouses films or mulching films are generally made of polyolefins such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) or low-density polyethylene. However, the use of biodegradable and/or compostable polymers is increasing, which enjoy the additional advantage that they can be left on the site since a fine life would be gradually assimilated to the underlying soil. Nevertheless, biodegradable polymeric films often do not have suitable mechanical performances. In this work, biodegradable polymer-based nanocomposite films are prepared by film blowing and compared with traditional LLDPE based nanocomposites. In particular, a biodegradable polymer blend and two different inorganic nanofillers (an organo-modified clay and a calcium carbonate with a hydrophobic coating) are used for the preparation of the nanocomposites. A detailed investigation of obtained materials is performed through rheological, mechanical, and optical characterizations. Adding nanofillers led to an increase of rigidity and tear strength of blown films without negatively affecting their ductility.     

新型功能高分子材料及其应用

功能高分子是一类具有特殊用途的高分子材料 ,印迹高分子、敏感性水凝胶和固定化酶是三种较有特色的功能高分子材料。该文将对上述三种功能高分子材料以及它们在生化分离、生物催化、物质分析与检测以及药物控制释放中的应用做一介绍 ,同时也对它们的不足和发展前景进行了评述     

Recent Advances in Conjugated Transition Metal-containing Polymers and Materials

Metal-containing conjugated oligomers and polymers are reviewed, focusing on the work carried out by the author and coworkers since 1995. The synthesis of model systems, electropolymerizable monomers and polymer films are discussed, along with the electronic and spectroscopic properties of these systems. The application of phosphino-oligothiophene ligands as an entry to conjugated metallopolymers is described.