Enantiomer-based specificity in pheromone communication by two sympatricGnathoirichus species (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

The aggregation pheromone ofGnathotrichus retusus was isolated and identified as (S)-(+)-sulcatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol). In laboratory and field experiments,G. retusus responded to (S)-(+)-sulcatol, but not to (±)-sulcatol, which was attractive to the sympatric species,G. sulcatus. G. sulcatus did not respond to optically pure (S)-(+)-sulcatol, but began to respond when 1% (R)-(–)-sulcatol was present in an enantiomeric mixture.Research supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S.A. (Grant BMS-74-13643), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Co-op grant A0243 and Operating Grant A3881 and A3785).     

Crystallization,morphology, structure and thermal behaviour of nylon-6/rubber blends

An experimental study was carried out in order to investigate the morphological, kinetic, structural and thermodynamic properties of nylon-6/rubber (namely ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM) and ethylene-propylene copolymer functionalized by inserting along its backbone succinic anhydride groups (EPM-g-SA)) blends. The morphology and the overall kinetics of crystallization of the blends strongly depend on the type of copolymer added to nylon and on the blend composition. The EPM-g-SA acts as a nucleating agent for the Ny spherulites and at the same time causes a drastic depression of the overall kinetic rate constant. This decrease is related to the increase of the melt viscosity observed in Ny/EPM-g-SA blends. The crystalline lamella thickness of the Ny phase in the blends is lower than that of pure Ny crystallized at the same T_c suggesting that the presence in the melt of an elastomeric phase disturbs the growth of the Ny crystals. The rubber does not influence the thermal behaviour of the nylon. The results found lead to the conclusion that in the melt nylon-6 is incompatible with both EPM and EPM-g-SA copolymers.     

原位聚合制备尼龙6/纳米SiO2复合材料研究

对原位聚合制备尼龙6／纳米SiO2进行研究。结果表明，无论是否对纳米SiO2复合材料进行偶联化处理，其表面均将在原位聚合过程中与尼龙6产生接枝；SiO2表面接枝物的生成，可在某种程度上造成体系结晶程度的降低，但复合体系的力学性能主要由SiO2粒子的分散程度、粒子和其体之间的相界面性质等因素决定；采用经偶联剂处理并具有较小粒径和较大比表面积的SiO2对尼龙6进行复合，可使复合体系的力学性能指标达到较高的水平，且硅烷偶联剂的最佳用是为SiO2的3％左右。