Grafting of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers with methacrylic acid using benzoyl peroxide

The graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers, by the aid of benzoyl peroxide, have been investigated. The graft yield increased up to 85°C, and then decreased with the further increase in temperature. The maximum graft yield was obtained at benzoyl peroxide concentration of 4.0 × 10^?3 mol/L. The increase in the concentration of monomer was found to increase the graft yield. The change in the graft yield was followed by the experiments carried out using different water/solvent mixtures. Also, the change in the properties of polye (thylene terephthalate) fibers grafted with methacrylic acid such as moisture regain, density, and diameter were investigated.     

Discovery of an Allosteric Ligand Binding Site in SMYD3 Lysine Methyltransferase

SMYD3 is a multifunctional epigenetic enzyme with lysine methyltransferase activity and various interaction partners. It is implicated in the pathophysiology of cancers but with an unclear mechanism. To discover tool compounds for clarifying its biochemistry and potential as a therapeutic target, a set of drug-like compounds was screened in a biosensor-based competition assay. Diperodon was identified as an allosteric ligand; its R and S enantiomers were isolated, and their affinities to SMYD3 were determined (K_D=42 and 84 μM, respectively). Co-crystallization revealed that both enantiomers bind to a previously unidentified allosteric site in the C-terminal protein binding domain, consistent with its weak inhibitory effect. No competition between diperodon and HSP90 (a known SMYD3 interaction partner) was observed although SMYD3–HSP90 binding was confirmed (K_D=13 μM). Diperodon clearly represents a novel starting point for the design of tool compounds interacting with a druggable allosteric site, suitable for the exploration of noncatalytic SMYD3 functions and therapeutics with new mechanisms of action.     

Experimental and numerical assessment of the improvement of the load-carrying capacities of butterfly-shaped coupling components in composite structures

This study was designed to analyze the load-carrying capacities of composite structures connected face-to-face by a butterfly coupling component experimentally and numerically without adhesive. The results of the experimental studies were supported with numerical analysis. In addition, the butterfly coupling component was developed geometrically with a view to the results of the numerical and experimental studies. The change in the load-carrying capacity of the improved butterfly coupling components was analyzed numerically and experimentally to obtain new results. Half-specimens and butterfly-shaped lock components were cut with a water jet machine. Experiments and analyses were conducted to analyze the effects of coupling geometry parameters, such as the ratio of the butterfly end width to the specimen width (w/b), the ratio of the butterfly middle width to the butterfly end width (x/w), and the ratio of the butterfly half height to the specimen width (y/b). It was intended to determine the damage in the butterfly before any damage to the composite structure and to increase the service-life span of the composite structure with the repair of the butterfly lock. As a result of this study, it was determined that the geometrical fixed ratios (w/b) and (x/w) were 0.4 and 0.2 at 0.4 of (y/b) according to the experimental and numerical studies with basic and modified models.     

Elastic–plastic stress analysis of an orthotropic rotating disc

In this study, the elastic–plastic stress analysis of a curvilinearly orthotropic rotating annular disc is investigated analytically for strain-hardening material behavior. To be able to see the separation of the plastic region, a few angular velocities are taken into consideration for such an analysis. Radial and circumferential stress components are obtained to increase angular velocity. It is seen that the magnitudes of the circumferential stress components are higher than those of the radial stress components. The magnitudes of the residual stress component of the circumferential stress and plastic flow are the highest at the inner surface. The radial displacements in both the elastic and plastic solutions calculated analytically have higher values at the inner surface than those of the outer surface for all the angular velocities.     

Elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis of an aluminum composite disc under parabolic thermal load distribution

An elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis was carried out on an orthotropic aluminum metal matrix composite disc with a hole by using an analytical solution. The thermal load distribution was chosen to vary parabolically from inner surface to outer surface. An aluminum composite disc reinforced curvilinearly by steel fibers was produced under hydraulic press. The mechanical properties of the composite disc were obtained from experiments by using strain gauges. A computer program was developed to calculate the thermal stresses under a parabolic temperature from inner surface to outer surface. The material was assumed to be non-linear hardening. The elastic-plastic solution was performed for the plastic region expanded around the inner surface by an analytical method. The magnitude of the tangential stress component for elastic and elastic-plastic was higher than the magnitude of the radial stress component. Besides, the tangential stress component was compressive on the inner surface and tensile on the outer surface. The magnitude of the tangential residual stress component was the highest on the inner surface of the composite disc. The plastic region began at the inner surface of disc. This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Joo Ho Choi Gürkan Altan is a Research Assistant of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey. Gürkan Altan received the B.E. degree (1999) in mechanical engineering from Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, and the M.S. degree (2004) in mechanical engineering from Pamukkale University, Denizli. Gürkan Altan is interested in production and applications of composite materials. Currently he is involved in the development and application of joints of composite structures.     

Vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa,Turkey

Background  

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health nutrition problem in the developing world. Even subclinical Vitamin A deficiency is associated with increased childhood mortality. Severe maternal vitamin A deficiency may cause increased mortality in the first months of life. There have been a limited number of studies regarding vitamin A status in Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa, Turkey.     

Hydrogen storage with hetero porphyrin aggregates

Hydrogen interaction of porphyrin hetero-pairs has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Aggregates were prepared by spontaneous aggregation of water soluble anionic porphyrins meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine (TCPP) and meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS) with cationic meso-tetra-p-trimethylaminophenyl porphine tetrachloride (TAP). Aggregate formation in solution was investigated via UV-visible spectroscopy at different pH ranges. At neutral to basic conditions, porphyrin pairs formed partially soluble hetero H-aggregates and at low pH, soluble homo J-aggregates was formed. H-aggregates were isolated by centrifuging and freeze-drying. The obtained solids were studied by X-ray powder diffraction. Thermal stability of dry aggregates was determined by thermogravimetric analysis. The TCPP-TAP hetero aggregates exhibited hydrogen uptake between 80 °C and 250 °C. The amount of hydrogen absorbed by the sample corresponds to 0.29% by weight, indicating a potential use of such materials as a solid state hydrogen storage medium.     

Investigation of catalytic effects of the proton and Lewis acids on oligomerization and chemical polymerization of pyrrole

Protonation and oligomerization mechanisms of pyrrole monomer were elucidated in the presence of acid such as HBF₄ and Lewis acid such as AlCl₃, FeCl₃ in acetonitrile solutions, using experimental methods such as UV-vis and AA spectroscopy and semi-empirical AM1 calculations. It was observed that pyrrole interacts with proton and Lewis acids on similar mechanisms to produce pyrrole oligomers. The theoretical studies predicted that the both types of acids add to the pyrrole ring on Cβ atom. These studies also showed that FeCl₃, which is used as oxidative agent in the chemical polymerizations, adds to the polypyrrole chain as well.     

Polymers,composites, and characterization of conducting polyfuran and poly(2‐bromoaniline)

Polyfuran (PFu), poly(2‐bromoaniline) (P2BrAn), and poly(2‐bromoaniline)/polyfuran (P2BrAn/PFu) composites were synthesized by coupling using various solvents and oxidants. 2‐Bromoaniline (2BrAn) was polymerized using FeCl₃ and (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ in aqueous HCl medium. PFu was synthesized using FeCl₃ and SbCl₃ in anhydrous media (CHCl₃, CH₃CN). Furan was polymerized using both salts in CHCl₃ medium, whereas it could be polymerized using only FeCl₃ in CH₃CN medium. The new electrically conducting composites were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization using polyfuran synthesized with SbCl₃ and poly(2‐bromoaniline). The polymers and composites were characterized using conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, infrared spectra (FTIR), UV‐Vis spectra, thermal analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. It was found that PFu(SbCl₃) has the lowest thermal stability. Thus, the thermal stability of PFu was increased by preparing composites. The chemical structures of P2BrAns and composites have been found from UV‐Vis results to contain quinone‐imine units along the polymer chain. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated that the polymers and composites were diamagnetic or paramagnetic. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 2048–2057, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of nylon 6/polyalkylaniline conducting composites

Conducting composite films of polyalkylanilines with nylon 6 as the insulating matrix were electrochemically synthesized and characterized. The electrochemical properties of the alkylanilines and their composites were investigated with a cyclic voltammetry technique. The magnetic properties of the polymers and composites were analyzed, and their conducting mechanisms were found to be of bipolaron nature. With Fourier transform infrared spectra, it was clarified that polymerization occurred via the ? NH₂ group in a head‐to‐tail mechanism. Through thermogravimetric analyses, the thermal properties of the polymers and their composites were elucidated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1693–1701, 2003