Kinetik der polykondensation von natriumsulfidhydrat und 1,4-dichlorbenzol zu poly(thio-1,4-phenylen)

The kinetics of the polycondensation of sodium sulfide hydrate and 1,4-dichlorobenzene to poly(thio-1,4-phenylene) in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as solvent was studied in a differential scanning calorimeter at temperatures between 220 and 280°C. This polycondensation shows an autocatalytic behavior and the kinetics can be modelled by a first order reaction up to complete conversion. This is explained by the low solubility of sodium sulfide in l-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The concentration of sodium sulfide is regarded as being constant during the whole course of the reaction. The autocatalytic effect can be explained by the increase of the condensation rate constant at the beginning of polycondensation due to the higher reactivity of the oligomers compared to the monomers. The number- and the weight-average molecular weight of the products formed during the course of the polycondensation can be modelled by means of stochastic methods. A simple model with only two different rate constants of the condensation process is assumed. The concentration of sodium sulfide in the reactive phase is found to be 2–5% of the value of dichlorobenzene at the beginning of the reaction and remains constant nearly until the end of polycondensation.     

A Study of Surface Deformation during Wire‐Rod Rolling of High Speed Steels using Experimental and Computational Techniques

The evolution of surface defects during shape rolling of high‐speed steel billets is studied using longitudinal surface defects prepared by machining and welding. The reduction of the defects during rolling in a production mill is compared to the total area reduction of the billets. Samples are collected after pass 4, 6, 8, 14, 19 and the final pass, 28, representing the finished 5.5mm wire. By inspecting the cross sections, the rotation of the billets from pass to pass is evaluated. Results from FE simulations on solid billets are compared to the experimental results. Generally, simulations predict less reduction than observed experimentally. In most cases cracks reduce most effectively followed by carbon steel welds and stainless steel welds.     

Determination of individual long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters in heart and skeletal muscle

A method has been developed for determination of individual long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters from heart and skeletal muscle using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The esters were extracted from freezeclamped tissue of pig and rat hearts and rat skeletal muscle for analysis on a radially compressed C₁₈ 5μ reversephase column. Nine peaks in the extract with carbon chain lengths from C₁₂ to C₂₀ that subsequently disappeared on alkaline hydrolysis were identified. The major acyl-CoA peaks were 14∶1, 18∶2, 16∶0 and 18∶1 and additionally in rat heart 18∶0. Total long-chain acyl-CoA esters obtained by summation of the individual molecular species was 11.34±1.48 nmol/g wet wt. pig heart; 14.51±2.11 nmol/g wet wt. in rat heart, and 4.35±0.71 nmol/g wet wt. in rat skeletal muscle. These values were approximately 132% of those obtained using a separate procedure that measured total CoA by HPLC after alkaline hydrolysis of the esters. The described method demonstrates the quantitation of individual acyl-CoA species in muscle tissue. Therefore, it has a number of advantages in that it permits information to be obtained on the individual molecular species under various nutritional and metabolic conditions.     

Note: flowing ion population from a resonance cavity source

The experimental low energy plasma for hemispherical analyzers nominal testing thermal plasma facility of Dartmouth College uses a microwave plasma source which generates an ionosphere-like plasma through a two-step process. The plasma is initially generated inside a cylindrical, insulated, resonance cavity. This initial plasma must pass through a sheath in order to enter the main experimental region. This process imparts a significant flow velocity to the ions which has been neglected in previous analysis of this plasma source. We predict the flow energy of the ions to be between 12-15 eV depending on conservation laws and show agreement with experimental results.     

Acetals as nucleating agents for polypropylene

Nucleating agents increase the impact strength, tensile strength, and tensile elasticity modulus of semicrystalline polymers. Nucleating agents also decrease product cycle times, resulting in a cost savings per product unit. We have synthesized and tested 15 compounds as nucleactors for polypropylene. Of these, trinapthylidene sorbitol, tri-(4-methyl-1-naphthylidene)sorbitol, tri-(4-methoxy-1-naphthylidene) sorbitol, and dibenzylidene xylitol are efficient nucleators of polypropylene. Trinaphthylidene sorbitol (tns) has two major diastereomers: The “S” diastereomer yields a faster crystallization rate for polypropylene than does the commercial nucleator dibenzylidene sorbitol (Millad 3905). Crystallization rates are 208 and 88, respectively (t min^?1 × 1000). The “R” diastereomer, however, is a poor nucleator and interferes with the nucleating activity of the “S” diastereomer. A 52/48 mixture of diastereomers does not nucleate polypropylene, even at twice the concentration. This is first time that the importance of stereochemistry has been demonstrated in the nucleating action. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Goal-driven automation of a deep space communications station: a case study in knowledge engineering for plan generation and execution

Abstract: This paper describes the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques for plan generation, plan execution, and plan monitoring to automate a Deep Space Communication Station. This automation allows a communication station to respond to a set of tracking goals by appropriately reconfiguring the communications hardware and software to provide the requested communications services. In particular this paper describes: (1) the overall automation architecture, (2) the plan generation and execution monitoring AI technologies used and implemented software components, and (3) the knowledge engineering process and effort required for automation. This automation was demonstrated in February 1995, at the DSS13 Antenna Station in Goldstone, CA on a series of Voyager tracks and the technologies demonstrated are being transferred to the operational Deep Space Network stations.