Halogen-induced charge transfer polymerization of pyrrole in aqueous media

Simultaneous polymerization and doping of pyrrole have been carried out in the presence of a halogenic electron acceptor, bromine (Br₂) or iodine (I₂), in aqueous dispersion or in a two-phase solvent system. The morphology of the polypyrrole (PPY) so produced is granular and porous. The electrical conductivity of the PPY-I₂ charge transfer (CT) complex is of the order of 10¹ ohm⁻¹ cm⁻¹ while that of the PPY-Br₂ complex is about one order of magnitude less. Both complexes are stable in the atmosphere. The physicochemical properties of the PPY-I₂ and PPY-Br₂ CT complexes prepared under various experimental conditions are examined in detail.     

Electroless plating of copper on polyimide films modified by surface grafting of tertiary and quaternary amines polymers

Argon plasma-pretreated polyimide (PI, Kapton^® HN) films were subjected to UV-induced surface graft copolymerization with N,N′-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and 2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl methacrylate chloride (TMMAC). The DMAEMA graft-copolymerized PI (DMAEMA-g-PI) surfaces were also quaternized and amino-functionalized with 3-bromopropylamine hydrobromide (the Q-DMAEMA-g-PI surfaces). The surface composition and the degree of quaternization of the graft-modified PI films were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The DMAEMA-g-PI, Q-DMAEMA-g-PI and TMMAC graft-copolymerized PI (TMMAC-g-PI) surfaces can be activated directly by PdCl₂, in the absence of prior sensitization by SnCl₂ (the ‘Sn-free’ activation process), for the subsequent electroless plating of copper. A shorter induction time for the electroless deposition of copper was found for the palladium-activated Q-DMAEMA-g-PI and TMMAC-g-PI surfaces than for the palladium-activated DMAEMA-g-PI surface. The T-peel adhesion strength of the electrolessly deposited copper with the Q-DMAEMA-g-PI surface was enhanced to above 6 N/cm, in comparison to only about 4 N/cm for the DMAEMA-g-PI surface, about 2.5 N/cm for the TMMAC-g-PI surface, or about 0.5 N/cm for the PI surface with argon plasma treatment alone.     

Motifs involved in interchain binding at the tail-end of spectrin

Segments 20-22 of alpha-spectrin and 1-3 of beta-spectrin are required for high avidity interchain binding at the tail-end of the molecule. Here, sequence analysis guided by the crystal structure of spectrin's repeating segments was used to redefine the boundaries of a repetitive beta segment that is critical for interchain binding and demonstrate the contribution of non-repetitive spectrin segments in high avidity interchain binding. Our results show that several motifs together are required for high avidity binding, indicating that interchain binding at the tail-end of the spectrin molecule depends on the long distance coordination of several different elements. We also explored the role of unusual motifs contained in beta segments involved in interchain binding. A row of basic residues and a row of small hydrophobic residues were found not to be required for interchain binding, suggesting that their conservation among species reflects functions unrelated to interchain binding. The octamer between segments beta 2 and beta 3 that maintains a specific register between true binding sites was found to have an indirect role in interchain binding by stabilizing neighboring segments. A 5-residue domain in segment beta 2 (EKPPK) was required for interchain binding because it sustains normal helix-helix interactions within segments beta 2.     

Process optimization of sweet potato pulp‐based biodegradable plastics using response surface methodology

Biodegradable plastics were produced from sweet potato pulp (SPP) and cationic starch (CS) or chitosan composite (CC) by compression molding and their mechanical properties were tested. A universal testing machine, Rockwell hardness tester, and Izod impact tester were used for testing the mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) of the plastics. A central composite second‐order design was used to study the effects of temperature, time, and moisture content on the flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP/CS and SPP/CC blended plastics. The flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP‐based plastics was 101.1–305.9 kg/cm², R29.0–R96.7, and 0.6–3.0 kg cm cm^?2, respectively. Regression analysis predicted the optimal mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) to be attained with a 150–160°C temperature, 15–20‐min reaction time, and 20–23% moisture content. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 423–434, 2002     

Direct Observation of Triplet Reactions of Anthraquinone Vat Dyes Using Nanosecond Laser Photolysis

The triplet-triplet spectra of three commercial anthraquinone vat dyes (C.I. 67300, C.I. 59100 and C.I. 60515) were studied in solution at room temperature using laser photolysis. The triplet states of these dyes react with oxygen, and the rate constants for the quenching process were measured, together with the rates of energy transfer from the triplet state to anthracene. These observations are considered in relation to the photoreactivity of these dyes.     

Aldol condensation of butanal over alkali metal zeolites

Alkali metal zeolites and metal oxides were used for the aldol condensation of n-butanal to 2-ethyl-2-hexenal. The order of activity at 150 °C and 1 atm. was: CsNaY > NaY > LiNaY > MgO >Al₂O₃. Selectivity to 2-ethyl-2-hexenal was 100% for both pure and mixed isomer feed. Infrared spectroscopic studies showed that stable catalysts were produced by propene pretreatments which blocked Lewis acid sites. Adsorption of ammonia and carbon dioxide on CsNaY during aldol condensation of n-butanal causes a decrease in rate. This result, along with the order of activity, suggests that the presence of both acid and basic sites produce higher activity than strongly basic MgO.Work performed at San Jose State University.     

Electroless Plating of Copper on Fluorinated Polyimide Films Modified by Plasma Graft Copolymerization and UV‐induced Graft Copolymerization with 4‐Vinylpyridine

Surface modification of two types of fluorinated polyimide (FPI) films, either by plasma polymerization and deposition of 4‐vinylpyridine (4VP) or by UV‐induced graft copolymerization with 4VP under atmospheric conditions, was carried out for adhesion enhancement with the electrolessly deposited copper. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results revealed that the pyridine groups in the plasma polymerized 4VP (pp‐4VP) layer could be preserved to a large extent under proper glow discharge conditions. The grafted 4VP layer with well‐preserved pyridine groups was used not only as the chemisorption sites for the palladium complexes (without the need for prior sensitization by SnCl₂) during the electroless plating of copper, but also as an adhesion promotion layer for the electrolessly deposited copper. The T‐peel adhesion strength of the electrolessly deposited copper with both the 4VP plasma‐polymerized FPI (pp‐4VP‐FPI) film and the 4VP graft‐copolymerized FPI (4VP‐g‐FPI) film was much higher than that of the electrolessly deposited copper with the pristine or the Ar plasma‐treated FPI films. The high adhesion strength between the electrolessly deposited copper and the surface‐modified FPI film was attributed to the fact that the plasma‐polymerized and the UV graft‐copolymerized 4VP chains were covalently tethered on the FPI surfaces, as well as the fact that these grafted 4VP polymer chains were spatially and reactively distributed into the copper matrix.

     

Optimum composition of blast furnace slag as deduced from liquidus data for the quaternary system CaO-MgO-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

On the basis of liquidus measurements in the system CaO-MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and previously published data, diagrams have been constructed at 5 pct Al₂O₃ intervals from 5 to 35 pct Al₂O₃. Liquidus temperatures and primary phase fields are shown. The optimum composition of a blast furnace slag for a given alumina content is indicated. At the optimum point, ordinary slags will be entirely liquid and will have maximum desulphurization potential and minimum viscosity. The relation of optimum composition of slags to the “plateau region” of the liquidus surface, and the application of these data on synthetic quaternary slags to actual slag compositions are discussed. Index of refraction of glasses is given as well as composition, temperature, and phase data for each mixture.     

Topological Repairing of 3D Digital Images

We present here a new randomized algorithm for repairing the topology of objects represented by 3D binary digital images. By “repairing the topology”, we mean a systematic way of modifying a given binary image in order to produce a similar binary image which is guaranteed to be well-composed. A 3D binary digital image is said to be well-composed if, and only if, the square faces shared by background and foreground voxels form a 2D manifold. Well-composed images enjoy some special properties which can make such images very desirable in practical applications. For instance, well-known algorithms for extracting surfaces from and thinning binary images can be simplified and optimized for speed if the input image is assumed to be well-composed. Furthermore, some algorithms for computing surface curvature and extracting adaptive triangulated surfaces, directly from the binary data, can only be applied to well-composed images. Finally, we introduce an extension of the aforementioned algorithm to repairing 3D digital multivalued images. Such an algorithm finds application in repairing segmented images resulting from multi-object segmentations of other 3D digital multivalued images.