Study of beta-alpha recrystallization of the polypropylene

The crystalline modifications alpha and beta of polypropylene (PP) were studied by using polarized light microscopy (PLM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Typically beta crystals surrounded by alpha spherulites were observed at low temperature. With increasing temperature the beta crystals melted and a new crystal appeared. More interestingly, the melting temperature of the new crystal was about 5degrees higher than that of alpha spherulites originally present in the sample formed isothermally. It was assumed that this new crystal was the recrystalline alpha crystal. This assumption was supported by the DSC results. Furthermore, the crystallization kinetics of the PP used was studied on the basis of the traditional Avrami analysis. As a result, the Avrami exponents of crystallization temperature from 120 to 130degreesC ranged between 4.21 and 3.60, indicating that the crystallization mechanism of PP order melt was spherulitic growth and random nucleation.

Relating the molecular structure and crystallization behavior of polypropylene

The crystallization behavior of two polypropylene (PP) resins as used for biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and general injection mold applications, respectively, has been intensively investigated and compared by means of polarized light optical micrography (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). It is found that both molecular weight distribution and isotacticity of polypropylene strongly affect its crystallization characteristics, e.g., the number of crystal nuclei at the initial stage, crystallization dynamics, the morphology, size and perfection of crystals in the final product, and so on. The results indicate an appropriate molecular structure is vital in producing high-quality BOPP film.

Fractionated crystallization of dispersed PA6 phase of PP/PP-g-MAH/PA6 blends

Fractionated crystallization behavior of dispersed PA6 phase in PP/PA6 blends compatibilized with PP-g-MAH was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) in this work. The lack of usual active heterogeneities in the dispersed droplet was the key factor for the fractionated crystallization of PA6. The crystals formed with less efficient nuclei might contain more defects in the crystal structures than those crystallized with the usual active nuclei. The lower the crystallization temperature, the lesser the perfection of the crystals and the lower crystallinity would be. The fractionated crystallization of PP droplets encapsulated by PA6 domains was also observed. The effect of existing PP-g-MAH-g-PA6 copolymer located at the interface on the fractionated crystallization could not be detected in this work.

Liquid crystalline phases, microtwinning in crystals and helical chirality transformations in a main-chain chiral liquid crystalline polyester

A main-chain nonracemic chiral liquid crystalline polymer was synthesized from (R)-(-)4'-{w-[2-(p-hydroxy-o-nitrophenyloxy)-1-propyloxy]-1-decyloxyl-4-biphenylcarboxylic acid. This polymer contained 10 methylene units in each chemical repeating unit and was abbreviated PET(R*-10). On the basis of differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and polarized light microscopy experiments, chiral smectic C (S-C*) and chiral smectic A (S-A*) phases were identified. Both flat-elongated and helical lamellar crystal morphologies were observed in transmission electron microscopy. Of particular interest was the flat-elongated lamellar crystals were constructed via microtwinning of an orthorhombic cell with dimensions of a = 1.42 nm, b = 1.28 nm, and c = 3.04 nm. On the other hand, the helical lamellar crystals were exclusively left-handed, which was opposite to the right-handed helical crystals grown in PET(R*-9) and PET(R*-11) (having 9 and 11 methylene units, respectively). Note that these three polymers had identical right-handed chiral centers (R*-). Therefore, a single methylene unit difference on the polymer backbones on an atomic length scale substantially changed the chirality of the crystals in the micrometer length scale. Furthermore, aggregates of these helical crystals in PET(R*-10) did not generate banded spherulites in polarized light microscopy. Possible reasons for this change and loss of helical senses (handedness) on different length scales in chirality transferring processes were discussed.

The deformation mechanism of polyphenylquinoxaline films

The plateau modulus of polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ-E) films has been obtained by from their dynamic mechanical properties curves. Using these data, the entanglement density of PPQ-E films, 2.37 X 10(26) m(-3) Or 0.39mmol/cm(3),has been estimated. The deformation mechanism of polyphenylquinoxaline (crazing mechanism,or shear yielding mechanism, or both), can be predicted according to entanglement density values. The changes in morphology of PPQ-E films during tensile deformation have been observed by Polarized Light Microscope. The result shows that crazing first appears in the tensile process, then shear yielding appears. It needs to point out that the craze is terminated by micro-shear band and the direction of craze in shear band is also changed,which prevents the craze growth into crack and avoid the failure of material. This result is in accordance with the prediction on the basis of the entanglement density data. The morphology and structure of crazes in PPB-E thin film have been determined by TEM. The craze morphology of PPQ-E is mainly fibril craze consisting of micro-fibrils and micro-voids,the interface between bulk and craze is distinct. Multiply crazes, blunting of craze tip and shear deformation zone are also observed. This result reflects the accordance of entanglement density and the morphology and structure of crazes.

Synthesis and thermotropic liquid crystalline behaviour of novel poly(aryl ether ketone)s with a lateral methoxy group

Novel poly(aryl ether ketone)s containing a lateral methoxy group were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reactions of 4,4'-biphenol and methoxyhydroquinone with 1,4-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)benzene in a sulfolane solvent in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were characterized by a variety of experimental techniques, e.g. differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light microscopy and temperature-dependent FTIR. Thermotropic liquid crystalline behaviour was observed in the copolymers containing 30-80 mol-% mexthoxyhydroquinone. Both melting (T-m) and isotropization (T-i) transitions appeared in the DSC curves. The polarized light microscopy study of the liquid crystalline copolymers suggested their ordered smectic structures. As expected, the copolymers had lower melting transitions than the biphenol-based homopoly(aryl ether ketone)s because of the copolymerization effect of the crystal-disrupting monomer methoxyhydroquinone.

Phase transition and transition kinetics of a thermotropic poly(amide-imide) derived from 70% pyromellitic dianhydride, 30% terephthaloyl chloride, and 1,3-bis[4-(4 '-aminophenoxy)cumyl]benzene

The phase transition and transition kinetics of a liquid crystalline copoly(amide-imide) (PAI37), which was synthesized from 70 mol% pyromellitic dianhydride, 30 mol% terephthaloyl chloride, and 1,3-bis[4-(4'-aminophenoxy)cumyl]benzene, was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and rheology. PAI37 exhibits a glass transition temperature at 182 degreesC followed by multiple phase transitions. The crystalline phase starts to melt at similar to 220 degreesC and forms smectic C (S-C) phase. The Sc phase transforms into smectic A (S-A) phase when the temperature is above 237 degreesC. The S-C to S-A transition spans a broad temperature range in which the S-A phase vanishes and forms isotropic melt. The WARD fiber pattern of PAI37 pulled from the anisotropic melt revealed an anomalous chain orientation, which was characterized by its layer normal perpendicular to the fiber direction. The transition kinetics for the mesophase and crystalline phase formation was also studied.

Syntheses and properties of thermotropic copolyesters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid

Two series of thermotropic copolyesters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) were synthesized by direct thermal polycondensation. One comprised aromatic copolyesters from HBA, terephthalic acid, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) ketone (BHP) and resorcinol. The other comprised semi-aromatic copolyesters from HBA, terephthalic acid, BHP and alpha,-diols with carbon atom number of 4, 6, 8, 10. The properties of the two series were characterized by polarized light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray diffraction. Most of the resulting copolyesters could form a nematic phase over a wide temperature range above their melting points. The effects of Variation in composition and monomer structure on the properties of copolyesters were discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and properties of thermotropic copoly(ester imide)s

A dicarboxylic acid, N,N'-hexane-1,6-diylbis(trimellitimide), was prepared by the reaction of trimellitic anhydride with 1,6-hexane diamine. From the diacid, a series of copoly(ester imide)s had been synthesized by thermal condensation with p-hydroxybenzoic acid and diphenols with different structures. Properties of the resulting copoly(ester imide)s were characterized by polarized light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Most of the copoly(ester imide)s formed a nematic phase over a wide temperature range above their melt. The effects of the copoly(ester imide)s composition and the structures of diphenols on the temperature related to liquid crystalline transition were investigated.

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic liquid crystalline poly(ester-imide)s derived from an imidodicarboxylic acid

A new class of liquid crystalline poly(ester-imide)s was synthesized by melt polycondensation. The basic physical properties of the resulting polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (t.g.a.), and rheological and mechanical testing. All of these poly(ester-imide)s were amorphous, as reflected by the results obtained from the WAXD and d.s.c. studies. Characterization and comparison of these poly(ester-imide)s with the corresponding polyesters suggested that the introduction of imide groups into the polyester chain is favourable for the formation of liquid crystalline phases. These results, together with the rheological studies, suggested that there existed a form of strong inter- or intramolecular electron donor-acceptor interaction which played a significant role in the liquid crystalline properties of the poly(ester-imide)s. The polymer products thus obtained exhibited good mechanical properties, with flexural strengths and moduli as high as 174 MPa and 6.9 GPa, respectively. The morphology of the fracture surfaces of extruded rod samples showed a sheet-like structure which consisted of ribbons and fibres oriented along the flow direction. The glass transition temperatures and thermal stabilities of the polymers were improved by the incorporation of imide groups. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

辽河盆地西部凹陷深部流体的地球化学特征与成藏效应

The main research area of this thesis is the Western Depression in the Liaohe Basin. Based on the drilling core observation and mud logging data, the features of the mantle–derived fluids and their effects on oil/gas generation in the Western Depression of the Liaohe Basin,was studied with comprehensive methods of volcanic petrology, sediment petrology, fluid geochemistry, sedimentlogy, and structural geology, and use of polarized light microscope, fluorescence microscope, electron microscope, fluid and melt inclusion test, and isotopic test of nature gas etc. The observation of drill cores in study area and other studies reveal that the main passageway of the volcanic eruption in the Cenozoic was the Xibaqian-Gaosheng fault, and the volcanic rocks of each stage were distributed around it. Mantle-derived fluid which affected on oil/gas generation formed later than the volcanic spew and those fluids entered into the depression through the Taian-Dawa fault and the Central fault. The volatile fraction analysis of the melt inclusion reveals the presence of two kinds of mantle fluids; they are hydrogen-rich fluid and carbon dioxide-rich fluid. These the two kinds of fluids were mainly distributed in olivine and pyroxene respectively. The hydrothermal veins development have multiple stages, from high temperature quartz vein to low temperature calcite vein and analcime vein, in which the fluid inclusion extremity component are methane and carbon dioxide, which indicate that when mantle-derived fluids ascended and entered into the basin, most of these fluids interacted with the organic matter in the basin even though some of these entered into atmosphere. The present isotopic test of the nature gas reveals the high 3He/4He value between the region of the Taian-Dawa fault and the Central fault, which also imply the feature of origin in mantle. This phenomenon indicates that the Mesozoic basement faults and the main Cenozoic faults had connected crust and the mantle during the basin evolution, so the mantle derived fluids could enter the basin along those faults. The main source rocks of the ES3 and ES4 members of the Shahejie Formation began to expel hydrocarbon at the end period of the ES1 member of the Shahejie Formation, and reached its peak during the period of the Dongying Formation deposition. During these periods, the mantle derived-fluids entered the basin constantly along the main faults, and supplied lots of hydrogen for hydrocarbon generation. Though the volcanic rocks and the mantle-derived fluids in the Eastern Depression were more developed than in the Western Depression, the source rocks and the deep fluids were not interacted better than the Western Depression because of the affection of structural evolution. In the Eocene, the Eastern Depression did not deposit the ES4 member of the Shahejie Formation, furthermore, the mantle-fluid formed in the Fangshengpao stage escaped to the atmosphere, which confined the later stage hydrocarbon generation capability.

Indium-Induced Effect on Polarized Electroluminescence from InGaN/GaN MQWs Light Emitting Diodes

Polarization-resolved edge-emitting electroluminescence (EL) studies of InGaN/GaN MQWs of wavelengths from near-UV (390 nm) to blue (468 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are performed. Although the TE mode is dominant in all the samples of InGaN/GaN MQW LEDs, an obvious difference of light polarization properties is found in the InGaN/GaN MQW LEDs with different wavelengths. The polarization degree decreases from 52.4% to 26.9% when light wavelength increases. Analyses of band structures of InGaN/GaN quantum wells and luminescence properties of quantum dots imply that quantum-dot-like behavior is the dominant reason for the low luminescence polarization degree of blue LEDs, and the high luminescence polarization degree of UV LEDs mainly comes from QW confinement and the strain effect. Therefore, indium induced carrier confinement (quantum-dot-like behavior) might play a major role in the polarization degree change of InGaN/GaN MQW LEDs from near violet to blue.

Light-propagation characteristics of photonic crystal waveguide based on SOI materials at different polarized states

Straight single-line defect optical waveguides in photonic crystal slabs are designed by the plane wave expansion method and fabricated into silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer by 248-nm deep UV lithography. We present an efficient way to measure the light transmission spectrum of the photonic crystal waveguide (PhC WG) at given polarization states. By employing the Mueller/Stokes method, we measure and analyse the light propagation properties of the PhC WG at different polarized states. It is shown that experimental results are in agreement with the simulation results of the three-dimensional finite-difference-time-domain method.

Liquid crystal alignment generated by linearly polarized UV light on photoactive low molecular mass compounds

Alignment films prepared from low molar mass photo-crosslinkable materials containing the cinnamate group can be used for aligning LCs after irradiating the films with linearly polarized UV light. The high contrast observed in the polarizing optical microscope between dark and bright images indicates that the alignment is quite uniform. As the photoreaction progresses. the average roughness of the films is increased. All the aggregate structures, 'lamellar crystals'. produced by the photo-crosslinking reaction are of a square shape.

Influence of target thickness on the generation of high-density ion bunches by ultrashort circularly polarized laser pulses

Ion acceleration by ultrashort circularly polarized laser pulse in a solid-density target is investigated using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. The ions are accelerated and compressed by the continuously extending space-charge field created by the evacuation and compression of the target electrons by the laser light pressure. For a sufficiently thin target, the accelerated and compressed ions can reach and exit from the rear surface as a high-density high-energy ion bunch. The peak ion energy depends on the target thickness and reaches maximum when the compressed ion layer can just reach the rear target surface. The compressed ion layer exhibits lateral striation which can be suppressed by using a sharp-rising laser pulse. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.