Binary alloys of nylon 1010 and ethylene-propylene copolymer: Chemical, morphological, and mechanical analysis

The modification of ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM) has been accomplished by melt grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) molecules promoted by radical initiators. The resulting EPM-g-MAH and EPM have been used to obtain binary nylon 1010/EPM or nylon 1010/EPM-g-MAH blends by melt mixing. It was found that the EPM-g-MAH copolymer used as the second component has a profound effect upon the properties of the resulting blends. This behavior has been attributed to a series of chemical and physicochemical interactions taking place between the two components. The interactions are due to the presence of the anhydride functionality on the copolymer and do not occur when this functionality is absent. The interaction has been confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and scanning electron microscopic.

Isolation and characterization of novel marine Roseobacter clade members producing unique intracellular chromium-rich aggregates

The marine Roseobacter clade comprises one of the largest fractions of heterotrophic marine bacteria and accounts for about 16% of 16S rRNA gene clones retrieved from marine bacterioplankton. Their global distribution seems to be related to oceanic water masses and their environmental and biogeochemical properties. In this study, we report isolation and characterization of novel Roseobacter clade members from the Yellow Sea, China. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences reveals that the new isolates (YSCB1, YSCB2, YSCB3 and YSCB4) are closely related to uncultured Arctic seawater bacterium R7967 (99.57-100% sequence identity) and to the cultured Roseobacter sp. DSS-1 (99.27-99.76% sequence identity) isolated from the southeastern coastal water of the USA. Interestingly, YSCB strains possess unique intracellular chromium-containing aggregates. Therefore, these novel Roseobacter clade members exhibit a peculiar property in mineral biogeneration. (c) 2006 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

The effect of chromium on sulfur resistance of Pd/HY-Al2O3 catalysts for aromatic hydrogenation

Sulfur is a major poison to noble metal catalysts for deep aromatic hydrogenation in the petroleum refining industry. In order to study the sulfur resistance of Pd-based catalysts, a series of Pd, Cr, and PdCr catalysts supported on HY-Al2O3 were studied by NH3-TPD, pyridine-adsorption IR, TPR, IR spectra of adsorbed CO, and toluene hydrogenation in the presence of 3000 ppm sulfur as thiophene under the following conditions: 533-573 K, 4.2 MPa, and WHSV 4.0 h(-1). Cr has no influence on the acidity of the catalysts. TPR patterns and in situ IR spectra of adsorbed CO revealed a strong interaction between Cr and Pd, and the frequency shift of linear bonded CO on Pd indicates that the electron density of Pd decreases with the increase of the Cr/Pd atomic ratio. The catalytic performance of Pd, Cr, and PdCr catalysts shows that the sulfur resistance of Pd is strongly enhanced by Cr, and the activity reaches its maximum when the Cr/Pd atomic ratio equals 8. The active phase model "Pd particles decorated by Cr2O3" is postulated to explain the behavior of PdCr catalysts. (C) 2001 Academic Press.

Synthesis and structural characterization of (pyrazolyl)alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes of chromium and tungsten

Michael addition of substituted pyrazoles 2 to 1-alkynyl Fischer carbene complexes (CO)(5)M=C(OEt)(CdropCPh) (1) (a, M = Cr and b M = W) afforded (pyrazolyl)alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes (CO)(5)M=C(OEt)(CH=C(R(1)R(2)R(3)pz)Ph) (R(1)R(2)R(3)pz = pyrazolyl) 3 (M = Cr) and 4 (M = W), respectively, with an exclusive (E)-configuration in mild to excellent yields. The reaction of la and 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (2b) was monitored to demonstrate the formation and decomposition of complex 3b by H-1 NMR measurements in CDCl3 at 23degreesC. Complexes 3 and 4 were characterized with H-1, C-13{H-1} NMR, IR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. When the substituted pyrazoles were 3-methylpyrazole (2a) and 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazole (2d), molecular structures of the corresponding (pyrazolyl)alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes 3a and 4d were characterized by X-ray crystallographic study. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.