Graft chain propagation rate coefficients of acrylic acid in melt graft copolymerization with linear low density polyethylene

Graft chain propagation rate coefficients (k(p.g)) for grafting AA onto linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) in the melt in ESR tubes have been measured via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy in the temperature range from 130 to 170 degrees C. To exclude the effect of homopolymerization on the grafting. the LLDPE was pre-irradiated in the air by electron beam to generate the peroxides and then treated with iodide solution to eliminating one kind of peroxides, hydroperoxide. The monomer conversion is determined by FTIR and the chain propagation free-radical concentration is deduced from the double integration of the well-resolved ESR spectra, consisting nine lines in the melt. The temperature dependence of k(p.g) is expressed:The magnitude of k(p.g) from FTIR and ESR analysis is in good agreement with the theoretical data deduced from ethylene-AA copolymerization, suggesting this method could reliably and directly provide the propagation rate coefficient. The comparison of k(p.g) with the data extrapolated from solution polymerization at modest temperature indicates that the extrapolated data might not be entirely fitting to discuss the kinetics behavior in the melt.

Double propagation based on diepoxide, a facile route to high molecular weight poly(propylene carbonate)

Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) with number average molecular weight (M-n) higher than 200 kg/mol was prepared via the terpolymerization of carbon dioxide, propylene oxide and diepoxide using Y(CCl3OO)(3)-ZnEt2-glycerine coordination catalyst. When equimolar ZnEt2 and diepoxide were used, double propagation active species were generated in situ by nucleophilic attack of metal alkoxide on diepoxide, leading to PPC of doubled M-n value. The molecular weight of PPC has dramatic influence on its thermal and mechanical performances. PPC with M of 227 kg/mol showed modulus of 6900 MPa, while the modulus of PPC with M-n of 109 kg/mol was only 4300 MPa. Moreover, when M-n increased from 109 to 227 kg/mol, a 37 degrees C increase of the onset degradation temperature was observed.

Discrimination of herbal medicines by molecular spectroscopy and chemical pattern recognition

The molecular spectroscopy (including near infrared diffuse reflection spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy) with OPUS/Ident software was applied to clustering ginsengs according to species and processing methods. The results demonstrate that molecular spectroscopic analysis could provide a rapid, nondestructive and reliable method for identification of Chinese traditional medicine. It's found that the result of Raman spectroscopic analysis was the best one among these three methods. Comparing with traditional methods, which are laborious and time consuming, the molecular spectroscopic analysis is more effective.

How to form regular polymer microstructures by surface-pattern-directed dewetting

The substrates with regular patterns of self-assembly monolayers (SAMs) produced by microcontact printing with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was employed to direct thin polystyrene dewetting to fabricate ordered micrometer scale pattern. The pattern sizes and pattern fashion can be manipulated by controlling the experimental parameters. The pattern formation mechanisms have been discussed. The dewetting pattern can be transferred to form PDMS stamp for future microfabrication process.

Patterning thin polymer films by surface-directed dewetting and pattern transfer

The pattern evolution processes of thin polystyrene (PS) film on chemically patterned substrates during dewetting have been investigated experimentally. The substrates have patterns of self-assembly monolayers produced by microcontact printing with octadecyltrichlorosilane. Optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy images reveal that ordered micrometer scale pattern can be created by surface direct dewetting. Various pattern sizes and pattern complexities can be achieved by controlling the experimental parameters. The dewetting pattern has been transferred to form PDMS stamp for soft lithography.

Pattern formation in polymer films under the mask

This paper presents a straightforward method for patterning thin films of polymers, i.e. a prepatterned mask is used to induce self-assembly of polymers and the resulting pattern is the same as the lateral structures in the mask on a submicrometre length scale, The patterns can be formed at above T-g + 30 degreesC in a short time and the external electric field is not crucial. Electrostatic force is assumed to be the driving force for the pattern transfer. Viscous fingering and novel stress-relief lateral morphology induced under the featureless mask are also observed and the formation mechanisms are discussed.

Formation of regular hole pattern in polymer films

Ordered macroporous materials recently have attracted much attention. A method that utilizes the condensation of monodisperse water droplets on a polymer solution is proposed for the preparation of honeycomb microporous films. Our results show that it is a general method that can be used for patterning a wide range of polymers. The presence of water vapor and polymer is necessary for the formation of regular holes in films. The formation of hexagonal packing instead of other kinds of packing takes place because the hexagonal packing has the lowest free energy. The formation mechanisms of regular hole pattern and imperfections in the hexagonal packing are proposed.

Rapid electron propagation through molecular wire monolayers sandwiched between two gold electrodes

Conjugated bisthioester 1 was synthesized applying Sonogashira coupling reactions. Using self-assembly in combination with nanoparticles deposition techniques, we developed a novel method to fabricate a "gold electrode-molecular wire monolayers-gold nanoparticles" sandwich-like structure. Rapid electron propagation through this sandwich-like structure was observed by cyclic voltammetry and ac impedance measurements.

SEARCH FOR THE BASIC REGULARITIES OF THE TRANSITION EMISSION OF EUROPIUM(II) ION IN COMPLEX FLUORIDES USING PATTERN-RECOGNITION

The relationship between structures of complex fluorides and spectral structure of Eu(II) ion in complex fluorides (AB(m)F(n)) is investigated by means of pattern recognition methods, such as KNN, ALKNN, BAYES, LLM, SIMCA and PCA. A learning set consisting of 32 f-f transition emission host compounds and 31 d-f transition emission host compounds and a test set consisting of 27 host compounds were characterized by 12 crystal structural parameters. These parameters, i.e. features, were reduced from 12 to 6 by multiple criteria for the classification of these host compounds as f-f transition emission or d-f transition emission. A recognition rate from 79.4 to 96.8% and prediction capabilities from 85.2 to 92.6% were obtained. According to the above results, the spectral structures of Eu(II) ion in seven unknown host lattices were predicted.

Comparison of photobioreactors and optimal light regime for rapid vegetative propagation of transgenic Undaria pinnatifida gametophytes

BACKGROUND: Previously, tachyplesin gene (tac) has been successfully transferred into Undaria pinnatifida gametophytes using the method of microprojectile bombardment transformation. The objectives of this study were to compare and evaluate the performance of bubble-column and airlift bioreactors to determine a preferred configuration of bioreactor for vegetative propagation of transgenic U. pinnatifida gametophytes, and to then investigate the influence of light on vegetative propagation of these gametophytes, including incident light intensity, photoperiod and light quality to resolve the problems of rapid vegetative propagation within the selected bioreactor. RESULTS: Experimental results showed that final dry cell density in the airlift bioreactor was 12.7% higher than that in the bubble-column bioreactor under the optimal aeration rate of 1.2 L air min(-1) L-1 culture. And a maximum final dry cell density of 2830 mg L-1 was obtained within the airlift bioreactor using blue light at 40 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) with a light/dark cycle of 14/10 (h). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated that genes (bar and tac) were not lost during rapid vegetative propagation within the airlift bioreactor. CONCLUSION: The airlift bioreactor was shown to be much more suitable for rapid vegetative propagation of transgenic U. pinnatifida gametophytes than the bubble-column bioreactor in the laboratory. The use of blue light allows improvement of vegetative propagation of transgenic U. pinnatifida gametophytes. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Microprojectile bombardment of Laminaria japonica gametophytes and rapid propagation of transgenic lines within a bubble-column bioreactor

A human acidic fibroblast growth factor gene, hafgf, was successfully transferred into Laminaria japonica (kelp) gametophytes via microprojectile bombardment using the biolistic PDS-1000/He gene gun. Following phosphinothricin screening, PCR detection and Southern blot analysis, transgenic L. japonica gametophytes were cultivated in an illuminated bubble-column bioreactor to optimize growth conditions. A maximal final dry cell density of 1,695 mg l(-1) was obtained in a batch culture having an initial dry cell density of 129.75 mg l(-1). This was achieved using an aeration rate of 1.08 l air min(-1) l(-1) culture in a medium containing 1.5 mM inorganic nitrate and 0.15 mM phosphate. In addition, the relationship between different nitrogen sources and growth of transgenic gametophytes indicated that both urea and sodium nitrate were effective nitrogen sources for cell growth, while ammonium ions inhibited growth of these gametophytes.

cDNA cloning and gene expression pattern following bacterial challenge of peroxinectin in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

Peroxinectin, a cell-adhesive hemoperoxidase that binds superoxide dismutase and mediates blood cells adhesion and migration in invertebrate, is believed to play an important role in cellular immune reaction. In this study, we reported a new peroxinectin gene homologue from Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Based on expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of haemocyte cDNA library, we cloned a 2,611 bps full-length cDNA of peroxinectin gene homologue encoded 801 amino acids. Motif scanning of the predicted polypeptide revealed a peroxidase domain and an integrin binding motif (Lys-Gly-Asp, KGD). Peroxinectin gene expressed constitutively in haemocyte as determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, the expression level varied following bacterial challenge. These findings suggested that peroxinectin expression is susceptible to exterior stimulus and maintains at a high expression level during bacterial infection.

Effects of Irradiance and Temperature on the Photosynthesis and Vegetative Propagation of Caulerpa serrulata

The photosynthetic oxygen evolution of Caulerpa serrulata was determined with oxygen electrodes. The effects of light and temperature on the growth and regeneration of fragmented C. serrulata thalli were analyzed. The regenerating rate and establishment of different sizes and portions of C. serrulata were studied. The results showed that the light saturation point of C. serrulata was 200 mu mol photons/m(2) per s and the optimum growth temperature was 25-30 degrees C. Under these conditions, the maximum photosynthetic oxygen evolution rate was 15.1 +/- 0.29 mg O-2/mg Chl a/h, the growth rate and elongation rate reached the highest values, 4.67 +/- 0.09 mg FW/d and 0.78 +/- 0.01 mm/d, respectively. The fragmented C. serrulata thalli was regenerated at 20-35 degrees C and survived at 15 degrees C and 200 mu mol photons/m(2) per s. A different survival rate was detected according to fragment size. All of these results indicated that C. serrulata was a candidate to become an invasive species if introduced into a new place. Therefore, we should pay more attention to C. serrulata for its potential threat to marine ecosystem when it is sold for aquarium use.

Molecular cloning and characterisation of a pattern recognition protein, lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan binding protein (LGBP) from Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

A pattern recognition protein (PRP), lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan binding protein (LGBP) cDNA was cloned from the haemocyte of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis by the techniques of homology cloning and RACE. Analysis of nucleotide sequence revealed that the full-length cDNA of 1,275 bp has an open reading frame of 1,098 bp encoding a protein of 366 amino acids including a 17 amino acid signal peptide. Sequence comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of F. chinensis LGBP showed a high identity of 94%, 90%, 87%, 72% and 63% with Penaeus monodon BGBP, Litopenaeus stylirostris LGBP, Marsupenaeu japonicus BGBP, Homarus gammarus BGBP and Pacifastacus leniusculus LGBP, respectively. The calculated molecular mass of the mature protein is 39,857 Da with a deduced pI of 4.39. Two putative integrin binding motifs, RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) and a potential recognition motif for beta-1,3-linkage of polysaccharides were observed in LGBP sequence. RT-PCR analysis showed that LGBP gene expresses in haemocyte and hepatopancreas only, but not in other tissues. Capillary electrophoresis RT-PCR method was used to quantify the variation of mRNA transcription level during artificial infection with heat-killed Vibrio anguillarum and Staphylococcus aureusin. A significant enhancement of LGBP transcription was appeared at 6 h post-injection in response to bacterial infection. These results have provided useful information to understand the function of LGBP in shrimp.