A PROCEDURE FOR EVALUATION OF COMMERCIAL FCC CATALYSTS

Based on the correlations between laboratory units and commercial plants, a procedure has been developed to guide commercial FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking) catalysts selection. Examining the operability of catalyst mixtures during catalyst transition period is emphasized. The testing procedure is simple and reliable. A commercially available catalyst and the catalyst currently in use have been compared to demonstrate the applicability of this procedure. The commercial testing has confirmed the reliability of laboratory results. The use of the catalyst evaluated led to a 30% saving in catalyst cost.     

EFFECTS OF NONIONIC SURFACTANTS ON PERFORMANCE OF COPPER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING

During copper chemical mechanical polishing (Cu-CMP), the physical properties of slurry, such as the dispersion and suspension stability of abrasives, the interaction between particles and the polished surface, and the rheological characteristics, greatly affect the planarization efficiency. In this study, several nonionic surfactants were added to change the aforementioned physical characteristics of slurry and Cu-CMP performance. Their effects were investigated. The experimental results showed that Al₂O₃ slurry with 300 ppm Triton DF-16 could enhance the wettability of the Cu surface and stabilize the dispersion of abrasives in the slurry. Therefore, the passivation reaction on the Cu surface during CMP would occur uniformly, and the removal of particles during post cleaning could be improved. Cu CMP using the slurry with an adequate amount of nonionic surfactants, Triton DF-16, is proposed to reduce the surface roughness, enhancing the planarity.     

Effect of La/K A-site Substitutions on the Ordering of Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3

The 1/3 <111>-type ordering of Ba(Zn_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ (BZT) can be transformed to 1/2 <111>–type ordering by substituting the La³⁺ cation into the A site. The 1/3 <111> ordering in BZT is shown to be reduced, discontinued, and then replaced by 1/2 <111> ordering, using X–ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. On the other hand, potassium–substituted BZT only displays a reduction in the degree of ordering.     

Synthesis of chiral polymers having camphanediol moieties and their applications on the optical resolution of some racemates

Optically active exo-exo-2,3-camphanediol (CPO) (3) was synthesized from (+)-camphor. Chiral polymers poly(CPO-co-TDI) ( 6 ) and poly(CPO-co-IPDI) ( 7 ) were synthesized by the step polymerization of chiral compound CPO ( 3 ) with toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI). To investigate the stereo structure of the chiral polymers, two kinds of model compounds, exo-exo-2,3-di[(phenylamido)oxy]camphane ( 4 ) and exo-exo-2,3-di[(propylamido)oxy]camphane ( 5 ), related to polymers ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) were synthesized. Chiroptical characteristics and stereo structures of the chiral polymers were investigated using a circular dichroic spectrometer. The results obtained in this investigation suggest that the chiral polymers ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) have no one-handed helix conformation. The optical resolution ability as chiral adsorbent for HPLC of the chiral polymers was investigated. It was found that chiral polymers ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) are effective for the optical resolution of some racemates. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis for Synthesis of Spherical Zirconia Particles

This paper presents new findings on ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of zirconium hydroxyl acetate precursor drops whose sizes were precisely measured using laser light diffraction technique. Precursor concentration plays a predominant role in determination of product particle size. At 0.01 wt% precursor concentration, conventional spray pyrolysis at 750°C using precursor drops 5–8 μm in diameter, generated by an ultrasonic nebulizer at 2.66 MHz, yielded uniform spherical yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles 73 nm in diameter measured by scanning electron microscopy. The YSZ particle diameters were much smaller than those predicted by the one-particle-per-drop mechanism. Under similar reaction conditions, the high-throughput ultrasound-modulated two-fluid (UMTF) spray pyrolysis of larger precursor drops (28-μm peak diameter) also yielded spherical dense particles; they were significantly smaller in size than those produced by the low-throughput conventional ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of smaller drops (6.8-μm peak diameter).     

Tissue culture of cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.): changes in lipids during maturation of beans and growth of cells and calli in culture

Callus cultures ofTheobroma cacao L., initiated from explants of immature cocoa bean cotyledons, contained 5.3%–6.4% lipids (dry wt basis). The major fatty acids were palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. Cell suspensions contained 5.7–7.7% total lipids which had a higher polyunsaturated fatty acid content than total lipids of the calli. Phospholipids and glycolipids were the predominant lipid classes of calli and cell suspensions. Immature cocoa beans at early stages of development contained much higher polyunsaturated fatty acids, higher polar lipids and lower triglycerides than did mature ripe beans. Ripe cocoa beans contained 54% total lipids of which 96.8% where triglycerides. The fatty acid composition of total lipids of calli and cell suspensions were similar to those of the immature cocoa beans.     

A novel synthesis method for the preparation of aromatic poly(imide benzoxazole) from trimellitic anhydride chloride and bis(o‐aminophenol)

A poly(imide benzoxazole) was prepared directly from trimellitic anhydride chloride and 2,2‐bis(3‐amino‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (BisAPAF) monomers in a two‐step method. In the first step, a poly(hydroxyamide amic acid) precursor was synthesized by the low‐temperature solution polymerization in an organic solvent. Subsequently, thermal cyclodehydration of the poly(hydroxyamide amic acid) precursor at 350°C produced the corresponding poly(imide benzoxazole). The inherent viscosity of the precursor polymer was 0.22 dL/g. The cyclized poly(imide benzoxazole) showed a glass transition temperature (T_g) at 329°C and a 5% weight loss temperature at 530°C in nitrogen and at 525°C in air. The poly(imide benzoxazole) is amorphous as evidenced by the wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurement. The structures of the precursor polymer and the fully cyclized polymer were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2388–2391, 2003     

On the examination of recycle on heat (and mass) transfer in concentric tubes

The effect of recycle on heat (and mass) transfer in concentric circular tubes has been investigated by finite difference methods. Theoretical results show that recycle can enhance the heat transfer rate for large Graetz numbers compared with that in an open tube (without an inner tube inserted and without recycle). Competition between a preheating effect and a residence-time effect can be used to explain the heat transfer behavior. The heat transfer rate can be further augmented, with nearly no increase in total pressure drop, by employing flow pattern B instead of flow pattern A.     

Synthesis of biodegradable poly(trans-4-hydroxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-proline)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers and micellar characterizations

A series of novel types of diblock poly(trans-4-hydroxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-proline)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PHpr10-b-PCL) copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization from macroinitiator poly(trans-4-hydroxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-proline) (PHpr10) and ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) in the presence of organocatalyst dl-lactic acid (dl-LA). The M_n of the copolymers increased from 3370 to 19,040 g mol⁻¹ with the molar ratio (10-100) of ε-CL to PHpr10. These products were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ¹H NMR, and gel permeation chromatography. According to DSC, the glass-transition temperature (T_g) of the diblock copolymers depend on the molar ratio of monomer/initiator that were added. The hydrolytic degradation behavior of PHpr-b-PCLs was evaluated from weight-loss measurements and the change of M_n and M_w/M_n. With higher PCL contents resulted in a slower weight loss, while having a higher molecular weight loss percentage. Their micellar characteristics in an aqueous phase were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The block copolymers formed micelles in the aqueous phase with critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) in the range of 1.33-4.22 mg L⁻¹. The micelles exhibited a spindly shape and showed a narrow monodisperse size distribution. The obtained micelles have a relatively high drug-loading of about 26% when the feed weight ratio of amitriptyline hydrochloride (AM) to polymer was 1/1. An increase of molecular weight and hydrophobic components in copolymers produced a higher CMC value and greater loading efficiencies were observed.     

Dispersion of carbon nanotubes in low pH aqueous solutions by means of alumina-coated silica nanoparticles

A novel noncovalent and inorganic method was used to disperse multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in aqueous solutions through alumina-coated silica (ACS) nanoparticle halos. MWCNTs were directly dispersed into a highly charged ACS nanoparticle aqueous solution without functionalization of their surfaces. The dispersed MWCNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Raman spectroscopy of MWCNTs prepared from dispersion in the ACS solution revealed reduced bundling compared to the corresponding untreated MWCNTs. The characteristic Raman peak at about 1570 cm⁻¹, corresponding to the G band, shifted to a higher wavenumber with a narrower peak. It was possible to disperse up to 20 mg/mL of MWCNTs in a 1 wt% ACS nanoparticle aqueous solution at pH 2. This homogeneous MWCNT-ACS aqueous solution was stable for weeks after ultrasonication.