Pd(0)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-methylisothiourea grafted onto mesoporous MCM-41 and its application as heterogeneous and reusable nanocatalyst for the Suzuki,Stille and Heck cross coupling reactions

In this project palladium (0) S-methylisothiourea was grafted into MCM-41 mesoporous silica. Palladium (0) S-methylisothiourea complex supported on MCM-41 (Pd(0)-SMT-MCM-41), as heterogeneous and reusable catalyst, was used in C–C bond formation between various aryl halides with sodium tetraphenylborate or phenylboronic acid (Suzuki reaction), aryl halides with triphenyltin chloride (Stille reaction), and aryl halides with styrene or n-butyl acrylate (Heck reaction). This catalyst was characterized by various physico-chemical techniques such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma. The results indicated that Pd(0)-SMT-MCM-41 catalyst could be easily recovered from reaction mixture for several consequence runs without significant loss of its catalytic activities.     

Sonochemical preparation of palygorskite nanoparticles

Palygorskite nanoparticles were prepared by sonochemical reaction. The products were characterized by X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and infrared spectroscopy. The morphology and size of the nanorods were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Preparation and property of raspberry‐like AS/SiO2 nanocomposite particles

Surfactant‐free poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐styrene)/silica (AS/SiO₂) nanocomposite particles was synthesized in the presence of cheap, commercially amorphous aqueous silica sol at ambient temperature. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated silica contents ranging from 5 wt % to 29 wt %, depending on reaction conditions. Particle size distributions and morphologies were studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which clearly showed that most of the colloidal nanocomposites comprised approximately spherical particle with raspberry‐like morphology and relatively narrow size distributions. The optical clarity of solution‐cast nanocomposite films was assessed using UV–vis spectrometer, with high transmission being obtained over the whole visible spectrum. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies showed that the glass transition temperature of AS/SiO₂ nanocomposites can be higher than the corresponding pure AS, resulting from the hydrophilicity of the nanometer silica. The robustness and simplicity of this method may make large‐scale manufacture of this nanocomposite possible. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 415–421, 2007     

Influence of Maleic Anhydride Grafted Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer as a Compatibilizer on Combustion and Thermal Stability Properties of Magnesium Hydroxide Flame-Retardant Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer Composites

New halogen-free, flame-retardant ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM)/organically modified magnesium hydroxide (MH) composites have been prepared via melt compounding method, using maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (MAH-g-EVA) as a compatibilizer. Influence of MAH-g-EVA on the fire and thermal properties of the composites are investigated by means of LOI, UL94 vertical burning, cone calorimeter tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), real time fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (RTFTIR) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The results show that MAH-g-EVA plays a positive role in improving the flame retardancy and thermal stability of the composites.     

Preparation and characterization of polystyrene sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid copolymer modified silica nanoparticles

Two types of silanes, including 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), were grafted onto polystyrene sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid (PSSA_MA) first, followed by the grafting reaction to the silica surface. The modification of PSSA_MA onto silica was confirmed through FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrum), NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance), and TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis). The grafting ratio of PSSA_MA via APTES with 1-ethyl-3-(3- dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC) activation reached 18.0 %. As for GPTMS case, the grafting ratio reached 14.4 %, which was slightly lower than that of APTES case. The grafting mechanisms for both cases were elucidated. The epoxysilane was found to react with maleic acid groups on PSSA_MA only. On the other hand, the aminosilane not only interacted with sulfonic groups but also activated maleic acid groups via EDC. However, without the use of the coupling agent, the grafting degree of PSSA_MA was only 3 %, which signified the essential role of coupling agents in this organically modified silica. The average particle size of silica was around 200 nm with or without organic modification from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Zetasizer analysis. The APTES-modified samples showed the highest improvement in the ion adsorption capacity in all investigated cases.     

Investigation of blended cement hydration by isothermal calorimetry and thermal analysis

Hydration of portland cement pastes containing three types of mineral additive; fly ash, ground-granulated slag, and silica fume was investigated using differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA) and isothermal calorimetry. It was shown that the chemically bound water obtained using DTA/TGA was proportional to heat of hydration and could be used as a measure of hydration. The weight loss due to Ca(OH)₂ decomposition of hydration products by DTA/TGA could be used to quantify the pozzolan reaction. A new method based on the composition of a hydrating cement was proposed and used to determine the degree of hydration of blended cements and the degree of pozzolan reaction. The results obtained suggested that the reactions of blended cements were slower than portland cement, and that silica fume reacted earlier than fly ash and slag.     

Synthesis and physicochemical investigation of imide-functionalized silica nanocomposites

The incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles into polymers have gained significant attention to improving functional properties. The ultimate nanocomposite behaviors are influenced by many parameters, such as microstructural distribution that are produced during the treatment process. Herein, a hybrid material integrating a modified network into a polyimide PI matrix was produced via the sol–gel method by the reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride, 4, 4-oxydianaline, and 1, 5-diaminonaphthalene to synthesize copolyimides nanocomposite. The modified polyimide and unmodified polyimide silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles were incorporated in the polyimide matrix to have polyimide silica nanocomposite. In modified silica nanoparticles, 3-aminopropyltriethosilane was introduced to have better compatibility among inorganic–organic hybrid with similar chemical contact due to their flexible alkyl group. The surface morphology or structure of silica and polyimide was affirmed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy confirmed the synthesis of pure polyimide, unmodified polyimide, and modified polyimide silica via presence and absence of certain peaks. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed high thermal stability of nanocomposites as silica content increases. In contrast to unmodified silica, the modified silica provides more thermal stability to the nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis was used to investigate the tensile stress of pure polyimide, unmodified, and modified silica nanocomposites. Thermal stability, storage modulus, and moisture absorption of these hybrid materials were improved with silica nanoparticles. The TG mass spectrum confirms the successful synthesis of modified silica networks. The substituted silica nanoparticles show higher mechanical toughness and storage in modified compared to unmodified silica nanocomposite, which exhibits stronger binding attraction between silica nanoparticles and polyimide matrix.     

Morphology,thermal, and mechanical properties of flame‐retardant silicone rubber/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Flame‐retardant methyl vinyl silicone rubber (MVMQ)/montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared by solution intercalation method, using magnesium hydroxide (MH) and red phosphorus (RP) as synergistic flame‐retardant additives, and aero silica (SiO₂) as synergistic reinforcement filler. The morphologies of the flame‐retardant MVMQ/montmorillonite nanocomposites were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and the interlayer spacings were determined by small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). In addition to mechanical measurements and limited oxygen index (LOI) test, thermal properties were tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The decomposition temperature of the nanocomposite that contained 1 wt % montmorillonite can be higher (129°C) than that of MVMQ as basal polymer matrix when 5% weight loss was selected as measuring point. This kind of silicone rubber nanocomposite is a promising flame‐retardant polymeric material. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 3275–3280, 2006     

Preparation of spherical MCM-41 molecular sieve at room temperature: Influence of the synthesis conditions in the structural properties

A rapid and facile synthesis route to obtain mesoporous MCM-41 silica at room temperature under basic conditions using as template cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is reported. The synthesis variables such as reaction time, molar ratios of CTAB/TEOS and H₂O/ethanol in the initial gel composition were studied. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption–desorption analyses, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that reaction conditions affect the quality of the MCM-41 silica. This silica can be prepared at short periods of time, and it exhibited a uniform size and spherical morphology.     

Fabrication and characterization of silica/polypyrrole nanocomposites using silica sulfuric acid as templates

The sunflower‐like silica core‐polypyrrole (PPy) shell nanocomposites were prepared by using silica sulfuric acid as templates. The silica sulfuric acid was obtained by treating directly the silica nanoparticles with chlorosulfonic acid. The sulfonic groups (? SO₃H) on the surface of silica sulfuric acid not only offered the active sites for formation of polypyrrole particles but also acted as dopant agents in PPy. The nanostructures of sunflower‐like silica/PPy nanocomposites and hollow PPy capsules were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The molecular structure and content of PPy were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The highest conductivity of nanocomposites is 2.4 S/cm. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Preparation and characterization of silica sol/fluoroacrylate core–shell nanocomposite emulsion

The silica sol/fluoroacrylate core?Cshell nanocomposite emulsion was successfully synthesized via traditional emulsion polymerization through grafting of KH-570 onto silica particles. Comparing the performance of the polyacrylate copolymer, the fluorinated polyacrylate copolymer and the silica sol/fluoroacrylate core?Cshell nanocomposite emulsion, we can come to a conclusion that the silica sol/fluoroacrylate core?Cshell nanocomposite emulsion presents significantly excellent performance in all aspects. The products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry (TGA), Contact angle and UV?Cvis analyses techniques. The chemical structure of polyacrylate copolymer, fluorinated polyacrylate copolymer and silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite were detected by FTIR. The size and stability of emulsion latex particles were determined by PCS technique. TEM analysis confirmed that the resultant latex particle has the core?Cshell structure, obviously. The water absorption and contact angle data also showed that the silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite film has good hydrophobic performance. TGA analysis indicated the weight loss of the silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite film begins at around 350?°C which testifies its good thermal stability. The UV?Cvis spectroscopy analysis showed that the silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite film possess UV?Cvis shielding effect when the added volume amount of KH570 modified silica sol is up to 5?mL. Therefore, the excellent properties of hydrophobicity, thermodynamics and resistance to ultraviolet provide the silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite film with potential applications in variety fields. In addition, the formation mechanism of core?Cshell structure silica sol/fluoroacrylate nanocomposite latex particles was speculated.     

Preparation and characterization of dimethyldichlorosilane modified SiO2/PSf nanocomposite membrane

Investigations on nanocomposite membranes imply that these hybrid materials recommend promising newgeneration membranes for gas separation in future. In this study, to investigate the effects of preparation parameters on the morphology and gas transport, various parameters including nanofiller content, surface modification and polymer concentration were considered. Two types of fumed silica nanoparticles (nonmodified and modified) were used to study the surface modification effect on agglomeration, void formation and gas separation properties of prepared membranes. Prepared nanocomposite membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and tensile strength techniques. The gas permeabilities of hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide through pure PSf and nanocomposites were measured as a function of silica volume fraction, and permeability coefficients were determined using a variable pressure/constant volume experimental setup. Results showed that gas permeabilities increase with silica content, and proper H₂/CH₄ and H₂/CO₂ selectivities can be achieved with modified type of silica nanoparticles due to inhibition of particle agglomeration and bonding with polymer network. Hydrogen selectivity was improved by using 15 wt% polymer content instead of 9 wt% in preparation of nanocomposite membrane with same silica content. Gas permeation results indicated that increasing of feed pressure from 3 bar to 6 bar has a positive effect on selectivity of H₂/CH₄ but negligible effect on that of H₂/CO₂ for modified silica/PSf membrane.     

Epoxy nanocomposites containing mercaptopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane: Morphology,thermal properties,and toughening mechanism

A novel polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) containing a mercaptopropyl group [mercaptopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (MPOSS)] was synthesized via the hydrolytic condensation of γ-mercaptopropyl triethoxysilane in an ethanol solution catalyzed by concentrated hydrochloric acid and was used to modify epoxy–amine networks by a cocuring reaction with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The structure, morphology, and thermal and mechanical properties of these MPOSS/DGEBA epoxy nanocomposites were studied and investigated with thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA–DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). From SEM analysis, we observed that the miscibility between epoxy and POSS occurred at a relatively high POSS content, which characterized this mixture as a polymer nanocomposite system. The impact test showed that MPOSS reinforced the epoxy effectively, and the SEM study of the impact fracture surface showed that the fibrous yielding phenomenon observed was an indication of the transition of the brittle stage to a ductile stage and correlated well with the large increases in the impact strength; this was in agreement with the in situ reinforcing and toughening mechanism. The TGA–DTA analysis indicated that the MPOSS/DGEBA epoxy hybrids exhibited lower thermostability at a lower temperature but higher thermostability and higher efficiency in char formation at an elevated temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the MPOSS/epoxy hybrids were lower than that of the neat epoxy. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation and structural properties of Fe3O4–polyimide hybrid nanocomposites

Polyimide films in which magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles are uniformly distributed are prepared. Before the preparation of the Fe₃O₄–polyimide composites, pure magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) have been synthesized in water by co-precipitation (from ferric chlorides). Its surface was firstly modified with the 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. The prepared polyimide–Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite films were characterized for their structure, morphology, and thermal behavior employing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron micrograph, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis (DTA/TGA/DSC) techniques.     

Novel Polyimide/Silica Nanohybrids from Water Glass

Summary Polyimide/silica hybrid materials were prepared via a novel sol-gel route using silicic acid oligomer (SAO) extracted from water glass. The decomposition temperatures of the hybrid samples were higher than pure polyimide. The transparency of the hybrid films could be maintained at up to 40 wt.-% silica content with the addition of -aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed the formation and dispersion of nanometer-scale size of inorganic particles within polyimide matrix with APTES. The coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the hybrid films were lower than pure polyimide and decreased with the increasing content of silica.     

Efficient preparation of hybrid nanocomposite coatings based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and silane coupling agent modified TiO2 nanoparticles

In the present investigation, at first, the surface of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles was modified with γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a coupling agent. Then a new kind of poly(vinyl alcohol)/titanium dioxide (PVA/TiO₂) nanocomposites coating with different modified TiO₂ loading were prepared under ultrasonic irradiation process. Finally, these nanocomposites coating were used for fabrication of PVA/TiO₂ films via solution casting method. The resulting nanocomposites were fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/derivative thermal gravimetric (TGA/DTG), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The TEM and SEM results indicated that the surface modified nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously in PVA matrix on nanoscale and based on obtained results a possible mechanism was proposed for ultrasonic induced nanocomposite fabrication. TGA confirmed that the heat stability of the nanocomposite was improved. UV–vis spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the absorbance and transmittance behavior of the PVA/TiO₂ nanocomposite films in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm. The results showed that this type of films could be used as a coating to shield against UV light.     

PES/SiO2 nanocomposite by in situ polymerization: Synthesis,structure, properties,and new applications

SiO₂ nanoparticles of a quantum size (15 nm or less) were prepared via sol–gel method using tetraethylorthosilicate as a precursor. SiO₂ nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. Polyethersulfone/silica (PES/SiO₂) crystal structure nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerization using silica nanoparticles as reinforcement filler. The polymerization reaction was done at 160°C in paraffin bath in the presence of diphenolic monomers. XRD and FESEM analyses were used to study the morphology of the synthesized nanocomposite. The purity and thermal property of the PES/SiO₂ nanocomposite were studied by energy dispersion of X‐ray analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. The effect of silica particles on the hydrophilicity of PES/SiO₂ nanocomposite was also investigated. It was showed that the PES/SiO₂ nanocomposite had a higher swelling degree when compared with the pure PES. The synthesized PES/SiO₂ powder was used to remove Cu(II) ions from its aqueous solution. The effect of experimental conditions such as pH, shaking time, and sorbent mass on adsorption capacity of PES/SiO₂ nanocomposite were investigated. It was found that incorporation of a low amount of silica (2 wt%) into the polymer matrix caused the increase of the Cu(II) ions adsorption capacity of PES. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Flammability and thermal stability studies of ABS/Montmorillonite nanocomposite

Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)/montmorillonite nanocomposites have been prepared using a direct melt intercalation technique by blending ABS and organophilic clay of two different particle sizes: OMTa (5 µm) and OMTb (38 µm). Their structure and flammability properties were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, high resolution electronic microscopy (HREM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cone calorimeter experiments. The results of HREM showed that ABS/5 wt% OMTa nanocomposite was a kind of intercalated–delaminated structure, while ABS/5 wt% OMTb nanocomposite was mainly an intercalated structure. The nanocomposites showed a lower heat release rate peak and higher thermal stability than the original ABS by TGA and cone calorimeter experiments. Also, the intercalated nanocomposite was more effective than an exfoliated–intercalated nanocomposite in fire retardancy. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Improvement of thermoelectric properties of Ca3Co4O9 using soft chemistry synthetic methods

Two solution synthetic methods, sol–gel and a polymeric route, have been studied in order to obtain Ca₃Co₄O₉ misfit compounds with improved thermoelectric properties, compared to the classical solid state reaction. A comparison among the final products obtained by these different methods has been performed using DTA, TGA, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermoelectric characterizations. All the samples obtained by solution synthesis show a very significative reduction on the secondary phases content. As a consequence, an important decrease on the electrical resistivity values is produced, compared to the solid state prepared samples, leading to a relatively important power factor raise.     

Synergistic Flame-Retarded Effect of Synthetic Dawsonite on an EVA/Magnesium Hydroxide System

A novel halogen-free flame-retardant system composed of dawsonite and magnesium hydroxide was used for flame-retarded ethylene vinyl acetate. The thermal and fire properties of flame-retarded ethylene vinyl acetate system were evaluated by thermagravimetric analysis (TGA), limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL-94 test while the structure of combustion residue was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The highest LOI value and the V-0 grade of the composites were attained by the 5 wt% incorporation of dawsonite. These advancements are ascribed to the char stabilizer effect of fibrous-like combustion residue of dawsonite leading to increased strength of the residue.