The sorption/desorption behaviour of n-hexane in high molarmass linear polyethylene (PE) and branched PEs with 0.39 and5.09 hexyl branches per 100 main chain C atoms andcrystallinities between 4 and 82% at 298 K has been studied.Crystal core contents determined by Raman spectroscopy werealways lower than those determined by density measurements. Then-hexane solubilities in the copolymers depended in anon-linear manner on the content of penetrable polymercomponent and were lower for homogeneous copolymers than forheterogeneous copolymers at the same contents of penetrablecomponent. The solubility of hexane in the linear PE sampleswas proportional to the volume fraction of the penetrablepolymer and the solubility was low in comparison with that ofthe branched PE of the same crystallinity. TheCohen-Turnbull-Fujita (CTF) free volume theory was capable ofdescribing the desorption process in the PEs studied. Theconcentration dependence of the thermodynamic diffusivitypredicted by the CTF free volume theory was confirmed by thedata obtained by the differential method, and the differencesbetween the results obtained by the integral and differentialmethods were within the margins of experimental error. Thedependence of the fractional free volume of the penetrablephases on the phase composition suggests that mass transporttakes place from the liquid-like component to the interfacialcomponent and that the penetrant molecules are trapped at theinterfacial sites. The linear PE samples showed a physicallyrealistic trend with a decrease in the geometrical impedancefactor (t) with decreasing degree of crystallinity, whereas theopposite trend was obtained for the copolymers. The decrease int with increasing crystallinity in the copolymers may beexplained by the presence of wide crystal lamellae in the lowcrystallinity samples. A novel melt-extrusion method was used to createcircumferential chain orientation in pipes of crosslinked PE.The microstructure of the pipes was characterized usingdifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC), density measurements,X-ray diffraction, infrared dichroism and contractionmeasurements. The mechanical properties were assessed byuniaxial tensile tests. The maximum degree of circumferentialorientation was obtained at the inner wall of the orientedpipe. The oriented pipe material exhibited a 5-15% higherdegree of crystallinity and a greater crystal thickness thanconventionally crosslinked pipe. The circumferential and axialmoduli of the oriented, crosslinked pipe were greater than thecorresponding moduli of the non-oriented crosslinked pipe. Blends of single-site materials of linear PE andethyl-branched PE were prepared using solution- and melt-mixingmethods. The thermal properties of the blends were studied byDSC and results obtained by the two mixing methods werecompared. Data obtained for heats of melting andcrystallization, melting and crystallization peak temperaturesand melting and crystallization temperature profiles wereessentially the same for the samples obtained by the two mixingmethods. The heat associated with the high temperature meltingpeak of the blend samples obtained by both preparation methodsafter crystallization at 398 K was higher than that of thelinear polyethylene included in the blends, suggesting that apart of the branched polyethylene crystallized at 398 K. <b>Key words:</b>n-Hexane diffusion, polyethylene, free volume,solubility, sorption, desorption, mechanical properties,orientation, thermal properties, blend.

<p>The sorption/desorption behaviour of n-hexane in high molarmass linear polyethylene (PE) and branched PEs with 0.39 and5.09 hexyl branches per 100 main chain C atoms andcrystallinities between 4 and 82% at 298 K has been studied.Crystal core contents determined by Raman spectroscopy werealways lower than those determined by density measurements. Then-hexane solubilities in the copolymers depended in anon-linear manner on the content of penetrable polymercomponent and were lower for homogeneous copolymers than forheterogeneous copolymers at the same contents of penetrablecomponent. The solubility of hexane in the linear PE sampleswas proportional to the volume fraction of the penetrablepolymer and the solubility was low in comparison with that ofthe branched PE of the same crystallinity. TheCohen-Turnbull-Fujita (CTF) free volume theory was capable ofdescribing the desorption process in the PEs studied. Theconcentration dependence of the thermodynamic diffusivitypredicted by the CTF free volume theory was confirmed by thedata obtained by the differential method, and the differencesbetween the results obtained by the integral and differentialmethods were within the margins of experimental error. Thedependence of the fractional free volume of the penetrablephases on the phase composition suggests that mass transporttakes place from the liquid-like component to the interfacialcomponent and that the penetrant molecules are trapped at theinterfacial sites. The linear PE samples showed a physicallyrealistic trend with a decrease in the geometrical impedancefactor (t) with decreasing degree of crystallinity, whereas theopposite trend was obtained for the copolymers. The decrease int with increasing crystallinity in the copolymers may beexplained by the presence of wide crystal lamellae in the lowcrystallinity samples.</p><p>A novel melt-extrusion method was used to createcircumferential chain orientation in pipes of crosslinked PE.The microstructure of the pipes was characterized usingdifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC), density measurements,X-ray diffraction, infrared dichroism and contractionmeasurements. The mechanical properties were assessed byuniaxial tensile tests. The maximum degree of circumferentialorientation was obtained at the inner wall of the orientedpipe. The oriented pipe material exhibited a 5-15% higherdegree of crystallinity and a greater crystal thickness thanconventionally crosslinked pipe. The circumferential and axialmoduli of the oriented, crosslinked pipe were greater than thecorresponding moduli of the non-oriented crosslinked pipe.</p><p>Blends of single-site materials of linear PE andethyl-branched PE were prepared using solution- and melt-mixingmethods. The thermal properties of the blends were studied byDSC and results obtained by the two mixing methods werecompared. Data obtained for heats of melting andcrystallization, melting and crystallization peak temperaturesand melting and crystallization temperature profiles wereessentially the same for the samples obtained by the two mixingmethods. The heat associated with the high temperature meltingpeak of the blend samples obtained by both preparation methodsafter crystallization at 398 K was higher than that of thelinear polyethylene included in the blends, suggesting that apart of the branched polyethylene crystallized at 398 K.</p><p><b>Key words:</b><i>n</i>-Hexane diffusion, polyethylene, free volume,solubility, sorption, desorption, mechanical properties,orientation, thermal properties, blend.</p>

Thickness shear mode (TSM) sensors, also known as quartz crystal micro-balances (QCM) are a class of acoustic wave sensors that have been used for gas phase sensing. In this thesis this device is used to measure vapor-liquid equilibrium data for copolymers of poly(styrene-butadiene) at 294K. Copolymers of poly(styrene-butadiene) with varying percentages of styrene (85%, 45% and 21 %) were studied with benzene, n-hexane, dichloroethane and chloroform as solvents. Literature data for pure polystyrene/benzene and polystyrene/chloroform and polybutadiene/benzene were obtained to complement the measured data. Obtained experimental data were fit with a modified Flory-Huggins model and compared with the predictions of three models (UNIFAC-FV, Entropic-FV, and GK-FV). Flory-Huggins model gave a good quantitative fit for the solvent activities in the copolymer solutions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-171).

Th.--Sci.--Bordeaux 1, 1981. N°: 707.

Esta dissertação de mestrado investigou a técnica de síntese de “florestas” de nanotubos de carbono (NTC) produzidos por deposição química de vapor catalisada sobre substratos planos (wafers) de silício monocristalino utilizando filmes finos de ferro como catalisador e hexano como precursor de carbono. Os parâmetros de síntese analisados foram: temperatura, espessura de filme catalisador e quantidade de hexano. A caracterização dos nanotubos foi feita por Espectroscopia Raman, Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura e Transmissão. As florestas apresentaram uma grande dependência das nanopartículas formadas durante o aquecimento das amostras. Estas por sua vez dependem diretamente da temperatura e espessura do filme catalisador. A melhor dispersão de nanopartículas foi alcançada com a maior espessura analisada (3,7nm) e temperatura intermediaria (800ºC) A temperatura também controla a qualidade dos NTC’s formados e influencia na taxa de precursor convertido em carbono. O aumento desta produz NTC’s de menor diâmetro, mas maior quantidade de carbono amorfo. Já a quantidade de hexano depende apenas do carbono absorvido pelas florestas, sendo o ponto ótimo igual ao mínimo necessário pra formação destas. O uso de hexano possibilitou a produção de florestas formadas por nanotubos de parede múltipla (MWNTs) com um bom alinhamento e de qualidade superior quando comparados à MWNTs comerciais. NTC’s com parede simples também puderam ser produzidos, mas não sob a forma de florestas, pois na temperatura necessária para produzir-los há um grande acumulo de carbono amorfo. / This study has investigated the method for “forest-like” carbon nanotube (CNT) production synthesized by catalytical chemical vapour deposition over flat substrates as silicon wafers, with a thin layer of iron as catalyst and hexane as carbon source. The following parameters were evaluated: temperature, the thickness of the catalyst layer and quantity of carbon source (hexane) The carbon nanotube characterization was performed by Raman spectroscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy The CNT forests shown a big correlation with the nanoparticles formed at the heating stage. Their syntheses depend on the temperature and catalyst thickness as well. The best nanoparticles dispersion was reach with the thickest iron layer used (3,7nm) at intermediary temperatures (800ºC). The temperature also controls the quality of the synthesized CNT and plays an important roll in precursor conversion into carbon. As we increase the temperature, the CNT’s diameter gets thinner but the amount of amorphous carbon goes up. In the other hand, the concentration of hexane only affects the forest carbon consumption, with an optimal value equal to minimum quantity necessary for its formation. The hexane was able to synthesizes a forest-like multiwalls CNT’s (MWNT’s) with a good alignment and higher quality when compared with the commercial ones. Singlewalls CNT’s were also produced but they have no forest-like shape, once that at the higher temperatures required to produce them, a huge amount of amorphous carbon also appears.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivos principais utilizar reações enzimáticas para a degradação de resíduos de laboratório e na síntese de álcoois quirais. Na primeira parte foi realizada uma triagem de microrganismos e enzimas hidrolíticas, objetivando a biorreciclagem de hexano presente no resíduo contendo uma mistura hexano-acetato de etila. Esta mistura é largamente utilizada para purificação de compostos químicos por cromatografia líquida. O método de biorreciclagem consistiu na hidrólise enzimática do acetato de etila, viabilizando, dessa forma, a recuperação do hexano puro de forma simples e rápida, pois os produtos dessa reação são altamente solúveis na fase aquosa. Na segunda parte do trabalho, avaliamos o potencial catalítico de diversas plantas comestíveis em reações orgânicas de óxido-redução visando à síntese enantiosseletiva de álcoois quirais. As reações escolhidas, para tal propósito, foram a redução de cetonas pró-quirais e a resolução cinética de álcoois via oxidação enantiosseletiva. Em muitos casos, os enantiômeros foram obtidos, separadamente, com pureza enantiomérica de até 99% dependendo da planta utilizada como biocatalizador. / The present work had as main goals the use of enzymatic reactions to degrade laboratory residues and to synthesize chiral alcohols. In the first part, it was carried out a screening of microorganisms and hydrolytic enzymes aiming the biorecycling of hexane from laboratory residues (a mixture of hexane-ethyl acetate). This misture is widely employed to purify chemicals by liquid chromatography. The biorecycling consists of enzymatic hydrolysis of ethyl acetate in a biphasic system. Due to the high solubility of the undesired products from this reaction in the aqueous phase, the hexane was easily recovered. To evaluate the possibility of treatment of effluents in a high amount, we carried out the biorecycling in a continuous system with tubular reactor using immobilized lipase (Novozyme 435). By the use of this system, the hydrolysis ratio was around 70% with no lost of enzyme stability along 6 hours work. In the second part of the work, we evaluated the catalytic potential of several edible plants in oxido-reduction reactions aiming the enantioselective synthesis of chiral alcohols. The chosen reactions were the reduction of prochiral ketones and the kinetic resolution by enantioselective oxidation. In several cases, depending of the plant employed as biocatalyst, the (R) or (S)- enantiomer were obtained in high enantiomeric purity (up to 99%). For example, the Arracacia xanthorrhiza B. (mandioquinha) performed an efficient enantioseletive reduction of 1-(4-bromophenyl)ethanone to the (S)-1-(4-bromophenyl)ethanol with 98% e.e. (enantiomeric excess), while the a Manihot esculenta (mandioca) gave the (R)-1-(4-bromophenyl)ethanol with 90% e.e. Some plants showed a good oxidative performance. For example, Coriandrum sativum L. (coentro) gave the quantitative oxidation of 1-(4-methyphenyl)ethanol to the 1-(4-metilphenyl)ethanona.

Esta dissertação de mestrado investigou a técnica de síntese de “florestas” de nanotubos de carbono (NTC) produzidos por deposição química de vapor catalisada sobre substratos planos (wafers) de silício monocristalino utilizando filmes finos de ferro como catalisador e hexano como precursor de carbono. Os parâmetros de síntese analisados foram: temperatura, espessura de filme catalisador e quantidade de hexano. A caracterização dos nanotubos foi feita por Espectroscopia Raman, Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura e Transmissão. As florestas apresentaram uma grande dependência das nanopartículas formadas durante o aquecimento das amostras. Estas por sua vez dependem diretamente da temperatura e espessura do filme catalisador. A melhor dispersão de nanopartículas foi alcançada com a maior espessura analisada (3,7nm) e temperatura intermediaria (800ºC) A temperatura também controla a qualidade dos NTC’s formados e influencia na taxa de precursor convertido em carbono. O aumento desta produz NTC’s de menor diâmetro, mas maior quantidade de carbono amorfo. Já a quantidade de hexano depende apenas do carbono absorvido pelas florestas, sendo o ponto ótimo igual ao mínimo necessário pra formação destas. O uso de hexano possibilitou a produção de florestas formadas por nanotubos de parede múltipla (MWNTs) com um bom alinhamento e de qualidade superior quando comparados à MWNTs comerciais. NTC’s com parede simples também puderam ser produzidos, mas não sob a forma de florestas, pois na temperatura necessária para produzir-los há um grande acumulo de carbono amorfo. / This study has investigated the method for “forest-like” carbon nanotube (CNT) production synthesized by catalytical chemical vapour deposition over flat substrates as silicon wafers, with a thin layer of iron as catalyst and hexane as carbon source. The following parameters were evaluated: temperature, the thickness of the catalyst layer and quantity of carbon source (hexane) The carbon nanotube characterization was performed by Raman spectroscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy The CNT forests shown a big correlation with the nanoparticles formed at the heating stage. Their syntheses depend on the temperature and catalyst thickness as well. The best nanoparticles dispersion was reach with the thickest iron layer used (3,7nm) at intermediary temperatures (800ºC). The temperature also controls the quality of the synthesized CNT and plays an important roll in precursor conversion into carbon. As we increase the temperature, the CNT’s diameter gets thinner but the amount of amorphous carbon goes up. In the other hand, the concentration of hexane only affects the forest carbon consumption, with an optimal value equal to minimum quantity necessary for its formation. The hexane was able to synthesizes a forest-like multiwalls CNT’s (MWNT’s) with a good alignment and higher quality when compared with the commercial ones. Singlewalls CNT’s were also produced but they have no forest-like shape, once that at the higher temperatures required to produce them, a huge amount of amorphous carbon also appears.

Esta dissertação de mestrado investigou a técnica de síntese de “florestas” de nanotubos de carbono (NTC) produzidos por deposição química de vapor catalisada sobre substratos planos (wafers) de silício monocristalino utilizando filmes finos de ferro como catalisador e hexano como precursor de carbono. Os parâmetros de síntese analisados foram: temperatura, espessura de filme catalisador e quantidade de hexano. A caracterização dos nanotubos foi feita por Espectroscopia Raman, Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura e Transmissão. As florestas apresentaram uma grande dependência das nanopartículas formadas durante o aquecimento das amostras. Estas por sua vez dependem diretamente da temperatura e espessura do filme catalisador. A melhor dispersão de nanopartículas foi alcançada com a maior espessura analisada (3,7nm) e temperatura intermediaria (800ºC) A temperatura também controla a qualidade dos NTC’s formados e influencia na taxa de precursor convertido em carbono. O aumento desta produz NTC’s de menor diâmetro, mas maior quantidade de carbono amorfo. Já a quantidade de hexano depende apenas do carbono absorvido pelas florestas, sendo o ponto ótimo igual ao mínimo necessário pra formação destas. O uso de hexano possibilitou a produção de florestas formadas por nanotubos de parede múltipla (MWNTs) com um bom alinhamento e de qualidade superior quando comparados à MWNTs comerciais. NTC’s com parede simples também puderam ser produzidos, mas não sob a forma de florestas, pois na temperatura necessária para produzir-los há um grande acumulo de carbono amorfo. / This study has investigated the method for “forest-like” carbon nanotube (CNT) production synthesized by catalytical chemical vapour deposition over flat substrates as silicon wafers, with a thin layer of iron as catalyst and hexane as carbon source. The following parameters were evaluated: temperature, the thickness of the catalyst layer and quantity of carbon source (hexane) The carbon nanotube characterization was performed by Raman spectroscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy The CNT forests shown a big correlation with the nanoparticles formed at the heating stage. Their syntheses depend on the temperature and catalyst thickness as well. The best nanoparticles dispersion was reach with the thickest iron layer used (3,7nm) at intermediary temperatures (800ºC). The temperature also controls the quality of the synthesized CNT and plays an important roll in precursor conversion into carbon. As we increase the temperature, the CNT’s diameter gets thinner but the amount of amorphous carbon goes up. In the other hand, the concentration of hexane only affects the forest carbon consumption, with an optimal value equal to minimum quantity necessary for its formation. The hexane was able to synthesizes a forest-like multiwalls CNT’s (MWNT’s) with a good alignment and higher quality when compared with the commercial ones. Singlewalls CNT’s were also produced but they have no forest-like shape, once that at the higher temperatures required to produce them, a huge amount of amorphous carbon also appears.

Cocos nucifera belong to the family Aracaceae (palm Family). The English name is coconut and it is used extensively as medicinal remedies against infections such as urinary tract infections, gastro intestinal infections, skin and wound infections. The in vitro antibacterial (including anti-listerial and anti-vibrio) properties as well as the evaluation of the combination potentials of the plant extract with six front-line antibiotics were evaluated in this study using standard procedures. The in vitro anti-listerial properties of the crude aqueous and n-Hexane extract of the husk of Cocos nucifera were carried out against 37 Listeria isolates. Twenty-nine of the test organisms were susceptible to the aqueous extract while thirty were susceptible to the n-Hexane extract both at the screening concentration of 25 mg/ml. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values for all the susceptible bacteria ranged between 0.6 - 5.0 mg/ml. For the aqueous extract, average log reduction in viable cell count ranged between 0.32 Log10 and 4.8 Log10 CFU/ml after 8 hours interaction in 1 × MIC and 2 × MIC. For the n-Hexane extract, the log reduction ranged between 2.4 Log10 and 6.2 Log10 CFU/ml after 8 hours interaction in 1 × MIC and 2 × MIC. The time-kill characteristics of the two extracts suggest that at higher concentration (2 × MIC) and longer duration of interaction (8 hr), more bacteria were killed. In vitro anti-vibrio and antibacterial properties experiment revealed that of all the 45 vibrio and 25 bacteria strains that was tested, 37 were susceptible to the aqueous extract and 38 to the n-Hexane extract, while 17 were susceptible to the aqueous extract and 21 to the n-Hexane extract. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values for all the susceptible bacteria ranged between 0.3 - 5.0 mg/ml. viii The time kill studies revealed that for the aqueous extract, average log reduction in viable cell count in time kill assay ranged between 0.12 Log10 and 4.2 Log10 CFU/ml after 8 hr interaction at 1 × MIC and 2 × MIC. For the n-Hexane extract, the log reduction ranged between 0.56 Log10 and 6.4 Log10 CFU/ml after 8 hr interaction in 1 × MIC and 2 × MIC. In the test for the combination interactions, the checkerboard method revealed synergy of 67% and indifferent of 33%, while the time kill assay detected synergy in 72% and indifferent in 28% of the combinations tested. The synergy detected was not specific to any of the antibiotics or the Gram reaction of the bacteria, and no antagonism was detected. We conclude that the aqueous and n-Hexane extract of the husk of C. nucifera contains potential broad spectrum antibiotics resistance modulating compounds that could be relevant in the treatment of infections caused by these pathogens. In addition, the husk which is being discarded as agro waste will opens up a vista of opportunities for utilization for therapeutic purposes