A series of branched polyesteramides (PEAs) were synthesized from adipic acid, hexamethylene diamine, 1, 4-butanediol and caprolactam by melt polycondensation using glycerol as branching agent. The obtained copolymers, with glycerol contents of 0-0.9 wt% (LPEA-PEAg10) were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, DSC and viscometry. The FTIR and 1H NMR spectra demonstrated the formation of ester and amide bonds. DSC data indicated the melting and crystallization temperatures decrease with increasing glycerol content. Water absorption experiments suggested no distinct difference in hydrophilicity between these branched PEAs. Alkaline hydrolysis of PEA films was conducted in pH 11.0 NaOH solution at 37, 50 or 80

Poly (D, L-lactide) (PDLLA) degraded at processing temperature under air and nitrogen. A random chain scission model was established and used to determine the activation energy Ea, and FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR were used to elucidate the degradation behavior under different atmospheres. Results showed that there were two to three stages. The 1st stage was dominated by the oligomers containing carboxylic acid groups and hydroxyl groups, during which oxygen and nitrogen had little effect on the degradation, thus they share similar Ea. When the oligomers were consumed over or evaporated, the 2nd stage began, and oxygen had a promoting effect on the thermo-oxidation process, resulting in the great decrease in Ea. The third stage of PDLLA was observed when it degraded under nitrogen over 200

Glass fiber (GF) reinforced phenolphthalein-based polyarylene ether nitrile composites were prepared through melt blending, and the composites were characterized by various methods to find that both the mechanical and thermal properties of the silane coupling agent treated GF reinforced composites were improved with the increase of GF content. Tensile strength, flexural strength and Izod impact strength got their highest values with GF content at 35 wt.%, 30 wt.% and 25 wt.% respectively. The heat distortion temperature (HDT) of 30 wt.% GF reinforced composite is 284

Phenolphthalein-modified polyarylene ether nitrile copolymers were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2,6-difluorobenzonitrile (DFBN) with varying molar ratios of phenolphthalein (PP) and hydroquinone (HQ). The copolymers were chemically and physically characterized to have good thermal and mechanical properties. PP content of the copolymers has influence on glass transition temperature (Tg) as well as decomposition temperature (Tid). Coats–Redfern method was applied to study the thermal decomposition kinetics of the copolymers to predict the lifespan under thermal aging process of the copolymers, the results show that the lifespan increases with increasing PP content. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Copper powder is synthesized by hydrothermal treatment using the copper powder obtained from the chemical reduction method as a precursor. The copper powder is also treated in benzotriazole solution. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns and SEM photomicrographs exhibit that the copper powder possesses perfect crystallinity and narrow size distribution. The thermal behavior of the three kinds of copper powder is evaluated by thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry. Comparing with the sample prepared by means of the chemical reduction method, the copper powder treated under hydrothermal condition displays a peak temperature of the formation of Cu2O shifting from 60.49