Roy Buschbeck

A cost effective route for the densification of carbon-carbon composites

Abstract Carbon–carbon (C/C) composites are candidate materials for many high temperature structural applications, but the high costs of manufacture prohibit their application in many cases, where the properties are desired but economically not affordable. This study focuses on the catalytic effects of metal carbonyl additions on the cross-linking efficiency of pre-ceramic silicon polymers, which are used for a rapid and cost effective densification of porous C/C composites. Whereas, the open pores in the C/C matrix, obtained via the polymer pyrolysis, are effectively closed by a one shot infiltration/pyrolysis step applying a dicobaltoctacarbonyl [Co 2 (CO) 8 ] modified polysilane, a similar level of densification of porous C/C composites by a one time infiltration/pyrolysis of polycarbosilane could not be achieved, although catalytic additions of Co 2 (CO) 8 were used as well. Besides the successful densification of C/C composites using the modified polysilane, improvement in the oxidation behaviour of the composites at elevated temperatures was also recorded. The influence of certain manufacturing process variables, such as curing temperature of the carbon precursor before pyrolysis and heat-treatment temperatures of the manufactured C/C composites before densification, on the structures and properties of the obtained composite materials were investigated.

A 15-crown-5-functionalized carbosilane dendrimer as ionophore for ammonium selective electrodes.

The synthesis of CH(2)CHCH(2)OCH(2)[15-crown-5] (III) is achieved by the treatment of HOCH(2)- [15-crown-5] (I) with equimolar amounts of CH(2)CHCH(2)Br (II) in the presence of KOH. The hydrosilylation of III with Si(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)SiMe(2)H)(4) (IV) in the presence of the Karstedt catalyst affords the crown ether end-capped carbosilane dendrimer Si(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)Si-Me(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OCH(2)[15-crown-5])(4) (V). PVC-based membranes of V as ionophore with sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) as anion excluder and dioctyl phthalate (DOP), diphenyl ether (DPE), dibutyl amine (DBA) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as plasticizing solvent mediators were prepared and investigated as NH(4)(+)-selective electrode. The response of the electrode was linear with a Nernstian slope of 53.3mV/decade over an NH(4)(+) ion concentration range of 7.60x10(-6) to 1.0x10(-1)M and a detection limit of 3.9x10(-6)M. The response time to achieve a steady potential for NH(4)(+) ions was between 6 and 10s, and the electrode is suitable for use within the pH range of 2.2-8.5. The selectivity relative to alkali, alkaline earth, and transition heavy metal ions is good. The newly developed ionophore showed higher NH(4)(+) selectivity over K(+) ( [Formula: see text] ) and Na(+) ( [Formula: see text] ). The electrode could be used for at least 45 days without considerable alteration in its potential. The electrode also shows a better working concentration range and slope in comparison to other NH(4)(+)-selective electrodes reported in literature.

Ester formation at the liquid–solid interface

A chemical reaction (esterification) within a molecular monolayer at the liquid–solid interface without any catalyst was studied using ambient scanning tunneling microscopy. The monolayer consisted of a regular array of two species, an organic acid (trimesic acid) and an alcohol (undecan-1-ol or decan-1-ol), coadsorbed out of a solution of the acid within the alcohol at the interface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) (0001) substrate. The monoester was observed promptly after reaching a threshold either related to the increased packing density of the adsorbate layer (which can be controlled by the concentration of the trimesic acid within the alcoholic solution via sonication or extended stirring) or by reaching a threshold with regards to the deposition temperature. Evidence that esterification takes place directly at the liquid–solid interface was strongly supported.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and thermogravimetric analysis of two series of substituted (metallo)tetraphenylporphyrins

Subsequent treatment of H2TPP(CO2H)4 (tetra(p-carboxylic acid phenyl)porphyrin, 1) with an excess of oxalyl chloride and HNR2 afforded H2TPP(C(O)NR2)4 (R = Me, 2; iPr, 3) with yields exceeding 80%. The porphyrins 2 and 3 could be converted to the corresponding metalloporphyrins MTPP(C(O)NR2)4 (R = Me/iPr for M = Zn (2a, 3a); Cu (2b, 3b); Ni (2c, 3c); Co (2d, 3d)) by the addition of 3 equiv of anhydrous MCl2 (M = Zn, Cu, Ni, Co) to dimethylformamide solutions of 2 and 3 at elevated temperatures. Metalloporphyrins 2a–d and 3a–d were obtained in yields exceeding 60% and have been, as well as 2 and 3, characterized by elemental analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) and IR and UV–vis spectroscopy. Porphyrins 2, 2a–d and 3, 3a–d are not suitable for organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD), which is attributed to their comparatively low thermal stability as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) of selected representatives.