Subsequent Decomposition Steps Research Articles

A Case Study of Polyether Ether Ketone (I): Investigating the Thermal and Fire Behavior of a High-Performance Material.

The thermal and fire behaviors of a high-performance polymeric material—polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was investigated. The TG plots of PEEK under different oxygen concentrations revealed that the initial step of thermal decomposition does not greatly depend on the oxygen level. However, oxygen concentration plays a major role in the subsequent decomposition steps. In order to understand the thermal decomposition mechanism of PEEK several methods were employed, i.e., pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). It was observed that the initial decomposition step of the material may lead to the release of noncombustible gases and the formation of a highly crosslinked graphite-like carbonaceous structure. Moreover, during the mass loss cone calorimetry test, PEEK has shown excellent charring and fire resistance when it is subjected to an incident heat flux of 50 kW/m². Based on the fire behavior and the identification of pyrolysis gases evolved during the decomposition of PEEK, the enhanced fire resistance of PEEK was assigned to the dilution of the flammable decomposition gases as well as the formation of a protective graphite-like charred structure during its decomposition. Moreover, at 60 kW/m², ignition occurred more quickly. This is because a higher rate of release of decomposition products is achieved at such a heat flux, causing a higher concentration of combustibles, thus an earlier ignition. However, the peak of heat release rate of the material did not exceed 125 kW/m².

A catalytic and DFT study of selective ethylene oligomerization by nickel(II) oxime-based complexes

The reactivity of nickel(II) thiophenealdoxime complex (3) toward oligomerization of ethylene in the presence of an alkylaluminum co-catalyst has been studied. The complex was found to be a selective ethylene dimerization catalyst in the presence of co-catalysts such as methylalumoxane (MAO) and diethylaluminum chloride (DEAC). With DEAC, the productivity was considerably higher than with MAO. Under optimum conditions the productivity reaches 388kg/molcatalyst/h/bar with DEAC whereas for MAO this value was 119kg/molcatalyst/h/bar. Complex 3 displays good ethylene conversions of up to a maximum of 90% with exceptionally high α-selectivity for 1-butene (>99.5%) amongst C4 products. Computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) were also carried out to ascertain the decomposition pathway for 3 as well as that for Ni(II) complex of the pyridine ketoxime ligand 2. The results suggest that loss of one of the two bidentate oxime ligands attached to the metal center through reaction with DEAC is likely for both 2 and 3. Further, calculations indicate that the subsequent decomposition step was significantly more probable for 3 than for 2 thus explaining why the pyridine ketoxime ligand bound nickel complex 2 was experimentally found to be more stable than the thiophene aldoxime bound nickel complex 3. Calculations also show that the proton of the -OH group (oxime) plays a major role in the stability of the molecules. This was confirmed experimentally by synthesizing the Ni(II) dichloro complex of Pyridine-2-carbaldehyde O-methyloxime 5 and reacting it with ethylene under similar conditions. 5 was found to be highly active even at low co-catalyst concentrations.

Mixed benzohydroxamato-acetylacetonato metal complexes: spectral, thermal and photochemical behaviour

Bis(acetylacetonato)VOII,−CoII,−NiII,−CuII,−ZnII, −UO 2 II and tris(acetylacetonato)FeIII react with benzohydroxamic acid to yield the corresponding mixed ligand complexes as a result of displacement of one acetylacetone molecule. Intermolecular association may be the reason for six-coordination geometry around the metal ions. A t.g.a. study of the complexes shows, in most cases, initial loss of alcohol and water molecules associated with the complexes; subsequent decomposition steps are characterised by very sharp weight loss. The photochemical stability of the complexes has been studied. Intraligand excitation causes a decomposition in the case of FeIII and VOII-complexes but no detectable effect for CoII, NiII, CuII, ZnII, or UO 2 II -complexes.