The chemisorption of benzonitrile and benzamide with methyl, chloro, and nitro groups at the p- or o-position on the alumina surface was investigated by using inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS). The chemisorbed species of nitrile and amide compounds were their corresponding carboxylic acids, in any case.
From these adsorbed species, it was judged that nitrile and amide were hydrolyzed by surrounding water on the alumina of acid catalyst. In the case of p-substituted compounds, both nitrile and amide were hydrolyzed and chemisorbed as the corresponding acids on the alumina surface. On the other hand, o-substituted compounds with methyl- or chloro-groups, were not hydrolyzed, whereas o-nitro-benzonitrile was hydrolyzed and adsorbed as the corresponding acid. The adsorption of unchanged nitrile molecule was also observed on the alumina surface. These are considered due to the effect of steric hindrance of o-substituted molecule.

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The effect of layered double hydroxide (LDH) for alkylation of carboxylic acid or phenol with alkyl halide in toluene was examined. Among a series of LDHs, [Mg²⁺_1-xAl_x³⁺(OH)₂][A^n-_x/nyH₂O](A^n-=CO₃^2-, OH^- and NO₃^-), the LDHs containing the strong base anions such as CO₃^2- or OH^- group was found to be effective. The desired alkylated products could be obtained in high yield (>70%) from both benzoic acid and phenol in the presence of LDH containing CO₃^2-.
The interaction between the LDH and benzoic acid was examined by using XRD and infrared (IR) techniques. The basal spacing of LDH containing CO₃^2- and OH^- increased after the action of toluene solution containing benzoic acid, whereas no expansion of basal spacing was observed in the case of LDH containing Cl^-. FT-IR spectrum of the benzoic acid-containing LDH showed the presence of carboxylate ion. These implied that the protonic organic compounds on LDH containing the strong base anions are intercalated as organic anions its interstitial and thus alkylation are accelerated.

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The double oxide catalysts of ZnO/Cr₂O₃ were prepared by the two different methods; (a) the precipitates were formed by adding a mixed acidic solution of Zn^II and Cr^III nitrates into an alkaline solution of K₂CO₃ which are denoted as BSP(base-side precipitated) catalysts, and (b) those reffered as ASP(acid-side precipitated) catalysts were obtained by the reverse order, that is, the K₂CO₃ solution was added to that of Zn^II and Cr^III nitrates. It was of interest to find that the calcined BSP catalyst exhibited much higher yields and selectivities for the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene(EB) than the ASP catalysts. This was suggested to be associated with the different crystal structures and surface compositions between the resulting BSP and ASP catalysts. The XRD and XPS characterization data revealed that the BSP catalysts were preferentially consisted with the spinel ZnCr₂O₄ having Cr^III as the catalytically active and stable structure for the EB dehydrogenation reaction, while the ASP catalysts contained the spinel phase in the minor part and had mixed contributions of Cr^III and Cr^IV. The results suggest that Cr^IV is derived from potassium-chromium oxalate and acts as a catalytic poisoning substance to decrease its structural stabilization and suppress the generation of the active sites for dehydrogenation of EB on the resulting mixed oxide catalysts.

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Reaction of methyl 1-azulenecarboxylate (1) with a 0.25 molar amount of terephthalaldehyde in acetic acid in the presence of hydrochloric acid at room temperature (25°C) for 2 h under aerobic conditions gives tetramethyl 3, 3', 3'', 3'''-[1, 4-phenylenebis(methylidyne)]tetraazulene-1, 1', 1'', 1'''-tetracarboxylate (2) in a good yield (92%), which upon oxidation with 2, 3-dichloro-5, 6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) in chloroform quantitatively affords the title compound 3 as the first example of 7, 7, 8, 8-tetra(1-azulenyl)-p-quinodimethane derivatives. Structures of these products were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data (UV/VIS, IR, MS, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR). A plausible reaction pathway for the formation of those compounds is discussed. The characteristic properties (I.e., TGA/DTA and CV/DPV) are also described for compound 3, which upon reaction with electron acceptors [I.e., tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), 7, 7, 8, 8-tetra(1-azulenyl)-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ), and DDQ] in dichloromethane rapidly gives the corresponding charge transfer (CT) complexes. Along with these data, a result of the semiempirical molecular orbital calculation (WinMOPAC V2.0, the semiempirical Hamiltonian: AM1) for compound 3 is shown.

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It has been well known that PVDF/PMMA blends are compatible in the melt state. UV transmittance of PVDF/PMMA blends was varied by blend ratio as well as cooling speed from the melt state. UV transmittance of quenched samples was higher than that of slowly cooled samples in all blend ratios. Higher crystallinity has been observed in the slowly cooled samples compared with the quenched samples by density method.
In the quenched samples, as PVDF amount increases, UV transmittance of PVDF/PMMA blends increases. When PVDF amount is 70wt%, UV transmittance of them is the highest value, 62%. As PVDF amount exceeds 70wt%, UV transmittance of them decreases. When PVDF is amorphous, UV transmittance of PVDF is very high. On the other hand, when PVDF is crystal, UV transmittance of PVDF is very low. PVDF and PMMA is compatibled by PVDF 70wt% and accordingly PMMA depress crystallization of PVDF. Therefore PVDF/PMMA blends has high UV transmittance. In the slow cooled samples, UV transmittance of PVDF/PMMA blends increases less than PVDF 30wt%. As PVDF amount exceeds 30wt%, UV transmittance of them decreases. The slow cooled samples is inclined to crystallize compared with the quenched samples.
PVDF has three crystal structures. When PVDF/PMMA is crystal, X-ray diffraction shows that the crystal structure is PVDF(II).

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It has been well known that PVDF/PMMA blends are compatible in the melt state. In the previous paper, UV transmittance of PVDF/PMMA blends was varied by blend ratio as well as cooling speed from the melt state.
In this study, we will report the relationship between crystal structures of PVDF and PVDF/PMMA blends heat-treated in several ways. We call PVDF/PMMA=x/(100−x)(wt%) as Fx. For example, PVDF/PMMA=70/30 is called F70. The wide angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD) shows that the quenched samples(Q) have amorphous(F0-F80) and PVDF(II) crystal structure(F90, F100). The slow cooled samples(S) have amorphous(F0-F30) and PVDF(II) crystal structure(F40-F100). The annealed samples(QA), heat treated Q samples, have amorphous(F0-F30), PVDF(II) crystal structure(F40, F50, F90, F100) and PVDF(I) crystal structure(F60-F80). The annealed samples(SA), heat-treated S samples, have amorphous(F0-F20) and PVDF(II) crystal structure(F30-F100).
The WAXD curves of F80 blends are very different in the cooling rate. It seems that QA sample has the crystal structure of PVDF(I). On the other hand, SA and S samples have PVDF(II) structure. Q sample is amorphous. It is known that different crystalline forms are obtained according to the crystallization speed. It is considered that the crystallization speed of F80 QA sample is comparatively slow and form the PVDF(I) structure.
PVDF has three forms of crystalline structure. PVDF(I) structure has piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. But it is difficult to make PVDF(I) structure simply. We found that PVDF(I) structure can get simply when F70 or F80 is quenched from the melt and then annealed at 120°C.

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Amino acids are capable of constructing supramlecular networks through the multiple hydrogen bonds. Dry processing can produce amino-acid films without the influence of polar solvents, which are usually used for dissolving amino acids in wet processing. In this study, D-phenylalanine (D-Phe) films are prepared by vacuum vaporization methods with and without the assistance of irradiation of inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The vaporized film without ICP irradiation (Vap film) consists of round sponge-like masses (2- to 6-μm diameter) and the content of raw material D-Phe is 72%. Infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies clarified that there exists little differences between the raw D-Phe and the Vap film. ICP irradiation during vaporization of D-Phe flattened the resultant film surface extremely well and reduced the content of D-Phe to 1.7%. The ICP-treated films have the unpaired electrons at their concentrations of several 10⁴ spins/cm³. Slight reduction of atomic ratios of oxygen in these vaporized films may have been caused by the dehydration and decarboxylation reactions. However, the differences in atomic ratios between these vaporized films and the raw D-Phe are quite small.

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The disinfection effect on Escherichia coli cells was investigated in the electrodialysis systems using the conventional organic cation exchange membranes (Selemion^® CMV) and the antimony acid cation exchange membrane (Sb membrane) dippcoated on a microporous alumina support, which we previously synthesized. E. coli cells suspended in 0.1MNaCl solution (10⁸ cells cm^-3) were passed through a desalting compartment at a flow rate of 3cm³min^-1 under varying current densities, and survival ratio (%) in the effluents was measured. A pronounced decrease in the survival ratio of E. coli cells was observed for the inorganic membrane system at low current density compared with the organic membrane system. Complete disinfection was observed after 20min of the electrodialysis at the current density of 13.6mA cm^-2, which was 1.4 times as high as the limiting current density of Sb membrane. Remarkable disinfection effect can be attributed to the formation of acidic H⁺ and basic OH^- ions generated by the water dissociation on the desalting surface of Sb membrane because the limiting current density of Sb membrane was lower than that of Selemion^® CMV.

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The heating/drawing device was designed and constructed for in situ X-ray diffraction measurements of polymer films and fibers using Imaging Plates system. The specimen is elongated from both sides so that the irradiating part of the specimen can be kept position during the elongation. It is also possible to measure the stress and the X-ray diffraction simultaneously. The crystal phase transition of an extruded-blown polyethylene film during the drawing process and the development of crystalline structure in the poly(ethylene 2, 6-naphthalate) film are presented.

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This paper describes the role of moisture on long-term O₂/N₂ separation characteristics of a oxygen transport membrane using N, N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-2-methylpropylenediaminatocobalt(II)with 4-methylaminopyridine as an axial ligand.
Correlations between O₂/N₂ selectivities of the liquid membrane calculated from the serial double-layer model and concentrations of oxygen adducts as well as deoxygenation properties were investigated.
The O₂/N₂ selectivity of the liquid membrane calculated from that of the oxygen transport membrane containing the solution dropped from 153 to 2 by treating with O₂/N₂ mixed gas for 144h, while dropped from 88 to 1.5 by the treatment with wet O₂/N₂ mixed gas for 24h.
ESR spectra showed that concentrations of the oxygen adducts decreased from 0.4 mol L^-1 to 0.065molL^-1 by the reaction with O₂/N₂ mixed gas for 144 h and decreased from 0.4molL^-1 to 0.090molL^-1 by the reaction with O₂/N₂ mixed gas for 24h.
The deoxygenation rate of the oxygen adducts generated from the reaction with wet O₂/N₂ mixed gas decreased remarkably, while the oxygen adducts formed by the reaction with O₂/N₂ mixed gas remained considerably.
The remarkable reduction of the selectivity of the liquid membrane from that of the oxygen transport membrane containing the solution reacted with wet O₂/N₂ mixed gas, is due to the rapid decrease in the concentration of oxygen adducts and its deoxygenation rate.
The rapid decrease in the concentration of oxygen adducts generated from the reaction with wet O₂/N₂ mixed gas for 24 hours suggested to be due to the formation of hydroxides.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra suggest that slow deoxygenation rate of oxygen adducts from the reaction with wet O₂/N₂ mixed gas is caused by the exchange of the axial ligand from 4-DMAP to water molecule.

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