Inertness, chemical

Alkanes from CH to C4gFlg2 typically appear in crude oil, and represent up to 20% of the oil by volume. The alkanes are largely chemically inert (hence the name paraffins, meaning little affinity), owing to the fact that the carbon bonds are fully saturated and therefore cannot be broken to form new bonds with other atoms. This probably explains why they remain unchanged over long periods of geological time, despite their exposure to elevated temperatures and pressures. 

Figure Al.3.10. Pseudopotential model. The outer electrons (valence electrons) move in a fixed arrangement of chemically inert ion cores. The ion cores are composed of the nucleus and core electrons.

This occurs naturally as a white solid in various crystalline forms, in all of which six oxygen atoms surround each titanium atom. Titanium dioxide is important as a white pigment, because it is nontoxic. chemically inert and highly opaque, and can be finely ground for paint purposes it is often prepared pure by dissolving the natural form in sulphuric acid, hydrolysing to the hydrated dioxide and heating the latter to make the anhydrous form. 

Anisole is a colourless and almost odourless liquid, having b.p. 154°, and dy 0-99. Like the aliphatic ethers, it is chemically inert, although of course the phenyl group shows the normal aromatic reactions. 

Anhydrous magnesium sulphate. This is an excellent, neutral desiccating agent and is inexpensive. It is rapid in its action, chemically inert and fairly efficient, and can be employed for most compounds including those (esters, aldehydes, ketones, nitriles, amides, etc.) to which calcium chloride is not applicable. 

Because of the chemical inertness of the paraffin hydrocarbons and of the closely related cycZoparaffins, no satisfactory crystalline derivatives can be prepared. Reliance is therefore placed upon the physical properties (boding point, density, and refractive index) of the redistilled samples. These are collected together in Table III,6. 

Ethylene. Under the influence of pressure and a catalyst, ethylene yields a white, tough but flexible waxy sohd, known as Polythene. Polyethylene possesses excellent electric insulation properties and high water resistance it has a low specific gravity and a low softening point (about 110°). The chemical inertness oi Polythene has found application in the manufacture of many items of apparatus for the laboratory. It is a useful lubricant for ground glass connexions, particularly at relatively high temperatures. 

Also known as the rare gases they are with few excep tions chemically inert... 

Argon is frequently used for the determination of surface area, usually at 77 K. Like the other noble gases, argon is of course chemically inert and is composed of spherically symmetrical monatomic molecules. Argon stands in... 

Several of the lower alkanes, from C2 to C7, have been used from time to time for surface area determination. They possess the virtue of chemical inertness towards the majority of adsorbents, and their saturation pressures... 

The most common mobile phases for GC are He, Ar, and N2, which have the advantage of being chemically inert toward both the sample and the stationary phase. The choice of which carrier gas to use is often determined by the instrument s detector. With packed columns the mobile-phase velocity is usually within the range of 25-150 mF/min, whereas flow rates for capillary columns are 1-25 mF/min. Actual flow rates are determined with a flow meter placed at the column outlet. 

The main criteria for selecting a stationary phase are that it should be chemically inert, thermally stable, of low volatility, and of an appropriate polarity for the solutes being separated. Although hundreds of stationary phases have been developed, many of which are commercially available, the majority of GLC separations are accomplished with perhaps five to ten common stationary phases. Several of... 

In contrast to the extreme reactivity of the monomeric PX (1) generated from it, the dimer DPX (3) feedstock for the parylene process is an exceptionally stable compound. Because of their chemical inertness, dimers in general do not exhibit shelf-life limitations. Although a variety of substituted dimers are known in the Hterature, at present only three are commercially available DPXN, DPXC, and DPXD, which give rise to Parylene N, Parylene C, and Parylene D, respectively. 

In the mid-1970s, it was realized that the CFCs in widespread use because of their chemical inertness, would diffuse unaltered through the troposphere and into the mid-stratosphere where they, too, would be photolyzed by uv (<240 nm) radiation. For example, CFC-12 can photolyze ... 

Olefin fibers are used for a variety of purposes from home furnishings to industrial appHcations. These include carpets, upholstery, drapery, rope, geotextiles (qv), and both disposable and nondisposable nonwovens. Fiber mechanical properties, relative chemical inertness, low moisture absorption, and low density contribute to desirable product properties. Table 7 gives a breakdown of olefin fiber consumption by use (73—75). Olefin fiber use in apparel... 

Chemica.1 Properties. With few exceptions, SF is chemically inert at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Thermodynamically SF is unstable and should react with many materials, including water, but these reactions are kineticaHy impeded by the fluorine shielding the sulfur. Sulfur hexafluoride does not react with alkah hydroxides, ammonia, or strong acids. 

Uses. The chemical inertness, thermal stability, low toxicity, and nonflammability of PFCs coupled with their unusual physical properties suggest many useflil applications. However, the high cost of raw materials and manufacture has limited commercial production to a few, small-volume products. Carbon tetrafluoride and hexafluoroethane are used for plasma, ion-beam, or sputter etching of semiconductor devices (17) (see loN implantation). Hexafluoroethane and octafluoropropane have some applications as dielectric gases, and perfluorocyclobutane is used in minor amounts as a dielectric fluid. Perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl cyclohexane is used as an inert, immersion coolant for electronic equipment, and perfluoro-2-methyldecatin is used for... 

As a tme thermoplastic, FEP copolymer can be melt-processed by extmsion and compression, injection, and blow molding. Films can be heat-bonded and sealed, vacuum-formed, and laminated to various substrates. Chemical inertness and corrosion resistance make FEP highly suitable for chemical services its dielectric and insulating properties favor it for electrical and electronic service and its low frictional properties, mechanical toughness, thermal stabiUty, and nonstick quaUty make it highly suitable for bearings and seals, high temperature components, and nonstick surfaces. 

A combination of excellent chemical and mechanical properties at elevated temperatures results in rehable, high performance service to the chemical processing and related industries. Chemical inertness, heat resistance, toughness and flexibiUty, stress-crack resistance, excellent flex life, antistick characteristics, Htfle moisture absorption, nonflammability, and exceptional dielectric properties are among the characteristics of these resins. 

The narcotic potency and solubiUty in oHve oil of several metabohcaHy inert gases are Hsted in Table 10. The narcotic potency, ED q, is expressed as the partial pressure of the gas in breathing mixtures requited to produce a certain degree of anesthesia in 50% of the test animals. The solubiUties are expressed as Bunsen coefficients, the volume of atmospheric pressure gas dissolved by an equal volume of Hquid. The Hpid solubiHty of xenon is about the same as that of nitrous oxide, a commonly used light anesthetic, and its narcotic potency is also about the same. As an anesthetic, xenon has the virtues of reasonable potency, nonflammability, chemical inertness, and easy elimination by the body, but its scarcity and great cost preclude its wide use for this purpose (see Anesthetics). 

Chemically Resistant Fibers. Fibers with exceUent chemical resistance to corrosive and/or chemical warfare agents or extreme pH conditions (eg, very acidic or very alkaline) were initially used for protective clothing. However, appHcations for filtration of gases and Hquids in numerous industrial faciHties are now the more important. For example, PPS is suitable for use in filter fabrics for coal-fired boilers because of its outstanding chemical and heat resistance to acidic flue gases and its exceUent durabUity under these end use conditions. Many high tenacity fibers are also chemically inert or relatively unaffected under a variety of conditions. Aramids, gel spun polyethylene, polypropylene, fluorocarbon, and carbon fibers meet these criteria and have been used or are being considered for appHcations where chemical resistance is important. 

HalogenatedFluids. Chlorocarbons, fluorocarbons, or combinations of the two are used to form lubricating fluids (see Chlorocarbons and CHLOROHYDROCARBONS Fluorine COMPOUNDS, ORGANIC). Generally, these fluids are chemically inert, essentially nonflammable, and often show excellent resistance to solvents. Some have outstanding thermal and oxidation stability, because they are completely unreactive even in Hquid oxygen, and extremely low volatility. 

The physical removal of surface material is called sputtering, where energetic, chemically inert ions such as Ar" or Xe" are accelerated toward the wafer and physically eject material from the surface. The yield is defined as the ratio of the number of ejected surface atoms to the number of incoming ions per given ion energy. 

Petroleum (qv) products dominate lubricant production with a 98% share of the market for lubricating oils and greases. While lower cost leads to first consideration of these petroleum lubricants, production of various synthetic lubricants covered later has been expanding to take advantage of special properties such as stability at extreme temperatures, chemical inertness, fire resistance, low toxicity, and environmental compatibility. 

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