Dispersions chemically homogeneous

Chemically homogeneous dispersions are defined here as dispersions where the dispersed phase and the continuous phase have chemical compositions with important similarities. Examples of such systems are honey, where we have saccharide crystals dispersed in a concentrated syrup, or semi-solid fat, which consists of solid triglyceride crystals dispersed in a solution of liquid triglycerides. 

For many laboratoiy studies, a suitable reactor is a cell with independent agitation of each phase and an undisturbed interface of known area, like the item shown in Fig. 23-29d, Whether a rate process is controlled by a mass-transfer rate or a chemical reaction rate sometimes can be identified by simple parameters. When agitation is sufficient to produce a homogeneous dispersion and the rate varies with further increases of agitation, mass-transfer rates are likely to be significant. The effect of change in temperature is a major criterion-, a rise of 10°C (18°F) normally raises the rate of a chemical reaction by a factor of 2 to 3, but the mass-transfer rate by much less. There may be instances, however, where the combined effect on chemical equilibrium, diffusivity, viscosity, and surface tension also may give a comparable enhancement. 

Carbon-based nanocomposite concepts have been successfully developed to limit or reduce these adverse effects and at the same time enhance the electron or ion transport [8]. CNT is an ideal building block in the carbon-inorganic composite/hybrid due to its mechanical, physical, chemical properties as mentioned above. CNTs are apparently superior to other carbonaceous materials such as graphite or amorphous carbon and are more adaptable to the homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles than other carbonaceous materials [36],... 

Recently, the efficacy of LDHs as catalyst precursors for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes via catalytic chemical vapor deposition of acetylene has been reported by Duan et al. [72]. Nanometer-sized cobalt particles were prepared by calcination and subsequent reduction of a single LDH precursor containing cobalt(II) and aluminum ions homogeneously dispersed at the atomic level. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes with uniform diameters were obtained. 

On calcination of the original powders at elevated temperatures, particles of mixed oxides are obtained, which retain their sphericity and dispersibility, and in some instances they become internally chemically homogeneous. In the described... 

Although the approach of covalent functionalization of CNT surface is an effective means to obtain a homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in polymer matrix and a strong interfacial interaction with the polymer, it inevitably destroys the intrinsic properties of CNTs such as the unique ji-electron system of pristine CNTs is affected due to formation of covalent bonds and shortening of length of CNTs during chemical treatments (70). 

Two models are available for interpreting attenuation spectra as a PSD in suspensions with chemically distinct, dispersed phases using the extended coupled phase theory.68 Both models assume that the attenuation spectrum of a mixture is composed of a superposition of component spectra. In the multiphase model, the PSD is represented as the sum of two log-normal distributions with the same standard deviation, that is, a bimodal distribution. The appearance of multiple solutions is avoided by setting a common standard deviation to the mean size of each distribution. This may be a poor assumption for the PSD (see section 11.3.2). The effective medium model assumes that only one target phase of a multidisperse system needs to be determined, while all other phases contribute to a homogeneous system, the so-called effective medium. Although not complicated by the possibility of multiple solutions, this model requires additional measurements to determine the density, viscosity, and acoustic attenuation of the effective medium. The attenuation spectrum of the effective medium is modeled via a polynomial fit, while the target phase is assumed to have a log-normal PSD.68 This model allows the PSD for mixtures of more than two phases to be determined. 

After the examination of the PS photooxidation mechanism, a comparison of the photochemical behavior of PS with that of some of its copolymers and blends is reported in this chapter. The copolymers studied include styrene-stat-acrylo-nitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). The blends studied are AES (acrylonitrile-EPDM-styrene) (EPDM = ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer) and a blend of poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) and PS (PVME-PS). The components of the copolymers are chemically bonded. In the case of the blends, PS and one or more polymers are mixed. The copolymers or the blends can be homogeneous (miscible components) or phase separated. The potential interactions occurring during the photodegradation of the various components may be different if they are chemically bonded or not, homogeneously dispersed or spatially separated. Another important aspect is the nature, the proportions and the behavior towards the photooxidation of the components added to PS. How will a component which is less or more photodegradable than PS influence the degradation of the copolymer or the blend We show in this chapter how the... 

A specific aim of this chapter is to compare the similarities and differences in reactivity that distinguish photoelectrochemical conversions from those that take place on poised electrodes or upon treatment with homogeneously dispersed redox reagents. In this chapter, therefore, we consider specifically how reactions that take place under controlled ultraviolet irradiation on a redox-active heterogeneous suspension permit specific chemical selectivity and control of oxidation and reduction level. 

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