Study of Fatigue Life and Filler Interaction of Paper Sludge Filled Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) and Maleated Natural Rubber (MNR) Composites

An investigation on the effect of epoxidation and maleated natural rubber (MNR) on fatigue and rubber-filler interaction properties of paper sludge filled natural rubber composites was elucidated. Paper sludge loading was varied from 0 to 40 phr and conventional vulcanisation system was used while compounding was carried out on a laboratory sized two roll mill. Two different types of natural rubber, SMR L and ENR 50 having 0 and 50 mole% of epoxidation were used in order to investigate the effect of epoxidation on the composites. Results indicate that, at a fixed filler loading, ENR 50 vulcanizates exhibit higher fatigue life than SMR L vulcanizates especially at filler loading below 20 phr which might be associated with better rubber-filler interaction. In the case of composites with the addition of maleated natural rubber (MNR), a higher fatigue life was observed due to presence of physical and/or chemical linkages, which increases the interfacial adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of fatigue fracture surfaces and rubber-filler interaction study supported the observed result on fatigue life.     

Gas-phase thermal explosions in catalytic direct oxidation of alkenes

The metal-based catalytic oxidation of alkenes to the corresponding epoxides is playing a significant role in the modern chemical industry. Nevertheless, these key processes are still lacking proper understanding with respect to the gas-phase runaway behaviour (thermal explosion) and to the hot spot formation on the catalytic surface, under the typical process conditions.This work aims to enlighten these aspects by considering either the catalytic or the gas-phase chemistry for the development of reactor operative diagrams, in order to define the best-operating conditions with respect to the selectivity, the productivity, and the process safety aspects.The proposed methodology has been applied to the oxidation of ethylene and propylene for the direct oxidation process by pure oxygen, considering a detailed kinetic model accounting for the homogeneous reactions, coupled with the heterogeneous catalytic mechanisms.Sensitivity and reaction path analyses were performed to individuate the ruling species and reactions determining the transition to runaway conditions.     

Green epoxidation on Ti-mesoporous catalysts

New mesoporous catalysts with a mean pore size of 65 Å have been synthesised by grafting titanium on a mesoporous silica SBA15 (Santa BArbara) by means of titanium tetrachloride in the gas phase. These catalysts have been tested for the green epoxidation of cyclooctene, cyclohexene, (R)-limonene and -pinene by hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide or cumyl hydroperoxide. The selectivity is 100% and epoxide yields can reach almost 100% in the case of organic hydroperoxides without any leaching of titanium species. Here we show that cyclohexene epoxidation could be used as the first step of a greener synthesis of adipic acid.