Overcoming interfacial affinity issues in natural fiber reinforced polylactide biocomposites by surface adsorption of amphiphilic block copolymers.

This work demonstrates that the interfacial properties in a natural fiber reinforced polylactide bio-composite can be tailored through surface adsorption of amphiphilic and biodegradable poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-lactide) (PEG-PLLA) block copolymers. The deposition from solvent solution of PEG-PLLA copolymers onto the fibrous substrate induced distinct mechanisms of molecular organization at the cellulosic interface, which are correlated to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratios and the type of solvent used. The findings of the study evidenced that the performance of the corresponding biocomposites with polylactide were effectively enhanced by using these copolymers as interfacial coupling agents.

Acylmethyl(aryl)tellurium(IV,II) derivatives: intramolecular secondary bonding and steric rigidity.

Electrophilic substitution of acylmethanes (methyl ketones), RCOCH3 (R = i-Pr, 1; Et, 2; Me, 3) with aryltellurium trichlorides, ArTeCl3 (Ar = 1-C10H7, Np, A; 2,4,6-Me3C6H2, Mes, B; 4-MeOC6H4, Anisyl, C) under mild conditions affords the corresponding acylmethyl(aryl)tellurium dichlorides (RCOCH2)ArTeCl2. Reduction of the dichlorides, gives tellurides, (i-PrCOCH2)ArTe, 1A-1C, which give the corresponding dihalides, (i-PrCOCH2)ArTeX2 (X = Cl, 1Aa-1Ca; Br, 1Ab-1Cb; I, 1Ac-1Cc) when reacted in situ with SO2Cl2, Br2 or I2. The unsymmetric tellurides are labile towards disproportionation and attempts to obtain them lead to the isolation of Ar2Te2 except in the case of (i-PrCOCH2)MesTe (1B), which represents an interesting example of a kinetically stable aryl(alkyl)telluride.