GTR/NBR/Silica Composites Performance Properties as a Function of Curing System: Sulfur versus Peroxides

In this work, conventional sulfur and two types of organic peroxides (dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and di-(2-tert-butyl-peroxyisopropyl)-benzene (BIB)) curing systems were used to investigate the possibility for tailoring of the performance properties of GTR/NBR blends reinforced with a variable content of highly dispersive silica (0–30 phr). The curing characteristics, static mechanical and acoustical properties, swelling behavior, thermal stability, and microstructure of the prepared composites were investigated. The results show that regardless of the curing system used, increasing the content of highly dispersive silica resulted in the improvement of the mechanical properties of the studied materials. It was observed that sulfur-based systems are the best choice in terms of cross-linking efficiency determined based on torque increment and cross-link density parameters. However, further analysis of the physico-mechanical properties indicated that the cross-linking efficiency does not match the performance of specimens, and the materials obtained using organic peroxides show higher tensile properties. This is due to the improved physical interactions between the GTR/NBR matrix and highly dispersive silica when using peroxide systems. It was confirmed using the analysis of the Wolff activity coefficient, indicating the enhanced synergy.

Peroxide Based Organic Explosives

In recent years progressively increasing terrorist activities, which use homemade explosives; such as acetone peroxide and other cyclic organic peroxides have led to worldwide awareness by security and defense agencies. Then the development of methodologies for the detection of cyclic organic peroxides have become an urgent need. Until quite recently, most of the current technology in use for trace detection of explosives had been unable to detect these energetic compounds. Differences in physical properties between cyclic organic peroxides is the main barrier for the development of a general method for analysis and detection of the peroxide explosives. In this short review, the most relevant contributions related to preparation, characterization and detection of the most important cyclic organic peroxides have been presented. It also includes few recent investigations about the toxicity and metabolism of some peroxide explosives.

Characterization of Organic Hydroperoxide Resistance Gene VPA1681 against Organic Peroxides in the Presence of Alkylhydroperoxide Reductase Genes in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The marine foodborne enteropathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus contains the chief organic peroxide reductases AphC1-AhpC2 and a putative organic hydroperoxide resistance enzyme (Ohr, VPA1681) against different peroxides. This study investigated the function of the Ohr under the presence of AhpC1-AhpC2 in this pathogen by gene mutation. Experimental results demonstrated that the ohr gene product was a weak scavenger of H 2 O 2 only in the mutant strains that lacked the peroxide sensor/regulator oxyR and ahpC1 - ahpC2 genes. The Ohr of V. parahaemolyticus was highly effective in scavenging organic peroxide, as demonstrated by assaying the defective changes in the △ ohr mutant strain and determining the detoxifying activity of the purified recombinant V. parahaemolyticus Ohr vp protein in the reduced form. The Ohr and AhpC1-AhpC2 exhibited similar functions against organic peroxides; however, only the △ ahpC1△ahpC2 mutant strain showed a significant increase in susceptibility to several disinfectants, organic acids, and antibiotics compared to the wild-type strain. The transcription of the ohr gene depended on exogenous cumene hydroperoxide (cumene) stress and was markedly enhanced in the △ ohrR (VPA1682) mutant strains. This study revealed the organic hydroperoxide reductase activity of the Ohr in V. parahaemolyticus , and its role probably depends on the sophisticated regulation by OhrR. IMPORTANCE Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the most prevalent foodborne pathogen in Taiwan and some other coastal Asian countries, and its antioxidative activity contributes to the tolerance of this bacterium to different environmental stresses. This study reports on the function of the organic hydroperoxide resistance gene ( ohr , VPA1681) and its gene regulator ohrR (VPA1682) in this pathogen. The strain with ohr gene was effective in protection against organic peroxide, and the recombinant Ohr vp was active in its reduced form. The function of Ohr was significant mostly in strains in which the function o f AhpC1-AhpC2 was limited. The ohrR repressor of the ohr gene was effective at low concentrations of organic peroxide. Other common Vibrio species contain homologous ohr , ohrR , ahpC1, and ahpC2 genes, which are phylogenetically close to those of V. parahaemolyticus may probably share similar functions to those revealed in this study.

Morphology, Thermo-Mechanical Properties and Biodegradibility of PCL/PLA Blends Reactively Compatibilized by Different Organic Peroxides

Reactive blending is a promising approach for the sustainable development of bio-based polymer blends and composites, which currently is gaining more and more attention. In this paper, biodegradable blends based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared via reactive blending performed in an internal mixer. The PCL and PLA content varied in a ratio of 70/30 and 55/45. Reactive modification of PCL/PLA via liquid organic peroxides (OP) including 0.5 wt.% of tert-butyl cumyl peroxide (BU), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di-(tert-butylperoxy)-hexane (HX), and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate (PB) is reported. The materials were characterized by rotational rheometer, atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests and biodegradability tests. It was found that the application of peroxides improves the miscibility between PCL and PLA resulted in enhanced mechanical properties and more uniform morphology. Moreover, it was observed that the biodegradation rate of PCL/PLA blends reactively compatibilized was lower comparing to unmodified samples and strongly dependent on the blend ratio and peroxide structure. The presented results confirmed that reactive blending supported by organic peroxide is a promising approach for tailoring novel biodegradable polymeric systems with controllable biodegradation rates.