A Versatile Equilibrium Method for the Synthesis of High-Strength, Ladder-like Polyphenylsilsesquioxanes with Finely Tunable Molecular Parameters

A versatile equilibrium method for synthesizing ladder-like polyphenylsilsesquioxanes (L-PPSQs) with various molecular weights (from 4 to 500 kDa) in liquid ammonia was developed. The effect of diverse parameters, such as temperature, monomer concentration, reaction time, addition or removal of water from the reaction medium, on the polycondensation process was determined. The molecular weight characteristics and structure of the L-PPSQ elements obtained were determined by GPC, 1H, 29Si NMR, IR spectroscopy, viscometry, and PXRD methods. The physicochemical properties of L-PPSQs were determined by TGA and mechanical analyses.

Experimental Determination of the MnO Activity Coefficient in High-Manganese Slags Using the Chemical Equilibrium Method

The thermodynamics of manganese oxide in high-MnO-containing slags was investigated using the chemical equilibrium method in the temperature range of 1623 to 1723 K. MnO-SiO2-Al2O3 slags were brought into equilibrium with molten silver (Ag) under controlled CO/CO2 gas atmosphere. The equilibrium Mn concentration in the silver was measured by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy) analysis after the experiment. Slag samples were analyzed by EPMA (electron probe microanalyzer) analysis. The obtained activity aMnO and activity coefficient γMnO were derived as a function of the slag composition and temperature. The activity coefficient of MnO within the investigated slag system increased with an increasing MnO/SiO2 ratio. The derived temperature dependence of the activity coefficient and partition ratio of Mn between the metal and the slag was strongly influenced by the slag composition. The thermodynamic assessment of the activity and activity coefficient of MnO was carried out by applying the regular solution model (RSM) on the basis of interaction energies of the cations and with FactSageTM 7.3. The theoretical calculations were compared with the experimentally derived values.

Stability Assessment of Dangerous Rock Mass of an Overhanging Slope in Puerdu Town, Southwestern China

Dangerous rock mass in the overhanging slope of Puerdu town has good free-face condition, high position, and great potential energy, identification and stability evaluation of which is a difficult problem in the disaster prevention. In this paper, the limit equilibrium method was used to evaluate the dangerous rock mass stability in the overhanging slope. Firstly, geomorphic characteristics and the distribution of dangerous rock mass are determined by the field geological survey. Secondly, six dangerous rock masses which may cause more threat are studied, with defining their failure modes and characteristic parameters. Finally, a simplified geological model is established, the stability coefficient of dangerous rock mass under different conditions is calculated by the limit equilibrium method, at the same time, stability analysis of dangerous rock mass is carried out based on the stereographic projection, and the hazard probability is estimated by the empirical formula. Results show that joints obviously developed in the dangerous rock mass of W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, and W6, with falling-type and toppling-type failure modes. In the natural condition, the dangerous rock mass is understable and unstable under the rainstorm and earthquake conditions. Consequently, rainstorm and earthquake are the key triggering factors of the instability and collapse of dangerous rock mass.