Copolyesters with an alternating sequence of terephthalic acid and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids were prepared with three different methods. First, dicarboxylic acid dichlorides were reacted with bis(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthalate (BHET) in refluxing 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Second, the same monomers were polycondensed at 0-20 °C in the presence of pyridine. Third, dicarboxylic acid dichlorides and silylated BHET were polycondensed in bulk. Only this third method gave satisfactory molecular weights. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry revealed that the copolyesters prepared by the pyridine and silyl methods might have contained considerable fractions of cyclic oligoesters and polyesters despite the absence of transesterification and backbiting processes. The alternating sequences and thermal properties were characterized with 1H NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry measurements, respectively. In agreement with the alternating sequence, all copolyesters proved to be crystalline, but the crystallization was extremely slow [slower than that of poly(ethylene terephthalate)]. A second series of alternating copolyesters was prepared by the polycondensation of silylated bis(4-hydroxybut- yl)terephthalate with various aliphatic dicarboxylic acid dichlorides. The resulting copolyesters showed significantly higher rates of crystallization, and the melting temperatures were higher than those of the BHET-based copolyesters. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3371-3382, 2001
Selective Catalytic Reduction of Nitric Oxide by Ammonia over Egg-Shell MnOx/NaY Composite Catalysts
(2002)
A novel composite catalyst system for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by NH3 is described operating at temperatures lower than 470 K in the presence of water with NO conversions of 80100% at space velocities of 30,00050,000 h-1. The catalyst is prepared by egg-shell precipitation of MnO2 on the external surface of zeolite NaY. Structural and thermal stability of precipitated MnO2 as well as of the MnO2/NaY composite catalyst were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction, laser Raman spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, and electron microscopy. MnO2 precipitated on zeolite NaY (15 wt% loading) retained its amorphous state up to calcination temperatures of 775 K. The zeolite component remained structurally intact. Calcination at higher temperatures destroyed the zeolite structure and transformed MnO2 into Mn3O4. DRIFT spectroscopic investigations revealed the presence of symmetric O=NON=O species formally corresponding to N2O3 on the composite catalyst after contact with NO. Catalytic measurements under integral flow conditions showed that the catalyst performance is associated with a close coupling of nitrite formation and its drain off from equilibria with NO/NO2 and nitrate by ammonia. Several results are in line with the diazotation mechanism, including NH3 protonation to NH4+, whereas prevailing Lewis acid sites should enable NH3 activation via amide species, thus leading to a parallel amide/nitrosamide SCR reaction route. The activity-temperature profile fulfills the requirements of a low-temperature NOx reduction catalyst for mobile diesel engines if an ammonia supply is implemented on board, e.g., by urea decomposition.