Characterisation of the aluminium–electropolymerised poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) system

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was electropolymerised on aluminium substrates. The Al/Al oxide/PEDOT junction was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, comparing the impedance response of the polymer film in oxidised, neutral and reduced form. The p- and n-doping behaviour of the PEDOT films was studied by in situ external reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy during stepwise potential cycling of the films. The Al surface underneath the polymer was analysed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The impedance spectra indicate that an insulating layer between the metal and the polymer grows thicker during doping of the polymer film. The other techniques used suggest that this interfacial layer consists mainly of Al oxides and fluorides. Neither the conductivity nor the dopability of the polymer is notably affected by the growing of this insulating interfacial layer, which makes the concept of PEDOT electropolymerised on Al promising from an organic electronics applications point of view.     

Study on the reaction of triple helix poly(A:2I) with Cu~(2+)

The effect of Cu2+ on the triple-stranded helical structure of poly(A:2I) was studied by means of circular dichroism spectral method with the help of ultraviolet spectral and ethidium bromide fluorescence probe methods. It was found that Cu2+ destabilizes the structure of the triple helix poly(A:2I) and induces its structural transformations, meanwhile, the transformations can be partially reversed by a higher NaCl concentration. The structural transformations may be expressed by the following scheme: poly(A:2I) - poly(A:I) + poly(I)- poly(A) + 2poly(I)     

Preparation and characterization of poly(2′-aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) by chemical oxidative polymerization

Poly(2′-aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) was synthesized by the chemical oxidative polymerization of 2′-aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene in the presence of different oxidants, such as FeCl₃, Ce(SO₄)₂, (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆, and (NH₄)₂S₂O₈. The as-formed polymer was investigated by FTIR, UV–Vis, and Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence, thermogravimetry, and X-ray diffraction to determine the structure, photophysical properties, thermal stability, and polymer phase. FTIR and Raman spectra measurements indicated that the formation of macromolecules occurred exclusively via α,α-coupling of thiophene rings. Moreover, polymer obtained in polymerization using Ce(SO₄)₂ as the oxidant displayed superior thermal stability. All the characterizations indicated that FeCl₃ was the more suitable oxidant for oxidative polymerization of the monomer and provided formation of polymer with higher yield.     

Optimizing incorporation of nickel(II)�Ccyclam complex in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) films for catalytic purposes

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiopene) (PEDOT) films, due to their porous and open structure, as well as high stability, were chosen as a membrane for incorporation of Ni(II) ion complexes with 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (cyclam) or deposition of electroactive films containing polymerized complex. Accumulation of the complex in PEDOT layers and its electrocatalytic activity was studied basing on voltammetric behavior of Ni(II)?Ccyclam and electroxidation of a model reactant-methanol in alkaline solutions. Several modes of complex incorporation were tested, based on open circuit conditioning or polarization in the presence of nickel ions and cyclam. It was found that the most effective method was incorporation of cyclam in the course of PEDOT electrosynthesis, followed by potentiostatic accumulation of Ni(II) ions. This procedure resulted in around 50 times higher slope of dependence of methanol oxidation current on alcohol concentration than in the absence of PEDOT.     

Bowl-shaped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/γ-Fe2O3 composites with elecromagnetic function

In this paper, electromagnetic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/γ-Fe2O3 (PEDOT/γ-Fe2O3 ) micro-bowls, 1 2 μm in diameter, were prepared by a simple environment-friendly process. In this method, the aqueous solution of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) instead of any organic solvent was used. FeCl3 acted as a source of Fe Ⅲ for the formation of γ-Fe2O3 and as an oxidant for the polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT). The bowl-shaped morphology of PEDOT/γ-Fe2O3 composites was strongly influenced by the concentration of CTAB, FeCl2 , ammonia solution and the reaction temperature. The saturation magnetization of PEDOT/γ-Fe2O3 micro-bowls increased with the increase of FeCl2 concentration and reached 6.20 Am2 /kg at the FeCl2 concentration of 0.30 mol/L. The conductivity of the PEDOT/γ-Fe2O3 composites was in the range of 101 S/cm. The electrical and magnetic sources of PEDOT/γ-Fe2O3 micro-bowls were confirmed by SEM-EDX, TEM, XRD and XPS spectra. And the possible formation mechanism of PEDOT//γ-Fe2O3 was proposed.     

Electropolymerization of three-dimensional π-conjugated system based on 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT)

A 3D π-conjugated system obtained by grafting 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on a twisted bithiophene core has been synthesized and used as precursor for electropolymerization. Preliminary investigations of its electrochemical properties shows that it can be straightforwardly electropolymerized into an electroactive conjugated material.     

Study on the Synthesis of Di(3,4-methyl) Benzylidene Sorbitol

Di (3,4-methyl) benzylidene sorbitol (briefly referred as “ DMDBS ”), used as transparency nucleating agent in crystallinity polyolefin kind resin, can dramaticly reduce the haze of plastic products, improving their quality in transparency, resin’s rigidity, heat resistant temperature and modulus of bending. DMDBS, having these characteristics, has been widely used as polyolefin processing auxiliary. With the presence of hydrophobicity organic solvent and lower alcohol, the nucleating ag…     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of organic–inorganic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/RuO2·xH2O nanocomposite for supercapacitor

An organic–inorganic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/RuO₂·xH₂O nanocomposite (approximately 1 wt.% RuO₂) has been successfully prepared for the first time under microwave irradiation within 5 min with power 900 W via in situ chemical polymerization. The morphology and structure of the resultant material is characterized by transmission electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared. Moreover, the electrochemical properties of the synthesized nanocomposite can be controlled by adjusting the annealing temperature, which is definitely illustrated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectra. Electrochemical data have shown that the PEDOT/RuO₂·xH₂O nanocomposite annealed at 150 °C possesses the most favorable charge/discharge ability with a specific capacitance of 153.3 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 150 mA g⁻¹ and the high efficient utilization of PEDOT at various current densities. Furthermore, such composite has a less capacitance degradation of 23.8% after 1,000 continuous cycles. The improved electrochemical performance are mainly attributed to the large electroactive surface of nanocomposite and the existence of amorphous RuO₂·xH₂O particles as well as a synergistic effect of the polymer PEDOT and annealed RuO₂·xH₂O. Thus, the PEDOT/RuO₂·xH₂O nanocomposite annealed at 150 °C can act as a promising electroactive material for supercapacitor application.     

Study on formation of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) fiber

In this paper, the crystallization behavior, thermal degradation properties, rheological behavior and the spinnability of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) fiber were studied. Experimental results indicated that the spherulite growth rate of PHBV was very slow and its size was very large. PHBV began to degrade above 170°C. The flowing curve indicated that the processing temperature and the residential time had important effects on PHBV melts. When the equipment of melting spinning was improved and processing conditions were strictly controlled, the mechanical properties of the PHBV filament can comply with the requirements of the American Pharmacopoeia. __________ Translated from Journal of Donghua University (Natural Science Edition), 2007, 33(4): 425–430     

Effect of halloysite nanotubes on the thermal degradation behaviour of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(lactic acid) microfibrillar composites

This paper reports on the thermal degradation behaviour and kinetics of halloysite nanotubes containing microfibrillated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blends. It was found that the nanotubes probably catalyzed the PLA degradation, and that the free radicals formed during the PLA degradation initiated PCL degradation at lower temperatures, maybe in combination with halloysite nanotubes (HNT) catalysis. Drawing to form microfibrillated nanocomposites had little influence on the degradation behaviour of these materials, but pre-mixing of the HNT with PLA or PCL prior to melt-mixing and extrusion-drawing of the blends did influence the degradation behaviour, but in different ways. No evidence could be found that the presence and amount of HNT, or the mode of preparation, had an influence on the degradation mechanism, as evidenced through a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of the degradation products.     

Effect of block lengths on the association behavior of poly(l-lactic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA–PEG–PLA) micelles in aqueous solution

A series of poly(l-lactic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) triblock copolymers with a PLA–PEG–PLA architecture were synthesized by a ring-opening polymerization (ROP) process. The copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR and GPC. The total number average molecular weights were in the range of 4,700–50,000, whereas the degrees of polymerization of the PLA and PEG blocks varied from 15 to 359 and from 68 to 136, respectively. The self-association of these copolymers in aqueous environment was studied by emission fluorescence spectroscopy of anilinonaphthalene probe and the critical association concentration (CAC) of the copolymers was measured. It was found that the micellization process of these copolymers was mainly determined by the length of the hydrophobic LA block, while the length of the hydrophilic PEG block had little effect. Furthermore, the low CAC values of the copolymers suggest that the copolymers form stable supramolecular structures in aqueous solutions.     

Study of behaviour on simulated daylight ageing of artists�� acrylic and poly(vinyl acetate) paint films

This work proposes a multi-method approach that combines advanced microscopy (SEM/EDX, AFM) and spectroscopy (UV-vis and FTIR) techniques. This approach not only characterises the behaviour of the additives of two commercial poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and acrylic emulsion paints but also simultaneously characterises the changes in chemical composition and morphology observed in the paint films as a result of ageing due to the paints being exposed to an intense source of simulated daylight. In parallel, a series of mechanical tests were performed that correlate the chemical changes in composition and the changes observed in the films' mechanical properties. This work was a comparative study between both types of acrylic and PVAc paints. The results obtained are of great interest for the modern paint conservation field as they provide valuable information on the mid- and long-term behaviours of these synthetic paints.     

Study on the Vortex of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau in Summer

In this paper an ideal model for the formation and development of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau vortex is presented by a large number of statistical data and typical case studies. It points out that the Plateau vortex is shallow and thermal originated from a strong heat source near the surface of the west of the Plateau. Then moving eastward , it develops and becomes stronger and thicker with larger upward vertical velocity, and causes great precipitation in the middle Plateau. But at this time the heat source in the vortex becomes weaker, and even the heat sink occurs near the surface. Consequently, it disappears in a cold trough with a strong heat sink in the east of the Plateau. The heat source (sink) is mainly determined by the vertical eddy flux convergence (divergence) of the sensible heat caused by the cumulus convection and turbu-lance. Both the nonuniform heating (cooling) at the surface and the convergence (divergence) of the eddy kinetic energy coact and play an important role in the genesis (di     

Electroless deposition of palladium nanoparticles on poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)—role of the electrode substrate

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Electroless deposition of Pd is studied comparatively on glassy carbon (GCE) and spectral graphite (SGE) electrodes modified with electrodeposited...     

Electrochemical characteristics of poly(ophenylendiamine) film electrodes in phosphatic solution

The electrochemical characteristics of poly(o-phenylendiamine) (POPD) film modified electrodes have been investigated using different electrochemical techniques.The main interest is focused on the effect of potential and film thickness on the electrode process.Good agreement has been found for the apparent diffusion coefficient estimated by chronocoulometry and impedance spec-troscopy.The charge transfer process within POPD films is diffusion processes at negative and positive overpotentials and electron hopping mechanism at formal potential.The POPD film conductivity of the oxidized state is better than that of the reduced state.For all electrode processes,the H+ may penetrate the film/electrolyte interface and take part in charge transfer or protonation-deprotonation of phenazine rings.     

Buffering effects on the solution behavior and hydrolytic degradation of poly(β-amino ester)s

With a vast, synthetically accessible compositional space and highly tunable hydrolysis rates, poly(β-amino ester)s (PBAEs) are an attractive degradable polymer platform. Leveraging PBAEs in a wide range of applications hinges on the ability to program degradation, which, thus far, has been frustrated by multiple confounding phenomena contributing to the degradation of these charged polyesters. Basic conditions accelerate hydrolysis, yet reduce solubility, limiting water access to amines and esters. Further, the high buffering capacity of PBAEs can render buffers ineffective at controlling solution pH. To unify understanding of PBAE degradation and solution properties, this study examines PBAE hydrolysis as a function of pH and buffer concentration as well as polymer hydrophobicity. At low buffer concentrations, the PBAE amines and the acid produced during hydrolysis control solution pH. Meanwhile, at high buffer concentrations that afford relatively constant pH, hydrolysis rate increases with pH, despite the reduced PBAE solubility. Increasing the hydrophobic content of PBAEs eventually hinders the capacity of the polymer to accept protons from solution, limiting the pH increase and slowing hydrolysis. These studies showcase the role of buffering on the pH-dependent degradation and solution properties of PBAEs, providing guidance for programming degradation in applications ranging from drug delivery to thermosets.     

Study on the Photophysical Process in N-Phenyl Phenothiazine and N-(2-Pyridine) Phenothiazine

By the measurements of the solvent and temperature effects of the fluorescence emission spectra and lifetime of N-phenyl phenothiazine (PHZ) and N-(2-pyridine) phenothiazine (PYZ),the existence of strongly twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state in PYZ emission spectra is proved.The exciplex formed by PHZ, PYZ and dimethyl terephthalate (DMTP) is investigated, and moreover, the transient absorption spectra of positive and negative ions as the results of the dissociation of the exciplex in the polar solvents is observed through the flash photolysis.     

Study on the interaction between clarithromycin and bovine serum albumin in the imitated physiology solution

The interaction between clarithromycin (CAM) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated using linear-sweep voltammetry in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution where CAM caused two irreversible reduction waves P2 and P3 on mercury electrode. The study showed that the formation constant and formation ratio for the interaction between CAM and BSA were 1.51×1012 and 3:1 for P2,4.53×105 and 1:1 for P3, respectively. The ion strength enhanced the hydrophobic interaction between CAM and BSA.