The motion of interfaces and the similarity dimension

A discrete model of interfaces with self-similarity is proposed to show the power-law decay of the total area. In the case that the similarity dimension is equal to the spatial dimension a $\text{t}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?</mtext><mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ law appears.     

Photoluminescence and photoinduced magnetic phase transition in an organic radical TTTA crystal studied by two-photon absorption

Photoluminescence as well as photoinduced diamagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition in a strongly correlated electron system, an organic radical 1,3,5-trithia-2,4,6-triazapentalenyl (TTTA) crystal, was investigated under two-photon excitation with different photon densities. Below the threshold photon density to drive the photoinduced phase transition (PIPT), the diamagnetic phase shows a broad luminescence band with a large Stokes shift, whose intensity obeys almost second power law of the excitation photon density. Above the threshold photon density, on the other hand, the diamagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition effectively takes place with a large conversion yield and a steep response instead of an occurrence of the photoluminescence, indicating that the phase transition is optically induced by two-photon absorption. As far as we know, this is the first observation of the PIPT phenomena mediated by two-photon absorption.     

Nanomosaic: formation of nanodomains confined in a two-dimensional molecular plane

Atomic force microscopy observations of a (hydrocarbon guanidinium/fluorocarbon carboxylic acid) mixed monolayer revealed that a nanoscopic phase-separated structure was formed by a combination of attractive interaction between the oppositely charged head groups and repulsive phase separation of the hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon chains.     

Synthesis and micromechanical properties of flexible, self-supporting polymer-SiO2 nanofilms

Large-scale, self-supporting ultrathin films composed of an elastomeric polyacrylate network interpenetrated by a silica (SiO2) network were synthesized and characterized. The organic network was first photopolymerized and the silica structure was subsequently developed in situ in the preformed organic gel. Composition and morphology of the hybrid interpenetrated network (IPN) nanofilms were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy and compared with the case of zirconia (ZrO2) hybrid IPN reported earlier. Young modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and ultimate tensile elongation were determined for different organic/inorganic molar ratios and give some insights on how the composition of the nanofilms influence their robustness and self-supporting properties.     

Photoluminescence modification in 3D-ordered films of fluorescent microspheres

3D-ordered latex films made of fluorescent microspheres were fabricated by sonication-assisted casting. Angle-dependent changes of photoluminescent (PL) emission were observed for the as-prepared fluorescent latex films with diameter of 200 nm. The PL emission at 483 and 512 nm was enhanced when they were near the edge of the stop band, and the suppression of PL emission was observed at 483 and 512 nm when they were located in the stop band. Resonance enhancement of PL emission was observed at 512 nm for the latex film with latex diameter of 1011 nm, in which the fluorescent sphere acted as both active emitting source and resonance microcavity.     

Application of laser-induced thermal acoustics in air to measurement of shock-induced temperature changes

The laser-induced thermal acoustics (LITA) method was used to measure the temperature profiles induced behind spherical shock waves, generated by high-voltage discharge in air with an energy of 6 J. A Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 532 nm, energy 300 mJ, pulse duration 10 ns, line width 0.005 cm⁻¹) and an Ar-ion laser (wavelength 488 nm, power 4 W) served as the pump and probe lasers, respectively for the LITA measurements. The peak temperatures were in good agreement with results calculated with the Euler equations. The temperature profiles behind the shock, however, differed in decay rates. The peak temperatures behind the shock wave were determined by reflected overpressure and agreed with those from the LITA measurements within a maximum error of 5%.     

Synthesis of ultrathin polymer films by self assembly

Recent progresses in the self assembly of ultrathin polymer films are described. Bilayer membranes of polymeric hydrogen-bond networks are formed in water. Two-dimensional networks of organic and inorganic polymers are formed in cast films of synthetic bilayer membranes to give stable multilayer films upon removal of the matrices. The monolayer at the air-water interface constitutes suitable templates for 2D polymer networks, and it may be either removed or part of the 2D film. Successive adsorption of polycations and polyanions under carefully controlled conditions produces layered polyion complexes in the stepwise manner. Various polymer chains are epitaxially adsorbed onto graphite. All these results indicate that molecularly defined 2D polymer structures are readily available.