The influence of solid‐state microstructure on the origin and yield of long‐lived photogenerated charge in neat semiconducting polymers

The influence of solid‐state microstructure on the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers is widely recognized, but still poorly understood. Here, we show how the microstructure of conjugated polymers controls the yield and decay dynamics of long‐lived photogenerated charge in neat films. Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) was used as a model system. By varying the molecular weight, we drive a transition in the polymer microstructure from nonentangled, chain‐extended, paraffinic‐like to entangled, semicrystalline (M_W = 5.5–347 kg/mol). The molecular weight range at which this transition occurs (M_W = 40–50 kg/mol) can be deduced from the drastic change in elongation at break found in tensile tests. Linear absorption measurements of free‐exciton bandwidth and time‐resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements of transient photoconductance track the concomitant evolution in optoelectronic properties of the polymer as a function of M_W. TRMC measurements show that the yield of free photogenerated charge increases with increasing molecular weight in the paraffinic regime and saturates at the transition into the entangled, semicrystalline regime. This transition in carrier yield correlates with a sharp transition in free‐exciton bandwidth and decay dynamics at a similar molecular weight. We propose that the transition in microstructure controls the yield and decay dynamics of long‐lived photogenerated charge. The evolution of a semicrystalline structure with well‐defined interfaces between amorphous and crystalline domains of the polymer is required for spatial separation of the electron and hole. This structural characteristic not only largely controls the yield of free charges, but also serves as a recombination center, where mobile holes encounter a bath of dark electrons resident in the amorphous phase and recombine with quasi first‐order kinetics. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Synthesis of Vegetable Oil‐Based Polyurethane: A Study on Curing Kinetics Behavior

In the present study, biobased polyurethane (BPU) samples were synthesized from three different polyols along with polymeric hexamethylene diisocyanate. The three different polyols were synthesized by reacting castor oil with ethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and triethanolamine. The synthesized polyols were confirmed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectra analysis. BPU samples were confirmed by the disappearance of isocyanate peak in the FTIR spectra. The cross‐linking densities of all BPU samples were determined using swelling studies. Curing kinetics behavior of all BPU samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry at three different heating rates (5, 7.5, and 10°C/min). The curing kinetic parameters were studied using three nonisothermal methods such as Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Ozawa, respectively. The activation energies were found to increase with increasing degree of cure (α). Surface properties of all the synthesized BPU samples were evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy.     

Studies on heterocyclic polyurea–epoxy resin condensation products

Polyureas having different heterocyclic groups were reacted, respectively, with commercial epoxy resins, i.e., diglicidyle ether of bisphenol A and brominated DGEBA. The resultant polyurea–epoxy systems were designated as I_(a–f) and II_(a–f), respectively. All the polyurea–epoxy systems were characterized by FTIR spectral studies, thermogravimetric analysis and number average molecular weight, estimated by non-aqueous conductometric titration. The polyurea–epoxy systems were then mixed with appropriate amounts of DGEBA epoxy resin, monitored for differential scanning calorimetry, and, based on this, glass fiber-reinforced composites were prepared. All the resultant laminates were characterized by physical and mechanical properties.     

Removal of Mercury by Emulsion Liquid Membranes: Studies on Emulsion Stability and Scale Up

Emulsion liquid membranes (ELM) have received significant attention in the separation of various metal ions from industrial wastewater. Still efforts are needed to get the desired level of stability to overcome the hindrance in the application of ELM at industrial scale. In this paper, the effects of various parameters such as emulsification speed, concentration of cosurfactant, surfactant, carrier and impeller speed during extraction on the stability of an emulsion liquid membrane are studied. Dispersion destabilization of w/o emulsion is checked by Turbiscan. Drop size distribution and photomicrographs of the emulsions are also analyzed to evaluate stability of the emulsion. Instability of emulsion liquid membrane during extraction process is measured in terms of membrane breakage. A stable emulsion is used for the extraction of mercury from aqueous solution in small scale as well as in large scale.     

A strategy to access fused triazoloquinoline and related nucleoside analogues

Fused triazoloquinolines have been prepared starting from (E)-3-(2-nitrophenyl)-1-aryl-prop-2-en-1-ones and sugar or benzyl azides in a sequential [3+2] cycloaddition reaction, followed by one pot Pd–C assisted reduction, cyclization and aromatization. The triazolyl fused quinolines with N¹-glycosyl substituents as unnatural nucleosides have inherent potential to generate a library of compounds for bioevaluations.     

Synthesis and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Highly Functionalized Pyridylmethyl-C-β-D-Glycosides

Several pyridylmethyl-C-β-D-glycosides (3a–3l, 6a, and 6h) were synthesized by refluxing 3-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)/(β-D-cellobiosyl)-propanones and dicyanobenzylidenes with ammonium acetate in anhydrous toluene in moderate to good yields. The reaction involves a C?C Michael addition of enamine, formed from glycosyl ketone and ammonium acetate, to the dicayanobenzylidene derivative; subsequent dehydrative cyclization; and oxidative aromatization. Two of these prototypes, compounds 3e and 3k, were deacetylated to the respective glucopyranosyl methyl pyridines 4e and 4k with NaOMe/MeOH. The synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and one of the compounds showed 20% inhibition as compared to standard drug acarbose displaying 39% inhibition.     

Vinyl Polymerization Initiated by Peroxydiphosphate. IV. Polymerization of Acrylonitrile Initiated by Peroxydiphosphate-Thioacetamide Redox System

Abstract

The kinetics of the aqueous polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by the peroxydiphosphate-thioacetamide redox system was investigated at 35, 40, and 50°C. The rates of polymerization were measured at different concentrations of oxidant, activator, and monomer. Peroxydiphosphate alone did not initiate polymerization under deaerated and undeaerated conditions. Addition of certain water-miscible organic solvents and neutral salts depress the rate and conversion. On the basis of experimental observations of the dependence of the rate of polymerization on various variables, a suitable kinetic scheme has been proposed.     

Vinyl Polymerization Initiated by Metal Chelates. III. Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by Vanadium(IV) Acetylacetonate Chelates

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by the vanadium acetylacetonate complex was investigated under a nitrogen atmosphere at 50°C. The effect of concentration of monomer, complex, acid, dioxane, inhibitor, and the effect of temperature on the rate of polymerization were studied. The rate of polymerization was found to increase upon increasing the concentrations of the monomer, the initiator, and the acid. The overall activation energy has been computed from the Arrhenius plot and a suitable kinetic scheme has been proposed.     

Separation of Pt(IV) from Industrial Wastewater Using Rice Husk Adsorbent and Its Derivatives

Some novel adsorbents were prepared by rice husk (RH). The esterified rice husk (RHS) was prepared by treating RH with anhydride of succinic acid to introduce carboxylic function to rice husk. This RHS was used to anchor various polyamines, viz., ethylenediamine (ED) and diethylenetriamine (DT) to prepare new adsorbents. These adsorbents were used to separate Pt(IV) from synthetic as well as industrial wastewaters. Adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry. The selectivity order for Pt(IV) removal found was: RHS-DT > RHS-ED > RH > RHS. The Freundlich isotherm provided the high correlation (0.9750–0.9938) for the adsorption with low SSE (0.00215–0.00785) value of Pt(IV) for all the adsorbents. Among the kinetic models, pseudo-second order kinetic model was found to best fit with high correlation for all the adsorbents. The results of thermodynamic parameters suggest that the Pt(IV) adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The maximum percentage of desorption of Pt(IV) metal ion was obtained when the reagent HCl–thiourea mixture was used as desorbing agent.