Step‐Mediated Anisotropic Adsorption and Condensation of tert‐Butylamine on Cu(111)

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations were applied in studying the anisotropic adsorption and condensation of tert‐butylamine (t‐BA) molecules in the vicinity of the steps on the Cu(111) surface. The preferential adsorption at the upper step edges and uneven distribution of t‐BA in the vicinity of the steps illustrate the asymmetric electronic structure of the surface steps. Our observation demonstrates that the adsorption and diffusion of a polar molecule would be significantly mediated by steps on metal surfaces due to the molecule–step interaction and the intermolecular interactions.     

Structure and Photoelectric Characteristics of Functional Polymers and of Compositions Based on Them

The electronic processes in disordered organic solids were analyzed, classified, and summarized. They include the photogeneration of charge pairs, electron transport, geminal and bimolecular recombination, and the capture of charge carriers in local electronic states. General criteria were formulated for the targeted search for and the creation of new prospective polymers and their compositions with organic pigments and related compounds having specific photoelectric characteristics for electrographic and holographic media, photoelectric converters, and electroluminescent and photorefractive devices.     

Thermal And Structural Characterization of Commercial α-, β-, and γ-Cyclodextrins

α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins (CDs) marketed by five different companies were characterized from the thermal and structural point of view. Three αCD samples showed two-step DSC dehydration profiles and their XRD patterns were characteristic for αCD⋅6H₂O form I, whereas one brand with an apparent three-step DSC dehydration behaviour was a mixture of αCD⋅6H₂O form I and anhydrous αCD. The differences in the DSC profiles after dehydration and EGA onset decomposition temperatures recorded for the five βCD brands were attributed to different manufacturing and purification processes. The five γCDs brands showed a common thermal behaviour and very similar XRD patterns. The patterns did not match the idealized pattern of γCD⋅14.1H₂O, indicating the occurrence of two different hydrated crystal structures. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ageing of Conductive Polyaniline/Poly(Ethylene-co-Vinylacetate) Composites Studied by Thermal Methods

The long-term environmental ageing of conductive composite films containing ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate (EVA) copolymer and a complex of polyaniline (PANI) and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We assume that both phase separation and crosslinking of PANI main chains occur in the systems. On the other hand, the competition between PANI–DBSA complex self-organization and crystallization of EVA matrix result in structural changes and formation of continuous conductive network, responsible for significantly increased (ca five orders of magnitude) electrical conductivity of the aged films. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Trapping Nanostructures on Surfaces through Weak Interactions

The assembly of imidazole‐functionalized phenanthroline‐strapped zinc porphyrins (ZnPorphen) with alkyl or polyethylene glycol (PEG) side chains was studied in solution and by AFM after casting on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) or mica. The nature of the solvent and its evaporation time influenced the morphology of the objects observed. On HOPG, short rods of about 100 nm were observed after fast evaporation of solutions of the alkyl derivatives in CHCl₃, THF, or pyridine, whereas islands of aligned rows of longer wires were obtained from methylcyclohexane (MCH). Slow evaporation of MCH led to a three‐dimensional assembly. The PEG porphyrin assembled into short wires on HOPG or fibers on mica after slow evaporation of solutions in THF. This study shows the role of surface–molecule interactions in the interfacial assembly of ZnPorphen derivatives and contributes to understanding the parameters that control their noncovalent assembly into molecular wires on a surface.     

Hydrogen bonding versus van der Waals interactions: competitive influence of noncovalent interactions on 2D self-assembly at the liquid-solid interface

The structures of the self-assembled monolayers of various 4-alkoxybenzoic acids physisorbed at the liquid-solid interface were established by employing scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). This study has been essentially undertaken to explore the competitive influence of van der Waals and hydrogen-bonding interactions on the process of two-dimensional self-assembly. These acid derivatives form hydrogen-bonded dimers as expected; however, the dimers organise themselves in the form of relatively complex lamellae. The characteristic feature of these lamellae is the presence of regular discommensurations or kinks along the lamella propagation direction. The formation of kinked lamellae is discussed in light of the registry mechanism of the alkyl chains with the underlying graphite substrate. The location of the kinks along a lamella depends on the number (odd or even) of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. This result indicates that concerted van der Waals interactions of the alkyl chain units introduce the odd/even chain-length effect on the surface-assembled supramolecular patterns. The odd/even effects are retained even upon complexation with a hydrogen-bond acceptor. However, as the solvent is changed from 1-phenyloctane to 1-octanoic acid, the kinked lamellae as well as the odd/even effects disappear. This solvent-induced convergence of supramolecular patterns is attained by means of co-crystallisation of octanoic acid molecules in the 2D crystal lattice, which is evident from high-resolution STM images. The solvent co-adsorption phenomenon is discussed in terms of competing van der Waals and hydrogen-bonding interactions.     

Chromatographie par complexe de transfert de charge. Application à l'analyse d'hydroliquéfiats du charbon par HPLC

Résumé L'analyse de coupes lourdes (huile de distillation sous vide et huile issue du séparateur à chaud) provenant de l'hydroliquéfaction catalytique du charbon a été réalisée par mise en ouvre de différentes techniques chromatographiques. L'identification des principales structures résulte de l'application de la chromatographie par couplage de transfert de charge en mode HPLC et des spectroscopies UV et de masse.

---

Donotor-acceptor complex chromatography —Application to analysis of coal liquefaction products by HPLC

Summary A Vacuum gas oil and the corresponding residue of a coal liquefaction product were investigated by means of HPLC and MS. Nearly a complete identification was performed by chromatographic, UV-spectroscopic methods and MS.

     

Small-angle x-ray scattering studies on epoxidized butadiene-styrene block copolymers

Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations for epoxidized butadiene-styrene (BS) block copolymers were performed. For unepoxidized copolymers, the SAXS curve exhibits a maximum which indicates that the copolymer has heterogeneity domain morphology. Using the standard theory for a two-phase system, mean distances between domains, the correlation length l _p , and the thickness of the phase boundary were calculated from the SAXS data. It was found that the epoxidation of BS copolymers decreases the ability of the copolymer to separate the individual components. As the content of the epoxide groups increases, the dimensions of the domains decrease until they disappear, the boundary between domains and the matrix becomes less and less definite, and the copolymer composes a homogeneous system. The disappearance of the two-phase structure of the BS copolymers indicates an increase in the compatibility of polystyrene and epoxidized polybutadiene. According to the method of Van Krevelen, the solubility parameters of polystyrene and epoxypolybutadiene were calculated. Small differences between these parameters support the conclusions drawn from the SAXS investigations     

Thermal stability and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of epoxy thermosets possessing N,N′-disubstituted pyromellitimide units

Abstract

In this work, three epoxy resins including diglycidyl ethers of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide (DIDGE), bisphenol-A (BADGE), and polyethylene glycol (PEDGE) were isothermally cured by an amine curing agent possessing N,N′-disubstituted pyromellitimide units (denoted by DIDAM). DIDGE resin was synthesized from the reaction of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide with an excess of epichlorohydrin. Also, DIDAM curing agent was prepared from the reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride with an excess of ethylene diamine. Completion of the isothermal curing processes was approved by both Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC traces showed only the phase transitions related to the thermal degradation of the resulting thermosets. According to the thermogravimetric analyses, the DIDGE/DIDAM thermoset showed higher thermal stability at temperatures above 425?°C than the other two thermosets. While BADGE/DIDAM and PEDGE/DIDAM thermosets showed about 70% weight loss in the thermal range of 400–850?°C, DIDGE/DIDAM thermoset was encountered with only about 40% weight loss. The glass transition temperatures (T_g ) of the resulting thermosets were determined using tan δ vs temperature plots obtained from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The T_g values of BADGE/DIDAM, DIDGE/DIDAM, and PEDGE/DIDAM thermosets were found to be 211?°C, 189?°C, and 81?°C, respectively.     

The porosity, acidity, and reactivity of dealuminated zeolite ZSM-5 at the single particle level: the influence of the zeolite architecture

A combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM), high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR‐SEM), focused‐ion‐beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB‐SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM), and UV/Vis and synchrotron‐based IR microspectroscopy was used to investigate the dealumination processes of zeolite ZSM‐5 at the individual crystal level. It was shown that steaming has a significant impact on the porosity, acidity, and reactivity of the zeolite materials. The catalytic performance, tested by the styrene oligomerization and methanol‐to‐olefin reactions, led to the conclusion that mild steaming conditions resulted in greatly enhanced acidity and reactivity of dealuminated zeolite ZSM‐5. Interestingly, only residual surface mesoporosity was generated in the mildly steamed ZSM‐5 zeolite, leading to rapid crystal coloration and coking upon catalytic testing and indicating an enhanced deactivation of the zeolites. In contrast, harsh steaming conditions generated 5–50 nm mesopores, extensively improving the accessibility of the zeolites. However, severe dealumination decreased the strength of the Brønsted acid sites, causing a depletion of the overall acidity, which resulted in a major drop in catalytic activity.