Multiple hydrogen bonds tuning guest/host excited-state proton transfer reaction: its application in molecular recognition

A molecular recognition concept exploiting multiple-hydrogen-bond fine-tuned excited-state proton-transfer (ESPT) was conveyed using 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrobis(pyrido[3,2-g]indolo)[2,3-a:3',2'-j]acridine (1a). The catalytic type 1a/carboxylic acids hydrogen-bonding (HB) complexes undergo ultrafast ESPT, resulting in an anomalously large Stokes shifted tautomer emission (lambdamax approximately 600 nm). Albeit forming a quadruple HB complex, ESPT is prohibited in the noncatalytic-type 1a/urea complexes (lambdamax approximately 430 nm). The HB configuration tuning ESPT properties lead to a feasible design for sensing multiple-HB-site analytes of biological interest.     

The effect of differently sized Ag catalysts on the fabrication of a silicon nanowire array using Ag-assisted electroless etching

A simple and low cost method to generate single-crystalline, well-aligned silicon nanowires (SiNWs) of large area, using Ag-assisted electroless etching, is presented and the effect of differently sized Ag catalysts on the fabrication of SiNWs arrays is investigated. The experimental results show that the size of the Ag catalysts can be controlled by adjusting the pre-deposition time in the AgNO₃/HF solution. The optimum pre-deposition time for the fabrication of a SiNWs array is 3 min (about 162.04 ± 38.53 nm Ag catalyst size). Ag catalysts with smaller sizes were formed in a shorter pre-deposition time (0.5 min), which induced the formation of silicon holes. In contrast, a large amount of Ag dendrites were formed on the silicon substrate, after a longer pre-deposition time (4 min). The existence of these Ag dendrites is disadvantageous to the fabrication of SiNWs. Therefore, a proper pre-deposition time for the Ag catalyst is beneficial to the formation of SiNWs.SiNWs were synthesized in the H₂O₂/HF solution system for different periods of time, using Ag-assisted electroless etching (pre-deposition of the Ag catalyst for 3 min). The length of the SiNWs increases linearly with immersion time. From TEM, SAED and HRTEM analysis, the axial orientation of the SiNWs is identified to be along the [001] direction, which is the same as that of the initial Si wafer. The use of HF may induce Si–H_x bonds onto the SiNW array surface. Overall, the Ag-assisted electroless etching technique has advantages, such as low temperature, operation without the need for high energy and the lack of a need for catalysts or dopants.     

MIXED-CONVECTION HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN A FULLY DEVELOPED HORIZONTAL CHANNEL FLOW

An experimental study of mixed-convection heat and mass transfer flow of a CuS0₄ + H₂S0₄ + H₂O solution in a horizontal channel is performed by using an electrochemical system. Unstable temperature and concentration gradients imposed by a heated cathodic bottom initiate an ascending (secondary) flow of light boundary-layer fluid into the freestream. To visualize the flow, the shadowgraph technique is used. Electrical measurements are used to obtain mass transfer rates and to infer a Sherwood number. The ranges of the parameters studied in the present work for the square channel are Pr = 5-7, Sc = 1,700-2,300, Re = 100-1,000, Gr_m= 1.27 X 10⁶ and Gr_ab = 4.06 × 10⁶-2.4S × 10⁷.     

Synthesis of laterally substituted bistolane liquid crystals

Methods for synthesizing bistolane liquid crystal materials with lateral methyl and ethyl substituents are presented. Some of the bistolanes are nematic at room temperature. These highly conjugated mesogens exhibit wide nematic ranges, small enthalpies of fusion, high birefringence and modest viscosity. Their potential applications for flat panel displays employing light scattering or Bragg reflection and for infrared optically phased arrays are foreseeable.     

Mesogenic and optical properties of α,α′‐bis(4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl)oligothiophenes

Liquid crystalline α,α′‐bis(4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl)oligothiophenes (bi‐ and ter‐thiophene) have been synthesized and their mesogenic behaviour and optical properties investigated. They all exhibited a nematic mesophase, and compounds with long alkoxy chains also showed lamellar phases. Increasing the number of thiophene units increased both the transition temperatures and the mesophase ranges. As for their optical properties, incorporating more thiophene units results in red‐shifted absorption and emission spectra, slightly enhanced quantum efficiency, and a larger Stoke's shift. Most importantly, in terms of the absorption and emission maxima, the incorporation of one 4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl moiety was found to be equivalent to adding one thiophene ring.     

Influence of floating-ring-electrode on large-aperture liquid crystal lens

Large-aperture liquid crystal (LALC) lens with hole-patterned electrodes possesses small lens power and high addressing voltage because of the thick dielectric layer inserted between the hole-patterned electrode and LC layer. With an embedded narrow floating ring electrode (FRE), the lens power and addressing voltage of the LALC lens could be effectively increased and decreased, respectively. In this study, we analyse the electro-optic performance of LALC lens upon variation of the diameter of the embedded FRE. Results reveal that the FRE diameter determines the electric-field distribution and hence the electro-optic behaviour of the LALC lens. The LALC lens with embedded 2-mm-diameter FRE has excellent lens properties, such as low aberration, high focal quality and modulation transfer function performance comparable with solid glass lens.     

Synthesis and proton conductivity of sulfonated,multi‐phenylated poly(arylene ether)s

A series of sterically‐encumbered, sulfonated, poly(arylene ether) copolymers were synthesized and their proton conductivity examined. The series was prepared by copolymerizing a novel monomer, 2″,3″,5″,6″‐tetraphenyl‐[1,1′:4',1″:4″,1″':4″',1″″‐quinquephenyl]‐4,4″″‐diol, with 4,4'‐difluorobenzophenone and bisphenol A. Subsequent sulfonation and solution casting provided membranes possessing ion exchange capacities of 1.9 to 2.7 mmol/g and excellent mechanical properties (Young's modulus, 0.2–1.2 GPa; tensile strength, 35–70 MPa; elongation at break, 62–231%). Water uptake ranged from 34 to 98 wt% at 80 °C/100% RH. Proton conductivities ranged between 0.24 to 16 mS/cm at 80 °C/60% RH, and 3 to 167 mS/cm at 80 °C/95% RH. TEM analysis of the polymers, in the dehydrated state, revealed isolated spherical aggregates of ions, which presumably coalesce when hydrated to provide highly conductive pathways. The strategy of using highly‐encumbered polymer frameworks for the design of mechanically‐robust and dimensionally‐stable proton conducting membranes is demonstrated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2579‐2587