Flexible conducting polymer transistors with supercapacitor function

Planar organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) using PEDOT:PSS as the channel material and nanostructured carbon (nsC) as the gate electrode material and poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate (PSSNa) gel as the electrolyte were fabricated on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (Mylar^®) substrates. The nsC was deposited at room‐temperature by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD). Interestingly, the OECT acts as a hybrid supercapacitor (to give a device that we indicate as transcap). The energy storage ability of transcaps has been studied with two cell configurations: one featuring PEDOT:PSS as the positive electrode and nsC as the negative electrode and another configuration with reversed electrode polarity. Potentiostatic charge/discharge studies show that both supercapacitors show good performance in terms of voltage retention, in particular, when PEDOT:PSS is used as the positive electrode. Galvanostatic charge–discharge characteristics show typical symmetric triangular shape, indicating a nearly ideal capacitive behavior with a high columbic efficiency (close to 100%). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 96–103     

One-dimensional polymers containing strictly collinear metal ions: synthesis and XRPD characterization of homoleptic binary metal pyrazolates

The synthesis of a number of 3d transition metal binary pyrazolates in microcrystalline form, thus suitable for a full XRPD characterization, has been pursued. The crystal and molecular structures of the Fe(pz)3, Co(pz)2, Co(pz)3, and Ni(pz)2 polymers, together with the few congeners reported in the recent literature, show that these species tend to afford highly crystalline materials where strictly collinear chains of metal atoms are present. Depending on the synthetic strategy used, Ni(pz)2 has been found to crystallize as two different alpha (orthorhombic) and beta (monoclinic) phases, possessing nearly identical intramolecular features. Data for each compound follow. Fe(pz)3: C9H9FeN6, hexagonal, P63/m, a = 9.1745(3) A, c = 7.2191(4) A, Z = 2. Co(pz)2: C6H6CoN4, orthorhombic, Ibam, a = 7.5239(5) A, b = 14.3461(9) A, c = 7.4331(5) A, Z = 4. Co(pz)3: C9H9CoN6, hexagonal, P63/m, a = 9.1966(3) A, c = 7.1051(3) A, Z = 2. Alpha-Ni(pz)2: C6H6N4Ni, orthorhombic, Cmcm, a = 16.6758(11) A, b = 6.4872(4) A, c = 6.9423(6) A, Z = 4. Beta-Ni(pz)2: C6H6N4Ni, monoclinic, P21/m, a = 9.967(2) A, b = 6.975(1) A, c = 6.016(1), A, beta = 98.50(1)degrees, Z = 2. The thermal stability and the detailed structural properties of these model compounds have been evaluated, in the light of the technologically relevant crystal phases (the well-known metal-diazolates showing reversible spin-crossover or spin-transition behavior) obtainable upon doping, magnetic dilution, and ring substitution (in the 4-position).     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel linear trinuclear ruthenium(II) complex: variation of photosensitization ability with chain length in a homologous series

A new, one-step preparation of 1,4-di(2,2':6',2' '-terpyridin-4'-yl)benzene was employed in the synthesis of a linear trinuclear Ru(II) complex, which was compared to mononuclear and dinuclear analogues using UV-vis spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and ability to sensitize the photogeneration of methyl viologen radical cation. The chain length-dependent increase in sensitization ability was consistent with an increasing molar absorbance and with an end-on approach of the photoreactants mitigating the increasing charge.     

Experimental and modelization approach in the study of acid-site energy distribution by base desorption. Part I: modified silica surfaces

The acid properties of pure and modified silica surfaces were studied by 2-phenylethylamine (PEA) desorption in a thermogravimetric (TGA) apparatus, carrying out the experiments at different heating rates (5 < beta/(degrees C.min(-1)) < 30). The samples, containing about 13 wt % alumina, titania, and zirconia, were prepared by the sol-gel route from molecular precursors. The textural, structural, and surface properties of the materials were studied by complementary techniques (ICP, XRD, N(2) physisorption, SEM-EDS, and XPS). The chemical modification of the silica surface by enrichment with Al, Ti, or Zr, in amounts of about 90, 50, and 60% of that introduced in the preparation as determined by XPS, justified the increase of acidity of the modified silica surfaces compared with that of pure silica. The total number of strong acid sites was found to be in the order of SZ > SA > ST > S. Two different kinetic approaches were applied to the thermogravimetric data to kinetically interpret the PEA desorption from the different types of acid sites. The classical differential Kissinger model was found to be inadequate in representing the very complex situation of the acid surfaces. A more complex model is proposed by simultaneously taking into account PEA desorption from the different acid sites by a set of parallel and independent desorption reactions following Arrhenius's kinetic law. The fraction of each type of acid site on each surface and the relevant activation parameters were optimized through a computational procedure. Very good fitting of the experimental-calculated desorption profiles corroborated the validity of the model. For each surface, the acid-site energy distribution is presented and discussed in relationship to the surface composition of the oxides.     

Anisotropic metal nanoparticles: Synthesis, assembly, and optical applications

This feature article highlights work from the authors' laboratories on the synthesis, assembly, reactivity, and optical applications of metallic nanoparticles of nonspherical shape, especially nanorods. The synthesis is a seed-mediated growth procedure, in which metal salts are reduced initially with a strong reducing agent, in water, to produce approximately 4 nm seed particles. Subsequent reduction of more metal salt with a weak reducing agent, in the presence of structure-directing additives, leads to the controlled formation of nanorods of specified aspect ratio and can also yield other shapes of nanoparticles (stars, tetrapods, blocks, cubes, etc.). Variations in reaction conditions and crystallographic analysis of gold nanorods have led to insight into the growth mechanism of these materials. Assembly of nanorods can be driven by simple evaporation from solution or by rational design with molecular-scale connectors. Short nanorods appear to be more chemically reactive than long nanorods. Finally, optical applications in sensing and imaging, which take advantage of the visible light absorption and scattering properties of the nanorods, are discussed.     

A methodology for measuring the relative effectiveness of healthcare services

^** Email: giorgio.vittadini{at}unimib.it^*** Email: simona.minotti{at}unicatt.it In this paper we propose a methodology for measuring the ‘relativeeffectiveness’ of healthcare services (i.e. the effectof hospital care on patients) under general conditions, in which:) a healthcare outcome underlies qualitative and quantitativeobservable indicators; ß) we are interested in studyingthe simultaneous dependency of multiple outcomes on covariates(where the outcomes can also be correlated to each other); )the relative effectiveness is adjusted for hospital-specificcovariates; ) we hypothesise a general distribution for randomdisturbances and the random parameters of relative effectiveness.For this topic, a generalisation of the SURE (seemingly unrelatedregression equations) multilevel model is proposed. The solutionsare obtained by means of Bayesian inference methods. Since thereis currently no software available to estimate this model, anSAS procedure based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods hasbeen developed by the authors, in line with Goldstein &Spiegelhalter (1996, J. R. Stat. Soc. Ser. A, 159, 385–443),Spiegelhalter et al. (1996, Bayesian Using Gibbs Sampling Manual.Cambridge: MRC Biostatistic Unit, Institute of Public Health)and Albert & Chib (1997, J. Am. Stat. Assoc., 92, 916–925).In addition, a new theoretical result regarding the joint posteriordistribution for the parameters is provided. The model proposedhas been implemented for an effectiveness study of a selectionof Lombard hospitals.     

Accelerated Koenigs-Knorr glucuronidation of a deactivated nitrophenol: unveiling the role of polyamine additive 1,1,4,7,10,10-hexamethyltriethylenetetramine through design of experiments

1,1,4,7,10,10-Hexamethyltriethylenetetramine (HMTTA) emerged from a limited parallel screening of selected polyamines as the most appropriate additive for an especially problematic Koenigs-Knorr glucuronidation. This initial finding rapidly evolved into a reliable and high-yielding procedure through the use of two sets of experimental designs. The detailed effect of the stoichiometry of reagents and the amount of amine additive on reaction yield was elucidated. The complexity of the response surface for product yield, described by a third-order polynomial equation, together with ancillary kinetic experiments evidenced the multiple role of HMTTA in the present glucuronidation process.     

Quantification of arecoline (areca nut alkaloid) in neonatal biological matrices by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray quadrupole mass spectrometry

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with mass spectrometric detection is described for determination of arecoline in newborn meconium, urine and cord serum, using pilocarpine as internal standard. The analytes were extracted from neonatal biological matrices with chloroform/isopropanol (95:5, v/v) at alkaline pH. Extracts were analyzed by HPLC coupled to an electrospray (ESI) interface and a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Chromatography was performed on a C(8) reversed-phase column using 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.3)/acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring mode. The method was validated over the concentration range 0.005-1.00 micro g/g meconium, 0.004-1.00 micro g/mL cord serum and 0.001-1.00 micro /mL urine. Mean recoveries ranged between 86.5 and 90.7% for arecoline in the different biological matrices, with precision always better than 10%. The quantification limits of arecoline were 0.005 micro g/g meconium, 0.004 micro g/mL cord serum, and 0.001 micro g/mL urine. The method was applied to the analysis of neonatal biological matrices to assess eventual fetal exposition to arecoline. Two newborns from Asian mothers who declared areca nut consumption presented arecoline in meconium with concentrations in the range 0.006-0.008 micro g/g; also the urine from one neonate tested positive for the drug.     

Unexpected reactivity between aromatic nitro compounds and PCl3/AlCl3. A new one-pot synthesis of phenazines

The reaction between 4-nitroalkoxybenzenes 7 and PCl₃/AlCl₃, when carried out in appropriate molar ratio, gives a prevalent formation of diazenes 8 and 2,7-dialkoxyphenazines 9 with their new chlorinated derivatives 10-13. These compounds are obtained, in satisfactory yield, in a one-pot procedure, in mild conditions, from commercially available and safe starting materials. In this reaction both the reagents PCl₃ and AlCl₃ play a fundamental role in obtaining the products, and this method might be applicable to other 4-alkoxynitrobenzenes.