Revealing sol-gel type main effects by exploring a molecular cluster behavior in model in-plane amphiphilic aggregations

In-plane (bio)matter aggregations of amphiphilic nature are modeled extensively by Monte Carlo simulation in their natural entropic contexts. The modeling starts by designing the aggregations at a molecular level, pointing to its well-known configuration vs conformation character. Then, the conformational behavior is distributed over the aggregations obtained, with the aim of revealing their main sol-gel type (viscoelastic) effects. The passage between the resulting sol and gel phases is not controlled by a scan in the temperature domain, on the contrary, the control parameter is selected to be the hydrophobic-interaction strength while the temperature remains unchanged. The distribution of ordered fringed micelles, and the overall crystalline inclusions of the gel phase, suggested a first-order phase change, reasonably conceivable in terms of Avrami-Kolmogorov formalism for such hydrophobic-force driven and percolation-in-nature systems. A phase transition diagram has been presented as a novel proposition to discern between sol vs gel phases. As specific results, also of high experimental value, a damped-oscillating cluster-involving effect on the resulting hydrophobic-polar matrices has been detected and analysed. Other additional intermolecular-sharing entropy-influenced effects on clustering, as seen in terms of chain-to-chain connectivities, have been addressed as being of sufficient relevance to the gelation mechanism described. The microcrystalline inclusions downgrade to some extent the overall picture of entropy-affected gelation, being all together suitable for experimental check-out.     

A novel demonstration of photoacoustic Raman spectroscopy with combined stimulated Raman pumping in H2 molecule

We present the experimental demonstration of a novel, efficient, and vibrational selective technique to prepare population in vibrational level v″ = 1 using the stimulated Raman pumping. Photoacoustic Raman signal has been studied in non-radiative transitions in the molecule H₂ (v″ = 0) and (v″ = 1). The population fraction in the v″ = 1 level can be estimated by using combined photoacoustic Raman spectroscopy with stimulated Raman pumping for the first time.     

The dependence of polymer conductivity on the work function of metallic electrodes

It is shown that the occurrence of metallic conductivity in polymers is due to their electrification. In particular, the current density depends on the electron work function of metallic electrodes which are in contact with the polymer.     

Blended polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate polymers for scintillation base substrates

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) are both good candidates for use as scintillation base substrates. One advantage is their relatively high density of 1.33 g cm⁻³. To enhance their relative strengths and to mitigate their weaknesses, we blended PET and PEN 1:1 by weight and found that the overall characteristics are improved. The wavelength at maximum emission was 415 nm, the refractive index was 1.61, and the light yield was 0.85 times that of PEN. These results increase the available options for base materials to be used as scintillators.     

GPU-accelerated molecular dynamics simulation for study of liquid crystalline flows

We have developed a GPU-based molecular dynamics simulation for the study of flows of fluids with anisotropic molecules such as liquid crystals. An application of the simulation to the study of macroscopic flow (backflow) generation by molecular reorientation in a nematic liquid crystal under the application of an electric field is presented. The computations of intermolecular force and torque are parallelized on the GPU using the cell-list method, and an efficient algorithm to update the cell lists was proposed. Some important issues in the implementation of computations that involve a large number of arithmetic operations and data on the GPU that has limited high-speed memory resources are addressed extensively. Despite the relatively low GPU occupancy in the calculation of intermolecular force and torque, the computation on a recent GPU is about 50 times faster than that on a single core of a recent CPU, thus simulations involving a large number of molecules using a personal computer are possible. The GPU-based simulation should allow an extensive investigation of the molecular-level mechanisms underlying various macroscopic flow phenomena in fluids with anisotropic molecules.     

Alternative Approach to an AB2 Monomer for Hyperbranched Poly(Arylene Ether Ketone Imide)s

An alternative approach to an AB₂ monomer, N‐[3,5‐bis(4‐hydroxybenzoyl)benzene]‐4‐fluorophthalimde, 4, for hyperbranched poly(arylene ether ketone imide)s has been developed. The key steps were a para‐position selective electrophilic aromatic substitution of fluorobenzene with 5‐nitroisophthaloyl dichloride and a subsequent clean conversion of the aryl fluorides to phenol groups using potassium hydroxide as the nucleophile. The overall yield for the synthesis of 4 was 51.6%.     

Synthesis, Structure and Photoluminescence of a New Cd(Ⅱ)Coordination Polymer Based on 4-(Carboxymethoxy)-benzoic Acid and 1,10-Phenanthroline Derivative

A new 1D coordination polymer, [Cd2(L1)2(L2)2]·H2O (1, H2L1 = 4-(carboxy-methoxy)benzoic acid and L2 = 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in triclinic, space group Pī with a = 9.985(5), b = 10.768(5), c = 12.512(5), α = 68.959(5), β = 80.354(5), γ = 79.663(5)°, V = 1227.4(10) 3, Z = 1, C56H36Cd2F2N8O11, Mr = 1259.73, Dc = 1.704 g/cm3, F(000) = 630, μ(MoKa) = 0.949 mm-1, R = 0.0261 and wR = 0.0655. The L1 anions link the neighboring Cd(II) atoms to form a 1D double chain structure. The L2 ligands are alternately located on both sides of the double chains. More interestingly, the lateral L2 ligands from adjacent double chains are paired to furnish strong π-π interactions, yielding a 2D supramolecular layer. N-H···O, O-H···N and O-H···O hydrogen bonds further stabilize the structure of 1. The luminescent property of 1 was studied in solid state at room temperature.